Christa Nardi's Blog, page 4
February 1, 2025
Book Review: SECRETS, SONGBIRDS AND SUCCULENTS: A Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery Book 3 by Iris March
Secrets, Songbirds, and Succulents: A Succulent Sleuth Cozy MysteryCozy Mystery 3rd in Series Setting – Ohio Publisher : Wandering Gingko Press (January 23, 2025)
ABOUT THE BOOK
The annual Buckeye Trail Town Festival. A trail construction site. And one dead naturalist.
The charming town of Hawthorn Heights is celebrating its connection to the Buckeye Trail with a weekend-long town festival. When a local naturalist is found dead at the bottom of a ravine off the trail, amateur sleuth and garden center manager Molly Green finds herself tangled in a murder investigation – again. As the Trail Festival concludes, Molly unearths unexpected secrets about the bird-obsessed naturalist’s life along with other people in her small community. When the police focus on who Molly knows is the wrong suspect, she starts her own investigation with her flock of fellow amateur detectives. Will Molly and her team identify the killer or will they fly away free?
Secrets, Songbirds, and Succulents is a heartwarming and suspenseful cozy mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Perfect for fans of small-town mysteries and amateur sleuths with both birding and eco-friendly themes.
REVIEW
This was a fun cozy mystery. Molly and her friends work together to solve the murder. I enjoyed the interactions of the characters. The plot moved at a steady pace with unexpected twists to the killer. Small town mystery and one that cozy mystery lovers will enjoy.
This is the third in the series. I haven't read the first two, and that did not affect the readability. At the same time, I always recommend people start at the beginning to watch as characters grow and relationships change.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
Purchase Link
Amazon
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Iris March has a reputation for killing houseplants and now she’s killing people off in books? Coincidence? Perhaps not. Iris has spent two decades working in the sustainability field and is usually either reading a book or on a trail. She lives in Ohio with her husband, son, and three cats. Author Links
Website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook GoodReads
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January 27, 2025
New Release: VENTURES, VENGEANCE & MURDER (Book 11 of the Stacie Maroni Mysteries) by Christa Nardi
A prominent child advocate’s death is only the beginning…
When a prominent doctor and outspoken advocate for child abuse victims is murdered, trauma counselor and amateur sleuth Stacie Maroni can’t help but wonder if there’s more to the tragedy than meets the eye. At the same time, whispers of financial misappropriation in programs meant to aid victims have surfaced. Both the good doctor and the suspect agencies share interest in child welfare - could the two be connected, or is it just a coincidence? Stacie doesn’t believe in coincidence and neither does Detective O’Hare. As Stacie extends her support to the doctor’s fiancée, Megan, she uncovers hints that more is afoot than meets the eye. When anonymous threats escalate into real danger, Stacie realizes she’s stumbled onto something totally unexpected. With her own life on the line, and potentially, Megan’s, Stacie must untangle the truth before there are more victims.
Read an excerpt:
I jumped when my phone rang, then smiled. Detective Michael O’Hare and I were a couple, although his job had kept him busy the last few nights. Besides, dealing with a grumpy sick person didn’t translate to romantic evenings. He did stop and bring me chicken soup though.
“Hi, Michael. How are you?”He groaned. “Busy. You sound better. I hoped to stop by, but I may not make it.” He grunted. “We got an anonymous call directing us to Old Country Road. When Lahomes and Marina got there, they found a man, dead. Still trying to figure out who he is.”
“Oh, my.”
“I’ll catch up with you later.”
A quick check to see if anything popped up on alerts yielded no information, and I groaned when I opened my email. After being out sick both Friday and Monday with the flu, there were too many messages and each one required a response of some sort. Part of my grumpiness I blamed on allergies and a sinus infection. The rest was the day to day tedium of my job as HR Specialist at Foster’s Insurance.
I felt better, but not up to par. I scanned my email to see which would be simple and quick. My eyebrows rose when I spotted one from Lionel Smythe. He served as the chair, the overseer, and attorney for a foundation for women who were victims of domestic violence.
Set up by my late husband, Ted Noth, the foundation focused on education, services, and prevention related to domestic violence. I served as the co-chair as stipulated in Ted’s will, along with J. Colton Stewart. Ted had been Colton’s attorney dealing with theft of intellectual property at Colton’s technology corporation.
Lionel had also included Colton on this too short email. “Need to call a meeting. Let me know your availability.” That was followed by a scheduler app with dates and times for the next week.I left the app up and replied all.
“What’s the purpose of the meeting, Lionel?”
Once I hit send, I studied the scheduler. Not a morning person, I confirmed late afternoon ones. I could do morning yoga, not morning people. Done, I hit submit and moved on. My phone pinged. It was Lionel.
“Stacie, we have a problem. Can you meet me some place? Starbucks?”
The man knew my weakness for skinny mocha latte. “Lunch? What’s up?”
“Noon. The one on Main Street. I’ll explain it when I see you.”
He disconnected.I stared at my phone like it had the answers to all my questions. A glance at the clock, and I quickly let my friends know I had other plans for lunch. Most days, Jillian, Trina, Ronnie, and I ate at the table in my office, avoiding the noisy cafeteria.
Jillian, my best friend since college, worked in contracts and made sure I ate something nutritious. Trina in IT made sure all of us stayed connected, sometimes engaging her special, albeit questionable, skills. She was the bright and colorful friend.
Ronnie was the latest addition to our group. She’d worked for my husband, Ted, when he was murdered. She left that law practice and joined us at Foster’s. With a toddler, she rarely joined us for social events. Still, she’d taken up the gauntlet to teach me to cook.
Each of my friends replied to my message with some version of “why” and I answered, “Foundation business. Later.”
Before I left, my curiosity won out and I checked for another alert. O’Hare hadn’t mentioned the cause of death. Possibly, the man had a heart attack. Or was he murdered?
As I rushed out, Rosie tsked. “Having lunch with the hunky detective?”Rosie’s my administrative assistant, an older lady who reminds me of Rosemary Clooney. She also has a crush on O’Hare.
“Afraid not, Rosie. See you after lunch.”
It was a short drive to Starbucks and I joined Lionel inside. An impressive attorney, he was short and slim, with a crewcut. As always, he wore a suit with a bowtie. We ordered and sat down.
I chuckled. “This is much better than the place with tables and chairs that looked like vegetables.” We’d met there once and the furniture distracted me. “What’s the problem?”
His hands shook and he shredded his napkin. He glanced around and leaned forward. He whispered. “Someone left a message on the foundation line. About one of the grants we awarded last year. The caller claimed the agency overspent their budget and not all for the goals of the grant.”
“Don’t they turn in quarterly reports or something?” At Foster’s Insurance, I had to run weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports.
“We do get reports with outcome data throughout the year. We have a record of how many people attended the educational sessions, for example, and their evaluation of the programs. The agency that added more trauma staff? They provided us with numbers of persons treated, whether they returned to the abuser or not, if they filed a police report, how many sessions they attended, and pre-/post- measures of self-worth, anxiety, and depression, if possible. As for budget, it’s an annual report and the year isn’t up yet.”
“I think the obvious solution is to ask for all grantees to submit a financial report. And make sure for all future grants, there is a financial report along with the outcome report quarterly. In their grant application, they indicated how the money would be spent. It shouldn’t be hard to determine if they did what was approved.”
“I know. I wanted to run it by you and Colton first. The meeting is to be sure we’re all on the same page for the next round of grants. At least one of those agencies with a grant already contacted me to see if they could get a renewal. We’ve never discussed that possibility.”
“Okay. Check in with Colton on this, but my suggestion? You email all three agencies we gave money to and ask for an itemized report of their spending to date, ASAP. You can frame it in the context of the next round of applications.”
“Thank you. I’ll check with Colton.” He leaned back. We finished lunch and I drove back to work. I chuckled as I got off the elevator and found O’Hare waiting at Rosie’s desk.
“Hi, Detective. Is there a problem?”
“I need to touch base with you. Besides I missed you.”
He leaned over and kissed me.Rosie squealed. For a long time, we’d hidden our relationship from her. That all ended when she caught him kissing me and likened it to kissing Santa Claus.
“Let’s go to my office and you can fill me in.”
Excerpt from Ventures, Vengeance & Murder. Copyright © 2025. All rights reserved.
AMAZON
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christa Nardi is an avid reader with her love of mysteries beginning with Nancy Drew and other teen mysteries. She’s shifted to more contemporary mystery, crime, and cozy mysteries over time. Her protagonists are smart, intelligent female sleuths. She is the author of four mystery series, all featuring strong women sleuths. She also co-authors a teen/young adult series. She is member of Sisters in Crime. When not reading or writing, Christa enjoys travel and playing with her dogs and granddaughters. She supports animal rescue and other efforts to help others. She lives in Texas with her husband.
You can follow/contact Christa at any of the following:
EMAIL ~ AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE ~ WEBSITE ~ BOOKBUB Twitter/X ~ FACEBOOK ~ INSTAGRAM ~ PINTEREST
January 17, 2025
Spotlight: WINE AND WHISPERS: A Cozy Mystery (Sophie Brooks Mysteries) by Daisy Landish
Wine and Whispers: A Cozy Mystery (Sophie Brooks Mysteries) Culinary Cozy Mystery2nd in Series Setting – California Publisher : Beaches and Trails Published January 11, 2025
ABOUT THE BOOK: In the heart of wine country, secrets run as deep as the vines.
Sophie Brooks, a food blogger and digital nomad, heads to Sonoma’s wine country to explore its famous vineyards. But when a mysterious disappearance shatters the idyllic landscape, Sophie must uncover the truth hidden among the whispers and the wine.
Food blogger and digital nomad Sophie Brooks is on her first stop in Sonoma, California, where the wine flows as freely as the secrets. Eager to showcase the region’s farm-to-table dining scene, Sophie is ready to indulge in the local wines and meet the passionate people behind them. But when one of the vineyard’s owners goes missing, the peaceful countryside takes a dark turn. As whispers of betrayal and old grudges swirl through the vines, Sophie finds herself caught in the middle of a mystery that threatens to unravel the very fabric of this picturesque wine country. With her sharp instincts and a love for uncovering the truth, Sophie must navigate the delicate balance between tasting fine wines and untangling deadly secrets.
Can she solve the mystery before the whispers turn into something more dangerous?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daisy Landish is a sweet romance and cozy mystery author, whose clean and sweet stories have tugged at readers’ heartstrings around the world. When she’s not writing love stories, Daisy spends her time reading, hiking at dawn, and riding into the sunset on her horse, Rosebud.
AUTHOR LINKSFacebook Twitter/X GoodReads BookBub Instagram Books2Read Overdrive Newsletter Amazon Website
PURCHASE LINKS Amazon ~ B & N ~ Publisher ~ Apple ~ Smashwords Everand ~ Fable
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December 21, 2024
Book Review: CHOCOLATE MAGIC CAFE (A Chocolate Magic Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Olivia Swift
Create your own magical moment! Grab a coffee and maybe some chocolate while you dive into this cozy mystery!
Magda Caraganic already is a successful chocolatier. When she inherits an old stable from her aunt, she decides to convert it into a chocolate shop and café. The best contractor to help with the conversion is the man she has argued with since she was fifteen.
The work sparks off spirit activity marked by the appearance of a mysterious ghost cat. Magda’s beautiful Birman cat, Crystal, starts to act strangely. What can it all mean? This is a story of friendship, friendly ghosts, cats, chocolate and true love.
Review
This was an interesting and fun read. Magda is a hardworking chocolatier determined to make the barn she inherited into a business, rather than making her chocolates in the small space she has. Her friend and her brother support her, and she can deal with Sam, the man she has argued with since she was 15. Only there's the black and white cat that walks through the barn door and the shadow of a woman... If you're into paranormal, this one has it all, including a makeshift seance.
Swift does a wonderful job of weaving the various pieces together, including enlightening Magda on family history. There's tension, a bit of humor, and the plot flows seamlessly. Only reader beware, with all the descriptions of the truffles and the cheesecake, you may want to have some chocolate nearby.
As of this post date, the book is available for $0.99! It is the first in a 7-book series.
AMAZONAbout the Author
Olivia Swift loves writing cozy mysteries! Her stories are inspired by her varied interests…gardening, spirits, crystals and so much more. Of course, there must be a romance or two in her books and a happily-ever-after ending!
Growing up in a small English village, Olivia is only too familiar with the various characters that make up a community. There is always an event, drama, or mystery amongst the village folk. . Only a few years ago, Olivia and her husband chose to take an early retirement and moved to the Aquitaine region of France.
Author Page
December 14, 2024
Book Review: AILEEN'S GUESTHOUSE : A Heartfelt Contemporary by Eva Pasco
A bit of change of pace with this book, best described as Women's Literary Fiction.
About the Book
(Charlestown, Rhode Island) - Overlooking Horseshoe Point at the end of Sea Lea Avenue in the picturesque village of Quonochontaug, you'll find Aileen's Guesthouse. There, a smattering of Quonnie's locals and lodgers cross paths. Whether through cultivated connection or random encounter, these folks have more in common than first meets the eye.
An incoming tide strews debris of self-recrimination, regret, and remorse for their unintentional culpability in jeopardizing the life of an immediate family member. Whether altering destiny, attributing to demise, or precipitating a debilitating accident—no one is exempt from heartache: Aileen Stanton - for getting sidetracked on her watch; Gertrude Stanton - for her preoccupation; Ox (James) Babcock - for loaning a ten-dollar bill; Grand dame, Lillian Wright - for engaging in an illicit affair during the Roaring Twenties; Birdman, Drake Lynch - for wielding his power of persuasion; and Career mom, Perla Moreno - for her momentary lapse in judgment
The guesthouse provides a home away from home. For some, a refuge for healing. For others, a retreat for cultivating hopes and dreams. For the invited reader of adult fiction, a portal for stepping into the 1970s in close proximity to those who survive the ravages of a guilt-wracked conscience and struggle to find meaning in the suffering they've caused.
Welcome to Aileen's Guesthouse. Dinner is served at six o'clock sharp.
Review
Aileen’s Guesthouse is an old mansion owned by the now deceased Sam Stanton, Aileen’s father. it's located in Rhode Island, not far from URI or the Connecticut border. As the story starts, 13-year-old Aileen, her mother, and her younger brother live in the guesthouse along with Mrs. Wright and the bird man, Mr. Lynch.
A tragedy strikes and with it, a shift in the personalities of these guests as they support Aileen and her mother. As the story continues, other characters emerge with a pattern of survivor guilt after tragedy and recovery for many of the characters, with domino effects on others.
Pasco’s writing draws the reader in, not only with empathy for the characters but with her wit. I loved her descriptions and references to the all things 70s. It is truly a tale of life, loss, and love, not always in that order. It was an amazing time and Pasco captured all the ups and downs as she wove her tale.
About the Author (from her Amazon page)
Reviving a dormant flair for writing after retiring from teaching in the third-grade trenches, multi-award winning author, Eva Pasco, prefers writing in the genre of Contemporary Women's Fiction. Her lit with grit is distinguished for its character-driven plots featuring female protagonists over forty propelled by the nuances of their human condition. A native Rhode Islander, Eva weaves historic events, geographic landmarks, and regional culture into the fabric of her storytelling, blurring the lines of demarcation between fact and fiction.
December 9, 2024
Book Review: DEATH BY BAGPIPE: A Valentine's Murder (A Travel Can be Murder Cozy Mystery Book 4) by Jennifer S. Alderson
When a trip to Scotland ends in tragedy, travel guide Lana Hansen must sleuth out who murdered her guest before she ends up paying the piper.Lana hasn't seen her ex-husband, Ron, since their divorce was finalized eight months earlier. So when they bump into each on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, she is not exactly jumping for joy.
To make matters worse, Ron threatens a member of her tour group—a beloved and respected magician named Presto the Amazing. Ron is convinced Presto stole one of his magic tricks—the same act that propelled the famous magician into stardom—and swears he will get his revenge.
After Presto drops dead during a party held in his honor, the police suspect he was poisoned—and that Ron is the culprit! As much as Lana would love to let her ex-husband rot in prison, she soon discovers that he is not the only one who would prefer to have Presto vanish. Did Ron poison the magician? Or did one of several family members accompanying Presto on the trip use this vacation to knock off the domineering patriarch? When another guest is murdered, Lana must decide how far she is willing to go to save the man who broke her heart.
Review
Lana is a dedicated travel guide and what better place to see than Scotland. The tour has only started when she runs into her ex-husband, Ron, as she is taking her charges on a walking tour. Presto, the guest of honor, who initiated this trip with his lawyer, his adult children and their adult children, and Ron get into it. Ron is suing Presto over a magic trick that Presto claims and Ron invented. Not a good situation, but at least to begin with, no one in the tour group seems to know she was the 'magician's assistant' for Ron until he found a younger substitute.
The story unfolds at the dinner where Presto is slated to receive a coveted magician award. And Presto dies before he can receive his award, announce his retirement, and hand off all his "tricks" to his successor. Ron snuck in and is the prime suspect. Lana is conflicted over the situation. She loved the man once and doesn't believe him capable of murder.
The characters are likable or not by intention. Alderson's portrayal of Lana's dilemma and her suspicions about all the family members with regard to the murder are orchestrated smoothly. The plot flows with increasing tension as the will is read and everyone is unhappy with the new will, except for Presto's new wife. As with others in the series, you also get a feel for Scotland and some of the castles viewed as part of the tour. By all means, take the trip.
AMAZON
Books in the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery series:
Book 1 – Death on the Danube: A New Year’s Murder in Budapest Book 2 – Death by Baguette: A Valentine’s Day Murder in Paris Book 3 – Death by Windmill: A Mother’s Day Murder in Amsterdam Book 4 – Death by Bagpipes: A Summer Murder in Edinburgh Book 5 – Death by Fountain: A Christmas Murder in Rome Book 6 – Death by Leprechaun: A Saint Patrick's Day Murder in Dublin Book 7 – Death by Flamenco: An Easter Murder in Seville Book 8 – Death by Gondola: A Springtime Murder in Venice Book 9 – Death by Puffin: A Bachelorette Party Murder in Reykjavik
About the Author
Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, grew up in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she lived in Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands.
Jennifer’s love of travel, art, and culture inspires her award-winning Zelda Richardson Mystery series, her Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and her Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels. When not writing, she can be found perusing a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.
You can follow her at:Website ~ X.com ~ Amazon Author Page Goodreads ~ Facebook
November 28, 2024
Book Review: MURDER IN FIRST POSITION - An On Pointe Mystery Book 1 by Lori Robbins
Ballerina Leah Siderova knows the career of a professional dancer is short. But rarely is it as brief as that of her rival, Arianna Bonneville, whose rise to stardom ends when she is stabbed in the back.
New York City police detective Jonah Sobol fixes upon Leah as the prime suspect. After all, she was the one who found the body, she had the most to gain from Arianna’s death, and it was her name Arianna whispered, just before she died.
Leah is desperate to clear her name, and she begins her own investigation, collaborating with her best friend and her ballet coach. As the three dancers sort through backstage intrigues, attempted blackmail, and a tangle of romantic liaisons, the noose around Leah’s neck grows tighter. Ballet, with its merciless discipline, is all Leah has ever known. Is that enough to keep her one step ahead of the police — and the killer?
Review
For Leah, her best friend, and her ballet coach are the only people on her side. Even the choreographer she helped and mentored turns on her. Certainly the detective isn't on her side. She's good at ballet, but sleuthing is a new adventure.
This was an engaging mystery with an unexpected twist at the end. The characters are well developed and the pace is steady. The reader has a good sense of Leah's mindset, her fears, and her feelings of having been betrayed. Well done.
This is the first of four books. I'll be adding the rest, if only to see if maybe Leah discovers Jonah Sobol might not be as bad as she thought.
Amazon
The On Pointe Series Murder in First PositionMurder in Second PositionMurder in Third PositionMurder in Fourth Position
About the Author
Lori Robbins is the author of the On Pointe and Master Class mystery series. She won the Indie Award for Best Mystery and the Silver Falchion for Best Cozy Mystery. Short stories include “Leading Ladies” which was cited in the 2022 Best American Mystery and Suspense anthology. She also is a contributor to The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers Cookbook. A former dancer, Lori performed with a number of modern dance and classical ballet companies and now writes full time.
Lori’s experiences as a professional dancer, English teacher, writer, and mother of six have made her an expert in the homicidal impulses everyday life inspires.
AmazonAuthor ~ Website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook
November 22, 2024
Book Review: SPOOKY SWEET: A Sweet’s Sweets Bakery Mystery (Samantha Sweet Magical Cozy Mysteries Book 11) by Connie Shelton
Now that Samantha Sweet has a contract to provide her special handmade chocolates for the wealthy jet-set clients of Book It Travel, Sweet’s Sweets bakery is taking on a whole new dimension. Only problem, Sam isn’t ready. It’s almost Halloween, her pastry shop is bursting at the seams and she needs extra employees but there is no place to put them.
Right before the witching day, she comes upon a large Victorian house she can adapt for the business, and it seems her problem is solved. But is it? The mysterious, spooky noises at night are way more than the normal creaks and groans of an old building. Something else is going on and Sam suspects it may be related to her husband’s newest case, investigating where an abandoned duffle bag crammed full of cash came from. Beau is dealing with a greedy reward-seeker, a robbery with no leads, and a waif who appears and vanishes. Sam’s mystery has her watching for ghosts and working almost around the clock. Is she relying on magic?—well, occasionally.
Review
Sam's bakery is a hit and so are her chocolates, in part due to some special spices provided by the mysterious Bobul who appears out of nowhere. Along with her magical box, she's able to keep to the schedule but she needs more space and more help. She finds the space and hires some helpers and Bobul shows up. Only there's something off about the Victorian House. Even the magic box seems to feel it. And then there's the money that was stolen, the woman shot in the robbery, and part of that money found in the bakery.
Shelton weaved the two mysteries together, with well-developed characters and her own brand of magic. Bobul adds his own piece of the puzzle. This was a delightful cozy mystery, well-written, and well-paced. Although it is the 11th in the series, it is easily read as a stand-alone mystery. There are 18 in the series.
AMAZON
SAMANTHA SWEET MAGICAL COZY MYSTERIES
About the Author
Connie Shelton's novels have sold nearly two million copies in more than 115 countries worldwide. In addition to her three cozy mystery series, she has written three non-fiction books and two children's books. She was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul.
She's known for a light touch when it comes to sex and violence in her stories, but is much more lavish with food and chocolate. Besides writing the Charlie Parker and Samantha Sweet mysteries, Connie is an award-winning essayist. Her work has been published in both small and major anthologies, including Chicken Soup For the Writer's Soul, and her short stories have won several prizes. She has also been a commercial hot air balloon pilot and holds the women's world altitude record for size AX-4 balloons. She has been featured in Who's Who and The World Who's Who of Women.She and her husband live in northern New Mexico with their two dogs, Daisy and Missy, who became stars of their own series of children's books.
WEBSITE ~ AMAZONAUTHOR ~ FACEBOOK ~ X/TWITTER
GOODREADS
Book Review: SPOOKY SWEET: A Sweet’s Sweets Bakery Mystery (Samantha Sweet Magical Cozy Mysteries Book 11)
Now that Samantha Sweet has a contract to provide her special handmade chocolates for the wealthy jet-set clients of Book It Travel, Sweet’s Sweets bakery is taking on a whole new dimension. Only problem, Sam isn’t ready. It’s almost Halloween, her pastry shop is bursting at the seams and she needs extra employees but there is no place to put them.
Right before the witching day, she comes upon a large Victorian house she can adapt for the business, and it seems her problem is solved. But is it? The mysterious, spooky noises at night are way more than the normal creaks and groans of an old building. Something else is going on and Sam suspects it may be related to her husband’s newest case, investigating where an abandoned duffle bag crammed full of cash came from. Beau is dealing with a greedy reward-seeker, a robbery with no leads, and a waif who appears and vanishes. Sam’s mystery has her watching for ghosts and working almost around the clock. Is she relying on magic?—well, occasionally.
Review
Sam's bakery is a hit and so are her chocolates, in part due to some special spices provided by the mysterious Bobul who appears out of nowhere. Along with her magical box, she's able to keep to the schedule but she needs more space and more help. She finds the space and hires some helpers and Bobul shows up. Only there's something off about the Victorian House. Even the magic box seems to feel it. And then there's the money that was stolen, the woman shot in the robbery, and part of that money found in the bakery.
Shelton weaved the two mysteries together, with well-developed characters and her own brand of magic. Bobul adds his own piece of the puzzle. This was a delightful cozy mystery, well-written, and well-paced. Although it is the 11th in the series, it is easily read as a stand-alone mystery. There are 18 in the series.
AMAZON
SAMANTHA SWEET MAGICAL COZY MYSTERIES
About the Author
Connie Shelton's novels have sold nearly two million copies in more than 115 countries worldwide. In addition to her three cozy mystery series, she has written three non-fiction books and two children's books. She was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul.
She's known for a light touch when it comes to sex and violence in her stories, but is much more lavish with food and chocolate. Besides writing the Charlie Parker and Samantha Sweet mysteries, Connie is an award-winning essayist. Her work has been published in both small and major anthologies, including Chicken Soup For the Writer's Soul, and her short stories have won several prizes. She has also been a commercial hot air balloon pilot and holds the women's world altitude record for size AX-4 balloons. She has been featured in Who's Who and The World Who's Who of Women.She and her husband live in northern New Mexico with their two dogs, Daisy and Missy, who became stars of their own series of children's books.
WEBSITE ~ AMAZONAUTHOR ~ FACEBOOK ~ X/TWITTER
GOODREADS
November 17, 2024
Book Review: A CORPSE AMONG THE CAROLERS (A Food Blogger Mystery) by Debra Sennefelder
A Corpse Among the Carolers (A Food Blogger Mystery) Cozy Mystery7th in Series Setting – Connecticut Publisher : Beyond the Page Publishing (November 12, 2024)Paperback : 226 pages
Hope Early is fully immersed in the spirit of the Christmas season, until the sounds of joyful carolers are silenced by the words “Ho-ho-homicide” . . .
Food blogger Hope Early always gets a hearty holiday laugh from knowing that the weeks leading up to Christmas are as frantic as they are festive. But in spite of everything she has to do, the one thing she always has time for is the annual Jingle Bell Stroll, a night when the community gathers to sing their hearts out and enjoy each other’s company. This year’s caroling feels especially heartwarming, until the final note lands with a thud when Hope finds the body of the man who’d volunteered to play Santa, aknife plunged into his back.
With virtually the whole town present at the caroling, the list of suspects seems endless. It doesn’t take long, though, for both Hope and the police to turn a sharp eye on the victim’s bitter and vindictive ex-wife, along with his new wife, who may have been after his money. Then Hope unearths a clue that suggests the dead man may have been hiding a sordid past and connections to unseemly characters. But as she closes in on the killer, they’re determined to wring her neck before she can ring in the new year . . . Includes tasty and toasty holiday recipes!
Book Review
Hope has high hopes of a family night with Ethan and his two daughters. As she's running around getting all the details perfect, she overhers snippets of conversation that give her pause. Nothing prepares her for the muder of the town's Santa.
Both Ethan and the acting sheriff caution her not to investigate. Only she (and they) know she'll see what she can come up, along with her sister, Claire, Jane, and Drew. A few close calls strain the relationship between Hope and Ethan, not to mention her friends telling her to be careful. Each fact or picture Hope comes up with takes her in unexpected directions.
The characters are likable or not depending on their role and it's no clear until the end who the killer is. The plot moves along nicely. This was a fun Christmas read and I certainly wouldn't turn down any of the goodies Hope brings with her to ease her questioning.This is the seventh book in the series but can easily be read as a stand-alone.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
About Devra Sennefelder
Debra Sennefelder is the acclaimed author of charming and suspenseful cozy mysteries set in small towns filled with intriguing characters and delightful pets. Based in Connecticut, Debra shares her home with her family and a lovable, slightly spoiled Shih Tzu. Her passion for mystery fiction, particularly cozy mysteries, inspires her to create engaging stories that blend crime-solving with delicious recipes and stylish fashion. She is the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series, the Resale Boutique Mystery series, and the Cookie Shop Mystery series. When she’s not plotting her next whodunit, you’ll find her baking sweet treats or indulging in a good book.When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.Born and raised in New York City, where she majored in her hobby of fashion buying, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her writing companion, Connie.
She can be reached at Debra@DebraSennefelder.com
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