Cozy mystery review of Toxic Toffee (Amish Candy Shop Mystery #4) by Amanda Flower

Toxic Toffee (Amish Candy Shop Mystery #4) 

Author: Amanda Flower

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Source: NetGalley

Length: Novel

Reviewed by: Laurie

Rating: 5 

A sweet tooth for murder . . .  
 
Bailey King’s in New York wrapping up a six-week shoot on her first cable TV show, Bailey’s Amish Sweets, when she gets a call from her Ohio town’s resident busybody. With Easter around the corner, Bailey’s been recruited to create a giant toffee bunny for the weeklong springtime festival that will also feature live white rabbits. But back home in Harvest, death becomes the main attraction when Stephen Raber keels over from an apparent heart attack—with Bailey and Raber’s pet bunny as witnesses.
. 
Except it wasn’t Raber’s heart that suddenly gave out—a lethal dose of lily of the valley was mixed into a tasty piece of toffee. Who’d want to poison a jovial rabbit farmer who reminded Bailey of an Amish Santa Claus? To solve the murder, she and her sheriff deputy boyfriend Aiden must uncover a twenty-year-old secret. She’ll need to pull a rabbit out of a hat to keep a healthy distance from toxic people, including one venomous killer . . . 

I always look forward to reading one of Amanda Flower's books, she is an amazing storyteller, you can open up one of her books and your daily problems fad away as you become one of her characters.

Bailey is one of my favorite characters, not only does she get to play with candy at her grandma's candy shop, but she also has an amazing community of fun and crazy people and animals to be around so, your never bored with the village and the people. Oh, and I cannot forget about her hot cop boyfriend Aiden ;)

I love how Amanda can toss enough clues throughout the story to keep me guessing and at the end, I am surprised that none of my suspects is the one who did it. 

The added rabbit in this story was a very nice touch, I am always pleased when an author can write about a different kind of pet instead of the same cat or dog, not that I love dogs and cats but as you keep reading about the same old pets it gets kind of old. 

One of my favorite cozy mystery series and I highly recommend you bump it on top of your reading list.

Cozy mystery review of A Literal Mess (Allie Cobb Mystery #1) by J.C. Kenney

Title: A Literal Mess (Allie Cobb Mystery #1)  

Author: J.C. Kenney 

Source: Netgalley

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Length: Novel 

Rating: 3

Reviewed by: Laurie 

The first book in a new series featuring Allie Cobb brings the New York literary agent back to her Hoosier home town where a mysterious death keeps everyone on spoiler alert . . .

Allie Cobb left home for the literary circles of Manhattan to make her name out from under the shadow of her legendary father. Now his death brings her and her rescue cat Ursula back to the southern Indiana town of Rushing Creek, population: 3,216. But a tragic new chapter hits the presses when the body of her father’s hard-drinking, #1 bestselling client is found under the historic town bridge. The local police suspect foul play and their prime candidate for murder is the author’s daughter—Allie’s longtime friend.

Determined to clear her beastie, Allie goes into fact-checking amateur detective mode while trying to ignore the usual rumormongers. Those with means, motive, and opportunity include the vic's ex-wife, his rejected girlfriend, the mayor, and a rival agent trying to mooch clients. With a rugged genealogist distracting her and the imminent Fall Festival about to send tourists descending on their once-peaceful hamlet, Allie needs to stay alive long enough to get a read on a killer ready to close the book on a new victim: Allie . . .

I really liked the storyline, the setting and I loved the clues the author places for you along the story, what I didn’t like was Allie character seemed to be a bit stuck up from time to time and there are times when she goes to questions suspects that he is a bit out of sorts with them. Allie is also instructed to a bit of romance so you get a bit of romantic dialog too, which was great for the first book in the series. If you have never given thought about what goes on behind the scenes of writing a book this story will take you into some of the things that take place during writing. 

I recommend this book for any cozy mystery lover that wants a light read. 

Cozy Mystery review of Deceased and Desist (A Tallie Graver Mystery #3) by Misty Simon

Title: Deceased and Desist (A Tallie Graver Mystery #3) 

Author: Misty Simon

Source:Netgalley 

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Length: Novel

Rating:4

Reviewed by: Laurie 

Window of opportunity . . .

Most housecleaners don’t do windows, but Tallie Graver loves leaving a pane of glass streak-free and sparkling. After a dirty divorce from a filthy-rich jerk, she's started her own cleaning business to make ends meet. On her latest job, prepping a renovated bed and breakfast for a grand re-opening, she's standing outside on a ladder, wiping off a grimy pane, when she spies a man on a bed through the glass. But the B&B isn't open for business yet—and the man's not sleeping. Her family owns the Graver Funeral Home, so Tallie knows a corpse when she sees one.

The victim is a shady building inspector with a reputation for handing out passing grades for a greased palm. With the local police resistant, Tallie launches her own investigation, before she gets a rep as a town crank. But it's going to take more than a squirt bottle and a squeegee to clean up this mess. With the help of her gal pal Gina, Tallie searches for a killer's motive. But she'd better be careful, or it'll be curtains for this window cleaner . . .

My first book by this author and I really liked it, it was a bit different read to me as in I have never read a cleaning lady sleuth before so it was quite enjoyable. I liked Tallie she didn’t let anyone stop her from doing what she does best snooping and finding the murder. The author kept me guessing all the way so kudos to her on creating a great mystery.

The only downside is a few of the characters in the story really seems to pick on Tillie and her getting involved with this being the third book this leaves me to wonder if they don’t do it all the time and if they do, this would get my goat.  

This being my first book from the series I never found I was missing anything important enough to have to go back and read the first of the series. 

Review Ghostly Paws by Leighann Dobbs

Title: Ghostly Paws (A Mystic Notch Cozy Mystery #1)
Author: Leighann Dobbs 
Source: Amazon purchase
Genre: Cozy Mystery with paranormal elements
Reviewed by Laurie 
Rating: 5
Sexual: 1

Middle age can be murder ...

At least that’s how it seems to former crime journalist, Wilhelmina Chance, whose near-fatal accident has given her a strange side effect ... she sees ghosts.

After a messy divorce sends her fleeing back to her hometown of Mystic Notch, nestled in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Willa finds herself haunted by the tenacious ghost of the town librarian who insists Willa solve her murder.

Luckily, she has lots of help, including a quirky cast of small-town characters, the cat she’s inherited from her grandmother, and her best friend, Pepper, who claims her herbal teas can work magic.

But just when Willa thinks she’s discovered who the killer is, she finds out that things are not what they seem in Mystic Notch, and the case takes a strange turn that has Willa adding even some of her long-time friends to her suspect list.

Can Willa find the real killer in time to keep the magical balance in Mystic Notch on the side of good, or will evil prevail?

Dear Leighann Dobbs

I bought your book Ghostly Paws and I wanted to tell you how much I loved it. As a reviewer I tend to try to make a point to readers in hopes to get their attention and this time I want to point out to readers that authors loves it when fans drops a few lines to tell them how much they loved their book. So, this note and somewhat quick review (Oh yeah, I still have to do a quick review for them. LOL) will seem a bit odd, so please over look that tiny reviewing part.

I am friends with author Mary Kennedy and she posted this book on her Facebook. Me being a cat, mystery, and paranormal lover I just had to buy it and I have to say I loved it so much I read it in no time. I fell in love with the setting, story and the mystery. You did great job writing the middle age character Wilhelmina and the whole paranormal aspects of the story with the added with all of the cats that is still in progress. I have to admit this was the first time I have ever read a book with a POV from a cat and I loved it. I especially loved the name of the cat Pandora, but again I could be partial to that name because one of my cats name is Pandora ;) Anyhoo, back to the story, oh yeah, I can’t forget about mentioning the sheriff Striker, Oh my, he is a hot one and I hope we continue to read more about him and Willa together in the next installment.

I really enjoyed the mystery and the way Willa was always in the way trying to help solve the murder. I also enjoyed how you added the feral cats, I hope this little message will encourage some to help the feral cat population in their area. I myself trapped 5 feral cats this year and took them to get them fixed. I cat wait to see how you grow this cat colony and how they are going to help with the paranormal elements in the story. As a paranormal readers I have always felt cats just go hand and had with a good paranormal book.  

So, I guess I can quit with all of this mushy love stuff and ask one important question, WHEN IS THE NEXT BOOK COMING OUT??? Yes, I want it now LOL.

If you’re a cat, mystery, paranormal and a touch of romance lover please mark this book to read. It’s on my highly recommend list. I also hope this crazy note/review will inspire you to write to the authors and tell them how much you loved their book. 

Best regards,

Laurie 

Favorite reads of 2013 Clady Conn Lady X

Title: Lady X
Author: Claudy Conn
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Time Travel
Length: Novel
 Reviewed by: Laurie
 Rating- 5 Sexual- 2

Exerilla is a white witch.

Her father is a dark and dangerous warlock with an agenda to marry her to someone she despises. He has the power to do this before she reaches her majority, which will occur at Samhain, Halloween.

Her mother has a plan and against her daughter’s will, implements that plan, which sends Exerilla into the past, where she must remain until October 31st—months away. And magic is something she can’t use because her father could trace it to her.

Here is the problem, plans have a way of seeping from black and white into gray

I Love Claudy’s paranormal romances, they are always fresh and exciting to read. Lady X is a time travel paranormal romance that is very realistic.

 What I loved most was the way she ended the story. You come to a point where you’re thinking, there is no freaking way she is going to be able to pull this all together and clean up all of these loose ends, but she does and it suits the whole book. Exerilla (X) and Lord Hunter MacTorry, romance doesn’t start with sparks right off the bat but once they start flying its nonstop, until one of them Exerilla is left making a hard choice, that will leave one left behind in time desperately trying to find the other. I loved both X and Lord Hunters characters, they are both strong and are willing to do anything for the ones they love.

 I recommend this book for readers who love any of these paranormal, time travel and historical romances.

A Pussy, A Pirate, and Poachers by Kassanna

Title: A Pussy, A Pirate, and Poachers

Author: Kassanna

Genre: Paranormal romance- cat shifer

Length: Novella

Reviewed by: Laurie 

Milla's week was bad, a lot harder than usual for an import/export expert. Alex couldn't believe he'd found his mate. Too bad she's a smuggler.

Milla didn't know who or what she pissed off, but she was having the worst week of her life. Her ship had sunk during a freak storm. Luckily, she'd gotten her crew and most of her cargo off. But somehow she ended up on an island with a neurotic cat, a black panther to be more specific. Her week from hell culminates when they land on an island owned by an ex-drug lord with security issues. Then there was one little issue she didn't see coming. Ole pussycat wasn't a panther at all.

Alex had no clue why he didn't want to leave the infuriating woman. At least he didn't until he got a good whiff of her. Now all he could think about was mating her. That alone was ridiculous, she was human. What made it worse was her penchant for illegal activities. As an ATF officer he was geared and ready to take her down for smuggling. Now he found himself doing anything to protect her. And she thought her day was bad.

Review Destiny Redeemed by Gabrielle Bisset

Title: Destiny Redeemed 

Author: Gabrielle Bisset 

Source: Author request

Genre: Paranormal romance

Length: Novel

Destiny Redeemed-paranormal romance

Sentenced to spend the rest of his three remaining lifetimes in Nil, Amon Kalins is freed with the help of his Sidhe servant, Gethen, but now he must accept his life is never to be his again as the Council won't rest until he's safely back imprisoned within Nil's cold walls. Broken and nearly dead from his time in prison, Amon is saved by an Aeveren healer named Althea Forester. As a healer, Thea has served her people for forty-five lifetimes, never having a destined one and always knowing each lifetime would ultimately end with her alone. But destiny hasn't forgotten her.

Drawn to the seductive Amon, Thea quickly becomes a pawn the Council uses to trap him. Taken prisoner by the sadistic leader of the rebel group, the Soren, Thea must survive the vicious world of the people hell-bent on taking her destined one away forever, and Amon must risk everything dear to him to free her from those who would sacrifice her to claim the bigger prize and return him to Nil.

Gabrielle has written a story with lots of romance and action. I love the depth Gabrielle takes you into the Aeveren’s culture and each character. If you’ve read Stolen Destiny I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in how Amon finds his mate and how he gets to keep her.

I liked all the characters, they all seem to flow together in the story. You get some great emotions out of them all. This could be a standalone but if you haven’t read Stolen Destiny, I suggest you do that first because you really need to see where Amon came from before you read about him.

 This is not your typical paranormal storyline, so if you want something a bit different, please try this.

I highly recommend this author and her books they are wonderful romance stories.

If you want to read in order here is the first book Stolen Destiny