Flaxborough is crying Blue Murder in the 10th mystery in the excellent British small town police procedural. A writer for a London tabloid is sent to find a porno supposedly filmed with the town’s citizens. Mayor Hockley challenges the writer to a duel. Several mysterious deaths are investigated by theContinue Reading
In 1946 London, the Bodies in a Bookshop pile up while a would-be Sherlock Holmes tries to find the killer. Allan Leslie is a bookseller. When he is found murdered in a locked room with another victim, thriller reader and amateur detective Professor Stubbs and his assistant Max Boyle areContinue Reading
Keep It Quiet is a witty British golden age mystery chock full of curmudgeons complaining about minor issues while members are being killed in their club’s easy chairs. The chef at a London’s men’s club may have accidentally poisoned a member to death. The club’s secretary, Ford, wants to KeepContinue Reading
One Man’s Meat is Gone Girl 60s style! The ninth Flaxborough mystery was published in 1977 but is set in the “swinging” 60s. Motorcycle gang member Digger Tring falls from a carnival ride 100 feet to his death. Julia Harton’s husband wants a divorce to marry his mistress who isContinue Reading
Spook in the Stacks is an entertaining cozy mystery. It is the fourth Lighthouse Library Mystery. The Bodie Island lighthouse library is located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Rich Jay Ruddle is looking for somewhere to house his historic documents. The library and a local college are inContinue Reading
Probable Claws continues the 18th century tale from the previous book along with a modern day mystery. Harry, her Corgi Tucker, fat cat Pewter and even tempered cat Mrs. Murphy are hunting a killer again in the 27th entry in the long-running series. When a motorcycler shoots Harry’s architect, Gary,Continue Reading
More trouble for Flaxborough in the 8th book in the series. A contentious boat race leads 2 of the town’s leaders almost to blows. Nighttime escapades show the naked frolicking of a town leader, his friend, and two working girls to the neighbors. A mysterious note from the states promisesContinue Reading
“Something or other is sending half the over-sixties round the twist” in the Flaxborough Crab. A rash of panty theft, quick grope and runs, and window peeping has befallen Flaxborough. The perps are described as elderly men who scuttle away sideways like a crab. When an esteemed villager is accidentallyContinue Reading
The Marmalade Murders is an enjoyable cozy mystery set in a small North Wales village. Penny and Victoria are partners in the village spa. When they get roped into checking in contestants for the local food competition, they discover some irregularities. Why did someone call Florence telling her to checkContinue Reading
Fifth in the Flaxborough Mystery series, Charity Ends at Home is another late Golden Age small English village cozy. The village coroner, constable and editor of the local paper each receive an identical unsigned note stating that the writer is fearful of being murdered. The note references a photo ofContinue Reading
Cozy mystery Scot Free is my #FrugalFriday short review this week! Marriage counselor Lexy Campbell moves to California to marry and quickly divorce. The husband of her client, Visalia, is murdered by fireworks. Visalia is arrested. Lexy decides to solve the crime since she co-signed Visalia’s bail bond. Born and livingContinue Reading
The fourth in the Flaxborough Mystery series is much better than the third. Lonelyheart 4122 is the anonymous number of the enigmatic man who possibly murdered two lonely women and may be working on his third. Inspector Purbright and Sergeant Love are searching for two missing middle-aged ladies. Mrs. BannisterContinue Reading
The characters and romances are better than the mystery in Tart of Darkness. Dani Sloan inherits a Victorian half-finished bed and breakfast. A former Human Resources executive, Dani really wants to be a chef. She decides to share her house with three college students: Ivy, Tippi and Starr. In returnContinue Reading
Droll rather than humorous, Hopjoy was Here is definitely different from the standard English village cozy. Inspector Purbright receives an anonymous letter from a neighbor of the male roommates Hopjoy and Periam about a fight in their bathroom. Hopjoy is working for a mysterious (CIAesque) agency. Was Hopjoy or PeriamContinue Reading
Amusing quick cozy mystery read! The Purloined Puzzle is the 19th book in the Puzzle Lady series but still feels fresh. Cora Felton has a problem. Her least favorite ex-husband Melvin is in town doing another shady real estate deal. Also, there is a pesky teenager first losing, then finding,Continue Reading
Characters that feel like family and a deliciously different setting make Lethal Licorice a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. The small, mostly Amish, town of Harvest, Ohio is finally hosting the annual Amish Confectionery Competition (ACC). Bailey is competing for her grandparent’s Amish Candy Shop, Swissmen Sweets, along withContinue Reading