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.

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

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

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

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.

June: a novel by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

NetGalley Advanced Reader's Copy



The beginning of this book almost put me off but I persevered and it was well worth it.  The story told in this novel is about a young woman who during the 1920's was torn between an arranged marriage and an unexpected encounter with a film star which turned into the love of their lives but with repercussions. The truth of the story is revealed through research of a granddaughter nearly 100 years later.  I liked it.

Killer Look ★★★½ by Linda Fairstein

Alex is still recovering from the PTSD of her kidnapping but she gets involved unofficially with a case of the murder of a famous dress designer. Her knowledge of the garment district and the fashion houses is vital as Mike and Mercer work to find the murderer.

I continue to marvel at the depth of knowledge that is transmitted over the pages in his series that always centers on a particular area of NYC and yet creates a great mystery. The ending was a stunner!

Series/ Progress: Alexandra Cooper 18/18
DATE READ: July 13 - July 16
NO. OF PAGES: 400
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

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

The Earl's Betrothal ★★★½ by Karen Tuft

Amelia Clarke has taken a position as a companion to Lady Ashworth after the death of her vicar father.  She has been consoling the Ashworths while they mourn the deaths of their two sons, one from a riding accident, the other lost in the Peninsula wars.  When suddenly Anthony Hargreaves appears at his ancestral home to the surprise and delight of his parents explaining that he was injured in battle and was unable to regain his regiment thereby being declared dead.

Lord Ashworth is elated that his line will continue but insists that Anthony marry immediately.  Still suffering from the horrors of war (probable PTSD) Anthony is reluctant to engage with any suitable ladies of the Ton but finds himself comfortable with Amelia.  Circumstances get a bit out of hand and  the two are compromised so that Amelia is thrust into the position of a betrothal that she is unsure about.

A typical romance of class clashes but entertaining and well-written.

DATE READ: July 4 - July 6
NO. OF PAGES: 280
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

Beautiful Pretender ★★★★ by Melanie Dickerson

Avelina has been serving as a lady's maid to Lady Dorothea, the rebellious only child of the Lord of Plimmwald.  When Lady Dorothea runs away to avoid having to present herself as a possible bride of the Margrave of Thornbeck, the lord of Plimmwald orders Avelina to take her mistress' place to preserve the peace.  She is ordered to do everything necessary to not be selected as the bride.

The story is well written and totally engaging.

DATE READ: June 24 - June 26
NO. OF PAGES: 320
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

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

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

Murder at the Mansion ★★★★ by Janet Finsilver

Kelly Jackson is returning to Redwood Cove to take up her new job as the manager of the Redwood Cove B&B but since the renovations aren't quite finished, her boss asks her to help with the inventory at Redwood Heights, a sister property in the area that has had some problems.  Little does she know but the problems are going to be getting worse.

One of the guests at Redwood Heights has been a complainer but when Kelly finds her dead, she has to wonder if some of the complaints may have been the cause.

The characters have some depth, the story weaves around the new characters while incorporating the established ones well.  This reader watched carefully trying no to be misdirected however, some clues seemed to be missing and weren't revealed until the end.  All in all an enjoyable story - looking forward to the next.

Series/ Progress: Redwood Inn Mysteries 2/2
DATE READ: June 14 - June 15
NO. OF PAGES: 192
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

Rosalia's Bittersweet Pastry Shop ★★★★½ by Rosanna Chiofalo

First of all I loved this story.  It was rich and full of the flavor of the love of baking and nuns life complete with the love of God as well as their fellow man.  It could have been dark and depressing and instead it was filled with light and love and hope.

The story transports the reader back in time to a period when rape victims were faced with blame and their families had to live with shame.  Rosalia is a young woman who becomes the object of an obsession by a creepy youth who eventually kidnaps her, rapes her and forces her to send a letter to her family saying that she ran away willingly.  When she is found  by the nuns abandoned in a cave, bruised and naked, she is unable to remember her name and where she is from. The nuns nurse her back to living and teach her to bake in their pastry shop.  Eventually her memory returns but when she is taken back to her village, her family have moved on because the shame related to her disappearance.

Rosalia returns to the convent but continues to search for her family believing that one day she will be reunited with them.

The depth of emotion that is related in this story was  overwhelming at times but the reader is rewarded throughout by the beautiful story telling and characters.


DATE READ: June 5 - June 11
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

This Too Shall Pass ★½ by Milena Busquets

Very disappointing...that said I will try to explain.  First of all, you never know who the first person narrator is  directly, just by inference - a daughter who has lost her mother due to a debilitating illness.  You would think a very sympathetic character, not so.  This woman is whiny and sex crazy.  Throughout we only hear of her sexual exploits going from man to man "trying to ease her pain".

It got to be a pain all right.

Series/ Progress:
DATE READ: May 7 - May 14
NO. OF PAGES: 176
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley