My friends at Crooked Lane Books sent me several options of cozies to read this spring and one I chose was Voted Most Likely to Murder by Lacey Moone. Loved this fun read about a murder at a high school reunion. Who doesn’t like a good reunion story where chaos ensues? So much fun and well-written, too!
Thank you for my copy!!
Here’s the scoop:
A high school reunion comes to an abrupt end when the dead body of the class jock shocks the school’s gymnasium in this cozy mystery debut, perfect for fans of Ellery Adams and Eva Gates.
Belinda Bishop is unemployed and single. At thirty-two, her journalism career feels stuck, and let’s not even speak about her love life, which isn’t helping her look forward to her upcoming high school reunion. Stuck working at her parents’ seaside cottage and RV park in Nova Scotia for the time being, she needs time to regroup and come up with a killer story to get her career and her life back on track.
When she literally stumbles across the dead body of the philandering class jock at the reunion, the party quickly comes to a stop. At first, it seems like the perfect opportunity for Belinda to channel her inner Christianne Amanpour, until her childhood-best-friend-turned-nemesis, Jolene Dexter, is declared the prime suspect. Despite their falling out, Belinda is convinced the former pageant queen is innocent.
As the two women struggle to put aside their differences, they have to work together to catch the real murderer before this sleepy coastal town is rocked to its foundations.
This romp of a mystery is perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Benjamin Stevenson.
I’m so happy to be part of this tour for Book 4 of the Secret Detective Agency series The Afternoon Tea Murders by Helena Dixon. I just love this series, which is WWII historical mystery. It probably can count as a cozy as it’s not graphic or violent, but it’s more like a Maggie Hope mystery or an Agatha Christie novel, than a true cozy. Always well-plotted, this one focuses on Jane and Arthur in the countryside when a local tea shop owner is found dead. No one is as they seem and Jane needs to get to the bottom of it all. I love that she takes her cranky cat Marmaduke everywhere with her, too!
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!
Here’s the scoop:
London, 1942. Miss Jane Treen is at her desk in Whitehall sipping a strong coffee when she receives an urgent message about her colleague, codebreaker Arthur Cilento. He’s in danger in Devon, and Jane needs to get there sharpish. But before her bags are properly unpacked, the local teashop owner in Arthur’s village is found lying amidst the scones and teacakes… and she’s dead.
When Jane arrives, it quickly becomes clear that the murder is a half-baked attempt to curdle Arthur’s current codebreaking mission – but how? There seem to be suspects at every turn. Is Arthur’s boss be going to extremes to cover up his incompetence? Can the teashop customers be trusted? And what about the secretary, who seems to have secret links to the village teashop…
Spurred on by scones and clotted cream, Jane and Arthur start to whip up a theory as to who the killer could be. But just they begin to make progress, someone else is murdered – and it looks like Arthur could be next. It’s clear they need to solve this case quickly, before teatime is over and Arthur meets a sticky end…
If you love twisty crime novels, top-secret intrigue and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Helena Dixon’s utterly gripping cozy novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright!
About the Author:
Helena Dixon is the author of the internationally bestselling Miss Underhay cozy mystery series. She is a Black Country girl living in Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She was the winner of the RNA Romance Prize in 2007 and the RNA Love Story of the Year 2010.
Harper-Collins sent me a early galley and an audiobook of this new title and I really really enjoyed it! It was an explosive thriller that kept me reading (or listening!) and I couldn’t put it down. At times, I would think “how is this all going to come together??” but the end tied it all together and was very satisfying. Thank you for my copy and for the audio (always good for the 2+ hours I drive a day!!).
Here’s the scoop:
From the two-time Edgar Award–nominated author of ON A QUIET STREET and THE VACANCY IN ROOM 10…
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES meets FINLAY DONOVAN in this darkly humorous thriller about three women’s lives colliding around an explosive murder, a bizarre cover-up, and a riveting search for the truth in a multi-cast audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley, Rebecca Lowman, and Karissa Vacker!
“Explosive, addictive, and impossible to put down.”—Noelle Ihli, bestselling author of Such Quiet Girls
Those lucky enough to live in the elite lakefront community of Cloverhill Lakes are drawn to it for its safety and top-notch school district. The moms meet for coffee at the park while their kids play, they’re heavily involved in the PTA, and the summers are filled with chardonnay, brunch, sundresses, and backyard bonfires.
But everything changes when Regan Hoffman’s car explodes at the annual Labor Day party. The wrong person is killed, but it was meant for her. As the carefully crafted walls of her community begin to crumble, Regan tries to keep it together—something made infinitely harder when she sees her dead husband…alive.
When a Cloverhill Lakes resident suddenly goes missing, dark secrets begin to surface from underneath the idyllic veneer of their beautiful community—and the truth threatens to destroy them all as Regan finds herself in a fight for her life.
For readers who love:
Small lakeside community vibes
Twists that will leave you breathless
Dark humor and wild antics
Dramatic domestic suspense
Multiple POVs
Desperate Housewives meets Finlay Donovan
Seraphina Nova Glass was a fairly new author for me (I read her “Nothing Ever Happens Here” last year), and I look forward to reading more by her. Here’s some info about her from her website: seraphinanovaglass.com
Seraphina Nova Glass is a two-time EDGAR AWARD nominated author. Her novel, On A Quiet Street, was a New York Times Summer Read, a #1 Amazon Bestseller, and Editor’s Pick. It was also featured in the Boston Globe and Bustle.
Publisher’s Weekly has named her “a writer to watch.” She’s also an award-winning playwright and holds an MFA degree in Dramatic Writing from Smith College.
She is a proud dog mom to Boston Terrier, Spaghetti, and loves to travel the world with her husband, Mark. She resides in Dallas, TX.
I’m here today to chat about the latest Lady Eleanor Swift cozy mystery, A Very Irish Mystery by Verity Bright. I love this series and this character and her dog. Hard to believe this is book #25. You don’t need to read them in order – jump in anywhere! I did not figure this one out before the end. I did love that it took place in Ireland.
Thank you for my copy and for having me on the tour!
Lady Eleanor Swift is having a grand time cosying up with her husband in Dublin’s traditional pubs, eating their fill of Irish stew and soaking up the craic… Until another body ruins all their plans!
Lady Eleanor Swift is visiting Dublin with her husband Hugh Seldon and butler Clifford to meet Samuel O’Sullivan, a man who may be able to tell her more about the mysterious disappearance of her parents two decades ago. Deciding they should explore the city a little more, they jump at the chance to visit the world-renowned Finnegan’s brewery.
But their taste test of the famous black stout turns deadly when Eleanor spots a body in one of the barrels! The dead man is none other than the owner of the brewery, Fergal Finnegan himself. Sensing a scandal, the head of operations hires The Byron Detective Agency to investigate.
It seems there was no pot of gold at the end of Fergal’s rainbow. Did his debt-ridden younger brother kill him for his inheritance? Did the fact Finnegan wouldn’t leave his wife make his mistress murderous? And was there more to fight about with rival brewer George Gaffney than just profits?
When their chief suspect is found dead only days later and the top-secret formula for a new beer goes missing, the agency is almost thrown off the case. But Eleanor doesn’t give up on justice. Will the luck of the Irish be on her side before the killer catches up with her?
A totally unputdownable Irish cozy mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Carlene O’Connor!
What readers are saying about A Very Irish Mystery:
“Loved! What a treat.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Gorgeous, fun… superb. Impeccable vibes from start to finish.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Brilliant! I loved it!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I read it quickly and I didn’t want to put it down… I loved this! Definitely recommend.” Goodreads reviewer
Readers love Verity Bright:
‘MY FAVOURITE BOOK… Had me hooked… I absolutely devoured this brilliant read in one sitting as I just could not put it down… I was gutted when I came to the end… Amazing!!!’ bookwormwhitlock86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I absolutely LOVED this!… Had me hooked from the beginning and I kept flipping through the pages because I could not put it down!’ @bookishbri_, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Unputdownable… Had me hooked immediately… Filled with suspense, mystery, laughter… Absolutely perfect… I devoured it in one sitting as I just could not put it down and gave up on lying to myself saying just one more chapter as that never happened!!’ Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘LOVE… I finished this book in one day!’ DianeLikesToRead, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Fabulous… Charming… A nail-biting page-turner… Fabulous… I gobbled it up in a single sitting.’ Bookish Jottings, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘The most fun I have had reading a historical mystery! I loved… had me laughing out loud before the tenth page!… I can’t recommend this book enough!’ Too Fond of Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Fabulous!… I absolutely adored this!… If you are a fan of Poirot, Miss Marple and Downton Abbey then this book is definitely for you… Kept me guessing right up to the very end.’ my_reading_narnia, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Fabulous… I was literally on the edge of my seat… Wonderful… Must-read for every cozy mystery fan… Exactly the escape I needed. I loved it!’ Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Brilliant… I love it… Fabulous… An excellent mystery that kept me guessing.’ BookLoverWorm, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Here’s a bit about the author:
Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.
I LOVE the Julia Bird cozy mysteries, featuring Julia, a retired social worker in her early sixties who lives in the Cotswolds and runs into mysteries at every turn. She is rather a modern-day Miss Marple! This one kept me guessing and I did NOT figure out the murderer! I’m always impressed that a series can have multiple installments and never get repetitive or tiresome.
Don’t forget that you don’t need to read these books in order – they can act as stand-alones, too.
Here’s the scoop:
Spring has come to Berrywick, and Julia Bird is determined to enjoy the fine weather. But not all life is in flower when she stumbles across the body of building expert Basil Crow next to a bright yellow digger. And Julia believes this is no accident.
Julia’s suspicions are confirmed when forensics report a brutal blow to the head. Julia soon learns from pie shop owner, and Basil’s first wife Delilah, that he was not widely liked and left behind three failed marriages. Could one of his ex-wives have wanted revenge? Julia’s friend Tabitha was in a neighbourly dispute with him after he blocked her car in her driveway. But is this motive enough to kill?
Then local choir singer Esmeralda is found dead in the woods. The police think the murders are unconnected. Unlike Basil, Esmeralda was a well-loved soul. Who would want her dead?
Digging for clues, Julia realises that both victims had a link to the proposed redevelopment of the meadow Basil was found in. But would someone really kill to save it? Can Julia find the murderer before someone else is pushing up the daisies?
A page-turning and totally charming cozy mystery set in the English countryside. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands will love the Julia Bird Mysteries!
Here’s a bit about Katie Gayle (actually two writers!):
I’m here today to chat about The Lucky Winners, the new novel by K.L. Slater. It’s a psychological thriller that explores that less-than-positive side of being a lottery winner (or in this case a new home and cash winner), especially when you have something in your past to hide. I felt sorry for this couple who hit it big with a new gorgeous home and cash prize, only to find their lives upended into stress, especially Merri, the wife, who has a past that she is trying to keep firmly in the past. This is one of those books that once you start it, you don’t want to put it down!
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!
Here’s the scoop:
They won their dream home. It’s about to become a nightmare…
When Merri and Dev buy a ticket on the last day of a national draw to win the house of their dreams, they never, in a million years, expect to win.
Less than a week later, they’re receiving the keys to their new Lake District mansion.
For Dev, it’s a dream come true – no more stressful rent negotiations or waiting for the landlord to finally fix the damp. Of course he’s delighted to be interviewed about their good luck.
But Merri feels a little uneasy. Dev doesn’t realise there’s a reason she’s never wanted to put down roots, always trying to run away from the memories of what happened the day her little sister died.
At first, it’s easy to think she’s imagining the shadowy figures in the lakefront garden. It’s silly to think that someone is watching her through the gorgeous floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
And then a body is found in the lake. And Merri’s new perfect life is about to come crashing down…
A completely addictive and unputdownable thriller from the number 1 ebook bestselling author K.L. Slater. The Lucky Winners will have you hooked! Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Freida McFadden.
About the Author:
For many years, Kim sent her work out to literary agents but never made it off the slush pile. At the age of 40 she went back to Nottingham Trent University and now has an MA in Creative Writing.
Before graduating, she received five offers of representation from London literary agents which was, as Kim says, ‘a fairytale … at the end of a very long road!’
Kim is a full-time writer and lives in Nottingham with her husband, Mac.
I’m excited to dish about a new cozy mystery series by the author who brought us Cressida Faucett – Fliss Chester. This is Murder in a Cornish Teashop and it’s the first in the Maddie Penrose mysteries. I really enjoyed it and enjoyed the characters of Maddie and her spunky Grandmother, Nor.
Here’s the scoop:
A Cornish clifftop, a sunny afternoon, a quaint little teashop… but wait a minute. Is that jam, or blood? Maddie Penrose is determined to find out!
Maddie Penrose is staying with her beloved grandmother, Nor, at her gorgeously idyllic Cornish farm. She’s looking forward to days helping out in Nor’s little teashop and evenings wandering down the cliff path to watch the sunset. But before Maddie has even finished serving up scones on her first morning, a man bursts through the door: Nor’s neighbour Clive has found a body in the field behind the teashop…
Maddie is straight to the scene, fancying herself as a bit of an Agatha Christie. But solving this mystery is far from a piece of cake. Her list of suspects is jam-packed with locals, with some a little too close to home: the newcomer renting out one of Nor’s barns is acting suspiciously, the victim’s boyfriend has disappeared without trace, and Clive isn’t really Maddie’s cup of tea either…
But the proof is in the pudding when there’s another murder – her prime suspect is dead. And when Maddie finds a backpack belonging to the first murder victim, her diligent notetaking and quick thinking leads her to discover that the killer will act again, and soon. Maddie is horrified to discover that it looks like she is their next target…
Can Maddie and Nor work as a team to piece together the puzzle? Or will murdering Maddie be the icing on the cake for the killer?
A totally addictive, witty and warm cozy mystery that will keep you reading late into the night, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright.
About the Author:
Fliss Chester lives in Surrey with her husband and writes historical cozy crime. When she is not killing people off in her 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband, who is a wine merchant, run their business. Never far from a decent glass of something, Fliss also loves cooking (and writing up her favourite recipes on her blog), enjoying the beautiful Surrey and West Sussex countryside and having a good natter.
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!
I love a good, twisty suspense novel, and this new one by B.A. Paris comes out today (2.17.26)! It was a good one, and I thank St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for my review galley.
Here’s the scoop:
Who is watching Nell Masters?
Nell Masters is certain someone is following her. The hairs on the back of her neck rise when she travels to and from work, there are silent calls to her office, and a huge bouquet of flowers arrives without a card. And Nell has a reason to be looking over her shoulder, because she has a secret that she’s hiding from everyone in her life, including her new partner, Alex. But Alex also has secrets of his own.
Fourteen years earlier, when Nell went by the name Elle Nugent, she witnessed a student, Bryony Sanders, getting into a stranger’s car. When Bryony was found murdered, Elle became obsessed with finding the person responsible. She was convinced she knew who it was and her fixation with Brett Parker, the man she accused, led her down a dangerous path . . .
Now, Nell tries to convince herself that this unnerving feeling of being watched is all in her mind. Has someone from her past discovered her new identity? Has the stalker become the stalked? Or is there something even more deadly at play?
Every answer has a cost—especially in a city where the truth is protected by those who fear it most.
A vanished crime sets the foundation for Jack London and Murder on Nob Hill by Ray M. Schultze, which begins in 1898 San Francisco as Jack London witnesses a murder denied by authorities. His search takes him beyond familiar territory and into districts where unrecorded disappearances and quiet negotiations define everyday life.
Jack’s attempt to understand the event leads him into places where boundaries between groups remain constantly under negotiation. Chinatown’s inner pathways reveal the presence of longstanding disputes and missing young women whose cases attract little official attention. A woman connected to these undercurrents complicates Jack’s efforts, offering direction while adding further uncertainty. As he observes how influence moves discreetly across these areas, he becomes increasingly aware of structures designed to avoid scrutiny. The narrative follows Jack’s efforts to connect the unexplained moment he witnessed to the larger tensions shaping the city’s internal networks.
Ray M. Schultze is the author of six novels, five of them works of suspense—The Last Safe Place, Combustion, The Devil in Dreamland, Decatur’s Dig, and Beranek’s Stand. His most recent novel, Russian River, is historical fiction. His interest in writing began in childhood with a handmade, folded-paper “magazine” that his mother encouraged. After graduating from the University of California at Riverside, he pursued newspaper reporting as a practical way to support himself while writing fiction. Over a twenty-five-year career, he covered politics, the legal system, and education for newspapers in California, Florida, and Arizona. When he turned to fiction full-time, he drew inspiration from authors such as Alan Furst and Ken Follett. Ray now lives in Santa Rosa, California, with his wife, Judi. They enjoy tennis, hiking, exploring the region’s beaches and headlands, and international travel—experiences that often shape his novels’ settings. He is also an award-winning woodworking artist. Visit him at his website.
I do love this series and this installment was a fun one to read while we were dealing with frosty weather ourselves, here in New England. Number 24 in the series, and yet the plots never get boring!
Here’s the scoop:
Wrapping presents and singing at midnight mass on a frosty night… Lady Swift is determined to enjoy Christmas at home this year, until another body turns up!
Winter 1925. Eleanor and Hugh are decking the halls for their first married Christmas together when butler Clifford arrives with a mysterious telegram. A lucrative case awaits their new detective agency… but in the most remote county in England. The note insists they must be there by midnight to accept the job.
After a snowy journey, they arrive at the tiny hamlet of Yorelow to find their client, Osmund Unwin, dead in the churchyard as midnight mass ends. They realise they are now in the absurd situation of having to solve the murder of their client – who they never met – to solve a case they know nothing about and officially never accepted!
There is very little festive goodwill to go around, as it seems half the village had a grudge against the rich man. Was it one of the Frisham sisters, owners of the tavern and rumoured to be in a love triangle with Unwin? Or perhaps his maid, who never had a nice thing to say about him?
When another body is found in the ruins of the castle overlooking the town, Eleanor is baffled. Clearly there’s more to this nightmare before Christmas than the gang first thought…
A totally unputdownable historical murder mystery set in an English village at Christmas, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Catherine Coles!
About the Author:
Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!
Beth's Book-Nook Blog 