I was ready to give this book a 3.5, maybe 4 at the most. Just ok, but wandered a little too much. Then I got to the end.

Oh. My. God.

Spoiler

Is this going to be the end of the series? Say it ain't so!

I liked this one a lot better than the last few Goldy books, although I thought there were elements that were used in previous books. All that aside, I thought the mystery was well done, and I'm glad Arch is becoming less of a whiny PITA, in fact he was barely in this book. Also, I thought the prologue wasn't necessary and read more like the teaser blurb you get when you download a sample of a book.

Anyone else get the feeling this was a good-bye book? The epilogue made it sound like the series was being wrapped up, but maybe that's just me.

This is such a great series! I love the setting, the characters and the plots. Lana is starting to grow up and is adulting hard in this one when she's put in charge of Ho-Lee Noodles while her parents travel to China to visit relatives. Granted, she was a bit petulant but in the end, she managed to do a great job at the restaurant while tracking down the person responsible for murdering her friend. A great follow up to the debut, this is definitely a series to watch and I recommend it to all cozy lovers.

One of the things I love about this series is how effortlessly you can slide right back into the series I read the first 3 books earlier this year, and I enjoyed feeling like I was right back in Holiday Bay with all the goings on.

I also like how effortlessly the books juggle several story lines into one book without feeling cluttered or confusing. In this book we have the search for the provenance of the fireplace mantel and the items found within, solving the death of an elderly man found dead in his home, and something shady concerning Ben's past, all woven neatly into an intriguing and captivating story that kept me turning pages. I especially liked the mantel mystery, as I love history but I wish the book delved a little deeper into it. They seemed to take any information they received at face value.

I have to say, the ending felt a bit rushed and it was never said why

Spoiler

the neighbor was going into the house to smoke his cigars, apparently even after the old guy died. Why? Actually, th e whole mystery of the old dead dude left me scratching my head.

I loved this! Along with the charming Maine setting and the wonderful characters, there's always more than one mystery in each book, so the plot was rich and exciting with many twists. With the inn nearing its grand opening, only the attic is left to tackle. When a stranger shows up looking for information about her ancestors, the attic reveals many treasures. As someone who has been working on my own family tree, I could easily identify with the excitement and satisfaction of solving those little family tree mysteries.

But the central mystery of a neighbor seeing a murder but no evidence found at the scene was the real star of the book, both riveting and unexpected. I loved watching it unfold with lots of surprises along the way.

Can't wait for the next one!

I've been listening to this series on audiobook (great for sitting by the pool or on a walk!) and I really like the narrator, she really brings the story alive. Finally, the bullying George Lincoln has been killed - but in Amy's cafe! Who could've done it?

Frankly, I knew who did it as soon as it happened, but not why. So I enjoyed watching (well, listening) to it all unfold. Thomas Lincoln made for a great (kinda) villain and there were a few red herrings sprinkled in there that almost made me question whether I knew whodunit but in the end, I was right. Frankly, the other suspects were...well...suspicious in their own right. I wonder if the killer could get a verdict of justifiable homicide? Frankly, they did the world a favor offing George Lincoln.

Onto the next!

I don't know what took me so long to get around to this book. Elly Griffiths is one of my favorite writers (I admit to be fully addicted to Ruth and Nelson and Cathbad) so this was on my list. I saw it on Overdrive and decided now was the time, and it didn't disappoint! I loved the characters, from Max the magician to Edgar's pragmatic cop to Diablo's "My dear boy!" they really made for an engaging bunch.

Set in post-war England, it made for a fascinating backdrop. Edgar's war experiences still affect him, no matter how much he tries to push it away and it all comes back to haunt him. The story is laid out step by step, clue to clue until the exciting conclusion. I admit, I had a gut feeling about the murderer. Sherlock once famously said “...when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?” rang in my head while I was reading. Still, it was engrossing and entertaining and I loved every minute of it

This is one of my favorite series, not only are the plots suspenseful and satisfying, but I'm totally caught up in the Ruth/Nelson drama. I was really happy I was able to get this on Overdrive right when it came out!

There were several plots within this one book, an investigation into the bones of a teenage girl who went missing over 30 years ago, to the current day mystery of a kidnapped infant to the on-going saga of the Ruth/Nelson/Michelle love triangle. I really enjoyed how this book brought the series full circle with the addition of Erik's son, Leif and wrapped up/resolved a lot of elements from each.

I always expect a lot from this series and this book didn't let me down and left me with one of those book hangovers where you can't start a new book because the book you just finished is still haunting you. A great book in a great series!

See this and all my reviews at Mystereity Reviews

Kathleen is out to breakfast with boyfriend Marcus when they unexpectedly meet up with Marcus's old college friends; John, Danielle and Travis. Not long after, Danielle is found dead - and the evidence seems to implicate Marcus, who doesn't have a good alibi. Kathleen knows there's something Marcus isn't telling her, but she also knows that Marcus did not murder his friend. With the help of her friends and her magical cats, Owen and Hercules, Kathleen wades through the secrets between friends to catch a killer.

This is such a cute series, and I always enjoy visiting Kathleen and the gang in Mayville Heights. I can't believe we're up to #8 of Owen and Hercules and their shenanigans! As usual, they're busy walking through walls, making themselves invisible, and biting the heads of catnip chickens while smugly pointing out clues.

This was a great plot, I liked that details about the victim were filled in as the story went along, because you don't really get to "know" her before she is killed and those details gave clues to who the killer was. I guessed who did it early on, based on what I thought was a clue and it turns out I was on the right track, but the "clue" wasn't a clue at all, or even a red herring.

This can easily be read as a standalone, as past events aren't really a part of this story and the few references don't hinder this book for new readers. But I definitely recomend reading the other books in the series because magical cats. Owen and Hercules are the real stars of this series, if only because their antics add some humor and whimsy to the series.

Overall, another great book in an enjoyable series and I don't hesitate in recommending this series to cozy mystery fans.