Thursday, February 6, 2025

Book Review: DEAL BREAKER (The first book in the Myron Bolitar series) by Harlan Coben

Taking a walk on the wild side with a fantastic author...

About the Book (from Amazon)

Sports agent Myron Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big time. So is Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback and Myron’s prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call from a former girlfriend—a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead—the deal starts to go sour. Trying to unravel the truth about a family’s tragedy, a woman’s secret, and a man’s lies, Myron is up against the dark side of his business—where image and talent make you rich, but the truth can get you killed. 

Review

This one caught my eye and, as with other books by this author, I was not disappointed. Myron is a sports agent, but also a lawyer with a military background, and an athlete. He partners with Win, who has his own business, and is working as a sports agent - in effect his love of sports and understanding of how young men could be manipulated added to his knowledge of law. It all makes sense. But more importantly, he is a wiseass PI up there with Mike Hammer, Spenser and others. 

This is the first in the series - and now I have to go back and find the others. There was tension, danger, humor, and romance. Three murders, all woven in a tangled web. Hard to put down and a great read but not exactly cozy.

The first chapter is provided at the Amazon site.

About the Author (from Amazon)

Harlan Coben is the winner of the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony awards. His critically acclaimed novels have been published in thirty-three languages around the world and have been number one bestsellers in more than half a dozen countries. In addition to the Myron Bolitar series (Deal Breaker, Drop Shot, Fade Away, Back Spin, One False Move, The Final Detail, Darkest Fear, and the upcoming Promise Me), he is also the author of Tell No One, Gone for Good, Innocent, The Woods, and Hold Tight.


Saturday, February 1, 2025

Book Review: SECRETS, SONGBIRDS AND SUCCULENTS: A Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery Book 3 by Iris March


Secrets, Songbirds, and Succulents: 
A Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery Cozy Mystery 
3rd in Series 
Setting – Ohio 
Publisher ‏ : Wandering Gingko Press (January 23, 2025) 

ABOUT THE BOOK

The annual Buckeye Trail Town Festival. A trail construction site. And one dead naturalist. 

The charming town of Hawthorn Heights is celebrating its connection to the Buckeye Trail with a weekend-long town festival. When a local naturalist is found dead at the bottom of a ravine off the trail, amateur sleuth and garden center manager Molly Green finds herself tangled in a murder investigation – again. 

As the Trail Festival concludes, Molly unearths unexpected secrets about the bird-obsessed naturalist’s life along with other people in her small community. When the police focus on who Molly knows is the wrong suspect, she starts her own investigation with her flock of fellow amateur detectives. Will Molly and her team identify the killer or will they fly away free? 

Secrets, Songbirds, and Succulents is a heartwarming and suspenseful cozy mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Perfect for fans of small-town mysteries and amateur sleuths with both birding and eco-friendly themes. 

REVIEW

This was a fun cozy mystery. Molly and her friends work together to solve the murder. I enjoyed the interactions of the characters. The plot moved at a steady pace with unexpected twists to the killer. Small town mystery and one that cozy mystery lovers will enjoy.

This is the third in the series. I haven't read the first two, and that did not affect the readability. At the same time, I always recommend people start at the beginning to watch as characters grow and relationships change. 

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

Purchase Link 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Iris March has a reputation for killing houseplants and now she’s killing people off in books? Coincidence? Perhaps not. Iris has spent two decades working in the sustainability field and is usually either reading a book or on a trail. She lives in Ohio with her husband, son, and three cats. 

Author Links 


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Monday, January 27, 2025

New Release: VENTURES, VENGEANCE & MURDER (Book 11 of the Stacie Maroni Mysteries) by Christa Nardi

ABOUT THE BOOK 

A prominent child advocate’s death is only the beginning… 

When a prominent doctor and outspoken advocate for child abuse victims is murdered, trauma counselor and amateur sleuth Stacie Maroni can’t help but wonder if there’s more to the tragedy than meets the eye. At the same time, whispers of financial misappropriation in programs meant to aid victims have surfaced. Both the good doctor and the suspect agencies share interest in child welfare - could the two be connected, or is it just a coincidence? 

Stacie doesn’t believe in coincidence and neither does Detective O’Hare. As Stacie extends her support to the doctor’s fiancĂ©e, Megan, she uncovers hints that more is afoot than meets the eye. When anonymous threats escalate into real danger, Stacie realizes she’s stumbled onto something totally unexpected. With her own life on the line, and potentially, Megan’s, Stacie must untangle the truth before there are more victims.

Read an excerpt:

I jumped when my phone rang, then smiled. Detective Michael O’Hare and I were a couple, although his job had kept him busy the last few nights. Besides, dealing with a grumpy sick person didn’t translate to romantic evenings. He did stop and bring me chicken soup though. 

“Hi, Michael. How are you?” He groaned. “Busy. You sound better. I hoped to stop by, but I may not make it.” He grunted. “We got an anonymous call directing us to Old Country Road. When Lahomes and Marina got there, they found a man, dead. Still trying to figure out who he is.” 

“Oh, my.” 

“I’ll catch up with you later.” 

A quick check to see if anything popped up on alerts yielded no information, and I groaned when I opened my email. After being out sick both Friday and Monday with the flu, there were too many messages and each one required a response of some sort. Part of my grumpiness I blamed on allergies and a sinus infection. The rest was the day to day tedium of my job as HR Specialist at Foster’s Insurance. 

I felt better, but not up to par. I scanned my email to see which would be simple and quick. My eyebrows rose when I spotted one from Lionel Smythe. He served as the chair, the overseer, and attorney for a foundation for women who were victims of domestic violence. 

Set up by my late husband, Ted Noth, the foundation focused on education, services, and prevention related to domestic violence. I served as the co-chair as stipulated in Ted’s will, along with J. Colton Stewart. Ted had been Colton’s attorney dealing with theft of intellectual property at Colton’s technology corporation. 

Lionel had also included Colton on this too short email. “Need to call a meeting. Let me know your availability.” That was followed by a scheduler app with dates and times for the next week. I left the app up and replied all. 

“What’s the purpose of the meeting, Lionel?” 

Once I hit send, I studied the scheduler. Not a morning person, I confirmed late afternoon ones. I could do morning yoga, not morning people. Done, I hit submit and moved on.  My phone pinged. It was Lionel. 

“Stacie, we have a problem. Can you meet me some place? Starbucks?” 

The man knew my weakness for skinny mocha latte. “Lunch? What’s up?” 

“Noon. The one on Main Street. I’ll explain it when I see you.” 

He disconnected. I stared at my phone like it had the answers to all my questions. A glance at the clock, and I quickly let my friends know I had other plans for lunch. Most days, Jillian, Trina, Ronnie, and I ate at the table in my office, avoiding the noisy cafeteria. 

Jillian, my best friend since college, worked in contracts and made sure I ate something nutritious. Trina in IT made sure all of us stayed connected, sometimes engaging her special, albeit questionable, skills. She was the bright and colorful friend. 

Ronnie was the latest addition to our group. She’d worked for my husband, Ted, when he was murdered. She left that law practice and joined us at Foster’s. With a toddler, she rarely joined us for social events. Still, she’d taken up the gauntlet to teach me to cook. 

Each of my friends replied to my message with some version of “why” and I answered, “Foundation business. Later.” 

Before I left, my curiosity won out and I checked for another alert. O’Hare hadn’t mentioned the cause of death. Possibly, the man had a heart attack. Or was he murdered? 

As I rushed out, Rosie tsked. “Having lunch with the hunky detective?” Rosie’s my administrative assistant, an older lady who reminds me of Rosemary Clooney. She also has a crush on O’Hare. 

“Afraid not, Rosie. See you after lunch.” 

It was a short drive to Starbucks and I joined Lionel inside. An impressive attorney, he was short and slim, with a crewcut. As always, he wore a suit with a bowtie. We ordered and sat down. 

I chuckled. “This is much better than the place with tables and chairs that looked like vegetables.” We’d met there once and the furniture distracted me. “What’s the problem?” 

His hands shook and he shredded his napkin. He glanced around and leaned forward. He whispered. “Someone left a message on the foundation line. About one of the grants we awarded last year. The caller claimed the agency overspent their budget and not all for the goals of the grant.” 

“Don’t they turn in quarterly reports or something?” At Foster’s Insurance, I had to run weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports. 

“We do get reports with outcome data throughout the year. We have a record of how many people attended the educational sessions, for example, and their evaluation of the programs. The agency that added more trauma staff? They provided us with numbers of persons treated, whether they returned to the abuser or not, if they filed a police report, how many sessions they attended, and pre-/post- measures of self-worth, anxiety, and depression, if possible. As for budget, it’s an annual report and the year isn’t up yet.” 

“I think the obvious solution is to ask for all grantees to submit a financial report. And make sure for all future grants, there is a financial report along with the outcome report quarterly. In their grant application, they indicated how the money would be spent. It shouldn’t be hard to determine if they did what was approved.” 

“I know. I wanted to run it by you and Colton first. The meeting is to be sure we’re all on the same page for the next round of grants. At least one of those agencies with a grant already contacted me to see if they could get a renewal. We’ve never discussed that possibility.” 

“Okay. Check in with Colton on this, but my suggestion? You email all three agencies we gave money to and ask for an itemized report of their spending to date, ASAP. You can frame it in the context of the next round of applications.” 

“Thank you. I’ll check with Colton.” He leaned back. We finished lunch and I drove back to work. I chuckled as I got off the elevator and found O’Hare waiting at Rosie’s desk. 

 “Hi, Detective. Is there a problem?” 

“I need to touch base with you. Besides I missed you.” 

He leaned over and kissed me. Rosie squealed. For a long time, we’d hidden our relationship from her. That all ended when she caught him kissing me and likened it to kissing Santa Claus. 

“Let’s go to my office and you can fill me in.”

Excerpt from Ventures, Vengeance & Murder. Copyright © 2025. All rights reserved.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Christa Nardi is an avid reader with her love of mysteries beginning with Nancy Drew and other teen mysteries. She’s shifted to more contemporary mystery, crime, and cozy mysteries over time. Her protagonists are smart, intelligent female sleuths. She is the author of four mystery series, all featuring strong women sleuths. She also co-authors a teen/young adult series. She is member of Sisters in Crime. When not reading or writing, Christa enjoys travel and playing with her dogs and granddaughters. She supports animal rescue and other efforts to help others. She lives in Texas with her husband.

You can follow/contact Christa at any of the following:





Friday, January 17, 2025

Spotlight: WINE AND WHISPERS: A Cozy Mystery (Sophie Brooks Mysteries) by Daisy Landish


Wine and Whispers: A Cozy Mystery (Sophie Brooks Mysteries) 
Culinary Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series 
Setting – California 
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beaches and Trails 
Published January 11, 2025 

ABOUT THE BOOK: 
In the heart of wine country, secrets run as deep as the vines.

Sophie Brooks, a food blogger and digital nomad, heads to Sonoma’s wine country to explore its famous vineyards. But when a mysterious disappearance shatters the idyllic landscape, Sophie must uncover the truth hidden among the whispers and the wine. 

Food blogger and digital nomad Sophie Brooks is on her first stop in Sonoma, California, where the wine flows as freely as the secrets. Eager to showcase the region’s farm-to-table dining scene, Sophie is ready to indulge in the local wines and meet the passionate people behind them. But when one of the vineyard’s owners goes missing, the peaceful countryside takes a dark turn. 

As whispers of betrayal and old grudges swirl through the vines, Sophie finds herself caught in the middle of a mystery that threatens to unravel the very fabric of this picturesque wine country. With her sharp instincts and a love for uncovering the truth, Sophie must navigate the delicate balance between tasting fine wines and untangling deadly secrets.  

Can she solve the mystery before the whispers turn into something more dangerous? 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Daisy Landish is a sweet romance and cozy mystery author, whose clean and sweet stories have tugged at readers’ heartstrings around the world. When she’s not writing love stories, Daisy spends her time reading, hiking at dawn, and riding into the sunset on her horse, Rosebud. 

AUTHOR LINKS

PURCHASE LINKS






Saturday, December 21, 2024

Book Review: CHOCOLATE MAGIC CAFE (A Chocolate Magic Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Olivia Swift

About the Book

Create your own magical moment! Grab a coffee and maybe some chocolate while you dive into this cozy mystery! 

Magda Caraganic already is a successful chocolatier. When she inherits an old stable from her aunt, she decides to convert it into a chocolate shop and cafĂ©. The best contractor to help with the conversion is the man she has argued with since she was fifteen. 

The work sparks off spirit activity marked by the appearance of a mysterious ghost cat. Magda’s beautiful Birman cat, Crystal, starts to act strangely. What can it all mean? 

This is a story of friendship, friendly ghosts, cats, chocolate and true love. 

Review 

This was an interesting and fun read. Magda is a hardworking chocolatier determined to make the barn she inherited into a business, rather than making her chocolates in the small space she has. Her friend and her brother support her, and she can deal with Sam, the man she has argued with since she was 15. Only there's the black and white cat that walks through the barn door and the shadow of a woman... If you're into paranormal, this one has it all, including a makeshift seance. 

Swift does a wonderful job of weaving the various pieces together, including enlightening Magda on family history. There's tension, a bit of humor, and the plot flows seamlessly. Only reader beware, with all the descriptions of the truffles and the cheesecake, you may want to have some chocolate nearby. 

As of this post date, the book is available for $0.99! It is the first in a 7-book series.

About the Author

Olivia Swift loves writing cozy mysteries! Her stories are inspired by her varied interests…gardening, spirits, crystals and so much more. Of course, there must be a romance or two in her books and a happily-ever-after ending! 

Growing up in a small English village, Olivia is only too familiar with the various characters that make up a community. There is always an event, drama, or mystery amongst the village folk. . Only a few years ago, Olivia and her husband chose to take an early retirement and moved to the Aquitaine region of France.


Saturday, December 14, 2024

Book Review: AILEEN'S GUESTHOUSE : A Heartfelt Contemporary by Eva Pasco

A bit of change of pace with this book, best described as Women's Literary Fiction. 

About the Book

(Charlestown, Rhode Island) - Overlooking Horseshoe Point at the end of Sea Lea Avenue in the picturesque village of Quonochontaug, you'll find Aileen's Guesthouse. There, a smattering of Quonnie's locals and lodgers cross paths. Whether through cultivated connection or random encounter, these folks have more in common than first meets the eye. 

An incoming tide strews debris of self-recrimination, regret, and remorse for their unintentional culpability in jeopardizing the life of an immediate family member. Whether altering destiny, attributing to demise, or precipitating a debilitating accident—no one is exempt from heartache: 

Aileen Stanton - for getting sidetracked on her watch; Gertrude Stanton - for her preoccupation; Ox (James) Babcock - for loaning a ten-dollar bill; Grand dame, Lillian Wright - for engaging in an illicit affair during the Roaring Twenties; Birdman, Drake Lynch - for wielding his power of persuasion; and Career mom, Perla Moreno - for her momentary lapse in judgment 

The guesthouse provides a home away from home. For some, a refuge for healing. For others, a retreat for cultivating hopes and dreams. For the invited reader of adult fiction, a portal for stepping into the 1970s in close proximity to those who survive the ravages of a guilt-wracked conscience and struggle to find meaning in the suffering they've caused. 

Welcome to Aileen's Guesthouse. Dinner is served at six o'clock sharp. 

Review 

Aileen’s Guesthouse is an old mansion owned by the now deceased Sam Stanton, Aileen’s father. it's located in Rhode Island, not far from URI or the Connecticut border. As the story starts, 13-year-old Aileen, her mother, and her younger brother live in the guesthouse along with Mrs. Wright and the bird man, Mr. Lynch. 

A tragedy strikes and with it, a shift in the personalities of these guests as they support Aileen and her mother. As the story continues, other characters emerge with a pattern of survivor guilt after tragedy and recovery for many of the characters, with domino effects on others.

Pasco’s writing draws the reader in, not only with empathy for the characters but with her wit. I loved her descriptions and references to the all things 70s. It is truly a tale of life, loss, and love, not always in that order. It was an amazing time and Pasco captured all the ups and downs as she wove her tale. 

AMAZON

About the Author (from her Amazon page)

Reviving a dormant flair for writing after retiring from teaching in the third-grade trenches, multi-award winning author, Eva Pasco, prefers writing in the genre of Contemporary Women's Fiction. Her lit with grit is distinguished for its character-driven plots featuring female protagonists over forty propelled by the nuances of their human condition.  

A native Rhode Islander, Eva weaves historic events, geographic landmarks, and regional culture into the fabric of her storytelling, blurring the lines of demarcation between fact and fiction.

Monday, December 9, 2024

Book Review: DEATH BY BAGPIPE: A Valentine's Murder (A Travel Can be Murder Cozy Mystery Book 4) by Jennifer S. Alderson

About the Book

When a trip to Scotland ends in tragedy, travel guide Lana Hansen must sleuth out who murdered her guest before she ends up paying the piper. Lana hasn't seen her ex-husband, Ron, since their divorce was finalized eight months earlier. So when they bump into each on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, she is not exactly jumping for joy. 

To make matters worse, Ron threatens a member of her tour group—a beloved and respected magician named Presto the Amazing. Ron is convinced Presto stole one of his magic tricks—the same act that propelled the famous magician into stardom—and swears he will get his revenge. 

After Presto drops dead during a party held in his honor, the police suspect he was poisoned—and that Ron is the culprit! As much as Lana would love to let her ex-husband rot in prison, she soon discovers that he is not the only one who would prefer to have Presto vanish. 

Did Ron poison the magician? Or did one of several family members accompanying Presto on the trip use this vacation to knock off the domineering patriarch? When another guest is murdered, Lana must decide how far she is willing to go to save the man who broke her heart.  

Review 

Lana is a dedicated travel guide and what better place to see than Scotland. The tour has only started when she runs into her ex-husband, Ron, as she is taking her charges on a walking tour. Presto, the guest of honor, who initiated this trip with his lawyer, his adult children and their adult children, and Ron get into it. Ron is suing Presto over a magic trick that Presto claims and Ron invented. Not a good situation, but at least to begin with, no one in the tour group seems to know she was the 'magician's assistant' for Ron until he found a younger substitute.

The story unfolds at the dinner where Presto is slated to receive a coveted magician award. And Presto dies before he can receive his award, announce his retirement, and hand off all his "tricks" to his successor. Ron snuck in and is the prime suspect. Lana is conflicted over the situation. She loved the man once and doesn't believe him capable of murder. 

The characters are likable or not by intention. Alderson's portrayal of Lana's dilemma and her suspicions about all the family members with regard to the murder are orchestrated smoothly. The plot flows with increasing tension as the will is read and everyone is unhappy with the new will, except for Presto's new wife. As with others in the series, you also get a feel for Scotland and some of the castles viewed as part of the tour. By all means, take the trip. 



Book 1 – Death on the Danube: A New Year’s Murder in Budapest 
Book 2 – Death by Baguette: A Valentine’s Day Murder in Paris 
Book 3 – Death by Windmill: A Mother’s Day Murder in Amsterdam 
Book 4 – Death by Bagpipes: A Summer Murder in Edinburgh 
Book 5 – Death by Fountain: A Christmas Murder in Rome 
Book 6 – Death by Leprechaun: A Saint Patrick's Day Murder in Dublin 
Book 7 – Death by Flamenco: An Easter Murder in Seville 
Book 8 – Death by Gondola: A Springtime Murder in Venice 
Book 9 – Death by Puffin: A Bachelorette Party Murder in Reykjavik 

About the Author 

Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, grew up in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she lived in Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands. 

Jennifer’s love of travel, art, and culture inspires her award-winning Zelda Richardson Mystery series, her Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and her Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels. 

When not writing, she can be found perusing a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.

You can follow her at: