Tag Archives: Mary Nealy

Top 10 Tuesday — Small Town Reads

1 Mar

This week the folks over at The Broke And The Bookish are hosting The Top 10 Tuesday theme, What to Read if You Are in The Mood for X. To find out all the great book recommendations bloggers are making, click HERE.

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I am a small town girl. I was born and raised in the city, but I got out as soon as I could! I have lived in small towns for the past 30 years. Although I’ll read just about any genre with any setting, I do enjoy a small town read. The slow pace, the intimate feel, the close-knit relationships, and, yes, the quirky personalities appeal to me. So here are some Small Town Reads that I recommend when you get in that mood too.

Top Small Town Reads

The Quintessential Small Town

Charlene Baumbich has created the quintessential small town in her Welcome to Partonville series. Eighty-something Dorothy Jean Wetstra rides around Partonville, Illinois in her 1976 Lincoln bringing readers fun, laughter and touching moments. There are 6 books in the series, so plenty of reading enjoyment! Dearest Dorothy, Are We There Yet is book 1.

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Small Town Romance

Cathleen Armstrong creates contemporary romance novels with a small town setting in her Place to Call Home series. Set in the small New Mexico town of Last Chance, this series features real life situations with a strong faith message. Welcome to Last Chance is book one in this 4-book series.

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The Dear Daphne series by Melody Carlson follows the up and down love life of Daphne Ballinger. Daphne moves back to her hometown following her Aunt Dee’s death. Finding out that she will inherit all of her aunt’s estate, if she marries within a year, creates a bit of havoc in Daphne’s life. This is a fun series that has a serious side too as Daphne comes to understand Aunt Dee and herself. The concluding book in the series is due out in April. I can’t wait! Lock, Stock And over A Barrel is book 1.

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Small Town Suspense

Kathy Herman has several wonderful series that feature small towns, but her Baxter series is my favorite and great place to start with this talented author. A lot of mystery and mayhem happens in this small Tennessee town. Recurring characters, such as newspaper editor Ellen Jones, create a cohesive and continuing story line. This is a five book series. Tested by Fire is book 1.

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Small Town Cozy Mysteries

Nancy Mehl has a long list of mystery/suspense novels set in small towns. All are excellent, but if you are looking for a cozy mystery, check out The Ivy Towers Mystery series. Featuring a small town bookstore owner, this series is often laugh out loud funny. In the Dead of Winter is the first book in the 4-book series.

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Mary Conneally is known for her historical romance novels featuring hunky cowboys, but under the name of Mary Nealy she writes mysteries. In the Historical Society Murders series, Carrie Evans is back in her hometown editing the town’s paper and dodging dead bodies and a stuffed mouse. This series is also LOL funny. Book 1 is Bury The Lead.

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Small Town Quirky

While all of the novels listed above have their fair share of quirky characters, it’s hard to find normal within the pages of Joyce Magnin’s Bright’s Pond series. Joyce’s mostly off-kilter world is fun to visit and perfect for those who want a funny and unique small town read. Five books make up this series. Book 1 is The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow.

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So there you have my recommendations for small town reads?

What are some of your favorites?

 

 

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Book Review: Trial And Terror

24 Jul

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Just when Melnik looks set for revitalization, Maddie a troublemaking doctoral student comes to town doing research that could ruin everything. When Maddie finds a dead body and is arrested, Tyler Simpson finds out he’s the court-appointed attorney for the most hated woman in town. 

74df8a5e943d0ad8986cb1-l-_v142787161_sx200_Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy . . . with cowboys.

She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita and Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

She is the author of bestselling Kincaid Brides Series: Out of Control, In Too Deep,Over the Edge. Her work also includes Lassoed in Texas Trilogy, Montana Marriages Trilogy and Sophie’s Daughters Trilogy.

She also wrote Ten Plagues – a romantic thriller, and The Historical Society Murders – three cozy mysteries, under the name Mary Nealy.

Mary is married to a Nebraska rancher and has four grown daughters and two spectacular grandchildren.

My Impressions:

Trial and Terror is the third and final installment in May Nealy’s Historical Society Murders. (You can read my reviews of the first two books by clicking on these links — Bury The Lead and Fright at The Museum.) Again, the zany residents are out in force to protect their beloved Maxie, world’s largest field mouse, from scandal. Maddie is new in town, an anthropologist determined to put the townspeople under the magnifying glass. But a dead man in her cupboard, a few stints of jail time and her attraction to lawyer Tyler Simpson have her rethinking her thesis and her heart. This last book was the funniest, and by far my favorite, with all my favorite Melnikians present. If you like cozy mysteries with crazy characters, some sweet romance and a faith message, check out the whole series. These are light and laugh out loud funny.

Recommended.

(I purchased this book for my Kindle. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase Trial And Terror, click on the image below.

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Book Review: Fright at The Museum

16 Jul

Fright at the MuseumMuseum curator Bonnie Simpson is attacked then nearly run over, then she finds a dead guy in Melnik’s Historical Museum, which is the closest she’s come to having a visitor to the museum all week. Joe, the guy who attacked her might have been diving on her to save her from the car. And the car might have just been an octogenarian with an accelerator/brake problem. But that still leaves a corpse to explain.

74df8a5e943d0ad8986cb1-l-_v142787161_sx200_Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy . . . with cowboys.

She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita and Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.
She is the author of bestselling Kincaid Brides Series: Out of Control, In Too Deep,Over the Edge. Her work also includes Lassoed in Texas Trilogy, Montana Marriages Trilogy and Sophie’s Daughters Trilogy.
She also wrote Ten Plagues–a romantic thriller, and The Historical Society Murders–three cozy mysteries, under the name Mary Nealy.
Mary is married to a Nebraska rancher and has four grown daughters and two spectacular grandchildren.

My Impressions:

I like a cozy mystery — fun and quirky characters, small town setting and a mystery to solve along with the amateur sleuths in the novel. Mary Nealy has written a fun series featuring the town of Melnick, Nebraska; a town obsessed with its mascot, a stuffed mouse named Maxie. The townspeople go to great lengths to protect Maxie and in turn the town they love. In the second book of the series, Bonnie Simpson aka Marian the Librarian is featured. This shy woman gets bold when her town and Maxie are threatened and when love finally comes to call. Joe, a newcomer in town, needs her help and the sparks fly (literally) when they finally get together.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I recommend Fright at The Museum. It is laugh out loud funny, read quickly and features some great characters. (You can read my review of book 1, Bury The Lead, HERE.)

Recommended.

(I purchased Fright at The Museum for my Kindle. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase a copy of this book, click on the image below. 

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Book Review: Bury The Lead

23 Jan

Bury the LeadCarrie Evans loves the big city, so why has she taken up residence in her dinky hometown? She has visions of success as a big city journalist, instead she’s the editor of the Melnik Bugle, the smallest of small town weeklies. She wants her life back, but the cute guy who’s repairing her decrepit house seems to think Melnik is a best place on earth.

The Historical Society Murders …

Carrie Evans, hates mice and loves the big city, do why has she returned to her dinky hometown and taken up residence in an infested house? Museum curator Bonnie Simpson is attacked while at work in the proud home of Maxie. Can she believe the guy’s claim to have never before seen-let alone murdered-the person in Bonnie’s storeroom? Attorney Tyler Simpson thinks he’s found a home in Melnik, but will he be run out of town when he’s forced to defend the town’s nemesis as her court-appointed attorney?
A rash of crime in the peaceful small town of Melnik, Nebraska may thwart the town’s betterment goals. 

74df8a5e943d0ad8986cb1.L._V142787161_SX200_Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy . . . with cowboys.

She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita and Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.
She is the author of bestselling Kincaid Brides Series: Out of Control, In Too Deep, Over the Edge. Her work also includes Lassoed in Texas Trilogy, Montana Marriages Trilogy and Sophie’s Daughters Trilogy.
She also wrote Ten Plagues–a romantic thriller, and The Historical Society Murders–three cozy mysteries, under the name Mary Nealy.
Mary is married to a Nebraska rancher and has four grown daughters and two spectacular grandchildren.

My Impressions:

If you like cozy mysteries and want a wonderful message of faith, check out Mary Nealy’s (aka Mary Connealy) Bury The Lead, book 1 in The Historical Society Murders series. Melnik is a small Nebraska town filled with characters with big attitudes. There is enough quirks and cranks in this town to keep the laughs rolling in. Romance is also in the air, and did I mention a faith message? Yes it is all here. I found the book funny, sweet, and filled with truth. A quick read just perfect for a lazy day of reading. It and the other 2 books are also available for Kindle at just $2.99! So check them out!

Recommended.

(I purchased Bury The Lead for my Kindle. All opinions are mine alone.)

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