Tag: Cozy Mystery

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Review: The Key to Deceit (Electra McDonnell #2) by Ashley Weaver

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Key to Deceit (Electra McDonnell #2) by Ashley Weaver

This series captured my heart last year with it’s debut! I have read other books and series by Ashley Weaver but this is the series that has captured my attention the absolute most! After book one I was so eager to see what happened with Ellie next! Did she go back to safe cracking and stealing or did she keep on the straight and narrow?

I grabbed this book as soon as it was released and since it was on the shorter side (under 300 pages) I basically read it in one sitting—on my flight to Cabo. It was a super quick read and I found that the magic and allure of the book and characters didn’t change for me from book one to two and I am once again eagerly awaiting the next book in the series! If you are a historical mystery fan you need this book series. The first and second books are short and can be read in one or two sittings. I would recommend starting with the first book so you can enjoy all the character relationships rather than diving in with this one first.

But if you do decide to dive in with the second book and not start with the first one, not a huge big deal as the author keeps you fully abreast of events of the previous book and the character relationships. Ellie is a lovely modern character with wit and charm but also an edge. If you love authors like Anna Lee Huber and Deanna Raybourn then you will no doubt find a winner with Electra “Ellie” McDonnell!

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Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari

This book has me written all over it! The cover, the title, the summary! I couldn’t wait to check this one out and start reading it! I loved that it was set in post WWI England, though to be honest I missed in the summery that it was set in 1923 when I read it. I spent the first 10-20 pages of the book trying to figure out of it was the Victorian era or post WWI!

At any rate, the setting was great and it had a very ‘adventurer,. explorer, intellectual’ vibe from the very first page and I was eager to see how the story panned out. If you enjoy books with a fiesta female sleuth then you will find a lot to love in Saffron Everleigh! Saffron was fun, relatable, and intelligent and I really liked getting to know her throughout the book.

This is author Kate Khavari’s second book and even though I haven’t read the anything else by her, I would be happy to read another historical fiction by her as this was enjoyable and generally good. If you enjoy a ‘whodunnit’ with intelligent characters and a lovely setting then you don’t want to miss this one! Plus look at that cover y’all! It’s so pretty!

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Special Feature: Three Debts Paid (Daniel Pitt #5) by Anne Perry

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Special Feature: Three Debts Paid (Daniel Pitt #5) by Anne Perry

Historical mystery serial killer themed by Anne Perry? Need I say more?! Anne Perry is a rather prolific writer with a large fan following and multiple series under her belt. I have read some of her mysteries and found them smart, well written, and interesting. I wish I had found her books early on in my reading career since there are just so many great ones to choose from!

This latest book is from the Daniel Pitt series which isn’t too many books into the series (only five at this point!). I have skipped around with Perry’s books and series and I always feel like she does a good job catching readers up to speed with the main characters and their relationships as well as other larger plot points in the larger series not just for the immediate book. So I would feel comfortable saying new readers of Perry’s books could likely pick up any book in the series and feel fairly caught up and able to dive in to enjoy a great mystery.

The thing that appealed about this one to me was the serial killer plot. I think serial killer stories are always so fascinating and I am so excited to see how this one plays out in a historical mystery setting. It also sound like there is going to be an interesting character study and room for character growth in this one with the lead protagonist Daniel Pitt having to deal with a potential killer who is also a respected friend. I love when there are stories like this where the main character has to try and remain objective—it always makes for great character building in novels! This one is out now so if you love historical mysteries this might be the book you are looking for!

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Review: Under Lock and Skeleton Key (Secret Staircase Mysteries #1) by Gigi Pandian

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: Under Lock and Skeleton Key (Secret Staircase Mysteries #1) by Gigi Pandian

I am usually up for a new cozy mystery series. I always find cozy mysteries relaxing and satisfying, they typically have charming main characters and mysteries that aren’t overly complicated or too dark so they make for nice relaxing reading for me. When I saw this one come across my desk for review I was super excited because it was a new book in a mystery series, and it had a bit of a Gothic twist.

Not to mention it boasted a classic locked room mystery—-so think Murder on the Orient Express or And Then There Were None. Mysteries that on the surface appear simple and at the same time impossible but then quickly start to become more complicated as the story goes on. I love classic mysteries like this. They feel familiar and comforting so I was eager to get my hands on this one.

The thing that stood out when this one came across my desk beyond the classic style mystery was that the author was taking a classic and making it her own by adding an Indian culture element and making secret bookcase hideaways for adults—-can I just say I need one of these—and a little bit of magic. This one was a surprise and even if it was a bit repetitive it was a great start to a new series and I really enjoyed reading it!

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Review: An Impossible Impostor (Veronica Speedwell #7) by Deanna Raybourn

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: An Impossible Impostor (Veronica Speedwell #7) by Deanna Raybourn

Deanna Raybourn has been one of my favorite historical mystery writers since I first discovered the Veronica Speedwell series. I have since read all of her books and loved each of them, some more than others, but overall her books have been fantastic. The Veronica Speedwell series being my personal favorite of her books and series. Veronica is such a wonderfully non conventional character and her chemistry with Stoker has been solid through most of the series.

However, the last book left me a little disappointed, it was ok but just not my favorite in the series so I was really looking forward to this one and seeing how and if the dynamic of the books changed at all after the last one. If you love historical mysteries that are smart, cheeky, and of course with a hint of romance you will find a lot to love in the Veronica Speedwell series! She is such a great heroine and I have loved this series over all.

I can’t believe we are into the seventh book already! It seems like just yesterday I was discovering Veronica for the first time and now here we are seven books in and so much has changed for both Veronica and Stoker through the books. I went into this one expecting some of that familiar sizzle and chemistry to be rediscovered between Veronica and Soker as well as a smart mystery story and I was not disappointed!

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