Death on Dickens Island by Allison Brook - 5 Stars!

 

Delia Dickens has come home to Dickens Island, an island in the Long Island Sound. She’s looking forward to helping revitalize her family's general store as well as curating a small book nook. Plus, she wants to reunite with her teenage son. But Dickens Island isn’t the peaceful town Delia remembers. Delia’s Aunt Reenie and Uncle Brad, both community leaders, are at odds over the sale of a farm and its future use. When a young woman, new to the town council and friendly with Brad, is found murdered, everything escalates and reaches a new boiling point. With Reenie and Brad both suspects in the case, the townspeople start to take sides. When her grandmother's ghost visits her, Delia learns how past events have impacted the present and it is up to her to expose the farm’s sordid secrets and catch a murderer.

This was a great start to a wonderful new cozy mystery series. Allison Brook has the right formula to keep a reader satisfied until the very end of the story. Delia is a fabulous amateur sleuth who uses her smarts and observations to help solve a mystery that is affecting her community and her family. Being originally from Long Island, I love the setting because it reminds me of home. Delia's grandmother's ghost is an intriguing side character who helps guide Delia with her investigation. The plot was engrossing and made for a satisfying read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

She Doesn't Have A Clue by Jenny Elder Moke - 4 Stars!

Why mystery author Kate Valentine agreed to attend her ex-fiancé’s wedding is its own enigma, but she’ll plaster on a fake smile for two nights, with the aid of free champagne, naturally. And since the groom is her editor, she’ll try to finish a draft of her latest Loretta Starling mystery as a wedding gift. But when the bride is poisoned and a dead body is found, Kate finds herself in a real-life mystery. The only person who seems willing to help Kate catch the killer is Jake Hawkins, Kate's biggest romantic regret. Can Kate find the true culprit before someone else drops dead?

This was the absolute funniest story I have read in a while. It was a mixture of a cozy mystery and a romantic comedy with a lot of heat and a smattering of cursing. The only thing that really took away from my enjoyment was the cursing. I believe that authors don't need to curse, there are so many other good words in the English language that they could use instead. I will definitely read more from this author again. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

 

Star-Crossed Egg Tarts by Jennifer J Chow - 3 Stars!

Jin Bakery has been asked to cater the Lum-Wu outdoor wedding at Pixie Park. The day of the ceremony, Felicity is finishing the egg tarts as the wedding party arrives for the ceremony. When one of the groomsmen, Miles Wu, doesn’t arrive, Felicity’s best friend and florist Kelvin generously steps in for him, and the wedding goes smoothly, until cake cutting time. That’s when Felicity finds Miles’ dead body beneath the table with her egg tarts display, stabbed by Kelvin’s gardening shears. Felicity starts sleuthing away to prove his innocence, revealing dark secrets about all the wedding's attendants. To make matters worse, Felicity’s powers of prediction are on the fritz thanks to the emotional turmoil of a surprise visit from her estranged father. Can Felicity get it together to find the true killer?

This paranormal cozy mystery was a really interesting read. I'm not usually into paranormal cozies because the sleuth relies on her "gift" rather than common sense or a good investigation. But this sleuth actually had good investigative skills and used her observations to figure out who done it in the end. Felicity is a likable character and was the main reason why I continued to read until the end of the story. Another reason was because of the plot. I, myself, could not figure out the identity of the culprit. Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

 

Murder at Cape Costumers by Maddie Day - 5 Stars!

Just in time for Halloween, a new costume shop has opened in Westham, Massachusetts. Cape Costumers is not the usual seasonal pop-up stores, mostly due to co-owner Shelly, a former Broadway costume designer. But when Shelly discovers her boyfriend Enzo dead of unnatural causes, Halloween gets a lot scarier. Far from being spooked, Mac and the members of the Cozy Capers Book Group put their heads together to find a malice-making murderer who’s hiding in plain sight.

This was a wonderful cozy mystery. I love all of the characters in the Cozy Capers book group. The plot was very engrossing, but sad at times. The setting was very atmospheric and made me think about the best parts of the autumn season. I couldn't figure out who the culprit was and was surprised in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and can't wait until the next installment. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this advanced Reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

 

Laying Down the Latte by Ellie Alexander - 5 Stars!

Baker Jules Capshaw, along with her husband, Carlos, and Torte’s barista, Andy, are packing their bags and preparing for a coffee excursion in Costa Rica. One of Carlos’s former colleagues, Valentina, has them venturing to the coffee capital of the world for a tasting tour and a weekend at her family's organic coffee farm. The getaway is just what Jules needed. A chance to relax and unwind, and tinker in Valentina’s kitchen, dreaming up new recipes to bring home. But the weekend turns into a nightmare when one of Valentina’s employees is found dead in the pulping machine. Now, Jules will have to uncover the murderer before another body is thrown into the mix.

 

Ellie Alexander is one of the best cozy mystery writers today. I love Jules, and everyone else at Torte, who always make me hungry for the food described and a mystery solved. Since this mystery is based in Costa Rica, I have to imagine that the author went to Costa Rica because it was so well described I could smell the coffee in the air and feel the wonderful warm tropical breezes. The plot was very engrossing and was intricate enough that I wanted to figure out whodunit, but I was surprised in the end. I will definitely read more from this series. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's press for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion. 

 

 

 

The Mango Murders by Lucy Burdette - 5 Stars!

Food critic Hayley Snow’s employer, Key Zest, is throwing the event of the season, a lavish cocktail party catered by Janet Snow, Hayley’s mother. But as the boat sets sail, the festivities take a tragic turn when an explosion rocks the vessel, plunging the party guests into chaos. Afterwards, Hayley learns that a local culinary entrepreneur died in the explosion and it was no accident–someone on board had a deadly agenda. With the clock ticking and the stakes higher than ever, Hayley must rely on her keen intuition to unmask a cunning culprit before they strike again.

 

 

This cozy mystery was filled with nonstop action that kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the culprit was. I was very surprised at When the killer was revealed in the end. I love the characters, and the setting makes me wish for a Florida holiday. I have never been down to the Florida Keys, and this story that makes it sound like a beautiful, sacred place. I can't wait to read the next installment to this wonderful mystery series. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

 

Tea with Jam and Dread by Vicki Delany - 5 Stars!

Lily’s grandmother Rose used to work as a kitchen maid at Thornecroft Castle, and now Elizabeth, Dowager Countess of Frockmorton, is celebrating her 100th birthday. So Rose, and Lily decide to visit Yorkshire. It’s also an opportunity for Lily to see her boyfriend, who’s currently working in England. The ancestral home is now a luxury hotel, which will be closed for a week to accommodate the party. Lily overhears an argument among the younger generation about the fate of the family fortune. Little do they know that Elizabeth plans to sell the famous Frockmorton Sapphires out of the family for the first time in centuries. But when the jewels vanish, and a party guest dies from an allergic reaction to almonds, Lily is on the case. She needs to find the truth before she's arrested for the murder.

This cozy mystery was very interesting. I loved how the author showed the setting of Yorkshire England. It was very atmospheric and set the tone in the scenes. I always loved these characters, and when I read about them it's like visiting old friends. The plot was very interesting, and I didn't have a clue who the culprits were until the very end. I will definitely continue to read this series, and I can't wait until the next installment is released. Thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley For this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.