MURDER AT THE TAFFY SHOP by Maddie Day

Publisher:      ‎ Kensington
Published:      March 30, 2021
ISBN:      ‎ 978-1496731692
Genre:     Cozy Mystery  
Format:     Print from Publisher
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  myreviewbooks@aol.com

FOUR HEARTS

Summer is winding down in Cape Cod and tourists are taking their last vacations. Many of finding their way to Mac’s Bikes to rent a bike and pedal around enjoying the town.  Mac is thrilled with how well business is going and that peace has descended on the town after being involved in a murder investigation just a few months ago. While visiting her parents their dog gets out and nasty neighbour, Beverly Ruchart returns the pup. She doesn’t just bring the dog over. She has some of her usual nastiness to share.  on. A day later Beverly shows up at Mac’s shop to have her bicycle tuned up and while she’s there Mac sees another side of the grouchy woman as she speaks with Mac’s employee, Orlean. As different people pass through the shop it seems most don’t have anything nice to say about Beverly, but when Mac’s friend Gin finds the woman dead it’s hard to feel anything but sad for the woman. With Gin being the one to find the body it isn’t long before Mac’s friend is suspect number one. Despite their promise not to get involved in another murder investigation, Mac’s book group, the Cozy Capers, soon find themselves in the middle of another investigation. 

Maddie Day’s Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries is becoming one of my favorite series. The idea of mystery book club members solving crimes is a fun one. I appreciate how Day intersperses what the members, as well as other characters, are reading through the story. It’s turned me on to a few authors I haven’t read before.

Mac is a terrific protag – she’s smart, practical and has common sense. She really tries to do the right thing. She’s loyal to her friends and is able to see the other side of people—like Beverly. The cozy capers book club has some interesting characters and the diversity of their backgrounds adds some nice elements to the story. Her Abo Rita is a fun character but my absolute favorite is Belle.  The scenes with Belle and Alexa are classic.

There were points in this one that bordered on women’s fiction and the angst that too many of them have.  I could have done without all the ruminating about Mac’s relationship with Tim and how she may not want children.

I’m looking forward to the next entry into this fun series.  Recipes for some of the dishes, like the parmesan polenta disks, are included.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

MURDER IN A TEA CUP by Vicki Delaney

 

Publisher:      Kensington
Published:      July 27, 2021
ISBN:      ‎ 978-1496725097
Genre:     Cozy Mystery
Format:     Print from Publisher
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  myreviewbooks@aol.com

 

THREE-1/2 HEARTS

 

Big excitement at Tea by the Sea when long-time friend of Lily Roberts’ grandmother, Rose’s, Sandra is coming to visit and stay at Rose’s charming B&B.  Not only is Sandra coming to visit-her entire family is coming for a big reunion and all being paid for by her granddaughter, Heather. Heather had the good fortune to marry a very wealthy man, Norman, and move to New York. That was good fortune until Norman died in a car accident. Now the widow is trying to bring the family together and mend old wounds and slights. While there is still some minor family squabbles things seem to be going along pretty well.  That is, until, during a tea at Lily’s shop one of the family members suddenly dies. Heather’s brother-in-law, Ed has his own blend of tea he drinks and when he falls over dead, it appears the tea may be the culprit. Ed has been drinking his special tea for some time, so how did it suddenly cause his death?  Did someone tamper with the tea?  Or was it just his time? As Sandra and Heather’s family squabbles turn to accusations it soon becomes clear Ed’s death was no accident. Not about to let her tea shop fall under suspicion, Lily finds herself, along with grandmother Rose and friend Bernie, investigating yet another murder.

 

I have to admit that when I read a book like Vicki Delany’s MURDER IN A TEA CUP I get led down more roads than just “whodoneit.”  In this case, it’s about tea. In the first book of this series TEA AND TREACHERY Lily talked quite a bit about her favorite brew, Creamy Earl Grey. I found myself looking to buy some and then stumbled on a host of other intriguing sounding tea brews and bought myself quite a selection.  I was drawn to MURDER IN A TEA CUP not just because I happen to like Delany’s writing and get pulled into her stories, but I was looking for more “tea info.”  This one focuses more on Sandra’s family’s dynamics and just who had it in for Ed and it made for a “gotta find out who did it” read.

 

I like Lily. She’s smart, observant, kind and practical. She doesn’t rush into things but looks at all the angles and when to turn for help. I’m not a fan of Rose or Bernie – Bernie annoys me with her never ending book plotting that goes nowhere.  SPOILER …..Heather was willing to give Bernie an in with a publisher but Heather’s role in the book kind of puts an end to that so Bernie no longer has incentive to write even a chapter.  She’s been plotting a book and changing direction every other day through two books and it’s getting old. I go back and forth liking Rose for her inner strength and attitude and her refusal to listen to anything anyone tells her. I’m all for strong minded women, but occasionally they need to back down.

 

Delany presents her readers with some interesting and at times typical family dynamics as the reunion moves along. I definitely could relate to aspects of it and I’m sure most readers will too.

 

You do not have to read book 1, TEA AND TREACHERY to enjoy MURDER IN A TEA CUP because not only does Delany give readers enough back story to catch up, the mystery stands on its own. 

 

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

*

MUCH ADO ABOUT NAUTICALING by Gabby Allan

Publisher:      Kensington
Published:      July 27, 2021
ISBN:      978-1496731067
Genre:     Cozy Mystery
Format:     Print from Publisher
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  myreviewbooks@aol.com

 

THREE HEARTS

Whitney Dagner has left the high pressure world of Los Angeles for a more relaxing life on Santa Catalina, an idyllic island off the California coast.  There, along with her grandparents and brother she runs her own sea themed shop featuring local artists and helps out with the family touring business which includes a glass bottom boat.  Her best friend Maribel made the move with her and life has been pretty good. Good until returning from a glass bottom boat cruise, instead of a colourful fish they see a body. And not just any body, but the self-proclaimed Master of the Island, Jules Tisdale. While Jules may have claimed a special title on the island, given his wealth he’s done a lot for the residents and local businesses including Whitney’s. Of greater concern for her though is the fact that it looks like her brother may have killed Jules. Complicating things is the arrival of her ex-boyfriend, Felix. She can’t imagine what the part-time police department diver is doing there and the last thing she needs is to rekindle that relationship when she’s determined to clear her brother, Nick’s, name.

 

Living in California and visited Catalina many times I was excited to see a series set on this idyllic and very romantic island. And even better for me is the series is called a Whit and Whiskers Mystery—and features an adorable orange tabby cat! 

 

Allan is off to a good start in her debut MUCH ADO ABOUT NAUTICALING – she has the right number of characters who are just quirky enough without being overboard. Catalina may be small but there are some great areas for crimes to be committed and the fact that there are few cars on the island add a bit more adventure to pursuing a killer. Having a best friend/roommate who works for the police department adds a few extra layers to potential stories as does ex-boyfriend, Felix, also working for the police. I liked Whitney for her loyalty to family and faith in Nick. And she’s not a dummy either. She’s smart, organized and logical. She’s not going to be the dumb blonde who says she shouldn’t go alone in the basement but goes any way.

 

There were points where I felt Allan wasn’t quite sure where to go with the story. What disappointed me was that Whiskers, the cat, is presented as one off the main characters. He doesn’t really appear until later in the story when Whitney takes him out in her autoette for a ride and then at the very end. It was almost like she forgot him and then quickly added a bit about him to the story. Hopefully the little feline hero will have more of a role in future books.

 

 

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

*

FRESH BREWED MURDER by Emmeline Duncan

Publisher:      Kensington
Published:      March 30, 2021
ISBN:      978-1496733399
Genre:     Cozy Mystery
Format:     Print from Publisher
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  myreviewbooks@aol.com

FOUR HEART                                                               

Sage Caplin and her partner Harley have just opened their coffee food truck.  Not just any food truck, but a craft, speciality coffee food truck.  While Harley is a master brewer of beans, Sage handles crafting and making amazing coffees.  As they set up shop they meet up with their fellow food carters at the Rail Yard.  Everyone is welcoming, offering trades of their foods for coffee.  Well, almost everyone.

 

One customer is less than thrilled. Not about Ground Rules, Sage and Harley’s food truck, but Sage in specific.  After levying a nasty comment or two at her he leaves, but not for long. When he returns though, he’s dead. Well, at least Sage finds him after he’s been killed.  Not just killed, but with a box cutter Sage has been using. In short order the local detective has Sage in his sights and not just because of the murder victim.  There are some things about Sage’s family that tend to attract attention, and it’s not always in a good way. Some people aren’t happy about some of those family connections and when vandalisms on the food truck stat to escalate it becomes a question of finding the killer before the killer finds Sage.

 

As a coffee addict and food truck aficionado I couldn’t resist picking up Emmeline Duncan’s FRESH BREWED MURDER. With a cup of coffee on hand I dug in and found myself sitting and reading from start to finish.  I just had to find out who killed the guy outside the food truck.  Duncan doesn’t just give you a one shot murder mystery.  There are some excellent side stories that twist and turn in the main one—finding the killer. 

 

Sage has an interesting, multi-faceted family.  Duncan clearly was looking ahead when she gave them their different professions so readers can anticipate some good mystery reading in the future. The Rail Yard setting is a fun one where there is room, or will be room, in the future for different food carts, along with each new character’s drama, to move in.

 

Duncan’s Ground Rules series is off to an excellent start. I can’t wait for book 2.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.