Category: Cozy Mystery

Hammers and Homicide

Perfect for fans of Kate Carlisle and Victoria Gilbert, when a body is found in a hardware store, will Dawna Carpenter’s sleuthing measure up to find the killer?

Recent sexagenarian widow Dawna Carpenter thought running her own hardware store after the death of her husband was hard enough. With her adult daughter, April, moving back into town, and Darlene, the annoying boutique owner next door to her shop poking around, Dawna has her hands full. But when she finds a dead man in the bathroom of her store, with a framing hammer by his side, she’s in way over her head.

The victim, Warren Highcastle, was a land developer who was looking to purchase the old theater in town to build a new hotel. Dawna and April, worried about the implications of the crime scene at the hardware store, put themselves on the case. They soon learn that Warren had made quite a few enemies in his short amount of time in town. As the suspect list starts growing, so too do the threats against Dawna and April. Can Dawna and April nail the killer before they strike again?

My Review:

Super excited about this new cozy mystery series! All the cozy vibes are amazing — from the quirky small town to Dawna’s ‘old timey’ hardware store to her wonderful relationship with her daughter, April. Worth the read just for those elements but then a murder happens and things get even more interesting.

Dawna and April may be amateur sleuths on their first case, but they are savvy ones and I love the camaraderie they have with the police. It’s a nice balance of respect for the information they uncover and ‘don’t mess with my investigation’ with some humour thrown in.

The perfect mix of cozy and mystery with characters it’s easy to care about made ‘Hammers and Homicide’ a compulsive read for me. I can’t wait for the next ‘Hometown Hardware Mystery’ to release. Please let it be soon!!! This is definitely going to be a bingeable series!

Bag of Bones

Random Retro Read

Does one good turn deserve a murder?

Despite all her good intentions to focus on a healthy lifestyle and leave crime solving to the professionals, Andi Grace Scott has run right smack into another investigation–literally. Who’d have thought caring for stray cats and a healthy morning beach run could lead to murder?

Andi Grace has found another body and a young woman who needs help. Solving this puzzle will come with a cost. This time, catching the killer will require Andi Grace to confront her past relationships and truths about her deceased mother.

My Review:

This Low Country Dog Walker series is fabulous! Definitely should be read in order for the progression of Andi Grace’s backstory as well as relationship developments — including secondary characters. I love Andi Grace and her crew and this small island town. Feels like a beach getaway every read.

But this time there’s a body on the beach and Andi Grace is on the case. Bwahaha! She just can’t help herself. Some might call her nosy, but I like to think of her as having a curious mind. You know what they say about curiosity though…and there are some tense moments when Andi Grace is in serious danger before this mystery is solved.

Luckily she is on good terms with law enforcement in the area (more or less) and her protective boyfriend tries to keep an eye out for her (try being the operative word.) Because Andi Grace is tenacious and once she is focused on a puzzle she is relentless. I figured out parts of the mystery but not all so there was one gasp-out loud moment for me towards the end. Love when that happens.

There’s some lovely, light romance including a very swoonworthy ending that had me all twitterpated! I’m so grateful that the first three books in this series are available in audio format now. I’m really enjoying Meg Price’s narration. Hoping the rest of the series will follow — otherwise I’ll need to hunt them down in paperback ’cause I need more Andi Grace and company!

Dog-Gone Deadly

Dog-Gone Dead is the second book in A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series.

Who’d have thought mulch could cause such a stink?

Low Country dog walker Andi Grace Scott is happy to score some free mulch from one of her brother’s landscaping jobs—until she discovers the dead body buried beneath the bark.

Worse, her brother’s landscaping tools were used to commit the murder. Once the police arrest her brother and seem happy to have “caught their man,” Andi Grace has no choice but to track down the real killer. She’ll risk everything to prove her brother’s innocence. Even if it means turning over every rock in town.

If you love small-town coastal life, dogs, and strong heroines, you’ll love Dog-Gone Dead.

My Review:

This cozy mystery series ticks all the boxes for me. Overcomer heroine, intriguing mystery that was difficult to figure out, awesome secondary characters (including the critters) and there’s even some romance. Oh — and I love the light touches of faith sprinkled throughout.

Like most cozy mysteries, this series would be best read in order. The first book covers some important backstory about Andi Grace and her family and gently introduces the romantic element. It’s also a great introduction to this small coastal town and Andi Grace’s dog walking business.

‘Dog-Gone Dead’ takes off where ‘Bite the Dust’ left off. It’s some months later and Andi Grace and her best friend are getting ready to launch their new business venture when a dead body shows up in the mulch (of course it does!) 🙂 And since Andi Grace’s brother becomes a suspect, she’s all in for solving the crime.

One of the wonderful things about this heroine is her fierce loyalty to her family and friends. It makes her a tenacious amateur sleuth who doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘quit.’ She’s relatively smart about her investigating though and works with the police…Well, that mostly means they get crazy frustrated by her sleuthing and read her the riot act while taking her ‘clues’ under consideration. I’ll admit, this mystery stumped me. I was waffling between three likely suspects and finally settled on the wrong one!

I listened to the audible edition of this book narrated by Meg Price and loved it! Hoping the rest of the series becomes available in audio format as well.

Bite The Dust + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

One steamy South Carolina morning, Low Country dog walker Andi Grace Scott discovers a client’s dead body. Police quickly decide she’s the prime suspect. Horrified, she knows she’ll have to turn detective if she’s going to convince them they’re barking up the wrong tree.

Proving her innocence could be a tall order. The local police never solved the hit-and-run that killed her parents; Andi Grace isn’t sure they’ll solve this crime either…not when they have a convenient suspect—one caught with the possible murder weapon in her hand. She’ll have to follow every clue and call in every favor, even if that puts her in danger.

If you love strong heroines, coastal small-town life, and dogs, you’ll love Bite the Dust.

My Review:

Published in 2020

Eeeepppp! How did I not know about this series? It’s both a cozy mystery and Christian Fiction! And there’s even a romance! That’s my reading dream, right there. Plus the whole series just became available on audible so guess what I’ll be binge listening to?

Absolutely love the way Layton sets the stage for this series. The cozy part of this cozy mystery is sweet perfection. Vivid descriptions of the SC Low Country made me feel like I was there and Andi Grace’s dog walking profession is my dream job! I appreciate the depth in character back stories — especially Andi Grace — and her personal mystery is just as compelling as the murder mystery.

Fabulous meet cute with an enemies to more vibe and an intriguing list of suspects kept the plot moving and me riveted. Plus, there’s light touches of faith interspersed throughout. So excited to dive into book #2 of the ‘Low Country Dog Walker Mystery’ series soon!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

ebook copy available to anyone with a US Kindle account (.com) 

Canadians will have a choice of receiving an Amazon.ca gift card towards the purchase of an ebook OR an audible copy. Winner’s Choice.

If you would like a chance to win an ecopy of Bite the Dust, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 4 2024.

Fatal First Edition

People are dying to get their hands on a rare, valuable book in the newest Library Lover’s Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of The Plot and the Pendulum .

Briar Creek Library director Lindsey Norris and her husband, Sully, are at a popular library conference in Chicago to hear book restoration specialist Brooklyn Wainwright give a keynote address. After the lecture, Lindsey looks under her seat and finds a tote bag containing a first edition of Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train , inscribed to Alfred Hitchcock. Brooklyn determines the novel is one of a kind and quite valuable, so Lindsey and Sully return the book to the conference director, not wanting to stir up any trouble.

But just hours after the pair boards the train back to Connecticut, rumors that the Highsmith novel has gone missing buzz amongst the passengers, and they soon find the conference director murdered in his private compartment. And worse—the murderer planted the book in Lindsey and Sully’s room next door, making them prime suspects. Now, they must uncover the murderer and bring them to the end of their line, before they find themselves booked for a crime they didn’t commit.

My Review:

So, one of my favourite cozy mystery series ever and this fourteenth ‘Library Lover’s Mystery’ book is sheer brilliance! Gah, I want to gush but, because this is a mystery, I can’t without posting spoilers. Let’s just say that the author’s clever use of setting brought an extra thrill to the mystery. And the way she brings the whole Briar Creek gang together and involved was sweet perfection. The plot contains a number of classic mystery elements that elevated my reading enjoyment that much more. I’m still grinning in pure bibliophile delight. 🙂

And these characters! I love them all. Especially Lindsey and Sully. Swoon! And this story packs an emotional wallop that frazzled my last nerve and had me close to tears! I attribute part of my reaction to Allyson Ryan’s excellent narration. She has been the voice of this series from the very first book and does an incredible job of conveying personalities and emotion, helping me to connect with each character. To laugh with them and cry with them…and yes, I know this is a cozy mystery but this particular author/narrator partnership has brought such depth to these characters over the course of the series and I am so appreciative. May there be many more ‘Library Lover’s Mysteries’ to come!

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

Murder Most Owl

The first in the enchanting new Magical Menagerie mystery series where things are not always what they seem. Georgie Johansen returns to the charming, coastal town of Twilight Cove and quickly finds herself in a whirlwind of romance, magic and murder!

It’s been years since screenwriter Georgie Johansen last visited her Aunt Olivia’s farm in the coastal town of Twilight Cove and things have certainly changed. First of all it’s now an animal sanctuary, and then there’s the new farmhand who’s as mysterious as he is handsome. Her first day on the farm, Georgie encounters the eccentric Dorothy Shale, an older woman who lives in a cabin in the woods. There are rumours that Dorothy’s a witch, but Georgie doesn’t believe that. Although, Dorothy does have an unusual magical presence around her . . . 

When Dorothy ends up murdered, suspicion falls on Georgie – she was the one who found the poor woman’s body, and being new in town doesn’t help with the suspicion. Things only get worse when it turns out that Dorothy left her valuable plot of land to Auntie O!

Georgie must act fast to clear her and her aunt’s names by finding the real killer. But as bodies start to mount up, the pressure rises. With the help of the unusual powers of Dorothy’s two dogs and great-horned owl, can Georgie uncover the truth before she becomes the killer’s next target?

My Review:

Eeeepppp!!!! New stellar cozy mystery alert! Love the animal sanctuary setting and the air of magical mystery. Not solidly paranormal so no worries if that’s not your thing. Just light touches of whimsy. 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.

Flossie and Fancy (springer spaniels with unique talents) make amazing back up for amateur sleuth Georgie. Love the way the author has written their relationship — and yes, the dogs definitely have big personalities. So much fun! As is Euclid, the wise owl who likes to keep an eye on Georgie. Of course, there are human secondary characters too. Auntie O and the mysterious temporary farmhand top my list of faves.

And then there’s the mystery, complete with enough viable suspects to keep me on the very edge of my sleuthing armchair. I enjoyed the way Georgie’s investigation played out. She doesn’t pull any TSTL stunts (well, maybe one but with a solid reason so I’ll give her a pass.) Kept me turning pages until all was revealed and then I was left still wanting more — like the second book in the ‘Magical Menagerie‘ series to come out asap!!!

Dating Can Be Deadly + Giveaway

Between her quilting circle and tending to her mischievous goats, widowed matchmaker Millie Fisher is never at a loss for things to do in her small-town Ohio community–especially when she’s solving the odd murder or two . . .

It’s August in Holmes County, and that means it’s time for the Holmes County Fair. It’s the county’s biggest annual event, drawing tourists and locals alike to see livestock, eat too much fried food, and watch the rodeo and speed racing contests. This year, Millie has entered the quilting competition–while her very not Amish best friend, Lois Henry, is distracted by her new dating app and her search for husband number five. In a place where quilting is a way of life, the competition is fierce–especially this year, when an anonymous donor doubles the winning cash prize. Amish and English women are up against each other, and some will do anything to win–even murder . . .

When someone attacks the quilt barn by slashing the quilt display, it’s unsettling enough. But when a quilting judge is found murdered, Millie knows it’s time to for Lois to get off her app and help her hunt for a killer instead–before the competition is wiped out for good . .

My Review:

I can’t wipe the Cheshire grin off my face…or should I say Peter and Phillip grin? Those naughty goats are such a hoot! And they shine in this fifth instalment of the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series. Plus, there’s an added bonus — woot! — Jethro the pig stops by to add his unique porky flair to Dating Can Be Deadly (as if there wasn’t enough going on at the fair!) For those who aren’t familiar with Jethro, he’s a star in the author’s Amish Candy Shop Mystery series and has quite the following. Some might say he’s THE star, but you’ll need to read those books to find out if that’s true. 🙂

So, Millie and Lois are back at it — stumbling over a dead body at a fair full of mysteries. Love this Amish/English senior crime fighting duo. 🙂 The story is all told from Millie’s perspective but that doesn’t stop Lois’s larger than life personality from taking over now and again, much to my delight! And while Millie might be the Amish matchmaker, Lois has decided technology is the key to her next love match. Cue the eye rolls as you picture Lois on a dating app!

The mystery is fantastic with some clever twists that had me scrambling to keep up. Once again, the author deftly weaves Amish tradition and faith throughout the story which adds a heartwarming touch in the midst of all the murder and mayhem. 🙂 And the country fair setting was cozy perfection.

Oh — and the ending?! Jumping up and down with bookish delight. Did not see that coming either!!!! More grinning and some happy dancing.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since this is the fifth book in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery Series and I think it’s best read in order — this giveaway is for any one of the books, so you can pick up where you left off, or start with number one if the series is new to you. I’ll list the titles below and please mention which book you would like to win in your comment.

#1 Matchmaking Can Be Murder

#2. Courting Can Be Killer

#3. Marriage Can Be Mischief

#4 Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous

#5 Dating Can Be Deadly

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the Amish Matchmaker Mystery books , leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday February 24 2024.

REMEMBER TO MENTION WHICH BOOK IN THE SERIES YOU WOULD LIKE TO WIN IN YOUR COMMENT!!!

The Sign of Four Spirits

Gemma Doyle won’t be spooked when a body shows up at the psychic fair in bestselling author Vicki Delany’s ninth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery.

When a psychic fair arrives in West London, Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, wants nothing to do with it. But somehow, at the urging of Donald Morris, an enthusiastic Sherlockian, she finds herself talked into attending a séance, along with baker and best friend Jayne Wilson, store assistant, Ashleigh, and former pop star Bunny Leigh.

But to her surprise, Gemma finds herself banned from the sĂ©ance and shown the door. Curious, she listens in from outside the room. The medium informs a disappointed Donald that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will not be able to make it tonight. Then, Gemma hears a voice cut off, a cry for help, a scream. Gemma bursts into the library to see that someone has collapsed on the table–dead. The windows are all locked, and Gemma was guarding the only door. Someone in this room is a murderer. But who?

The game is once again afoot for Gemma Doyle, as she hunts a killer. But, this time, is the killer of flesh and blood or had the medium summoned doom from beyond the veil?

My Review:

What I love about Gemma: She’s socially awkward, blunt to the point of cringing at times and comically detail oriented at the worst (and best) of times! She speaks her mind and doesn’t fuss overmuch about how her opinion is received. The woman has confidence and class (she’s a British ex-pat after all) and her cat hates her. 🙂 In short, she makes a most captivating amateur sleuth heroine.

Gemma is the reason I am such a fan of this series but the quirky secondary characters are a close second and that combination keeps me coming back for more Sherlockian adventures.

This ninth book in the ‘Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery‘ series is just as entertaining and unputdownable as all the others. A mystery layered with intrigue wrapped up in a twisty-turny plot with the bookshop and tearoom providing the perfect cozy backdrop. There’s an array of potential suspects to give your sleuthing armchair a real workout (I was wrong for the longest time!) It’s sharp and funny with just the right balance of wit and drama. And a wee bit of romance too.

I listened to the audio book expertly narrated by Kim Hicks. She caught the nuances of dry humour and inward eye rolls that I’ve come to associate with Gemma Doyle perfectly. :-)

My thanks to the publisher, Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with a copy of ‘The Sign of the Four Spirits’.