Review - Murder at Redwood Cove by Janet Finsilver

TITLE:    Murder at Redwood Cove

AUTHOR:    Janet Finsilver

INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 198 pages

PUBLISHED:   Lyrical Underground, 2015

SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Bed, breakfast…and a body!

If it weren’t for the fact that she’s replacing a dead man, Kelly Jackson would love her new job managing the Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast on the coast of Northern California. But Bob Phillips did plunge off the cliff to his death…and Kelly’s starting to think it may not have been an accident. Bob’s retired friends—The “Silver Sentinels”—are also on the case, especially when Kelly is attacked…and another body turns up. Kelly has her hands full with overseeing the B&B’s annual Taste of Chocolate and Wine Festival, but she’s also closing in on the killer…who’s ready to send Kelly on her own permanent vacation…

MY TAKE:   I always enjoy a very well-crafted cozy mystery and this one is no exception. The author has created a town and setting that I'd love to be a part of and the characters that inhabit it are people I'd love to have in my life. It's my kind of place and my kind of story. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of them more in the upcoming stories.

The Silver Sentinels are fantastic - they had me cracking up and worrying about their safety all at the same time. Kelly has her work cut out for her in running the B&B and keeping this wily group in hand. Kelly is an easy to get attached to protagonist although I would have like a little bit more of a backstory on her. The addition of two young sleuths and an adorable dog just up the appeal to this lovely story. 

I stayed up and finished this book in one sitting. It was enjoyable and I highly recommend it to every cozy mystery fan and anyone looking for a good, fun story.

  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Available now at:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo 

Powell's Books / The Book Depository 

Google play / iTunes 

   

Janet Finsilver and her husband reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. She worked in education for many years as a teacher, a program administrator, and a workshop presenter. Janet loves animals and has two dogs—Kylie and Ellie. She’s been involved in many activities during her life. Janet has ridden western style since she was a child and was a member of the National Ski Patrol. She’s traveled extensively. One of the highlights of her life was touching whales in the San Ignacio Lagoon. She enjoys cooking, and a recent attempt to reduce the number of cookbooks in the cupboard wasn’t very successful. She’s an avid reader—of course!   She’s currently working on the next book in her series scheduled for release in June 2016.

For More Information

Visit Janet’s website.

 October 12

Book featured at 3 Partners in Shopping

October 13

Book featured at What is That Book About

October 14

Book featured at Sapphyria's Book Blog

October 15

Book featured at Authors and Readers Book Corner

October 16

Book featured at I'm Shelf-ish

October 19

Book featured at Harmonious Publicity

October 20

Book featured at Write and Take Flight

October 21

Book reviewed at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

October 22

Book featured at Becky on Books

October 23

Book featured at Voodoo Princess

October 26

Book featured at Abibliophobia Anonymous

October 27

Book featured at Bent Over Bookwords

October 28

Book featured Archaeolibrarian

October 29

Book reviewed at Bea's Book Nook

October 30

Book featured at Review From Here

November 2

Book featured at Chosen By You Book Club

November 3

Book featured at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews

November 4

Book reviewed at A Room Without Books is Empty

November 5

Book reviewed at The Self Taught Cook

Book featured at Deal Sharing Aunt

Book reviewed at Around the World in Books

November 6

Book featured at Author C.A. Milson

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - The English Breakfast Murder by Laura Childs

A Tea Shop Mystery



TITLE:    Title  The English Breakfast Murder
AUTHOR:    Laura Childs
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 265 pages
PUBLISHED:   Berkley Prime Time, 2003
SOURCE:   Purchased myself

FROM AMAZON:    It is a truly exhilarating experience for Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning-helping Charleston's Sea Turtle Protection League shepherd hundreds of tiny green loggerheads safely into the sea. But just as she's about to celebrate all her hard work, she spots a dead body bobbing in the waves. Now it's up to Theo to get to the bottom of the murder before the culprit's greed stirs him to kill again.


MY TAKE:     Cozy mysteries have become a go-to genre for me when I want something light and fun.  I like to try to solve the puzzle before the end and I enjoy tackling the twists and turns the authors throw at the reader.  This book fit that requirement well.

Laura Childs has created a fun series with her Tea Shop Mysteries.  The characters are well written and fun to get to know.  Theodosia's story this time has a lot of interesting facets to it with the task of saving sea turtles, solving a murder, skirting a little romance and promoting her tea shop all combined into one tale.  There was a lot of camaraderie and action packed into this fairly quick read.  The author did a good job with the red herrings as I didn't figure it out until almost the end!

This is a really fun series with an enjoyable heroine who makes you want to hang out at her tea shop and go on fantastic adventures with her and her wacky cast of characters.

  

    

  

    

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon and The Book Depository

 
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Murder Takes the Cake by Gayle Trent

TITLE:    Murder Takes the Cake
AUTHOR:    Gayle Trent
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 252 pages
PUBLISHED:   Gallery, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:    Cozy murder mystery. When the meanest gossip in Brea Ridge dies mysteriously, suspicions turn to cake decorator Daphne Martin. But all Daphne did was deliver a spice cake with cream cheese frosting--and find Yodel's body. Now Daphne's got to help solve the murder and clear her good name. Problem is, her Virginia hometown is brimming with people who had good reason to kill Yodel, and Daphne's whole family is among them.

MY TAKE:    This is a quick read that would be perfect for a day at the beach or when in the mood for something light and quirky.  I have recently found that cozy mysteries is a genre that I am enjoying quite a bit.  This one was no exception.

I liked the character of Daphne and a few of her rather eccentric neighbors and friends. Daphne comes across as someone who I would enjoy having as a friend.  Her family had some major issues and I felt sorry for Daphne at times.  The story progressed nicely and kept you wondering who the murderer was until pretty close to the end.  I enjoyed the hint of romance between Daphne and her old high-school beau, Ben.  It holds promise for future books in this series as well as the building of relationships with neighbors Myra and China.

While this was a fun read, there was one issue that I had with the way it was written.  The author gets very in-depth regarding decorating cakes.  I found myself skimming many parts of the book because I really don't care what size tips to use to make certain flowers and designs.  There were some great tips regarding freezing cakes for future use and also a fabulous section at the end with recipes. I learned a couple of handy tricks, but I just felt that the pain-staking decorating details detracted from the mystery itself.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries and a quick afternoon read.  I am also looking forward to the next story in the series "Killer Sweet Tooth" due out later this year. 

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon and The Book Depository

 
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - India Black by Carol K. Carr

TITLE:    India Black

AUTHOR:    Carol K. Carr
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 296 pages
PUBLISHED:   Berkley Publishing, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Premier Virtual Author Book Tours for review

FROM GOODREADS:   When Sir Archibald Latham of the War Office dies from a heart attack while visiting her brothel, Madam India Black is unexpectedly thrust into a deadly game between Russian and British agents who are seeking the military secrets Latham carried.

Blackmailed into recovering the missing documents by the British spy known as French, India finds herself dodging Russian agents-and the attraction she starts to feel for the handsome conspirator.

MY TAKE:    I have mixed emotions about this book.  On one hand I loved the main protagonists of India and French.  On the other hand, the plot wasn't quite what I was expecting and it left me a bit unsatisfied.  It seemed to come on strong in the beginning and then fade out a bit towards the end of the story.

Characters are the strong driving force of this tale.  French is a mysterious government man of few words.  But, India herself is a real kick.  She is a very sharp-witted woman who is the ultimate business maven.  She's all about the bottom line at her brothel  (double entendre intended :)  The author has written a very likable and quirky character in this madam.  Some of the snarky comments and observations that India come up with almost make up for the parts of the story that I felt lacked something.  Most of these witticisms were aimed at French -

"Speaking of that derringer, why didn't you tell me you had it stuffed down your underwear?  And how in the world did you manage to secrete such an armory on your person without clanking like a medieval knight in armor when you walk?"

~~~~~

  
"Oh, let him stay French.  The lad's been in a whorehouse before, so I don't suppose it will do him any harm to spend time in a politician's office."

*SPOILER straight ahead (You can highlight the text below if you want to read the content containing possible spoilers)

Part of my disappointment with the story is the lack of any real romance between India and French.  The book starts out hinting at it and actually building up towards a connection, but it then fizzles out before it's even lit the fuse.  I think the author missed out on a great thread that she had started. Of course, that may be addressed in the next book.... 


The other problem I had was that the supposed "super spy" French did some particularly stupid things.  He and India had the missing case in their possession not once, but twice and neither time were smart enough to destroy the damaging documents.  They also had the enemies under their control a couple of times and didn't think to search them for weapons or properly secure them.  While that would be a bit more understandable for a prostitute-turned-madam, it really didn't fly for the international espionage expert.

*End of Spoiler

While I do have the issues above with the story, I will be reading the other books in the series.  The characters of India and French really are a lot of fun and I want more of them.  India Black and the Widow of Windsor comes out in October!

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon, The Book Depository

Be sure to check back tomorrow as I have the lovely Carol K. Carr here guest posting with a humorous look at why she would want to be a spy or not!  She might just also have a little something for one of you readers.......hint  hint.....  GIVEAWAY alert..... hint....

 
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - A Trail of Ink by Mel Starr

TITLE:    A Trail of Ink
AUTHOR:    Mel Starr
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 240 pages
PUBLISHED:   Monarch Books, 2011
ISBN#:   978-1-8542-4974-6
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review and LitFuse Blog Tour

 

FROM GOODREADS:  I had never seen Master John Wyclif so afflicted. He was rarely found at such a loss when in disputation with other masters. He told me later, when I had returned them to him, that it was as onerous to plunder a bachelor scholar's books as it would be to steal another man's wife. I had, at the time, no way to assess the accuracy of that opinion, for I had no wife and few books ...' So begins another delightful and intriguing tale from the life of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon in the medieval village of Bampton, near Oxford, and bailiff of Bampton Castle at the behest of Lord Gilbert Talbot.

MY TAKE:    This was a fun mystery to become engrossed in.  It makes for an enjoyable afternoon of intrigue in a medieval setting.  Even though it is the third installment in the Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton-Surgeon, it reads very well as a stand alone story.

Historical fiction (especially that which is set in medieval times) is one of my favorite genres.  When I read about this book, I knew it was one that I needed to read.  I am really glad that I did.  This is a nice, even-paced novel with a lovely touch of romance thrown in with the mystery and drama. 

The characters, especially Hugh are rich and well written.  He is a man who is immediately likable and one whose story the reader becomes invested in.  His dialogue is sprinkled with humor which just adds to the warmth of his personality.  Kate is sweet as well as beautiful.  John Wyclif is also an interesting man.  Of course his love of books endears him to me right away!  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it: 

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon, The Book Depository, Powell's Books, IndieBound

The entire Chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon series:

   

The Unquiet Bones; A Corpse at St. Andrew's Chapel; A Trail of Ink

Mel Starr was born and grew up in Kalamazoo , Michigan . After graduating with a MA in history from Western Michigan University in 1970, he taught history in Michigan public schools for thirty-nine years, thirty-five of those in Portage , MI , where he retired in 2003 as chairman of the social studies department of Portage Northern High School . Mel and his wife, Susan, have two daughters and seven grandchildren. To learn more about Mel check out his website at http://melstarr.net

Here is the link for the rest of the great blogs participating in this tour.  Be sure to see what other avid readers have to say about A Trail of Ink.

Thank you to Mel Starr, his publisher and LitFuse for including me on this blog tour.

 
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.