New book by Zanna Mackenzie -- Murder on the Menu

I was asked to review this book, Murder on the Menu, so I thought I would give you all a synopsis and let you check it out for yourselves.

About the book:

Murder on the Menu by Zanna Mackenzie

 

Lizzie Carter desperately needed to escape from the disaster of her old life but her new one is shaping up to be even worse! 

After Lizzie's new boss, celebrity chef Armand, is stabbed in his own kitchen, Lizzie finds herself at the top of the suspect list. 

Determined to clear her name she’s forced to enlist the services of her new neighbour, Celebrity Crimes Investigation Agency (CCIA) special agent Jack Mathis, who’s been suspended from his duties for reasons unknown. 

Given his reputation, Lizzie figures it’s best not to ask too many questions of him; she only needs the rogue agent to help her catch Armand’s real killer. The fact that Jack is a good-looking guy is not lost on her, but he’s clearly also trouble. And Lizzie’s got more than enough of that in her life already. 
Can Lizzie save herself from getting arrested and manage to resist her special agent sidekick’s considerable charms and gorgeous smile? Will they solve the culinary murder mystery or will her new life land her in a prison cell? 

 

Get the book on Amazon:

http://getbook.at/MurderOnTheMenu

BOOK REVIEW: Pane and Suffering by Cheryl Hollon

Pane and Suffering (A Webb's Glass Shop Mystery #1)

by Cheryl Hollon (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 320 pages

Published September 29th 2015 by Kensington

Goodreads synopsis: To solve her father's murder and save the family-owned glass shop, Savannah Webb must shatter a killer's carefully constructed façade. . .

   After Savannah's father dies unexpectedly of a heart attack, she drops everything to return home to St. Petersburg, Florida, to settle his affairs--including the fate of the beloved, family-owned glass shop. Savannah intends to hand over ownership to her father's trusted assistant and fellow glass expert, Hugh Trevor, but soon discovers the master craftsman also dead of an apparent heart attack. 

   As if the coincidence of the two deaths wasn't suspicious enough, Savannah discovers a note her father left for her in his shop, warning her that she is in danger. With the local police unconvinced, it's up to Savannah to piece together the encoded clues left behind by her father. And when her father's apprentice is accused of the murders, Savannah is more desperate than ever to crack the case before the killer seizes a window of opportunity to cut her out of the picture.

***

I totally enjoyed this glimpse of the inner workings of a glass artist's world. My great uncle does stained glass and through this book I can see what a great art it is and how intricate and detailed you have to get to make it look so wonderful.

Savannah "don't call her Vanna" Web has been called back to St. Petersburg, Florida because of her father's untimely death. It is labeled as a heart attack, but Savannah begins to question everything when her father's best friend, Hugh, also dies within weeks of her father. Something sinister is going on here and it takes Savannah quite a while to get the police to take her suspicions seriously. Her father used to be a code breaker for the government in his younger years, as did Hugh. So, when she finds a coded message from her father telling her he was murdered, she knows she must act. 

While searching for the answers to her father and Hugh's death she is trying to figure out what to do with her father's glass shop. She has to take over all the classes her father had been teaching and meets the pub owner next door, a nice British guy. And two different men keep coming around wanting to purchase Webb's for well under the normal asking price. Savannah is perplexed. Should she stay and run Webb's or sell and go back to her life in Seattle.

I really enjoyed reading this cozy mystery adventure and recommend it highly for anyone who likes this type of mystery. It is definitely worth the read.

4 Stars

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from Net Galley in return for an honest review. I thank Net Galley, the publisher and the author for letting me read this great book.

BOOK REVIEW: Double Mint by Gretchen Archer

Double Mint (Davis Way Crime Caper #4)

by Gretchen Archer (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 267 pages

Published July 21st 2015 by Henery Press (first published July 1st 2015)

Goodreads synopsis: It’s convention season at the Bellissimo Resort and Casino and Davis Way Cole barely notices. It’s hard to pay attention when you live in a Jambalaya Junkyard. But when Special Events Coordinator Holder Darby walks off the job just as five hundred Alabama bankers pour in the front door, Davis steps up.

   Or would that be in? Definitely in. Davis steps in.

   It.

   Not only has the convention director vanished, but a certain Bellissimo guest is missing. One who forgot to pack the million dollars he left in the bathtub. It looks like our redhead newlywed Super Secret Spy’s lazy summer is over when the Bellissimo vault is robbed. Can Davis connect the dots before it’s too late? Can she get her Taser gun back from Bianca Sanders? Will she be stuck with Eddie Crawford’s 1962 Cadillac forever? What Davis needs is a little faith. And a lot of luck.

   New money. Old sins. Back to jail. And a cat.

   (A cat?)

   Break the Bank

~

Davis Way is back! I just love her. She cracks me up. Davis looks exactly like the owner of the casino's wife (but the wife is ten years older). Casino wifey is on an exercise kick and wants Davis to buff up a bit (okay, a lot). And when she isn't getting the third degree from Bianca, she is trying to convince everyone that Magnolia has something to do with all this bathtub of cash that is all funny money. But no one is listening to her. No one wants to believe the impossible.... no one except Davis Way. And Davis goes to the ends of the earth to prove herself right... okay, she went all the way to New Orleans. Same difference.

This is the fourth book in the Davis Way Crime Caper series and it is definitely a hoot just like the rest of them. I don't want to give too much away because uncovering all the clues is the fun part of reading a book like this. I extremely enjoyed this title. It was fun, refreshing and, like I said, a definite hoot and a half. If you love yourself a little cozy mystery or a crime caper, this book is for you.

4 Stars.

Anxiously awaiting book number 5. 

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

BOOK REVIEW: Deadly Liaisons by Elle James

Deadly Liaisons (Devil's Shroud #3)

by Elle James (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 288 pages

Published April 1st 2014 by Harlequin (first published January 1st 2014)

Goodreads synopsis: People have been known to perish at McGregor Manor… 

   Opening her B and B to a group of ghost hunters, Molly McGregor hopes the spirits rumored to be there will appear. She needs the weekend to be a financial success. But when disembodied voices and hazy images nearly lure her to her death, Molly's driven straight into the arms of a sexy but mysterious guest—Casanova Valdez. 

   Nova knows what it's like to be haunted—by memories of a case gone bad. As a secret agent, he's confident he can protect Molly but is not exactly sure he believes in ghosts. As the mysterious incidents targeting the gorgeous redhead become increasingly more dangerous, Nova must question if it's the handiwork of a ghost…or a killer

MY TAKE ON THE STORY...

Casanova (Nova for short) and his team celebrate a recent victory at the thought to be haunted Bed & Breakfast of a teammate. A deadly fog comes in called the Devil's Shroud stranding everyone at the B&B but Tazer and Nova decide to take their chances in the weather. It isn't long into their journey before they realize their brakes have been tampered with. The fog was as deadly as the road was treacherous and the two of them barely  got out alive. And so they too are stranded at the hotel at the mercy of the devil's shroud. Nova and Molly were both thinking about each other in that romantic way and decide that a no-strings-attached affair is the ticket for them. After their deadly liaison Molly is pushed down a set of stairs that could have killed her and that is when they realize there is a deadly threat in their midsts. 

This book was compelling and it was fun to follow the action and try to figure out which of the guests were behind all the antics. You should definitely check this one out if you love paranormal stuff or enjoy a romantic suspense type of story.

4 stars

I bought this book with my own money. :)

BOOK REVIEW Double Whammy by Gretchen Archer

Double Whammy (Davis Way Crime Caper #1)

by Gretchen Archer (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, First, 306 pages

Published May 14th 2013 by Henery Press

Goodreads Synopsis: Davis Way thinks she’s hit the jackpot when she lands a job as the fifth wheel on an elite security team at the fabulous Bellissimo Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. But once there, she runs straight into her ex-ex husband, a rigged slot machine, her evil twin, and a trail of dead bodies. Davis learns the truth and it does not set her free—in fact, it lands her in the pokey. 

   Buried under a mistaken identity, unable to seek help from her family, her hot streak runs cold until her landlord Bradley Cole steps in. Make that her landlord, lawyer, and love interest. With his help, Davis must win this high stakes game before her luck runs out.

   Part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection, if you like one, you'll probably like them all! DOUBLE WHAMMY is the first book in the Davis Way humorous mystery series. Bonus: Includes book club discussion questions.

MY TAKE ON THIS TITLE

Davis Way, heroine of this series, has had a heck of a life up until this book starts. She used to be a cop working with her father, Samuel Way, the Police Cheif of Pine Apple, Alabama, but then Eddie entered her life. He was the baddest of bad influences. And for some unknown reason, she ended up marrying him twice. And before it was all over she went a little crazy and tried to kill him. That landed her without a job and a husband.

As fate would have it, Davis ended up at a very strange interview for a job at a casino. It was cryptic and she really didn't know what she was getting herself into but she needed the money. After signing a telephone book's worth of paperwork, she began a job where she had a fab hotel room in the swanky Bellissimo Casino and could play the Double Whammy slots to her heart's content. Her security job was to figure out how someone was stealing the jackpots of these machines at certain intervals. It was when she discovered that her ex-Eddie was involved in this little plot with the Double Whammy machines and everything in her world came to a full stop. And she wanted out of the whole shebang. But she had signed a butt-load of contracts and would have to pay up big time if she didn't stay and make it work for at least 90 days.

It wasn't long after that she came across the info that the owner of the Bellissimo's wife looked exactly like she did and was having an affair with Eddie to boot. Could this be a living nightmare, or what? I don't want to spoil the whole thing for you so I will begin to get a bit vague after this point. My advice, just read it. Read the whole series. I some how ended up reading the entire series of of order. And it is still great stuff.

The book took every crazy turn you can imagine and some you can't. It is one of those books that really keeps you on  your toes and you begin to wonder who is going to survive the fallout.

This book was a quick and easy read. It really flows and you find yourself wondering what in the heck is going on and who is really involved in the shenanigans. Should Davis trust Teeth or No Hair, what about the enigmatic, Natalie?

Some scenes are pretty funny, specially the one where she is breaking into No Hair's office or ordering professional digital printers that end up being the size of a bedroom. I have yet to figure out how her landlord's apartment survived the fallout. You just have to read it to understand what I am talking about.

4 STARS!

I bought this book with my own money because it was dang worth it!

Mini YA Book Reviews - Descendants & Perfect Cover

Descendants Junior Novel

by Disney Book Group, Disney Storybook Art Team (Illustrator)

Kindle Edition, 176 pages

Published July 14th 2015 by Disney Press

Goodreads synopsis: Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos are the offspring of some of the most terrible villains of all time. They're offered a chance to leave the Isle of the Lost, where they have been imprisoned all their lives, and go to prep school in the idyllic kingdom of Auradon with all of the 'good' kids. There, they must choose whether or not to follow in their parents' evil footsteps. Watch out Auradon--here come the Descendants!

I have not seen the movie but I always like the family-friendly stories Disney puts out. I kept wondering how they would redeem these so called Evil Teens but I found the ending to be very sweet and lovely. I only wish they would have made this story more in-depth. It would have made it even better. 

I purchased this book with my own money and have the hardback version.

Perfect Cover (The Squad #1)

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Goodreads Author)

Mass Market Paperback, 275 pages

Published February 12th 2008 by Laurel-Leaf (first published January 1st 2008)

Goodreads synopsis: Bayport High operates like any other high school--jocks at the top, outsiders at the bottom, and everyone else in between. Enter Toby Klein, a sophomore computer hacker who doesn't play well with others. She has zero school spirit, a black belt in karate, and what her guidance counselor calls an attitude problem. She's the last person you'd expect to be invited to join the varsity cheerleading squad.

    But things are different at Bayport.

    Bayport's varsity cheer squad is made up of the hottest of the hot. But this A-list is dangerous in more ways than one. The Squad is actually a cover for the most highly trained group of underage government operatives the United States has ever assembled. Athletically, they're unmatchable, though they make it all look easy on the field. Mentally, they're exceptional--but with one flash of their gorgeous smiles, you'll completely forget that. Socially, they're gifted, so they can command and manipulate any situation. And above all, they have the perfect cover, because, beyond herkies and highlights, no one expects anything from a cheerleader.

    Toby Klein might not seem like the most likely recruit, but she's never been one to turn down a challenge. If she can handle the makeover, Bayport Hight may just have found its newest cheerleader.

    Pretty, popular, armed, and extremely dangerous--meet THE SQUAD.

I kind of struggled through this title. I had purchased it in my Apple iBooks app but it is not as convenient for me as my Amazon Kindle ebooks. But besides that, I did enjoy the book. It took me a hot minute to get into it but when Toby was introduced to The Squad, things started to get hopping. I thought the relationship between her brother and her was really the best part of the series and I wished they had went more into that aspect of it. I didn't get to see too much of Toby's computer hacking skills which they really spoke a lot of but there was truly  no action in that department. But overall, I did like the book.

I purchased this book with my own money.

BOOK REVIEW: Do or Die (Reluctant Heroes #1) by Suzanne Brockmann

Do or Die (Reluctant Heroes #1)

by Suzanne Brockmann

Hardcover, 576 pages

Published February 4th 2014 by Random House (first published January 1st 2014)

Goodreads synopsis: Navy SEAL Ian Dunn went rogue in a big way when he turned his talents to a lawless life of jewel heists and con jobs. Or so the world has been led to believe. In reality, the former Special Ops warrior is still fighting for good, leading a small band of freelance covert operatives who take care of high-stakes business in highly unofficial ways. That makes Ian the hands-down choice when the U.S. government must breach a heavily guarded embassy and rescue a pair of children kidnapped by their own father, a sinister foreign national willing to turn his own kids into casualties. Shockingly, Ian passes on the mission... for reasons he will not–or cannot–reveal.

   But saying no is not an option. Especially not to Phoebe Kruger, Ian’s bespectacled, beautiful, and unexpectedly brash new attorney. Determined to see the abducted children set free, she not only gets Ian on board but insists on riding shotgun on his Mission: Impossible-style operation, whether he likes it or not.

   Though Phoebe has a valuable knack for getting out of tight spots, there’s no denying the intensely intimate feelings growing between Ian and Phoebe as the team gears up for combat. But these are feelings they both must fight to control as they face an array of cold-blooded adversaries, including a vindictive mob boss who’s got Ian at the top of his hit list and a wealthy psychopath who loves murder as much as money. As they dodge death squads and play lethal games of deception, Ian and Phoebe will do whatever it takes to save the innocent and vanquish the guilty.

I really enjoyed this book. It took me awhile to read it only because my life was so busy, but when the action started rolling there was a lot of good stuff to love.

Phoebe sort of gets thrust into this whole covert world where Ian (or Eee as he is referred to through most of the book) is taken out of prison in order to save the kids of an important scientist lady.

The secondary cast is just as great as the main cast. And I can totally see this book as the beginning of a series.  I would love to see more stories just about these characters and Ian's "team."

If you do not want to read about how to men get together and have a great life, then the sections featuring Aaron and Shel might not be to your taste. But truthfully, it is mostly an emotional bond in the text between Aaron and Shel and no hanky-panky is really seen on stage, if you know what I mean. I found those sections quite compelling and had a great emotional impact. I also like how Phoebe had the same sort of impact in Ian's life.

This is definitely one you will want to check out if you love action, intrigue, suspense and romantic suspense. 4 Stars. I look forward to the next book in the series.

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