Gluten For Punishment (A Bakers Treat Mystery #1) Review

Gluten for Punishment (A Baker’s Treat Mystery #1)

Nancy J Parra

Publisher: Berkley Crime

With her mother’s death, Toni Ryder returns home to OilTop, Kansas bringing her gluten-free bakery business with her. But Toni has never felt at home in her hometown and cooking wheat-free in the middle of wheat country isn’t making her any less a fish out of water. When Toni becomes a suspect in OilTop’s first homicide investigation in twenty years, she must count on her crazy family and follow the clues to solve the mystery and clear her name 

I picked this up while in Canada purely because one of my cousins over there is Gluten-intolerant and been bemoaning the lack of cakes she can eat now. JWhat I discovered was a fun, sweet mystery with a good bite to it and some great characters. Toni opens a Gluten Free bakery right in the middle of Wheat country, but despite some minor protest at her grand opening, she is surprised when her main opponent is found dead just outside her bakery. With the police focusing on her as the only suspect, she and her Grandmother decide they need to solve the case themselves…

There are some interesting characters – both secondary and minor which helps keep interest in the story. Toni’s grandmother, Ruth is an eccentric old lady, riding a scooter and determined to grow old gracefully. She is the driving force behind Toni’s investigation. But she also adds plenty of colour and joy to the scene every time she shows up. I also loved the description of the various gluten-free goodies Toni bakes which made me feel hungry during most of the book! Toni’s best friend is an intriguing character as she is struggling with her business, a new boyfriend and a child who is autistic and I liked their friendship immensely. 

The investigation itself is fairly simple with just a couple of conversations to other locals rather than any big evidence or sleuthing skills. However, consider the police are not particularly good at their job and don’t even bothering to find out who was also on Main Street the morning of the murder, this seems to do the job nicely. It’s not a complicated mystery but the story is well told with enough amusement from the characters to make an entertaining read!

Recommended for fans of Sofie Kelly and Connie Archer. 7 out of 10

Early Review: Brush With Death

Brush with Death (The Gray Whale Inn Mysteries #5)

Karen MacInerney

Publisher: Midnight Ink Books – To Be Released 8^th May 2013

Review Copy Courtesy of Netgalley and Midnight Ink Books

With an upcoming gallery show and a popular artist visiting Cranberry Island, art is on everyone's minds--especially innkeeper Natalie Barnes. When Gwen, Natalie's niece, is invited to present her paintings at the art show, Natalie is torn between worrying about stressed out Gwen, the arrival of her future mother-in-law, and the threat of foreclosure on the Gray Whale Inn. But then Natalie finds Gwen's mentor dead. Will she uncover the truth behind this murder masterpiece?

I haven’t read any of the previous Gray Whale Inn stories but I was able to jump straight into the story and join Natalie with only a slight wobble at the beginning as what felt like a hundred characters were thrown at me in the first couple of chapters. After that though I was able to follow the immensely likeable Natalie and her friends and family as they prepared to welcome a famous artist to their island. Previous stories would probably make me appreciate some of the character development better but to be honest I never felt like I was missing out.

This was a fun, light read that just brought a smile to my face. The descriptions of food that Natalie cooks where mouth watering – and I was pleasantly surprised to find the recipes for most of them at the back of book – I will be sampling some of them soon! The story ambles along – not too slowly but never more than a brisk walk as Natalie and her fellow islanders debate suicide verses murder and gay rights all while knitting, baking and painting.

Comfortably in the cosy mystery groove which only changes towards the end when the murder is revealed when some real peril occurs for the first time. The murderer and motive are not a huge surprise but that’s almost beside the point. In fact even the murder seems like a sub-plot as I was more worried Natalie’s financial woes and her niece’s art show, than an crime. I will have a look to see if I can find any of the other books in this series as they are the literary equivalent of chocolate chip cookies and milk: sweet, tasty and familiar.

Recommended for fans of Janet Evanovich and Joanna Fluke. 8 out of 10

Shakespeare's Landlord (Lily Bard #1) Review

Shakespeare’s Landlord (Lily Bard #1)

Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Gollancz

Disguising herself with short hair and baggy clothes, Lily Bard has started a new life; she's becoming a cleaning lady in the sleepy town of Shakespeare, where she can sweep away the secrets of her dark and violent past. However her plan to live a quiet, unobserved life begins to crumble when she discovers the dead body of her nosy landlord. Lily doesn't care who did it, but when the suspicion of the police and local community falls on her she realises if she doesn't unmask the murderer, her life might not just crumble; it might also end.

This is an eminently readable story with a main character that has survived the worst of human behaviour and retreated into herself. Lily Bard keeps herself isolated in the town of Shakespeare – never getting too close to any one and cleaning other people’s homes for money. When she stubbles onto a mysterious figure disposing of a body, she finds herself coming under scrutiny from the local police force...

For the most part this reads like a cosy mystery, with a main character going about their usual business but able to learn more about the murder and victim than the professionals. However, Lily Bard is different in that her past is horrific and traumatic and this impacts her whole life. Where she is living, what she does for a living, her spare time have all been shaped by her past even her self-imposed isolation have all been shaped by one event. This makes Shakespeare’s Landlord a strange beast in that it is a fluffy light story, but with some real bite. There is a certain aftertaste that stays with you...

Lily is a scarred woman but is trying her best and makes some genuine steps forward here and I’m glad I have the next books in this series to follow her journey. I hope she is able to mend herself and find some peace. Charlaine Harris’s writing is familiar to anyone who likes the Sookie Stackhouse series and is extremely easy to read with the pages turning fast. I managed to finish this admittedly slim volume in a day. It was an entertaining read.

Recommended for fans of Ellery Adams and Heather Blake. 7 out of 10  

On My Wishlist #94

This is a meme that started on Book Chick City before moving to Cosy Books and is now hosted by the wonderful Sarah at Workaday Reads. There are so many books out there that I want to read that this is the only way I can keep track!

Dog Days - Elsa Watson
Publisher: Tom Doherty

Struggling café owner Jessica Sheldon volunteered to be the chairperson of Woofinstock, Madrona’s annual dog festival, to overcome her reputation as “number one dog hater” in her dog crazy Northwestern town. Determined to prove her dog-loving credentials, Jessica rescues Zoe, a stray white German shepherd— and in the process the two are struck by lightning. 
Jessica wakes to discover paws where her feet should be, and watches in horror as her body staggers around the town square…. Zoe and Jessica have switched bodies. Learning to live as a dog is difficult enough, but Jessica’s real worry is saving her café from financial ruin. To complicate matters, she’s falling hard for Max, the town veterinarian.
It’s clear that Zoe is thrilled to live life on “human terms,” thoroughly relishing all of the fun and food Woofinstock has to offer. But Zoe is also anxious to use her new human skills to find her missing family—who may not want her back. And Jessica needs to confront a complicated figure from her past before she can move on with her life.
Jessica and Zoe will need to learn from each other to set things right, and possibly find acceptance and love in the bargain.

I have a secret soft spot for body swap comedies and this seems like a lot of fun!

Mind Over Murder - Allison Kingsley
Publisher: Berkley Crime

Cousins and best friends, Clara and Stephanie Quinn run The Raven's Nest Bookstore, where people go to find their most coveted reads. But they have no idea it's the psychically-gifted Clara who's reading them...
The bookstore has made an enemy of the town crier, Ana Jordon, who claims that the store's occult collection is "poisoning" the town's youth. Meanwhile, the store's number-one employee, Molly, has made no secret of her anger over Ana's antics. So when Ana is found dead, killed by the bust of Edgar Allen Poe sculpted by Molly, the evidence is stacked against her. And Clara must rely on her gift to make sense of this senseless murder...

I spotted this over at The Quillery during her Paranormal Cosy Mystery month and I love books set with book lovers! :-)

A Killer Plot - Ellery Adams

Publisher: Berkley Crime

In the small coastal town of Oyster Bay, North Carolina, you'll find plenty of characters, ne'er-do-wells, and even a few celebs trying to duck the paparazzi. But when murder joins this curious community, the Bayside Book Writers are there to get the story...
Olivia Limoges is the subject of constant gossip. Ever since she came back to town-a return as mysterious as her departure-Olivia has kept to herself, her dog, and her unfinished novel. With a little cajoling from the eminently charming writer Camden Ford, she agrees to join the Bayside Book Writers, break her writer's block, and even make a few friends...
But when townspeople start turning up dead with haiku poems left by the bodies, anyone with a flair for language is suddenly suspect. And it's up to Olivia to catch the killer before she meets her own surprise ending.

I just love the cover of this book - I feel like the dog has been caught reading!

What are you wishing for this week?

Audiobook Review: Real Murders

Real Murders (Aurora Teagarden #1)

Written by Charlaine Harris

Read by Therese Plummer

Librarian Aurora Teagarden reckons she knows everything about her fellow townsfolk, including which ones share her interest in the darker side of human nature, as she and her friends have formed a club to discuss real life killings. But fiction soon becomes fact as more and more bodies are discovered, and the similarities between prior murders and those of Aurora's fellow townsfolk become frighteningly common

I’ve read most of the Sookie Stackhouse books and enjoyed the down to earth take on the supernatural so I thought I’d try some of Charlaine Harris’s ‘regular’ mysteries. Real Murders takes place in a small town where everyone seems to know each other and have ‘their place’. Aurora or Roe is one of the librarians with little social life, always over shadowed by either her glamorous and successful mother or her beautiful best friend. Her one solace is the monthly meeting of Real Murders, a true crime club where they discuss old murders and the investigations. When one of the members is found murder at one of their meetings, Row find herself caught up in the investigation and possibly one of the next victims...

This is very much in the cosy mystery area with a regular person somehow able to make the pieces of the crime fit together better than the police, ask the questions that they don’t – all while continuing to live a normal life. As such it is an easy listen, not overly taxing but nothing really pulls me back to want to know what happens next. I found Roe a little bit of a caricature of a small town librarian and while a perfectly pleasant character not anyone that will ever back the lists of strongest women ever. In comparison I found her mother a much more compelling character with some real backbone. Roe also has a couple of love interests – for the first time in her life it seems and she is rather unsure about which one she likes.  

The murders themselves are the most compelling element with someone determined to recreated scenes and circumstances of famous real murders. I was not quite sure who it was and was surprised by the solution. That raised the story for me. The narration was perfect competent but not inspiring. The writing was very easy and unchallenging. Overall, this was a perfect nice audiobook but one I’m unlikely to remember much about in a few months.

Recommended for fans of Nora Roberts and M.C. Beaton  6.5 out of 10

The Spellman's Strike Again Review

The Spellman’s Strike Again (Spellman Files 4)

-          Lisa Lutz

Publisher: UK – Pocket Books

At the ripe old age of thirty-two, former wild child Isabel "Izzy" Spellman has finally agreed to take over the family business. And the transition won't be a smooth one. First among her priorities as head of Spellman Investigations is to dig up some dirt on the competition, slippery ex-cop Rick Harkey--a task she may enjoy a little too much. Next, faced with a baffling missing-persons case at the home of an aging millionaire, Izzy hires an actor friend, Len, to infiltrate the mansion as an undercover butler--a role he may enjoy a little much. Meanwhile, Izzy is being blackmailed by her mother (photographic evidence of Prom Night 1994) to commit to regular blind dates with promising professionals--an arrangement that doesn't thrill Connor, an Irish bartender on the brink of becoming Ex-boyfriend #12.

This is one book I’ve left on my TBR pile for too long! The Spellman’s are curious, more curious than any cat. This is a great trait in an investigator and as the Spellman’s all work as Private Investigators in San Francisco you’d be forgiven for thinking they were great at their job. And they are. Trouble is they bring it home with them (well, the office is on their home so it’s not a long commute!). However, the Spellman’s spend most of their time spying, blackmailing and investigating each other. They definitely put the fun into dysfunctional.

Izzy is the middle child, former tearaway teen and now trying to be respectable investigator after three previous books of mishaps, arrests and therapy. Izzy is a very likeable character – she likes good whiskey, junk food, Doctor Who and is trying to curb the amount of additional investigating she does. But she still has to deal with blackmailing parents, a determined but pushy younger sister, a perfect older brother – not mention the bartender Irish boyfriend and police detective friend. This book has several mysteries and investigations running through it – some are about daily family life, others are more serious and tackle police corruption, but it never feels like a heavy read.

The story is much more linear than the other Spellman books, but with just as many great lines and comedic moments. It made a great change to read something so light-hearted and sweet without feeling like I’d been dosed up on sugar! I would highly recommend this whole series if you want an entertaining and immersive look at a family that will make yours seem positively normal. One of the engaging books I’ve read in a while – and certainly different from other mysteries.

Recommended for fans of Janet Evanovich and Victoria Laurie. 8 out of 10

On My Wishlist #53

This is a meme from Book Chick City. There are so many books out there that I want to read that this is the only way I can keep track! This week I'm eyeing up some cosy mysteries...

 

Secondhand Spirits - Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Signet

Lily Ivory feels that she can finally fit in somewhere and conceal her "witchiness" in San Francisco. It's there that she opens her vintage clothing shop, outfitting customers both spiritually and stylistically. Just when things seem normal, a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area. Lily has a good idea that some bad phantoms are behind it. Can she keep her identity secret, or will her witchy ways be forced out of the closet as she attempts to stop the phantom?

San Francisco is a great town for the supernatural - especially witches (I confess to enjoying the odd Charmed episode in the past!). I love the idea of a witch working in a vintage shop.

Night of the Living Deed - E.J. Copperman

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

Newly divorced Alison Kerby wants a second chance for herself and her nine-year-old daughter. She's returned to her hometown on the Jersey Shore to transform a Victorian fixer-upper into a charming-and profitable-guest house. One small problem: the house is haunted, and the two ghosts insist Alison must find out who killed them.

This is one of those books I've had in my hands on a couple of occasions while in Forbidden Planet, but for some reason (probably monetary) means I never quite make it to the till. I love the idea of a haunted guesthouse! 

Homicide in Hardcover - Kate Carlisle

Publisher: Signet

The streets of San Francisco would be lined with hardcovers if rare book expert Brooklyn Wainwright had her way. And her mentor wouldn't be lying in a pool of his own blood on the eve of a celebration for his latest book restoration. With his final breath he leaves Brooklyn a cryptic message, and gives her a priceless and supposedly cursed copy of Goethe's Faust for safekeeping. Brooklyn suddenly finds herself accused of murder and theft, thanks to the humorless but attractive British security officer who finds her kneeling over the body. Now she has to read the clues left behind by her mentor if she is going to restore justice.

 

Another San Francisco based mystery - and it's about a book collector! How can I resist? :)

 

So what are you wishing for this week? :)