Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate. In today's world with much stress and negative media, demonstrations, and such, it may be more important to give thanks for the positives in our lives, not just today, but every day.  

Each day, I'm thankful for my good health and the good health of most of my family, friends, and colleagues.  Thankful that those who have been ill or injured are healing. I have a roof over my head and food on my table. I have people who make me feel valued and respected.  I'm glad I'm able to help others.  On the lighter side, I'm thankful for authors who write stories that allow me to escape from the stressors of the day.

What are you thankful for?

Book Review: A Felonious Finale (Owl's Nest Mysteries #4) by C. S. McDonald

Book Details

Book Title: A FELONIOUS FINALE (The Owl's Nest Mysteries)

Author: C.S. McDonald

Category: Adult Fiction, 268 pages

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: McWriter Books

Release Date: April 2023

Content Rating: G

C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults - no bad language or sexual content.

Book Description:

Alexa Owl has one burning question: Who killed Bobby Starr?

Out of the blue that ornery angel, Detective Bobby Starr, shows up at The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe. Much to Alexa Owl’s surprise, Bobby doesn’t need her help. Rather, he’s brought along someone else who wants to qualify for Saint Peter’s Guardian Angel Squad. Saint Pete has delegated this new inductee to solve a murder to get into the group, and it’s a doozie: Who killed Detective Bobby Starr? How can Alexa turn this assignment down?

Back in the 60s, Bobby’s fifth wife, Katherine was a diva in a community operetta company. During a performance of The Merry Widow, Bobby was forced to stand-in for a member of the chorus who fell ill. Only, Bobby’s first performance would be his last! The suspects are hitting all the notes as this mystery comes to crescendo!

Review:

Welcome to Owl's Nest and the Saint Peter's Guardian Angel squad. When Bobby shows up in Owl's nest, Alexa figures he needs some favor. Only, it's more than that. He's brought along Detective Slater (not the current day one she's involved with, Cliff), who wants to join the squad. Only St. Pete's requirement is that he solve Bobby's murder and Alexa is to help him.

Not as simple as it may sound. This entails time travel for Alexa and Slater back to when Bobby was murdered and replaying the Merry Widow when Bobby took on a small part because the person who should have been there wasn't (because he was also murdered). Alexa takes on a role in the Merry Widow to cover inside; the detective covers outside. A twist occurs when the current day Detective Cliff Slater is assigned both cold cases to investigate. Of course that leaves Alexa dealing with both detective Slaters.

McDonald weaves in murder, humor, time travel, opera, and romance in the plot of this story. The characters of Owl's Nest are well developed with Alexa's role the most interesting of all. The story moves at a steady pace with the renactment of the Merry Widow with Alexa playing a part providing all the background. While others are solving a murder, Bobby has his own part to play, adding a level of complexity.

This is the fourth in the Owl's Nest Mysteries, but is easily read as a stand alone mystery. That said, as with any series, it is best to start at the beginning (see below). Cozy mystery readers will surely resonate all this story offers.

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

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Audible

BookBub

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Enjoy These Other Owl's Nest Mysteries:

Book Details:

Book Title: Back to the Burgh and Beyond (The Owl's Nest Mysteries, Book 1)

Author: C.S. McDonald

Category: Adult Fiction, 208 pages

Run Time: 5 hours, 59 minutes

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: McWriter Books

Release date: Sep 10, 2020

Book Description:

Meet Alexa Owl. She's returned home to Pittsburgh after a divorce to start a new life and a new business, The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe. Much to her surprise, she's getting more than she ever bargained for: Detective Bobby Starr, and he's no ordinary sleuth. Bobby is an angel who's returned to Earth in hopes of earning his way into the Guardian Angel Squad. 

He's been sent by none other than Saint Pete to acquire Alexa’s help to solve three cold case murders he left behind. Except, here’s the catch: he’s only been allotted four days to solve the first case! How in heaven’s name is she supposed to do that? Alexa is a professional seamstress—not a detective. Bobby insists the only way to solve the first case is to return to 1953, and Alexa’s not in love with that idea at all!

Buy the Book:

Audible

Amazon ~ B&N

Add to Goodreads

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Book Details:

Book Title: Maxed Out (The Owl's Nest Mysteries)

Author: C.S. McDonald

Category: Adult Fiction, 184 pages

Length: 5 hours, 32 minutes

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: McWriter Books

Release date: April 2021

Book Description:

The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe is a huge success! Business is booming and Alexa Owl’s love life is heating up. Yet much to the seamstress’s dismay, Detective Bobby Starr is suddenly back again! Bobby isn’t your everyday gumshoe. Rather, he’s an angel who’s trying to earn a place in Saint Peter’s Guardian Angel Squad. He’s required to solve murders he had left unsettled from when he walked the earth in order to be accepted into this prestigious group. 

Buy the Book

Amazon ~ B&N

add to goodreads

 

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Book Details:

Book Title: DOUBLE DOG DARE (The Owl's Nest Mysteries)

Author: C.S. McDonald

Category: Adult Fiction, 274 pages 

Genre: Cozy Mystery 

Publisher: McWriter Books

Release date: May 2022

Book Description:

That ornery, but oh, so handsome, charming, and somewhat, wayward angel, Detective Bobby Starr, has returned. This time, he’s back to fulfill his third and, hopefully, his final requirement to get into Saint Peter's prestigious Guardian Angel Squad. This time, the usually reluctant time traveler, Alexa Owl, is ready to go back to the 1960's to assist in solving one more long-ago murder. 

Why? Because if all goes well, she'll be rid of the menacing angel once and for all. 

Except, an emergency jerks Alexa back to her own time, and to complicate matters, she’s got a tag-along. Can Bobby solve this last case without Alexa’s help? After all, she’s got her hands full with a life-or-death mystery in the twenty-first century!

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Audible

add to goodreads

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Meet the Author:

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries includes nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg.

Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh and the female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Nest Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy!

Ms. McDonald resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

Connect with the author: 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

FELONIOUS FINALE (an Owl's Nest Mystery) Book Tour Giveaway

New Release: A CATASTROPHIC NEIGHBORHOOD (A Pet Momma Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Maryann Shanesy

About the Book 

Tarsey Quinston and her husband Steve are excited about moving to their new home in the picturesque community of Bluffington Hills. It turns out the neighborhood isn’t as idyllic as they hoped. Mystery overshadows the community with quirky neighbors, an angry property manager and the suspicious death of the town seamstress. 

With a nudge from her cat, Tarsey feels compelled to find out what happened with the unsolved case. As the layers of perfection are peeled away and drama within the Homeowners Association causes uproar, the property manager and Tarsey’s cat suddenly go missing. Now desperate to find her beloved pet, Tarsey must solve the mystery of what happened to all three of them before there is a CATastrophic situation! 

Purchase Links 

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Apple ~ Kobo ~ Smashwords 

About Maryann Shanesy

Maryann Shanesy is a native of Maryland who has always enjoyed writing. A lifelong lover of mysteries and anything gardening, she is a pet momma to a rescue dog and cat that brightens her life. She and her husband have two wonderful daughters and live in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. She hopes you will enjoy her first cozy mystery. 

Author Links 

Instagram ~ Twitter 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Spotlight: MURDER MAYHEM AND 4 OF A KIND (High Cotton Mysteries) by Duffy Brown

Murder, Mayhem and 4 of a Kind (High Cotton Mysteries) 

Cozy Mystery 1st in Series 

Setting – Georgia 

Independently Published (September 21, 2023) 

 174 pages 

BOOKBLAST

About the Book

When rotten-to-the-core Payton Wilder winds up dead in Savannah, Nola Cottonwood’s two aunts are suspects in the murder. Can Nola find the real killer, and how will the others help them get away with it. 

About the Author

Duffy Brown loves anything with a mystery. While other girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. She has two cats, Spooky and Dr. Watson, her license plate is Sherlok and she conjures up who-done-it stories of her very own for Berkley Prime Crime. Duffy’s national bestselling Consignment Shop Mystery series is set in Savannah and the Cycle Path Mysteries are set on Mackinac Island. 

Author Links 

Website ~ Facebook 

Purchase Link

AMAZON

Spotlight - A NUTCRACKER NIGHTMARE (A Killer Chocolate Mystery) by Christina Romeril

A Nutcracker Nightmare (A Killer Chocolate Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series 

Setting – Montana 

Crooked Lane Books 

Pulbished October 17, 2023  ‎ 

320 pages  

Perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Laura Childs, when twin sisters Hanna and Alex help out at the local high school reunion, volunteering takes a turn when they find a former classmate’s dead body. 

About the Book

Hanna and Alex, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are busy preparing for the Harriston High School’s reunion weekend. Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. One person no one can avoid is Kyle, the former star quarterback, who is busy using his entire playbook to try and score with Hanna, even threatening her if she doesn’t play nice. 

At the reunion, Alex glimpses more drama than nostalgia as insults are flung around like a football at a Friday night game. The party is put on hold when Alex finds the dead body of none other than Kyle himself, bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker that the sisters admired earlier in the night. 

Hanna quickly becomes the prime suspect—someone saw her slap Kyle in the face at the reunion dance. She’ll need her sister, their sleuthing canine, Watson, and their old friends and colleagues to help break this case wide open. While looking through old yearbooks and taking a stroll down memory lane, Alex uncovers a few secrets about Kyle, now, it seems like everyone had a motive to kill him. 

But when the suspects start becoming the victims, Alex and Hanna know that they can’t melt under the pressure—they must find the killer before they become just another yearbook memory. 

Purchase Links 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org

About the Author 

Christina Romeril is the author of the Killer Chocolate Mystery series. The series is set in Montana at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, one of her favourite places to visit. She and her husband live a few hours away in a small village in Southern Alberta. 

When Christina isn’t writing she loves to hike in Waterton Lakes National Park, or just hang out there eating gourmet hot dogs and ice cream. When the former banker isn’t enjoying nature, she loves to create and consume chocolate confections. Not necessarily in that order. 

Webpage ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter  

Instagram ~  GoodReads 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review - PLATFORM SHOES A Steve Daniels Mystery Series Book 1 by Linda Watkins

Something different... A noir crime/historical mystery

ABOUT THE BOOK

The year was 1943. He was a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps, on loan to the British, flying a reconnaissance mission over occupied France. Shot down, he had to make his way back to England with what could prove to be a very important reel of film taped to his chest.

Wounded, he was grounded and sent back to the States to the Air Cadet Base in San Antonio, Texas to teach. Plagued by nightmares stemming from his wartime experiences, he was easy pickings for a woman like her … She was his commander’s wife – beautiful, restless, and the wrong kind of woman for him. 

What would happen when they got together would be nothing less than murder... 

REVIEW 

Although Steve Daniels is a hero, due to his injuries sustained as a pilot, he's to teach pilots instead of being one. His nightmares and his disappointment at not being able to continue his dream career? Well, he's not always thinking clearly. 

Then there's Kathy. She's married to Steve's commanding officer and she wants out of the marriage. Steve falls for her and she frames him for her husband's murder, then disappears. His attorney and the assistant appeal his guilty verdict, get the charges erased. You'd think he would take the good fortune and run (with the assistant now officially a lawyer). Anyone could predict the trouble he would find searching for Kathy.

Watkins depicts what was happening in the early 40s, the tension, and the effects of war before PTSD was even recognized. I'm partial to happy endings and Steve blows his HEA. At the same time, there's part of me that understands his wanting to confront Kathy, and the consequences be damned. 

I don't usually read noir crime, however, I do read historical fiction, especially the WWII era.The book is well-written, kept my interest, with twists and turns, and more action just when I thought it would end. It is as advertised - noir crime and historical fiction. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series.

AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from Amazon)

USA Today bestselling author, Linda Watkins is the author of the multi-award-winning MATEGUAS ISLAND SERIES. She currently resides in Sedona, Arizona and, in another life, was a Senior Clinical Financial Analyst at Stanford University School of Medicine. 

In 2006, she packed her belongings and, along with her four rescue dogs, took the plunge and moved to a remote island off the coast of Maine where she started the MATEGUAS ISLAND SERIES. 

She also published a new stand-alone novel, SUMMER GIRL, and a novella, SARAH & ZOEY, A STORY ABOUT THE POWER OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, both of which are award-winners. In November, 2018, she published the first of the THE KATE POMEROY MYSTERIES, STORM ISLAND. She also has a novella (The Witches of Storm Island, Book I: The Turning) in the USA Today bestselling boxset, LOVE UNDER FIRE. 

Serious about dog welfare and rescue, all net proceeds from sales of THE MATEGUAS ISLAND SERIES are donated to Linda's charitable trust, The Raison d'Etre Fund for Dogs, Dedicated to Rescue and Research. Linda is a member of the Horror Writers Association, The Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers, The International Association of Crime Writers (N.A.), and the Authors Guild. 

To take a look at her other works or communicate with her, please visit her website, her blog where she posts book reviews and other features and/or her novel website, dedicated to the Mateguas Island Series. 

October new releases - SECRETS AND STORMS, ANOTHER MURDER (Sheridan Hendley #8) and RISKY BUSINESS, ANOTHER MURDER (Sheridan Hendley #9) by Christa Nardi

SECRETS AND STORMS, ANOTHER MURDER

Sheridan Hendley Mysteries #8

Released October 10, 2023

A Cozy Mystery Novella

Available in digital, print, and audiobook

Never a good time for family secrets in the past to become the present.

Sheridan Hendley, an amateur sleuth, never imagined a tranquil morning following a stormy night would turn into a crime scene at the local high school soccer field. As news of the murder spreads, the community is gripped with a sense of unease. The victim's son shows up at Sheridan’s door confused and seeking answers. 

Delving into the victim’s recent activities and background leads to a disgruntled customer and family secrets. As Sheridan digs deeper, she finds herself gradually connecting the dots. Only the killer watches on as Sheridan becomes more determined to help the son and find the killer. Sheridan may become the next victim.

Available through AMAZON

RISKY BUSINESS, ANOTHER MURDER

Sheridan Hendley Mysteries #9

Releases 10/20/2023

Cozy Mystery

Available in digital and print formats

Audiobook coming soon!

When a man engages in risky business, it’s not surprising he’s dead.

When Donald Woodlawn, an investment advisor from Lynchburg, is shot dead in their quiet town, Sheridan Hendley can’t help but wonder why. As the secrets of his questionable financial dealings with investment clients unravel, she discovers that a dangerous combination of gambling debts and alcohol drove him to target rich and powerful men.  

Multiple layers of risk and Sheridan’s quick thinking leads to many suspects. Danger lurks around every corner. As the threats and accidents mount, Sheridan's determined to peel back the layers of deception to uncover the killer.  

Available at AMAZON

THE SHERIDAN HENDLEY MYSTERY SERIES

A New Place, Another Murder (Sheridan Hendley #1) 

Dogs and More Dogs, Another Murder (Sheridan Hendley #2) 

Old Friends and New, Another Murder (Sheridan Hendley #3) 

Holly and Holidays, Another Murder (Sheridan Hendley #4) 

Wine and Dead, Another Murder (Sheridan Hendley #5) 

Love and Money, Another Murder (Sheridan Hendley #6) 

Music and Memories, Another Murder (Sheridan Hendley #7) 

Secrets and Storms, Another Murder (Sheridan Hendley #8)

Risky Business, Another Murder (Sheridan Hendley #9)

Sheridan Hendley Fan Page on Facebook

About Christa Nardi

Christa Nardi is an avid reader with her love of mysteries beginning with Nancy Drew and other teen mysteries. She especially enjoys cozy mysteries with less gore and no graphic violence. 

Christa has been a longtime writer from poetry and short stories to mystery series. She received a Readers Favorite 2023 Finalist Award in the Sleuth category. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime. 

She's the author of the Cold Creek Cozy Mysteries (where Sheridan started sleuthing), the Sheridan Hendley Mysteries, the Stacie Maroni Mysteries, and the Izzie Di Sante Mysteries. She co-authors the Hannah and Tamar Mysteries with Cassidy Salem.

Christa supports animal rescue and efforts to help others. When not reading or writing, Christa enjoys travel, playing with her dog, and spending time with her three granddaughters.

Connect with Christa here:

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ BookBub ~ Pinterest

RAFFLECOPTER - October Giveaway! (ends 10/22)