Tag: Cozy Mystery

Books, Reading

Special Feature: Mocha, She Wrote (A Bakeshop Mystery #13) by Ellie Alexander

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Special Feature: Mocha, She Wrote (A Bakeshop Mystery #13) by Ellie Alexander

If you are looking for a cozy mystery series, you really don’t need to look any further than Ellie Alexander! In my mind there are few better than Alexander when it comes to small town mysteries featuring food. She has such a talent for writing interesting characters and readers will surly get a feel for life in Ashland Oregon!

As an Oregonian myself it’s so great to see cities and towns in books that I am familiar with! I love supporting local authors and Alexander is no exception. I have read a few of the books in this series as well as her other series featuring Sloan Krause. Alexander live in the PacNW and clearly has a lot of love for our area and I simply adore how this series is set in Ashland as I have visited there a few times and find that it’s uniqueness shines under Alexander’s pen!

I have jumped around in this series and have not felt too lost or disconnected from the characters or larger storyline so if you are worried about jumping around, I think you will find yourself right at home after a few pages. Naturally there are established relationships and history within the larger narrative, but I think Alexander does a good job orientating readers in the story and I see no reason for that to stop at this point in the series. If you are a cozy fan you will no doubt know who Ellie Alexander is and if you haven’t tried one of her books, the Bake Shop Mysteries are a wonderful place to start!

Continue reading “Special Feature: Mocha, She Wrote (A Bakeshop Mystery #13) by Ellie Alexander” →
Books, Reading

Special Feature: Castle Shade (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #17) by Laurie R. King

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Special Feature: Castle Shade (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #17) by Laurie R. King

I absolutely fell in love with Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes when I randomly picked up The Bee Keepers Assistant years ago. I have since only read a few books in the series and sadly skipped around quite a bit. Now here we are with book 17 being released! I couldn’t believe how far behind I got in this series! Rather than skip around again by picking this one up, I decided to go back and re-read the other books in the series first. So in the coming months you will see more reviews for this series being posted!

But I did want to get this one on your radar! This is a series where you definitely can skip around, I have and I haven’t been too lost. The principal characters are timeless and the author always does a great job keeping new readers and long time fans abreast of the goings on in Mary and Holmes’s lives. Plus the focus is on the mystery so you could easily pick up this book (or any in the series) and find something to love about the characters and stories/mysteries.

If you are a fan of lady detective novels like Veronica Speedwell, Georgie from Her Royal Spyness series, Lady Darby and a host of others, then this series will appeal to you. King is an experienced writer who has kept the character of Sherlock Holmes alive and solving crime with his lady love through ages and I think it’s fantastic. This is a smart, well written series and I have no doubt this latest installment will be equally enjoyable and fun to read! It is out now so make sure to check it out!

Continue reading “Special Feature: Castle Shade (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #17) by Laurie R. King” →
Books, Reading

Special Feature: A Trail of Lies (Jazz Ramsey #3) by Kylie Logan

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Special Feature: A Trail of Lies (Jazz Ramsey #3) by Kylie Logan

How can I pass on a book with a sweet pup on the cover? The answer is, I can’t! I would be lying if I said that this sweet little dog on the front didn’t suck me in because he totally did! I don’t really know much about the Jazz Ramsey series but I think the books sound like they are quick and fun mystery reads.

Plus I mean they feature cadaver/rescue dog and I think that’s so cool and I am excited to read the books in this series. This book is the third in the series and from what I have read, I think it can be read as a standalone. However I personally like the full experience when possible, so I will be reading the other books before this one but I wanted to share a bit about this one with you guys today!

This book sounds like it’s going to have a complex plot with lots of twists and turns. I love the idea of an unstable/unreliable parent being part of this mystery. I think that’s going to add a lot to the plot and I am super excited to read this one (as well as the other books) and see how things unfold. This series has received a lot of praise and I think it’s going to be a solid installment to the Jazz Ramsey books! This one is available now and that sweet dog makes it worth a purchase for sure!

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Books, Reading

Special Feature: The Vanishing Museum on the Rue Mistral (Verlaque and Bonnet #9) by M.L. Longworth

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Special Feature: The Vanishing Museum on the Rue Mistral (Verlaque and Bonnet #9) by M.L. Longworth

I read a few of the earlier Verlaque and Bonnet mysteries and one of the things that stands out about the series as a whole is how sophisticated they feel. Both of the characters feel mature and smart with a distinct air of sophistication that I think other cozy style mysteries don’t always have. I don’t know if it’s because the mysteries are set in the South of France, but something about this series always says ‘classy’ to me!

This is one series that I really need to go back and read from the beginning. I have jumped around in the series but never really felt lost within the larger narrative and characters but I will say that I think I might appreciate the nuances of Verlaque and Bonnet’s relationship had I started the series from the beginning. So this is a series that I am planning on going back and reading from the beginning but I think readers will feel right at home without having to go back and start from the beginning.

Today I am so excited to share a bit about this book and series with you all, the 9th book is out now. This book promises all the same charm, smarts, and mystery long time fans will expect from this series. Plus if you are looking for a little escape (ie; a trip to the South of France!) then look no further than this fun series right here!

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

Review: A Wicked Conceit (Lady Darby Mysteries #9) by Anna Lee Huber

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: A Wicked Conceit (Lady Darby Mysteries #9) by Anna Lee Huber

I have been a long time fan of all Anna Lee Huber’s books, but the Lady Darby series stands out as a favorite of all her books. I will gladly clear my calendar for any upcoming Anna Lee Huber book because they are just that good! This book is the ninth in the series and I will say that I encourage readers to start this series from the beginning.

Some of the books could be read out of order but there are relationships and back stories that spread across multiple books, thus making it difficult for readers to fully appreciate the nuances of the characters and the mysteries. This book in particular harkens back to earlier books in the series and previous relationships that readers will want to be aware of.

As a side note, I loved that this book was so timely. In the book, there is a cholera pandemic and the author has commented on the fact that when she was writing this book she had no idea that we would be in an actual pandemic. It’s a fun aspect of the book and also rather ironic and timely.

Continue reading “Review: A Wicked Conceit (Lady Darby Mysteries #9) by Anna Lee Huber” →