A Proposal to Die For - Mystery Review

Goodreads:  A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Jessamine Bricker loves a plan. Contingency plans and pros-and-cons lists are her love language, and because of that, her proposal planning business is thriving. But with rent costs rising at her office building, Jess jumps at the chance to plan a proposal between her snobby high school classmate, Diana, and her very wealthy boyfriend, Trenton Tillard…the Fourth.

Roped into joining Diana’s ”pre-bridal” retreat at the exclusive Golden Ash resort, Jess hopes to fade into the background, get some work done, and maybe find some time to unwind. Their first day is anything but relaxing: Diana is furious about the mountain spa’s lack of cell phone reception, the couple next door argues constantly, and Jess swears she just saw a drug deal go down. To top it all off, she’s warned to stay out of the woods by the gruff and sexy chef, Dean Osbourne. Is this a retreat or a horror movie?

As Jess tries to do her job while placating the bride-to-be and her increasingly over-the-top demands, she spends more and more time with the resort owners, finding herself much more in tune with the laid-back Osbourne family than her social climbing “boss.” Between a meditation garden-related drowning and Jess’s discovery of a body in a sauna, it's clear that deadly secrets abound at the Golden Ash. Now it’s up to Jess to unravel the mysteries here in the mountains—before all her plans are cancelled…permanently.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've enjoyed other books by this author and this sounded like a fun mystery.

My Impression: I really like this author's writing style, her characters, and her quirky humor and this had all of those in spades.  Jess has an interesting business setting up the perfect proposals and gets pulled into the pre-wedding drama of a high school mean girl.  I liked Jess, Kiki, and the Osbourne family and I enjoyed strongly disliking Diana and Aubrey.  

There's a lot of setup for this book and it made for a bit of a slow start.  Once the first body falls and Jess engages more with the Osbourne family I did feel that the pace picked up and it helped Diana become more amusing.  She's really dreadful so when it was a small group of characters she got to be a bit much.  

I loved the setting and the complications a mountain top remote setting made for the characters and the investigation.  Despite the slow start I overall enjoyed this mystery and will be reading more from this author.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  I would.  For the most part I enjoy Harper's books and am looking forward to reading more from her.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy this author's books or enjoy a book with humor and quirky characters and don't mind a slower start this is a fun read.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Top Ten Tuesday - Books With Springy Covers

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is Books with Spring-y covers so I dug through my TBR and found 10 books that look like spring to me.   It turns out spring-y covers means pastels and flowers. 

1.  Southern by Design by Grace Helene Walz

2.  Picnic in Someday Valley by Jodi Thomas

3.  The Cottage Around the Corner by DL Soria

4.  Murder in Highbury by Vanessa Kelly

5. Looking for Love in all the Haunted Places by Claire Kenn

6.  Lost Among the Living by Simone St. James - This has a certain dreariness that reminds me of early spring.

7.  To Fudge or Not to Fudge by Nancy Coco

8.  Who's Dead Doc? by JM Griffin - Pink and bunnies!

9.  The Paris Key by Juliet Blackwell

10. Aunt Dimity and the Enchanted Cottage by Nancy Atherton  

What makes a cover spring-y to you?

No Roast for the Weary - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: No Roast for the Weary (Coffeehouse Mystery #21) by Cleo Coyle

Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  As much as master roaster Clare Cosi adores coffee, the landmark shop she manages won't survive if she doesn't sell enough of it. So when the Village Blend's customer traffic grinds to a halt, she turns to her staff for creative ideas, and the Writer's Block Lounge is born.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the shop, is upset by this news. Years ago, a group of accomplished writers used the shop's second-floor lounge to inspire each other, but the group disbanded when something dark occurred. Though that history is shrouded in mystery, Clare presses forward...

Soon the Village Blend tables are filled with aspiring novelists, playwrights, and poets, all happy to be coaxed, cajoled, and caffeinated by her coffeehouse crew. Clare admires the stamina of these scribes, many of them toiling at night jobs—driving taxis, tending bar, ushering for Broadway—while penning projects during the day.

Then one of their fictions turns fatal when a shocking secret leads to a deadly end. Unless Clare can untangle this mystery, uncover the truth, and stop a desperate killer, she fears more of these weary writers may be marked for eternal rest.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've read a few books in this series and I can never resist a cold case.

My Impression:  This is a very long running series centered around a coffeehouse that has been around for decades.  Clare is the main character and currently in charge of Village Blend though with oversight from her former mother-in-law, Madame.  Added into the mix is Madame's son and Clare's ex-husband Max who is usually up to something on the shady side which is one of the subplots in this series.  The coffeehouse is filled with a collection of quirky baristas all with their own arty interests.

Even though I've only read a few books in the series I had no problem at all jumping into this one.  The mystery was an intriguing one and I always love when a modern-day mystery has links to the past.   I'm also a huge fan of digging into the past and researching potential suspects.  I did figure out a few things ahead of Clare but I did enjoy the mystery overall.

While I had no trouble figuring out the characters and how they related to each other I do think this would be a better series read in order.  There is a lot of banter and non-mystery related interactions.  I imagine this would be a delight if you were invested in the characters but if you're coming in fresh it gets a bit tedious and slows the pace.

Overall, this is a good mystery with an urban setting that is a bit unusual for a cozy mystery.  There's a full cast of quirky characters who all bring a bit of unique knowledge to the investigation.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Yes, though I think I will go back a bit in the series to get to know the characters a bit more.

Would I Recommend this Book? I would recommend this series but I think you will enjoy this book more if you start earlier in the series.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

This Week in Reading - April 6

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

A Wonderful Christmas Crime by Jacqueline Frost - I love this Christmas-y cozy mystery series so even though it seems crazy early to even be thinking about Christmas books I couldn't resist picking it up.

O, Deadly Night by Vicki Delany - Another Christmas cozy and another favorite series!

Currently:

Reading: A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper and Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley

Listening:  Someone to Wed by Mary Balogh

Not much happened this week.  I taught classes, worked on training my own dog, and worked on homeschool with Will.  I did buy myself cupcakes at a local bakery as a treat and very much enjoyed them.  I haven't been reading as much lately though I'm not sure why.  I'm trying to be a bit more of a mood reader to see if that helps.  

Have a great week and happy reading!

Monthly Reading Recap - March 2025

Monthly Reading Total:  13 - This was my lowest month for awhile.  My audio book listening has taken a hit lately which is part of the problem but overall it's just been a lower reading month.

Type:

Print: 5

Ebook:  5

Audio: 3

Genre:

Mystery - 9

Fiction - 3

Nonfiction - 1 

Favorite Books of the Month:

The Foundling: The True Story of a Kidnapping, a Family Secret and My Search for the Real Me by Paul Joseph Fronczak -The case has fascinated me since I first stumbled across it a few years ago and this book was even better than expected.  I really loved how it dealt with the evoloution of genetic genealogy as an investigative tool and the emotional fallout from a search like this.

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon - This took me a bit to get into but once I was in I was absolutely hooked.  I loved how the relationships between the three generations evolved and the mystery was good too!

Bookish Armchair Travels:

Domestic Travel: I visited Arizona, Illinois, and Tennessee for the first time and revisited California (twice) and Connecticut.

International Travel: I visited England 3 times - twice during the 1930s - 1950s and one time during present day as well as a remote and isolated island in Scotland.

How was your March reading?  Where did your books take you?

Friday Fives - April TBR

 

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This is the first Friday in April so I'm picking out five books I hope to read this month.

1.  The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli - This is a review book I'm so excited about.  I love historical fiction and this one sounds fascinating. 

2.  Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis - I'm working on making some progress on my TBR and focusing on reading the quick fun reads that have been sitting there for far too long.

3.  Seeing Darkness by Heather Graham - Pretty much ditto above but this is one that's on my Priority list for 2025.

4.  Parting Breath by Catherine Aird - This is on my Classics list for this year and I love Aird's mysteries.

5.  Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose - I read and thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this series but then stalled out with it.  I'm really looking forward to picking this one up this month.

What are you hoping to read in April?

Books from the Backlog - Picnic in Someday Valley

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  Picnic in Someday Valley by Jodi Thomas

Blurb: Marcie Latimer longs to run away from Someday Valley—especially since her ex-boyfriend spun a web of lies that almost led to tragedy in neighboring Honey Creek. Little wonder so many locals have turned their backs on her. But not Brand Rodgers. The quiet cowboy comes to listen every time she sings at Bandit’s Bar, offering a glimpse of safety and calm that Marcie’s rarely known.
After Texas Ranger Colby McBride saved Honey Creek’s mayor, Piper Mackenzie, from a fire, she claimed him with a kiss. That was five months ago, and Colby still isn’t sure where they’re headed. Piper loves her town—but does she love Colby? And is he even ready for what comes next?

Pecos Smith, Honey Creek’s emergency dispatcher, is grateful to have a new bride he adores and a baby on the way—even if one vital piece of the puzzle is missing. But as trouble comes stalking through the valley, lives will cross surprising paths. And Marcie, who’s always felt that a forever love was out of reach, might discover that Someday is the perfect place to find it . .

.Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I read the first book last year and really enjoyed the characters and meant to read the second book pretty quickly.  But then my library updated their Hoopla audiobooks and dropped this series and I kind of forgot it existed.

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She’s surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly's girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn't be ungrateful, even if one is slightly...bored.

Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a treasure Selena's briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer—who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.

Online, Xander had it a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can't seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.

Vera is determined to solve Xander's murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn't do for her future daughter-in-law.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I absolutely loved the first book so of course I need to pick up the second book!

My Impression:  I don't know if I want to have a Vera in my life or if I absolutely don't!  I both adore her and am terrified her but I always enjoy time spent in Vera's world.  Her absolute confidence in herself and her meddling ways are so fun and I think I would be okay with it if I could have a helping of whatever delicious meal she's cooking up.  

Things have settled down from the previous adventure but Vera is getting a bit restless.  Soon though she stumbles into another murder investigation and into the world of social media.  Vera's investigation into the death of a young influencer brings her into contact with the man's social circle and they are pulled into Vera's world whether they like it or not.  I loved the reactions of the characters from the previous books as they realize what's happenings and it's always entertaining to watch someone encounter Vera for the first time.   

While I enjoyed this both for the fantastic found family aspect and for the mystery itself it wasn't quite as wonderful as the first book.  There's some repetitiveness that drug the plot down a bit.  I got that all the characters were hiding something but there's a lot of handwringing with no progress in revealing those secrets for a bit too long.   Despite the slower moving plot I do love the found family aspect of this book and I can't help but enjoy anytime Vera is on the page.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Of course!  While I don't think this was quite as magical as the first book I did really enjoy it and am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Would I Recommend this Book? I would - though if you haven't read the first book you do really need to pick that one up before starting this one.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Top Ten Tuesday - Books You'd Be a Fool Not to Read If...

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  In honor of April Fools Day, today's topic is Books You'd Be a Fool Not to Read.   I'm picking a few prompts and choosing books You'd Be a Fool Not to Read If....

You're Looking For A Cozy Mystery:

The Whole Cat and Caboodle by Sofie Ryan - This cozy mystery series involving secondhand store owner Sarah, a slew of senior citizens who run a PI firm, and a cat with some serious attitude is always good and a great series to try.

Murder, She Wrote: Murder Backstage by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran - I was deeply suspicious of this series as I didn't think a book based on a show could be any good but it turns out they're just as fun and as cozy as the show.  The series is long running, and you can jump in anywhere.  

You're Looking For A Love Story with Characters You Can't Help But Like

Funny Story by Emily Henry - I loved both Miles and Daphne and the world they inhabited.  The side characters were fantastic and I was completely rooting form them as a couple.

The Summer Swap by Sarah Morgan - This wasn't quite the house swap story I expected but I loved all the characters and it was just a delight.   

You're Looking For A Classic Mystery:

Overture to Death by Ngaio Marsh - I don't always love Marsh's books but this was a delight with a fantastically clever method of murder.

The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie - This is one of her earliest books and such a fun one with a good mystery, a heroine with a longing for adventure, and a touch of espionage.  

You're Looking For A Twisty Thriller That Will Keep You Reading But Won't Be Too Scary:

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell - Multiple POVs with a podcast format and twists and turns that kept me guessing made for a page turning read and a fantastic audio book.

Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass - This multi-POV thriller involving a violent attack, stalking, murder, and missing persons kept me locked in but didn't give me nightmares.

You're Looking for Found Family Goodness:

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman - This was lovely found family in both the literal and metaphorical sense with a big helping of books!

The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander - After the death of her mother Jess is pretty much alone in the world and lands in a little English village in a small cottage and in possession of an old phone box.  This is a little slower but lovely.

What books do you think people would be a fool not to read?

Dead Post Society - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Dead Post Society (A House Flipper Mystery #7) by Diane Kelly

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  The seventh in the House-Flipper mystery series set in Nashville, TN, where the real estate market is to die for.

Carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are no strangers to murder. After all, they’ve encountered corpses on their properties before. But this is the first time they’d decided to take a chance on a property where two murders have already occurred. Most buildings on the former boarding school property have been repurposed for an upscale retirement community, but the developer had no use for the headmaster’s house given its violent history. The headmaster and his wife were killed there decades earlier, their deaths remaining a mystery to this day.

Still, it seems a shame to see the beautiful Victorian give way to decay or the wrecking ball, even if many claim the unsettled souls of the victims still wander its halls, seeking retribution and justice. Can Whitney and Buck exorcise the structure’s demons, solve the cold case, and give the building new life? Or will ghosts from the past seek to silence them forever?

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've enjoyed a few books in this series so of course I had to pick this one up.

My Impression: I do love a cold case and one involving a home renovation is even better.  Whitney and her cousin and business partner are exploring an old boarding school property when they discover the property also included a Victorian house where a terrible crime has occurred.  The house is like a time capsule and Whitney discovers a clue that leads her to believe the crime may not have happened quite like everyone thought.  

Why Whitney's family and friends do appear in the book - especially her husband who just happens to be a homicide detective and her cousin Buck - the focus is mostly on Whitney and her investigation.  I loved looking over her shoulder as she dug through old records and hunted down witnesses.  She's sometimes a bit impulsive but she's at least aware of it and is rarely in Too Stupid To Live territory.  I also really love the handful of chapters from Whitney's cat, Sawdust's perspective.

This was a fun cozy mystery with some home renovation and a fantastic cold case investigation.  I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I've enjoyed everything I've read from this author and am looking forward to going back and read the books I've missed.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy a cozy mystery than this is a great choice - and a mystery you can start without having to read the rest of the series.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

This Week in Reading - March 30

 

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King - I'm so excited about this one.  I loved the previous book in the series and am looking forward to reading this story.  (Publisher)

It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle - I really liked the first book and am so curious to see how the story continues.  (Publisher)

For Duck's Sake by Donna Andrews - I'm really glad I enjoy this cozy mystery series because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to resist the titles even if I didn't! (Publisher)

Currently:

Reading:  Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto and Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley

Listening:  Let Me Lie by Claire Mackintosh

This week has been such a good reading week.  I'm really enjoying all my books and have so enjoyed my reading time.  J and I tried a new restaurant which I very much enjoyed and he very much didn't but we did have a good time so I call that a win.  We have a new group of dogs for classes and I think most of them are going to be really fun to work with.   The appointment with the surgeon regarding my finger went well.  My only negative has been some fatigue but I'm hoping some rest this weekend will get me feeling better.

Have a great week and happy reading!

Three Act Tragedy - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads: Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie

Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source:   

Description:  Who wouldn't be pleased to attend a small dinner party being held by Sir Charles Cartwright, once the leading star of the London stage? At his "Crow's Nest" home in Loomouth, Cornwall.

Unfortunately, thirteen guests arrived at the actor's house, most unlucky. One of them was a vicar. It was to be a particularly unlucky evening for the mild-mannered Reverend Stephen Babbington, who choked on his cocktail, went into convulsions and died. But when his martini glass was sent for chemical analysis, there was no trace of poison -- just as Hercule Poirot, also in attendance, had predicted. Even more troubling for the great detective, there was absolutely no motive!

Genre: Mystery - Classic

Why I Picked This Book:  This was the March pick for the Read Christie 2025 Challenge

My Impression: This is one of the mysteries I always forget about but also really enjoy reading.  The main character is a famous actor and the murder seems as motive-less as it can possibly. Hercule Poirot is a side character for the bulk of the book as is Mr. Satterthwaite, much to my delight.  Mr. Satterthwaite is the main character in Christie's Harley Quinn short stories which are some of my favorites.  As well, Egg Lytton-Gore and her mother, Lady Mary are interesting side characters and I really enjoyed their time on the page.

The mystery and the investigation were both really interesting and I really enjoyed seeing everything be revealed.  This is one of Christie's underrated mysteries and I'm so glad the Read Christie Challenge had me reread this one.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I'm looking forward to the April read.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you're looking for a lesser-known Christie to read this is a fun one.

Friday Fives - Five Quick Reviews for Books I've Read Recently

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  Incident at Badamya by Dorothy Gilman - This was an interesting read and very different from the Mrs. Pollifax adventures.  Gen Ferris is an American who has lived her whole life in Burma in chaotic and often violent times.  She is now an orphan and trying to get to the US with very little resources.  Along the way she is captured and held for ransom with six other people.  The story that evolves is a bit slower paced but shows how people aren't always what the seem and how different people react to strenuous circumstances. This was an enjoyable read with an interesting premise and I am looking forward to reading more of Gilman's standalones.   My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

2.  Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon - I ended up really enjoying this one though it did take me a little bit to get into it.  I didn't love Beth or Lana at first though as the story went on I really enjoyed getting to know them and understand their issues.  Jack was a joy from page one and comes across as such an authentic teenager.  Once I got into the book I couldn't put it down and was just as motivated to see how the relationships developed as I was to see who the bad guy was.  My Rating;  Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

3.  The Liar by Nora Roberts - This was a reread for me and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time.  I did remember the twist but didn't remember quite how it all came to be.  This is a good romantic suspense title from Roberts with a fantastic community feel and a likable main character who is finding her feet again.  The relationship developed nicely as did the plot.  Even though I knew how everything was going to work out I was still holding my breath a little bit as I waited for it to play out.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

4.  The Wolf Tree by Laura McCluskey - I have pretty mixed feelings on this one.  I do love a good claustrophobic feeling mystery and it is hard to get more claustrophobic than a remote island in Scotland during a storm.  I also love a good cold case which is hinted at in the blurb and occasionally referenced as the story goes on.  However, the pacing of this one felt a bit slow and I never truly felt like the mystery investigation really came together.  The ending was an interesting one but overall, I don't think this author's style is really for me. My Rating: Liked It (3 Stars)

5.  The Foundling: The True Story of a Kidnapping, a Family Secret, and My Search for the Real Me by Paul Joseph Fronczak - This case has fascinated me since I first heard of it and as soon as one of my favorite true crime YouTubers (Gabulosis) mentioned this book I put it on hold from the library.  It's a fascinating read about a double kidnapping but even more so about an investigation spearheaded as genetic genealogy evolves and how the search impacts everyone involved.  The story really hooked me and I felt like I was chasing leads down with the team.  This was much more emotionally in-depth than I was expecting and I was swept up from page one to the end.  If this kind of case fascinates you like it does me than this is a must read.  My Rating; Loved It (5 Stars)

Books from the Backlog - Tara Road

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  Tara Road by Maeve Binchy

Blurb:  With each new book, Maeve Binchy continues a remarkable progression of sales and audience growth, reaching fans of all ages and backgrounds with her matchless wit, warmth, and sheer storytelling magic. "Tara Road," her first full-length novel since "The Glass Lake," again shows her incomparable understanding of the human heart in the tale of two women, one from Ireland, one from America, who switch lives, and in doing so learn much about each other, as well as much about themselves. Ria lived on Tara Road in Dublin with her dashing husband, Danny, and their two children. She fully believed she was happily married, right up until the day Danny told her he was leaving her to be with his young, pregnant girlfriend. By a chance phone call, Ria meets Marilyn, a woman from New England unable to come to terms with her only son's death and now separated from her husband. The two women exchange houses for the summer with extraordinary consequences, each learning that the other has a deep secret that can never be revealed.

Drawn into lifestyles vastly differing from their own, at first each resents the news of how well the other is getting on. Ria seems to have become quite a hostess, entertaining half the neighborhood, which at first irritates the reserved and withdrawn Marilyn, a woman who has always guarded her privacy. Marilyn seems to have become bosom friends with Ria's children, as well as with Colm, a handsome restaurateur, whom Ria has begun to miss terribly. At the end of the summer, the women at last meet face-to-face. Having learned a great deal, about themselves and about each other, they find that they have become, firmly and forever, good friends.

A moving story rendered with the deft touch of a master artisan, "Tara Road" is Maeve Binchy at her very best — utterly beautiful, hauntingly unforgettable, entirely original, and wholly enjoyable.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I've been wanting to read this book for ages and it just sounds like a lovely cozy read for stormy spring weather.

Cat Got Your Killer - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Cat Got Your Killer (Second Chance Cat Mystery #12) by Sofie Ryan

Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Sarah Grayson, secondhand store owner, and her clever rescue cat Elvis are right on the tail of a criminal in the charming new Second Chance Cat Mystery.

Summer is around the corner and Sarah is making sure the store is stocked and ready for tourist season. But while the weather’s heating up, Sarah gets involved in a case that is decidedly cold, when a man who was linked to a drowning death years ago is found dead himself, on the same stretch of beach. Some of Sarah’s friends from the store knew the victim—and the young woman who drowned—very well and are concerned they could be dragged into the case.

It’s beginning to look like an innocent man may be in prison and that drowning death might in fact be the work of a killer who has struck again. Between Charlotte’s Angels, the group of senior citizen private detectives who operate out of the store, and Elvis’s abilities to sniff out trouble, Sarah won’t let a second chance at catching this purr-petrator pass her by.

Genre:  Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series so of course I had to pick up this newest book.  

My Impression:  I really think this series keeps getting better!  There's a fairly large cast of characters and they're really hitting their stride and the different personalities are really developed.  Elvis especially shone in this book with an extra helping of cat sass.  

I really enjoyed the mystery in this book.  Not only did a present murder seem to have ties into a past murder but a regular side character had quite a lot of development.  The pacing was fantastic as well.  Not only did the murder happen fairly quickly in the book but the investigation progresses reasonably quickly.  I was hooked in from page one and not only did I enjoy spending time with the characters but I was caught up in the mystery.

I very much enjoyed this book and think it may be my favorite of an already favorite series. 

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Of course!  I'm looking forward to reading more from this series and from her other book under the Sofie Kelly name.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Absolutely!  If you're a cozy fan this is a fantastic series - especially if you enjoy an opinionated cat and a solid investigating community.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Favorite Books of the First Quarter of 2025

 
Somehow the first quarter of 2025 is almost over which is weird because I'm not even fully used to saying that it's 2025. Luckily, I have managed to read some great books in this first quarter and here are 10 of my favorites.

1.  The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery - Yes, it's a reread but every time I read it I remember just how much I love it.

2.  The Foundling: The True Story of a Kidnapping, a Family Secret, and My Search for the Real Me by Paul Joseph Fronczak with Alex Tresniowski - I'm a bit iffy on true crime but this was more a story of how one man's search for the truth impacted him his family, and his perspective on the world.  And it was surprisingly fast paced.

3.  Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon - I loved the mystery but I loved the development of the characters and their relationships even more.

4.  Mrs. Jeffries on the Ball by Emily Brightwell - This was just a delight.  I'm a longtime fan of the series but have been a bit underwhelmed by the early books but this was just so much fun.

5.  The Dressmakers of London by Julia Kelly - I loved how the characters evolved but found the challenges of being a dressmaker during World War II in London even more interesting.

6.  Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass - I've been wanting to read this author for awhile and I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery.  Plus, the pace kept me absolutely hooked.

7. Funny Story by Emily Henry - My first Emily Henry was a DNF but this was such a fun read that I enjoyed all the way to the last page.

8.  The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - Another reread but a true and total delight.

9. Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie - A reread but one of my favorite Christie mysteries that never disappoints and shows Poirot at his finest.

10. The Library Game by Gigi Pandian - I've enjoyed all the books in this series but this was by far my favorite.  I love a team effort when it comes to solving a mystery and that really shown here.  

What were some of your favorite reads this first quarter?