Janet and Joan Markham were first seen in a previous Aunt Bessie book and now have a series of no-murder cozy mysteries, and I enjoyed watching them team up with Bessie. In the Markham Sisters mystery The Jackson Case, a pair of con-men swindled a charity out of its proceeds from a charity auction. and in Aunt Bessie Observes, both found murdered. I'm not really sure what Bessie observed, other than the horrifically garish theme cottage that neighbor Maggie fixed up (which made me laugh out loud!) but this was still an entertaining and enjoyable read with a fascinating cross-over mystery.

more frustrating than when your Goodreads book count and your Booklikes book count don't match?

While this is a great cozy series this one was just.....okay.  I struggled to get through the first half of the book (between Shelly's uncharacteristic insecurity and Fenella's man problems, I was a bit bored) but once the action picked up, I enjoyed it a lot more. I loved the little clue that solved the murder and Aunt Mona is always good for a hoot. 

This was one of the better ones in the series, I think. I loved the intricately twisty plot and the addition of Pete to the foursome to investigate. With many suspects and an unknown motive, it was challenging to figure out who murdered Julie and who the real target was and the twist at the end was suprrising.  I have to say, I didn't much care for Laura, and I suspected she wasn't truthful about her past. I won't lie, I cheered when she left.  Poor Henry, he doesn't realize he dodged a bullet.

I liked this one, the story coming full circle from the first book, Aunt Bessie Assumes, bringing back Danny Pierce's widow, Vikky. The plot moved along quickly; there was an interesting cast of suspects, and I have to say, I quite liked Alastair, who was easily tamed by the formidible Aunt Bessie. It's always fun and entertaining to spend an evening with Bessie and her friends and the suprise twist ending capped off the book with a satisfying ending. 

You know the saying "Truth is stranger than fiction" right? Well in this book, fiction was stranger than fiction! I have to say, this is definitely a unique plot and I enjoyed it for the most part (since when do pets need to be fed or walked every 3 hours?) and I can honestly say I didn't guess the ending.

This is a great series to curl up with for an evening; quick, light reads that are very cozy indeed. I enjoyed the plot, two decades-old cold cases involving a missing woman and a man found dead and I liked how Mona's extensive knowledge of the major players in the mystery came into play, with the juicy soap opera lives of the rich making for an enjoyable mystery. I have to say, Fenella's overwrought hysterics about her driving lessons were a bit overdone. The way she was going on about it, you'd think she'd never driven anywhere, let alone on a tiny island. Get a grip, woman!

I liked this one, an intriguing and puzzling mystery wrapped up in only a few hundred pages made for a quick and enjoyable read. Without Daniel to back her up, Fenella has to contend with a different police inspector and struggles to make him see that the accidents he's investigating could actually be murder. Ghostly Aunt Mona's extensive knowledge of all the major players is invaluable and Fenella is able to ferret out the truth. An excellent addition to the Ghostly Isle of Man series, I think this is my favorite so far.

 2 more books to add.  I wish the ShelveIt thingy worked *sigh*

I really liked this one, who's threatening William Chalmers and why? The why turned out to be something I wouldn't have expected, and I liked how Janet stumbled upon the truth. William Chalmers ex-wife showing up gave the character a little more depth and I'm liking him more and more. More so than Edward, anyway. Very enjoyable and quick cozy to curl up with for an evening, and a wonderful murder-free series.

This was a fun one, and there's a sort-of continuation in a later Aunt Bessie book (Aunt Bessie Observes.) Janet and Joan help out neighbor Stuart with a charity fundraiser, only to learn that the proceeds were stolen by 2 event organizers. The police think there's was a local who assisted in return for a slice of the profits, but who? It was enjoyable to watch the sisters unravel who the culprit was and I liked that Janet got at least some information on the mysterious Alberta Montgomery. There was a dropped plot thread with Edward that never came up again and left me wondering why it was in there at all. But overall, I really enjoyed this novella length mystery.

Really liked this one, a puzzling case of credit card fraud, a tiny bit of Markham matchmaking and the introduction of a new side mystery involving the former residents of the B&B. An excellent little novella that left me wanting more and really, Joan, stop being such a stick in the mud.

Magical! I can't imagine how hard it would be to write a whole book and it must be even more difficult to squeeze a whole book into fewer than 100 pages! I loved the hint of magic and wonder injected into the story, making the story both surreal and real. A perfect short and sweet read for the holidays, I just might make this one a tradition.

I'm amazed at this series, which packs a full mystery into barely more than 100 pages, all with no murders. Janet is a real hoot and I always look forward to spending a little time in Doveby Dale. In The Hampton Case, the local supermarket is destroyed by a fire, and Janet can't help but be suspicious. With the mysterious Edward Bennett in town, they decide to do a little poking around. Very enjoyable and quick read, with a sprinkle of romance and a few giggles.

What a great mystery! Starting with a submerged body bobbing to the surface after a torpedo demonstration it winds its way through 1890s Leeds, with two dead men, rival gangs, and bent coppers, all leading up to a surprising and exciting ending. A taut and well-crafted plot handily kept the tension and suspense going through the whole story and I read most of it in one evening, I just couldn't put it down! The colorful and descriptive Victorian world created by the author drew me in easily, and the wonderful characters, from the gangsters to the dedicated coppers to Harper's Suffragette wife, Annabelle, they really brought the book to life. And the ending! Whooo, never saw that coming! An excellent historical mystery from start to finish.

For me, this one was just...okay. There was virtually no context to introduce the new characters and I just didn't connect with them. It was an great plot, lots of twists and turns and the very creepy Dr Eben. I enjoyed the history (The Burke & Hare story is always fascinating) and of course, the little bookshop and its treasures, both human and inanimate, are a big draw for me but I found it was difficult to hold my interest and I struggled to finish it. Still, this is a great series and there's a lot to love for cozy mystery fans.