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Cozy Case Files, A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Volume 12
Looking for a new cozy series? In the free edition of Cozy Case Files, Minotaur Books compiles the beginnings of fourteen charming cozy mysteries for easy sampling.The twelfth edition of Cozy Case Files features the latest cozies by the following Ellie Alexander, Meri Allen, Donna Andrews, Eve Calder, Sheila Connolly, Cate Conte, Hannah Dennison, Jess Dylan, Leonard Goldberg, Carolyn Haines, Kylie Logan, Allison Montclair, S. C. Perkins, and Ashley Weaver.Have a sweet tooth? Get your fix in A Tale of Two Cookies, The Rocky Road to Ruin, and Mocha, She Wrote. Pick up some flowers and read Death in Bloom, then travel to your favorite cat café in Claws for Alarm. You can join in for preparations for a production of Macbeth in Murder Most Fowl, and stay the night at a hotel in Danger at the Cove. And in the morning, train cadaver dogs in A Trail of Lies, then help clear a professor’s name in Independent Bones. Perhaps you prefer to travel in time. A Sherlockian mystery awaits you in The Abduction of Pretty Penny. Visit England in WWII with a safe cracker in A Peculiar Combination. In post-WWII England, play matchmaker in A Rogue’s Company. Or you can stay in the present, with crimes tied to the past, in Fatal Family Ties and The Secret Staircase.
371 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2021
127 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
About the author
Ellie Alexander
92 books3,099 followersEllie is a voracious storyteller and a lover of words and all things bookish. She believes that stories have the ability to transport and transform us. With over forty published novels and counting, her goal is to tell stories that provide points of connection, escape, and understanding.
She loves inhabiting someone else’s skin through the pages of a book and is passionate about helping writers find their unique storytelling lens. As a writing teacher and coach, she guides writers in crafting the story they’ve always wanted to tell while navigating the path to publication that’s right for them.
Find out more about Ellie and her books by visiting her website at: http://www.elliealexander.co/ or following her on social media—
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellie_alexa...
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elliealexande...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/elliealexande...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliealexand...
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/elliealexan...
She loves inhabiting someone else’s skin through the pages of a book and is passionate about helping writers find their unique storytelling lens. As a writing teacher and coach, she guides writers in crafting the story they’ve always wanted to tell while navigating the path to publication that’s right for them.
Find out more about Ellie and her books by visiting her website at: http://www.elliealexander.co/ or following her on social media—
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellie_alexa...
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elliealexande...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/elliealexande...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliealexand...
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/elliealexan...
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 15, 2021
This is my first sampler review, so rather than a synopsis--as others might provide--my offering is more like irreverent notes, possibly taken during interviews or at the scene of the crime. Snapshots in word form, if you will. [And my conclusions are presented this way...]
A Tale of Two Cookies by Eve Calder:
Wedding on the beach; beautiful lime cake (topped with cookie groom and bride), with sunset swiftly approaching. The groom is missing, the bride in a panic, and cookie baker/chef/old friend of the bride to the rescue? Who eats the cake? [Another baker detective? Well, okay!]
The Rocky Road to Ruin by Meri Allen:
Funeral of a beloved community member; adoptive mother of sweet Caroline and Mike the money-grubbing jerk. Mike, soon to exit permanently. What happens to the money, women, inheritance, bereaved sister? The librarian will research it; care to join her? [I can hardly resist a librarian, so fine me!]
Mocha, She Wrote by Ellie Alexander:
West Coast Barista competition; Andy's our favorite, and the judges are tough. One is hated and feared. The mean is judge iced while holding Andy's specialty brew. "Baking is always the answer," says Jules' mom, but is she right? Or was it a killer? Jules may need more pastries and ice cream to save Andy and solve this one! [Herbal tea is more my cuppa, but this sounds fun. Save a place for me!]
Death in Bloom by Jess Dylan:
Failed Nashville singer gets a part-time job, then loses a flower-arranging student to a poisoned pot-luck snack. (Can I hope it's self-important Richard? Or does he have competition?) Did anyone pre-pay? What will Sierra's boss, Felix-the-absent-minded-geocacher, say if he's ever seen again? Can she manage the shop, walk the dog, and solve the killing on part-time pay? Will she get a raise? Will the Corgi pup like her better? [I know who dies, but it isn't enough. I have to know whether she gets the puppy!]
Claws for Alarm by Cate Conte:
Maddie's cat cafe is to host a pet rescue fundraiser, but the Rescue League lady is offed with a leash! Is everyone with a fancy leash in danger? Will Adele ever smile? Will the killer please step forward? [My brand of catnip? Undecided.]
Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews:
The play is the thing; Macbeth, that is. Meg Langslow's husband, Michael, is running the show and putting up most of the actors in their large house. Someone is going off script! A dagger is missing, witches meet in the forest, and someone deserving dies by poisoning. Meg knows Shakespeare, but fortunately, Rose Noir is her witchcraft wikipedia. Are there corpse fingers in the woods? Be careful what you eat or drink until you find out! [Chaotic goings-on, cleverly told! Find out for yourself!]
Danger at the Cove by Hannah Dennison:
Sisters Evie and Margot are opening a coastal Art Deco hotel, currently under repair. With visiting grieving Hollywood celebrity friend of Margot, Louise; an inadvertent "no husband's group." One fast boat available, and "packages" that need picking up on the mainland before the huge gale hits. Their small wooded island off the Sicilian coast is surrounded by shipwrecks, and a violent storm will bring a wreck with treasure to shore. Enough to bring out the latent "pirate" in many. Is it treasure or a package that gets the staff member killed? (Please, not Ollie!) What about the second victim? Will rewiring and renovations continue, or will Quick and Sons quit while they're alive? [Governments always get the treasure, but who gets a share? I'll be there!]
Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan:
Two a.m. phone call, what do you do? Wake your boyfriend before answering? Nick is on a gang a task force, so Jazz, the cadaver-dog trainer answers. A drunk's delusion, or was the body of the accidental homicide moved? Will Nick’s mom remember any of this tomorrow? Dan, the dead guy, is a secret that Nick, his mom, and others don't want dug up. But Jazz wonders about the photo Dan had of Nick and his mom. Were they targets? Did Dan (the paroled murder ex-con) have a hit list? Was his crime an old frame by the antiques dealer? Who's the biker? Was Dan a terrible assassin guilty of really bad judgement, or did everyone owe him money? [Jazz will no doubt stumble upon the truth while wishing Nick were there, and allowing multiple women to criticize her. I hope it works out!]
Independent Bones by Carolyn Haines:
Beware of Greek professors disdainful of lawmen and the law, who boast they will take down a domestic abuser. (Curtis is a nasty piece of work who doesn’t give a thought to back-handing his wife in public for asking a question.) If you find a sniper rifle in a bush, check to see whether there’s a pattern of similar deaths. Roscoe is a feisty little dog that runs through town causing trouble and uncovering clues. An aura of danger surrounds him. After Dr. Alala asks Sarah for her help, Sarah begins to wonder whether the killer is within rifle range or handgun range. Or closer. [Indelicate humor may become the author, but not myself. I wish Sarah, the sheriff, and Roscoe well.]
The Abduction of Pretty Penny by Leonard Goldberg: Pretty Penny, a young actress is missing "without reason or notice." Joanna, pipe-smoking daughter of Sherlock Holmes (fortunately breaking the tradition of horrible names), her husband, and father-in-law. (Sherlock being "long dead;" the state of her mother not mentioned.) The three are asked (by the Yard) to split their focus by also finding Jack the Ripper after a 28 year hiatus. But he's changed his m.o. to young actresses, and now Joanna's son! A dangerous plan is needed to save both from an "agonizing death!" [Sadly, the elder Dr. Watson learned nothing from Sherlock in all those years, and Joanna's husband is slow on the pitch. Good luck, my dear! You'll need periodic chats to patronizingly enlighten and continue to train the slow-thinking men before they're convinced of anything!]
A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver:
Uncle Mick's locksmith business is slow, but his lovely niece and apprentice Ellie is happy to help out when the clients are legit, or the pickings sound good. Like a safe full of jewels. But Major Ramsey set the trap to "enlist" their help to burgle blueprints before a German spy arrives. Ellie, brave, patriot, and wanting to avoid the police, accepts the mission but must take the Major along. It's a good thing, too, because the spy is dead, the safe empty, and a double-agent endangers allied troops! The description promises wit, spies, romance, mystery, and murder! [More cliché would be hard to arrange, and Ellie's repeating of her own thoughts might wear thin. Still, there's potential. Let's catch an evil double-agent!]
A Rogue's Company by Allison Montclair:
Prologue; presumably meaning "very slow background to an interesting story." Power through, it gets better! Gwen's wonderful husband is dead, she lives with his unconscionably horrible parents who have had her declared unfit and taken guardianship of her and her son! Rather than act helpless, Gwen has a business; The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, a partner, and a receptionist. Gwen is an excellent bookkeeper, and it's in the black. What she needs now is to regain custody of her son. But a new client is seeking a match, and it will take time to find the sort of women who might be interested. Someone is spying on the house, there's a murder, a kidnapping, and underworld characters are stirred up. Why, over whom, and what happens, is for you to discover! [Gwen is resourceful, smart, and determined. Not always a good mix when patience would work better, but this book is clever, exciting, touching, and funny. You'll cheer for Gwen, if you have any heart at all!]
Fatal Family Ties by S.C. Perkins:
Art history should be dull and safe, but Civil War history--even in regard to genealogy--can uncover bones better left buried. The ancestor of Lucy's former co-worker, Camilla, is accused desertion, lying, and art fakery. This, naturally, leads to murder, theft, and long drives across the state. (Camilla was a bully-group follower, making her third of Lucy's three least favorite former co-workers.) But thank Lucy's lucky Texas star that special agent Ben Turner is interested in her, and maybe the case! However, the mystery is about more than a splash in the news. Someone is claiming the ancestor ruined their family, and the article claims Camilla's family continues to live off ill-gotten gains. [There's no bakery involved, but Flaco's Tacos sounds yummy. It makes me sound shallow, but I think I'll give this Ancestry Detective a shot!]
The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly:
Don't you hate it when you're trying to recreate a Victorian town (and have already solved 2 murders), you begin to renovate a mansion, and the secret stairs are a body drop? Kate Hamilton was feeling more than a little dismayed, but good news; he's been dead for over 100 years! Still, murder is murder, and it seems wrong to just forget about him. But before any of that... Kat is used to more modern projects, but wouldn't you walk the grounds before hosting the first committee meeting? Some interesting features are found on the grounds that Kate, the new caretaker, had no idea were there. Huh? A gazebo, a garden, a copse of trees which I suspect surrounds the grave of the former home owner, and she never looked out a window or walked around outside? When the house is in a "verdant valley?" She has taken no notes about general needs of the house? Does she expect the board to make the decisions? Where's the paperwork? A safety inspection? No historical architect yet? Isn't this like deciding to buy and renovate a car because you like the racing stripe? [I'm having doubts Kate could restore a Barbie Dream House, unopened in the original box. I may read this book if it's free, but I hope lives don't depend on this woman. Yikes!]
There ends the sampler. At the end of this volume, there are photos of and blurbs about some (if not all) of the authors. And following each book sample are lists of other titles written by them.
I have enjoyed this little journey through very different mystery books. I have read a couple of them already--as preview copies--and a couple I don't plan to read at all. But most sound interesting and well worth a try. I'm always looking for another good author and series! I hope you enjoyed my review, and that it helps you choose books that match your preferences!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for making this ebook available!
4/5 Stars
#CozyCaseFiles12 #NetGalley
A Tale of Two Cookies by Eve Calder:
Wedding on the beach; beautiful lime cake (topped with cookie groom and bride), with sunset swiftly approaching. The groom is missing, the bride in a panic, and cookie baker/chef/old friend of the bride to the rescue? Who eats the cake? [Another baker detective? Well, okay!]
The Rocky Road to Ruin by Meri Allen:
Funeral of a beloved community member; adoptive mother of sweet Caroline and Mike the money-grubbing jerk. Mike, soon to exit permanently. What happens to the money, women, inheritance, bereaved sister? The librarian will research it; care to join her? [I can hardly resist a librarian, so fine me!]
Mocha, She Wrote by Ellie Alexander:
West Coast Barista competition; Andy's our favorite, and the judges are tough. One is hated and feared. The mean is judge iced while holding Andy's specialty brew. "Baking is always the answer," says Jules' mom, but is she right? Or was it a killer? Jules may need more pastries and ice cream to save Andy and solve this one! [Herbal tea is more my cuppa, but this sounds fun. Save a place for me!]
Death in Bloom by Jess Dylan:
Failed Nashville singer gets a part-time job, then loses a flower-arranging student to a poisoned pot-luck snack. (Can I hope it's self-important Richard? Or does he have competition?) Did anyone pre-pay? What will Sierra's boss, Felix-the-absent-minded-geocacher, say if he's ever seen again? Can she manage the shop, walk the dog, and solve the killing on part-time pay? Will she get a raise? Will the Corgi pup like her better? [I know who dies, but it isn't enough. I have to know whether she gets the puppy!]
Claws for Alarm by Cate Conte:
Maddie's cat cafe is to host a pet rescue fundraiser, but the Rescue League lady is offed with a leash! Is everyone with a fancy leash in danger? Will Adele ever smile? Will the killer please step forward? [My brand of catnip? Undecided.]
Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews:
The play is the thing; Macbeth, that is. Meg Langslow's husband, Michael, is running the show and putting up most of the actors in their large house. Someone is going off script! A dagger is missing, witches meet in the forest, and someone deserving dies by poisoning. Meg knows Shakespeare, but fortunately, Rose Noir is her witchcraft wikipedia. Are there corpse fingers in the woods? Be careful what you eat or drink until you find out! [Chaotic goings-on, cleverly told! Find out for yourself!]
Danger at the Cove by Hannah Dennison:
Sisters Evie and Margot are opening a coastal Art Deco hotel, currently under repair. With visiting grieving Hollywood celebrity friend of Margot, Louise; an inadvertent "no husband's group." One fast boat available, and "packages" that need picking up on the mainland before the huge gale hits. Their small wooded island off the Sicilian coast is surrounded by shipwrecks, and a violent storm will bring a wreck with treasure to shore. Enough to bring out the latent "pirate" in many. Is it treasure or a package that gets the staff member killed? (Please, not Ollie!) What about the second victim? Will rewiring and renovations continue, or will Quick and Sons quit while they're alive? [Governments always get the treasure, but who gets a share? I'll be there!]
Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan:
Two a.m. phone call, what do you do? Wake your boyfriend before answering? Nick is on a gang a task force, so Jazz, the cadaver-dog trainer answers. A drunk's delusion, or was the body of the accidental homicide moved? Will Nick’s mom remember any of this tomorrow? Dan, the dead guy, is a secret that Nick, his mom, and others don't want dug up. But Jazz wonders about the photo Dan had of Nick and his mom. Were they targets? Did Dan (the paroled murder ex-con) have a hit list? Was his crime an old frame by the antiques dealer? Who's the biker? Was Dan a terrible assassin guilty of really bad judgement, or did everyone owe him money? [Jazz will no doubt stumble upon the truth while wishing Nick were there, and allowing multiple women to criticize her. I hope it works out!]
Independent Bones by Carolyn Haines:
Beware of Greek professors disdainful of lawmen and the law, who boast they will take down a domestic abuser. (Curtis is a nasty piece of work who doesn’t give a thought to back-handing his wife in public for asking a question.) If you find a sniper rifle in a bush, check to see whether there’s a pattern of similar deaths. Roscoe is a feisty little dog that runs through town causing trouble and uncovering clues. An aura of danger surrounds him. After Dr. Alala asks Sarah for her help, Sarah begins to wonder whether the killer is within rifle range or handgun range. Or closer. [Indelicate humor may become the author, but not myself. I wish Sarah, the sheriff, and Roscoe well.]
The Abduction of Pretty Penny by Leonard Goldberg: Pretty Penny, a young actress is missing "without reason or notice." Joanna, pipe-smoking daughter of Sherlock Holmes (fortunately breaking the tradition of horrible names), her husband, and father-in-law. (Sherlock being "long dead;" the state of her mother not mentioned.) The three are asked (by the Yard) to split their focus by also finding Jack the Ripper after a 28 year hiatus. But he's changed his m.o. to young actresses, and now Joanna's son! A dangerous plan is needed to save both from an "agonizing death!" [Sadly, the elder Dr. Watson learned nothing from Sherlock in all those years, and Joanna's husband is slow on the pitch. Good luck, my dear! You'll need periodic chats to patronizingly enlighten and continue to train the slow-thinking men before they're convinced of anything!]
A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver:
Uncle Mick's locksmith business is slow, but his lovely niece and apprentice Ellie is happy to help out when the clients are legit, or the pickings sound good. Like a safe full of jewels. But Major Ramsey set the trap to "enlist" their help to burgle blueprints before a German spy arrives. Ellie, brave, patriot, and wanting to avoid the police, accepts the mission but must take the Major along. It's a good thing, too, because the spy is dead, the safe empty, and a double-agent endangers allied troops! The description promises wit, spies, romance, mystery, and murder! [More cliché would be hard to arrange, and Ellie's repeating of her own thoughts might wear thin. Still, there's potential. Let's catch an evil double-agent!]
A Rogue's Company by Allison Montclair:
Prologue; presumably meaning "very slow background to an interesting story." Power through, it gets better! Gwen's wonderful husband is dead, she lives with his unconscionably horrible parents who have had her declared unfit and taken guardianship of her and her son! Rather than act helpless, Gwen has a business; The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, a partner, and a receptionist. Gwen is an excellent bookkeeper, and it's in the black. What she needs now is to regain custody of her son. But a new client is seeking a match, and it will take time to find the sort of women who might be interested. Someone is spying on the house, there's a murder, a kidnapping, and underworld characters are stirred up. Why, over whom, and what happens, is for you to discover! [Gwen is resourceful, smart, and determined. Not always a good mix when patience would work better, but this book is clever, exciting, touching, and funny. You'll cheer for Gwen, if you have any heart at all!]
Fatal Family Ties by S.C. Perkins:
Art history should be dull and safe, but Civil War history--even in regard to genealogy--can uncover bones better left buried. The ancestor of Lucy's former co-worker, Camilla, is accused desertion, lying, and art fakery. This, naturally, leads to murder, theft, and long drives across the state. (Camilla was a bully-group follower, making her third of Lucy's three least favorite former co-workers.) But thank Lucy's lucky Texas star that special agent Ben Turner is interested in her, and maybe the case! However, the mystery is about more than a splash in the news. Someone is claiming the ancestor ruined their family, and the article claims Camilla's family continues to live off ill-gotten gains. [There's no bakery involved, but Flaco's Tacos sounds yummy. It makes me sound shallow, but I think I'll give this Ancestry Detective a shot!]
The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly:
Don't you hate it when you're trying to recreate a Victorian town (and have already solved 2 murders), you begin to renovate a mansion, and the secret stairs are a body drop? Kate Hamilton was feeling more than a little dismayed, but good news; he's been dead for over 100 years! Still, murder is murder, and it seems wrong to just forget about him. But before any of that... Kat is used to more modern projects, but wouldn't you walk the grounds before hosting the first committee meeting? Some interesting features are found on the grounds that Kate, the new caretaker, had no idea were there. Huh? A gazebo, a garden, a copse of trees which I suspect surrounds the grave of the former home owner, and she never looked out a window or walked around outside? When the house is in a "verdant valley?" She has taken no notes about general needs of the house? Does she expect the board to make the decisions? Where's the paperwork? A safety inspection? No historical architect yet? Isn't this like deciding to buy and renovate a car because you like the racing stripe? [I'm having doubts Kate could restore a Barbie Dream House, unopened in the original box. I may read this book if it's free, but I hope lives don't depend on this woman. Yikes!]
There ends the sampler. At the end of this volume, there are photos of and blurbs about some (if not all) of the authors. And following each book sample are lists of other titles written by them.
I have enjoyed this little journey through very different mystery books. I have read a couple of them already--as preview copies--and a couple I don't plan to read at all. But most sound interesting and well worth a try. I'm always looking for another good author and series! I hope you enjoyed my review, and that it helps you choose books that match your preferences!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for making this ebook available!
4/5 Stars
#CozyCaseFiles12 #NetGalley
May 8, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read these great samples. Readers, note this collection is available as a free ebook for your own perusal!
I love genre fiction and definitely enjoy a good cozy mystery. I am not very immersed in the genre, though, so these Cozy Case Files have been a wonderful chance to be exposed to a variety of books.
A TALE OF TWO COOKIES by Eve Calder - I was interested to see that the blurb mentions a disappearance but not a murder, and I enjoy the thought that this cozy might be even cozier than usual. However, upon digging in I found the opening chapters stilted and uninteresting. But as I had hoped, with a pastry chef heroine, the cookie descriptions are mouthwatering!
THE ROCKY ROAD TO RUIN by Meri Allen - I think I am most excited about reading this book. It is the first in a series, which I always like--some of these other excerpts don't work very well for me because we're either jumping right into characters I'm supposed to know and love, or there's a lot of info-dumping. Anyway, I loved the evocative description of the idyllic New England town of Penniman, Connecticut, and Riley Rhodes heading home. The family and friend dynamics were laid out nicely, and I loved the getting to know the ice cream shop. Given that this is called The Ice Cream Shop Mystery series, I had to laugh at the drama about no one wanting to run the ice cream shop -- clearly it will be fine! I also am very interested to learn more about our heroine's work for the CIA. Fun fact, because she's a food blogger I thought she was making a joke about the Culinary Institute of America, but no, it's *that* CIA.
The one little thing that rubbed me the wrong way in this sample was the aggressive blond with the short skirt and bright pink at the funeral, it was just so over the top and simplistic. Aside from that, I am genuinely interested in these characters and how things will play out, and I got a great sense of people and place. I will definitely pick this one up!
MOCHA, SHE WROTE by Ellie Alexander - This excerpt made me hungry!! There were so many delicious descriptions of both food and drink, I can certainly see the appeal of the series. However, I found the characters incredibly annoying, especially Andy, who is supposed to be the emotional center of the story because our heroine will have to defend him of suspected murder. Sorry, but this whole "Barista Competition" makes no sense to me, how different can two lattes be? How could people practice for months to make coffee? Why would someone drop out of college to make fancy coffee? ...Can you tell I'm a tea drinker?
DEATH IN BLOOM by Jess Dylan - This excerpt was not my favorite. A lot of the setup just seemed so forced, and I was really uncomfortable with how the victim is pudgy and smelly and everyone hates him, the fatphobia was pretty in-your-face. Also, I lost it when we learn the heroine gets money from her parents while she attempts to "manifest" a higher-paying job--ugh!
CLAWS FOR ALARM by Cate Conte - I enjoyed the cat cafe setting, but all of the characters got on my nerves, not just the impending murder victim. Plus, there were too many to keep track of! The foreshadowing of "my friend kept acting weird when I mentioned this lady, huh that's weird I guess it's nothing" was also frustrating. And finally, I thought it was strange that the narrator judges the future murder victim for not picking up and snuggling all the cats as she tours. As a cat mom AND someone who has been to a cat cafe.....yeah, there are lots of cats who need their space, that would actually be respectful of their wishes, but here it's supposed to be a sign of villainy. Very odd.
MURDER MOST FOWL by Donna Andrews - A woman in my book club RAVED about Donna Andrews the other day and how funny she was, but I'm wondering if it's something I needed to start at the beginning for. I really felt like I was dropped into the middle of things, and there were a lot of characters that are probably supposed to be quirky but came off as incredibly irritating.
DANGER AT THE COVE by Hannah Dennison - Speaking of irritating, in this excerpt I just wanted to scream at everyone to get a real job and not try to spend all of their nonexistent money on a creepy hotel on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere. If Agatha Christie has taught us anything, it's that you should never stay anywhere that you have to take a boat to. And now there's a drama queen sister and some random lady that always needs internet even in the middle of nowhere? Just reading the excerpt I was itching to slap everyone, so that's not promising.
TRAIL OF LIES by Kylie Logan - We were on a real losing streak in this section of the sampler with fictional characters that were actually making me angry. If my love interest's mother was this horrific, I'd break up with him and move to another city.
INDEPENDENT BONES by Carolyn Haines - This excerpt's political and gender dynamics made me very uncomfortable.
THE ABDUCTION OF PRETTY PENNY by Leonard Goldberg - The book cover gave much too much away, and made this excerpt feel pretty pointless because we as the reader know what's happening. I was very uncomfortable with the fatphobia, where we get an obnoxious reference to someone "remarkably obese" and also a completely gratuitous reference to guessing someone's weight and calling her rotund when like...you'd have to be 5 feet tall before even BMI would start to classify you as overweight. Anyway, it was extremely irritating, as was all the fawning over how beautiful and sweet and innocent the missing woman was.
A PECULIAR COMBINATION by Ashley Weaver - I had already seen this in the Minotaur sampler. I was intrigued by the synopsis but found myself bored by the slow pace of the excerpt--the synopsis goes way past what we get here! Additionally, I do enjoy historical mysteries but something about the WWII setting just made me so bored, I feel like this is a setting that is really saturated in all kinds of media, both literature and TV/movies.
A ROGUE'S COMPANY by Allison Montclair - The opening of the book with some obscure bit of WWI immediately started putting me to sleep, it was the opposite of intriguing. I then felt VERY lost when we meet our protagonists and they are prim and proper English ladies learning self-defense, and just really had no idea what was happening. Another one that might work better if you know the series.
FATAL FAMILY TIES by SC Perkins - I enjoyed this excerpt and this is another book I will pick up--it's even got two book in the series already out that I can try! Our heroine Lucy seems very competent at her job as a genealogist, and the mystery of the family history and the missing triptych seems intriguing. The references to the Confederate soldier being anti-racist and supporting Texas's Black population and not glorifying the Confederacy seem a little bit pandering but I don't mind, it certainly makes the book easier to sink into when it seems to be thoughtful about these topics.
THE SECRET STAIRCASE by Sheila Connolly - I also enjoyed this excerpt, which is good because I actually was invited to read an early copy of the full book (thank you again NetGalley!). Our heroine is trying to revitalize a historic town, starting with a mansion that is owned by the city, and she seems to be competent and dealing with others well. The excerpt doesn't give us too much of a sense of the plot yet but the blurb sounds very interesting, I enjoy mysteries where a long-ago murder stirs up trouble in the current day.
OK, so out of 14 excerpts, I'm only interested in reading 3--but those are 3 new series I get to try! I liked that this had a mix of modern day and historical mysteries to offer, though I think I preferred books that were first or early in a series as for some of these long-running series I did not have the same love for "quirky" characters that fans might have already developed. Overall, another nice collection of samples and I look forward to next season's.
I love genre fiction and definitely enjoy a good cozy mystery. I am not very immersed in the genre, though, so these Cozy Case Files have been a wonderful chance to be exposed to a variety of books.
A TALE OF TWO COOKIES by Eve Calder - I was interested to see that the blurb mentions a disappearance but not a murder, and I enjoy the thought that this cozy might be even cozier than usual. However, upon digging in I found the opening chapters stilted and uninteresting. But as I had hoped, with a pastry chef heroine, the cookie descriptions are mouthwatering!
THE ROCKY ROAD TO RUIN by Meri Allen - I think I am most excited about reading this book. It is the first in a series, which I always like--some of these other excerpts don't work very well for me because we're either jumping right into characters I'm supposed to know and love, or there's a lot of info-dumping. Anyway, I loved the evocative description of the idyllic New England town of Penniman, Connecticut, and Riley Rhodes heading home. The family and friend dynamics were laid out nicely, and I loved the getting to know the ice cream shop. Given that this is called The Ice Cream Shop Mystery series, I had to laugh at the drama about no one wanting to run the ice cream shop -- clearly it will be fine! I also am very interested to learn more about our heroine's work for the CIA. Fun fact, because she's a food blogger I thought she was making a joke about the Culinary Institute of America, but no, it's *that* CIA.
The one little thing that rubbed me the wrong way in this sample was the aggressive blond with the short skirt and bright pink at the funeral, it was just so over the top and simplistic. Aside from that, I am genuinely interested in these characters and how things will play out, and I got a great sense of people and place. I will definitely pick this one up!
MOCHA, SHE WROTE by Ellie Alexander - This excerpt made me hungry!! There were so many delicious descriptions of both food and drink, I can certainly see the appeal of the series. However, I found the characters incredibly annoying, especially Andy, who is supposed to be the emotional center of the story because our heroine will have to defend him of suspected murder. Sorry, but this whole "Barista Competition" makes no sense to me, how different can two lattes be? How could people practice for months to make coffee? Why would someone drop out of college to make fancy coffee? ...Can you tell I'm a tea drinker?
DEATH IN BLOOM by Jess Dylan - This excerpt was not my favorite. A lot of the setup just seemed so forced, and I was really uncomfortable with how the victim is pudgy and smelly and everyone hates him, the fatphobia was pretty in-your-face. Also, I lost it when we learn the heroine gets money from her parents while she attempts to "manifest" a higher-paying job--ugh!
CLAWS FOR ALARM by Cate Conte - I enjoyed the cat cafe setting, but all of the characters got on my nerves, not just the impending murder victim. Plus, there were too many to keep track of! The foreshadowing of "my friend kept acting weird when I mentioned this lady, huh that's weird I guess it's nothing" was also frustrating. And finally, I thought it was strange that the narrator judges the future murder victim for not picking up and snuggling all the cats as she tours. As a cat mom AND someone who has been to a cat cafe.....yeah, there are lots of cats who need their space, that would actually be respectful of their wishes, but here it's supposed to be a sign of villainy. Very odd.
MURDER MOST FOWL by Donna Andrews - A woman in my book club RAVED about Donna Andrews the other day and how funny she was, but I'm wondering if it's something I needed to start at the beginning for. I really felt like I was dropped into the middle of things, and there were a lot of characters that are probably supposed to be quirky but came off as incredibly irritating.
DANGER AT THE COVE by Hannah Dennison - Speaking of irritating, in this excerpt I just wanted to scream at everyone to get a real job and not try to spend all of their nonexistent money on a creepy hotel on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere. If Agatha Christie has taught us anything, it's that you should never stay anywhere that you have to take a boat to. And now there's a drama queen sister and some random lady that always needs internet even in the middle of nowhere? Just reading the excerpt I was itching to slap everyone, so that's not promising.
TRAIL OF LIES by Kylie Logan - We were on a real losing streak in this section of the sampler with fictional characters that were actually making me angry. If my love interest's mother was this horrific, I'd break up with him and move to another city.
INDEPENDENT BONES by Carolyn Haines - This excerpt's political and gender dynamics made me very uncomfortable.
THE ABDUCTION OF PRETTY PENNY by Leonard Goldberg - The book cover gave much too much away, and made this excerpt feel pretty pointless because we as the reader know what's happening. I was very uncomfortable with the fatphobia, where we get an obnoxious reference to someone "remarkably obese" and also a completely gratuitous reference to guessing someone's weight and calling her rotund when like...you'd have to be 5 feet tall before even BMI would start to classify you as overweight. Anyway, it was extremely irritating, as was all the fawning over how beautiful and sweet and innocent the missing woman was.
A PECULIAR COMBINATION by Ashley Weaver - I had already seen this in the Minotaur sampler. I was intrigued by the synopsis but found myself bored by the slow pace of the excerpt--the synopsis goes way past what we get here! Additionally, I do enjoy historical mysteries but something about the WWII setting just made me so bored, I feel like this is a setting that is really saturated in all kinds of media, both literature and TV/movies.
A ROGUE'S COMPANY by Allison Montclair - The opening of the book with some obscure bit of WWI immediately started putting me to sleep, it was the opposite of intriguing. I then felt VERY lost when we meet our protagonists and they are prim and proper English ladies learning self-defense, and just really had no idea what was happening. Another one that might work better if you know the series.
FATAL FAMILY TIES by SC Perkins - I enjoyed this excerpt and this is another book I will pick up--it's even got two book in the series already out that I can try! Our heroine Lucy seems very competent at her job as a genealogist, and the mystery of the family history and the missing triptych seems intriguing. The references to the Confederate soldier being anti-racist and supporting Texas's Black population and not glorifying the Confederacy seem a little bit pandering but I don't mind, it certainly makes the book easier to sink into when it seems to be thoughtful about these topics.
THE SECRET STAIRCASE by Sheila Connolly - I also enjoyed this excerpt, which is good because I actually was invited to read an early copy of the full book (thank you again NetGalley!). Our heroine is trying to revitalize a historic town, starting with a mansion that is owned by the city, and she seems to be competent and dealing with others well. The excerpt doesn't give us too much of a sense of the plot yet but the blurb sounds very interesting, I enjoy mysteries where a long-ago murder stirs up trouble in the current day.
OK, so out of 14 excerpts, I'm only interested in reading 3--but those are 3 new series I get to try! I liked that this had a mix of modern day and historical mysteries to offer, though I think I preferred books that were first or early in a series as for some of these long-running series I did not have the same love for "quirky" characters that fans might have already developed. Overall, another nice collection of samples and I look forward to next season's.
April 29, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Cozy Case Files, A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Volume 12. This is my personal review.
I am a Cozy Mystery junkie, and this sampler was amazing! It was a great mixture of authors new books. I liked that there was enough of a sampling for each author that I was able to decide if it was a book I want to read.
I have now increased my authors to read and my TBR pile has gotten bigger. I am so glad I was given the chance to read this sampling and look forward to seeing more of this type of book available.
I am a Cozy Mystery junkie, and this sampler was amazing! It was a great mixture of authors new books. I liked that there was enough of a sampling for each author that I was able to decide if it was a book I want to read.
I have now increased my authors to read and my TBR pile has gotten bigger. I am so glad I was given the chance to read this sampling and look forward to seeing more of this type of book available.
June 4, 2021
This publication is a cozy lover’s dream- just fun reads over and over. This is a compilation of fourteen cozy mysteries- many of them different types of cozies too. I got a chance to explore new authors and there were new series to investigate, giving us a glimpse of series that might possibly be new addictions for some of us.
First, I am grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the works by these wonderful authors without charge and to provide an unbiased review of them. I am also thankful for the privilege to read information that these artists have worked so hard on. They are giving us part of their hearts and I’m privileged to read them. All of the thoughts expressed are my own and even if some of them are more favorable than others, my purpose is never to detract from an appreciation of their masterful pieces.
Each review is my thought of each work by each author, listed one by one in order of appearance in the book. Sorry for the extreme length but I think we owe it to each author to review each story, one by one. If I were one of the authors, I’d be interested in receiving a review of my work, so I think the length is well deserved.
A Tale of Two Cookies by Eve Calder- A Cookie House Mystery
Hook, line, and sinker- this one’s a great mystery that you can’t wait to continue! Kate, the island’s cookie baker, is friends with Desiree, who stumbled upon mystery on Coral Cay when her fiancée Judson didn’t show for their beach wedding. Where could he be? Does it have anything to do with his ex that just happened to be on the island at the same time of the wedding? This book is dated as available on 04/27/2021 and this tale had me scrambling for more...
The Rocky Road to Ruin by Meri Allen- An Ice Cream Shop Mystery
This story is a new one in the series of a CIA Librarian who has returned to her New England hometown for the funeral of her best friend’s mother. Right away you can sense that her best friend’s brother was the obvious snake in the grass- constantly concerned with money.
The premise of this story was good but it felt like there were a lot of details in the second chapter that I found hard to sort through. Sometimes I had to read and reread three or four times to figure out who she was talking about. It didn’t feel like all of those details were necessary.
There was a big cliffhanger on this one. There seemed to be a lot of emphasis on the cat and those just aren’t my favorite types of cozy mysteries. I’d like an easy read that doesn’t seem so far-reaching from reality. This wouldn’t be one I would pursue further. But a cat lover would surely love it!
Mocha, She Wrote, by Ellie Alexander - A Bakeshop Mystery
I love the title since it so similar to a favorite TV show of mine. In this story, Juliet, or Jules owns a family bake shop with a budding barista star, Andy. He’s just been invited to take part in an all star coffee roasting competition. There’s definitely a point in this story that has you salivating for the ending. This one is a keeper! It feels realistic, with vibrant characters, and I wanted a piece of pie towards the end of the short story. I think that says it all!
Death in Bloom, by Jess Dylan- A Flower House Mystery
So this was a very easy read. I did feel disappointed when it ended because I desperately want to understand the correlation of the characters. This story is all about floral design and teaching that art to other people. Then... murder- whodunnit? Why? I really liked that I was captivated and wanted to continue.
There was just one real odd part at the beginning of the story that made me wonder whether the author needed some kind of link from the morning cup of coffee to having someone present for a floral decorating class. It did feel as if were “reaching”because of this. In the odd part, someone in the story falls apart, crying, and the main character jumps up and wants her to go to a cooking class??? What in the?? How does that make sense?
Anyways- just skip that little question mark in your brain and keep on reading. This could be a winner!!
** Side note about all of these stories so far. I’m really wishing the publishers had listed the book titles beside the authors so that when I flipped back and forth, reading their bios, that I didn’t have to then figure out which story they wrote and which ones I wanted to read further. I’m not being lazy but that’s hard when you can’t easily turn the page in a real book (e-book readers). **
Claws for Alarm- A Cat Cafe Mystery by Cate Conte
Why oh why do I prejudge according to the title? I shouldn’t but I couldn’t stop myself on this one. I’m just not a cat lover. I want to be one, but in all honesty, I’m a dog lover. So my attention from the start was to gloss over this piece. But boy was I wrong!
The setting is odd because it’s about an old house that has been renovated into a cat play facility. That’s just one side of the house and the other side, or in the garage, I guess… is a café. Now of course, I start to think about the fact that, in reality, you cannot have a café if there are animals living on the premises (or at least that’s what I was told was true in my city).
But reality has no real place in a cozy mystery book, does it? This is entertainment, so, the rest of the story is that someone famous has come to town and unfortunately, that’s as far as this part of the story gets to. This story has been the most engaging and visually alive story of these ones that I have read in the prior stories. Honestly, all of the stories are pretty good and I’m impressed that these are all contained in one book. This has been a very fun to read so far. So I’m really looking forward to the next story!
Murder Most Fowl- A Meg Lanslow Mystery by Donna Andrews
This is about unwanted visitors residing outside on your property and having Shakespearean play rehearsals that occur- AT THE SAME TIME, while you are having to host the Shakespearean cast at your home each night, so that they can rehearse together. Ugh! The thought about reality again- gives me a headache thinking about entertaining that amount of people at the house....
Anyways- this story was pretty interesting; however, the author’s knowledge of and use of so much Latin in the story made me feel very ordinary (and I’m a nurse who uses medical terms that are Latin-based!) and unless you understand Latin, you might be at a slight disadvantage.
Still- good story all in all.
Danger at the Cove by Hannah Dennison
This whole story was the background and it was a really good set up for what is about to happen. The only problem is we didn’t even meet one of the main characters. It does peak my interest and I would like to read the rest of the story. Because of that, I don’t think I can explain what the story was about. It is about an island off the coast of England, but that’s about all we know so far.
A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan
This feels promising but it didn’t hook me like the other stories did. It really talked a lot about a woman named Kim- the mother of the boyfriend who is dating the main character (we do t meet him I. This short story but we do know a little bit about him and where he is while this saga is taking place). There was a lot of emphasis on Kim’s drunken state and it’s sort of feels like a storyline that you’ve read over and over before. But, this is a quick three chapter read, so you never know! There are quite a few other storylines that this author has written in the past. I think I would love to give some of them a try to better understand her, as an author.
Independent Bones, a Sarah Booth Delaney mystery by Carolyn Haines
I really don’t consider myself an ignorant person, but it does take the fun out of a cozy mystery when you have to use your dictionary to look up the meaning of words- especially in the first paragraph or so. I always feel like that makes it cozy mystery a different type of a feel. I want to read for entertainment and I don’t necessarily want to educate myself about something new that I really don’t know about.… other than murder. Ha!
I really didn’t care for this one. Once the psychic came into the story, I was turned off. It’s just not my thing.
The Abduction of Pretty Penny – A Daughter of Sherlock Holmes mystery by Leonard Goldberg
By the time I got to chapter 2, I could not wait to find this book to purchase. It really started off with a bang and this is my absolute favorite so far. It really catches and quickly holds your attention. Sherlock Holmes daughter is obviously brilliant and is definitely the star sleuth of this story. The points that she notices are not obvious whatsoever and it makes reading the story quite exciting!
By the end of the story- I’ve already started working on getting my copy of this book!
A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver
Wow! These last few book previews just keep getting better and better and I want to read them NOW!! This one intertwines cozy mystery with WW2 and committing crimes in England to be able to support your family- all to be able to be able to buy something to eat. I loved where the book was going and by the end of the preview, I definitely had a bunch of question marks.
These previews were great and this was a perfect combination for those who have always wondered what a cozy mystery truly is. I will suggest these stories to many people- and with the exception of just one or two, these have been great books so far that I would be willing to read solo or as part of a series.
A Rogue’s Company- A Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery by Allison Montclair
I hate saying this but I could barely get through the Prologue. This is definitely meant for a certain type of reader, but I don’t think it’s me at this time. I just didn’t enjoy it- it’s just not my cup of tea for this reading. :( It was a lot of details that just didn’t interest me.
Fatal Family Ties- An Ancestry Detective Mystery by S.C. Perkins
Here’s at other one that I didn’t think I would enjoy. Sure enough, this was great! I really would like to read the rest of this book. I couldn’t think of a way that this subject would make a good book, but I was very wrong- this was very enjoyable.
The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly
This one was interesting and I liked the premise of this story. I have read a few others by this author, and thy seem to be pretty solid. However, I do remember reading that the author has sadly passed. This may be one of her last works published.
I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to read these wonderful stories. I’m even more thrilled that I have several new series to look into, as well. I hope this happens to every other reader, as well. Enjoy!
First, I am grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the works by these wonderful authors without charge and to provide an unbiased review of them. I am also thankful for the privilege to read information that these artists have worked so hard on. They are giving us part of their hearts and I’m privileged to read them. All of the thoughts expressed are my own and even if some of them are more favorable than others, my purpose is never to detract from an appreciation of their masterful pieces.
Each review is my thought of each work by each author, listed one by one in order of appearance in the book. Sorry for the extreme length but I think we owe it to each author to review each story, one by one. If I were one of the authors, I’d be interested in receiving a review of my work, so I think the length is well deserved.
A Tale of Two Cookies by Eve Calder- A Cookie House Mystery
Hook, line, and sinker- this one’s a great mystery that you can’t wait to continue! Kate, the island’s cookie baker, is friends with Desiree, who stumbled upon mystery on Coral Cay when her fiancée Judson didn’t show for their beach wedding. Where could he be? Does it have anything to do with his ex that just happened to be on the island at the same time of the wedding? This book is dated as available on 04/27/2021 and this tale had me scrambling for more...
The Rocky Road to Ruin by Meri Allen- An Ice Cream Shop Mystery
This story is a new one in the series of a CIA Librarian who has returned to her New England hometown for the funeral of her best friend’s mother. Right away you can sense that her best friend’s brother was the obvious snake in the grass- constantly concerned with money.
The premise of this story was good but it felt like there were a lot of details in the second chapter that I found hard to sort through. Sometimes I had to read and reread three or four times to figure out who she was talking about. It didn’t feel like all of those details were necessary.
There was a big cliffhanger on this one. There seemed to be a lot of emphasis on the cat and those just aren’t my favorite types of cozy mysteries. I’d like an easy read that doesn’t seem so far-reaching from reality. This wouldn’t be one I would pursue further. But a cat lover would surely love it!
Mocha, She Wrote, by Ellie Alexander - A Bakeshop Mystery
I love the title since it so similar to a favorite TV show of mine. In this story, Juliet, or Jules owns a family bake shop with a budding barista star, Andy. He’s just been invited to take part in an all star coffee roasting competition. There’s definitely a point in this story that has you salivating for the ending. This one is a keeper! It feels realistic, with vibrant characters, and I wanted a piece of pie towards the end of the short story. I think that says it all!
Death in Bloom, by Jess Dylan- A Flower House Mystery
So this was a very easy read. I did feel disappointed when it ended because I desperately want to understand the correlation of the characters. This story is all about floral design and teaching that art to other people. Then... murder- whodunnit? Why? I really liked that I was captivated and wanted to continue.
There was just one real odd part at the beginning of the story that made me wonder whether the author needed some kind of link from the morning cup of coffee to having someone present for a floral decorating class. It did feel as if were “reaching”because of this. In the odd part, someone in the story falls apart, crying, and the main character jumps up and wants her to go to a cooking class??? What in the?? How does that make sense?
Anyways- just skip that little question mark in your brain and keep on reading. This could be a winner!!
** Side note about all of these stories so far. I’m really wishing the publishers had listed the book titles beside the authors so that when I flipped back and forth, reading their bios, that I didn’t have to then figure out which story they wrote and which ones I wanted to read further. I’m not being lazy but that’s hard when you can’t easily turn the page in a real book (e-book readers). **
Claws for Alarm- A Cat Cafe Mystery by Cate Conte
Why oh why do I prejudge according to the title? I shouldn’t but I couldn’t stop myself on this one. I’m just not a cat lover. I want to be one, but in all honesty, I’m a dog lover. So my attention from the start was to gloss over this piece. But boy was I wrong!
The setting is odd because it’s about an old house that has been renovated into a cat play facility. That’s just one side of the house and the other side, or in the garage, I guess… is a café. Now of course, I start to think about the fact that, in reality, you cannot have a café if there are animals living on the premises (or at least that’s what I was told was true in my city).
But reality has no real place in a cozy mystery book, does it? This is entertainment, so, the rest of the story is that someone famous has come to town and unfortunately, that’s as far as this part of the story gets to. This story has been the most engaging and visually alive story of these ones that I have read in the prior stories. Honestly, all of the stories are pretty good and I’m impressed that these are all contained in one book. This has been a very fun to read so far. So I’m really looking forward to the next story!
Murder Most Fowl- A Meg Lanslow Mystery by Donna Andrews
This is about unwanted visitors residing outside on your property and having Shakespearean play rehearsals that occur- AT THE SAME TIME, while you are having to host the Shakespearean cast at your home each night, so that they can rehearse together. Ugh! The thought about reality again- gives me a headache thinking about entertaining that amount of people at the house....
Anyways- this story was pretty interesting; however, the author’s knowledge of and use of so much Latin in the story made me feel very ordinary (and I’m a nurse who uses medical terms that are Latin-based!) and unless you understand Latin, you might be at a slight disadvantage.
Still- good story all in all.
Danger at the Cove by Hannah Dennison
This whole story was the background and it was a really good set up for what is about to happen. The only problem is we didn’t even meet one of the main characters. It does peak my interest and I would like to read the rest of the story. Because of that, I don’t think I can explain what the story was about. It is about an island off the coast of England, but that’s about all we know so far.
A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan
This feels promising but it didn’t hook me like the other stories did. It really talked a lot about a woman named Kim- the mother of the boyfriend who is dating the main character (we do t meet him I. This short story but we do know a little bit about him and where he is while this saga is taking place). There was a lot of emphasis on Kim’s drunken state and it’s sort of feels like a storyline that you’ve read over and over before. But, this is a quick three chapter read, so you never know! There are quite a few other storylines that this author has written in the past. I think I would love to give some of them a try to better understand her, as an author.
Independent Bones, a Sarah Booth Delaney mystery by Carolyn Haines
I really don’t consider myself an ignorant person, but it does take the fun out of a cozy mystery when you have to use your dictionary to look up the meaning of words- especially in the first paragraph or so. I always feel like that makes it cozy mystery a different type of a feel. I want to read for entertainment and I don’t necessarily want to educate myself about something new that I really don’t know about.… other than murder. Ha!
I really didn’t care for this one. Once the psychic came into the story, I was turned off. It’s just not my thing.
The Abduction of Pretty Penny – A Daughter of Sherlock Holmes mystery by Leonard Goldberg
By the time I got to chapter 2, I could not wait to find this book to purchase. It really started off with a bang and this is my absolute favorite so far. It really catches and quickly holds your attention. Sherlock Holmes daughter is obviously brilliant and is definitely the star sleuth of this story. The points that she notices are not obvious whatsoever and it makes reading the story quite exciting!
By the end of the story- I’ve already started working on getting my copy of this book!
A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver
Wow! These last few book previews just keep getting better and better and I want to read them NOW!! This one intertwines cozy mystery with WW2 and committing crimes in England to be able to support your family- all to be able to be able to buy something to eat. I loved where the book was going and by the end of the preview, I definitely had a bunch of question marks.
These previews were great and this was a perfect combination for those who have always wondered what a cozy mystery truly is. I will suggest these stories to many people- and with the exception of just one or two, these have been great books so far that I would be willing to read solo or as part of a series.
A Rogue’s Company- A Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery by Allison Montclair
I hate saying this but I could barely get through the Prologue. This is definitely meant for a certain type of reader, but I don’t think it’s me at this time. I just didn’t enjoy it- it’s just not my cup of tea for this reading. :( It was a lot of details that just didn’t interest me.
Fatal Family Ties- An Ancestry Detective Mystery by S.C. Perkins
Here’s at other one that I didn’t think I would enjoy. Sure enough, this was great! I really would like to read the rest of this book. I couldn’t think of a way that this subject would make a good book, but I was very wrong- this was very enjoyable.
The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly
This one was interesting and I liked the premise of this story. I have read a few others by this author, and thy seem to be pretty solid. However, I do remember reading that the author has sadly passed. This may be one of her last works published.
I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to read these wonderful stories. I’m even more thrilled that I have several new series to look into, as well. I hope this happens to every other reader, as well. Enjoy!
May 23, 2021
There are a lot of cozies coming out this summer
Posted on May 23, 2021 by michellelovatosbookreviews, world's first book color commentator, book reviews with a twist
Cozy Case Files 12, a preview of upcoming titles from McMillan USA, is twice the size of its January predecessor. And boy, am I excited!
These books remind me of first grade when the Scholastic lady visited our classroom and gave us book previews and an order sheet to bug our parents. Those were some of my all-time favorite times.
OOOH HOW FUN! Here we go:
1. A Tale of Two Cookies: A Cookiehouse Mystery, by Eve Calder.
It’s nothing but sugar and spice at The Cookie House, but everything isn’t so nice elsewhere on Coral Cay.
2. The Rocky Road to Ruin, An Ice Cream Shop Mystery by Meri Allen.
Justice will be swirled by amateur sleuth Riley Rhodes in the first in Meri Allen’s brand-new mystery series!
3. Mocha She Wrote, Murder is a Sticky Business: A Bakeshop Mystery, by Ellie Alexander.
Trouble is brewing for Torte’s pastry chef and amateur sleuth Juliet Capshaw during the summer in Ashland, Oregon.
4. Death In Bloom A Flower House Mystery by Jess Dylan.
Sierra Ravenswood, a new Flower House employee in Aerieville, Tennessee, that every rose has its thorn.
5. Claws for Alarm: A Cat Cafe Mystery by Cate Conte.
Not everyone has nine lives. It’s the heart of the busy season, and JJ’s House of Purrs is booming—until a killer is let off the leash. Life just got complicated for Maddie James.
6. Murder Most Fowl: A Meg Lanslow Mystery by Donna Andrews.
Look forward to a Shakespearean twist on the long-running Meg Langslow mystery series.
7. Danger at the Cove: An Island Sisters Mystery, by Hannah Dennison.
In Danger at the Cove, a surprise visitor makes an appearance on the island—and murder ensues.
8. Trail of Lies, a mystery, by Kylie Logan.
Jazz Ramsey is just getting used to the idea that her on-again-off-again beau, Nick, might actually be a permanent fixture when she gets an alarming call in the middle of the night from his mother, Kim: there’s a dead man in her backyard.
9. Independent Bones: A Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery, by Carolyn Haines.
When Dr. Alala Diakos, a visiting professor of Greek literature, comes to teach at Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi, it doesn’t take long for controversy to follow.
10. The Abduction of Pretty Penny: A Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mystery, by Leonard Goldberg.
The Whitechapel Playhouse calls in Joanna and the Watsons to find Pretty Penny, a lovely, young actress who has gone missing without reason or notice.
11. A Peculiar Combination, by Ashley Weaver.
Breaking into the homes of the rich and picking the locks on their safes may not be condoned by British law enforcement, but World War II is in full swing, Ellie’s cousins Colm and Toby are off fighting against Hitler, and Uncle Mick’s more honorable business as a locksmith can’t pay the bills anymore.
12. A Rouge’s Company: A Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery, by Allison Montclair.
Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge are making a go of it in 1946 London. That is until Lord Bainbridge returns from Africa and threatens to do whatever it takes to put a stop to her business, even if that means sending her six-year-old son to boarding school abroad.
13. Fatal Family Ties, by S.C. Perkins
Texas genealogist Lucy Lancaster is back, working to uncover the truth behind a Civil War-era painting and its elusive artist in this delightful third mystery in the Ancestry Detective series.
14. The Secret Staircase, by Sheila Connolly.
The town is finally on Kate Hamilton’s side, and the finances are coming together. Even two recent murders aren’t enough to discourage her: after she helped to solve them, she put them behind her.
BoutiquePublishingService@hotmail.com
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Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128: 1-2
Posted on May 23, 2021 by michellelovatosbookreviews, world's first book color commentator, book reviews with a twist
Cozy Case Files 12, a preview of upcoming titles from McMillan USA, is twice the size of its January predecessor. And boy, am I excited!
These books remind me of first grade when the Scholastic lady visited our classroom and gave us book previews and an order sheet to bug our parents. Those were some of my all-time favorite times.
OOOH HOW FUN! Here we go:
1. A Tale of Two Cookies: A Cookiehouse Mystery, by Eve Calder.
It’s nothing but sugar and spice at The Cookie House, but everything isn’t so nice elsewhere on Coral Cay.
2. The Rocky Road to Ruin, An Ice Cream Shop Mystery by Meri Allen.
Justice will be swirled by amateur sleuth Riley Rhodes in the first in Meri Allen’s brand-new mystery series!
3. Mocha She Wrote, Murder is a Sticky Business: A Bakeshop Mystery, by Ellie Alexander.
Trouble is brewing for Torte’s pastry chef and amateur sleuth Juliet Capshaw during the summer in Ashland, Oregon.
4. Death In Bloom A Flower House Mystery by Jess Dylan.
Sierra Ravenswood, a new Flower House employee in Aerieville, Tennessee, that every rose has its thorn.
5. Claws for Alarm: A Cat Cafe Mystery by Cate Conte.
Not everyone has nine lives. It’s the heart of the busy season, and JJ’s House of Purrs is booming—until a killer is let off the leash. Life just got complicated for Maddie James.
6. Murder Most Fowl: A Meg Lanslow Mystery by Donna Andrews.
Look forward to a Shakespearean twist on the long-running Meg Langslow mystery series.
7. Danger at the Cove: An Island Sisters Mystery, by Hannah Dennison.
In Danger at the Cove, a surprise visitor makes an appearance on the island—and murder ensues.
8. Trail of Lies, a mystery, by Kylie Logan.
Jazz Ramsey is just getting used to the idea that her on-again-off-again beau, Nick, might actually be a permanent fixture when she gets an alarming call in the middle of the night from his mother, Kim: there’s a dead man in her backyard.
9. Independent Bones: A Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery, by Carolyn Haines.
When Dr. Alala Diakos, a visiting professor of Greek literature, comes to teach at Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi, it doesn’t take long for controversy to follow.
10. The Abduction of Pretty Penny: A Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mystery, by Leonard Goldberg.
The Whitechapel Playhouse calls in Joanna and the Watsons to find Pretty Penny, a lovely, young actress who has gone missing without reason or notice.
11. A Peculiar Combination, by Ashley Weaver.
Breaking into the homes of the rich and picking the locks on their safes may not be condoned by British law enforcement, but World War II is in full swing, Ellie’s cousins Colm and Toby are off fighting against Hitler, and Uncle Mick’s more honorable business as a locksmith can’t pay the bills anymore.
12. A Rouge’s Company: A Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery, by Allison Montclair.
Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge are making a go of it in 1946 London. That is until Lord Bainbridge returns from Africa and threatens to do whatever it takes to put a stop to her business, even if that means sending her six-year-old son to boarding school abroad.
13. Fatal Family Ties, by S.C. Perkins
Texas genealogist Lucy Lancaster is back, working to uncover the truth behind a Civil War-era painting and its elusive artist in this delightful third mystery in the Ancestry Detective series.
14. The Secret Staircase, by Sheila Connolly.
The town is finally on Kate Hamilton’s side, and the finances are coming together. Even two recent murders aren’t enough to discourage her: after she helped to solve them, she put them behind her.
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Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128: 1-2
September 25, 2021
Cozy Case Files, A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Volume 12
by Ellie Alexander; Eve Calder; Cate Conte; Donna Andrews; Meri Allen; Eve Calder; Sheila Connolly; Hannah Dennison; Jess Dylan; Leonard Goldberg; Carolyn Haines; Kylie Logan; Allison Montclair; S. C. Perkins; Ashley Weaver
Pub Date 04 May 2021
St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books
Mystery & Thrillers
I am reviewing a copy of Cozy Case Files, A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Volume 12 through St Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley:
In the twelfth edition of Cozy Case files features the latest cozies by the following authors: Ellie Alexander, Meri Allen, Donna Andrews, Eve Calder, Sheila Connolly, Cate Conte, Hannah Dennison, Jess Dylan, Leonard Goldberg, Carolyn Haines, Kylie Logan, Allison Montclair, S. C. Perkins, and Ashley Weaver.
If you have a sweet tooth you can get your A Tale of Two Cookies, The Rocky Road to Ruin, and Mocha, She Wrote.
If flowers or cats are more your thing you can read Death in Bloom, or you can travel to your favorite cat café in Claws for Alarm. You can also join the preparations for a production of Macbeth in Murder Most Fowl, and stay the night at a hotel in Danger at the Cove. And in the morning, train cadaver dogs in A Trail of Lies, then help clear a professor’s name in Independent Bones.
If you prefer to travel back in time this sampler has you covered too . A Sherlockian mystery awaits you in The Abduction of Pretty Penny. Visit England in WWII with a safe cracker in A Peculiar Combination. In post-WWII England, play matchmaker in A Rogue’s Company. Or you can stay in the present, with crimes tied to the past, in Fatal Family Ties and The Secret Staircase.
I give Cozy Case Files, A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Volume 12 five out of five stars,
Happy Reading!
October 17, 2022
Cozy Case Files, Volume 12 provides the perfect taste, leaving cozy mystery fans wanting more.
A Tale of Two Cookies includes five chapters.
The Rocky Road to Ruin includes three chapters.
Mocha, She Wrote includes two chapters.
Death in Bloom includes three chapters.
Claws for Alarm includes four chapters.
Murder Most Fowl includes three chapters.
Danger at the Cove includes two chapters.
A Trail of Lies includes three chapters.
Independent Bones includes three chapters.
The Abduction of Pretty Penny includes two chapters.
A Peculiar Combination includes four chapters.
A Rogue’s Company includes the prologue and one chapter.
Fatal Family Ties includes four chapters.
The Secret Staircase includes two chapters.
You are going to want to grab the individual books after you read this sampler.
A Tale of Two Cookies includes five chapters.
The Rocky Road to Ruin includes three chapters.
Mocha, She Wrote includes two chapters.
Death in Bloom includes three chapters.
Claws for Alarm includes four chapters.
Murder Most Fowl includes three chapters.
Danger at the Cove includes two chapters.
A Trail of Lies includes three chapters.
Independent Bones includes three chapters.
The Abduction of Pretty Penny includes two chapters.
A Peculiar Combination includes four chapters.
A Rogue’s Company includes the prologue and one chapter.
Fatal Family Ties includes four chapters.
The Secret Staircase includes two chapters.
You are going to want to grab the individual books after you read this sampler.
May 12, 2021
This was a very nice sampling of some of the new books coming out this spring and summer. Some of them had a chapter or two, but a few had as many as four chapters. There was only one that I'd already read, but most of the rest of them I've already requested from NetGalley, ordered or plan to borrow from the library. This is a good way to find out if you want to buy the final copy of the book, since this file was free on Amazon.
June 23, 2021
Another nice, free selection of cosies to dip into! A few chapters of fourteen cosies to tempt you to try something a little different, and perhaps find yourself a new favourite author or series. I enjoy these samplers - they get me reading a few things I might not normally pick up and whilst not all the offerings are to my taste, it's a great way to spend a few hours.
Looking forward to No 13!
Thank you to NetGalley, the authors and publisher for the free sample to read and review. All opinions are strictly my own.
Looking forward to No 13!
Thank you to NetGalley, the authors and publisher for the free sample to read and review. All opinions are strictly my own.
May 9, 2021
A peek at several future cozy mysteries is a great way to introduce both established writers and newer authors. The diversity of settings, characters and plots will give you plenty to choose from. Thanks to #NetGalley and #CozyCaseFiles12 for advanced digital copy.
January 25, 2026
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Cozy Case Files 12 is a free chapter sampler for 14 upcoming or newly released cozy mysteries. The sampler is due out 4th May from Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint. It's 420 pages and will be available (gratis) in ebook format. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
I love cozies (my favorite genre). This is a nice cross selection of 14 upcoming releases from very well known authors, and a couple who were previously not on my radar. I love collections for that very reason - there are generally a few which are new to me or which I'd forgotten to put in my TBR pile (which is, as always, untamable).
The chapter previews are generous, they're all multi-chapter, and give a good idea of the writing style and theme of each mystery. I look forward to every one of these previews when they become available. Most of these will be getting full length reviews in 2021.
Five stars. I highly recommend this free publisher's preview to fans of cozy mysteries.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
Cozy Case Files 12 is a free chapter sampler for 14 upcoming or newly released cozy mysteries. The sampler is due out 4th May from Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint. It's 420 pages and will be available (gratis) in ebook format. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
I love cozies (my favorite genre). This is a nice cross selection of 14 upcoming releases from very well known authors, and a couple who were previously not on my radar. I love collections for that very reason - there are generally a few which are new to me or which I'd forgotten to put in my TBR pile (which is, as always, untamable).
The chapter previews are generous, they're all multi-chapter, and give a good idea of the writing style and theme of each mystery. I look forward to every one of these previews when they become available. Most of these will be getting full length reviews in 2021.
Five stars. I highly recommend this free publisher's preview to fans of cozy mysteries.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
July 5, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley for Cozy Case Files No. 12. I enjoy these excerpts from upcoming cozies. As always I love Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow and crew. so I’m looking forward to Murder Most Fowl. I’ve read this whole series, I never miss one. I’m a bit new to Ellie Alexander and the gang at Torte but I love the ones in this series that I’ve read and cannot wait to see the outcome of Mocha, She Wrote. I think I would like to try A Tale of Two Cookies by Eve Calder, Danger at the Cove by Hannah Dennison, and A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan because I always like a cozy with a dog story included. Claws for Alarm by Kate Conte is a Cat Cafe Mystery and I like cats too.
Merged review:
Thanks to Netgalley for Cozy Case Files No. 12. I enjoy these excerpts from upcoming cozies. As always I love Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow and crew. so I’m looking forward to Murder Most Fowl. I’ve read this whole series, I never miss one. I’m a bit new to Ellie Alexander and the gang at Torte but I love the ones in this series that I’ve read and cannot wait to see the outcome of Mocha, She Wrote. I think I would like to try A Tale of Two Cookies by Eve Calder, Danger at the Cove by Hannah Dennison, and A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan because I always like a cozy with a dog story included. Claws for Alarm by Kate Conte is a Cat Cafe Mystery and I like cats too.
Merged review:
Thanks to Netgalley for Cozy Case Files No. 12. I enjoy these excerpts from upcoming cozies. As always I love Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow and crew. so I’m looking forward to Murder Most Fowl. I’ve read this whole series, I never miss one. I’m a bit new to Ellie Alexander and the gang at Torte but I love the ones in this series that I’ve read and cannot wait to see the outcome of Mocha, She Wrote. I think I would like to try A Tale of Two Cookies by Eve Calder, Danger at the Cove by Hannah Dennison, and A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan because I always like a cozy with a dog story included. Claws for Alarm by Kate Conte is a Cat Cafe Mystery and I like cats too.
April 20, 2021
Those who enjoy cozy mysteries will want to look at this extensive preview featuring titles by Ellie Alexander, Eve Calder, Cate Conte, Donna Andrews, Meri Allen, Eve Calder, Sheila Connolly, Hannah Dennison, Jess Dylan, Leonard Goldberg, Carolyn Haines, Kylie Logan, Allison Montclair, S. C. Perkins, Ashley Weaver. The excerpts are each several chapters long giving readers a chance to decide if a book is for them. Find out if a favorite author has a new book forthcoming and maybe find a new favorite as well!
Just some of the author’s whose books I want to read include Hannah Dennison, Carolyn Haines, Kylie Logan, Allison Montclair, S.C Perkins and Ashley Weaver. How about you?
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful compendium. All opinons are my own.
Just some of the author’s whose books I want to read include Hannah Dennison, Carolyn Haines, Kylie Logan, Allison Montclair, S.C Perkins and Ashley Weaver. How about you?
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful compendium. All opinons are my own.
September 11, 2021
I wish to thank NetGalley and St, Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I have not read any of the other Cozy books so this was a new one for me. It was a preview of coming attractions type of book that will introduce the reader to new authors with a chance to read a few chapters before requesting a book or buying one. This would be a wonderful asset for book clubs, librarians and bookshop owners. But, as an avid reader I found that just as you get hooked on one story you turn the page and you are off on a new mystery. That distracted me. But for others I would find it to be a valuable way to discover upcoming books to read.
I have not read any of the other Cozy books so this was a new one for me. It was a preview of coming attractions type of book that will introduce the reader to new authors with a chance to read a few chapters before requesting a book or buying one. This would be a wonderful asset for book clubs, librarians and bookshop owners. But, as an avid reader I found that just as you get hooked on one story you turn the page and you are off on a new mystery. That distracted me. But for others I would find it to be a valuable way to discover upcoming books to read.
October 21, 2021
A sampling—usually the first few chapters—of fourteen new cozy mysteries. Ranging in settings from coastal Florida to urban Cleveland and an island off the Cornwall coast, these stories feature unique premises, amateur sleuths, and domestic crimes.
This is an excellent way to build your to-be-read list or pile, if you need any help with that. Along with sample chapters, each entry includes a plot synopsis, release date/information, and the author’s backlist. #CozyCaseFiles12 #NetGalley
This is an excellent way to build your to-be-read list or pile, if you need any help with that. Along with sample chapters, each entry includes a plot synopsis, release date/information, and the author’s backlist. #CozyCaseFiles12 #NetGalley
July 3, 2021
Cozy Case Files #12 is like a sampler cheesecake, perfect for getting a little taste of everything to see what you like. I hadn't read anything by most of the authors and now have a list of authors whose books I am looking forward to devouring, much like a cheesecake.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
July 15, 2021
The perfect dip into the cozy genre to find your next must-read cozy. Every category of cozy is represented and the samples are long enough to get used to each writer's style.
Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this appetizing sampler.
Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this appetizing sampler.
April 30, 2021
I like these sampler sets. They give enough content to let you decide whether to read the whole book without giving so much away as to spoil it. Some winners in this set!
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