My Review: A delicious addition to the Hannah Swenson series.
This takes place early in the series. We learn a bit more about side characters in this book like Doc and Carrie, Norman’s mom.
I enjoyed that it centered around a man with amnesia rather than a murder. It was refreshing to read how a town came together and was kind and wanted to help the man find himself.
As always there are many recipes I want to try and bake. I’ve had to stop myself from jumping up and starting one now. It’s almost midnight as I write this and I have lots to do tomorrow so I need sleep. Cookies or cupcakes…
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
NetGalley: As December turns Lake Eden into the North Pole, the heat is on in Hannah Swensen’s kitchen to honor two Christmas promises: baking irresistible holiday cupcakes and preventing murder!
While Hannah speeds through a lengthy holiday checklist, drama in town grows like Santa’s waistline on Christmas Eve. Her sister Andrea wants to stave off the blues by helping out at The Cookie Jar, Michelle’s love life is becoming complicated, Lisa needs Hannah’s advice, and Delores has a Christmas secret she’s not willing to share. But nothing dampens the holiday mood more than the chilling mystery surrounding the man found near death in an abandoned storefront two doors down from Hannah’s bakery . . .
The befuddled John Doe can’t recall a thing about himself—except for his unusual knowledge of restoring antique furniture. With a smattering of clues and barely enough time to frost Christmas cookies, Hannah must solve a deadly puzzle that could leave her dashing through the snow for her life!
My Review: This is my favorite yet in this wonderful series set in Nantucket.
We have humor, history, and hope. Brecher was very creative by setting the mystery of the bones around Halloween. How exciting to try and solve not one but two murders over 100 years old.
I loved getting that small town feel with having the Girl Scouts involved in the haunted house. They added fun to the book.
I’m very interested in Stella’s romantic future. It could get very interesting.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
NetGalley: As Stella Wright’s Nantucket candle store thrives, her knack for solving mysteries burns equally bright—especially when a Halloween haunted house uncovers evidence of a centuries-old murder . . .
When Stella’s friend inherits a creaky, abandoned home in Nantucket, she knows it’s the perfect setting for the town’s annual Halloween fundraiser. A deserted, boarded-up building on the property—once used as a candle-making shop—adds to the creepy ambiance. But as Stella explores the shack’s dilapidated walls, she discovers a terrible secret: the skeleton of a Quaker woman, wrapped in blood-soaked clothing and hidden deep within a stone hearth . . .
While police investigate, Stella wastes no time asking for help from friends with long ties to Nantucket’s intricate history. The key to the murder may lie within a scorching 18th century love triangle that pit two best friends against one another over a dubious man. But before the case is solved, another life will be claimed—leaving Stella to wonder who in Nantucket is friend, and who is foe . . .
A cozy mystery filled with familial love. I agree with another reviewer that in most cozies the murdered character was often disliked but in Dead-End Detective, the murdered Samantha was well-loved by many and her murder is felt deeply. I didn’t cry but my heart ached for those left behind.
Darby Piper is going to be a fun sleuth to follow and Nate will keep her on her toes. In a way, it reminded me of series I fell in love with over the summer, The Liz Talbot series by Susan M. Boyer. Both are private investigators with a loving but nosy family. I love the fact that one is set in upper New York and the other in South Carolina.
I was shocked when the killer was revealed. I missed the clues pointing to the killer. The red herrings were perfectly placed throughout. Let me know if you were quicker to the draw in finding out the killer.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Hallmark, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
NetGalley: Starred Review on Library Journal!
USA Today bestselling author and Agatha Award winner Amanda Flower brings charm and intrigue to her first cozy mystery for Hallmark.
Darby Piper is in shock. A seasoned female detective, she worked with Samantha Porter at the Two Girls Detective Agency. Now, Samantha is dead, and it doesn’t look like an accident. In fact, evidence is pointing toward Darby.
Darby had expected to inherit Samantha’s half of the agency, but Samantha had recently changed the will to leave it to Tate Porter, her nephew, who returns to town.
Tate is no private eye. He’s a world traveler and a veteran whose military past is also something of a mystery. But as he helps Darby delve into secret histories and real estate development plans, he proves to be a talented amateur sleuth. Will the agency have a future…even if Darby can solve this murder mystery in time?
This first in series cozy mystery includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Berry Trifle.
My Review: I enjoy reading the novella anthologies that seem very popular with Amish fiction/romance. Why do you ask? One I get to revisit some of my favorite characters or towns briefly and learn more about side characters. Two I find new to me authors or series that I might not normally gravitate towards. Three I can read a story a night and fall asleep happy.
I tend to suggest these novella anthologies to readers who want to dip their toes into the Amish genre. This selection of novellas will be on my heavily suggested list. Each story is full of love and Christmas cheer. How can you go wrong?
Don’t ask me to pick a favorite as that would not be right. Each story was heartwarming and written well. A perfect book to put you in the Christmas cheer.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Zondervan Fiction, through NetGalley. Any opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
NetGalley: From bestselling authors of Amish fiction come four delightful stories perfect for celebrating love, joy, and the everyday miracles Christmas brings.
Evergreen Love by Amy Clipston
Ryan Lapp had promised to marry Lorene Bontrager as soon as he was able to build them a house, but the day never came. Ryan moved away. Five years later, Lorene has settled in to her old maid role, and she’s shocked when her younger sister announces her quick engagement to Ryan’s younger brother. As they rush to plan the wedding, Lorene is constantly around the family she almost joined. Worse, she’s forced to face Ryan himself, who has returned to town. As both Ryan and Lorene examine their own feelings, they must decide if they can find grace with each other—and the young people they once were—this Christmas season. There just might still be love in their future.
Holiday of Hope by Kelly Irvin
Henry Lufkin is one of four bachelors who lived in the West Kootenai, Montana, cabins that were destroyed by wildfires. He’s the only one of them who hasn’t since married, but he likes his solitude. Then an old friend asks him to care for his son, and Henry has to share his small cabin and his life with bewildered and rebellious ten-year-old Tommy. When the child encounters trouble at school, Henry reaches out to Tommy’s teacher. Leesa Yoder never expected to find herself single and teaching sixteen young scholars, and she certainly didn’t anticipate an inexperienced bachelor telling her how to do her job. Amid the flying sparks, can Henry and Leesa see that there might be hope and love in this unexpected situation?
Wreathed in Joy by Kathleen Fuller
Mary Wengerd and Jakob Mullet have been best friends since childhood. Pressured by friends and family, they decided to date—with disastrous results. When they break up, their friendship is ruined. A year later, Mary is baking her Englisch friend’s wedding and groom cakes for a Christmas Eve wedding. Mary loves the Christmas season, and had always dreamed of marrying during that time. Now she wonders if she’ll ever marry. After she and Jakob form a tenuous new friendship, Mary breaks her arm. As he steps in to help her with the cakes, Mary is inexplicably and suddenly falling for him. But they’ve already dated, and that ended so horribly. Could it be better this time?
A Christmas Prayer by Vannetta Chapman
Widower Micah Miller runs the Amish Tour Company, offering Englischers a glimpse of a simpler life as well as tea at Rachel King’s. Rachel has never married and has recently lost her parents. When Micah comes across an abandoned and injured dog, he gives it to Rachel for company. As Rachel is charmed by the dog and shocked by news of the existence of family she never expected, her heart and mind bend toward the possibilities of change in her life—even toward the possibility of love.
My Review: I will admit when I first started this series, I was on the fence if I would like it. I am happy to admit I love this series. Each book amazes me more than the previous one. Boston Scream Murder is my favorite yet. I finished it in one day I was so enthralled by it. You have donuts, murder, a smidge of romance, and kids at Halloween. What more could you ask for?
Be prepared while reading that you will constantly be craving donuts and chocolate bars. It is not fair to set a donut book at Halloween. I am not a fan of Boston Cream but I was craving one mightily.
There would be no issues reading this series out of order if you chose to do so.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
NetGalley: Halloween in the small town of Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, is the perfect season for Deputy Donut owner Emily Westhill to unmask a killer.
October 31 is just around the corner and Emily Westhill’s Boston cream donuts, carved with a scream, have made an indelible impression on local eccentric Rich Royalson. So much so that he’s ordered three dozen, with no screaming faces and twice the fudge frosting, for his seventieth birthday—a special event in more ways than one. It’s to be held on fog-shrouded Lake Fleekom where, twenty years ago, his wife mysteriously drowned.
But the next day, when Emily arrives with her Boston cream donuts, she stumbles upon Rich’s corpse. The poor guy wanted a unique birthday bash—just not one to the side of his skull. With a guest list of possible perpetrators left at the scene, Emily soon discovers that the Royalson closet is rattling with skeletons. As the fog thickens, motives mount, and the tricks outnumber the treats, Emily fears that Rich may not be the last one in Fallingbrook to go out screaming.
My Review: A great entry in the Garden Squad series.
For the most part, this series feels pretty real. The main character, Lilly, is not afraid to say she doesn’t like someone but does try to be kind. Something we all could strive to be better practicing. I enjoy she is a lady of a certain age but shows that age is only a number.
I want you that reading this series will have you looking at your own backyard and thinking of improvements. If I had Lilly’s backyard and three seasons room I’m not sure I would ever leave the area.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
NetGalley: A festive fall is in full swing in Goosebush, Massachusetts, but when a snoopy reporter is felled by foul play, it’s up to Lilly and her Garden Squad to spook out a killer . . .
Between hosting a haunted house on her lawn, serving on the town’s 400th Anniversary Planning Committee, and prepping for the Fall Festival’s 10k fundraiser, Lilly’s hands are full. She doesn’t have time for prickly newspaper reporter Tyler Crane, who’s been creeping around town, looking for dirt on Goosebush’s most notable families . . . until he’s found dead on the race route moments before the start.
An unfortunate accident? Or did Tyler unearth a secret that someone in Goosebush is willing to kill to keep? By planting nasty rumors and cultivating fear, Tyler sowed a fair share of ill will during his brief time in town. Weeding through the suspects will be thorny, but Lilly and her Garden Squad are determined to root out the autumnal assassin before the Fall Festival flops . . .
My Review: Even with a little bit of paranormal activity, it is a very enjoyable series to read. The characters feel real and so do the storylines. I cannot believe we are already up to book seven. I already know we have a book eight coming according to Amazon. Yay!
There was a little surprise in this book that has me plotting and thinking of what we will see in Lucy’s future. Hmm…
Although this is not a Halloween themed book it is perfect for the season. It can be read as a standalone but I always think reading cozy series in order are the best. I’ll let you be the judge.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. Any opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
NetGalley: When her former director is found dead in the water, librarian Lucy Richardson will have to get to the bottom of the mystery before the killer ends her tale.
It’s summertime in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Bertie James’s college class is having their 40th anniversary reunion. The opening night reception is held at the Lighthouse Library and Lucy and her colleagues have assembled an exhibit of library artifacts showing how libraries have changed over the years. After the reception, some of the women take a walk down the boardwalk to the pier, using flashlights to illuminate the dark path, but what’s scarier than the dark is finding the former director of the Lighthouse Library floating lifeless in the water.
Helena Sanchez, the former director, wasn’t much loved and spent the party being rude to almost everyone there. As a result, Lucy finds herself in deep water as she rocks the boat, questioning several suspects. But she’ll have to batten down the hatches and fast before she’s left high and dry…and right in the killer’s crosshairs.
My Review: Wow, this book kept me on my toes. There were so many twists and turns that I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride. It was an excellent ride though. I’m still a little dizzy from the ending.
Each chapter is told from different characters but was very easy to keep straight. I enjoyed the different points of view. Without giving anything away, the different points of view allow you to feel compassion for characters you might not normally feel compassion towards.
This was my first Lisa Unger book and it won’t be my last.
If you like thrillers, suspense, domestic thrillers then this is the book for you. Once you start you will be hard-pressed to stop until you turn the last page.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Harlequin, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
NetGalley: Be careful to whom you tell your darkest secrets…
Selena Murphy is commuting home from her job in the city when the train stalls out on the tracks. She strikes up a conversation with a beautiful stranger in the next seat, and their connection is fast and easy. The woman introduces herself as Martha and confesses that she’s been stuck in an affair with her boss. Selena, in turn, confesses that she suspects her husband is sleeping with the nanny. When the train arrives at Selena’s station, the two women part ways, presumably never to meet again.
But days later, Selena’s nanny disappears.
Soon Selena finds her once-perfect life upended. As she is pulled into the mystery of the missing nanny, and as the fractures in her marriage grow deeper, Selena begins to wonder, who was Martha really? But she is hardly prepared for what she’ll discover.
Expertly plotted and reminiscent of the timeless classic Strangers on a Train, Confessions on the 7:45 is a gripping thriller about the delicate facades we create around our lives.
My Review: The Stone Wall is one of Beverly Lewis’s best yet. Lewis was my first Amish genre writer to read and I’ve never been disappointed.
Anna is a character filled with love for all those around her. Especially for her Alzheimers stricken grandmother. I can only dream of having the patience and understanding that Anna portrays not only with her grandmother but with little mute Emmie. Speaking of Emmie she will steal your heart.
I found the story calming during my current life of anxiety and stress filled days. I see it becoming one of the rare books I will reread many times.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Bethany House, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
NetGalley: Anna is eager to begin a new chapter in her life as a Lancaster County tour guide in the picturesque area where her Plain grandmother once stayed. Anna wishes she could talk with her grandmother about those long-ago days, but the elderly woman suffers from Alzheimer’s, and beyond a vague hint about an old stone wall, much about that time is a mystery. Thankfully, Martin Nolt, a handsome Mennonite, takes the young Beachy Amish woman under his wing for her training, familiarizing her with the many local highlights, including Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat, which serves children with special needs. The retreat’s mission so inspires Anna that she returns to volunteer, and she quickly strikes up a friendship with Gabe Allgyer, the young Amish widower who manages it.
As Anna grows closer to both Martin and Gabe, she finds herself faced with a difficult choice–one in potential conflict with the expectations of her parents. Will Anna find true love and the truth about her grandmother’s past in Lancaster County? Or will she find only heartbreak?
My Review: The Body in the Past is filled with Halloween excitement and a house with a sad past to add to the spookiness. I figured out the killer pretty early on but not the why. I enjoyed being thrown off the trail a few times.
George, the pug, still steals the show. He is one spoiled dog that is loved by all.
A quick but enjoyable read. It can be read as a standalone with no issues.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Lyrical Underground, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
NetGalley: Jazzi Zanders, along with her cousin Jerod and her husband Ansel, is starting work on their new fixer-upper, a house that reminds her of an English manor in the small college town of Merlot, Indiana. It was originally owned by members of a prestigious family that passed it down through the generations until they sold it suddenly and moved away. Jazzi and the guys walked through most of the house when they inspected it for structure issues before they bought it but only looked at a few of the bedrooms upstairs. When they get possession of it and do a more thorough walk-through, Jazzi discovers the fifth bedroom hasn’t been touched in years. Its walls are still pink. Dust covers the pink canopy bed and clothes still hang in its closet. And there’s a hope chest. When they open it, it’s full of a young woman’s treasures—class pictures from grade school, ribbons and trophies, yearbooks and journals.
Jazzi calls the original owners to ask if they’d like the memories before they remove them, but Lorraine Hodgkill tells her the hope chest’s contents will only revive a painful memory and asks Jazzi to never call her again. Jazzi can’t make herself trash a young girl’s thoughts and dreams, so takes the chest home to look through it. And discovers that Jessica Hodgkill was pushed off her home’s balcony and killed in the middle of her high school graduation party. No one was ever blamed for her murder.
Jazzi would leave it at that, except that her best friend’s husband grew up in Merlot, and people suspected him of killing Jessica. Every time he returns home to visit his parents and family, people point and whisper. He asks Jazzi to look into Jessica’s death to prove he was innocent. Jazzi’s not sure how much she can help but agrees. She discovers there were more than a few people who didn’t wish Jessica well, including her own father, the Hodgkills’ next door neighbor, and two of her classmates. To complicate matters, in the midst of renovating and investigating, Ansel is finishing their cottage’s basement to make a playroom. And he invites all of Jazzi’s family and friends to a Halloween party…
Kentucky Book Lover 