Category: 5-Stars

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Book Review: Must Have Been Love by Carrie Elks   @CarrieElks

Must Have Been Love
 by Carrie Elks

 

 

Amazon / B&N / BB

Enemies by day. Electric tension by night. Welcome to small town chaos.

Inheriting a rundown bar from the father who abandoned me should be my chance to start over.

Instead, it puts me directly in the path of Hudson Fitzgerald—single dad, small town royalty, and the most insufferable man I’ve ever met. He’s rich, broody, and way too good-looking for my peace of mind.

Oh, and he wants me gone.

But I didn’t come here just to tuck my tail and run away. I came to prove I’m not the hot mess everyone thinks I am. Even if that means going head-to-head with Hudson every single day.

He thinks I’m chaos in a crop top. I think he’s a control freak with a stick where the sun doesn’t shine. But beneath all that tension is something else. Something electric.

And when he kisses me? Let’s just say, for a man who claims he doesn’t do messy, he sure knows how to make a mess of me.

I was only supposed to be here long enough to fix up my bar. I never meant to fall for the man who runs this place like he owns it.

But in a small town like this, love has a way of sneaking up on you.

Fans of enemies-to-lovers, forbidden kisses and grumpy billionaires won’t want to miss this small town romcom packed with laugh-out-loud banter and smouldering tension!

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She stands out like a sore thumb in the sea of pastel princesses, because she’s wearing some kind of dark brown leather bodice, laced so tightly it pushes her breasts up that I swear she’s a breath away from a wardrobe malfunction.

If I thought my heart was pounding before, it’s pretty much launching itself on a suicide mission against my ribcage now.

You don’t strike me as somebody who cares if things are a good idea…

And I promise that no matter how many storms we face, I’ll be your calm in the chaos, your partner in every adventure, and the one who loves you so deeply that even songs can’t do it justice. Forever and always, you’ll be my melody, my magic, and my everything.

My Review:

 

This is such a fun read that I didn’t even mind the angsty part, and I generally despise angst. I adored this couple; they were hot stuff, like atomically combustible hot. The characters were likable yet significantly flawed. Each storyline was engaging, well-paced, cleverly amusing, and provided a significant contribution to the plot. What more could a reader ask for?

 

Carrie Elks writes contemporary romance with a sizzling edge. Her first book, Fix You, has been translated into eight languages and made a surprise appearance on Big Brother in Brazil. Luckily for her, it wasn’t voted out. Carrie lives with her husband, two lovely children, and a larger-than-life black pug called Plato. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found baking, drinking an occasional (!) glass of wine, or chatting on social media.

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Book Review: Quietly Yours (Quiet Love Book 3) by L.H. Cosway   @l.h.cosway @greyspromo

Quietly Yours
(Quiet Love Book 3)
by L.H. Cosway 

 

Amazon  / BB

 

Ada Rose never expected to find herself homeless in her thirties. Then again, she also never thought she’d encounter a man as heartless as Jonathan Oaks. Her job managing a care home for the elderly is a struggle and the sudden death of her father and stepmother, who she had been living with— has thrown her world into disarray. The house is left to Jonathan, her stepmother’s estranged son, and he wants Ada gone ASAP.

In fact, he’s given her a week to pack her things and move out.

As a resident in the home, Ada knows she has certain rights, but her pride gets the better of her. If Jonathan wants her gone, then she’ll go, and finding herself out of options, she resorts to sleeping in her car. But she’s a survivor and has gotten through a lot worse.

After a week and still finding no apartments in her price range, Ada is getting desperate. She receives a call from Jonathan requesting that she come collect some of her late father’s belongings. She doesn’t expect him to be there when she drops by, and after he takes one look at Ada’s possessions stuffed into her car, she’s filled with a sense of shame. Resentment, too, because he’s the very reason her life has been upended.

Being a wealthy investment banker, Ada anticipates Jonathan’s disdain for her situation but it never comes. Instead he mentions a vacant apartment he owns and offers to rent it to her for a reasonable price. Not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth, Ada accepts his offer. But what she doesn’t realise is that the apartment is right next door to Jonathan’s, and becoming his neighbour means getting to know him a whole lot better.

Quietly Yours is book #3 in L.H. Cosway’s Quiet Love Series and can be read as a standalone.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

It felt like thorns were cinching around my heart, pricking the tender organ and squeezing tighter and tighter until I couldn’t stand the pain.

If this was what hell felt like, people were right to fear it.

I’m pretty sure that boy came out of the womb and immediately began flirting with the midwife.

My brain shut off, like an electricity grid suddenly losing power. One minute, it was a map of switched on, glowing lights, and the next, darkness. No connections were going through.

Regrets were a problem for tomorrow.

My Review:

 

This series had an excellent start with Quiet Types, and miraculously just gets better and better. I can’t wait to see what she does next. The writing is emotive, engaging, easy to fall into, and is populated with flawed yet likable and hardworking characters I’d enjoy knowing and would be proud to have as a friend.

 

 

About the Author

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L.H. Cosway lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books. She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories. L.H. is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

 

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Series Book Review:  Finlay Donovan Series by Elle Cosimano  @ellecosimano 

#1 Finaly Donovan is Killing It

 

#2 Finaly Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead

#3 Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun

#3.5 Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank

#4 Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice

# 5 Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

#1 Finaly Donovan is Killing It

Shame wasn’t a color that existed in Theresa’s wardrobe.

…certain things about motherhood had always eluded me, and cooking had been one of them. Apparently, marriage had been the other.

#2 Finaly Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead

Not because I wanted to kill Steven. I mean, I did, I guess. Some days. Most days. Definitely whenever he opened his mouth.

My heart raced as I ducked into the passenger side and locked the door. I stared at the dashboard, unable to form words. The exterior of the car was a giant phallus, and the interior looked like Darth Vader’s bathroom.

#3 Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun

“The child is holding very still. I think he might be up to something.” I wrinkled my nose. Zach was definitely up to something. “He’s grunting and his face is turning red. I think he’s possessed.”

It was only a month into the new year, and I was throwing my third resolution into the fire like a cheap champagne flute.

#3.5 Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank

Darren was all clumsy hands and overly optimistic tongue. It was a little like playing Whac-A-Mole with a clingy octopus with boundary issues. It was obvious he wasn’t keeping any big secrets in his pants.

Her mother was a tiny whirlwind. A five-foot-two-inch wrecking ball of unfiltered honesty and brutal determination. She was unstoppable, like the Terminator,

Javier Romero had the most disarming smile Vero had ever seen, but he could also turn bad assery into a full-time job.

#4 Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice

“A parley?” he said, rubbing his watering eyes. “Who do you think you are, Jack Sparrow? This isn’t Pirates of the Caribbean.”

I leaned back against the wall between our rooms, sliding down it until I was sitting on the carpet. It was tacky and smelled like cigarettes and despair.

…that man has a very sexy voice. I think my panties are wet, and at my age, that’s really saying something. Put me on speaker.

Poker’s all about faking it, Finn. After eight years being married to Steven, you’ve got plenty of experience with that.

The woman pointed a long black fingernail at a chalkboard sign. PSYCHIC READINGS $ 25. PALM. TAROT. CRYSTAL BALL. “You want a reading?” she asked, affecting an accent that sounded a lot like my agent doing an impression of Count Chocula.

“There’s a very reasonable explanation for this,” I said calmly. “We just don’t know exactly what it is yet.”

# 5 Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave

I’d made some observations after all the time I’d spent with my mother and Mrs. Haggerty over the last few weeks, and getting old seemed a little like going through adolescence backward.

“Why won’t he keep his pants on?” my father asked. “Probably something to do with the apple and the tree.

He couldn’t get out of here fast enough. The guy laid enough rubber in the street to outfit the whole tire department at Costco.

A quiet two-year-old was rarely a good thing. Last time Zach had been alone and quiet in the bathroom, he’d been finger-painting the walls with his own poop.

‘He’s a really good cop!” Vero called out over the women as they started to argue. “The best! He’s like John McClane in Die Hard, but with better hair. And a lot more backup!”

My Review:

 

I gleefully bounced in my chair and frequently laughed aloud while I inhaled this amusing and cleverly penned series. I loved every well-chosen arrangement of words. Elle Cosimano is absolutely brilliant, and her Finaly Donovan creation is a gift. Poor Finaly, she was a semi-successful writer who had an ex-husband who couldn’t keep it in his pants and a toddler who refused to keep his pants on, or toilet train. Finaly was a hot mess.

Her adventures started with an inadvertent slip of paper on a Panera tray, which eventually led her to helping various women living in difficult situations who were “seeking a specialist with a certain skill set.” Finaly didn’t actually have the skill set, but she and Vero, her ever helpful nanny, kept managing to accidentally kill bad people, some they were supposed to, others just had the bad luck to die in their vicinity.

The engaging storylines were active, eventful, smartly plotted, and populated with a colorful cast of oddly compelling characters, many of whom were unlikable, yet quirkily and knowingly drawn. I downed six in a row and finished the last one hoping there are more to come.

Elle Cosimano is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Award winner, and an Edgar® Award nominee. Her acclaimed young adult novels include Nearly Gone, Holding Smoke, The Suffering Tree, and Seasons of the Storm. Elle’s debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a PEOPLE Magazine Pick and one of New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2021. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Time. Elle lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia.

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Book Review:  The Seaside Murders (The Secret Detective Agency #2) by Helena Dixon @NellDixon  @Bookouture

The Seaside Murders 
(The Secret Detective Agency #2)
by Helena Dixon

Amazon  / B&N / BB

 

A pretty seaside town, a body on the beach, and a boatload of clues. Can super-sleuth Miss Jane Treen solve the mystery?

England, 1941: When Jane Treen is summoned to her boss’s office at the end of a long day, she smooths down her tweed skirt and makes them both another strong pot of coffee. Brigadier Remmington-Blythe slides a folded copy of the evening newspaper towards her, with one small article circled in red ink. A body has been found on an English beach in the little seaside town where she grew up, and he wants her to investigate.

Jane is used to managing secret agents and spies, but she is now part of The Secret Detective Agency, England’s answer to solving the most mysterious murders. Making her way to the coast and brimming with curiosity, she’s heartened that shy and handsome codebreaking genius Arthur Cilento will be joining her to help her wade through the fishy goings-on. Although Jane doubts he will appreciate her bringing her beloved one-eyed cat, Marmaduke…

Together, Jane and Arthur drop anchor in her crumbling childhood home overlooking the sandy beach where the body was found. Surrounded by potential suspects, their eyes are on a devious doctor, an eccentric artist, and a secret sweetheart. But as Jane and Arthur are searching for the truth, those giving evidence start to clam up. One thing seems sure: they need to reel in the killer before they’re out of their depth…

Can The Secret Detective Agency triumph again, or will they meet their watery end at high tide?

If you love twisty crime novels, top-secret intrigue and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Helena Dixon’s totally gripping cozy novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright!

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Arthur thought Captain Prudhoe looked rather as if someone had just pulled the pin from a grenade right in front of him.

Personally, Arthur thought Jane was at her most terrifying when she was being nice to people.

Mr Briggs placed his hands behind his back, reminding Arthur of a rather plump, prosperous pigeon about to commence strutting.

I suppose it was too much to hope for that you had snagged a man at last. I swear, Janey pie, you couldn’t catch one even if I gave you a net.

This is none of your business, and if you breathe one word of anything that you might see or hear tonight, then I swear I shall never speak to you ever again. I’ll also tell the press your real age.

My Review:

 

This cozy historical series has been a fun diversion from the intense thrillers I’ve been reading of late. The murder mysteries are confounding, unpredictable, and exceptionally well-plotted between lashings of humorous observations and the sneakily wry descriptions this crafty scribbler provides for her quirky characters. I enjoyed getting to know them better and am looking forward to more of their adventures.

About the Author

 

Helena Dixon is the author of the best-selling Miss Underhay murder mystery series and lives in Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years, she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel, and housework. She was the winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 and Love Story of the Year 2010 as Nell Dixon.

 

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Book Review: Hot Shot (Roseville Ramblers #2) by Staci Hart  @imaquirkybird

Hot Shot
(Roseville Ramblers #2)
 by Staci Hart

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Never thought I’d agree to a marriage of convenience to my hot, firefighter ex boyfriend.
Especially after he casually informs me we’ve been married for ten years.

Ten years ago, Wilder and I were so in love that we got married in Vegas for one night only before leaving for college on different sides of the world. He was supposed to mail the annulment papers.

Problem is, he didn’t.
Worse? He didn’t tell me.
Not even when I came back to town to marry another man.

But now he needs my help, and I can’t say no. All I have to do is have to pretend in front of the whole town like we’re married. Hold hands. Kiss. Not throw myself at him when he looks at me like I’m the only woman in the world.

My body might remember him, but the rest of me isn’t ready. Because I’m just learning how to find myself, and if I get wrapped up in Wilder’s world, I’ll lose more than my heart—I’ll lose everything.

Again.

 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Her laughter is like hearing an old song my heart forgot.

My major organs are playing checkers.

I wonder absently if a human jaw can unhinge like a snake. Molly’s tonsils are on full display.

All I need are more hours in the day and more days in the week. The thought doesn’t burst my bubble, but it definitely springs a leak.

My Review:

 

This one sizzled with atomic sensual heat and had my Kindle steaming up – or was that from my panting breath? I had to turn up all fans to high and keep libation on hand to stave off dehydration. I adore Staci Hart, she has a wicked sense of humor and was either blessed with a crafty storytelling gene or has a pen blessed by pixies. I covet her main character Wilder, he is the perfect book boyfriend. And BTW, I tried out her ingenious ten-second hugs, and they do work.

About the Author

 

 

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life — a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, though she’s certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she’s been drinking whiskey. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

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Book Review: Death at Inishmore Castle (Mercy McCarthy Mystery #3) by Lucy Connelly  @candace_havens @bookouture

Death at Inishmore Castle
(Mercy McCarthy Mystery #3)
by Lucy Connelly

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A grand castle, a glass of Irish whiskey, a good book by the fire… and a rather mysterious murder?

Historic Inishmore Castle is opening its doors for the first time, hosting a charming weekend of whiskey tasting and soda bread baking. Sisters Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are badly in need of a break, but their relaxing trip takes a decidedly unrestful turn when Mercy finds fellow guest Father Brennen slumped over the desk in the library… Did he have one glass too many or did someone want him dead?

Even more curiously, Mercy swiftly learns that the priest was no priest at all. So why was he searching through dusty old journals? Can the legend of Inishmore’s lost treasure possibly be true?

Mercy’s suspicions of foul play are confirmed when another of their party is found drowned in the lake at the edge of the manor’s estate. It can’t be a coincidence! Someone in this idyllic Irish castle is up to no good and Mercy is determined to find out who’s behind it, accompanied by her reluctant fellow sleuth and beloved dog Mr. Poe.

With a host of frightened guests and worried staff, and a storm closing in, Mercy soon has more suspects than bedrooms in the castle. Could it be the unconvincing nun, the busybody birdwatcher, or are the owners hiding something sinister? When Mercy realises there are secret passages in the walls, she thinks she might have cracked the case… but will she track the killer down, or will Inishmore be her resting place forever more?

A completely delightful Irish cozy mystery, full of warmth and wit. Fans of Agatha Christie, Carlene O’Connor, and Faith Martin will love Mercy McCarthy!

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’d say I will never do it again, but you’ve met me. I tend to be impulsively curious when things like this happen.

Mr. Poe yawned so big he almost fell over. It was way past his bedtime. He would sometimes try to drag Lizzie by her pajama legs upstairs if she stayed up late watching television. He was a dog with a schedule.

In Shamrock Cove, everyone knew your business, sometimes before you did. It was one of the town’s many quirks.

We didn’t hesitate to run toward the scream, which probably says so much about Lizzie and me regarding danger. We would most definitely be killed early on in any horror movie.

My Review:

 

This has been such a fun series, and each installment just gets better. The mysteries are well-plotted and expertly paced, the writing is smart, highly amusing, unfailingly engaging, and easy to follow, while the characters are quirky and well-fleshed out. And I absolutely adore Mr. Poe, the smartest crime-solving dog in the world. He deserves his very own superhero cape!

About the Author

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Bestselling author Candace Havens has published more than 25 books. Her novels have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion, Write Touch Reader Awards and National Reader’s Choice Awards. She is a Barbara Wilson Award winner. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. Candace runs a free online writing workshop for more than 2000 writers and teaches comprehensive writing classes.
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Book Review: A Recipe for Murder (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #21) by Verity Bright  @BrightVerity  @Bookouture 

A Recipe for Murder
(A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #21)
by Verity Bright

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Cream cakes, cucumber sandwiches, apple tarts and… poison? Lady Swift is trying to plan the menu for her wedding, until murder strikes in kitchens across the village!

Lady Eleanor Swift’s marriage to dashing Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon is just days away. There’s a lot to organise from the dress to the catering, including, of course, the all-important wedding cake.

But Eleanor is heartbroken when their chef, apple-cheeked Annie Tibetts, dies of poisoning. And as the doctor confirms her death wasn’t an accident, accusations fly around the whole community.

With more of the village struck down by the poison, Eleanor must unmask a killer who seems intent on spreading chaos amongst her nearest and dearest. Everyone is accusing their neighbour… and Eleanor is in a pickle as the seating plans for the wedding fall apart. But she soon has bigger fish to fry when the source of the poison is traced to a trusted establishment in town. Eleanor is certain they are being framed and that sabotage is afoot…

And when a sample of poisoned wedding cake is delivered anonymously to Hugh working at his station miles away in Oxford, Eleanor realises that while she has been planning for the future, her past has been catching up with her. Eleanor must race across the countryside to save her love from certain death. Can Eleanor find the proof in the pudding and save Hugh in time? And will the poisoner finally get their just desserts?

A gripping and totally twisty historical cozy mystery set in an English village. Fans of T.E. Kinsey, Catherine Coles and L.B. Hathaway won’t be able to put this down.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

The woman’s curiosity was sparked as fiercely as if he’d held a burning torch to it. She leaned in conspiratorially, so much so that she tripped over her own slippered foot.

…rumours have been streakin’ round the village like hornets with their tails afire.

I love you, Eleanor. With all my heart. And I always will. Grow old with me, my love. In my arms, forever.

My Review:

 

I continue my ongoing love affair with the smooth and vastly enticing word skills of the author combo of Verity Bright. I adore their amusing and brain-tickling murder mysteries and every one of their endearing and cleverly constructed characters. I would never have guessed that the cranky and uptight police detective introduced in the first installment would become such an adorable and swoony romantic.

About the Author

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Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humor before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.
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Book Review: My Loving Husband by Sheryl Browne    @bookouture  @sheryl.browne

My Loving Husband
by Sheryl Browne

 

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Can I really trust the man I married?

I take a sip of coffee as I plan my day. My surgeon husband, Cole, slept at work last night, so I had to get the kids ready on my own, again. I can’t complain, though, I’ve loved him ever since we met, long before he became a famous surgeon and the papers started calling him the pride of the hospital.

Our latest family photo hangs on the kitchen wall and I remember that day so clearly. Cole screamed at me over nothing, then apologised saying he was stressed at work. My heart pounded with fear, but I plastered a smile on my face for the sake of my children.

Now, as my phone buzzes on the glossy white kitchen island, I read the message from a withheld number, and nothing could have prepared me for what it says. Your husband is planning to kill you…

You might think you know what I do next, but you’ll be wrong, because Cole isn’t the most dangerous person in this family…

My Rating:

My Review:

 

I zipped through this tense yet easy-to-read tale as I was rather reluctant to put it down. The writing was smartly paced and well-honed, with several story threads that came together cleverly with unexpected twists. Ms. Browne is a crafty one and kept me guessing until the very end.

 

 

Bestselling Author, Sheryl Browne, writes taut, twisty psychological thrillers. Sheryl’s latest book publishing with fabulous Bookouture is MY LOVING HUSBAND. Her previous works include several psychological thrillers with Bookouture, the DI Matthew Adams Crime Thriller series, and contemporary fiction novels The Rest of My Life and Learning to Love published with Joffe Books. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the Romantic Novelists’ Association, she also has short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where she completed her MA in Creative Writing. Sheryl has obtained a Certificate of Achievement in Forensic Science and – according to readers – she makes an excellent psychopath. Sheryl lives in Worcestershire, UK, with her husband and rescue dogs, Brie and Pablo.

 

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Book Review: The Secret Detective Agency (The Secret Detective Agency #1) by Helena Dixon   @NellDixon  @Bookouture

The Secret Detective Agency
The Secret Detective Agency #1)
by Helena Dixon

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Meet Miss Jane Treen – the coffee-drinking cat lover dressed head to toe in tweed, who just happens to be a secret super sleuth!

London, 1941: Miss Jane Treen is at her desk, strong black coffee in hand and fluffy ginger cat by her side, when her top-secret government work is interrupted by an urgent call to Devon. A woman has been found dead in a lake in a place where she shouldn’t have been. Jane needs to gather the clues and find the killer before someone else from the agency gets hurt…

Shy and handsome code-breaker Arthur Cilento is bewildered by the arrival of the efficient Miss Treen and her cat Marmaduke. She bursts into his life unexpectedly, forcing him out of his comfort zone. The reluctant colleagues huddle near the warmth of a crackling fire in Arthur’s country home, working to piece together the murderous puzzle at hand.

In the sleepy Devon village, someone is hiding something: but is it the busybody vicar and his sister, the dutiful housekeeper and her secretive son, the stern librarian, or someone else altogether? And who were the people with the woman in the lake on the day she died?

No sooner have Arthur and Jane drawn up a list of suspects than a parcel reveals a clue that sends them in hot pursuit of a coded diary stashed in a village church. But as the heavy wooden door slams behind them and a key turns in the lock, one thing is they need to unravel the truth and crack this code before the killer decides their number is up…

But if they can catch the culprit in time, might this unusual pair become the finest crime-solving partnership since Holmes and Watson hung up their hats…?

If you love twisty crime novels, top-secret intrigue and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Helena Dixon’s totally gripping cozy novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T E Kinsey and Verity Bright!

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Golly, it’s brass monkeys out there this morning,

Jane was perched on the edge of a seat next to a garrulous elderly woman who appeared to mistakenly believe that Jane would be interested in the state of her bunions.

My Review:

 

I became a Helena Dixon fan the first time I picked up one of her cozy mysteries, and each subsequent book of hers that I have read has only further cemented my adoration of her wry sense of humor, descriptive scenes, and smooth writing style. The mysteries found within are always full of unique twists and confounding clues, and I can rarely solve them myself as everyone seems a bit suspect.

The main female character of this new series is Jane. Jane is tenacious, very British, smart, not always likable, rather obnoxious at times, self-involved, and passive-aggressive. I am more drawn to Arthur as I sympathize with him putting up with Jane’s pushiness, but my favorite character is the ever-prepared and humble manservant, Benson. His pockets are like Mary Poppins’s bag. He reminds me of Verity Bright’s character of Clifford, whom I adore. I’m looking forward to more of their adventures and hoping Jane goes easier on Arthur in future installments.

 

Helena Dixon is the author of the best-selling Miss Underhay murder mystery series and lives in Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years, she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel, and housework. She was the winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 and Love Story of the Year 2010 as Nell Dixon.

 

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Book Review: A Village Theatre Murder (Julia Bird Mysteries Book 7) by Katie Gayle  @Bookouture @KatieGayleBooks

A Village Theatre Murder
(Julia Bird Mysteries Book 7)
by Katie Gayle

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There’s nothing quite like a night at the theatre. But Julia Bird is expecting a night of sweeping drama, not an onstage murder!

At the end of Berrywick’s amateur theatre’s latest production, a shot rings out amongst the rapturous applause. But when Julia Bird peeks through the curtain, she sees lead actor Graham is lying still on the stage, his co-actor Oscar looking down at his prop gun in shock. She knows that Graham has been murdered, but with nearly everyone in the village helping with the play, anyone could have tampered with the props. And why was a beloved family man the target?

Graham’s wife Jane collapses in a puddle of tears as Oscar is comforted and led away from the stage. But days later when Julia spots prim and proper Jane kissing Oscar, she wonders if the grieving widow’s tears were fake. Graham served Jane divorce papers the day of the tragedy – was he killed before he could spill the beans on his wife’s affair, and sully her perfect reputation?

Meanwhile, the aptly named director, Roger Grave, wants the show to go on. The play is up for a local award, and this might just be Roger’s big break. But when failed actor Hector is not assigned the lead role he assumed he’d get, the mood among the cast quickly turns sour. Could Hector have killed Graham out of jealously for the leading role, Julia wonders?

Then another member of the crew is found dead and Julia discovers there’s a dark secret at the heart of Berrywick’s local theatre society. But who would kill to protect it? Can Julia find the murderer before it’s curtains for another victim?

A totally gripping, charming cosy mystery set in the English countryside. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands will absolutely love the Julia Bird Mysteries.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Hayley’s sigh held all the tragedy of the world, and the weight of her chosen career path– a choice that she sounded like she might regret at this precise moment.

…not one to mince her words. Or swallow them. Or even think about them too much. She was one to let them run freely out of her mouth and into the world, unchecked.

Henny Penny was the Houdini of chickens, and perhaps the Einstein of chickens, too. She mysteriously managed to get out of the coop often…

The Guide Dog School dropout had been the terror of Berrywick and surrounds. Chasing geese, stealing ice creams and biscuits from small children, threatening to topple the elderly.

Chaplin tended to be entitled and supercilious, but Julia had never seen or heard him hiss at anyone. Was this some kind of sign? Was Chaplin some kind of savant cat who could detect evil the same way as those people who could find water with twigs?

My Review:

 

I adore this clever pair of authors known as Katie Gayle, they keep me guessing in a must amusing and entertaining manner with their wry wit. Their comical descriptions seem to jump off the page and effortlessly play across my gray matter like a movie reel. Their murder mysteries are well-honed, easy to follow, smartly paced, well-nuanced, and authentic. I hope they keep Julia Bird going into perpetuity as I will never tire of her meddling and quirky fellow villagers, despite their unusual propensity for bloody murder.

 

 

About the Authors

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Katie Gayle is the writing partnership of best-selling South African writers, Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. Kate and Gail have, between them, written over ten books of various genres, but with Katie Gayle, they both make their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg, with their husbands, children, dogs, and cats.