Book Review: Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies (The Vacation Mysteries, #1)

 

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies (The Vacation Mysteries, #1)
Author: Catherine Mack

This was an interesting read.

Eleanor Dash has published 9 books in a series and is done. She is ready to kill off one of the main characters so she can get on with her real life. That said, she places an enormous amount of work onto her sister who is her assistant. This does not seem to track with me, being that their parents died when Eleanor was young and she became her sister's caretaker. When you say roles are reversed, they really are in this case. The mystery is well thought out, and the author does keep you guessing until the very end on who the killer is.

The format was a little hard to follow, but I assume that is because I was reading on my kindle. I did enjoy the story, but I could not connect with the main character. Perhaps she was too flippant in her behavior based on my experience with real authors? I also skipped most of the footnotes because again, on a kindle, it just seemed to hard to read.

Book Review: Sticks and Scones, A Bakeshop Mystery #19

 

Title: Sticks and Scones, A Bakeshop Mystery #19
Author: Ellie Alexander

This was another great book in the Bakeshop Mystery series! It's springtime and Juliet is helping her friend Lance with his play. Lance and the Fair Verona Players are premiering a new take on the Taming of the Shrew at Uva, the vineyard they all own.

However, one of the actors is killed on opening night! Jules finds his body and also finds herself caught up in the mystery of what happened. Despite all this excitement, she is also dealing wtih some big changes at Torte, the bakeshop, as well as not feeling well. 

The author writes in a way that makes you feel as though you are there, baking along side Jules (the recipes help!). While I feel the ending could have wrapped up the series, I do hope that this is not the last we see of Jules and her friends! 

Book Review: Lights, Camera, Bones (Sarah Booth Delaney, #27)

 

Title: Lights, Camera, Bones (Sarah Booth Delaney, #27)

Author: Carolyn Haines

Another exciting book about the Delaney Detective Agency! This time, Sarah Booth and Tinkie are on the scene of a movie set in Greenville, Mississippi. The star, Marlon Brandon, is a local who has come home to make a movie about the terrible flood that happened to Greenville in the 1920s. However, when a crew member disappears, Sarah Booth and Tinkie take on the case. The excitement and danger build as Marlon goes missing, the locals begin to protest the movie, and even a shark ends up in Mississippi river! 

It also becomes clear that people continue to hide secrets from the detectives. It's hard to solve a case when you get the runaround, even from those you are depending on!

Will Sarah Booth and Tinkie be able to save Marlon and the movie in time? 

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy of this book! 

Book Review: Four-Alarm Homicide (A House-Flipper Mystery)

Title: Four-Alarm Homicide (A House-Flipper Mystery)
Author: Diane Kelly
Genre: Cozy mystery

This is the sixth book in the House-Flipper series, but the first one I have read. (Although I have read other books by this author!)

Despite being so far into the series, it was easy to jump in as the author does a great job of explaining backgrounds. The reader does not need to spend a lot of time figuring out who is who.

Whitney and her cousin Buck are in the business of flipping houses. Normally, they take on one at at time, but while they are in the process of restoring an old firehouse, they are approached by some neighbors who have questions on a townhouse nearby. Whitney and Buck decide to purchase a second property. However, this causes some concern with the neighborhood, as well as the previous owners of the townhouse. After a mysterious fire and vandalism, Whitney is stressed. Not only is she rehabbing two properties, she is also planning her wedding to Collin, a Nashville detective. Just when she thinks things will be ok, there is a death in the firehouse!

While Whitney has her plate full, she decides to investigate. However, she finds herself being followed, as well as also a suspect in the murder!

Can she solve the case before something happens to her or the wedding? 

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book.

 

Book Review: Between a Flock and a Hard Place (Meg Langslow #35)

 

Title: Between a Flock and a Hard Place (Meg Langslow #35)
Author: Donna Andrews
Genre: Cozy mystery

When I know there is a new book in this series, I count down the days until I have it to read! And despite this being such a long-running series, I feel the author is so creative coming up with new mysteries for Meg to solve.

This book starts with a home improvement show filming their remodel on a house near the college. Meg has heard all the complaints until this latest one - someone has moved 200 feral turkeys from the woods to in front of this house! The turkeys are not friendly, and they begin to wreck havoc on the lawns as well as attack anyone who gets in their way.

Meg and Randall, the mayor, work together to come up with a plan to move the turkeys to the local zoo. However, on the morning they execute their plan, Meg finds the body of the homeowner, Mrs. Smetkamp, in the back shed. Mrs. Smetkamp was not an easy person to work with, so the suspects are plenty.

Can Meg find the killer before they find her? 

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book. 

Book Review: Rhythm and Clues (Record Shop Mystery #3)

 

This is the third book in this fun series. Juni Jessup runs a vintage record store/coffee shop with her two sisters. During a storm, Juni and Tansy realize their store could be flooding, so they head out in the horrible weather to check. What they did not expect was a murder right outside their doors!

With the weather having knocked down trees to keep people from heading in and out of town, Juni finds that she is trapped in her town with the killer. Her romances with both the detective in charge of the case and a local farmer are also key in this novel. 

I really enjoy books that can mix romance with mystery, and this author does a great job of that! (I also think the names of the coffee drinks are cute!)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book. This is one series I hope continues on for a long time!

Book Review: A Smoking Bun

Title: A Smoking Bun

Author: Ellie Alexander

Genre: Cozy mystery, mystery, fiction 

This was a quick and exciting read! Jules Capshaw owns a bakery in a small town. When her stepson’s parents come to visit from Spain, she takes time off to play hostess and get to know the family. However during a winter event on the mountain, someone is killed. At first it seems like a tragic accident, but soon it becomes clear that the person was murdered! 

Jules finds herself working on the case, but will she find the killer before they find her?

I really enjoyed this book. I hadn’t read other books in this series, so at first it was hard to figure out who some of the people were. However, the plot moved quickly and had a lot of twists to keep me guessing until the very end! I plan to read more of this series as the characters were likable and well-developed. 

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book!

Book Review: Ill-Fated Fortune

 

Title: Ill-Fated Fortune

Author: Jennifer J. Chow

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Magical Realism, Fiction

This is the first in a new series by Jennifer Chow. Felicity Jin and her mother work together in the family bakery. The secret ingredient that keeps customers coming back for more - magic. Felicity, who goes by Lissa to her friends, has been waiting for the day that she too has the magic inside her. When she begins to make fortune cookies, she realizes she has the ability to predict the future as she creates customized fortunes for her customers.

However, one of her first fortunes predicts death. A customer is found dead near the bakery, still clutching the paper with the promise of his demise. Lissa becomes the number one suspect when a detective from the larger city near by gets involved.

Lissa realizes she needs to solve this case as the stress of the murder begins to affect her life, and the bakery’s business. With the help of her best friend, Kelvin, she uses her detective skills, and a little magic, to find the real killer.

This is a sweet cozy mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the end.

Thanks to Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book.