books

PHANTOMS AND FELONIES: A HAUNTED MANSION MYSTERY – LUCY NESS

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This second installment in the haunted mansion mystery series was even better than the first! I hope there isn’t a long wait for the next book????

Avery Morgan seems to have a good handle on running the Portage Path Woman’s Club, and Clemmie Bow, resident ghost, is enjoying having a friend. The local theater troupe is doing a play at the club, and everyone is excited. Until Bob Hanover is killed, that is. Avery gets another surprise when her Aunt shows up to stay. Clemmie is not thrilled to have a psychic staying with her, especially one who asks a lot of questions. As Avery gets closer to the officer in charge, she has her own questions she wants answers to. There are plenty of suspects with motive to not want Bob around any longer. Can Avery figure it out in time?

Which cozy mysteries are you reading right now? I am in search of a new series!

The Edge of Dreams: A Molly Murphy Mystery – Rhys Bowen

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I found another great series while wandering up and down the aisles at my local library. Unfortunately, I did what I always do when starting a new series; I opened the front cover of one of the books, found the list of the books in the series, and grabbed the first 3 on the list. The books are not listed in order of release, as most series do, so I got 3 books in the middle of the series. I opted to read them anyhow since I had them, and on my return trip I will get the books starting from the beginning.

The story takes place in 1905, when transportation is trains, horse and carriage, as well as automobiles which are a rare site on the streets. I enjoy stories from this time period, reading about what food was eaten, clothes were worn, how homes were decorated, and how men and women behaved.

Molly Murphy Sullivan is from Ireland, living in New York City with her husband, police Captain Daniel Sullivan, and their 1 year old son, Liam. As Molly was a detective before marrying Daniel, she has a keen interest in his cases. In this story, she is the one who solves the mystery, with mush risk on her life.

Daniel is not 100% on-board with her help in his cases, but he is a loving husband who is concerned about his wife’s safety. He does ask for her help with a couple of things where she is more likely to get information than a police officer would.

Daniel has been receiving letters from a murderer both before and after the murder takes place, taunting him and the force for not being able to catch them. They know another is going to take place, and Daniel is determined to find the culprit before another life is lost.

I thought this story was great, and I really wish I would have gotten the first books in this series, where Molly was single, living in Ireland, and a detective. The book I am reading now is the one directly before this one, and the other book I got is the one right after this one.

Have you read this series? What do you think of series that take place in the past? They are some of my favorites! Let me know in the comments below!

Troubled Blood – Robert Galbraith

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Troubled Blood is book 5 in the Cormoran Strike series. At 927 pages, there was a lot to unpack about this book. I really enjoyed the story, but to say it was confusing is a serious, HUGE, understatement.

The Detective Agency had numerous cases they were working on throughout the length of the entire book, other than the main case that the story centered on. It was difficult keeping all of these other characters straight when they were mentioned in the story. I finally stopped flipping back through what I had already read trying to decipher who was who. I just kept reading through it figuring I would either figure it out in the end, or not. Some of them I did, some I didn’t. It had no effect on the main characters in the story so I stopped stressing about it.

This is precisely the same reason I did not like the 4th book of this series, Lethal White. It was like a bunch of characters and scenes were added just to increase the length of the book. I have read that she plans on 10-13 more books being written in this series. I am guessing this is in order to keep the television series going. I cannot imagine the length of the final book in this series if each one has to be longer than the last.

With that being said, I did like the story. I liked the development of Strike and Robin’s friendship? Relationship? Whatever they have going on, I am here for it. I will not say more about that since I try to avoid spoilers whenever possible.

I will gladly read the next book, and the one after that, and so-on. I just hope she can reign it in some and get rid of all the filler noise that is not necessary.

Did you read this book? What did you think of it? Let me know below!

A Tine to Live, a Tine to Die: A Local Food Mystery #1 – Edith Maxwell

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Although this is not a new cozy series, it is new to me. The first book was published in 2013 and there are 5 books in the series.

a Tine to Live, a Tine to Die Book 1 Cover Image

Cam Flaherty has newly taken over her Uncle and late Aunt’s farm, growing organic produce for the locals in Westbury, Massachusetts. She has a co-op of subscribers who come weekly to the farm to pick up their share of fresh produce. Most also volunteer at the farm with the various chores that keep Cam busy every day.

Shortly after Cam had to fire Mike Montgomery, he was found dead in her yard with her pitchfork in his neck, which proves to be a serious situation for Cam and a couple of other suspects. Cam finds herself juggling her farm work, the police, and a possible new romance while trying to get her new farm up and running.

Can she find the killer in time to save her reputation, and the reputation of her farm? This is a quick, fun read that you will be glad you picked up!

You can read more about Edith and her books on her website here: Edith Maxwell Website

What books have you been reading over the past couple of months? Any favorite cozies you would recommend? I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

The First Week…

Angela21 Comments

… of my being laid off (for 4 weeks to start) got off to a great start. These past 3 days? Not so much. I have gotten a lot of leaves raked, been cooking and cleaning, and crocheting. I have been trying to do something constructive every day and it is just too much.

I now have requests for 10 pairs of slippers. Don’t mind the scar and veins, breaking your ankle in 3 places can wreck a foot

My anxiety has been on fire since Wednesday, and our new Michigan orders have even the most basic things being restricted.

I have a duck pen and coop to get built, but the weather and my aching body are not cooperating these last couple of days. Snow? Really???

I have a stack of books to read, some from the library and some I bought last month. I have instead been binge watching Midsomer Murders for the past week when I am not outside.

I think not being able to celebrate Easter with my family and church is bothering me more than I realize right now. I am assuming when my youngest daughter and I are eating dinner Sunday it will hit me like a brick to the face.

I know so many others have it so much worse than I do, and I am trying to focus on how fortunate I am to keep my spirits up. And this too shall pass.

I am about to watch The Passion of the Christ. If that can’t fix my attitude, nothing will.

I hope you are all coping with whatever level of quarantine you are under right now, and staying healthy and happy!

I would love to hear what you are doing to feel good, and even what is getting you down right now!

Be well and I look forward to hearing from you!

Cozies for Your Quarantine –

Angela23 Comments

This is a time like no other; a time that no one (nearly no one) alive today has experienced before. Depending where you live, you could be deep into this, or it is just starting to hit your area. Michigan has shut down all kindergarten through 12th grade schools, nearly all colleges are doing online classes with campuses and dorms being closed. State and City businesses are closed as well.

I, however, still get to go to work every day. It would take a Presidential order for that to change! 😊 My teenager will be home for the next 3-4 weeks, and I already have a list of things in my mind that she can do around the house once her schoolwork is done. I’m not holding my breath (no pun intended), but hopefully she can help me out!

What doesn’t help is that my 3 local libraries are also closed. I have 3 books checked out right now (a cozy series) that I have to read yet, but I was hoping to get more picked up. I have many different books downloaded on my Nook, so I will be happy to start getting those read instead.

Some of my favorite cozy series are listed below!

Sherry Harris – Sarah Winston Garage Sale Series

Julianna Deering – Drew Farthering Mysteries

Maddie Day (Edith Mawell) – Country Store Mystery Series 

Kelly Lane – Olive Grove Mysteries

Bailey Cates – Magical Bakery Mystery Series

Kylie Logan – Ethnic Eats Mystery Series

What are you reading? Are you quarantined? Sick? Caring for someone who is sick? How are you handling this new Normal we have for at least the next few weeks?

One of My Favorite Series

Angela7 Comments

I have been reading cozy mysteries pretty heavily for the past year, but still pick up another type of book from the library every visit. I seem to always find the best books from just randomly wandering through the aisles and looking at different books that the title or cover grabs my attention.

One of those great finds was the Flavia DeLuce series, written by Alan Bradley. Whenever I find a new series that I adore, I always wish I had found it sooner. But sooner I was reading a different great series I loved and thought the same thing about.

Flavia is an 11 year old girl with two older sisters who love to torment her, a father who is aloof, and a housekeeper whom she seems to adore as much as she dislikes. Her father’s friend, Dogger, seems to be the anchor for Flavia in a family that frustrates her. Dogger is the groundkeeper, chauffeur, and basic man-of-many trades who lives on the estate with the family.

Flavia’s skill with chemistry, and her own extensive lab, has her solving murders in her village that seem to give the police force a run for their money. With Dogger’s help, Flavia seems to stay one step ahead of the police, and the murderers, and each new story builds upon the last, giving you a picture of the dynamics of this broken family, this motherless child, and the friendships she forms from solving mysteries.

There are only two books in the series I have not read yet, and hopefully I can get them from my library soon!

What is the last great read that you discovered?

An Uninvited Ghost – E. J. Copperman

Angela7 Comments

A Haunted Guesthouse Mystery book 2

Another great book in the Haunted Guesthouse Mystery series!

an uninvited ghost cover image

Alison is running her guesthouse in New Jersey, capitalizing on the 2 ghosts who live with her and her daughter Melissa. Alison’s mother can see the ghosts as well; who are Paul and Maxie. Paul was a private investigator before his untimely demise, and he has convinced Alison to take up the occupation herself, in order to help him solve crimes.

Of course she agrees, because what kind of crimes would she need to solve for a ghost? In exchange, Paul and Maxie agree to “perform” twice a day for her guests who are staying there mainly because it is haunted.

Things are going great until Alison does indeed have a mystery to solve; that of a ghost who believes he may have killed someone while he was pulling a prank on them.  Suddenly Alison finds herself in the middle of this strange mystery, because even though the ghost did not kill the person he believed he did, someone else does indeed kill her later, in Alison’s guesthouse.

Alison has to juggle the demands of her two ghosts, her guests, and the cast and crew of a reality tv show who are also staying with her. Although feeling completely overwhelmed, with the help of her family, her ghostly friends, and a reluctant police force, Alison gets it solved!

Night of the Living Deed – E. J. Copperman

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A Haunted Guesthouse Mystery book 1

My love of cozies seems to get stronger with each new series I find at my library. This new discovery did not disappoint.

Night of the Living Deed Cover Image

Alison Kerby is trying to begin a new life with her 9 year old daughter, Melissa. She is back in the town she grew up in on the Jersey Shore. She purchased a house to renovate into a guesthouse, not realizing the house had plenty of history to go along with its age.

Particularly the two ghosts; Paul and Maxie. They were murdered in the house the year before, and Paul wants Alison to find out who killed them, and why. It takes a while for Alison to come to terms with the fact that yes, she really can see these ghosts and communicate with them.

Shock number one is learning her daughter can as well.

Shock number 2? The fact that her mother can see them, as well as many, many other ghosts, and her mother and daughter have been hiding this secret from her for a few years.

Can Alison get her guesthouse renovated in time to open, while adjusting to a life with ghosts, and trying to track down a murderer?

This is definitely a page-turner, and a great first book to this cozy series!

You can find the book for sale here: Night of the Living Deed

Learn more about the author here: E. J. Copperman

All Murders Final – Sherry Harris

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Sarah Winston Garage Sale Cozy series book 3

ALL MURDERS FINAL mech.indd

As Sarah seeks to expand her garage sale business, she decides to go online with a virtual garage sale to help out her sales during the cold, snowy Winter months. Things seem to be going well, until clients are getting robbed, and Sarah is getting threatened, all while trying to deal with the two men in her life, and the family of mobsters that are renting the apartment next to hers.

Sarah being the one to find the body of the woman whom she had an online argument with the night before puts her in the hot seat, and it will take all of her wits, as well as some help from her friends, and maybe the mobsters, to clear her name and stop a murderer. When someone near-and-dear to her heart is looking like the next victim, Sarah risks it all. But does she make it in time?

Up next: My review of book 4 in the series, A Good Day to Buy.

You can find book three here: All Murders Final – Sherry Harris