
Manor style murder adds pizazz to Death by Pumpkin Spice
Death by Pumpkin Spice by Alex Erickson Kensington Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 27 Sep 2016 Review Fall is coming and Death by Pumpkin Spice is the perfect treat for a restful afternoon. Alex Erickson turns this delightful cozy series on its ear, providing readers with a classic manor house murder mystery starring all of their beloved characters. I was incredibly impressed. Krissy Hancock is more at home running her bookstore cafe than rubbing shoulders with the elite

Fans of Miss Fisher meet Lady Alkmene
A Proposal to Die For A Lady Alkmene Callender Mystery (1) The first book in the new Lady Alkmene Callender Mystery series by Vivian Conroy Carina UK Women's Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 19 Sep 2016 Review If you like the Miss Fisher mysteries, you will definitely enjoy Vivian Conroy's debut Lady Alkmene mystery - A Proposal to Die For. The mystery is fresh and exciting with just enough suspense and romantic tension. The story is straightforward, but Lady Alkmene's

Caturday Reads: Shades of Wrath tackles difficult topic with skill
Shades of Wrath By Karen Rose Smith Kensington Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 29 November 2016 Review Domestic violence isn't an easy topic to tackle, but it is extremely important. Karen Rose Smith does an excellent job capturing the complexity of an issue where what is legal doesn't always match what is just. After escaping from an abusive marriage, Wendy Newcomb has devoted her life to the protection of women. She heads Sunshine Tomorrow, a women's shelter and suppor

Marriage mayhem in Pelican Louisiana
Body on the Bayou A Cajun Country Mystery by Ellen Byron Crooked Lane Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 13 Sep 2016 Review Like Joan Hess, Ellen Byron captures the essence of life in a rural town - its quirks, unique characters, and the impact of everyone knowing everything about your business. What I especially love about Ellen Byron is that she clearly "knows" Louisiana as only a native can. It makes her stories all the more plausible despite being off the wall. Body on t

Conan Doyle meets Agatha Christie
Hell Bay A Barker & Llewelyn Novel by Will Thomas St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 25 Oct 2016 Review Intentional or no, Hell Bay evokes the same sense of impending terror that I experienced when I first read Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. This isn't a strict homage to the mystery classic, rather it takes the central elements (the isolated island setting where guests are trapped and an unknown murderer decimating those present) and r

She may not be Morse...
British Manor Murder By Leslie Meier Kensington Books Pub Date: 27 September 2016 Review The newest Lucy Stone mystery, British Manor Murder, is a treat for Anglophiles and cozy lover's alike. Once you get past Lucy's whining about the loss of her grandson's company, the book becomes quite enjoyable - the lighthearted fun mystery readers expect from Meier. Lucy accompanies her friend Sue on her trip to England to see the Earl of Wickham's new hat exhibit. As lovers of Briti

Whatever happened to Fay Wray?
Jimmy and Fay A Suspense Novel by Michael Mayo MysteriousPress.com/Open Road Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 04 Oct 2016 Review Mobsters, starlets, crooked cops, and one momentous movie come together in Michael Mayo’s newest Jimmy Quinn mystery - Jimmy and Fay. What lover of classic movies and mystery could turn down the opportunity to meet Fay Wray, particularly as a damsel in real life distress? Jimmy Quinn certainly doesn’t when she comes to him with a peculiar problem - sh

Caturday Reads: Learn The Secret Language of Dogs
The Secret Language of Dogs Unlocking the Canine Mind for a Happier Pet by Victoria Stilwell Ten Speed Press Pub Date 11 Oct 2016 Review Unlike other popular animal trainers, Victoria Stilwell throws the “alpha” training ideal out the window, preferring a positive, common sense approach based on a knowledge of modern dogs, their behavior and methods of communicating. In The Secret Language of Dogs, Stilwell teaches pet parents how to accurately interpret the body language of

Ghosts, gunslingers and zombies - Welcome to Tombstone
Wynonna Earp Volume 1: Homecoming by Beau Smith Diamond Book Distributors IDW Publishing Comics & Graphic Novels Pub Date 25 Oct 2016 Review Beau Smith manages to take the traditional western motif - justice by way of the gunslinger and updates it by adding all the modern bells and whistles (zombies, demons, mad scientists and more). Smith's graphic novel may not be "high falutin" entertainment but it certainly is a fun ride. Lots of action, monsters, and a characteristic to

Pushy, insecure and completely irresistible, Agatha Raisin returns in Pushing Up Daisies
Pushing Up Daisies by M. C. Beaton St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 20 Sep 2016 Review Pushy, insecure and completely irresistible, Agatha Raisin returns in Pushing Up Daisies. Once more Aggie pursues romance and a killer. As you might guess, she is more successful finding the latter. As always, it is entertaining to accompany Agatha as she lies, bullies and annoys her way to discovering the truth (aided in her misadventures by her friends and