Pies, Lies and Lethal Doses

Pies, Lies and Lethal Doses: A Maggie Nelson Cozy Mystery

Bonnie Reed

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Librarian Maggie Nelson is excited to celebrate the Spring Festival but the mood changes when real estate mogul Gregory Steele is murdered. Maggie’s best friend and town baker, Lucy is accused of killing Gregory after she was seen arguing with him. Maggie calls on her journalist friend, Brett, to help her prove Lucy’s innocence. Can they solve the mystery before her friend is jailed for a murder she didn’t commit?

This book has its positives and negatives. I felt that the basic premises of the plot was good. There were  various suspects that easily could have been the murderer. I was surprised at the ending, which is favorable. However, I had trouble connecting with the main character. Maggie’s emotional volatility sometimes made her come across as unlikable. Also, some scenes felt like they were added humor, but they did not connect with the rest of the story and disrupted the flow. Overall, I feel this book has a lot of promise and with some tweaks, could be a solid read.

*I received an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Writers and Liars

Carol Goodman

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maia Gold attended a writer’s seminar on the Greek island of Eris hosted by billionaire Argos Alexander. During that retreat, she wrote a book, fell in love and was betrayed by her boyfriend and best friend. Fifteen years later, she was invited back to that same island, along with the other participants of the workshop, including her ex-boyfriend and ex-bestie. Once they all arrive, they find their host murdered and there is no way to leave or contact the outside world. Why were they all in invited back to the island? Is the killer one of them? Who will be the next victim? 

This book was a roller coaster ride with twists and turns throughout. The plot is interesting and has many references to Greek mythology. The main characters are well developed and have enough backstory to help the reader understand their motives. The “locked-room mystery” adds to the intrigue and the author describes the scenery/settings in great detail. Overall, I enjoyed this book and recommend it to other mystery readers, especially those who like Greek mythology.

*I received an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A Poisoned Proposal

A Poisoned Proposal: A Sam Baker Cozy Mystery Book 5

Cass Landry

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sam Baker is celebrating the one year anniversary of her bakery, The Cozy Crumb. During the celebration, a wedding proposal occurs, but before the groom-to-be gets an answer, he collapses and is rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Once it is determined he was poisoned, Sam and her friends, Hazel and Lily work to clear Sam’s name. As they investigate, they find more questions than answers. Can they solve the mystery before Sam’s reputation is ruined?

I enjoyed this installment of this cozy mystery series. The plot is easily understood, the characters are well-defined and there is subtle humor embedded throughout the story. It is a speedy read with several possible suspects and twists that keeps the reader captivated. I think that cozy mystery lovers will enjoy this book and I look forward to the next book.

*I received an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Murder at the Manor Retreat

Murder at the Manor Retreat: A Lily Swan Cozy Mystery

Clara Storm

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lily Swan is invited to present at the yearly writers’ retreat at Hallstead Manor. Unfortunately, this retreat is ominously known for writers who mysteriously disappear. At this year’s retreat, literary agent Quentin Rhodes is poisoned. Lily and her husky Benny join her friend, Dr. Nate Hastings, to search for clues and find why someone would want to kill Rhodes. In the process, they uncover secrets that have been long buried at the manor.

I had difficulty following the plot of this book. Since I read an ARC, I imagine that some of the issues were fixed in the final edit. There are quite a few characters to keep track of, which made the story a bit challenging to follow at times. The ARC includes a character list, which was helpful but I’m not sure it is included in the published version. This story contains conspiracies and deceptions that might attract readers who enjoy intricate, twisted plots.

*I received an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Threaded With Lies

Threaded With Lies: An Alex Allen Cozy Mystery

Gracie Gann

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Alex Allin is the owner of a quilt shop in Colorado. When a swatch of cloth shows up in her shop, she becomes mixed up in a mystery involving secret codes stitched into quilts and a decades-old murder. She begins to receive threats, warning her to stop digging into the past. With her best friend Juniper, the Granny Squad and her canine bestie Saedie, Alex sets out to decipher the code and solve the puzzle. Can she unravel the puzzle before someone silences her for good?

This book was filled with plenty of intriguing and conspiracies that keeps the reader on their toes. Sometimes it was a little too much and I would get confused. I thought the characters were nicely developed and I appreciated the humor that the Granny Squad injected into the serious plot. At the end of the book, the author includes a recipe and a quilt square pattern. Just a note, this story has some underlying Christian themes throughout. If possible, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars. This book is for you if you enjoy solving complex puzzles.

*I received an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Valley of the Kings

Valley of the Kings: GKP Most Haunted Places (Series 1 Book 4)

Grant Kelly

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The fourth book in this series focuses on Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, a land of ancient pharaohs and buried secrets. Most people have heard of King Tut and its curse, but there are several other pharaoh tombs in the valley. There have been reports of apparitions, whispers in the tombs and statues that appear to move on their own. Paranormal researchers have captured EVPs (Electronic voice phenomena) with voices saying such phrases as “leave us”. This audiobook is a riveting listen, giving brief haunting accounts of supernatural activity from this sacred burial grounds. This is perfect for those who are fascinated by otherworldly stories. 

*I received an ARC of this audiobook. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Cake, Vows and Extortion

Cake, Vows and Extortion: Apple Creek R-Park Department Mysteries Book 3

Montie Red

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Margaret Willow is the head of the Recreation Parks Department where she manages the country club, among other jobs. Things get crazy when the golf course manager fires the caterer and brings in his own hire right before the wedding of Margaret’s sister’s best friend. To make matters worse, the bride’s heirloom necklace disappears a couple of days prior to the wedding. Margaret finds herself in the midst of all the chaos when she agrees to help find the necklace. Can she get to the bottom of the missing necklace before the wedding?

This book had its pros and cons. On the positive side, the writing was fast-paced and the main characters were likable. There were several twists and turns which kept me guessing until the end of the book. On the other hand, there seemed to be too many characters and that made it hard to keep every one straight. I felt it was lacking some character background development but wonder if this was because it is the 3rd book in the series. The basic plot was strong, but there were some side stories that pulled me away from the main narrative. Overall, I think this author has some good things going for her and would give this book 3.5 stars.

*I received an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.