Murder Buys A Lemon by Christy Fifield

 

Well, hello there old friend, it has been quite sometime since we last visited. Almost 2 years, boy things have changed and yet somethings have stayed the same. For me the love of tea and reading really never left, but allowing myself the time to read, in an ever changing world where I felt like if I took my eyes off of the news, social media etc that the world would indeed come to an end and in ways It was that fear that has kept me away from reading and reviewing for so long. When we last chatted in 2020 things were about to change even more than I had ever imagined, my life had done a 360 and then well Covid-19 took us by storm, and now in 2022, here we are, War in the Ukraine, Covid-19 still a daily concern and yet, a gentle pause in my new life (working now in a school) afforded me a Spring Break reprieve. One the first night of Spring Break for me, I received an email request to read a book in the Haunted Tourist Shop Series. Now Christy Fifield had actually been on my mind in recent months as I was remembering how much I loved this series, main character Glory and her coffee bereft Parrot Bluebird. Not having read a book in a very long time. I jumped at the chance to read this 5th book in the series. 

I absolutely loved it! This is book 5 in the series which was once a Berkley series. It was like visiting and catching up with old friends. Picking up where we left off and a really enjoyable visit! Keyhole bay and Glory's friends, the shop and the adventures of best friends Glory and Karen, their weekly dinner crew and of course Bluebird and his antics made this book one I could not put down. I absolutely loved it and I also loved that this out of practice armchair sleuth, did not have the murderer figured out in the end! A great read and one I highly recommend! 

Now I won't pretend I understand the ins and outs of Kickstarter however, @tusnamiridgepublishing on instagram and you can find the kickstarter here is offering a chance to win an early copy of the book for the launch of the kickstarter Tuesday! 

"tsunamiridgepublishing

It's been a while in coming #cozymysterylover, but the newest installment in #ChristyFifield's beloved "Haunted Souvenir Shop" mystery series is compete and ALMOST on its way to you! "MURDER BUYS A LEMON" features the further murderous adventures of Glory, Bluebeard the foul-mouthed haunted parrot, and the whole gang down at the Southern Treasures shop!
We're launching the book through a new Kickstarter campaign that will give you a chance to get advance copies, an omnibus of the first four books (with added material!), bonus short stories, and much more!
Be sure to click the link in our bio to get all the details!

Your Pal, RobotCEO"

Well my long neglected blog and my delightful friends, It felt good to be back sharing and reading, reviewing and hope you don't mind a visit from this old friend. Let's have tea again soon. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me however this time at karenmgibson44@gmail.com

A Death Long Overdue by Eva Gates

 

I read, and loved A Death Long Overdue by Eva Gates. This series is set in a lighthouse library and has characters that I have come to love and feel like good friends. Through each book I feel more and more like a member of the community. I dove right in and could not put this one down. I loved the idea of the Librarians reunion and the "look back" at Library procedures over the years. I do remember joyfully filling out my card at the library as a child and still get excited at the site of the Vintage pocket and cards when I come across them at old book stores. 

If you are looking at a series that is full of fun, mystery, great books and a lovely sleuth then do check out Eva Gates Lighthouse Library Mystery Series.  

When her former director is found dead in the water, librarian Lucy Richardson will have to get to the bottom of the mystery before the killer ends her tale.

It's summertime in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Bertie James's college class is having their 40th anniversary reunion. The opening night reception is held at the Lighthouse Library and Lucy and her colleagues have assembled an exhibit of library artifacts showing how libraries have changed over the years. After the reception, some of the women take a walk down the boardwalk to the pier, using flashlights to illuminate the dark path, but what's scarier than the dark is finding the former director of the Lighthouse Library floating lifeless in the water.

Helena Sanchez, the former director, wasn't much loved and spent the party being rude to almost everyone there. As a result, Lucy finds herself in deep water as she rocks the boat, questioning several suspects. But she'll have to batten down the hatches and fast before she's left high and dry...and right in the killer's crosshairs.

You can find this one on Amazon by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy hear mystery. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

A Curious Incident by Vicki Delany

 

I was delighted to be treated to an advanced reading copy through Netgalley, of Vicki Delaney's January 2021 Release, A curious Incident. I love this series, this book for me was an especially great read and a nice distraction from the world. I loved being able to travel by book back to the spend time with Jayne and Gemma, and have no problems imagining being in the shop and the tea room, being part of this reluctant and nosy crime solving team. I very much enjoyed the interactions of the characters and the age difference between Jayne and 10 year old Lauren, the dynamic felt natural and was a nice side of character Jayne to see. I hope Lauren will be back in future stories. This was a great read and one I think you are going to love too, lots of good feels and I did not have it figured out until the big reveal! 

It's up to Gemma and Jayne to root out the killer in national bestselling author Vicki Delany's sixth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery when the winner of a garden tour trophy is left pushing up daisies.

"I am not a Consulting Detective," Gemma Doyle reluctantly tells 10-year-old Lauren Tierney, when the little girl comes to the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium to beg Gemma to find her missing cat, Snowball. Gemma might not be able to follow the clues to find the cat, but her dog Violet follows her nose to locate the missing kitten in a neighbor's garden shed. Gemma and Violet proudly return Snowball to her grateful owner, and Gemma basks in praise for a job well done. But a few days later Lauren is back with ten dollars in hand, wanting to once again hire a consulting detective, and this time for a far bigger job: Her mother has been accused of murdering her garden club rival.
Sheila Tierney's garden, which everyone said was the one to beat for the West London Garden Club trophy, had been vandalized the night before the club's early summer tour. Sheila confronted her former friend and gardening partner Anna Wentworth in a towering rage, and the women nearly came to blows. Later that night, after having won the trophy for best garden, Anna is found murdered and Sheila Tierney is the police's prime suspect.
Despite herself, and despite the disapproval of her police detective boyfriend Ryan Ashburton, the game is once again afoot, and Gemma finds herself and Jayne Wilson using their powers of deduction to ponder yet another curious incident.

You can find it for pre order on Amazon (I am not an affiliate) by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Chili Cauldron Curse by Lynn Cahoon

 

I was so thrilled to get an advanced reading copy of , Chili Cauldron Curse, the first in a new series by Lynn Cahoon that is so close to my heart. This is the first in her Kitchen Witch Series and I loved it. This is a Novella, not as long as a typical cozy but it was packed with every element I love.  

Growing up my mom had a Kitchen Witch that I was obsessed with, when I was 11 years old we moved and some how the kitchen witch was lost. I searched for years to find another on, especially after my mom died, I did manage to find one a few years ago in need of a bit of TLC, she now hangs in my kitchen and makes me smile every time I see her. The main character, Mia, also has a Kitchen Witch and it is implied that this special doll, will have a bigger role in coming additions. I also  love that the first book is centered around helping out at a food bank. Something I think we can all appreciate in these trying times, I also love that the local Witch Coven, seems to be a mostly a helpful addition to the area and not at odds with the "Muggles", so far anyway.  This was a great start to what I hope will be a long running series by a truly favorite author. 

New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon introduces a new heroine with her own special brand of culinary magic in this novella to introduce her Kitchen Witch series.
 
When Mia Malone’s grandmother asks her to take a week away from her restaurant job and come to Magic Springs, Idaho, she’s happy to oblige. Like Mia, Grans has witchcraft running through her veins, and life with her is never boring. Plus, the cause is a good one—helping Grans get the local food bank up and running again. But there’s an unappetizing surprise in store. While Mia is knee-deep in boxes of donated produce, she encounters the body of Dorian Alexander.
 
Dorian was a warlock, leader of the local coven. He was also her Grans’ new beau. There’s no potion that’ll make this trouble disappear. But if Mia wants to keep her Grans—now a prime suspect—from serving a spell in prison, she’ll have to unearth the real killer fast. . . .

This book is out August 25th, you can find it on Amazon by clicking here (I am not an amazon affiliate) 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Murder at an Irish Christmas by Carlene O'Connor

 Welcome back readers and I am again sorry for the delay in updating my blog. I have been busy working on my tea trailer yes, but I have also been having some trouble with my vision which has not allowed for me to read, thus prompting a visit to the eye doctor and now I have some follow up appointments, it seems that the major changes in my vision are due to the rather high prescription and require further follow up I have updated my glasses which I did not more than a year ago and the dramatic change has helped me so far to actually be able to seed the kindle to read. So with out further ado....

I was so excited to be approved for the advanced reading copy of Murder at an Irish Christmas by Carlene O'Connor, this series is a true favorite of mine and a blessing to read, when one is stuck where they are, unable to travel due to world events and looking for a wonderful escape for a few hours. On the hottest summer day here, I was transported to a cold and snowy, Irish village at Christmas time and it was a divine read. I love the main character so much and find her so relatable, as an orphan myself, from a large family it was an instant admiration for the sacrifices and struggles Siobhán O'Sullivan’s and her family face. 

This is the sixth book in the series and I have enjoyed each one but there is something special about this one that truly left a warm and cozy feeling in my heart. I hope that you will also enjoy the series and think about pre ordering Murder at an Irish Christmas, which is out this October. 

Garda Siobhán O'Sullivan’s holiday plans hit a sour note when murder rearranges the yuletide carols into unexpected eulogies . . .
 
This December in Kilbane, if you’re planning to warm up with a cuppa tea at Naomi’s Bistro, you may have a bit of a wait—the entire O’Sullivan brood has gone off to West Cork to spend the holidays with brother James’s fiancée Elise’s family, including her grandfather, the famous orchestral conductor Enda Elliot. Siobhán is so happy for James and Elise but also quietly disappointed that she must put her own wedding to fellow garda Macdara Flannery on hold. Mac will have to join them later, so he can spend part of the holidays with his mam.
 
When the O’Sullivans learn everyone will choose a name from a hat to buy a music-related Christmas gift for someone else at the gathering, it seems like their greatest concern—until the cantankerous conductor is discovered crushed under a ninety-pound harp in a local concert hall.
 
With the extended family—including Enda’s much-younger new wife Leah, a virtuoso violinist—suspected in his murder, it's up to Siobhán to ensure the guilty party faces the music. But as a snowstorm strands both families in a lavish farmhouse on a cliff, Siobhán had better pick up the tempo—before the killer orchestrates another untimely demise . . .

This book is available for pre order on Amazon ( I am not an affiliate) by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Murder In Wating by Lynn Cahoon

I am thrilled and most relieved to be writing about a book I just finished, Murder in Waiting by Lynn Cahoon.  Relieved mostly because I lost my kindle for more than a month, finding it finally as it had fallen behind the book shelf and I was a day away from ordering a new one. I have to say in these trying times it is wonderful to have a series like The Tourist Trap Mystery Series to give some much needed relief and escape. A visit to South Cove was exactly what I needed to fores back into the land of reading. Not enough words to describe the delight of just how much Lynn's series has brought me over the years. I love being able to go back and "check in" with the characters, and find its like a welcome home.  In Murder in Waiting Lynn doesn't disappoint with twists I did not see coming and the most wonderful unexpected turn near the end. I love it, cozy, tidy, comforting and just plain fun!

In the latest Tourist Trap mystery from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Lynn Cahoon, bookshop café owner Jill Gardner contends with a best friend-turned-bridezilla while trying to solve a local historian’s untimely date with death . . . At Coffee, Books, & More, Jill’s the boss. But as Amy’s maid-of-honor, she can barely keep up with marching orders--and now she’s in charge of organizing an epic bachelorette! Adding to Jill’s party-planning panic, the South Cove Heritage Society just unceremoniously dumped her historic landmark bid. While vying proposals rush in from a loaded land developer and a pushy travel guide company, Jill finds an unexpected ally in Heritage Society expert, Frank Gleason. But their happy union is cut short when Frank is mowed down in a suspicious hit-and-run. With Amy’s big day on the horizon, Jill vows to catch the killer before she has to catch a bouquet.

Murder in Waiting came out June 30th! Click here for the Amazon listing. 
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review, I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

A Design to Die For Party and You are Invited!

I am really excited to be hosting a virtual party all day long On Thursday July 2nd on my Beyond The Bookmarks Facebook Page, in celebration of Kathleen Bridge's Newest book in the Hamptons Home and Garden Series.

 Discerning cozy mystery fans who delight in well-developed characters, rich detail, and a smart plotline will find that Kathleen Bridge’s A Design to Die For is their cup of tea!” —Ellery Adams, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Montauk’s first annual Designer Showhouse was meant to be a collaborative event, so decorator Meg Barrett can only despair at the group of cutthroat designers scheming to sabotage each other on the project, not to mention the oddball collection of ghost hunters slinking around to investigate a supposedly haunted cottage. But when one of the owners of the showhouse is found murdered on the rocky beach below, Meg suddenly finds herself clashing with local police because of evidence that points to her as a prime suspect.

Desperate to clear her name and track down the real culprit, Meg discovers that many of her fellow designers despised the victim for his unscrupulous business dealings, while others were speculating about his extramarital affairs. And as more secrets emerge about both the deceased and the many outsiders who have come together for the showhouse, Meg realizes she’ll have to decipher a murky pattern of clues to escape the killer’s deadly designs on her . . .

Includes scrumptious recipes and vintage decorating tips!

Just like in the series the Facebook party, will have recipes, design tips, crafts and so much more. Posts will be happening often and you can check out throughout the day to help us celebrate this fun series. I hope you will join us on the Beyond The Bookmarks Page by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining me here today for this fun announcement and I look forward to seeing you on Facebook! I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Mrs. Morris and the Witch by Traci Wilton

I finished Mrs. Morris and the Witch last night, second in the Salem B&B Mystery series by Tracy Wilton. This was a very good read. I was impressed with the story, characters and outcome. Love the resident Ghost and the angle of the very complex love triangle. I also loved that this book did not focus on Halloween, even though it takes place on Halloween. I think that the author did a great job of continuing to develop the characters into something more than just a typical 2 dimensional witch characters. Not your normal paranormal cozy, I very much enjoyed it.  

Halloween is the biggest holiday of the year in Salem, Massachusetts—but when B&B owner Charlene Morris finds the dead body of a witch, it spells trouble . . . Charlene, recently widowed, has renovated her historic mansion just in time to greet guests arriving for the town’s annual Halloween festivities. She’s lucky to have a helpful staff to provide support—as well as a handsome ghost named Jack standing invisibly by her side. Unfortunately, while the revelers head out on haunted tours, have their fortunes told, or grab a drink at Brews and Broomsticks, a killer walks among them. When Charlene discovers Morganna, a local Wiccan, dead in her shop, she starts getting cozy with the local coven, looking for clues to locate the crafty culprit. Salem may be famous for the false accusations of witchery in centuries past, but this time someone is genuinely guilty—of murder . . .

This book is out now and can be found on Amazon by clicking here ( I am not an Amazon affiliate)
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Cate Conte's Witch Hunt

I had the most wonderful last few days of reading. I was granted an ARC of Cate Conte's book Witch Hunt, a new paranormal cozy for a new paranormal series and I loved it.  I am not sure what I was expecting when I sat down to read it, I love a great paranormal cozy and this one had a great paranormal twist but it also had a great mystery. I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle magical twists, mysterious characters and the fact that the shop that the main character owns is a crystal shop. I loved the information in the book about the crystals and like that this was not your typical Witchy Cozy. This one has some fun characters, relationships I am looking forward to seeing pan out and a whole lot of glitter!

Murder isn’t always crystal-clear . . . especially when the prime suspect discovers she’s a witch. Violet Mooney owns The Full Moon crystal shop in quaint North Harbor, Connecticut. Still grieving her beloved grandmother’s recent unexpected death, she takes comfort in her fat orange cat Monty and her work. Not everyone in town is thrilled with her business, however. When disagreeable town councilwoman Carla Fernandez picks a fight over Violet’s "voodoo shop," the two have a very public confrontation. Of course, when Carla turns up dead, Violet gets little sympathy from the police as suspect #1. But the shock of two policemen showing up at her door pales in comparison to the sudden appearance of her estranged mother Fiona and a surprise sister, Zoe. What Fiona reveals will rock her world and her sense of self—and reawaken her long-dormant mysterious power. Good thing. She’s gonna need it . . . 

This book is out on June 30th and you can find it on Amazon.ca by clicking here. ( I am not an Amazon affiliate) 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Carol J. Perry's Murder, Take Two

I stayed up late last night to finish Murder Take Two, the tenth book in the series, by Carol J. Perry. This Witch City Mystery is a favorite series of mine and I was so excited to get to read read and ARC on Net Galley. It is the main character Lee whom I felt such a connection to from page one book one. I never felt as connected to a character as I did her, I loved her back story and her interests, her aunt and her cat. The setting of Salem is very well and realistically incorporated, from the true sights around Salem Massachusetts to the fictional Tabby school, I loved every second of this book. Lee is an investigative reporter, and former instructor at the Tabby, she lives with her Aunt and drives an amazing red corvette. She was Orphaned young, widowed young and has an amazing resilience that is needed in all great cozy mysteries, but there is more to her than just her instincts to solve crime and bounce back from whatever life throws at her. She is generally just a happy person, clearly someone who was blessed with a keen sense of who she is despite what situations she finds herself in.
 What I loved about this mystery is the way that the author incorporated the history and mystery of the most beloved game of clue, a true life horrific mystery and the almost perfect impossible to solve crime. I struggled with having to put this book down. I love this series so much. A great read and I can not wait for the next one.

When a copycat killer has reporter Lee Barrett brushing up on ancient history, it’s a test where failure could be lethal . . . As a Salem, Massachusetts, native, WICH-TV field reporter and amateur sleuth Lee Barrett is well versed in the region’s lore. So when the murder of revered local professor Samuel Bond resembles a killing from almost two centuries ago, everyone is on edge. Especially assistant professor Cody McGinnis . . . Not only did Cody have differences with Bond, he even taught a course on the historic murder. And when his fingerprints and ladder are found at the crime scene, the police are certain of his guilt. Cody’s family, however, believes otherwise and asks Lee for assistance. Now, with the help of her clairvoyant cat, O’Ryan, her tech-savvy librarian aunt and housemate Ibby, and Pete Mondello, her handsome detective beau, Lee will delve deeper than ever into Salem’s past—and into her own psychic gifts—to find the real killer—before someone else is history . . .


This book is out in August and you can preorder now and you can find it on Amazon by clicking here. (I am not an amazon affiliate) 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Tea and Treachery By Vicki Delany

I was blessed with an Advanced reading copy of Tea and Treachery by Vicki Delany. This is a first in series and it is out in late July this year.  This is the first in the Tea By the Sea series that I think you may find like me to be a new favorite. There is quite a bit to love  right off the bat. A great setting, strong characters, an opinionated octogenarian, an overworked granddaughter, a tea room, a sassy cat, a loyal pup and a slightly off the wall best friend. I also liked that the back stories of the characters were not overly traumatic and the message of strong willed women I got from reading and enjoying the book. I am anxiously awaiting the second book in the series already!

I love a beautiful cup of tea, in the perfect china pattern and was pleased to find the Royal Doulton Winthrop, red and gold maple leaf pattern mentioned in the first part of the book, the mouth watering recipes including the mention of the children's tea chocolate chip cookies, had me baking my own. My own children were happy to help me devour them. Real butter makes them so much more delicious.

The description on Amazon.ca (I am not an affiliate) for Tea & Treachery ...
"As the proud proprietor and head pastry chef of Tea by the Sea, a traditional English tearoom on the picturesque bluffs of Cape Cod, Roberts has her hands full, often literally. But nothing keeps her busier than steering her sassy grandmother, Rose, away from trouble. Rose operates the grand old Victorian B & B adjacent to Lily’s tea shop . . . for now. An aggressive real estate developer, Jack Ford, is pushing hard to rezone nearby land, with an eye toward building a sprawling golf resort, which would drive Rose and Lily out of business. Tempers are already steaming, but things really get sticky when Ford is found dead at the foot of Rose’s property and the police think she had something to do with his dramatic demise. Lily can’t let her grandmother get burned by a false murder charge. So she starts her own investigation and discovers Ford’s been brewing bad blood all over town, from his jilted lover to his trophy wife to his shady business partners. Now, it’s down to Lily to stir up some clues, sift through the suspects, and uncover the real killer before Rose is left holding the tea bag."

Out this summer and one not to miss Tea and Treachery can be pre ordered on amazon.ca by clicking here.

Evil By The Sea by Kathleen Brdge

I was so honored to get to read an advanced reading copy from Net Galley, Evil By The Sea, the latest in Kathleen Bridge's By The Sea Mystery Book series. Book Four Evil by The Sea is being released on May 5th and is in my opinion a must read! I fell in love with this series with book one and book four builds on the dynamic characters, picturesque setting and warm fuzzy feelings of a truly great cozy mystery. This mystery surrounds a small family wedding,which is coinciding with a mermaid festival that sounds truly delightful right about now. I love the banter between the characters and B.B. the Parrot, who offers great comic relief. I found myself transported and among friends in Evil By The Sea. A great escape cozy for troubling times.

Island life can get pretty weird. Wiccan weddings, psychic brides, mermaid parades, eccentric parrots . . . Novelist Liz Holt has gotten used to it since moving back to the barrier island of Melbourne Beach, Florida, and once again working in her family's hotel and emporium, the Indialantic by the Sea. But one thing she'll never get used to is murder. Groom-to-be and leader of the Sunshine Wiccan Society, white warlock Julian Rhodes is poisoned at his rehearsal dinner on the hotel's sightseeing cruiser. His psychic bride, Dorian Starwood, never saw it coming. An old friend of Liz's great-aunt Amelia, the celebrity psychic engages Liz to find out who intended to kill her intended. With her Macaw, Barnacle Bob, squawking "Pop Goes the Weasel" at Dorian's pet ferret, and the streets teeming with mermaids in tails, Liz has got to wade through the weirdness and cast a wide net for the killer—before she's the next one to sleep with the fishes . . .

You can find Evil By the Sea on Amazon by clicking here. 
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

The Cozy Corgi Cozy Mysteries by Mildred Abbott

The Cozy Corgi Cozy Mystery series is currently free on Amazon.ca kindle, however I bought this a few weeks ago when it wasn't and I am so glad I did. I am more than slightly excited about the idea of having corgis, two actually. During this time I have found it very hard to read, nothing keeps my attention for very long so it was delightful to read something that I could not put down. The first book in the Cozy Corgi Series is called Cruel Candy. It was a truly delightful read. I actually did not find this to be easy to figure out and I was just as interested to learn about the characters in this new to me series as I was to figure out how this mystery was going to unfold.  If you are looking for a well established series and a wonderful read I suggest downloading the first three books today!

Estes Park, Colorado: picturesque mountains, charming shops, a cozy bookstore and bakery… and murder.Cruel Candy: Book OneWinifred Page and her corgi, Watson, move to Estes Park to hit the Reset button on life. Fred is about to open her dream bookshop, but before she can begin her new life and put her plans into action, Fred and Watson have to clear her stepfather of murder.

I am not an amazon affiliate so if you click the link I don't gain anything, so to find the book please click here for Amazon.ca 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Kathleen Bridge's Manor of Dying

Kathleen Bridge's Manor Of Dying, on my kindle and my table this week. Finished it last night and absolutely was delighted with it. This is a great series, A Hampton's Home and Garden Mystery and main character Meg, caught up in yet another complicated and twisted mystery. This one was a bit different then the others I read in the series, still with the amazing imagery and setting of the Hampton's and great characters, surrounded by beautiful antiques and very unique rich people! This time Meg is not decorating a cottage but instead helping her friend with set design. I found myself feeling like one of the gang, tagging along on this exclusive set and location . I enjoyed the story line of the main mystery and how it intertwined with the older mystery. I was shocked I had not figured out the murderer, I was pleasantly surprised, to discover that I was not as clever as I thought I was.
This is a great read and I am thrilled to have had the chance to read and review it.

When decorator Meg Barrett travels to a remote mansion to help select period pieces for a new 1930s-style television mystery series, she’s chilled to learn that the manor was once a mental asylum and the site of a mysterious decades-old murder. And when a fierce blizzard knocks out the power and strands Meg and her cohorts in the home’s rickety old elevator, they emerge to discover that another person has been murdered—in the same macabre manner as the original victim.With a suspect list limited to those who were also stranded at the manor, Meg begins digging through their backgrounds for clues to both the old and new murder, trying to discover a connection that will lead her to the culprit’s identity. But the more she learns, the more clear it becomes that someone wants to keep the secrets of the past buried, and Meg knows she’ll have to watch her back before a ruthless killer decides to commit her to a grisly fate . . .

You can learn more about this book and series by clicking here 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Tonya Kappes Deserts, Driving and Derelicts...

I read one of my favorite authors, Tonya Kappes,  Deserts, Driving & Derelicts over the last week and it is one I bought over a year ago, I really enjoyed the first book in this series, pre ordered this one on Amazon.ca and then well life got in the way. I loved the idea of this series, where the main character brings back to life a family Trailer Park,  with the help of the small town and trailer park residences. The first one was a really good feel good cozy mystery and this one did not disappoint either.  Actually found myself not wanting to put this down while reading it and loved the fact it is set in the summer, taking me away from days of wind, rain and snow. I am also utterly enchanted by the covers of this series and inspired by them. While I am not now and cant really ever see myself as a camper, I do love the idea of the trailer, a park and getting away for a while. This series helps me do that when I have to stay put. I look forward to buying and reading the rest of this series and thank Tonya Kappes for writing such a fun series. I would love some time in Normal, Kentucky.

Welcome to Normal, Kentucky, where nothin' is normal!Mae West is getting settled into the RV lifestyle as the owner of a campground in Normal, Kentucky. Happy Trails Campground, located in Daniel Boone National Park, has started to attract late summer vacationing families who love to hike, swim, fish, and enjoy being outdoors.Betts Hager, owner of several small businesses, is swamped with work and desperate for help with her cleaning business. Mae offers her services, happy about the prospect of a little extra cash. Heiress Tammy Jo Bentley’s mansion is the first one on her schedule.Mae makes sure Tammy Jo’s house is spotless because the Kentucky Kennel Association's annual meeting is going to be held at the mansion. Fifi, Tammy Jo’s high pedigree, insured poodle, is going to be on display and Tammy Jo will be evaluating potential suitors to sire Fifi's offspring.Before the annual meeting, Camille Braun, Fifi’s nanny, is stabbed to death. Everyone knows that Camille would put her life on the line *or* lay down her life for Fifi and, apparently, she did.Mae tries her best to stay out of it. Tammy Jo begs Mae to help her; after all, she did find the last killer in Normal. Plus, it's not good for business - or Normal's revived economy - when a murderer is on the loose.Mae has grown to love her RV community and now that she's found a place to call him, she's not going to let anybody ruin it. Mae throws all of her heart and amateur sleuthing skills into bringing the real killer to justice.

Click here to learn more about this book and series or to order on amazon.ca 
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Jenna St. James & Maddy Maddson's Seaside and Homicide

I heard about this book by Jenna St. James and her Step Daughter Maddy Maddson last year and it was on my TBR list, I bought it from Amazon.ca last week and quickly felt an enormous amount of excitement for this cozy mystery. It had everything I love in a cozy, great setting, characters and the perfect twist and turns, with an ending that leaves you wanting so badly to read the next. The main characters are young, in their teens and for me this was a refreshing change. There was a great balance of feeling, friendship and fitting in.

When high school seniors, Brynn O'Connell, and her best friend, Peyton Patterson, discover a dead body during the Copper Cove Festival, they had no idea their lives would forever change...for the better. Standing next to the victim is the strange new girl in town, Raven Masters. When Brynn identifies the murder weapon as belonging to her Grams, the three girls set out to prove Granny Winnie is no killer! Brynn and Peyton must learn to set aside their prejudices and trust the quirky new girl. After all, she seems to be an old pro at sleuthing. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the girls get to cut their sleuthing teeth in Raven's cool '66 Fastback Mustang. But when things go from bad to worse for Granny Winnie, Brynn decides to call in her Grams' estranged younger sister, Aggie, a former bounty hunter.

Can the girls learn to trust one another, follow their instincts, and get Granny Winnie out of jail? Or will Brynn be destined to spend her last year of high school alone in the small town of Copper Cove?

I am not an Amazon affiliate, but if you would like to know more or order this book here is the amazon.ca link. 

Thank you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment below or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Ellery Adams Murder In The Reading Room

I did it! I was able to buy, download, and read within three days ! My first cozy mystery of 2020!!! This for me is a dream come true, being able to concentrate, retain and complete a cozy written by one of my favorite authors feels amazing. For those of you who may be new to my blog, I have dyslexia, and have worked on my reading for years. In 2018 I read and reviewed more than 200 + cozy mysteries, but in 2019 I had to step back, finding looking after my father, made it next to impossible for me to read or retain anything. My father passed away last March and I have made many changes to my own life, reading however did not bounce back as I had hoped.  I am beyond thrilled to have been able to set aside time to read and thoroughly enjoy the simple joy of curling up with a good book and a cup of tea.

I have read each book in Ellery Adams Book Retreat Mystery series, and I just finished reading Murder in the Reading Room. I ordered my kindle copy from Amazon.ca and I absolutely loved it. I have gotten to know and love each character and story line in this series as if I was a member of the "Fins" a group of trained people sworn to protect main character Jane and her family as they are guardians of  a powerful and mysterious secret library. They operate a book retreat that any book lover would dream of attending, the best food, like minded bibliophiles, a picturesque location and a set of twin boys that will melt your heart. This book sent me on twists and turns I had not expected and thrilled me to no end. Putting it down felt like saying good bye again to some truly remarkable friends, this book has left me with one of the best book hangovers, so long over due.

  Storyton Hall, Virginia, is a paradise for book lovers who come from all over for literary getaways. But manager Jane Steward is temporarily leaving for another renowned resort—in hopes of solving a twist-filled mystery . . .
 Jane’s boyfriend is missing, and she thinks she may find him at North Carolina’s historic Biltmore Estate. Officially, she’s there to learn about luxury hotel management, but she’s also prowling around the breathtaking buildings and grounds looking for secret passageways and clues. One of the staff gardeners promises to be helpful . . . that is, until his body turns up in the reading room of his cottage, a book on his lap. When she finally locates the kidnapped Edwin, his captor insists that she lead him back to Storyton Hall, convinced that it houses Ernest Hemingway’s lost suitcase, stolen from a Paris train station in 1922. But before they can turn up the treasure, the bell may toll for another victim . . .

*I am not an amazon affiliate and I will not get paid if you follow the link here to the kindle addition on amazon.ca  

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a long over due Cozy Mystery Review post. I would love to hear from you so please leave me comment here or email me at karnemowen@gmail.com 

May Day Murder by Jennifer David Hesse

I read May Day Murder in January and with all that had been going on in my life I realized only this morning that I had yet to review it. Jennifer David Hesse, is one of my most favorite Paranormal Cozy authors. The Wiccan Wheel Mystery Series Main character is Attorney Keli who tries hard not to announce her religious faith to the world, preferring the life and freedom of an solitary witch, yet somehow no matter what seems to happen it is her faith that she calls upon or is called into question to help solve murder mysteries. In May Day, Keli is put to the test almost immediately and when Keli is made a person of interest the web gets more and more tangled. Keli finds herself questioning everything including her faith. This is a great read and one I know that many of you will truly enjoy.

Spring is in the air, but for Edindale, Illinois, attorney Keli Milanni, murder is the only thing blooming . . .  Keli’s looking forward to Beltane, the time-honored Wiccan holiday that celebrates life with feasting, ceremonial dancing, and ancient Celtic rituals. But since recently leaving her law firm and opening her own practice, Keli has more on her plate than simple abundance. Still, she always has time for a friend. Erik, a Druid from a neighboring town, has had a run of bad luck he blames on a curse cast by his ex-girlfriend Denise, a practicing witch whose expertise in the dark arts can’t save her from her own deadly end. When Keli finds herself a person of interest in the investigation, she begins to wonder if she herself might be cursed. With a little help from her friends, including her devoted boyfriend Wes, Keli aims to find out who poisoned Denise. What she uncovers is a witch’s brew of spells, hexes, and black magic that raises questions about her own Wiccan worldview. As the community gathers for the May Day festivities, it’s up to Keli to stop a killer from springing ahead to another murder . . .

This Kensington release is out now and waiting for you to pick up and enjoy. I am not an Amazon affiliate, and you can find it on Amazon by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Kathleen Bridge's Murder By The Sea

This May the third book in the By The Sea mystery series will be released and I got an advanced copy to read and review from Netgalley. This is a treat for me as I have been a fan of the series since book one and could not wait to see what would happen next.  In Murder by the Sea, main character Liz finds herself finally settling back into familiar patterns and enjoying herself at a New Year's Eve Costume Party, only to be accosted by her ex on her families hotel property. Not the start to the year she is expecting when her ex turns up found dead the next morning. With so many suspects and the blame shifting in her direction, the situation feels quite dire, the twists and turns in this one, in the end the twist I did not see coming but truly enjoyed. This is a book not to be missed!

It's been quite a year for novelist Liz Holt. She's overcome a lot and is finally feeling at peace with her new life at her family's hotel, the Indialantic by the Sea, on the beautiful barrier island of Melbourne Beach, Florida. She's exactly where she needs to be to ring in the New Year at the Florida Writes Literary Masquerade Ball. But when her ex-boyfriend surprises her at the ball, she can't disguise her anger, and the two engage in a very public argument. Naturally, after her ex is found dead on the hotel grounds, shot through the heart, Liz tops the suspect list. With the help of family and friends, she needs to clear her name before the real killer waltzes away scot-free . . .
You can find Murder By the Sea on Amazon by clicking here... (I am not an Amazon affiliate)

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Carol J. Perry's Final Exam

Over the weekend I finished Carol J. Perry's Final Exam. This Witch City Mystery is out now from Kensington and is a great paranormal mystery read. I fell in love with this series from book one and get more excited with each mystery instalment. I love the relationships in this book, main character Lee is easy to like and understand, her relationship with her aunt and her back store is endearing. In this book we learn a little more about Lee's aunt, and about the reason why perhaps her aunt never married. I could not put this book down and am so excited that it is out and you can read it now.

 Life at the house on Winter Street is abuzz with preparations for Aunt Ibby’s 45th high school reunion, and Lee Barrett is happy to pitch in, tracking down addresses and licking envelopes. But as a field reporter for Salem’s WICH-TV, her priority is to be on top of the town’s latest news before anyone else.
 When the local police dredge up a vintage sports car containing human remains, Lee is thrilled to be the first reporter on the scene. Once she learns the car is connected to the cold case her boyfriend Pete happens to be working on, her powers of investigation are quickly alerted. But it’s her Aunt Ibby’s emotional reaction to Lee’s TV report that puts her on the case. With the help of O’Ryan, her psychic feline sidekick, she’ll have to unravel a tangled past of secrets and promises to stop a killer from making history again . . .   

You can find Final Exam on Amazon by clicking here (Please note I am not an amazon affiliate) 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com