The Murder of a Queen Bee by Meera Lester

Henny Penny Farmette Mystery 2/2

November 14 - November 27

This is a funny cozy series with a retired policewoman as the main character who still gets caught up in police work while trying to keep her little farm running smoothly.

There are nice little tidbits about farm life and beekeeping especially that make this a light-hearted cozy mystery to sit back and enjoy.

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

Tommy and Tuppence 1/5
November 2 - November 6

I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie - both Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot but had never read her Tommy and Tuppence series.

Even though this series is set back in the earlier part of the 20th century, it was still entertaining and the characters were totally what you expect from Dame Agatha Christie.

I am glad that I finally started this classic series and look forward to getting to know these characters as well as Christie's others.

Freezer I'll Shoot by Victoria Hamilton

October 15 - October 31

  Jaymie is trying to get the family cabin repaired in time for a get together but plumbing problems aren't the only issues that keep popping up in her backyard on Heartbreak Island. Her boyfriend's family are in town and are causing disruptions with Jaymie's family but the murder on the island seems to be a bigger issue.   Trying to keep everyone calm while writing her first vintage cookbook newspaper column keeps not just Jaymie but the reader guessing unil the end.   recipes and fun galore.

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!

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!  

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

Silenced by Syrah ★★★½ by Mchele Scott

Nikki is overseeing the opening of the new restaurant, resort and spa connected with Malveaux winery but things get a bit messy when the chef is found dead at the spa in an apparently locked room.  Nikki doesn't realize but she is in danger too not just from the killer but the men in her life may be breaking her heart.

I really like this series set in Napa Valley (one of my favorite places).  The characters need to continue to evolve while keeping the mysteries coming.

Series/ Progress: Wine Lovers Mystery 3/7
DATE READ: Sept 10 - Sept 11
NO. OF PAGES: 241
Type of Book ARD
SOURCE: Public Library

Murder in the Secret Garden ★★★★ by Ellery Adams

Storyton Hall is hosting a retreat for the Medieval Herbalists and a wedding for family of one of its members.  Along with those festivities the newest  merchant in town is hosting a duck race on the river where the ducks are named and dressed for literary characters.  Sounds like loads of fun until Jane finds one of her guests floating face down in the river.

The herbalists are all experts in poisons so Jane has to find out who is responsible before anymore of her guests leave permanently.

I love the setting of this series.  I so wish that there really was such a hotel, I think I would book a room quickly, even if there were unnatural deaths occurring.  Just sounds like a peaceful place to visit.

Series/ Progress: Book Retreat Mystery 3/3
DATE READ: Sept 6 - Sept 9
NO. OF PAGES: 262
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: Barnes & Noble

The Champagne Conspiracy ★★★ by Ellen Crosby

Lucie Montgomery and her winemaker/beau, Quinn, have decided to expand their offerings and delve into the making of champagne/sparkling wine.  However, while working on the development they are dragged into a conspiracy by one of Quinn's distant relatives and their investigation into the details of a long ago family member's prove dangerous because of historical implications.

I love this series because the characters are well developed and the setting is very well researched. (I know because I live nearby.) And of course, I just love wine!

Series/ Progress: Wine Country Mystery 7/7
DATE READ: Sept 2 - Sept 6
NO. OF PAGES: 336
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

Picture Miss Seeton ★★★ by Heron Carvic

The re-release of this 50 year old series was a delight.  The reader is immediately thrown into the arms of Miss Seeton, a retired art teacher who has inherited a cottage in a rural area who in celebration goes to the opera before leaving for her new home.  Little does she know that on leaving she will involve herself in a dangerous situation that will follow her to her new home.

Miss Seeton is a mix of Jane Marple and Emily Pollifax wielding her umbrella as well as D'Artagnan his sword.  The inhabitants of Plummergen village kept this reader laughing throughout. I look forward to her next adventure.

Series/ Progress: Miss Seeton  1/5
DATE READ: Aug 31 - Sept 1
NO. OF PAGES: 170
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

Drape Expectations by Karen Rose Smith

4th  Caprice De Luca Mystery



Caprice is back at it, supporting her family and friends.  This time her friend Ace discovered his fiancée dead so Caprice adopts her cat as well as working to clear Ace of any suspicion in the murder.  At the same time, Caprice has to deal with issues in her own life - basically decide which man she wants to be with - Seth or Grant.

A Story to Kill by Lynn Cahoon

1st Cat Latimer Mystery



I love the books by this author and when a new series appeared on the horizon via NetGalley, I had to grab it!  The central character Cat Latimer received an old house as an inheritance from her ex-husband and she's decided to turn it into a B&B, hosting writers' retreat one week a month while she writes the rest of the time. The first guests start things off with the top writer in attendance failing to appear because he's murdered.  Cat feels that to make sure that her new venture doesn't die also, she needs to find the murderer before the rest of the attendees leave town.  I like the premise and look forward to getting to know these characters better.

Gilt by Association by Karen Rose Smith

3rd Caprice De Luca Mystery



This series centers around Caprice DeLuca and her relationships with her family so when a good friend of her mother is found murdered, Caprice works to determine who did it while supporting her sisters in their life adjustments (new baby, expanding business) and training her puppy and animal rescues.  This s a fun series with great characters.

The Way of the Wicked by Ellery Adams

#2 Hope Street Church Mysteries
This series centers around a Bible group and in this story they are volunteering at company that does a sort of Meal on Wheels for the elderly.  When one of the food recipients dies and it seems that there is a pattern developing the Bible group decides that they will try to find out if these deaths are natural or not.
Love this series because of the positive attitude of the characters and their   efforts to help others.

A Most Curious Murder ★★★ by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli

Jenny Weston returns to her home after a messy divorce hoping for some peace bu instead she finds her mother traumatized by the destruction of the Little Library that her father had built before his death.  The next day she discovers a neighbor murdered in his yard and things just keep happening.

There appears to be some possibility for this first in a series,  the characters are a bit odd and the story a bit pat.  Could possibly use an influx of originality.

Series/ Progress: The Little Library Mysteries 1/1
DATE READ: July 7 - July 13
NO. OF PAGES: 336
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

For Cheddar or Worse ★★★½ by Avery Aames

Providence is holding the annual Cheese festival and along with the usual activities there is going to be a Brain Trust at one of the farms.  Charlotte and Jordan are attending but are unfortunate in that they discover the body of a well-known cheese specialist dead the morning after she criticized just about all of the other guests.  Having faith in friends, Charlotte sets out to clear them of any connection with the murder which took place in "a locked room".

I love this series and when I heard that the publisher was not going to continue, I was very unhappy.  I sincerely hope that the author will find another publisher so that these wonderful characters can continue to live in her stories.


Series/ Progress: Cheese Shoppe Mysteries 7/7
DATE READ: June 30 - July 4
NO. OF PAGES: 290
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: Nook

Show Time ★★★ by Suzanne Trauth

This new series' central character Dodie has moved to a small town in NJ after her home and employment are destroyed on the Jersey shore by Hurricane Sandy.  Dodie has made new friends and found a job as a restaurant manager but when a friend asks her to help at the local theater, Dodie jumps in.  The theater staff want her to use her skills keeping rehearsals running on schedule, but finding another friend dead on the loading dock, has her switching priorities to find the killer.

The story started out a little slow and the characters definitely need a bit more individuality. (I had trouble keeping some of them straight mainly because they didn't have full names and backgrounds)  Just a name doesn't give an  idea of where a character fits in the story and if that name isn't frequently used, then you run into trouble.

I can see potential in the series.

Series/ Progress: Dodie O'Dell Mystery  1/1
DATE READ: June 18 - June 22
NO. OF PAGES: 228
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

Cracked to Death ★★★½ by Cheryl Hollon

This third installment of the Webb's Glass Mysteries takes the reader on a treasure hunt.  Savannah has handed over the reigns of the Glass shop to her manager Amanda and she heads over to manage the Studio facilities but when one of the students in the recycled glass workshop is a no show, Savannah gets buried in the search for the murderer as well as the treasure that he had found.

The series seems to be getting better as it goes along.  The characters are fun and entertaining as well as the plots getting you tied in knots!

Series/ Progress: Webb's Glass Shop Mystery  3/3
DATE READ: June 16 - June 17
NO. OF PAGES: 320
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley