Category: Cozy Mystery

Death at the Highland Loch

Move over, Inspector! Lady Poppy Proudfoot is here to solve her very first case.

Scotland, 1924: When Lady Poppy Proudfoot travels to the Highlands for a midsummer party, the last thing she and her fellow guests expect is for a body to wash up beside the loch.

Despite protests that it could have been an accident, Poppy is convinced it’s murder and decides to dust off her law degree and hunt for clues. But when the police arrive, the grumpy Inspector MacKenzie dismisses her evidence, insisting a crime scene is no place for a Lady. The nerve!

With the help of her trusted Labrador, Major, Poppy begins to unpick the case. But she soon has two mysteries to solve, as her host Lady Constance Balfour claims a diamond and emerald bracelet has been stolen. Could the two cases be linked? Was it Freddy the footman, a favourite of her ladyship? Or American actress Miss Cornett, with a keen eye for jewels? Or with such a dazzling guestlist, was someone from the local village tempted into the grounds by the party?

When a woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Poppy is attacked, she realizes that someone wants her off the case. Someone connected to Balfour Houseis a murderer and a thief, but who? And can Poppy solve the mystery before she, too, washes up beside the loch?

A warm, unputdownable page-turning historical whodunnit, perfect for fans of Helena Dixon, Verity Bright, T.E. Kinsey and Catherine Coles.

My Review:

What a great introduction to a new cozy series! I love the combination of history and mystery. The 1920s is such an interesting era, the way it is sandwiched in between two world wars. And, be still my heart, the Scottish setting adds even more of a thrill.

Nothing says summer fun like a Highlands house party complete with a dead body. 🙂 And Lady Poppy just can’t keep out of the investigation, much to the consternation of a certain dour police Inspector. Great dynamics between these two and lots of tension which was fun.

Poppy’s penchant for keeping important evidence a secret from the Inspector irked me a bit though. It’s pretty standard cozy mystery fare, but I need there to be a good reason…or at least a plausible one…for the amateur sleuth to keep silent about important clues. Poppy is peeved because the Inspector wasn’t taking her seriously enough (at their first meeting, no less!) and so she holds back information which just made her seem childish and petty. Thankfully, she gets better at sharing as the story progresses.

One mystery morphs into two that may or may not be connected and Poppy’s in the thick of things all the way through. Great pacing and wonderful secondary characters kept me engaged right to the very end. Travers has a beautifully descriptive writing style and a knack for writing dialogue that zings which made this an easy book to breeze through.

This is the first in the Lady Poppy Proudfoot series, though it’s a wee bit of a spin off from the author’s previous Scottish Ladies Detective Agency series – at least the heroines from those books make some cameo appearances in this one. Not enough to confuse new to Lydia Travers readers (like me) but enough to tempt us to backtrack post haste to the earlier series.

I listened to the audio edition of ‘Death at the Highland Loch’ and really enjoyed Sarah Barron’s wonderful narration. She was great with the all the accents which really added to my listening pleasure.

My thanks to Bookouture Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

A Death on Corfu

Living in Greece at the turn of the twentieth century, widow Minnie Harper struggles to find her place in a swiftly changing world. But when a local woman is murdered, her resolve is put to the test in a race to shed light on the truth . . .

Minnie Harper isn’t used to putting herself first. Not after she moved away from England only to be left raising two children alone on the Greek Island of Corfu following her husband’s unexpected death. But with her daughter begging to be sent to school abroad and her son grasping at his own independence, Minnie realizes she must prepare for the next stage of her life.

When famous mystery author Stephen Dorian settles into a neighboring villa to escape writer’s block and hidden scandals, she is intrigued at first by the handsome Londoner—until he proves to be nothing more than a boorish grump. Determined to avoid the man as much as possible, Minnie is shocked when he offers her a well-paid job as his typist. She isn’t in a position to turn down work, even from a man she has sworn to hate.

But before Minnie can fully regret her decision to take the job, she makes a horrifying discovery that changes everything. A young maid has been murdered, and local authorities aren’t moving fast enough to bring justice to the terrible crime. Unwilling to allow the death to fade into obscurity like the stories of so many other women deemed unworthy by society, Minnie launches an investigation of her own—and reluctantly accepts Stephen’s help. As she embarks on a dangerous search for answers that reveals another side of Corfu, unsettling questions take shape about her employer-turned-confidant and the culprit who just might do whatever it takes to strike again . . .

My Review:

Eeeeppp!!!! So excited about this new series! Love the exotic locale and the historical timeline. The author transported me to turn of the century Corfu with captivating descriptions full of luscious details. I so enjoy armchair traveling through my fiction!

Minnie is a widowed British ex-pat raising her two children in Greece. It’s mostly an idyllic life within a small but thriving British community. The children attend the village school while Minnie occasionally finds office work to help expenses. But when she accepts a job typing for a temperamental visiting author, the comforting rhythm of her days morph into a series of unexpected events that are both exhilarating and confusing.

Murder and mayhem ensue in true Agatha Christie fashion along with a dash of romance. Perfect balance between cozy details and the mystery plot with lots of red herrings to sort through. Loved puzzling out the clues right along with Minnie and Stephen, but mercy, that ending! A bit of a cliff hanger in Minnie’s personal life but a lovely set up for the next book in the series…at least I hope there’s a series because I need more! Sooner rather than later. Please!!

I enjoyed listening to Siobhan Waring’s excellent narration. Her animated portrayal of these characters is really well done – especially the sniping/banter between Minnie and Stephen! So much fun! As well as authentic dialects of both the Greek and British characters. A real pleasure to listen to.

My thanks to RBMedia and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

Bells, Tails & Murder

A Cotswolds village . . . a grieving heroine . . . two furry sidekicks . . . and a murder!

Do you like heroines who’ve lived a little? Who’ve suffered life’s ups and downs but kept on trucking? Then you’ll love Leta Parker and her new friends in the Cotswold village of Astonbury.

When tragedy strikes Leta Parker’s life, the successful banker and closet sleuth chases a lifelong dream to retire to England. Leaving her friends and neighbors in Atlanta, she settles into Astonbury with her talkative dog and cat, Dickens and Christie. 

Picture her driving a refurbished London taxi to the bookshop and the tearoom, enjoying leisurely walks with Dickens the dog, and sipping coffee in the garden with Christie, her sassy cat.

When Leta stumbles across the dead body of a new acquaintance, her inner Nancy Drew comes out. Before you know it, she’s enlisted the help of Wendy, a retired English teacher friend—and even Wendy’s elderly mum.

Two whipsmart retirees, one spunky senior citizen, and a feisty dog and cat are on the case!

Who better to unearth clues from their friends in the village? Even Dickens and Christie get in on the act gathering intelligence from their four-legged friends and pointing out the obvious to Leta.

What do authors A. A. Milne, Arthur Conan Doyle, and J. M. Barrie have to do with all this? 

Is their connection with the Cotswolds merely an interesting bit of trivia, or is it more? Will Leta and Wendy let their literary noses lead them astray?

You’ll be captivated as this unlikely team chases clues and ferrets out a long-buried secret—a scenario that would make any BBC cozy mystery producer proud.  No matter the clues uncovered by Dickens and Christie, you’ll be hard-pressed to guess who the villain is unless, like Leta, you’re able to “talk to the animals.” 

My Review:

Eeeepppp!!! New fave cozy mystery alert! Eeeeeepppppp!!!! This book was written for me. Early retirement in a quaint English village. Check. Big personality pets. Check. Feeling like I’ve wandered onto a Midsommer Murders set. Check. The perfect cozy/mystery balance. Check. A wee bit of magical realism. Check!!! So. Much. Fun!

And you gotta love a heroine who channels her inner Nancy Drew when stuff happens. Just like Nancy, Leta has a posse of new friends who are eager to dive into the realm of amateur sleuthing with her. Not to mention Christie and Dickens, Leta’s highly gifted cat and dog. Fan girling over these critters and what they bring to the story! Such a fantastic surprise!

Loved the cozy descriptions that made me feel like I was in the Cotswolds and the bookish influences in the murder mystery raised my bookish glee all the more. Two of my favourite elements in a cozy mystery.

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition narrated by Alex Picard who did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life. I especially loved her portrayals of Christie and Dickens (grinning madly.) Would definitely recommend the audio book to readers like me who relish losing themselves in a good storytelling session.

My thanks to RBMedia and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

Cheddar Luck Next Time

Cheese-obsessed Bird Eakles has just inherited her grandmother’s estate in a quiet, quirky Californian town. But when a body is found on her property, her life begins to get rather loud…

Bird Nichols is ready to make a fresh start in a familiar place. Last year, her parents died together in a car crash and her beloved grandmother is presumed dead from an ocean drowning. Bird is now moving onto her grandmother’s California coastal property, and finally living out her dream. Bird loves cheese like nothing else. It’s her autistic special interest, and she designs her boards along her sensory needs, and other people love them, too. 

But just when everything seems to be going right, the local troublemaker ends up dead on her rural road. Grizz, the closest thing Bird has to family, is the sheriff department’s favourite suspect, but she is determined to prove Grizz’s innocence. So now, Bird needs to unpack her possessions, assemble her pretty cheese boards, and find the true murderer before they strike again.

My Review:

Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant! A stellar start to what I hope to be a long lived series. From the pun-y perfect title to the engaging characters and the cleverly crafted mystery – it’s all cozy delight from start to finish.

Love neurodivergent heroine Bird whose obsession with cheese has led her to a unique career creating cheese boards for festive events. True confession: I might have deep dived into cheese boards on the internet — and oh my, but they are glorious works of art! Colour, texture, taste, arrangement — Bird has a talent and a passion that’s etching out a niche for her burgeoning business. And inheriting her deceased grandmother’s property has provided her with the perfect home/buisness base…except for the body in the woods. Bwahahaha!

Cato has achieved the perfect balance between the cozy elements (foodie descriptions to drool over) and the amateur sleuthing. All in a quirky town full of interesting (and sometimes aggravating) characters to provide depth and intrigue. Plus, there’s a potential for romance. Eeep! I am so on board for more Bird stories…even after that jaw-dropping , whhhaaattttt-just-happened?! ending. What is Bird going to do with that?

A compelling and captivating compulsive read…or listen in my case. I totally enjoyed Dominque Salvacion’s narration. She brought Bird’s personality to life along with a myriad of secondary characters which made for an entertaining ‘reading’ experience.

My thanks to Brilliance Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

A Death in Diamonds

The royally brilliant fourth book in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates mystery series!

1957 – The young Queen is finding her way in a challenging world as the United Kingdom adjusts to being a country without an empire, without a place in post-war Europe, and without a reliable friendship with America. 

As she travels the world to try and build bridges, she is advised by the ‘men in moustaches’, as Philip calls them – her father’s old courtiers, who may or may not have her best interests at heart. One of them is trying to sabotage her: that much she is sure of. 

And then two bodies turn up, horribly murdered, in Chelsea, and the Queen finds herself unwillingly used as the alibi for somebody very close to her. 

She knows she can’t face these challenges alone. She needs the help of someone clever, discreet and loyal, someone she can trust. Then she meets ex-Bletchley Park code breaker, Joan McGraw …

My Review:

In a word: brilliant! This coming from a decidedly non-Royal watcher. But there’s just something about Queen Elizabeth and the way the author has captured her and life as a royal in general that is so engaging. And I love the clever way she has incorporated the amateur sleuthing while staying true to the reality of the Queen’s obvious logistical limitations.

The first three books in the series are contemporary novels but this fourth one takes us back to 1957 when a much younger Queen Elizabeth is juggling royal duties, family life and finding her way in a new post-war / Cold War world. Fascinating historical details and insights into what it must have been like for the young queen to gently break away from her trusted but oh so stuffy staff. Lots of pompous, moustached gentlemen who would prefer to remain in the past, keeping the Queen as a figurehead while they ‘wisely’ guide her path.

Only, there seems to be a saboteur in the palace and the astute Queen has her suspicions but lacks the freedom to find the evidence. And that’s where beleaguered typist (with an interesting war history) Joan comes in. She’s Watson to the Queen’s Sherlock.

Argh — there were times I wanted to scream over the insufferable chauvinism and backward 50s ideologies. But then I’d be chuckling over how the Queen deftly works around all those well-meaning men to solve not one, but two mysteries and all with them none the wiser. I dearly wished she could stand up and shout “Ta da! I figured it all out for you!” and take the credit instead of cleverly orchestrating the investigations behind the scenes.

A complicated mystery with lots of complex layers and multiple points of view kept me invested in the read right to the end. And left me hoping that we won’t have long to wait for the next ‘Her Majesty the Queen Investigates’ book to release.

Of note: Some mild language.

I listened to the audio edition, narrated by Samantha Bond who did a tremendous job with all these characters. From a young Queen to all the stuffy gentlemen and everyone in between. She made an already stellar story that much more engaging. Highly recommend the audio book if you are a listening kind of reader.

My thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

Dead Men Wag No Tails

Romance, treasure and danger collide in the charming coastal town of Twilight Cove. Don’t miss the newest instalment in USA Today bestselling author Sarah Fox’s enchanting Magical Menagerie mystery series!

“For a small seaside town, Twilight Cove sure has plenty of excitement . . .”

Georgie Johansen’s return to the coastal haven of Twilight Cove has been a dream come she gets to work with Auntie O at the animal sanctuary, has adopted two very adorable dogs who have very special abilities and even has a blossoming romance with the gorgeous farmhand Callum.

It’s August and the town is buzzing with anticipation for the annual Dead Eye Days pirate festival. The excitement reaches a fever pitch when long-term resident Jasper, a pirate fanatic, declares he is in possession of a treasure map!

However, the hunt for treasure soon becomes a hunt for a murderer when Jasper is found dead, and Georgie is once again compelled to put on her sleuthing hat. With her extraordinary dogs Flossie and Fancy beside her, and Euclid, the mysterious great-horned owl, keeping a watchful eye on them, can she uncover the killer and protect Twilight Cove? Or will her curiosity put a bounty on her own head?

My Review:

I was beside myself with bookish glee when I discovered the first book in the Magical Menagerie Mystery series back in April and I’m happy to report that this second book is as good as, if not better than the first. It’s definitely earned a place on my favourite cozy mysteries list.

Love the animal sanctuary setting and the air of magical mystery. No worries if you’re not a paranormal fan, the magical elements are light and whimsical. Similar to Sofie Kelly’s ‘Magical Cats’ series or Amanda Flower’s ‘Magical Bookshop’ series. So, very much set in the real world (well, as ‘real’ as a cozy mystery can get!) with gentle enchanting touches that completely charmed me.

Georgie has settled quite nicely into life at the animal sanctuary with Auntie O and a host of entertaining critters to keep her busy. (And one very intriguing farmhand!) She had no intention of putting her sleuthing talents to use ever again but when a local man is murdered during the hubbub of the town’s annual Pirate Festival, well, how can an amateur sleuth resist? Plus there’s buried treasure to be found!

Such a fun cozy mystery with engaging characters (including Flossie and Fancy, springer spaniels with unique gifts that come in handy during an investigation!) There are plenty of solid suspects to keep an armchair sleuth anxiously engaged right up to the big reveal. And Fox’s writing style is beautifully descriptive, creating a cozy ambience that makes for a delightful read.

I enjoyed listening to Hallie Bee Bard’s narration of this book. She has a pleasant, easy-to-listen-to kind of voice that matches the author’s storytelling style perfectly.

My thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

Irish Soda Bread Murder

It’s almost time for the delicious warmth of Irish soda bread, but be careful where you bite–some of these recipes call for murder in this delicious collection of cozy mystery novellas featuring the popular St. Paddy’s Day treat.

IRISH SODA BREAD MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
There’s very little time left before her wedding, but nonetheless Tara Meehan is helping out at her Uncle Johnny’s salvage yard for the day. Aunt Rose set up a convention for local psychics, including a bake sale to raise money for charity, but now she’s sick and available only via an iPad Johnny is carrying. The event promises to deliver a real pot of gold until Rose’s biggest rival shows up. Before Tara can utter a simple “top o’ the morning” to the man, he drops dead—with Johnny’s soda bread in his hands. It’s up to Tara to identify the deadly baker before another victim ends up chasing the rainbow straight into a grave . . .

AN IRISH RECIPE FOR MURDER by PEGGY EHRHART
To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year, the Arborville, New Jersey, Advocate is sponsoring a soda bread–baking competition. Bettina Fraser is excited—her bake-off idea was the one to get the green light! But when a town councilman acting as a judge keels over after sampling an entry, the party atmosphere dies just as quickly. Now it’s up to Bettina and her Knit and Nibble knitting club bestie, Pamela Paterson, to find the killer responsible for the murderous morsel.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE SINISTER SODA BREAD MAN by LIZ IRELAND
When April Claus arrives in Cloudberry Bay, Oregon, to check on her flooded inn, her biggest worry is to keep everyone from realizing her three companions—Jingles, Juniper, and Butterbean—are elves. But soon enough she has more serious worries—it looks like her hapless caretaker Ernie has been storing stolen goods at the inn! Then one of Ernie’s shady pals is found dead, and the murder weapon turns up in a decorative loaf of soda bread at April’s craft fair booth. It’s up to April to uncover the killer before she spends St. Patrick’s Day in the county jail!

My Review:

What fun to find a book that features St. Patrick’s Day as a theme! I’m only current with one of the series featured in this collection but I still found the other two novellas easy to jump in at mid series.

Irish Soda Bread Murder by Carlene O’Connor – Super excited about this addition to the ‘Home to Ireland’ series. I was so disappointed when it stopped after two books so I was eager to meet up with Tara and the gang in Galway. A fun mystery with a Christie-esque gather all the suspects together to reveal the killer grand finale. This is the only story actually set in Ireland and I was a bit let down since the narration didn’t include Irish accents (there’s only one American character in the mix.) It was kind of strange to hear some of the Irish phrasing without the lilt.

An Irish Recipe for Murder by Peggy Ehrhart – I’ve only read the first book in the ‘Knit & Nibble Mystery‘ series but it was fun to get reacquainted with these characters and I loved the Bake Off theme featuring Irish Soda Bread. Two amateur sleuths, a knitting group made up of an eclectic mix of personalities and a murder! Definitely more cozy than mystery in this novella. Lots of descriptive details on food and fibre crafts.

Mrs. Claus and the Sinister Soda Bread Man by Liz Ireland – My introduction to the Mrs. Claus series and this novella has charmed me into adding the rest of the books to my Serious About Series Challenge for the New Year. So. Much. Fun. The elves cracked me up all the way through (it’s their first time away from Christmastown.) So, quirky humour, great characters and a multi-layered mystery to solve. Not to mention a Soda Bread Man to bake. I’m still grinning.

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition of this collection, narrated by Carlotta Brentan. She did a great job giving distinctive voices to all the characters (with the exception of Irish accents in the first novella.) A pleasant listening experience.

My thanks to RB Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

I’ll Be Home for Mischief

Innkeeper Holly White is decking the halls this Christmas season, but someone is on the naughty list when a body is discovered in the fifth installment in the Christmas Tree Farm mystery series from bestselling author Jacqueline Frost.

It’s Christmastime in Mistletoe, Maine, and the Historical Society has launched a widespread campaign to celebrate the town’s 150th anniversary. Descendants of the founding family, the Snows, have returned for the first time, and Holly is determined to make the family’s visit magical. In an attempt to put Mistletoe on the map, Holly’s mother, a respected local baker, attempts to break a record by baking the world’s largest gingerbread man, but her plans are whisked away when Mr. Snow’s body ends up in the batter. 

When Mr. Moore, the local mistletoe farmer, is accused of the crime, Holly reprises her role as amateur sleuth to protect the sweet older man. Between hosting the inconsolable Mrs. Snow and other guests at the inn, receiving threatening messages telling her to stop her investigation, and preparing for her first wedding anniversary with Sheriff Evan Gray, she might need a Christmas miracle to survive.

When someone breaks into Holly’s office and scratches a warning into her desk, she knows she has little time left. Can Holly uncover the killer before someone else gets burned, or is her involvement a recipe for trouble?

My Review:

Absolutely one of my favourite cozy mystery series and this fifth ‘Christmas Tree Farm Mystery’ is just as magnificent as all the rest!

Jacqueline Frost tackles murder and mayhem with a healthy dose of heartwarming and humour which makes me love these Mistletoe, Maine characters even more. I mean, who wouldn’t want Cookie and Theodore front and centre in their life?! And all the romance swirling around in this winter wonderland? Does my romantical heart so much good!

So, definitely a series that I think should be read in order — not only for the character arcs and relationship building, but for the sheer festive ambiance which the author makes fresh and exciting with each new book. Her Reindeer Games ideas are phenomenal and the way she portrays small town life with a Christmas-centric world view is sweet perfection.

And, while Frost is brilliant at infusing her stories with cozy vibes, she has an uncanny…and slightly disturbing (if you think about it too long)…way of introducing the murder. Let’s just say, ‘unique presentation’ and leave it at that! Bwahahaha!

Add in a solid mystery with enough suspects to keep this armchair sleuth on the edge of her seat, some very clever nods to the author, and the hint of Christmas magic (I’m a believer) and you end up with a holiday treat of a read.

I listened to the audio edition narrated by Allyson Ryan — eeeeeeppppp!!!!! — one of my all time favourite voice performers. She brings such heart to these characters and I can tell she’s relishing their antics just as much as I am. It felt like I was reading a cherished Christmas novel with a kindred spirit. Enhanced my ‘reading’ pleasure that much more!

My thanks to the publisher, Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

A Merry Little Murder Plot

‘Tis the season in Briar Creek, and this year festivities become fatalities in the newest Library Lover’s Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Fatal First Edition.

During the most wonderful time of the year, famous author Helen Monroe arrives in Briar Creek to be the writer in residence, but her “bah humbug” attitude excludes her from the many holiday celebrations the town residents enjoy. To try to spread some Christmas cheer, library director Lindsey Norris invites the new writer in residence to join her crafternoon club. Helen politely refuses and when an altercation happens between Helen and another patron, Lindsey begins to suspect the author has been keeping to herself for a reason.

Another newcomer, Jackie Lewis, reveals she’s visiting Briar Creek to be near Helen because she believes they are destined to meet. Having dealt with a stalker in the past, Lindsey feels compelled to tell Helen about Jackie, as she suspects that Helen is unaware her “number one” fan is in town.

When Jackie’s body is later discovered in the town park beneath the holiday-light display with a copy of Helen’s latest manuscript in her hand, the reclusive novelist becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her self-proclaimed mega-fan. Helen’s frosty demeanor melts when Lindsey offers her help, and now the librarian and her crafternoon pals must prove the author innocent before “The End” becomes Helen’s final sentence.

My Review:

The ‘Library Lover’s Mystery’ series is one of my all time favourites. The books include the perfect blend of cozy and mystery along with a couple of delightful romances. And this book, #15 (!) showcases all the things I love about this series. So, yes, it’s best to read the books in order due to the phenomenal character growth and relationship developments. Plus the small town vibes are all kinds of sweet perfection — not to mention the library programming! I so want to be a Crafternooner!

There’s a wonderful mix of holiday, humour and mystery in ‘A Merry Little Murder Plot’ (clever title, by the way.) As Library Director, Lindsey has her hands full with a number of unexpected developments at this most wonderful time of the year…like a dead body. Because nothing says Merry Christmas quite like murder and mayhem! Bwahahaha!

Love the way the author fleshes out the secondary characters. There are layered complexities to each of them, which makes armchair sleuthing both fun and challenging. And, goodness, but did she ever get my emotions fired up as I was drawn into the mystery. Love, love, love becoming wholly immersed in a story and it’s so easy to do that when Jenn McKinlay is doing the writing.

Loved the sweet romantical bits included in this story. Not over done, so if you’re not a romance fan, you won’t mind a bit. But, I live for those tender little nods to a certain couple’s happily ever after so I was blissfully happy. Merry Christmas to me!

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition of ‘A Merry Little Murder Plot’. Narrator Allyson Ryan does such a fantastic job creating distinctive voices for these characters and she’s part of the reason I choose to listen to the books in this series rather then read them. It’s a special kind of homecoming when I settle in to start a new audiobook and hear her voice coaxing me back to Briar Creek.

My thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

Double Mocha Blues

Jocelyn “Joss” Miller, a twenty-something barista, works at Sugar Creek Cafe, a hip coffeehouse with deep ties to the local arts and music community. Joss is finally feeling like she’s found her purpose as her recently launched podcast soars in popularity. With her family’s blessings, Joss produces a special tribute to her grandfather.

What seems like a step towards healing instead sets off a firestorm of reactions in the community. There are a few who would rather not be reminded of how Joss’s grandfather had been murdered years ago. When the staunchest protester is found dead, Joss becomes the number one suspect.

My Review:

An intriguing start to a new spin-off series. Joss was a secondary character in the ‘Eugeena Patterson Mysteries‘ and her exuberance and quest for justice couldn’t be contained so she wrangled her way into her own series. There was a little bit of a disconnect because of the carry over of characters and Joss’s back story. I’ve only read the first Eugeena Patterson book so I hadn’t met Joss yet. So, it kind of felt like I was starting in the middle of a series, but not enough to diminish my enjoyment of ‘Double Mocha Blues.‘ And, of course, now I need to back track and catch up with Eugeena because a lot has happened in that good lady’s life!

A cozy mystery with an edge. The cozy elements — coffee shop, small town hominess, supportive friends and family — create a comforting balance to Joss’s cold case investigation of her grandfather’s murder decades ago — a racially motivated hate crime. Her podcast stirs up old hurts and resentments…and a new corpse. As a potential suspect, Joss has the incentive to do some sleuthing of her own.

A classic set up for a cozy mystery and Moody does it well. Loved Joss’s tenacious, feistiness and the deep loyalty she feels for friends and family — the whole community really. She’s definitely not a sit-on-the-sidelines kind of gal. Much to the frustration of a certain detective who doesn’t quite know what to make of her. Happy sigh. I do so love a befuddled detective love interest!

Really enjoyed this first book in the Joss Miller Mystery series and am anxious to dive into the second book soon since there’s a nice teaser about what cold case is up next for Joss’s podcast and it sounds so interesting!