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Aye Alba Anthologies
Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders
Poisonous picnics, burgled barbeques, deadly deckchairs... and midsummer mayhem!
From a brilliant bunch of amazing authors, including multiple prizewinners and USA Today best sellers, comes this wonderful collection of 21 summer-themed cozy mysteries.
Featuring peril at the pool, blood on the beach, and felony at the festival, these fabulous stories鈥�21 brand new and exclusive tales鈥攚ill keep you entertained until long after the sun has set.
With stories from Hillary Avis, Benedict Brown, Catherine Coles, Paula Darnell, Connie B. Dowell, Ellen Jacobson, Joann Keder, Patti Larsen, Cate Lawley, Gayle Leeson, Daisy Linh, Rimmy London, R.B. Marshall, Megan Mayfair, Wendy Meadows, Phillipa Nefri Clark, Michele Pariza Wacek, Erin Scoggins, Cathy Tully, Victoria LK Williams and Carly Winter, you'll surely find some of your favourite authors and discover some great new writers within the ~1500 pages of this set.
This collection will only be available for a limited time so don't miss out - grab yourself a bargain today!
From a brilliant bunch of amazing authors, including multiple prizewinners and USA Today best sellers, comes this wonderful collection of 21 summer-themed cozy mysteries.
Featuring peril at the pool, blood on the beach, and felony at the festival, these fabulous stories鈥�21 brand new and exclusive tales鈥攚ill keep you entertained until long after the sun has set.
With stories from Hillary Avis, Benedict Brown, Catherine Coles, Paula Darnell, Connie B. Dowell, Ellen Jacobson, Joann Keder, Patti Larsen, Cate Lawley, Gayle Leeson, Daisy Linh, Rimmy London, R.B. Marshall, Megan Mayfair, Wendy Meadows, Phillipa Nefri Clark, Michele Pariza Wacek, Erin Scoggins, Cathy Tully, Victoria LK Williams and Carly Winter, you'll surely find some of your favourite authors and discover some great new writers within the ~1500 pages of this set.
This collection will only be available for a limited time so don't miss out - grab yourself a bargain today!
1873 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2022
267 people are currently reading
3,756 people want to read
About the author
R.B. Marshall
11听books65听followersLike her amateur sleuth, Izzy, USA Today Bestselling author R.B. (Roz) Marshall is a dressage-riding computer geek who loves coffee - but there the similarity ends. Izzy is far smarter, and a lot younger!
Pretty much all of Roz's books are set in her native Scotland. She writes clever, witty cozy mysteries as R.B. Marshall, fantasy and romantic women's fiction as Roz Marshall, and historical romance as Belle McInnes.
Pretty much all of Roz's books are set in her native Scotland. She writes clever, witty cozy mysteries as R.B. Marshall, fantasy and romantic women's fiction as Roz Marshall, and historical romance as Belle McInnes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
June 8, 2022
Daph on the Beach by Phillipa Nefri Clark
Part of the anthology 鈥� - of 21 summer themed cozy mysteries from 21 different authors, Daph on the Beach by Aussie author Phillipa Nefri Clark, is a novella which is set in Rivers End, prior to when , #1 in the series, is set.
Daphne Jones was on the beach, preparing her thoughts and notes for the wedding which was coming up in a few days, when Randall, Martin and Christie鈥檚 loveable dog, barked at something in the water. Daph headed to the water鈥檚 edge to retrieve the clothing that Randall had spotted, only to be horrified at the sight of a woman鈥檚 body.
Daphne was a celebrant and took her role seriously 鈥� she knew she needed to help with the investigation so the wedding would go ahead. But when the local cop, Trev Sibbritt, began asking Christie a second round of questions, and two detectives arrived from out of town, the locals were horrified to find Christie was the significant person of interest. And everyone knew Christie wouldn鈥檛 hurt anyone, let alone kill them鈥�
Daph on the Beach is a great read and catching up with the characters from Rivers End 鈥� Elizabeth, Martin and Christie, Angus, and more 鈥� was like catching up with old friends. I鈥檓 loving the Daphne Jones series, and this novella was perfect! I鈥檒l get to a lot of the others in the anthology, if not all, when I can and noting some of the authors I鈥檝e read before are included, I鈥檓 looking forward to continuing. Recommended.
With thanks to the author for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Part of the anthology 鈥� - of 21 summer themed cozy mysteries from 21 different authors, Daph on the Beach by Aussie author Phillipa Nefri Clark, is a novella which is set in Rivers End, prior to when , #1 in the series, is set.
Daphne Jones was on the beach, preparing her thoughts and notes for the wedding which was coming up in a few days, when Randall, Martin and Christie鈥檚 loveable dog, barked at something in the water. Daph headed to the water鈥檚 edge to retrieve the clothing that Randall had spotted, only to be horrified at the sight of a woman鈥檚 body.
Daphne was a celebrant and took her role seriously 鈥� she knew she needed to help with the investigation so the wedding would go ahead. But when the local cop, Trev Sibbritt, began asking Christie a second round of questions, and two detectives arrived from out of town, the locals were horrified to find Christie was the significant person of interest. And everyone knew Christie wouldn鈥檛 hurt anyone, let alone kill them鈥�
Daph on the Beach is a great read and catching up with the characters from Rivers End 鈥� Elizabeth, Martin and Christie, Angus, and more 鈥� was like catching up with old friends. I鈥檓 loving the Daphne Jones series, and this novella was perfect! I鈥檒l get to a lot of the others in the anthology, if not all, when I can and noting some of the authors I鈥檝e read before are included, I鈥檓 looking forward to continuing. Recommended.
With thanks to the author for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2022
Sunshine and Suspicion
Megan Mayfair
Lana has moved to the small town of Cherry Grove for one year of peace and quiet to get her life back on track after a bad break-up with her fianc茅 she is over the high powered world of PR, it is time to relax and get her Zen back and that means no men either. She has bought a tiny house and set it up on her great aunt鈥檚 block of land right on the lake, summer is here, time to relax.
Her first night in town sees her trip over a dead body what a way to start her new life, as she gets to know the locals and her faith in the local police is not that good Lana decides to do a bit of investigating herself and there could be a few suspects and soon she is onto something and local ranger Wyatt comes to the rescue, what was that about no men?
This was a great story a lovely setting and I love Lana and Cherry Grove I can see many mysteries to come for this series and look forward to them. I do highly recommend this one.
5 stars
Daph on the Beach
Phiilipa Nefri Clark
I am loving this series Daphne is the best character and a wonderful sleuth, Daph is in her home town of Rivers End on the beach working out plans for the wedding she is conducting as her role as a celebrant when Randall her close friends Christie and Martin鈥檚 dog discovers a body in the water.
Daph wants nothing to go wrong with the up- coming wedding of her close friends, Sylvia and Barry and knows that she must help with the investigation and she has a couple of helpers as well in friends and locals Elizabeth and Sylvia, firstly did the woman die by accident or was it murder?
Local police officer Trev Sibbritt starts investigating but when detectives from out of town arrive and it seems that Christie is the prime suspect Daph goes into overdrive to prove Christie鈥檚 innocence, and nothing will stop Daph.
Being back in Rivers End with all of the characters that I call friends was so good and again I thoroughly enjoyed this installment in the Daphne Jones Mystery series and I can highly recommend this one, a fabulous read.
5 stars
I do enjoy a good cosy mystery and this anthology has twenty one of them in it, I have only read two so far and loved them both, if you enjoy a good mystery then I do highly recommend picking this anthology up and finding new to you authors that are sure to give many hours of reading enjoyment, I look forward to reading more in this one.
My thanks to the authors for my digital ARC to read and review.
Megan Mayfair
Lana has moved to the small town of Cherry Grove for one year of peace and quiet to get her life back on track after a bad break-up with her fianc茅 she is over the high powered world of PR, it is time to relax and get her Zen back and that means no men either. She has bought a tiny house and set it up on her great aunt鈥檚 block of land right on the lake, summer is here, time to relax.
Her first night in town sees her trip over a dead body what a way to start her new life, as she gets to know the locals and her faith in the local police is not that good Lana decides to do a bit of investigating herself and there could be a few suspects and soon she is onto something and local ranger Wyatt comes to the rescue, what was that about no men?
This was a great story a lovely setting and I love Lana and Cherry Grove I can see many mysteries to come for this series and look forward to them. I do highly recommend this one.
5 stars
Daph on the Beach
Phiilipa Nefri Clark
I am loving this series Daphne is the best character and a wonderful sleuth, Daph is in her home town of Rivers End on the beach working out plans for the wedding she is conducting as her role as a celebrant when Randall her close friends Christie and Martin鈥檚 dog discovers a body in the water.
Daph wants nothing to go wrong with the up- coming wedding of her close friends, Sylvia and Barry and knows that she must help with the investigation and she has a couple of helpers as well in friends and locals Elizabeth and Sylvia, firstly did the woman die by accident or was it murder?
Local police officer Trev Sibbritt starts investigating but when detectives from out of town arrive and it seems that Christie is the prime suspect Daph goes into overdrive to prove Christie鈥檚 innocence, and nothing will stop Daph.
Being back in Rivers End with all of the characters that I call friends was so good and again I thoroughly enjoyed this installment in the Daphne Jones Mystery series and I can highly recommend this one, a fabulous read.
5 stars
I do enjoy a good cosy mystery and this anthology has twenty one of them in it, I have only read two so far and loved them both, if you enjoy a good mystery then I do highly recommend picking this anthology up and finding new to you authors that are sure to give many hours of reading enjoyment, I look forward to reading more in this one.
My thanks to the authors for my digital ARC to read and review.
June 18, 2022
Pickled to Death by Gayle Leeson.
The fair would have been a lot more fun had Aunt Bess not been accused of murder 鈥� 鈥� and if the streaker hadn鈥檛 been such a disappointment.
Dollycas鈥檚 Thoughts
Aunt Bess had decided to oust the local pickle queen, Mabel Hobbs, by entering her own jar of pickles at the fair but while a streaker distracts everyone someone takes out the queen permanently using a jar of her own pickles. A witness says she saw Aunt Bess taking aim with the jar just before she turned away but no one believes Aunt Bess could kill anyone. But without evidence to prove otherwise, Aunt Bess is in the hot seat. Jackie is doing her best to protect her grandmother while Amy tries to find the real killer. Her first order of business 鈥� find that streaker!
This was a fun read. I really enjoy checking in with the gang at the Down South Cafe. I was pleasantly surprised that even in this shorter format so many members of the cast were able to be included. While Amy and her cousin Jackie are the stars, Homer with his daily heroes continues to be my favorite. The fair brings a blast from Amy鈥檚 mom鈥檚 past to town and that upset Amy a bunch. It gives readers a little snippet of Amy and her mom鈥檚 history and how it had affected their lives moving forward.
Mabel Hobbs was a woman with a plan and that plan may have been what had gotten her killed. There are some clear suspects besides Aunt Bess and a corkscrew twist adds even more. Ms. Leeson does an excellent job of giving her readers an interesting mystery with enough meat to sink our teeth into with a very exciting ending. That is not easy to do in less than 100 pages. The streaker was a nice touch too, but now that song is in my head. 鈥淏oogity Boogity!!!鈥�
Pickled to Death was a Perfect little mini Escape!
__________________________________________________
Loch Ness Murder by Michele Pariza Wacek.
It wouldn鈥檛 be Redemption without something weird going on in one of the lakes.
Part of The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, a cozy mystery series set in the 1990s.
Redemption, Wisconsin, is a charming little town that has a haunted past. Back in 1888, all the adults disappeared. Only the children were left, and they all swore they had no idea what happened to the adults.
Since then, Redemption had been a hotbed of strange and mysterious events.
Dollycas鈥檚 Thoughts
Two men arrive in Redemption to research Locky, a monster similar to the famed Loch Ness Monster, believed to be inhabiting Angel Lake. They believe the creature is more likely to be a naiad or water nymph but also admit there could be nothing in the cold deep lake where bodies are rarely recovered.
Will both men survive to publish their research or will Redemption and Angel Lake be more than they can handle?
A superfast fun read from Michele Pariza Wacek.
A trip to the beach has Charlie rescuing one of the men in town to investigate the creature in the water. From there the short story quickly unfolds with lies and deception and some interesting teeth marks.
It was great to have a short visit with Charlie and Pat and whatever creature may or may not be in the lake.
The fair would have been a lot more fun had Aunt Bess not been accused of murder 鈥� 鈥� and if the streaker hadn鈥檛 been such a disappointment.
Dollycas鈥檚 Thoughts
Aunt Bess had decided to oust the local pickle queen, Mabel Hobbs, by entering her own jar of pickles at the fair but while a streaker distracts everyone someone takes out the queen permanently using a jar of her own pickles. A witness says she saw Aunt Bess taking aim with the jar just before she turned away but no one believes Aunt Bess could kill anyone. But without evidence to prove otherwise, Aunt Bess is in the hot seat. Jackie is doing her best to protect her grandmother while Amy tries to find the real killer. Her first order of business 鈥� find that streaker!
This was a fun read. I really enjoy checking in with the gang at the Down South Cafe. I was pleasantly surprised that even in this shorter format so many members of the cast were able to be included. While Amy and her cousin Jackie are the stars, Homer with his daily heroes continues to be my favorite. The fair brings a blast from Amy鈥檚 mom鈥檚 past to town and that upset Amy a bunch. It gives readers a little snippet of Amy and her mom鈥檚 history and how it had affected their lives moving forward.
Mabel Hobbs was a woman with a plan and that plan may have been what had gotten her killed. There are some clear suspects besides Aunt Bess and a corkscrew twist adds even more. Ms. Leeson does an excellent job of giving her readers an interesting mystery with enough meat to sink our teeth into with a very exciting ending. That is not easy to do in less than 100 pages. The streaker was a nice touch too, but now that song is in my head. 鈥淏oogity Boogity!!!鈥�
Pickled to Death was a Perfect little mini Escape!
__________________________________________________
Loch Ness Murder by Michele Pariza Wacek.
It wouldn鈥檛 be Redemption without something weird going on in one of the lakes.
Part of The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, a cozy mystery series set in the 1990s.
Redemption, Wisconsin, is a charming little town that has a haunted past. Back in 1888, all the adults disappeared. Only the children were left, and they all swore they had no idea what happened to the adults.
Since then, Redemption had been a hotbed of strange and mysterious events.
Dollycas鈥檚 Thoughts
Two men arrive in Redemption to research Locky, a monster similar to the famed Loch Ness Monster, believed to be inhabiting Angel Lake. They believe the creature is more likely to be a naiad or water nymph but also admit there could be nothing in the cold deep lake where bodies are rarely recovered.
Will both men survive to publish their research or will Redemption and Angel Lake be more than they can handle?
A superfast fun read from Michele Pariza Wacek.
A trip to the beach has Charlie rescuing one of the men in town to investigate the creature in the water. From there the short story quickly unfolds with lies and deception and some interesting teeth marks.
It was great to have a short visit with Charlie and Pat and whatever creature may or may not be in the lake.
June 23, 2022
Another enjoyable story from Wendy Meadows. This one featured Vera and her pet pig Sherman trying to solve a neighbors murder. I really enjoyed the story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 10, 2022
This is a review for the book by Wendy Meadows, Farmer,Flip-flops and Felony,
his was a really quick book to read. Very interesting and entertaining. I love the Vera had a pet pig, who acted like a dog. I think he could really understand her.
Vera still getting the hang of this country life and doing quite well selling her produce and honey. She decided she wasn't going to be Susie Homemaker like her neighbor Becca. It seems like Rebecca's life is perfect until there's a murder and secrets are discovered. Vera asked the Sheriff if she could help with the case because of her prior experience with her Ex #2, who is a policeman.
She really wanted to help her new friend Becca and help her start a new life of freedom.
This was a great story. It was fun and intriguing. What's done in the dark always comes in the light. It was so true here. I loved the story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
his was a really quick book to read. Very interesting and entertaining. I love the Vera had a pet pig, who acted like a dog. I think he could really understand her.
Vera still getting the hang of this country life and doing quite well selling her produce and honey. She decided she wasn't going to be Susie Homemaker like her neighbor Becca. It seems like Rebecca's life is perfect until there's a murder and secrets are discovered. Vera asked the Sheriff if she could help with the case because of her prior experience with her Ex #2, who is a policeman.
She really wanted to help her new friend Becca and help her start a new life of freedom.
This was a great story. It was fun and intriguing. What's done in the dark always comes in the light. It was so true here. I loved the story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 18, 2022
Wendy Meadows new story Farmer, Flip-Flops and Felony was an excellent read that I had to finish in one sitting. A must read at the beach or wherever you spend your midsummer reading nook.
Vera Clemons moved from the city to the country and has been enjoying her new life with her pet mini pig Sherman by her side. She has found a good friend in her coworker Leo.
She鈥檚 getting to know her new neighbors Sam and his wife Becca as they invite her over to visit and share lunch. One day she brings over a basket of fresh vegetables from her farm, but no one answers when she knocks even though she sees Sam鈥檚 truck in the driveway. As she is concerned, she begins checking windows and discovers a body.
The police are called and begin investigating. Of course, from her previous life being married to a police officer, Vera feels she must instigate herself into the investigation.
I really enjoyed this group of characters from Sheriff Mills, Mr Gorgeous as Vera calls him after seeing him in the farmers market, Viking Guy also from the market and Leo with his southern sayings that Vera is still trying to understand.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Vera Clemons moved from the city to the country and has been enjoying her new life with her pet mini pig Sherman by her side. She has found a good friend in her coworker Leo.
She鈥檚 getting to know her new neighbors Sam and his wife Becca as they invite her over to visit and share lunch. One day she brings over a basket of fresh vegetables from her farm, but no one answers when she knocks even though she sees Sam鈥檚 truck in the driveway. As she is concerned, she begins checking windows and discovers a body.
The police are called and begin investigating. Of course, from her previous life being married to a police officer, Vera feels she must instigate herself into the investigation.
I really enjoyed this group of characters from Sheriff Mills, Mr Gorgeous as Vera calls him after seeing him in the farmers market, Viking Guy also from the market and Leo with his southern sayings that Vera is still trying to understand.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 29, 2022
Farmer, Flip-Flop & Felony is part of the Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders Anthology. Vera Clemons owns the Honey Bee Farm and loves it. With her on the farm is her pet pig, Sherman. Samuel and Rebecca Buchanan appear to be wonderful neighbors that Vera would like to get to know. Unfortunately, they aren鈥檛 what they appear to be. What are they hiding? As Vera gets to know them, someone is murdered and the truth slowly comes out. Join Vera, Sheriff Mills and Sherman as they investigate the murder.
I found this book to be an enjoyable read. I found myself not wanting to put it down. The plot and characters were well-written, making you feel like you are friends. This was a perfect cozy mystery with just the perfect amount of humor, mystery, intrigue, wonderful characters, and adventure that will keep any reader completely engaged.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I found this book to be an enjoyable read. I found myself not wanting to put it down. The plot and characters were well-written, making you feel like you are friends. This was a perfect cozy mystery with just the perfect amount of humor, mystery, intrigue, wonderful characters, and adventure that will keep any reader completely engaged.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 9, 2022
A great selection of stories to include Farmer, Flip-Flops and Felony by Wendy Meadows. It was a good story about Vera Clemons who gave up city life and moved to the country where she bought a farm and now raises fruits and vegetables, as well as honey. She has a pet mini pig that is absolutely adorable that she takes everywhere with her. She took fresh products to a couple of her neighbors which included the young couple Sam and Becca Buchanan. Unfortunately, when no one answered the door, she went around looking in the windows as something just didn鈥檛 seem right. That is when she found Mr. Buchanan lying dead on the kitchen floor and Becca his wife nowhere around. Such starts the search for the murderer and why. You will find that Vera manages to get herself into trouble without much trouble, but will she succeed in finding the murderer or end up in jail first.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 22, 2022
This is a light, easy and quick read. For a murder mystery, perhaps a tad to quick? But that鈥檚 not a real complaint! Sherman is the hero of this multi-male cast of characters. As for the plot, it is well designed. The little side stories with minor characters are interesting!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2022
I find anthologies to be fun. They are a great way to find something new from favorite authors and to find new authors to enjoy. My first anthology of the summer season is Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders: A Cozy Mystery Anthology. It is chock of summer fun and mystery. From seaside resort towns, to beach picnics and pools, the settings are the best of summer. Best selling, well loved authors have offered up Cozies of all stripes. Filled to the brim with witty amateur, and a few professional, sleuths, quirky sidekicks, lovable pets, and delicious food, along with trails of clues that lead the reader to the one whodunnit.
While I found fun moments in each novella, I particularly enjoyed the museum of the macabre in A CORPSE BESIDE THE SEASIDE BENEDICT BROWN. I felt for poor Izzy being the inspiration for it. In addition to the novellas, there are recipes for Killer Summer Salads, Dastardly Desserts and Drinks to Die For. Reading the novellas side of the box set was enjoyable, but I had huge fun thumbing through the recipes, the titles of which are more than worth the price of admission. 鈥楽even-Slayer Salad鈥�, 鈥楳urderous Melon Salad鈥�, and 鈥楶erfectly Puzzling Potato Salad鈥� to name a few. Then there are the desserts, my favorite of which is the Deceptively Fancy Fruit Salad Fluff which is a staple of mine under a different alias. Even the Cranberry Crime Margarita sounds delish.
I received a copy of this book for free and it is totally worth the $.99 pre order price offering hours of cozy conundrums and fun recipes. The authors have outdone themselves on this one. It seems like a fun project.
猸愨瓙猸愨瓙猸�
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
While I found fun moments in each novella, I particularly enjoyed the museum of the macabre in A CORPSE BESIDE THE SEASIDE BENEDICT BROWN. I felt for poor Izzy being the inspiration for it. In addition to the novellas, there are recipes for Killer Summer Salads, Dastardly Desserts and Drinks to Die For. Reading the novellas side of the box set was enjoyable, but I had huge fun thumbing through the recipes, the titles of which are more than worth the price of admission. 鈥楽even-Slayer Salad鈥�, 鈥楳urderous Melon Salad鈥�, and 鈥楶erfectly Puzzling Potato Salad鈥� to name a few. Then there are the desserts, my favorite of which is the Deceptively Fancy Fruit Salad Fluff which is a staple of mine under a different alias. Even the Cranberry Crime Margarita sounds delish.
I received a copy of this book for free and it is totally worth the $.99 pre order price offering hours of cozy conundrums and fun recipes. The authors have outdone themselves on this one. It seems like a fun project.
猸愨瓙猸愨瓙猸�
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
July 16, 2022
This review is for Planning for Murder by Ellen Jacobson. (I'm eager to dive into the other stories, but I'm addicted to Jacobson's stories and had to read it right away!)
Thea Olson returns to her small hometown of Why, North Dakota after an embarrassing incident at her work. She hopes to forget everything with the Fourth of July celebrations, but instead, she's roped into a murder investigation. With the help of her family, will Thea be able to figure out who the killer is before her cousin is convicted of the murder?
This is a fantastic cozy mystery novelette. It's quirky, twisty, and so much fun to read. Why is one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone, but there are still lots of secrets, and Thea is finding out many of them. She's smart and has a great eye for detail. I love the little things she notices and how she is with her family. The whole cast is wonderful, and I especially love her grandmother the librarian. Usually in cozy mysteries, we get a clever cat, but here we get a friendly bison! Such a fabulous read. I want more!
Thea Olson returns to her small hometown of Why, North Dakota after an embarrassing incident at her work. She hopes to forget everything with the Fourth of July celebrations, but instead, she's roped into a murder investigation. With the help of her family, will Thea be able to figure out who the killer is before her cousin is convicted of the murder?
This is a fantastic cozy mystery novelette. It's quirky, twisty, and so much fun to read. Why is one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone, but there are still lots of secrets, and Thea is finding out many of them. She's smart and has a great eye for detail. I love the little things she notices and how she is with her family. The whole cast is wonderful, and I especially love her grandmother the librarian. Usually in cozy mysteries, we get a clever cat, but here we get a friendly bison! Such a fabulous read. I want more!
June 17, 2022
Ellen Jacobson's Planning For Murder is a great intro to a new series.
The sleuth, Thea, is back in her hometown of Why. The town is exactly as quirky as you would imagine with a fabulous cast of characters. This story is just what a cozy mystery should be - fun, fast-paced, intriguing, with terrific characters and a great mystery!
A terrific read!
The sleuth, Thea, is back in her hometown of Why. The town is exactly as quirky as you would imagine with a fabulous cast of characters. This story is just what a cozy mystery should be - fun, fast-paced, intriguing, with terrific characters and a great mystery!
A terrific read!
June 18, 2022
These amazing authors have come together to give us a wonderful collection of cozy mysteries. Each one keeps us involved in the lives of the characters.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 13, 2022
Cathy Tully's "Disco, Disguises and Deception is an excellent read. I couldn't put the book down. This is a great mystery with interesting characters and situations. I certainly enjoyed reading this book. Bitsy and Priscilla are a hoot!
June 23, 2022
This review is for Ellen Jacobson's novella, Planning for Murder.
In fact, most of the stories in this collection also qualify for my 4 馃専馃専馃専馃専 rating.
In fact, most of the stories in this collection also qualify for my 4 馃専馃専馃専馃専 rating.
June 21, 2022
This review is for Disco, Disguises and Deception by Cathy Tully.
Chiropractor, Susannah Shine is going on vacation with her best friend Bitsy Jean Long and Bitsy鈥檚 pig Priscilla. Visiting her former NYPD partner Anthony 鈥淭one鈥� Mancuso and his wife Irma has Susannah excited to see her friends until she received a cryptic message from Tone, now a private investigator in Florida. Worried, Susannah and Bitsy arrive at Irma and Tone鈥檚 home to find that Irma has not heard from Tone and is worried. Soon the three women and pig begin investigating on their own determined to find Tone and find what his message was about. They soon discover that searching for husband and friend may be more dangerous than they realized. This is a terrific mystery with so many twists and turns they kept me guessing. This is my honest, voluntary review of an advanced reader copy of this book.
Chiropractor, Susannah Shine is going on vacation with her best friend Bitsy Jean Long and Bitsy鈥檚 pig Priscilla. Visiting her former NYPD partner Anthony 鈥淭one鈥� Mancuso and his wife Irma has Susannah excited to see her friends until she received a cryptic message from Tone, now a private investigator in Florida. Worried, Susannah and Bitsy arrive at Irma and Tone鈥檚 home to find that Irma has not heard from Tone and is worried. Soon the three women and pig begin investigating on their own determined to find Tone and find what his message was about. They soon discover that searching for husband and friend may be more dangerous than they realized. This is a terrific mystery with so many twists and turns they kept me guessing. This is my honest, voluntary review of an advanced reader copy of this book.
June 22, 2022
I was lucky enough to read an early copy of 'Til Death Do Us Part by Erin Scoggins. I have loved every book in this series, and this was no exception. It is a prequel that tells the story of how Scoots ended up where she is in the rest of the Wedding Crashers books. Scoots is one of my favorite characters in the books and I loved getting to see her in action. I especially loved getting to find out how she earned her nickname!
Like all of Erin's stories, it was snappy and hilarious, but it also had poignant moments. Five stars for being the perfect beach read.
Like all of Erin's stories, it was snappy and hilarious, but it also had poignant moments. Five stars for being the perfect beach read.
September 6, 2022
I received a free advance review copy of this story from Booksprout and am voluntarily providing my honest review. I just finished reading 鈥淔armer, Flip Flops and Felony鈥� by Wendy Meadows. This is part of the anthology Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders: A Cozy Mystery Anthology. I absolutely loved it. It's a laugh out loud page turner. Had to keep turning pages to see what Vera and Sherman are up to next. I recommend this.
June 10, 2022
This review is for: Flip-Flops and Felony by Wendy Meadows
A 21st century tale of deception and murder.
As stories go, this one is up to par with today's standards, sadly. Morals and such are so rare any more that it's a bit disconcerting. I'm sure most people reading it will love it. I did not.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A 21st century tale of deception and murder.
As stories go, this one is up to par with today's standards, sadly. Morals and such are so rare any more that it's a bit disconcerting. I'm sure most people reading it will love it. I did not.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 13, 2022
Disco, Disguises and Deception:
This book was so much fun to read, I really enjoyed it. Priscilla was quite a surprise and in the end I was glad she was there. There were a few twists and turns to make it enjoyable. I can鈥檛 wait to read the next book!
This book was so much fun to read, I really enjoyed it. Priscilla was quite a surprise and in the end I was glad she was there. There were a few twists and turns to make it enjoyable. I can鈥檛 wait to read the next book!
June 10, 2022
Disco, Disguises, and Deception was a wonderful story.
June 20, 2022
Very good read. Really entertaining and full of suspense. An adorable piglet called Priscilla adds LOL to the plot. I had an excellent time reading it
Don鈥檛 miss it
Don鈥檛 miss it
June 25, 2022
What a fun collection of cozy mysteries from an eclectic cast of authors. I use anthologies as a way to be introduced to new authors and Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders fits that bill. I also love it when familiar authors participate in an anthology. I'm not reading these in the order in which they are laid out in the book and I'm not finished with the complete anthology. I skipped ahead to Gayle Leeson's story, Pickled to Death. Her Down South Caf茅 Mysteries are amazing and I love them. I'm glad to read another installment of the series nestled among the other cozy stories.
Amy and her family and friends are at the fair and head to see how Aunt Bess did in the pickle competition. Before they get to her, Aunt Bess's main pickle competitor is knocked to the ground during an unpleasant disturbance. Now it's time to save Aunt Bess's reputation when a witness provides evidence that could bust this case wide open, and not in a good way.
Pickled to Death has the perfect ingredients for a cozy mystery hit! Between the delicious sounding food and the fast-paced mystery, the reader can't help but be drawn into this book. The murder takes near the beginning of the book, giving the author a lengthy time frame to develop more of the Winter Garden, VA world. We are reacquainted with the key characters from previous books, and introduced to many new ones.
Pickled to Death is engaging and fast paced, pulling the reader along on a wild tale of murder and suspense. The descriptions of the world in Winter Garden were vivid and I felt like I was right there in the middle of the town and involved in the investigation. The dialogue between all of the characters was believable and well done. I highly recommend the Down South Cafe Mystery series and suggest you start with Book 1.
Amy and her family and friends are at the fair and head to see how Aunt Bess did in the pickle competition. Before they get to her, Aunt Bess's main pickle competitor is knocked to the ground during an unpleasant disturbance. Now it's time to save Aunt Bess's reputation when a witness provides evidence that could bust this case wide open, and not in a good way.
Pickled to Death has the perfect ingredients for a cozy mystery hit! Between the delicious sounding food and the fast-paced mystery, the reader can't help but be drawn into this book. The murder takes near the beginning of the book, giving the author a lengthy time frame to develop more of the Winter Garden, VA world. We are reacquainted with the key characters from previous books, and introduced to many new ones.
Pickled to Death is engaging and fast paced, pulling the reader along on a wild tale of murder and suspense. The descriptions of the world in Winter Garden were vivid and I felt like I was right there in the middle of the town and involved in the investigation. The dialogue between all of the characters was believable and well done. I highly recommend the Down South Cafe Mystery series and suggest you start with Book 1.
June 22, 2022
Summer-Themed Cozy Anthology . . .
For those of us who are hooked on cozy mysteries, this Anthology will have you doing back-flips of joy with this amazing collection of 21 summer-themed stories. The variety will give the reader so much to choose from whether you like to randomly pick the stories or just start at the beginning and read on through to the end. Either way, you will love the awesome mysteries provided in this collection.
One of my favorite stories is by Wendy Meadows who gives us 鈥淔ARMER, FLIP-FLOPS AND FELONY鈥� featuring Vera Clemons, an intriguing character who bought a farm to grow and sell fruits and vegetables. She has a personable pet pig, Sherman, who seemed almost human in the way he seemed to understand what she said. When Vera goes over with some vegetables for her neighbors, the Buchanans, no one answers her knock. So she looks through the sliding glass door and spots Sam Buchanan, face down on the waxed floor, with a pool of blood puddling around his head. The coroner later identified the weapon used as some kind of fencing tool (for fences, not the sword kind). His wife Becca was nowhere around. Vera decides to get involved in the case, feeling that she has enough experience to be helpful here. Will she be able to truly help find the killer?
This Anthology will keep you busy solving mysteries and looking for clues. You will also get to pick out your favorite authors and explore some of their other books as well. So grab your copy and settle down in your favorite chair to surround yourself with mystery and fun.
For those of us who are hooked on cozy mysteries, this Anthology will have you doing back-flips of joy with this amazing collection of 21 summer-themed stories. The variety will give the reader so much to choose from whether you like to randomly pick the stories or just start at the beginning and read on through to the end. Either way, you will love the awesome mysteries provided in this collection.
One of my favorite stories is by Wendy Meadows who gives us 鈥淔ARMER, FLIP-FLOPS AND FELONY鈥� featuring Vera Clemons, an intriguing character who bought a farm to grow and sell fruits and vegetables. She has a personable pet pig, Sherman, who seemed almost human in the way he seemed to understand what she said. When Vera goes over with some vegetables for her neighbors, the Buchanans, no one answers her knock. So she looks through the sliding glass door and spots Sam Buchanan, face down on the waxed floor, with a pool of blood puddling around his head. The coroner later identified the weapon used as some kind of fencing tool (for fences, not the sword kind). His wife Becca was nowhere around. Vera decides to get involved in the case, feeling that she has enough experience to be helpful here. Will she be able to truly help find the killer?
This Anthology will keep you busy solving mysteries and looking for clues. You will also get to pick out your favorite authors and explore some of their other books as well. So grab your copy and settle down in your favorite chair to surround yourself with mystery and fun.
June 20, 2022
Love Cozies and looking for a new author to read? Never read Cozies and looking for a mixed collection to get a feel for the genre? Then this anthology is for you.
Twenty-one stories by twenty-one different Cozy authors from around the world (plus some killer salad and drink recipes if you pre-ordered). Each story features a short blurb about the author and links to their other works.
Fall in love with Archie, the adorable pup, while trying to work out who killed his master, meet Daph, the wedding celebrant, her gorgeous little caravan Bluebell, and see if you can work out who killed the wedding guest, travel to Scotland and meet Lady Persephone Millicent Merrit, and the dead Viennese architecture student, continue in Scotland to find out whether the Loch Ness Monster has a friend called Locky that eats people who fall into the lake, and check out the Sleuthing Granny Gang (SGG) just to name a few. With murders happening at local fairs, the seaside, weddings, cooking contests, picnics and more you鈥檒l be spoiled for choice as you try to work out whodunnit.
Read one story a night for three weeks, or binge read in a shorter time frame. You鈥檙e sure to find one or more authors whose work you love and want to read more of.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Twenty-one stories by twenty-one different Cozy authors from around the world (plus some killer salad and drink recipes if you pre-ordered). Each story features a short blurb about the author and links to their other works.
Fall in love with Archie, the adorable pup, while trying to work out who killed his master, meet Daph, the wedding celebrant, her gorgeous little caravan Bluebell, and see if you can work out who killed the wedding guest, travel to Scotland and meet Lady Persephone Millicent Merrit, and the dead Viennese architecture student, continue in Scotland to find out whether the Loch Ness Monster has a friend called Locky that eats people who fall into the lake, and check out the Sleuthing Granny Gang (SGG) just to name a few. With murders happening at local fairs, the seaside, weddings, cooking contests, picnics and more you鈥檒l be spoiled for choice as you try to work out whodunnit.
Read one story a night for three weeks, or binge read in a shorter time frame. You鈥檙e sure to find one or more authors whose work you love and want to read more of.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 21, 2022
Planning For Murder by Ellen Jacobson. This is a prequel to a new series. I was disappointed at the end of the Mollie McGhie mysteries. Now, I'm very encouraged that Ms. Jacobson's humor and unusual situations are continuing in this new series. I mean, what can you expect when the story starts with a buffalo licking your hair?
Have you ever been dragged to one of those "home" parties? Pampered Chef, Tupperware, etc. Thea's cousin drags her to a "planner" party. Unbeknownst to her husband, the cousin has invested their savings into this business. While Thea wants her cousin to succeed, who needs stickers, fancy pens, and glitter for a to-do list?
Thea returns home to North Dakota only to be embroiled in a murder. A very unpleasant woman, her cousin's business partner, is murdered, and her cousin is the prime suspect. Actually, the only suspect according to the police chief. Thea has to save her cousin and to do that she must find the real killer.
Expect the usual small town "characters" (including the buffalo) and situations that will tickle your funny bone. Ms. Jacobson adds a distinct flavor of the area settled by Norwegians. I know I'm going to love the North Dakota Library Mystery series.
Now, I'm off to read the rest of the stories in this cozy mystery anthology.
Have you ever been dragged to one of those "home" parties? Pampered Chef, Tupperware, etc. Thea's cousin drags her to a "planner" party. Unbeknownst to her husband, the cousin has invested their savings into this business. While Thea wants her cousin to succeed, who needs stickers, fancy pens, and glitter for a to-do list?
Thea returns home to North Dakota only to be embroiled in a murder. A very unpleasant woman, her cousin's business partner, is murdered, and her cousin is the prime suspect. Actually, the only suspect according to the police chief. Thea has to save her cousin and to do that she must find the real killer.
Expect the usual small town "characters" (including the buffalo) and situations that will tickle your funny bone. Ms. Jacobson adds a distinct flavor of the area settled by Norwegians. I know I'm going to love the North Dakota Library Mystery series.
Now, I'm off to read the rest of the stories in this cozy mystery anthology.
June 21, 2022
This review is for Ellen Jacobson's novella, Planning for Murder.
Thea just was looking for the comforts of home in her hometown of Why, North Dakota when she fled her fancy condo in Minneapolis after trouble at work. The first thing she found was a hair licking buffalo. And it gets a little weirder from there.
There is a murder in Thea's quaint hometown. The denizens are captivated by stationery supplies and the chief of police has the wrong suspect. So Thea enlists her family, including her Nordic grandmother - the town librarian, her cousin Freya and her husband Josh, and her police officer brother Lief to capture the real murderer.
Will a glittery pen lead Thea to the murder or a mysterious event in the library? Will Thea find the suspect at the local diner, the bingo parlor, the library, or the trailer park? Will we ever meet the elusive Bobby Jorgenson?
Planning for Murder is full of quirky surprises, fun characters, and Nordic charm. It is fun and light and makes wonder, Why? Why not stay a while in Why, North Dakota?
Thea just was looking for the comforts of home in her hometown of Why, North Dakota when she fled her fancy condo in Minneapolis after trouble at work. The first thing she found was a hair licking buffalo. And it gets a little weirder from there.
There is a murder in Thea's quaint hometown. The denizens are captivated by stationery supplies and the chief of police has the wrong suspect. So Thea enlists her family, including her Nordic grandmother - the town librarian, her cousin Freya and her husband Josh, and her police officer brother Lief to capture the real murderer.
Will a glittery pen lead Thea to the murder or a mysterious event in the library? Will Thea find the suspect at the local diner, the bingo parlor, the library, or the trailer park? Will we ever meet the elusive Bobby Jorgenson?
Planning for Murder is full of quirky surprises, fun characters, and Nordic charm. It is fun and light and makes wonder, Why? Why not stay a while in Why, North Dakota?
August 7, 2022
I was excited to pick up this collection, especially when I learned that a new book by one of my favorite authors was featured in it. Overall, this review is for Planning for Murder by Ellen Jacobson, but I do plan to read the other books in the series at a leisurely pace, whenever I need a light read.
I enjoyed getting to meet a new band of characters to solve a murder mystery. Thea is likable and the return to her family was sweet. I enjoyed getting to know her parents, her brother, and her seemingly doomed cousin. Plus, the bison with many names was a cute distraction from time to time. As always, I am completely enamored with this author's ability to take seemingly insignificant things and turn them into major plot points. Who knew stationery could be so dangerous?
I thoroughly enjoyed this portion of this anthology and look forward to more from this author in this new series. I'm also looking forward to discovering other authors in this collection.
Highly recommended.
I enjoyed getting to meet a new band of characters to solve a murder mystery. Thea is likable and the return to her family was sweet. I enjoyed getting to know her parents, her brother, and her seemingly doomed cousin. Plus, the bison with many names was a cute distraction from time to time. As always, I am completely enamored with this author's ability to take seemingly insignificant things and turn them into major plot points. Who knew stationery could be so dangerous?
I thoroughly enjoyed this portion of this anthology and look forward to more from this author in this new series. I'm also looking forward to discovering other authors in this collection.
Highly recommended.
June 21, 2022
Wonderful set of stories. There are twists and turns, plus plenty of drama in each of the stories. There are also some light humored areas. Interesting and entertaining characters in each of the stories help tell that particular story. Each book has something that keeps you turning the pages until the very end. These are a good set of books to read.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Farmer, Flip-Flops and Felony by Wendy Meadows is the title of a book in this group of books that I am reviewing. Entertaining and interesting story well a set of characters that have their own quirks and personality. There is some Intrigue and unexpected events that happened. Keeps you guessing until the end.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Farmer, Flip-Flops and Felony by Wendy Meadows is the title of a book in this group of books that I am reviewing. Entertaining and interesting story well a set of characters that have their own quirks and personality. There is some Intrigue and unexpected events that happened. Keeps you guessing until the end.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 21, 2022
MYSTERIES, MIDSUMMER SUN AND MURDERS is a Cozy Mystery Anthology with a听wonderful collection of 21 brand new summer-themed cozy mysteries.
FARMER, FLIP-FLOPS AND FELONY听by Wendy Meadows is just one these cozy mysteries. Set in a small town, this听family-friendly cozy mystery features听a 50 year old, twice divorced Vera Clemons. A city girl turned farmer lives a busy and quiet life, that is until she finds a dead body. Before the murderer can be found, Vera will uncover many lies, deceit, and danger. She may even discover that some men can be handsome as well as good company.
This is a fun, well-written mystery听with good characters and a good plot.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
FARMER, FLIP-FLOPS AND FELONY听by Wendy Meadows is just one these cozy mysteries. Set in a small town, this听family-friendly cozy mystery features听a 50 year old, twice divorced Vera Clemons. A city girl turned farmer lives a busy and quiet life, that is until she finds a dead body. Before the murderer can be found, Vera will uncover many lies, deceit, and danger. She may even discover that some men can be handsome as well as good company.
This is a fun, well-written mystery听with good characters and a good plot.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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