ARC Review: Savvy Summers and the Po'boy Perils by Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Savvy Summers and the Po'boy Perils
Author: Sandra Jackson-Opoku
Series: Savvy Summers (Book 2)
Publication: Minotaur Books (July 21, 2026)

Description: The next delectable mystery featuring quick-witted, unforgettable Savvy Summers, owner of a soul food café in Chicago.

Savvy has her work cut out when an old friend hires her to cater a company luncheon at a nearby office building on Chicago's South Side. Stepping out of her traditional soul food comfort zone, Savvy whips together a menu of Creole classics, with her own spin, of course―mini po’boys with assorted fillings, sunburst salad, and bread pudding using Great Aunt Essie’s famous buttermilk biscuits.

But when someone is found dead in the company’s conference room, Savvy’s culinary creations are suddenly in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. While the focus should be on their delicious flavors and inventive techniques, Savvy’s beloved café instead becomes the center of a murder investigation once again.

Caught within a messy web of gossip, miscommunication, and fraught coworker relationships, Savvy will have to settle the confusion to clear her name. Somebody’s hiding something, and with the help of her trusty assistant manager, Penny Lopés, Savvy sets out uncover exactly who is to blame. With familiar faces turning up the heat on her investigation and her café still in hot water, will Savvy be able to save her reputation before it’s too late?

My Thoughts: The second Savvy Summers mystery, set on the South Side of Chicago, has the chef expanding her repertoire into Cajun food and catering an event for an old acquaintance. When one of the attendees is killed by poison in one of Savvy's po-boys, Savvy is on the case. 

Savvy is helped by her first ex-husband Fanon who is a Chicago police officer. She's also helped by the unhoused man who wanders the neighborhood with his canine companion Sergeant Stubby. 

Savvy is also dealing with the closing of her restaurant because of a construction project in the neighborhood. Even though her new restaurant will be a flagship part of the new development, it is hard for her to leave the memories built there since she opened.

This was an entertaining cozy mystery filled with mostly likeable characters. I enjoyed the Chicago setting. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander

The Whisking Hour
Author: Ellie Alexander
Series: Bakeshop Mysteries (Book 22)
Publication: Minotaur Books (February 24, 2026)

Description: Another delicious installment in Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mysteries set in Ashland, OR!

Fall is in full flush in the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, and baker Juliet Capshaw is excited to celebrate the season with a night at the theatre. Lance Rousseau, Ashland’s renowned theater director and one of Jules’ closest friends, has put his own spin on a production of the Broadway classic Perfect Crime, drawing the audience into a cozy New York apartment as a nefarious set of suspects pulls off the perfect murder. As the final show approaches, Jules and the team at Torte are eagerly whipping up a murderous feast for the cast party, baking a bevy of treats like panna cotta eyeballs with blood orange coulis, deviled eggs, and savory cheese fingers with pumpkin dipping sauce.

On the day of the soirée, life seems to imitate art when a storm rolls over the Siskiyou Mountains, ushering in gusty winds and unrelenting rain. The audience buzzes with electric energy as the lights flicker and the actors take the stage. After the actors take their final bow, the cast trickles into Carpenter Hall, ready for a night of frivolity. But when an actor is discovered dead in his dressing room, Jules wonders if she’s just witnessed the real perfect murder.

My Thoughts: Jules Capshaw is eagerly awaiting the birth of her twins in this 22nd Bakeshop Mystery. It's fall and the OSF is putting on a murder mystery. Her friend Lance who is the theater director is busy planning his wedding and calls upon a noted New York director to put on this show. 

When the director is murdered and found in the lead actress's dressing room, Lance with Jules very reluctant help begin their own investigation. Jules would be more than happy to leave the investigation to the very competent Ashland Police Force. 

Even a cursory investigation provides lots of suspects. The lead actress has been bullied by the producer. The director's almost ex-wife has her own reasons for wanting him dead. One of the other actors has been pushed by the director into stalking other cast members. The female understudy is trying to gather evidence that the director has a history of hitting on his pretty female cast members. Even the props guy has reasons to want the director dead. 

Besides the various villains and searching for the clues, the food Jules and her staff create all sounds amazing. Unlike many culinary cozies, this one doesn't have selected recipes in the back. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Tell-Tale Treats by Jennifer J. Chow

Tell-Tale Treats
Author: Jennifer J. Chow
Series: Magical Fortune Cookies (Book 3)
Publication: Minotaur Books (January 27, 2026)

Description: Is Felicity to blame when a hotel guest drowns after eating her enchanted cookies? Felicity Jin returns in the third installment of the Magical Fortune Cookie series.

A group of high school alumnae reunite years later and reserve rooms at Pixie Inn for an extended retreat. As part of their pampering package, Felicity delivers a scrumptious assortment of enchanted pastries, including her new almond cookies.

But the queen bee of the group is soon found dead in her bathroom, drowned in the tub, and she recently sampled the delicious baked goods. Could Felicity’s almond cookies have set off a fatal nut allergy? The enchanted pastries are supposed to bring joy, not sorrow―and certainly not death.

Boyfriend, Kelvin Love, is eager to assist, although odd things have been happening to his senses ever since he baked with Felicity. Will his extra sensitivity help or hinder the investigation? Plus, special bunny Whiskers lends a magical paw to the detecting since Felicity can’t and won’t relax until she restores both order and magic to her world.

My Thoughts: The third book in the Magical Fortune Cookie series has Felicity providing her magical treats to a group of women gathering for a reunion at a local bed and breakfast. She also agrees to give them a tour of her small town and discovers that the four seem to have little in common and have lots of tension showing in their relationships.

When the leader of the group is found drowned in her bath, Felicity fears that she had an allergic reaction to one of the treats she provided. At first, she is under suspicion from the local police detective but tests show that the cause of death was not an allergic reaction to Felicity's cookies.

Nonetheless, Felicity and her boyfriend Kelvin are determined to find out who murdered Ashley. The tensions among the group give her a lot of suspects to investigate. One more is added when the husband of one of the women also appears. 

This was a nice cozy mystery with touches of magic. Besides Felicity's ability to make fortune cookies that do see the recipient's future, Kelvin is discovering a magic talent of his own. He is a florist who sometimes smells flowers not in his arrangements when he presents them to their recipients. The language of flowers gives him and Felicity clues in their investigation.

Fans of the series will enjoy this new case. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Revenge, Served Royal by Celeste Connally

Revenge, Served Royal
Author: Celeste Connally
Series: Lady Petra Inquires (Book 3)
Publication: Minotaur Books (November 11, 2025)

Description: Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie in this dazzling third instalment to the captivating Regency-era Lady Petra Inquires mystery series.

September, 1815. Autumn is in the air as Lady Petra Forsyth and some of the most illustrious members of the ton descend upon Windsor Castle for a week of royal celebrations, with the highlight being Queen Charlotte’s inaugural patisserie contest for the best bakers employed by England’s finest houses. Not only is Lady Petra’s own cook one of the contestants, but Her Majesty has requested that Petra herself serve as one of the judges.

Petra’s happiness at tasting delicious cakes and biscuits only increases at finding her beloved Aunt Ophelia in attendance at Windsor, as well as Sir Rufus Pomeroy. As England’s most famous former royal chef-turned-cookbook author, Sir Rufus is slated to present his best recipes to the Queen during the festivities, with Petra being granted an early viewing in the royal library.

Yet upon arrival, Petra instead encounters a frantic housemaid pointing to a body of one of Her Majesty’s guests―and to the valet still tugging at the silk ribbon used to strangle the victim. What’s more, the valet turns out to be Oliver Beecham, the ne’er-do-well brother of Petra’s own lady’s maid, Annie. But as Oliver is hauled away to the dungeons, he protests his innocence, claiming the late guest argued with several aristocrats, including the Prince Regent and Petra’s Aunt Ophelia, and boasted about hiding a potentially scandalous document within the vastness of Windsor Castle.

When some poisoned tea meant for Petra is consumed by one of her fellow judges, it’s clear the real killer is still walking the castle’s halls. Indeed, in order to prove the innocence of Annie’s brother and find the incriminating document, Petra will need to act like a lady, eat like a chef, and think like one of Her Majesty’s best spies before a murderer can turn the celebrations from sweet to royally deadly.

My Thoughts: The third Lady Petra mystery has her at Windsor Castle for a week of celebrations. One of the events is a patisserie contest. Her cook Mrs. Bing has been invited to participate, and she has been invited to be one of the judges. Another judge is Sir Rufus Pomeroy who is a famous chef. He once cooked for her family when she was a child. He also cooked for the Royal family before turning to writing very successful cookbooks. 

When he is found dead after planning a meeting with Petra and his valet is accused of the crime, Petra begins her own investigation. The valet happens to be her lady's maid's younger brother which piques her interest. 

Petra soon learns that Sir Rufus was not very well-liked. In fact, her aunt was one of the people who disliked him and who met with him early the same morning when he died. She is one of five people who were up and about very early that morning for reasons that might have included murder. 

It seems that instead of writing a new cookbook, he was writing a novel revealing the secret's he'd learned while working among the Royals and the upper classes. The manuscript is missing and someone is willing to commit murder to find it.

I enjoyed the setting and the time period. I liked the mix of real and imagine characters. I thought the mystery was nicely plotted. I like the way Petra had to battle with herself when she learned that her beloved aunt might be a suspect. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Crescent City Christmas Chaos by Ellen Byron

Crescent City Christmas Chaos
Author: Ellen Byron
Series: Vintage Cookbook Mystery (Book 4)
Publication: Severn House (November 4, 2025)

Description: It's Christmas. It's cozy. It's culinary. It's chaos! It's the fourth book in this fabulous mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award–winning author Ellen Byron.

Have yourself a merry little . . . murder?

Ricki James-Diaz gets the best present ever when her parents arrive in New Orleans for the holidays. Not only is it a chance to catch up, it’s also an opportunity to jog her mom Josepha’s memory about Ricki’s adoption. The details have always been shrouded in mystery. And Ricki understands why when she learns her mother was blackmailed for years, simply for not wanting to lose her precious daughter.

But digging into the past soon lands the James-Diaz clan in water hotter than a big pot of gumbo! When the woman who extorted Ricki’s mom is found dead at her home, Josepha becomes the primary suspect. Now Ricki has another murder to solve, and tracking down a killer in Crescent City is going to take a miracle.

Luckily, ‘tis the season! And Ricki has all the staff at the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum on hand to help. Can she prove her mother’s innocence and have the case wrapped up in time for Christmas?

My Thoughts: It's Christmas time in New Orleans. Ricki James-Diaz is surprised by her boyfriend when he hires Ricki's father to be the cameraman shooting his TV special. Ricki looks forward to talking to her mom and learning more about her birth parents. She learns that her mother has been blackmailed for years by a woman named Phyllis Gibbs who worked in the office of the Charity Hospital where her mother was a nurse. 

Gibbs helped Ricki's mother by changing her records to indicate she was widowed rather than single which was a key point to allow a Black woman to adopt a white infant. But Gibbs demanded payment for her assistance. 

When Gibbs is found dead after recent visits by Ricki, her mom Josepha, and dad Luis, Josepha and Luis head the suspect list in the eyes of the New Orleans police. Ricki is on the cast to prove her parents innocent and find the guilty party. Her friend Nina has the case but is more preoccupied finding the Bongle Bandit who is breaking into all sorts of stores and potentially scaring the tourists. 

Ricki learns all sorts of things about Phyllis Gibbs as she investigates. The woman was running all sorts of scams and had a plethora of enemies who might have committed the crime. Among them are her next-door neighbors in her exclusive residential area. And the people she worked with at a Concierge Medical group weren't happy with her either. 

When Ricki's boyfriend Virgil gets swept onto the suspect list because Phyllis left money to the animal rescue he's involved with, Ricki has even more reason to solve the crime. 

This was an engaging cozy mystery with tasty recipes included. I liked that Ricki runs a vintage cookbook and housewares store inside a culinary museum. She had a lot of help from her friends as she worked at solving the case.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: At Death's Dough by Mindy Quigley

At Death's Dough
Author: Mindy Quigley
Series: Deep Dish Mysteries (Book 5)
Publication: Minotaur Books (October 28, 2025)

Description: The next book in the delectable Deep Dish Mystery series by Mindy Quigley, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria.

It’s February in the ritzy lakeside resort town of Geneva Bay, Wisconsin, and love is in the air. Pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is gearing up to celebrate her first Valentine’s Day with hunky police detective Calvin Capone, great-grandson of the infamous Chicago mobster. But their romance is put on ice when a shocking discovery plunges them into a century-old crime with ties to Capone’s notorious forefather.

As old secrets surface, Delilah realizes that nearly everyone in town―from Capone’s cagey cousin to her own quirky customers―has something to hide. With the pressure mounting and the past closing in, Delilah must help Capone follow a trail of clues that could lead them to a priceless treasure... or into a deadly trap. Can Delilah serve up justice before history repeats itself? Or will she and Capone end up sleeping with the anchovies?

My Thoughts: February is a quiet time in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. Delilah is worried about her restaurant's bottom line and banking on a great Valentine's Day for her bottom line. She very reluctantly ice fishes with her great-aunt Biz and business partner Son. They are looking for fish and are surprised when the ice auger brings up human body parts.

With her police detective boyfriend Calvin Capone away investigating, it is left to his boss to investigate when a body is found under the ice. Delilah knows the man. She met Dominic Capone when he and Calvin's mother stopped in at Delilah & Son. Dominic was as eager to play up his relationship with gangster Al Capone as Calvin is to downplay it. But what made him decide to scuba dive in a frozen over lake?

With the chief eager to declare it a tragic accident, it is up to Delilah and her crew to really investigate the death. Old secrets from the heyday of gangster activity in Geneva Bay resurface in this engaging cozy culinary mystery. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Laying Down the Latte by Ellie Alexander

Laying Down the Latte
Author: Ellie Alexander
Series: Bakeshop Mysteries
Publication: Minotaur (August 26, 2025)

Description: Another delicious installment in the Bakeshop Series set in Ashland, Oregon!

Baker Jules Capshaw, along with her husband, Carlos, and Torte’s resident barista, Andy, are packing their bags and preparing for the ultimate coffee excursion in Costa Rica. A fortuitous invitation from one of Carlos’s former colleagues, Valentina, has them venturing to the coffee capital of the world for a tasting tour and an immersive weekend at her family's organic coffee farm.

They soak in the tropical breezes, the vibrant colors, the sounds of morning birdsong, and the sweeping views of the historic coffee farm. Valentina is the ultimate host, offering them traditional meals and thrilled to have their input as she’s preparing to open a coffee counter and bakery on the farm.

The getaway is just what Jules needed. A chance to relax and unwind, curl up with a book and iced latte by the pool, and tinker in Valentina’s kitchen, dreaming up new recipes to bring home. Except her tranquil weekend quickly turns into a nightmare when one of Valentina’s employees is found dead in the pulping machine. Now, Jules will have to put her vacation on hold to try and uncover the murderer before one of Torte's beloved workers becomes the next body thrown into the mix.

My Thoughts: Jules Capshaw, her husband Carlos, and barista Andy travel to Costa Rica to spend a long weekend with friend Valentina. They bring Andy because Valentina owns and lives on a coffee plantation. They expect a quiet weekend of reconnecting with old friends and learning more about coffee production but find themselves involved in solving a murder when Valentina's cousin and co-owner of the plantation is killed while operating some machinery. 

There are all kinds of things going on. Miguel had decided to sell his half of the plantation to a huge corporation which displeased and angered everyone else on the plantation from his cousin to his workers to the man who buys most of the coffee for his coffee shops. When the farm manager is arrested, Jules, Carlos and Andy get involved in finding the real killer since none of them believe the manager is guilty.

Lots of information about coffee growing and production and lots of recipes fill this culinary cozy. It is also rife with possible suspects who, in Jules's mind are more probable, than the young farm manager. Engaging story with interesting characters and a great setting. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Bait and Swiss by Korina Moss

Bait and Swiss
Author: Korina Moss
Series: Cheese Shop Mysteries (Book 6)
Publication: St. Martin's Paperbacks (April 29, 2025)

Description: In Korina Moss's Bait and Swiss, Yarrow Glen’s newest business gives one unlucky resident the swiss of death.

It’s been almost two years since Willa Bauer opened Curds & Whey in Yarrow Glen, and both cheesemonger and cheese shop are thriving in the Sonoma Valley. While Willa doesn’t eat chocolate, it’s true that life is like a box of chocolates. Unfortunately, life’s latest curveball is that Willa’s ex fiancé and ex-best friend―the reason for her chocolate aversion―are opening a chocolate pop-up shop across the street. By the end of the shop’s first day, the town’s newest reporter is the victim of death by chocolate. Now Willa’s ex wants her to be Swiss Congeniality, solve the case, and save the day. As much as Willa wants to hit him with the nearest cheese wheel, she can't stop herself from saying yes. And it’s not long before tourists decide to stay clear of town until the killer is caught. To save Yarrow Glen, Willa and Team Cheese have some work to do.

My Thoughts: Willa Bauer is getting ready to celebrate the 2nd birthday of her cheese shop Curds & Whey in Yarrow Glen. However, the celebration is derailed when a new reporter in town is found dead after eating some poisoned chocolates. It seems that her ex-fiancé and ex-best friend planned a new pop-up shop selling their designer chocolates in her friend Holly's new cakery. 

Now, Winna is a suspect, and she needs to investigate her former friends. There are a number of suspects and the first thing she has to figure out is who the intended victim was. The chocolates were supposed to be a gift to the newspaper editor, but they were with Willa's order at the cakery. Maybe someone intended that she'd be the one to eat them. 

Willa is immediately suspicious of her exes since their breakup still haunts her. But maybe the bread baker who lost his job when the bakery became a cakery or the owners of the local vintage candy shop had reasons to poison chocolates. 

This was another engaging entry into the Cheese Shop Mysteries. There are lots of returning characters from earlier books which made for a large cast of characters. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Chow Maniac by Vivian Chen

The Chow Maniac
Author: Vivian Chen
Series: Noodle Shop Mysteries (Book 11)
Publication: Minotaur Books (April 1, 2025)

Description: Asia Village is in peril when Private detective Lydia Shepard returns to enlist the help of Lana Lee to solve a rash of unsolved murders and thefts.

When Lydia brings Lana onto the case, three of the members of an elite Asian order known as the Eight Immortals have already been murdered. Each member of the order holds one item that represents their immortal counterpart, and someone is dying to get their hands on them all. Lydia's client insists he―and only he―knows who will be next and wants the murderer captured before there is another victim.

Riding below the line of three cities of law enforcement and Lana’s own boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, the two women must tread lightly as they infiltrate a secret organization that even the Mahjong Matrons know nothing about. And somehow protect the next victim without letting on that she’s in danger.

As they dig deeper into the case, Lana finds there are unexpected associations within Asia Village and potential ties to her own family that could be devastating. With the stakes raised on the toughest case she’s ever worked, will Lana be able to keep her own emotions out of the investigation? And will the murderer be found before they become the ultimate “immortal”?

My Thoughts: Lana Lee is brought into her eleventh case when Private Investigator Lydia Shepard asks for her help since Lana knows so much about the Asian community. Three members of a secret Asian society designed to help people have recently died in a variety of ways. All seem accidental, but Lydia's client feels that they were murders. 

Since one of the client's suspects is Mr. Zhang who is a long-time family friend of the Lee's and who is dating Lana's grandmother, Lana agrees to get involved in the investigation. It seems that someone is trying to influence the membership of the secret organization by murdering members who don't have a child to pass the membership to. 

While Lana investigates, she manages to learn a number of secrets about the organization and the secretive Mr. Zhang. She also finds herself investigating the murders on a parallel course with her police detective boyfriend. 

This was an engaging, first-person mystery told in Lana's distinctive voice. Fans of he series will enjoy this latest episode. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

 

ARC Review: The Library Game by Gigi Pandian

The Library Game
Author: Gigi Pandian
Series: Secret Staircase Mysteries (Book 4)
Publication: Minotaur Books (March 18, 2025)

Description: In The Library Game, Tempest Raj and Secret Staircase Construction are renovating a classic detective fiction library that just got its first real-life mystery.

Tempest Raj couldn’t be happier that the family business, Secret Staircase Construction, is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Known for enchanting architectural features like sliding bookshelves and secret passageways, the company is now taking on a dream project: transforming a home into a public library that celebrates history's greatest fictional detectives.

Though the work is far from done, Gray House Library’s new owner is eager to host a murder mystery dinner and literary themed escape room. But when a rehearsal ends with an actor murdered and the body vanishes, Tempest is witness to a seemingly impossible crime. Fueled by her grandfather’s Scottish and Indian meals, Tempest and the rest of the crew must figure out who is making beloved classic mystery plots come to life in a deadly game.

Multiple award winning author Gigi Pandian masterfully weaves wit and warmth in the Secret Staircase Mysteries. Readers will delight in the surprises Secret Staircase Construction uncovers behind the next locked door.

My Thoughts: The fourth Secret Staircase mystery concerns the death of an actor who was set to play in a murder mystery at a house that is soon to be Gray House Library. The library is filled with Golden Age mysteries collected by the recently deceased owner. The owner left the funds to turn the house into the newest town library to be run by his nephew who would live in the attic carefully remodeled by Secret Staircase Construction.

The actor's body disappears like something in magic trick but then reappears the next evening. Tempest and Sanjay are both stage magicians. They should be able to figure out what happened to the body. However, this is also a locked room mystery since nosy across-the-street neighbor Mrs. Hudson is sure that no one entered or left the premises when the death occurred. 

Tempest calls the gang together to solve the mystery of the actor's death and save the library from being closed before it can even open. Tempest and Sanjay's knowledge of magic, Ivy's vast knowledge of mystery novels, and Gideon's practical nature should be enough to solve the crime. Especially if Tempest's grandfather can use his expansive rolodex to find people to answer all the questions they have about the whole mystery.

This was an engaging story with interesting characters. I like the mix of characters. I also like the whimsical constructions done by Tempest's father's company. With Gideon's departure for a France and a stonemason internship, changes are in the air and Ivy's search for a new home, changes are in the air. 

Fans of the series will enjoy getting back together with some unique detectives for a fun adventure. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Star-Crossed Egg Tarts by Jennifer J. Chow

Star-Crossed Egg Tarts
Author: Jennifer J. Chow
Series: Magical Fortune Cookie (Book 2)
Publication: Minotaur Books (January 21, 2025)

Description: Felicity Jin returns in the second book in the heart-warming and deliciously mysterious Magical Fortune Cookie series from Lilian Jackson Braun Award-nominee Jennifer J. Chow.

Jin Bakery has been asked to cater the Lum-Wu outdoor wedding at Pixie Park. The day of the ceremony, Felicity is finishing the “cake” of tiered egg tarts as the wedding party arrives for the ceremony. When one of the groomsmen, Miles Wu, doesn’t arrive, Felicity’s best friend and local florist Kelvin generously steps in for him and the wedding goes smoothly―until cake cutting time.

That’s when Felicity finds Miles’ dead body beneath the table with her egg tarts display, stabbed by Kelvin’s gardening shears. With the detective’s sights on Kelvin, Felicity starts sleuthing away to prove his innocence, revealing dark secrets about all the wedding's attendants. They each had something to hide―and a reason to quiet Miles forever. To make matters worse, Felicity’s powers of prediction are on the fritz thanks to the emotional turmoil of a surprise visit from her estranged father.

When the groom gets poisoned at the send-off party and winds up in a coma, the stakes are even higher, not to mention Felicity’s feelings for Kelvin are beginning to feel more than friendly. Will Felicity’s magic return in time to catch the true culprit and rescue her budding relationship with Kelvin?

My Thoughts: This cozy mystery is the second in the Magical Fortune Cookies series. Felicity Jin has been hired to supply a wedding cake of tiered egg tarts for the Lum-Wu wedding being held outdoors in Pixie Park. Besides the groom's bickering parents, things are going well until a body is discovered underneath the cake table. 

Miles Wu is a cousin of the groom's and is found with Felicity's best friend Kelvin's pruning shears stabbed into his neck. In order to clear her best friend's name, Felicity goes on the case to discover who murdered Miles and discovers that most of the wedding party had sufficient motives to want him dead.

Adding to the stress, Felicity meets her father for the first time since he is a guest at the wedding. Richard Zhou abandoned his wife and daughter when Felicity was an infant. While her mother is very bitter, Felicity has always been curious about him. Deciding whether or not she wants to build a relationship with her absentee father is a problem that winds through this story. 

This was an entertaining cozy mystery. Felicity's ability to design custom fortunes in the fortune cookies she bakes in the bakery she owns with her mother helps in solving the case. I liked the small town setting although I question the viability of a bakery that only sells three items even if they are magical. I liked Felicity's determination to solve the murder and clear her friend. I also liked that she was gradually and hesitantly changing her relationship with Kelvin as she discovers that friendship can also be romantic love. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Fondue or Die by Korina Moss

Fondue or Die
Author: Korina Moss
Series: Cheese Shop Mysteries (Book 5)
Publication: St. Martin's Paperbacks (October 22, 2024)

Description: In Korina Moss's Fondue or Die, the lazy, hazy, dairy days of summer are coming to a close in the Sonoma Valley. . . and so is someone’s life.

The small town of Yarrow Glen’s neighbor, Lockwood, hosts an annual Labor Day weekend bash: Dairy Days. And Willa Bauer and her cheese shop, Curds & Whey, refuse to miss out on the fun. Willa is thrilled to celebrate her favorite thing―she is a cheesemonger after all―and this festival goes all out: butter sculptures, goat races, cheese wheel relays, even a Miss Dairy pageant. Too bad the pageant runner, Nadine, is treating Dairy Days prep like it’s fondue or die and is putting everyone around her on edge. When Willa finds Nadine’s dead body under years’ worth of ceramic milk jugs, the police aren’t sure whether the death was an accident. But fingers are pointing at Willa’s employee, Mrs. Schultz, who steps in to help the pageant after Nadine’s death. Someone wanted Nadine out of the whey, and Willa is going to find out who.

My Thoughts: The fifth Cheese Shop mystery takes place at Dairy Days which is held over the Labor Day weekend. Willa Bauer and her crew are manning a booth where they are selling taster boxes of their various cheeses. 

However, her staff has other responsibilities at the festival too. Mrs. Shultz is busy assisting with the pageant to crown the next Miss Dairy and award a $15,000 scholarship. Mrs. Schultz's job gets more difficult when someone murders Nadine who is in charge of the pageant. With the police deciding to cover up the murder investigation so as not to blight the festival, it is up to Willa and her friends to track down the killer. 

This was another fun episode in this cozy series. I enjoyed reading the recipes at the back too. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley

Sleep in Heavenly Pizza
Author: Mindy Quigley
Series: Deep Dish Mysteries (Book 4)
Publication: Minotaur Books (October 22, 2024)

Description: Sleep in Heavenly Pizza is the fourth book in Mindy Quigley's delectable Deep Dish Mystery series, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria.

Pizza chef Delilah O’Leary and her kitty companion, Butterball, get into the holiday spirit as Geneva Bay, Wisconsin hosts the nation’s premier snow sculpting championship. The annual event transforms the charming resort town into a wonderland of snow castles, ice rinks, and cozy cups of cocoa.

On the eve of the festival though, a too-good-to-be-true Chrismukkah catering gig brings some frosty tidings and heralds an unexpected visit from Delilah’s high-intensity older sister. Suddenly it seems that the holidays may not be the hap-happiest season of all. And when one of the town’s snowy sculptures reveals a chilling surprise, murder threatens to put the celebrations―and Delilah’s crew―on ice for good.
 
My Thoughts: The fourth Deep Dish Mystery takes place around the Christmas/Hannukah holiday period. Delilah O'Leary and her crew are catering a party when she is surprised to see her niece and brother-in-law. They hadn't told her they were going to be in town. 

The next day. when a body is discovered in one of the piles that was to become a snow sculpture, Delilah is on the case. Too many of the suspects are her employees and family. It is hard to remain in the Christmas spirit when someone connected to Delilah might be spending the holidays in jail. 

I enjoyed this mystery. The characters were interesting and complex people. I also enjoyed the holiday recipes that ended the book. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: French Quarter Fright Night by Ellen Byron

French Quarter Fright Night
Author: Ellen Byron
Series: Vintage Cookbook Series (Book 3)
Publication: Severn House; Main edition (September 3, 2024)

Description: The third in the fabulous cozy mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron.

Welcome to the Bon Veeevil Festival of Fear! Prepare for the spookiest night of your life . . .

It's Halloween in New Orleans, and the staff of Bon Vee Culinary House Museum is setting up a fantastic haunted house tour for their visitors. But when flashy movie star Blaine Taggart and his entourage move into the mansion next door, gift shop proprietor Ricki James-Diaz gets a fright of her own.

While Ricki is excited about the potential business the tours will bring to her vintage cookbook shop, she's less thrilled by former friend Blaine's arrival in town. Then Bon Vee's prop tomb becomes a real tomb for Blaine's nasty assistant, and suddenly everyone at Bon Vee is a murder suspect. There isn't a ghost of a chance one of them committed the crime, but with NOPD busy tackling the mischief and mayhem generated by the spooky holiday, it falls on Ricki and her friends to catch the killer.

As the Big Easy gears up for the Big Scary, it seems everyone has skeletons in their closets. Can Ricki reveal the shadowy killer before someone else becomes part of the Halloween horror show?

My Thoughts: Ricki and the others at the Bon Vee Culinary Museum are busy getting ready for the Halloween festivities and planning a haunted house. However, the new owners of the mansion nest door are causing problems. Miranda Fine, who is the assistant to the mystery owner, is barraging them with complaints. 

All of the residents have various acrimonious confrontations with Miranda. When it is learned that she is the assistant for Blaine Taggart, A-list movie star and best friend of Ricki's late husband, the situation gets even more complex for Ricki. And when Miranda's body is found as a centerpiece in one of Bon Vee's Halloween displays, it is up to Ricki to help the police solve the crime since she and her friends are in the suspects' pool. 

Meanwhile, Ricki is also looking into her family tree. Adopted as an infant in New Orleans, she wants to find any possible remaining relatives. Having tracked down part of her family and finding that she's related to the founder of Bon Vee, she's been trying to find out about the male line. She is quite surprised to find that the murder Victim is a distant relative, but it does give her another thread to tug to find out about her history.

This was another fun episode in the Vintage Cookbook series. I liked that some recipes from vintage cookbooks were included.

Favorite Quote:

Nina lifted a corner of her mouth in a half-smile. "We know what we say: In Louisiana, we only follow the rules we like."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Poisonous Palate by Lucy Burdette

A Poisonous Palate
Author: Lucy Burdette
Series: Key West Food Critic (Book 14)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (August 6, 2024)

Description: The heat is turned up for Hayley Snow and her friends in the next installment of the Key West Food Critic mystery series by USA Today bestselling author Lucy Burdette.

When food critic Hayley Snow receives an intriguing email about a mysterious, decades-old disappearance, her curiosity is piqued. Writer Catherine Davitt has returned to the Keys to research a book about Hemingway’s wives, but she’s also on the hunt for the truth about her missing friend. Hayley quickly agrees to help investigate and they hit the road to see what clues they might find

Back in the late 1970s, Catherine and her friend Veronica were part of a group of lost souls camping in the mangroves of Big Pine Key, until Veronica vanished, and the sheriff’s office cleared out the camp. Catherine and Hayley begin interviewing Big Pine Key residents who were around at the time of Veronica’s disappearance, but uncover more questions than answers.

Catherine and Hayley stop to speak with a motel owner who frequented the fringes of the commune, but they find him stabbed to death. Then Catherine also goes missing, and signs point to a connection between the old case and the new murder. It’s up to Hayley to unravel the knot of secrets and lies before time runs out.

My Thoughts: Food critic and amateur detective Hayley Snow receives an intriguing email which starts her next mystery. Catherine Davitt spent some time in the Keys in the 1970s but left when her traveling partner disappeared. Now, she's back researching for her next self-help book which concerns toxic love and is using Hemingway's four wives as examples. 

Hayley becomes curious about the disappearance of Veronica so many years earlier and is acting as Catherine's chauffeur as they try to find and talk to people who were part of the same hippie community Catherine and Veronica joined. 

After a chat with Ginny at the No Name Pub leads to Ned who ran a seedy motel then and still runs it now. Unfortunately, when they arrive at the motel, they find that someone has stabbed Ned in the back and killed him. Then Catherine disappears leaving Hayley to investigate all the old relationships to find out who killed Ned, where Catherine is, and what happened when Veronica disappeared. 

I liked the Key West setting. I liked Hayley's curiosity and her wide circle of friends. I liked her relationship with her husband Nathan, and I liked her marriage advice to her friend Danielle. This was a nice cozy mystery complete with recipes. 

Favorite Quote:

If we did visit the retired sheriff's deputy, I wanted to do it without Catherine. In my limited experience with her so far, people changed their stories around her, and she changed hers with every wind blowing though as well. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay

Sprinkle with Murder
Author: Jenn McKinlay
Narrator: Susan Boyce
Series: Cupcake Bakery Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Dreamscape Media (November 29, 2016)
Length: 6 hours and 24 minutes

Description: Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are finally living out their dream as the proud owners of the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery. But their first big client is a nightmare. She's a bridezilla who wants 500 custom cupcakes for her wedding.

When Mel stumbles upon the bride-to-be dead-by-cupcake, she becomes the prime suspect. To save themselves and their business, the ladies need to find the real murderer, before the cupcake killer ices someone else.

My Thoughts: This cozy mystery was a nice start to a new series. Mel Cooper and her best friend Angie DeLaura have opened a cupcake bakery with the help of their best friend Tate. They've been buddies since middle school despite having all attended different colleges and having vastly different careers. 

Now, Tate is set to marry a real bridezilla. She wants Mel to prepare 500 unique flavors of cupcakes for her wedding. She has also had Mel sign a contract saying that the bride will own the cupcake flavors and that Mel can't make them again for her store. 

When Mel goes to the bride's dress design business to talk about the cupcakes, she finds the bride dead on the floor. Then Mel finds herself the chief suspect in the woman's death. 

Meanwhile, another local baker is harassing Mel and Angie and wants to force them out of business. If Mel and Angie want to save their new business, they will have to find the real murderer. 

First published in 2010, the story is a little dated. Mentions of Blackberrys are the first clue. The biggest clue comes in the form of the murder weapon. Fentanyl is much more on everyone's radar than it was in 2010. 

Overall, I enjoyed the story and liked the main characters. I wasn't very fond of Mel's mother who just didn't seem to listen to her daughter even if her heart was in the right place. I liked the romance aspects of the story though one big one was unresolved. Luckily, this is the first book of a sixteen-book series. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke

Rhythm and Clues
Author: Olivia Blacke
Series: The Record Shop Mysteries (Book 3)
Publication: St. Martin's Paperbacks (March 26, 2024)

Description: The rhythm is gonna get you.

It’s been five whole months since the last murder in Cedar River, Texas, and Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie have been humming along when disaster strikes again.

Their struggling vinyl records shop/coffee nook, Sip & Spin Records, is under pressure from predatory investors, though the Jessup sisters aren’t ready to face the music and admit defeat. But the night after their meeting, the sketchy financier is killed outside their shop during a torrential Texas thunderstorm that washes out all the roads in and out of town. Now the sisters find themselves trapped in Cedar River with a killer, and Juni is determined to solve the case.

When the river spits out an unexpected surprise, Detective Beau Russell asks for Juni’s help, never predicting her investigation will spin her into danger. Up until now, the Jessup sisters have been playing it by ear, but with the whole town watching, can they catch a killer before he strikes again?

My Thoughts: Juni Jessup and her two older sisters own Sip & Spin - a coffee shop and a vinyl record shop - in a small Texas town near Austin. They have recently opened and are wondering if they will be able to make it as small business owners.

They are the target of predatory investors. One of the investors is Zackary Fjord. Juni and he went to college together but didn't really know each other. Now he and his partner Samantha are pressuring Juni and her sisters to take his company as a partner. 

However, when Zack dies in a car wreck in front of Sip & Spin during a raging thunderstorm, Juni and her sisters want to know who killed him. It turns out that there are a number of suspects right in town. Zack and his partner Samantha have their fingers in a number of local businesses. The owner of the local music store isn't happy with the partnership. The owner of a clothing shop is also on the side of the haters since he blames them for his store going out of business. Only the owner of the local consignment/thrift shop seems happy with the bargain she made. 

All the while Juni is investigating, she is also dealing with her two love interests. It has become time to stop juggling them and deciding which one she really wants to be with. Beau Russell was her first love, but he broke up with her when she left Texas to take her dream job in the Pacific Northwest. Beau, who is now a police detective, wants to rekindle their romance. Teddy Garza, the local postman, was a childhood friend but the friendship is shifting to romance now that Juni is back in town.

This was a fun cozy mystery. I enjoy Juni who is just now getting into "adulting." I liked the terrific puns for the coffee drinks that Juni creates at Sip & Spin. This is the third book in an enjoyable series. 

Favorite Quote:

The first person in line wanted to know what was in a Never Gonna Give Brew Up. I explained that it was a simple drip coffee made with mild roast beans. When I asked if they wanted a small, medium, or Ariana Grande, they ordered the grande. How could they not?

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian

A Midnight Puzzle
Author: Gigi Pandian
Series: Secret Staircase Mysteries (Book 3)
Publication: Minotaur Books (March 19, 2024)

Description: In heroine Tempest Raj, modern-day queen of the locked room mystery Gigi Pandian has created a brilliant homage to the greats of classic detective fiction.

Secret Staircase Construction is under attack, and Tempest Raj feels helpless. After former client Julian Rhodes tried to kill his wife, he blamed her "accident" on the home renovation company’s craftsmanship. Now the family business―known for bringing magic into homes through hidden doors, floating staircases, and architectural puzzle walls―is at a breaking point. No amount of Scottish and Indian meals from her grandfather can distract Tempest from the truth: they’re being framed.

When Tempest receives an urgent midnight phone call from Julian, she decides to meet him at the historic Whispering Creek Theater―only to find his dead body, a sword through his chest. After a blade appears from thin air to claim another victim, Tempest is certain they’re dealing with a booby trap… something Secret Staircase Construction could easily build. Tempest refuses to wait for the investigation to turn to her or her loved ones. She knows the pieces of the puzzle are right in front of her, she just has to put them together correctly before more disaster strikes.

Multiple award-winning author Gigi Pandian and her sleuth Tempest Raj return in A Midnight Puzzle, where an old theater reveals a deadly booby trap, secrets, and one puzzle of a mystery.

My Thoughts: The third book in the Secret Staircase Mysteries was another twisty puzzle of a mystery.

Tempest Raj is enjoying her new career as a designer for her family's construction business. But all is not well with the business. A former client Julian Rhodes is suing the company for shoddy craftsmanship after his wife fell down the new staircase. Tempest and her family are sure that Rhodes attempted to murder his wife and damaged the staircase himself. But his fleet of lawyers may force the company to settle. 

Then Julian Rhodes is murdered and left hanging, sword in chest, from the venue where Tempest has been planning the finale to her career as a stage magician. A booby trap in the same place injures a paramedic who is ministering to Rhodes and also damages the hand of Tempest's mentor Nicodemus the Necromancer when the two go to check out the site. 

When Nicodemus's assistant Brodie is also found dead in a locked room mystery - found on the dust covered floor of a hidden stage at the theater - Tempest and her group of friends have another mystery to solve. 

Tempest has a long-ago mystery to solve which has great impact on her life. A supposed curse has claimed the oldest child in a magical accident back to the days of her great-grandparents. It cost her the life of her aunt in Scotland who suffered a tragic accident while performing a new trick at her magic show. And it cost the life of Tempest's mother who disappeared in the same theater where Tempest was planning her final show because her mother was going to reveal who killed her sister. 

It has always been Tempest's goal to find out who killed her aunt and her mother and this story lets her finally reach that goal and solve the two new murder too. 

I enjoyed the twisty plot and the magical tricks in this story. I love the setting and Tempest's new career. I like her close family and interesting assortment of friends. While this book resolves the mystery that Tempest has been working on through the first three books, it isn't the end of the series. Her next case walks in the door at the end of the book. 

Favorite Quote:

"If she had rigged booby traps before she died and they only got triggered now for some reason, then how did she hang an axe from the ceiling with fishing wire without anyone seeing it for more than five years?"

Sanjay shrugged. "Since when do people on the internet make any sense?"

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Smoking Bun by Ellie Alexanderrev

A Smoking Bun
Author: Ellie Alexander
Series: A Bakeshop Mystery (Book 18)
Publication: St. Martin's Paperbacks (February 20, 2024)

Description: Another delicious installment in the Bakeshop Series set in Ashland, OR!

The mountains are calling in Ashland, Oregon, where pastry chef turned amateur sleuth, Jules Capshaw, is baking up a bevy of spiced curry buns and chai cookies for a moonlit snowshoe tour. Ramiro’s family is visiting from Spain and Jules can’t wait to take them up to her beloved Mount A with its charming and rustic lodge, backcountry trails, and star-filled skies that stretch for miles. Their winter wonderland adventure is nothing short of magical and the merry party opts to return to the slope the next day for the Downhill Dummy.

The annual competition is a favorite amongst snow lovers. Contestants strap makeshift dummies to skis and send them hurling down a death-defying ski jump in hopes of catching big air. The team at Torte is in the mix this year with their own replica of a tiered cake and a baker who closely resembles their fearless leader. It’s a fun and festive atmosphere as dummies sail past the crowd to huge cheers and applause. Until one of the dummies takes a deadly detour and lands atop Fitz Baskin.

Fitz is a guide on the mountain and his icy dealings have made for frosty relationships with everyone he encounters. Suddenly there are more suspects than snowdrifts as Jules dives into the investigation. She unearths a web of secrets and motives that threaten to shake the rustic mountain lodge to its core. Can she catch the killer before they strike again, or will the truth be buried forever under fluffy layers of fresh snow?

My Thoughts: This is the eighteenth Bakeshop Mystery, but the first I have read. In this episode, Ramiro's family is visiting from Spain over the New Year. Jules is busy with her bakeshop and planning things for them to do and see. 

Events at Mount A, the local ski resort, will feature prominently. But during a midnight snowshoe trek, they see a guide lead two people off the trail and see the ski patrol come to rescue them. The next day is a much anticipated event called the Downhill Dummy. Local groups and businesses create dummies to send down the ski jump in anticipation of spectacular crashes. But things go immediately wrong when the same guide who led his group off trail is hit by one of the dummies and killed. 

Now Jules Capshaw needs to fit a murder investigation into her already packed schedule. She quickly learns that the resort is in financial trouble and plans a fundraiser to help the owner make payroll. But is the owner on the up and up? Or does she have a hidden agenda? And what about the woman wandering around with a clipboard? And the environmentalist willing to do anything to stop the resort from selling off some land for clear cutting?

This was an entertaining mystery with interesting characters. Fans of the series won't want to miss this one. Newcomers, like me, will want to read other books in the series to learn more about these intriguing characters. 

Favorite Quote:

"Baking is my escape from grief. I can't quite put words to it, but the kitchen is where I seek solace. I thought that might change with time, but it hasn't. You know how they say that time heals all wounds? Don't believe that lie -- it doesn't." He ran his finger around his wedding ring, his voice cracking softly as he continues. "Time changes us. Time morphs us. But for those who have loved and lost, grief comes with us. So whenever I find myself overcome with sadness or flooded with memories, this is where I come too."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: A Smoking Bun by Ellie Alexander

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

They say you should embrace the seasons of life.

Friday 56:

"He hasn't been in good health for years, and his stress level must be off the charts," Janet said with concern. "I'll finish this order and wander over there to check in with him. Thanks for letting me know."

This week I am spotlighting A Smoking Bun by Ellie Alexander. This is from my review stack. It is also the 18th in a series I haven't read. Here's the description from Amazon:

Another delicious installment in the Bakeshop Series set in Ashland, OR!

The mountains are calling in Ashland, Oregon, where pastry chef turned amateur sleuth, Jules Capshaw, is baking up a bevy of spiced curry buns and chai cookies for a moonlit snowshoe tour. Ramiro’s family is visiting from Spain and Jules can’t wait to take them up to her beloved Mount A with its charming and rustic lodge, backcountry trails, and star-filled skies that stretch for miles. Their winter wonderland adventure is nothing short of magical and the merry party opts to return to the slope the next day for the Downhill Dummy.

The annual competition is a favorite amongst snow lovers. Contestants strap makeshift dummies to skis and send them hurling down a death-defying ski jump in hopes of catching big air. The team at Torte is in the mix this year with their own replica of a tiered cake and a baker who closely resembles their fearless leader. It’s a fun and festive atmosphere as dummies sail past the crowd to huge cheers and applause. Until one of the dummies takes a deadly detour and lands atop Fitz Baskin.

Fitz is a guide on the mountain and his icy dealings have made for frosty relationships with everyone he encounters. Suddenly there are more suspects than snowdrifts as Jules dives into the investigation. She unearths a web of secrets and motives that threaten to shake the rustic mountain lodge to its core. Can she catch the killer before they strike again, or will the truth be buried forever under fluffy layers of fresh snow?