The Claus Conspiracy - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: The Claus Conspiracy (Seven Ponds #2) by Tamara Berry

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

Description:  Amber Winslow thought she'd left chaos behind when she traded bounty hunting for small-town life in Arizona. Between her job as a barista and recording a true-crime podcast with a lively group of retirees at Seven Ponds Retirement Community, life has finally settled into something resembling calm.

Until a battered, amnesiac teenager crashes into it―literally.

The girl knows only one thing for Amber's voice from the podcast. Clutching a Post-it note with Amber's address, she arrives with no memory of who she is…and a dead Santa Claus in her trunk.

Determined to uncover the truth, Amber and her sharp-witted octogenarian crew begin digging―and quickly discover this is no holiday mishap. Their search uncovers a trail of rogue Mall Santas, a dangerous drug operation, and secrets someone is willing to kill to protect.

As the bodies pile up and the past closes in, Amber must untangle a mystery that's far bigger―and far more personal―than she ever imagined.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy(ish)

Why I Picked This Book:  I really like this author and I enjoyed the first book in the series.

My Impression: This was a bananas book.  It starts off with a car crashing into a cactus, a teenage girl who doesn't remember her past but is quite sure there's a body in the trunk of the car - a body dressed as Santa.  Throw in a group of chaotic senior citizens who have very little to do to fill there day other coming up with theories and some day drinking and each page is one chaotic incident after the next.

I really like Amber and I love her sidekick Tatiana the tortoise.  She's trying to keep her grandmother and friends in line just a smidge while participating in a true crime podcast.  

When law enforcement gets involved in the form of Detective Vega who is also Amber's ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend (kind of and also Amber is really good with it) as well as just an intimidating force of nature things start coming together until suddenly there are more questions than answers.

I figured out a few things before Amber but I really didn't have any idea of how everything would work out until it did - such as it is.  It was an enjoyable read and while I am very glad I don't live Amber's life I was very entertained to read about it.  This is the second in a series and while the mysteries aren't connected there is a large cast of characters that would be way easier to keep track of if you read the first one.  Plus, the first one is also a lot of fun.  If you're looking for a fun and quirky read that's not on the page graphic but also not a typical cozy this is a great pick.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I've enjoyed everything I've read by this author.

Would I Recommend this Book? Yes definitely though I do recommend starting with the first book.

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

What I'm Reading - October 7

I always have a few books going.  Here is what I'm reading and what I'm thinking about them.

Ebook:

Jay to the World by Donna Andrews - I've just started this one but I've been really looking forward to it.  I love her cozies and the Christmas ones are my favorite.

Print Book:

The Third To Die by Allison Brennan - I'm about 30% done with this one and am really enjoying it.  It has kind of an early Criminal Minds vibe which I really like.

Audio Book:

The Guest List by Lucy Foley - I'm about halfway done with this one and am enjoying it.  I don't Foley will ever be a five star read for me but so far I've enjoyed what I've read by her.

Slow Read:

Sauvigone for Good by J.C. Eaton - I love this writing team but this isn't my favorite series.  This is an entertaining read but probably not one that will stick with me.

What are you reading today?

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books That Conjure Up Happy Memories

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 That Conjure Up Happy Memories.  

1.  The Four Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright - This was one of my absolute favorite books as a kid and I have read this book countless times.  

2.  Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - I vividly remember the first time I read this book and then immediately needed to have the whole series which I then read in a week.

3.  The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keen - I spent so many happy hours reading Nancy Drew books and this was one of my favorites.  I still love the stories and anything Nancy Drew adjacent.

4.  Christina's Ghost by Betty Ren Wright - I loved these ghostly spooky middle grade books and spent countless hours curled up reading them.

5.  The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde - This book reminds me of my grandmother.  It was one of her favorites.

6.  The Forget-Me-Not Library by Heather Webber - I love Webber's brand of magical realism and I remember staying up late into the night reading this one.

7.  Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie - This was the first Christie I really fell in love with and it is still a favorite.

8.  The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White - This was one of the favorite books that Will and I read together.  

9.  The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst - I love her stories and am looking forward to reading her latest one.

10. Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas - This book reminded me of just how much I enjoy historical romances and it's one I'm excited to reread.

What books conjure up happy memories for you?

The Haunted Librarian - Paranormal Cozy Fiction Review

Goodreads: The Haunted Librarian by Auralee Wallace

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

Description: It’s a dark and stormy night…and Amelia Bates is caught in the rain. Life hasn’t always been kind to her, and being a ghostseer certainly doesn’t make things any easier.

Glowing warmly through the autumnal downpour is her safest the library. Amelia, the newly hired librarian, has always relished the comfort of curling up with a novel, vastly preferring it to the company of humans (alive or ghostly).

But Amelia is shocked to discover the building is full of more than quiet stories and warm cups of tea. There are curious, talkative patrons, a shy, bespectacled head librarian who makes her heart skip a beat, and three quirky spirits causing paranormal havoc that endangers the future of the library.

To help the ghosts and save the building, Amelia will have to gather all her bravery and wits, because learning to trust others might just be the first step to a happily ever after she only thought was possible in books.

Genre: Fiction - Paranormal Cozy 

Why I Picked This Book: I've enjoyed other books from this author that also had a witchy element - though they were more cozy mysteries than this one.

My Impression: I love the premise of this.  I'm a big fan of sentient buildings and what could be better than a sentient library WITH ghosts?  The night librarian is also an interesting dynamic as it allows for more interaction between the ghosts and the library itself without the pesky patrons getting in the way.  Simon and Rosalinda (both living library employees) are interesting characters and the ghosts are interesting and a bit different from the usual ghosts. 

What took this book down a few notches was the slow start and Amelia herself.  Both of these I can blame on it being the first book in a series.  There's a lot of setup as Amelia gets through the job interview (such as it is) and figures out the library and what's going on.  As well, the reader has to get to know Amelia which takes a bit as she has a lot of backstory and baggage a lot of which center around her ability to see ghosts.  It didn't help that I didn't really like Amelia.  She's walking second hand embarrassment for much of the book.  If she's holding a drink she's going to spill it on herself or someone else.  If there is something to fall down she will do so spectacularly.  It's a bit much.  With quirky characters it sometimes does take a bit for things to settle down a bit and that is definitely the case here.  I hope if this is the beginning of the series that Amelia isn't quite as quirky in the next book.

I love the premise and enjoy the author's writing style.  There's a bit of everything in this book - mystery, romance, character growth, and of course ghosts.  Overall, despite a rough start, I enjoyed this story and would like to revisit this world.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? I would.  While this was a bit rough especially at the beginning I did enjoy it and I've enjoyed other books by this author.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you're looking for a witchy ghostly cozy read I think this would be a good choice.  As well I really enjoyed her mystery series.

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

This Month in Reading - September 2026

Monthly Reading Total: 15

Type:

Print - 6

Ebook - 5 

Audio - 4

Genre:

Mystery - 8 

Fiction - 2

Nonfiction - 1

Romance - 4 

Favorite Books of the Month:

Audio:  First Time Caller by B.K. Borison - I wasn't really expecting to like this one but I ended up really enjoying it!

Other Type: The Mystic and the Missing Girl by Vikki VanSickle - I enjoyed this mystery but I'm really hoping this is the start to a series.  I really enjoyed the world created in this book.

Rereads:  Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts, Key of Light by Nora Roberts and Endless Night by Agatha Christie

Monthly Armchair Reading: 

Domestic Travel:  I visited Pennsylvania and Colorado for the first time this year and revisited Massachusetts, Oregon, Maryland, North Carolina, California, and New York

International Travel: England (3 times), Canada, and early 1900s India

How was your reading in September?  Where did your reading take you?

Friday Fives - October 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. Since this is the first Friday in October, I'm planning my Octobmer TBR.  Here are 5 books I plan on reading in October.

1.  The Key to a Killer by Olivia Blacke - I have really enjoyed this series featuring a young woman and her ghostly roommate.  I'm curious to see what happens next.

2.  A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander - I just finished the most recent book in this series so I'm looking forward to going back and reading more from the beginning of the series.

3.  The Gabriel Hounds by Mary Stewart - This is the next on my Classics list and I do enjoy Stewart's ability to create an eerie scene.  

4.  The Guest List by Lucy Foley - I've enjoyed other books by Foley before and this one sounds creepy and claustrophobic.  

5.  After Midnight: Thirteen Tales for the Dark Hours by Daphne du Maurier - I've read another short story collection by du Maurier and really enjoyed it so I'm really looking forward to this one.  This author is the queen of unsettling and eerie stories.

What are you hoping to read in October?

Books from the Backlog - Blue Moon

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:  Blue Moon by Wendy Corsi Staub

Blurb:  Hair neatly braided, hands serenely clasped, eyes closed, the young woman appeared to be sound asleep. But the peaceful tableau was a madman’s handiwork. Beneath the covers, her white nightgown was spattered with blood. At daybreak, a horrified family would discover her corpse tucked into their guest room. The cunning killer would strike again . . . and again . . . before vanishing into the mists of time.
A century ago, the Sleeping Beauty Murders terrified picturesque Mundy’s Landing. The victims, like the killer, were never identified. Now, on the hundredth anniversary, the Historical Society’s annual “Mundypalooza” offers a hefty reward for solving the notorious case.

Annabelle Bingham, living in one of the three Murder Houses, can’t escape the feeling that her family is being watched—and not just by news crews and amateur sleuths. She’s right. Having unearthed the startling truth behind the horrific crimes, a copycat killer is about to reenact them—beneath the mansard roof of Annabelle’s dream home . . .

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I read the first book in this trilogy last year and enjoyed it.  It has a continuing mystery and I'd really like to find the solution!