Cozy Mystery

Musseled Out by Barbara Ross

~ Erika K ~ 3 Comments

Musseled Out
by Barbara Ross

Musseled Out

Available April 28th, 2015

Book #3 in the Maine Clambake Mysteries Series

Rating **** (4 of 5 stars)

***NOTE: I received an advance copy of this book for review through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Julia Snowden is in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, wrapping up the tourist season for her family’s Clambake business and trying to decide if she will be headed back to her job in New York now that summer is over, or if she will be staying in Maine full-time. When a potential competitor turns up dead in the water, Julia’s brother-in-law Sonny finds himself high on the list of suspects. Making matters worse, he is obviously hiding something from Julia, her sister Livvie, and the police. Julia is afraid that her boyfriend, Chris, is hiding something from her too. Since he’s one of her reasons to stay in town, the decision to stay or go is just that much harder.

Once again I started a series somewhere other than at the beginning. While you won’t be lost reading this book without having read the previous installments, in this case I do wish that I had read books one and two first. I think having a better understanding of the interpersonal relationships beforehand would have been nice, but the author does a good job of keeping you informed without totally rehashing everything that has already happened. With that aside, I really liked the story. There were enough characters and sub-plots to make it hard to guess “whodunnit”, yet without being confusing. I felt like I should already have known who did it once Julia finally figured out who the murderer was, but while the conclusion was logical, it was not obvious.

This book is part of a series of culinary mysteries, and recipes like Lobster, Shrimp and Fennel Scampi, Hot Lobster Dip, and Grandma Snowden’s Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are sure to make your mouth water.

I will be heading back to Busman’s Harbor to read the beginning of this series, and I’m looking forward to more books to come.

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Oh Say Can You Fudge by Nancy Coco

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Oh Say Can You Fudge
by Nancy Coco

Oh Say Can You Fudge

Rating ****( 4 of 5 stars)

***NOTE: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Book #3 in the Candy Coated Mystery series

Allie McMurphy runs the historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop on Mackinac Island. Still seen by some as an outsider, she’s worked hard to get onto the Star Spangled Fourth Committee to help plan the island’s Fourth of July celebration. After missing several calls from her fireworks expert while working out a recipe for a new red, white, and blue fudge, Allie finally tries to return his call but gets no answer. Worried that something might go wrong with the fireworks show she is in charge of, she heads over to the warehouse where the fireworks are being stored and arrives just minutes before the building explodes.

With several recent fires and now an explosion, it appears that there may be an arsonist running around the Island. As if that wasn’t enough to keep Allie busy, the committee is insistent that finding replacement fireworks at the last minute is her responsibility, since she is the one who wanted to hire someone new for this year’s fireworks show. Allie has to make sure the fireworks go off without a hitch and stay out of the way of an arsonist who seems more and more determined to stop her from finding the culprit.

This was the third book in the series, but the first I had read. I was happy to find that the author briefly re-introduced returning characters so I had no trouble keeping up with the cast and their relations to Allie. The mystery kept me guessing until near the end of the book. It was suspenseful and humorous, with just a touch of romance thrown in for good measure. The heroine herself is a likable person, and her puppy Mal makes her that much more endearing.

There are several very yummy sounding fudge recipes included in the book as well. The recipes in this volume were all pie-flavor themed. I can’t wait to try the Coconut Cream No Bake Fudge or the Strawberry Cream Pie Fudge, and to read more books from this series!

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The Case of the Killer Divorce

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The Case of the Killer Divorce (Jamie Quinn Mystery Book 2) by Barbara Venkataraman

The Case of the Killer Divorce (A Jamie Quinn Mystery, #2)

My rating: **** (4 of 5 stars)

**I was generously provided with a free copy of this book by the author**

This was another quick, fun read in the Jamie Quinn series. Working on a divorce case lands Jamie in the middle of another murder investigation. Jamie’s friends Grace and Duke the PI are back in this installment to lend her a hand. I really enjoyed the secondary story-line in this one just as much as (if not more than) the mystery itself. It was nice to learn more about Jamie’s past right along with her. I’d recommend this series to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. Buy from Amazon

Better Homes and Hauntings

~ Erika K ~ Leave a comment

My drive to work is nearly an hour each way, and I like to listen to audiobooks during my commute. I just finished this one on my way home last night. If anyone else has read this book, I’d love to hear what you thought of it. Let me know in the comments!

Better Homes and Hauntings
by Molly Harper

Better Homes and Hauntings

My Rating: *** (3 of 5 stars)

This was a quick, fun read. Deacon Whitney, heir to what remains of the Whitney fortune, assembles a group of people to help him revamp his family’s ancestral home, located on its own island off the New England coast. His family has been plagued by bad luck and financial misfortune through the years, but Deacon is a successful software engineer and has the funds available to redo the old family home. Joined by a cousin who wants to find out who really killed their great-great grandmother years ago and hopes to break the family curse, an old friend, a landscaper, and an organizational expert, Deacon and his new found friends encounter ghostly presences and jealous ex-business partners. There are some spooky moments, some humor, and plenty of romance along the way.

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Death by Didgeridoo

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Death by Didgeridoo (Jamie Quinn Mystery Book 1)
by Barbara Venkataraman

Death by Didgeridoo (A Jamie Quinn Mystery, #1)

My Rating: **** (4 of 5 stars)

**NOTE: I was generously provided with a free copy for review**

This was a quick read (only 111 pages), but very entertaining. I found the story humorous and full of intriguing characters. The dialog was well-written and the mystery well-plotted. Can’t wait to read the next book about Jamie Quinn!

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