A Catered Book Club Murder (A Mystery with Recipes #16) by Isis Crawford

A Catered Book Club Murder

(A Mystery with Recipes #16)

by Isis Crawford

Kindle Edition

Published December 29th 2020

Goodreads synopsis: 

Sisters Bernie and Libby Simmons run a catering business in their upstate New York town, and they're delighted for the chance to provide tasty desserts for the local mystery lovers' book club. But when fiction spills into a reality and the sisters find themselves investigating a suspicious death, it's up to them to figure out whodunit...

If anything can be said about the endearingly predictable Margo Hemsley, it's that she always serves elaborate desserts at her mystery book club meetings. That's why everyone fears the worst after she doesn't pick up her order from Bernie and Libby and skips out on the monthly gathering. The Simmons sisters can't imagine their acquaintance vanishing like a character from one of her favorite novels, at least not willingly.

When the search ends with the discovery of a dead body, Bernie and Libby agree to help the nine remaining book club members prove their friend was murdered. But a speed read through Margo's background reveals there was more to the victim than harmless hobbies and frumpy cardigans would suggest. As the sleuthing sisters unearth scandalous secrets about the book club members, they'll have to determine who was connected to Margo's shady dealings--and who sent her to an early grave...

***

4.5 stars

This is the sixteenth book in the Mystery with Recipes series by Isis Crawford.

Bernie and her sister Libby are requested by a couple of Margo’s friends to look into her death. All signs seem to point back to her book club participants and then things just start to get interesting,

I really enjoyed how the red herrings were placed in this story. Just fun stuff. I think I have read a book or two in this series and it is totally worth digging into. Loved how tenacious Bernie was looking for the truth and having her dad by her side during the investigation was new and nice.

Overall quite a nice read. Definitely a series I would recommend.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Bait and Witch (Witch Way Librarian Mysteries #1) by Angela M. Sanders

Bait and Witch

(Witch Way Librarian Mysteries #1)

by Angela M. Sanders

Kindle Edition

Published December 29th 2020

Goodreads synopsis: 

Librarian Josie Way moved to small-town Oregon to lay low. Instead, thanks to newfound magic abilities—and a killer on the loose—she’s leapt out of the frying pan and into a cauldron of trouble . . .

Josie Way loved working among the Library of Congress’s leather-scented stacks—until she uncovered corruption and made herself a target. As Wilfred, Oregon’s new librarian, Josie can stay undercover until the case goes to court. But life in this little town isn’t as subdued as she expected. The library, housed in a a Victorian mansion, is slated to be bulldozed. Still digesting the news that her safe haven is about to become scrap lumber, Josie discovers a body in the woods . . .

Almost as shocking, Josie learns that she’s descended from a long line of witches—and her powers have suddenly sprung to life. With help from a spoiled alley cat who just may be her familiar, Josie’s thumbing through a catalog of suspects, hoping she can conjure a way to save her library—and her life. . .

***

4.5 stars This is the first book in the Witch Way Librarian mystery series by Angela M. Sanders. I thought this was a great book. Right up my alley with the whole “coming into your witchy powers” storyline running alongside the murder mystery. Josie is a librarian working in Washington DC at the Library of Congress where she overhears a conversation that she reports to the authorities. Suddenly, she finds herself in hot water and high tales it out of town accepting a job at a small town library with a lot of issues. I found this plot point a little odd. If you are fleeing for safety, how do you suddenly have a job waiting for you at your new destination? I know it is explained in the text but I am not completely buying it. I am overlooking it since I like this story so much. Buffy meets Charmed in a way. Josie is at this new location a very short time when a dead body is discovered nearby and things progress from there. This is the first book in a series and I can see all kinds of possibilities with this in the future. I loved how it ended so I am not completely certain if Sam has a place in book two, but I sure hope he does! This is a new series I will definitely follow!  If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed. I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

A Wicked Yarn (A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery #1) by Emmie Caldwell

A Wicked Yarn

(A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery #1)

by Emmie Caldwell

Paperback, 304 pages

Published December 29th 2020 by Berkley Books

Goodreads synopsis: 

A killer may craft the perfect crime, but as every knitter worth her yarn knows--murder wool out.

Mother's Day should be a cinch for the good folks of the Crandalsburg Craft Fair, and knitting enthusiast Lia Geiger has a good feeling about this year's yield. But things quickly get knotty when Lia's daughter announces she's quit her job and Lia finds herself tangled up in the murder of her best friend's ex-husband. While Belinda's alibi quickly gets her off the hook, nasty rumors spread throughout Crandalsburg that shroud the entire fair in suspicion.

Could the vendors be responsible for the murder of a man hell-bent on unraveling the fair just days before his death? Lia and her crafty group of Ninth Street Knitters must put down their needles to gather clues and save the crafting community they've grown to love.

***

4.5 stars

This is the first book in the A Craft Fair Knitters mystery by Emmie Caldwell.

Some craft books try hard to fit in the actual craft and make it feel natural during the mystery section. This book did that with ease. They managed to incorporate many different vendors at the Craft Barn and make it all feel totally natural.

I enjoyed the relationship between Lia and her daughter. It really showcases the dynamic between what older people think of work and what younger people do. I am not sure I would have left a job on a lark like Haley did. I loved the addition of the alpaca farm and how that dynamic helped Haley along her life path.

The mystery was well told and it kept my interest the entire way through. Lots of clues abound so you can follow along and discover for yourself who the killer is. Just a fun yarn… see what I did there? Yarn. Ha ha.

Great new crafter series. Check it out!

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Chilled to the Cone (A Bakeshop Mystery #12) by Ellie Alexander

Chilled to the Cone

(A Bakeshop Mystery #12)

by Ellie Alexander

Paperback, 304 pages

Expected publication: December 29th 2020by St. Martin's Press

Goodreads synopsis: 

Pastry chef and amateur sleuth Juliet Capshaw finds herself on thin ice as she attempts to solve her latest case of small-town murder in Ellie Alexander's Chilled to the Cone: A Bakeshop Mystery.

The deep freeze has thawed in Ashland, Oregon and Torte is gearing up for a busy spring. When a surprise opportunity to launch a pop-up ice cream shop comes her way, Jules jumps at the chance to showcase Torte’s signature iced drinks and cold custards. But selling the desserts of her dreams comes at a price. . .and, before she knows it, Jules’s life swirls into a nightmare. One of the town’s most colorful characters, a street performer known for wearing capes and a cone-shaped hat, turns up dead just as Torte 2.0 is set to open its doors. Can Jules get the scoop on what happened to “The Wizard” of Ashland before her new business venture reaches a chilling conclusion?

***

4.75 stars

This is the twelfth book in the A Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander.

An Ellie Alexander book always stands out for me. This series is just stellar and an example of what a great series should look like. You gotta love Torte and Ashland. In this story they created a new spinoff shop called Scoops and Julia is lamenting quite a bit about whether her husband, Carlo is planning on leaving and returning to the ship where he is more at home.

This type of story really makes you think about what is important in life. Julia starts Scoops, not because of her own passion but because she trusts and wants to make sure her employees are fulfilled and have the outlet to do that. In the end, that only helps Julia. And the whole storyline with Carlo that runs beside the mystery, wow, what a great show of how we can take a negative look at things and really want the best for our mates, loves and not think of what we ourselves really need. Carlo just blew me away at the end of this.

The mystery is awesome as it always is. Love seeing the Professor doing his thing and what his take is on the situation. This story really feels like I am reading about real people encountering real situations that just happens to involve a mystery. Alexander could be giving classes on how to write books like this and do it well

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Closely Harbored Secrets (Seaside Café Mystery #5) by Bree Baker

Closely Harbored Secrets

(Seaside Café Mystery #5)

by Bree Baker

Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication: December 29th 2020by Poisoned Pen Press

Goodreads synopsis: 

In the fifth book of the popular Seaside Café Mysteries, Closely Harbored Secrets, Everly Swan just wants to make Halloween-themed treats and specialty teas for her customers. But when it seems that she's being haunted by the phantom of a sailor straight out of a ghost story, her plans are capsized. Could this be the bitter end for Everly?

Perfect for fans of Laura Childs and Kate Carlisle

It's almost Halloween, and the small island of Charm, North Carolina is decked out for the festivities. When Everly Swan agrees to close her iced tea shop early to help her aunts host their annual haunted historic walking tour, she expects some good-natured spooks. But the night turns grave when one of the ghostly actors is found dead. To complicate matters, the victim scratched Everly's name into the ground before she died, making her a key suspect.

The murder mystery heats up when Everly's potential boo, Detective Grady, takes the case―and he definitely doesn't want her getting involved. Will their seaside romance be threatened by all the ghostly drama? But when a phantom sailor straight out of local legend starts leaving Everly threatening messages, she has to get involved... With a local election under way, ghosts on the loose, and a search for long-lost buried treasure, Everly can't help but stir the pot!

***

4.5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Seaside Cafe mystery series by Bree Baker.

I always love Bree Baker’s books and this was no exception. Wow, what a delightful read. This one is perfect for the history lover since many plot points harken back to old town history. A dead body of one of the actors is found during a halloween walking tour and Everly Swan is off to the races finding  the culprit.

The characters here are so fun and easy to relate to. You can easily get lost in the story. I was particularly curious why the dead person wrote Everly’s name before dying.

You just can’t go wrong with this series. It can easily be read as a standalone but I suggest you checkout the entire series. It is that good.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Wildflower Graves (Detective Ellie Reeves #2) by Rita Herron

Wildflower Graves

(Detective Ellie Reeves #2)

by Rita Herron

Kindle Edition, 439 pages

Published December 3rd 2020 by Bookouture

Goodreads synopsis: 

He looked at the photos of all the women who had to be punished. He’d already chosen the first five. He’d been talking to them for weeks. Watching them. Following them. He knew all their secrets––the secrets he would kill them for.

Detective Ellie Reeves heads into the wilds of the Appalachian Mountains when she wants to get lost––to forget the whispers chasing her and the past that keeps her up at night. She’s sick of having to prove herself to her small town.

But hiking in the endless miles of woods isn’t the escape she was hoping for. One night, as dusk falls, a gust of wind blows some petals on to Ellie’s path. Following the trail, she finds a golden-haired young woman dead on a bed of daffodils, with a note: Monday’s child is fair of face.

When Ellie emerges from the forest, there is a message on her phone. Someone has sent her a picture of her colleague, Officer Shondra Eastwood, with the words: Can you find her, Detective Reeves? Ellie is racked with guilt––while she was busy hiding from life a killer was on the loose, and he has taken her beloved friend.

The wilderness, and its shadows, are the perfect hunting ground for a criminal––but what does the sinister nursery rhyme mean? It soon becomes clear when another dead woman, Tuesday’s Child, is found.

Ellie is up against a serial killer who will claim a victim for every day of the week, and in the next twenty-four hours there will be another body. As this ruthless murderer closes in on her, can she save more innocent women––and Shondra––from his clutches? Or will he get to Ellie first? 

***

4.5 stars

This is the second book in the Detective Ellie Reeves series by Rita Herron.

I remember Rita Herron from a long time ago when she wrote for Harlequin. Definitely one of my favorite authors from that time. I was so glad to see her go out on her own and put out bigger books. 

This was a fascinating read. The whole connection between the killer and Ellie not to mention the name they have given the killer: the Weekday killer. I had a few questions that were probably answered in book one but that didn’t keep me from enjoying the read. I look forward to more books in this series. I am now hooked.

Ellie gets pulled into the story when one of colleagues is captured by the killer and Ellie feels guilty since the madman is doing this to eventually get to her. The plot keeps you interested and the characters are so well crafted it feels like you are watching this on television and not just reading it.

New favorite series, for sure! Putting Herron on my must read list.

If you love a good  mystery, police procedural, definitely check this one out.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Breathe Your Last (Detective Josie Quinn #10) by Lisa Regan

Breathe Your Last

(Detective Josie Quinn #10)

by Lisa Regan

Kindle Edition, 350 pages

Published December 9th 2020 by Bookouture

Goodreads synopsis: 

Josie presses her hands into the center of the drowned girl’s chest and pumps, counting off compressions. She takes in the girl’s beautiful face, her brown eyes glassy. The memory of a champion swimmer on the podium with her teammates—a red swim cap on, her head thrown back in laughter—a stark contrast to the cold, still body before her. Breathe. Just breathe...

The body of a young girl lying face down in a swimming pool—white tennis shoes still on her feet, chestnut hair fanned out like a halo—is the last thing Detective Josie Quinn expects to find on an early morning visit to see her brother before class at Denton University. But when she recognizes the girl’s face as she drags her limp body from the water, there’s only one question racing through Josie’s mind: how does a champion swimmer accidentally drown?

Nysa Somers’ family is distraught. She was a model student, beloved daughter and everybody’s friend. There’s no way she would do anything reckless enough to put her scholarship at risk, let alone her life. It’s up to Josie and her team to piece together what happened in the hours leading up to Nysa’s death, and that begins with finding her missing backpack.

But the bag, discarded in the woods on the nearby campus, contains nothing more than empty food wrappers, Nysa’s phone and a cryptic calendar entry telling her to be a mermaid.

The next day, a terrible housefire envelops the nearby home of a retired fireman, nearly killing his two granddaughters. The last words the little girls heard him mutter before he set the blaze were, be a match.

As the body count rises, it’s only Josie who can see the deadly pattern forming. Can she convince her team that the wrapper found in Nysa’s bag that everyone overlooked is the crucial link they’re missing? Not while her partner, Noah, is avoiding her calls and acting so coldly towards her. Josie knows she must go it alone if she’s going to stop this silent and calculated serial killer before any more precious lives are taken.

But with the killer finally in her sights, Josie takes a deadly risk and finds herself hanging onto life by her fingernails. Can she trust her team to save her, and before it’s too late?

An unputdownable and totally gripping crime thriller from an Amazon, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.

***

4.5 stars

This is the tenth book in the Detective Josie Quinn series by Lisa Regan. 

When a model student and champion swimmer is found dead, Detective Josie Quinn is on the case. This book was so easy to get into it is hard to believe it is the tenth book in the series. It easily stands up as a stand alone novel. So don’t be afraid you are missing things. They are related to you during the course of the book.

The mystery here was fascinating and I was glued to the pages wondering how it would all play out. Characters are all well thought out and make you want to come back for more. This is definitely a series I need to read from book one. So fascinating. This is tv show gold. Not sure why some company hasn’t tried to produce this yet.

If you like mysteries and police procedurals, check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

A Deadly Edition (Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #5) by Victoria Gilbert

A Deadly Edition

(Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #5)

by Victoria Gilbert 

Hardcover, 359 pages

Published December 8th 2020 by Crooked Lane Books

Goodreads synopsis: 

"Til death do us part" could be closer than the bride realizes in Victoria Gilbert's tantalizing fifth Blue Ridge Library mystery.

The pursuit to acquire a rare illustrated book turns deadly, and on the eve of her upcoming wedding, library director Amy Webber is drawn into a web of treachery and betrayal that could derail her happy day—and maybe just claim her life.

Planning a wedding can be murder—sometimes literally. At a party celebrating their upcoming nuptials, Taylorsford, Virginia library director Amy Webber and her fiancé Richard Muir discover the body of art dealer Oscar Selvaggio—a bitter rival of their host, Kurt Kendrick.

Both had been in a heated battle to purchase a rare illustrated volume created by William Morris's Kelmscott Press, so suspicion immediately falls upon Kurt. Amy knows that Kurt has a closet-full of skeletons from his past—but she can't believe he's guilty of murder.

Amidst an avalanche of wedding preparations, Amy begins an investigation with the help of her aunt Lydia Talbot and the new mayor of Taylorsford, Sunshine "Sunny" Fields. Much to Lydia's dismay, her boyfriend, art expert Hugh Chen, becomes convinced of Kurt's guilt and launches an investigation of his own. As the case hits painfully close to home, the stakes become impossibly high—and the danger all too real.

***

4.5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert.

Amy and Richard are getting ready to walk down the isle in a few weeks. While at a party for their upcoming nuptuals hosted by a friend, a person ends up dead. This surrounds the discovery of a rare book which interests Amy since she is the director of the Taylorsford Library.

The plot was fun to follow with lots of twists and turns. I had no clue who could have accomplished such a crime since the red herrings were so well placed. The characters were rich and filled with life. I liked seeing Amy’s brother. He was not only a spy but as a gay character, I found him rather engaging. Definitely would have liked to see more transpire between him and Ethan. But this is not a romance, so I know why that thread wasn’t followed.

Definitely a fun read that keeps you guessing. 

If you like cozy mysteries, check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Wine Tastings Are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery #5) by Libby Klein

Wine Tastings Are Murder

(A Poppy McAllister Mystery #5)

by Libby Klein

Paperback, 400 pages

Published December 1st 2020 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

Goodreads synopsis: 

It's vintage Poppy McAllister when the gluten-free baker and B&B owner tries to solve a murder at a Cape May winery . . .

When Poppy and Aunt Ginny agreed to host a Wine and Cheese Happy Hour for a tour group at their Butterfly House Bed and Breakfast on the Jersey Shore, they never anticipated such a sour bunch. Grumpy guest Vince Baker should be in a better mood--he's filthy rich and on his honeymoon with his much younger wife Sunny, who seems to dote on him almost as much as her high-spirited teacup Pomeranian, Tammy Faye Baker.

But the honeymoon is over when Vince drops dead the next day touring the Laughing Gull Winery. Turns out he's been poisoned, and it seems like everybody on the tour is hiding something. Now Poppy has to put her gluten-free baking on the back burner and bottle up her feelings for the two men in her life while she charges after a bitter killer with a lethal case of sour grapes . . .

***

4.5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Poppy McAllister mysteries by Libby Klein.

Poppy has allowed some people from a tour to come to her Butterfly House Bed and Breakfast for a wine and cheese tasting. Then one of the men ends up dead, putting Poppy into quite a fix. Her Aunt Ginny is quite a hoot in this story. She and her friends act more like rebellious teenagers than actual teenagers. There is even a funny storyline thread concerning Ginny and her new Alexa that had me rolling on the floor. Not to mention two little animals who were at odds for the entire book. All the little background things really make this story super fun!

Another secondary plotline concerns who has captured Poppy’s heart. I have to admit that Gia and his son just grabs at my heart strings. Just a really nice mystery that kept my attention all the way through and I found myself both annoyed and charmed by Ginny and her friends.

Loving this series. Definitely put this on your must read list.

If you like cozy mysteries, check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

It's Not Over (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #6) by Willow Rose

It's Not Over

(Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #6)

by Willow Rose

Kindle Edition, 328 pages

Published September 30th 2020

Goodreads synopsis: 

Former FBI-profiler Eva Rae Thomas is back in a heart-pounding novel of suspense. It’s so shocking it’ll have you sleeping with your lights on.

Peter and Mary Marshall went on a vacation with their son and daughter but returned without their children. They went missing from their hotel room one night while the couple was downstairs in the restaurant for dinner.

They never saw them again.

Ten years later, the Marshalls have put the murder of their children behind them, moved to a different state, and had another child, a son.

When he disappears during a vacation trip to Florida, the parents are suddenly in the limelight again. Public opinion seems to be that this can be no coincidence. These things don’t happen twice to the same people, do they?

Former FBI-profiler, Eva Rae Thomas is doing well in her life, and things are calm until an FBI agent suddenly shows up, asking for her help with the case of the missing child.

The kidnapper seems to have a message for Eva Rae since she was the one who supposedly solved the case ten years ago.

As she digs into the disappearance of the boy, racing to save the child’s life, she realizes this psychopathic killer lurking in the shadows has unfinished business, and he’s not stopping till his debt is paid in full. 

***

4.5 stars

This is the sixth book in the Eva Rae Thomas mystery series by Willow Rose.

There are two distinct time lines going on in this book. One from the past surrounding the death of two missing children. Then the same family has moved on and now son number three has gone missing. Eva Rae gets pulled into this since the disappearance of the two children was one of her first cases at the FBI.

This is an exciting merry go round of a story and I was so surprised who the bad guy ended up being. Rose is an expert at misdirection and plotting. I swear, she must have been a magician in another life. Her plots are like works of art.

Love this series so much! Definitely give it a read. So worth it!

Let Me Go (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #5) by Willow Rose

Let Me Go

(Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #5)

by Willow Rose

Kindle Edition, 357 pages

Published November 30th 2019 by BUOY MEDIA

Goodreads synopsis: 

What if a stranger told you that she believed your child is about to be killed? What if that woman was an ex-FBI profiler with a disputable reputation?

Would you believe her?

Eva Rae Thomas is chasing down a vicious killer, but no one will believe he even exists. If there are no unexplained dead bodies or missing persons, then how can there be a killer on the loose?

What they don’t understand is that the perfect murder is the one that doesn’t look like murder.

Can Eva Rae convince local law enforcement to help her with this case before the killer strikes once more? Or will she have to take matters into her own hands – again?

LET ME GO is the fifth book in the Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Series and can be read as a standalone.

***

4.5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Eva Rae Thomas mystery series by Willow Rose.

If you have not read the previous four books in this series, definitely do that before you read this. The stories in this series flow easily from one to the other and reading it out of order would only get mega confusing. This has marathon potential for sure!

Eva Rae is sure that a killer is targeting people who are playing a particular video game and she has tracked down the next victim to the son of a celebrity chef. The person isn’t actually doing the killing. They are calling in a threat that causes the police to come in and get so jumpy that they end up killing the victim before they realize this entire scenario was rigged.

I was so surprised by who the bad guy ended up being. What great plotting! This is definitely a new favorite series for me. Guilty pleasure reading!

Finished Off in Fondant (Courtney Archer #2) by Rosemarie Ross

Finished Off in Fondant

(Courtney Archer #2)

by Rosemarie Ross

Paperback, 304 pages

Published December 1st 2020 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

Goodreads synopsis: 

Hosting a friendly competition reality cooking show could be the perfect career boost for Chef Courtney Archer--but when her co-host is found murdered, Courtney must work through layers of deception to find the real culprit.

Despite a few early hiccups, Courtney is thrilled with her starring role on The American Baking Battle, filmed at a grand resort in the Pocono Mountains. The icing on the cake? The new season has a wedding theme--complete with formalwear. But the first day on set, the producer seems to care more about profits than pastry--and the topper comes when her cohost Skylar falls ill. Little does she know things are about to end in tiers...

When a barely coherent, blood-covered Skylar is discovered at the doorway of his room, Courtney is horrified to walk inside and find a towering wedding cake--thoroughly smashed by the body of a woman in a bridal gown. Now suspicion is filling the studio and falling on Skylar, and Courtney has to look at coworkers and contestants, working through layers of deception to find the real culprit...

***

4.75 stars

This is the second book in the Courtney Archer series by Rosemarie Ross.

I really liked book one in this series COBBLERED TO DEATH. By the end of that story, the cat was out of the bag that Courtney wasn’t actually a farmer’s daughter, like her onscreen persona claimed. As we get into book two, the audience is given a non disclosure document to sign saying they won’t reveal the truth the3y are about to discover during the taping of the American Baking Battle. An of course, that truth is about Courtney’s claim to be a farmer’s daughter.

This story was just as fun as the first one and I was saddened that it ended so soon. This is one of those series you just want to cherish and take your time with since it is over way too soon. I liked so much about this. The plot was amazing. Most of the characters were ones I would want to know more about in future books and the pacing was stellar. What flow this had. It is quickly becoming a new favorite series for me.

Definitely can’t wait for book three!

If you like cozy mysteries, check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.