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.

Murder Is a Must (First Edition Library Mystery #2) by Marty Wingate

Murder Is a Must

(First Edition Library Mystery #2)

by Marty Wingate

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published December 1st 2020 by Berkley Books

Goodreads synopsis: 

Determined to make the First Edition Library a success, Hayley Burke wasn’t expecting to have to solve an old friend’s murder in this all-new mystery from USA Today bestselling author Marty Wingate.

Hayley Burke, curator of Lady Fowling's collection of first edition mysteries, is settling into her position at the First Edition Library in Middlebank House. She's even made progress with Lady Fowling's former secretary, the ornery Miss Woolgar. The women are busily preparing for an exhibition that will showcase Lady Fowling's life and letters. Hayley knows the exhibition is a huge undertaking and decides, against her better judgement, to hire Oona Atherton, her former boss from the Jane Austen Centre to help with the planning.

Oona is known for being difficult, but all seems to be going swimmingly until she and Hayley uncover a one-page letter that alludes to a priceless edition of MURDER MUST ADVERTISE signed by several Golden Age of Mystery authors. Oona feels this book could be the focal point of the exhibition and becomes obsessed with finding it.

When they find clues that appear to point to the book being somewhere in the First Edition Library, Oona is certain she's unraveled the mystery and texts Hayley the good news, but upon arriving back at Middlebank, Hayley finds her old boss dead at the bottom of the stairs. Did her discovery of the rare book get her killed or was it some angry shadow from her past? Hayley must read between the lines to catch a malicious murderer.

***

4.5 stars This is the second book in the First Edition Library mystery series by Marty Wingate. This mystery surrounds the missing first edition of Murder Must Advertise signed by a bunch of Golden Age mystery authors and then the death of Oona, an organizer, who is a colleague of Hayley. I enjoyed the story a lot. It reminded me of an Agatha Christie novel. The mystery of Oona’s death and other things that grabbed her attention kept the flow of the story going along nicely. I thought the main character of Hayley was a great leading character and really brought out the best in the mystery. The story was well plotted and kept my attention all the way through. Definitely a series you want to dig into if you love bookish mysteries. 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.

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