Murder Pays a Call by Nancy J. Cohen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love the Bad Hair Mystery series, so I was excited to read this new one. At first, it was a little hard to get used to the new characters, but I loved the setting in Central Florida, where I used to live, and I soon warmed up to the characters. The plot was good, and at one point I had 10 suspects with no idea of who could be the killer.
Keri runs a personal conceirge service. She goes to deliver groceries to one of her clients, only to find her dead. Who would have wanted to kill such a kind old lady? She does not believe it was a botched robbery, as the police think. As she starts investigating, she finds out that Fiona was hiding quite a few skeletons in her closet.
I will continue this series.

View all my reviews

Killing Me Soufflé by Ellie Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In Killing Me Soufflé, Jules and friends go visit the soon-to-be-opened restaurant that hired Stephany and Sterling. It just happens to be in a resort where Jules used to spend summers with her family. Jules and Carlos want to help out, but S&S seem to have most everything under control. Everything but the nasty resort manager, Erick, who is making everyone's life miserable. Then Jules finds Erick dead at the bottom of a cliff near the resort, and the search is on. Lance and the Professor soon get roped in to help, both opening the restaurant and finding the killer. Good plot, and I didn't figure out the killer until just before the reveal. However, I missed Ashland and Torte. They have become characters of their own. I can't wait to meet the new staff hired to replace those who left.


View all my reviews

Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose by Nancy Springer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enola is insulted by a prospective client, who expected to find Mr. Ragostin, instead of a teen girl, at the Perditorian's office. She gets enough information out of his rants, to get curious and try to find his lost friend. The client turns out to be Ruyard Kipling, and Enola finds herself following clues like a rabid dog, a vigilante gang, a flower seller, and an obscure and experimental precursor of vaccines.

View all my reviews

Catch Me If You Candy by Ellie Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jules and the gang at Torte are busy after the Halloween parade in Ashland. After they close, they find a body, dressed as a dragon, dead at Torte's door. Could this be related to the strange message found in an old Mah Jong set? Or was it a case of jealous fur baby mamas trying to get their pooches in a play?

View all my reviews

Death by Smoothie by Laura Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jaine gets hired to streamline a play based on an old TV show. When the main actress, who got the job only because she's flirting with the director, is poisoned during rehearsal, Jaine wants to clear her name. Way too many people wanted Misty out of the way. There are at least two people she was blackmailing, the high school nerd who she'd tortured, the sibling of the woman she practily killed, the ex-boyfriend, the chef she got fired, the actress who should have gotten the part and who knows how many more.
Her cat Prozac is up to no good sneaking out of the apartment and creating havoc at a neighbor's house; Lance, her next-door friend is once again in love; and BFF Kandi is trying to talk her into a Bachelor's auction that she can't afford.
There are lots of suspects in this one, and the killer turned out to be second on my list.

View all my reviews

A Clue in the Crumbs by Lucy Burdette
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Scottish sisters that we met in A Scone of Contention come to Key West to do a US version of their TV baking contest show. None of the contestants is very good, but the best one's husband is killed, and Hailey, Miss Gloria and the sisters set out to find the killer so the show can go on. Lots of red herrings in this one. I was sure I had the killer nailed, but I was wrong. Includes recipes.


View all my reviews

Title Wave by Lorna Barrett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoy mysteries set in cruise ships and this one was no exception. Angie and Tricia take a book-themed cruise with several of the booksellers in town. One of the authors onboard is found dead, and it looks like a suicide. Tricia has her suspicions, though. The author was known for being mean and there are several people who would like her dead. Was it the unpaid assistant? The rude autograph collector? The editor with a secret grudge?
I thought it was kind of odd that the text kept switching from British to American words (lift/elevator; chips/crisps), but it was an Irish ship, so maybe they were trying to fit in with the crew.

View all my reviews