Book Review and Giveaway - Tartan, Treasures and Trouble: A British Cozy Murder Mystery with a Female Amateur Sleuth (A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery) by Victoria Tait

My Review

Antiques expert Dotty Sayers is back in the Cotswolds at the auction house where she started out.  She participates in a Scottish Burns Night dinner, and one of the participants is poisoned.  When the auction house is mentioned in the press, she goes to work to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read Tartan, Treasures, and Trouble because I absolutely love the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series.  I have recommended this series to several friends.  I love the cozy storytelling, the quaint British village settings, and the details about antiques in these books.

This is a charming entry into the series.  Dotty's romance with Zach, an American who is researching his mysterious ancestry, moves along, and we see her familiar friends and family - and her cat Earl Grey! - in this book.

The mystery is well paced, with short chapters and smart, descriptive, storytelling.  I solved the mystery mid-way through the book but certainly enjoyed Dotty's work as an amateur detective.

The details of a Burns Night celebration were interesting, and I loved the great foodie details in this book.  I made note of a few of them to look up later.  I am intrigued by the mention of a cheese and chutney sandwich, and hope I can find a recipe for that online!

I highly recommend Tartan, Treasures, and Trouble - and this entire series - for fans of cozy mysteries, and especially for anyone who enjoys British village settings.

Book Synopsis

When murder is served at a Scottish Burns supper, it’s not the haggis that hides the deadliest secret. Can an amateur sleuth catch the killer before they toast another victim?

Antiques expert, Dotty Sayers, is thrilled to return to the Cotswolds to reconnect with old friends and run the auction house where her career began. She and her friend, Sergeant Keya Varma, organise a traditional Burns Night celebration, but things go awry when one of their guests meets his end before the first whisky is poured.

When the new police inspector is pushed aside by headquarters before she can crack the case, Dotty can’t resist following her own leads. As she digs deeper, she uncovers the victim’s tangled relationships, jealous spouses, and shady business dealings. But when a sensational newspaper article exposes the case, it threatens not only the investigation but also the auction house which Dotty has just been trusted to manage.

Can Dotty solve the case, or will the truth be drowned out by the skirl of the bagpipes?

Author Bio

Victoria Tait was born and raised in Yorkshire, England, and never expected to travel the world. She’s drawn on her life’s experiences and a love of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Murder She Wrote, to write British-based cozy mysteries.

Her determined and hard-working female sleuths are joined by colourful but realistic teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and evocative.  As you’re compelled to keep turning the pages, you’ll be irresistibly drawn into a world of intrigue, surprises, and humour, as well as a delectable helping of mystery, because tea and intrigue are a perfect blend.

Author Links

Website     BookBub    Instagram    Pinterest    Goodreads 

Purchase Links

Books 2 Read  Amazon

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Book Review and Giveaway - Murder in Season (A Lady of Letters Mystery) by Mary Winters

My Review

In 1860 London, Amelia Amesbury is living a quiet life and secretly writing an agony aunt column for the local newspaper.  When her sister Margaret ("Madge) comes to town, everything changes.  She throws a party and her sister has words with a disagreeable male guest - who ends up dying suddenly.  Amelia works to solve the murder and to chaperone her sister in London, all while moving along in her  flirtation with Simon Bainbridge.

I wanted to read Murder in Season because I love historical mysteries, cozy mysteries, and have enjoyed the earlier books in this series.

I think this is my favorite book yet in the Lady of Letters mystery series!  Amelia has really come into her own as an advice columnist and I love the letters and replies that begin each chapter of the book - often tying in to the storyline in some way.

The mystery aspect of this story was well done.  I guessed as Amelia detected and she solved the mystery before I did!  

Of course I also love all scenes with Amelia and Simon!  I look forward to reading the next book in this series and finding out what happens next.

I recommend Murder in Season for fans of cozy mysteries and especially for anyone who loves historical fiction.  This entire series is so unique and delightful!

Book Synopsis

Join Countess turned advice columnist Amelia Amesbury as she tries to juggle a new Season and a new murder in this charmingly deadly historical mystery.

“A beautiful debutante, a wealthy widow, and a dead would-be baron. What could be more exciting?”

Countess by day, secret advice columnist by night, Amelia Amesbury has life happily balanced on a quill’s edge . . . until her sister Margaret shows up in London under a blanket of scandal and Amelia is catapulted out of mourning and into the ton’s unforgiving Season.

However Madge’s Season debut is marred by a rather inconvenient death at the dining table as the infamous Mr Radcliffe takes ill and is later confirmed dead by poisoning. With Madge being the last person to have cross words with the soon-to-be baron, the ton’s gossip mill – and the police – are looking to pin the murder on her.

Adding to the ton’s troubles is a jewellery thief targeting the most lavish of Society’s houses. Is the murderer and the thief one in the same? It falls to Amelia once again to uncover the secrets buried deep within the pages before her sister goes down for the crimes.

Perfect for fans of witty historical mystery and Regency romances with a similar feel to Verity Bright and T.E. Kinsey.

Author Bio

Mary Winters is the Edgar Award-nominated author of the Lady of Letters historical mystery series. Book one, Murder in Postscript, was a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Mary is also the author of two cozy mystery series and writes short fiction. Three of her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching, reading, or spending time with her family. She lives with her husband, daughters, and spoiled pets in the Midwest. Find out more about Mary at MaryWintersAuthor.com.

Author Links

Website http://www.Marywintersauthor.com

Blog http://www.Marywintersauthor.com/blog

Facebook http://www.Facebook.com/marywintersauthor

Instagram http://www.Instagram.com/marywintersauthor

Purchase Links
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Bookshop

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Book Review and Giveaway - A Perilous Premiere (Stone & Steele Mysteries) by Gail Meath

My Review

A Perilous Premiere is set in Hollywood in 1938.  Vivian Steele is a fashion designer with her own boutique.  When her husband is shot on the street, her life changes unimaginably.  She discovers he was keeping secrets, and she is thrown together with Hollywood playboy Preston Stone.  Suddenly they are both in danger and racing to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read this book because I love cozy mysteries, enjoy historical mysteries, and am a big fan of classic movies and old time Hollywood.

This was a delightful start to a new series!  Vivian is a fresh, smart protagonist.  I love her back and forth with Preston and especially enjoyed their scenes together.  

The classic Hollywood references - both places and people - are delightful.  Vivian is good friends with Carole Lombard, who plays a part in the story.  She also has a lovable Boston Terrier and there is a Saint Bernard in the book as well.

I loved that the chapters had descriptive titles and even pictures that helped set the scene!  This is unique and added to my enjoyment of the book.

As a mystery, A Perilous Premiere is fast paced with some twists and surprises along the way.

I enthusiastically recommend this book for fans of cozy mysteries, and especially for readers who enjoy old time Hollywood.

Book Synopsis

Solving their own murders is the least of their problems…and the beginning of Stone & Steele, a reluctant yet surprisingly skilled investigative team.

The Golden Age of Hollywood, 1938. Vivian Steele moved to California to start a new life. She opened a fashion boutique in Beverly Hills, befriended Carole Lombard, the actress, and married a successful banker. But when her husband is murdered, Vivian discovers she isn’t the only one hiding a few secrets.

An anonymous phone call lures Vivian to a plush hotel room where she stumbles upon the dead body of a beautiful young actress – her husband’s mistress. To add fuel to the fire, she’s not alone.

Preston Stone, her adversary and Hollywood’s notorious playboy, is standing beside her. Suspiciously, they part ways only to find themselves alone again at a movie premiere two days later, and the message becomes brutally clear. They’re both the next targets of a cold-blooded killer.

Together, Vivian and Preston are thrown into a deadly race to find a missing collection of valuable coins and stop a vicious killer before they become the next murder victims. But first, they need to stop pointing their fingers at each other.

A Perilous Premiere is the first book in this exciting new 1930s Stone & Steele mystery series starring a great cast of characters ranging from the rich and famous to Bella, a Boston Terrier, her new friend, Boris, a Saint Bernard, and a few other endearing folks. (A pretty clean read)

Author Bio

Gail Meath is the author of the multi-award-winning Jax Diamond Mysteries, the fun series about of a wise-cracking PI, his sweet German Shepherd partner, Ace, and his Broadway singing heartthrob, Laura, as they solve crazy crimes during the Roaring Twenties. She’s currently working on the first book in her exciting new 1930s mystery series, Stone & Steele Mysteries, takes place during the glamorous Golden Age of Hollywood. As always, she blends the most loveable characters with a good, solid mystery.

Gail also has a growing list of other award-winning historical romances, mysteries, westerns, and fictional biographies of true heroines. She lives in a small village in Upstate New York with her husband and their sweet, little Boston Terrier, and she spends loads of time with her grandchildren.

Author Links

Website:  https://www.gailmeath.com

Facebook:  https://facebook.com/gailmeathauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gailmeathauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220631482-a-perilous-premiere

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-perilous-premiere-by-gail-meath

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org – 

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Book Review and Giveaway - Mistletoe, Mutts, and Murder (Samantha Davies Mysteries) by S.A. Kazlo

My Review

Samantha Davies is planning a wonderful Christmas with her boyfriend, Hank, and her dachshund Porkchop in her hometown in New York.  Her parents visit from Florida, an over-the-top neighbor dressed as Santa turns up dead, and her father and his best friend are under suspicion.  Sam works to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read this book because I love cozy mysteries and dachshunds!  I am currently owned by a lovable (and mischievous!) corgi, but I had dachshunds for many years and they have a special place in my heart.

This is such a fun, fast moving mystery.  There is a great deal of warmth and some humor too.  The author does a great job at capturing small town life during the holidays.  I have not read the other books in the series, but enjoyed Mistletoe, Mutts, and Murder as a standalone read.  I would like to read the other books now too!

Sam is a good amateur detective and I enjoyed seeing her deductive process.  I liked Hank, her parents, and of course all scenes with Porkchop the dachshund!

I recommend Mistletoe, Mutts, and Murder for other fans of cozy mysteries, holiday reads - and of course for fellow dachshund lovers.

Book Synopsis

Christmas is coming and children’s book author, Samantha Davies, and her lovable dachshund, Porkchop, are caught up in the holiday festivities in beautiful upstate New York. Sam’s parents, Chuck and Barbara, who have been enjoying their retired life in sunny Florida, have flown into Wings Falls to spend the holidays with Sam and meet her new boyfriend, Detective Hank Johnson. Sam is also busy hosting this year’s Christmas party for the Loopy Ladies, Sam’s rug hooking group.

The Loopy Ladies know how to party and are enjoying an evening eating, drinking, and making merry… until Santa crashes the party. Unfortunately, this Santa is Sam’s next-door neighbor who her parents have had a long-running feud with. When not playing the local mall’s not-so-jolly old St. Nick, Leo Sayers is a newspaper reporter, and he announces to the group that he’s written a damning article accusing Sam’s dad and his close friend, Herb Feinstein, of some very shady dealings in their past. To preserve peace on earth—and among the Loopy Ladies—Chuck and Herb escort Leo from the party.

Only, not long after being sent on his way, Santa is found dead—lying in the snow, run over by a plastic reindeer, with a string of Christmas lights around his neck! Are Sam’s father and Herb now on the naughty list? If Sam can’t prove them innocent of murdering Santa, she’s afraid their stockings will contain handcuffs and a one-way ticket to prison this year!

Author Bio

Syrl, a retired teacher, lives in upstate New York with her husband and two lively dachshunds. She writes the Samantha Davies Mystery series, featuring Samantha Davies and her loveable dachshund, Porkchop. When not writing she is busy hooking, rug hooking that is, and enjoying her family. Her newest book, number six in the series is, Mistletoe, Mutts and Murder. 

Author Links

Website – https://www.sakazlo.com/

Blog – https://www.sakazlo.com/blog

Twitter-@sakazlo

Instagram- sakazlo

Facebook- sakazlo

Linkedin- sakazlo

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Smashwords – Kobo – 

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Book Review and Giveaway - When the Carnival Came: An Olivia Penn Mystery by Kathleen Bailey

My Review

Olivia Penn is happy with small town life in Apple Station, Virginia.  However, when a good friend is dangerously close to a murder, she works to help her - even though this may cause waves with her new boyfriend, who is on the police force. Olivia's amateur sleuthing takes her to working undercover as a reporter at a carnival.

I wanted to read When the Carnival Came because I read and enjoyed the last book in this series.  I also found the carnival setting intriguing!

The carnival details were indeed fascinating;  this novel gives a glimpse of everyday life in a small traveling carnival.

I really like Olivia as a detective - she's very smart, although she puts herself in a dangerous position at times on this case!  I also like her father, her boyfriend Preston, and the small town of Apple Station.

I am so happy to have discovered the Olivia Penn Mystery Series and look forward to reading further.  I recommend When the Carnival Came for cozy mystery fans who want to read an exciting mystery and who are interested in small town settings and a carnival atmosphere.

Book Synopsis

A mysterious murder at an abandoned military base. A carnival has rolled into town. The shocking connection forces her to choose between a dear friend and her new love.

Spring is blooming in Apple Station, Virginia, and Olivia Penn’s new romance is heating up. With love in the air and the carnival in town, life seems picture-perfect—until a stranger arrives at her door with carnations and a cryptic message for her friend.

When Olivia follows the trail and finds her friend standing over a dead body, she discovers there’s more to the carnival than just fun and games. Compelled to keep an impossible secret from both her new love and the police, Olivia is recruited to go undercover and investigate who among the quirky carnival crew had a motive for murder.

In a race to protect her friend and solve the crime, she must trust a man she never expected to see again. Together, they execute a daring plan to bring a killer to justice and save the lives of thirty very precious, valuable feathered friends.

With the killer on the verge of vanishing without a trace, justice—and her life—hinge on quick thinking and a bold move. Will she and her new love survive to see another day?

When the Carnival Came is the fourth book in the award-winning The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. When the Carnival Came is a small-town, cozy mystery brimming with heart and humor, featuring a charming cast of characters and a fast-paced, twisty plot. Action-packed and full of suspense, this clean, cozy thrill ride will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Author Bio

Kathleen Bailey is the award-winning author of The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. She writes mysteries with heart and humor that keep to the traditional and cozy sides of crime. Kathleen has degrees in English, psychology, and physical therapy. She previously worked as a pediatric physical therapist for over twenty years with children who have special needs. She now spends her days plotting and sleuthing in Virginia where she lives with her husband and adorable feline fur baby. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the James River Writers. Visit online at www.kathleenbaileyauthor.com.

Author Links

Website: https://kathleenbaileyauthor.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/kathleenbailey

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kathleen-bailey

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozycrimewriter

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org – Alibris 

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