Tag: Mystery

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The Rooftop Party by Ellen Meister | Blog Tour | Book Review 

On By Brianne's Book ReviewsIn Blog Tour, Humour, Mystery, Romance, Women's FictionLeave a comment

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing/ MIRA Books, for inviting me to be a part of this exciting Blog Tour for The Rooftop Party by Ellen Meister, and for the eARC of this title via NetGalley.

The Rooftop Party by Ellen Meister

Publication Date: May 25, 2021

Publisher: MIRA Books

ISBN: 9780778309512

My rating: 5/5

🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Book Summary

A Host of Trouble…

In this witty and engaging novel, Dana Barry, the Shopping Channel’s star host, stops by the company’s rooftop party to pitch the new CEO her brilliant idea that just might save the flagging business, her job and possibly her love life.

As she chats with the smarmy executive, he backs her into a dark corner. For Dana, it’s a quid pro oh-hell-no. She escapes his lecherous grasp and grabs her drink on her way to the dance floor. Woozy, she blacks out.

When she comes to, the CEO is dead, fallen from the roof. Or was he pushed? And if so, by whom? It’s hard to know, but one thing is certain: Dana was close enough to be suspect.

Sure, she loathed how the creep moved in on her, but she’s no killer. Or is she? Truth is, Dana can’t remember much about those minutes. Now she has to use all her skills to prove her innocence to everyone, including her police detective boyfriend—and herself.

Meister’s latest is fun and breezy, a compelling, suspenseful read that entertains and keeps you guessing.

🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡🏡

I Thought…

Readers first met Dana Barry In Ellen Meister’s ‘Love Sold Separately’ and she’s back in this novel The Rooftop Party. Dana is the Shopping Channel’s most popular host but it’s in financial difficulty though Dana has a few ideas to hopefully rectify this. At their corporate rooftop bash to celebrate twenty five years on air, she heads over to the CEO, Ivan Dennison to talk about a potential new skincare line but he is more interested in her than her suggestions. The next Dana knows of the event is that she passed out, but later learns that Ivan’s body was found on the pavement below.

The Rooftop Party is a delightfully blended rom-com with a mystery that results in a highly entertaining read. The characters are interesting and I found Dana fun and feisty as she strove to figure out what happened to Ivan with the help of her funny new assistant Ashlee St. Pierre, a former pageant girl from Tennessee. I also enjoyed the company of Dana’s New York City homicide detective boyfriend, Ari Marks.

The plot moved along at a steady gallop, and I enjoyed the backstage glimpses at a tv shopping channel. I didn’t read the first book in the series, but I intend to grab a copy though you will still enjoy The Rooftop Party and won’t be lost if, like me, you have yet to read book #1. I really hope there is a third book in the offing!

 A special thank you to MIRA Books and the author for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request, received via NetGalley. This review is my unbiased opinion.

About the Author

Ellen Meister is the author of  several novels including LOVE SOLD SEPARATELY,  DOROTHY PARKER DRANK HERE; FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER; THE OTHER LIFE and others. Ellen is also an editor, book coach, ghostwriter, and frequent contributor to Long Island Woman Magazine. She teaches creative writing at Long Island University Hutton House Lectures and previously at Hofstra University. Her latest novel is THE ROOFTOP PARTY. For more info visit ellenmeister.com.

Connect with Ellen

Author Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram * Goodreads

BUY LINKS:

Harlequin | Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Walmart | Google | iBooks | Kobo

Until Next Time, 

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Death by Donut by Rebecca M. Douglass | Blog Tour | Book Review | Giveaway 

On By Brianne's Book ReviewsIn Blog Tour, Cozy, Mystery4 Comments

Death by Donut (A Pismawallops PTA Mystery)

by Rebecca M. Douglass

I am delighted to join the blog tour for Death by Donut by Rebecca M. Douglass today! My thanks to Lori at Great Escapes Book Tours for the chance to join and the review copy!

About Death by Donut

Death By Donut (A Pismawallops PTA Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th In Series
Independently Published (May 16, 2021)
~200 Pages
Digital ASIN: B08VKSZV2D

Election day’s almost here, and the island’s new pool is on the line. JJ should be all in with the campaign, but when a prominent Island businessman drops dead at her feet in the Have-A-Bite Bakery, someone has a mystery to solve. JJ’s fiancé—police chief Ron Karlson—is out of town. Who else is there?

JJ is missing her sweetheart, tired of the winter rains, and distracted by everybody’s questions about when the wedding’s happening. Even more worrying, her foster daughter’s father has failed to show up on schedule. No wonder JJ’s struggling to wrap this one up before someone else bites into the wrong donut. There’s no time to lose because something truly essential is on the line: saving the bakery—and JJ’s favorite espresso brownies!

I Thought…

This is my second visit to see JJ McGregor on Pismawallops Island, one of the many picturesque islands that make up the Puget Sound in Washington State, albeit under very unfortunate circumstances for one businessman, Brady Ginnis.

The reader is straight into the drama and action when Brady dies whilst sipping his coffee and eating a donut. He had a known peanut allergy and carried an EpiPen but could not be saved, though JJ does her very best to try. JJ is puzzled as to why Brady would eat a donut containing nuts and what happened to his breakfast companion, a woman named Wanda Stromburgh. Busy forty-something JJ has a part-time job at the local library as a general dogsbody who sorts and shelves books. Vice president of Orcaville High school PTA, divorced JJ is hard-up, has a teenage son, Brian, and is engaged to her sweetheart, hunky police chief Ron Karlson. With Ron off the island attending a conference, JJ begins her sleuthing without frustrating the police too much. In addition to all of this, she has her six-year-old foster daughter, Holly, staying with her and has to cope with Holly's dad, Pete's vanishing act. 

I enjoyed Rebecca Douglass's touches of humour, demonstrated in JJ and Ron's ribbing of each other. Though Ron is away for the duration, JJ stays in contact with him and they have a strong, solid and slightly saucy relationship, even if JJ is stalling on the next step for them - actually planning the wedding. Then there's JJ's heavy involvement in the PTA elections and the campaign for a swimming pool for the school. It's no wonder she feels she has no time for wedding planning! 

Every good cozy mystery needs a great baddie or a nasty gossiper and in Death by Donut, Moira certainly fits that bill! This is a compelling tale that's put together extremely well and includes a tight plot. With buckets of drama, fretting and emotion, it is a masterful addition to the series. Very highly recommended. 

Thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours and Rebecca M. Douglass for a complimentary copy of Death by Donut at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Brianne’s Book Reviews Rating | Five Stars

About Rebecca M. Douglass

Rebecca M. Douglass was raised in Washington State on an island only a little bigger than Pismawallops. Though she has lived most of her adult life in California, the salt waters of Puget Sound continue to call to her and she enjoys owning an island in the Salish Sea, even if she had to invent one to do so! Rebecca has written a number of children’s books as well as her Pismawallops PTA mysteries and has had short stories published in several anthologies. When she isn’t writing, she likes to spend her free time hiking and biking, and her vacations exploring the outdoor world by camping, hiking, and backpacking.

Author Links

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaDouglassNinjaLibrarian

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-M-Douglass/e/B0078SLT2A/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1502128942&sr=8-2

Smashwords Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/NinjaLibrarian

Goodreads Author Page:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5755891.Rebecca_M_Douglass

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Douglass_RM

Purchase Links: 

– Amazon   Smashwords    B&N     iTunes     Kobo 

There is a Rafflecopter Giveaway for this tour. Please click below to enter and good luck!

Don’t forget the other stops on the tour!

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Until Next Time, 

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Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica | Blog Tour | Book Review 

On By Brianne's Book ReviewsIn Blog Tour, Crime, General Fiction, Mystery, NetGalley, ThrillerLeave a comment

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing/ Park Row, for inviting me to be a part of this exciting Blog Tour for Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica, and for the eARC of this title via NetGalley.

Local Woman Missing

Mary Kubica

On Sale Date: May 18, 2021

9780778389446, 0778389448

Hardcover

$27.99 USD, $34.99 CAD

Fiction / Thrillers / Psychological

352 pages

My rating: 5/5

🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Book Summary

People don’t just disappear without a trace…
Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.
Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find…
In this smart and chilling thriller, master of suspense and New York Times bestselling author Mary Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.

🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

I Thought…

Local Woman Missing is another cracking thriller by Mary Kubica. This is my second novel by this bestseller author though I have had a few of her other books on my e-reader for quite some time, specifically, When the Lights Go Out, and Every Last Lie.

Local Woman Missing sees Shelby Tebow vanish, shortly followed by Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter Delilah. When Delilah returns to the quiet Chicago neighbourhood eleven years later her family and the local community start to ask searching questions.

This thriller, with its mesmerising readability, is told from different perspectives; those of Delilah, Meredith, Kate, who is a neighbour of Meredith, and Leo, who is Meredith’s son. Some viewpoints are from the past and others are in the present. Meredith is a doula and yoga teacher and when she disappears Kate is hit hard by her absence and decides to look into Meredith and Delilah’s vanishing. Leo is struggling to believe that is his sister has returned as she is nothing like she was eleven years ago, and Leo is slow to trust that Delilah is his sister.

Mary Kubica’s novel follows a very intriguing, multi-layered story. Dark and chilling it is creative, inspired and the writing is flawless. Gripped by the perfect plotting and pacing, I found the suspense riveting. The author’s writing style is impressive and noteworthy and she is a gifted storyteller who can provide readers with thrills, sophistication and a story packed with substance. I like the way the story evolved, and for me, Local Woman Missing is a very highly recommended read that will be of interest to many readers.

 A special thank you to Park Row Books and the author for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request, received via NetGalley. This review is my unbiased opinion.

About the Author:

Mary Kubica is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of six novels, including THE GOOD GIRL, PRETTY BABY, DON’T YOU CRY, EVERY LAST LIE, WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT, and THE OTHER MRS. A former high school history teacher, Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in History and American Literature. She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two children. Her last novel THE OTHER MRS. was an instant New York Times bestseller; is coming soon to Netflix; was a LibraryReads pick for February 2020; praised by the New York Times; and highly recommended by Entertainment Weekly, People, The Week, Marie Claire, Bustle, HelloGiggles, Goodreads, PopSugar, BookRiot, HuffingtonPost, First for Women, Woman’s World, and more. Mary’s novels have been translated into over thirty languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. She’s been described as “a helluva storyteller,” (Kirkus Reviews) and “a writer of vice-like control,” (Chicago Tribune), and her novels have been praised as “hypnotic” (People) and “thrilling and illuminating” (Los Angeles Times).  LOCAL WOMAN MISSING is her seventh novel.

Social Links: Author Website * Twitter * Instagram * Facebook * Goodreads

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Local-Woman-Missing-Mary-Kubica/dp/0778389448/ 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/local-woman-missing-mary-kubica/1137387568  

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/books/local-woman-missing/9780778389446 

IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780778389446 

Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781488211690-local-woman-missing 

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Local-Woman-Missing/Mary-Kubica/9780778389446?id=8051055467945# 

Target: https://www.target.com/p/local-woman-missing-by-mary-kubica-hardcover/-/A-81225904 

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Local-Woman-Missing-Original-ed-Hardcover-9780778389446/700252600 

Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/local-woman-missing-a-novel/9780778389446-item.html 

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/local-woman-missing 

AppleBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/local-woman-missing/id1524947457 

Google Play: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Local_Woman_Missing/sKazzQEACAAJ?hl=en 

Until Next Time, 

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The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait by Cleo Coyle | Blog Tour | Book Review | Giveaway 

On By Brianne's Book ReviewsIn Blog Tour, Cozy, Mystery3 Comments

The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)

by Cleo Coyle

I am delighted to join the blog tour for The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait by Cleo Coyle today! My thanks to Lori at Great Escapes Book Tours for the chance to join and the review copy!

About The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait

The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Publisher: Berkley (May 4, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 0425251861
ISBN-13: 978-0425251867
Digital ASIN: B08274WCLM

Bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure and her gumshoe ghost team up to solve the stunning mystery at the heart of a madwoman’s self-portrait in this all new installment from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

While gathering a collection of vintage book cover paintings for a special event in her quaint Rhode Island bookshop, Penelope discovers a spooky portrait of a beautiful woman, one who supposedly went mad, according to town gossip. Seymour, the local mailman, falls in love with the haunting image and buys the picture, refusing to part with it, even as fatal accidents befall those around it. Is the canvas cursed? Or is something more sinister at work?

For answers, Pen turns to an otherworldly source: Jack Shepard, PI. Back in the 1940s, Jack cracked a case of a killer cover artist, and (to Pen’s relief) his spirit is willing to help her solve this mystery, even if he and his license did expire decades ago.

I Thought…

This is the seventh book in Cleo Coyle's Haunted Bookshop Mystery series and though it was my first instalment I didn't feel at a disadvantage and still found the story absorbing and the characters winsome.

In this cozy mystery, I got to meet bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure. She is preparing for an event to be held at her shop, Buy the Book, and is collecting paintings of vintage book covers. One of the paintings, a portrait of a beautiful woman who he learns is Harriet McClure, an ancestor of Penelope's late husband, has caught the attention of the local postman, Seymour who buys it. The picture, according to the locals is haunted, and when strange occurrences begin happening, and there is a fatal accident, Seymour still hangs on to it. Wondering if the painting is cursed, Pen turns to private investigator and ghost Jack Shepard for help.

Cleo Coyle has a lively writing style that sets the stage for the book with plenty of vivid imagery, making it easy to visualise scenes. The mystery is skillfully woven filled with intersecting stories, past and present and there are clues galore. The characters are expertly created and developed. Pen and Jack make a fascinating sleuthing duo and I could tell that they care about each other. Even though Jack has a rather gruff manner, he clearly has feelings for Pen who is smart, diligent and caring. I was totally invested in the story and reading The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait has given me the desire to check out the rest of this series as well as continuing with Cleo Coyle's other series,  the Coffeehouse Mysteries. A very highly recommended, fun trip to the 1940s for cozy mystery readers. 

Thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours, Cleo Coyle and Berkley for a complimentary copy of The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Brianne’s Book Reviews Rating | Five Stars

About Cleo Coyle

CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries—now celebrating eighteen years in print. They are also authors of the nationally bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, previously written under the pseudonym Alice Kimberly. Alice has worked as a journalist in Washington, D.C., and New York, and has written popular fiction for adults and children. A former magazine editor, Marc has authored espionage thrillers and nonfiction for adults and children. Alice and Marc are also both bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together.

Author Links

Webpage: https://www.coffeehousemystery.com/cleos_haunted_bookshop.cfm

Free Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cleocoylerecipes/newsletter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleoCoyle/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CleoCoyle

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cleo-coyle

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/51488.Cleo_Coyle

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

Purchase Links:

Amazon    Barnes & Noble     Kobo     Google Play    IndieBound

There is a Rafflecopter Giveaway for this tour. Please click below to enter and good luck!

Don’t forget the other stops on the tour!

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Until Next Time, 

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Whole Latte Murder by Lena Gregory | Blog Tour | Book Review | Giveaway 

On By Brianne's Book ReviewsIn Blog Tour, Cozy, Mystery3 Comments

Whole Latte Murder (All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery) by Lena Gregory

I am delighted to join the blog tour for Whole Latte Murder by Lena Gregory today! My thanks to Lori at Great Escapes Book Tours for the chance to join and the review copy!

About Whole Latte Murder 

Whole Latte Murder (All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation Lyrical Press(April 27, 2021)
Paperback: 206 pages
ISBN-10: 1516110498
ISBN-13: 978-1516110490
Digital ASIN: B08F2X8NGW

Ex-New Yorker and local diner owner Gia Morelli is still getting used to the sweltering Florida sun. But this summer she’ll have to deal with a more dangerous kind of heat—when she’s hot on the trail of another murderer . . .

Summer in Boggy Creek has arrived, and Gia’s best friend, successful real estate agent Savannah, is getting hitched. Now she’s enlisted Gia’s sleuthing talents in a desperate search for the perfect wedding dress. But when Savannah mysteriously vanishes after showing a mansion to a bigwig client, Gia investigates the house Savannah was trying to sell. The first clue she finds is Savannah’s car in the driveway. Inside the house, they stumble on Savannah’s potential buyer—dead. Someone had apparently closed the deal—with a two by four full of nails to the client’s head. Soon afterward, a woman’s body is fished from the lake near the same house. The townsfolk are now sweating bullets over the murders, and the heat comes down on poor Gia to find her missing friend, and track down the killer …

I Thought…

Whole Latte Murder is the 5th book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series.

Gia Morelli runs the ‘All-Day Breakfast Café’, a diner in Boggy Creek, Florida. Gia is on a mission to help her BFF property and estate agent Savannah Mills find a wedding frock for her upcoming nuptials. Before they go shopping together Savannah has an appointment showing potential buyer Buster Clarke around Oakley Manor House, a large empty property out in the woods. When Savannah doesn’t show up for their shopping trip, Gia begins to fret and heads out to Oakley Manor to look for her friend taking Trevor Barnes, the owner of Storm Scoopers, an ice cream parlour, with her. They don’t find Savannah, but they do find Buster… dead in the bath.

Whole Latte Murder was my 2nd in this series as I dived in late at book four in A Waffle Lot of Murder. I had no difficulties keeping up with characters and events and it worked for me as an individual story. Gia and Savannah have a brilliant friendship and protagonist Gia is a great character who I find to be instinctive and keen. Cole Barrister and Willow Broussard, a cook and a waitress at the café work with Gia and are eager to help her out when Gia needs to go and search for clues. The great cast of characters, including the hilarious townsfolk, and strong friendship bonds, help to zhoosh up this summer cozy as does Thor, Gia’s Bernese Mountain Dog. I was sold on this summer-themed compulsive story from the very beginning, and Lena Gregory once again really impressed me with her fluid writing. The details of the plot were very well-executed, the story was amusing and easy to follow, and every chapter left me with a compelling need to read on. The story was scattered with scrumptious food references, and clues were sprinkled throughout. As a lover of a good breakfast myself Lena Gregory’s mentions of delectable sounding meals and treats were pure joy and I could almost taste the iced chocolate macadamia nut lattes! The killer’s identity eluded me until the very end.

This was an amazingly good cozy and I am looking forward to reading book six, Mistletoe Cake Murder. If you adore a great cozy mystery, don’t miss out on Whole Latte Murder!

Thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours, Lena Gregory and Kensington Books for a complimentary copy of Whole Latte Murder at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Brianne’s Book Reviews Rating | Five Stars

About Lena Gregory

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, and the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime. To learn more about Lena and her latest writing endeavors, visit her website at http://www.lenagregory.com/ and be sure to sign up for her newsletter http://lenagregory.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9765d0711ed4fab4fa31b16ac&id=49d42335d1.

Author Links 

Newsletter: https://lenagregory.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9765d0711ed4fab4fa31b16ac&id=49d42335d1

Website:  http://www.lenagregory.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lena.gregory.986

Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/Lena.Gregory.Author/?fref=ts

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LenaGregory03

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/lenagregoryauth/

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

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lena-gregory

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lena-Gregory/e/B01BKZQES0?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1591718042&sr=8-

Purchase Links:

Amazon    Barnes & Noble      Kobo    Kensington     Apple    Google Play

There is a Rafflecopter Giveaway for this tour. Please click below to enter and good luck!

Don’t forget the other stops on the tour!

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Until Next Time, 

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Boarding With Murder by Kathryn Long | Blog Tour | Book Review | Giveaway 

On By Brianne's Book ReviewsIn Blog Tour, Cozy, Mystery4 Comments

Boarding with Murder by Kathryn Long

I am delighted to join the blog tour for Boarding With Murder by Kathryn Long today! My thanks to Lori at Great Escapes Book Tours for the chance to join and the review copy!

About Boarding With Murder 

Boarding with Murder (A Sierra Pines B&B Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Camel Press (March 9, 2021)
Paperback: 220 pages
ISBN-10: 1603817301
ISBN-13: 978-1603817301
Digital ASIN : B08SHLHD2D

Take one quaint B&B, two kind but quirky caretakers, a dead aunt, a murdered friend, and you have mystery. Ali Winston finds she’s inherited trouble along with her aunt’s B&B, but can she reveal the killer before the curtain closes?

I Thought…

I love embarking on a new series from the very start, and this one certainly intrigued me enough to do just that.

Alexis Winston (Ali to those who know her) has lost her job. She’s from a family of actors and theatre people and with some time on her hands, she returns to Sierra Pines to visit her Great-Aunt Julia who owns a B & B, a quaint Victoria structure with three storeys and numerous bedrooms. Sierra Pines is a town nestled in the California Sierra Nevada mountains and on her arrival, Ali is met by Julia’s dearest friend, Gladys Bellwether who delivers some shocking news… Great-Aunt Julia is dead. Gladys firmly believes that Julia’s death is suspicious and that someone else is involved, that someone being Thaddeus Beale and she manages to convince Ali to investigate further.

Kathryn Long has created and fleshed out some marvellous characters in this compelling cozy. Twenty-eight-year-old Ali has lost her job twice now – once, as a screenwriter, and again, a few years later, when she was an assistant researcher for a TV show that needed a ratings boost and decided to reduce the number of researchers they had. Her Great-Aunt Julia was a volunteer on the set of a movie being filmed near the B & B. Ali knows a thing or two about prop design as she dual majored in the subject at university and demonstrates her helpfulness when she offers to volunteer in place of Julia on the set of the movie. I loved Ali’s determination to get to the bottom of what happened to her great aunt, and her self-doubt she displayed about whether or not she has was it takes to run the B & B made her realistic and endearing.

Other memorable characters were Gladys, Ollie, Quint and Blackbeard the parrot. The spirited Gladys added a great deal to this intriguing tale and I loved her relationship with her food-loving brother Ollie. Quint Sterling, the town’s sheriff, had a habit of popping up all over the place but came across as an amenable, gentlemanly guy and Ali certainly, seemed keen on him, in spite of his repeated warnings to stay out of his investigation and to let the police do their stuff and follow procedures. Their repartee had me chuckling away and I liked Great-Aunt Julia’s apple-eating parrot, Blackbeard.

The mystery itself was fairly complex in the beginning as a horde of characters were introduced made up of B & B guests, cast members, residents of Sierra Pines and others, resulting in a wide choice of suspects and motives. Initially, it was difficult to keep everyone straight but as the story develops, the characters become more defined. Most had their secrets, big or small and I was kept guessing until close to the end. All told, Boarding with Murder is a well-plotted, drama-filled, compulsive start to the Sierra Pines B & B Mystery series and I’m eagerly awaiting my return to Ali’s B & B and catching up with the folk in Sierra Pines.

Thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours, Kathryn Long and Camel Press for a complimentary copy of Boarding with Murder at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Brianne’s Book Reviews Rating | Five Stars

About Kathryn Long

Retired teacher, Kathryn Long now spends her days plotting and writing mysteries. Her most recent credits are romantic suspense novel, A DEADLY DEED GROWS and mystery, BURIED IN SIN. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime as well as of International Thriller Writers. Under the pen name, Bailee Abbott this author writes the Paint by Murder cozy series, starting with A BRUSH WITH MURDER soon to be released. Kathryn lives with her husband and furry friend Max in the quiet suburbs of Green, Ohio.

Author Links

Author website: https://www.kathrynlongauthor.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KathrynLong.Books

Twitter: https://twitter.com/klongauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4203129.Kathryn_Long

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathylong7487/

Product Links:

There is a Rafflecopter Giveaway for this tour. Please click below to enter and good luck!

Don’t forget the other stops on the tour!

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 22 – Diane Reviews Books – GUEST POST

March 22 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

March 23 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT

March 24 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

March 24 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE

March 25 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

March 25 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW 

March 26 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

March 26 – Tea Book Blanket – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 27 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 28 – The Book’s the Thing – SPOTLIGHT

March 28 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 29 – Novels Alive – SPOTLIGHT

March 29 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW

March 30 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 30 – Literary Gold – REVIEW

March 31 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

March 31 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

April 1 –The Avid Reader – REVIEW

April 1 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

April 1 – Brianne’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

April 2 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

April 2 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

April 2 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 3 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

April 4 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT

April 4 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Until Next Time, 

Featured

Tell No Lies by Allison Brennan | Blog Tour | Book Review 

On By Brianne's Book ReviewsIn Blog Tour, Crime, General Fiction, Mystery, NetGalley, ThrillerLeave a comment

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing/ MIRA Books, for inviting me to be a part of this exciting Blog Tour for Tell No Lies by Allison Brennan, and for the eARC of this title via NetGalley.

Tell No Lies  by Allison Brennan

Publication Date: March 30, 2021

Publisher: MIRA Books

ISBN: 9780778331469

My rating: 5/5

🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Book Summary

New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan’s newest thriller again features an edgy young female LAPD detective and an ambitious special agent, both part of a mobile FBI unit that is brought in to investigate the unsolved murder of a college activist and its alleged ties to high stakes crime in the desert Southwest.

Something mysterious is killing the wildlife in the desert hills just south of Tucson, Arizona. When Emma Perez, a college-intern-turned activist, sets out to collect her own evidence, she too ends up dead. Local law enforcement seems slow to get involved. That’s when the mobile FBI unit goes undercover to infiltrate the town and the copper refinery located there in search of possible leads. Costa and Quinn find themselves scouring the desolate landscape that keeps on giving up clues to something much darker—greed, child trafficking, other killings. As the body count continues to add up, it’s clear they have stumbled on more than they bargained for. Now they must figure out who is at the heart of this mayhem and stop them before more innocent lives are lost.

Brennan’s latest novel brims with complex characters and an ever-twisting plotline, a compelling thriller that delivers.

🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

I Thought…

Golly, this impressive second instalment in Allison Brennan’s series centring on the FBI’s Mobile Response Team turned out to be a little gem! This newly formed part of the FBI consists of highly specialised agents who are top in their field, be it forensics, crime scene specialists or investigators. They are operational primarily in rural areas and in Tell No Lies the team is undercover in Patagonia, Arizona as they investigate a murder that leads to the local copper refinery possibly dumping toxic waste in the desert. FBI special agent Mathias (Matt) Costa has LAPD Detective on loan to the FBI, Kara Quinn working as a bartender in the local bar where the refinery workers and townies socialise. Michael Harris, a former Navy SEAL, takes a job at the refinery and the refinery owner’s son becomes an informant. When another dead body is found, the case becomes much more complicated as they realise the quiet town has links to several other criminal activities.

Kara is such a fiercely independent, strong and unique protagonist with a strong sense of justice. There is chemistry between her and Matt, and they also share a mutual respect for one another however, their growing connection is not the main focus of this book. Matt himself is shrewd, level-headed and makes a marvellous leader.

The mystery element in Tell No Lies is magnificent and totally engaging. The tight time-frame keeps the plot rolling, with no opportunity to become mired in tediousness. The procedural aspects are solid with the coordination and teamwork of the investigators coming through winningly. Tell No Lies is wonderfully written in a style I relish and I was in my element reading this dark and gritty tale. This is a great second instalment in what has so far turned out to be a stellar series. I enjoyed Tell No Lies so much that I’m reading the books from Allison Brennan’s other series and cannot wait for her next in this one.

 A special thank you to MIRA Books and the author for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request, received via NetGalley. This review is my unbiased opinion.

About the Author:

ALLISON BRENNAN is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over thirty novels. She has been nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers and the Daphne du Maurier Award. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, Allison lives in Arizona with her husband, five kids and assorted pets.

Social Links: Author Website * Twitter * Instagram * Facebook * Goodreads

Buy Links:

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/tell-no-lies-9780778331469/9780778331469

Indie Bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780778331469

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tell-no-lies-allison-brennan/1136909250;jsessionid=BE5869D36ACCCEF44F21FF4A05BC5D62.prodny_store01-atgap04?ean=9780778331469 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0778331466/httpwwwalli0f-20

Books A Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780778331469

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B087JTYYSY/httpwwwalli0f-20

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tell-no-lies-allison-brennan/1136909250?ean=9781488077142

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/tell-no-lies-16

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Allison_Brennan_Tell_No_Lies?id=RHDeDwAAQBAJ

Ibooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/tell-no-lies/id1509698872

Until Next Time, 

Featured

A Game of Cones by Abby Collette | Blog Tour | Book Review | Giveaway 

On By Brianne's Book ReviewsIn Blog Tour, Cozy, Mystery3 Comments

A Game of Cones (An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery) by Abby Collette

I am delighted to join the blog tour for A Game of Cones by Abby Collette today! My thanks to Lori at Great Escapes Book Tours for the chance to join and the review copy!

About A Game of Cones

In this charming mystery series set in an ice cream shop, no case is too cold to crack!

Bronwyn Crewse is delighted that Crewse Creamery, the ice cream shop her family has owned for decades, is restored to its former glory and serving sweet frozen treats to happy customers in the picturesque small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. But when a big city developer comes to town intent on building a mall, a killer with a frozen heart takes him out.

After literally stumbling across the body, one of Win’s closest friends becomes the prime suspect, and to make things worse, Win’s aunt has come to town with the intention of taking command of Crewse Creamery. Even though Win has a rocky road ahead to help her friend and keep her ice cream shop, it’ll take more than a sprinkle of murder to stop her from solving the crime and saving the day.

A Game of Cones (An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Berkley (March 2, 2021)
Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN-10: 0593099680
ISBN-13: 978-0593099681
Digital ASIN: B089S6SPKB

I Thought…

Bronwyn (Win) Crewse is the manager of her family-owned ice cream shop, called Crewse Creamery in small-town Chagrin Falls, Ohio. During a town planning meeting, a city estate developer mentions his plans to build a high rise shopping mall in the historic town triangle. Later that day, he is found dead in an alleyway by a friend of Win’s visiting from New York City.

Win, an MBA graduate, used to work in New York City but was finding the pace of life too hectic for her there. She has worked hard to renovate Crewse Creamery and develop her Gran’s sweet frozen treat recipes whilst inventing a few of her own. Maisie Solomon has been her best friend since they went to first school together. After a visit from Detective Liam Beverly, the exuberant Maisie’s convinced that he was asking her and Win help with the investigation.

One of my favourite aspects of A Game of Cones is Win’s family and their closeness including her wise, overprotective granddad, referred to as PopPop, and her supportive parents and it’s a delight to observe their interactions. Aunty Jack, who left Chagrin Falls in pursuit of other things, has returned with an interest in taking over Crewse Creamery, causing several problems for Win who’s sunk shedloads of cash into making the ice cream parlour a very successful business with expansion on the periphery.

It was fun to be in the pockets of a rather reluctant Win and the wild, garrulous and excitable Maisie as the pair hunted for clues leading them to become embroiled in various situations.

A Game of Cones is a highly recommended five star read that will be of interest to many cozy readers, and I’m game to see what shenanigans Win and Maisie get into next in book 3. If you haven’t tried this series out yet, then you’re definitely missing out!

Thanks to Berkley, Great Escapes Book Tours and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Brianne’s Book Reviews Rating | Five Stars

About Abby Collette

Abby L. Vandiver, also writing as Abby Collette, is a hybrid author who has penned more than twenty-five books and short stories. She has hit both the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller list. Books one and two, A Deadly Inside Scoop and A Game of Cones, from her latest cozy series, An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery, published by Penguin Berkley, is out now.

Website: www.authorabby.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorabbyl.vandiver

Twitter: www.twitter.com/abbyvandiver

Instagram: www.instagram.com/abbylvandiver

Purchase Links

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound 

There is a Rafflecopter Giveaway for this tour. Please click below to enter and good luck!

Don’t forget the other stops on the tour!

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 1 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 1 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

March 1 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

March 2 – Reading Is My SuperPower =- REVIEW

March 2 – The Book Diva’s Reads – SPOTLIGHT

March 2 –My Journey Back the Journey Back – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 3 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW  

March 3 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 3 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 4 – Mysteries with Character– GUEST POST

March 4 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

March 5 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 5 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW

March 6 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 6 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 7 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

March 7 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

March 8 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

March 8 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

March 9 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

March 9 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE

March 9 – Dee-Scoveries – SPOTLIGHT

March 10 – Diane Reviews Books – REVIEW

March 10 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST

March 11 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

March 11 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 12 – Literary Gold – REVIEW

March 12 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 12 – Ms. Cat’s Honest World – REVIEW

March 13 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT

March 13 – Brianne’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

March 14 – eBook Addicts – REVIEW

March 14 – I Read What You Write – CHARACTER GUEST POST

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Until Next Time, 

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Haunted Hibiscus by Laura Childs | Blog Tour | Book Review | Giveaway 

On By Brianne's Book ReviewsIn Blog Tour, Cozy, Mystery2 Comments

Haunted Hibiscus (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs

I am delighted to join the blog tour for Haunted Hibiscus by Laura Childs today! My thanks to Lori at Great Escapes Book Tours for the chance to join and the review copy!

About Haunted Hibiscus

Tea maven Theodosia Browning brews up trouble in the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs.

It is the week before Halloween and Theodosia Browning, proprietor of the Indigo Tea Shop, and her tea sommelier, Drayton, are ghosting through the dusk of a cool Charleston evening on their way to the old Bouchard Mansion. Known as the Gray Ghost, this dilapidated place was recently bequeathed to the Heritage Society, and tonight heralds the grand opening of their literary and historical themed haunted house.

Though Timothy Neville, the patriarch of the Heritage Society, is not thrilled with the fund-raising idea, it is the perfect venue for his grandniece, Willow French, to sign copies of her new book, Carolina Crimes & Creepers.

But amid a parade of characters dressed as Edgar Allan Poe, Lady Macbeth, and the Headless Horseman, Willow’s body is suddenly tossed from the third-floor tower room and left to dangle at the end of a rope. Police come screaming in and Theodosia’s boyfriend, Detective Pete Riley, is sent to Willow’s apartment to investigate. But minutes later, he is shot and wounded by a shadowy intruder.

Timothy begs Theodosia to investigate, and shaken by Riley’s assault, she readily agrees. Now, she questions members of the Heritage Society and a man who claims the mansion is rightfully his, as well as Willow’s book publisher and her fiancé, all while hosting a Sherlock Holmes tea and catering several others.

But the Gray Ghost holds many secrets, as do several other key suspects, while this murder mystery plays out on the eve of Halloween.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

Haunted Hibiscus (A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
22nd in Series
Publisher: Berkley (March 2, 2021)
Hardcover: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 0451489691
ISBN-13: 978-0451489692
Kindle ASIN: B089S6MFBH

I Thought…

Haunted Hibiscus is the 22nd book in the Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs. I have copies of the first four books in this series patiently waiting to be read, as well as book 21, Lavender Blue Murder.

I enjoyed reading Haunted Hibiscus immensely! In this instalment, a crumbling Bouchard mansion owned by the Historical Society has been turned into a haunted house for the Historical Society Halloween fundraiser in Charleston, South Carolina. Theodosia Browning, the proprietor of the Indigo Tea Shop, is on her way to the mansion, referred to as ‘Gray Ghost’. Theo and her tea sommelier, Drayton are attending the Halloween party that includes a book-signing for a new true crime and low-country legend author. But the night turns sour when a woman is murdered, found hanging from a third-floor window.

This novel was an extremely intriguing tale and I was delighted to be visiting Theodosia in her teashop in Charleston! Her variety of recipes sounded scrumptious, a few of which had a Halloween theme and I’m particularly keen to try the Charleston Apple Pudding and Haley’s Pumpkin Soup. Of course, the extensive menu of teas must be mentioned.

Laura Childs’ magnificent descriptions of the dark night, the haunted house and the fundraiser were second-to-none, as were those of the characters in their historical or ghostly apparel. Unravelling the mystery in the pockets of Theodosia was lots of fun and I welcomed the comfortable pace. I did my level best to solve the subtle clues, wade through the red herrings and concentrate on the murderer but repeatedly found myself sidetracked by other events, happenings, comedic moments and occurrences. Laura Childs has also used a few comedic sides to full effect such as electric tea brewers that are Bluetooth enabled, Drayton’s witch’s broom Puerh and different types of beige. Lots of action keeps up the suspense as the story winds its way to a fulfilling conclusion.

Haunted Hibiscus is a highly recommended five star read that will be of interest to many cozy readers, and I’m game to see what shenanigans Theodosia and Drayton get into next in book 23, Twisted Tea Christmas. If you haven’t tried this series out yet, then you’re definitely missing out!

Thanks to Berkley, Great Escapes Book Tours and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Brianne’s Book Reviews Rating | Five Stars

About Laura Childs

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Laura’s Links:

Website – http://www.laurachilds.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31

Purchase Links

Amazon   B&N   Kobo   Google Play   IndieBound

There is a Rafflecopter Giveaway for this tour. Please click below to enter and good luck!

Don’t forget the other stops on the tour!

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 1 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

March 1 – The Editing Pen – REVIEW

March 1 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

March 2 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

March 2 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT

March 3 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

March 3 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

March 3 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 3 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

March 4 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 4 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

March 5 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 5 – I Read What You Write – GUEST POST

March 5 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

March 6 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 6 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 7 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

March 7 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

March 8 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

March 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 8 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW

March 9 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

March 9 – Brianne’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

March 10 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

March 10 – Reading Authors Network – SPOTLIGHT

March 11 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

March 11 – ebook addicts – SPOTLIGHT

March 11 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

March 12 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

March 12 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT

March 12 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

March 13 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

March 13 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 14 – The Book Diva’s Reads – GUEST POST

March 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Until Next Time, 

Featured

Long Island Iced Tina by Maria DiRico | Blog Tour | Book Review | Giveaway 

On By Brianne's Book ReviewsIn Blog Tour, Cozy, Mystery1 Comment

Long Island Iced Tina (A Catering Hall Mystery) by Maria DiRico

I am delighted to join the blog tour for Long Island Iced Tina by Maria DiRico today! My thanks to Lori at Great Escapes Book Tours for the chance to join and the review copy!

About Long Island Iced Tina 

Mia Carina is back in the borough of Queens—in charge of the family catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor, and keeping her nonna company. But some events—like murder—are not the kind you can schedule . . .

Mia Carina is back in the borough of Queens—in charge of the family catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor, and keeping her nonna company. But some events—like murder—are not the kind you can schedule . . .

Mia’s newly pregnant friend Nicole plans to hold a shower at Belle View—but Nicole also has to attend one that her competitive (and mysteriously rich) stepmother, Tina, is throwing at the fanciest place in Queens. It’s a good chance for Mia to snoop on a competitor, especially since doing a search for “how to run a catering hall” can get you only so far.

Mia tags along at the lavish party, but the ambience suffers at Nicole’s Belle View shower when a fight breaks out—and then, oddly, a long-missing and valuable stolen painting is unwrapped by the mom-to-be. Tina is clearly shocked to see it. But not as shocked as Mia is when, soon afterward, she spots the lifeless body of a party guest floating in the marina . . .

Italian recipes included!

Long Island Iced Tina (A Catering Hall Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Kensington (February 23, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1496725352
ISBN-13: 978-1496725356
Digital ASIN: B089NCJ9NS

I Thought…

Long Island Iced Tina is the 2nd book in the Catering Hall Mystery series by Maria DiRico.

It was great to be back in bustling Astoria, Queens, New York City even vicariously, for a few hours, to meet the residents there and solve a perplexing mystery. The mystery is plenty puzzling, and the red herrings it offers up are as tasty as the offerings at the Belle View Banquet Manor.

The primary amateur detective in this one is manager and events organiser Mia Carina. Belle View Banquet Manor is the catering hall that her father has created. Mia’s close friend, Nicole plans to hold a baby shower at Belle View but first Nicole must attend a shower that her wicked stepmother, Tina is throwing, held at the ritzy Versailles on the Park and Mia is looking forward to checking out how her competition runs their business.

However, at Nicole’s own shower a gift is given which turns out to be a valuable, stolen painting. When a fight occurs in the bathroom, between Tina and Nicole’s grandmother, Minnie, Mia can’t imagine that things could possibly get any worse… until she glimpses a guest’s dead body floating in the water. Figuring out exactly who killed Tina – and why – bobs right to the top of Mia’s to-do list.

Mia is determined to leave no stone unturned, and with the help of the family, she uncovers a web of secrets. I was really engaged in the mystery from the start. There is a lot happening and a lot of layers and clues to sift through in order to figure out the identity of the killer.

The unusual thing about Long Island Iced Tina is that it’s set in a city rather than a small town, giving a different vibe than the majority of cozies. Maria DiRico’s well-formulated and super-packed plot involving Tina becomes surprisingly complex as the story develops. Mia’s father, Ravello, offers his ‘expertise’ and wisdom to help Mia with the case.

I continued to warm to Mia, finding her ebullience, confidence and intuitiveness very refreshing. I very much appreciated Maria DiRico’s superb and varied characterisation, even though some of the characters weren’t particularly personable. Apart from Mia herself, my favourite was probably Nonna Elisabetta, a true Italian believing that food can solve any of life’s problems. She added another dimension of humour to the story and had me cracking a smile or two.

Maria DiRico writes with such flair and an easy style. There were a plethora of suspects to choose from who might have had the motive to kill and I enjoyed the way in which Mia evaluated the information acquired from her poking around. With some zig-zagging along the way, this was a story that held my attention well and I loved that things came together for a complicated though great, logical resolution. Being a culinary cozy, there are some delicious sounding recipes at the end along with a tip for hosting events yourself. I may well have a go at making the Honey Phyllo Rollups!

The interesting growth for the series regulars cements my enthusiasm in anticipating what Maria DiRico has in store for Mia and her family and acquaintances next. In addition, reading Long Island Iced Tina has tempted me to take a look at the Cajun Country Mystery series which is written by DiRico under the name of Ellen Byron. Book #1 in that series is entitled ‘Plantation Shudders.’

Thanks to Kensington Books, Great Escapes Book Tours and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Brianne’s Book Reviews Rating | Five Stars

About Maria DiRico

Maria DiRico

Maria DiRico is the pseudonym for Ellen Byron, author of the award winning, USA Today bestselling Cajun Country Mysteries. Born in Queens, New York, she is first-generation Italian-American on her mother’s side and the granddaughter of a low-level Jewish mobster on her father’s side. She grew up visiting the Astoria Manor and Grand Bay Marina catering halls, which were run by her Italian mother’s family in Queens and have become the inspiration for her Catering Hall Mystery Series. DiRico has been a writer-producer for hit television series like Wings and Just Shoot Me, and her first play, Graceland, appears in the Best Short Plays collection. She’s a freelance journalist, with over 200 articles published in national magazines, and previously worked as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing. A native New Yorker who attended Tulane University, Ellen lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs.

Website – https://www.ellenbyron.com/catering-hall-mysteries

Chicks on the Case – http://chicksonthecase.net/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/CateringHallMysteries/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/ellenbyronla

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound

There is a Rafflecopter Giveaway for this tour. Please click below to enter and good luck!

Don’t forget the other stops on the tour!

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 1 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

March 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 1 – Novel Alive – SPOTLIGHT

March 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 2 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

March 2 – Brianne’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

March 3 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, EXCERPT

March 3 – This Is My Truth Now – REVIEW, RECIPE

March 3 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 4 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

March 4 – ebook addicts – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE

March 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – GUEST POST

March 5 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 5 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT

March 6 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE

March 6 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

March 7 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

March 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE

March 7 – I Read What You Write – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 8 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

March 8 – Literary Gold – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 9 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

March 9 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

March 9 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

March 10 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

March 10 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

March 10 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

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