REVIEW - COMING UP ROSES - Not so rosy Toot Hansell

Coming Up Roses by Kim M Watt

Date read: 14th March 2023

My rating: 5*
Genre I reckon: Cozy Mystery (with WI & Dragons)

Buy link: Amazon 

I seem to have been a bit grumpy with my book reviews this year. But I'm happy to say, I've now awarded this one a rare 5* rating. tbh I read this because I love Kim Watt's books, particularly when dragons are involved. 

Oh, the chaos is off the charts in this one! WI, cryptozoologist reporters, admirers, dragons, dogs...everyone's running around trying to uncover the murderer. It's only natural when Rose is a prime suspect. Well, there was a dead body in her freezer!? 

Oh, this is Toot Hansell at its zany best! The perfect pick-me-up, crazy, cozy mystery.

Always in love and light,

TL

REVIEW - WINTER SOLSTICE MURDERS - A Magickal Mystery

Winter Solstice Murders by C Farren

Date read: 10th December 2022

My rating: 4*
Genre I reckon: Magickal Cosy Mystery

Buy link: Amazon 

Talking familiars and a murder mystery. I just had to read this one!

I really enjoyed the story. The magickal world in which it was set was maybe a little too similar to our own. It was more like a different realm of Earth imho. But familiars and magick are commonplace in Magpie Cove.

Death by tea; doesn't get much more cosy mystery than that, right? 

When Bea is illegally brought back to life, she's determined to discover who her murderer was before they can try again. 

tbh Bea isn't the most lovable character I've ever read. She's quite distanced from friends and family. But then that gives her several suspects to investigate, so I was intrigued to discover why. And Widdershins, her feline familiar, kept me reading. 

I wasn't really trying to solve the case as I was happy to go with the flow. But I didn't guess the culprit.

Having a middle aged heroine was refreshing. 

A fun, magickal mystery.

Always in love and light,

TL

REVIEW - THE SOUND OF MURDER - A sensation!

The Sound of Murder by KL Montgomery

Date read: 30th April 2022

My rating: 4*
Genre I reckon: Cosy Mystery 

Buy link: Amazon 

Such fun! A plus-sized MC (hooray!), in a production of The Sound of Music. Only, one of the cast is murdered. And it's happened before! 

Can/should Ruby solve this case before the cops? 

There's a whole host of colourful characters in this whodunnit. And I love the song she makes up as she goes along! 

Death, Ruby must solve,

This book, a great read for all. 

Always in love & light,

TL

REVIEW - The Bloody Tower - bloody ain't the half of it!

Date read: 11th June 2020

My rating: 4.5*

Genre I reckon: Cosy Historical Mystery

Buy link: Amazon

I confess it...this is my first Carola Dunn book. It's not even the first in the Daisy Dalrymple series. But it's the one my step-daughter had mailed to my mother-in-law for lockdown reading, and she's passed it on to me. 

It's perfectly acceptable as a stand-alone. Although I may go back and read earlier books now that I've been hooked!

Having been to The Tower of London, I found this setting fascinating. 

It is a place with a bloody history, but more is added in this intriguing story. 

Daisy is a high-born lady who married a police detective, DCI Fletcher. Set in 1925, we see the disturbance such a match caused. But she's clearly a strong woman who knows her own mind. 

I love the details; I could envisage the layout easily and the yeoman guard in their regalia. 

The language was time appropriate which I also appreciated. 

Very well researched!

The girls, Belinda and Fay are boisterous, enthusiastic young ladies of their generation who kept the mood light-hearted amidst the horror. 

I'd keep an eye on Nanny though - phew, what a bearcat! 

Not to sound too full of oneself, but I did guess the murderer. There was a fun list of suspects though.

All-in-all, a gentle, entertaining read. Just what I needed, and what one expects of a cosy mystery.

A jolly good yarn! 😊

Tee hee - couldn't resist making this fun GIF

Always in love and light, 

TL