ARC Reviews: Cozy Mystery Roundup

 I received ARCs of these books from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

I love a mystery set in a bookstore, and this was no exception. The Christie sisters are running their family's historic bookshop, The Book Chalet, when a stranger wanders in acting, well, strangely. Later, this same stranger is found dead on the gondola, and the town is blocked in by a rockslide, meaning all the suspects must stay in place.

This was a fun read. I love the Agatha Christie references, and the workings of the bookstore itself. The Christie sisters are fun, engaging main characters, surrounded by a good supporting cast. The ending was really shocking, and I was really impressed the author went there as opposed to where I think some cozy mysteries might have played it out. I'm excited for the rest of this series.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. In this entry, Jules and her team at her bakeshop are catering a weekend retreat for a big business, along the Rogue River. But the business' boss is extremely demanding, and the in-fighting among the business team starts almost immediately. When someone is murdered, Jules must help the police determine which among the many suspects most wanted the victim dead.

I love this series for the characters and their relationships. Jules is such a strong female protagonist, and she is surrounded by unique and loveable characters. The setting of Ashland is almost a character in itself, and really comes alive. I always look forward to what Alexander writes next.

Featuring another group of sisters, this time the Juniper sisters, this book is set in a record store/coffee shop, and is the first in the series. When someone is murdered during their opening night party, the Juniper sisters, especially Juni, set out to discover who among the townspeople could possibly have committed this crime.

The Juniper sisters are all strong women with unique personalities, and like many other successful cozy mysteries, they are surrounded by a strong supporting cast. Juni has a past romance and a possibly future romance to sweetly juggle, and the setting of the record store is a fun one. The ending was a real surprise as well. I would like to read the next book in the series when it comes out.

ARC Review: The Family Game

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

This is a book you won't see coming.

On the surface, the premise seems simple. Harriet Reed, a woman established in her own right as an upcoming novelist, is going to marry Edward Holbeck, who is the heir to one of the wealthiest and most powerful families. 

But the Holbecks are a family that like to play games. So when Harriet receives a tape from the head of the family, Robert Holbeck, with a murder confession on it, she's not sure what to think. But as she's drawn further into the family, and the games amp up in intensity, Harriet is forced to decide what truly matters to her and how far she is willing to go.

The twists in this book are amazing. The book started out a little slow to me, but once it got going, I could not put it down. The ending especially is incredible. I highly recommend this book.

ARC Review: All the Blood We Share

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Kate Bender is a self-professed medium who helps her family run the small, broken down Bender Inn, a rest stop for travelers. But they make money another way as well, a dark and terrible choice they have willingly made, and it is this that begins to catch up with them.

This book was highly intriguing from the very start, a fictionalized version of a true crime story. I had actually just read a nonfiction book on the Benders, the family at the center of this story, and was really curious how Bruce would handle the source material. 

I think Bruce did an excellent job creating a gripping read, a book that managed to be suspenseful even when one knows how (most) of the story works out going in. Even having just read a nonfiction account of the events, I was engrossed in reading what happened next. I would definitely recommend this book, and will absolutely be reading Bruce's previous book as well.

ARC Review: The Last Party

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

After a massive and elaborate New Year's Eve party, the host is found floating dead in the water. There were already tensions between the new vacation homes housing the wealthy, and the neighboring village, tensions the party was supposed to ease. But now that unease and resentment are growing. Ffion, born of the village, but sworn to discover the truth and impart justice, must navigate her way between the two worlds while hiding some of her own secrets. 

This was a really good read. Everyone is a viable suspect, and Mackintosh dishes out secrets like party favors. There are clever flashbacks full of surprises, and current scenes where technology or a quick tongue spill out the truth. Ffion is a great character full of complexity, and when paired with her new partner, they both really come alive. 

And that ending! Such a shocker, and so well done.

ARC Review: The Ghost and the Stolen Tears

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an hoenst review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Pen is a bookseller with a ghost companion, a dead detective with a real knack still for solving cases. So when a friend is accused of stealing the famed Tears of Valentino, Pen calls on both her modern day compatriots and a deceased PI (who has a history with the jewels) to help her friend and solve the crime. 

I've always enjoyed this series-the characters are unique, as is the set up, which makes for an enjoyable read. However, in this entry I found the sheer amount of characters confusing, especially in the part of the story set in the past. 

Also a note-there is a brief mention of an attempted sexual assault, with the perpetrator later being described as "sweet" by the person he attempted to assault. This rubbed me the wrong way, for lack of better terminology, and threw me off of the story somewhat. 

ARC Review: Blackmail and Bibingka

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

In Blackmail and Bibingka, the absolutely beloved characters from the previous two books are all back for the holiday season. But Lila's cousin Ronnie has also returned, after fifteen years of no contact, swearing that he has turned his life around. It isn't long before Ronnie is suspected of murder, and being up to no good with his new business, and Lila has to save the holidays by saving her cousin. 

I absolutely adore this series. I tore through all three out so far and am so excited to read that there will be at least three more books in the series. These cozy reads have it all-mystery, romance, family (both blood and chosen), culture, and food. I highly recommend starting this series, I suspect you'll be just as quickly hooked as I was!

ARC Reviews: American Demon and Jackal

 I received ARCs of these books from the publishers in exchange for honest reviews. This did not affect my opinion of the books or my reviews itself.

In American Demon, Stashower examines both the life and legacy of Elliot Ness, and the story of the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run, and how they eventually intertwine. Elliot Ness was best known for his role in taking down Al Capone during the prohibition era, and then became Cleveland's director of public safety, tasked with discovering who was leaving torsos, limbs, and heads scattered around Cleveland.

This is a well-written book full of information, including who the Butcher most likely was. Personally, I was less interested in the prohibition era aspect of the book, and struggled through that section a bit, but that was because I was reading the book for the true crime aspect. 

Liz has come home to Johnstown for her best friend's wedding, and only for her best friend's wedding. She's never felt entirely comfortable in the majority white town, even less so on the wedding day when her goddaughter goes missing, leaving behind only a piece of her white dress covered in blood. Now Liz is seeing a horrifying pattern, one where Black girl after Black girl disappears over the years, and no one ever listens.

This is a powerful, haunting horror book that directly tackles societal issues and prejudices. This book has stayed with me long after I finished it, and I definitely recommend reading it.