Friday Fives - Five Short Reviews for Series I'm Currently Reading

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  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.  I'm working on catching up on series and decided to put a few reviews of them all together here.

1.  Killing Thyme by Leslie Budewitz - This is the third book in this cozy mystery series set in a Seattle Pike Place Market Spice Shop and I think this one is my favorite so far.  I really enjoyed that the mystery dove into Pepper's past and her mother played an active role in the book.  As well, Pepper seems to be getting it together with her life in general and is making progress with figuring out what she wants in her romantic life. My only complaint is that I would have liked more time spent in the spice shop itself.  The mystery was interesting and well done and kept me guessing up until right before Pepper figured things out.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

2.  Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates - This was a fun mystery!  This is the first mystery where Lucy isn't living in the lighthouse but is instead starting her new life with Connor in one of the "Unpainted Aristocracies" on the beach.  I really liked how the mystery allowed the reader to learn a bit more about the history of the house and dive into the secrets of the family who once lived there.  I did figure out the who a bit faster than Lucy but I didn't have quite as much going on as she did.  I also like the new side of Louise Jane we're seeing.  I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series! My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

3.  Glow of Death by Jane K. Cleland - I've really been enjoying this series more and more as it goes along and this was an interesting one involving a Tiffany lamp and a case of an impersonator.  Josie does not take kindly to getting fooled and must dig into the lamp's history and the situation surrounding the appraisal.  I enjoy the information around the antiques as well as how Josie uses her sources to investigate.  The mystery kept me guessing and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.  Josie is a little to perfect but not in a way that annoys me so I'm willing to give her a pass!  If you're looking for a good light mystery series this is a fun one.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

4.  Shadow of a Spout by Amanda Cooper - I have had this cozy series involving teapot collectors and a tea house on my wishlist for years but was a bit meh on the first book.  My expectations weren't particularly high going into this book but I was pleasantly surprised.  This is a straightforward cozy with two pairs of grandmother/granddaughters, club politics, and of course a victim whose presence won't be missed even though the murder must be solved.  This was a fun classic feeling cozy.  I loved the mix of ages and the hotel setting and am looking forward to reading the next book.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

5.  Murder with Puffins by Donna Andrews - In this second book in the series Meg and Michael are desperately trying to get a bit of alone time now that they are officially dating.  What better than a secluded cabin on an island in Maine?  That is until half of Meg's family shows up, a hurricaine comes in, and a dead body is discovered.  Oh and Meg's father is the number one suspect.  Meg and Michael step up the investigation to make sure Meg's dad is not implicated in the murder and the usual entertaining chaos ensues - this time with artists and puffins in spades.  The mystery wasn't the strongest in this book as the reveal felt a little bit buried with all the other stuff going on but it was a thoroughly enjoyabe read from beginning to end and this is a series I'm already looking forward to reading the next book.  My Rating: (4 Stars)