Syrup to No Good - A Review

 Review

SYRUP TO NO GOOD by Catherine Bruns
The Second Maple Syrup Mystery 

 

In addition to running Sappy Endings, her family's maple syrup farm, Leila Khourey is busy preparing for her best friend's wedding. Unfortunately, this means everyone has to deal with Uncle Grant and his obnoxious wife, Monica. Finding Monica's murdered body after the bridal shower is a big shock for Leila, but an even bigger shock is discovering Heather's wedding will be postponed unless the killer is found. With a short deadline, Leila has no intention of leaving the investigation to the police. Will Leila be able to solve the murder or will Heather lose the wedding of her dreams? Or is something even worse in store? 

Weddings can be stressful, even when everything is going to plan. Dealing with family you don't like is often par for the course, but in Heather's case things are a lot worse. Not only does she have to welcome the uncle no one likes, but also his wife that no one can stand. Monica's death makes things even worse with Uncle Grant now calling all of the wedding shots. Heather's lucky she has a friend like Leila. I'd tell her to forget it and elope, but Leila decides to try and solve the murder so Heather can have a huge wedding...putting herself in the crosshairs yet again. Adding to the drama, Leila's former fiance is back in town and looking to get back together. If that weren't bad enough, her mom is encouraging him!

 

In the second Maple Syrup Mystery danger, treachery, and obnoxious family members come together in a thrilling mystery. There are plenty of surprises to keep Leila and readers on their toes. In addition to the action, Leila has to confront a lot of personal issues and does so with grace. She can be hard headed, but this dogged determination is also one of her strengths.

SYRUP TO NO GOOD is full of pulse pounding moments, not so subtle investigations, and some really awful people. Be prepared to be craving Lebanese food and maple syrup infused treats as you enjoy this delectable mystery.

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Syrup to No Good by Catherine Bruns. This book is the second in the Maple Syrup Mystery series and will be released October 31, 2023.

In addition to running Sappy Endings, her family's maple syrup farm, Leila Khourey is busy preparing for her best friend's wedding. Unfortunately, this means everyone has to deal with Uncle Grant and his obnoxious wife, Monica. Finding Monica's murdered body after the bridal shower is a big shock for Leila, but an even bigger shock is discovering Heather's wedding will be postponed unless the killer is found. With a short deadline, Leila has no intention of leaving the investigation to the police. Will Leila be able to solve the murder, or will Heather lose the wedding of her dreams? Or is something even worse in store?

In the Wick of Time - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Sage Winslow to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Sage on the pages of the Magic Candle Shop Mystery series by Valona Jones. IN THE WICK OF TIME is the second book in the series and was released last week.

 

Man Troubles
By Sage Winslow

Dear Diary,

At thirty years old, I’m too old to be using a diary. I suppose I should call this a journal, but I can’t keep all this pain inside. It’s too much for anyone to bear. My closest friend is my twin sister, but she’s gun-shy after all the breakups I’ve had. Junior was too clingy, Mark too distant, and Avery thought the world revolved around him. I thought for sure Brindle Pratt was my Mr. Right.

After all, he doesn’t question my moods or my need to stay in my family’s apartment above The Book and Candle Shop in downtown Savannah, GA. He doesn’t question my desire to also work a second job with plants because that soothes my soul. With being a junior partner in a law firm, Brindle works long hours too. Plus, we are compatible in the sack, and that’s saying something.

He never says he’s too tired. Neither when he goes to bed, nor when he wakes up. That’s a good thing, an excellent thing for someone like me who craves that intimacy. Unlike my sister Tabby, I lose energy as the day goes on, and the recharge that only occurs at night in our Bristol Street home doesn’t fill me up. When I’m not in a relationship, I’m constantly asking Tabby to top me off. One of these days she’s rightly gonna say no, and then what will I do?

Oh darn. One of my tears fell on the page, and the gel pen ink ran. Lemme find a ball point pen…Okay I’m back now. I can’t promise not to cry, but at least I won’t destroy my innermost thoughts by soaking the page.

Where was I? Oh yes, my constant energy shortage. I’ve seen firsthand what happens when you repeatedly run yourself down to nothing. You die. It happened to my mom, and we couldn’t save her. Her death was horrible and pointless. She should still be alive, but, no, she had to help her friend with cancer. She valued her friend’s life more than she did her own.

I realize I sound like a jerk, but Mom knew cancer didn’t respond to our energy. By giving her friend all those energy transfusions, she only helped her friend deal with the pain. She wasn’t fixing anything. That was so frustrating for me, and I lost my mom to boot.

I thought that was the worst thing that ever happened to me.

I was wrong.

Brindle shattered my heart tonight.

The hurt is so raw I can barely breathe.

Here’s what happened. Since we’ve been dating a few months, we have keys to each other’s apartments. Tonight was the third night in a row that he worked late. He claimed he didn’t want me to wait up, so he’d go to his place after work. I couldn’t settle down. I needed to see him, so I decided to surprise him with my new lingerie. It was December, so I wore a long coat over my new intimate wear. I drove over, parked in the lot, and walked the half-block to his residence.

All the lights were on in his place. Oh! My heart quickened. He was home already. Great. I walked faster. Then I saw them. Brindle. My shirtless boyfriend. And another woman. I stared at her in utter confusion then hatred. It was Alyss, the receptionist from his office. My jaw dropped until my mouth became so dry I had to close it.

He was holding her the very same way he held me. Dancing in that hip-to-hip way that was Ours. He stroked her hair and kissed it the same way he did mine. My anger flared, and I wanted to hurt both of them. Bad.

Confronting them wouldn’t change anything. He’d cheated. He’d lied to me about everything. He was to blame. How could I have been so blind? In spite of knowing I should turn around, I knocked on the door. No one answered, so I let myself in, yelled his name.

He stared at me like he’d seen a ghost.

I called him every name in the book, threw his key at him, and ran out of there. I never knew I could hurt so much, or that it would feel like my guts were ripping apart.

My twin pinged me on our twin-link. You okay?

I couldn’t talk about this to anyone yet. Couldn’t face the shame of humiliation yet. I’m okay.

Somehow I drove home and cried my eyes out. Brindle called and texted, but he didn’t come over. That made me feel worse. I shouldn’t want his comfort after he’d cut me to the quick. I couldn’t hurt him physically, but I had to do something. I took off the lingerie and cut it to shreds. I was done with him once and for all.

The next day came, and I couldn’t face the world yet. Maybe not ever.

Why wasn’t I enough for him? Why?

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 In the Wick of Time (Magic Candle Shop Mystery) by Valona Jones

About In The Wick Of Time

In the Wick of Time (Magic Candle Shop Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery 

2nd in Series
Setting - Savannah, Georgia
Crooked Lane Books (October 17, 2023)
Hardcover: ‎ 288 pages

Tabby Winslow will help her twin sister Sage with anything and everything—and that includes putting out the flames of suspicion when Sage’s boss is found murdered in this magical mystery, perfect for fans of Amanda Flower and Sofie Kelly.

December in Savannah, Georgia, is a sight to behold. With all the festivities—including the traditional riverfront luminary display during the boat parade—twin sisters Tabby and Sage Winslow are busier than ever setting up for the big celebration. But that isn’t the only thing on the sisters’ minds. Both Sage and her fellow employee Mary Nicole are vying for the sought-after assistant manager job at the plant nursery. But when Loren Lee, their boss, is found dead, and Sage becomes the police’s favorite suspect, both Winslow girls know that they’ll need more than a flicker of magic and their sisterhood to solve the murder and clear Sage’s name.

Soon, Tabby realizes that this is just one of the many problems they have. If being a suspect for murder wasn’t enough, there are more magical problems that they have to fix: Sage’s boyfriend is having a paranormal experience of his own he can’t control, there’s an energy vampire searching for his supposedly lost cousin, her cat suddenly dislikes her, and oh—every time Tabby hiccups, she turns completely invisible. The suspect list grows with each day and it seems everyone has a reason or a connection to Loren Lee.

Tabby and Sage are burning the candle at both ends—but will it be enough to keep their friends safe and find this killer? Or will they be burned by their efforts?

About Valona Jones

Valona Jones, also known as Maggie Toussaint, writes paranormal cozy mysteries set in coastal Georgia. A former scientist, she’s drawn to the study of personal energy. She sharpened her people-watching skills as a lifelong introvert and had a bank vault of personal observations when she began to write fiction. Her newest release is In The Wick of Time, book 2 in the A Magic Candle Shop Mystery, preceded by Snuffed Out, which released Jan. 2023. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime with more than twenty-five published works of fiction. She lives in coastal Georgia, where she’s seen time and tide wait for no one.

Author Links: 

Website https://www.valonajones.com  

Facebook https://facebook.com/ValonaJonesAuthor  

Amazon Author Page https://amazon.com/author/valonajones/  

GoodReads Author Page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22140872.Valona_Jones  

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/valona-jones  

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - BookShop.org  

 

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The Fatal Folio - A Review

 Review

THE FATAL FOLIO by Elizabeth Penney
The Third Cambridge Bookshop Mystery 

 

Gloom and rain have descended on Cambridge, but Molly Kimball is happily ensconced in Hazelhurst House, the stately home of her boyfriend's parents, cataloging their impressive library. It's there she discovers that not only do they own the original manuscript of the popular Gothic novel The Fatal Folio, one of their ancestors wrote it. As another project Molly decides to see if she can determine just which Scott actually wrote the piece. But her literary pursuits are not the only challenges Molly faces. She and her friends stumble across the body of a student who has just been stabbed. While reeling from his death, and wondering if Kieran's cousin had anything to do with it, the manuscript is stolen. Could the crimes be connected? 

THE FATAL FOLIO is a great addition to this fantastic series. I love how the story is intertwined with that of The Fatal Folio and how we are able to read that story as well. In fact so many things are deftly interwoven in this mystery, the murder, the theft, literary research, the Gothic literary festival, and relationships. Indeed, it's the relationships that make this book, and series, so much more than just a mystery. The love and friendship between a great cast of characters influences everything and makes the reader more invested in the story. 

With Gothic bones THE FATAL FOLIO takes a dreary November and turns it into an atmospheric mystery warmed with the comfort of good friends.

Murder Uncorked - A Review

 

MURDER UNCORKED by Maddie Day
The First Cece Barton Mystery

 

Manager of the wine bar, Vino y Vida, widow Cece Barton is getting used to living in the small town of Colinas, California. Living close to her twin sister is just one of the perks. After hearing an argument at the bar, she soon learns that one of the men has been murdered. The same man with whom she's had unpleasant business dealings. When the brusque detective starts implying Cece could be a suspect and when Cece realizes that the good looking man staying at her sister's B&B could be the killer she decides to look into things herself. After all, it wouldn't be the first time.

 

While MURDER UNCORKED is the first book in the series there are several references to Cece being involved with solving a murder. It turns out there is a prequel in the anthology CHRISTMAS MITTENS MURDER. I wish I would have read this short story that introduces Cece first. Although MURDER UNCORKED certainly works fine without knowing the introductory details, since there were several references to it, I would have liked to have read it first.

 

I like the relationship between Cece and her twin, Allie. I also appreciate her dealings with her nephews and the fact that her relationship with her daughter is not the best. One of my favorite relationships though is between Cece and the VOM, Very Old Man, her neighbor Richard. It was also nice seeing a variety of ethnicities represented. The mystery was well plotted with nice diversions. Cece is an intelligent protagonist and I like how she handles herself.

 

MURDER UNCORKED is a full bodied mystery with a host of interesting characters in a unique setting. I look forward to visiting this charming town again!

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Murder Uncorked by Maddie Day. This book is the first in the Cece Barton Mystery series and will be released next week.

Manager of the wine bar, Vino y Vida, widow Cece Barton is getting used to living in the small town of Colinas, California. Living close to her twin sister is just one of the perks. After hearing an argument at the bar, she soon learns that one of the men has been murdered. The same man with whom she's had unpleasant business dealings. When the brusque detective starts implying Cece could be a suspect and when Cece realizes that the good looking man staying at her sister's B&B could be the killer she decides to look into things herself. After all, it wouldn't be the first time.

Murder by the Seashore - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Samara Yew to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Samara writes the California Bookshop Mystery series. MURDER BY THE SEASHORE is the first book in the series and today is its release day!

Kathy: Scarlett Gardner owns the Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop. Have you ever dreamed of opening a bookshop?

SY: I think it would be fun to work at one, though opening up a brand new business seems like a ton of work as Scarlett discovers.

Kathy: Scarlett thought she'd have the help of her boyfriend and business partner, but is soon on her own. Have you ever started something as a team, but wound up doing it on your own?

SY: Nothing comes to mind. 

 

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

SY: I love the puzzling solving and trying to figure out the mystery alongside the sleuth. I also love that the sleuth is a regular, everyday person who gets caught up in a mystery, often unwillingly. It’s a fun adventure to dive into.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

SY: Not at the moment.
 

Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

SY: MURDER BY THE SEASHORE is the first book in the California Bookshop Mysteries. Scarlett Gardner receives a mysterious inheritance from a stranger she found dead on the beach near her beloved bookshop. She gets caught up in solving multiple mysteries about who the stranger was, why the woman left her a large inheritance, and who the killer is.

Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

SY: Lucia, Scarlett’s roommate/BFF, is probably my favorite character, though I really love them all. Lucia is a huge movie nerd so it was fun writing her fun facts about some of my own favorite movies such as Star Wars and Jurassic Park.
 

Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

SY: I wrote the first draft during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November 2020. It was the height of the pandemic so no traveling, but I wished I could escape the Canadian winter and head down to Southern California for a beach vacation. So instead, I wrote a cozy mystery with that setting.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

SY: Nothing specific made me want to publish it. I had fun writing it, my agent loved it, and we were able to find a publisher who wanted it.

Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

SY: Let’s have the ultimate cozy mystery dinner party. I’d invite Jenn McKinlay, Ellery Adams, Ellen Byron, and Diane Kelly.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

SY: I’m currently reading the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries by Deanna Raybourn. I just finished A MURDEROUS RELATION which is Book 5. I adore this historical mystery series! It’s a perfect blend of mystery, action, romance, and humor.

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

SY: I started canning this past summer and have become quite addicted. It’s been a great new hobby to keep me distracted from writing deadlines.
 

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

SY: Homemade chai concentrate, fruit, ingredients for all sorts of soup, and Greek yogurt which is usually the base for a delicious smoothie.

Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

SY: I’m currently working on the next book of the California Bookshop Mysteries, and it’s been a lot of fun being back with Scarlett and the Palm Trees and Page Turners’ gang! There’s a lot more of Scarlett’s sister, Olivia, in this book, and I’ve enjoyed diving into their relationship dynamics.

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

SY: My favorite thing is taking trips to the library to check out dozens of new books and being able to call it “homework.”

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Review

MURDER BY THE SEASHORE by Samara Yew
The First California Bookshop Mystery 

 

Since her boyfriend and business partner dumped her, Scarlett Gardner is hoping she can make a go of her newly opened bookshop. When she discovers the dead body of a customer of the nearby pier, she comes under the scrutiny of Detective Maxwell. And when they learn the murdered woman left Scarlett a huge inheritance, she jumps to the top of the Detective's suspect list. With the help of her roommate best friend Scarlett decides to figure out, not only why the unknown woman left her a fortune, but who killed her before she winds up in jail and her beloved shop is forever known as the Murder Bookshop. 

 

The first California Bookshop Mystery welcomes readers with a great setting, a bookshop on the beach, and an interesting mystery. The fact that not only the identity of Lorelai Knight's killer is in question, but who she actually was was a novel approach that kept me intrigued. There were lots of good suspects and some nice twists and turns.

 

While I like Scarlett she acts so young. I suppose because she is young, but as a business owner, and her roommate a successful lawyer, the two tend to act more like teenagers than professionals. While it's refreshing that mysteries don't appear to be her favorite genre, it's a bit embarrassing how inept she is when it comes to figuring out how to investigate. She's also very wishy washy, going back and forth between suspecting people of murder, then thinking they couldn't be guilty. I found Detective Maxwell to be a bit of an overbearing, overprotective, and domineering husband, but a decent detective. On the whole, the cast of characters is likable, but there's room for growth and development.

MURDER BY THE SEASHORE is an enjoyable start to a new series. 

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 Murder by the Seashore (A California Bookshop Mystery) by Samara Yew

About Murder by the Seashore

Murder by the Seashore (A California Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - California
Crooked Lane Books (October 17, 2023)
Hardcover: ‎ 256 pages

Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Ellery Adams, Scarlett Gardner’s dream was to open a bookshop in Southern California, but it soon becomes a nightmare when she finds the dead body of a customer—and becomes the prime suspect.

Southern California is where dreams come true—or so Scarlett Gardner thought. When she moved there and opened the Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop, she thought her boyfriend and business partner would be part of the story. When he leaves her for a better job, Scarlett finds herself struggling to keep her new business afloat. That’s not the only thing she has to worry about—she discovers something underneath the pier by her bookshop that she didn’t outline for her life’s story: the dead body of a book-buying customer.

After Scarlett gives a statement to the police, she thinks her life can go back to business as usual. But when a lawyer, representing someone named Lorelai Knight, tells Scarlett that she now stands to inherit a small fortune, she’s left with more questions than answers. Before she can make sense of any of it, the police bring her in for questioning; the body she found was Lorelai Knight. And the evidence they have against Scarlett doesn’t look good. Business is booming as Scarlett returns to Palm Trees and Page Turners, but for all the wrong reasons – curious tourists don’t want books, they want a glimpse of the Bookshop Killer.

Who could really be behind all of this? And why frame Scarlett? To clear her name, she’s going to have get creative—and hope she can remain one page ahead of the killer.

About Samara Yew

Samara Yew is a cozy mystery author who writes about adorable bookshops and dead bodies. A full-time mom, full-time dog servant, and part-time writer, Samara lives in British Columbia, Canada, where she can often be found watching Psych reruns. Samara loves to travel, especially visiting her husband’s home country of Singapore or donning Mickey ears in Disneyland. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers.

Author Links: 

Website https://samarayew.com  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/samara.yew.books  

Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/samarayewauthor  

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samara.yew.author  

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24259604.Samara_Yew  

Purchase Links - Amazon - PenguinRandomHouse - B&N - Chapters Indigo 

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