Bed, Breakfast and a Body

Bed, Breakfast and a Body: A Willow Creek Cozy Mystery, Book 1

Jenni Marie

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

When Cynthia Harper moves to Willow Creek after inheriting a B & B from her great-aunt, the last thing she expected was to find a dead body in the house. After realizing she is a prime suspect, Cynthia begins to investigate the crime, along with her golden retriever Duke and her new friends, Evan, Miles and Maggie. The more she digs, the more she uncovers decades worth of secrets hidden in this quaint town. Will Cynthia be able to find the truth before she becomes the next victim. 

This new cozy mystery series shows plenty of promise. The basic premises is solid foundation, the plot is intriguing and the main characters are easy to connect with. I did find that a couple of secondary characters seemed to appear suddenly, which made the storyline appear uneven at times. That said, I look forward to seeing how this author’s writing develops in future books.

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

Murder in Red, White and Bang

Murder in Red, White and Bang: A Willow Cove Cozy Mystery 

J. J. Joseph 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wedding coordinator Ally Fisher and her golden doodle Theo are up to their eyeballs in another mystery when a murder takes place during a 4th of July wedding proposal. Trevor Hale, best man and all-around jerk, is shot and there are plenty of suspects to go around, including Sheriff Harold Deaking . Ally and Deputy Nate Dalton look for clues to find the killer before they strike again.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Even though it is part of a series, it works well as standalone story. Joseph crafts an engaging and captivating tale with plenty of twists and turns that kept me intrigued throughout the book. The author also included humor and a bit of romance that added extra charm to the plot. I’m sure others readers will find this mystery just as entertaining as I did.

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

Vacations Can Be Murder

Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Crime Lover’s Travel Guide to New England

Dawn M. Barclay

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but the title says it all. This is literally a travel guide for those who may want to plan a true crime tour in the New England area. Each state has it’s own chapter that is broken down into the following sections:

*A brief summary of crimes that occurred in the state

*A list of true crimes books related to the state

* Accommodations/Restaurants that are crime-related or haunted 

* Crime-related/Haunted Tours

* Museums and other attractions related to crime

* State and Federal prisons

* Crime-related Burial sites

* True Crime Itineraries for different counties in the state

* Victim resources

It is quite obvious that Barclay put a lot of research into this book. The crimes she recaps consist of both well-known crimes and obscure crimes. The synopsis of each crime is very basic; this book focuses more on information for travelers. If you are a true crime devotee that wants to plan a vacation around this subject, then this is the book for you.

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

Murder at the Historical Society

Murder at the Historical Society: A Windmere Cove Cozy Mystery

Harper Burton

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Izzy Harper and her golden retriever Noodle become entwined into a murder mystery when the director of the Windmere Historical Society is poisoned and Izzy’s jade necklace is found at the crime scene. As she works to clear her name, she finds there are more questions than answers when discovers a secret hidden with her grandmother’s recipes and a cookbook that contains discoveries of epic proportions. Will Izzy be able to solve the crime before the murderer strikes again?

This book was quite the rollercoaster ride! Burton does a great job of creating an exciting and engaging mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. There is intrigue, secrets and even a little bit of romance throughout the book. This story works well as a standalone, though it does include some references to events from a previous book that are connected to the plot. If you enjoy culinary mysteries and surprising reveals, this book is for you.

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

Murder at Aunt Tally’s Table

Murder at Aunt Tally’s Table: A Willa Honeycutt Mystery

B.J. Cade

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Willa Honeycutt moved back to Harmony Hallow when she inherited her great-aunt’s cafe. On the day of her grand opening, the cook finds a dead body in the dumpster. The victim, Alex Drummond, was a deceiving antique dealer who had a list of enemies a mile long. Willa is determined to find the murderer and salvage the cafe’s reputation.

Cade does a nice job of plotting a mystery that has many suspects and plenty of surprises. She has developed some great characters who are likable and relatable to the readers. She also has added some humor to lighten the mood. The ending was a surprise and Cade wraps it up well. It is an intriguing cozy mystery and I look forward to reading more of her books.

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

Summer Death at Meranges

Summer Death at Merangs: A Dead End (The Merangs Mysteries Book 5)

Carole Marples

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Helen and her friend Jade begin hobnobbing with the elite Ram family after participating in the Buttersley Manor fete. They become especially enamored with Elsie, the down-to-earth matriarch of the family. When Elsie passes away suddenly, Helen believes there is foul play involved. As she investigates, she becomes closer to Elsie’s grandson, Rufus. Helen has plenty of suspects and even more questions. She vows to find the killer and bring justice to Elsie.

This is the first novels I have read of the 5-book Meranges mystery series. At first, I did have some trouble keeping all of the characters straight, but as the story progressed, I was able to get a better handle on everyone. Once I got over that small bump, I became engrossed in the plot and couldn’t wait to see how the story would end. Marples has written a storyline that pivots between suspects and has a surprising ending. It also has humor and a bit of romance that adds to the appeal. I truly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to other cozy readers.

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

First Harvest Murder

First Harvest Murder: A Sherlock Paws Cozy Mystery

Kit Sterling

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When attending the Silver Otter Wine Cellars gala, Molly Stanford was expecting a relaxing evening of wine and hors d’oeuvre. Instead, owner Gloria Campano drops dead during the first toast and Molly’s friend, caterer Sam, is the first suspect. Molly dives into the investigation, determined to clear Sam’s name and uncover the true killer.

I really enjoyed this book! Sterling crafts an engaging plot with strong, well-developed characters and descriptive scenery. There are many possible suspects, all with a plausible motive, which kept me guessing throughout. The storyline captured my attention from the beginning and I truly did not see the ending reveal coming. Add in the romance, humor and a teaser to the next book in the series and you’ve got an entertaining and interesting cozy mystery.

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