Crepe Factor by Laura Childs

Scrapbooking Mystery 14/14
October 3 - October 26

I love the books by Laura Childs and this one is always fun especially when it is set and released just before Halloween.

Carmela always seems to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and this tale is no different when she and Ava are around when first Martin Lash has a vicious argument  with Quigg Brevard and then appears a little later murdered by a chef's fork.  Quigg prevails upon Carmela to find out what happened since he appears as the prime suspect.

She and Ava dig into the background of the victim and eventually are placed into a dangerous situation that leads to the proper solution.
Great Story!

Paradise Lost by John Milton

September 9 - October 22
 I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting myself into, but this telling of the creation and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise was entertaining even though the writing was a bit different from what I am used to.

I found it amusing that according to Milton  Sin and Death were the offspring of Satan and that Chaos' consort is Night with Confusion and Discord along for the ride. The manner of using words as names for creatures was very inventive. Rarely, do I like Classics this old, but this one worked for me.

Silence of the Lamps by Karen Rose Smith

A Caprice De Luca Mystery 5/6

October 11 - October 12

  This is such a fun series with a mixture of a large family that supports each other, a heroine who works hard at her staging business but also takes in shelter animals, and manages to solve a murder here and there.  Love how he antiques were worked into this cozy!  

In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster ★★★½ by Stephanie Laurens

The mysterious Scottish Laird is at again and has Eliza Cynster abducted from her sister's engagement party at her brother's home.  Realizing that she is in the same predicament that her sister had faced, Eliza, trying to stay calm, endeavors to formulate a plan to seek help.

When the  carriage is slowed by narrowness of the road, Eliza sees a familiar face and cries out even though her words can't be heard.  The other rider continues on and reflects on what the saw and realizes that the frightened woman was Eliza Cynster.  Carefully backtracking, Sir Jeremy Carling devises a plan to rescue and return Eliza to her family, but the captors have other ideas and their pursuit is constant and unrelenting.

I enjoyed the story and the romance evolution, the Cynster always are a great story

Series/ Progress: Cynster Sisters 2/3
DATE READ: October 4 - October 12
NO. OF PAGES: 448
Type of Book Audiobook
SOURCE: Public Library

Send in the Clowns ★★★★ by Julie Mulhern

Challenge Book# 80


Perfect timing for the Halloween season - Ellison goes looking for her wayward daughter and instead a murder finds her.  Because the victim whispers her name before dying, Ellison feels a need to find the murderer.

Why was Brooks Harney killed?  Was it related to his surprise wife Stormy or a drug deal gone bad, or was he in he wrong place at the wrong time?  Ellison has to figure out the reason to solve the murder and keep both her "gentlemen friends" from errors that could prove deadly,

I absolutely adore this series, not only does it take back in time but the characters are funny and full of life.  Can't for the next one!

Series/ Progress: Country Club Murders 4/4
DATE READ: October 4 - October 12
NO. OF PAGES: 246
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

Dangling by a Thread ★★★½ by Lea Wait

Challenge Book# 79


Having just visited the coast of Maine, I really enjoyed reading this cozy set in Haven Harbor.  Angie's curiosity gets the better of her when she sees a stranger at the docks and follows him in town.  When she realizes that he is a friend of one of Needlepointers, Dave,  she questions who he is.

The story centers around the stranger who suffers from PTSD  and lives a solitary life on King Island where he watches over a threatened species of seabirds.  When he is discovered murdered and it turns out that he had recently changed his will to leave his half of the island to Dave, Angie sets out to find the murderer who sees Dave as a threat as well.

Loved the story, the characters and the writing.  Looking forward to the next visit to the Haven Harbor.

Series/ Progress: Mainely Needlepoint Mystery 4/4
DATE READ: October 3 - October 5
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

Engaged in Death ★★★½ by Stephanie Blackmoore

Mallory is weeks away from marrying Keith when her future Grandmother-in-law, Sybil, passes away and at the same time she receives a batch of photos showing her fiancée cheating on her with his assistant.  Calling off the wedding and going into "hiding" she is finally rescued by her sister, Rachel, and when they discover that Sybil left her home to Mallory instead of her grandson, things start to take an unusual turn.

Finding a dead body on the lawn, trying to cancel all the wedding arrangements or give them away, Mallory has to find a way to get her life back on track as well as help her sister find her own path.

I loved the characters, they were great to meet or love to hate (Keith and his mother),  Just wish Sybil could have stayed around - she sounded like a nifty lady.

Looking forward to the next one!

Series/ Progress: Wedding Planner Mystery 1/1
DATE READ: October 2 - October 3
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

The Queen's Accomplice ★★★½ by Susan Elia MacNeal

Maggie Hope is back in London and working at the SOE where new female recruits seem to be disappearing.  She is also waiting for her half-sister Elise to be rescued from Nazi Germany.

MI6 recruits her to help with tracking and stopping the "Blackout Beast" who is copying Jack the Ripper's murders - the victims are the missing SOE agents.

Maggie's intelligence and determination carry through the book reacquainting us with old friends and old enemies.

I love the way that Maggie is drawn into different areas of the war effort through this series but in this one, it's the first time I didn't understand the title.

Series/ Progress: Maggie Hope 6/6
DATE READ: Sept 12 - October 1
NO. OF PAGES: 368
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley