Tag: cozy mystery

Cat Got Your Secrets-A Kitty Couture Mystery – a Book Review

Cat Got Your SecretsTitle: Cat Got Your Secrets-Kitty Couture Mystery by Julie Chase

Genre: Currently #5056 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Books, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery, Amateur Sleuths

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Publication Date: To be published September 12, 2017

Source: Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley

Title and Cover: Cat Got Your Secrets–Neat cover–definitely draws you in

This being the third in the Kitty Couture Mysteries, Cat Got Your Secrets cover again features a darling little kitty with a striking boutique store front in the background–enough to capture any pet lover’s fancy. However, the book begins a little slowly with the introduction of the protagonist, Lacy Marie Crocker, and her situation. Then Lacy discovers a body when she tries to deliver an order; apparently not the first time she’s been privvy to a murder scene. Unfortunately, this time her father appears implicated having been the last person to see the victim alive. Lacy can’t help herself–she’s nosy–and if her dad may be involved, she’s rabid to prove him innocent, despite the warnings of both her mother and Detective Jack Oliver to stay out of it. Continue reading “Cat Got Your Secrets-A Kitty Couture Mystery – a Book Review”

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Missing Persons-a Buddy Steel Mystery – a Book Review

Missing Persons by Michael BrandmanTitle: Missing Persons- a Buddy Steel Mystery by Michael Brandman

Genre: Currently # 9721 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Books, Mystery, Thriller  Suspense, Mystery, Police Procedurals

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Publication Date: To be released September 5, 2017

Source: Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley

Title and Cover: Missing Persons – Beautiful cover – conveys book location

Missing Persons is the first in the Buddy Steel Mystery series by Michael Brandman.

Steel is an independent bachelor; aggressive, smart, and has been working homicide at the LAPD, on track for advancement and content with his life. His father, a sheriff in Freedom (a small upscale coastal community north of Los Angeles) discovers his health is going south and asks his son to come home prepared to step into his shoes. Buddy grudgingly agrees, after argument with himself, not happy to return under his father’s counsel. Unfortunately, all hell breaks loose shortly after he returns when he lands in the middle of a missing persons case. She is the wife of a world-renowned television minister. Of course, nothing is simple–that’s the rule–and the investigation leads to con artists, violent gangs, drugs, and murder. Continue reading “Missing Persons-a Buddy Steel Mystery – a Book Review”

Jack of Hearts – a Book Review

Jack of Hearts by Christopher GreysonTitle: Jack of Hearts by Christopher Greyson

Genre: Currently # 17 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Books, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery, Private Investigators

Publisher: Greyson Media LLC

Publication Date: TO BE RELEASED AUGUST 14, 2017

Source: Greyson Media LLC and NetGalley

Title and Cover: Jack of Hearts – That is supposed be an alligator(?)

More a cozy mystery than a thriller, this book is part of the Detective Jack Stratton Mystery Thriller Series. This is my introduction to this author and series, so I am not familiar with where they are normally based, or whether or not Alice is usually a part of his investigations or in what capacity. However, the series appears to be very well received.

Continue reading “Jack of Hearts – a Book Review”

The Mystery of Her – a Book Review

The Mystery of Her by Patricia CatacalosTitle: The Mystery of Her by Patricia Catacalos

Genre: Currently #2164 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Kindle Store, Kindle eBooks, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery, Historical

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, LLC

Publication Date: May 2016

Source: Submitted by author for review

Title and Cover: The Mystery of Her – Cover hints at era

Lady Kiera Everett is pretty darned sure her father was murdered and how it could have been viewed as anything else, even in London in 1888, is beyond me given the nature of the manner in the first of the Zane Brothers Detective Series, “The Mystery of Her” by Patricia Catacalos. I’m a fan of historical fiction, particularly mysteries, and this was not my first rodeo, so perhaps my expectations were a bit high. Continue reading “The Mystery of Her – a Book Review”

Silver Cascade Secrets – a Book Review

Silver Cascade SecretsTitle: Silver Cascade Secrets by Rachelle J Christensen

Genre: Currently #1810 in Kindle Store, Kindle Short Reads, Two hours or more, Romance

Publisher: Peachwood Press

Publication Date: September 2015

Silver Cascade Secrets – Colorful cover

Yah gotta give it for short, given the (romantic suspense) novella itself was only about 60 pages of an 85-page offering.

There wasn’t a lot of suspense here, only a young woman on the rebound chasing a possible next up romance; kind of a girl gets boy, girl loses boy, girl gets him back again story.

Jillian Warren is the landscape technician of the Silver Cascade Park set in Boise, Idaho (and you have to admit that’s different for a protagonist). I did enjoy the description of the gardens, themes, and seasonal colors.

It doesn’t take long for Jillian to develop the hots for Travis when she meets him in her park and notices how nice he fills out a pair of jeans. He is looking for his keys after his sister picks up his niece and she’s glad to help.

Travis soon shares that his brother-in-law was murdered months ago and Jillian is off and running on the mystery that doesn’t take as long to solve as getting Travis to shoot doe eyes back at her.

The novella is really too short for plot development, and the protagonist, swift as she is, doesn’t garner a whole lot of interest, as she seems a bit vacuous. (I mean, come on, she is just getting over her last love and supposed to be heartbroken.) The ex does make a short appearance creating turmoil for Jillian (remember I said girl loses [current] boy?).

We are barely introduced to the antagonist or the peripheral characters, and you don’t have to worry about adult language or situations as these characters and dialogue are too juvenile for either.

Following the short story portion of the book are recipes(!), introductory chapter of a succeeding book and prologue of an additional full novel, which I found to be a bit over-the-top promotion. This story is apparently included in an older anthology, but falls a bit short to be a stand-alone novella and perhaps was the reason for the marketing offers.

Four StarI was offered a free download for an honest review, and while I thought the premise was unique, the plot and characters fall just a little short of cozy. Recommended for those looking for a light-hearted, fast, and easy read.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four of Five Stars

Rachelle J ChristensenThe Author: Rachelle is an award-winning author of twelve books, including a Kindle Scout Selection and a mystery series. She is the mother of five who writes a variety of fiction as well as nonfiction. She and her family reside on a little farm in rural Idaho. Rachelle is a graduate of Utah State University. ©2017 Virginia Williams I Love Likes and Comments--Please Share!