Binoculars, Blue Jays, and Bloodshed

by Mary Lucal

Martha Sloane has relocated from Boston to out-of-the-way Riley Creek, Tennessee to take over her beloved aunt’s struggling coffee and birding shop. Just as she’s about to launch a Birds ‘n’ Beans online store, a blizzard blows in, the power goes out, and a dead body shows up. With time running out, Martha has to think fast before anyone else gets blown away…

Just as Martha is still settling into her new life in Riley Creek, a blizzard blows into town, leaving the cozy community in the dark and cut off from the outside world.

To make matters worse, a group of stranded birders show up with nowhere to go until the storm blows over.

When one of the birders turns up dead as a dodo, it’s up to Martha, her opinionated canine Penny, and the rest of the Riley Creek gang to figure out whodunit and make their sweet village safe for tourists once again.

The snow is piling up and so will the bodies unless Martha can get a little help from Mother Nature to track down the killer...

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery

208 pages, Paperback

Published November 29, 2022

About the author

Mary Lucal is happy to be putting her English and Women’s Studies double major to use, creating flawed yet tenacious female sleuths who get a little help from Mother Nature to solve mysteries. A university administrator by day, Mary resides in Tennessee and spends her free time birding, hiking, camping, biking, or gardening.

Reviews

[TheCatLady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely book (murder aside of course!), full of developed characters, an interesting rural setting and a just-nosey-enough and clever amateur sleuth. The writing and style have a bit of an old fashioned feel - not in a bad way, in the elegance of an Agatha Christie kind of way.

I particularly liked the use of a blizzard to make it into a bit of a locked room mystery. And honestly, I was completely off target in my conclusions and was happily shocked at the resolution. Martha is a complex character and an able investigator and I enjoyed every moment.

If you like clean cozies with style and substance, this is a good choice.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great cozy mystery. I loved the bird facts in it, especially since the main character and the murdered man both are huge bird lovers! A different take on a locked room mystery, everyone was snowed in at the town. It gave more space to work with, while still making sure the killer can't escape. There was a police officer snowed in with them, but he wasn't the best and eventually left the core group of townspeople alone and went to the station. So it was up to Martha to find the killer. Luckily she has experience and good friends to help her. The relationships between all the townspeople were great. A close-knit community.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shelly Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second installment of the Riley Creek Cozy Mysteries; (Binoculars, Blue Jays, and Bloodshed), was very entertaining and intriguing. The storyline is very interesting. This is a short read that will give you a nice break during your day. The story flows very well and keeps you turning page after page to see what is coming next, as this author has a great way to keeping your eyes focused onto the book. I do hope you enjoy this book and I recommend this book as a great read and give it 5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martha moved from Boston to Tennessee to run her dead Aunt coffee store that caters to birds also. She had her hands full trying to get her aunt business out of the red into the black, when a blizzard popped up. A group of bird watchers are stranded at the coffee shop to wait out the storm. So what do you do when the power goes out, and a dead body appears.
You do what anyone person do, you talk to your dog and try to solve this mystery before anyone else is killed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica Brimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great cozy mystery by Mary Lucal!

Martha Sloane is working hard to grow her business when a blizzard storms through Riley Creek. A group of hikers take shelter and by morning one of them is found dead. Power is out and the roads are undrivable, isolating Riley Creek. It's up to Martha and the town to solve the murder before the killer flocks out of town.

This is a great lighthearted mystery with great characters, especially Ethel Jean. Looking forward to reading the next installment.

[Shannon Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a nice cozy mystery afternoon read. The plot was not too predictable and was fairly engaging. I enjoyed the fact that I felt I actually learned something while reading this. The snowed-in setting made things more interesting because you knew the killer couldn't get away so were waiting to see what would trip them up.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

In book two of the series Martha is settling in Riley Creek and running her aunt's coffee and birding shop. When a body turns up after a power outage she and her friends set out to find the killer. Good murder mystery.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Join Martha Sloane as she investigates the murder of Benjamin Marshall, the CEO of the world’s largest eco-tourism company. With a major snow storm occurring and several suspects that were with Mr. Marshall’s tour group stuck in the town, tension runs high as Martha must piece together clues to find the murderer and bring justice for the crime that was committed.

I liked the town of Riley Creek, Tennessee and its colorful residents as they help Martha with her investigation. All of them band together to offer support that she needs to crack the case. The middle of the book was a bit slow for me, but I liked the conclusion and was surprised about what had happened to Mr. Marshall. 3.75/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Libby Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mary Lucal delights her reader with her second Martha Sloan cozy mystery. Martha is back to her brave sleuthing ways to solve yet another unfortunate murder in a small, fictional, Tennessee town at the foothills of the GSMNP. Martha is determined to not let this event bring unwanted attention to her new home town and a struggling business she inherited from her only aunt. If you are looking for a mystery without blood, guts, gore, and nightmarish psychos, this is the perfect addition to your bedside table.