My most recent batch of cozy mysteries did not disappoint. I enjoyed them all, some more than others, but definitely recommend them. Bookstores, bakeries, fundraisers, and craft shops are all great settings for different cozies.

A Curious Incident (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery, #6)

A Curious Incident (Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #6) by Vicki Delany

5 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am continuing to enjoy this series. Gemma Doyle, with her no-nonsense, brusque nature has grown on me. Vicki Delany has softened her up a bit and she is changing the longer she is in New London. She has a reputation of solving mysteries, so it is not surprising when ten year old Lauren Tierney wants to hire her to find her cat, Snowball. It is not Gemma, but her dog Violet that finds Snowball and she is returned to Lauren. A few days later, Lauren wants to hire Gemma to help her mother, who has been accused of murder. Gemma is adamant that she is not a detective, but can not resist helping this sweet girl that she has come to like. Even though her boyfriend, Detective Ryan Ashburton, wants her to stay out of it, she and her friend and partner, Jayne Wilson, end up investigating to find out who really killed Sheila’s garden club rival, Anna.

I really enjoyed seeing Gemma’s soft side in this story. Gemma insists she does not like children, but she develops a sweet relationship with ten year old Lauren. She is almost like a mama bear at times. This was another great mystery. I enjoyed how this one played out, and even though there were some basic cozy mystery storylines, it was written in a fun and enjoyable way. There were only a few suspects, so Gemma had to figure out the motive first. With a few motives coming out, it had me changing my mind a few times as to the culprit. The conclusion of this story was very satisfactory and all the loose ends were tied up. A great addition to this series and I am eager to see what is next for Gemma and Ryan. The publisher provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.

Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle (A Death by Chocolate Mystery, #4)

Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle (Death by Chocolate Mystery #4) by Sarah Graves

4.5 Stars:

Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle is the fourth in this series, but can be read as a standalone. Having said that, this is a great series and once you read this one you will want to read them all, so you may as well start at the beginning. I really enjoy this series with its humour, quirky characters and wonderful family and friends. Jacobia (Jake) Tiptree runs The Chocolate Moose with her BFF Ellie. This book finds the town in the midst of their annual cooking baking contest and the partners are planning to enter, just for fun. Before the contest even starts up, Jake’s son informs her that the town’s retired lawyer, recluse, swindler etc., Alvin Carter, has been killed, found with a hatchet in his skull. Sam’s employee and family friend, Billy Breyer, is the main suspect and subsequently is arrested. His two younger sisters who live with him come to Jake for help. They do not want to have to go and live with their Aunt Prunia. She has to prove his innocence. With Jake and Ellie on the investigation, police chief Bob Arnold is going to have more on his hands than finding the killer.

This was another fun, interesting, well-written and plotted story. I love Jake and her friends. They get into such predicaments during their investigations, you have to laugh. They are lucky to have family and friends to pull them out of the frying pan before they end up in the fire. Poor Bob is constantly threatening to arrest them, but hasn’t had to yet. I do enjoy their banter, and you know he always seems to know what they are up to. The mystery was interesting and I did not know who the culprit was, but there sure were plenty of suspects in this one. The final showdown was exciting and dangerous, but the ladies ended up okay with the help of Bob and some others. I like that Sarah Graves includes the life of Jake’s family and friends in the stories. Mika, Jake’s sister-in-law, is dealing with post-partum life and the issues that come with it. It is handled in a wonderful way in this story, as a normal part of life and she will be playing a more prominent role in future books. I also enjoyed Helen’s and Anna’s side story. Dealing with an upheaval in your life, not once but twice when you are in your teens is difficult, but these young ladies came out on top and I hope they will make an appearance in the next book as well. I definitely recommend this book and series to cozy mystery lovers. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.

Death by Auction (An Abby McCree Mystery Book 3)

Death by Auction (Abby McCree Mystery #3) by Alexis Morgan

4.5 Stars:

The Abby McCree Mystery series seems to get better with each book. Abby inherited her Aunt’s estate, including her large home. With the home came her tenant, veteran Tripp Blackston. When Tripp asks Abby to help organize his veteran’s group fundraiser, she can’t say no. It is a bachelor auction and Abby insists that Tripp be one of the eligible bachelors. Abby hires Bryce Cadigan, a radio personalty and hometown boy made good, to be the emcee of the event. The glitch is that after the auction when she goes looking for him to pay him, he is dead. The other interesting event is to find out that Tripp has a wife, or ex-wife, who has shown up and won the date with Tripp. Abby is thrown for a loop and when it seems like Valerie is the main suspect, Tripp is asked to put her up until she is cleared. Abby steps in and insists Valerie stay with her as she has more room, but is she harboring a killer? Can she find proof that Valerie is innocent so she will leave town and Tripp?

Abby is a wonderful protagonist. She’s smart, sassy, caring, independent, and has a knack for organizing events and solving mysteries. I am enjoying her developing relationship with Tripp and she is ready to make her move in this story. I enjoy their banter and humour, that shows what great chemistry they have. Tripp’s ex-wife, Valerie, added drama and entertainment to the story, as well as some humor. I giggled every time Abby referred to her as the barnacle. I enjoyed the mystery and the steps Abby and the police took to solve it. I was actually surprised that I figured out who the killer was relatively early in this one, but it still held my attention right to the end. Proving who the murderer is plays a large part in this book and the final reveal was well done. There was a great ending and tying up of all loose ends that pleased me. I will definitely continue reading the Abby McCree series.

A Crafter Knits a Clue (A Handcrafted Mystery, #1)

A Crafter Knits a Clue (A Handcrafted Mystery #1) by Holly Quinn

3.5 stars:

This is the first book in a new crafting series, A Handcrafted Mystery series. It features Sammy Kane. a young woman who returns to Heartsford for the funeral of her best friend. She is heartbroken to hear that the Community Craft store will close with Kate’s death. She decides to move home and take over the store herself. Shortly after her new life begins, she wanders down to the new yarn shop to meet the owner, Ingrid, a relatively new resident in town. She walks into the store and finds Ingrid, on the floor with a knitting needle sticking out of her throat. When Detective Liam Nash arrests local woodworker, Miles Danbury, Sammy can’t help but begin her own investigation. She is sure he is innocent, but there are so many theories and several suspects that she becomes a nuisance, not only to the police, but to many of the townsfolk. When a beloved citizen is hit by a car, she is sure these two things are connected, but can she convince Detective Nash.

With this being the first in a series, we meet a lot of characters, some important, some will be recurring and some were involved in this crime. I like Sammy, but at times she annoyed me. She was not subtle and was quite good at aggravating people. Sam joins forces with two of her childhood buddies, Heidi and Ellie. They used to play at detective in grade school, and are pretty good at figuring things out. There seems to be a budding relationship with Sam and Liam and he let her get away with some things due to his feelings, and he was always there when she needed help. The mystery itself was a good one and I enjoyed how it all played out. It moved along at a nice pace with lots of clues, sleuthing, some red herrings and twists. This was a cozy where the community plays a role, the MC has returned home to help her hometown deal with something, and she stays to make her hometown a better place. Nothing special, but enjoyable. I will read more in this series to see what else Sam and her friends get up to.