Hardback Homicide by S. E. Babin

November 27, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Hardback Homicide by S. E. Babin
Publisher: S.E. Babin, Amazon Digital Services
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

When a rare book order leads me right to a homicide, somehow I’m the one investigating…

I’m Dakota Adair, owner of Tattered Pages, a bookstore specializing in cool and quirky books. I inherited a grumpy Persian cat named Poppy who loves to make her displeasure known around the store … loudly. Things are good until I deliver a special order only to stumble over a body. Suddenly all eyes are on me. Now I have a handsome detective and an annoying reporter on my tail, hounding me about the case.

All I want to do is crack open my favorite paperback, grab a cup of coffee, and chill, but with a murderer out there and suspicion falling on me, I have to do a lot more than read. I have to find out whodunnit and quick before I become the next subject of a murder mystery…

Hardback Homicide is the 1st book in a series titled “Shelf Indulgence”. This was fun reading. Even the series name is fun. It had what I call all the “elements” of a cozy, a cute town name (Dewdrop Springs), an amateur sleuth, a handsome cop, a bookshop, books, a cat, and of course, a dead body.

I enjoyed this story, but the quirky characters of the town might be what clinched it. Dakota, the bookshop owner, and her assistant, Harper, sell books for all ages, but they also deal in rare books. This is where greed sets in, and it becomes awfully hard to tell who has their hands on the infamous book.

Lots of fun, easy reading, and good characters. What more can I say? I can say this series has 5 books so far, and I intend to read them all.

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Murder in the Storybook Cottage by Ellery Adams

October 9, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Murder in the Storybook Cottage by Ellery Adams
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Review by Snowdrop

Storyton Hall, Virginia, is a top travel destination for book lovers and the perfect spot for literary events. But as a children’s book publisher hosts a gathering there, some folks aren’t going to live—happier ever after or otherwise . . .

Jane Steward’s resort is hopping—not only is Peppermint Press’s conference in full swing, there are also lots of families staying on the premises, bringing their kids to events like a scavenger hunt through the Fairy Tale Forest.

Then a woman dressed like Little Red Riding Hood is found dead from a plot device straight out of a fairy tale—with a rare and valuable copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales in her basket. Not long after, a second victim is killed, with yet another treasure—a volume by Hans Christian Andersen worth thousands of dollars—nearby. It looks like a big bad wolf may be lurking among the guests, and Jane can’t just wait for a handsome prince to come to the rescue .

This wasn’t just your usual cozy mystery. It was your Ellery Adams usual cozy mystery. I don’t think there has ever been a book she’s written that I didn’t enjoy. In this 6th book of the Book Retreat Mystery series, Jane has gone all out to entertain both publishers of children’s books as well as authors who write children’s books. As always Ellery’s description gives you a total picture of Storyton Hall. It’s like a wonderland for the children, but as usual…someone has to be murdered in order to have a cozy mystery. While the murder puts a bit of a damper on the huge party, most of the guests are shielded while Jane and her Finns help the sheriff find the bad guy or girl.

I said I liked everything Ellery Adams has written, and it is the truth. However, in this book, it seemed as if Jane was unusually traumatized at finding a dead body. It sure isn’t like it’s the first time in this series. It just seemed reiterated over and over, how upset she was, how could she manage to look happy, how could she make sure her guests enjoyed themselves. She had to sit and have tea very often to recover. I sound like I’m being facetious here but I’m not. I preferred the occasionally upset, but very strong Jane in the earlier books.

That said, it was a little bump in my enjoyment and I still wouldn’t miss a book.

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Pawsibly Guilty by CeeCee James

October 2, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Pawsibly Guilty by CeeCee James
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

A secret book club. A celebrity murder. And a boss that hates books…

When Laura Lee and her club stumble on the dead body of Mrs. Fitzwater’s nephew, (famous photographer to the stars, Andy) snooping takes on a whole new meaning. Especially when one of the house staff—and member of the book club—swears they saw the nephew later that night… very much alive. From whispers of espionage to the motive of a spurned lover, the book club collective isn’t sure which way is up. Even worse, time is running out as the killer makes them the next target. Someone doesn’t want to be found out and is willing to do anything to keep their secret.

This was a really fun read for me. Who wouldn’t love a group of household staff crowding together to meet for Book Club in a secret room filled with a glorious collection of books? I loved the amateur sleuths. The kitchen and scullery maids, cook, even the house manager all hiding away in a beautiful hidden library. I even loved the upper echelon, most of whom were kind.

This is a very odd setting. Kitchen maids are scolded for not remembering a flower on a breakfast tray for the “mistress” and they text one another on their cell phones to tell each other about day-to-day events. The staff stays in a beautiful Manor with a gruff but lovable house manager that is upset the staff doesn’t know the difference between a high tea and an afternoon tea. Yet you can call someone on your cell to see if you can drop by. Seems as if there should be a carriage ride in there somewhere, doesn’t it?

For me, even though this was somehow out of context, it all still worked. I think part of the reason is because of the setting CeeCee James has created, as well as her characters. What emerged was a quick enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep the mystery part of it interesting. I love CeeCee James’ work but am not sure if I’ve read this series. Will make a point to read some more right away.

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The Christmas Letter by Kathi Daley

September 21, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Christmas Letter by Kathi Daley
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Review by Snowdrop

Set in the small town of White Eagle Montana, the series features Tess and her dog Tilly, who spend their days delivering the latest gossip along with the daily mail. When a close friend is murdered, Tess and Tilly join forces with the reclusive genius in town to sleuth out the truth behind the shocking murder that is rocking the community as it prepares for the annual Christmas Festival.

If you like quaint types of characters and pets, you’re gonna think this is fun. Tess is a local postal carrier in a small town and Tilly is her ever faithful (and very well-behaved) dog. The Christmas Letter is the first book in a series titled Tess and Tilly.

This is the type of small town where everyone knows everyone, knows their business too 🙂 Tess knows everyone on her route and can’t even help but notice who is beginning to get their Christmas cards or not. She also can’t help but notice when someone she delivers to isn’t answering the door. Even Tilly notices.

This is your typical cozy, except I thought it had a little more depth. It has an amateur sleuth, a handsome cop, and of course a dead body, but it has some underlying layers of mystery that make it an interesting read. It is even difficult to decide if Tilly should like the new vet or not with so much going on.

The author writes well so this flows well and is a quick read. I was very glad to see Kathi Daley had more publications. I’ll enjoy reading more.

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Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler

August 31, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
Publisher: Knopf
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Historical
Rating: 4 stars
Review by Snowdrop

Abandoned by her wanderlusting husband, stoic Pearl raised her three children on her own. Now grown, the siblings are inextricably linked by their memories—some painful—which hold them together despite their differences.

Hardened by life’s disappointments, wealthy, charismatic Cody has turned cruel and envious. Thrice-married Jenny is errant and passionate. And Ezra, the flawed saint of the family, who stayed at home to look after his mother, runs a restaurant where he cooks what other people are homesick for, stubbornly yearning for the perfect family he never had.

Now gathered during a time of loss, they will reluctantly unlock the shared secrets of their past and discover if what binds them together is stronger than what tears them apart.

I just read “Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant” and have read “A Spool of Blue Thread”. I think Anne Tyler hits close to home in some instances in her books. I don’t mean these are whole books about one’s putrid, confused, or plain old messed up childhood or lifestyle. There just seem to be pieces that you can pull out and they just fit. And…I think she makes people mad. I think she makes her readers either feel something they have experienced or feel for someone who has.

I thought Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant was stark and sad. It seems to flow back and forth from one family member to another. Yet somehow the pieces and the pictures of the family are put together. Woven into a whole horrid picture of life.

I think Anne Tyler is a somewhat profound writer. Both of these books were well-written. I found what I read sad, and they left me in a blue mood, or maybe just a reflective one. Do these things make this a bad book? Not one bit. It makes it a book to read and see what you think.

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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

June 14, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Review by Snowdrop

The bestselling historical fiction novel from Kim Michele Richardson, this is a novel following Cussy Mary, a packhorse librarian and her quest to bring books to the Appalachian community she loves, perfect for readers of William Kent Kreuger and Lisa Wingate. The perfect addition to your next book club!

The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything—everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome’s got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter.

Cussy’s not only a book woman, however, she’s also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy’s family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the hill folks, she’s going to have to confront prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler.

Inspired by the true blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service of the 1930s, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a story of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman’s belief that books can carry us anywhere—even back home.

What a great story. I can’t find a thing wrong with it. It isn’t all filled with good things. It’s also full of poverty-stricken people and racism that we all hope would go away. Although you might think of these atrocities in the big city, this story is set in the 1930’s right in the heart of the Appalachia’s. Cussy Mary, a 19-year-old young lady, takes care of her father who works in the mines. It’s just the two of them, and they struggle to even keep food on the table.

Cussy Mary takes on a book delivery job. It was The Pack Horse Librarian Project, established as part of President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration. It was exactly as it sounds…ladies delivering books via horses to people all over the hills and trails. Some of the trails were quite treacherous to travel. Cussy Mary used a sure-footed cantankerous old mule to get to some of the families and people on her route. She had people that could not wait to see her no matter the kind of book she had for them and yet others were afraid of her because she was what people in Kentucky called the “Blues”. Her skin was blue, and the prejudice just as real as any other you are familiar with.

Somehow, I’m sure you can already tell I enjoyed this story. There’s another aspect to this little bit of historical fiction that was very important to me. I kept running to my computer to see if all these things were true, and they were. Roosevelt’s Project, the Pack Horse Librarians, and unfortunately, the poverty and prejudice. What a joy to read an enjoyable story of fiction and soak up all of those facts at the same time. Well-written and great to read.

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Catastrophe in the Library by CeeCee James

December 9, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Catastrophe in the Library by CeeCee James
The Secret Library Cozy Mysteries, Book 3
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

A mysterious mansion, a suspicious death, and a cat too smart for its own good…Laura Lee and her secret book club, led by Hank the marmalade cat, find themselves in the heart of their deepest mystery yet! Laura Lee’s efforts to bring the beautiful but decrepit old manor back to life uncover even more secrets that the ancient house has been keeping from her. Hank, hiding from the workmen, gets himself stuck under a broken board. Rescuing him, Laura Lee finds not only a small root cellar, but a nearly intact skeleton holding a sheaf of papers. How long has it been there? Who was it? And why were those papers so important? It’s not just a lesson in history; someone who’s very much alive is trying to stop them from discovering the secret . It will take the entire book club’s help to discover the truth as every clue they find takes them in a different direction and puts them in unknown danger.

I have read several of Ceecee James books before, but it has been quite some time. This book, Catastrophe in the Library, is Book 3 of The Secret Library series. This book was as fun as the rest of the ones I read. The picture of a wonderful old Victorian house with secret passages and a skeleton in the walls set you back in time. Miss Janice, the owner, still has a full-time staff, even a wonderful wholesome lady in the kitchen addressed only as “cook”. But…the cell phones and laptops make sure you remember that you are in present day times. Somehow this mix of eras seems to fit. It isn’t a back-and-forth-in-time type of story. It’s a staff of today working in jobs in an old Victorian house. Somehow it all fit perfectly with me. I liked the picture of running to help cook get the table set and running back to your room to text someone.

As usual, the author has added enough clues in this cute cozy to make you wonder who the “bad guy” is, and her play with the dialog of the three young girls who are amateur sleuths is fun. It’s light and humorous and adds to the atmosphere of a cozy. I would tell you that this is a series not to miss, but all of the books I’ve read by CeeCee James are in a series not to miss.

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Broken Summer by J. M. Lee

November 21, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Broken Summer by J. M. Lee
Publisher: Amazon Crossing
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Review by Snowdrop

A death, a lie, a secret. For twenty-six summers he didn’t have the courage to face the past.

Lee Hanjo is an artist at the peak of his fame, envied and celebrated. Then, on his forty-third birthday, he awakens to find that his devoted wife has disappeared, leaving behind a soon-to-be-published novel she’d secretly written about the sordid past and questionable morality of an artist with a trajectory similar to Hanjo’s. It’s clear to him that his life is about to shatter and the demons from his past will come out. But why did his wife do it? Why now?

The book forces Hanjo to reflect on a summer from his youth when a deadly lie irreversibly and tragically determined the fates of two families.

What if you were 40+ years old and found what you thought had been a good marriage, was not that at all? What if you found out because your wife was missing? Even more so, what if your wife left a note making it quite clear that she was aware of your past. Definitely not the good part of your past.

This book slips from one POV to another. It also weaves back and forth in time. Usually, I would say this was irritating, but here, the author seems to handle it well. It flows so well that you don’t realize the breaks. More importantly, it never seems to be confusing.

As far as the genre is concerned, this is a quick read with some tension, but I would label it more a suspense than a thriller. This is actually a point that made it more enjoyable to read as far as I’m concerned. If you’re in the mood for an easy read that will make your mind work a little too, Broken Summer is the perfect solution.

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Danger To Others by Martha Crites

November 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Danger To Others by Martha Crites
Publisher: Northwest Corner Books
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Late October in the Pacific Northwest foothills brings more than a change of season. Psychiatric evaluator Grace Vaccaro is on edge. A field evaluation gone wrong leads to a shooting, Grace’s mother has died and ghosts from her family past are everywhere.

When Laurel, a young psychiatric patient, says she killed her therapist, Grace suspects it’s a delusion and sets out to prove her innocent. Then Laurel escapes from a locked unit and suspicions abound. Her parents have secrets too. Laurel is reuniting with her father, a recovering heroin addict. Just how much does he oppose mental health treatment and why? Laurel’s mother doesn’t trust him. The mother may have a disturbing past of her own-someone is following her.

Grace’s work partner disappears next. Is it related to the case? Grace’s search leads to the Seattle music scene, an abandoned mental hospital in the North Cascades and a group of cloistered nuns on a remote island. Whenever Grace believes she’s identified the killer, new information points to someone else. As Grace digs deeper, she must face both the hope and inadequacies of medical treatment of mental health in the last sixty years.

Working in the mental health field can most likely be satisfying and frustrating. I imagine there are many times that it is difficult to know whether your client is telling the truth or not. Sometimes we have seen things so horrid that we begin to wonder if it was real or not. Trying to help people with these problems is not something I have personal experience with. In this story, Grace Vaccaro has plenty of experience as an evaluator, and it is with this type of character that the author weaves a good story.

There is a very good picture of the Pacific Northwest here. I think the author’s descriptive writing only helps to make the scene even more real. However, it was not descriptive writing nor characters that drew me into the story. It was the suspense. The taut “sit on the edge of your seat” bits were my favorite. This is the kind of book that will keep you reading long into the night.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Deadly Thanksgiving by Maureen Fisher

October 4, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Deadly Thanksgiving by Maureen Fisher
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

The Foster sisters had inherited Grizzly Gulch Guest Ranch at an age when most sensible women contemplated retirement. No one ever called them sensible.

In Book 2 of The Senior Sleuth Mystery Series, events manager Clara Foster must ensure the success of a week-long getaway for lonely retirees—a Boomers’ Thanksgiving Festival. Too bad the arrival of a mini-coach loaded with tipsy seniors gets the event off to a shaky start, especially when one of the guests turns out to be a corpse. Worse, the Mountie assigned to the case is none other than one Hawk McDougall, the man Clara dumped via text message.

Tensions mount when the death appears to be deliberate and the prime murder suspect is Clara’s cousin.

As more suspects emerge, mysterious “accidents” force Clara to join forces (and possibly more) with Hawk to find a killer on the rampage.

Non-stop action bounces from a cantankerous cat named Snuggles to an unfortunate goat yoga incident, a perilous nature walk to a mechanical bull gone rogue, a disastrous wardrobe malfunction to a spitting llama, all culminating in a memorable takedown followed by a Thanksgiving feast the guests will never forget.
Warning: This book may contain nuggets of naughty boomer humor.

Very cute read. Lots of humor and sarcasm which I loved. The match ups and the love hungry residents coming from Lifestyle Manor make for some interesting tete-a-tetes. Nonetheless this is as clean as can be.

Author Maureen Fisher made me feel as if I were there participating in goat yoga, on a hike, or even living in a rather rustic atmosphere at Grizzly Gulch. She didn’t just make me feel I was there; she made me wish I was there having fun. I even enjoyed the new temperamental Chef Armand and his showy culinary delights. I especially enjoyed his alternative choices for a dark Thanksgiving.

A light but very enjoyable read.

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