Monthly Archives: February 2021

Great Irish Garda cozy mystery

Murder in an Irish Bookshop

By: Carlene O’Connor

Rating: 5 of 5

Siobhan O’Sullivan is a Garda in a small Irish town, Kilbane. She is also one of the O’Sullivan Six who own the local bistro. Her fiance is Detective Sargent Macdara Flannery and together they investigate many of the crimes which seem to haunt this town.

A new and mysterious bookshop opens in town and everyone, including Siobhan want to visit right away. Things are quite that easy which makes for fun and games. The bookshop is hosting a get-together for up-and-coming authors. When one of the authors ends up quite dead, Siobhan shifts gears and, instead of buying books, looks for a murderer.

(more…)

Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller | Leave a comment

Fun book in this zany mystery series

Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle (A Death by Chocolate Mystery Book 4)

By: Sarah Graves

Rating: 5 of 5

I’ve read all of the previous books in this series and this book fits in well with the overall theme.

Jake (Jacobia) Tiptree and Ellie White are the owners of the Chocolate Moose, a bakery in small town Maine that specializes in things made of chocolate. What could be wrong with that?

The thing is, there is always something afoot in Eastport, Maine (a real town, by the way) that Jake and Ellie get sucked into investigating.

What happens is that Ellie blazes the way and Jake follows behind, clumsily, and doing everything that should get them noticed but usually does not. Jake is always getting wet somehow or getting preyed upon by a natural predator. Actually, human predators as well.

(more…)

Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller | Leave a comment

A great second book in this humorous cozy mystery series

Fatal Frost (Dewberry Farm Mysteries Book 2)

By: Karen MacInerney

Rating: 5 of 5

I read the first book in this series a few years ago, when it first came out. I didn’t realize that more books had been written since then. I picked up the second book in the series, “Fatal Frost” and was able to read it without any issue. I think it could be read as a stand-alone book, but for fun and for continuity, I suggest reading the series in order.

Lucy Resnick is still hanging in there. She’s adding more products on to her farm. Part of that is getting two goats, Hot Lips and Gidget, who like her cow, are all escape artists. I sense a lot of fun in future books trying to corral her animals. Good thing her new boyfriend is a veterinarian and can sweet-talk animals into going back home again.

(more…)

Posted in Mystery/Suspense/Thriller | Leave a comment

A story of strength, endurance and starting over

The Beekeeper’s Promise

By: Fiona Valpy

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a story which is told in two time periods. The older one is set just prior to and including World War II. The current story is set in 2017, which I believe was when the book was released.

Abi Howes has been convinced to visit France at the Chateau Bellevue for a yoga retreat with her friend, who promptly deserts her when she meets a good-looking man. Abi has not been much around people because of events in her past. Her story is her struggle to find herself and to learn to live once again.

(more…)

Posted in Fiction/Literature | Leave a comment

Enlightening and engrossing

The Four Winds: A Novel

By: Kristin Hannah

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a fictional story set in the era of the Dust Bowl. Elsa Martinelli is part of a farming family. There is a one-two punch as first the Depression hits and then the weather event known as the Dust Bowl begins.

Her family is fighting a losing battle for survival as the dust covers their crops and the winds and the heat wreck havoc. It seems like the rain has dried up forever and Elsa, just like so many others ends up heading west to find work in California.

(more…)

Posted in Fiction/Literature | Leave a comment