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Claret and Present Danger–bookish pub
Claret and Present Danger
by Sarah Fox
Sadie stars in Claret and Present Danger which is a solid cozy mystery. The series combines specialty cocktails created by Sadie with the same bookish theme present throughout Inkwell, her pub, in decor and special events. This novel cleverly brings a Renaissance Faire to the little town of Shady Creek, Vermont, during their summer tourist season. The plot has a combination of the special event, some shocking murders, small town gossip and friendships, and budding romance with brewery owner Grayson. A highlight for me is the Shakespeare Trivia Night at the pub where informal teams compete to answer questions with gift certificates as the prizes.
Sadie feels compelled to investigate the first murder when her bartender Damien is jailed for the crime. Others have just as strong motivations, but Damien has no alibi and was seen in conflict with the victim shortly before the murder. Sadie develops a suspect list which is thrown into chaos when her top suspect is also found murdered. Sadie finds an anonymous note threatening her if she doesn’t abandon her sleuthing, but she determinedly continues her main technique which is interviewing. Her efforts are hampered when the police close down the Renaissance Faire, but she gets help from Grayson who used to be a private detective. He supports her informal detective work as he knows she will continue with or without his help, and he wants to keep her safe.
The threads are complex and the resolution is a surprise. There is a little too much time spent on the details of who eats what, when, and where, but some of that was to put Sadie in locations where she could discuss or overhear conversations that provide essential clues. Overall, I enjoyed this cozy mystery with its strong Renaissance Faire vibe and look forward to reading the next in the series. There are hints that trouble may be on the horizon as Sadie’s mother might come to visit and wants to meet Sadie’s new boyfriend.
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. #4 in the Literary Pub Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone as the author provides lots of background information succinctly at the beginning of the book.
2. Drink recipes included are: The Secret Life of Daiquiris (with a mocktail version) and A Midsummer Night’s Cream Mocktail which could easily be called a dessert. There is also a recipe for Apple Fritters (complicated, but probably delicious).
Publication: November 30, 2021—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
After getting hurt by my last boyfriend, I wanted to tread carefully when it came to giving away a piece of my heart. The problem was that my heart wasn’t always on the same page as my head.
“Sadie, I don’t want you getting into any kind of trouble for my sake.” “I don’t plan to get into trouble.” I knew full well that most of the trouble I did get into was’t planned, but I wasn’t going to bring that up.
“I wouldn’t be worried about decorum either if I had such a fine man kissing me.”
Christmas Card Murder–three novellas
Christmas Card Murder
by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Peggy Ehrhart
The book Christmas Card Murder is a compilation of three novellas. The first one is also called Christmas Card Murder, and it’s written by Leslie Meier. It is an acceptable cozy mystery about a writer for a small town Maine newspaper who discovers a Christmas card with a hateful, mysterious message during a remodeling project. When a snowstorm brings more than snow, the main character Lucy finds herself in danger. With themes regarding the effectiveness of our criminal justice system, DNA evidence, and reasonable doubt, this mystery’s last few chapters have a very serious tone and the conclusion provides mixed outcomes for the characters. This story is more thought provoking than fun.
Death of a Christmas Carol
As I began the second novella, I sensed a theme. Also set in Maine, Death of a Christmas Carol’s plot is centered around a Christmas card. This card is addressed to three friends and includes a threat. The sender of the card is a flirtatious woman who has had conflicts with all the ladies. Is the card a joke or is someone’s husband unfaithful? Lee Hollis’ tale is about female bonding, marital happiness, and murder. Embedded are some short stories by the main character who is a writer for the local newspaper and some of her favorite seasonal recipes.
Death of a Christmas Card Crafter
Karma Karling was Penny’s favorite teacher in high school. A talented artist, she created a new card each Christmas season based on the “12 Days of Christmas.” Clearly the last in the series, this year’s card features 12 drummer boys—but there are thirteen depicted. Could that be a clue to Karma’s untimely death? Bettina and Pamela, both knitters, make it their business to discover the murderer while absolving a fellow knitter.
All of the novellas in this trio appear to be part of each author’s series. I enjoyed this novella the most—partly because, of the three, this is the only series that I have been following. I credit this one as having the best descriptive passages, the most interesting plot, and a surprise ending that was truly unexpected.
All of these novellas work as a stand-alone, but the author of Death of a Christmas Card Crafter excels in pulling the reader into the story while giving back information that makes the characters more appealing. Peggy Ehrhart’s book includes directions for knitting doll clothes using only the knit stitch and recipes for an intensely chocolate cake and a quick bread featuring dried fruits.
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
Publication: October 27, 2020—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
Christmas Card Murder—She knew that kids frequently didn’t realize that their actions had consequences; this was something most people learned the hard way.
Death of a Christmas Carol—“I got him to talk by threatening not to make him dinner. He’d make a terrible spy. He’d give up the nation’s secrets for a box of Hamburger Helper.”
Death of a Christmas Card Crafter—The spicy pine scent carried all the way to the sidewalk, and its evocation of a season that should be happy seemed an incongruous contradiction to the crime-scene tape and the uniformed officer.
A Cold Brew Killing–political aspirations turn deadly
A Cold Brew Killing
by Lena Gregory
A group of former high school friends converge on their hometown in Florida as two of their number compete for the job of mayor. As all eyes are focused on the politics, one is found murdered in the ice cream shop belonging to Gia’s friend, Trevor. Trevor appears guilty, and Gia wonders if she knew him as well as she thought she did.
If you have read other books in the series, you will remember the regular cast of characters. In A Cold Brew Killing, author Lena Gregory gives more depth to these characters as she reveals some of their background. She also adds many more characters for this storyline. The author boldly dances between plot threads and the importance of characters, intertwining the two into an inseparable and fascinating storyline. Are secrets of the past playing out in the present? How far should one go to keep a secret that protects someone else?
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: 1. #3 in the All-Day Breakfast Café Series, but can be read as a standalone
2. If you are not a coffee drinker or are an old school coffee drinker, you can learn about something new: cold brew coffee!
Publication: November 6, 2018—Kensington Press (Lyrical Underground)
Memorable Lines:
“I believe there are a few people we meet in our lives who are meant to be a part of something special. Sometimes lasting friends, other times just part of an important event in your life. Either way, I think we recognize those people when our paths cross.”
Her mental to-do list was getting longer and longer. If she didn’t start writing this stuff down somewhere, there was no way she’d remember to do it all. She hadn’t even remembered she was supposed to go away in less than a day.
Sometimes you didn’t need a friend to interfere; sometimes you needed them to stand by while you made a mess of your life, then jump in and help pick up the pieces.
education pathways 