Book Review and Print Giveaway: Dying to Read (The Cate Kinkaid Files Book #1): A Novel by Lorena McCourtney

This story is a light, fun cozy mystery with a Christian foundation.
Dying to Read (The Cate Kinkaid Files Book #1): A Novel 
by Lorena McCourtney

• File Size: 1449 KB
• Print Length: 321 pages
• Publisher: Revell (August 1, 2012)
• Publication Date: August 1, 2012
• ASIN: B0073UPRD0
• Genre: Cozy Mystery, Christian Fiction

My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

"Lorena McCourtney's lively cozy mysteries hit all the right notes for me, and her newest doesn't miss a chord. A quirky, likable heroine, a handsome guy, and oh, a murder. Don't miss Cate Kinkaid's first case as a PI. It's a killer."--Lyn Cote, author of La Belle Christian

All she wanted was a paycheck. What she got was a murder.
Cate Kinkaid's life is . . . well, frankly it's floundering. Her social life, her career, her haircut--they're all a mess. Unemployed, she jumps at the chance to work for her PI uncle, even though she has no experience and no instincts. After all, she is just dabbling in the world of private investigating until she can find a "real" job.
All she has to do for her first assignment is determine that a particular woman lives at a particular address. Simple, right? But when she reaches the dark Victorian house, she runs into an hungry horde of gray-haired mystery readers and a dead body. This routine PI job is turning out to be anything but simple. Is Cate in over her head?

Review:
Cate has struggled from one job to another. Her family makes her feel like she cannot do anything right. Her PI uncle kindly, if reluctantly, agrees to hire her on a trial basis. Her first task is supposed to be an easy assignment: find a young woman named Willow. Cate arrives at the address where Willow is supposed to be and she is greeted by a handful of elderly ladies meeting for mystery reader book club known as the Whodunit Club. When they enter the house they discover no lunch, no maid (Willow) and a deceased hostess.

Cate doesn’t want to tell her Uncle that she hasn’t found Willow, especially when she learns he has been hospitalized. Cate returns to the house looking for clues to Willow’s whereabouts. There she meets the deceased woman’s niece who is worried Willow may have taken jewelry. The niece isn’t worried about the abandoned cat and Cate ends up taking the cat home to take care of her temporarily. Although the death appears to be a tragic fall down a back, rickety stairs, Cate begins to investigate on her own. She has plenty of suspects with Willow, the Whodunit ladies, the niece and her husband and a recent boyfriend of the deceased who has also disappeared.

As Cate is hunting down Willow she meets Mitch, a young man helping an elderly woman whom Willow used to work for. Mitch offers to help but Cate doesn’t want to accept help from anyone and she suspects that he may have nefarious motives too.

Cate bumbles along in her search, with Mitch appearing unexpectedly to rescue her from dangerous situations. Mitch is a great, nice character and I was rooting for Cate to give him a chance. Meanwhile, Willow, a tree-hugging activist, the Whodunit quirky ladies and other suspicious characters make for a fun investigation. Even the fluffy cat adds to the story.

The writing is very easy and I appreciated that Ms. McCourtney shared the faith of several characters in a gentle, sure manner. I enjoyed the growing friendship between Cate and Mitch, which ends at a stage that would allow further development in the series. The story is a light, fun cozy with a Christian foundation. I recommend this to readers who enjoy light cozy mysteries, and/or light Christian fiction.

(We waited almost six weeks to discuss this at book club so we had to remind each other of the details. Everyone agreed it was an enjoyable, easy read.)

The was my ladies’ book club read in July. It has been in my Kindle Library since 2013 so I count it as a TBR read.

ONE (gently read) PRINT COPY GIVEAWAY

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Book Review: Plantation Shudders: A Cajun Country Mystery (A Cajun Country Mystery) by Ellen Byron

This is a fun, cozy mystery, with Cajun eats and Southern charm. 

Plantation Shudders: A Cajun Country Mystery (A Cajun Country Mystery)

by Ellen Byron

• File Size: 766 KB
• Print Length: 288 pages
• Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (August 11, 2015)
• Publication Date: August 11, 2015
• ASIN: B011IZPRR6

Genre: Cozy Mystery

My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Check in for some Southern hospitality in Plantation Shudders, the Cajun Country series debut from Ellen Byron.
It's the end of the summer and Prodigal Daughter Maggie Crozat has returned home to her family's plantation-turned-bed-and-breakfast in Louisiana. The Crozats have an inn full of guests for the local food festival—elderly honeymooners, the Cajun Cuties, a mysterious stranger from Texas, a couple of hipster lovebirds, and a trio of Georgia frat boys. But when the elderly couple keels over dead within minutes of each other - one from very unnatural causes - Maggie and her family suddenly become suspects in a murder.
With the help of Bo Durand, the town's handsome new detective, Maggie must investigate to clear her name while holding the family business together at the same time. And the deeper she digs, the more she wonders: are all of the guests really there for a vacation or do they have ulterior motives? Decades-old secrets and stunning revelations abound in Ellen Byron’s charming cozy debut, Plantation Shudders.

Review:
Maggie Crozat has returned home to help her family run their Louisiana Plantation now turned Bed and Breakfast. She spent a few years in the big city trying to make it on her own until she realized that she didn’t like the feeling of being alone and her family could use her help.

Maggie is with the family to welcome a full inn of guests for the end of summer fete. The guests include a couple of young lovebirds, a family with two young teens, three college boys, a mysterious, handsome, but sad man, and four “Cajun Cuties” who visit plantations to share with their organization. Then the surprisingly elderly, honeymoon latecomers show up. He is a grouch while she is consistently smiley.

Things go astray when the lights flash out. When the fuse is fixed everyone is shocked to find the elderly man dead. Maggie grabs the pills for the Mrs. only to have her collapse dead too. Having dead guests is trouble of its own but it's double trouble that the local Police Chief, Rufus Durand, is a sworn enemy of the family. He is apt to gloat about a murder at Crozat rather than try to solve it.

Maggie is dreading the investigation until she meets the new detective who is handsome and appears competent and thorough. That is good until she learns that he is Bo Durand, cousin to Rufus. Now she figures she will have to uncover the true murderer herself even if it means taking on cleaning duty to sneak into their rooms. Determining the murderer becomes more crucial as the week goes on and another guest is found dead.

The setting is beautiful, complete with bayou, Cajun food and good luck charms. The characters are quirky, with hidden motives. Maggie is a strong, likable heroine and Bo is a great hero with a special son, whose situation is handled nicely. The writing flows well and makes an easy, quick read. The story is told with gracious Southern charm and I enjoyed the mystery and the sweet, slow romance. The recipes shared at the end are a bonus. (I found it amusing that I didn’t get the title, “shudders” until I started reading the book.) I recommend this to readers who enjoy a fun, cozy mystery.

I selected this through NetGalley. It is part of my NetGalley Challenge.

Audio Book Review: Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things: The Wedding Planner Mysteries, Book 1, by Rachelle J. Christensen,

This is a fast, fun cozy mystery. 
Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things: The Wedding Planner Mysteries, Book 1
Written by: Rachelle J. Christensen
Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
Series: Wedding Planner Mysteries, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:03-05-15
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Adrielle Pyper knows how to plan a wedding, and she is especially good at pleasing bridezillas. But when her biggest client and best friend is murdered just three days before the wedding, Adri's world falls apart. She moves to the resort town of Sun Valley, Idaho, and starts from scratch. Thanks to Adri's impeccable taste and unique style, she lands two celebrity clients, and her business seems headed for success - that is until someone vandalizes the specialty wedding dresses she imported from overseas. The race is on to uncover a secret hidden within the yards of satin and lace before Adri becomes the next victim.
With a delightful blend of mystery, toe-curling kisses, humor, and spine-tingling thrills, Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things is a romantic suspense novel that will keep you listening long into the night.
©2014 Rachelle Christensen (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Adrielle is a wedding planner who moved to Sun Valley, Idaho after a trauma in her big city career. She is slowly building her new business, planning two important society weddings, one with a lovely bride and the other with a bridezilla ‘starlet’ diva. The brides have an interesting connection as the sweet bride is the new fiancé of the wealthy, handsome ex of the diva.

Adri and her best friend, Lorea, are expanding their business by including wedding dresses in their inventory. The first shipment of dresses arrives with one dress missing and one with hem damage. As the girls scramble to keep the plans moving for their brides, Adri has to cope with vandalized dresses, stolen diamonds and threatening pictures.

Meanwhile Lorea is encouraging Adri to take a chance on a little bit of romance. Even as Adri has a couple of dates with a shy friend, she is eyeing a gorgeous hunk on the jog trail and another gorgeous man who shows interest but has a distaste for weddings.

The story is lively and fun as Adri hides facts from the police to save her dresses, soothes competing brides and juggles potential beaus. The characters are real and likable - except for Bridezilla of course. The writing is straightforward and moves at a good easy pace. The mystery has twists that kept me guessing and l liked the light romance elements as well. I also enjoyed the bridal tips that start each chapter. I recommend this to readers who love a fun, cozy mystery and those who enjoy wedding elements.

Audio Notes: Kirsten Potter does an okay job narrating the story. Once I got accustomed to her voice, I decided it fit well for the primary characters and she adds enough inflection for the other voices to keep them distinct. I enjoyed the audio which made this a quick enjoyable “read.”

I received this audio title through Audiobook Jukebox for an honest review. This qualifies for my 2015 Audiobook challenge.

AudioBook Review: Cleansed by Fire: A Father Frank Mystery by James R. Callan

I like the primary character in this mystery where church fires spark confessional issues for a concerned Priest.
Cleansed by Fire: A Father Frank Mystery
Written by: James R. Callan
Narrated by: Jonathan Mumm

Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:06-27-14
Publisher: James R. Callan
Genre: Mystery, Christian
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Arsonists have torched two churches in a small Texas town, plunging its residents into a state of fear. Father Frank DeLuca, pastor of Prince of Peace Church, is thrust into an impossible dilemma when he hears that another church will be burned. The disturbing information comes to him via the confessional, and church law forbids him from telling anyone - even the police. Still, he can't sit idly by, and no law prevents him from looking into the matter himself. The crimes have set the town's residents on edge, fraying the bonds of trust. Is the mysterious newcomer with ties to the local drug scene involved? What about the man who says maybe the churches deserved to burn? Or the school drop-out who threatens the priest with a knife. Father Frank digs deeper into the town's secrets when a man is murdered. His investigation leads him dangerously close to the drug scene and he discovers the danger has come to him. Can he save his own church? Can he save his own life?
Cleansed by Fire is the first of the Father Frank Mysteries.
©2012 James R. Callan (P)2014 James R. Callan

Review:
Father Frank is a Catholic Priest who has a hands on approach to helping his parishioners. He sincerely seeks the Lord’s guidance and help but he plays an active part too. He is involved helping the youth of his church by playing and organizing basketball games and he keeps tabs on other activities such as a new “pop” band.

An arsonist has burned down a Baptist church in the community and Father Frank takes a personal interest. That interest is increased by an anonymous confession of a youth who seems to have some knowledge but won’t reveal it. Father Frank thinks he knows which boy makes the confession but he is restricted from disclosing any information given in the confessional. As more Baptist churches are burned down Father Frank lines up a handful of suspects. There is the rough, mysterious, man who keeps hanging around the ball park asking about drug sources; a young man who seems to have a drug problem; an angry teen who was abused as a young boy by his mother’s boyfriend; and a man in a bar who sneers at Father Frank as he burns a paper steeple.

Meanwhile Father Frank encourages the budding romance of an active widow in his church who has captured the heart of the local police detective. These two add a nice, gentle side line to the mystery story.

I really liked Father Frank’s character. He lives his grounded faith in a real way, including some impulsive action. The story moves along well with Father Frank actively investigating any clue he can follow. There are side lines of interest including the youth choir and the sweet romance. There is danger, faith and sweetness in a short package that combine to make this a solid Christian cozy mystery.

Audio Notes: I’m sorry to say that I found the narration rather dry. It seemed more like a reading than a narration. I still enjoyed the overall book but I recommend a prospective listener try the audio sample to decide if this might be a story to read in print or ebook instead of audio.

I received this title for review through Audiobook Jukebox.
This qualifies for AudioBook Challenge and "C" in Alphabet Soup challenge.

Book Review: The Red Book of Primrose House by Marty Wingate

This is a thoroughly warm and engaging cozy mystery.
The Red Book of Primrose House
by Marty Wingate

• File Size: 1890 KB
• Print Length: 273 pages
• Publisher: Alibi (November 4, 2014)
• Sold by: Random House LLC
• ASIN: B00KAFXBHE

Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
In Marty Wingate’s charming new Potting Shed Mystery, Texas transplant Pru Parke’s restoration of a historic landscape in England is uprooted by an ax murderer.

Pru Parke has her dream job: head gardener at an eighteenth-century manor house in Sussex. The landscape for Primrose House was laid out in 1806 by renowned designer Humphry Repton in one of his meticulously illustrated Red Books, and the new owners want Pru to restore the estate to its former glory—quickly, as they’re planning to showcase it in less than a year at a summer party.

But life gets in the way of the best laid plans: When not being happily distracted by the romantic attentions of the handsome Inspector Christopher Pearse, Pru is digging into the mystery of her own British roots. Still, she manages to make considerable progress on the vast grounds—until vandals wreak havoc on each of her projects. Then, to her horror, one of her workers is found murdered among the yews. The police have a suspect, but Pru is certain they’re wrong. Once again, Pru finds herself entangled in a thicket of evil intentions—and her, without a hatchet.

Review:
Pru Parke has landed a great job as head gardener to restore the garden at historic Primrose House in Sussex. An extra special bonus is that they have discovered the valuable “Red Book” of the historic landscape artist who detailed and sketched the garden plans for the manor house. Pru is excited about the impressive restoration opportunity even if it means that she is separated from her new “fellow”, London Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Christopher Pearse. Pru will also have the chance to meet other Parkes as she has a lead in her desperate search for connections to her mother’s English family.

Pru has to work with a mixed crew which consist of two brothers who provide brawn, a special, handicapped young man who provides gentleness and holes, and a difficult old gardener who begrudgingly provides history. Pru also has to resist the suggestions of her employer who sends in changing ideas by email or notes every few weeks and wants to host a grand open house in seven months. Things are going on fairly well until accidents happen and it appears there is sabotage in the garden. Then one of the staff is found murdered. The local Detective Sargeant (DS) is a nice officer and a friend of Christopher. However the local DCI is loud and rough and doesn’t want Christopher sticking his nose into his case.

Christopher was glad when Pru did not return to Texas after they met over another murder case. (See The Garden Plot.) He drives up for weekends to visit and is anxious to keep her safe, especially now that troubles are increasing. He suspects that Pru will have a hard time staying impartial in the investigation as she will want to protect her friends/staff and make inquires on her own.

I totally enjoyed the gardening details and life issues that were shared until the mystery began. There were several side interests that kept the book moving along well, including the mature romance between Pru and Christopher with their warm, and often lightly humorous, dialogue. The primary and secondary characters are well developed with distinct traits that add depth to the story. There are clues threaded in different encounters that help Pru (and the observant reader) to figure out the murderer, but will it be in time?

The length was good to make this an easy, fast read. This is a fine cozy mystery and I will soon return to Ms. Wingate to read The Garden Plot (Potting Shed Mystery Book 1) which I happen to have in my Kindle Library. I highly recommend this to fans of cozy mystery and to those who enjoy working in a garden!

I received this book from Random House through NetGalley.

Book Review: Pumpkins in Paradise (Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries Book 1) by Kathi Daley

This is an easy read, cozy mystery with a light romance element.
Pumpkins in Paradise 
(Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries Book 1)
by Kathi Daley

• File Size: 2124 KB
• Print Length: 293 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• ASIN: B00FGCV3JY

Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: January 17, 2014
Between volunteering for the annual pumpkin festival, and coaching her girls to the state soccer finals, high school teacher Tj Jensen finds her good friend Zachary Collins dead in his favorite chair. When the handsome new deputy closes the case without so much as a “why” or “how,” Tj turns her attention from chili cook-offs and pumpkin carving to complex puzzles, prophetic riddles, and a decades’ old secret she seemed destined to unravel.

Review:
Tj Jensen is pretty well settled into her home town of Paradise Lake, working as a high school teacher and coach. She occasionally dreams of finding the right man and, in spite of prior attachments and the hopes of some in town, she knows that she will not get back together with her old high school flame.

As a teen Tj took a dare to inspect the home of the town recluse, Zachary Collins. Over the past ten years or so they had developed a nice friendship even though Zachary never revealed the secrets of his past that led to his bad scars - burn scars on the outside and guilt and regret on the inside. When Tj discovers Zachary dead she also sees evidence that leads her to think that it was other than natural causes or suicide as the local Sheriff is willing to quickly rule. First, there were two glasses so it is clear that had been a visitor. Second, the prized bottle of Scotch is missing.

Tj finds a gift addressed to her and uncovers a puzzle box that is part of a puzzle and code game that she and Zachary would play. She must uncover the clue to one box to find the next clue. As she unravels her clues she thinks perhaps she didn’t know Zachary as well as she thought. Yet she persists, revealing more evidence that Zachary may have been making ‘end of life’ plans but not ones that included suicide.

Tj enlists the help of Dylan, the rugged and handsome new deputy in town. Dylan helps Tj put together the pieces of puzzle while she continues her usual, uncomplicated duties at school, helping at her family’s lodge and in her volunteer activities. One of these duties includes heading a newly formed school choir.

I did enjoy several of the other quirky characters who came to the lodge as strangers but ended up being friends and part of Zachary’s mystery. I also liked the puzzle and code aspect of the story. Some of the background activity is rather mundane and unnecessary to the story. I never was sure of the purpose or direction of the school choir she was roped into leading. Perhaps it is just a set up to other stories in the small town series.

The pumpkin portion of the title seems to be a draw to the time of year as it was not really a special part of the story. The romance is a sweet early friendship for the characters that has not yet moved into a relationship. The plot and characters are not gripping but it is an easy read and I would like to see how the relationship between Tj and Dylan develops in other stories. I recommend this to those who enjoy a light cozy mystery with a light, clean, romance element.

I won this book from the author’s facebook in September.

Audio Book Review: The Red Shoelace Killer by Susan Sundwall

This is a fun cozy mystery but I was not impressed by the narration.

The Red Shoelace Killer

by Susan Sundwall

Narrated by: Lee Ann Howlett

Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:03-24-14
Publisher: Susan Sundwall
Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

First in the Minnie Markwood Mysteries: Minnie Markwood can out-sleuth Miss Marple any day of the week - in her imagination. But when a real killer begins to target Minnie and her young sidekicks, reality trumps imagination big time. Who's buying up all the red shoelaces at the mall and stalking a cashier? Is it the killer who terrorized Minnie on the highway and kidnapped her coworker?  It soon becomes frighteningly clear that Minnie's onto something, and The Red Shoelace Killer's days are numbered.
©2012 Susan Sundwall (P)2014 Susan Sundwall

Review:
Minnie Markwood is a widow in her 50s. She works as a survey taker in Albany, New York. Minnie is a down to earth, sweet woman who ends up sleuthing with her co-worker Rashawna and Rashawna’s brand new boyfriend, Joel. Rashawna is a cute, exhuberant 21 year old who is a bit on the ‘ditzy’ side. Joel appears to be a shiftless, but very likable, young man with an affection for Rashawna and a protective streak that conflicts with his self-preservation instincts.

Joel begins to ‘confess’ to Minnie that he has knowledge of the unsolved Red Shoe Lace Killer case. After seeing some strange, staring men at the mall and finding a store that sells red shoe laces these three set off on a not-so-casual investigation of suspicious activity, including a visit to Joel’s “mean” boss-lady, Salina. Minnie is friends with the local police detective who gives her the okay to keep an eye on things but expects her to call for back up if anything truly suspicious or dangerous arises.

Little sightings and details build up to threats with shoe laces tied on Minnie’s car mirror and an attempted kidnapping. I did think that these details should have been turned over to the detective but, of course, that might ruin the story for these rather bumbling investigators.

The characters are fun and the mystery has a humorous absurdity to it. There is a bit of mundane description and action throughout but overall the reading is light, easy and appropriate to the genre. However, I think this is one story that might be better read than listened to on audio, as my audio notes below indicate. I would recommend this to those who like cozy mysteries.

Audio Notes: Sadly, I found the narration to be very monotone and dragging. Initially it might be thought that the plodding narration was suited to the older character Minnie, and it reminded me a little bit of Murder She Wrote. But the voice for Rashawna is a squeaky girl sound and I’m not sure there was much effort to change the tone for Joel. There was minimal excitement and expression shared. It was so distracting that it detracted from my enjoyment of the book. Listen to the sample to see if you could enjoy that reading for 8 hours. It might just be that I wanted a bit more up beat but I don’t think it is just me.

I received this audiobook from the author/publisher through Audiobook Jukebox.

Book Review: Convict Dad by P. Ryan Hembree

This is an easy reading, engaging, cozy mystery.

Convict Dad 

by P. Ryan Hembree

• Paperback: 234 pages
• Publisher: Heart Ally Books (February 7, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0985374055
• ISBN-13: 978-0985374051

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Christian
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description:
As a child, Fae Kardell stands helpless while police handcuff her father and drag him away to a police car. A jury later convicts him of murdering two young girls. Fae knows he's innocent. From behind prison walls, Royce Kardell finds a way to cope with his incarceration and maintain an active role in his family. Fifteen years later when Fae returns to her hometown to close the family home after her mother's death, she hears a deathbed confession which proves her father's innocence. As the real killer lurks nearby, details of the girls' deaths surface, but is it enough to justify her dad's release from prison? If she pushes for a new trial and she succeeds, her father could be freed-or-if she fails, he could get the death penalty.

Review:
As a child Fae was sent to live with her Aunt when her father was convicted of murdering two teenage girls. Fae’s father always claimed that he had been framed. His wife and daughter believed him but the stigma of conviction still shadowed their lives, especially Fae’s as even her cousins taunted her.

Fifteen years later Fae has returned upon the death of her mother to close up her childhood ‘home.’ As she works on the property she discovers that there are friends in town who have supported her mother throughout the years of trauma. Fae is called to visit a patient in a nursing home who confesses that Fae’s father is in fact innocent as she witnessed the murders and the burying of the bodies. But the true killer is a prominent member of the town so Fae has to proceed cautiously.

Fae’s Mother and father found a strong faith with the help of a local pastor and his wife. Pastor Morrow and Trina invite Fae to dinner where she meets their older son, Cliff, who is home for a rare visit.  Fae tells the family about the confession and the true murderer. Cliff, a State Trooper, is able to call in the FBI to dig up the bodies.  Now the hunt is on for evidence to tie the crime to the true murderer.

The murderer realizes that some investigation is going on and sets about, through threats and bribery, to try to keep the interest down or drive it away. Also, he knows he has to get his drunken sluggard of a brother out of town before he says something incriminating.

The author uses a series of children’s books as a tool that kept Fae and her parents connected which I thought was quite clever. I enjoyed the suspense and mystery of the plot as well as the gentle romance between Fae and Cliff. I also appreciated the quiet, determined strength Ms. Hembree portrays through the faith of the characters. There is a message of forgiveness that is nicely shared too.

The writing is light and easy. Although the story started just a little slowly it only took a couple of chapters to pull me in. Then it read very smoothly and quickly. I recommend this to readers who enjoy clean language, cozy mystery, sweet romance and evidence of faith in a story.

I received this at EPICon 2013 from the publisher for and honest review.

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for my Print Copy:

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I have noticed a few commenters who forgot to enter through the Form.  

For 3 Extra Bonus entries Visit the author's website and tell me something you find of interest.

* This contest is open to those with US address only.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on September 30, 2013.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on October 1, 2013.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Book Review and Giveaway: Flight of the Raven (Mysteries of Sparrow Island Series #2) by Ellen Harris

Our Ladies’ book club all enjoyed this light mystery.
Flight of the Raven (Mysteries of Sparrow Island Series #2)
by Ellen Harris

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Ideals Publications; Retail edition (February 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824947126
• ISBN-13: 978-0824947125

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Inspirational
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: February 15, 2007
A small plane disappears from the sky above Sparrow Iland, and Abby knows she must do something to help. Together, she and Sergeant Henry Cobb, set off to hunt for survivors. They find the plane but not the passengers - who it seems don't want to be found. Abby's wilderness skills are put to the test as she and Henry go on a chase to try to uncover the secrets of the passengers' hidden pasts. An exciting, suspense-filled story, "Flight of the Raven" is a riveting tale of determination, ingenuity and courage.

Review:
Abby is a very intelligent, versatile lady, who study to be an ornithologist. After working in a big city she has returned to the island to help her sister, Mary, whose legs were badly injured in an accident. Now Abby is working at the Sparrow Island Nature Observatory and getting to use some of her skills. Abby and her young assistant, Bobby, are excited to be releasing three orphaned falcons they rescued. As they watch the young falcons flying they notice a wobbly float plane which disappears beyond another island.

Abby, Mary and Mary’s male friend, Henry, a local police Sargent are about to sit down to dinner with her parents when Henry gets a call to look for the plane that witnesses have reported as having crashed. Abby volunteers to go with Henry as she thinks she can help pin point where the plane went down and she has experience in search and rescue.

Abby and Henry face difficulties locating the plane and the night drags on. They finally find the plane abandoned but blood stains indicate that someone is injured. But when they follow the trail they determine that things may not be as they appear and perhaps the passengers are trying to avoid rescue. The suspense increases after Henry is injured and the strangers vandalize the boat, destroying the radio. Abby has to use survival skills to care for Henry while they await rescue themselves and try to avoid the miscreants.

Meanwhile Mary is at home trying to cope with her worry. Fortunately she is distracted by her son, Zack, who arrives with a service dog and its trainer, a lovely young woman. Mary is not in favor of the idea of a help dog but everyone else in town is enthraled. Finally Mary comes to realize that it is okay to accept help and she sees how much more she can do with the help of Finnegan.

This is a very easy and enjoyable read. Ms. Harris weaves lots of little details into the story, sharing about birds, rescues and service dogs. The underlying faith is quietly presented and I liked how Ms. Harris conveyed the messages of letting go of worry and pride. The characters are likeable and a couple of the Ladies’ Book Club chose Finnegan (the dog) as their favorite character.

Although this is part of a series we had not read book 1 and this worked okay as a stand alone. I recommend this to readers who like birds and dogs and those who enjoy a light, easy mystery.

A quote we all liked:
Finnegan's trainer was explaining that playtime was a reward for him.

"He's not so different from us humans in that respect. He needs time each day when he can do things for the pure joy of it," she said. "Sometimes we underestimate how much we need joy in our lives." Page 166.

I was able to pick these up on sale at Christianbooks.com for Ladies' Book Club meeting July. (Sorry they may not be available there anymore.)

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I have noticed a few commenters who forgot to enter through the Form. 

For 3 Extra Bonus entries - Comment on the review.

* This contest is open to those with US address only.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on August 2, 2013.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on August 3, 2013.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Audible Review: A Royal Pain: A Royal Spyness Mystery by Rhys Bowen

This is a fun, light historic mystery.
A Royal Pain: A Royal Spyness Mystery 
Author: Rhys Bowen
    UNABRIDGED
       Narrated by Katherine Kellgren
        Series: Royal Spyness, Book 2


    LENGTH      8 hrs and 57 mins
    RELEASE DATE      08-03-10
    Program Type      Audiobook
    PUBLISHER      Audible, Inc.
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary

The Queen of England has concocted a plan in which penniless aristocrat Lady Georgie is to entertain a Bavarian princess and conveniently place her in the playboy prince's path, in the hopes that he might finally marry.

But queens never take money into account. Georgie has very little, which is why she moonlights as a maid-in-disguise. She must draw up plans: clean house to make it look like a palace; have Granddad and her neighbor pretend to be the domestic staff; un-teach Princess Hanni the English she's culled from American gangster movies; cure said princess of her embarrassing shoplifting habit; and keep an eye on her at parties.

Then there's the worrying matter of the body in the bookshop and Hannis' unwitting involvement with the Communist Party. It's enough to drive a girl crazy.

Listen to more Royal Spyness mysteries.
©2008 Janet Quin-Harkin (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Review:
The Queen doesn’t realize the lack of Georgie’s fiances when she asks her (a cousin) to play hostess to a Bavarian Princess. The Queen is trying to get her son to change his affections from an older, married American woman to a proper person of worth. Georgie has to recruit her father and his friend to masquerade as butler and cook and she even coerces a friend to serve as a maid.

Princess Hanni arrives with her companion, a haughty Baroness. Princess Hanni, although supposedly taught at a convent, picked up English slang from watching gangster movies, plus she is extremely ‘man’ crazy. Georgie has her hands full pretending to maintain a proper household, discouraging the Baroness from inspecting things too closely and curbing the Princess’s slang and tendency to shoplift and chase after handsome men.

Georgie and Hanni almost become involved in a Communist protest at a visit in the park. They meet several handsome men, including the dashing Darcy who has already attracted Georgie even though she believes he is searching for an heiress. Georgie takes Hanni to a ‘Bohemian’ party of commoners. Hanni is thrilled to meet more handsome men, and to run into Darcy again. Unfortunately the evening is cut short when one of the young bucks tumbles through the balcony railing. Darcy manages to whisk Georgie and Hanni away before their attendance becomes fodder for the papers. But Georgie still has to face questioning by the police who are concerned about her presence at another death.

A few days later Georgie helps Hanni get to a private assignation with a young man who works at a bookstore in a seedier side of town. Georgie follows Hanni upstairs only to discover the young man, a Communist sympathizer, with a knife in his back!

The Queen decides that, while taking Hanni to a country party before an international incident arises, Georgie must also make time to investigate the murder(s). Darcy seems to always be in the wings-- or alley as the case may be–to come to Georgie’s aid. This is pleasing although perplexing particularly when Darcy begins to show additional attention to Hanni, making Georgie regret her decision to put off Darcy’s earlier advances.

There is more intrigue and killing before Georgie uncovers the bigger plot. She has to force her way to a last minute rescue and again Darcy is there to jump in front of the bullet. Georgie makes rash promises to Darcy hoping he won’t die.

Georgie’s dry humor and banter are very enjoyable. This is the second of the series that I have listened to and the stories are light, quick and fun listening.

AUDIO NOTES:  Katherine Kellgren does a really nice job with the narration, adding the different accents and emotions. Her delivery is smooth and enhances the easy story line making these fun to listen to.

This is a selection from my Audible Library.

Book #Review and Giveaway: Rest in Peace by Frances Devine

This mystery could have been named Restless Peace.

Rest in Peace

by Frances Devine

• Format: Paperback
• Number of Pages: 256
• Vendor: Barbour Publishing
• Publication Date: 2011
• ISBN: 1602603979
• ISBN-13: 9781602603974
• Availability: In Stock
• Series: Hometown Mysteries

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Christian
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Product Description

In Cedar Chapel, Where Victoria Storm runs a senior boardinghouse, things are quiet. That is, until she enters the local pet store and finds Clyde Foster, the owner, dead, and his parrot, Watzit, frantically screeching. What clues will this bird reveal regarding a murder most foul? Unable to resist a mystery, Victoria, her fiance' Benjamin, and her senior cohorts begin their own investigation, landing them headfirst in a dangerous adventure. When their friend, Miss Aggie disappears, leaving a blood-stained trail, no one seems safe. Will Victoria live long enough to unravel the clues and tie the knot?

Review:
Victoria Storm runs a senior boardinghouse where she helps care for a group of characters who were her grandmother’s friends.  Victoria goes to the pet store and discovers the body of Clyde Foster. Victoria takes the squawking parrot, Watzit, home to Miss Aggie who is one of the few who people who can calm the bird. Although it appears that Clyde’s death is an accident, Victoria, Miss Aggie and their senior friends do a little investigation on their own and they begin to find clues.

No sooner does the local sheriff declare the death a murder than Miss Aggie packs up in a fluster and races away from the house. Victoria is concerned when Aggie doesn’t call in and doesn’t get to her proclaimed destination. So now the search is on for Aggie as well as the murderer.

Miss Aggie had already been kidnapped in a prior book and there is an outstanding mystery involving missing jewels at her family estate. Victoria jumps to conclusions about possible suspects and tries, unsuccessfully, not to be jealous of the deceased’s attractive granddaughter who is very “catty” and has her claws out for Victoria’s fiancé, Ben. The antics of the seniors as they try to help in the investigation is endearing.

Unfortunately this story seemed contrived.  I got the impression that the author was trying to pull in the events from a prior book, fit them into a new, but continuing mystery and tie them up. Actually the author succeeded in doing that but instead of feeling like an easy flow to move the story forward there was a great deal of ‘fill in’ material. There was a lot of making coffee and tea, checking bedrooms, waxing floors and furniture.  Even the relationship between Victoria and Ben did not feel relaxed although that could have been due to her jealous nature popping up.

I did like the mystery surrounding Jack’s efforts to help protect and smuggle property out of Germany after World War II.  The Book club ladies and I agreed that we didn’t feel warmed up by the characters or message. Although there were some moral and faith lessons shared, the faith and commitment of the characters seemed shallow. And  we all wondered what happened to Watzit who disappeared from the story the same time Aggie went missing!  This was an easy read and perhaps would have had a better response if we had read the prior books.

This was a book picked up for our Ladies' Book Club.

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY FOR PRINT COPY
USE ENTRY FORM HERE

1> US Winner - Two Books: (used) copy of Miss Aggie's Gone Missing and new print of Rest in Peace.
2> Two winners US or Canada get new print of Rest in Peace.

* This contest is open US and Canada Only.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on May 3, 2013.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on May 4, 2013.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Book Review: Sportsman's Bet (Ian Dodge Mysteries) by Judy Nichols

I like the Cockney rhyming slang in this solidly plotted mystery.
Sportsman’s Bet (Ian Dodge Mysteries)
by Judy Nichols

• File Size: 426 KB
• Print Length: 229 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B008OY00QS

Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: July 24, 2012
Velma Saunders, the town clerk of Tobias, North Carolina never had a kind word to say to anyone. In fact, most people were afraid of her, including her boss, Mayor Mike Ellis.

Still, the whole town is shocked when Velma's body is found in the Municipal Building's old bomb shelter. The only clue to her murderer is a copy of a cryptic message from a Nigerian Email scammer.

All the evidence points to Mayor Mike, who's charged with killing Velma. Investigator Ian Dodge, a British transplant who's never quite taken root in the Deep South, sets out to find out who else hated Velma enough to kill her.

In the course of his investigation, Ian discovers the dark secrets Velma has been hiding all these years, and exactly why she was so mean.

Review:
One afternoon Mayor Mike is visited by a State Auditor claiming they are investigating a $2,000.00 accounting discrepancy. Mike wheedles the help of PI Ian Dodge, a British transplant with wonderfully quirky habits like Cockney rhyming slang. They start their search at the computer of the Mayor’s hardnose, but oh-so-efficient, office manager, Velma. The next morning Velma doesn’t show up for work which is very rare.  doesn’t show up one morning.

The title, and other interesting phrases, come from Ian’s sharing of Cockney rhyming slang. I really enjoyed those word games. Sportsman’s Bet rhymes with internet and the clues branch from what appears to be an internet scam where the sender is in Nigeria and asks for financial assistance from Velma.

Velma is found dead in a little known basement room. A spurious police search learns that Mayor Mike was familiar with the room and suspicion quickly turns into Mike’s arrest. Now Ian is fully engaged to uncover the truth to clear Mike. The investigation leads Ian to delve into the history of Velma’s youth. Ian interviews Aunts and nieces with a few surprises. Clues reveal a troubled family, a secret pregnancy and a connection to the government Eugenics program during the 1960s. Step by step the author leads Ian to the pieces of the puzzle until he has to race to prevent the killing of another witness.

I liked how the story jumps into rich characters and the hometown mystery. The investigation might not have been overly exciting although there is action and excitement as the mystery culminates. The family history was interesting and the mystery was really well plotted. The writing is descriptive with some nice humor that makes this an easy and fairly quick read. I enjoyed Ian’s personality and could see myself enjoying more investigations with him and his rhyming slang. 

I received this eBook from the Author for an honest review.

This story is set in North Carolina for my 2013 Where Are You Reading Challenge.

Book Review: Fatal February by Barbara Levenson

This is an entertaining and fun read, filled with legal procedures.

Fatal February (Mary Magruder Katz)
by Barbara Levenson

• File Size: 335 KB
• Print Length: 265 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 193351552X
• Publisher: Oceanview Publishing (February 1, 2009)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005Y2AEBY

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Legal Procedures
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: February 1, 2009
For half Jewish, half Southern Baptist Miami criminal defense attorney Mary Macgruder Katz, life starts to spin completely out of control when a minor fender bender turns out to be an unlikely shot from Cupid’s bow.

Review:
Mary is a feisty defense attorney who works in a prestigious law firm with her fiance of five years.  One morning her car is rear-ended coming out of a car wash. She is ready to berate the loud, pushy driver until she gets a full look at the man’s Latin good looks and charming smile. Then things begin to spin out of control.

Carlos grabs Mary to serve as his attorney on a real estate transaction with some strange arrangements. When client relations heat up, Mary and Carlos are caught in a compromising scene by her boyfriend who fires her on the spot. She fires him as a fiancé and off she goes to set up her own office with encouraging support from Carlos.

Mary lands a new client through a referral from her brother who is an estate attorney. Lillian Yarmouth is accused of killing her husband though she claims she found him on the bed already stabbed and bleeding. The police and prosecutors fail to do a thorough job of investigation so Mary is pretty sure she can win a dismissal at an early hearing.

Mary has to fend off some nasty, low-blow proceedings brought by her ex who is more angry about losing to Mary than losing Mary. She is also coping with slashed tires, rocks thrown windows and a ransacked home.

I like Mary’s ‘go get ‘em’ attitude even though she did seem a little reckless (for my conservative nature.) Carlos is a little suspect but you have to appreciate that he is there giving Mary moral-- and other--support. It was fun that he was always sharing Spanish quotes that didn’t “seem to translate very well.”

I enjoyed the several court room scenes where Mary really kicked butt. Ms. Levenson also blends in some commentary on the lack of resources for proper investigations. This is an easy read with writing that flowed well with a chatty feel to it.  The characters are cute and Mary’s dilemmas make for fun revelations, especially with a little extra digging at the end of the case.

I picked this title out of my “Free Kindle” TBR library as it had “February” in the title. I am very glad I got to read such a fun mystery and I would be glad to read more from this author. I recommend this to fans of light, cozy mysteries and those who enjoy legal procedures and courtroom entertainment.

This was my choice for February from my Kindle Free Reads library shelves.

The story is set in Miami, Florida for my 2013 Where Are You Reading Challenge. This is also a New Author for me.

Book Review and Giveaway: The Perfect Match by Janice Hanna

This is a humorous, light, easy read with some nice ‘life’ lessons.
And aren't you just drawn in by the puppy image?
The Perfect Match (Hometown Mysteries)
by Janice Hanna

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc. (March 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 160260262X

Gerne: Christian, Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description;
Publication Date: March 1, 2011 | Series: Hometown Mysteries
Join Annie Peterson as she follows the clues to discover who set fire to the local dating service, the Perfect Match. Is the arsonist the financially strapped widow who owns the matchmaking business, a mismatched newspaper editor, an unsatisfied and unmarried forty-something customer, or the new female investigator who, except for her suspicious past, seems the ideal mate for Annie’s son Devin? The race is on—to see whether or not Annie and her cohorts can solve the crime before another building is burned to the ground and before Devin becomes enamored of the woman who may be Ms. Wrong.

Review:
Annie Peterson is an amateur detective who is ready to investigate a fire that burned down The Perfect Match, a dating service business owned by Opal Lovelace. Opal, an elderly woman of 83, has no family and no where to go. Annie invites Opal to stay at her house so Opal and her nasty tabby cat, Don Quixote, move in and take over the bedroom left empty when their son Devin recently moved out.

Annie and Warren’s two miniature dachshunds try to be friendly but Don Quixote is too cantankerous. And speaking of cantankerous - Opal is bitter, demanding and opinionated, even complaining about the food Annie serves. Annie is wondering if she made a mistake inviting the woman and she is praying for patience...or deliverance. There is more concern after a candle is knocked over in Opal’s bedroom causing a small fire. Annie also begins to notice strange mood changes and forgetfulness exhibited by Opal.

The official fire investigators are reviewing the evidence but Annie comes up with some good clues. The problem is she has several suspects and nothing to pin down the arsonist. Opal might have burned the building for the insurance, especially since it needed renovations. There is a couple matched by Opal who are having marital problems but would the husband really torch her business for that? Then there is a disgruntled woman who demanded a refund because Opal couldn’t find her a suitable match. But the most difficult suspect is the town’s new police deputy with whom Annie’s son Devin has become smitten.

While mulling over the suspect list and the few clues, Annie is busy pulling together the details for her good friend’s wedding. But the bridal couple are experiencing last minute family interference from the groom’s brother who wants his older brother to move back to Greece, not marry a local American.

Can Annie find the right words to help Opal trust God with her problems? Can she salvage the wedding before her friend suffers a broken heart? Can she sort through the smoking clues to expose the true fire bug? Can she do all these things before the menagerie drives her husband away from home?

I really enjoyed the light, easy style of writing. This reads very quickly with plenty of smiles and chuckles. I liked the fire inspired chapter headings, like “Burn, Baby, Burn” and “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” I especially liked how Annie’s faith plays a day to day part of the story as she seeks the Lord’s wisdom and looks to Him for guidance. The characters are on the quirky side and the mystery has enough clues to make it interesting even though it wasn’t too hard to determine the culprit. I will remember the humor and bright attitude Ms. Hanna brings to the work as I would be glad to read more.  This is a good choice for readers who enjoy Christian fiction, cozy mysteries and are ready for a light read.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Annie’s good attitude is shown in her prayers:

Lord, You know better than any of us what Opal needs. Meet her where she is, Father. And help me be the kind of friend she needs—no more and no less.  Page 106.

I read this for Ladies Book Club meeting this Saturday.

This story is set in Clarksborough, PA for 2013 Where Are You Reading. This is also a New Author for me.
I have a couple extra copies to giveaway. I often buy the Ladies' Book Club titles from the Bargain selections at Christianbookstore.com.  This one is now even less ($1.49) than when I purchased it!
TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for PRINT COPY - Two Winners:

ENTRY FORM HERE

For 3 Extra Bonus entries Visit the author's website and tell me something you find of interest.

* This contest is open INTERNATIONALLY.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on January 25, 2013.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on January 26, 2013.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Audio Book Review: Cat Bearing Gifts by Shirley Rousseau

This a nice cozy mystery - good for mystery lovers and purrrrfect for cat lovers.

Cat Bearing Gifts: A Joe Grey Mystery, Book 18
by Shirley Rousseau Murphy (Author), 
Susan Boyce (Narrator)

• Audible Audio Edition
• Listening Length: 8 hours and 51 minutes
• Program Type: Audiobook
• Version: Unabridged
• Publisher: AudioGO
• Audible.com Release Date: November 20, 2012

Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating 4.0 of 5.0

A car crash, a missing treasure, a dead thief, and a suspicious blond divorcée have feline P.I. Joe Grey and his four-legged cohorts clawing for justice in this lively new entry in the beloved, award-winning series.
Kate Osborne, a divorcée, reappears with a fortune and a strange story about how she obtained it. Meanwhile, a terrible car crash involves tortoiseshell Kit and her elderly housemates, Lucinda and Pedric Greenlaw. The accident is terrifying enough, but then two mysterious men steal the car - and the secret treasure hidden inside its doors. When one of the thieves ends up dead, Joe must discover if the events are connected - and why. With the investigation in trouble, will they find the killer...or be left chasing their tails?

Review:
Kit, a small tortoiseshell cat, is one of five feline friends living with their people in Molina Point, CA. Her humans are Pedric and Lucinda Greenwald who have been given a small fortune by their friend, Kate. The Greenwalds and Kit are returning from San Francisco in a fairly new Lincoln town car with the treasure hidden in the door panels.  An accident occurs with a rock slide when a tracker trailer and pick-up truck jostle down the cliff road and bump them into the rocks.

The two men in the pick-up, Vic and Birely, are drifters and low level thieves.  They attack the elderly couple and steal the car. Birely happens to have a connection to the property of another of the cats’ human friends, Emmy Lou.  Vic and Birely have been secretly camping out in a stone building behind the house that Emmy Lou inherited from Birely’s murdered sister. Birely felt deprived of his inheritance and he is sure there is money hidden on the property.

Other friends are pulled in to rescue Kit and the Greenwalds. The cats are angry at the injuries suffered by Pedric and Lucinda and soon they are suspicious of the behavior of the men sneaking around Emmy Lou’s house. It is fun to listen as the cats are smuggled into the hospitals. The cats have all the pieces of the puzzle if only they can get the information together and to their humans to take action.

The story is told in third person, often from the view of the cats with many first person cat thoughts interspersed, creating a fun perspective. The reader/listener also gets to follow the thoughts and actions of criminals so we know what is going on and are waiting for the cats and humans to catch the bad guys before worse things happen. Since the author reveals the actions of the criminals as the story proceeds this is not so much a mystery to solve but for the reader to watch it being solved.  Joe Grey, the apparent star of the series, only plays a small role in solving this mystery.

I enjoyed the coincidences that tied all the characters together. I had a little trouble at first sorting out the cats and their connections but once I outlined them it was easy to follow the group of friends -- human and feline. There is also a relationship upheaval  between Kit and her true love, the red tom cat, Pan, that adds to the story. I enjoyed the mystery and the interactions.  I would listen to more from the series if I find time. This one works out fine as a stand alone.

Audio notes: I enjoyed the easy narration style. It fit well with the cozy genre of the story. It was fun to share the different cat and human attributes through their voices. I think the audio enhanced the story for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is an example of cute humor from one of the cats.

He was sure she thought the old place was as empty as a clean-licked tuna can.  Disc 7.

I received this to review for AudioGo through AudioBook Jukebox.

This story is set in California for 2013 Where Are You Reading. This is also a new author for me.

Book Review and Giveaway: Everybody Loved Roger Harden by Cecil Murphey

This is a nice blend of genres: cozy mystery and Christian fiction.

Everybody Loved Roger Harden (Everybody's Suspect in Georgia)
by Cecil Murphey

• Hardcover: 317 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Pr; Lrg edition (December 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1410422232
• ISBN-13: 978-1410422231

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Christian Fiction
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: October 10, 2011

Psychologist Julie West and Reverend James Burton arrive late for dinner on Palm Island - but just in time to discover their host, millionaire Roger Harden, murdered. Ten possible suspects share closed quarters on the secluded island, all of them with deep secrets and sufficient motive to have wanted the wealthy benefactor dead. Can Julie and Burton ignore the mysterious attraction developing between them long enough to discover who among them didn't love Roger Harden enough to let him live?

Review:
Remember the classic Agathie Christie mysteries, Ten Little Indians, 13 Came to Dinner or the game/movie Clue?  Here is a book fashioned on the same premise but with some inspirational surprises added in.

Psychologist Julie West and Reverend James Burton (called Burton) arrive together for dinner at the exclusive Palm Island estate of millionaire Roger Harden.  There are ten guests properly seated all having been summoned, rather than invited, to the dinner. The problem is, the 8 pm bong sounds and Roger fails to appear.

When the cook/maid, Elaine, is sent to retrieve Roger from his study she finds him lying under his desk, dead.  Julie and Burton know they aren’t the killer. That leaves eight guests and two staff as suspects. They begin to interview the suspects to uncover motives and opportunity so they can pin point the killer.  Although everyone initially claims to have loved Roger it doesn’t take long for accusations across the table to reveal that everyone had reason to hate him. He was an obsessively controlling husband, an indifferent or demanding step-father and a controlling employer. No one was really a friend as it turns out that Roger knew a secret about each of them and used that he used as blackmail.

As the investigation proceeds another person is killed and one is shot at.  It isn’t until midway through the book that facts begin to reveal that Roger had been changing in his attitude over the past several weeks. Once revealed the source and consequences of Roger’s change mean that the murderer may have committed a crime that wasn’t necessary.

This was a fast and easy read.  The characters are well developed and there is a great contrast between Julie and Burton. Julie has a condemning and narrow focus not only towards he suspects but towards herself too.  Burton is gentle and non-judgmental allowing him to get the suspects to tell him their grievances with the deceased.

Our ladies book club members agreed this was an easy read although several felt it started slowly.  It was noted that all of the guests seemed rather nonchalant in spite of murders and attacks occurring around them. We all agreed that Simon, the ‘butler’, man-Friday, was a great secondary character.  He is a man that is more likely to shrug his shoulders than speak and when he does speak, it is few words, like “Wait no longer.”

I really enjoyed several of the inspirational elements that Mr. Murphey smoothly wove into the friendship developing between Julie and Burton. This is a fun read and just what it purports to be: a Christian Cozy Mystery.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Burton to Julie:

You keep bringing in judgmental words–like bad or wrong.  I’d prefer to say it this way: You and I live in different worlds.  Location 896.

I understand why a lot of people have turned away from church. I just wish they wouldn’t turn away from God, as well.....
That’s the direction I like to point people–from imperfect people to a perfect God.  Location 1972-74.

God may be your best option and not just your last one. Location 1986.

I have the three volume set (Everybody's Suspect in Georgia) but I picked up this paperback recently and now I offer it as a Giveaway.

This is set in Georgia. I will also add it to my New Author reading List.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for  used Print Copy - OPEN WORLDWIDE.**

ENTRY FORM HERE

For 3 Extra Bonus entries Visit  the author's website or The Man Behind the Words and tell me something you find of interest.

* This contest is open Worldwide **providing shipping is under $7.00.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on October 19, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on October 20, 2012.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Book Review: A Fistful of Collars by Spencer Quinn

This is a fun mystery tail tale told by Chet, the side kick dog!
A Fistful of Collars (Chet and Bernie Mysteries)
by Spencer Quinn

• File Size: 997 KB
• Print Length: 320 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books (September 11, 2012)
• Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0061OQXRI

Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: September 11, 2012 | Series: Chet and Bernie Mysteries

Everyone’s favorite detective team returns in a new adventure as canine narrator Chet and his human partner P.I. Bernie Little find that Hollywood has gone to the dogs.

Hoping to bring some Tinseltown money to the Valley, the mayor lures a movie studio to town to shoot their next production, a big-budget Western in the classic tradition. The star is none other than ruggedly handsome—and notoriously badly behaved—Thad Perry. When the mayor decides that someone needs to keep an eye on Thad so that he doesn’t get into too much trouble, Bernie and Chet are handpicked for the job. The money is good but something smells fishy, and what should have been a simple matter of babysitting soon gets more complicated—especially when they discover that Thad has a mysterious connection to the Valley that nobody wants to talk about. What kind of secret could Thad have left behind when he went to Hollywood to seek fame and fortune? The only people who might know the answer have a bad habit of turning up dead before they can talk.

As Bernie’s relationship with his longtime girlfriend Suzie goes long-distance, and Chet’s late-night assignations appear to have resulted in an unexpected dividend, it’s all our two sleuths can do to keep Thad and his motley entourage of yes-men, handlers, and hangers-on in their sights. Worst of all, Thad is a self-proclaimed cat person, and his feline friend Brando has taken an instant dislike to Chet.

Like the winning books before it, this fifth book in the series combines a top-notch mystery with genuine humor and a perceptive take on the relationship between human and dog that will stay with you long after the case is solved.

Review:
This story is narrated by Chet, the canine, loyal sidekick of Bernie, a former cop turned Private Investigator. The mystery is shared from the perspective of Chet who apparently failed in the last stages as a trained work dog and in the last stages as a police dog. It was never quite clear to me what kind of dog Chet is other than large, one hundred pounds, and with mismatched ears.

Chet describes his surroundings from the dog’s view of senses: sounds, smells, and textures. His thinking is simple and consistent for a dog, complete with disjointed thoughts that trail off as he loses attention or his attention is caught by something else. It makes for fun narration and dialogue.

Bernie is hired to protect a movie star brought into town by the mayor in hopes of bringing in money and work to the valley.  Bernie is suspicious of the hire from the beginning and goes to the source to inquire.  He continues to suspect something is off and sure enough his investigations lead him to uncover a secret payoff and then discover a dead body.

Bernie’s girlfriend, Suzie, is a reporter who gets an offer of a job with the Washington post. They are struggling with their separation while Bernie continues his investigation.  He gets help from a reporter friend of Suzie’s, and that friend soon ends up dead too. Now Bernie is determined to put all the pieces together before there are any more murders.

There are a few twists to unravel, including a cold case with a connection. I did enjoy the mystery and the story from the dog’s narration. However I felt there were several “loose ends”, including resolving some conflicts between Bernie and Suzie.  I didn’t understand why Bernie wouldn’t be more open with his cop friend, Rick, who could have helped with the investigation. Also I didn’t fully understand why Bernie felt he shouldn’t accept payment for work he did, although there was a point I wondered how he was doing his security work when he was off on his investigations. Maybe I’m not in favor of a one man, one dog, show. Still, it is a fun read and I would be likely to try more in the series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suzie tries to tell Bernie of her new job offer:

"I have some news.”
“You’re a newswoman.” Location 129

Chet's view of an official meeting:

Then came handshaking, hello hellos, and nobody took a single sniff of nobody, all very human, and everyone sat down.  Location 224.

Chet comments on Bernie's reaction:

Bernie nodded. He was a great nodder, if that hasn’t come up yet, had all kinds of different nods. I’d seen this nod before–not a friendly kind–mostly when we were dealing with perps. Location 2012.

I appreciate recieving this book from Simon and Schuster through NetGalley.

This is set in Hollywood, California for my Where Are You Reading Challenge. I will also add this to the New Author, ARC and Mystery Challenge lists.

Book Review with Giveaway: Nipped in the Bud by Susan Sleeman

This is a very fun read with a Biblical message on trying to control things with our own abilities.

Nipped in the Bud 
by Susan Sleeman

• File Size: 370 KB
• Print Length: 259 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1602605734
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006QZHYAM

Print copies of this book may be available at Christianbook.com
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2010

Prepare to attend the Pickle Fest in Serendipity, Oregon, along with Paige Turner and Adam Hayes. But first you must help them unravel the mystery of how the city manager wound up dead in a mound of mulch in the city park that Paige was hired to landscape. Can Adam’s knowledge of the law keep her out of jail and win her love?

Review:

Paige Turner (oh yes, there are puns like that throughout the book!) lost her parents when she was a child of ten. She doesn’t trust God to take care of her and seeks to control all aspects of her life.

Paige has her own nursery business in Serendipity, OR. She is expanding to include landscaping services and wants to make a good showing on a city project to win other jobs. Unfortunately, the city manager, Bud Picklemann, doesn’t like Paige.  But even Bud wouldn’t go so far as to get himself killed on her project site just to get her fired.  Paige is the number one suspect considering she made rash threats in an argument with Bud shortly before she found him toes up in a mound of dirt with her shovel as the apparent murder weapon. It doesn’t help Paige’s position that the local sheriff holds a grudge against her.

Paige’s best friend, Lisa, and her husband, a local commercial attorney, call in a criminal attorney. Adam is convinced he can help Paige but he would like to hire an investigator. Paige claims she can’t afford to hire anyone and, besides, she can do it herself.  Adam and Paige are attracted to each other but he is determined to keep her at a distance as long as she is his client.

Bud had several enemies in town and Paige soon has numerous other possible suspects. She refuses to pass the information on to the sheriff until she can clear her own name.  Will she be able to weed (sorry - couldn’t resist) through the clues in time to prevent going to jail?

This was our Ladies’ Book Club book and everyone agreed it was an easy and fun read. Paige hosts a radio program called “Through the Garden Gate” providing gardening tips.  Most  chapters begin with a blurb from a  prior radio episode and these are great ‘shake your head’ jokes.  Also Paige gives people flower names, like “shasta daisy”, “globe thistle” or “sedum.” This adds another layer of fun to the reading.

Ms. Sleeman does a good job providing many plausible suspects for the mystery plot and Paige gets help from a surprising source in the end. Between the word association, jokes and mystery clues there is not a dull moment in the book. Paige isn’t the most likeable character due to her extreme stubbornness and control issues but she does mellow out by the end. Adam and Lisa are nice characters and Lisa gets her own crazy moments. The Biblical message of trusting in God is woven into the story and not set out in a preachy manner.

The ending did seem a little rushed and might have been more neatly resolved. There is a second book in the series so perhaps that picks up to wrap up the trailing branches. (These puns are just too catching.)  One of our book club ladies wondered if the location name wasn’t also a purposeful pun by the author. Serendipity means a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful while not specifically searching for it.

If you are ready for a light, fun mystery, perfect for the summer garden or other times of the year, I recommend this book.  I see some other series at her website and hope to read more of her work.
{Note- the Kindle version of this book had some good reading questions at the end that are not in the print book.}

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Examples of Paige’s control problem:

Controlling my life kept me safe. Let me sleep at night. If that meant Adam moved on after this was all over, so be it. I would, as usual, be in charge of my life, and everything would be fine. Location 2453.

I needed to work harder. Smarter. Faster. Location 3373.

I purchased this book for my local Ladies' Book Club. I have two copies left over so I am adding one to my Review box for giveaway selection and offering one now for giveaway.

This book is set in Oregon for my Where Are You Reading Challenge. I will also add it to my New Author and Cozy Mystery challenge lists.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for a Print Copy:
1. Visit the author's website and tell me something you find of interest. This is required for entry.

2.  For an extra entry, become a follower on any media (GFC, Twitter @MSEREADS, Facebook fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/ReviewsByMarthasBookshelf , Goodreads or Linky - links on right sidebar) or tell me if you are already a follower.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Two total entries possible.)

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on August 24, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on August 25, 2012.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.