A Clue in the Crumbs by Lucy Burdette - 4 Stars!

Food critic Hayley Snow and her pal Miss Gloria are overjoyed to welcome Violet and Bettina Booth, aka the Scottish Scone Sisters, to Key West. The sisters will host The UK Bakes!--Key West Edition. But the same day they arrive, the bed and breakfast the sisters are staying in gets torched. Then, someone is murdered. The three elderly ladies and Hayley must search for clues to the brutal murder. But as they draw closer to the answer, the threats from a murderer grow closer too. Are they now in danger of getting baked off?

This was a very delicious cozy mystery full of wonderful eats, a delectable plot, and scrumptious characters. Haley and Miss Gloria are great amateur sleuths who are always looking for a good adventure. I love that Haley works with her police detective husband in solving the crime. My only issue with this story is that it seemed too long, like there were too many details that seemed to slow down the story. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

 

Steeped in Malice by Vicki Delany - 5 Stars!

Thanks to the Great Teacup Shortage, Cape Cod tearoom owner Lily Roberts is feeling the strain. But when a family fracas turns deadly over an antique tea set, she’ll really have to pour through the clues before another crime is brewed up.
This was a great installment to this mystery series. Lily is a wonderful reluctant amateur sleuth who doesn't try to get involved in this mystery, but she's thrust into it when certain characters come to visit. I love Lily's grandmother because she adds spice to everything that happens in the story. She's not just an old doddering lady, she's smart and capable! I also like that we got a glimpse into Lily's background before the series started. There was no shortage of suspects, and they were all juicy characters you loved or loved to hate. I can't wait to read the next installment to this wonderful mystery series. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

 

Mischief Nights Are Murder by Libby Klein - 4 Stars!

Gluten-free baker Poppy McAllister is not pleased when her B&B is coerced into participating in the Cape May Haunted Dinners Tour during Halloween season. Though her knack for finding dead bodies has given the place a spooky reputation, the Murder House is a completely undeserved nickname. While Poppy wrangles with some guests who can’t stop squabbling with each other, one of them winds up face down in a plate of tiramisu. Maybe the spooky reputation is deserved!
This was a great mystery to read during the Halloween season. Poppy is so funny, and she puts up with a lot of nonsense from her aunt Ginny and the people that she works with. I also love the cat who is the comic relief in this whole entire series. I actually laughed out loud three times reading this book. The plot was very engrossing, and I couldn't figure out the identity of the culprit and was surprised in the end. If you want to read a funny, suspenseful cozy mystery, look no further!

 

Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Carol J. Perry, and Liz Ireland - 4 Stars!

HALLOWEEN CUPCAKE MURDER by CARLENE O'CONNOR
With Galway’s Halloween Mystery Tour only a few days away, Tara Meehan is scouring the town’s curiosity shops for spooky decorations. But when a stranger appears in her salvage shop bearing a cryptic cupcake and an ominous message, Tara suddenly finds herself tangled in a mystery with ancient Gaelic roots.
MRS. CLAUS AND THE CANDY CORN CAPER by LIZ IRELAND
Christmastown is pulling out all the stops for their Halloween celebration, but the sweet theme stokes the bitterest of rivalries amongst the elves, until tragedy strikes at Santaland’s newest bakery. It’s up to Mrs. Claus to to unmask a Halloween fiend.
A TRIPLE LAYER HALLOWEEN MURDER by CAROL J. PERRY
WICH-TV’s Lee Barrett can’t wait to cover Salem’s month-long Halloween festivities. But rumors swirl after a wealthy bakery owner goes missing. Now, amid Salem’s wicked revelry, Lee must conjure clues to reveal the missing millionaire, or the truth about his disappearance.

These stories were fun reads full of the Halloween spirit. I loved the main characters and the plotlines which were confounding yet short. I wish there was more to each story. I will definitely read each author again. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

 

How The Murder Crumbles by Debra Sennefelder - 5 Stars!

  

Wingate, Connecticut is famed as one of the top ten shopping destinations in the state, and home to Mallory Monroe’s beloved Cookie Shop—a place where patrons are greeted with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked cookies that are as beautifully decorated as they are insanely delicious. But things aren’t going so smoothly for Mallory. She’s seen having an argument with food blogger Beatrice Wright, who accuses Mallory of stealing her cookie recipe. Then Beatrice turns up dead in her kitchen, flour outlining her body and a bloodied marble rolling pin nearby. Mallory becomes suspect number one; can she find the killer and clear her name?

This was a fantastic cozy mystery. I loved the main character's spunk and tenacity as she tries to solve her relationship problems and clear her name. I loved all the side characters and am interested in getting to know them more. The plot was exciting and suspenseful enough to keep me interested, but there were no gory or intense scenes. I would love to read another book in this series, and hope she writes another one soon. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality by Kate Khavari - 2 stars!

  

In 1920s London, research assistant Saffron Everleigh is working at the University College of London. Saffron is researching and traveling the countryside with Dr. Michael Lee in response to reports of poisonings. When Detective Inspector Green is given a case with a set of unusual clues, he asks for Saffron’s assistance. Can she figure out the clues to find the culprit?

I wanted to like this mystery more, but I couldn't get into it. The pacing was slow, and the story didn't hold my interest. It seemed too disconnected from the first story as another male character was introduced, and the original male character was sent traveling. I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity of reading this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.