I recently discovered a new author, Ellen Jacobson, and enjoyed reading her first venture into the cozy mystery world.  In MURDER AT THE MARINA, Jacobson takes readers on a light, fun journey that is perfect for summer reading. 😊 📚


4 Star Review by Chatting About Cozies (Linda Langford)

A light, humorous and original cozy mystery! New author, Ellen Jacobson, debuts with protagonist Mollie McGhie, a wife who wants diamonds for her anniversary and instead gets Marjorie Jane; a dilapidated sailboat, from her husband, Scooter. The boat is moored at a marina where some fishy business appears to be going on. Mollie and Scooter are innocently trapped in the midst of some criminal activity when a man is murdered on their boat. Mollie is strong-willed and observant and soon begins to piece together who done what. There are many comical moments throughout the story as the suspect list is whittled down. I enjoyed the surprise ending. Cat lovers will like Mrs. Moto.

I reviewed an ARC provided by the author. Thank you.

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The debut of Abby L. VanDiver’s series A Romaine Wilder Mystery had me laughing out loud all throughout the story.  Suppose your family owned a funeral home only to discover an unidentified corpse in one of your caskets and no idea how it got there!  Tag along with a fun cast of characters in SECRETS, LIES, &CRAWFISH PIES! Happy Reading! 😊 📚


5 Star Review by Chatting About Cozies (Linda Langford)

I felt right at home reading this story.  I’m a native East Texan and could’ve stepped right out of the pages of Abby L. VanDiver’s story.  Set around the awesome pineywoods area of Roble, TX, we find protagonist—Dr. Romaine Wilder—traveling home with her Aunt Zanne (Babet).  Home being the Ball Funeral Home & Crematorium.  They arrive to find Josephine Gail, Babet’s ditzy best friend, all in a tizzy saying there’s an extra dead body in the funeral home.  Sure enough, there’s a suited corpse laying in a casket someone swiped from the showroom floor!  The local law, Pogue, just happens to be Romaine’s first cousin, and he’s pretty green when it comes to solving crimes, especially murder.

Aunt Zanne’s not shy and she’s determined to find out who the unidentified dead man is as soon as Romaine performs the autopsy to determine cause of death and whatever other clues she can gleam from the body.  Following Auntie as she drags Romaine from place to place looking for clues had me chuckling throughout the story.  Babet is not one to stop when she’s on a mission!

Ms. VanDiver skillfully sets up a mighty fine southern mystery.  Brimming with humor, it’s a great portrayal of small town families, friends, and rivalries.  The cast have realistic personality quirks and all kinds of talent!  I had fun reading this story and can hardly wait for the next one.  5 out of 5 Stars!

I provide an honest review of an ARC from NetGalley and Henery Press.  Thank you.

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I enjoy fashion.  Shoes, purses, hats, dresses...you name it. 😊  Missy DuBois is a hat and veil designer and her boyfriend, Ambrose is a wedding dress designer!  A match made in heaven❣️  Missy tends to to happen upon dead bodies just a little too often, however.  I hope y’all enjoy the 4th story in Sandra Bretting’s delightful southern mystery series.  📚


5 Star Review by Chatting About Cozies (Linda Langford)

Protagonist Missy DuBois has built a successful business designing hats and veils in her Crowning Glory boutique in Bleu Bayou, Louisiana. Her significant other, Ambrose ‘Bo’ Jackson creates stunning wedding dresses, and the pair work well together.

As the story begins, a curmudgeon billionaire who purchased the historic Dogwood Manor home has apparently ticked off someone so badly they’ve murdered him. Missy has to deal with a bridezilla whose wedding was to take place at Dogwood Manor just a few days later. Meanwhile, Missy is scrambling to see to a cosmetic makeover for her shops interior before a popular bridal magazine comes to interview her. Her friend, Detective Lance LaPorte, agrees Herbert Solomon's death is suspicious, and Missy goes into investigate mode to follow up on some of the people the billionaire had run-ins with before his death.

I thought this was an engaging plot that flows along at a steady pace. Bits of humor liven the story and the romance between Missy and Ambrose is given just the right amount of attention so it doesn’t distract from the mystery. I remember the cast of recurring characters from previous books and enjoy re-visiting with them again. I had an idea who the culprit was and found the reveal contains an interesting bit of history that adds to their evilness! There’s sort of a cliffhanger ending, yet I don’t feel like it distracts from the story in any way. It just makes me want to read the next story! 

I reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and Kensington. Thank you.

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Do you like lighthouses?  How about a Lighthouse converted into a library?  Sound interesting?  It is.  Read on.....😊 📚



4 Star Review by Chatting About Cozies (Linda Langford)

Lucy Richardson is in her element working as the assistant librarian at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library.  She’s surrounded by an eclectic group of staff members and the VIP library cat, Charles.  Trouble begins when an elderly multi-millionaire approaches Bertie, the library director, about donating his personal collection of Outer Banks historical documents to the library.  The competitors for the collection are determined they’ll receive it at whatever lengths they have to go to—even including discrediting Bertie or the Lighthouse Library.  However, there’s a murder in the rare book room of the library which puts a crimp in everyone’s plans.

Author Eva Gates makes a smooth transition to her new publisher, Crooked Lane Books, with book four of the Lighthouse Library Mystery series.  The story kept my interest with plenty of plot twists to lead me away from the true killer’s identity.  I was surprised at the reveal.  The setting is at Halloween, and there is a paranormal twist included and lots of fun scenes that are entertaining.  I enjoyed the progress of Connor and Lucy’s relationship...slow, but sure.  I believe cozy fans will be pleased with this story.  My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars.

I reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane.  Thank you.

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One of my favorite cozy authors is Lynn Cahoon.  She is an incredibly talented writer and consistently amazes me with the many plot twists she brings to life through her stories.  If you haven’t read her Tourist Trap Mystery series, you’re missing many great stories!  I hope you’ll look for Lynn’s books.  😊  📚


5 Star Review by Chatting About Cozies (Linda Langford)

Author Lynn Cahoon turns up the heat in this entertaining novella starring Jill Gregory, owner of Coffee, Books, and More. For fans of the Tourist Trap Cozy Series, there are multiple familiar and well-liked characters mentioned in this plot. The town business owners are incensed when the volunteer fire chief, Barry Gleason, inspects their establishments, lists numerous violations, and threatens to close them all down just before the Fourth of July Festivities. Then, he sets up a controlled burn with the rest of the volunteers, and someone dies. Jill, flanked by her police Officer boyfriend, Greg, and several close friends, manage to smoke out enough clues until it becomes clear what caused Barry’s irrational behavior. I’ve enjoyed every story in this series and highly recommend each one!

I reviewed a digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical.  Thank you.

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Author Linda Lovely’s PICKED OFF is a fun read!  I recommend you read this series in order.  Happy Reading! 😊 📚


4 Star Review by Chatting About Cozies (Linda Langford)

Get ready for another madcap adventure with Brie Hooker and her Aunt Eva at the goat farm! It’s close to Halloween and the gang’s been working on a scary haunted barn. Brie is still being courted by best friends, Paint and Andy, and trying to decide who she likes best. Senator Carol Strong’s son, Zack, a pro-quarterback for the Las Vegas Aces, comes home to visit and is attacked and badly injured during the haunted barn event. The sheriff, Brie, Aunt Eva, and Sala Lemmon, owner of the Aces, aim to find out who hurt him and why! The exciting plot deals with the seriousness of gambling addiction. Author Linda Lovely has some surprises for readers and the story is a swift, humorous read! Note: Contains mild adult language.

I reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and Henery Press.  Thank you.

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A fairly new cozy mystery series, A Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery by Meg Macy is entertaining.  I really enjoyed the originality in BEAR WITNESS TO MURDER, book two, which I Review below.  Enjoy!  📚😊


5 Star Review by Chatting About Cozies (Linda Langford)

Kids love them! Adults love them! Pets Love them! Teddy Bears❣️ Sasha Silverman is surrounded by adorable handmade teddy bears at the Silver Bear Shop & Factory she manages for her parents. Her sister, Maddie, keeps the office running smoothly. Oktobear Fest has arrived and the townspeople and tourists are excited about the many events taking place, such as Bears on Parade (which I loved), Hide the Bears in the Apple Orchard, the Haunted Maze, and More! To Sasha’s horror, she and her dog, Rosie, stumble across a dead body that Sasha mistakenly identifies as her long-time nemesis. The deceased is correctly ID’d soon, but it’s a race against time for Sasha and friends to piece together the patterns that will lead to the perpetrator before they kill again.

This story has the ‘wow factor’! The splendid entertainment makes the pages fly by. I had suspicions about a couple of the characters behavior, but motive was unclear until the malice was explained. The mystery and all the backstory revealed will keep you on the edge of your seat through the final showdown! Ms. Macy continues to build great characters and an appealing world for them to live and work in. I enjoyed this second story even more than I did the first, and eagerly look forward to book three.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington.  Thank you.

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Any cozy mystery by Krista Davis is an automatic purchase for me.  I don’t need to see a cover or even read the back blurb, I simply click and buy!  😊 📚  Her long-standing Cozy Series, A Domestic Diva Mystery, is a fan favorite for readers.  If you’ve never read one of the Diva stories, I highly recommend the books, and guarantee you’re in for a treat!  I wish you happy Reading! 😊

5 Star Review by Chatting About Cozies (Linda Langford)

This story starts buzzing on page one and is a thrilling flight until you touch down on the final page! Event planners, Sophie Winston (down-to-earth), and her rival, Natasha (rather snobbish); are showcased at their best with their different personalities when a neighbor’s death stirs up trouble and a hurricane knocks out everyone’s electricity. Sophie hosts an impromptu backyard party for everyone to use their cold or frozen food before it spoils. I love the laugh-out-loud moments throughout the story—Natasha is like no other domestic diva in her advice to others on how things should be done while Sophie is more laid back. The recurring characters that make this cozy series a favorite are all re-visited here.

Author Krista Davis dishes up plenty of hints and clues galore, yet still manages to cleverly disguise the murderer’s identity until she’s ready to give it away. Once all the ingredients for the murder are separated out; it becomes clear who did what and why. It’s such a pleasure to read such a well-written cozy mystery. All I have to do is sit back, and relax, and let the words take me on an adventure. The author includes several delicious sounding recipes for food and drinks for readers to try in their own kitchens. I highly recommend this story and the entire Domestic Diva series.

I reviewed a digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Kensington.  Thank you.

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Welcome June❣️📚  I’ve done lots of cozy mystery reading since my last post in April.  😊  Here is my list through June 16, 2018:

1.  In Cold Chocolate by Dorothy St. James (A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery #3)
2.  Death Comes to Dogwood Manor by Sandra Bretting (Missy DuBois Mystery #4)
3.  Killer Green Tomatoes by Lynn Cahoon (Farm-to-Fork Mystery #2)
4.  Murder At the Marina by Ellen Jacobson (Molly McGhie Sailing Mystery #1)
5.  Ruff Justice by Laurien Berenson (Melanie Travis Canine Mystery #22)
6.  A Dark and Twisting Path by Julia Buckley (A Writer’s Apprentice Mystery #3)
7.  Finding Answers by Kathi Daley (Rescue Alaska #2)
8.  Purrder She Wrote By Cate Conte (A Cat Cafe Mystery #2)
9.  Midnight Snacks Are Murder by Libby Klein (A Poppy McAllister Mystery #2)