The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis

I read and loved The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis in one sitting on Tuesday night. I could not put it down. This is a series I fell in love with years ago with book 5, the first I had read in the series, I quickly ordered the previous 4 and have read every one since. In the Diva Spices it up there were so many twists and turns and so much wonderfully addicting plot lines. Everything blended and meshed so well together, there was so much mystery, plenty of crimes, mouth watering recipes and deep relationship themes. This book was action packed, it was endearing, it was full of surprises. Krista Davis absolutely spiced this 13th book in the series up!

After a celebrity ghostwriter dies on the job, Old Town’s favorite entertaining expert and sporadic sleuth, Sophie Winston, whips up an impromptu investigation in the new Domestic Diva mystery from New York Times bestselling author, Krista Davis . . . Sophie never considered ghostwriting as a side gig, until former actress and aspiring lifestyle guru, Tilly Stratford, trophy wife of Wesley Winthrope, needs someone to write her celebrity cookbook. Sophie agrees, hoping she’ll earn enough bread on this assignment to finish her bathroom renovations. But as it turns out, Sophie isn’t the first foodie to get a taste for recipe ghostwriting, and if the marginalia are any indication, this project could be a killer . . . Wesley claims professional ghostwriter, Abby Bergeron, suddenly abandoned Tilly’s cookbook with no warning. But Sophie quickly discovers that Abby may be more ghost than writer now . . . and her disappearance was no accident. So Sophie cracks open a fresh investigation, but sifting the seasoned murderer from this sampling of salty suspects won’t be easy. Will Sophie savor another case closed or will the culprit simply melt away? Includes delicious recipes and entertaining tips! 


This book is out now and you can find it on amazon.ca 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

Merriment and Murder by Jenna St. James & Maddy Maddison

I find it difficult to make time to read these days not because of a lack of books I have bought but due to the fact that I feel like I am stuck in a perpetual state of needing to know what is happening in the world and torn between checking my phone for updates far more often than I should.  I do however still find reading comfortable, but what used to take me a few hours to finish reading seems to take me a few days or weeks. Giving myself over to reading is something I worked at for years and I find it devastating that during this time of trauma, I feel terribly distracted while performing any task.
Now that being said, a bright spot in my last few weeks has been the ability to come back to reading the second book in the series by Jenna St. James and Maddy Maddison, this one is called Merriment and Murder. What I love about this series is that the main characters are in their late teens, it has lots of cozy feels, slight magical undertones, but mostly strong capable mystery solving best friends in a small town with a great B&B, Lighthouse and fun family run apothecary. I bought this book a couple of weeks ago on Amazon.ca, (I am not an affiliate by the way)  and appreciated the fact it is set in December, I enjoyed that sense of being in a different time and space for a short while, I am trying not to think to far in the future as I find that the anxiety I feel about how things are going with the Covid-19 pandemic is worse when I do.  So for now I do recommend picking up a book, craft or hobby to take a bit of that edge off. For me I love having a cozy mystery to look forward too. I understand from the authors that they are working on book three, I just can't wait.

A B&B Grand Opening Party...

A Dead Body...

Tons of Suspects...

When Brynn and her best friends, Peyton and Raven, stumble over a dead body at her aunt's grand opening party for the B&B, they already have plenty of suspects in mind. But when Chief Baedie threatens to shut down Aunt Aggie's B&B before it even opens on Christmas Eve, the girls, along with Jinx the cat, decide to solve the case on their own. Using the skills they acquired on their last case, they set out on a whirlwind adventure trying to piece together the one clue they found. Can the girls solve the case before Christmas Eve? Or will Aunt Aggie be singing the blues her first Christmas back in Copper Cove?

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 

Duffy Brown's Tandem Demise

Last week I bought myself Tandem Demise, Duffy Brown's most recent book in the Cycle Path Mystery Series. I have been a huge fan of this series since I bought and read the first two. I was sad when Berkley let the series go but thrilled that Duffy was able to finally publish this one. Tandem Demise has everything I loved about the first two books and more. I was surprised by the hook and twist ending but loved each and every turn to get there. If you are looking for a great follow your heart mystery, with a perfectly flawed and clumsy main character, and a idyllic setting you must read this series!
I bought my book on Amazon.ca and read it on my Kindle app on my Ipad, the other two I have in paperback. I missed the paper in my hands but I could not put the kindle app book down. A great read!

Smugglers on the hunt, a police chief on the run, lost loot and a dead wedding planner have the Mackinac Island regulars riding in circles After solving two murders, bike shop owner Evie Bloomfield thought life on Mackinac Island would settle into boredom until she finds out Nate Sutter, island police chief and once-upon-a-time under cover cop is on the run. Some badass guys from Nate’s Detroit days think he stole money from them in a champagne smuggling operation and now they’re headed to the island to get their loot. Evie is determined to help Nate because he’s a good cop, Nate is determined to keep interfering Evie and island locals out of harms way, and the crooks are determined to get their money. To add to the island’s problems there’s a dead guy on the dock and the new wedding planner is more interested in playing bedroom bingo than ordering bridal bouquets. With the help of Fiona, Evie’s BFF and local newspaper editor, Evie is determined to prove Nate innocent, figure out how champagne smuggling, bodies on the dock and a bad wedding planner are tied together and not wind up taking a long walk off a short pier herself

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 

Dark Corner By Vicki Vass...

One of the most extraordinary things about life is how chance encounters lead to unimaginable adventures. Not so many years back I was introduced to the most amazing of authors, Vicki Vass, through my friend Lisa Kelley. I devoured books that Vicki wrote like potato chips and came to have admire and be inspired by her writing. I reached out to her through social media and an amazing thing happened. Somehow, the books I had come to love, I ended up a character in. This is one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me.
Book two in the Witch Cat Mystery Series arrived early in December and was the most exciting paranormal reads of 2018. I love the premise of this series,  the story line, the setting and of course the characters! Lending my name and my familiar to the story, gave me an unbelievable sense of excitement in a book that gave me hours of joy and mystery. We lose ourselves in books but we find ourselves there also...

I hope to be as "badass" as my character is in Dark Corner, and I hope it is not my last time in this amazing series. If you love witches, if you love cats, if you love magic, adventure and hope. This is a series you need to pick up and read. Vicki Vass is truly talented and magical in every way!

Evil has awoken in Asheville, North Carolina, and Terra Rowan must prepare the Ladies of the Biltmore Society for battle. With her familiar, Pixel, a crooked leg fluffy orange cat, and her apprentice Abigail Oakhaven, a stubborn teenage girl with a bloodline dating back to the beginning of time, she begins their journey. The witch hunters have come to the Appalachian Mountains in search of the last witch of Salem. The magic of the mountains can no longer protect her and her coven. She must travel to the one place on earth that holds the secret to save mankind – Dark Corner.Combining elements from different cultures, Appalachian folklore, Celtic legends, Native American mysticism, Dark Corner continues its new witch mythology while staying true to the realm of cozy mystery. Terra Rowan is a witch trapped between worlds and lost in time.

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

Sheila Connolly's The Lost Traveller

Sheila Connolly's 7th book in the Country Cork Mystery Series, The Lost Traveller, comes out in January, but I had the opportunity to read it over the last week. I absolutely loved it. This series features the main character Maura who is of Irish descent and arrived in Ireland to honor her grandmother's wishes. She finds a life and family she never could have dreamed of back in Boston and she inherited a Pub, which she runs as she learns the Irish way.  In the Lost Traveller Maura's luck at finding herself involved with latest murder in the area, after finding a dead body on her property. Maura is a character who is always under pressure and at a disadvantage but her different perspective helps her along the way. Learning as she goes and helping solve a very difficult crime, this one was more complex than the past and I loved the story lines. Maura is happy, and in a really great place in this story. I find the characters in this story to be easy to believe and like, trust and route for. I cannot wait for another book in this series. The Lost Traveller is out in January and you can find it on Amazon by clicking here. 

Danger comes to Cork in the seventh County Cork mystery from New York Timesbestselling author Sheila Connolly, and it’s up to Maura Donovan to find a way to protect all she’s worked for.Pub owner Maura Donovan is settling into a charmed life in Ireland—until a mutilated body on her property ends her lucky streak. Boston expat Maura Donovan came to Ireland to honor her grandmother’s last wish, but she never expected to stay in provincial County Cork—much less to inherit a house and a pub, Sullivan’s, in the small village of Leap. After a year-long struggle to stay in the black, Sullivan’s is finally thriving, and Maura has even brought back traditional Irish music to the pub. With a crop of new friends and a budding relationship with handsome Mick Nolan, Maura’s life seems rosier than ever—but even in Ireland, you can’t always trust your luck. It begins with Maura’s discovery of a body in the ravine behind the pub. And then, the Irish gardaí reveal that the victim’s face has been battered beyond recognition. Who is the faceless victim? Who wanted him dead? And why was his body dumped in the backyard of Sullivan’s Pub? Even after the dead man is finally given a name, nobody admits to knowing him. In the tight-knit world of Leap, no one is talking—and now it’s up to Maura to uncover the dark secrets that lurk beneath the seemingly quiet town. Laced with warm Irish charm, a delightful small-town setting, and a colorful cast of characters, New York Times bestselling author Sheila Connolly’s seventh County Cork mystery, The Lost Traveller, conspires to delight.

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

Six Cats A Slayin' by Miranda James

Six Cats A Slaying by Miranda James is one of the most thoughtful cozy mystery books I have ever read. The main character Charlie Harris is one of my most favorites and it is because of the care and attention that Miranda James has put into developing the most kind and decent man who is often missing from cozy mysteries. Diesel the cat, made me from book one want to bring a rescue cat into my own family. I have read every book in the Cat in the Stacks Mystery series and have come to love and adore the characters as if they were family of my own. Filled with southern charm and respect these cozy mystery stories are also fun to read and discover. In six cats a slaying, Miranda James tackles some truly great themes. Set around the holidays,  with all the struggles that brings anxiety  for most people, Charlie finds he is not exactly in the holiday spirit, yet his perseverance and calm serve him well. Uninvited holiday guests, ( 5 furry kittens), a family crisis, a pushy neighbor, a friend in a tough spot and the holidays fast approaching are just some of the things Charlie is juggling this year.  Miranda James touches on a family subject that is very close to my heart and I encourage you to pick up this book and series, to get to know Charlie and the wonderful people in Athena.  This one is out October 23 from Berkley Prime and a most excellent read.

Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat, Diesel, are busy decking the halls for the holidays when an unexpected delivery and a shocking murder conspire to shake up the season in this all new installment of the New York Times bestselling series.December twenty-fifth is right around the corner, and Charlie is making his list and checking it twice. He is doing his best to show some peace and goodwill toward his nosy neighbor Gerry Arbitron, a real estate agent who seems to have designs on his house (and maybe on him, as well), while preparing for a very important role, indeed--his first Christmas as a grandfather. The last thing Charlie expects is to gain several new additions to his family. Charlie finds a box on his doorstep with five kittens inside and a note begging him to keep them safe. With Diesel's help, Charlie welcomes the tiny felines into the Harris household just as Gerry decides it is time to throw a lavish holiday party. Determined to make her mark on Athena, Gerry instead winds up dead at her very own party. Though attempts to dig into her past come up empty, Charlie and his girlfriend, Helen Louise, witness two heated exchanges involving Gerry before her death: one with a leading citizen and another with the wife of a good friend. Will one of these ladies wind up on the sheriff's naughty list? Charlie and Diesel have to wrap up the case before the special season is ruined by a sinister scrooge.

My own rescue cat Squirrel...

You can find Six Cats a Slayin' on Amazon by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining me here 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 

Better Off Read by Nora Page

I have very strong and mixed feelings about Better of Read by Nora Page, this book is coming out this June from Crooked Lane Books is written in away that made me so angry and frustrated with the main character Cleo's nemesis the town Mayor, that I wanted to throw the book across the room. Nora does a brilliant job of making you despise the town's mayor, and will have you seeing red! I love the idea of this book and series, I love that the main character is in her mid seventies and I love the setting of the book. I struggled with the storyline because I was so mad at the character of the Mayor though. I can't remember when a cozy mystery had me so riled up! I hope you enjoy Better off Read. I do love the cat and pug in this book!

When her best hope of saving her storm-damaged library is found murdered, senior librarian Cleo Watkins hits the road in her bookmobile in search of justice.Septuagenarian librarian Cleo Watkins won’t be shushed when an upstart young mayor threatens to permanently shelve her tiny town’s storm-damaged library. She takes to her bookmobile, Words on Wheels, to collect allies and rally library support throughout Catalpa Springs, Georgia.However, Cleo soon rolls into trouble. A major benefactor known for his eccentric DIY projects requests all available books on getting away with murder. He’s no Georgia peach, and Cleo wonders if she should worry about his plans. She knows she should when she discovers him bludgeoned and evidence points to her best friend, Mary-Rose Garland. Sure of Mary-Rose’s innocence, Cleo applies her librarian’s sleuthing skills to the case, assisted by friends, family, and the dapper antiquarian bookseller everyone keeps calling her boyfriend. Evidence stacks up, but a killer is overdue to strike again. With lives and her library on the line, Cleo must shift into high gear to close the book on murder in Better Off Read, the charming Bookmobile series debut by Nora Page.

You can find this book in stores this June or here on Amazon.com  ( I am not an amazon affiliate so I don't make any money if you click)
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 karnemowen@gmail.com

Murder on Mokulua Drive by Jeanne Burrows-Johnson

Murder on Mokulua Drive by Jeanne Burrows-Johnson is a true mystery readers delight. Perfectly situated in one of the best armchair traveler locations of Hawaii, this is Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mystery will have you guessing. Great character development and a bibliophiles dream. This one is out now and published by Artemesia Publishing

The warm welcome they receive from Miriam Didión (a widowed human rights activist) sets an ideal tone for life in their delightful shoreline neighborhood. By the time Natalie throws Keoni a birthday party, she has become close to Miriam and her personable housemates Joanne and Izzy, and their new housekeeper Samantha. Even Miss Una, Natalie's feline companion, has embraced the women who live next door, as she keeps watch over their property each night. Unfortunately, the bliss of seaside living evaporates when Natalie experiences a horrifying vision of a scuba diver garroting a woman. The following morning a body is discovered in the neighbor's maid's quarters and Natalie is forced to reveal her murderous vision to Keoni's former partner, Honolulu Police Detective John Dias. Hoping her unique skills will again prove useful, the Lieutenant asks Natalie and her twin Nathan (a psychologist) to examine the victim's journals. The decades-long commentary proves fascinating although it yields no clues. But when a nefarious suspect's body is found at Diamond Head Beach, the case appears solved. Believing that her life of semi-retirement is back on track, Natalie plans a tour of historic Kawai Nui Marsh. Too soon the day of playing tourist devolves into a nightmare. When Keoni points out the possibility of an unexpected threat Natalie realizes that she and her new friends are caught in the cross hairs of a dangerous adversary. Does resolution of the gruesome murder lie in the deceased's transnational past? Or in the visible present among innocuous seeming companions?

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@gmial.com

Cinco de Murder by Rebecca Adler

I love Texmex, how can you not? Cinco de Murder by Rebecca Adler is about more than family, more than mystery and more than food. But there are some great recipes in the back of this one. I liked the premise of this cozy and this the third book in the Taste of Texas series will not disappoint fans of this series. A fun and feisty family, great town and out now!

Tex-Mex waitress and part-time reporter Josie Callahan serves up more Lone Star justice in this spicy mystery from the author of The Good, the Bad, and the Guacamole.It's fiesta time in Broken Boot, Texas, and tourists are pouring into town faster than free beer at a bull roping for the mouthwatering Cinco de Mayo festivities. Tex-Mex waitress Josie Callahan, her feisty abuela, and even her spunky Chihuahua Lenny are polishing their folklórico dances for Saturday's big parade, while Uncle Eddie is adding his own spicy event to the fiesta menu: Broken Boot's First Annual Charity Chili Cook-off.But Uncle Eddie's hopes of impressing the town council go up in smoke when cantankerous chili cook Lucky Straw is found dead in his tent. And when Josie's beloved uncle is accused of fatal negligence, she, Lenny, and the steadfast Detective Lightfoot must uncover who ended the ambitious chilihead's life--before another cook kicks the bucket.

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

Kate Carlisle's Buried in Books...

What a good book, what a good book! I very much enjoyed Kate Carlisle's upcoming book Buried in Books. Wow, I seriously could not put it down and was in awe of how Kate captured the feelings of wedding jitters and threw in a great murder mystery. The setting and theme of the book was beautifully balanced and perfectly laid out.  I loved the conflict between the characters and the way Kate makes the world of Librarians and Booksellers feel like an exciting James Bond Mystery. This was a great read and I am excited for you all to read it. Though not out until the end of June this is a must read for 2018!

In the latest in this New York Times bestselling series, matrimony and murder collide as San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright walks down the aisle...
Brooklyn has it all covered. She’s triple-checked her wedding to-do list, and everything is on track for the upcoming ceremony with the love of her life, security expert Derek Stone. 

Not everyone has been as lucky in love as Brooklyn. Her old college roommates Heather and Sara lost touch twelve years ago when Sara stole Heather’s boyfriend. Brooklyn was caught in the middle and hasn’t seen her former besties since their falling-out. When they both show up at her surprise bridal shower, Brooklyn is sure drama will ensue. But she’s touched when the women seem willing to sort out their differences and gift her rare copies of The Three Musketeers and The Red Fairy Book. 

Brooklyn’s prewedding calm is shattered when one of her formerly feuding friends is found murdered and Brooklyn determines that one of the rare books is a forgery. She can’t help but wonder if the victim played a part in this fraud, or if she was targeted because she discovered the scam. With a killer and con artist on the loose, Brooklyn and Derek—with the unsolicited help of their meddling mothers—must catch the culprit before their big day turns into a big mess.


Out in June but you can preorder it from Amazon by clicking here. I am not an amazon affiliate and I don't make money if you click. 

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

Forest for the Trees by P. Bodi

In March I discovered P Bodi short cozy mysteries and I am really excited that I did. These are very well written cozy short mysteries that you can truly read while watching tv or on a break at work. This book Forest for the Trees, I enjoyed because the main character was easy to relate to and had a grittiness about her I liked. It was not a lack of confidence but a sense of purpose she had that I liked and related too. I think I would really enjoy reading others in this series. A great cozy mystery short.

Angela Crawford returned to her home town of Millerston to work in the family lumber business after going through a difficult divorce. She had always considered herself to be a strong woman, but just as she was starting to get comfortable in her new surroundings her ex suddenly shows up in town. Could his visit result in murder?
You can find this book on Amazon 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 

Natural Thorn Killer by Kate Dyer-Seeley

I had the pleasure of reading Natural Thorn Killer a new book by Kate Dyer-Seeley yesterday. This upcoming Kensington release slated for March 27th, centers around Britta who leaves a loveless marriage and returns home to her aunt's flower shop just in time for her aunt's flower cottage opening. Just days before the big event, Britta discovers the body of a local developer at odds with Britta's aunt has been murdered inside the cottage. Britta is desperate to help her aunt open on time and will do anything she can to help assist the local police... I feel like author Kate Dyer-Seeley does a great job of capturing the vibe and true feel of Portland Oregon. It is one of my most favorite places to visit and only about 8 hours drive from where I live. Portland has a rich and exciting small town in a big city feel and you really do get that feeling when you read Natural Thorn Killer. I liked the mystery, loved the setting, characters and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Britta Johnston might be a late bloomer, but after leaving her deadbeat husband and dead-end job, she’s finally pursuing her artistic passion at her aunt Elin’s floral boutique, Blooma, in Portland, Oregon. It’s on the banks of the Willamette, in a quaint district of cobblestone paths and cherry trees. The wine bar featuring Pacific Northwest vintages is a tasty bonus, offering another kind of bouquet to enjoy. But things aren’t as peaceful as they look. For one thing, someone’s been leaving dead roses around—and a sleazy real estate developer who wants the waterfront property has put a big-money offer on the table. Then, after a contentious meeting of local business owners, he’s found on the floor of the shop, with Elin’s garden shears planted in his chest. And before the police decide to pin the crime on her beloved aunt, Britta will have to find out who arranged this murder . . .

You can find Natural Thorn Killer on Amazon 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

Murder, She Knit by Peggy Ehrhart

Murder, She Knit by Peggy Ehrhart is a cozy that is as sweet as the cover. It is light, cozy and definitely has some great warm feelings. I love the sense and theme of community and family that this book highlights, and the joys and pains of celebrating the holidays after loss and change. Some touching moments in the book and a good read. I like that the main character has a college age daughter and that she is pretty self sufficient, not in real need or crisis but in a comfortable place when the story begins. It is a refreshing and welcome look at life 50+. Well worth keeping an eye on for your TBR list this month!

Since her only daughter left for college, widow Pamela Paterson has kept busy as associate editor of a craft magazine and founder of the Knit and Nibble knitting club in quaint Arborville, New Jersey. Now, she’s trying out a new hobby—solving murders! Pamela is hosting the next Knit and Nibble meeting and can’t wait to liven up her otherwise empty home with colorful yarn, baking, and a little harmless gossip. She even recruits Amy Morgan, an old friend who recently moved to town, as the group’s newest member. But on the night of the gathering, Amy doesn’t show. Not until Pamela finds the woman dead outside—a knitting needle stabbed through the front of her handmade sweater . . . Someone committed murder before taking off with Amy’s knitting bag, and Pamela realizes that only she can spot the deadly details hidden in mysterious skeins. But when another murder occurs, naming the culprit—and living to spin the tale—will be more difficult than Pamela ever imagined . . .  

Murder, She Knit will be out March 27th from Kensington 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

The Uninvited Corpse by Debra Sennefelder

I read The Uninvited Corpse Sunday, this is a new cozy mystery from Debra Sennefelder and I so enjoyed it. Loved the cover, that perfectly portrayed the mystery within. This was a good read, really well done and in away I did not expect. I loved the way the mystery unfolded, the way the characters worked together and against each other. I love a story with Chickens too. I could easily relate with main character Hope, who is a blogger, sister and friend as well as a  great baker and who is loyal to a fault! Loved her so much and I cannot wait to read the next one. A great mystery, great story and so much I want to say but it would give too much away. Great start to a new series. Can't wait to try the recipes! 

Leaving behind a failed career as a magazine editor and an embarrassing stint on a reality baking show, newly divorced lifestyle entrepreneur Hope Early thought things were finally on the upswing—until she comes face-to-face with a murderer . . .
 
Hope’s schedule is already jam packed with recipe testing and shameless plugs for her food blog as she rushes off to attend a spring garden tour in the charming town of Jefferson, Connecticut. Unfortunately, it isn’t the perfectly arranged potted plants that grab her attention—it’s the bloody body of reviled real estate agent Peaches McCoy . . .
 
One of the tour guests committed murder, and all eyes are on Hope’s older sister, Claire Dixon—who, at best, saw Peaches as a professional rival. And suspicions really heat up when another murder occurs the following night. Now, with two messy murders shaking Jefferson and all evidence pointing to Claire, Hope must set aside her burgeoning brand to prove her sister’s innocence. But the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer intent on making sure her life goes permanently out of style . . .

This cozy mystery is being published by Kensington March 27th, you can find it on Amazon 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

Who Moved My Goat Cheese? By Lynn Cahoon

I just finished Who Moved My Goat Cheese by Lynn Cahoon. This is a new first in the Farm to Fork Mystery Series and it is off to a great start! I love the wonderful cozy animal characters in this one and the cover is absolutely fun and very fitting. Cozy lovers and fans of Lynn will enjoy the twists and turns of main character Angie's past, present and future.  This one is out March 6th from Lyrical Underground and is one you are going to want to read! I love the title of this one and I am a huge fan of goat cheese, now if I could only get a few goats of my own...

Angie Turner hopes her new farm-to-table restaurant can be a fresh start in her old hometown in rural Idaho. But when a goat dairy farmer is murdered, Angie must turn the tables on a bleating black sheep . . . With three weeks until opening night for their restaurant, the County Seat, Angie and her best friend and business partner Felicia are scrambling to line up local vendors—from the farmer's market to the goat dairy farm of Old Man Moss. Fortunately, the cantankerous Moss takes a shine to Angie, as does his kid goat Precious. So when Angie hears the bloodcurdling news of foul play at the dairy farm, she jumps in to mind the man's livestock and help solve the murder. One thing's for sure, there's no whey Angie's going to let some killer get her goat . . .

Click here to learn more about this book on Amazon.com ( I am not an amazon affiliate)
Thank you for joining me here today 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

Bound by Kirsten Weiss

I read Bound By Kirsten Weiss, yesterday. I had been wanting to read it for quite sometime and I was very much in the mood for a paranormal cozy. Bound is a story about triplet witches and their aunt. This is as much a fantasy book as it is a paranormal cozy. It really has something for everyone who loves a good fairy tale. It was not what I expected, I thought it would be quite predictable but I happily found that it was not. This is an established series I was happy to find and that I can pick up with these sisters anytime I want. I bought mine on Amazon.com

Bound by magic, bound by love, bound by murder… The Bonheim triplets live seemingly ordinary lives, hiding their magic from the neighbors in the small, mountain town of Doyle, California. But when a body is found in big sister Jayce’s coffee shop, Karin, the practical one, is determined to prove Jayce innocent. A murder isn’t the only bizarre event in Doyle. Why are hikers vanishing in the nearby woods? Why are some people cursed with bad luck and others with good? And why is Karin’s magic the weakest of the three sisters’? As Karin digs deep to uncover the truth and regain her magic, her family is thrown into peril. Will her power return too late to save the people she loves the most, or will it be the cause of disaster? Bound is Book One in the Witches of Doyle Trilogy. Spells included at the back of the book!

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 

Claws for Concern by Miranda James...

What an honor to have read the ARC of Miranda James Claws for Concern. This is one of my favorite all time series and as many of you may know my own cat adoptions were because of this book series and how Miranda James helps the reader fall in love with Diesel! In Claws for Concern I was drawn in right away and the mysteries were so intriguing, and almost all consuming. I could not wait to get back to the book when I had to put it down. I found myself at one point trying to draw vendigarms to try to figure out who the killer was and find the connection. This book was better than I could have imagined and I loved the big reveal. It was outstanding, start to finish. If you ever need a series to binge read start with book one and you will never be disappointed, each book gets better and better and feels like you are with friends. Southern Charm, A strong and wonderful Male character, perfect companion and a setting and with heart that will have you wishing you too lived in the South. This one is a Berkeley Mystery and it is out February 20th.

Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat, Diesel, are embroiled in a new mystery when a cold case suddenly heats up in the latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series.Charlie Harris is busy enjoying his new grandson when a mysterious man with a connection to Charlie's family starts visiting the library, bringing with him troubling questions about an unsolved murder...Charlie may be a proud new grandfather, but he and Diesel still have work to do at Athena College and the small Mississippi town's public library. He's too busy to deal with true-crime writer Jack Pemberton, who wants Charlie as the subject of his latest book--and who won't take no for an answer.  A more appealing proposition for Charlie is spending time helping a kind, elderly man navigate the library's genealogical database. But he's shocked when he learns that the visitor's search is focused on a member of his own family: his late aunt's husband.Charlie befriends the man and considers inviting him to stay in his home, but he's soon given reason to question that notion. Jack is certain that Charlie's new houseguest was involved in a shocking homicide that took place years ago in a small town near Athena. As this cold case heats up, Charlie and Diesel have to uncover a killer who may already be too close to home...

You can find Claws for Concern by Miranda James on Amazon 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

Survival of The Fritters by Ginger Bolton

I read Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton yesterday. This was a very compelling cozy mystery with a great story, filled with twists turns and nostalgia. I love the complex relationships and back story of main character Em. A young widowed police officer's wife, who together with the retired chief of police who also happens to be her father in law open a doughnut and coffee shop. The mystery and the unraveling of facts was fascinating, and so well thought out. This is a very well written cozy and I think this will make a wonderful series. I really enjoyed it and this one comes out January 30th from Kensington.

Emily Westhill runs the best donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, alongside her retired police chief father-in-law and her tabby Deputy Donut. But after murder claims a favorite customer, Emily can’t rely on a sidekick to solve the crime—or stay alive.If Emily has learned anything from her past as a 911 operator, it’s to stay calm during stressful situations. But that’s a tall order when one of her regulars, Georgia Treetor, goes missing. Georgia never skips morning cappuccinos with her knitting circle. Her pals fear the worst—especially Lois, a close friend who recently moved to town. As evening creeps in, Emily and the ladies search for Georgia at home. And they find her—murdered among a scattering of stale donuts . . .Disturbingly, Georgia’s demise coincides with the five-year anniversary of her son’s murder, a case Emily’s late detective husband failed to solve before his own sudden death. With Lois hiding secrets and an innocent man’s life at stake, Emily’s forced to revisit painful memories on her quest for answers. Though someone’s alibi is full of holes, only a sprinkling of clues have been left behind. And if Emily can’t trace them back to a killer in time, her donut shop will end up permanently closed for business . . .

You can find Survival of the Fritters on Amazon 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

A Grave Issue by Lillian Bell

I started A Grave Issue by Lillian Bell on December 30th and I could not put it down. I read into the wee hours just so I could finish it. I was attracted to this series because I had read a wonderful series about a funeral director by Janice J. Richardson, which changed the way I felt about Funeral directors and funeral homes in general. Having lost my mother a few years ago and my brother not long after I normally would shy away from something like this, however I am glad I did not. I loved this story. The idea the family dynamic of running a Funeral Parlor. Main character Desiree returns home, tail between her legs after her her on air career as a reporter comes to an end. Home again and adjusting to the mysterious death of her father, a job that feels natural but just is not quite the perfect fit and a curious mind that will not stop turning Desiree is a great character. I found I could relate to the fact that she was balancing family duty with trying to find her own way in the world, a world that seemed much smaller now than ever before.  This story is about family, about roots, about finding yourself, about getting lost, about making changes and being true to yourself. I loved it and I cannot wait to hear what you think in February.  This one is put out buy Crooked Lane Books. 

After an on-air gaffe goes viral and jeopardizes her career, journalist Desiree Turner retreats home to Verbena, California for some peace and quiet. She begins working one of the quietest jobs around: presiding over funerals for her great-grandfather’s funeral parlor. But the action seems to follow her as a fistfight breaks out between neighbors Rosemarie Brewer and Lola Hansen at one of the first funerals she’s in charge of running. It exposes a nasty dispute and Rosemarie’s husband, Alan, is found murdered shortly after.Lola’s husband, Kyle, is immediately arrested. Desiree, whose own father’s death was devastating, has always viewed Kyle as a second father. Determined to clear his name, Desiree jumps head first into the investigation and quickly discovers that Alan had several unsavory habits at his job and in his personal life, including putting assets into his mistress’s account to hide them from Rosemarie. People murder for money and love all the time, and there’s no telling who he offended just enough to push them over the edge.Desiree is looking in all the right places, but she better catch the killer fast before they come for her next in A Grave Issue, the clever series debut by Lillian Bell.

You can pre order this cozy on Amazon 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

All I Wanted Was A Drink, A New Years Day Short Story by Michelle Ann Hollstein

Happy New Year! 

I read All I Wanted Was A Drink, An Aggie Underhill, New Year's Day Short Story on Friday night. This was a free Amazon kindle download last week and quite an entertaining read! Only 22 pages long and quite well packed in. I did not realize that a mystery story could be told and so well laid out in such a short story. It was funny and clearly well thought out. I very much enjoyed it and it made me smile. Looks like I found another cozy series to love. Thank you Amazon.

Aggie and Betty decide to take a last minute flight to Las Vegas for a girl's weekend. Since the Christmas holiday had left them exhausted, they thought a mini vacation was just what they needed. Who knew the flight would be just as exhausting as the Christmas season? Join Aggie and Betty in this comical New Year's Day short story. 
You can find this cozy short on Amazon 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