My Rating: 5 Stars Another great book by Amanda Flower! Fiona Knox hasn’t been easy as of late. After losing her flower shop and her husband to their cake decorator, she’s in desperate need of change. She flies to Scotland looking for a new beginning as she inherits her godfather’s cottage and a possible magic walled garden. But when she arrives at the house, she finds the once beautiful garden destroyed and a dead body. Fiona’s life takes a turn when she’s dragged into a murder investigation by handsome Chief Inspector Neil Craig. Can she solve the mystery and clear the name of the people she loves? This novel is the perfect mix of magic and mystery. It’s the perfect book to sit and relax. The setting is beautiful, even if I just imagined it. Amanda Flower has the ability to bring places to life with her simple yet colourful descriptions, especially of all the animals we get to see throughout the story. The plot is easy to follow and to understand, flowing at a steady pace with a few twists along the way to keep things interesting. The story follows a murder investigation and explores how an enchanted garden comes to life when Fiona is present. The reader is taken on a colourful trip through an original reality. It’s a fresh concept that is developed on a solid base. Flower leaves enough space to develop a collection between discovering more of Fiona’s gifts, the development of characters and, of course, other murders. The characters are delightful. Fiona is a likeable main female character with a rough life. After her life pretty much falls apart, she wants to start from scratch and ends up being part of a murder mystery. Her resilience, her intelligence, and her quickness to adapt to the circumstances make a great character to follow and feel for. I really liked how Flower introduced the background story of the garden and the role Fiona has to play. I was rooting for her the whole book. Hamish is a memorable male lead and I could imagine his pet squirrel Duncan, cute and fluffy. Other characters Raj and Presha, are very nicely introduced and Flower leaves you hanging for more. I’m curious to see how all the characters will play throughout this new collection. I recommend this novel to fans of cosy-mysteries and magical gardens! Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.
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My Rating: 3 Stars An entertaining novel by Elizabeth Peters, but not one of her best works. Elizabeth Jones works in a publishing house. After saving money for three years, she’s finally able to take her dream holidays. But things don’t go as planned. In fact, things start going downhill when she recognises the famous historical writer, Margaret Rosenberg taking the same flight. When the plane arrives in Copenhagen, an unfortunate accident renders Margaret without a secretary. Elizabeth introduces herself and volunteers to work with her during her holidays. As she introduced to the authors disagreeable and arrogant son, Christian, she thinks her life can’t get any better. When Margaret suddenly goes missing, they have to work together to unravel the motive and the mystery of Queen Margaret I of Scandinavia. The novel takes place in the 80s and the setting and language match the plot and the characters. The language used is very similar to that of nowadays and the absence of technology was a breath of fresh air for me. As usual, Peters chose a great setting. It’s a European beauty, marvellously described and the plot develops in a great way in the streets of Copenhagen. I would though, classify this novel as a cosy-mystery more than a historical novel or even a serious mystery. Even though the idea of the plot is good, I got a bit lost in all the unnecessary turns the characters made and the constant abuse of the main male character for no reason. The characters are likeable but I couldn’t really understand their connection. There is a lack of depth to the characters, at all levels. Elizabeth, the female lead, is a funny, feisty young woman dedicated to her job and her dreams. She’s witty but there were times that I actually doubted her logic. She would just stand there and do nothing. Christian, the main male lead, is the typical handsome, arrogant man with a mean mouth on him. My main problem with these characters is that, firstly, I can’t figure out how they got romantically attached. All they do is fight, argue, put flaws on each other and then suddenly Elizabeth realises she has feelings for him. I couldn’t see a solid development of feelings anyway, they just appeared there, out of the blue. I couldn’t connect with the main characters and I failed to follow the growth of their feelings if there is one. Secondly, there isn’t a good reason for the male character be like this, not a single one. Yes, his mother is a bit crazy, but the abominable way he treats people is inexcusable for me. Additionally, the way he treats his mother as a crazy teenager that has no idea of what she’s doing is going a bit overboard. There’s a lot of whining, a lot of snobby comments and points of view on the events and places, like the small fair and the carousel. There was a lot, but not of anything that actually mattered. I’ve read several books of Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters and I’m a big fan of her works. Because I know what she’s capable of with Amelia Peabody and Vicky Bliss, I can say that this novel doesn’t fit in that level. This one didn’t leave a positive impression. My Rating: 4 Stars A fun, cosy-mystery, perfect for a relaxing evening filled with laughter. Maddie Kosloski shouldn’t be surprised when the Christmas Cow of San Benedetto’s goes up in flames. Every year the same thing happens and she can’t say she doesn’t feel a little bit happy since the cow moves the attention from her paranormal museum. However, this year proves to be a bit different. One of the guards of the Christmas Cow is found dead with an arrow through the chest. When the haunted cowbell in her museum starts developing a weird behaviour, the spirit animals in the place also start going a bit out of control. Can Maddie discover the truth before the killer puts a hole in someone else and madness takes over her museum? This novel, just like the title indicates, is very amusing and fun. This was the second novel I read from this collection (yes, I still didn’t read the first book) and the auhor Kristen Weiss never ceases to surprise me with her humour and her different plots. The cast from the previous instalment is back and it was nice to see the evolution of these characters compared with the previous novel. They are still a delight to accompany in the adventure and their depth makes the reader want to get to know them better. Maddie is a great main character, determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, together with Detective Slate. Her best friends The plot is easy to follow but not easy to predict. There are enough twists to keep the reader guessing and all the weirdness of it makes the read very enjoyable. It was a treat to read and a delight to go deeper into the murder. You’ll never see San Benedetto’s the same way! This book is definitely a good addition to the collection of the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Collection. I recommend it to the fans of a weird-in-a-good-way cosy-mystery type of book. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Midnight Ink and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. My Rating: 4 Stars A nice, light cosy-mystery to read after a long day at work. After finding her boyfriend cheating on her in the library where she works, Amy Webber decides to run for it. Returning to her hometown in Virginia, she is content to run the local library and forget all about men. That is until she meets her young, handsome next-door neighbour Richard Muir, a dancer and choreographer. When Richard shows interest in finding more information on an old murder case, Amy sets out to help him. Until, they find a dead body of the old Doris Virts, a regular library client, in the library archives. Instead of an old murder mystery, they investigate a modern one where the killer will do anything to stop them from finding out the truth. This was my first novel written by Victoria Gilbert and it was both fun and relaxing mystery novel. The plot is well thought and explored, mixing both the past and the present murder cases. Gilbert manages to weaver between them while keeping all the strings attached and the reader entertained. The story develops at a steady pace and the spark between the main characters keep things interesting all the way. The characters are credible and very well developed. Amy is a good main character that is struggling to get over a bad relationship. It’s easy for the reader to get to know her and enjoy her company throughout the story. The secondary characters definitely bring something different to the table. Each one adds something to the story: colour, humour and depth. Amy’s aunt Lydia is a great supporting character and I enjoyed every bit of their interactions. The characters are very easy to get along with as the author gives them just enough depth to make them more real. At the same time, Gilbert does a great job in describing them and their individual interactions. She gives a clear image of both the setting and the characters themselves. The style of writing is engaging and simple, which makes the book very easy to read. The descriptions are just enough to pull in the reader inside a painting with letters. It was hard to put it down and even harder to get out the story. An enjoyable, quick read that I recommend to the fans of cosy-mysteries. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. My Rating: 5 Stars A great beginning to the new series Amish Candy Shop Mystery! Amanda Flower proves yet again to be a memorable writer of cosy-mysteries. Bailey King has the perfect life: she works in her dream job, being an assistant chocolatier at JP Chocolates in New York City and she’s up to a promotion. Unfortunately, nothing is meant to last forever. When she gets a call that her grandfather is very ill in Harvest, Ohio, Bailey rushes to them. Adapting to their Amish ways isn’t easy but it was there, at the Amish candy shop Swissmen Sweets she grew her passion for chocolate. One night, while coming down from her room into the kitchen’s shop to grab her phone, she trips on a dead body. It’s Tyson Colton, the man that was interested in buying all the shops in Harvest and he was stabbed with a kitchen knife in her grandparent’s shop. With her grandfather appointed main suspect, Bailey knows she will do everything to prove his innocence. A cosy-mystery with a different flavour. The fusion between mystery and the Amish ways add the spicy to the story. The story-line is solid and engaging and the mystery is twisted and impossible to guess that happens next. When the reader thinks they know what’s coming, it just The setting is also unique and refreshing. I had no previous knowledge of Amish and it’s quite nice to discover them with Bailey. Flower builds up the mystery in a steady pace, building the list of suspects and takes the reader through a colourful little town and its people. Additionally, the amount of research the author did is impressive. It seems like she actually visited a place with these values and used them masterfully in the creation of this story. The characters are, as always, the best part of Amanda Flower’s novels. They have depth, they are engaging and the reader feels and walks with them through the story. Bailey’s grandparents, Clara and Jebediah, are very well-developed; they are kind-hearted people that radiate warmth across the pages. Even though Bailey doesn’t share her family’s beliefs, it’s not possible to miss that she shares the deep knowledge and values that her grandparents taught her. She is a great main female character and her chemistry with the handsome deputy Aiden is the chilly in the chocolate. It will be a treat to get to know them better in the next books. A tasty and chocolaty beginning of a series that I recommend! Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Kensington Press and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. Bibliomysteries: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores Edited by Otto Penzler27/12/2017 My Rating: 5 Stars This collection is the perfect read for lovers of books and mysteries. What can be better than murders themes around books? These 15 short stories were written by distinguished mystery writers and they make every story count. The editor Otto Penzler put together an anthology of crime between books that fill fit the likes of most readers. From hidden messages inside old books, a deadly bookseller and the deep secrets a library might hide, make this book impossible to put down. Each storyline is different but they all have something in common: books. The title was definitely well picked and it describes perfectly its content. All the stories take place in modern times and they all involve different types of books or characters related to books like booksellers, book collectors, books privately owned, public displayed books and even an old scroll. Even though most of the stories can be classified as thriller/mystery, some of them have a fantasy touch to them and one fits in the fantasy genre completely. The authors with stories on this collection, by order of appearance, are:
The editor Otto Penzler did a great job putting this anthology together. All the authors have different styles of writing, different ways of describing and interaction with the reader which is very refreshing when you’re jumping from story to story. Some of the authors I’m familiar with and it was a treat to read some short works from them, like Jeffrey Deaver, Thomas Cook and John Connolly. Additionally, discovering other authors just made my to-read list a bit longer for next year. I absolutely recommend this anthology to all the fans of murder mysteries and books. These great authors write great stories and getting to know other creators of this genre might help you discover some great books you haven’t read yet. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Pegasus Books and the editor for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. My Rating: 4 Stars A great addition to this collection! A Hollywood film crew comes into town to film a horror movie and all the residents of Wildwood Cove are in a buzz. When the owner of The Flip Side Pancake House Marley McKinney gets wind that the leading actress, Alyssa Jayde, was her boyfriend's crush, she knows things are about to get interesting. As the crew gets a close and personal acquaintance with Marley’s pancakes, the make-up artist Christine invites her for a tour behind-the-scenes. As she arrives, she is faced with a trailer on fire and Christine inside. As she digs into the complicated lives of the cast members, the investigation leads to more suspects with a plausible motive. Can she get to be bottom of the murder before the killer decides to get her next? The writing style is just as great as the first novel. It flows smoothly, makes the story easy and quick to read. The author is very talented in describing everything and I get hungry for reading about pancakes and recipes. The novel is full of colour and smells that characterize Sarah Fox’s style so well. The plot is good and it has enough twists to keep the reader guessing. The more of the characters and their stories are revealed, the more addictive the story becomes. The characters are amazing and, like the previous instalment, memorable. I felt like there were too many characters at some point, even if they all belong to the film crew. I had to make an effort to keep track of everyone and their role. Marley is a great protagonist with a curious mind, cunning attitude and very smart. Her style and her way to get information on the lives of the cast members are brilliant and I found myself admiring her. The tension between her and her boyfriend Brett adds spice to the story and it definitely keeps the reader interested in what might happen between them by the end of the story. I would definitely want to jump into the story to meet Marley and her friends at the Pancake House and of course, to eat some delicious pancakes. A cosy-mystery that fans of the genre and the series shouldn’t miss! Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Alibi and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. My Rating: 4 Stars Another great novel featuring the brilliant Miss Fisher and this time the holidays don’t go as planned. Miss Phryne Fisher thinks her family needs a breath of fresh air and so relaxation. A nice, quiet holiday in Queenscliff is just what they need: a beach house, parties and cocktails. Unfortunately, it starts on the wrong foot. As they arrive at the rented holiday house, they realize that the owners are missing and that the house was raided. As the local police show its talent or the lack of it, Miss Fisher takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of this mystery. From kidnapping to illegal smuggling, an attempt of murder and a treasure hunt, the holiday adventure will be anything but relaxing, even after a few cocktails. I’m a big fan of the Honourable Phryne Fisher and her adventures, and this novel was a delight to read. I didn’t read the previous instalment but it can be read as a stand-alone. The style of writing is as engaging as always: the descriptions are colourful, accurate and very they draw a perfect picture of a dream holiday, at least in the beginning. The reader feels like they are walking beside the main characters and unconsciously smile at the family scenes. The style feels like a summer breeze: it goes smoothly over the plot, the interactions between characters and the descriptions which include delicious dishes, recipes and cocktails. The research details Greenwood uses give depth to the story and they are very well integrated into the story. The details on the period are, as always, impeccable written and described. The plot is simpler than the previous novel I read but it’s still engaging in its own way. I think the best way to describe it's “relaxing mystery”. The story develops slowly and in the beginning, there isn’t much action, but it comes later on. With the presence of a phantom snipper that cuts off girls’ plaits, the plot doesn’t have a lot more development. The characters are as charming as ever and, of course, Miss Fisher is a great female protagonist. I don’t get tired of reading about her, her courage to break the rules, her strength of character and her constant fight to see justice done; they never cease to inspire me. In this novel, the reader is introduced to a new cast member: Tinker, an evasive boy that tends to get himself in difficult situations and he ends up joining the household together with Jane and Ruth. The new addition is very nice to read and it felt natural that he should join Miss Fisher and her adventures. A cosy, relaxing read that I recommend to all the fans of the genre and of Miss Fisher. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. My Rating: 4 Stars As a believer in astrology when I saw this book on NetGalley I knew I had to read it and I’m very glad I did. On the date of the wedding of her college friend Geneva Leary, Julia Bonatti is warned by astrological signs that it would end in disaster. However, being the bridesmaid does stop her from ruining the happy atmosphere, a decision she later regrets. An evening that was supposed to end in celebration ends in murder. With the lineup of Moon-Mars-Pluto, a series of unfortunate events take place: an unconscious wedding planner, a missing sister and a deadly shooting. When Geneva asks for Julia’s help, she can’t refuse. Guided by the planets and the stars, she will do everything to find the culprit… but what happens when she does? Even though I didn't read the first instalment of the series, I was able to get into the story and understand its characters. The plot is very nice and it’s the perfect mix of fantasy and cosy-mystery. The unusual method of solving the mystery was spell-binding and it was easy to fall into the story and all of its amazing characters. This was the first novel I read where the main character is an astrologist and being a believer in this art made it a treat to read. All the conjunctions and lineup of planets are very well described and the reader can easily understand Julia’s reasoning without growing bored or getting lost. The ending came completely unexpected and suddenly all the clues come together to a surprising outcome. It’s a fast-paced novel that I couldn’t put down. The style of writing is simple and easy to understand. The characters really are something else. Julia is a unique, fun protagonist that is easy to fall for: she’s witty, brave and even though she is a trouble-magnet, she quickly thinks of a solution and her talent of use of astrological charts to solve a murder is amazing. Her determination and willingness to help her friend no matter the consequences (not that she really thinks about it) for herself is captivating. A straightforward fantasy cosy-mystery that I recommend to anyone looking for a light, quick read that involves astrology. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Midnight Ink, and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. My Rating: 4 Stars A tasty cosy mystery with a murder dessert coming right up! A great story! Becoming the chef of a cafe in the quiet town of Hampden Green is the next best thing to Ben Hunter, who is in need to of a quiet place to learn how to control his temper. As he struggles to adjust to the little town and its people, he receives the visit of Detective Inspector Slaterry. There has been a murder and the suspicion falls on the new guy in town. As Ben investigates, he discovers that the journey to the truth has more layers than a wedding cake. A tasty mystery that I enjoyed greatly! The storyline is solid and engaging; the mystery is well thought and developed with a great ending with twists and spikes of action. The style of writing is fresh, simple and it appeals to the attention of the reader. The descriptions are so well-made that I got hungry with the descriptions of the dishes, I really felt like I was right there beside Ben watching him cook. I wouldn’t be surprised if the author has a background in gastronomy due to all the juicy details of the art of cooking. The geographic setting was a good choice: the quiet little town where nothing ever happens until it does. The description of it though is the perfect picture; it's colourful and the people a bit reserved but altogether nice and full of secrets. The characters are very well-developed and they all play a part in the storyline. Ben is a great main character. I was surprised to read a cosy mystery with a male lead, it’s a different and refreshing approach. Francis is very entertaining and I do feel for him when his good intentions come up short. As a debut novel, it was quite good and I will keep a look out for the sequels to come and follow more of Ben’s adventures. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Maze. and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. |
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