A Body at the Book Fair by Ellie Alexander

A Body at the Book Fair by Ellie Alexander

by CarolNo Comments
This is the final installment of the Secret Bookcase Mysteries - although don't worry, we'll get a spin-off, The Novel Detectives series. This time around, Annie and Fletcher are in Santa Clara for a book fair and Liam and Pri are coming along too. It just so happens that the fair is near the company that Annie blames for her best friend, Scarlet's, death, ten years ago, and Annie has a plan to get the evidence she needs. While we do get some background info on the cold case, this one probably works better if you've read others in the series. Of course, there's also a murder at the book fair. One of the presenters is killed by his own VR device, and Annie is there when it happens. The book fair sounds amazing and makes me want to go to a bookish event soon. The two mystery plot are balanced well. We have several suspects for the current murder...
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For Duck’s Sake by Donna Andrews

For Duck’s Sake by Donna Andrews

by Carol1 Comment
The Meg Langslow series is one I dip in and out of. I've read several, but no where near 37. Meg wears many hats - mom, wife, daughter, blacksmith, mayor's assistant. This time around she's helping prep for the Mutt March. a parade/festival to promote pet adoptions from the local shelters. She's taking a break from the chaos at her house by going over the her brother's - just in time for the backhoe digging out the duck pond to uncover a human arm bone. This is a long-running series with lots of returning characters. Andrews does a good job at giving us enough information to know who is who and their relationships to each other, but not so much that it bogs the book down. I think this would work as a stand alone, but as with most series, the more you've read the more you know about, and hopefully enjoy, the characters and town. As far as the case...
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Homicide and Old Lace by Dolores Johnson

Homicide and Old Lace by Dolores Johnson

by CarolNo Comments
I didn't realize this was the 5th in the series when I picked it up, but it worked well as a stand-alone. Mandy, the owner of a dry cleaning shop, apparently has a habit of getting involved in murders. This time she has agreed to clean and alter her ex-husband's new bride's wedding dress. But when she delvers it to the hotel on the day of the wedding, she ends up a suspect in the bride's murder. Being the amateur sleuth that she is, she decides she has to get to the bottom of it, even if her boyfriend, Detective Stan Foster, wants her to stay far away. We've got plenty of suspects, clues, and red herrings. The people surrounding Mandy are appropriately quirky, especially her mom and her employee, Betty, who get in all kind of trouble. I did get annoyed at how often Betty was described as a former bag lady and not listened to. Like, yes, I get...
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A Difficult Position by Helena Marchmont

A Difficult Position by Helena Marchmont

by CarolNo Comments
I really enjoy these short mysteries. This time around, Dorothy and the former Sargent Wilson are getting married. I have to say I like what the Sarge's recent health scare and relationship with Dorothy have done for his character. Everyone in town is at the reception, but that same evening, someone tries to set the Choudhury house on fire. Thankfully little damage is done, but the police, and Bunburry Triangle, are anxious to find the culprit. This is a fun, quick read. I love the characters, each of whom is just quirky enough without going over the edge into annoying. There are several suspects and it's good to see how many people care about the Choudhury family. I liked the yoga center and how it brings together people you wouldn't expect. I was happy Oscar had a part to play this time around too....
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Death Among the Doilies by Mollie Cox Bryan

Death Among the Doilies by Mollie Cox Bryan

by CarolNo Comments
I love the concept behind this series. Cora and her friend, Jane, have renovated a Victorian house into a crafting paradise and are holding their first retreat weekend. Cora used to work as a counselor at a domestic violence shelter, but it became too stressful for her. Jane escaped an abusive relationship and has a school age daughter. It's all going well with their new venture until the school librarian is killed and Jane becomes a suspect. We've got a nice cast of eccentric characters and a small town where gossip spreads quickly. I don't love Cora and Jane yet. Given their backgrounds, they make a few odd choices. And I wish the author didn't go on about how attractive they find the various men in the book - it just seemed strange. I know a lot of cozy mysteries have love interests, but we don't need them all the time. The mystery was well done. There were enough clues...
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Death at the Highland Loch by Lydia Travers

Death at the Highland Loch by Lydia Travers

by CarolNo Comments
Death at the Highland Loch is an enjoyable, typical historical cozy. Our sleuth is Poppy Proudfoot, a young, well off widow whose parents are in Australia. So she has the money and freedom to more or less do what she wants. She's pretty, smart (she has a law degree), and has the requisite dog, an adorable lab named Major. In this first outing, she has two cases she's working on. Her friend, Lady Constance Balfour, wants her to find out what happened to an bracelet that her husband apparently purchased shortly before his death. And then there's the murdered man down by the lock. Granted Inspector MacKenzie has told her to stay away from the murder investigation, but at least he seems to have a sense of humor about her interference. If nothing else, Poppy is sure of her own competence. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a good job dealing with the large cast and variety of...
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