Broadcast for Murder, Murder in Devil's Cove, The Puccini Connection

 Brrr. We got a cold snap here with the lowest temps this time of year since 1925 or something like that. I had sworn I wasn't going to turn on the heat. The a.c. was just running over the weekend end. But I caved pretty quickly.

Here are three cozy mysteries that I read in the past couple of weeks. All are available now..

Broadcast 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton - Sophie Kimball Mystery #7

J.C. Eaton is actually a husband and wife that write this series.

About:"In J.C. Eaton's seventh Sophie Kimball Mystery, Sophie's kooky mother, Harriet, is gearing up to become Arizona's newest radio star as the host of the Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour. But when she ends up broadcasting herself discovering a dead body live on air, it's up to the reluctant sleuth Sophie to find the killer...

Phee's mother Harriet is going to be a star! At least, that's how the Sun City West retiree describes her chance to host a live radio program of her book club's Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour on Arizona's KSCW. But instead of chatting about charming cozies, Harriet ends up screaming bloody murder over the airwaves after discovering the body of Howard Buell, the station's programming director, in a closet--with a pair of sewing shears shoved into his chest.

The number one suspect is Howard's ex-girlfriend Sylvia Strattlemeyer who believed she was going to host a sewing talk show before Harriet was offered the spot. But not only do the fingerprints found on the scissors not match Sylvia's, they belong to a woman who passed away twenty years ago at the age of ninety-seven. Now, with the whole town on pins and needles, it's up to Phee to stitch together enough clues from the past to uncover the identity of a killer in the present."

Very good cozy mystery with lots of hilarious parts. There are two mysteries going on in the story: inventory from Home Products Plus that are disappearing and two people from the local radio station are murdered. The investigation group Sophie works for is working on the missing inventory. Sophie's mother Harriet, and her friend Myrna get an opportunity to have a radio show about books. When Harriet finds the first murder victim, this brings Harriet, her book club ladies and dog Streetman into the mix. Set in "Sun City West", the book is peppered with stereotypical but fun things about living in a retirement community. Harriet and her gang bring a lot of humor to the story. Sophie and her coworker/boyfriend Marshall try to solve both mysteries and call upon Harriet and her book club ladies for help, i.e. gossip, for clues. This is the first book in the series that I had read, and while you probably want to read them all, you can pick up from here. Enough background information is given to bring us up to this point. If you are familiar with Greater Tuna, you will be reminded of Tuna, Texas and the characters. Really a fun cozy.

Murder in Devil's Cove by Melisa Bourbon

About: "Every book tells two stories—one written on the pages with pen and ink, and one woven into the paper, a story of the soul. The Lane women have the gift of bibliomancy. They can read them both. Almost everyone in the Lane family line dies young. The gift of bibliomancy tells their story before the deaths happen. But Cassie Lane doesn’t see it as a gift. For her, it is a curse. As soon as she’s able, she leaves Laurel Point, Oregon, running from her past and her fate, ending up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. There she meets Leo Hawthorne and lives a perfect life with him in an old Sea Captain’s house.

Perfect, that is, until Leo vanishes at sea.

After an old copy of Moby Dick foretells Leo’s death, Cassie forbids all books from the lives of her children with Leo. But when twins Pippin and Gray discover a secret room where their father hid away books that were special to him, long forgotten secrets surface, an old crime comes to light, and everything Pippin thought she knew is turned upside down.

Now twenty-five years later, Pippin must learn how to be a bibliomancer if she is to figure out what happened to her father and stop another murder from happening in Devil’s Cove."

The element of bibliomancy adds a very different twist. How fun would that be to have that "gift"? Maybe not, as Pippin discovers. Really good story of Pippin and Grey coming back home to claim their family house. As they work to restore the house and their dad's boat, secrets about the past are revealed and Pippin's life may now be in danger. The writing is very good. Just the right amount of description - you can picture the village of Devil's Cove, the house and how it is being renovated and the people of the village. I am excited to read the next two books.

The Puccini Connection: A Milkwood Murder (An English Cozy Murder Mystery Novel)

About:  "An idyllic English village, a lovable heroine, and a Puccini-inspired murder. Who knew opera could be so deadly? British expat, Josie Monroe, returns to the idyllic village of Milkwood and finds herself chief suspect in a family murder. Surrounded by cricket greens, duck ponds and lies, Josie must discover the culprit if she wishes to return to the US and Lady Belle DeCorcy is just the pal to help her. Josie is a down-to-earth, classical music-loving pianist. Belle is a flighty, beautiful and slightly unhinged debutante, making the two amateur sleuths an unlikely and comically inept, team. As if Josie doesn’t have enough problems, she is also dealing with the “Witches of Milkwood,” an elderly trio convinced that Josie is the murderer and that Belle is one sandwich short of a picnic. Living with a cantankerous cat named Elgar and her aunt’s handsome, but seemingly untrustworthy, lodger, Josie is also coming to terms with resurging feelings for her childhood sweetheart, Detective Inspector Adam Ward. Luckily, tea and tenacity will see her through, even if every time Josie hears Puccini she risks discovering another body.

The Puccini Connection is a cozy English murder mystery with a classical music-loving amateur female sleuth in a picturesque English village with quirky, lovable characters and an extremely grumpy cat. No cliffhangers, gore, graphic violence, sex or overtly strong language."

This book is a very good English cozy mystery and really funny. Think Agatha Raisin. The mystery and story are good. The characters are quirky and interesting. Everyone is a suspect, and Josie wants to find out "whodunnit" so she can head back to Texas. She and her new, unlikely best friend Belle, are working on it. But Belle has some secrets of her own. Josie is a bit accident prone. Josie and Adam, the local detective went to school together as kids and have a bit of a past. That creates some interesting tension. Everyone in the village seems to be sneaking around each other, and as the story goes on, it seems like quite a few people must have been around Aunt Rose's house near the time of her murder. Who saw what? 

Did I mention the author is local to me? 

This is the first book in a new series and I highly recommend it. I will be looking for the second book in the series.

I received all of these books as ARC's and voluntarily provided these reviews. And I liked them all, honestly.

 

The Mirrors by E.F. Townsend - a little Halloweeny for this time of year

 I read The Mirrors by E.F. Townsend earlier this month and really liked it. It could be considered a ghost story, so it is fitting for this time of year.

The Mirrors is the first book in a new series - A Tori Hartley Mystery.

About:  "Is it a murderer or a ghost?
Tori Hartley rents out one of the magnificent old mansions in Old Louisville to Scott Mallory, who disappears without a trace. Facing an alarming lack of physical evidence, the police look to Scott’s blog, in which he claims to have been trying to contact a ghost by hanging hundreds of mirrors though out the house. Frantic to find her son, Scott’s mother hires a paranormal detective, Hal Breakspear. Tori finds an unlikely ally in Hal as together they investigate to determine if there truly is paranormal activity in the house, or if it only a ruse to hide a real crime by a flesh-and-blood murderer."

This description doesn't do this book justice. I found it gripping; a mesmerizing tale of ghosts, murder, historical fiction and romance. 

Tori is trying to start a new life in Louisville; owning an old, large mansion and renting it out, while buying and selling antiques.

 When the police are investigating the disappearance of her one and only renter, Scott, she finds that he has lined the long hallway with mirrors of all kinds. When Hal, a private investigator and paranormal investigator is called in, Tori inserts herself into the investigation. Scott's blog has some clues as to why all the mirrors, and hints about a ghost but it ended abruptly and now he is missing.

Lots of creepy, scary things happen during their investigations that made me jump. As Tori talks to the neighbors and historical experts of the area, many things are found out that may account for a haunting. BUT some other things are going on that point to something else. Very well written to keep you guessing and looking over your shoulder. 

I think this will be a good series. My guess is that Tori will join Hal in more of his investigations even though he prefers to work solo.

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily provided this review.

The Widows by Jess Montgomery

 Our Mystery Book Club read The Widows by Jess Montgomery for our October selection. 

I thought it was a good historical fiction/mystery and is the first book in The Kinship Series.

About: "Kinship, Ohio, 1924: When Lily Ross learns that her husband, Daniel Ross, the town’s widely respected sheriff, is killed while transporting a prisoner, she is devastated and vows to avenge his death. Hours after his funeral, a stranger appears at her door. Marvena Whitcomb, a coal miner’s widow, is unaware that Daniel has died, and begs to speak with him about her missing daughter. From miles away but worlds apart, Lily and Marvena’s lives collide as they realize that Daniel was not the man that either of them believed him to be—and that his murder is far more complex than either of them could have imagined. Inspired by the true story of Ohio’s first female sheriff, this is a powerful debut about two women’s search for justice as they take on the corruption at the heart of their community. 

Inspired by the true story of Ohio’s first female sheriff, this is a powerful debut about two women’s search for justice as they take on the corruption at the heart of their community."

I like historical novels for one.  This is based on Ohio's first female sheriff as it says.

This is Maude Collins. "Originally appointed to the job after her husband, Vinton County Sheriff Fletcher Collins, was murdered, Sheriff Maude (as she was called) was elected by an impressive majority the following year. During her groundbreaking tenure, Maude Collins not only transported a fair number of prisoners, she also took down moonshine stills, investigated five murders, and even took the former marshal of Hamden into custody after he was convicted of killing a suspect."

You can read more about her here: https://ohioec.org/ohio-cooperative-living/sheriff-maude-makes-history/#:~:text=Maude%20Collins%20was%20the%20first,the%20county's%20clerk%20of%20courts.

Now the book The Widows starts with the same incident but then brings in other things that were happening at the time; moonshine, mines and treatment of the workers, move to start unions, and treatment of women. It makes for a good story. 

Lily is determined to find out what happened to her husband, not buying the explanations others are giving her. She helped her husband in the jail and picked up on a thing or two. As Marvena's story entwines with hers, she doesn't know whether to be angry with Daniel or help Marvena. The story twists together more and more as the women pull together to save the town and it's people, risking their own lives.

I really liked it. In all fairness, the MBC had mixed reviews. Some loved it. Some thought it was a little long, but we agreed being a first book in a series, characters and backgrounds need to be set up. A couple of people had read the second book in the series, The Hollows and liked it. A third book, The Stills, is coming our March of 2021. 

About the author: Jess Montgomery

https://jessmontgomeryauthor.com/

"Under Jess's given name, she is a newspaper columnist, focusing on the literary life, authors and events of her native Dayton, Ohio for the Dayton Daily News. Her first novel in the Kinship Historical Mystery series, THE WIDOWS, garnered awards even before publication: Montgomery County (Ohio) Arts & Cultural District (MCAD) Artist Opportunity Grant (2018); Individual Excellence Award (2016) in Literary Arts from Ohio Arts Council; John E. Nance Writer in Residence at Thurber House (Columbus, Ohio) in 2014.

I recommend The Widows if you like historical mysteries with strong female characters and are looking for a new series.

Hallmark Mystery Movies Back?

 

I saw on one of my FB mystery book clubs, an announcement about a new Aurora Teagarden mystery movie coming up in November, so I went sleuthing.

October 11, 2020 8 p.m. central

Picture Perfect Mysteries: Exit Stage Death

" While backstage on opening night of a new play by celebrated murder mystery author/director Neil Khan, photographer Allie Adams discovers the body of the show’s leading lady, murdered before the curtain went up. As Willow Haven PD Detective Sam Acosta launches his investigation, he invites Allie – who has been helpful in solving his first two murder cases since joining the force -- to unofficially assist him on the. case. However, Allie’s involvement makes her a target for murder herself when she gets too close to the truth. Starring Alexa PenaVega, Carlos PenaVega and Willie Aames."

October 18, 2020 8 p.m. central

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Reunited and it Feels So Good

"Aurora's high school reunion turns deadly when a body is found in the hotel pool. Aurora and her Real Murders Club help investigate which classmate was most likely to kill. Stars Candace Cameron Bure, Niall Matter, and Marilu Henner."

That's all I can find out for now. Of course once "the holidays" are closer, for some reason they run all Christmas movies. Isn't there Christmas mystery movies.

All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny

 Gosh I feel like time is getting away from me and that I have been down the rabbit hole. Even though we are still working 100% at home, it seems we are back to our regular volume of work, which means I actually have to work the full eight hours or more to "get it done". On the home side, we have done a few more outings, of taking drives, a couple of masked visits, and football is back, so there is some of that to be watched. 

I listened to All the Devils Are Here on Audible and finished it a couple of weeks ago. Realized I didn't post to me Goodreads list or mention it here. 

I have read all of the books in the Inspector Gamache series and liked them all a lot. I have probably mentioned that the series is a favorite of most of the members in out Mystery Book Club.

This is the 16th book in the Gamache series.

About: " On their first night in Paris, the Gamaches gather as a family for a bistro dinner with Armand’s godfather, the billionaire Stephen Horowitz. Walking home together after the meal, they watch in horror as Stephen is knocked down and critically injured in what Gamache knows is no accident, but a deliberate attempt on the elderly man’s life. When a strange key is found in Stephen’s possession it sends Armand, his wife Reine-Marie, and his former second-in-command at the Sûreté, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, from the top of the Tour d’Eiffel, to the bowels of the Paris Archives, from luxury hotels to odd, coded, works of art. It sends them deep into the secrets Armand’s godfather has kept for decades. A gruesome discovery in Stephen’s Paris apartment makes it clear the secrets are more rancid, the danger far greater and more imminent, than they realized. Soon the whole family is caught up in a web of lies and deceit. In order to find the truth, Gamache will have to decide whether he can trust his friends, his colleagues, his instincts, his own past. His own family. For even the City of Light casts long shadows. And in that darkness devils hide. "

As I mentioned, I listened to this book. The narrator, Robert Bathurst is very good. 

I thought it was a very good book in which we find out more about Gamache's childhood, and his struggles with his own son, Daniel. Meanwhile, the person that raised Armand, his godfather Stephen, is in critical condition and it is doubtful he will survive. As Armand investigates the hit and run, more questions are found rather than answers. And some seem to have a tie to Daniel. Complex story that will have you thinking. If you listen to it, you will want to listen to it within an not too long amount of time and without distraction. Or I would recommend reading the book. I found myself rewinding to refresh what had happened because I would leave it for the weekend or several days. It will keep you on your toes. 

Towards the end, things really pick up and there is a race to the end that will have you on the edge of your seat. And then a heart warming ending.