Hilarious! From the warm characters to the fun plots, this series always brings an enjoyable read. This one has the gang in Las Vegas for Mama's Elvis themed wedding as she prepares to wed her hunka hunka burnin' love, Earl but everyone is All Shook Up when the Elvis impersonator minister drops dead in the middle of the ceremony. The puzzling plot and many laugh out loud moments (like the Bachelorette party!) made this a very entertaining read. And poor Hard Headed Di, I really felt for her wanting to believe the best in that Hound Dog, but I couldn't understand why Liv kind of left her hanging, there were several times in the book where she just let things drop with Di. Don't be cruel, Liv! I'm not sure how Liv came up with the motive, which was kind of out in left field, but it made for a great surprise twist ending and the sweet wedding and welcome home party were heartwarming and left me with a smile on my face. (and I'm out of Elvis song titles to add!)

I meant to get this review written last week, right after I finished this marvelous book, but, well, I was traumatized by Nelson and Ruth. How can you keep doing this to me? Auuuggh!

I loved the plot, anything having to do with tunnels and hidden entrances sucks me right in, and this fiction-is-stranger-than-fiction plot was a real roller coaster; I never would've guessed the ending in a million years! The plight of "rough sleepers" was highlighted with compassion and humanity and watching the investigation unfold into edge-of-your-seat action kept me turning pages late into the night. At the heart of these books, beyond the suspenseful plots, is a knot of close-knit lovable characters who have evolved and grown throughout the series, creating a real connection (at least for me. Why, Nelson and Ruth? WHY?) Nelson's new boss, Jo, is a great character and watching her become part of the team felt...rewarding? Satisfying? Both, I guess but I can't wait to see more of her!

The next book in the series is due out in the US in May and I'm already chomping at the bit to be tortured agonized reeled in by Nelson & Ruth in yet another mystery.

I put off reading this for a long time, because it was the last book in the series *sniffle* and the author died a few years ago. *sniffle* *sigh* It was a great series and oh, how I wish it could've kept going, if only to wrap up a few story lines.

After Tori and her friend Alice-Ann find skeletal remains in a walled up cave next in an springhouse, Alice-Ann is quick to silence her friend - at least until after the home tour benefiting the local Humance Society (Think of the poor little kitties!) The body is probably that of a local music teacher who disappeared on his wedding day decades ago, and his wife-to-be disappeared a few weeks later. When the bride is found dead in a trunk, Tori knows she can't rest until the murders are solved.

This was a bit more graphic than a lot of cozy mysteries, but not so graphic that it would make anyone queasy. It was an excellent plot, and I enjoyed watching Tori uncover so many secrets from the past. I'm always sucked in by an old mansion that holds secrets. An exciting read and a satisfying ending made this a great cap to the series and left me wanting more, although sadly, that won't come.

I’m a sucker for small town mysteries and when you have a mysterious mansion at the center of it all, well, you’ve got my attention. And this was an enjoyable read, with a likable main character in Kate; she’s a level-headed and unflappable sleuth and romantic interest Josh made for a good sidekick and added a sprinkle of romance. I liked the plot, surrounding a remarkably well-preserved mansion built a century ago by the mysterious Henry Barton and a very unlikable local woman who is found dead on the front steps. The intrigue kept me turning pages, although I feel like the endless rehashing that happened in every chapter killed the pace a little; with a bit of editing, this book would be a lean, mean intrigue machine. As it is, I’m completely sucked into the whole Henry Barton mystery, so I will be back for the second book and can’t wait to watch Kate’s vision for the town evolve into a reality.

Penny Brannigan finds herself volunteering at the local agricultural fair, checking in entrants to the culinary competition and judging the childrens' pet competition. But shenanigans are afoot when Penny's friend Florence learns her entries have gone missing, and even more troubling, a Women's Guild member is also missing and later found dead. All Penny has to do now is sort out who sabotaged Florence's entries and how her cake ended up under a table with a dead woman.

This one was a fun, light read and frankly, I was more concerned about poor Florence than I was about the unlikable dead woman. I love Florence, I just want to give her a hug, and Mrs. Lloyd is a hoot. How dare they diss Florence's baking? HOW DARE THEY? *outrage* but it did provide some great red herrings to complicate things a bit. I liked the plot, there were several good suspects and lots of surprises along the way. This is a favorite series for me, I've always enjoyed the folksy feel of the characters and the small town Wales setting, the vibrant descriptions leave me with no problem putting myself right in the small town of Llanelen, walking its streets and visiting the small shops and even spending an afternoon at the local agricultural fair (minus the murder, of course.) The author does a great job of capturing the beauty of the Welsh landscape, with all the wildflowers and Penny's cute cottage (I've read this series since the start and I've always envied that cottage.)

I read over half of this book last night and very reluctantly put it down to go to bed.  Just sucked me right in!

I enjoyed this mix of intrigue, mystery, long ago secrets and murder. Lots of threads for Delaney to untangle, from an unfortunate incident 50 years ago involving Edwin and his university friends to a murder of a William Wallace reenactor. I loved the sights and sounds of Edinburgh and old castles, it was just like being there. The plot kept a decent pace, and there was a lot for Delaney to figure out and the exciting ending left me with raised eyebrows. With all of the red herrings and plot twists, There were a few dropped/unexplained plot threads that I found myself thinking about after I finished the book. Who was the dead guy on the boat and how come nothing could be found about him other than the passport? Weird. And whatever happened to the letter? And what was the whole thing with the shot glasses? I guess I'll never know. But seriously, if Edwin had come clean about the whole thing from the beginning, we never would've had a whole book to enjoy.

What a charming book! This will definitely appeal to any cozy mystery reader, but I can see it being a hit with younger readers (and by younger, I mean younger than my creaky middle aged bones! Young people in their 20s or perhaps even teenagers (there's no bad language or sexual situations) would really like this.) With a sprinkle of romance, a bit of intrigue, adorable characters, a cute setting and a captivating mystery, what more can you ask for in a cozy? The Asian venue was a fresh and unique setting for the mystery. This isn't your average everyday cozy!

I loved Lana and her roommate Megan, they made a great team and their enthusiasm caught me up and rolled me right along with them. The cute Asia Village plaza with its Chinese shops sounds like such a great place to visit and browse for a day. Is this a real thing? Is there an Asia Village I can visit somewhere? Hmmm. And the plot! All the twists and turns and red herrings kept me guessing and I was completely turned around upside down by the time I got to the exciting ending. Can't wait to read more from Lana and the gang!

I always love catching up with Merry and her friends and I've been eagerly awaiting cracking this one open. I liked that it took the time to set up and introduce the new characters (the tv crew.) In many cozy mysteries, someone is murdered right at the beginning of the book and there's so little context that I find I don't connect as well to the story. While the dysfunctional TV crew squabbles were tedious at times, it really helped to develop the characters and by the time the murder happened, I was already firmly hooked. Lots of twists and turns kept me guessing and lots of small details that I had to keep track of kept me engaged. Add in Merry's grace and humor, her delightful friends Hannah and Lizzie, a madcap crew of ghost hunters (I love ghost hunters shows!) and a surprise twist at the end and you have one satisfying read. It was every bit as good as I expected from this author, and a great addition to the series.

I love this series, it’s like a bag of potato chips – can’t put it down! The exciting plot is the real star of this book. A well crafted homage to the iconic Murder on the Orient Express, the rip-roaring dual plot combined a long ago ghostly unsolved murder with a current day murder under similar circumstances. Fast-paced with an ending that left my heart racing, it was thoroughly enjoyable and memorable and I admit, I was surprised by whodunit and why. It was an exceptionally well done mystery that even Agatha would appreciate!

The ghostly victims of the first derailment returning to the scene of te crime (complete with a Poirot-esque police inspector!) and the thrilling solve of the first case was entertaining (I loved how The Green Lady redeemed herself at the end!) but it was the modern day murder that tugged at my heart, thanks to the great characters, I love how they’ve progressed as the series goes on; all of them have grown to become vivid and realistic and darn it, so likable (even Virginia!) They’re all the reason I eagerly come back with each new book.

Still reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Alec, 3 years ago, Emily is trying to move on with her life at the donut shop she owns with her father in law. Among the donut shop’s favorite regulars is a group of older ladies, who have a knitting club called Knitpickers. So when one of the Knitpickers doesn’t show up one morning, everyone is concerned. Later, they go to her house to check on her and find her dead, surrounded by donuts. Who killed Georgia and why? Is it related to the unsolved murder of Georgia’s son, Mattias?

I’m not going to lie, the adorable cat on the cover made me want to pick up this book and it didn’t disappoint! The excellent plot reeled me in like a fish and kept me turning pages and guessing almost up to the very last page! I liked that Emily didn’t really go out and investigate, she just put the clues together (not that it didn’t stop her from getting into trouble at the end.) I loved the characters, from spunky Lois and the Knitpickers to pragmatic Brent and the spark between him and Emily (mmph) they were all charming and realistic characters but let’s face it, we all know it’s the adorable feline Deputy Donut who steals the show. An excellent introduction to picturesque Fallingbrook, Wisconsin and definitely a place I’m eager to visit again.

So, I realized 2 things with the second episode

1) It doesn't have the same tone as the book.  I mean, yeah, the atmosphere and the crimes are dark, but what the series misses is the sort of feeling of lighthearted adventure that the book had.  I miss that.   

2) I'm really not liking the guy who plays Roosevelt.  He's this tiny hipster masquerading as the big, legendary, over the top Theodore Roosevelt.  Not a fan.  You messed that up big time, TNT.

3) It appears as though they're heading towards a Sarah/Moore romance and NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NONONONONO.  NOT NECESSARY.  STOP!

4) The Issacson Brothers are the only ones showing some life, the others seem like they're plodding through a 19th century soap opera.

Fiona's going through a rough patch; her flower shop's gone out of business, her fiancé cheated on her and then she gets word that her godfather has died and left her his cottage in Scotland. Arriving to reclaim her inheritance, she discovers the body of Alastair Croft, the lawyer handling her inheritance. Worried that the police suspect her godfather's most trusted friend and employee may be implicated, Fiona asks a few questions around town and discovers that nearly everyone had a motive to kill Alastair.

What a lovely book! The beautiful Scottish countryside drew me in, the magical garden hooked me. With engaging characters, the beautiful setting and the excellent plot, it was a thoroughly charming and light cozy. I loved the writing style, the book came alive with each page, from "seeing" the garden come alive, to the mischievous Duncan the squirrel (and the rivalry between Duncan and Ivanhoe that cat!) to the dramatic landscape of the coast, it was almost like being a part of the action. So well done! The action packed ending had me biting my nails with each page and in the end, there were a few plot threads in the book that I look forward to seeing resolved in later books in the series. This was an excellent first in a new series and I look forward to seeing more of Fiona and friends!

Book 2 of the Vintage Toy Shop series was every bit as good as the first! This is shaping up to be a go-to series, and not just because I love the setting so much (and I’m with Liz about Sahlen’s Hot Dogs, mmmm.) The twisty plot kept me guessing right up to the exciting ending, and there were a few “oh no way!” moments along the way. I love Liz’s relationship with her dad, they make a great team and the running puns are always funny.

 

“You have a mind like an elephant’s.”

“Yeah, wrinkled, gray and way too much junk in the trunk. But that’s totally irrelephant.”

 

I felt bad for Liz in this one. I mean, what’s wrong with a woman casually dating 2 guys? Apparently a lot, since Liz’s family felt like they needed to nag her about it every 2 minutes. Can’t a single girl have a little fun?

It was the plot that really stands out in this book, who killed Comic Book Craig and why? Craig wasn’t a likable guy by any means, and there were plenty of motives and suspects to keep me guessing, and the side plots added both a bit of fun and introduced new characters I hope to see more of in later books. The big plot twist at the end made for an exciting and satisfying conclusion and by the very last page, I was already dying (pun intended) to read the next book (October can’t come soon enough!)

My NetGalley addiction is out of control

Verdict: Not bad, but I wish they hadn't put Kriezler and Roosevelt at odds and Sarah really doesn't do it for me.  She plods along like a man. But I'll definitely be back for part 2