Tag Archives: Cozy Mystery

Unknown's avatar

A Ghost for Christmas

by

While the pacing was somewhat slow at times, it still proved to be quite entertaining, and the mystery gripped my attention. I was pleasantly surprised by the plot twist—I was completely wrong about the identity of the killer, and I always appreciate when a story can mislead me so effectively. This is my first experience with this author, and I’m curious to see how their writing evolves in future installments.

The characters initially felt a bit vague and underdeveloped, but I have faith that as the series progresses, they will become more fleshed out and relatable. The setting is established as a quaint little wine town in California, which adds a charming backdrop to the unfolding drama.

The protagonist, Mele Keahi, arrives in town to visit her aunt, seeking solace after enduring the emotional turmoil of a recent breakup. She looks forward to reconnecting with her favorite relative and enjoying the peace and quiet that she so desperately needs. However, her plans take a shocking turn when she discovers a dead body on her aunt’s front walkway upon her arrival. This gruesome find sets the stage for a riveting mystery.

In addition to the unsettling murder, Mele must grapple with the unexpected return of her handsome childhood ghost and the pros½pect of a new romantic interest arriving on the scene. The central question looms: can she assist in unraveling the mystery of the killer’s identity before she becomes the next target?

The introduction of a large ensemble of characters sometimes made it challenging to keep track of everyone, but it ultimately contributed to the rich tapestry of the story. I wished for a bit more build-up before the body was discovered; revealing it earlier diminished the tension that could have been cultivated. Nevertheless, the entertainment value and compelling mystery kept me engaged until the final page and sparked my interest in exploring more books in this series.

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟½

Unknown's avatar

The St. Valentine’s Day Cookie Massacre

by

The story was quite engaging, despite my reservations about the character development. Having never read anything by this author, I’m open to exploring more of their work if it maintains this level of quality. The narrative was compelling enough to keep me reading, even though I questioned the rationale behind the characters’ interactions. It took a moment to immerse myself, but once I did, it was difficult to stop reading. The setting was adequately described, and familiar due to the state, despite the town’s small size.

On Valentine’s Day in Hatters Cove, Florida, food critic/columnist Kat Archer is tasked with writing a review for the grand opening of Miss Dolly’s Cookie Jar and Sweets Emporium. What appears to be a routine assignment quickly escalates into a major event. An altercation at the opening and a mysterious late-night call to discuss an urgent matter set the stage.

The plot thickens when an employee of the Cookie Jar is discovered murdered by poison, suggesting a sinister twist. It appears the victim was unintended, and Kat was the actual intended target.

The mystery is well-crafted, presenting numerous suspects with a wide array of motives.

My rating: ✧✧✧

Unknown's avatar

My Ghostly Valentine

by

I began this series with the final installment and now find myself compelled to return to the outset, drawn by the allure of the characters, despite making their acquaintance belatedly. This title has lingered on my To-Be-Read list for some time, and I deemed now an opportune moment to delve in. Although initially slow to engage me, once captivated, I was unable to set it aside until the very end. The town’s idiosyncratic charm, populated by a bevy of eccentric inhabitants, beckons one to delve deeper.

After completing her education, Patricia O’Dare departed her hometown to carve out a niche in Manhattan’s culinary scene. Post-culinary school, she returns, armed with a degree and nursing a broken heart. Her aspirations were unfulfilled then, but now she seizes an opportunity to realize her dreams anew—if only she can acquire Rosemoor and transform it into more than a mere local bakery.

Zach Franco, once a celebrated guitarist and vocalist reveling in the itinerant musician’s lifestyle, faces a life-altering accident that halts his career. He retreats to his roots, assuming control of his family’s pizzeria and steering it toward success. Yet, he aspires to broaden his horizons, and Rosemoor represents the ideal venue for expansion. However, he discovers that his dear friend Patricia harbors similar ambitions.

Complicating matters is the ghost inhabiting Rosemoor, who takes umbrage at their respective visions for her domain. Amidst these tumultuous dynamics, can romance flourish—particularly one unforeseen?

Banshee Creek claims the title of America’s most haunted town, yet its denizens have ingeniously capitalized on this notoriety. I hold each one dear! This narrative is an enchanting blend of humor and romance—a lighthearted tale devoid of scandal. A delightful read that I believe would resonate with many.

My rating: 🌠🌠🌠🌠

Unknown's avatar

Christmas Bizarre

by

I had an extremely hard time getting into this book from the very beginning. The characters were not very interesting and did not evoke much of a response from me. It just didn’t work for me on any level and left me not really caring about any of them very much. Maybe I will try another book at some time but this was not the one.

Mina Kitchen is a forty-something single who seems to find trouble. She has weird luck and her cat is even weirder.

I did not have a lot to say about this because well, because.

My rating: ⍟⍟

Unknown's avatar

Mayhem in Christmas River

by

I like these books because they offer a light mystery in a unique setting. This is a fairly quick read with short but numerous chapters that fly by. I listened and followed along in the book which was a great way to go, the narrator is very good and creates each character in a realistic way. The dialogue can come off a little stiff on occasion but does seem to reflect the characters as a whole.

Christmas River is about to celebrate Christmas in July, their annual play and parade that brings the tourists in. While the town is making its preparations a fire destroys Cinnamon Peter’s best friend’s ornament shop and they are all in shock while they wait to find out how it started. When it becomes clear that a maniac is lost in the town with a flair for dramatic things heats up.

Cinnamon and her deputy boyfriend Daniel must find out who is behind the blaze before the whole town goes up in flames. They are also going to have to navigate their personal problems from rejection to jealousy as things burn around them.

The story is nice with a twist you may or may not see coming. There is a wholesomeness to the stories that make them very sweet. I think most would find them entertaining.

My rating: ✭✭✭

Unknown's avatar

Carnage at the Christmas Party

by

The thing that made me want to read this was the cover, which I liked because it had a fun feel to it. I wish I could say that what was between the covers was just as fun. This was a rather plodding story for me that I had to make myself continue and finish but it was still decent. I am going to go back and read the first book in the series since I started late in a way. The characters were not particularly likeable and many of them were only shells of what they could have been for most of the story. I will say that both Ensar and Charlotte at least started to seem more interesting near the end. And speaking of the end it was way too rushed and you did not even get a chance to enjoy the mystery since it was all handled literally in the last two short chapters.

Windy Pines, Idaho is known for three things: beautiful mountain views, the world’s most incompetent police force, and lately murder. Charlotte Smyth’s new job at O’Leery Snowboarding Inc. is as a Spreader of Cheer, a kind of made-up and less-than-perfect fit of a position. She pretty much hates everything associated with it like sports, cold weather, and anything extreme. Her boss, Shane Letcher, assigns her to make the Christmas party the coolest ever and lets her know that it is a make-or-break opportunity.

The thing that made me less than happy was just the fact that this was supposed to be a mystery and the book was more about what a horrible job the man had. Because this is the first thing I have read by this author I figure I might as well read the first book in the series and see if it is similar. It may appeal to some more than others, so try it if you just want a holiday-themed book.

My rating: ✬✬

Unknown's avatar

The Christmas Puppy

by

I like these little cozy mysteries because they are light and fun with just the right amount of suspense. There are also some cute animals involved who always manage to be in the middle of a murder for better or worse. The characters, both main and peripheral, are continuing to evolve and become more and more three-dimensional as the series goes on. The killer is never completely easy to figure out which is the best part. It would be a bust if you knew within the first few pages who the killer was.

Polly once again finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. This time things are just a little close to home however as a killer strikes during the annual Christmas Open house for Welcome Home, their shelter for homeless veterans and their pets. The murder could jeopardize everything they have worked so hard for.

Polly does not want to leave the investigation to the police, even after being told to do so in no uncertain terms. As a result, she once again places herself in danger but at least for something cares about.

Love these short and interesting stories that make me work to figure out the killer. It never seems to be the person I think it is. Recommend to everyone!

My rating: ✨✨✨

Unknown's avatar

Seashells, Spells, and Caramels

by

This book totally took me by surprise as it pulled me in and made it hard for me to get any sleep. I have never read this author before but will be definitely coming back for more. I will say that I loved the main character basically from the beginning. She was quirky and likable in a nerdy kind of way for some reason, she had a drive that I admired, even if she did seem like a bit of a pushover. The locations were alright though not as well imagined as the characters, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The ending did not satisfy me, mainly because I was looking for something else, but it did make me want more of these people.

Imogen has been working for the past seven towards one goal, she wants to own a bakery. She has not confided in her adoptive family because she does not believe they would understand, in fact, she moved from St. Louis to Seattle to pursue her dream because of that very thing. Well as fate would have it on the night that she decides to enter a baking contest that would take her to France she inadvertently causes a fire in her apartment that takes all her savings and her dream of ownership.

Though things are grim she receives news that she has a place in the contest and must get to France as soon as possible in order to participate. There she will find revelations about herself and her place in the world as well as friends she might never have met. There is magic and murder in her future.

I love a good mystery story and this one was made even better because it combined my love, magic, and the paranormal. The mystery was actually very well done. It was fun trying to figure out what had been done and why and then getting to see if you were right. The tone is light even with murders since they are not gruesome or gory in any way. I enjoyed this immensely and definitely recommend it!!

I received a copy of the book from the author for an honest review.

My rating: ✮✮✮✮

Unknown's avatar

The Christmas Kitten

by
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

Unknown's avatar

Doggone Christmas

by

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.