The Cluttered Corpse (Charlotte Adams #2) by Mary Jane Maffini

The Cluttered Corpse

(Charlotte Adams #2)

by Mary Jane Maffini

Kindle Edition, 288 pages

Published June 15, 2021 (first published 2008)

Synopsis:

Fans of Marie Kondo and mysteries will love this series!

Professional organizer Charlotte Adams is reminded that appearances can be deceiving, and disorder can be deadly . . .

On her first visit to her new client’s immaculate home, professional organizer Charlotte Adams can’t imagine why she’s been called in to help—until the woman reveals her outrageously large collection of stuffed animals. But before Charlotte can even begin to tame the plush menagerie, a nasty neighbor who’s been making her client a nervous wreck is found murdered, and her client has confessed to the crime!

Certain that the frazzled woman couldn’t have committed the deed, Charlotte can’t help snooping to learn why she confessed and who the real culprit might be. No sooner does she begin investigating, though, than her car tires are slashed, her home is broken into, and a close friend is nearly run over. Charlotte knows she’s on the right track, but she’ll have to act fast before the killer decides to straighten her out for good . . .

Organizing Tips Included!

***

4.5 Stars

This is the second book in the Charlotte Adams series by Mary Jane Maffini.

This is one of those books where you are really missing a lot of backstory so it is hard to get a good handle on what is going on in this neighborhood.

Charlotte goes to me a gal who has been married for a year to an overly happy man who is taking her plush toy obsession in stride but wanting to help her get her space organized. A couple of boys come up to the window and take a photo of the lady which really disturbs Charlotte. Then one of those boys ends up dead and the home owner with all the plush toys admits to the killing.

Charlotte spends most of the book trying to get her client off the hook for this crime she can’t imagine she had anything to do with. The police chief named Pepper has a problem with Charlotte. They used to be good friends in school but now Pepper has a big chip on her shoulder where Charlotte is concerned. It doesn’t help that Pepper’s significant other, Detective Nick is flirting with her every chance he gets.

Overall it is a good story that keeps your interest. The mystery is nice and I think all the characters are what makes this a winning book. You just want to keep learning more stuff about them. Can’t wait for the next installment.

If you love a cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. Great new must read book great series too!

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. Opinions are completely my own

Such a Good Girl (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #9) by Willow Rose

 

Such a Good Girl

(Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #9)

by Willow Rose 

Kindle Edition

Published June 23rd 2021 by Buoy Media

Synopsis:

FBI-profiler Eva Rae Thomas faces a devious plan in bestselling author Willow Rose’s blood-rushing thriller of murder and revenge.

A girl falls from the penthouse floor of an apartment in Washington, D.C.

Media Mogul Richard Wanton owns the apartment and is seen standing on the balcony when the girl falls.

He is accused of killing her, but the FBI is struggling to find enough solid evidence to convict him.

They have a witness, someone who was in the apartment when it happened, but she doesn’t want to talk to them.

She’ll only speak to one person, ex-FBI profiler Eva Rae Thomas. The problem is, Eva Rae Thomas has no interest in talking to her.

As a matter of fact, she’d rather see this woman dead than have to face her.

But Eva Rae Thomas isn’t someone who can leave a case alone, especially not when she starts to ask questions and things aren’t adding up.

As she digs in deeper—with the entire world watching—she soon finds herself in too deep and realizes she can’t trust anyone’s motives.

But by then, it is too late, and the killer is already tracking her down.

***

4.5 Stars

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

The books by Willow Rose are always very complex. And this book is no different. This story is inspired by Willow Rose’s own life experience and that makes the story all the more compelling and real.

Eva Rae is called in to help with a cases of a gal who was pushed off the balcony of a news director’s room and falls to her death. She is brought there under suspicious circumstances and when she discovers that she is there to interview her ex-husband’s wife, the one he left her for, she high tails it back to her hometown. Kimmie was in the room when the girl was pushed off the balcony and Eva Rae is the only person she will talk to.

There is always a parallel story running alongside the main story and I try and figure out how it applies to the now timeline and am always surprised by what Willow Rose manages to pull out of her hat and shock us every time.

This secondary story features a news reporter who is just an intern trying to make her big break into journalism. However, there is a member of the management team who has his eye on this intern and forces her into a sick relationship of secret meetings in the bathroom and invitations to parties where suspiciously no one else shows up for. This management team member is the same news director whom Eva Rae is investigating in the current timeline.

This book has a lot of threads and things going on that could lead you down a multitude of rabbit holes. But that is what Willow Rose does so well. Her plotting is excellent.

Such a good story and a great storyteller. Very impressed with this author’s work. I have enjoyed each story she has purposefully crafted to perfection.

If you love a mystery, definitely check this one out. Great new must read book great series too!

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. Opinions are completely my own.

To Die For (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #8) by Willow Rose

 

To Die For

(Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #8)

by Willow Rose

Kindle Edition, 268 pages

Published February 28th 2021 by Buoy Media

Synopsis:

Former FBI-profiler, Eva Rae Thomas is caught off guard by a murderous plan that sends her on a pulse-pounding race against time in this romantic thriller by Willow Rose.

It is a typical Tuesday morning. Scott Benton gets up, kisses his girlfriend Sarah goodbye, and goes to work.

But when he returns home from work later in the afternoon, his girlfriend of two years is gone.

And just like that, Scott’s life is turned upside down.

The police are after him, thinking he hurt her. His friends and family have turned their backs on him, thinking the same. Meanwhile, there is one thing Scott can’t stop thinking about.

Two months ago, Sarah told him that he should go looking for her if she ever turned up missing.

Former FBI-profiler Eva Rae Thomas has enough on her plate as it is: a newborn baby, an upcoming marriage, and a house not big enough to fit them all.

On top of it, she takes in a young girl who is in serious trouble, only adding to the strain on her family life.

When Scott Benton shows up and tells her she’s his only hope in finding his girlfriend, Eva Rae is inclined to say no, but she can’t get herself to do it.

Scott and Eva Rae used to date for a brief period in high school, and Eva Rae isn’t the type of person who can just stop caring about someone.

Especially when they have nowhere else to turn.

As the investigation deepens, Eva Rae Thomas finds out what it is from her past that Sarah was so afraid of, and she’ll need all of her profiling skills in the race against time to find the girl before it is too late.

***

4.5 Stars

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

The books by Willow Rose are always very complex. And this book is no different. Eva Rae is haunted in this book by her old boyfriend who is implicated in the disappearance of his girlfriend Sarah. This puts further stress on her relationship with Matt. She has a new baby and then ends up having to take care of the baby of one of her daughter’s friends. This is the perfect recipe to blow up her relationship permanently. But knowing how Eva Rae is, she struggles on trying to uncover the truth at the expense of herself and her family.

The secondary storyline is about a therapist who is seeing a couple who are on the verge of breaking up. But this therapist, Lynn finds herself attracted to Jeffrey, the husband. There is a bit of deception going on in the storyline with regards to this plotline and when you get to the end you will truly realize what was really going on that connects this couple to the current plotline. There is always a parallel story running alongside the main story and I try and figure out how it applies to the now timeline and am always surprised by what Willow Rose manages to pull out of her hat and shock us every time.

Such a good story and a great storyteller. Very impressed with this author’s work.

If you love a good mystery, definitely check this one out. Great new must read book great series too!

Not Dead Yet (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #7) by Willow Rose

Not Dead Yet

(Eva Rae Thomas Mystery #7)

by Willow Rose

Kindle Edition, 317 pages

Published November 26th 2020

Synopsis:

Secrets lead to lies and lies to murder in this pulse-pounding mystery with lots of shocking twists.

Has former FBI-profiler Eva Rae Thomas finally gotten herself in deeper than she can handle?

When the body of Nancy Henry is pulled out of the water of Sykes Creek by two local fishermen, they soon realize she’s not dead.

Not yet.

Before she disappeared, Nancy Henry appeared to have everything: a successful husband who adored her, two beautiful children, a modeling career, and a charming home in south Merritt Island with a heart wreath on the door.

Now that she is back five years later, everything has changed. Her husband is with another wife, and her children are almost grown.

Everywhere she turns, people are telling her the same thing: We thought you were dead.

What happened to her?

Nancy claims she doesn’t know where she has been. She remembers nothing after a blow to her head. She doesn’t want to talk to the investigation team lead by former FBI-profiler Eva Rae Thomas, who has agreed to help with this bizarre case.

The sheriff’s office soon wants to give up on the case, but Eva Rae doesn’t quite believe in quitting. She sees fear in Nancy Henry’s eyes that makes her believe she is lying to them, maybe to protect herself.

What secrets is she carrying?

To get to the truth, Eva Rae must get to the bottom of what really happened on that night five years ago when Nancy Henry disappeared from her home in what looked like a home intrusion. But the past isn’t always easy to dig up, especially not when someone wants it to stay hidden and will go to great lengths to make sure it does.

Someone obviously tried to kill Nancy Henry. Will they come back to finish what they started?

***

4.5 Stars

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

The books by Willow Rose are always very complex. And this book is no different. A woman is found after thought being dead for five years. Her husband has remarried and her kids have moved on as well both going to college away from home.

Eva Rae is asked to take on the case and even though she is pregnant and she and Matt are not really getting along through most of the book. I really liked Matt when he was introduced. And him being a police officer should make him an expert on how obsessed people get trying to solve their cases. He just doesn’t get how concerned she is. 

There is always a parallel story running alongside the main story and I try and figure out how it applies to the now timeline and am always surprised by what Willow Rose manages to pull out of her hat and shock us every time.

Such a good story and a great storyteller. Very impressed with this author’s work.

If you love a good mystery, definitely check this one out. Great new must read book great series too!

Fiend (Cravings #2) by Rachael Orman

 

Fiend

(Cravings #2)

by Rachael Orman 

Published April 6th 2015 (first published April 5th 2015)

Synopsis:

*Should not be read as a standalone*

Discovering who my dom was turned out to be life-changing. John wasn't just someone I knew, but someone I'd fantasized about. His sharply tailored suits, his delicious muscles, his hands on me. Finding out he'd actually been the one doing such naughty things to me when I'd been blindfolded was almost too much for me to handle, but he refused to let me run. Forced me to see that everything I could ever want was right in front of me.

Letting Alix go was out of the question. She was mine and I would make her see it. If I had to tie her down and spank it into her, I would happily do so. There were too many things I still wanted to do with her to let her escape my clutches, my playroom. Everything seemed to be going fine until a woman from my past entered the picture.

Stories are twisted, lies are told, hearts are broken. Who is telling the truth? Is what they have worth saving?

**For 18+ due to explicit language and sex scenes. Reader beware there is bondage, whips, consensual forced sex anal and even a MM scene**

***

4 Stars

This is the second book in the Cravings series by Rachael Orman.

I did enjoy this book. But I am not sure I would want to keep going for another book. That old girlfriend of the Dom John is very creepy and I do not want to give myself nightmares about this unscrupulous person.

The book is interesting to follow and learn about what goes on in a relationship like this. Not my thing in real life, and I did have a hard time understanding how people do this sort of thing on an ongoing basis. Doesn’t it get old after awhile?

Anyway, good read. Enjoyed it but am not moving forward with the series.

Clinics and Curses (Midlife Medicine #4) by Amorette Anderson

 

Clinics and Curses

(Midlife Medicine #4) 

by Amorette Anderson

Kindle Edition, 200 pages

Published May 26, 2021

Synopsis:

n a magical village that loves veggies, drought spells BIG trouble -- for gardens and witches alike!

The quirky magical town of Covenstead, Vermont, has strict rules.

#1: No Swimming in Crystal Lake

#2: No Meat

#3: No Curses!

Thanks to her pit bull Lucky’s bad habit of capsizing canoes, Grace has just broken rule #1. And it turns out, she’s not the only one breaking rules this summer...

Someone’s sizzling bacon on a griddle. And worse -- casting curses.

When a murderer strikes, this sprinkle of mischief becomes a downpour. The upcoming rain ceremony hangs in the balance. Grace has no time for lazing in a hammock with a glass of iced tea. This nurse has work to do!

For fans of paranormal women’s fiction and witch cozy mysteries -- a combination of midlife self-discovery, magic, and murder!

This is book four in the Midlife Medicine series. Can be read as a standalone or as a follow-up to book three, Broken Bones and Botany.

***

4.5 Stars

This is the fourth book in the Midlife Medicine cozy mystery series by Amorertte Anderson.

This series is just interesting to me. I just “get it,” I think. Love this main character so much. She has been through a lot since book one and that makes this journey so nice to read about.

There is a funny scene where Grace is speaking to Lucky and they are talking about a dog that Lucky really likes. That was a new concept in a series like this. The dog had a love interest.

This book is about a guy in town who sells cars, lawnmowers, etc and they all know that all of his products are not the best and break down. But since there isn’t a place close where they can buy these things, they buy from this man anyway. Suddenly this man is dead via a curse gone wrong. And in this town, you are not supposed to do curses. Nope, not at all.

Grace uses her sleuthing powers to uncover the killer and discover the real truth behind it all. The mystery is more complex than you might think so take a gander at this book and see what all the fun is about.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. Great new must read book great series too!

I read this using my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Headlines, Deadlines, and Lies by Stephanie LaVigne

 Headlines, Deadlines, and Lies

by Stephanie LaVigne 

Kindle Edition, 232 pages

Published 2021

Synopsis:

"It’s all in the genes, darling!” A witty quip…or a clue?

Piper Harrington is determined to find out.

As a single mom living back in her quaint hometown nestled along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Piper has all but abandoned her dream of ever becoming a professional writer. So when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity opens up at the small beach town paper where she works, she has to make a split-second decision: Go for it (even if it requires a little fib) or give up a shot at her lifelong goal.

To complicate things, in waltzes a worldly crime reporter who is easy to talk to and even easier on the eyes. Add in a demanding editor, alongside a theatrical best friend, a lively family, and co-workers who run the gamut from supportive to conniving, and things start getting tricky.

Scrambling for a topic that could keep readers hooked, Piper dives into the world of genealogy...something she knows absolutely nothing about. When her investigation turns up more questions than answers, her findings threaten to open up a Pandora’s box that can’t be closed.

A story about friendship, family, finding your passion...and the lengths we go to protect those we love.

•••

What do Bogie & Bacall, a goldfish, and a never-ending mountain of laundry have in common? There’s only one way to find out! If you love a fun, beachy read with a lovable female amateur sleuth, then you will have a blast with Headlines Deadlines and Lies; a Florida twist on a cozy mystery!

***

4.5 Stars

I am not sure if this book is in a series but heck, it sure needs to be. I was hooked by this single mom trying to better herself my pitching a new column concept for her newspaper. (Okay, it was her friend who pushed her into the running train of management but it all seemed to work out for her in the end.)

I really liked the secondary characters here. Her mom was great and the best friend and new supportive guy at work really rounded out the cast nicely. This would be great as a series since I am so hooked on what might happen next.

Piper tries to dig into her friend Boots’ past and find out about her father which was such a mystery to her since her mother barely spoke of him. What she uncovered made her very uncomfortable since now she was finding out that her father wasn’t who she thought he was.

This was really exciting to follow and I totally want to read more from this author. So impressed.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. Great new must read book!

I received this as an ARC from Booksprout in return for an honest review. I thank Booksprout and the author for allowing me to read this title.