Do or Diner By: Christine Wenger

Do or Diner

By: Christine Wenger

I liked this book.  It is a foodie cozy mystery, so therefore food poisoning. The author created a good cast of characters to not make this a repetitive story.  I read this book because I love comfort food and this has some great recipes. 

Trixie bought the Silver Bullet Diner from her aunt.  Along with the diner, she also gets a bunch of vacation cottages and an old Victorian home.  She is living in the house and trying to get everything straight because she has never ran a business before this purchase.  A new deputy is working in the small town and he is from Texas, a cowboy.  The health inspector drops dead in the diner.  Trixie is losing business so she tries to help Ty, the deputy, in finding the killer.  She, of course, gets in over her head.

Supporting characters are great.  The story flowed from chapter to chapter.  It was a quick read.  I will be waiting for the next book to come out!

   

Murder and Marinara By: Rosie Genova

Murder and Marinara

By: Rosie Genova

This is new series, An Italian Kitchen Mystery.  I read this book because my favorite thing to eat is pasta with marinara sauce.  

I liked this book.  I liked the main character, Victoria.  She is a mystery author who moves back to her hometown in New Jersey to work in her families restaurant while writing a new book.  Someone dies and Victoria finds the body.  With the help of her big family she is able to solve the mystery.  Her sister in law, Sofia, is fun and spunky.  I have to admit I had no idea who the killer could be.  I really enjoy a book that keeps me guessing.

I am happy to say that I will be moving along with this series!

Good Buy Girls Mystery series By: Josie Belle

Good Buy Girls Mysteries

By: Josie Belle

(Josie Belle is the pseudonym for Jenn McKinlay)

I am really enjoying this series.  The Good Buy Girls are 4 friends (Maggie, Claire, Joanne, and Ginger) that shop around for good buys, while of course discovering dead bodies!

The first in the series is 50% off Murder, which finds a dead body in the library basement where Claire works.  Sam Collins is the new sheriff in town and Maggie's old high school boyfriend.  So it gets a little hairy when Maggie and her friends try to get involved.
Book #2, A Deal to Die for, was also excellent.  It brought in a few new characters that are very enjoyable.  Vera, a rich woman in town, is murdered.  It brings up old secrets that involve Vera's daughter.
The 3rd book is the best so far.  Buried in Bargains, is more than just a mystery.  I actually cried!  You get to know the characters at a different level.  Maggie could not get that involved with this case.  She actually left it mostly up to Sam and the rest of the police force.  The story talked more about a big dance that was going on and the second hand store Maggie owns.

All in all... I WILL be keeping up with this series!  Thank you Josie Belle for writing a wonderful and entertaining series!

Drizzled with Death By: Jessie Crockett

Drizzled with Death

By: Jessie Crockett

This book was excellent!  The main character, Dani Greene, was very likable.  I added this title to my pile of "must read" books because it is set in New Hampshire, which is where I am living.  I really enjoy books that are set in New England.  

Dani operates her own business of maple syrup making called Greener Pastures.  The syrup was being used for a pancake eating contest where someone was poisoned and all fingers pointed to her company.  Dani is trying to get her company organically certified so this was a problem.  Dani decided to help in figuring out what was going on.  To throw in an interesting story-line the author added a truck load of escapee exotic animals.  This brought in Graham the Fish and Game officer.  Dani and Graham had a playful relationship.  The Greene family was also a bonus.  I could relate with the way the family acted.  They all love each other and spend lots of time with one another.  Dani will always have people on her side trying to get her married and not become a lonely spinster, but it is all out of love.  The characters in the town were perfectly crafted as well.

Another thing I want to mention is the writing style.  The author did not have the main character over analyze who may have killed Alanza.  It was more of a story than just reflecting on who done it.  I am definitely going to read the next book in this series! 

A Slice of Murder By: Chris Cavender

A Slice of Murder

By: Chris Cavender

This book was a little different than what I am used to in the set up.  The story opened with the murder.  There were no main characters and no supporting cast.  All of these people appeared after, so you never really got to know anyone.  There were the main two people, Eleanor and Maddy.  They are sisters running a pizza shop, A Slice of Delight.  Eleanor and her late husband opened the shop.  Her sister started working there after Joe's untimely death, which happened two years before the story started.  The sisters are a funny pair.  They reminded me somewhat of my own.  Because we do not know any other characters the not so smart chief accuses Eleanor of the murder.  All she was doing was delivering pizza to his house!  The sisters take it upon themselves to solve the mystery. 

I'm glad I read the story because I love pizza and I was curious, but I don't think I will be going on with this series.

Pies and Prejudice By: Ellery Adams

Pies and Prejudice

By: Ellery Adams

This is one of the cutest books I have read in a while.  I fell in love with the wonderful characters.  The Lefaye woman each have their own perfected personalities.  Ella Mae is the leading lady of this deliciously sweet series.  Even the name "Ella Mae" sounds as sweet as pie. 

Poor Ella Mae is shafted by her husband so she runs home to Havenwood, Georgia to be with her mom and aunts.  She opens a Charmed Pie Shoppe with their help.  Ella Mae also encounters people from her past.  Some good and some not so good.  A murder or two just so happen around her arrival so of course she is likely to be blamed.  Not unusual for a cozy mystery.  What I did like about this book is that Ella Mae is very discreet with her investigating.  I like that a lot.  Sometimes in cozies the amateur sleuth can be a bit pushy.  This is also a different take on the paranormal side.  Pies and Prejudice was just a wonderful book!  I can not wait for the next in the series, Peach, Pies, and Alibis!

Grounds to Kill By: Wendy Roberts

Grounds to Kill

By: Wendy Roberts

I am not sure if I have mentioned this on my blog yet... Wendy Roberts is my favorite paranormal cozy author!  Her series, The Ghost Dusters mysteries, was my first introduction to the genre.  I loved them so much that I went out and found other books like them and now I'm hooked.  At the time there were not many paranormal cozies, but now it seems everyone has caught the bug!  Yippee for me!!

Anyway... Wendy Roberts latest book, I pre-ordered obviously, was not a let down.  I thoroughly enjoyed it!  I think each character is created perfectly.  The paranormal twist has Jen, the main character, with the ability to write messages from a spirit guide.  That is a new one for me.  I like that the messages were cryptic that way she and her friends, Beth and Mallory, had to figure out what the meaning of the doodling meant.  Her dad being a paranoid schizo and homeless also added another element to the story.  I hope this is a series and she continues with these characters.  I would recommend this book to everyone interested in the genre!  Kudos and thank you for another well written FUN book!