Book Review Round-Up (#27)

Murder By The Book by Lauren Elliot

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This is a book about books… and murder! Addie Greyborne moves to a small New England town founded by her ancestors after she unexpectedly inherits her great aunt’s estate. Including Greyborne Manor, which is filled to the brim with first editions. Enough to start her own bookstore in town.

Everything is looking up for Addie, whose father and fiance had recently had terrible and unsolved murders. But then, she’s almost run over and one of her first editions is stolen! On top of that, her new friend Serena is arrested for killing another local merchant!

With the help of her friend’s hot single-brother detective and a few new friends along the way, Addie helps close this murderous chapter! This book was a fun little read and recommend as a great starter book for those dipping their toes into the cozy murder mystery club!

Steeped in Secrets by Lauren Elliot

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I super liked this one, guys. This is about gemologist Shay Myers who inherits a women’s entire estate (Bridget Early) that she’d barely said two words to her whole life living in her hometown of Bray Harbor. It’s great luck for Shay because she’s recently divorced from a scum of a man and left broke so moving back home doesn’t seem like a terrible idea.

As time goes on Bridget’s so-called accidental death doesn’t seem to be accidental and Shay is determined to figure out their history with each other and the Irish & Celtic tea and psychic shop she recently inherited.

That is until she keeps getting distracted by a sweet dog who keeps following her and leading her to undiscovered things and people, a man found murdered on the shop’s greenhouse roof, and, oh, of course – the thoughtful and attentive detective AND the super hot bar owner next door.

I love a hint of magic in my books. If you pick up any of these books, I recommend this one and the last the most!

Prologue to Murder by Lauren Elliot

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The second in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series, Addie is well on her way to patching up her reputation and fitting in with the community, until a new gossip columnist starts spreading new rumors about her. A new reporter happens to show up at the same time and though a local and ex-fiance to the very hot and attentive police chef, she rubs Addie the wrong way.

Her love life gets a little more complicated with she finds the local librarian dead and at the bottom of a steep flight of stairs. As if Addie doesn’t have enough problems, the busybody reporter is putting a wedge between her best friend, getting the townspeople to turn against her, and somehow she’s on a clue path to finding buried treasure in her ancestral town.

This book was just as fun as the first one but I was very irritated by Serena (BFF) and the way she treated Addie throughout this book. I thought she deserved better and though they (obviously) make up, it was hard to see her friend choose another person. I definitely will continue this series because the characters are so much fun!

Beaches, Bungalows, and Burglaries by Tanya Kappes

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This book had absolutely no beaches, no bungalows, and about half a burglary. Which caused some disappointment for me. I was bamboozled by the cover!

This book is about a woman, Mae West, who saw swindled by her low-life imprisoned husband, along with many other people he conned millions from. The only thing she has left is her conviction, a camper van, and a campground her husband left in her name for no reason. Upon arrival at her new home in Normal, Kentucky, Mae realizes the campground is old and in desperate need of repairs.

She decides to fix the place up and then sell it for a profit but then, her husband escapes from prison and shows up DEAD at Happy Trails campground. Lucky for her there’s a super hot chef who’s handy around the grounds and a protective detective keeping a watchful eye on her.

Though I liked this book and the plot… and definitely want to know where the love triangle leans, I can’t get over how this was on a lake and not a BEACH!

Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies by Misha Popp

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This book is about an avenging woman with a touch of magic, righting wrong men with pie. Though entirely against the judicial system and working as a vigilante, Daisy Ellery is an amazing pie maker who mostly uses her family’s magic for good. She is able to work confidence, love, energy, pride, and any kind of emotion into every pie she makes. Including the ability to stop a wrongdoer.

This book was a hard feminist read, which I enjoyed. It also touched on bi-sexuality, which was a fun change for me. I really enjoyed how Daisy’s mission in life was to help women in domestically violent situations escape or find the courage to leave, etc.

Quickly into the book, Daisy realizes she’s being watched and stocked for blackmail. But by who?? This is where it got interesting and you root for her the rest of the book. You also watch her make friends with her small circle of acquaintances and watch them turn into family. Which I loved.

A Ghostly Undertaking by Tanya Kappes

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When Emma Lee Raines realizes she’s really seeing dead people, she thinks she’s been hanging around her family’s funeral parol for too long. When Ruthie Sue Payne’s ghost tells her she was murdered, then Emma really thinks she’s losing it until evidence otherwise starts to unfold. Though Ruthie is the mortal enemy of her granny she’s determined to help her solve the mystery.

With the help of her high school crush, who is also (obviously) the Sheriff, she’s on her way to figuring out that Ruthie was really pushed down the stairs of the Sleepy Hollow Inn. By who though? Her ex-husband’s widow, Emma’s granny?? Dum Dum Dum!

This book was a lot of fun and I think I liked it better than Tanya Kappes other book. I loved that the whole town thought Emma had “death sickness” because she was seen talking to ghosts around town. They all worried that she was schizophrenic when the sheriff doesn’t even bat an eye. It’s cute and I’ll probably grab the next in the series.

Six Sweets Under by Sarah Fox

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I don’t want to give this book a 2-star rating because I didn’t read the physical book. I listened to the audiobook and I couldn’t connect with the narrator. So much so, I’m ashamed to admit this, but I DNF’d it at 80%.

There’s nothing I can pinpoint about the narrator other than I felt SAD the entire book. The way she spoke and the rhythm of her speech put me into tears multiple times. It was very weird. That said, I’m very empathic so it’s possible she read this on an off day or, perhaps, I’m a little off and kind of crazy.

I liked that her family owns the chocolate shop and her grandparents’ names are Lolli and Pops. Like, come one. CUTE.

Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer

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This was my favorite book that I picked up this month. For multiple reasons but the primary is simply that this book took me to Cairo! We walked through the sands of Egypt. Explored pyramids, watched horse and camel races, and got to go to numerous cocktail dinner parties, all while solving a murder!

Additionally, the MC, Jane Wunderly is a fiercely independent widowed American in 1926 who’s on holiday with her late husband’s Aunt. Her mission is to relax and explore the pharos. Her Aunt’s is to make sure Jane finds a new husband… but upon arrival, Jane quickly makes enemies with a rather rude and salacious socialite, Anna Stainton, who turns up dead! And with Jane standing over her body.

With the help of a very attractive and attentive banker (who isn’t fooling anyone), Jane decides to help the foreign officials solve the murder to make sure her name is in the clear.