Madrigals and Mayhem by Elizabeth Penny

Posted on November 26, 2024 by Carol Early Cooney

Dear Fellow Reader,

Happy Thanksgiving! I wish you a wonderful holiday. May politics stay away from your tables and may your family time be peaceful.

Do you have Thanksgiving traditions? In our family, we always called Thanksgiving a sweatpants holiday. We don’t dress up – it is a casual comfortable day. Our big joke is that later on Thanksgiving, you can hear the Santa feet coming up from the basement. Yes, the Friday after Thanksgiving may mean shopping to some but to me it means getting out the Christmas decorations and going to town getting the house ready. I love it. At first… I will say that by December 25, I am usually ready to take it all down. But that Friday after Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times.

While you are relaxing Thanksgiving weekend, which I would think means you are reading, I have a new book for you. It is the fourth in the series but I think it works even if you haven’t read the prior books in the series. Last year I reviewed a previous book in the series, The Fatal Folio. (https://cecooney.com/2023/10/24/the-fatal-folio-by-elizabeth-penney/) I enjoyed that book so I was happy to read the next book in the series.

Madrigals and Mayhem takes us to Christmas time in Cambridge England with Molly Kimball and her first English Christmas. Molly has moved to England to help run her family’s bookshop, Thomas Marlowe – Manuscripts and Folios. Molly is anxious to meet her new business neighbor, Charlotte Pemberly. Charlotte has inherited the toyshop, Perberly’s Emporium from her grandfather, Arthur. She hopes to make it the success that her grandfather made it. But Charlotte didn’t expect to inherit the shop and those that expected to inherit (Althea Winter and her family) are not pleased.

As the book opens, Charlotte is taking Molly and her friend and tea shop owner, Daisy on a tour of her toy shop. They find Barnaby, Molly’s grandfather’s step-grandson, on the floor in the back of the store. He is sick and it appears he has been poisoned with tea cakes from Daisy’s store but the cakes have blue frosting a color of frosting Daisy doesn’t use. After Barnaby is taken away in an ambulance, Molly explains that her grandfather had married Althea Winter but had come to his senses and broken up with her. Right after the breakup, her grandfather got sick and Althea and her family moved back into his house to take care of him. They would only let Molly see him occasionally and never without one of them being in the room. Then when he died, they discovered that Molly had inherited everything and they were furious and instated legal action. They lost in court but they were trying to find a rare Madame Alexander doll that was very valuable. Molly’s Grandfather hid the doll and so far, no one has been able to find it.

It doesn’t take long for Molly to recognize that Charlotte was the intended victim of the poisoner. When Molly goes on a tour of the Pemberly’s home, she determines that Arthur was indeed murdered. To find out what happened, Molly and her boyfriend, Kieran go undercover by participating in a madrigal dinner that is directed by Althea and her daughter, Dorcas.

Molly has her hands full trying to find the missing doll, helping Molly clear her name, and working through her first family Christmas with her English family.

I enjoyed the story. I found the character of Charlotte a bit cold from time to time. The plot might be a bit unbelievable, but I liked it. I would read another book in the series. I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Thanks for reading!

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All’s Fair in Love and Treachery by Celeste Connally

Posted on November 13, 2024 by Carol Early Cooney

Dear Fellow Reader,

It is that time of year that generally time moves faster than we can imagine. There is so much to do, speeding from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas/Hanukkah. I went to Walgreens a few days before Halloween, and they were setting up Christmas. I’m not ready! With Thanksgiving so late this year, Christmas/Hanukkah will be here quickly.

I find it interesting that Advent Calendars have become a big thing. I can remember years ago looking around forever to find one for my kids. Now it feels like every company has one. There are beer ones, Lego ones, jelly ones, tea ones, and the ever-popular, chocolate ones. Who would have guessed?

This week’s book is a historical mystery with a female sleuth. It is the second in the series. I reviewed the first book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord,  (https://cecooney.com/2023/11/14/act-like-a-lady-think-like-a-lord-by-celeste-connally/) almost exactly a year ago. This book follows the first as it is a Regency-era mystery. I still do not know if it follows the Recency-era writing style completely.

In All’s Fair in Love and Treachery, we find Lady Petra in a quandary. She has received a note informing her that her lifelong friend and current love, Duncan Shawcross, actually murdered her fiancé and love, Emerson, Viscount of Ingersoll. And Duncan Shawcross has disappeared. How can she confront him about the allegation if she can’t find him? With her mind in a whirl, she decides that she needs to concentrate on the task that Queen Charlotte has given her. The Asylum for Female Orphan’s matron has died, and the Queen wants to know what happened. As Lady Petra starts investigating, she finds that her mission will lead her in the path of her love where she can confront him and then become involved in ferreting out a band of radicals that want to destroy the monarchy.

This story is full of twists and turns, which I think make the story move along quickly and keeps your interest. We are introduced to new characters in this story that help Lady Petra and some who do not help. How can she tell the difference? Was Lady Petra’s love, Emerson, really her love? Was he who she thought he was?

I enjoyed the story. It is an entertaining light read. I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thanks for reading!

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A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Carol Early Cooney

Dear Fellow Reader,

Hey look!  It isn’t a Christmas book. Yea! 

But this book is a different genre than my usual. It is not historical fiction, or cozy mystery, or fiction or even biography. This is in the supernatural mystery category. Now, I know that some of you might be turned off by that label, but I ask you to have an open mind.

The book opens with the death of Jake Macintyre. Jake lived in Apartment 4H. Jake is lying dead in front of the apartment building with a bullet hole in his head. Cordelia Graves is standing over the body. She notices that Jake is holding an expensive cell phone in his hand and comes to the conclusion that Jake did not die from a robbery attempt. Jake suddenly sits up. He recognizes Cordelia as the dead girl from across the hall from him. She assures him that she is the dead girl from across the hall. It takes Jake a few minutes to realize that he can see her because he is also dead. He is very confused. Cordelia urges him to come inside the building and after convincing him that he can walk through the front door, he realizes that he is a ghost but he doesn’t believe in ghosts, so he vaporizes. Cordelia is alone again.

Cordelia Graves is dead. She knows this but she also knows that she is still living in her apartment in Boston. Unfortunately, she is living there with a roommate. The first issue is that the roommate is alive and doesn’t really know that Cordelia is there. Ruby Young has moved to the city to escape a love story gone wrong. Her boyfriend was cheating and she decided that she had to leave town and move to Boston. She found an apartment that seemed to have someone’s things still there, but she could afford it and moved in. She is steadily killing off the house plants that were in the apartment.

The killing of the houseplants is driving Cordelia crazy. She doesn’t get what the problem is with this girl. Ruby figures out that Cordelia is living in the apartment with her and the two of them join forces to find out what happened to Jake. And maybe they will find out what happened to Cordelia. Cordelia doesn’t know and doesn’t think that her death makes sense. Through many rough starts, the two find they can communicate – not perfectly but they can exchange information.

Cordelia can find out things (by walking through walls) that Ruby can’t, but Cordelia cannot touch electronics because they blow up when she touches them. (They both learned this from experience.) So, they imperfectly work together to solve the mystery.

I liked this book. I enjoyed the interplay of the characters. It is a mystery written differently (at least for me) I recommend that you read this. I  think it is the first book of a new series.

Thanks for reading!

I was given an advance copy of this book in return for my unbiased review. The book will be published on October 29, 2024.

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Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Carol Early Cooney

Dear Fellow Reader,

We are back this week with a new installment in the Deep Dish Mysteries. I have reviewed the three previous books in the series, Public Anchovy (Public Anchovy Review) Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust (Crust to Crust review), and Six Feet Deep Dish (my review).

The series takes place in Geneva Lake, WI. Geneva Lake is a tourist destination, and winters can be quiet except during the famous snow sculpting championship. When Delilah O’Leary, the owner of the local pizza restaurant, is asked to cater a Chrismukkah gig, she is delighted. The party will take place during the competition.

Unfortunately, a person disappears from the party and is discovered frozen in a snow sculpture.

The cast of suspects includes a new character in the series, Delilah’s brother-in-law. What was his connection and why was he at the party with Delilah’s niece? They hadn’t told Delilah or her aunt they were coming to town. And where is Delilah’s sister? The sisters aren’t close mostly because Delilah feels her sister is constantly judging her and finding her wanting.

Unfortunately, the murder brings some questions about Delilah’s staff. She hates to be suspicious of them but things are going on that raise questions about their backgrounds. She hates feeling they could be involved but she doesn’t step back from investigating.

This fourth installment continues the character-driven series with new characters and Delilah’s role as narrator. And what is going on with the romance with Calvin Capone? Things are progressing slowly but there is progress.

If you like the other books in the series, I think you will be happy with this installment. There is more in this story; I’m sure because we know more about the characters. Can it stand on its own? I think so but it is hard to be completely sure because I have read all the series. I am glad when there is a new book in the series if that helps you decide.

Thanks for reading!

I did receive a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion. The book will be published on  October 22, 2024.

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Blue Christmas Bones by Carolyn Haines

Posted on October 7, 2024 by Carol Early Cooney

Dear Fellow Reader,

Yes, this week is another Christmas-themed book. What can I say, it is that time of year for Christmas books to come out. We have had a warm, dry fall and I have barely moved into Fall. Our daylight hours are noticeably shrinking so I can tell that colder weather is coming soon.

Did you know that Evis was an avid reader? I know very little about Elvis but I did pick up that fun fact. Who knew I had something in common with Elvis?

Blue Christmas Bones is book number 28 of the 29-book series of Sarah Booth Delaney Mysteries. If you have read this blog in the past, you know this is not my style. I did not know that it was part of a series or that there were so many of them. I am one of those people who like to start at the beginning and work my way through. But enough of my issues.

This story finds Sarah Booth Delaney and her friends attending the annual Elvis Festival in Tupelo, MS. While there they get enmeshed in the disappearance of a priceless jewel-encrusted replica of an Elvis belt. The ladies get hired to find the belt before it is too late and the belt is dismantled and sold off for the jewels. Part of the problem is that there are so many people with a grudge against the owner. And is the owner a suspect too? There is a bit of madcap running around and the women are on a deadline to solve this as Christmas is approaching and they need to get home.

This is a light fluffy mystery. I am not knocking that. I will often pick up a light mystery to either “cleanse the palate” after a heavier book or if I want something that I can read quickly. I am sure that you would have a much better picture of the characters if you started at the beginning of the series but this did work as a stand-alone.

Thanks for reading.

I did receive a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion. This book will be published on October 15, 2024.

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