Category Archives: Mystery

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The Man in the Leather Jacket

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This was one of those books that gave you some good and some bad. The good ended up outweighing any bad by a nice margin. The characters are definitely quirky and bigger than life while the surroundings are more of a blur. I kept forgetting what state this was supposed to be happening in unless they mentioned it specifically. The hunt for the killer was not really so much of a hunt as it was something that just happened almost. You get some misused words such as drooping when it should be drop.

Ryan Porter is an ex Marine who has a lot of issues since he got out of the service. He has recently gotten his license as a Private Detective after doing his internship. Mindy Miller is working as a waitress at the strip club that Porter frequents and uses for business. They make one good detective when they get together.

When Gary, a local bag boy, goes missing his sister wants to hire Porter to find him. She is afraid that he may have been one of the latest victims of a serial killer known as the Sandman. As Porter and Mindy investigate his disappearance they get closer to finding the killer than even the police have been able to do.

There is a nice twist near the end that comes as complete surprise. I will also mention that the story seems to be more about Porter and Mindy than it is about the killer. It is told from multiple points of view so that you get a chance to see how everyone is feeling without filtering through a central character. I would recommend this to those who like weird mysteries.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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The Christmas Kitten

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The Christmas Kitten
(Polly Parrett Pet-Sitter #2)
by Liz Dodwell

I like these stories because they are always sweet and have a nice mystery at the center. The main characters are all well defined while those introduced are still shadowy since they have no real back story. The language is always perfect and a part of the people who use it. I gave this a low star rating because it stated a side story but did not really deliver on it as I had expected. The story itself was actually kind of thin and even though who the perpetrator was came as a surprise, it was mostly because you had no major interactions with the character.

Polly arrives home to find a box on her porch when she was not expecting any deliveries. When she opens it and finds a kitten in pee soaked tissues on a freezing day. After checking with her boyfriend on whether he dropped it off she goes to the Sheriff to give him the diamond bracelet she found around the kittens neck.

Nicole Whittier, a new resident in town , has been murdered and her two step-daughters are missing from the scene. Who could have killed her and why are the girls missing, where is their father, and what does the kitten have to do with it? All really good questions, with some interesting answers.

I think even though there are some flaws with this it is still a good clean mystery story. Good for anyone who likes a mystery without a lot of blood.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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Last Writes

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Last Writes
(Ghostwriter Mystery #3)
by C.A. Larmer

This was another good mystery but I had an idea of who the killer was before the end of the first chapter. It was still extremely well written and may not be so obvious to others.

Roxy’s manager has one of his old clients turn up dead and though it is originally thought to be a suicide it soon is being looked at as murder because of another of his clients. David Lone is a client of Oliver who has done very well for himself with both a best seller and movie deal. While Roxy is still angry with Max she starts to have feelings for David, mainly because of his fascination with death and success. Bad Roxy, being so shallow.

But the real problem is that after the first death more occur and it starts to look like poor Oliver is the prime suspect in all of the deaths. Roxy does not need to be asked, though she is, to help her old friend find a way out of his predicament. She does not believe he is guilty even though suspicion has fallen squarely on his shoulders.

Definitely worth reading!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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A Plot To Die For

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A Plot to Die For
(Ghostwriter Mystery #2)
by C.A. Larmer

I really like these mysteries because they make me work to figure out who the culprit is going to be in the end. I think because I read the fourth book in the series first I was expecting a lot more from this one when I decided to go back to the beginning and it is not bad at all. The writing is clear and gives me a complete sense of what is happening around the characters and therefore me. The language engages and pulls you in even though the slang a lot of the time is Aussie in nature. The characters are all fun with interesting quirks and idiosyncrasies that make them more or less endearing to the reader.

Roxy is invited to Dormay Island by Abigail Lilton, owner and operator of an exclusive resort who has shunned all publicity in the past. But now Abi has decided to write her biography and wants Roxy to ghost write it for her. It is the off-season and Roxy is a little surprised but pleased that she gets to do this book in such an exotic location. The only really bothering Roxy is the fact that she has not heard from Max, even though she is the one who blew him off.

Then the worst happens and Abigail is murdered with suspicion falling on all those in residence at the resort during this time. The local law officer comes to investigate but the daughter of the victim asks that Roxy help in the investigation because she believes the constable will favor the locals if they are involved and so wants an outsider to help. Roxy does her thing as usual and finds much more than a simple murder or murderer for her trouble.

Another great story with a great mystery and some good motives by all of the suspects involved. Definitely recommend.

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

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The Thousand Dollar Tan Line

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The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line
(Veronica Mars #1)
by Rob Thomas,
Jennifer Graham
, Kristen Bell (Narrator)

I am a Marshmallow! That just has to be said, I watched the series and actually loved it because even though I was older than the title character I could still identify wit her. I loved her because she was strong and no matter what happened she was always ready to help someone.

This story takes place after the events in the movie which wrapped up the series. There are some new characters right along side those characters that have come to be so loved from the show. Veronica has moved back to Neptune because she cannot give up being who she truly is, a private detective, even though her father thinks she should. She is also back because of Logan who she is involved with again. The town has become more corrupt in the time she has been away and nothing seems to be able to be done about it.

The business association in Neptune come looking for Keith to handle a case they do think Sheriff Lamb can handle on his own. A girl has gone missing and instead of trying to find her the Sheriff has been caught in sound bites that make it sound like he cannot be bothered. Because Keith is not available they are willing to give Veronica a chance since they know her reputation for solving cases. During this case Veronica also runs into her mother who has a step daughter who has also gone missing and she wants Veronica to help find her.

This was a really great story that had a mystery that was excellent. If you liked the show you have to read this, but better yet listen because it is narrated by Kristen Bell and it is like have Veronica reading you one of her case files. She is phenomenal when it comes to characterizations of the other cast members, including the men. Enjoy this!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Christmas Moon

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Christmas Moon
(Vampire for Hire #4.5)
by J.R. Rain

This is why I like these books, there are some of the strangest things happening to this woman who was so ordinary not so many years ago. This short gives you a quick look into the life that Sam has built for herself after her transformation into a vampire. She has her business, which is doing very well considering she can only really work at night. Her love life is definitely doing well since she finally decided to give Kingsley a real chance. Most important of all is that her children are happy and healthy and living with her.

Sam has an interesting Christmas going on. Her client needs her to find a safe that he has never opened. She has a man come to her stating that he was her guardian angel but because she is now immortal he can tell her he loves her. How many women get that said from an angel?

Another good entry!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I paused and flipped through a historical mystery novel, read a random paragraph, liked it, and dropped it into my own hand basket. For a buck, I’ll try anything. Hell, the Kindle app on my iPhone was filled with free ebooks and .99 cent ebooks that I had snagged in a buying frenzy a few days ago. Now, all I needed to do was to find the time to read them. I’m sure the one about the vampire mom—written, of all people, by a guy with a beard—should give me a good laugh.

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Red Tide

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red tide

Red Tide

I love a good mystery and this is a very good one. I started reading and was unable to put it down because I was so caught up in who could be doing the killing and how it was going to effect everyone around them. This was able to keep me guessing even after I thought I knew who it was. The characters were very real and got me involved in their lives, they are very lively and full of life. The dialogue is easy to follow but does not talk down to you at all and even the technical terms are defined. The story maintains the tension throughout and draws you in as the time ticks away and things become more complicated.

Aspen Falls is a small town in Colorado which has the distinction of having had a serial killer bury his victims within its boundaries. When FBI agent Nicholas Grant finally finds the location of the dumping ground of a the serial he has been tracking for the past ten years,  he thinks that he will finally be able to bring closure to the families of his thirteen victims, what he actually finds is more bodies. Jamie Taylor is brought in with her dog to help pinpoint the graves, she is one of the best in the field, and she found them and a lot more.

What they uncover means that there is another serial killer operating in their small town and using the same area to dump bodies. Now they have to find the culprit before any more people go missing to a killer who leaves no marks on the body and no evidence that will lead back to him.

I think this was a great book and I enjoyed it a great deal. I would recommend it highly to any fan of the mystery/suspense genre.

 

 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

Grief is a place, even in the most lush surroundings, that is solitary. There is nothing but the loss.
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Bubba and the 12 Deadly Days of Christmas

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Bubba and the 12 Deadly Days of Christmas (Bubba Snoddy #2)

I am a bit torn on how to rate this. It took me a while to get into the story because I was so confused as to what was happening, if I had read the first book I would have known though. The characters are all very eccentric but in a fun way that makes you like them. The mystery is a good one because I was baffled the entire time and could not figure who it might be though there were a lot of possibilities. I have never been to the south but the way they were talking I guess could be authentic and it is also another reason that makes them kind of charming.

Bubba Snoddy had a hard time the year before when he almost went to jail for the murder of his ex-fiancee. Now here it is Christmas and as he is heading toward the sheriff station he stumbles over the dead body of a man he had recently quarreled with. It does not look good and he is once again being looked at as the prime suspect in a murder. Soon it comes to light that something sinister is happening in the little town of Pegramville.

When his mother finds another body things just become more complicated. Not only is he a suspect his mother is now suspected of murder as well.

I am going to be reading the first book in this series so that I can get some background on these characters. I also think I want to read the next book at least since it ended with a cliffhanger that I did not see coming. It was an enjoyable read with some good laughs and a heck of a mystery.

My rating: 3.5/4 of 5 stars
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Doggone Christmas

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23666459

Doggone Christmas (Polly Parrett Pet-Sitter Cozy Murder Mysteries #1)

This was a fun read with a mystery that was good but not great since it was almost to easy to figure it out. Not that it was a problem because even with that you still needed to know the why of things. The two main characters were well fleshed out as to who they were, some of the peripheral characters were just a little less than one dimensional, the animals were however just what you expected them to be. The romance which was happening in the background was nicely done and did not move to fast or slow.

Polly Parrett runs an animal sitting service and has a mother who is handicapped and needs to sell the family home for something smaller, preferable in town. To that end they have contacted a Realtor to sell and help them buy another home, they get Tyler Breslin who owns the realty company. Things seem very simple and they are happy to find that they will not have to pay a lot of money to get their home ready for sale.

Polly finds herself attracted to Tyler but is sure he could never feel the same. He asks her out to dinner in order to go over the paperwork and while they have a pleasant time the ending is not something either could have seen coming. As they are leaving Polly hears someone threatening to shoot a dog and runs to help, what they find is a standoff between a homeless man, his dog and a cop. Bad luck for the homeless guy, Rooster, who is accused of murder and his dog, Elaine, who is set to be euthanized for being vicious. If Polly and Tyler can not prove his innocence then he could be sent away for a murder he did not commit.

This was nice and kind of sweet with the type of happy ending you expect. For those who love a cozy mystery, this is ideal.

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A Very Shitake Christmas

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16122026

A Very Shitake Christmas (Shitake Mystery #1.5)

This was short but pulled me in immediately and had me like the characters and ready to follow them. I always like a book with a strong female character and Mo is definitely strong in her own way. The setting is contemporary and makes it perfect. The language is what you would expect with little quirks to keep it interesting from both the Brits and Americans. The relationships are very real and do not seem forced or rushed but built from the bottom up.

Imogene ‘Mo’ Tuttle had worked as a private detective until she met Ross Grant and would have been fired for trying to protect him. They have since moved in together and she is still out of work while he has been cast in one new movie with another to start after filming ends on this one. To really make things interesting Ross’s father Bertram contacts Mo and tells her he will be coming for Christmas, she of course assumes she has 6 months to prepare, but he celebrates the historical Christmas in June.

Mo gets a cal from her old boss wanting to hire her back, but Mo is not interested in going back full time but is willing to take work as an independent contractor. Her first job is to serve a restraining order on a man who is very good at eluding them. When she gets to close to things he takes revenge in a novel way.

This was a fun read without any big mystery or anything but characters who had plenty of personality. After reading this I have to read the first book in the series since this was 1.5 and find out how things got started.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars