Pies before Guys (Pie Town Mystery #4) by Kirsten Weiss

Pies before Guys

(Pie Town Mystery #4)

by Kirsten Weiss

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: February 25th 2020 by Kensington

Goodreads synopsis: 

Val’s crime-solving club digs into a piping hot new case!

A poetry slam at a bakery? Why not! Even though Pie Town proprietor Val Harris would rather be spending time with her newfound half-brother, she knows her employee, Abril, is beyond excited to be hosting the event. Especially since it stars the apple pie of Abril’s eye, poet and professor Michael Starke. But the evening ends on a sour note when Professor Starke is found murdered mere moments after being accused of plagiarism.

Just like that, Pie Town is at the center of another criminal inquiry. At Abril’s request—and much to Detective Carmichael’s consternation—Val and Charlene decide to investigate Starke’s death. But the case is as tough as an overworked crust and the Baker Street Bakers are only coming up with scraps. If they don’t pinch the cultured killer soon, Pie Town’s reputation could crumble. 

***

4.5 Stars

This is the fourth book in the Pie Town Mystery series by Kirsten Weiss.

Basic premise: A local professor is found dead after reading poetry at a poetry slam put on at the Pie Town Bakery. As soon as the body was discovered the suspect list just kept growing in leaps and bounds. Val reluctantly puts the Baker Street Bakers back into the mystery solving business, much to Detective Carmichael’s dismay. 

There was all kinds of gooey goodness in this story. The characters were amazing. So fully formed it felt like I was reading about our neighbor’s exploits instead of reading a book. Even the cat had a quirky disposition. 

I have to admit that the mystery was so good that when the killer was finally revealed, I was stunned. I didn’t even have that person on my suspect list. Figures! This series just keeps getting better and better and I look forward to each release as they come out.

If you haven’t read this series, might I suggest you start from the beginning. Let the atmosphere enfold you into the Pie Town goodness. You won’t regret it.

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.

Scrapbook of Secrets (A Cumberland Creek Mystery #1) by Mollie Cox Bryan

Scrapbook of Secrets

(A Cumberland Creek Mystery #1)

by Mollie Cox Bryan 

Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Published February 1st 2012 by Kensington (first published January 1st 2012)

Goodreads synopsis: 

A debut author presents the first book in a new scrapbooking-themed mystery series which features a small-town setting, quirky characters, and suspense that cozy mystery readers and crafters are sure to love. Original.

Having traded in her career as a successful investigative journalist for the life of a stay-at-home mom in picturesque Cumberland Creek, Virginia, Annie can’t help but feel that something’s missing. But she finds solace in a local “crop circle” of scrapbookers united by chore-shy husbands, demanding children, and occasional fantasies of their former single lives. And when the quiet idyll of their small town is shattered by a young mother’s suicide, they band together to find out what went wrong…

Annie resurrects her reporting skills and discovers that Maggie Rae was a closet scrapbooker who left behind more than a few secrets—and perhaps a few enemies. As they sift through Maggie Rae’s mysteriously discarded scrapbooks, Annie and her “crop” sisters begin to suspect that her suicide may have been murder. It seems that something sinister is lurking beneath the town’s beguilingly calm façade—like a killer with unfinished business…

***

4.5 Stars

This is the first book in the Cumberland Creek Mystery series by Mollie Cox Bryan.

This was a great start from an author who at the time was new to the cozy genre. Annie is a strong character and a joy to follow around. I loved how she kept making decisions throughout this story trying to find her best life. She fell into the scrapbooking world while finishing up the scrapbooks of the deceased woman. Then she dusted off her reporter’s notebook and went into journalist mode.

Basic premise: a woman dies and it is suspected to be a suicide. And before the ink is dried on her death certificate, someone dumps all the lady’s scrapbooks on the curb for the trash man to pick up. The scrapbooking circle of women decide to save these precious memories and steal the scrapbooks from the trash heap. The woman leaves a voice mail on one of the scrapbooker’s answering machines about attending one of their crops. They realize that someone with suicidal thoughts and intentions might not want to keep precious memories alive. So they begin to investigate the death.

This was a pretty complex mystery. It was easy to follow the suspense plot. But there were multiple POVs and sometimes it was a challenge to decipher who was actually in the driver’s seat of the particular scene I was reading. I was almost glad I had read book five in the series first since I came into this first book with a background for the characters.

This was the author’s first book and I feel like it was a great learning experience for her. The mystery was decent, the characters were new and fresh with a realm of possibilities ahead of them. There was also a great range of character ages in this storyline which helps keep those of us who resonate with specific ages happy while still accomplishing the overall goal of uncovering the killer. 

Looking forward to reading the other three books in this series and then onto other series by Mollie Cox Bryan.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

Scrapbook of the Dead (A Cumberland Creek Mystery #5) by Mollie Cox Bryan

Scrapbook of the Dead

(A Cumberland Creek Mystery #5)

by Mollie Cox Bryan 

Paperback, 304 pages

Published September 29th 2015 by Kensington

Goodreads synopsis: 

Halloween means spooky scrapbooks for the Cumberland Creek Scrapbook Crop, but what's been happening around town is truly frightening. First a dead woman is found in the freezer at Pamela's Pie Palace, and the next day a second woman is found murdered by the river. Reporter Annie Chamovitz learns the victims were sisters and is certain their deaths are linked. Most bizarre of all, both women were found clutching scrapbook pages.

As their Saturday night crop quickly becomes an opportunity to puzzle out the murders, the ladies begin to wonder if Pamela is hiding more than her secret recipes for delicious pies--or if the crimes are related to the startling discovery that there are gangs in Cumberland Creek. As All Hallows Eve approaches, the crafty croppers must cut and paste the clues to unmask a deadly killer.

Includes tips and a glossary of terms for the modern scrapbooker!

***

4.5 Stars

This is the fifth book in the Cumberland Creek Mystery series by Mollie Cox Bryan.

I totally read this series out of order. Who starts with the last book of the series, right?  I think I got the titles Scrapbook of Secrets and Scrapbook of the Dead mixed up in my head and thus, I totally spoiled myself for all the previous books. 

I could feel the wrap up aspect of this book as I was reading long. I soon figured out I was reading the last book of a series and it made me sad. This was feeling like a wonderful series to follow and I hope Bryan decides to come back to Cumberland Creek and write another book or three.

This has an omnipotent POV so you need to be ready to jump back and forth from about three different main characters. Mostly the story is told from  Annie’s POV. Annie is a reporter and she is ready for retirement from the newspaper biz. But that doesn’t keep her from wanting to solve the mystery about the two dead women both found with scrapbook pages in their grasp. I liked how the author was able to pair the murder with the scrapbooking craft and make it feel like it wasn’t forced or unbelievable. 

This one felt like it took a while to weed out the murder and thus we get a really good look at all the suspects and it helps the reader  by giving us enough into to try and solve this thing ourselves. Of course, I had no idea whodunit! I always marvel at how cozy authors can keep us so in the dark while revealing all the clues at the same time. It’s like a magic trick, of sorts. And I always seem to be looking in one place while the important action is happening right under my nose.

Great series wrap up. Loving this cast of characters. They felt more real than many other series I have read. Great character development and the mystery really had me fooled the entire way through.

If you love a good cozy mystery, 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.

Framed to Death (Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery #4) by Christina Freeburn

Framed to Death

(Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery #4)

by Christina Freeburn

Paperback, 262 pages

Published April 26th 2016 by Henery Press

Goodreads synopsis: 

“FRAMED TO DEATH was a snappy, clever mystery that hooked me on page one and didn't let go until the perfectly crafted and very satisfying end. Faith Hunter is a delightful amateur sleuth and the quirky characters that inhabit the town of Eden are the perfect compliment to her overly inquisitive ways. A terrific read! -- Jenn McKinlay, New York Times Bestselling Author

Eden has turned into a hotspot of crime, and Faith finds herself smack dab in the middle of the flare-up. When a favor for a friend links Faith to the synthetic marijuana problem invading her town, no good deed goes unpunished becomes the title of her life. The town accuses the police of favoritism toward her, putting a strain between Faith and Ted, and a new officer is determined to prove Faith’s guilt.

When the criminal is outed, Faith’s relief is short-lived. A fire takes out the store—along with the suspected dealer—and she’s now number one on an officer’s suspect list. Faith sets out to prove her own innocence, and her digging sparks the truth to life. Instead of the truth setting the town free, Faith finds out it might destroy Eden, the friends she holds dear, and smother out her own life.

***

4.5 Stars

This is the fourth book in the Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery series by Christina Freeburn

I have always enjoyed Christina Freeburn’s cozy mystery books and I was glad to get back into the world of Faith Hunter. It was one of the first cozy mystery series I really dug into back when I discovered the genre back in 2014. I was certainly hooked thanks to series like this.

This book was really good. Let me say that right off the get go.  But I felt like this was a bit all over the place in the mystery department. And I have to admit I was a confused about the plot of the story. There was a drug handling issue in the beginning where Faith was being framed for giving drugs to minors via a photo on Instagram and then later in the book there was an arson. I wasn’t exactly certain where to put my focus as far as the mystery went. And that is what good author’s do, right?  They throw you off the scent so you never know if you are coming or going. I had no idea whodunit or why they would try and frame Faith to begin with.

I wish there had been a bit more scrapbooking just so we could get the gist of the craft. I know getting the theme of the book and the mystery in the right balance is quite a challenge in books like this so I never take off stars when I just want more of the yummy goodness of crafting/scrapbooking.

Great story but I felt like the wrap up left me wanting more of a resolution. 

If you love a good cozy mystery, 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.

Wicked Ways Wicked #4 Colony #6 by Lisa Jackson, Nancy Bush

Wicked Ways

Wicked #4 Colony #6

by Lisa Jackson, Nancy Bush

Paperback, 480 pages

Published November 25th 2014 by Zebra (first published October 7th 2014)

Goodreads synopsis: 

The Greatest Terrors

Elizabeth Gaines Ellis is an ordinary suburban wife and mother. That's what she tells herself as she flits between her realtor job, yoga class, and caring for her daughter, Chloe. But for months now, Elizabeth has worried that she's far from normal…that she's somehow the cause of a series of brutal, horrible deaths.

Are The Ones

Her mean-spirited boss. A bullying traffic cop. Her cheating husband. Elizabeth had reason to be angry with them all. She didn't mean for them to die. No one will take her fears seriously--except the private investigator prying into her past. . .

Too Close To See

The more scared and angry Elizabeth becomes, the higher the death toll grows. But those who wrong her aren't the only ones in danger. Because others have secrets too, and a relentless urge to kill without mercy or remorse…

***

5 Stars

This is the fourth book in the Wicked series by Lisa Jackson and the sixth book in the Colony series by her sister, Nancy Bush.

This book did not feel like it was the fourth/sixth book of a series. It felt really fresh and more like a standalone. I enjoyed the heck out of this book. It is one of those reads that really keeps you on your toes and continually trying to figure out what is really going on. 

The “bad guy” in this goes unnamed so it is a bit thrilling to weed out who among the currently revealed characters this might be.

My favorite part had to be the connection between Elizabeth and Rex, the private investigator. And also the annoying Ravina, Elizabeth’s not known about cousin was quite a hoot as well. Before her age was revealed I was reading her as if she was this quirky 60-ish woman. Then I later realized she was much younger and in her early twenties.

Main premises is that Elizabeth has always had a gift. She sees things before they happen and has been instrumental from saving more than a few lives over the years. And much like how a tarot reader cannot fully understand messages for themselves, Elizabeth couldn’t decipher the clues that were coming in for her about her own life and situation. She had a mental stalker who had all these feelings for her and was willing to do anything, even kill to make her happy. Elizabeth began to think her “gift” was somewhat a curse when these people she had wished dead or injured actually ended up on the coroner’s table. Most of the action happens right after Elizabeth discovers that her husband has been cheating on her and he suddenly is killed by a woman driving a similar SUV to the one Elizabeth drives and the driver looked suspiciously like she did causing the police to continually want to question her and peg her for the culprit.

Such a good book! I was hanging on every word wanting it to end and yet wanting more information about certain characters. I really wanted to see the relationship between Elizabeth and Rex blossom. That totally hooked me. I am a sucker for a great love at first sight story.

This has a lot of supernatural elements but it seemed to be tamped down a bit due to the melding of the universe created by Jackson and the other one created by Bush. I love the idea of these two writing together and plan to read more into these two series just to see where all the world-building has come from.

If you love a good mystery suspense thriller, 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.

Crochet Stories: Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland by Pat Olski, Lewis Carroll

Crochet Stories: 

Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland

by Pat Olski, Lewis Carroll

Paperback, 96 pages

Published October 20th 2016 by Dover Publications

Goodreads synopsis: 

"A feast for crocheters and readers combined. Adorable and fun! 5 stars!" — The Thought Spot

Everyone should visit Wonderland, and these charming crocheted characters bring Lewis Carroll's enchanted kingdom to magical life. Appropriate for intermediate to advanced crocheters, this collection of eighteen patterns presents clear, well-illustrated instructions for creating imaginative renditions of personalities and props from the classic tale.

First and foremost is golden-haired Alice herself, both in her normal, child-sized form and also in a miniature version. Other characters include the White Rabbit, the King and Queen of Hearts, the Caterpillar and his mushroom perch, the Dodo, the Mad Hatter and Dormouse, and the grinning Cheshire Cat. A variety of accessories consist of a tea pot and cups for the mad tea party; a flamingo mallet, hedgehog ball, and playing-card arch for a game of croquet; a rose bush with red and white blossoms; and a cake and bottle to provide Alice's transformations in size. Crocheters will delight in each of these whimsical patterns, and their handiwork will result in keepsake treasures.

***

4 Stars

If you love to crochet amigurumi designs, this book is definitely for you. Each small pattern marries up with a cute tale from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Even if you are a beginner crocheter, I think you could tackle these mini character designs. There are two different Alice patterns, a big one and a small one which go along with the “eat me” and “drink me” sections of the book.

I personally would only try and tackle big Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Red Queen and the White Rabbit. Although, I love the idea of a crocheted Cheshire Cat, this design didn’t particularly appeal to me.

Besides characters there are all types of accessories to create to make your own Mad Hatter Tea Party, if you so choose. Such a fun book filled with designs that will keep you busy for quite awihle.

If you love a good crochet book that you can keep in your craft reference section, this book is perfect for your collection! Try it out and see for yourself.

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.

Blame It on the Billionaire - Harlequin Desire by Naima Simone

Blame It on the Billionaire

Harlequin Desire

by Naima Simone

ebook, 224 pages

Expected publication: February 1st 2020 by Harlequin Desire

Goodreads synopsis: 

Will a blackout change everything for these unlikely lovers?

She fell into his arms.

Now she’s falling for his trap.

It was a night filled with secrets, lies…and soul-stealing passion. And now the blackout that turned lowly executive assistant Nadia Jordan and start-up billionaire Grayson Chandler into insatiable lovers leads to a proposal Nadia can’t refuse. As she steps into Grayson’s privileged Chicago world, will his matchmaking mother and vengeful ex destroy her dreams? Or will her fake fiancé make those dreams a reality?

***

4.5 Stars

This is a book in the Harlequin Desire line by Harlequin Books.

Nadia and Grayson “call me Gray” met by happenstance during  a power outage. He was attending a gala of sorts and she was bringing her boss’s dress shirt to him since he had soiled it during the gala in some way. During the blackout the couple have one night of guilt-free pleasure until Gray learns that Nadia works for his company. 

Days later Gray can’t get Nadia out of his head and he comes up with a crazy plan to make her his fake fiancee to get his previous fiancee and his parents off his back. Nadia is not made of the same “stock” as the Chandlers and has an iffy past with a mother who used to prostitute herself to men and pretty much left Nadia and her brother to grow up on their own. This backstory doesn’t sit well with Gray’s parents.

I am not sure why Gray’s parents didn’t see through his former fiancee’s shenanigans. The author really knows how to push all our buttons and get a rise from us. Since this is a shorter format book she has packed a lot of detail and backstory into this short read. I totally loved watching it all unfold. It was sort of like watching a train wreck in the midst of it happening. She has such a good handle on how to write these extra sexy books and still make it readable and on point.

I wonder if this might be part of a series since I think there are a couple of other characters in here worthy of their own Desire-line story.

If you love a good sexy romantic suspense book, 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.