Asking for Truffle

Title: Asking for Truffle

Author: Dorothy St. James aka Dorothy McFalls

Publisher: Crooked Lane

Series: Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery, Bk 1

ISBN: 9781683312918

Length: 316 pages + "Recipes Snipped From the Camellia Current, Camellia Beach's Local Newspaper"

Obtained: Library hardcover copy

Comments:

Penn is the next thing to an orphan, even though, presumably, neither parent has actually passed.  She's the daughter of a very rich man, and was raised by her very rich grandmother (kind of).  But she is estranged (and always has been) from her known family, and doesn't want any part of their money.  Her background has made her cynical and short on trust.  So wen she gets a letter claiming she's won a trip to a beach town chocolate shop, she suspects a scam.  She speaks to an old school friend who agrees to go down and investigate for her.  But when he is murdered and his death is written off as a drug crime, Penn goes down to investigate.

Penn's cynicism sees this small beach community as worn down and crumbling.  She encounters a closed minded and inept cop, a mystical "woo-woo" shop that she doesn't believe in, two old ladies who she believes must be involved in the scheme to get her into town for her trust fund.

Unfortunately, Penn's negative picture is how the town is introduced to the reader as well.  Instead of the usual cozy warmth that tends to be found in small cozy mystery towns, there is this gloom.  And while Penn's perspective changes throughout the story as she gets to know the people in town, it is hard to move past her initial negativity.

The mystery itself is fine.  It is multi-part, and of course, events throughout add to the mystery.  I guessed the bad guy, but not the motivation.  Anyway, I had a little trouble connecting to this story and its characters, but I do expect I'll keep reading the series.

Murder in an Irish Village

Title: Murder in an Irish Village

Author: Carlene O'Connor

Series: Irish Village Mystery, Bk 1

Publisher: Kensington Mystery

ISBN: 9781617738463

Length: 344 pages

Obtained: Purchased autographed paperback at Lit Fest

Comments:

I found out I could go to a "Cozy Book Club Mini-Con" for my birthday and I was so psyched! As I reviewed the list of authors expected, I realized I had bought this back in June, so I started it the night before.

Siobhán O'Sullivan and her five siblings are trying to keep up their parent's bistro and each other after the death of their parents a year prior.  But when the brother of the young man who killed them in a drunk driving accident comes into town, making crazy claims, an stirring things up he ends up a murder victim... in the bistro.  Eldest sibling James, is believed to be the killer, and Siobhán is left to solve this mystery and keep the pieces of their family and home together.

I enjoyed the story and the characters.  I particularly enjoyed the O'Sullivan Six.  The mystery puts everyone in the village under suspicion.  Since this is the first book and introduction to the village characters, Siobhán's sleuthing and instincts strongly color who may or may not be responsible.

An interesting note... when Carlene spoke at the con, she mentioned that she had thought keeping foul language out of a book set in Ireland wasn't very authentic.  However, her publishers assured her that Irish curse words don't count.  In fact, the Irish cursing is frequent in the book's dialog, and as Carlene said, they are most definitely swear words.  I can see, however, where words that are not common cursing in the States made them easier to just gloss over while reading.

Also of note, the village this book is set in, Kilbane, County Cork doesn't quite exist, but is based off of a real town, Kilmallock,  that the author fell in love with in County Limerick.  She highly recommended visiting if anyone has the chance.  You can see her love of this town, as place is most definitely a character in this book.

Anyway, I own book 2, Murder at an Irish Wedding, and hope to read it soon.

Cat About Town

Title: Cat About Town

Author: Cate Conte

Series: Cat Café Mystery, Bk 1

Publisher: St. Martin's

ISBN: 9781250072061

Length: 295 pages

Obtained: Library paperback copy

Comments:

Maddie is visiting the town she grew up in as her grandmother has passed and she's helping her grandfather adjust.  While there she finds out a local bigshot is bullying her grandfather - former chief of police - into selling his home... ahouse that has been in the family for generations.  Before she can come up with a plan, said bigshot is murdered, and Maddie's grandfather is suspected.  Obviously this means she needs to help find tehtrue culprit, and to help jer is the cat that seems to have adopted her - JJ.

The story was pretty quick, with a mixture of focus on the murder/investigation and Maddie's relationships with family, friends, and other townspeople.  This book is definitely primarily a set-up for the series though.  The series name, for instance, doesn't even really come into play other than brief mentions here and there.  And I didn't always agree with Maddie's approach to some aspects of her sleuthing.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and I look forward to reading book 2, Purrder She Wrote.

Bird, Bath, and Beyond

Title: Bird, Bath, and Beyond

Author: E. J. Copperman aka Jeffrey Cohen

Publisher: Minotaur

Series: Agent to the Paws Mystery, Bk 2

ISBN: 9781250084293

Length: 304 pages

Obtained: Download from Edelweiss+

Comments:

This is the second whitelisted Macmillan review title that I've downloaded through Edelweiss+.  I had to read the first book in the series, Dog Dish of Doom before I could read this one (you can find my post for that here).  In general, there is something about E. J. Copperman's characters that really appeals to me.

In this story, Kay is representing a parrot for a popular zombie television series.  She encounters entirely different cops this time, which makes sense considering the murders in both books have taken place in New York.  Kay is again reluctant to be pulled into an investigation, but her client was the only witness.  While the cop this time certainly does NOT ask for her assistance, Kay feels she needs to help and poke around for other reasons.  I don't want to say too much and give anything away, so I'll leave it at that. 

This one's mystery is a bit more convoluted and maybe even a little ridiculous, but I still enjoyed it.  I enjoy the characters, I enjoy the humor, and I especially enjoy the combination that comes out in Kay's narration of the story.

I look forward to whatever the third book may be, and I hope to read some more of E. J. Copperman/Jeff Cohen's other work in the meantime.

Dog Dish of Doom

Title: Dog Dish of Doom

Author: E. J. Copperman aka Jeffrey Cohen

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Series: Agent to the Paws Mystery, Bk 1

ISBN: 9781250084279

Length: 293 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

This has been on my TBR list for awhile, but when I had the opportunity to get a review copy of book 2, I bumped this one up on my list.  Even then I have so many books right now, it was chance that I picked it up and started reading a few lines before I got out of my car after work.  But that first bit interested me enough that I kept going once I got inside (not easy with all the chaos of home these days).  I enjoyed the concept.  I enjoyed the dogs.  The title is just as theatrical as the characters - more so than the actual mystery.  But I still enjoyed sorting the mystery out. 

I found it interesting that the main character, Kay, isn't actually seeking to poke her head into this murder (mostly), but instead is prompted by her parents and the detective on the case.  That was a change of pace, although I don't know that I found the detective requesting her investigative assistance very believable. 

Anyway, I have the second book, Bird, Bath, and Beyond ready to go in my Kindle as soon as I finish some of the other books I have going.

Better Off Read

Title: Better Off Read

Author: Nora Page

Series: Bookmobile Mystery, Bk 1

Publisher: Crooked Lane

ISBN: 9781683316435

Length: 320 + Recipes

Obtained: Library copy

Comments:

I had some trouble really getting into this.  Something about the way the story was introduced didn't quite gel with me.  I'm not sure what, though.  I've read and enjoyed books with senior detectives (such as the Gladdy Gold Mysteries by Rita Lakin), bookmobiles (Bookmobile Cat Mysteries by Laurie Cass), librarians (I can't even start this list), cats/dogs (again, too long to list)...  Whatever the issue, by the time I was midway through I settled in and breezed through the remainder of the story.

I've said this in comments and on Goodreads, but... Rhett Butler the Persian cat, and Mr. Chaucer the pug are lovely characters.  I love the cover.  Cleo's relationship with Henry was great.  I will try the next book whenever it comes out.

Julia Buckley

The following was in a draft from October 2017...

I'm in a Goodreads group for cozy mysteries.  Each month they feature an author, and I've decided to try reading some of the featured author's works.

For September, the featured author was Julia Buckley.

I read the first book in the Writer's Apprentice Mystery series, A Dark and Stormy Murder.  I also (a little late - I think October 2nd?) finished the first book in her Undercover Dish Mysteries series, The Big Chili.

I enjoyed both, though perhaps The Big Chili a bit more.  I plan to continue both series.

I was concerned about a love triangle in A Dark and Stormy Murder, but, thankfully, the issue seemed to be resolved.  I enjoyed Lena and her cat.  The mystery itself was a nice introduction to the series.
ISBN: 9780425282601
Length: 273 pages
Obtained: Library copy

In The Big Chili, the story was interesting, and the characters seemed vivid.  I liked both Lilah and (especially) her dog, Mick.
ISBN: 9780425275900
Length: 283 pages
Obtained: Library copy

Irish Stewed

Title: Irish Stewed

Author: Kylie Logan [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Casey Daniels [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Miranda Bliss aka Zoe Daniels aka Constance Laux aka Connie Deka aka Connie Lane aka Connie Laux

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Mystery

Series: Ethnic Eats, Bk 1

ISBN: 9780425274880

Length: 275 + Recipe

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

Placed purchase request because I was in the mood for some cozies and the series and book titles sounded interesting.

Comments:

I enjoyed.  This was a quick read.  I liked Laurel.  Though she was a bit distant and slow to warm up, I could understand why.  She's come from a foster background, spent time in backstabbing Hollywood, come to this small town based on false information, and encountered a murder within hours of coming.  None of those factors lend to trust, and so I did find the small town expectations that she just accept them as trustworthy to be grating.  The mafia spin (a small bit) seemed surreal.

Laurel moved past that, though, as she investigated the crime and tried to make the best of her situation.  And maybe she and this small town can help each other after all.

Anyway, I was immediately interested in the second book, French Fried which I have since finished.

Tailing a Tabby

Title: Tailing a Tabby

Author: Laurie Cass [Website][Facebook]

Publisher: Obsidian

Series: Bookmobile Cat Mystery, Bk 2

ISBN: 9780451415479

Length: 340 pages

Obtained: Library copy (and library ebook copy)

Why this book?:

Wanted to follow up on the series.  Remembered very much enjoying the first book, Lending a Paw.

Comments:

Minnie is driving the bookmobile when she comes across a man in desperate need of emergency care.  She drives him (and his wife) to the ER just in time.  It turns out he is a well known and very talented artist.  But when he is accused of  murder while still recovering in rehab, she (and Eddie) must figure out who the real killer is.  Meanwhile, she is juggling her library and bookmobile responsibilities.

Murder in G Major

Title: Murder in G Major

Author: Alexia Gordon [Website][Twitter][Facebook]; Read by Jessica Carroll [IMDb]

Publisher: Dreamscape

Series: Gethsemane Brown Mystery, Bk 1

ISBN: 9781520063850

Length: 7 discs ; 8 hours and 10 minutes

Obtained: Library audiobook copy

Why this book?:

It had good reviews in the professional magazines/journals, so I decided to try it for our collection and myself.

Comments:

I started off with some issues with the narrator.  She is British with a British accent.  While this not normally an issue, Gethsemane Brown is an American.  And while Jessica Carroll has an okay generic American accent, it was INCREDIBLY distracting to hear an American thinking in a British accent.  It caused a huge disconnect.  The other issue I had was several of the men had high pitched voices, so I had to hear the pronouns a few times before I registered that the characters were male.  (Thankfully, ghost Eamon McCarthy had a satisfactorily deep voice.)  So that was my initial response.  (I wish I could find the review, but those magazines/journals tend to pile up and it could be from one of 3-4 titles covering a span of about 3 months.)

Eventually, I was dragged into the story because I was enjoying the story. I zipped trhough quite a bit of this, listening on all my commuting, and my lunch, and so forth.  And then the END happened.  And I was furious! It was a cliffhanger!  Oh, the general mystery was solved, but who cares about that when this happened!  And the next one isn't due out until JULY! (Though, at least it's less than a year.)  So I went into a reading funk for days.  Stupid cliffhanger.  Be warned.

NOTE: This was listed to months ago.  July was several months away not here.

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches

Title: The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches

Author: Alan Bradley [Website][Facebook]; Read by Jayne Entwistle [Website][Audiofile][Twitter]

Publisher: Random House Audio

Series: Flavia de Luce, Bk 6

ISBN: 9780307879851

Length: 7 discs ; 8 hours

Obtained: Library audiobook copy

Why this book?:

I needed an audiobook.  This is a series I have been following, and I enjoy Jayne's narration.

Comments:

Something about this book dragged for me.  I think it started with the time between when I finished book 5 and when I started this.  But also, the book had a different feel to me.  Flavia, while still exhibiting the same spunk, was distracted.  Her distraction and sorrow and so forth, seemed to detract from my own enjoyment somehow.  It took me months, with large spells of listening to other materials before I finished the book.  However, I did, and hopefully, while seemingly in new circumstances, book 7 will pick up the feel I have so enjoyed and appreciated.  I hope Flavia's maturing is not TOO speedy.

Elementary, She Read

Title: Elementary, She Read

Author: Vicki Delaney [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Eva Gates [Facebook][Twitter]

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Series: Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery, Bk 1

ISBN: 9781683310969

Obtained: NetGalley

Why this book?:

I loved the cover, the Shelock Holmes Bookstore idea was appealing, and I've read and enjoyed Vicki Delany's books before.

Comments:

I enjoyed this book.  I liked Gemma, despite that manner that likens her to Sherlock.  The setting was fun (I've always liked the idea of owning a bookstore, and the Sherlock bit was particularly interesting to contemplate).  And while I did not have good feelings about the bad guy, I also didn't guess that he/she was the bad guy; I thought he/she was just not a likable character.

I look forward to reading more in this series.

Death by Chocolate Lab

Title: Death by Chocolate Lab

Author: Bethany Blake [Website][Facebook][Twitter]

Publisher: Kensington Books

Series: Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery, Bk 1

ISBN: 9781496707383

Obtained: NetGalley

Why this book?:

I was drawn first to the title, then to the description, and the cover is cute too.

Comments:

Daphne Templeton has a deep love for animals and a pretty laissez faire attitude about life.  She lives (mostly rent free) with her sister, has a beat down van on its last legs with painted side panels advertising her business (kinda - painting vehicles isn't her friend's forte), and a junky phone that isn't always charged or functioning.  She also has a doctorate in philosophy and a vegetarian lifestyle.  Her vet sister has placed a cap on how many dogs/animals she can have in the house at a time, and she's only allowed to keep one - her basset hound, Socrates.

I find animal cozy mysteries enjoyable to start with, though they can sometimes get a little "preachy" - this one didn't feel preachy at all.  I was also strangely envious of how Daphne could be strapped for cash and yet calm and not stressed.  She's obviously intelligent and yet doesn't feel pressured to "succeed" even when her mother and sister both fuss at her.  And then there was the humor which kept me going strong, reading into the night and not reading my book discussion book when I ought to have been.

With all that, the mystery didn't even matter as much, but fortunately, I found that interesting too.  Daphne's sister's ex has been murdered, and while he was basically not well liked by anyone, her sister is the prime suspect.  So Daphne pokes around, causing trouble and showing that she can be determined when she wants.

Some people don't like romance in their mysteries.  I do, as long as it doesn't overtake the rest of the story, so I found the interaction between Daphne and Detective Jonathan Black interesting and fun.

Anyway, I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Dial Meow for Murder... I've already requested my library purchase both books.

And Then There Were None

Title: And Then There Were None

Author: Agatha Christie [Website] aka Mary Westmacott

Publisher: Harper

ISBN: 9780062073471 and 9780061739255

Length: 247 pages

Obtained: Library book kit copy and Library eBook

Why this book?:

I was interested in the story, I enjoy Agatha Christie, I wanted to attend the book discussion that this was being read for.

Comments:

I've never read this before or watched the movie, and while I had a general idea that it had one person die after another, I was not aware of the ending.

The characters were interesting, though being who they were, some of their thought processes were unfathomable to me.  Also, I found the play on levels of guilt and whether the characters are really guilty of accusations or not fascinating.  The setting and poem/rhyme added a fun aspect to the mystery and how it was unfolded to the reader. 

I really enjoyed this story and trying to puzzle it out.  I have read one Hercule Poirot book, and two Miss Marple books, but now I know I need to pay particular attention to some of Agatha's stand alone novels as well.  I also enjoyed the discussion and will have to check out some of the movie variations, as they were frequently mentioned.

Right to Remain Silent

Title: Right to Remain Silent

Author: Penny Warner [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Penny Pike

Publisher: Bantam Books

Series: Connor Westphal Mystery, Bk 3

ISBN: 0553579622

Length: 267 pages

Obtained: Library ILL copy

Why this book?:

I'm reading through the series.

Comments:

Just as I enjoyed book 2, Sign of Foul Play, more than book 1, Dead Body Language, I enjoyed this one even more.

I suspect this is for a few reasons.  For one thing, there is a lot going on in this story between a deaf character other than Connor who has a very different background, relationship issues with Dan and his past, and, of course, the murder (a pillar of the community).  Also, there is a librarian featured relatively prominently.

Anyway, I own books 4 and 5 so I should be getting to them shortly.

Sign of Foul Play

Title: Sign of Foul Play

Author: Penny Warner [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Penny Pike

Publisher: Bantam Books

Series: Connor Westphal Mystery, Bk 2

ISBN: 0553575872

Length: 275 pages

Obtained: Library ILL copy

Why this book?:

I'm reading through the series.

Comments:

I enjoyed Sign of Foul Play more than Dead Body Language (book 1), finding this one easier to get into.  I suspect this is because this book is less of an introduction to Connor and the area.

A man is found dead at a construction site, and there is some question as to whether this may be an accident or murder.  Connor, in the course of researching for her paper, has a feeling there is more, and she isn't the only one.  A reporter from another paper feels like there may be more to the story too, and she's been befriending Connor.  But can a reporter from Connor's competition really be as straightforward as she's portraying herself, or is she using Connor in her attempt to move up and make her mark?

And there's a second deaf person in town (temporarily), so that added an extra element to the story.

Anyway, I enjoyed this one enough that the very next book I read was book 3, Right to Remain Silent.

Dead Body Language

Title: Dead Body Language

Author: Penny Warner [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Penny Pike

Publisher: Bantam Mystery

Series: Connor Westphal, Bk 1

ISBN: 0553575864

Length: 275 pages

Obtained: Library ILL copy

Why this book?:

I own book 5, but need to read series in order.  And I've heard good things about this series.

Comments:

Connor is a journalist and Deaf.  She now lives in a former gold town in California, and is simply living her life.  But then some odd occurrences happen followed by murder.

Connor, like any journalist - even of a small weekend only paper, is her share of nosy busybody.  So she starts poking around trying to find the truth.

While I could definitely feel that this was an older book (late 90s), it was still interesting and enjoyable.  I look forward to reading more of the series.

Doggone

Title: Doggone

Author: Gabrielle Herkert [Linkedin]

Publisher: Obsidian Mystery

Series: Animal Instinct Mystery, Bk 2

ISBN: 9780451224736

Length: 332 pages

Obtained: Personal copy - I think I might have gotten it via paperbackswap.com some time agao, but I don't remember for sure.

Why this book?:

I was trying to figure out which books I could read in an effort to further reduce my collection of books.  It picked me up right away, but I had other books to get to first.  So weeks later, I could choose a new book, it was right there, and I snagged it.

Comments:

It has been YEARS since I read the first book in this series, Catnapped (library copy).  I did not (and still do not) remember the story - only that I enjoyed it.  But I was still able to quickly get into this one.  I really enjoyed it.

I read much of it while sitting in a parking lot waiting on someone shopping, and the great humor and characters made up for the obnoxious humidity and heat.  I liked Sara, Connor, Connor's family and SEAL buddies (though I withheld reality that they would be able to watch Sara like they did without getting in trouble with the bosses), and the dog, Pavarotti.

I was deeply disappointed that the third book in the series, Horsewhipped (for which there is a sneak peek in the back of this one), was never released as scheduled and that apparently Gabriella Herkert has disappeared from the face of the earth.  Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic, but her website no longer exists, and the only social media found is Linkedin.  Though it seems her law career is thriving.

Anyway, such is life...

Dead End Street

Title: Dead End Street

Author: Sheila Connolly [Website][Facebook] aka Sarah Atwell [Berkley Prime Crime]

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Mystery

Series: Museum Mystery, Bk 7

ISBN: 9780425273470

Length: 297 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

I'm a fan of the series/author.

Comments:

A couple people invested in renovating and renewing some very run down, i.e. dangerous, neighborhoods in Philadelphia have approached Nell about a property that they've recently determined the Society owns and has long forgotten.  The building itself is beyond redemption, but it could be used as a symbol with some help from Nell and the Society's resources.   Or so they are attempting to convince Nell of when there is a shooting aimed for the vehicle Nell is in.

Now - perhaps partially as a way of dealing with this act of violence that she was caught in - Nell does some looking into what happened.  But more, she begins looking at how the neighborhoods of Philadelphia have changed and what the Society's role in preserving the history of these less well-to-do neighborhoods might be.

I'm a fan of the show Rehab Addict (which I understand tends to bring out a love-it or hate-it response).  But the point is, Nicole Curtis is really into rehabbing old homes to their "former glory" and reviving communities that have become rundown.  So I have an interest in the subject that contributed somewhat to my enjoyment of the book.

There was some repetition throughout the story again, but I picked the book up today and finished it tonight - something that doesn't always happen with cozies anymore.  Sheila Connolly's writing generally has a way of pulling me in.

I once again look forward to more...

Untimely Death

Title: Untimely Death

Author: Elizabeth J. Duncan [Website][Twitter][Facebook]

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Series: Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery, Bk 1

ISBN: 9781629531915

Length: 278 pages

Obtained: NetGalley.  This is the 2nd NetGalley book I've gotten.

Why this book?:

It's a cozy mystery.  I just LOVE the cover.  I liked the Shakespeare production idea.

Additional context:

Before I comment on the book itself, I have to give some context.  Usually the "Why this book?" field fills that function, but this needs more.

I was approved for the advance review copy of this title with the request that it be reviewed in the month it was published...November (though my memory is saying October).  So I was delaying to time it right, then at the beginning of October, I went to start it and... my Kindle Keyboard that a lovely former-blogger friend sent me was ruined! The screen had been placed under too much pressure and now I couldn't read anything in the display.  So I was left reading the book on a PC screen or my iPhone.  Which I did, but slowed things down, because I love the eInk Kindle so much more and I needed time to mope.

I gave myself an extra week or two before finally starting the book.  And my thoughts (what I remember of them) can be found in the "Comments" below.  But even once I finished the book (before the deadline), I was being a horrible blogger and didn't post.  So I've had a 2 month gap since reading this, and some memories are foggy.  Keeping that in mind...

Comments:

What made the most impact on me as I read this story was the protagonist.

Because Charlotte Fairfax is a tad off-putting with her condescension.  She's British (despite an extended period residing in the States) and middle aged.  Therefore, she has a much better grasp of etiquette and her experience has made her much more knowledgeable than the silly young Americans she works with.  And apparently she feels as if not being technologically proficient is somehow the better position?

It's great that she overcame troubled times and is content with her role as costume mistress for a Shakespearean theater in a small town.  She certainly has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with her new intern.  She generally seems like a nice enough person, and I like that she is an animal lover (or at least a dog lover).

As far as the mystery was concerned, I did notice some of Charlotte's investigation methods seemed off (such as the incredibly stupid stunt she pulls - breaking the law and jeopardizing the trust of a friend - partway into the story), but those can easily be fixed as she becomes more experienced at investigating.

Overall, the story was nice, and I'd continue with the series.