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Crime and Cherry Pits–pug brings smiles in this cozy
Crime and Cherry Pits
By Amanda Flower
I needed a break from the more “serious” read that my book club had been working on for 6 weeks. It was a worthy read, with depth, but what I needed was the diversion of a cozy mystery, but not just any cozy mystery. I needed a novel with a strong, intelligent protagonist with an interesting background. I wanted a mystery that would keep me guessing with a little romance thrown in. If there could be a kid and animals, so much the better. I was delighted to see that a cozy mystery from Amanda Flower’s Farm to Table Mysteries was next in my queue.
In Crime and Cherry Pits, Shiloh Bellamy is the owner of the organic Bellamy Farm in Cherry Glen, a little western Michigan town. She has had to work hard to get it out of debt and running again, but she has done so well that she has been honored by an invitation to participate in the annual Cherry Festival in nearby Traverse City. While all seems to be going well, there are so many ways for things to go wrong. She has problems with a new organic farm neighbor who doesn’t really know what he has gotten into. Another neighbor has a darling, precocious daughter Hazel who adores Shiloh. Hazel’s father has known Shiloh since childhood and there is an attraction, but their past always looms between them. Hazel’s parents absolutely do not like Shiloh. Shiloh recently found some stocks left to her by her grandmother who died years ago. She wants to do what is right, not just what is legal, which causes problems with her father and her cousin.
Shiloh has a way of getting dangerously mixed up in murder cases partly because of circumstances and partly because she is nosy. Surely that could not be an issue in this story, because how could someone die at a Cherry Festival? Cue the cherry pit spitting competition! A production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest is produced by Shiloh’s cousin and Shiloh’s father accepts a leading role. There are affairs and lying, three police agencies get involved, and there are death threats. On the positive side, the reader gets to enjoy Shiloh’s cat Esmeralda and her pug Huckleberry who accompanies her almost everywhere. Add to that the farms animals: Diva the chicken and all the other chickens she controls and the flock of five Olde English Babydoll Southdown yearlings, less than twenty inches tall. Is someone out to hurt them? As Shiloh rises to the occasion, the reader can be sure that it won’t happen on Shiloh’s watch.
Crime and Cherry Pits is a cozy mystery that will keep you turning pages to see whodunit. You’ll need to read to the finish for a surprise ending.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #4 in the Farm to Table Mysteries, but could be read as a standalone because Flower includes background (without being boring).
2. Includes a basic recipe for homemade soap that sounds doable. Hers, of course, includes cherry essential oil.
Publication: February 27, 2024—Poisoned Pen Press
Memorable Lines:
She looked down at Huckleberry. “Is that a police dog?” “In training,” Milan said. “We aren’t sure he has what it takes.” “He’s a pug,” Susan said. “We thought we’d go for unassuming with this one,” Milan said with a straight face. “No kidding,” Susan replied.
My little pug was in tune with my emotions, and he felt my nervousness. I was grateful for his warm presence.
Inside the general store, Huckleberry was living his best life, lying on a plush dog bed and gnawing on a piece of beef jerky. He didn’t even look up when I entered the store. I didn’t blame him. Snacks in bed were my favorite too.
Murder on Tour–plot within a plot
Murder on Tour
By V.M. Burns
Samantha Washington is an independent bookstore owner in North Harbor, Michigan. As a local author with her first book, a cozy mystery, to her credit, she is invited to be on panels at the North Harbor Book Festival hosted by Michigan Southwestern University.
When a publicist is murdered, Samantha (Sam) recruits her Nana Jo and her friends from Shady Acres Retirement Village to join her in solving the crime. It turns out to be more difficult than one would imagine as Sam uncovers among the authors multiple layers of affairs and treachery that could rival a soap opera.
This series is unusual in that Sam is writing historical fiction. We witness the process in spurts as Sam turns to her laptop frequently when she is blocked or needs a break in her investigations. The occurrences in the book she is writing with a setting of 1939 mirror in some ways the current crime. The first time I read a book in this series I found the technique somewhat distracting. In Murder on Tour, however, I thought it played well. Either the author has become more skillful or I have incorporated this style into my reading mindset.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #9 in the Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone
Publication: November 28,2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
“But don’t discount the importance of escapist fiction. Books are subjective, and people read books for different reasons. Given everything that’s happened in the world, many of us need to escape to maintain our sanity.”
These women didn’t know a lot about mysteries, but they would defend me to the death if anyone said an unkind word about my book. Some days, you need people like that in your corner.
He stared at me for several beats…I didn’t flinch. I taught English to high school students who could smell fear a mile away. Woe to the teacher stupid enough to blink during a stare-down. But he was good. Really good.
Death in the Dark Woods–could it be Bigfoot?
Death in the Dark Woods
by Annelise Ryan
The idea of Bigfoot conjures up all kinds of feelings. In a tourist town, some want to capitalize on rumors of a sighting to draw in more visitors. Those are the people who sell hats and T-shirts and offer Bigfoot specials and tours. Others are concerned that the buzz will discourage fearful tourists. Morgan, a cryptozoologist with degrees in zoology and biology, owns a shop in Wisconsin that deals in weird and sometimes creepy inventory, but she also is willing to get involved in investigating possible sightings of cryptids, “creatures thought to exist despite there being no proof.” She charges her clients to be sure they are serious in their claim, but then does not actually collect or gives the money to a good cause.
Charlie (Charlotte) is a Department of Natural Resources officer in the Chequamegon National Forest near Bayfield where there have been some Bigfoot sightings and some vaguely resolved murders. She first meets with Hans, an Indiana Jones looking shyster, but soon decides that he is more interested in money than in the truth. Morgan agrees to work with her using Devon, one of her employees at her store to back her up with his outstanding computer skills. Jon, a police chief she has worked with before, volunteers some of his time to help Morgan. There is a slow developing romance in the works between Morgan and Jon, but Charlie is also interested in Jon.
The plot includes car chases to elude being followed, a camping trip and hikes that make Morgan feel she has a stalker. The closer she gets to the truth, the more danger Morgan finds herself in. The physical evidence doesn’t always match up with what Morgan thinks has happened, but she is cautious in her assumptions if not in her actions. The motivations and identities of those involved will keep you guessing as Morgan uses her professional knowledge to suss out the truth in her investigation of the murders. Has Bigfoot gone on an angry rampage? What would cause an animal or a human to kill someone in the two very different ways the murders occurred? What about the evidence—the huge footprint and some nonhuman hairs in the wound? I enjoyed following Morgan’s thinking all the way to the end. She definitely fits the role of a strong female protagonist.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #2 in the Monster Hunter Series but could be read as a standalone as the author provides background information as needed.
2. As a word lover, I enjoyed the informal game Morgan and her employee Rita played throughout the story. They would include special, less used words in their discussions, each complimenting the other over their word choices. (Yes, I did have to look a few of them up which was quite fun.)
3. Another favorite character who deserves note is Newt, Morgan’s large dog and constant companion. It is a case of “who rescued whom” in their relationship.
Publication: December12,2023—Berkley
Memorable Lines:
When it came to heavy emotional baggage—both known and hidden—Jon and I had enough between us to sink the Titanic without the help of an iceberg.
But while I’m open to the existence of such a creature and would be beyond delighted to encounter one, I’d have to see irrefutable scientific proof of their existence before becoming a staunch believer.
The silence, which was absolute, felt unnatural. Or rather preternatural. That was when we heard it, a sound both guttural and screeching, a sound filled with anger and fear, a sound that made my scalp tingle and my heart race. It was unlike anything I’d heard before and something I didn’t think I’d ever want to hear again.
Murder with Chocolate Tea–tea with everything
Murder with Chocolate Tea
By Karen Rose Smith
Chocolate Lovers Unite! At Daisy’s Tea Garden, the featured tea this month is Chocolate Tea which Daisy serves with a variety of sweet treats. It seems to go particularly well with chocolate chip cookies.
As always, delicious foods from soups and salads to high tea are served at Daisy’s teahouse. Daisy has a lot of things going on in Murder with Chocolate Tea. She and Jonas are planning their wedding, and she has put one of her enthusiastic employees, April, in charge of a tea celebrating a local covered bridge. Most importantly for the reader, Daisy is trying to solve a recent murder and a cold case. Is there a connection between the two? Daisy finds herself in danger as she draws closer to discovering the truth.
Daisy’s friends and family have their share of difficulties. Her daughter Jazzi is preparing to go to college. Her daughter Vi’s husband is overworking and over stressing over his new job. Aunt Iris still has two suitors who are getting impatient. Her kitchen manager’s boyfriend has begun a true crime podcast. He endangers many in his efforts to discover the truth including those he interviews.
As you can see, there is a lot going on in this mystery. Many friends of the the murder victims are suspected of the crimes, but we don’t get to know them as well as I would like. It’s mind boggling to watch Daisy juggle work and home commitments, but with the help of supportive employees and relatives, she manages well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #10 in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery Series
2. The author does a good job of reintroducing characters for the new reader. It could be a standalone, but there is a lot of backstory to be gained by reading the whole series.
Publication: November 28, 2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
Courage is just something that happens when you want to get out of a predicament you didn’t intend to be in, and you don’t have another way out.
Daisy stroked Pepper’s back, and the cat turned over in her lap, showing her white belly. Daisy ruffled it, giving affection and taking comfort. The cats were so good at that.
A Death in Door County–was the murderer a cryptid?
A Death in Door County
by Annalise Ryan
In a new series by Annalise Ryan, a mystery author whose works I enjoy, Morgan Carter is the protagonist. With degrees in biology and zoology, Morgan is a cryptozoologist, a passion she inherited along with a lot of money from her parents who taught her to be anonymously generous. She owns the Odds and Ends store in Door County, Wisconsin, and as cases arise she hunts cryptids, creatures like the Loch Ness Monster, whose existence is possible but never proven. She says she is a “professional sceptic,” but that she searches for “plausible existability.”
Morgan is hired by Jon Flanders, chief of a police force of three on Washington Island, to help investigate a drowning where the victim has surprising injuries. The author has created an unusual situation that takes Morgan and Jon on a number of adventures. Another important character is Newt, Morgan’s mixed breed dog whose lineage appears to be a combination of three large breeds, but he is a sweetheart and is devoted to Morgan, accompanying her everywhere.
A Death in Door County ends with several major plot twists that I guarantee you will not see coming. Morgan is a strong woman, both physically and intellectually, who makes an interesting protagonist. She knows a lot about the Great Lakes, history, and animals. What she doesn’t know, like her parents before her, she is determined to find out either through research or excursions. In this novel, treasure in the form of gold on wrecked ships plays a huge role. I highly recommend this mystery.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #1 in the Monster Hunter Mystery Series
Publication: 2022—Berkley
Memorable Lines:
Rich kids are just as mean and cliquey as public school kids—maybe more so—and even though my folks were members of the wealthy elite like most of the other parents at the private school, their unusual hobbies and interests were determined too “out there” for them to be included in any of the social outings or other gatherings attended by the rest of the “in” crowd.
I would repay her kindness to me and Newt with an anonymous scholarship for her son and a payoff of her husband’s medical bills. My father raised me with the belief that people who have a lot of money should try to do good with it, and it was a credo he lived by. I try to honor his memory by doing the same.
I’d never admit it, but I was impressed with this guy’s ingenuity. Too bad it was being wasted on something twisted, illegal, and deadly.
Caught in the Traminette–NY winery mystery
Caught in the Traminette
by J. C. Eaton
I am by no means a wine connoisseur and had never heard of “traminette.” Learning new things is part of the fun of reading. Traminette is a variety of a grape hybrid and also the name of a type of white wine made from that grape. It is popular among wine growers in the northeast of the U.S.
In Caught in the Traminette there are a head spinning number of plot threads. The setting is Seneca Lake and Penn Yan in New York. Norrie, a screen writer, is part owner of Two Witches Winery and at her sister’s request is managing the winery while her sister Francine is in the Philippines with her entomologist husband. While reading this fun series you’ll find a lot of information about how a vineyard is managed and the wine is made and marketed. Hint: it’s a lot more involved than squishing some grapes and bottling the juice!
Norrie can jump into an investigating mode at the drop of wine bottle, and she does just that when a body is found wrapped in a tarp at a neighboring winery. To help Madeline, a fellow winery owner who has been arrested for the murder, Norrie puts on her detective hat. There is some self-interest (OK, a lot of self-interest) involved because neither Norrie nor any of the other winery proprietors want to take on Madeline’s role as facilitator of WOW (Wineries of the West), the promotional group for the wineries in their area.
On Norrie’s to-do list, besides discovering the murderer, is protecting the traminette at her own winery, improving the security at the winery and at her house, and stopping a developer from bringing high rises to the lake ruining the popular view currently part of the attraction of the area. Some days just getting from her house to the tasting room on the same property is a challenge given all the snow and ice storms.
On a professional level, Norrie has a rocky relationship with Deputy Hickman because of previous encounters where she just won’t leave mysteries alone. She has even caused Eugene, a technician in the forensics lab, to get a prescription for anti-anxiety medicine.
On a personal level, Norrie has lots of friends including her next door neighbors, Don and Theo, who own the Grey Egret Winery next door. Theo frequently gets roped into sleuthing with Norrie into illegal, dangerous, and sometimes disgusting adventures including “mud” on a cow farm. She has a great and supportive staff at the winery. One of her employees, Glenda, is involved in the paranormal and invites her friend Zenora to ward away evil. When this happens there is a lot of eye rolling at the wine tasting room. Zenora’s “day job” is research librarian at the University library and in that role she can provide some valuable information.
Norrie is dating a lawyer who frequently has to travel. When Bradley is away, she finds her eyes wandering to her dismay. So far, she has controlled her impulses in that area although she does manage to keep all of the men who want to date her content to be friends and serve as resources in her investigations. She is always upfront with potential suitors about her exclusive relationship with Bradley.
One important thread involves entomologists who are devoted to their research in a nerdy sort of way. Another focus is evidence of a break-in at Norrie’s house. Why would anyone rummage through her refrigerator without eating anything? Norrie sometimes does outlandish things, but this is a fun mystery with a lot of humor. Everything gets sewn up with a surprise ending.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Mystery, Humor
Notes: #9 in the Wine Trail Mystery Series. Like many series, you’ll want to read more if you read this one,but it could be enjoyed as a standalone.
Publication: November 7, 2023—Beyond the Page Publishing
Memorable Lines:
Every winter day is a bad hair day in New York’s Finger Lakes. And those cute little snowflakes weren’t as adorable as they were back in November. By the beginning of January with the holiday decorations down, the dreariest part of the season was about to unfold.
“I’m eighty-six years old. I don’t act fast,” Rosalee said. “I only move at two speeds—slow and slower.”
“You snooped on the chitchat ladies?” “Didn’t have to snoop. They spread the gossip like fertilizer on a field.”
A Killer App–an AI mystery
A Killer App
by Linda Lovely
Someone called “The Chameleon” is out to do evil using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Through The Chameleon’s voice we get insight into the creative mind of this computer expert: “My app lets ordinary folks channel their anger and frustration into make-believe violence, thereby obtaining relief and staying out of jail.” But will The Chameleon be satisfied with this goal or take it a step further to actual violence? In the first chapter we become aware of this AI persona, but in subsequent chapters, the reader is gradually introduced to the person behind The Chameleon.
The point of view of the various chapters bounces back and forth between Kylee, a security consultant and retired U.S. Coast Guard officer, The Chameleon, and Grant, the teenage son of Ted Welch who owns Welch HOA Management Company. The whole series is based on real estate properties in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
As written, the reader gets to see the deranged thinking process in The Chameleon’s mind as well as the way The Chameleon’s actions are interpreted by Kylee and Grant who are actively trying to figure out the crazy things going on in the communities.
Not a fan of AI, I found the first part of the book somewhat confusing, but I think the author did that on purpose so the reader could experience the mystery in the same way the characters did. Although not a funny book, there are lighter moments where the author shares family gatherings and glimpses into some romances. There are humorous quips as well as very dangerous moments, especially for Kylee and Grant.
A Killer App is a decent mystery. It showcases some of the advances in AI (e.g. deepfake) which have the potential to control the minds of those susceptible to manipulation through realistic audio and video.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #3 in An HOA Mystery Series. It could be read as a standalone because there is a helpful list of characters and Homeowner Associations at the beginning of the book and the author introduces them within the text as they appear.
2. Includes a short section of definitions of some AI terms.
3. There is some swearing.
Publication: November 7, 2023—Level Best Books
Memorable Lines:
I’m always shocked by such ugliness in a community where well-off residents have so little to complain about. These people must be successful to afford their homes. Yet they squabble and name-call like kindergarteners.
Grandma’s sort of like Mighty Mouse. She may be tiny enough for a big wind to blow her away, but you better watch out when she blows her stack.
“I never cease to be amazed at how cruel gossips can be—especially when they don’t have to look whoever they’re abusing in the eye.”
I’ll Be Home for Mischief–giant gingerbread man
I’ll Be Home for Mischief
by Jacqueline Frost
The weather outside may be “frightful,” but an afternoon spent in Mistletoe, Maine, will be quite delightful for the readers of Jacqueline Frost’s I’ll Be Home for Mischief. With the whole tourist town celebrating its 150th Anniversary with full Victorian decor, the reader is immersed in all things Christmas. In fact, that is the town’s goal for visitors year round.
The main character, Holly, is the innkeeper for Reindeer Games Inn located on her parents’ Reindeer Games Tree Farm. As with most things in Mistletoe, citizens jump in to help each other when needed. Everything in Mistletoe has a Christmas theme and is intended to generate excitement and sales throughout the year.
Holly’s mom is determined to keep Mistletoe on everyone’s radar as she attempts to win the Guinness Book of World Records by baking the world’s largest gingerbread man. Everything has been carefully thought through and prepared, but when the dump truck disguised as a huge sleigh receives the tray with cookie dough on it via a crane, the unveiling for the audience produces an unwelcome surprise. Holly’s husband Evan is the local sheriff and he is immediately called to the scene.
The rest of I’ll Be Home for Mischief follows the usual next steps for a cozy mystery. Holly, who has a reputation for amateur investigating, just can’t resist despite her husband’s concern and warnings. There are lots of suspects and some danger lurking in the shadows. A little romance and some positive surprises are thrown into the mix.
Warning: these people bake and eat high carb treats like there is no tomorrow. They also caffeinate regularly. I think that must be how people survive the cold and snow of Maine. So, have some snacks and hot chocolate available for yourself while reading. After all, ambiance is critical when reading Christmas books!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery, Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: #5 in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery Series. Thanks to the author’s skillful writing, it can easily be read as a standalone.
Publication: November 12, 2024—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
My maternal grandmother had infuriatingly tight lips. She never repeated anything that might be construed as gossip. Her advice, on the other hand, rarely stopped flowing. Especially when no one asked.
No amount of caffeine would ever get me moving like a ten-degree morning.
The lesson I hated most was that people sometimes did things in the space of a few minutes that they’d regret for the rest of their lives.
Gingerbread Danger–compulsive thief
Gingerbread Danger
by Amanda Flower
Bailey is a prominent chocolatier who owns and manages a candy shop in Harvest, Ohio, with her grandmother. She returns to New York occasionally to film episodes of a cooking show. In Gingerbread Danger, she has just opened a candy factory, Swissmen Candyworks, now selling her famous candy online. Her best seller is Jethro the polka-dotted pig bars, fashioned after her mother-in-law-to-be’s potbellied pig who is frequently left with Bailey for pig sitting duties. Fortunately, Jethro gets along well with Bailey’s huge rabbit Puff and her grandmother’s cat.
A young man falls off the icy roof of Bailey’s candy factory when he is setting up a sign for Harvest’s latest tourist attraction for the Christmas season—a life size version of the board game Candy Land. Is his fall an accident or murder? Meanwhile, Bailey’s parents are in town. Her mother has hired a wedding planner to create the wedding she has always dreamed of for herself, but this one would be for Bailey who really just wants a simple wedding. There are also multiple robberies occurring at Amish stores in Harvest. An Amish Robin Hood seems to be at work. Now Aiden, Bailey’s fiancé, has to try to keep her safe while she insists on investigating; and as sheriff, he is playing “whack a mole” with all the crimes in what should be a quiet tourist town.
Gingerbread Danger is a good cozy mystery, at Christmas, or year round.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1.#9 in the Amish Candy Shop Mysteries. I advise reading some of the other books in the series first for character development, but I recommend all of the books in this series. They contain a good mystery, humor, and both Englisch and Amish characters.
2. Do you like gingerbread? There is a gingerbread house contest for Bailey’s staff that produces a standout food artist. Also included is a recipe for Maami’s Gingerbread Fudge!
Publication: October 22, 2024—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
At times people could be so caught up in their own lives that they were unaware of the suffering around them. It happened to everyone. I was guilty of it myself. Now I couldn’t say it happened to me when I was standing twenty feet from a dead body…
Grief. It was a feeling I knew well…There was a ringing in my ears that wouldn’t go away for weeks. It was as if I was tuned in to every electric hum around me…I was in the candy shop. I was present. But at the same time, I wasn’t. My soul felt as if it was somewhere lost in space.
“I told my husband that I should at least be there to represent the mothers in the district and show our support. He told me nee.” She sniffed. “He is my husband and I must do his bidding, but if he thinks he is getting a roast when he comes home, he is sadly mistaken.”
Silent Nights Are Murder–finding family
Silent Nights Are Murder
by Libby Klein
For once, Poppy McAllister is not the one to find the dead body, but that doesn’t mean she won’t be dragged into a murder investigation. Her cop friend Amber convinces Poppy to go undercover at her ex-boyfriend’s restaurant because the body was discovered in Tim’s walk-in freezer. In a previous book in the Poppy McAllister Mystery Series, Poppy decided to drop Tim in favor of a relationship with the handsome barista Gia who thinks she is gorgeous. Now as Poppy tries to help, she discovers that Tim’s new work and personal partner Gigi is pregnant with a due date set 9 months after Tim and Poppy broke up!
It is hard for Poppy to gain the trust of the restaurant staff and sort out the lies they tell. Most of them seem to be hiding some secrets. As Poppy explains to a frustrated Tim, “a killer will lie about their alibi.” Someone seems to have been messing with the books and the inventory also.
There are so many plots going on all at once. When Poppy was almost nine, her mother dropped her off with promises to return for her. She does—thirty-five years later—and checks into the Butterfly Wings B & B. Poppy and her Aunt Ginny, who helped raise her, spend time trying to figure out what Iris wants and how to get rid of her. Meanwhile, Figaro, Poppy’s cat, does battle with Christmas ornaments that appear to be birds, complete with feathers (until Figaro get ahold of them). Guests at the B&B enjoy a decoration daily murder scene villa setup by an unknown person at the inn.
Aunt Ginny’s friends, the Biddies, add hilarious fun as there might be a wedding coming up and they want to be a part of it. Aunt Ginny, as usual, has some wack-a-doodle plans. In this case, the Christmas season calls for some competition. Aunt Ginny is determined to have both the prize winning recipe and the house with the most Christmasy ambiance (think National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, but on steroids).
Gia’s son Henry is adorable and refuses to tell anyone what he is asking Santa for. As you read Silent Nights Are Murder, I think you’ll know what he wants for Christmas, but will Santa be able to deliver?
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #9 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. It could be read as a standalone, but would be enjoyed more if some of the earlier books were read first.
2. seven gluten free recipes for Christmas goodies
Publication: September 24, 2024—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
There were three seasons to obsess about the weather. Tourist season—when guests considered it a personal failure on my part if it rained during their vacation. Hurricane season—because my creditors don’t care about safety cancellations, they just want to be paid. And Christmas season—because I was delusional enough to want snow like I was living in a Bing Crosby movie. Irving Berlin had set sixty percent of the country up for annual disappointment.
Flashing police-car lights blazed through the night, and the men tried to look like three normal guys waiting for a table. They looked as normal as a trio of gorillas in hoop skirts.
He ran his hands through his hair and looked like he was about to fry up a conniption and serve it with a big side of meltdown.
education pathways 