A Cold Dose of Murder

 A Cold Dose of Murder

Cannabis Cafe Mysteries #3

Emily George

Reviewed by Helen

Chloe’s cannabis café, Made by Chloe is heading forward in leaps and bounds, and when she is on a podcast by Calista Bryant, which is very successful just before the ice-cream festival, it is looking like a very busy weekend especially since Chloe has worked hard and created some very yummy cannabis ice-cream for the weekend. Everything is moving smoothly and it looks like it is not only going to be busy but a fun weekend, that is until Chloe and her boyfriend Jake discover a body under one of the food trucks the opening day of the festival and it is podcaster and food critic Calista Bryant.

Chloe does not want to get involved in sleuthing this time but when fellow business owner Starr Bright is the person the police are looking at for the murder, Starr comes to Chloe and begs her to help clear her name and soon Chloe is uncovering so many clues she cannot help but get involved and of course this puts her in danger again, will she discover the real killer before any more people are hurt?

I did thoroughly enjoy this one, catching up with the characters that we have met in the first two books was so good and I do love Chloe she is one very caring and determined woman who wants to see justice done, there are so many fabulous characters in this series if you have not tried this series then I do highly recommend them, not only are they great mysteries but they are very informative regarding how cannabis is used in cooking and why and of course Chloe who is a French trained chef creates the most delectable deserts, they sound yummy.

Thank you MS George for another fabulous read.

My thanks to Kensington Cozies and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

4 stars

February 25, 2025 by Kensington Cozies

A Roman Shadow

 A Roman Shadow

Chief Inspector Shadow Mystery #4

H L Marsay

Reviewed by Helen

It is just about Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year which fall on the same day this year and the town of York is in full swing for the two days much to Chief Inspector Shadow’s delight, not, the town is really busy when they receive a phone call about missing rare gold coins from the museum and then a young Chinese visitor goes missing, for Shadow the big question is are the two linked or not, Jimmy is not thinking that, but the investigation brings them in contact so many people from all walks of life, any of them could be involved, my thoughts were jumping all over the place but as usual quiet and someone who notices all Shadow gets the job done with the help of Jimmy who has his own dilemma this year that adds to the story.

I did love this one and I am loving this series, they are witty and thought provoking as Shadow and Jimmy work through the clues and get their answers, I love the setting and learning about the history of York along the way, their personal lives enter the stories and getting to know Shadow and Jimmy better is fabulous, I highly recommend this one (and the series) if you love a good mystery, I am looking forward to catching up with all of the series.

5 stars

February 3, 2022 by Tule Publishing

Frightened to Depths

 Frightened to Depths

The Cruising Sisters #3

K B Jackson

Reviewed by Helen

Book three in this wonderful series, this time the ship is going to Hati and it is the anniversary of Charlotte’s husband’s death this caused big changes in her life some very good, her and her sister Jane are enjoying living aboard the cruise ship, if only murder would stop happening, although they are both good at sleuthing and enjoy finding the clues and working everything out.

While spending a few days in New Orleans Jane runs into someone from her past, Emmett someone she had a crush on many years ago and soon he has decided to cruise with them, he is working on a new book about myths and the legendary Werewolf, Charlotte is unsure of him and this is causing a rift between the two normally very close sisters.

They are all eager to see the reunion of a jazz band who have been hired to perform on the cruise, but when the leader of the band is found dead with a silver bullet to the heart one of the main suspects in Charlotte’s eyes is Emmett but in saying that all of the other band members could be suspects as well.

Charlotte is keen to help head of security Xavier to solve the murder when another of the band members is found dead, the rift between Jane and Charlotte is growing with Charlotte determined to keep Jane safe, and feeling between Xavier and Charlotte are hitting high levels. Will they find the murderer before any more deaths and will they be safe and what of the future is there one with Jane and Emmett and Xavier and Charlotte? I look forward to finding out how things will go.

Another page turning mystery set on the high seas with a trip to New Orleans, the author had me guessing till the very end again, this is one that I highly recommend to any reader who loves a good mystery.

My thanks to Tule Publishing for my digital copy to read and review.

4 stars

January 20, 2025 by Tule Publishing

A Ghostly Shadow

 A Ghostly Shadow

Chief Inspector Shadow Mystery #3

H L Marsay

Reviewed by Helen

This is such a great series and I am loving visiting York and catching up on Shadow and is mysteries, this time it is Halloween and all the ghosts of the past have come out on the many ghost walk tours that happen around York, supposedly on of the most haunted cities in all of England, Shadow is not happy with all that is happening and they are terribly short staffed at the moment making him grumpier than usual.

When the infamous Dick Turpin is found at the end of a rope hanging from a tree Shadow and Jimmy are on the case this was one of the ghost tour walkers and then a few days later his partner who plays Guy Fawkes is blown up in their office things are really heating up, the pressure is on, is there a psychopath on the loose in York, or is it one of the other business’s? Will they find the culprit before there are any more murders?

I am loving these stories, Shadow who prefers to work alone and think things through quietly and Jimmy who jumps in and really pushes Shadow’s buttons, always has me smiling, I do highly recommend this one and the series, it is witty and brings out the sleuth in me as I do my best to work out who the murderer is, a must read.

5 stars

October 14, 2021 by Tule Publishing

A Viking's Shadow

 A Viking's Shadow

Inspector Shadow #2

H L Marsay

Reviewed by Helen

I am loving this series, I came into it late and have read books one, two and eight and truly I can highly recommend them and am looking forward to getting to them all.

This time Chief inspector John Shadow is not happy about the Viking Festival, way too many people about stopping him from is normal, way too much madness but of course when there are many people about there will be problems, when the body of a wealthy local business man, one who seemed to be running the festival and playing the role of Viking King is found and soon after the body of his girlfriend, Shadow and his partner Sergeant Jimmy Chang jump in and start the investigation.

Shadow likes things old school were as Jimmy is up with all the new tech available and Shadow is good at watching and listening and soon they have uncovered a web of corruption and stolen goods, and family drama is this linked to the murders or is there another reason these two people were murdered.

I do highly recommend this one I love Shadow and Jimmy and the wonderful local characters who live in York and add to the story, Shadow always gets his man or woman, in the best possible way, slow and steady and hopefully without missing a meal.

5 stars

August 12, 2021 by Tule Publishing

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret

 Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret

Ernest Cunningham #3

Benjamin Stevenson

Reviewed by Helen

Ernest is at it again solving a murder or two, this time his ex-wife Erin rings him just on Christmas and while he is busy with plans for his wedding to Juliette, she is in jail accused of the murder of her boyfriend Lyle Pearce he cannot not get himself involved so off to the Blue Mountains he travels.

If you have read the first two books in the series you will know that Ernest’s way of unravelling the clues is different to say the least and this one is no different, arriving at the jail to talk to Erin he gets started Lyle was a philanthropist helping young people overcome their problems and he has sponsored a magician Rylan Blaze to do a tour this year, but as Ernest investigates at the venue Rylan also loses his life in such a bizarre way, will Ernest find the killer or killers? There are quite a few suspects to choose from.

This is another very interesting story in this series one that I did very much enjoy, I love the authors style of writing and the clues along the way had me thinking hard I didn’t pick who done it till the end, this is one that I do highly recommend a good mystery that is witty and different.

4 stars

October 22, 2024 by Penguin Random House Australia

Widows Walk

 Widows Walk

Martha's Vineyard Murders #3

Raemi A Ray 

Reviewed by Helen

Another brilliant story in this series this time Kyra and Tarek find themselves solving a few murders when they are invited to a Thanksgiving dinner at the historic mansion on Chappaquiddick but who is the killer and will Kyra survive this one.

Kyra did not want to attend this dinner but when her boss has come from London and her client insists that she be there, she and her friends attend on Thanksgiving Day, Chappy is meant for the very wealthy and it is cut off and can be very dangerous when the wind blows and the weather and tides move in, when the first body is found at the bottom of the servants stairs, they are all wondering if it was an accident or murder vital papers for a take-over are signed as soon as they declare the victim is dead, this is a worry and off course having Julie and Wes there adds to the tense atmosphere knowing how much they dislike Kyra, but when a second body is found and the internet also goes no phone lines they are totally cut off, the pressure builds and Tarek gets everyone into one room but which one of them is the killer?

This is a page turner of a story the tension builds with each turn of the page, how many victims will there be? Will her friends Chase and his friend Gerry and her aunt and uncle all survive? How will Tarek and herself come out of this one? This is a must read story that I highly recommend to any reader who loves a classic who done it. I loved this one and look forward to many more mysteries on Martha’s Vineyard, thank you MS Ray for another fabulous story.

My thanks to Tule Publishing for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

November 6, 2024 by Tule Publishing