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Tag Archives: cozy mystery fiction

Mini-Book Review — A Caffeine Conundrum

Looking for a cozy mystery for a quick holiday read? Check out A Caffeine Conundrum by Angela Ruth Strong. This small town whodunit is full of crazy happenings as Tandy and Marissa, competitors in buying a retail space to fulfill their dreams, join forces to uncover who could have killed antique store owner Virginia. Could it have been the coffee? I liked the holiday hijinks of the two young women who are searching for their purpose in life. And in Grace Springs, Ohio they may just find grace as well. There’s holiday spirit, close calls, pratfalls, and not just one romantic thread. I look forward to the next adventure for the two coffee and tea-loving duo.

Recommended.

Audience: older teens and adults.

(I borrowed the ebook through Kindle Unlimited. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Solving a murder mystery is harder when you don’t trust your partner…or their taste in beverages.

Sassy city girl Tandy Brandt moves to the small town of Grace Springs to start a coffee shop, never imagining she’ll be competing with local beauty queen Marissa Alexander and her dream of running a tea house. Unfortunately, the current store owner dies before selling the location to either of them, and they both become murder suspects.

The unlikely pair team up in an attempt to discover the real killer, though with the secrets in Tandy’s past and Marissa’s infamous clumsiness, they could be their own worst enemies. Despite their differences, they follow clues to question a sweet, apple pie baking antique store owner, a GQ Santa in the retirement center, and a hipster millionaire with no social skills. Will they be able to figure out whodunit and prove their innocence before one of them goes to jail…or worse?

Angela Ruth Strong sold her first romance novel in 2009, and her books have since earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, been a finalist for the Christy, won the Cascade Award, and become Amazon bestsellers. Her book Finding Love in Big Sky released as a movie in 2022. To help aspiring authors, she started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho, and she blogs for Inspy Romance and My Book Therapy. Get to know her even better at http://www.angelaruthstrong.com.

Tags: Angela Ruth Strong, Christmas fiction, cozy mystery fiction

Categories Book Reviews

First Line Friday — A Caffeine Conundrum

19 Dec

Happy Friday! I am continuing my Christmas binge-reading. It has been a fun December! This week I am highlighting A Caffeine Conundrum by Angela Ruth Strong, a cozy Christmas mystery full of sweet romance and zany characters. It is part of a series of books set on a holiday. I look forward to more book fun at Valentine’s and 4th of July.

Here’s the first line:

Hidden Treasures would soon belong to her.

Solving a murder mystery is harder when you don’t trust your partner…or their taste in beverages.

Tags: Angela Ruth Strong, contemporary romance fiction, cozy mystery fiction

Categories First Line Friday

Top 10 Tuesday — Animals on The Cover

27 May

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is animal companions. I decided to feature books that have an animal on the cover. While some of the animals featured are companions, others are not, but do play a role in the story. I hope you find some new-to-you books to check out.

For animal companions, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books with Animals on The Cover

By Way of the Moonlight by Elizabeth Musser

Cold Case Pursuit by Dana Mentink

Darkness Calls The Tiger by Janyre Tromp

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett

He Should Have Told The Bees by Amanda Cox

Prose And Cons by Amanda Flower

Sandpiper Cove by Irene Hannon

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns

When Stone Wings Fly by Karen Barnett

Whiskers, Wreaths, and Murder by Kathy Manos Penn

Tags: Amanda Cox, Amanda Flower, cozy mystery fiction, Dana Mentink, dual timeline, Elizabeth Musser, general ficition, historical fiction, historical romance fiction, Irene Hannon, Janyre Tromp, Karen Barnett, Kathy Manos Penn, romantic suspense fiction, Valerie Burns, women's fiction, WWII

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Categories Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Tuesday — Travel Books

20 May

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT prompt is books featuring travel. Having done that a few times before, I have changed the topic up a bit and am listing books I have read for my upcoming trip to Maine. I love to read novels that are set in travel destinations. Do you ever do that? My list consists of the books I have read in the past couple of months plus some others I have read over the years. There’s a variety of genres too. I hope you find one to inspire you!

For more travel books, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books Set in Maine

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green

A Christmas by The Sea by Melody Carlson

Clammed Up By Barbara Ross

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawson

Haven Point by Virginia Hume

The Inn at Ocean’s Edge by Colleen Coble

Memory Lane by Becky Wade

On A Summer Tide by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

Tags: Amy Lynn Green, Ariel Lawhon, Barbara Ross, Becky Wade, Candice Sue Patterson, Christmas fiction, Colleen Coble, contemporary romance fiction, cozy mystery fiction, historical fiction, historical romance fiction, Melody Carlson, mystery fiction, romantic suspense fiction, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Tess Gerritsen, Virginia Hume, women's fiction, WWII

Comments 5 Comments
Categories Top 10 Tuesday

Mini-Book Review — Clammed Up

8 May

In my quest to read books set in travel destinations, I chose Clammed Up, a cozy mystery by Maine resident Barbara Ross, for my upcoming trip to Maine. Maine has long been on my bucket list, and I am thrilled finally to be going there! Clammed Up, set in a small Maine coastal town whetted my appetite for the sights and sounds of the area and the culinary delicacies awaiting me. The first in the Maine Clambake Mysteries series, this novel introduces the reader to the Snowden family and their hugely popular clambakes. But with their business in trouble they desperately need a successful season. That seems unattainable as they become embroiled in murder and mayhem. The first person point of view of main character Julia suits the book as she is involved in not only the family business, but the investigation. There are lots of twists and turns, family drama, and a hint of a romance to come. I did not figure out whodunit, a plus in my book. If you are looking for a cozy mystery with regional flavor, then Clammed Up is a good choice. Please note: there is a bit of mild profanity.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Summer has come to Busman’s Harbor, Maine, and tourists are lining up for a taste of authentic New England seafood, courtesy of the Snowden Family Clambake Company. But there’s something sinister on the boil this season. A killer has crashed a wedding party, adding mystery to the menu at the worst possible moment. . .

Julia Snowden returned to her hometown to rescue her family’s struggling clambake business–not to solve crimes. But that was before a catered wedding on picturesque Morrow Island turned into a reception for murder. When the best man’s corpse is found hanging from the grand staircase in the Snowden family mansion, Julia must put the chowder pot on the back burner and join the search for the killer. And with suspicion falling on her old crush, Chris Durand, the recipe for saving her business and salvaging her love life might be one and the same. . .

Barbara Ross is the author of the Maine Clambake Mysteries and the Jane Darrowfield Mysteries. Her books have been nominated for multiple Agatha Awards for Best Contemporary Novel and have won the Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction. She lives in Portland, Maine. Readers can visit her website at http://www.barbararossauthor.com.

Tags: Barbara Ross, cozy mystery fiction

Categories Book Reviews

Top 10 Tuesday — Georgia Authors!

6 May

Happy Tuesday! This week TTT bloggers are spotlighting authors that live in their states. Georgia has a lot of great authors! The book festival that is held in my hometown has been blessed to host some wonderful Peach State authors. Choosing only 10 was challenging, so I expanded to a dozen. I think I’ll have to do a part 2 at a later date in order to feature all the great authors who live in Georgia. My list consists of author who write adult fiction in a variety of genres — I hope you find one to love!

To find authors from your state, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Peach State Authors

Lindsey Brackett — Still Waters

Kimberly Brock — The Fabled Earth

Denny S. Bryce — The Other Princess

T. M. Brown — The Last Laird of Sapelo

Valerie Burns —Icing on The Murder

Clint Hall — Steal Fire from The Gods

Kristi Ann Hunter — Frankly, My Dear Clara

Rosey Lee — The Gardins of Edin

Elizabeth Musser — From The Valley We Rise

Lindi Peterson — Their Surprise Second Chance

Cindy Kay Stewart — Abounding Hope

Jayna Breigh — The Hunted Heir

Tags: Cindy Kay Stewart, Clint Hall, cozy mystery fiction, Denny S. Bryce, Elizabeth Musser, historical fiction, historical romance fiction, Jayna Breigh, Kimberly Brock, Kristi Ann Hunter, Lindi Peterson, Lindsey Brackett, romance fiction, Rosey Lee, speculative fiction, T. M. Brown, Valerie Burns, women's fiction

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Categories Top 10 Tuesday

Spotlight on Audiobook Cozy Mystery — The Sign of The Calico Quartz

10 Oct

The Sign of the Calico Quartz JustRead Audio Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Sign of the Calico Quartz audiobook by Jan Drexler, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

The Sign of the Calico Quartz audiobook

Title: The Sign of the Calico Quartz
Series: The Sweetbrier Inn Mysteries
Author: Jan Drexler
Narrator: Gillian Wiggin
Publisher: Swift Wings Press
Audiobook Release Date: July 24, 2024
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Solving a murder is easy, right? All you need to do is follow the clues, and they will lead you to the culprit.

At least that’s what Emma Blackwood thought before she and her cat, Tim, came to the Black Hills to work in Aunt Rose’s Sweetbrier Inn. Before she found a dead body in her living room. Before the hunky Deputy Sheriff accused her of murdering the poor guy. And before the real killer put her name on their list of victims.

For this fan of Agatha Christie and a plethora of television crime dramas, it’s an intriguing situation that demands her skills. Investigating might not be as simple as it looks in fictional mysteries, but Emma’s organized mind and OCD tendencies start making sense of the clues…until she finds a second body with no apparent connection to the first.

Sifting through evidence is easier with the help of her new friend, Becky, who provides baked goods for the inn, and Aunt Rose is always willing to take time from writing her mysterious memoirs to give support and advice. Wil, the inn’s chef, moves things along with a barbed comment or two, and Tim the cat and Rose’s corgi, Thatcher, make themselves available for fuzz therapy and to point the way to another clue.

The list of suspects grows as Emma learns more about the inn’s guests and their reasons for visiting the Black Hills. From the honeymoon couple to Mysterious Montgomery, to the famous reality show ghost hunter, to the gold seekers, no one is the person they appear to be. Even Rose’s good friend Clara is hiding secrets in her pink chenille bathrobe.

But as Emma pursues the investigation, things start to get personal. Can she identify the murderer before disaster strikes?

Excerpt

“There’s a body in my room,” I said.

The deputy’s expression didn’t change.

“A dead body,” I added. As if we would have called him if it had been any other kind.

“Uh-huh.” He looked at the others. “Can any of you corroborate this?”

“Emma told us just a few minutes ago,” Rose said. “We thought we should wait until you came before going upstairs.”

He leveled his gaze at me and switched the toothpick to the other corner of his mouth. “Lead the way.”

As I opened the door to my suite, Tim meowed from his carrier. At least I had had the presence of mind to put him away until the police could arrive. I led the way around the sectional.

He was still there. Still staring at the ceiling.

Cowboy Cal knelt next to the body and felt for a pulse. “Yup. He’s dead.” He stood again and stared at the prone figure.

“Who is he?” I asked.

Rose peered at the face. “I know him. It’s Dick Brill, the geologist that I recommended to the Nelsons. They hired him to take them prospecting this week. What is he doing here?”

More Books In This Series

About The Author

Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband where she enjoys hiking and spending time with her family. She spins stories of History, Mystery, and Sweet Romance. Her works include several historical romance novels, including the award-winning Mattie’s Pledge, and The Sweetbrier Inn Mysteries cozy mystery series.

Connect with Jan by visiting jandrexler.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates. Those who sign up for her newsletter will receive a free e-book copy of The Sign of the Calico Quartz!

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card!

The Sign of the Calico Quartz JustRead Tours blog giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 8, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 15, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Tags: audiobook, cozy mystery fiction, Gillian Wiggin, Jan Drexler

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Categories What's New

Top 10 Tuesday — Let’s Cook!

3 Sep

Happy Tuesday! Today my TTT list features books with characters that cook. The list includes characters ranging from seasoned chefs to newbie bakers to ice cream makers, plus a few chocolatiers! And they cover a variety of genres — something for everyone’s tastes. 😉 Don’t forget to load up on some snacks for your reading time!

For more mouth-watering lists, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books That Feature Characters That Cook!

All’s Fair in Love And Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant

The Baker’s Wife by Erin Healy

A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz

Invisible by Ginny Yttrup

The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer

The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano

The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Sweet on You by Becky Wade

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns

Tags: Becky Wade, Betsy St. Amant, Carla Laureano, contemporary fiction, cozy mystery fiction, Erin Healy, Ginny Yttrup, historical fiction, historical romance fiction, Jennifer Ryan, Karen Witemeyer, Laura Frantz, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Valerie Burns, women's fiction, WWII

Comments 5 Comments
Categories Top 10 Tuesday

Spotlight on Cozy Mystery — The Matchmaker Murders: Season One

5 Jun

I am so excited to spotlight a new cozy mystery series today! The Matchmaker Murders: Season One by Catherine Gibson looks like such a fun read. A clean series with a middle-aged matchmaker sounds right up my alley. And you get not one or two stories, but three! Find out all the details below. Plus, the author has shared a code to get a discounted ebook! The promotion runs through July 15th. The collection is also available on Kindle Unlimited.

What would you do if every match you made ended in murder?

Meet your new favorite sleuth investigator, Penny! Middle-aged, married, and quite the matchmaker, Penny has called the cozy town of Walnut Mountain “home” her entire life.But this quiet, Christian corner of Vermont soon gets turned upside down when one ofPenny’s latest love matches ends in murder! The Matchmaker Murders, Season One,includes three wonderfully witty cozy mysteries you won’t want to put down:

Death at the Double Date

Murder at the Movies

Poisoned at the Picnic

If you enjoy light-hearted cozy mysteries with lovable characters, surprising killers, and clean language, then Catherine Gibson’s addictive new series will keep you turning thepages to find out whodunit!

Get your discounted copy here!

Catherine Gibson writes fun, witty, cozy mysteries, because that’s what she loves to read! Her stories feature lovable Christian sleuths, quaint storybook towns, and murder motives you won’t find anywhere else! In her spare time, Catherine attends ballet classes, whips up fragrant batches of homemade soap, hangs out on the beach, and spends time with her twin sister after church.

Tags: Catherine Gibson, cozy mystery fiction

Categories What's New