I Must Get Caught Up on My Reviews!

The time has come for another edition of Catching Up on My Book Reviews. Are you ready? 

I have four books that I want to give you my thoughts on. I have included a link to Amazon US if you'd like to read the synopses or find out more about each book. Here we go!

The Program by Charlie Lovett

Standalone Science Fiction set in New York City

Rating: D

My Thoughts: Lovett has written some wonderful books, like The Lost Book of the Grail, but The Program isn't one of them. This tale of a highly popular new weight loss program kept me intrigued, but when how the program really worked was revealed, it completely lost me. 

This one may not satisfy, but as I said earlier, he has written some wonderful books. 

The Restoration Garden by Sara Blaydes

Dual timeline Fiction set in England

Rating: B

My Thoughts: Julia Esdaile, who specializes in historic garden restoration, has been hired to restore the gardens of Havenworth Manor to the way they were in 1940. Many family secrets are uncovered along the way.

I enjoyed learning more about the language of flowers as well as the garden restoration itself. The characters were sympathetically drawn in both timelines, although the modern-day characters were a bit predictable.

An enjoyable, although not particularly memorable, read.

Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg

#1 Eve Ronin Police procedural set in Los Angeles, California

Rating: A

My Thoughts: When I shared how much I was enjoying Goldberg's Ian Ludlow books, I was told that I should give his Eve Ronin series a try. Of course, I had to.

Eve Ronin (AKA Deathfist) found a way to get the job she wanted in the LAPD, and although she has to put up with nonsense from her fellow officers, she doesn't let that stop her. Goldberg shows Eve's mistakes as well as her real talent as she investigates. 

Filled with Goldberg's usual fast pace, vivid descriptions, and laugh-out-loud humor, I thoroughly enjoyed Lost Hills and look forward to meeting Eve again.

The Missing Checkout Girl Mystery by Rachel Ward

#1 Supermarket Mystery set in England

Rating: B+

My Thoughts: I don't remember how this book first caught my eye, but it did. I was surprised by how many good reviews it had received, and I decided to give it a try because, well... I'd never read a mystery with a supermarket checkout employee as a sleuth. (It also brought back memories of the first time I set foot in a British supermarket and saw the checkout employees sitting down.)

After reading The Missing Checkout Girl Mystery, I am no longer surprised by its good reviews. Bea Jordan and her cohorts are so engaging, and I loved getting to know all of them. In fact, I enjoyed the days of our lives in a supermarket so much that I almost didn't care whodunit.

An added bonus was learning a bit more about British retail, as well as a certain slang term that even had my three English nieces a bit puzzled. (Pasta parcels, anyone?)

Okay. Are you sitting down? You'd better be because I am finally caught up with my reviews! 

Did I tempt you with any of these books? Which ones?

Catching Up on My Book Reviews...Again

 

This is my latest attempt to share the books I've read with you all. My only excuse is that, for the past few months, I've been much too easily distracted to concentrate on reviews. 

These won't be the size of my normal reviews, but I will provide links to Amazon in each title if you want to learn more about any of the books.

Deadly Remains by Kate Ellis

#29 Wesley Peterson police procedural set in Devon, UK

Rating: B+

My Thoughts: Kate Ellis's Wesley Peterson series has been a "Go To" series for me for years. I love the blend of mystery, history, and archaeology. 

While Wesley and his team investigate the death of a celebrity ghostwriter and his missing laptop, Dr. Neil Watson, with the help of Wesley's teenage son Michael, excavates a crashed World War II plane on Dartmoor.

The mystery is solid, and the ongoing lives of the characters rich and satisfying. You can tell how much I like this series by the fact that it's 29 books long (so far), and I've read every one.

Killer Thriller by Lee Goldberg

#2 Ian Ludlow thriller set in Hong Kong

Rating: A

My Thoughts: After thoroughly enjoying the first book in the series, True Fiction, once again, I found myself in need of some light, fast-paced fun, so I turned to this second. I was not disappointed. 

In fact, his assistant Margo's choice of weapon in a fight had me howling with laughter. There's lots to learn about China and even filmmaking, but if you're in the mood to buckle your seatbelt and sit back for a laugh-filled adventure, I can't recommend this one highly enough.

One of my favorite lines? "The ambiance was so masculine that infertile men could increase their sperm count just by walking in the door."

Ian Ludlow's observations alone are well worth the price of admission. I'm sad that there's only one more book in the series.

Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell

Standalone Historical Fiction set in the Egypt and the Middle East

Rating: B+

My Thoughts: Narrated by schoolteacher Agnes Shanklin, we follow her through life with a suffocating mother, through the losses of World War I and the Great Influenza, and right into the creation of the modern Middle East. 

Russell, once again, has a marvelous sense of time and place. I found myself wanting to swat flies as Agnes walked the streets of Cairo, and the friendships she made with people like Winston Churchill, T.E. Lawrence, and Gertrude Bell gave the sheltered woman's life a fairy tale aspect. Few would have expected her to have the bravery to set out on such an adventure by herself.

All in all, Agnes reminded me of a young Eleanor Roosevelt, and I enjoyed her story.

Jungle of Stone: The Extraordinary Journey of John L. Stephens and Frederick Catherwood, and the Discovery of the Lost Civilization of the Maya by William Carlsen

Set in Central America

Non-Fiction

Rating: C+

My Thoughts: I have always been fascinated by the ancient civilizations of the Aztec, the Inca, and the Maya, so this book was right up my street.

The sections on the Maya were fascinating, but the book bogged down with the detailed biographies of Stephens and Catherwood. For some reason, the title of the book led me to expect more Maya than it delivered, which was disappointing.

A Fatal Feast at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennison

#11 in the Honeychurch Hall cozy series set in England

Rating: C+

My Thoughts: Although the number of cozy mysteries I read has fallen in recent years, there are still certain series that I follow, and this is one of them.

Unfortunately, not all entries in a long-running series can be dazzling. This one is lackluster. There is little humor, nothing about antiques, and the whodunit was easy to deduce. The emphasis is on people's mean-spirited, money-grubbing actions, and that's never been a favorite of mine.

I'd also like to add that I think it's past time for Kat's mother's chickens to come home to roost. I've never liked her allergy to the truth and what it's done to the people in her life, but I doubt it's going to happen. I have a feeling that most readers find her funny. I wish I did!

That's all for now. I'm getting really close to being completely caught up. When that happens, I may have palpitations! 

Contesting the Wool by Diane Vallere

 

First Line: The reading of Reginald Villamere's will was the event of the season, and until last week, I didn't know the man existed.

It was a shock when Poly Monroe learned she was going to inherit something from millionaire Reginald Villamere. She never knew the man who preserved San Ladron's historic movie theater, but her relatives did. Since Villamere's thirty-year-old will named them and they were both dead, Poly inherited in their place. When she goes to the theater to see her inheritance, she finds one of Villamere's lawyers dead in a storage room.

Townspeople are more interested in "who got what" in Villamere's will than they are in the murder of a stranger, so it's up to Poly to unravel all the clues and button down the killer.

~

The more books I read by Diane Vallere, the more I find we have in common, like believing that one of life's great experiences is watching a movie in an empty theater. In Contesting the Wool, readers follow Poly in and out of a historic theater, and I enjoyed every minute.

One of the things I love about this Material Witness series is the creativity with which Vallere imbues her main character. In this sixth entry, Poly is inspired by her inheritance, and I loved watching her brainstorm a new idea to grow her business. 

I also admit I had to smile when I learned that the plot revolved around a thirty-year-old will that raised no questions, especially since the will was a millionaire's. You see, I recently had problems getting a thirteen-year-old will accepted by various businesses. ("There could be others floating around!" one person said.) I guess that's one of the perks of being a millionaire? But that will really keeps the plot hopping from named beneficiaries to those who thought they should have been included-- and weren't. 

No matter how strong the plots are, this series shines because of its cast of characters. Not just Poly, but her friend, Charlie, who has the best auto repair shop in San Ladron and relishes her reputation as the town's bad girl. Charlie lives life on her own terms, and her character grows with each book. By the way, so does Poly's. For one thing, she's learning that she can't keep expecting her parents to fill in whenever she needs help in her fabric shop. But it's not just Charlie and Poly. There's Sheriff Clark, Tiki Tom, Duke, Poly's old boss Giovanni... the list goes on. 

If you haven't given the Material Witness series a try, I hope you'll change that. A great cast, humor, good mysteries to solve, and watching creativity in action. What's not to like?

Contesting the Wool by Diane Vallere

eISBN: 9781954579231

Polyester Press © 2025

eBook, 277 pages

Cozy Mystery, #6 Material Witness

Rating: B+

Source: Net Galley

Mark These Read

 

Welcome to the latest edition of my feeble attempts to catch up on my reviews. These catch-up reviews are going to be short and sweet, but at least you'll have an idea of what pages I've been turning the past few months! (I'll also provide links to Amazon in each title if you want to learn more about any of the books.)

Let's get started!

The Last Supper by Rosemary Shrager

#1 Prudence Bulstrode cozy mystery

Rating: B

My Thoughts: This mystery revolving around a murder during an English country house shooting party started a bit awkwardly, but soon hit its stride. The author is a celebrity chef, and readers certainly get an insider's look at both celebrity chefs and cooking. 

One thing I liked about Prudence Bulstrode (besides her name!) was the fact that she planned all her sleuthing around the meals she had to prepare for the guests at the country house. So many times, amateur sleuths seem to forget that they have bills to pay and blithely skip away to look for clues. 

Filled with interesting characters, a solid mystery, and plenty of humor, I'll be returning to see what Prudence cooks up next.

Michael's Wife by Marlys Millhiser

Standalone Suspense

Rating: C+

My Thoughts: Having enjoyed Millhiser's book, The Mirror, I looked forward to this tale of a woman with amnesia who finds herself thrown into one of those rich, entitled families that would put a nest of vipers to shame. Unfortunately, I found the book to be pedestrian and lacking suspense.

My advice: Skip this one, but if you like excellent time travel stories, find The Mirror.

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain

Standalone Historical Fiction

Rating: A

My Thoughts: After watching the film, Out of Africa, I read many non-fiction books about that time period in Africa (fascinating!) One of the books that made my all-time favorite books list was Beryl Markham's memoir, West With the Night.

When I began to read Circling the Sun, I immediately fell under the spell of Markham's voice. This woman lived an incredible life, mixing the early days of aviation (she was the first person to fly solo west across the Atlantic), growing up with the Kikuyu in Kenya, African wildlife, and horse racing.

McLain's book is a tale well told, and I'll be reading more of her work.

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

#1 Martini Club thriller

Rating: A

My Thoughts: Maggie Bird lives in the seaside village of Purity, Maine-- along with several other retired CIA operatives. When Maggie's past rises up, she goes to those friends to take advantage of the more than 100 years of experience they share. 

As Maggie showed me how careful she is with every single move she makes, I was exhausted-- and grateful that I'll never have to live that way. Local police chief Jo Thibodeau is a hoot ("Outmaneuvered by a bunch of old folks"), and I'm looking forward to seeing more of her as well as Maggie's neighbor, Luther Yount, and his granddaughter Callie.

Side note: I've learned more about the state of Maine by reading mysteries!

There you have it-- four more books that I read over the summer. When will I catch up? Your guess is as good as mine!

Have you read any of these? Which ones? What did you think? Did I tempt you with any of them? Inquiring minds would love to know!

 

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime by Vicki Delany

 

First Line: I have to admit, it was a lovely wedding.

 

Gemma Doyle and her friends are in London for her sister Pippa's wedding. One evening, Gemma finds her ex-husband, Paul Erikson, waiting for her in the hotel lobby. He has a rare book that he wants her to see-- something he calls "the real deal". Reluctantly, Gemma agrees to meet him at their old shop, Trafalgar Fine Books, the next day. When Gemma arrives with Grant, a rare book dealer, they find Paul dead in his office.  

Paul's rare book is nowhere to be found, and due to their previous relationship, Gemma feels obligated to find Paul's killer. With the help of her best friend Jayne, Gemma follows Paul's trail of friends, enemies, clients, and ex-lovers, finally realizing that the puzzle of her ex-husband's last days is much more twisted than she thought.

~

Vicki Delany's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series continues to delight with this tenth book, The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime. Readers may not get to meet Gemma's illusive Uncle Arthur who's left in charge of the bookshop back on Cape Cod, but they do get to meet her ex-husband, Paul, who certainly proves how right Gemma was in divorcing him.

Once again, the interplay of all the characters is one of the best things in this book (and the entire series). A fight scene which includes the unlikely weapons of a handbag and an umbrella had me laughing out loud. In addition, a wicked plot twist had me smiling and rethinking my solution to the mystery. 

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime is definitely what my British husband would call "more-ish". I look forward to Gemma's next adventure. It can't come soon enough.

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime by Vicki Delany

eISBN: 9781639109272

Crooked Lane Books © 2025

288 pages

Cozy Mystery, #10 Sherlock Holmes Bookshop

Rating: A-

Source: Net Galley

The Gardener's Plot by Deborah J. Benoit

 

First Line: Of all the people I didn't want to run into, the person at the top of that list just happened to be in line in front of me at the Grocery Mart.

 

Heading home to the Berkshires in western Massachusetts spells a fresh start for Maggie Walker. She loves gardening and has become an enthusiastic partner with local Violet Bloom in a community garden project.  

When Maggie shows up for opening day, the gardeners who signed up are pacing outside the gate and very restless. Violet never showed up. Things go from bad to worse when Maggie finds a boot buried in one of the plots... and the boot has a foot attached to it.

Suddenly, Maggie's missing friend is the prime suspect in a murder, and she has her work cut out for her to find her friend and prove Violet's innocence.

~

The Gardener's Plot may be crippled somewhat by a few tired cozy mystery cliches (the high school enemy, the hunky detective, the cheating ex-husband, and an amateur sleuth who thinks she's ten feet tall and bulletproof). Still, I'm smart enough to realize that what may make my eyes roll back in my head can be exactly what other readers are looking for.

Although I did start this review with a grumble, Benoit's book is an enjoyable read. I like Maggie Walker's attachment to her friends, her persistence, and her love of gardening. There's also a good, solid cast of locals who should provide plenty of fodder for future stories. There may be plenty of formula in The Gardener's Plot, but it's a good formula that should make for a long, healthy growing season.

 

The Gardener's Plot by Deborah J. Benoit

eISBN: 9781250334985

Minotaur Books © 2024

eBook, 336 pages

 

Cozy Mystery

Rating: B

Source: Net Galley

French Quarter Fright Night by Ellen Byron

 

First Line: Muhwaa ha ha!

 

It's Halloween in New Orleans, and the staff of the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum is busy setting up a fantastic haunted house tour despite all attempts from the next-door neighbor's nasty assistant to put a stop to it all. 

Gift shop manager Ricki James-Diaz is in for a shock when, in trying to put a stop to the assistant's machinations, she learns that the new next-door neighbor is none other than popular movie star, Blaine Taggart. Yes, there's a history there between the two.

When the aforementioned nasty assistant's body is found in Bon Vee's prop tomb, everyone at the museum becomes a suspect, and that means Ricki and her friends have a killer to catch.

~

French Quarter Fright Night is another enjoyable entry in Ellen Byron's Vintage Cookbook cozy series. I really enjoy the New Orleans setting as well as all the merchandise Ricki finds for her gift shop. I also liked seeing how folks in New Orleans get ready for Halloween.

There's a good mix of characters in this third book in the series. Ricki is likable and smart, and she certainly has an interesting mix of friends. Movie star Blaine Taggart is an interesting addition, often showing how celebrities seem to be from a different planet. Ricki's friend, Cookie the "recovering children's librarian" rapidly became tiresome with all her attempts to flaunt her charms right in Taggart's face, but there are others-- like Mordant "the human Eeyore" and college intern Olivia Felice-- who took my mind right off Cookie.

The mystery is a strong one that kept me guessing, and I liked the continuing search into Ricki's family history. If you like cozy mysteries with a strong sense of place and a good cast of characters, try Ellen Byron's Vintage Cookbook series. The first book is Bayou Book Thief.

French Quarter Fright Night by Ellen Byron

eISBN: 9781448312665

Severn House © 2024

eBook, 256 pages

 

Cozy Mystery, #4 Vintage Cookbook

Rating: B

Source: Net Galley

Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin

 

First Line: I walked through the park reciting the lines out loud, letting the words marinate in my mind.

 

The success of her first book for middle-grade readers, The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound, encouraged elementary school teacher Priscilla Cummings to quit, move back to Crosbyville, Indiana, and take up the writer's life with her bloodhound, Bailey. 

Pris soon finds out that former high school mean girl and newly elected school board trustee, Whitney Kelley, is on a campaign to eliminate frivolous spending-- and by "frivolous" she means anything to do with the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey's pet-assisted reading program.

As a result, Pris and Whitney have a rather public argument, and when Bailey finds Whitney's body in a flowerbed, Pris finds herself Suspect #1.

~

I was in the mood for a canine-themed light and fun mystery, so I picked up Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin (AKA V.M. Burns) with mixed results.

 

I did enjoy the small town setting and the cast of characters, like Pris's Aunt Agatha who owns the Blue Plate Special Café, and the police chief's eight-year-old daughter, Hannah. Her background as an elementary school teacher means that Pris has many tools in her arsenal when dealing with children and-- more importantly-- with difficult adults (excluding Whitney). The relationship she forms with Hannah is exceptional.

 

I also liked how Bailey's reaction to one of the characters was a dead giveaway, but his reaction did not solve the entire mystery.

 

Then there were the things that didn't sit well with me. Like the fact that Pris was under a critical deadline yet did not write one single word of her next book. Or the fact that she kept sticking her nose in various people's business, getting harsh reactions, yet was so absolutely clueless that she didn't realize she was putting her own life in danger. Or the fact that Bailey the bloodhound really didn't figure in the book much.

 

However, the major thing that I didn't care for was the overwhelming aroma of romance throughout the entire book. Pris had just had the very traumatic experience of finding a dead body, but the split second she spies Police Chief Gilbert Morgan, she longs for a comb and a makeup touchup. (If you just pictured my eyes rolling back in my head, you hit the bull's-eye.) Yep, there were just too many curling toes and quivering livers in Sniffing Out Murder that kept me from truly enjoying the book, but it is a light, fun, and fast read-- perfect for the summer.

Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin

ISBN: 9780593547359

Berkley Prime Crime © 2023

Paperback, 352 pages

 

Cozy Mystery, #1 Bailey the Bloodhound mystery

Rating: C+

Source: Purchased from The Poisoned Pen Bookstore.

Fatal First Edition by Jenn McKinlay

 

First Line: How's the windy city?" Nancy Peyton asked.

 

Librarian Lindsey Norris and her husband, Sully, are in Chicago attending an archivists' conference. After a lecture, Lindsey gets up to go to the front to meet book restoration specialist Brooklyn Wainwright and finds a tote bag containing a first edition of Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train inscribed to Alfred Hitchcock. Wainwright determines the novel is quite valuable, so Lindsey returns the book to the conference director.

Mere hours after boarding the train back to Connecticut, Lindsey and Sully find the conference director murdered in his private compartment. Even worse, the pair are prime suspects because the murderer planted the book in their room next door. Finding a killer just became even more important than usual.

~

If you're in the mood for a book that's just plain fun to read, pick up Jenn McKinlay's Fatal First Edition. Although this is one of my favorite series and I would love you to read all fourteen books in it, I think you could pick this one up and not feel confused about the characters and their lives if you don't have the time to invest in the entire series. (But don't blame me if you read it and find yourself looking up all the others.)

There are so many elements that make Fatal First Edition a winner. There's the cameo appearance by book restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright, the main character in Kate Carlisle's excellent Bibliophile series. There are ties to master mystery writer Patricia Highsmith and master filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock through Highsmith's Strangers on a Train. There's train travel for those of you who haven't had the pleasure (and those of us who have). Even the weather cooperates by providing a blizzard during the hunt for the killer.

With all these elements comes a first-rate cast that I consider part of my fictional family. When a character's life is in danger, I was reminded of how I think McKinlay could be an extremely talented thriller writer. She definitely had me turning the pages as fast as I could.

After this thrill ride of a mystery, I can't wait to see what is next in store for intrepid librarian Lindsey Norris. Hurry up with the next book, Jenn!

Fatal First Edition by Jenn McKinlay

eISBN: 9780593639351

Berkley Prime Crime © 2024

eBook, 280 pages

 

Cozy Mystery ,#14 Library Lovers mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Net Galley

A Matrimonial Murder by Meeti Shroff-Shah

 

First Line: On the quiet, gulmohar-lined slopes of Mumbai's posh Temple Hill, Sarla Seth is a powerful name.

 

Radhi, a writer and traveler, has returned home to Mumbai's posh Temple Hill district after spending years living in New York City. Radhi has many ghosts to deal with, among them the disappearance of her American lover and the death of her parents twenty years ago in which she's always held herself responsible. To top it all off, she's suffering from writer's block, so when her agent lines up a book project for her, Radhi decides to take it.

 

The subject of the book is Mumbai's thriving and ultra-competitive marriage bureau business, and Radhi will be spending a week with Sarla Seth, the best matchmaker of them all. 

 

Radhi has barely begun interviewing all the employees when Sarla's investigator is found dead in her office at the marriage bureau. The problem is, no one is sure if the dead woman was the intended victim... or was it Sarla Seth herself? Radhi may be contracted to write a book, but she finds herself investigating a murder instead.

 

~

 

A Matrimonial Murder is the second book in the author's contemporary Temple Hill mystery series, and at times I felt that it would have been better had I read the first book (A Mumbai Murder Mystery) beforehand. However, I felt that way not because I was getting lost among the characters and the story, I felt it would have given me a slightly better understanding of the main character and her backstory.

 

Radhi has money. She's driven around Mumbai by her chauffeur, and she's found herself the subject of gossip in the rarefied air of the (fictional) Temple Hill district of Mumbai. After all, she's a thirty-year-old divorcee; she's had a white boyfriend, and... she's lived in the United States! Her sister Madhavi is a treasure even though Madhavi does have the mother-in-law from hell, a woman filled with feelings of entitlement and all the old prejudices that should have died lonely deaths years ago.

 

I enjoyed following Radhi around because of the in-depth look she gave me of present-day Mumbai and the detailed look at the matrimonial business of arranged marriages. I could see the clothing, wonder at the boxes of brightly-colored, patterned tissues, and feel my mouth water at the descriptions of all the food. For armchair traveling sleuths who love to learn about the cultures of other countries, A Matrimonial Murder is a treat.

 

The book also has a strong mystery that kept me guessing. Unfortunately, it also did something that really annoys me. What was it? Several times, Radhi found an important piece of the puzzle, and instead of sharing it with readers, she kept it to herself until the reveal at the end. Do writers do this because they think sharing the clues will help readers solve the mystery too soon, or are they wanting to play Agatha Christie and gather everyone in a room so the main character can Reveal All? For whatever reason, it annoys me because Christie could do it without being so obvious.

 

Strong mystery. Marvelous sense of place. An interesting main character. Something tells me that I'll be visiting Radhi in Mumbai again in the future. I just hope she starts sharing the clues she finds.

A Matrimonial Murder by Meeti Shroff-Shah

eISBN: 9781835263358

Joffe Books © 2024

eBook, 298 pages

 

Cozy Mystery, #2 Temple Hill mystery

Rating: B

Source: Net Galley

Trust the Terrier by D.L.Mitchell

 

First Lines: "Meeeooooowwwwwww!" "Sounds like Mrs. Pringle and Fluffy are early again," Anthony said, stating the obvious.

 

After buying the Coral Shores Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Emily Benton has put her personal life on hold. All of her focus is on the business. A house call to Mrs. Eliza Klein finds one very distressed terrier named Elvis and Mrs. Klein face down on the floor dead. Emily immediately calls her brother, Deputy Sheriff Duncan Benton.

 

The cause of death triggers a murder investigation, and Emily finds herself drawn into it, especially since she's temporarily brought Elvis into her home. The little terrier manages to turn Emily and her best friend Anthony into amateur sleuths while the professionals-- Emily's brother and Detective Mike Lane-- work hard to uncover the truth.

 

~

 

I have a weakness for cozy mysteries featuring veterinarians, and the dog lover in me couldn't resist the cover of D.L. Mitchell's Trust the Terrier. While I did find the main character exasperating, there is a lot to like about this first Coral Shores Veterinary mystery.

 

For one thing, the setting is a winner. The town of Coral Shores on the Florida Gulf Coast is a winner. Its strict building codes mean it's not the usual tourist trap, and I'm all for that. There's also the Coral Shores Turtle Project that Emily is a part of, and I always like to see people banding together to protect endangered wildlife. The author also takes readers right into a busy veterinary practice for some behind-the-scenes looks at what goes on.

 

Dr. Emily Benton's first outing as an amateur sleuth is aided by the dead woman's daughter who can afford to hire a private pathologist, saving valuable time in finding clues. It also doesn't hurt that her brother is the deputy sheriff in town. Emily is still grieving the death of her mother and often makes use of her mother's extensive flip-flop collection. She also has a Maine Coon cat named Bella who must get used to Elvis the canine house guest.

 

As I said, there's a lot to like in Trust the Terrier, but I found Emily exasperating. All dog lovers know to trust their pets whenever they strongly react to another human, but it took Emily eons to figure out why Elvis always went ballistic around one person. Then there was her belief that her brother should share every little piece of information from the murder investigation he was conducting. One of these days, I'd like to see a character lose his job for sharing information he knows he shouldn't, although that would put a serious cramp in some amateurs' sleuthing attempts.

There was also a bit more romance in this book than I really care for, but I do have to admit that it was handled well. However, what really chapped my hide was Emily's TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) moments. One such example is when she sees the truck belonging to a man she knows to be extremely dangerous parked out on the street. What does she do? She tells no one and goes out after dark to check it out. I rolled my eyes so far back in my head that they almost stuck.

Even though there is a lot to like about Trust the Terrier, the main character's behavior makes it doubtful that I'll read further in the series. Shame on you, Emily.

Trust the Terrier by D.L. Mitchell

eISBN: 9781685133467

Black Rose Writing © 2023

eBook, 211 pages

Cozy Mystery, #1 Coral Shores Veterinary mystery

Rating: C

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

The Sign of Four Spirits by Vicki Delany

 

First Line: I consider myself to be a practical woman.

 

Even though she doesn't want anything to do with the psychic fair that's come to New London, Gemma Doyle has to admit that the fair has been very good for business at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. When she's coerced into attending a séance, Gemma is shocked when she's banned from the room. Naturally, she listens at the door. A voice cut off,  a cry for help, a scream... Gemma bursts into the room to find one of the attendees dead in a room where all the windows were locked and she was guarding the only door. 

 

Someone in that room is a murderer... but who? Gemma is determined to find out.

 

~

 

Vicki Delany's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop cozy series continues to be one of my favorites. In The Sign of Four Spirits, the author uses Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's interest in the occult to bring a psychic twist to a strong locked room mystery.

 

However strong the mysteries are, the characters keep bringing me back to this series. Gemma's Uncle Arthur, who's never home, but feels free to volunteer Gemma for various community projects. Her best friend, Jayne Wilson, who is a marvelous baker and will follow Gemma anywhere even though she's never quite sure what's going on. And what about Gemma's employee Ashleigh, who says, "I've learned not to ask too many questions. Gemma comes, Gemma goes. Gemma does strange things." At least Gemma is in the store often enough to keep bestselling items ordered and delivered!

 

I highly recommend this series if you like bookshops, Sherlock Holmes, strong mysteries, and plenty of quirky, lovable characters. I'm looking forward to Gemma's next investigation. 

The Sign of Four Spirits by Vicki Delany

eISBN: 9781639105403

Crooked Lane Books © 2024

eBook, 304 pages

Cozy Mystery, #9 Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Net Galley

Tulle Death Do Us Part by Diane Vallere

 

First Line: My ten-fifteen appointment was twenty minutes late.

 

Polyester (Poly) Monroe's in for more excitement than she bargained for when she agrees to a private appointment with a bride-to-be. Their meeting ends with an order for a marvelous dress, and the wedding is to take place at the historic Waverly House there in town. When a guest is found dead in the chapel before the wedding, suspicion immediately falls on the bride-- Poly's private appointment. Poly's in for even more surprises when the bride's groom-to-be asks for her help. The groom? Poly's ex-boyfriend of ten years.

Poly's got a lot of work to do to untangle all the knots of clues if she's to find a killer and get that wedding dress put together.

~

Diane Vallere's Material Witness cozy series is one of my favorites. It reminds me of hours spent with my grandmother in fabric stores, listening to the rustle of paper patterns, and the sound of her shears slicing through colorful material. I was thrilled to see this fourth book appear after seven long years of silence, and I snapped it up. Tulle Death Do Us Part does not disappoint.

 

There's a good, twisty mystery in the pages of this book-- and more. I learned about the physical effects of a life spent in ballet, and good ways to promote a small business in a local community. Poly's creativity with fabric and design lights my own fires, and I find myself eyeing my yarn stash and looking through patterns for my next project. 

 

As with any mystery by Diane Vallere, the characters shine and really bring readers back for each new installment in her series. In Tulle Death Do Us Part, Poly shows a lot of emotional growth in being forced to deal with her ex-boyfriend. (It was a painful split after being together for ten years.) 

Now that Poly has returned, I'm looking forward to her next adventure. Bring it on!

Tulle Death Do Us Part by Diane Vallere

eISBN: 9781954579835

Polyester Press © 2023

eBook, 286 pages

Cozy Mystery, #4 Material Witness mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

The Charity Shop Detective Agency by Peter Boland

 

 

First Line: Wrenching the handbrake, Ted pulled up outside the house of his favorite customer.

 

When their favorite customer is murdered, the three retired ladies who work at a charity shop called Dogs Need Nice Homes decide to take on an investigation of their own. After all, the local police seem to be getting nowhere, and with their knowledge of mystery novels, how hard could it be?

 

When another person is found dead, Fiona, Sue, and Daisy begin to learn that finding a killer isn't as easy as they'd thought, especially when the woman running the rival charity shop across the street-- the Cat Alliance-- keeps interfering.

 

~

 

The Charity Shop Detective Agency is a light, pleasant read-- a relaxing way to spend a rainy afternoon. I've long been intrigued by the plethora of charity shops in the UK. With much fewer storage unit facilities there, the British must use charity shops to prevent the build-up of all the "stuff" that we Americans can't seem to turn loose of. I did learn quite a bit about the routine in these shops, and how the people running them work to fit into the community as well as entice potential customers.

Seventy-six-year-old Fiona is the woman who loves to read crime novels, and she is responsible for the best two parts of the book. So many cozy mysteries seem to have amateur sleuths who tackle an investigation and don't seem to have too much trouble "getting the job done." You and I both know that that wouldn't happen in the real world. Author Peter Boland does an excellent job showing how Fiona finds out she isn't as smart as she thinks. She makes mistakes and often makes things worse. She realizes this, and seeing how her investigative skills improve as the series progresses will be interesting.

On a more light-hearted note, the scenes I enjoyed the most involved a novel by Val McDermid and how Fiona used it as a bargaining chip to get some needed information. Only diehard readers would understand how this could easily happen.

The Charity Shop Detective Agency is a light, pleasant read with interesting characters. I just may find myself visiting Dogs Need Nice Homes again.

The Charity Shop Detective Agency by Peter Boland

eISBN: 9781804056615

Joffe Books © 2022

eBook, 371 pages

Cozy Mystery, #1 Charity Shop Detective Agency mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Murder in an Italian Village by Michael Falco

 

First Line: Early May in Positano meant anticipation, la quiete prima della tempesta, the quiet before the storm.

 

With the grand opening of her bed and breakfast approaching, recent widow Bria Bartolucci and her eight-year-old son Marco are about to begin a new chapter in their lives in Positano, a beautiful village on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. 

But that new chapter may be over before it's had a chance to begin when Bria comes home to find a dead body in one of her guest rooms. The police are just as puzzled as she is, and when suspicion falls on her employee, Bria knows that, in order to save her reputation and her business, she needs to catch the real killer.

 

 

~

The major reason why I chose to read Murder in an Italian Village was for its setting of Positano on the Amalfi Coast. I've seen paintings and photographs of Positano, and it's incredibly beautiful. Unfortunately, this first Bria Bartolucci mystery didn't quite live up to its setting.

I did enjoy the setting and learning about village life there, and the author created a mystery that kept me guessing as Bria and her best friend, Rosalie, kept uncovering secrets. However, the book was hampered by a slow pace, one of those budding love triangles that I do not care for, and-- perhaps-- too much Italian flair.

Being a lover of Italian food, I think there could have been more of that in this book, but Falco could be saving that for when Bria's bed and breakfast is actually up and running. One of the things that got on my nerves quickly was how all the characters were quick to scream, shout, bellow, cry, and screech. I know this was used to show the excitable Italian temperament, but I think it might have been better served by using more exclamation points and fewer decibel-loaded verbs.

One thing that I enjoyed but that may annoy other readers was the amount of Italian used in the story. Italian is a beautiful language, and with my knowledge of French, I found it relatively easy to decipher a phrase when its meaning was not clear in context. The author does include a glossary in the back, but I can see readers become tired of flipping back and forth. 

Although I know the author had to set up his characters, some areas needed more editing-- like the minute details of what all the principal characters were wearing during a party on board a yacht. There was so much detail that I found myself skimming through, but if you're passionate about fashion, your mileage will undoubtedly vary.

When all is said and done, I found Murder in an Italian Village to be a good story that could have been told better. Will I visit Bria again? I do not know.

Murder in an Italian Village by Michael Falco

eISBN: 9781496742155

Kensington Books © 2023

eBook, 304 pages

 

Cozy Mystery, #1 Bria Bartolucci mystery

Rating: C-

Source: Net Galley

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann

 

First Line: Hettie felt hot.

 

The residents of the sleepy English village of Duck End are under the impression that the people living in Sunset Hall are a bunch of senile hippies, and that opinion means that those supposed senile hippies are pretty much allowed to live in peace-- which suits them just fine. So imagine the hippies' surprise when they are visited by a police officer informing them that a body has been discovered next door. Everyone is suitably saddened by the news, but they're even more relieved that the body in question is not the one they're hiding in the shed (Lillith, a fellow Sunset Hall resident). 

 

But their problem may be solved. All they have to do is find out who murdered their neighbor so they can pin Lillith's death on the killer. In no time flat, the gang springs into action, even though it means leaving their comfort zone to tangle with inept burglars, broken stairlifts, the local police... and their own dark secrets.

~

Several years ago, I read Leonie Swann's Three Bags Full, and although I enjoyed it, it felt as though some undefinable thing were missing. I've had this happen before with other authors. Every once in a while, I come across a writer who comes up with ideas that delight me and grab my imagination, yet there's something lacking in the finished product. After reading The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp, I feel the same way about Leonie Swann; however, in her case, my problem may lie in the fact that humor doesn't always translate well into other languages.

Agnes Sharp has gathered together an interesting group of people with various skill sets that will ultimately help them find the killer of Duck End despite their individual infirmities. (One is blind, another is in a wheelchair, Agnes won't take her meds, etc.) She did this so that they could all be independent yet not die alone, which is an admirable aim indeed. 

 

They find themselves in all sorts of predicaments, including babysitting a grandson, and Agnes herself goes undercover in a nursing home. I think my favorite part of the book was when one of them drugged and locked a police officer in the cellar. I didn't expect that to be so amusing, but it was. 

 

But as the story unfolded, I began to wonder just how reliable Agnes was as a narrator, especially since she refused to take some very important medication. In addition, the story had so many twists and turns that I began to get confused. As I sorted everything out, I began to visualize a tapestry with many loose, tangled, and knotted threads, and that's a reading experience I don't enjoy.

Leonie Swann's The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp has a surprising cast of lively old hippies... and a tortoise named Hettie who likes hands bearing lettuce. I may not want to sit down to tea with them, but I do admire their persistence and inventiveness.

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann

Translated from the German by Amy Bojang

eISBN: 9781641294348

Soho Press © 2023

eBook, 360 pages

 

Cozy Mystery, #1 Agnes Sharp mystery

Rating: C-

Source: Net Galley