Tag: cozy-mystery

Indie Spotlight: New Release! A Bloody Banquet by Gail Meath

BonnieReadsAndWrites16 Comments

**Indie Spotlight is my effort to highlight and promote Indie books. You can help too by sharing this post far and wide. Let’s work together to help Indie authors.

Happy Release Day to Gail Meath! A Bloody Banquet is Book Two of The Stone and Steele Series. The review is below.

BOOK REVIEW

Fashion designer Vivian Steele is excited to attend an awards banquet at the Cocoanut Grove club in Hollywood. Some of the honorees are going to be wearing Vivan’s designs, and she and her best friend Carole Lombard are looking forward to an enjoyable evening. When Carole sees a dead body in the club’s restroom, she immediately calls for help. But when help arrives, the body has disappeared. Vivan begins to investigate, reluctantly allowing playboy Preston Stone to assist her once again. This is the second book in the Stone and Steele Series and can easily be read as a standalone.

This is a wonderful cozy set in Hollywood, and I love the fact that the fabulous Carole Lombard is a supporting character. The mystery is so well crafted, and I did not guess the villain before they were revealed. The backstories of Vivan and Preston continue to be another captivating mystery, and a little bit of that onion is slowly unpeeled in this second book. The ending of this compelling cozy offers more clues into their backstories and hints at an exciting third book in the series to come. Fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy this series, which transports us to the Golden Age of Hollywood.

I received a free copy of this book. I also purchased a copy. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gail Meath is the author of the multi-award-winning Jax Diamond Mysteries, a fun 1920s series about wise-cracking PI Jax Diamond, his courageous German Shepherd partner, Ace, and Broadway star Laura Graystone, as they, along with a crazy group of friends, solve some of the toughest crimes in New York City. She is alternating that series with her new 1930s Golden Age of Hollywood mysteries series, Stone & Steele, starring Vivian Steele, a widow seeking justice, and Preston Stone, a playboy vigilante.

In both series, the author challenges readers to identify the villains before she reveals them:)

Gail also has a list of other award-winning historical romances, westerns, and fictional biographies of true heroines. She lives in a small village in Upstate New York with her husband and sweet Boston Terrier, and she spends loads of time with her grandchildren.

PURCHASE LINK

Click on the cover to buy this book on Amazon. It’s only $2.99!

BEFORE YOU GO

*After you read the book, be sure and leave a review. Reviews do not have to be complex or fancy. Just a sentence about how it made you feel will help the book succeed on Amazon.

Indie Spotlight: Book Review: Wildcard by Gail Meath

BonnieReadsAndWrites19 Comments

Indie Spotlight is my attempt to help Indie authors with the daunting task of marketing. It’s the biggest job they have and I am happy to help. You can help too by sharing this with all of your social media followers. Below is a book description, author bio, and book review of Wildcard by Gail Meath

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Niagara Falls, 1923. Traveling out of the city isn’t PI Jax Diamond’s cup of tea, but when he and Laura along with their courageous companion, Ace, head to Niagara Falls on their honeymoon, they’re on cloud nine. That is, until Jax carries his new bride over the threshold, and there’s a corpse in their bed that looks to have been there since the dawn of time.

A ten-year-old unsolved murder sets off a string of others with victims plunging to their deaths over the falls, and all the evidence is pointing to nightclub owner and their good pal, Orin Marino, as the killer.

Jax, Laura, Ace, and friends risk their lives trying to solve a crazy riddle and stop a killer before the next victim takes the plunge. But every step forward sends them two steps back. It’s a wild and crazy ride with twists, turns, and belly flops in this fun and fast-paced 1920s cozy thriller.

Easily reads as a standalone.

BOOK REVIEW

In this eighth book of the Jax Diamond series, Jax and Laura’s honeymoon in Niagara Falls takes an unexpected turn when they find out their good friend Orin Marino is in town, and then that he is accused of murder. Jax and Laura immediately start to investigate with the help of a wealthy hotel owner, their clever German Shepherd, Ace, and their friends Tim and Carla. When another body turns up, things get more confusing than ever.

Orin has long been my favorite character, so I was thrilled to see a book with him on the cover, and to get a peek at his backstory right away. The mystery is full of twists and turns, and I did not see the end coming. The story is engaging and will keep you guessing the whole time. Orin, always a great friend to Jax, Laura, Tim, and Carla, is suddenly in need of a friend himself, and they all drop everything to come to his aid. I loved the mystery, Orin’s determination to protect his friends, and, of course, Ace’s contributions as well. Cozy mystery lovers will enjoy this book. It can be read as a standalone. I also recommend the whole series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gail Meath is the author of the multi-award-winning Jax Diamond Mysteries, a fun 1920s series about wise-cracking PI Jax Diamond, his courageous German Shepherd partner, Ace, and Broadway star Laura Graystone, as they, along with a crazy group of friends, solve some of the toughest crimes in New York City. She is alternating that series with her new 1930s Golden Age of Hollywood mysteries series, Stone & Steele, starring Vivian Steele, a widow seeking justice, and Preston Stone, a playboy vigilante.

In both series, the author challenges readers to identify the villains before she reveals them:)

Gail also has a list of other award-winning historical romances, westerns, and fictional biographies of true heroines. She lives in a small village in Upstate New York with her husband and sweet Boston Terrier, and she spends loads of time with her grandchildren.

PURCHASE LINKS

WILDCARD ON AMAZON |WHOLE SERIES ON AMAZON

* Kindle Unlimited Subscribers can read each book in the series for free.

* All books in this series can be read as standalones.

BEFORE YOU GO

If you read the book, please be sure and leave a review on Amazon. It helps Indie authors so much. A review does not have to be a masterpiece. Just a sentence or two about how the book made you feel will make an author’s day and help their books succeed.

Book Review: A Fashionably French Murder By Colleen Cambridge

BonnieReadsAndWrites7 Comments

This is Book 3 in the “An American in Paris” cozy mystery series. I did this review for The Historical Novel Society.

BOOK DESCRIPTION (FROM AMAZON)

If there’s one art the French have mastered as well as fine cuisine, it’s haute couture. Tabitha and Julia are already accustomed to sampling the delights of the former. Now fashion is returning to the forefront in Paris, as the somber hues of wartime are replaced by vibrant colors and ultra-feminine silhouettes, influenced by Christian Dior’s “New Look.”
 
Tabitha and Julia join a friend for a private showing at an exclusive fashion atelier, Maison Lannet. The event goes well, but when Tabitha returns later that evening to search for a lost glove, she finds the lights still on—and the couturier dead, strangled by a length of lace. The shop manager suspects that a jealous rival—perhaps Dior himself—committed the crime. Tabitha dismisses that idea, but when another body is found, it’s apparent that someone is targeting employees of Maison Lannet.
 
Meanwhile, Tabitha’s Grand-père and Oncle Rafe are in the midst of their own design-related fracas, as they squabble over how to decorate their new restaurant. And there are strange break-ins at a nearby shoe store—but are the crimes related? It’s up to Tabitha to don her investigative hat and find answers before someone commits another fatal fashion faux pas.

BOOK REVIEW

1950. Tabitha Knight is back in the third book in the An American in Paris series.  This time she is visiting an up-and-coming Parisian fashion house with her good friend Julia Child when she discovers the body of the designer, Madame Lannet. Unable to resist an urge to investigate, she soon stumbles on yet another body, and it is not long before she’s once again crossing the path of Inspecteur Etienne Merveille, who is well aware of her sleuthing tendencies.   Romance is also in the air, and Tabitha finds herself attracted to Inspecteur Merveille against her better judgment.  While rescuing a feral cat with a broken tail, she also meets Monsieur Héroux, the veterinarian, and they make plans for a date as well.  Tabitha’s grand-père and his long-time partner also bring fun to the story, as they are fighting over how to design their new restaurant, and they take her to Dior to select a custom gown.

This is another great book in the series.  Julia Child, as always, steals the show with her over-the-top personality.  She injects joy, food, and humor whenever she is a part of the story. The author has obviously done her research well and captured Child’s character in a charming way.  The mouthwatering descriptions of delicious French food add to the delight, and I learned a lot about making crepes through Julia’s instructions to Tabitha.  The mystery is compelling with an unexpected ending, and adding the glamorous fashion industry into the mix makes this a winner.  Fans of cozy mysteries will love this book and the whole series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via The Historical Novel Society. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google | Kobo

Book Tour and Review–The Missing Heirloom Mystery

BonnieReadsAndWrites6 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Finders keepers, losers . . . Dead?

Checkout girl Bea Jordan has a knack for stumbling into trouble. Even so, nothing can ruin her picnic in the allotment with her best friend, green-thumbed Ant.

With the annual Kingsleigh Flower and Produce Show approaching, she feels he’s had little time for her. Especially with the drama of a prize-winning tomato thief on the loose.

But a grizzly discovery is waiting for them by the pumpkin patch . . .

The body of Dylan Bradley, their old history teacher. Someone stuck a trowel in his head and left him for dead.

But who would want to hurt Dylan? Bea has a feeling it has something to do with the ruby ring he dug up in the allotment.

Then the discovery of a second body throws the townsfolk into full-blown turmoil. Now Bea must juggle small-town secrets, rivalries and murder with her growing feelings for Ant.

Can she dig up the truth before the killer strikes again, or has Bea finally planted the seed for her own demise?

AN ABSOLUTELY GRIPPING COZY MYSTERY FULL OF TWISTS AND TURNS AND LOVEABLE CHARACTERS.

Meet the workers of Kingsleigh Costsave. There’s Bea, a maths whizz with a heart of gold. Ant, a hapless high-school drop-out. And wisecracking Dot, in her late fifties and always beautifully coiffed.

BOOK REVIEW

Although this is Book #5 of The Supermarket Mysteries series, this was my first introduction to Bea and the crew at the Kingsleigh Costsave. It was wonderful to meet these characters and solve a mystery with them. Dot is a complete favorite of mine as we are in the same age group, and I love that our sleuths work together at a supermarket. I definitely want to go back and read the first four books. Set during the town’s annual garden show, this cozy was enjoyable and will keep mystery lovers guessing. Recommend!

I received a free copy of this book from Zooloo’s Book Tours. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Ward

I’m a fiftysomething author of psych thrillers and cosy crime books for adults and thrillers for young for adults. I live in Bath, England, and have a husband, two grown up children and two dogs. I’ve been a full-time writer for 10 years, before which I had ‘sensible’ jobs.

I’m now writing crime for adults. My cozy crime series, The Supermarket Mysteries, is now published as ebooks with Joffe Books. The first novel in the series is The Missing Checkout Girl Mystery.

My debut psychological thriller, Safe With You, is published by HQ Digital and is out now.

For young adults, I have published the Numbers trilogy, The Drowning and Water Born with Chicken House UK. The first book came out in the UK in 2009 and the USA in 2010. My Numbers books explore the gift of being able to see death dates. If you looked in somebody’s eyes and saw the date of their death, would it change the way you felt about people? They’ve been published in 26 countries and optioned for film.

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BOOK LINKS

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Book Review: Ill Fated Fortune

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The first in the heart-warming and deliciously mysterious Magical Fortune Cookie series from Lefty Award-nominee Jennifer J. Chow.

Felicity Jin grew up literally hanging onto Mom’s apron strings in their magical bakery in the quaint town of Pixie, California. Her mother’s enchanted baked goods, including puffy pineapple buns and creamy egg tarts, bring instant joy to all who consume them. Felicity has always been hesitant in the kitchen herself after many failed attempts, but a takeout meal gone wrong inspires her to craft some handmade fortune cookies.

They become so popular that Felicity runs out of generic fortunes and starts making her own personalized predictions. When one customer’s ill-fated fortune results in his murder, Felicity’s suspiciously specific fortune has the police focusing on her as the main culprit. Now Felicity must find a way to turn her luck around and get cleared from suspicion.

BOOK REVIEW

I enjoyed the idea of a magical bakery, and the premise that the Jin family’s baked goods can make you happy or even tell your fortune is a clever one. Felicity’s status as the odd family member out who has never had the gift–until suddenly there it is–is intriguing. The characters are likable and the story will make you smile. The mystery was entertaining, even though it was fairly easy to figure out. It is the magic and magical baking that draws the reader in and keeps them there. The author takes “comfort food” to another level in a clever way. Fans of food-related cozy mysteries should check this one out.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |Apple Books | Google | Kobo