Reading Fanatic Reviews
Cozy MysteriesCount Your Hexes by Wendy Meadows
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Count Your Hexes*
Great Start to a New Series
What a delightful start to a new cozy mystery series! And it does feel like a beginning in several ways. There is definitely a hint of future romance, and the protagonist, Mimi, is coming to understand that she has a magical bent. Not everything is fully resolved in this book, though the central mystery is (of course), which makes me anticipate book two!
I have read several of Wendy Meadows books, and I find that she has a way of writing in deep third-person point of view that draws you right into the story and the protagonist’s world. Even though this is a murder mystery, she is able to inject humor on occasion, and the relationship between Mimi and her dog, Baxter, is absolutely adorable (and I’m not even really a pet person). The author seems to have a good sense of timing; I love that she put the murder right up front (around the 6% mark), as I’ve read a couple of mysteries lately that make us wait to find the dead body. An interesting cast of characters populates this book, and much seems to be going on in this small town Maine town, both below the surface and what can be seen. I quite enjoyed watching this story unfold, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
Murders, Curlers, and Cruises by Arlene McFarlane
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters)
Murders, Curlers, and Cruises*
Tries Too Hard to Be Funny
This is my first time reading a book by this author, and I’m not sure if I would give another one a try. I was turned off immediately by a pretty serious info dump right the start of the book. That seems to be a significant failing in many first-person novels and novellas, though authors commit the same crime in stories told in the third person. Much has been ballyhooed in other reviews about the humor in this series and this book in particular. To me, I felt like the author was trying too hard to be funny, which made it unfunny for me.
Covens and Coffins by Lily Webb
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Mondadori, and Angus & Robertson
Covens and Coffins*
Another Zoe and Crew Paranormal Cozy
I have read several books in this series now, and I always enjoy a trip to Zoe’s magical world. I like that she isn’t an experienced, know-it-all witch as often happens in these paranormal cozy mysteries. In fact, this book starts with a scene of one of her areas of witchy ineptitude: she can’t fly a broom like the other witches. Despite her lacks, she has decided to run for Head Witch because of all the mysterious events she has been involved with previously. All does not run smoothly, of course, when a rival is murdered at a town hall meeting of the candidates just before the election. Zoe becomes a suspect, and she has to use her skills to ferret out the real murderer. In an interesting subplot, some are proposing wand reform (in a way that mirrors gun control in our world).
I like how the author has made this series stand-alone but interrelated, and she gives necessary backstory in tiny bite-sized chunks that are easy to assimilate. Backstory seems to be one of those things that authors quite often trip up on, either giving too little or too much in an info dump. That doesn’t happen here. For those of us who have read previous books, the relationships between Zoe and her friends and her grandma are a delight to watch as the friendships, like with Mallory and Raina, are realistic in showing both closeness and humor, and the familial relationship shows a deep love and understanding. I just like watching Zoe and her peeps interact. I thought that the murder should have happened a little earlier in the context of the story to give a bit more time for the mystery to play out, but it was still a solid read.
An Automated Murder by Shelly West
Available at Amazon
Free with Kindle Unlimited
An Automated Murder*
A Mystery with a Surprising Culprit!
Granny and Abigail are at it again when a special Christmas unveiling at the Wallace Point toy store turns into a crime scene. A toy cannon automaton apparently kills a man in a locked room. In his dying breath, the man states that the shop owner did it. But Granny and Abigail can’t believe that this family man and business owner would be capable of doing such a thing. Who is responsible for the dastardly deed?
I have read the other cozy mysteries in this series, and I enjoy the small-town world that the author has created. I adore the relationship between Granny and Abigail. The fictional town has all be quirky characters and zany happenings that you love and expect to find in a cozy mystery. There are even delightful dogs, Thor and Missy, though we didn’t see as much of them in this book as we have in previous books. I love the subtle and not-so-subtle humor that the author is able to inject into these books. In this one, I love how a yacht was named the Knotty Buoy. Perfect! I enjoyed seeing Wallace Point at Christmastime. It’s not just murder and secrets in this book but also Christmas lights and cookies! The answer to the “whodunit” question at the heart of every mystery is an actual surprise! As I am rarely surprised by any book, let alone a mystery, this made the book even more delightful. If you enjoy well-imagined, humorous cozy mysteries, you may well enjoy this book and the rest of the series.
A Murder in Helvetica Bold by Jessa Archer
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
A Murder in Helvetica Bold*
Starting Over… and Murder!
Ruth has been back in her hometown for a while now and has a good start on rebuilding her life after her divorce at the age of 50. She is just barely getting the town newspaper back in business when a neighbor dies under suspicious circumstances. Law enforcement is leaning toward natural causes or suicide, but clues lead Ruth to believe that foul play was involved. She and her daughter, Cassandra, who is in town for an extended visit, feel a need to investigate for themselves.
I love books with a middle-aged protagonist; life doesn’t end after 20 (or 25) as seems to be the case in many books. I liked how Ruth was reclaiming her life and focusing what mattered to her. In particular, I enjoyed the relationship between Ruth and her adult daughter. They act in a naturally friendly way that all mothers and their adult children should do. After having read the mini prequel about the bear, I was glad to see the town’s secondary characters take on a bit more depth. Some townspeople have intriguing pasts. I like how this mystery brought up questions from the past and drew out a person who looked out for Ruth. I thought on occasion that the author did informational dumps rather than incorporate important information more seamlessly. That said, I did enjoy this amateur sleuth mystery.
Hound on the Sound by Jessa Archer
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, and Angus & Robertson
Hound on the Sound*
Nice Start to New Series
Pepper is returning to her hometown after time in the big city to open up her own law firm. She’s able to buy a property at a steal, which she does question but is happy about. The sleazy lawyer in town gives her a hard time when she moves in, but with a little help from friends and family, she is able to work it out. An old flame is now the sheriff, and he’s recently separated from his wife. Why was the property such a steal? Will there be a second chance at romance for Pepper as well?
The hound mentioned in the title is Mr. Woogles, and while I am not a dog person, I thought he was very cute indeed. Pepper’s interactions with him were adorable. Even though this is a short story, I felt like we got to know some of the characters in town somewhat. I like the promise of a little bit of romance in the future stories and in this series. The author writes description well, allowing the reader to visualize places and settings. The dialogue felt natural.
Baskerville for the Bear by Jessa Archer
Available at Amazon Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Mondadori, and Angus & Robertson
Baskerville for the Bear*
Not Long Enough for Much Depth
After a divorce, Ruth is returning to her small town after 30 years as a reporter in the big city. She plans on restarting the town’s paper and restarting her life as well at the same time. A neighbor has been hunting on her property, her parent’s old place, but now she’s found a headless bear in a trap. While bear hunting is not illegal, trapping one is. When Ruth attempts to get law enforcement to look into this, she is brushed off. But Ruth will not be satisfied by this, and she starts to look into it herself.
This is a super short cozy mystery. I found it suffered from the faults typical of short cozies, specifically having a data dump at the beginning to set up the world and not having enough space to develop the characters and mystery. Aside from these two issues, the story itself was well-written with visual detail. If you think you might delve into the rest of the series, it is worth a read.
Loony Town by Paula Lester
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Loony Town*
Strange Magic at the Retirement Community
Things are rarely quiet for long at the Sunnyside Retired Witches Community! Zoey was having a lovely moment a flying kite with her boyfriend when she was called back to the community. Apparently, an insurance agent has been murdered on the premises. That’s not all. Strange magics are occurring, and odd energy blips seem to happen around them. Are the residents of the community involved in the murder? Why do these magic blitzes happen?
I’ve read all the books in this series so far, and they are a delight. The author is able to make the characters seem realistic even though this is a magical setting, and she can inject humor into what could be very serious scenes about the crime. In this book, most of the magic that goes awry is just plain funny (the sweatbands!). I love when I see that a new book in this series pops up because I can’t wait to read it.
A Trail of Breadcrumbs by D. E. Dennnis
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
A Trail of Breadcrumbs*
More Grimm Murders
The Grimm twins are pulled into another investigation by the mother of a woman who was recently murdered in the Siren Woods. This brings up memories and questions about others who were killed at or found missing from that spot. As the siblings dig deeper, they find themselves confronting issues with the cold cases as well as their current one. I’ve read several books in this series by now, and I quite enjoy the banter and interaction between Monica and Michael, the twins. They seem much like a real brother and sister. In this book, the author created a proper mystery novel, not as simple novella as many seem to be these days, with multiple plotlines, murders, and red herrings to keep interest and the pages turning. As in the other novels in the series, the twins have to fight resistance from the local police department while they’re trying to figure out everything else. One of the twins is even endangered. I like all the different secondary characters as well, as they flesh out the plot and add much to the multiple storylines. Some of these are recurring characters, while others were new. Dialogue is realistic and at times funny but still remains heightened and tells us just what we need to know.
Grits, Gamblers, and Grudges by Paula Lester and Lisa B. Thomas
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Grits, Gamblers, and Grudges*
Skeleton in the… Basement?
I’ve enjoyed the two previous installments in this series, and this one was just as delightful. It’s got all the things that I love about paranormal cozy mysteries: a beleaguered heroine, quirky cast of characters, a small town that is more than it seems, a little supernatural flair to take it out of the ordinary, and a mystery that has a few surprises that make it fun to follow. Paige certainly had a rough go right from the start. Not only did she need to take out a loan for plumbing repairs, but the plumber finds a skeleton. An inspector comes out to look at the plumbing but discovers Paige has been living there in a commercial-only zone; she gives Paige two weeks to get out, or she’ll be fined and the bookshop closed. Could deceased Aunt Nora actually be responsible for the skeleton found in the basement of the bookshop? I enjoy the author’s writing style, as I can just slip right back into the world she has created as if I never left. Looking forward to more in the series.
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