cozy mystery

Haunted Homicide: A Haunted homicide Mystery Series #1 – Lucy Ness

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Hello to all my fellow readers, and welcome back! Well; welcome back to me, since I have not posted in forever. Sometimes life, family, and work have other plans of how one will spend their time! I will save that to post on my Parenthood and Other Horror Stories Blog!

As I normally do on my trips to the bookstore, I head for the cozy mystery section and look for a new series that I have not read yet, with a couple books in it to get started with. Currently there are only 2 books in this series, but I am hoping for more.

Avery Morgan is the new manager of the Portage Path Women’s Club (PPWC). She is also the only person who can see Clemmie Bow, the ghost that lives in the basement, a victim of an accidental shooting almost 100 years ago. As unnerved as Avery is at first at communicating with a ghost, Clemmie is excited to have a new friend she can communicate with.

A fire that damages one of the rooms in the house seems to be something much more than an accidental fire due to someone smoking in the room. With Clemmie’s help, Avery now has to figure out who killed the President of the club, and what the fire has to do with it. There are a few people who had good reason to want to be gone of Muriel, and there is more that one person who would rather Avery not be in Portage Path at all. Could she be the next victim?

I really enjoyed the first book in this new series, and plan on starting the second book, and hopefully finishing it as well, this weekend.

What books have you been reading lately? Do you have a favorite cozy series or author?

For more information about Lucy Ness, please click here: https://www.mystery-book-series.com/lucy-ness/

‘Til Dirt Do Us Part – A Local Foods Mystery Book 2 – Edith Maxwell

Angela4 Comments

Til Dirt Do Us Part Book 2 cover image

Cam Flaherty is hosting her first community dinner at the farm for all the members of her farm share program, as well as getting ready for the Fall Festival. What she hadn’t planned on was the murder of Irene Burr, a local businesswoman who had done her due diligence to get under the skin of more than one Westbury resident.

Her personal life brings Cam some comfort and she begins dating Jake, the chef at The Market restaurant.  But can she focus on her farm and relationship, and leave the detective work to the police? Will Cam find out who the killer is before she becomes a victim herself?

This is another fun read from the Local Foods Mystery series, and the characters from the first book are enough to keep you wanting more of their stories.

I try not to give away spoilers, which can sometimes be hard when reviewing cozy mysteries. This is a great series, with vibrant descriptions of not only the characters, but of the town as well. You will see yourself walking the town (or biking, as Cam so often does) of Westbury, Massachusetts as you read through this story!

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

Angela4 Comments

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!

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

Angela3 Comments

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

Angela3 Comments

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

The Longest Yard Sale – Sherry Harris

Angela2 Comments

Sarah Winston Garage Sale Cozy series book 2

The Longest Yard Sale book 2

As Sarah finds success setting up, and sometimes running, garage sales for others, she decides to have the Longest Yard Sale in New England. What looks like a successful turnout gets out of control as traffic gets jammed up everywhere, someone is setting fires in different spots all over town, and that dead body found in Sarah’s friend Carol’s Paint and Wine Shop is not the ending to the day that she was hoping for.

Now Sarah has to figure out who the murderer is, what happened to the painting that was stolen from Carol’s shop, and deal with two suitors; her ex-husband and someone from her not-so-distant past. Can she solve the mystery and clear her friends name?

Up next: My review of book 3 in the series, All Murders Final.

You can find this second book here: The Longest Yard Sale – Sherry Harris

The first book is here as well: Tagged For Death – Sherry Harris

Tagged for Death-Sherry Harris

Angela4 Comments

Sarah Winston Garage Sale Cozy series

I managed to read the first four book in this series in about a week, and absolutely loved them!

Tagged for Death cover image

Freshly divorced from her husband, CJ; Sarah now finds herself with plenty of time on her hands since she is no longer an Air Force wife. Her love for garage sales, finding a bargain, and negotiating a deal keep her occupied, and also open the door to a new form of employment; running other’s garage sales.

The cause of their divorce, a now-pregnant 19 year old named Tiffany, has gone missing. Sarah finds a startling discovery of bloody clothes belonging to CJ, (who happens to now be the Ellington Chief of Police), while she is going through some bags of items donated to the thrift shop on the base.

Her initial reaction is to hide them until she can figure out what is going on. Soon enough she has to bring it to CJ’s attention, and now they are both trying to clear his name, and find out what happened to Tiffany. Even though Sarah seems to have a couple people who are not fans of hers, she has her close friends who will stand by her through it all.

Up next: My review of book 2 in the series, The Longest Yard Sale.

You can learn more about Sherry Harris here: Author Sherry Harris

What are you reading right now? I have started on a new cozy series, and will be reviewing that very soon as well!

Death by the Book – Julianna Deering

Angela2 Comments

Book 2 in the Drew Farthering Mystery series was everything I hoped it would be, and so much more! It’s the Summer of 1932, and if Drew was planning on a quiet go of it so he could spend time with Ms. Madeline Parker, he was mistaken. Add in Madeline’s dear Aunt Ruth, and Drew has definitely got his hands full.

Death by the Book Cover Image
I absolutely love this cover!

The first murder happens to be the Farthering family solicitor whom Drew had a meeting with. The hatpin and Shakespearian note stuck in his chest has Drew, Madeline, and Nick scrambling to figure out what the meaning, and motive might be. As the bodies start stacking up in what the townspeople begin calling the Hatpin Murders, Drew is doing his best to win over Aunt Ruth, before she manages to get Madeline on a plane and take her from Drew forever.

The twists and turns in the story will keep you turning pages until the killer is revealed. This story was a great follow-up to the first book, Rules of Murder. I am halfway through book number 3, and these books are definitely going to be added to my home library!

You can find Julianna’s web page here: Julianna Deering

You can purchase these fantastic stories here: Julianna on Amazon

Rules of Murder – Julianna Deering

Angela7 Comments

This is the first book in the Drew Farthering Mystery Series. I randomly came across these books doing what I so often do at my local library; walk down random aisles looking at titles and book covers until something grabs my attention. This book cover definitely grabbed my attention. I knew as soon as I saw it that I was looking at a classic mystery novel such as the ones I would find at yard sales growing up and make my Mom buy for me.

Rules of Murder cover image
How amazing is this cover?!

This book was found in the Christian Fiction section of my library, but it is in no way overtly religious (not that I would mind, I like those books as well!), but there is mention of God, and going to Church, and the like. It is set in the 1930’s in Britain (another bonus for me!) and the story as a whole was just good, clean, fun!

Drew Farthering lives at the Farthering Estate, the house that controls the town, if-you-will. Think Downton Abbey. He lives with his mother and step-father, their Butler Dennison, and Mrs. Devon, the head maid, amongst other staff. Nick Dennison, son of butler Dennison, is the best friend of Drew, and a frequent visitor of the estate.

When Drew’s step-father, Mr. Parker, announces that his niece and 2 of her friends will be arriving for a stay from America, Drew is excited for some new company. Madeline Parker and her friends arrive at the estate, and the adventure begins. Two murders need to be solved, Drew is doing his best to focus on the cases at hand, all while wooing Ms. Madeline.

This is a clean written story, like you would expect in cozy mysteries set in today’s timeframe. It is great fun, taking you back to a time when things were simpler, except for solving a murder, that is. That was not simpler. There were no cell phones, no internet, no ballistics studies, and the like.

I’m skipping the spoilers as I always do; but I cannot recommend this book enough! I am almost done with book two and will be reviewing that soon!

What cozy are you enjoying right now?