A Saxon Shadow

 A Saxon Shadow

Chief Inspector Shadow #8

H L Marsay

Reviewed by Helen

I came into this series late and I have only read book one and now this one, but I loved the first one and this one as well and I am really looking forward to catching up with the others in the series, I am loving Chief Inspector John Shadow set in his ways and not impressed with all of the new ways of policing and then there is Sergeant Jimmy Chang, they make a fabulous team together.

There is a lot happening around York at the moment vandalism in the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey not to mention the break and enters that have been happening and Shadow and Jimmy are on the case when they are called to The Mill house when the owner and eccentric business man and one who obsessed with Saxon history is found dead in his study. It appears that it may have been a burglary gone wrong with another one in the village that same time as well, but is it, can Shadow and Jimmy get the answers they need to discover what happened?

This one is filled with such fabulous characters most interested in the Saxon history of the area and searching for a treasure trove of historical items that people have been searching for, for many years, the list of suspects grows as does Shadow’s indigestion with Jimmy’s mind moving fast and coming up with thoughts as well.

This is such a fabulous mystery, it had me thinking I didn’t pick the culprit till the very end, this story is witty and I love the interaction between Shadow and Jimmy, I do highly recommend this one, I am looking forward to catching up with the series.

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

5 stars

October 7, 2024 by Tule Publishing

A Matter of Life and Depths

 A Matter of Life and Depths

Cruising Sisters Mystery #2

K B Jackson

Reviewed by Helen

Book two and Char and Jane are off on another cruise, this time to Japan so the cruise is themed with all things Japanese, it should be a great cruise now that they are living on the cruise ship with hopes of travelling the world meeting new people and enjoying themselves, but at the reception night Char is fuming when she realizes who else is travelling her dead husband’s mistress the woman who had a child that Char always wanted and the woman who tried to take this cruise ship apartment away from her has taken a job as yoga instructor aboard, tempers flare, how will this cruise end?

Char and Jane are both fuming, that Kyrie Dawn and her son Quinton who is the spitting image of her husband are here, sailing towards Yokohama and Chef Elliot is found dead in the yoga studio with Kyrie Dawn standing over him with the murder weapon in her hand, when she is put under arrest by head of security the handsome Xavier, but when he asks that Char look after Quinton, that is a big ask, but she will not say no and the more time both she and Jane spend with Quinton the more they get to love her husband’s love child and the more determined the they both are to prove Kyrie Dawn innocent, especially when there are two more murders and Char and Xavier are put in a very dangerous position.

Another fabulous story in this series, fabulous characters, fabulous settings and a mystery that was throwing red herrings all the way through I had no idea who was doing the killing until the very end, and seeing how Char coming to terms with all that is happening with her new life as a travelling single woman and how things have worked out with Kyrie Dawn and little Quinton.

I do highly recommend this one to any lover of a good cosy mystery, it is fabulous.

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

5 stars

August 28, 2024 by Tule Publishing

The Wraith's Return

 The Wraith's Return

Martha's Vineyard Murders #2

Raemi A Ray

Reviewed by Helen

Book two in this series and again it was a fabulous read, Kyra has come back to Martha’s Vineyard for the summer, she intends to relax and enjoy, her last visit was filled with danger as she investigated her father’s death and after making friends and getting close to Detective Tarek Collins, he has ghosted her since she left the island, but she is happy to catch up with Chase and the other friends she has made, but when a storm uncovers the shipwreck of a pirate ship this starts a war between treasure hunters and conservationists and Kyra gets caught in the middle when two of the salvagers die and friend and pub owner Gully is arrested for murder.

When Gully is arrested his best friend Tarek arrives back on the island to prove his innocence and this brings Kyra and Tarek together again and investigating another murder, the big question is why would someone kill the two divers are they after the treasure or is there another reason, so many questions not enough answers and then when a local is murdered and another one is missing things heat up and soon Chase and Kyra find themselves in danger traipsing through dangerous caves, will they make it out alive will Tarek find them in time?

This is really another well written murder, mystery that had me turning the pages and guessing till the end so many fabulous characters good and bad and of course catching up with friends from the first book is always good, Martha’s Vineyard is a fabulous setting for this story and I am really looking forward to the next one in the series.

I do highly recommend this one to any reader who loves a good murder mystery, I loved it.

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

5 stars

August 22, 2024 by Tule Publishing

The Mystery of the Missing Frenchman

 The Mystery of the Missing Frenchman

The Lady in Blue Series #3

H L Marsay

Reviewed by Helen

We are back with Dorothy Peto and Scotland Yard and I loved it H L Marsay has taken me on another mystery through London and are investigating a series of jewel thefts, when Dorothy is requested specifically to assist in the case of searching for a missing Frenchman, Colonel Lamarchant has arrived requesting help to discover the whereabouts of his relation, Marquis De Nagay and then this takes them to a country house in Yorkshire, will they get the answers they need to uncover their missing Frenchman and what about the jewel thefts?

Dorothy fits really well at Stray Park in Yorkshire and is a great help to Inspector Derwent but the more questions they ask the more they have, when the body of a man is discovered they immediately think it is the Marquis De Nagay, but no it is not and Dorothy is convinced they need to return to Stray Park and Yorkshire retracing the Marquis’s steps is not giving them answers and the Colonel is getting closer to Dorothy and they seem to be getting nowhere fast, but Dorothy is feeling very strong about the views of the of detectives and the group of Irish, communists and conscientious objectors, will they find the Marquis and will they discover the answers about the jewel thefts are they linked somehow?

I loved this one from start to finish and I was guessing till the end, what a story suspenseful and a page turner, I really am loving this series I think Dorothy is the best she is so real and honest as she learns her way through Scotland Yard and Inspector Derwent is just so good, this is one that I highly recommend and the ending was not what I expected but so good, it really is a fabulous story and I can’t wait for more.

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

5 stars

Murder in Bloom by Liz Fielding

 Murder in Bloom

Maybridge Murder Mysteries #3

Liz Fielding

Reviewed by Helen

This series just gets better and better, I love Abby Finch and when Abby enters the Maybridge Flower Show she is thrilled to meet gardening legend Daisy Dashwood and when she wins a gold medal for her garden Daisy invites her on stage to be have a chat on the TV show The Potting Shed but before that can happen Daisy is rushed to hospital and pronounced dead.

The sleuth in Abby is determined to find out what happened, there are a lot of rumours going around about Daisy and Abby befriends Daisy’s PA Fay and Fay is very willing to open up about what is happening in Daisy’s life at the moment and there are many suspects, is it someone from her past or the young TV presenter who wanted Daisy’s job could it be the agent and Daisy’s boyfriend and of course there are secrets from Daisy’s past but first the police and Abby have to discover what actually happened to Daisy did someone tamper with her homemade herbal teas?

I am loving my visits to Maybridge and I love Abby and her family and friends, Liz Fielding this one is awesome you had my head spinning with trying to work out who the killer was and then with the second death things ramp up, there are some not so nice people in this one. If you love a good cosy mystery then this is the series to read the characters are fabulous the setting wonderful and they are not put downable reads, they will have you turning the pages and doing your best to work out who the killer is and I didn’t work out who that was till the end, I loved this one.

I can’t wait for the next book in this series, I do highly recommend this one to any lovers of a cosy mystery, it is a must read.

My thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

July 30, 2024 by Joffe Books

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reviewed by Nas Dean

"Murder in Bloom" by Liz Fielding blends the charm of a cozy mystery with the allure of a floral competition, creating a captivating tale set in the idyllic Maybridge Flower Show. Abby, an unsuspecting winner catapulted into the limelight alongside gardening celebrity Daisy Dashwood, finds herself entangled in a web of intrigue when Daisy collapses on stage, setting off a chain of suspicions and secrets.

Author Liz Fielding crafts a delightful tale that keeps readers guessing as Abby navigates through a garden of suspects, from envious co-stars to Daisy's intriguing personal life. The novel's strength lies in its character development and atmospheric setting, where the quaint English countryside serves as a backdrop for both romance and suspense.

Abby's determination to uncover the truth, coupled with Daisy's mysterious disappearance of her healing teas, adds layers of complexity to the plot, ensuring that "Murder in Bloom" is not just a whodunit but a tale of unexpected twists and turns. Liz Fielding's prose is engaging, sprinkled with humor and a keen eye for detail that brings the charming village and its inhabitants to life.

Overall, "Murder in Bloom" is a delightful read for fans of cozy mysteries, offering a satisfying blend of floral competition glamour, amateur sleuthing, and a dash of romance, all woven together in Liz Fielding's signature style.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Something Deadly on Desert Drive

 Something Deadly on Desert Drive

The Accidental Detective #2

Kris Bock

Reviewed by Helen

Book two in this great series and Kate is at it again investigating another a case that involves one of her father’s coffee friends, Larry who has married a younger woman and his friends are getting very worried with the way his new wife, Pamela is treating him and now telling them all that Larry has dementia, Kate agrees to see if she can find out what is happening with her bunch of misfit investigators, The Coffee Shop Irregulars but when there is a murder the investigation steps up.

Kate is a very good investigator but when the The Irregulars step in and sneak Larry out to get a doctors opinion they put themselves in on the line by perhaps becoming suspects in the murder, Kate has her ideas on who the killer is but will they get the facts before one of them is hurt or the police arrests one of them?

This is another great story that had me guessing till the end, fabulous characters The Coffee Shop Irregulars are witty and smart, Kate is such a great character with all she has been through and her injury still gives her curry she never gives up and there is also Todd a friend from school who is spending more time with her, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and look forward to the next one.

I highly recommend this one to anyone reader who loves a good cosy mystery that will keep you turning the pages.

4 stars

June 21, 2022 by Tule Publishing

Something Shady at Sunshine Haven

 Something Shady at Sunshine Haven

The Accidental Detective #1

Kris Bock

Reviewed by Helen

Kate Tessler has been in some dangerous situations, her job as an investigative journalist has taken her around the world into war zones and she loves it, she has her family at home in Arizona and visits when she can, but when she is injured she knows it is time to go home and heal and a visit with her mum who has just entered an aged care facility because of her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is what is needed but when a friend asks her to help with an investigation maybe she is putting herself in more danger.

Her mum is in Sunshine Haven and as it happens, Kate’s friend from school, Heather is director, when Heather tells Kate that there have been three suspicious deaths in the home, Kate immediately thinks of her mother and is on the case, she soon has a team of eager investigators to help and she is in danger herself as she gets close to solving the case, but will she make it to the conclusion in one peace?

This is a really good cosy mystery that had me trying to uncover the culprit, wonderful characters and fabulous setting, Kate enjoyed her investigation so much it looks like she is staying in Arizona and already has another case and I look forward to book two.

I do highly recommend this one to any lover of a good cosy mystery.

4 stars

April 7, 2022 by Tule Publishing