loribonesscaswell

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The story starts out with a nice housewarming party with friends and lots of food, then everything goes crazy 🙂 Carrie wakes up to find an intruder in her house that turns out to be Jim, her father. He is only there for one thing, Carrie’s help to get back his share of gems from a heist from several years ago. His partner in crime, Benton Parr, a local jeweler, agreed to hide the loot until Jim came for it. Well, Jim wants it and hopes Carrie smooth the way. Carrie agrees to contact the man to get her dad out of her house.

But, the next time she hears from her dad it is to get him out of jail. Benton Parr was murdered and good ole’ dad was found standing over the body. If that isn’t enough, Carrie learns that the case her new boyfriend Dylan is working on is recovering the very same gems her father had stolen. Was he only leading her on to track down her father? Did he only rent to her in the hopes her dad would drop by? Bad enough, Dylan travels so much for his job, was he avoiding her or was he really working? Is anything about their relationship real?

Carrie’s whole life has been turned inside out. Thankfully she can escape to her job at the library with Smokey Joe. Maybe she will be able to track down the gems herself. What does that mean for her relationship with Dylan? What will that mean to the relationship with her dad? Does she want to have a relationship with her dad?

OMG! I started this book and I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up until early in the morning to finish it all in one sitting.

The first couple of chapters felt off, forced, not what I expected from this author. I was worried. But then the story started to flow and the author exceeded my expectations.

The characters in this series are so clearly written. Carrie, her aunt, and uncle are so genuine. They try to see the best in everyone and are truly there for each other. Her dad returning is quite a shock but his brother and his wife take him in for a while until he moves in with Carrie. Evelyn is a unique character in that, she is a ghost. A very well dressed and coiffed ghost, who appears in the most opportune moments and can only be seen by Carrie and one other person. She gives Carrie “food for thought” and adds a few laughs to the story. I had an aunt the was named Evelyn and the Evelyn in this story reminds me very much of her. She passed on several years ago and to my knowledge she doesn’t haunt anyone though. 🙂 Carrie’s cat Smokey Joe has become the library cat. The patrons love him. As for Dylan, he gets in some hot water with Carrie this time and in my mind, he deserves being there.

The author takes these wonderful characters and twists and turns them around in a marvelous mystery. There is a treasure trove of suspects, the man had enemies. His family and a few “friends” had means, motive, and opportunity. Carrie’s dad is the perfect suspect but she knows he is being set up. There is a very well embedded subplot to the story that adds interest too, how it ended both warmed and broke my heart.

Christmastime in Clover Ridge, Connecticut sounds absolutely delightful. There are plenty of programs at the library including carolers and choirs performing. Carrie is doing very well in her job as the head of programs and events and the town is very happy she decided to make her home in Clover Ridge.

This story reads very well on its own, but if you haven’t read Death Overdue, it has a Halloween theme and there is no time like the present to start this series from the beginning so you can get to know Carrie and the residents of Clover Ridge from the start.

I highly recommend this one. Be sure to plan accordingly, you may have a late night and a book hangover the next day, but it is so worth it!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Bullets! Missing turtle eggs! Missing chocolate turtles! The quiet seaside town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina is having a crime wave. A local man is dead and someone is stealing sea turtle eggs from the nests on the beach, and Sea Salt Chocolate Turtles are disappearing almost right before Charity Penn’s eyes from her shop. Jody Dalton has accused Penn of lying to get The Chocolate Box Sweet Shop and taunts her almost daily about it, but when she is arrested for Cassidy Jones murder Penn just can’t believe it. Then Jody’s young son begs Penn to help get his mother out of jail. She finds herself quickly promising that she will do just that. There is nothing sweet about the point Penn finds herself in. There are several suspects in addition to Jody, but Penn needs to be careful or she may end up the killer’s next victim.

Penn has so much on her plate in this third Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery. Penn has found her mother, but the family has opened up yet another lawsuit to try to take The Chocolate Shop away from her. The shop is busy so she needs to hire more help and she is still trying diligently to learn all she can about making luscious chocolate treats. She has started observing with the sea turtle watch team her friend Althea Bays is in charge of. Her relationship with Harley, Jody’s ex, is starting to move in a new direction. And on top of all that she has told Harley and Jody’s son, she will get his mom out of jail before school starts next week.

I really enjoy how all the recurring characters not only grow from book to book but within the pages of this story. Penn is getting comfortable in Camellia Beach and is meeting new people and making friends. She is still struggling with the chocolate making but the woman does not give up. She has a great core of support when any sort o trouble arrives, but she is learning to stand up for herself much better when her family tries to take her shop away. She learns something in this story that shakes and bends her but doesn’t break her.

The author has written a dynamic story with a couple of mysteries swirled together with family drama. I really like the way all the subplots flowed together with the main plot almost effortlessly. This seaside mystery does have its share of red herrings and diversions that keep us readers on our toes. Penn seems to hone in on one individual but my mind kept pulling me in another direction. In my mind, the answer really depended on if the mysteries are separate or connected. The family battle over Penn’s inheritance gets a new twist that made me dislike members of that family even more. The ending left me surprised and wondering how I was going to wait the approximately 6 months until the next book comes out. 🙂

It was fun learning about the sea turtles and the great lengths people go to to protect their eggs and the species.

Oh and the chocolate! I have learned to have some nearby while reading this series. It doesn’t come close to what Penn and Bertie create for The Chocolate Box, but it takes care of my cravings.

Ms. St. James has penned another delectable treat for her readers to enjoy. I hope she writes the next one fast!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Jack and Pen fans Rejoice! This series is back with a brand new mystery! New readers Rejoice! The authors have written this mystery in a way that you can jump right in with this new mystery and feel right at home.

Penelope Thornton-McClure got more than she bargained for in her bookshop, but now that she has gotten to know Private Eye Jack Shepard she wouldn’t have it any other way. You see, Jack is a ghost from the 1940’s, killed in the shop in 1947, and he has saved her more than once. Together they have solved quite a few mysteries too.

A new book has just been released and it has been flying off the shelves. When a well to do customer falls apart in the store after a peek at the book jacket, Pen becomes concerned. That and the woman ran out of the store without paying for the book. When Pen tracks her down she makes a horrible discovery, the woman is dead and was killed not long before Pen’s arrival. The police say suicide but Pen doesn’t think so. There is a whole lot more about this bestseller than the story within the pages and with Jack’s help Pen is going find out what it is, even if it means making contact with a killer.

I was so excited to hear this series was returning. Book #5, The Ghost in the Haunted Mansion was released in 2008. Ten years later our patience has been rewarded. Don’t worry if you have forgotten details about the characters or if this is a new series to you. The characters are all introduced like this is the first book in the series. They are some incredible characters too. Jack, Pen, Aunt Sadie, co-owner of the bookstore, mailman Seymour, and Bookmark, the cat, are all back.

The author’s style of writing really set a scene and give readers a delightful mystery. Well-written and well-plotted the story is full of twists and turns that make the book very hard to put down. I really love the trips back in time Jack takes Pen on via her dreams. She and readers get to see how one of his old cases played out and helps her see clues to the current mystery.

These authors never fail to give readers an impressive mystery. I was so excited to start reading this book but was sad to see it end. I am so happy to have reconnected with these characters and truly hope we do not have to wait 10 years to visit Quindicott again.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Their twins have been born and their house is being rebuilt after the tornado, Skye, Wally, and the babies are leaving in a fabulous RV. Life is good. Then the new parents are meeting with the priest to go over details for the babies’ christening when a loud explosion rocks them and the building. They run outside to see that the explosion occurred at the bowling alley. The bowling alley where Skye’s former boyfriend’s mother lives. Police chief Wally and Skye take in the scene and after the firemen rescue those that were trapped in the building they are both rocked again by one of the people coming out of the building. But there was someone that didn’t make it out. A body is found in the debris.

Was the bowling alley targeted because of the flak about the gambling machines? Or is there some other reason a bomb was placed in the building? Wally is right in the thick of the investigation but Skye is doing some investigating of her own. She is also handling some things at school for the intern filling in for her while she is on maternity leave. And then there are the twins, the christening, the baby shower where her mother has invited over 150 people, and decisions that need to be made regarding their new home. To say Skye and Wally have a lot on their plate in an understatement of epic proportions.

Whether this is your first book in this series you have picked up or if you are a long time fan you are in for a wonderful treat!

Ms. Swanson has taken Syke through thick and thin over the now 23 Scumble River and Welcome Back to Scumble River series’. I was a little nervous about how these babies may slow her down, but we saw in this story that that is not the case. Skye has really matured over the course of the series. She and Wally make a great team both as parents and investigators. With all their friends and extended family, there is never a dull moment in Scumble River.

This story was incredibly easy to escape into. The characters are likable, believable, and engaging. The dialogue is spot on too. I was surprised that the new babies remain unnamed until the christening when the names are revealed. There is no way my family or my husband’s family would have let us get away with that. But it did make the moment very special.

Now the mystery starts out with several potential suspects, the victim was not an easy person to like and they were doing anything to advance their career on the backs of others. With a little digging, the list of suspects was pared down quickly. The author throws several red herrings along the path to distract us too. Everything comes to a surprising end in totally the wrong place. Yes, I was on edge until it all played out.

Caution – there are a few curse words in the story, but the new parents are working on that 🙂

Superb characters in some crazy situations come together in the well-written mystery. I would have finished the whole thing all in one evening if only my eyeballs would have cooperated.

This was a fun read!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Carly’s mom is getting ready for a high society wedding at her chapel. The son of Senator Warren Calhoun and his bride are prepared to tie the knot. But Katie Sue Perrywinkle has come back to town and she has issues with the Senator that need to be addressed. Before she can do anything she is found dead. Could the Calhouns have killed her or could it have been someone in the family she left behind when she moved away? Carly finds a way to get to get close to both families so she can try to figure out who got rid of her friend, Katie Sue. She also puts herself right in the killer’s sights.

This second book is a great addition to this series. Like her Wishcraft Mysteries, the story has a paranormal witchy theme that doesn’t overtake the entire story. We know Carly has ways to make her special potions work, and she has an empathy power so she can feel what people are feeling. The empathy thing can be very helpful not only in her work but in finding the killer. Her special talents and knowledge aside she is pretty normal. She is always at her mother’s beck and call to help with the chapel. She is the go-to person for her Aunts. She is trying to work things out with her ex-fiance while he is helping to renovate her house.

All the recurring characters are wonderfully written, unique, funny and entertaining. The new characters are well fleshed out. The author lets us get to know them throughout the entire book. The jury was out for me on some of them for me until the very end, but there were a couple I knew were bad from the first mention, but by the end, I had attached “downright evil” to these people.

This mystery was very twisted up regarding Katie Sue. Plenty of suspects and plenty of opportunities. While trying to solve this mystery, Carly stumbles into another one. The second one was easy for me to solve, the first one I was stumped until the very end. Then I was mad at myself because I should have figured that one out too or at least had the person on my radar. Great diversion on the author’s part.

Heather Blake is a fantastic storyteller! She has created a story with a terrific mix of mystery, suspense, humor, magic, and romance. Everything in the proper proportions for a great cozy mystery. This was a delightful read!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Carly’s mom is getting ready for a high society wedding at her chapel. The son of Senator Warren Calhoun and his bride are prepared to tie the knot. But Katie Sue Perrywinkle has come back to town and she has issues with the Senator that need to be addressed. Before she can do anything she is found dead. Could the Calhouns have killed her or could it have been someone in the family she left behind when she moved away? Carly finds a way to get to get close to both families so she can try to figure out who got rid of her friend, Katie Sue. She also puts herself right in the killer’s sights.

This second book is a great addition to this series. Like her Wishcraft Mysteries, the story has a paranormal witchy theme that doesn’t overtake the entire story. We know Carly has ways to make her special potions work, and she has an empathy power so she can feel what people are feeling. The empathy thing can be very helpful not only in her work but in finding the killer. Her special talents and knowledge aside she is pretty normal. She is always at her mother’s beck and call to help with the chapel. She is the go-to person for her Aunts. She is trying to work things out with her ex-fiance while he is helping to renovate her house.

All the recurring characters are wonderfully written, unique, funny and entertaining. The new characters are well fleshed out. The author lets us get to know them throughout the entire book. The jury was out for me on some of them for me until the very end, but there were a couple I knew were bad from the first mention, but by the end, I had attached “downright evil” to these people.

This mystery was very twisted up regarding Katie Sue. Plenty of suspects and plenty of opportunities. While trying to solve this mystery, Carly stumbles into another one. The second one was easy for me to solve, the first one I was stumped until the very end. Then I was mad at myself because I should have figured that one out too or at least had the person on my radar. Great diversion on the author’s part.

Heather Blake is a fantastic storyteller! She has created a story with a terrific mix of mystery, suspense, humor, magic, and romance. Everything in the proper proportions for a great cozy mystery. This was a delightful read!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Weddings and donuts, that is a new tradition I would love! Emily and her father-in-law, Tom, create a donut wall for the wedding of Jenn, the owner of Dressed to Kill. The bride’s favorite donuts on one side and the groom’s favorites on the other. It is a big hit with the guests and the groom makes a regular pig of himself eating one after another. That is until he ends up dead on the floor. Seems someone has added their own secret ingredient to some of the pastries. An item that was made to kill. Everyone at the reception becomes a suspect, especially the bride. Emily knows the connection to her confections is going to be bad for business. She knows Detective Passenmath would love to pin the crime on her and Tom. She has no choice but to try the puzzle out the killer herself.

Tom and Emily own Deputy Donut, named after Emily’s tabby cat. Tom is the former police chief of Fallingbrook. His son was on the force too and Emily is a former 911 operator. The shop has a police theme complete with an old squad car for deliveries. These characters stole my heart in Survival of the Fritters. The nice thing about Deputy Donut is that police and fire personnel hang out there. Some key suspects also stop in a time or two, in addition to all the regulars. It is a unique place because Deputy Donut, the cat, has his own lair to watch over all the all the happenings. I really enjoy how the author has set this up as we get to know the characters better at this special gathering place.

The mystery this time had so many suspects but I set my sights on someone very early in the story. Then I followed along with Emily and let me tell you the author built everything up to a very exciting ending. I was right about the who and most of the why, but boy I was on the edge of my seat at the climactic scene that brought everything together.

The story is set in my wonderful state of Wisconsin and the author described everything wonderfully. The closest thing to Deputy Donut that we have nearby now is Dunkin’ Donuts, but growing up we had a wonderful bakery that reminds me in many ways of Emily and Tom’s shop. Great donuts and a great gathering place to find out all the latest news about town. Crullers are some of my favorites as are powdered sugared (I may be looking at those a little closer now). 🙂

I can’t wait for my next visit!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Tricia Miles just has a way of finding dead bodies. Many in town call her a jinx, some straight to her face. Well, this time she doesn’t even need to leave her newly redone apartment to add another dead body to her list. While hosting a housewarming party one of her guests keels over dead. Tricia isn’t much of a cook but she never imagined someone dying after eating her food. The guy must have had an allergic reaction, she can’t be held responsible for that. She didn’t even know the guy, he was the date of one of her other guests. Chief Bakes soon finds out what the toxin was and it is not something commonly found in food, especially Tricia’s kitchen. Which means the man was murdered!

While all this is going on Tricia is running for Chamber of Commerce president. A position her sister has decided to give up to dedicate more time to her businesses. Unfortunately, she has two opponents and they are discrediting her all over town and using that whole jinx thing against her. Can she win an election and catch a killer? She sure is going to try.

There is never a dull moment in Booktown, something is always happening. Tricia’s party, the chamber election, Tricia’s sister Angelica is worried about something, Stoneham as a vandal causing damage and then, of course, there is the dead guy on Tricia’s floor. Ms. Barrett packs Poisoned Pages with a very captivating cozy mystery. In fact, there is more than one mystery to solve and they may or may not be connected.

The staff at Haven’t Got A Clue always has Tricia’s back. This allows her plenty of time to tool around town trying to get the answers she needs to book the person that used her party for their crime. She also spends plenty of time with her sister hoping to find answers there too. Mr. Everett and Pixie Poe are the perfect employees. Pixie has really come into her own. Her creativity shines this time as she pulls out all the stops to help Tricia become the next Chamber of Commerce President. Mr. Everett has other things on his mind. He and his wife are adopting an elderly cat. He is so excited and has plenty of pictures of the feline to share.

The plot of this story tangles all the mystery elements together. With only a week to campaign before the election, Tricia has the perfect opportunity to question many of the suspects. She also got her sister to reveal what was bothering her and that gave her another mystery to solve. She plans to leave the vandal to the police but she thinks she knows their identity too. It was so much fun to traipse around town each step of the way with Tricia. I was completely gobsmacked when all was revealed.

This truly is one of my favorite series. I love these characters. I am excited about where Tricia may be heading in her personal life. Angelica unleashes a surprise in this story that will change her life in a really good way. These sisters worked hard to get their relationship where it is today and I have enjoyed following along. So much has happened over the course of this series but the author keeps her characters and their stories fresh and relevant. You can read this book as a stand-alone but this is a series the really should be read from the start, in order, to fully appreciate how far these characters have come.

I am so excited for the next installment of this series

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Tricia Miles just has a way of finding dead bodies. Many in town call her a jinx, some straight to her face. Well, this time she doesn’t even need to leave her newly redone apartment to add another dead body to her list. While hosting a housewarming party one of her guests keels over dead. Tricia isn’t much of a cook but she never imagined someone dying after eating her food. The guy must have had an allergic reaction, she can’t be held responsible for that. She didn’t even know the guy, he was the date of one of her other guests. Chief Bakes soon finds out what the toxin was and it is not something commonly found in food, especially Tricia’s kitchen. Which means the man was murdered!

While all this is going on Tricia is running for Chamber of Commerce president. A position her sister has decided to give up to dedicate more time to her businesses. Unfortunately, she has two opponents and they are discrediting her all over town and using that whole jinx thing against her. Can she win an election and catch a killer? She sure is going to try.

There is never a dull moment in Booktown, something is always happening. Tricia’s party, the chamber election, Tricia’s sister Angelica is worried about something, Stoneham as a vandal causing damage and then, of course, there is the dead guy on Tricia’s floor. Ms. Barrett packs Poisoned Pages with a very captivating cozy mystery. In fact, there is more than one mystery to solve and they may or may not be connected.

The staff at Haven’t Got A Clue always has Tricia’s back. This allows her plenty of time to tool around town trying to get the answers she needs to book the person that used her party for their crime. She also spends plenty of time with her sister hoping to find answers there too. Mr. Everett and Pixie Poe are the perfect employees. Pixie has really come into her own. Her creativity shines this time as she pulls out all the stops to help Tricia become the next Chamber of Commerce President. Mr. Everett has other things on his mind. He and his wife are adopting an elderly cat. He is so excited and has plenty of pictures of the feline to share.

The plot of this story tangles all the mystery elements together. With only a week to campaign before the election, Tricia has the perfect opportunity to question many of the suspects. She also got her sister to reveal what was bothering her and that gave her another mystery to solve. She plans to leave the vandal to the police but she thinks she knows their identity too. It was so much fun to traipse around town each step of the way with Tricia. I was completely gobsmacked when all was revealed.

This truly is one of my favorite series. I love these characters. I am excited about where Tricia may be heading in her personal life. Angelica unleashes a surprise in this story that will change her life in a really good way. These sisters worked hard to get their relationship where it is today and I have enjoyed following along. So much has happened over the course of this series but the author keeps her characters and their stories fresh and relevant. You can read this book as a stand-alone but this is a series the really should be read from the start, in order, to fully appreciate how far these characters have come.

I am so excited for the next installment of this series

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I really love this series. Growing up in a family that owned and operated a restaurant much like the Terminal at the Tracks before Laurel arrived I know the author’s depiction of how hard it is to keep an eatery open with enough customers to turn a profit is true. My mother sold the restaurant not long after my father passed and no one else has been able to take it over and replicate the success she had. I love Laurel’s idea of a different type of cuisine every month while still keeping customer favorite’s on the menu. It keeps the menu fresh and fun both for the customers and the cooks.

By this third book in the series, Laurel has decided to stay in Hubbard and Sophia is back to work. A new waitress adds a bit of drama, but the staff works together like a well-oiled machine. The characters this author has created are so realistic. I feel like I could take a little trip to Ohio and walk right into the Terminal at the Tracks. The dialogue rings true. The relationships have developed naturally. This cast has worked their way right into my heart.

The idea of Hollywood superstar Meghan Cohan, Laurel’s former employer showing up in Hubbard would never have crossed my mind. I was totally surprised at how she made her appearance. To have her be the victim brought a wonderful new group of characters to the story. Her assistant, her son, her ex-husband and more. So many likely suspects all with the motive to cause her icy demise.

Ms. Logan plotted this story out with knife-like precision. Twists and turns with a real mystery not only of “whodunit” but why they “dunit”. Laurel has a heck of a time figuring this one out even after she ends up out cold and headed to the hospital. I was totally in the dark until the very end. I love the way all the suspects were brought together for the grand reveal.

I did enjoy how the events in the story allowed Laurel to look back at her life in California and even back to being a foster child. This made it possible to really open herself up to opportunities that were staring her right in the face.

This is an excellent addition to this series. The way the final pages are written I am sad to say I think this is the last book in this series which really upsets me. These are characters I am not ready to say goodbye to and there are so many more countries to visit for ethnic eats. I really hope I am wrong.

I highly recommend all three books in this series!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I really love this series. Growing up in a family that owned and operated a restaurant much like the Terminal at the Tracks before Laurel arrived I know the author’s depiction of how hard it is to keep an eatery open with enough customers to turn a profit is true. My mother sold the restaurant not long after my father passed and no one else has been able to take it over and replicate the success she had. I love Laurel’s idea of a different type of cuisine every month while still keeping customer favorite’s on the menu. It keeps the menu fresh and fun both for the customers and the cooks.

By this third book in the series, Laurel has decided to stay in Hubbard and Sophia is back to work. A new waitress adds a bit of drama, but the staff works together like a well-oiled machine. The characters this author has created are so realistic. I feel like I could take a little trip to Ohio and walk right into the Terminal at the Tracks. The dialogue rings true. The relationships have developed naturally. This cast has worked their way right into my heart.

The idea of Hollywood superstar Meghan Cohan, Laurel’s former employer showing up in Hubbard would never have crossed my mind. I was totally surprised at how she made her appearance. To have her be the victim brought a wonderful new group of characters to the story. Her assistant, her son, her ex-husband and more. So many likely suspects all with the motive to cause her icy demise.

Ms. Logan plotted this story out with knife-like precision. Twists and turns with a real mystery not only of “whodunit” but why they “dunit”. Laurel has a heck of a time figuring this one out even after she ends up out cold and headed to the hospital. I was totally in the dark until the very end. I love the way all the suspects were brought together for the grand reveal.

I did enjoy how the events in the story allowed Laurel to look back at her life in California and even back to being a foster child. This made it possible to really open herself up to opportunities that were staring her right in the face.

This is an excellent addition to this series. The way the final pages are written I am sad to say I think this is the last book in this series which really upsets me. These are characters I am not ready to say goodbye to and there are so many more countries to visit for ethnic eats. I really hope I am wrong.

I highly recommend all three books in this series!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Sun City West is launching a production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and because all the members of Phee’s mom’s book club love mysteries they all just have to be part of the play. Sophie “Phee” Kimball has other things on her mind, like the new private investigator joining the firm where she works. Someone from her past and she just doesn’t know how she can see him every day without telling him how she feels.

But of course, her mother has to interrupt her at work several times a day with all the happenings at the theater. When Phee receives a call saying a cast member was dead she rushes to the theater to find her mother and her friends uninjured but the star of the play dead up on the catwalk. Phee finds herself in the middle of another investigation along with the new P.I., Marshall Gregory because the Booked 4 Murder Book Club doesn’t think the police have a clue so they have hired the firm to solve the case. Curtain up, light the lights. there is a murder mystery to solve if Phee survives both her mother and the killer.

Thankfully Phee’s Aunt Ina is out of town, so she only needs to be at her mother’s beck and call. Harriet is a real force, says what she thinks, interrupts in the most inopportune moments, and demands her daughter do what she tells her to do, right now! If Harriet was my mother I would either be in jail or live far, far, away. Sophie has the patience of a saint and so does Marshall Gregory. Phee had warned him about her mother and her friends, who aren’t as demanding as Harriet but are pretty manipulative in their own right. Marshall doesn’t back off but takes them all with a grain of salt. He does have feelings for Phee, I just hope whatever relationship they try to have can survive one of the pushiest women on the planet.

After you get used to Harriet’s boldness we are treated to an exceptionable mystery. Twists, threats, “ghosts”, secrets, trapdoors, spotlights, and murder all collide to keep readers glued to the pages. The police really dropped the ball at the beginning of the investigation. It took some digging for the real suspects to come into focus. As all the clues start to fall into place and the mouse is almost trapped the suspense ramps up. I did think after learning all about the mechanisms around and under the stage that Phee would surprise the killer in a different way with to set up the ending. The approach used by the authors did bring the story to a satisfactory conclusion with some chilling moments too.

The Booked 4 Murder ladies do bring a lot of humor to the story. I do have hope for the budding romance between Marcus and Phee, but with Aunt Ina back in town, heaven only knows what the next book will bring.

A fast-paced entertaining read. I should be recovered from Harriet by the time the next book is released. 🙂 All three books in this series have been pleasures to read. I am looking forward to my next visit with Sophie “Phee” Kimball!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Sun City West is launching a production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and because all the members of Phee’s mom’s book club love mysteries they all just have to be part of the play. Sophie “Phee” Kimball has other things on her mind, like the new private investigator joining the firm where she works. Someone from her past and she just doesn’t know how she can see him every day without telling him how she feels.

But of course, her mother has to interrupt her at work several times a day with all the happenings at the theater. When Phee receives a call saying a cast member was dead she rushes to the theater to find her mother and her friends uninjured but the star of the play dead up on the catwalk. Phee finds herself in the middle of another investigation along with the new P.I., Marshall Gregory because the Booked 4 Murder Book Club doesn’t think the police have a clue so they have hired the firm to solve the case. Curtain up, light the lights. there is a murder mystery to solve if Phee survives both her mother and the killer.

Thankfully Phee’s Aunt Ina is out of town, so she only needs to be at her mother’s beck and call. Harriet is a real force, says what she thinks, interrupts in the most inopportune moments, and demands her daughter do what she tells her to do, right now! If Harriet was my mother I would either be in jail or live far, far, away. Sophie has the patience of a saint and so does Marshall Gregory. Phee had warned him about her mother and her friends, who aren’t as demanding as Harriet but are pretty manipulative in their own right. Marshall doesn’t back off but takes them all with a grain of salt. He does have feelings for Phee, I just hope whatever relationship they try to have can survive one of the pushiest women on the planet.

After you get used to Harriet’s boldness we are treated to an exceptionable mystery. Twists, threats, “ghosts”, secrets, trapdoors, spotlights, and murder all collide to keep readers glued to the pages. The police really dropped the ball at the beginning of the investigation. It took some digging for the real suspects to come into focus. As all the clues start to fall into place and the mouse is almost trapped the suspense ramps up. I did think after learning all about the mechanisms around and under the stage that Phee would surprise the killer in a different way with to set up the ending. The approach used by the authors did bring the story to a satisfactory conclusion with some chilling moments too.

The Booked 4 Murder ladies do bring a lot of humor to the story. I do have hope for the budding romance between Marcus and Phee, but with Aunt Ina back in town, heaven only knows what the next book will bring.

A fast-paced entertaining read. I should be recovered from Harriet by the time the next book is released. 🙂 All three books in this series have been pleasures to read. I am looking forward to my next visit with Sophie “Phee” Kimball!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This story really grabbed me from the start and then it turned eerie and I liked it even more. By the time I reached the end I wasn’t totally surprised because we see where the story is headed, but watching it all play out still had me saying “Wow”. I knew what the last line of the book was going to be and I was like “Yes”!

Typical Patterson, short chapters that keep the pages turning, unable to stop reading because you just have to see what the next chapter will bring. You can definitely see what Howard Roughan brought to the table too that makes this story different from a straight James Patterson novel. As I am reading this book years after its release date, I did notice the book had several 1-star reviews. I am glad they didn’t deter me from reading it. I liked this book because it was different, not at all what I expected and I read it all in one day because I could not put it down. The supernatural element was not expected and really turned the plot upside now.

An enjoyable read. I am glad I didn’t let those 1-stars stop me.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This story really grabbed me from the start and then it turned eerie and I liked it even more. By the time I reached the end I wasn’t totally surprised because we see where the story is headed, but watching it all play out still had me saying “Wow”. I knew what the last line of the book was going to be and I was like “Yes”!

Typical Patterson, short chapters that keep the pages turning, unable to stop reading because you just have to see what the next chapter will bring. You can definitely see what Howard Roughan brought to the table too that makes this story different from a straight James Patterson novel. As I am reading this book years after its release date, I did notice the book had several 1-star reviews. I am glad they didn’t deter me from reading it. I liked this book because it was different, not at all what I expected and I read it all in one day because I could not put it down. The supernatural element was not expected and really turned the plot upside now.

An enjoyable read. I am glad I didn’t let those 1-stars stop me.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

We return to Booktown just in time for bestselling thriller author Steven Richardson’s book signing at Haven’t Got A Clue. Tricia is totally surprised when her dad walks into the signing. He left abruptly his last visit owing a lot of money. Before she has time to worry about him the signing is over and her dad has disappeared. Tricia and Angelica lock up the store and head to the Dog Eared Page for a drink, but see something down the street, a hardcover copy of Steven Richardson’s new book. Tricia picks up the book and looks around and discovers a body. It is Carol Talbot. She was at the signing and had altercations with both her father and Steven. This can’t be good. Both men are going to be prime suspects.

I love this series! Tricia, Angelica, Pixie Poe, and Mr. Everett always make me feel right at home. All the characters are expertly crafted and continue to evolve. Tricia is renovating her space above her store after a fire. Angelica’s businesses are thriving. Pixie Poe is getting married and Mr. Everett and his wife Grace are blissfully happy. The Miles sisters learn more about their dad’s past and their mother comes to visit too. With Tricia and Miss Marple already displaced from their home due to the construction, Angelica just having her loft and most of the other lodging in the town full, it becomes a funny juggling act to accommodate everyone. What I like the best though is the way these sisters work together, take care of each other, and still try to everything they can for their friends and Booktown.

This story is filled with plenty of drama too. The girl’s father goes missing and just when they track him down his is gone again. He really isn’t a nice man. Their mother has taken care of him forever but she had enough and kicked him out. He takes terrible advantage of his daughters and even their friends.

Then, of course, there is the murder and then another murder. Could their father really have killed someone? The victim has a dark past, could the killer know her from then? Twists, turns, spins, this story has it all. The author sets a fast pace and doesn’t let up until all has been revealed.

Lorna Barrett continues to delight me with her writing. Strong characters and fantastic stories. I am excited about the next installment, Poisoned Pages, it releases next month.