Twilight Falls - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Twilight Falls (A Shady Hollow Mystery #4) by Juneau Black

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

Description:   It's spring in Shady Hollow, and romance is in the air. Even reporter Vera Vixen is caught up in the season as her relationship with new police chief Orville Braun blossoms. But true love is not always smooth sailing, as two of the hollow's young residents come to find. Jonah Atwater and Stasia von Beaverpelt find themselves battling their families in order to be together. And when Alan's father, Shelby, goes over the top of Twilight Falls, all signs point to Stasia being the murderer.

The evidence against Stasia appears overwhelming, and Orville arrests her. It looks like the case is closed, but Vera isn't so sure. There are almost too many clues indicating Stasia is the killer, leading her to suspect someone is setting Stasia up. Besides, what about the mysterious ghostly creature skulking around town at night? Maybe he or she was involved? As Vera investigates further, her sleuthing puts her in direct opposition to Orville, and soon she's stirred up a hornet's nest of trouble.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy    

Why I Picked This Book:  How could I resist that blurb and cover?

My Impression:  This may be the coziest cozy mystery I've ever read.  It's as if the world of Little Bear all grew up and added in some murder.  Our main character is Vera Vixen a curious fox who lives in a cozy little cottage and is an investigative reporter - who also happens to be dating the chief of police, Orville Braun, who is a bear.  I loved the variety of animals that inhabit the world of Shady Hollows and just the mental imagery while reading this book made me incredibly happy and cozy.

The mystery was a good one.  A murder is committed in almost plain sight and the killer's identity seems obvious - except maybe things aren't exactly how they seem.  Vera isn't about to go with the easy answer if it doesn't feel right and I did enjoy the investigation.

I usually prefer to start a series on the first one and I think not doing that with this one did take down my enjoyment of it a bit.  There is a pretty big community of characters to keep straight and this isn't the fastest paced of stories.  I think both issues would have been resolved if I had started the series with book one - an issue I fully intend to remedy.

This is a cozy read with a unique twist on the usual small town cozy mystery.  I definitely recommend starting with the first book as I think I would have been more invested in the characters so the pace wouldn't have been an issue and I would have an easier time keeping track of who is who.  This is only the 4th book in the series and despite the pace it is a fairly quick read so it would be easy to catch up with the series - if you are looking for a cozy fun read with a good mystery.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? I would!  This book didn't exactly knock my socks off but I did enjoy it and I think the setup has a lot of potential.

Would I Recommend this Book?  This is definitely a cozy series worth trying if you're looking for a light read with a cozy feel though I do think it would be best to start with the first book.

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

Top Ten Tuesday - Book Titles That Would Make Great Headlines

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 Book Titles That Would Make Good Headlines.  It's been awhile since I've actually read a newspaper but if these book titles were headlines I would definitely want to read the article!  Really this should probably just be titles that make me want to read the book but it loosely fits this topic.  

1.  The Mysterious Bakery on Rue De Paris by Evie Gaughan - Why is it mysterious?  Can just the average customer tell that it's mysterious or do you have to spend a lot of time there to feel the mysteries?  And most importantly - how is the pastry?

2.  Stirring the Pot with Benjamin Franklin: A Founding Father's Culinary Adventures by Rea Katherine Eighmey - This sounds like a very entertaining foodie column where Benjamin Franklin is going around causing trouble with recipes.  The book also sounds pretty interesting.

3.  Miss Dimple Disappears by Mignon F. Ballard - What happened to Miss Dimple??  I would be looking for follow up articles.

4.  The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream by Dean Jobb - I actually have this book on the shelf now but I would be going down Google rabbit holes if this was a headline.

5.  Murder Off the Beaten Path by M.L. Rowland - I do love a good crime story and anything involving a murder definitely makes me want to read the article.

6.  The Last Pirate of New York by Rich Cohen - Pirates are another thing that interest me and this is a story I definitely want to know.

7.  The Llama of Death by Betty Webb - How could you not read an article with this headline?  I now really want to read this book.  

8.  The Great Peal Heist by Molly Caldwell Crosby - I do love a good heist and I want all the details of this one!

9.  Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter - Another crime title and another one that would pull me in and have me reading the article.

10. Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly by Marie Bostwick - You can't help but want to know what Esme did and how was the failure so spectacular?    

What books do you want to read that have titles that would make good headlines?

The Proof of the Pudding - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: The Proof of the Pudding (A Royal Spyness Mystery #17) by Rhys Bowen

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

Description:  Lady Georgiana Rannoch is looking forward to her first ever turn as hostess for her very own house party when the festivities lead to murder…

Georgie, back home at her estate in Eynsleigh, impatiently awaits the birth of her baby. But she has plenty to occupy her new chef, Pierre, has arrived from Paris, and Sir Hubert, who owns Eynsleigh, is back from his latest expedition. It's time for Georgie to throw her first house party to celebrate his return and show off her new chef. The dinner party is a smashing success. Sir Mortimer Mordred—famous author of creepy Gothic horror novels—is one of the guests. He recently purchased a nearby Elizabethan manor nearby because it has a famous poison garden. After the dinner, Sir Mortimer approaches Georgie and asks to borrow her new chef for his upcoming party, and Georgie and Darcy, her dashing husband, are invited!

The tour of the poison garden is fascinating, as is Sir Mortimer’s laboratory. Shockingly, just after the banquet several of the guests become sick. And one dies, apparently poisoned by berries from the garden. But how could this be when they all ate the same meal and the same delectable dessert? Georgie has to find the culprit to save her new chef and her own reputation—all before her bundle of joy arrives!

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:   I have enjoyed this series from the beginning (though I missed a few in the middle) and the most recent few have been especially fun.

My Impression:  Oh this was a good one!  I've been a long time fan of Georgie and have really been enjoying the more recent books where she's gotten a bit more capable and Queenie is in a bit of a smaller role.  Georgie has hired a new chef - though Georgie being Georgie she didn't go about it in quite the usual way so references and things like that were never checked.  Things are going well and Pierre is proving himself most capable in preparing amazing meals and avoiding Queenie.  But things in Georgie's life can never stay peaceful for long and soon they are pulled into a murder investigation.  Since Pierre is accused Georgie must get involved - mostly because she knows he's innocent with a touch of not wanting to have to hire a new chef.  

There's a lot of setup before the investigation starts but it was never a slow read as we meet all the local characters as well as getting to know those in Georgie's household.  I knew something bad was going to happen and couldn't wait to see just how everything transpired.  And when it did I had a delightful surprise as Georgie has some help investigating from a fellow guest at the dinner party.  I don't want to ruin the surprise of the mystery guest's identity but this appearance was well done and made my reading experience even better.  

I did guess the who and the why but I enjoyed watching Georgie figure things out enough that it didn't bother me in the slightest.  As a long time reader of the series I'm really enjoying seeing Georgie a bit more confident and sure of herself and I can't wait to see more of these characters.  If you enjoy light historical mysteries this is such a fun series. You could jump in here with very few issues but like most series the better you know the characters the better the book is.

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

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you're looking for a lighter historical mystery with a good cozy feel this series (and this book) is a great choice.

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

Reading Recap - October 2023

 

Monthly Breakdown

Monthly Total: 18

Print: 5

Ebook: 6

Audio: 7

Mystery:  15  

Fiction:  2

Nonfiction: 1 

My Favorite Books of the Month:

Favorite Audio:

South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber - This is the 2nd book by this author that I've read and I've really loved them both.  

Favorite Read:  

Mistletoe and Murder by Connie Berry - This was one of those reads that was just the right book at the right time.  I loved the characters, the mystery, and the setting and it was just a joy to read.

Least Favorite Read:

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James - I'm glad I read this one but Henry James' writing style and I are definitely not friends.

My Bookish Travel for October:

Domestic (Armchair) Travel:

I visited Idaho and my home state of Alabama for the first time this month.  I also went to Massachusetts, Washington, Connecticut, Virginia, New Hampshire, Texas, Ohio, Arizona, and North Carolina.

International (Armchair) Travel:

As always I visited England a few times but I also went to Italy, St. Kitts, and France 

Where did your reading take you this month?  What was your favorite read of the month?

Friday Fives - November TBR

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.  Since this is the first Friday in November I'm picking out 5 books I'm looking forward to reading.

1.  Inheritance by Nora Roberts - I always enjoy a Nora Roberts book but this one involves an inherited house, an unknown relative, and a family mystery to be solved with the help of genealogy.  It's like all of my favorite things wrapped up into one book.

2.  One Potato, Two Potato, Dead by Lynn Cahoon - This has been sitting on my review shelf for far too long and I usually enjoy this author's books - plus the cover looks seriously fall-ish.

3.  The Great Mistake by Mary Roberts Rinehart - This is the next book in my classic mystery list and I have really enjoyed everything I have read by this author so far.

4.  The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis  - This book has been on my TBR since the the second I heard about it and fall seems like the perfect season for reading it

5.  Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower - I really enjoy this author's cozies and this one sounds wonderful.  

What books are you hoping to read in November?

Books from the Backlog - I Love You More

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:  I Love You More by Jennifer Murphy

Blurb:  One man, three wives, the perfect murder. A scintillating novel of betrayal and conspiracy.

Picasso Lane is twelve years old when her father, Oliver, is murdered at their summer beach house. Her mother, Diana, is the primary suspect—until the police discover his second wife, and then his third. The women say they have never met—but Picasso knows otherwise. Picasso remembers the morning beautiful Jewels showed up at their house, carrying the same purse as her mother, and a family portrait featuring her father with two strange boys. Picasso remembers lifting the phone, listening to late night calls with Bert, a woman heavily pregnant with Oliver's fourth child. As the police circle and a detective named Kyle Kennedy becomes a regular fixture in their home, Picasso tries to make sense of her father's death, the depth of his deceit, and the secrets that bind these three women. Cunningly paced and plotted, I Love You More is a riveting novel of misplaced loyalty, jealousy, and revenge.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I love the premise of this book and was so excited when I got a copy but years later I still haven't read it.  

Overdue Reviews - Michelangelo's Ghost + Read and Buried

 

Goodreads:  Michelangelo's Ghost (Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery #4) by Gigi Pandian

Blurb:  A lost work of art linking India to the Italian Renaissance. A killer hiding behind a centuries-old ghost story. And a hidden treasure in Italy’s macabre sculpture garden known as the Park of Monsters...
Filled with the unexpected twists, vivid historical details, and cross-cultural connections Pandian is known for, Michelangelo’s Ghost is the most fast-paced and spellbinding Jaya Jones novel to date.

When Jaya’s old professor dies under eerie circumstances shortly after discovering manuscripts that point to a treasure in Italy’s Park of Monsters, Jaya and her brother pick up the trail.

From San Francisco to the heart of Italy, Jaya is haunted by a ghost story inexorably linked to the masterpieces of a long-dead artist and the deeds of a modern-day murderer. Untrustworthy colleagues, disappearing boyfriends, and old enemies—who can Jaya trust when the ghost wails?

My Thoughts:   Anytime I start a Jaya Jones book I know I'm in for a fun adventure involving treasure and history.  This was no different as we quickly learned of the lost art of a possible apprentice of Michelangelo who had ties to India.  Jaya stumbles upon a mystery, a possible murder and lands in Italy exploring the Park of Monsters.   I absolutely loved that Jaya's brother, Fish, is a main character in this book and enjoyed the interactions between brother and sister.  The mystery kept me guessing until the end and the ending had me absolutely hooked even if it was a bit farfetched.  Because of the complicated relationships between several of the characters this is a series best read in order but each book has been lots of fun so  it hasn't been a hardship!  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

Goodreads:  Read and Buried (Lighthouse Library Mysteries #6) by Eva Gates

Blurb:  The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library Classic Novel Book Club is reading Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne while workers dig into the earth to repair the Lighthouse Library's foundations. The digging halts when Lucy pulls a battered tin box containing a Civil War-era diary from the pit. Tucked inside is a hand-drawn map of the Outer Banks accompanied by a page written in an indecipherable code.
The library is overrun by people clamoring to see the artifact. Later that night, Lucy and Connor McNeil find the body of historical society member Jeremy Hughes inside the library. Clearly Jeremy was not the only one who broke into the library--the map and the coded page are missing.

Lucy's nemesis, Louise Jane McKaughnan, confesses to entering the library after closing to sneak a peek but denies seeing Jeremy--or his killer. When Lucy discovers that fellow-librarian Charlene had a past with Jeremy, she's forced to do what she vowed not to do--get involved in the case. Meanwhile, the entire library staff and community become obsessed with trying to decode the page. But when the library has a second break in, it becomes clear that someone is determined to solve that code.

My Thoughts:  It's been several months since I read a book in this series and picking this one up was a delight.  I loved catching up with Lucy, Connor, Birdie and the rest of the Bodie Island Lighthouse crew.  In this book there's a long buried coded document that sends the community into a pirate treasure frenzy despite there being very little evidence that that is what the map is showing.  As usual, Louise Jane is busy inserting herself in the middle of things and getting herself suspected of murder.  I liked the connections between the book club book and the mystery itself and it does have me wanting to pick up Journey to the Center of the Earth as I've never read it.  The ending of this one did feel a bit disjointed and chaotic but the solution was satisfying and a bit of a surprise.  I'm looking forward to continuing with the series.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)