Off the Shelf -- No Parm No Foul

This is the second Grilled Cheese  Mystery.  It's Halloween and the Balsam Dell is getting ready for the annual food competition. Carly is excited, as it's her first year entering her eatery. The owner of Sub-a-Dub Sub, Ferris Menard, is angry at Carly because Grant, her part-time employee left Menard's employ to work full time at Carly's eatery.  He angrily confronts Carly in front of customers and is found dead in his own shop the next morning.  

The investigation hits close to home, and Carly decides to see if she can figure out who the real killer is.  

The mystery was interesting.  The characters are more developing a bit from the first book. I really enjoyed Evelyn Fitch and hope to see more of her. This is the coziest of cozies, no curse words, witch is considered a harsh word, and Carly and her boyfriend share only the tiniest of kisses.While this a little more chaste than my normal cozy, I like the characters.  I did find myself getting annoyed with Carly's method of analyzing her relationship with Ari.  Honestly, the connection between Carly and Ari is where the writing falls the fattest for me.  It feels artificial and takes me out of the story.

The descriptions of the food make me want grilled cheese.  I see the Alvin Special in my future.

Off the Shelf -- A Fatal Booking

 

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this title. This is the 3rd book in the Booklover's B&B Mystery series and the first in this series that I have read. Charlotte own Chapters, a literary themed B&B in Beaufort, NC. A friend from her former career as a teacher books the B&B for a weekend Book Club getaway, and things go away when one of the guests is murdered on the property.

I found the characters likeable and am intrigued by their history. Ellen, Charlotte's neighbor is most intriguing. I like the feel of the setting, a small southern beach town. I love the idea of the B&B.

I worked out the identity of the murderer pretty quickly, but the ride was still enjoyable. I will likely check out the rest of this series.

The opinions expressed and mine alone and are given freely.

Off the Shelf -- Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library

 Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC of this title, scheduled for release on February 8, 2022. This is the 2nd book in the Lakeside Library series and the first I have read.

Rain is the local librarian in the Wisconsin town of Lofty Pines and has recently decided to stay in town and run the library year round. The town is buzzing with excitement for the annual Ice Fishing Jamboree until one of the participants is found dead in his fishing shanty, resulting in the husband of Rain's best friend being accused if murder. Rain and her best friend, Julia, investigate to clear his name.

The actions of the characters falls a little unbelievable to me, even in a cozy mystery. There is a lot of unnecessary and excessive discussion of the winter weather.

Off the Shelf -- A Dash of Death

 Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC and the opportunity to review this book. This is the first in a new cozy mystery series. Samantha, Sam to her friends, is down her luck. Her fiance ended their engagement three weeks before her wedding. Her job prospects are limited, and her future feels uncertain. A friend persuades her to vend the scratchmade bitters that were to be her wedding favors at the Historic Homes Tour. Her bitters are a success, and things are going smashing until one of the guests mysteriously falls ill.

Samantha's past work as an investigative reporter compels her to dig into the situation, which quickly becomes complicated. The plot is well written. The supporting characters are engaging. Sam falls the most flat for me. Beyond her reporter's instincts and relationship troubles, there is not much fleshed out about her.

I did find the book engaging and liked the inclusion of recipes, though I would have preferred more of the recipes mentioned to be included. I will likely read a second outing for this series if there is one to see if Sam becomes more fleshed out.

The opinions expressed here are mine alone and are freely given.

Off the Shelf -- A Poisonous Page

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this book. This is the second title in Kitt Crowe's Sweet Fiction Bookshoop series. When a real estate agent passes away of a heart attack in her 30s, people are surprised, but given her family history, it is feasible. When another person who worked with the real estate agent turns up dead, Lexi has questions, especially after her best friend's brother is a leading suspect. Lexi, her dog Cookie, and the Macaroons (Lexi's book club) investigate. I enjoyed this book. The characters are fun, and their different interests and skills add to their investigative efforts. I want to know the residents of the town more. Cookie is precious! The mystery is engaging. I will definitely be checking out more of this series. #APoisonousPage #Netgalley