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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.
To Trust a Hero–scars of betrayal
To Trust a Hero
by Alexis Morgan
I enjoy Harlequin Heartwarming novels because they are predictably clean romances. To Trust a Hero fits that role, but it also has characters you will love and a mystery that you may figure out the whodunit of the plot before it is revealed, but not the why. I loved watching it play out. The main characters Max, a freelance writer, and Rikki, a single mom and the owner of a B&B, both have difficult backgrounds that they have not shared with others. Their pasts make trusting difficult for each of them, but when Max rents out the turret room for an extended period, he finds that he is not “just a guest anymore.” It is hard to tell who he falls in love with more, Rikki or her adorable 5 year old son Carter. Carter and Max bond over Legos.
This is Max’s return to the town of Dunbar. He has been invited to see the Trillium Nugget in the Dunbar Historical Museum. His presence and the Nugget caused quite an uproar in a previous book, but was worked out satisfactorily. On his return, the townspeople gradually warm up to him. Now he wants to write a book about his great-grandfather using resources at the town’s museum to research his ancestor’s story.
When someone breaks into Rikki’s B&B and vandalizes two rooms, Max flies into protective mode. At that point we learn more about Cade. the Chief of Police, and Titus, an excellent cook with a gruff exterior.
Interesting characters, gentle romance, a mystery without a murder, and a cute kid—I couldn’t ask for more. If you want to escape from all the craziness infused into this world, take a trip to Dunbar. I think you’ll find it an engaging and pleasant relief.
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: Romance
Notes: # 2 in the Heroes of Dunbar Mountain series. Although To Trust a Hero is great as a standalone, now I want to read about Max’s first involvement with the town in The Lawman’s Promise. My interest has also been piqued by hints that the next book in this series, Second Chance Deputy focuses on Titus.
Publication: August 22, 2023—Harlequin Heartwarming
Memorable Lines:
Max knew firsthand what it was like when a kid couldn’t depend on anyone, and he devoutly hoped that Carter never experienced how much that kind of betrayal hurt or the scars it left behind.
“It must be something in the water supply here that makes men act stupid around strong women.”
The cruise had been fun, but it was Carter’s infectious joy that had made the day special. Every time a new whale appeared, the little guy had cheered and then run from one side of the boat to the other to get the best view.
Songs of Wine and Murder–band competition
Songs of Wine and Murder
by Lynn Cahoon
Every good cozy mystery has a focus and a crime to be solved. The plot in Songs of Wine and Murder centers around a band competition as part of the Moonstone Beach festival to be held in South Cove, a town which has both commuters and businesses that depend on tourists. Jill owns a combo coffee shop and bookstore; her fiancé Greg is the police chief. In this book, a band member that no one likes is found dead. There are many suspects after it is determined that the death is a homicide, not a drug overdose or a suicide.
Jill has to put in a lot of work hours during the festival as she supervises both the coffee shop and a food truck. Jill is a great boss, giving her workers full benefits and treating them with respect. During the festival she takes orders and provides her staff with meals from the town’s only full-service restaurant. Greg has to put in extra long hours along with his officers as they interview suspects and others who might have information about the murder. Jill tries to stay out of the investigation, but she stumbles across clues and conversations that help Greg.
The mayor’s wife can be over-the-top mean if she doesn’t get her way. She gets very angry when she thinks her nephew is being treated unfairly in the competition, and she blames that and everything else she can think of on Jill and Greg. Jill has a number of friends who are involved in this story, and the reader gets to know them well. My favorite of her employees is Deek. He is a good looking young man with blond dreadlocks and violet eyes who has really grown over the course of the series. He is an aspiring writer who takes the bookstore seriously and also has lots of very good ideas for managing events and pushing the coffee shop/bookstore through PR efforts. He is somewhat intimidated by Greg referring to him as “Police Dude.” Her staff member, Toby, works as a cop and a barista. An attractive guy, he can’t understand why Tilly, a new hire at the shop, says she has never met him. He claims hey were an “item” in high school. Which one of them is lying?
The murder is solved…until new information comes to light opening the investigation up again. It was a great twist to the story; just as Greg and Jill think they can relax and resume planning for their wedding, they are thrown back into the chaos of “whodunit?”
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. #15 in the Tourist Trap Mystery Series. It includes some humor, some mystery, and some relationships—new and old. Songs of Wine and Murder was fun for me, but not Cahoon’s best work. I am not recommending it as a standalone, but if you are a fan of the Tourist Trap Mystery Series, you will probably enjoy it.
2. Includes a recipe for “Jill’s Neptune Salad Wrap” as a healthy replacement for all the fish and chips Jill devours in this book.
Publication: June 6, 2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
The fight was over. Neither participant looked victorious, which was what happened most times when people were in love. Everyone felt the pain of the fight, not just the loser.
“The one thing I can promise you about relationships is that as soon as you start thinking the other person can read your mind, you’re in trouble.”
I delivered Harrold and Aunt Jackie’s meals and noticed Lille had put in two slices of cherry pie that I hadn’t ordered. She’d known that this order would be given to Harrold, and she loved him like a grandfather. I suspected that Lille had a heart; it was just hidden under all that snark.
Counter Attack–chess game of revenge
Counter Attack
by Patricia Bradley
Alexis (a.k.a. Alex) has a multi-step plan to achieve her goal of becoming a Police Commissioner. She works hard as a detective, keeps her head down, and is known to be skilled and reliable. Just as she is about to reach her intermediate goal of homicide detective, she is injured on the job and her grandfather who raised her has a heart attack. As county sheriff he appoints her to be Chief Deputy Sheriff during his recuperation. Her first week on the job she has to deal with officers who resent her appointment, a serial killer who has followed her from Chattanooga to her new job in a neighboring county, and a bomb threat. She has to keep on her toes to try to find the murderer who seems to delight in taunting her using mysterious messages as if they were in a chess game. Alexis has the cooperation of the Pearl Springs Chief of Police who was her high school flame. He not only “has her six,” but to her dismay she is still attracted to him.
Both Alexis and the reader will be running at top speed to keep up with all of the events, injuries, deaths, and possible motivations. The serial killer aspect is especially troubling as this murderer could be one of many people (even someone in the police department), has lots of 21st century tech skills, and puts Alexis’ life in danger as he or she enjoys employing near misses to keep her off balance. As if that isn’t enough to keep Alexis up late, the killer uses the dark web and it is creepy.
I grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, so I particularly enjoyed the setting. Although it has grown in size since I lived there, I could easily picture both the city and the rural areas near the Chattanooga. Watching Alexis handle the deputies and detectives working under her, especially when they challenge her, is inspiring. She grows a lot too as she comes to realize what is truly important to her. Although the book is not in any way preachy, it does have the theme of trust in God and His plan woven through. This is a clean book with a flow of attraction between Alexis and Nathan, but the mystery is always the central focus. The challenge for Alexis, Nathan, and the reader is to discover and stop the serial killer before death comes to Alexis’ doorstep.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Helpless–one step ahead
Helpless
by Annette Dashofy
Are you up for a solid mystery with lots of action? It’s not quite a police procedural, but close. Zoe, a former paramedic and current county coroner, is married to Pete Adams, police chief in Vance Township. As you read, you will meet a lot of characters and have no trouble keeping track of them. Most of them are people who will put their own lives on the line to insure the safety of others. Some do it as part of their official duties, others because they are good people and good neighbors.
The plot centers around a wife murdered, a husband left for dead under gruesome circumstances, and a child kidnaped. The setting which plays heavily into the plot is Hurricane Iona. Sleuthing and life saving work by the EMS is drastically hampered by pelting rains, destructive winds, flooding and road blockages. Car accidents impede roadways and increase the load on emergency personnel; electrical and cell phone outages cause panics.
As bodies accumulate in the morgue, Zoe is caught between her official duties as coroner and her inner need to support the husband as a former EMS worker and as a friend. She is also called to the death scenes to process the bodies and desperately wants to help her husband find the missing child.
This is a well written book and series. The plot is devised in such a way that the reader wants to keep the story going to hopefully arrive at a happily ever after for the characters. This is not a Hallmark book, however, so don’t expect that level of predictability. I was a little teary eyed at the end, but I admired the author’s fine touch with the conclusion.
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, General Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. #12 in the Zoe Chambers Mystery Series but can be read as a standalone
2. Contains some swearing, but is otherwise clean.
Publication: May 9, 2023—Level Best Books
Memorable Lines:
“What if he asks?” “He won’t. I think he suspects the worse. But as long as no one confirms it, he can go on hoping. My medical training and decades of practice tell me it comes down to that. Hope.
Zoe couldn’t bear merely sitting in her car, staring out the rain-blurred windows. The scene outside looked like an impressionistic painting. The thoughts inside her brain were equally smeared and unclear.
Put Out to Pasture–a victim’s startling past
Put Out to Pasture
by Amanda Flower
Since I enjoy Amanda Flower’s cozy mysteries, I left the first one in her new series Farm to Table Mysteries scratching my head in wonderment that this book, although satisfactory, was just not up to the standards I expect from this author. Fortunately, the first book was just a rough patch as she got started on the series. The second book, Put Out to Pasture, is everything I want in a cozy.
Flower turned around the pervasive and ugly negativity that permeated Shiloh’s return to her home town of Cherry Glen in Michigan from L.A. In this story there continue to be antagonists, but not everyone is pitted against Shi. When a dead body is found on her farm and her best friend Kristy is accused of the murder, Shi is doggedly determined to clear her name. There are a lot of clues that lead Shi and the reader to suspect various people. Having spent years with the Hollywood crowd, Shi knows that many seemingly good people may just be good actors.
Meanwhile, on the personal front, Shi’s best and favorite sidekick, her pug Huckleberry, continues to bring humor through Shi’s descriptions of what he appears to be thinking. She continues to clean out her grandmother’s cabin and finds a note to her with a mysterious riddle. She has a new neighbor who at first appears to be a bright light, but later seems to have greedy intentions. Shi’s deceased boyfriend’s best friend is working through the deaths of his friend and his own wife. Hazel, his daughter continues to be a breath of fresh air as the tween struggles to find a new normal with her firefighter dad’s erratic schedule and her grandmother’s protective strictness. Shi’s father, who was immersed in his Michigan history collection for most of Shi’s life might be coming out of his shell.
In this book, Shi is a likable character and we can see potential for her goals of revitalizing the family farm. The story is fast-paced with a web of threads and interesting characters. The author ends by dangling several hooks, any one of which is sufficient to reel the reader into the next book in the series.
I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Poisoned Pen Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #2 in the Farm to Table Mystery Series, but can certainly be read as a standalone.
Publication: February 22, 2022—Poisoned Pen Press
Memorable Lines:
The one anomaly in the gravel lot was my car, an expensive sports car that would be as practical in a Michigan winter as a snow blower was in LA.
“She seems calm to me.” “That doesn’t mean she’s not mad. Trust me, I know. When she is really, really mad she gets cold. She’s like the iceberg that took out the Titanic.”
“I think the thing I got most out of my parents’ death is cutting people a break. You don’t know what they have been through or are going through. Everyone could use a little kindness.”
A Field Guide to Homicide–writing retreat you’d love to attend
A Field Guide to Homicide
by Lynn Cahoon
As a book lover, to hear an author’s thoughts on writing embedded in a cozy mystery is a special experience. Lynn Cahoon provides just such an opportunity through her Cat Latimer Mystery Series, but there is even more sharing of the writing process in the latest installment of the series. Cat Latimer, a former professor, conducts writers’ retreats in her restored Victorian mansion one week per month while she continues her own writing. She appreciates that she has the best of both worlds, authoring her own books while helping other writers develop their unique potential.
In A Field Guide to Homicide, Cat is hosting an unusual group that has two writing couples and a rather awkward college student. She is just beginning to recognize the different dynamics of this group and attempt to mesh them into a working team, when they have to cut an outing short due to a gruesome discovery. Seth is Cat’s boyfriend. He restores old homes and helps out with the retreats. Suddenly he finds himself in the middle of a mystery that seems to revolve around some old army buddies who are gathering for a reunion. Cat’s Uncle Pete plays a role too; as chief of police, he attempts to solve the crime and keep everyone safe. At the same time, he tries to entertain his girlfriend Shirley, a retired Alaskan deputy and aspiring writer, who is in town for the week.
A Field Guide to Homicide is structured so that as you finish one chapter, you absolutely must keep reading into the next. The characters are likable. The relationships are complicated, but not overly so. Although the writing process is a major theme, the all-important mystery takes the lead as it heads in unexpected directions. The setting is a writer’s dream come true with Cat having her special writing space on the third floor with both a view and privacy. Her best friend and business partner, Shauna, cooks for the trio of Cat, Seth, and herself as well as providing breakfast and delicious snacks for the retreat group. This is a bookish mystery you won’t want to miss.
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: #6 in the Cat Latimer Mystery Series, but holds up well as a standalone. Cahoon has a talent for jumping right into the plot while bringing readers up to speed on the characters.
Publication: January 28, 2020—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
…she settled onto a living room couch and got lost in a futuristic world where good did conquer evil, even if it took three hundred pages.
She was sitting in the living room, in what she liked to call a good book coma or hangover. Where her mind didn’t want to leave the magic of the world she’d just created as she read the story.
Some people never found their true voice because they want to write what they think will sell or worse, what they think they should write. People needed to realize that writing is all about telling the story. And if you don’t like the story you’re writing, write something different.
Memories and Murder–scamming seniors
Memories and Murder
by Lynn Cahoon
The name of the series, Tourist Trap Mysteries, doesn’t begin to describe this bookish set adequately. Memories and Murder is the latest installment in which Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books and More in little South Cove, drinks coffee, eats sweet treats, and reads her way through relationship and murder issues. There are lots of threads to this plot. Aunt Jackie has called off her engagement to Harrold and gone silent. Deek is a new barista in the coffee shop; he is more perceptive than psychic, despite his heritage. He has great ideas for book clubs and follows through with implementation. Jill juggles investigating a murder and a scam and finds herself in deadly trouble.
The story is told from Jill’s point of view, and first person narration works well here. The pace moves along snappily in this cozy mystery. Don’t be deterred by Memories and Murder being the tenth book in the sequence. Author Lynn Cahoon is a master at bringing readers up to speed on characters and background. In the first chapter you will learn almost everything you need to know to enjoy this book while the storyline gets underway. There is perhaps a little too much description of who ate what, when, and where, but other than feeling like I needed to accompany Jill and her dog Emma on their beach runs, those details were not truly excessive. In fact, I’m looking forward to joining the South Cove family of friends in their next adventure.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Lyrical Underground (Kensington 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 Tourist Trap Mystery Series, but works well as a standalone.
Publication: November 12, 2019— Lyrical Underground (Kensington Press)
Memorable Lines:
Fighting with my boyfriend had not been one of the things on my to-do list today, but you had to make room for impromptu items.
Operation Harrold Wins Jackie Back was going to work. It had to work. All the best books and movies had a happily ever after. Real life should too.
…he’d assured me that the sun would turn to ice before he left me for her.
Death by Committee–a mastiff mix takes center stage
Death by Committee
by Alexis Morgan
Looking for an exciting cozy mystery? Death by Committee has more action than is normally found in a cozy mystery. It is for sure a page turner.
Death by Committee by Alexis Morgan features likable characters with some depth to them that makes you want to get to know them even better. Its setup has potential for lots of variety in future stories. Main character Abby McCree, recently divorced, inherits her aunt’s house in a small town. She finds herself landlady to Tripp, a handsome veteran who lives in a cottage on her property. Abby has plenty to do sorting through her aunt’s possessions, but Aunt Sibyl’s elderly friends expect her to step into her aunt’s shoes as head of the quilting guild and as a civic leader.
A body is found buried on Abby’s property wrapped in a quilt. This gruesome discovery leads to her informal and unsanctioned investigation to clear her aunt’s name, but there is more intrigue to follow. A side mystery involves the disappearance of thirteen quilts. The quilts are valuable, but are they worth the penalties for theft?
My favorite character is the huge, slobbery Zeke: a mastiff cross who is Abby’s best buddy and defender. He is a constant throughout the story providing interest and humor. Zeke adores both Tripp and Abby (and treats) as much as the pair loves him. The book is filled with humorous repartee as Tripp and Abby struggle to understand each other, and fireworks of various kinds fly.
I did figure out before the reveal who the murderer is, but not the motive. I think this was intentional, making the final scenes even more dramatic. Abby put herself in danger sometimes through her own actions, but it does make for an exciting story. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. This one did not change my world, but it is a lot of fun, and it left me with a satisfied smile and wanting more.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com 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. #1 in the Abby McCree Mystery Series
2. The cute cover doesn’t depict what actually happened in the book.
Publication: January 29, 2019—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
If she didn’t know what a sweetheart he was, she might have been just as leery of a dog of his size, too. The truth was, the only real threat the bighearted fellow presented to the world was his ability to produce an excessive amount of drool, which often left behind an icky trail of mastiff goo wherever he went.
The day hadn’t gone well at all, and her reward was a crushing headache. For now, she wasn’t going to think about anything more complicated than what flavor of tea would go best with ibuprofen.
“Don’t worry. We’re fine, boy. Just out for a drive.” Okay, that was a lie, and not even the dog was buying what she was selling.
Murder by the Book–rare books
Murder by the Book
by Lauren Elliott
If you are looking for an interesting cozy mystery with lots of crimes and suspects, you will find it in Lauren Elliott’s Murder by the Book. Addison Greyborne, with a background as a researcher of rare books, inherits her aunt’s huge house and large collection of books. Some of the residents of the small town where she decides to open a bookshop are not particularly welcoming, but she finds a friend in Serena who owns the tea shop next to Addie’s bookstore and in Serena’s brother Marc, the police chief.
Addie believes her research skills are similar to those needed for a murder investigation, so when Selena is arrested for murder, Addie decides to get involved. Although I enjoyed the story, there are parts of it that just don’t seem plausible. Addie personally, her shop, and her home are targeted numerous times without anyone being able to identify the mischief makers or their motives—although mysterious vehicles are seen many times. There are also several deaths tied into the plot and a number of suspicious newcomers to the small town that no one suspects until it is too late. The storyline contains too many characters dealing in rare books one way or another for that not to be the motive. Secret compartments, a fun device, abound. Unfortunately that device is overused as is the irritating tendency for other characters to tuck a strand of hair behind Addie’s ear. Serena also overplays her interest in Addie and Marc’s relationship while she is still under suspicion for murder. In addition, I have to wonder at the number of customers the bookstore maintains day after day and at the ease with which both Addie and Selena can leave their shops unattended or closed any time they feel like it. On the positive side, there are gems of information about rare books tucked into the pages of this cozy. So, recommended? Yes. A terrific cozy? No, but since this is the first in the series, I am willing to give it another try when the next one is published.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com 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 in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery Series
Publication: October 30, 2018—Kensington Press
education pathways 