Home » Fiction (Page 41)
Category Archives: Fiction
Nacho Average Murder–chemical danger in Santa Barbara
Nacho Average Murder
by Maddie Day
Robbie Jordan leaves wintry Indiana for a week’s vacation in sunny Santa Barbara. The initial draw is her tenth high school reunion, but she is excited to catch up with two of her best friends from her high school years, Alana and Jason, who will also be attending. It is fun for Robbie to revisit locales from her childhood, but the trip is tinged with sadness as her mom passed away two years prior.
Robbie finds herself in the midst of several investigations that may be tied together. There is a murder, and Robbie wonders if it could be connected to her own mother’s death as both of the deceased were young to be afflicted with the diagnosed aneurysms. She becomes involved in an ongoing battle between concerned citizens and Walter Russom of Agrosafe, a company that manufactures a spray on fumigant that is making workers and animals in nearby fields very sick. Russom’s daughter Katherine was a dominating force back in their high school days and is still making her presence felt. There are other persons of interest that lead Robbie and Alana down new areas of investigation, and Robbie seems to have danger following her by car and on foot. She wonders if it is real or if she being paranoid.
Maddie Day’s Nacho Average Murder, besides its great title, is an all-round good cozy mystery. Don’t start reading this while you are hungry. Robbie, who runs a B&B/restaurant back home, is staying at a South of the Border styled B&B. It has Mexican flavor extending from Carmen, the charming hostess, and Mamá, her Spanish speaking mother, who are excellent cooks, to the colorful Southwestern decor. Robbie also tries out a lot of the local restaurants so we are treated to descriptions of yummy dishes beginning with king crab ceviche appetizer and delicious guacamole. With Carmen’s blessing, Robbie takes pictures to remind her of the food and stores away ideas for her own B&B. Mamá, who could win tortilla making speed records, even teaches Robbie how to flatten out tortillas by hand.
Start reading this book because it is part of an excellent series, keep reading to solve the murder, and revisit this cozy to try out some of its recipes. It’s almost like a mini vacation. Put on your shorts and sandals and enjoy the beach, the food, and the scenery. You’ll meet some great characters and maybe even a few of the local alpacas.
I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #7 in the Country Store Mystery Series, but it is perfect as a standalone because the main character is away from the usual setting and cast of characters.
2. Includes 6 delicious sounding recipes.
Publication: June 30, 2020—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
“Remember when we came here on that double date our junior year?” She groaned. “With those twins, Whoosit and What’s His Name? That was a disaster and a half.” “No kidding.” I snorted.
“You came!” She walked up to us with a smile wider than the San Andreas Fault and a lot less dangerous.
As I hurried between the wooden tables, my footsteps resounded louder on the gravel than a hundred monks crunching popcorn.
Murder in Waiting–hit and run?
Murder in Waiting
by Lynn Cahoon
If you’re looking for a good cozy mystery, you can’t go wrong with one written by Lynn Cahoon. Her Murder in Waiting fulfilled my expectations. Jill Gardner, former attorney, owns South Cove’s combination coffee house and bookshop. She has several employees and loves taking the first shift as it gives her time to read. She lives with Greg King, the lead detective for the local police. With each having a prior marriage, neither is anxious to make the big commitment again.
Jill’s friend Amy, however, is ready to tie the knot and manipulates Jill into planning her bachelorette party. The book devotes some time to the upcoming nuptials, but the author might have a surprise tie-in to the mystery itself. Jill witnesses a hit and run fatality, and it is up to the local police to determine if it was an accident or murder.
Meanwhile, Jill is being bombarded with two personal issues. A developer wants the land her cottage is built on, and various individuals keep approaching her to try to convince her to sell. Some are rather threatening. Jill provides space and refreshments for a local business group’s monthly meetings. In the absence of the leader of the group, a member starts an unfounded smear campaign on Jill claiming their membership dues are rising because of Jill.
Besides the nitty gritty of the suspicious and murderous happenings, there are fun things going on in South Cove too. Deek, a “super dude” barista, not only has great marketing ideas, but is also trying to write his first book. Jill and Greg’s comfortable relationship takes them further along without high pressure expectations. Jill’s Aunt Jackie and her boyfriend Harrold are important characters in the story. Emma is Jill’s dog who loves nothing better than a run along the beach or handouts and pats from her human friends. There is a lot of food talk, but it is not over the top.
With its sunny California setting and the small tourist town vibes, South Cove opens its heart and Diamond Lille’s diner to welcome you to stay and visit. As Greg and Jill work through the many plot threads, you’ll be glad you dropped in.
I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #11 in the Tourist Trap Mystery Series, but works well as a standalone.
2. Recipe included for Easy Low-Carb Egg Muffins
Publication: June 30, 2020—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
Relationships. They were as bumpy as a road filled with land mines.
If my employees weren’t emotional eaters before they joined the staff, I tended to train them to become one by modeling the behavior.
Family. You had to accept them as they were because you weren’t going to change them.
A Daughter for the Mountain Firefighter–past collides with future
A Daughter for the Mountain Firefighter
by Melinda Curtis
If you’ve been following the tales of the Silver Bend Hot Shot crew from Idaho, you know what a difficult and dangerous job mountain firefighters have. A Daughter for the Mountain Firefighter is the fourth book in this series written by Melinda Curtis. Itfocuses on Cole, also known as Chainsaw because his responsibility is to cut paths through the forest for fire barriers and roadways.
As this fire season draws to a close, Cole is preparing to attend medical school in the Bahamas. To his surprise, his path crosses with an old friend, Rachel, whose sister Cole dated. Rachel has become a mechanic and pilot employed to fly her tanker in support of the firefighters.
Cole and Rachel have complications and issues that go back to their birth families. Cole carries guilt and sorrow. Rachel suffers from PTSD and feels responsible for the well-being of her dad, her niece, Jenna, who has had to grow up too quickly, and her nephew, Matt, who never really knew his mother.
The discovery of the identity of Jenna’s biological dad causes tremors in family relationships. A nearly fatal airplane crash sends Rachel to the hospital and jeopardizes the family’s financial stability. Meanwhile, romance is brewing as Cole begins to wonder if he ever really loved Rachel’s sister, Missy. Rachel, on the other hand, has only ever loved one man. As they stumble through their current, seemingly insurmountable problems, will Cole and Rachel manage to overcome their pasts to find happiness?
I would like to extend my thanks to Melinda Curtis for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance
Notes: #4 in the Mountain Firefighter Series, but works well as a standalone.
Publication: June 26, 2020—Purple Papaya
Memorable Lines:
She understood that the callouses on hearts were’t reliable, that they sometimes softened and let the ache of loss back in.
“Every pilot knows they’re defying the laws of nature by taking to the skies. We weren’t born with wings. But every pilot loves to fly more than they fear the risk of falling.”
Rachel had boarded the denial train.
Til Death–another fantastic Zoe Chambers mystery
Til Death
by Annette Dashofy
If all mysteries were as good as Til Death, readers would be glued to their easy chairs and no work would get done. Annette Dashofy continues her series with main character Zoe Chambers being promoted to Chief Deputy Coroner and giving up her job as an EMT. This is a huge change with lots of responsibilities, a big learning curve, and people and events that challenge her.
The story opens with County Coroner Franklin Marshall collapsing in the autopsy suite—and not out of a squeamish response to the procedure. The action takes off from there and doesn’t stop until the last period. There are several deaths, a cold case, attacks on law enforcement, and berserk ex-wives. Among all the cases could there be more than one criminal? There are three modes of murder, so maybe? Or do they all somehow tie together?
Philandering Dustin Landis is released from prison when a judge overturns his conviction. The D.A. is going to try him again. Dustin has always insisted on his innocence. Now pieces are coming to light that indicate a serial killer was operating in the area at the time. When Franklin’s most recent ex-wife explodes on the scene, chaos follows her. She tears Franklin’s office apart, apparently in search of a document, and summarily kicks out Zoe and the Coroner’s Office with her.
Zoe’s attention is divided as she and Police Chief Pete Adams are getting married in two weeks, an event that brings seemingly inevitable family drama to the forefront. A staff romance in the Vance Township Police force causes a crisis of a different sort. Meanwhile Zoe and Pete have to work together and independently to fit all of the puzzle pieces together with the goal of solving all those mysteries simultaneously.
I would like to extend my thanks to Edelweiss and Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #10 in the Zoe Chambers Mystery Series, but holds up well as a standalone.
Publication: June 16, 2020—Henery Press
Memorable Lines:
If Loretta Marshall’s dark hair had been half white, Zoe would’ve warned her friends who owned Dalmatians.
“Good old Dr. Davis. Politician first. Forensic expert second. Human being? Somewhere way lower on the list.”
Zoe collapsed onto her stacked boxes, staring out the dirt-streaked window, thoughts and emotions racing inside her skull like deranged bumper cars.
The Screwtape Letters–twisting good into evil
The Screwtape Letters
by C.S. Lewis
Welcome to the inside-out, topsy turvy world of The Screwtape Letters, correspondence supposedly written by Screwtape, an experienced devil who is mentoring his nephew Wormwood, a junior tempter, in the process of keeping the human assigned to him from becoming a Christian and making good choices. The human is considered a “patient.” God is called “the Enemy,” and Satan is referred to as “Our Father Below.” As you can imagine, this short book is not a quick read as you have to turn familiar designations of God and Satan, as well as your whole thought process, around so that the book will make sense.
First published in serial form in a newspaper, it is divided into chapters which are letters generally focused around one topic such as gluttony or humility and gives advice on how to twist things that God has created in beauty and purity into something that will draw the patient away from God and onto sinful paths.
I am glad I read this book, but I didn’t enjoy it in the same way I would an entertaining mystery or a gentle romance. It is quite witty with tongue-in-cheek humor throughout. It challenged my mind and spirit as I tried to decipher C.S. Lewis’ message. Reading The Screwtape Letters is rather like looking into a mirror. Beware! As you see a reflection of yourself in some of the passages, you may be inspired to make changes in your own life that will result in your reflecting God’s image rather than the one Satan would appreciate. With much food for thought, The Screwtape Letters could be read and studied many times, especially over the course of a lifetime, deriving a new depth of meaning applicable to you personally with each reading.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Fiction
Notes: C.S. Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the 20th century. He is the noted author of many works of fiction and nonfiction including The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity. The Screwtape Letters was originally published in 1942.
Publication: 1959—Macmillan Publishing Co.
Memorable Lines:
All virtues are less formidable to us once the man is aware that he has them, but this is specially true of humility. Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, “By jove! I’m being humble,” and almost immediately pride—pride at his own humility—will appear.
Music and silence…how I detest them both!…Noise, the grand dynamism, the audible expression of all that is exultant, ruthless, and virile—Noise which alone defends us from silly qualms, despairing scruples, and impossible desires.
And since we cannot deceive the whole human race all the time, it is most important thus to cut every generation off from all others; for where learning makes a free commerce between the ages there is always the danger that the characteristic errors of one may be corrected by the characteristic truths of another.
Booked for Death–murders, books, and suspicion
Booked for Death
by Victoria Gilbert
Victoria Gilbert, a retired librarian, has started a second series for those who love all things bookish. In Booked for Death, Charlotte, a widow, has inherited a large home from her Great Aunt Isabella whose life was a mystery to her family. Already an established B&B, the inn is called Chapters because of the extensive library it houses which includes many rare books. In keeping with the various themes, Charlotte hosts special events centered on authors and books.
In Booked for Death, the week’s focus is British writer Josephine Tey. As the participants dive into one of her mysteries, there is a murder at the B&B. There are many suspects with legitimately plausible motivations for killing bookseller Lincoln Delamont as he was not a very nice man. Charlotte tries to find out as much as she can about all the people who were at the B& B at the time of the murder. Information comes out gradually as to backgrounds and alibis. Charlotte, who has a reason to wish Lincoln dead, is one of the suspects but soon finds her own life in danger.
There are many interesting characters. Some of those will clearly appear in future books in the series—her friend Julie, housekeeper and cook Alicia, and neighbor Ellen. Others may or may not make a reappearance. Charlotte’s investigations take her to the dusty, cluttered attic to try to understand her great aunt’s complicated past.
Most of the book is well-written. There is a small portion that has stilted dialogue between Ellen and Charlotte, but most of the book, which is written in first person, flows smoothly. I did not guess who the murderer is, but the reveal is both surprising and nicely disclosed. The conclusion is very satisfying and so well played that I read the last few pages twice just to enjoy both the implications for future books and the written words themselves. It is easy to see how this book can segue into even bigger mysteries in future books with legitimate, not contrived, investigations.
I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1.#1 in the Booklovers B&B Mystery Series
2. The second book in the series, Reserved for Murder, is scheduled for release on June 8, 2021.
3. I have one criticism of the book (in its ARC form) which may well have been altered for publication. The author overused the term “narrowed/narrowing his/her eye” (15 times) and “side-eyed” (8 times). I’m sure with a little creativity, the author can find other ways to explain the character’s expressions. This issue was overshadowed for me by the intricacies of the plot, some beautifully written passages, and the excellent ending which left me looking forward to the next book in the series.
Publication: June 9, 2020—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
Her vivacious beauty, undimmed even in her later years, had seemed far too exotic for our rather unexceptional family. Like a butterfly among the moths, I thought, as I laid down the photo and picked up another.
“I was hungry,” Tara said, fixing me with a glare that would’ve frozen the blood of most adults. But I’d taught high school for far too long to be intimidated by such tactics.
“…she wasn’t believed when she told the truth as a child. And honestly, it’s not always easy to share our deepest pain, even with the ones we love.”
Double Trouble–Elvis and trouble on the loose
Double Trouble
by Gretchen Archer
There are plenty of laughs in Gretchen Archer’s Double Trouble set in the Bellissimo Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. Davis Way Cole, former police officer, mother of toddler twin girls, and part-time security for the Casino absolutely could not get into more trouble if she tried. Davis is left in charge of the casino while all of the upper level staff along with her husband, manager of the resort complex, are attending a convention. Her problem starts when five million dollars goes missing, and the week just goes downhill from there. As Davis and her sidekick Fantasy try to find the missing money, locate disappearing people, and in the process discover murders, the storyline becomes a written version of T.V. slapstick comedy a la Lucy and Ethel.
Both the dialogue and Davis’ inner tongue-in-cheek monologues move along the plot which includes her mother whose passions are cooking and feeding those she loves—all the time, an ex-ex mother-in-law who shouldn’t be there, and her daughters who are addicted to Frozen. To make the plot even more crazy, add in potted tomatoes enhanced with aromatic Black Kow organic fertilizer (yep, you know what that is!), a safe room with lots of wine, missing employees, an abandoned baby, very shady wire transfers, and a slick lawyer—just for starters. The whole city is inundated with people disguised as Elvis to participate in an Elvis convention sponsored by Bellissimo. That makes identifying any villain virtually impossible.
My favorite character is Birdy James, a confused ninety-five year old in charge of Lost and Found. No one wants to fire her, bless her heart. Unfortunately, she is the only one who can locate items in the Lost and Found room. As a retired librarian, she created her own Dewey Decimal System for storing lost articles, she makes notes in shorthand that only she can read, and she is the sole person with the keypad combination to the storage room. She plays hilariously into the story and is important in solving the mystery. I know you’ll enjoy this Southern gem.
I would like to extend my thanks to Edelweiss and Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #9 in the Davis Way Crime Caper Series. Prior knowledge of the characters is nice, but it could act as a standalone.
Publication: June 9, 2020—Henery Press
Memorable Lines:
Birdy yelled, “Did someone say liverwurst?” Bexley asked, “What’s a worse sandwich?” She tugged at the hem of my t-shirt. “Do we like worse sandwiches, Mama? Worse than what?”
“Your stove isn’t worth taking out back and shooting, Davis.” My mother and I were so, so different. If I were going to shoot the stove, I’d shoot it where it stood.
“The plumbing and the wiring are the only fings that connect to anyfing elshe.” I tried to count the empty wine bottles, because for sure, I think I shlurred a word or thoo in there.
Death by Auction–fun event turns deadly
Death by Auction
by Alexis Morgan
Abby McCree is new to Snowberry Creek, but wants to contribute to her community, so she spearheads a fundraiser in support of a local veterans’ group. It is a fun bachelor/bachelorette auction which will be followed in a few weeks by a World War II era dance. Well, it would be fun if Abby had not discovered her celebrity Master of Ceremony’s dead body and if her boyfriend’s ex-wife hadn’t made a surprise visit to Snowberry Creek.
Abby is not happy to be in the middle of this mess, but she responds in her usual hospitable manner to the unwelcome ex-wife whom she privately calls “the barnacle.” With her never ending stash of muffins and cookies tucked away in the freezer, she even feeds the law enforcement officers who show up on her doorstep.
The story, which varies in mood from humorous to serious, moves quickly. As much as I wanted to know who committed the crime, I still didn’t want the book to end. From adventures at a biker bar to the joys of having her boyfriend’s ex-wife, who is one of the suspects, as a houseguest, the plot has a high energy level. The characters’ interactions are interesting. I’d love to join Abby at her kitchen table for a chat and the chance to pet Zeke, her slobbery ninety pound mastiff mix who is a good companion for her because of his intimidating size and his abilities in judging character. Abby is astute in her investigations and instrumental in solving the crime. All in all, Alexis Morgan’s Death by Auction is a very satisfying cozy mystery.
I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #3 in the Abby McCree Mystery Series, but would be excellent as a standalone
Publication: May 26, 2020—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
They settled in at the table while Zeke parked himself between them in case someone dropped food on the floor that would require an emergency cleanup. He was good about things like that.
“I’ve learned never to underestimate your total inability to stay out of trouble, but also every guilty thought you have flashes across your face like it’s a billboard.”
Mount St. Helens had nothing on the eruption Abby could sense brewing in Tripp. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles stood out in stark relief. One wrong word at this point, and she had no doubt he would go ballistic.
Murder with Clotted Cream–cozy mystery with an emphasis on relationships
Murder with Clotted Cream
by Karen Rose Smith
You can jump right into Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery Series with Murder with Clotted Cream, the fifth book in this series by Karen Rose Smith. The author does an outstanding job of providing information on the characters for the new or returning reader.
Daisy Swanson is co-owner of Daisy’s Tea Garden. In this book, Daisy is hired to provide a tea for the actors preparing a play for the Little Theater, newly built by a real estate developer and his actress wife. When a murder occurs at the tea, Daisy finds herself in the middle of yet another investigation. Other major parts of this plot are relationship oriented: Daisy and her boyfriend Jonas, Daisy’s daughter Jazzi and her biological mother, Daisy and her own mother Rose, and Daisy’s other daughter who suffers from postpartum depression. As you can see, Daisy has a lot on her plate, and it doesn’t help that the detective on the case has an ax to grind with Daisy’s boyfriend.
There are a lot of suspects to keep you guessing and some danger along the way for Daisy. The book also deals with important parenting issues across the generations. Some of Daisy’s investigations are digital or local to her town, but others involve a train trip to New York City. We get to view her not as a one-dimensional heroine but as an independent businesswoman, a caring mom, a widow exploring a friendship blossoming slowly into romance, and a careful observer of those around her.
I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #5 in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery Series, but great as a standalone.
2. Includes 3 original recipes
Publication: May 26, 2020—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
“She knows how to ask questions, and she doesn’t treat everyone she meets as if they were hostile witnesses. You might be better served to do the same.”
November has descended with a cold grip, and today was a perfect example of a steel-gray day with the reminder of winter in any wind that blew.
Daisy heard Jonas gasp as if Zeke had punched him in his solar plexus. In that one statement Zeke just might have changed Jonas’s attitude about life, about love, and about moving forward.
Candy Slain Murder–lots of food and mystery
Candy Slain Murder
by Maddie Day
December arrives to provide a Christmassy backdrop to this cozy mystery set in the little town of South Lick, Indiana, where Robbie Jordan owns a breakfast and lunch restaurant that also features vintage cookware for sale. There is a cast of regulars making their appearance in Maddie Day’s Candy Slain Murder, but remain fearless, dear Reader, as the author’s talents include bringing the reader quickly on board with Robbie’s friends and family.
This mystery includes a cold case and a new murder case that appear to be connected. There are a number of characters with potential motives that Robbie has to sort through as she informally interviews various persons of interest as well as those whose knowledge might contribute to her investigations.
Another thread in the story is the surprise appearance of the mysterious half-brother of one of Robbie’s employees. Protective of those she loves, Robbie is concerned that this man’s claims might not be legitimate. Even his religious ties as a former Quaker turned Muslim are odd. They lead to a discussion of inclusiveness versus discrimination in South Lick with some B&B guests. This thread is interesting, but seems an afterthought as the couple appears only once besides meal times.
I enjoyed the book as I tried to discover the murderer or murderers along with Robbie. There were plenty of distractions to keep me guessing, although I had in mind a resolution that I wanted to see. Happily, I was correct, but it was fun to follow the characters to a satisfactory conclusion.
I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #8 in the Country Store Mysteries Series. I have read, out of order, a few of the books in this series. All, including Candy Slain Murder, have worked well as standalones.
2. Six recipes are included in the book and several are holiday appropriate.
3. I am puzzled by Robbie’s critical comment on the celebration of Christmas in the little town. They were having a Christmas tree lighting and a visit by Santa. Robbie said of the mayor, “Corrine could have slanted the celebration in a more secular direction.” As a Christian, I think the celebration was very secular. There was no nativity scene and no mention of the birth of Jesus, which is the origin of Christmas celebrations.
Publication: September 29, 2020—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
“You’re more full of questions than one of them robots on the phone. At least you ain’t asking me to press one for this and two for that.”
Buck poured on the syrup and tore into his cranberry pancakes so fast I thought they would catch on fire.
“It’s one of them, you know, fifty percent of one and a dozen of the other.” My jaw dropped at his fractured metaphor.
education pathways 