Midnight Ink

Charity’s Burden (A Quaker Midwife Mystery #4) by Edith Maxwell

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charitys

Pages: 288

Publisher: Midnight Ink

Published: April 8, 2019

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

NetGalley:
Quaker midwife Rose Carroll seeks the true cause of a young mother’s death
The winter of 1889 is harsh in Amesbury, Massachusetts, but it doesn’t stop Quaker midwife Rose Carroll from making the rounds to her pregnant and postpartum mothers. When Charity Skells dies from an apparent early miscarriage, Rose wonders about the symptoms that don’t match the diagnosis. She learns that Charity’s husband may be up to no good with a young woman whose mother appears to offer illegal abortions. A disgraced physician in town does the same, and Charity’s cousin seems to have a nefarious agenda. With several suspects emerging, each with their own possible motives, Rose and police detective Kevin Donovan race against time to solve the case before another innocent life is taken.

My review:
Charity’s Burden is not your typical cozy mystery or Christian Quaker read. It has a definite bite. Where should I start? I’ll start with this is not be viewed as a Christian fiction or cozy mystery. Yes, it centers around the Quakers in Massachusettes in 1889 but there are no mentions of bible verses or faith-based sermons you usually find in a Christian book. There is one romance scene that while it does not go into detail you understand there are inappropriate relations between two unmarried characters, one of them being the Quaker midwife.

This book discusses in detail the pros and cons of different abortion and safe sex practices in 1889. I found it very educational for the curious researcher in me. If you are fiercely against abortion I would say this is not the book for you. As I was reading I did not feel as if this was a political platform, it just shared how such things were thought of during the time. The Comstock laws were mentioned several times during the book and I would suggest you take a moment to look those up if you are unfamiliar with them.

I am definitely interested in reading the first three books in the series and have in fact already requested the first book from my local library.

Please do not use this review for ANY POLITICAL platform as this is not the place for them!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Midnight Ink through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

PS: Edith Maxwell is also Maddie Day of the Country Store series.

Stiffs and Swine (Supper Club Mystery #4) by Ellery Adams

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stiffs

Pages: 288 (eBook)

Publisher: Beyond the Page

Published: March 27, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Flab Five have been so successful in solving murders around Quincy’s Gap, a local Hog Fest has asked them to be guest judges. The group decides it sounds exciting enough to give themselves the weekend off from dieting and enjoy BBQ and all the festival treats. Unfortunately, murder has followed them to the festival and they decide to solve it if it is the last thing they do.

This was an exciting read from beginning to end. We are starting to get more backstory on everyone in the Flab Five and seeing the true colors of some other characters. This book has a mystery within a mystery for James. He must try and figure out what is going on with the teenagers on Friday nights in the library and help solve a murder. I like how James is evolving in each book. He is coming to realize that he is not only just a librarian. He is a boyfriend, lover, son, friend and respected pillar of the community. Everyone looks to him when help is needed to figure out problems. What a wonderful trait to have that others trust and respect you enough to look up to you.

James’ romance life is still topsy turvy. Don’t be looking for smooth sailing in this book. I have mixed feelings on how things turned out. I cannot talk much as I don’t want to give too much away.

My biggest disappointment…cheese doddles did not make an appearance for the second book in a row. If James every needed comfort with his cheese doddles he needed them at the festival. Yes, I think of his cheese doodles as a character. They are part of who James is and I do not see that as a bad thing.

More yummy recipes are included in the back of the book just in time for a summer BBQ.

I have already downloaded the fifth book in the series to keep up with the Flab Five. Come on weekend so I can delve right back in.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley from Beyond the Page. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Chili Con Corpses (Supper Club Mystery #3) by J.B. Stanley (aka Ellery Adams)

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chili.jpg

Pages: 275 (eBook)

Publisher: Midnight Ink

Published: January 1, 2008

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

James has finally lost some weight and got the girl but not for long. Lucy has been focusing all her time and attention on passing the physical test to become a policy officer for Quincy’s Gap, VA. As they struggle to come together they join a Mexican cooking class with the rest of the Flab Five. Will this heat up the relationship or will another murder cool it down even more?

This has been my favorite book of the series so far but all are wonderfully good. I find all the characters so real and relatable to whatever stage you are going through in your life. We have all had those relationships we couldn’t wait to get into and once we did things cooled after awhile and made us question if we were doing the right thing. James takes us through his experience and doesn’t hold anything back. He reminds us that love is hard and take work on all sides involved.

The recipes shared throughout the book sound so inviting and I cannot wait to have a Mexican themed dinner one night to try them. If you love Mexican food you need to read the book for the recipes alone. I found my mouth watering more than once. he recipes are for all levels off cooks from no experience to experienced.

Grab a margarita and pop open the book and enjoy!

As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles (A Food Lovers Village Mystery #5) by Leslie Budewitz

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cookie.jpg

Pages: 288 (eBook)

Publisher: Midnight Ink

Published: June 8, 2018

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The snow is falling and the Christmas spirit is rising in Jewel Bay, Montana. Oh so one thinks. Erin, the Merc, manager has befriended the two pariah, Merrily Thornton. Almost twenty years ago her family shunned her when she pled guilty to taking money from her place of employment. She has comeback trying to make amends with her family and finds herself dead on her parents property. Erin cannot resist sticking her nose into the investigation but will she live to see her Christmas dream wedding come true?

This is the fifth book in the Food Lovers’ Village Mystery series but my first and I am hooked. I already want to start looking for the first four books in the series. Erin, the main character, is a perfect amateur sleuth for me. She is feisty, sweet and loves her family. I have been reading a lot of cozy mysteries where the sleuth is not close with her/his family so I found this a great twist for me. I love the Sunday family dinners her family has. Her mother would drive me crazy just popping in and taking over her house but I understand why she does.

One of my favorite things about the book is their is not a love triangle. Erin is perfectly happy with her fiancé and he is not a jerk. Sometimes I find the love triangle over takes the story in cozy mysteries. With the main character already in love and pretty much settled we can focus on the mystery.

As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles may be a Christmas book but I believe you will enjoy it anytime of the year. Grab your warm blanket, a hot cup of yumminess and sit back and relax and get to know the residents of Jewel Bay. You will be glad you did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Midnight Ink for a copy to read in exchange for my honest review in my own words.