Book Review: MURDER IN THE WINNER'S CIRCLE (A Harness Racing Mystery) by M.J. Evans

Murder In The Winner’s Circle: A Harness Racing Mystery 

Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series 

Setting – Pennsylvania 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dancing Horse Press 

Print Length – 257 Pages 

About the Book 

A Birthday Celebration. A Champion Horse. A Deadly Toast. 

Alfred Wellington has everything he wants on his sixtieth birthday. His prized colt just won at Liberty Racetrack, the champagne is flowing, and the crowd is cheering. 

Then Alfred collapses. At first, everyone assumes it was a heart attack—until the autopsy reveals the truth. ALFRED WELLINGTON WAS POISONED. 

Former insurance investigator Callie Oaks Coffman knows Liberty Racetrack inside and out. She knows its horses, its owners, its trainers—and she knows that secrets can get someone killed. As she and her new husband, reporter Paul Coffman, become drawn into the investigation, Callie discovers that Alfred left behind plenty of people with reasons to want him dead.

A beautiful young wife. 

A secretive trainer. A bitter ex-wife. 

A business partner with something to hide. 

But which one of them is the killer? 

BECAUSE IN THE WINNER'S CIRCLE, EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO HIDE. 

Review 

This was an entertaining read featuring Callie Oaks Coffman, who is a harness racer, and her husband, Paul Coffman, a reporter for the local newspaper. Callie and Paul are attending a race featuring Alfred Wellington and his latest horse. As far as horse owners go, Wellington is a bit on the formal side and whenever his horse wins, he (and not the driver) takes the horse into the barn. This race occurs on his birthday and someone left a card and bottle of champagne in the winner’s circle for him. His wife hands him glass, he drinks, and his partner pours the rest of the bottle over him. You guessed it. Wellington doesn’t get very far after that. 

The detective Callie and Paul helped with another case, asks them to help again once it’s determined that Wellington didn’t have a heart attack at all. After all, Callie knows everyone in the harness racing arena and Paul has access to a lot of information through the paper. I loved the setting, the characters, and the way the clues fell in place – and then there’s the plot twist. Definitely an enjoyable cozy mystery, and I’ve already added the first book in the series to my TBR list. I may have to check out some of the other books Evans has written. 

Purchase Links

Amazon   ~    B&N

About the Author 

M.J. Evans is the award-winning author of twenty-seven published works spanning middle-grade, young adult, and adult fiction, as well as a selection of picture books. Her writing often explores themes centered around horses and equine fantasy, reflecting a lifelong passion for these remarkable animals. A graduate of Oregon State University and a former educator with experience teaching both middle and high school students, Ms. Evans brings both educational insight and storytelling flair to her work. 

She resides in beautiful Colorado with her husband, Tom, where they enjoy the company of their horses and Standard Poodle. She is the proud mother of five and grandmother of thirteen. M.J. Evans was the recipient of the 2024 Colorado Authors League Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Contact MJ Evans

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GIVEAWAY

Book Review: UP THE CREEK (A Florida Eco-Mystery) by Shelley Marsh

 Up the Creek: A Florida Eco-Mystery 

Mystery Stand Alone

Setting – Florida 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sibylline 

Digital First Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 2, 2026 

Print length ‏ : ‎ 300 pages 

About the Book: 

In the Florida marshlands, Amanda finds herself in a fight that’s personal, political, and deadly. After losing her research grant, marine botanist Amanda Wright returns to her Florida hometown and takes a job at her family’s eco-tour business. But the quiet marshlands she once loved are under threat from a flashy new resort and a suspicious rezoning effort on protected land. Then a fellow scientist dies under mysterious circumstances, and a rare aquatic plant is found that may hold the key to stopping development. 

As buried secrets come to light and her long-absent mother resurfaces with regrets of her own, Amanda must decide what kind of person and protector she wants to be. 

A suspenseful, emotionally layered mystery set against a lush coastal backdrop, Up the Creek explores the fragile balance between progress and preservation, and one woman’s determination to defend the place she still calls home. 

Review  

The MC, Amanda returns to her home when the grant that funded her research is rescinded. She helps out with the family business as she tries to figure out what her future will bring. While she was away, a huge resort sprung up, providing competition to the marsh tours and other activities offered by her family. The belief that the nature preserve was in fact protected is now being challenged and Amanda fears a for the birds and other creatures who inhabit the preserve if some big corporation wins and builds big houses along the coastline. 

The issue of preservation and Amanda's glorious tours sets this mystery apart. Amanda is a strong character and passionate. She contacts a colleague back at the college and he helps recruit protesters, only then he's killed. Amanda is the one who finds the body, and other factors considered, she's the convenient suspect. All in all, an interesting cozy mystery.  

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. That has not affected my honest review.  

Purchase Link: 

Amazon

About the Author

Shelley Marsh is the author of the Estate Sale Mysteries, including Dying to Live Here, More Than She Bargained For, and Everything Must Go. She writes character-driven mysteries set along Florida’s coast, where community ties, hidden motives, and shifting loyalties shape the story. 

With Up the Creek, she expands into eco-mystery, blending environmental conflict with political intrigue and emotional stakes. When she’s not writing, she can often be found exploring the beaches and marshlands that inspire her fiction. She lives and writes in coastal North Florida.

Facebook ~ Instagram ~ X ~ TikTok ~ Threads ~ BlueSky  

Book Launch: STUDENTS AND SECRETS, ANOTHER MURDER : A Twisty Cozy Mystery (Sheridan Hendley Mysteries #12)

It has been a busy launch week! I want to share the latest in the Sheridan Hendley Mysteries:

“For readers who love a simple, well-written murder mystery that teases possible culprits throughout, leaves potential clues and misdirections, all while avoiding gratuitous violence, language, and sexual scenes, this is the perfect read.” G. Leishman for Readers' Favorite 

“This standalone tale is a must-read for anyone seeking a rousing, entertaining whodunit that checks every single box for mystery fans.” D. Jaggart for Readers' Favorite 

She came for a weekend of festivities, stayed to solve a murder, and became the killer’s next target. 

When amateur sleuth Sheridan Hendley visits her stepdaughter Maddie’s university for festivities honoring local veterans, murder is the last thing on her mind. But a man has been found dead on campus, and a photograph in his wallet leads police straight to Maddie’s dorm. The young woman in the picture, eighteen-year-old Lissa, shared a suite with Maddie’s best friend. Lissa’s refusal to answer questions makes her and her protective older brother, Dan, prime suspects. 

When Lissa’s family asks Sheridan and Maddie to help clear their names, they discover Neal Fox was hardly the innocent victim he appeared to be. Drugs are found in his apartment, and his connections to more than one young woman open the door to plenty of motives and suspects. When Sheridan’s dog Charlie finds a clue to the killer, threats turn into dangerous accidents and an attempted assault. 

As Sheridan and Maddie sort fact from rumor, secrets are revealed, not only on campus. A naval officer shows up too conveniently as does Lissa’s grandfather. It’s hard to know who to trust with surprises at every turn. Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone mystery.

AMAZON

As always, I appreciate the feedback from my beta and ARC readers.

Book Review: SECRETS NEVER LIE (The Pickwick Bend Murder Club) by Susan Boles

 

Secrets Never Lie: Pickwick Bend Murder Club Cozy Mystery 

by Susan Boles

1st in Series 

Setting – Tennessee 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Argent Ocean Publishing 

Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 25, 2026 

Print length ‏ : ‎ 274 pages 

About the Book 

In the quiet lakeside town of Pickwick Bend, Tennessee, a Memphis weekender is found dead inside her gated Magnolia Shores vacation home. At first, it looks like a tragedy best left to the authorities. 

But what begins as curiosity for the local crime-loving book club turns dangerous when they discover what the victim was really doing in Pickwick Bend – digging into old deeds, buried bloodlines, and a secret that could cost a powerful family everything. 

As gossip spreads and documents vanish, Shelby Rae, Trixie, Janelle and Curtis face escalating danger. A suspicious fire. Missing records. And a chilling attempt to silence one of them inside the one place she should be safe. 

Now the Pickwick Bend Murder Club is racing to uncover the truth before someone closes ranks for good. Because in a sleepy small town, secrets never lie. 

Review 

Pickwick Bend is a quiet small town, with very little excitement. Four mystery-loving citizens join together - a librarian, a hairdresser, a retired geneologist, and a civil war enthusiast - to read and discuss mysteries. When Caroline is murdered, they have a real murder to investigate using all the skills their favorite sleuths have used in the books they read. Little do they know the real danger they could get into.

Boles' story depicts southern charm and sleuthing, as well as great deductive reasoning, and, yes, a bit of stubborness. Even the sheriff, Harlan, doesn't dissuade them from very enthusiastically. Janelle uses her skills in the library, Shelby Rae, her geneology skils, and Trixie, the gossip in her shop. Curtis, helps out as he can and tries to keep the ladies safe. Only they're digging into a generational land dispute worth millions. 

There are lots of hiccups in the process with surprises and twists as the "murder club" collects information and searches for Caroline's killer. Fans of small town cozy mysteries with family secrets no one wants revealed will enjoy this book.

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 Links

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Bookshop

About the Author 

USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Susan Boles writes novels that make each character vivid, while highlighting small-town southern communities where life may be slow but never boring. Whether the novel is a cozy mystery, romance, or romantic suspense, she brings real life to characters and towns alike. Susan has received multiple awards for her Lily Gayle Lambert cozy mystery series, along with accolades for her romance and romantic suspense novels. 

When she isn’t writing, Susan enjoys genealogy, reading, gardening, knitting, and crocheting (all the granny hobbies), which she squeezes in whenever possible. Susan, her husband, and their dog, Krissy, live in West Tennessee near the area where Susan’s family settled in the early 1800s.

Author Links  

Website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Threads 

GoodReads ~ Pinterest  ~ Substack 

Book Spotlight: DEATH BY MAIL (A Josiah Reynolds Mystery) by Abigail Keam)

Death By Mail: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery

Cozy Mystery 

23rd in Series 

Setting – Kentucky 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Worker Bee Press 

Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 14, 2026 

Number of Pages ~200

About the Book 

In the Bluegrass world of oak-cured bourbon, antebellum mansions, and Thoroughbred horse farms are secrets—deadly secrets! Kentucky is not called “the dark and bloody ground” for nothing!

Josiah’s phone won’t stop ringing. Both Hunter Wickliffe and Eli Bradley are vying for her attention. At first, it was flattering and fun, but now she doesn’t have a moment’s peace. Meanwhile, Josiah and her dog, Baby, take their daily trip to give treats to the horses and llamas before checking the mailbox. Baby is occupied with sniffing out the scents left overnight by the rabbits, foxes and coyotes, as Josiah leafs through the bills and junk mail. A small blue envelope at the bottom of the stack catches her attention. It is just inscribed with JOSIAH above her address in crude block letters. There is no return address. She quickly tears it open, and a single sheet of paper falls to reveal one word - DEATH! 

There’s the law, and there is Josiah’s justice!  

Purchase Links 

Amazon ~ Nook ~ Kobo ~ Google Play

About the Author 

Abigail Keam is an award-winning and Amazon best-selling author who writes the Josiah Reynolds Mystery Series about a Southern female beekeeper turned amateur sleuth living in the glamorous world of oak-cured bourbon, antebellum mansions, and Thoroughbred farms. 

Besides loving history, Kentucky bourbon and chocolate, Abigail loves honeybees and for many years made her living by selling honey at a farmers’ market like her protagonist, Josiah Reynolds. She is an award-winning beekeeper who has won many honey awards at the Kentucky State Fair including the Barbara Horn Award, which is given to beekeepers who rate a perfect 100 in a honey competition. 

Miss Abigail has taken her knowledge of beekeeping to create a fictional beekeeping protagonist, Josiah Reynolds, who solves murder mysteries in the Bluegrass. While Miss Abigail’s novels are for enjoyment, she discusses the importance of a local sustainable food economy and land management for honeybees and other creatures. 

She currently lives on the Kentucky River in a metal house with her husband and various critters. She still has honeybees.

Author Social Media Links 

Official Site ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~Amazon 

 TikTok ~ BlueSky 

Book Review: ALL ABOARD FOR MUDRER (A Golden Motel Mystery Book 3) by Ellen Byron

All Aboard for Murder (A Golden Motel Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series 

Setting - California 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies 

Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 28, 2026 

Print length ‏ : ‎ 288 pages 

About the Book:

Dee Stern is starting to feel at home running her Golden Motel in the quaint California village she moved to, leaving behind her LA life as a sitcom writer. But a killer sees the town’s Halloween celebration as a golden opportunity to write a script for murder... 

It’s October in Gold Rush country and all manner of tricks and treats are happening in the lead-up to Halloween. October also happens to be the birthday of Angus Sprockles, the man responsible for the town being designated a historic landmark, and the residents are celebrating his memory as well. His only living descendant, Moses Sprockles, runs the narrow-gauge railroad—once used to ferry lumber from the mountains to the sawmill, now a tourist attraction. The Sprockles Railroad is hosting a Halloween-themed fundraiser for the Historical Society.

 

But when a body is found on the tracks, it’s not a Halloween prank. It’s Moses himself, seemingly felled by a fallen tree branch. Dee’s dad Sam is convinced his friend is the victim of foul play and urges his daughter to apply her sleuthing skills. Dee’s train of thought leads her to suspects ranging from a former child star and one-hit wonder, the owner of a nail salon with her claws in everything, and even the mayor. When a self-proclaimed ghost hunter throws his hat in the ring and claims to know who did it, the investigation really goes off the rails. No matter how crazy things get, Dee is determined to blow the whistle on a runaway killer with a one-track mind.

Review:

All is going well with the Halloween festivities, and, along with guests from The Golden Hotel, Dee takes a ride on the Sprockles Railroad, founded by Angus Sprockles. The train goes from FoundGold to GoldGone. The enjoyable trip takes a turn, when they happen on Moses Sprockle the only descendent of Angus. Dee, Jeff, and Dee’s father, aren't convinced Moses' death was an accident. 

I liked the characters, including Dee’s sweet dog and the hot tub-loving bear. There are plenty of suspects, and the killer isn’t easily identified. Byron sets a steady pace, filtered with humor, and small town vibes that will appeal to cozy mystery readers. This is my first in the series, and easily read as a standalone, though I always recommend starting a series at the beginning.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

Purchase Links 

Amazon ~ Kensington ~ Bookshop.org ~ B&N 

 Hudson Books ~ Target~ Walmart 

About the Author: 

Ellen Byron is the Agatha and Lefty Award-winning, USA Today bestselling author of the Golden Motel Mysteries, the Vintage Cookbook series, and the Cajun Country Mysteries, as well as the Catering Hall Mysteries written under the name Maria DiRico. She is also an award-winning playwright and non-award-winning writer of TV hits like Wings, Just Shoot Me, and The Fairly OddParents, but considers her most impressive achievement working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart. 

A native New Yorker, Ellen is a graduate of Tulane University and lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, daughter, and a rotating crew of rescue pups. 

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Catering Hall Mysteries  

 

Book Review: EDITED OUT (Seffi Wardwell Mysteries Book 3) by Rebecca Douglass

Edited Out (A Seffie Wardwell Mysteries)

by Rebecca Douglass

3rd in Series 

Setting – Maine 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published 

Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 25, 2025 

Print length ‏ : ‎ 263 pages 

About the Book

Who erased the writer? 

Winter in Maine is long, dark, and cold, and California transplant Seffi Wardwell is combating the winter blues with a full calendar. Tending the plants at the local bed-and-breakfast, writing reports for the library, and generally keeping an eye on events in Smelt Point barely leaves time for pastry and gossip at Sweet Dreams, the local bakery and heart of the village. 

When the participants at an artistic retreat held at the bed-and-breakfast grow combative, Seffi is there to smooth things over, stiffen the spine of the innkeeper, and keep things going. But when a writer turns up dead, Seffi’s called on to wield a different kind of expertise. Then someone lets slip there was poison in a coffee bought at Sweet Dreams, and it looks like Seffi’s favorite source of treats is in real trouble. Can her knowledge of plants save the inn—and the local bakery—before the killer strikes again and tears the heart out of Smelt Point? 

Review  

Seffi is relatively new resident of Smelt Point, a small town that doesn't have a lot of glitz. The highlights are the Inn, the bakery, and the library. To try to make ends meet, the Inn is hosting an artist's group  - authors, painters, illustrators - of all ages for a month long residency. Although intended to be an opportunity for these artists to connect and be productive, there's an undercurrent of tension. Then the murder of the one guest no one particularly liked. This isn't Seffi's first murder but she knows how to handle Chief Miah Cox - she taught him many years before.

The story is well-written, with a steady pace, and there's enough suspects and clues to make it hard to guess the killer. There are a few other surprises as well. The characters are well developed and described - I could visualize them and their behaviors. Although this is the third book in the series, it was easily read as a stand-alone. I found myself interested in Seffi's history and her move from California to Maine. I'll be adding the first in the series to my ever growing TBR list. 

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.

About the Author 

Rebecca M. Douglass has lived, worked, and hiked around the American West for more years than she’ll admit, while raising two children to adulthood and dreaming up interesting ways to bump people off. Thanks to good friends in Maine, she has also fallen in love with that mysterious coast. 

Since retiring from work at the library, the author has moved to Seattle, where she is writing the Seffi Wardwell Mysteries. In addition to her Ninja Librarian series for younger readers and the Pismawallops PTA mystery series, she has had short stories published in a magazines and anthologies. 

When she isn’t writing, Ms. Douglass likes to go hiking and backpacking, or travels to discover new places or revisit old favorites, including the Sierra Nevada mountains, the desert Southwest, and of course Maine, where so many of the best cozy mysteries are found.

Author Links 

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

Purchase Links 

Amazon Kindle ~ Amazon Paperback ~ Books2Read Universal Link Buy Me A Coffee store 

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July 8 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW 

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