Review: Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection Box Set Books 1-3 by Barbara Venkataraman

 Review: Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection Box Set Books 1-3 by Barbara Venkatarama

 

Title: Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection Box Set Books 1-3
Author: Barbara Venkataraman
Series: Jamie Quinn Mystery # 1-3
Genre: Romantic Suspense
No. Of. Pages: 239 Pages
Review: 4 Stars

**I received a copy from the Author in Exchange for an honest review.**

Synopsis: 

Books 1-3 of the Jamie Quinn Mystery Series! Including:

"Death by Didgeridoo"-Winner of the Indie Book of the Day award. Reluctant lawyer, Jamie Quinn, still reeling from the death of her mother, is pulled into a game of deception, jealousy, and vengeance when her cousin, Adam, is wrongfully accused of murder. It's up to Jamie to find the real murderer before it's too late. It doesn't help that the victim is a former rock star with more enemies than friends, or that Adam confessed to a murder he didn't commit.

"The Case of the Killer Divorce"-Reluctant lawyer, Jamie Quinn, has returned to her family law practice after a hiatus due to the death of her mother. It's business as usual until a bitter divorce case turns into a murder investigation, and Jamie's client becomes the prime suspect. When she can't untangle truth from lies, Jamie enlists the help of Duke Broussard, her favorite private investigator, to try to clear her client's name. And she’s hoping that, in his spare time, he can help her find her long-lost father.

"Peril in the Park"-There's big trouble in the park system. Someone is making life difficult for Jamie Quinn's boyfriend, Kip Simons, the new director of Broward County parks. Was it the angry supervisor passed over for promotion? The disgruntled employee Kip recently fired? Or someone with a bigger ax to grind? If Jamie can't figure it out soon, she may be looking for a new boyfriend because there’s a dead guy in the park and Kip has gone missing! With the help of her favorite P.I., Duke Broussard, Jamie must race the clock to find Kip before it’s too late.

A preview of the next Jamie Quinn Mystery, "Engaged in Danger," can be found at the end of the book.

I can not for the life of me remember if I have read a cozy where the main character is a lawyer. So this is going to be probably a first for me. 

Thank you so much to Barbara for allowing me to read your books. I loved it.  

I am not going to go into detail about the story, however the book started with a sad note. Death of Jamie's Mother. 

She was grieving and when life threw a curve ball and she went with the flow. I loved that about her. She is caring and wants to help people as much as she could. 

But even for me I think one thing that made me come back was for Kip and Jamie. The mystery aspect of this was not as strong as I would have wanted it to be. The suspense and the humor with some down to earth relationships and over the top relationships made me want to come back every time.

This is a Collection of the first three books in the series which could be read as a standalone but I would suggest you get it all and read it all in order.

Review: Claws for Alarm by T.C. LoTempio

Review: Claws for Alarm by T.C. LoTempio

Title: Claws for Alarm
Author: T.C. LoTempio
Series: Nick & Nora Mysteries Book 2
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Cozy Mystery
No. Of. Pages: 275 Pages
Release Date: November 3rd, 2015
Review: 4 Stars

Synopsis: 

"Sandwich shop owner Nora Charles continues her quest to find her cat Nick's previous owner. But her investigation is put on hold when her sister, Lacey, is arrested for murder. The victim, an esteemed art collector and Lacey's bullying professor, was stabbed in the heart. Apparently, all over a lousy grade. Luckily Nora still has a few sleuthing tricks up her sleeve. And Nick, whose previous owner was a Private Investigator, knows a thing or two about crime as well (he's a dab paw at spelling out clues with scrabble letters)."

'At the word model, Nick's eyes flew open. He got up, turned and marched, his tail straight up, back to his post in front of the refrigerator where he squatted, his back to us. ' 

- Claws For Alarm by T.C. LoTempio

Nora And Nick, My First time reading their book and probably not the last time. 

Nora was an Investigative Reporter who left her career for the Sandwich Shop that was owned by mother. I do believe the beginning was difficult to get into, though by the end it was satisfactory. I do think there could have been more information on Nora's past would have painted a great picture of Nora. 

I loved reading Nick and Nora's interaction's. From funny to serious. Makes me smile right when the it is becoming serious. Nick is not an ordinary cat, interactive with her owner ( Nora) and loves solving mysteries hates modeling collars.

The Mystery of the Murder of Professor Thaddeus C. Pitt, was very well written and kept me engaged with the 'Who did it?'. At the end, there were unexpected turns that I do appreciate. 

Nora, from the start sounded like a very sure and knowledgeable person at solving the mystery. It was an amateur slueth, but I think with the combination of her Investigative Reporter skills and her work in the first book should have at least earned her a better reaction with the investigators. But that was not the case, It annoyed me a bit to see that.

There is a chemistry between Nora and the Investigator of the case that I would absolutely look forward to reading more of.... 

Claws for Alarm is the second in the series of Nick & Nora Mysteries and is better read as one as well. It is great readers who Love tuxedo cats who love to get in everywhere he is not allowed to and shows that locked cupboards is nothing to him.

Review: The Case of the Deadly Doppelganger by Lucy Banks

Review: The Case of the Deadly Doppelganger by Lucy Banks

Title: The Case of the Deadly Doppelganger

Author: Lucy Banks

Series: Dr Ribero's Agency of the Supernatural Book 2

Genre: Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy, Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Amberjack Publishing

No. of Pages: 328 Pages

Release Date: February 06th, 2018

My Review: 4.5 Stars

 

 

** I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, Thank you very much to Bookouture for the book**

 

Synopsis: 

Only a few months have passed since the day Kester Lanner forced an angry ghost through the spirit door, but business prospects for Dr. Ribero's supernatural agency haven't improved. Things are looking grim when the agency lands a contract which they must share with a rival agency headed by Dr Ribero's sworn enemy, Larry Higgins. Desperate for the job, the team accepts and begins to investigate the seaside town of Lyme Regis, where elderly victims are dying.

The same mysterious clue links the horrendous deaths: the victims all see a double of themselves before dying. The teams wonder if they are dealing with a rogue doppelganger, one that isn't content just predicting deaths, but carrying them out as well. The victims' connection to an ancient grave site leads to speculation that they may have disturbed a spirit more powerful than the two agencies can handle.

One thing is certain, the won't stop unless Kester and the others can overcome their rivalry and stop this deadly spirit.

 

 Not the usual Cozy that I read but One of the Best that I have found and will probably keep following until the end of the series. 

The characters are different as in a weird different but they work. The book contains a bunch of characters  that I never thought would be seen together but in this they not only are but they work really well. The characters and the plot play well with each other in the sense that both of them was the highlight of the book for me. 

This is the second book of the series and I do have to point out that I have not read the first one. But the curiosity of the plot weighted heavily and I read it and finished and am glad I did. Though, it would have been great to have read from the start it was not overly dependent on the first book. The author did try to make sure that the first time readers of this was not left out in the cold. 

One of the things I loved was the budding romance between Anya and Kester. As well as the animosity between the two agency. 

 

The Case of the Deadly Doppelganger was a mystery that drew me in while the characters ensnared me in their web until the end. 

 

 

Review: Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton

 Review: Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton

Title: Survival of the Fritters

Author: Ginger Bolton

Series: Deputy Donut Mystery Book 1

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation

No. of Pages: 256 Pages 

Release Date: January 30th, 2018

My Review: 4 Stars

** I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, Thank you very much to Kensington for the book**

Synopsis: 

Emily Westhill runs the best donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, alongside her retired police chief father-in-law and her tabby Deputy Donut. But after murder claims a favorite customer, Emily can’t rely on a sidekick to solve the crime—or stay alive.

If Emily has learned anything from her past as a 911 operator, it’s to stay calm during stressful situations. But that’s a tall order when one of her regulars, Georgia Treetor, goes missing. Georgia never skips morning cappuccinos with her knitting circle. Her pals fear the worst—especially Lois, a close friend who recently moved to town. As evening creeps in, Emily and the ladies search for Georgia at home. And they find her—murdered among a scattering of stale donuts . . .

Disturbingly, Georgia’s demise coincides with the five-year anniversary of her son’s murder, a case Emily’s late detective husband failed to solve before his own sudden death. With Lois hiding secrets and an innocent man’s life at stake, Emily’s forced to revisit painful memories on her quest for answers. Though someone’s alibi is full of holes, only a sprinkling of clues have been left behind. And if Emily can’t trace them back to a killer in time, her donut shop will end up permanently closed for business.

 The cover was what attracted me towards it. The Kitten on it looking at the donut's made me want to know more about it. A couple minutes reading about it told me it had a kitten named Deputy Donut and a Donut shop named after her. AND I was totally sold on the book. After reading it, I am totally in kitty heaven.

Donut's has been something that I never really liked much. After reading it I think it is probably because we do not have donut's like the ones that is mentioned in this book.. Deputy Donut shop made me want to try those delicious sounding donut's. 

Survival of the Fritters tests the bonds of friendship, mends it and shows you that friendship is all about. 

This is a cozy unlike the other's in the sense that usually the mystery is wrapped up with hilarious and crazy characters which did not really get included in this book. But that being said I did not completely miss it. 

Like real life people there are things you like about them and things you do not like about them. I do feel the same with Emily. She trusts her friends. Is not willing to give up on them. If there is something they need help with she will help them even if she did not like to or want to do it. After all, those are her friends. In that the author did a great job with portraying all the characters. 

The plot was well crafted. A murder of a son and then the mother years apart but the same date. Kept me guessing and coming back. 

The climax was intense. But the ending gave me hope that fate is not cruel. Second Chances do happen.

Review: Familiar Motives (Witch's Cat Mystery Book 3) by Delia James

Review:  Familiar Motives (Witch's Cat Mystery Book 3) by Delia James 

Title: Familiar Motives

Author: Delia James

Series: Witch's Cat Mystery Book 3

Genre: Cozy Romance, Fantasy, Witches

Publisher: Berkley

No. of Pages: 321 Pages 

My Review: 4 Stars

I love cozies with animals in it. And this is one series that I fell in love with from the first book on wards. 

This is one of those series that I count the days and then the hours I have until I can read it. 

As with all previous two book. There is a Mystery. A death of a coven member and a much loved local Vet has a lot of people feeling a lot of things. 

The book starts with Anna and Kenisha finding the Local Vet's body. And realizing that the local Pet Celebrity has been cat-napped. I got to say... I though that this one was going to be an at least an easy one to solve. Boy, I was wrong! SO Wrong! 

Delia James is great with the twists and turns and weaving a story line that is unique in it's own way. 

The beginning rankled me a little. Mainly because there was one too many times were Anna was at the right/wrong time for her to find a key piece of information regarding the mystery. For me it was a bit annoying. 

However, as I kept reading the mystery took over. With the added blossoming relationship with the bartender, this was a great cozy for me to read along with a hot cup of coffee and warm blanket.

Review: Caught Dead Handed (Witch City Mystery Book 1) By Carol J. Perry

Review: Caught Dead Handed (Witch City Mystery Book 1) By Carol J. Perry

Title: Caught Dead Handed  
Author: Carol J. Perry
Series: Witch City Mystery Book 1  
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Witches
Publisher: Kensington  
No. of Pages: 393 Pages  
My Review: 4 Stars

I Love the Cover. It was what grabbed me and wanted me to try this one out. I know judging a book by it's cover is not good and I may be losing a couple of good books by doing that but this one... sigh...

Okay, First thing first. The Cat. O'Ryan. Is ADORABLE. And a total gentlemen. He goes outside to do his business. And waits up until Lee returns home from work to go to sleep. I am absolutely in love with the him.

The main  character Lee, is back home to start anew. With a trip to an interview ending up her losing the interview and then discovering a dead body. She finds out that the dead was the host for the late night show for WICH-TV and gets offered the late night host job.

The books starts out great. The mystery and other events in Lee's life make up a great read as well as keeping me stuck in the book. However, that being said I do think that after a while the mystery just seemed to be stretched too thin. Halfway through the book the mystery was not a mystery as much finding out what happened to Janet for me.

Even before the climax I had realized who the murderer was. What kept me on the book was finding out why? and What happened?

I may be saying a little too much but I think this book or the mystery on some very bad things that had happened in the past. What goes around comes around. There is a result for every action. Bad or Good.

The climax was  worth the bump in the book. Wrapped the book up nicely, with probably a hint of good change and new friendship.