cozy mystery

Review: The Perfect Cornish Murder (Nosey Parker Mysteries #3) by Fiona Leitch

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The Perfect Cornish Murder (The Nosey Parker Mysteries #3)The Perfect Cornish Murder by Fiona Leitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Perfect Cornish Murder is the 3rd-book in Fiona Leitch’s Nosey Parker Mystery series. I love this series so much.

I read them a little out of order, so even though this is number 3 out of 7, it was actually the last one I had left to read, which makes me sad.

If you are unfamiliar with these books, let me give you a brief breakdown and perhaps inspire you to give them a go.

This is an Adult Cozy Mystery series that follows Jodie Parker, who resigned from the Metropolitan Police Force in London after a close call. She then returned to her native village of Penstowan in Cornwall, with her teen daughter, Daisy, and their Pomeranian, Germaine.

Jodie is now pursuing her love of cooking and has created her own catering company, which is starting to gain some traction in the local area.

Old habits die hard though, so any time a crime occurs in Jodie’s proximity, she’s gonna look into it. This has brought her into contact with charming DCI, Nathan Withers. This is one connection she’s hoping will continue to grow just as much as her catering business.

In this installment, a film crew has come to Penstowan and many regulars are getting involved in the process as extras, including Jodie’s daughter, Mom and best friend, Tony.

Even Jodie begrudgingly participates, swept up in all the hubbub. She’s hates her assigned costume and finds the set rather boring, but when things start going wrong, including the injury of their caterer, Jodie takes over that role and starts to feel much more in her element.

As more and more mysterious incidents occur on set, they delay filming, and rumors of a curse start to circulate. It’s not until someone ends up dead though, that Jodie actually begins to believe that may be true.

DCI Withers, never far away, arrives to investigate, but it’s Jodie’s work behind that scenes that could ultimately end up cracking the case.

Yet again I was absolutely swept up in this mystery and the drama of Penstowan. I have come to love this cast of characters so much over the course of these 7-books. I’m honestly hoping it never ends.

Every time I crack a new one, I can’t wait to see what sort of hi-jinks Jodie and friends and are going to get up to next. She’s such a good Mum and daughter. The relationship dynamics in these stories are one of my favorite elements.

This one was really fun too because of the whole idea of a film crew invading this small town, and all the high level people that were bandying about way outside their natural environments.

The mystery was well plotted and did succeed in keeping me on my toes. I definitely had theories, but it was fun watching all the pieces slot into place.

I also loved getting more with Jodie and Nathan. They were fairly new to each other at this point, so it was fun for me to get to go back and sort of relive how it all began.

If you love Cozy Mysteries, particularly those set in a village, or small town, that have humorous characters and happy vibes, you should definitely check this series out. It’s heart-warming, amusing and a great escape from reality.

I haven’t heard an announcement for an 8th-book yet, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this series continues for many years to come.

I will happily read each and every one!

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Review: Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop (Halloween Bookshop Mystery #1) by Emmeline Duncan

~ megs14malloy

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop (A Halloween Bookshop Mystery Book 1)Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop is a Cozy Mystery set in a Halloween-themed town, Elyan Hollow, Oregon.

Yes, you read that right, Halloween-themed town. We’re talking 365-Halloween. Sounds like my life, actually.

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In this story we are following Bailey, the owner of Lazy Bones Bookshop, who has recently organized Elyan Hollow’s first ever Literary Festival. She’s anxious for it to be a hit and has a good line-up of authors at the ready, including a hometown boy, Rex, who is now a popular Horror author.

Coinciding with the Festival, the crew of a ghost-hunting television show, Gone Ghouls, has come to Elyan Hollow and they want to use her shop as one of their filming locations.

After which, chaos ensues…

Just as she thinks things couldn’t get more out of hand, Bailey and her best friend, Colby, discover a dead body in the local hay bale maze. They’re quiet moment of relaxation exploring the maze is over before it ever truly began.

It’s clear the individual died by nefarious means, and unfortunately, Bailey then finds herself as the main suspect.

Bailey, along with her friends, must then try to find out the truth if they want to clear Bailey’s name. She knows she had nothing to do with the murder, but that means the killer is still out there, on the streets of Elyan Hollow and no one will be safe until they’re caught.

I thought this was really cute. I loved the small town setting and how everything felt Halloween-inspired. The names of the businesses, the foods and drinks served, as well as the way the whole town leaned into that vibe, it was fantastic.

The mystery was a little slow to kick off, but I did enjoy getting to know Bailey and what her life was like in Elyan Hollow. Her fabulous canine companion, a Great Pyrenees named Jack, was the icing on the cake of this one for me.

We love a doggo playing a large role in a Cozy story!

Once the dead body appeared, I was hooked. I wanted to know what had happened. I could see some motives, but who would have had the will to do it? Everyone seemed so nice!

I did enjoy following along as Bailey tried to figure it all out. I could have used a bit more substance in that area, but overall, I do feel like it had a fun mystery and that this is a great start to a series.

I feel like this was such a comforting read as well. It def pandered to my tastes and I’ve already recommended it to a few friends. It’s like a love letter to those of us who carry Halloween in our hearts all year round.

In addition to the aspects mentioned above, there’s also a bit involving Bailey’s family and her position within it. That part of the story def tugged at my heartstrings.

Bailey’s relationship with her mother is basically non-existent, for which there are many different reasons. I did really feel for Bailey in the moments that explored that and I appreciated the author including that in the story.

I am hoping as the series continues that we do get to see that whole aspect expanded on some more. I guess this would be a good time to say, if there are more books, I will absolutely be picking them up. I truly hope there are.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Kensington Cozies, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Duncan delivered exactly what I anticipated with this one.

I would recommend this for any Reader who loves Cozy Mysteries, bookshop-based stories, knitting, adorable dogs, and/or Halloween!

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An Unfinished Murder (Medlar Mystery #5) by Jude Deveraux

~ megs14malloy

An Unfinished MurderAn Unfinished Murder by Jude Deveraux
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

An Unfinished Murder is the 5th-book in the Medlar Mystery series by veteran author, Jude Deveraux.

This is the 2nd-book I’ve read from this series, the other being A Forgotten Murder, the 3rd-book in the series. I enjoyed it a lot and hope to eventually get to them all.

This series follows Romance novelist, Sara Medlar, who along with her niece, Kate, and their friend, Jack, tend to solve a lot of mysteries.

Like many other amateur sleuths before them, this trio seems to be at the right place, at the right time, when it comes to mysteries, particularly murder mysteries.

At this point, the trio has built up quite a bit of a reputation for themselves due to their superior sleuthing skills. Now known as the Medlar Three, in their small town of Lachlan, Florida, there’s no case they’re afraid to tackle.

This latest mystery arises after Kate, a real estate agent, is given a listing for the storied Lachlan House, a local property with a dark past. Alarm bells may ring, but it’s a substantial listing, one she has no intention of turning down.

Their first time visiting the property, the trio make a stark discovery, an actual skeleton in the closet. This one dressed in a rotting tuxedo. It’s this shocking moment that causes Kate to realize, she did spend some time there as a child.

This skeleton seems to have connections to her father, and it makes Kate wonder if the childhood she can’t remember may be one she’d rather not anyway.

As Sara, Kate and Jack dive deeper into the skeleton’s history, they discover it was a man who was last seen attending a lavish party at the Lachlan House in the 90s. Apparently, he had many enemies and most of them were in attendance that very night.

With multiple motives and a suspect list as long as the party’s guest list, the Medlar Three are determined to find the culprit and put an end to this decades long mystery.

I listened to this one on audio recently while embarking on a solo road trip. It was a great way to pass the hours and kept me fully-entertained while tackling Boston traffic.

I found it to be a little convoluted at times, with all the characters involved, some were hard to keep straight, but it could have just been my frazzled vacation brain.

I liked how the Medlar Three were pulled into the mystery at Lachlan House. It made sense to me how urgently they would want to solve it.

I also found their method, sort of recreating that decades ago lavish party, to be such a fun idea. The cast eventually assembled was vast and quite interesting. The culprit really could have been any of them.

Deveraux embraces the classic Cozy Mystery format that I tend to be drawn to and find to be so comforting. This type of book with keep you engaged, and on your toes, without requiring every single brain cell in your head.

This has inspired me to hunt down the rest of these books, because I do love this trio: Sara, Kate and Jack. I need more cases to solve with them.

As with many Adult Cozy Mystery series, these don’t necessarily need to be read in publication order. Clearly, I’m not reading them that way and I’ve never felt lost, or like I wish I had more information.

From the synopsis, this could be the final intended book in this series, which makes me sad, but on the bright side, I still have three more to go, which I’m excited for.

I’d recommend this to any Cozy Mystery fan, particularly if you enjoy friends, or family, solving mysteries together.

Thank you to the publisher, MIRA, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m stoked to wrap-up the rest of the published books in this series!

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Review: The Cornish Campsite Murder (Nosey Parker #7) by Fiona Leitch

~ megs14malloy

The Cornish Campsite Murder (The Nosey Parker Mysteries, #7)The Cornish Campsite Murder by Fiona Leitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

💙💚🖤💙💚🖤💙💚🖤💙💚🖤💙

My new favorite of one of my go-to Cozy Mystery series. This was so much fun. At this point, this cast of characters feels like a part of my friend group. I adore them all.

These books follow Jodie Parker, who resigned from the Metropolitan Police in London after a close call and returned to her native village of Penstowan, in Cornwall, with her teen daughter, Daisy, and their Pomeranian, Germaine.

Jodie opened her own catering company, but old habits are hard to break. She’s ended up helping the local police with a few challenging cases. In fact, she’s now in a relationship with the handsome DCI, Nathan Winters.

In this installment, Jodie agrees to help a friend by taking his catering van, Pie Hard, for a weekend at a local music festival. The friend makes a killing that weekend, but this particular year he can’t make the event, so Jodie offers to run the van for him.

Nathan takes time off work to join her, and Daisy had already want to go for the weekend with some girlfriends. Then, you know, Jodie’s Mom will want to go too, so she rents a posh yurt on site with one of her friends.

The mystery involves a once famous singer being found dead on the beach on the second day of the festival. Jodie had actually witnessed him getting into an argument with some of his former bandmates the night before.

Could one of them be responsible for his death?

Even though he is on vacation, Nathan of course begins to loosely oversee the investigation. And surely, Jodie isn’t going to keep her nose out of it.

This is a classic whodunit-style of Cozy and I had so much fun with it. I love stories featuring musicians, and this one, set at a music festival, was perfectly catered ((pun-intended)) to my tastes.

I can’t recommend this series enough to other Cozy Mystery Readers. Particularly, if you enjoy stories with a fun family dynamic, or small town setting.

I truly adore this cast of characters. Jodie’s family, her Mom and daughter, and even little floof-ball, Germaine, bring so much humor and light-heartedness to these stories. It’s an absolute joy to read. Also, it has just the right amount of humor for my tastes.

It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s still incredibly well-written, paced and plotted. Fiona Leitch is a gem. I am really hoping for more in this series.

Thank you so much to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to hear if there will be more books coming!

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Review: The Queen of Poisons (The Marlow Murder Club #3) by Robert Thorogood

~ megs14malloy

The Queen of Poisons (The Marlow Murder Club, #3)The Queen of Poisons by Robert Thorogood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up **

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The Queen of Poisons is the 3rd-installment in The Marlow Murder Club Cozy Mystery series. I really enjoyed the first 2-books and have been anticipating this one.

This series follows Judith Potts, a septuagenarian crossword setter, and her two best friends, Suzie and Becks, as they nose around their community of Marlow solving mysteries.

This particular story is set amongst the world of local politics, as the Mayor of Marlow, George Lushington, died mysteriously during a town council meeting.

After traces of the poison, aconite, are found in his coffee cup, it’s clear to all that Mayor Lushington was killed on purpose. Known for a track history of barging in to solve crimes, the police preemptively bring in Judith, Suzie and Becks, from the start as civilian advisors.

The women are allowed to interview suspects and search for clues to their hearts’ content. The ladies are excited for their role and dig in with great gusto.

This is going to be a tough case to crack though, but aren’t they all? Who could have gotten the poison into the mayor’s coffee, and for that matter, who could have gotten a hold of the poison in the first place?

This is such a cute Cozy series. I do love this friend group and the dynamics amongst them. IMO, this was a bit of an odd whodonit, like some of the details at the reveal just seemed strange to me, but nevertheless, I enjoyed it a lot.

I’m in for the long haul with this series, and am def hoping for more books. I’ll admit, my mind wasn’t 100% on task with this one, since I’m traveling.

With this being said, I still found this engaging and fun. I would recommend this series to all Cozy Mystery fans, in particular if you enjoy friendship groups solving mysteries together, or elderly amateur sleuths.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press and Recorded Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’ll be waiting for more Marlow Murder Club!!!

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Review: Dead Tired (The Expectant Detectives #2) by Kat Ailes

~ megs14malloy

Dead Tired (The Expectant Detectives, #2)Dead Tired by Kat Ailes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Dead Tired is the 2nd-installment to the Cozy Mystery series, The Expectant Detectives. I had a lot of fun with the 1st-book and have been anticipating this release ever since.

The main character, and our narrator, is Alice, a new Mom, who lives with her boyfriend, baby, and high-spirited dog, Helen, in the quaint country village of Penton.

In the 1st-book, the couple had recently moved to Penton after discovering they were pregnant, and Alice ended up meeting the other characters, her now best friends, in a prenatal class. That’s where they solved their first murder.

As this story begins, it’s been a year and the women are closer now than ever. It’s on one of their regular picnics with the babies that they first encounter Rowan and Layla, eco-protesters, who are buck-naked at their first meeting.

In an awkward conversation, Rowan and Layla mention that they are prepping for a photo shoot to help bring awareness to a wind farm that will soon be overtaking this lush and vibrant natural countryside.

Alice and her friends agree to help with the protest, thus finding themselves shortly thereafter chained to trees on an overnight protest. Ah well, anything for a bit of rest, I guess.

The next morning, Layla is found dead, still chained to her tree and a new investigation begins. Can Alice and friends discover the killers before anyone else is cut down?

I had so much fun with this. As with the 1st-book, I listened to the audiobook and cannot recommend it enough. Kitty Kelly’s narration is Alice to me a this point. Her delivery, with the humor and everything else, is just so spot on!

I also love Ailes sense of humor. These books don’t take themselves too seriously and I cherish that. Ailes knows, we’re here for a good time. Let’s have some fun. Just because it involves murder, doesn’t mean it can’t be cute and cozy.

I’m so properly attached to these characters now, which is one of the best things about Cozy Mystery series. The longer they go on, the more attached to them I get.

Alice, Ailsa, Poppy and Hen (the other mum) are such a dynamic group of women. I love being with them and spending time with them. There’s a lot of differences among them, but they just fit so well together, as they navigate new motherhood, and amateur sleuthing, all at the same time.

This went by too quickly. I tried to savor it, but I just couldn’t. The mystery was so compelling, the hijinks and banter, so good, I just ate it up.

Additionally, Helen, Alice’s dog, is such a special treat. I appreciate so much the way she is written and Alice’s relationship to her. I can relate to the non-stop chaos those four dirty paws can sometimes bring. Even reading about Helen’s predictably wild ways puts a smile on my face.

Towards the final reveal, I did find it a little muddled. I was actually surprised by the whodunit, like so much so, I wondered what I missed; like, did we get all those clues?

Nevertheless, in the whole scope, I didn’t really care that much about all that. It was really the journey getting to that point that I loved the most.

The way this left off, I’m definitely anticipating a 3rd-book, and cannot wait for it. You’ll find me first in line!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This series is an absolute blast. I recommend it to all Cozy Mystery fans!

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Review: Murder, She Wrote: Murder Backstage by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran

~ megs14malloy

Murder, She Wrote: Murder BackstageMurder, She Wrote: Murder Backstage by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Murder, She Wrote: Murder Backstage is the 58th-installment in this long-running, much-loved Cozy Murder Mystery series, starring amateur sleuth, Jessica Fletcher.

This is the 5th-installment to be written by Terrie Farley Moran, who took over the series beginning with Killing in a Koi Pond back in 2021. I have read all of the books authored by Farley Moran, and have been so pleased with her contributions to the series thus far.

I feel she’s really captured the original tone and characterizations, sticking with the classic format that I think works so well for long-time fans of the series. You know what you’re getting when you pick up a MSW book and I appreciate that TFM hasn’t tried to change that.

In this installment, we go along with Jessica, as well as her closest friends, Mort Metzger, his wife, Maureen, and Dr. Seth Hazlitt, as they travel to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to reunite with Jessica’s cousin, Emma.

Emma is a theater actress from London, who long-time fans of the show may remember first meeting in an episode during Season 1 of the television series.

And before you come at me for being the biggest dork on the planet, the only reason I remember this so well is because they had Angela Lansbury play the role of both Jessica and Emma in the episode, which was a little strange, TBH.

The only difference really was Emma had red hair and a London theater actress accent. So, there was a scene where Jessica and Emma were having a serious conversation while riding in a car, and they could only show one of them at a time, and it’s slightly choppy and hilarious.

Anyway, I digress. Back to this book. I was delighted that TFM decided to include such a classic character from the series. I’ve never forgotten cousin Emma and it’s always lovely to see her. She’s energetic and a lot of fun.

In this, Emma is going to Canada to star in a theater production featuring an internationally famous star, Derek Braverman, who has created his own old-fashioned musical review. Approaching the end of his career, he wants to go out on his own terms, performing his own show.

Emma contacts Jessica and extends an invitation to her and her friends, thinking it would be a great time for them to reconnect. While Edmonton is a long way from Cabot Cove, Jessica and crew jump at the opportunity.

The mystery involves the death of stagehand, whose body is discovered in the theater after hours, but of course, Jessica and Emma are there.

From that point on, Jessica puts her master-sleuthing skills to the test, as she yet again sets out to solve the murder, and find the killer, before the tables are potentially turned on her and her loved ones.

Y’all know, I cherish my time with Jessica Fletcher. This is my all-time favorite Cozy Mystery series. It’s my go-to as a way to escape life for a while. These stories are so pure and fun. I always know what I am going to get when I pick one up, and there’s real comfort in that.

This is the 43rd-book that I’ve read in the series. I still have a way to go, but I will never stop. As long as they keep being released, I will keep picking them up and I certainly hope that Terrie Farley Moran sticks around the long-run as well.

This did take over my life while I was reading it. Once we had our body, I was hooked. Everyone was suspicious and a lot of people had motive, but whodunit?

I enjoyed the whole cast of characters, as well as the setting of the hotel and theater. Jessica and her friends took full advantage of being in Edmonton, managing to get in a lot of touristy things, even whilst solving a murder.

In fact, if I’m honest, there’s was a bit too much of the sight-seeing bits for my taste. It tended to drag down the pace of the story a little.

While I am glad the friends had the opportunity to see some sights, and learn some history of the city, I didn’t necessarily need to go along with them on every excursion.

With this being said, I still really enjoyed this. I thought the mystery was fun and the full cast of characters was great; a nice mix of theater, and non-theater people. The conclusion was exciting and my heart was full by the end.

For the uninitiated, these books can be read in any order. If you are interested in checking any of them out, I would recommend just reading a few synopsis and deciding which one sounds most intriguing to you. Once you found it, just give it a go. You could end up loving them as much as me!

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’ll never turn down a Murder, She Wrote Mystery, so please keep ’em coming!!

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Review: Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin

~ megs14malloy

Murder by CandlelightMurder by Candlelight by Faith Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Murder by Candlelight is a Historical Cozy Mystery set in the village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh, in the Cotswolds, in 1924.

Arbie Swift is an author, who has found new found success after the publication of his book, The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting. He’s the kind of famous now, where since he’s an expert in all things ghost,has individuals seeking him out, asking for assistance with their own hauntings.

For example, he gets asked to the Old Forge, where the lady of the house, Amy Phelps, believes she is being haunted by a spectre. Arbie should know what to do, right?

Hesitant at first, both with his new-found fame, and with the idea that he can actually help Amy with her problem, Arbie finally agrees to go stay at the Old Forge. After all, it could provide good content for his next book.

Unfortunately, while Arbie is there, Amy is murdered. Now Arbie finds himself in the unlikely position of detective, along with his dear friend, Val.

As the two dig into Amy’s life and family, they discover all sorts of potential suspects and motives. It’s a race against the clock as they try to discover the identity of the killer, supernatural or not, before anyone else falls victim…

I have been in such a mood for Cozy Mysteries lately. I’m not sure what it is, the changing of the seasons, or the amount of stress that I have been under at work and in my life, but either way, I am eating them up.

I picked this one up on a whim and devoured it in a day. I loved the quaint setting and Arbie as a main character. I think this story set-up a perfect jumping off point for a potentially long-running series.

As with many other Mystery series, I feel like this is the kind of story where you would just get more and more attached to the characters as the installments add up. It also had a distinct Christie vibe, which really worked for me.

I loved that Arbie was an author of a ghost-hunting book, and whether or not he truly believes in all that, is something you’ll have to discover for yourself upon reading. However, whether he does or not, it certainly sets him up to meet a lot of interesting people.

I also really enjoyed the relationship between Arbie and Val, which definitely deserves some more attention. I’m not sure if there are plans for this to be a series, or not, but I certainly hope so. I would be genuinely excited to continue on.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Cozy Mysteries, particularly if you enjoy Historical Cozy Mysteries, Mysteries set in a small town/village, or even if you are just a fan of Agatha Christie’s work.

I feel like Martin did a great job plotting this story, and keeping the Reader engaged, while also creating likable, believable characters.

Thank you to the publisher, HQ Digital, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I truly hope this isn’t the last I see of Arbie and Val!!

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Review: Bless Your Heart (Bless Your Heart #1) by Lindy Ryan

~ megs14malloy

Bless Your HeartBless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Bless Your Heart is a Cozy Mystery-meets-Horror novel that I never knew I needed!

This was so stinking cute. My Horror Heart adored it. It was way more graphic than I expected and I loved the small town Southern vibes. Bonus: it’s 1999!

Set in Southeast Texas, this story focuses on the Evans women, who are the owner/operators of Evans Funeral Parlor. Their small town has a bit of a history with the dead becoming restless and the Evans are well-versed in making sure they meet their final rest.

The town has spent the last 15-years in peaceful normalcy. That’s a pretty long stretch, and it’s about to end.

When the town gossip, Mina Jean Murphy’s, body is brought to the Evans for a regular burial, yet she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi problem is back.

We then follow along, both with the Evans women, and with a local Deputy, Roger Taylor, as they try to figure out what has caused this recent unrest, and as they try to stop it.

This was so fun. The small town vibes, family dynamics and the horror elements, were all very well done.

I was actually surprised at how graphic some of the darker scenes actually were. It was great, just the dichotomy between the cozy and the dark. I loved that part.

It was giving me Sunnydale, but the Texas version, and it was giving me The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, mixed with a touch of Designing Women. I was here for every minute of it.

I listened to the audiobook and absolutely recommend that format if it’s an option for you. The narration style of Stephanie Nemeth-Parker fits the overall story so well.

For me, the only critique is that I wanted a bit more of the mystery. I wanted more substance, more suspense, but I am hoping as the series continues the balance between the other elements and the mystery will balance out.

Speaking of ‘the series’, I’m so happy to learn this is going to be a series. I feel like the more time we get to spend with the Evans, the more attached to them we’ll become and the more we’ll see them grow and change.

I’m particularly interested in Luna, as she’s the youngest, so it’ll be interesting to watch her learn about their powers and responsibility and see how she is going to use it.

If you are someone who enjoys Horror, but also love Cozy Mysteries ((like me)), you have to check this one out. I don’t think I’ve ever really read anything like it and I’m definitely looking forward to more in this charming Southern setting.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Lindy Ryan, you’ve impressed me. I can’t wait for more!

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Review: Death in the Dark Woods (Monster Hunter Mystery #2) by Annelise Ryan

~ megs14malloy

Death in the Dark Woods (Monster Hunter #2)Death in the Dark Woods by Annelise Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Death in the Dark Woods is the 2nd-installment to Annelise Ryan’s Monster Hunter Cozy Mystery series.

This series features cryptozoologist and specialty bookstore owner, Morgan Carter, who helps investigate mysteries that may be linked to potential cryptid activity.

The beauty of this series is that it combines two of my very favorite things: creepy vibes and cozy mysteries.

I really enjoyed the 1st-book, A Death in Door County, when I read it last year and was looking forward to going on more adventures with Morgan and her lovable dog, Newt.

While that first story featured a potential lake monster, in this one, Morgan travels a little farther from home to help investigate possible Bigfoot sightings.

Specifically, the Bigfoot sightings have occurred around the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest area of Bayfield County, Wisconsin. When a man is found dead, with an injury to his throat not thought to be cause by a human, a local warden, Charlie, calls Morgan for help.

Morgan is excited that her cyptid hunter business is finally getting some traction after gaining notoriety following the lake monster case. She’s more than happy to assist Charlie.

Nevertheless, Morgan is a skeptic at heart, so it’s gonna take solid proof for her to claim a Bigfoot is responsible for the fatal attack they’re investigating.

Morgan and Newt travel there and meet up with Charlie, who introduces them to their comfortable temporary lodgings, and then they get straight to work.

Morgan immerses herself in the small town, questioning numerous people about their experiences and opinions when it comes to the area’s Bigfoot legends.

It’s true that some claim to have seen Bigfoot type creatures, but that’s not the only thing Morgan uncovers. She reveals a trail of secrets and lies that could end up having more to do with the recent murder than anyone seems to be suspecting.

As the pressure starts to build, will Morgan and Newt be able to sniff out the killer before they strike again, or could Morgan end up being the next victim?

I had so much fun with this. I actually enjoyed it even more than the 1st-book. I loved that Morgan was traveling away from home, and that she was sort of inserting herself into this new place and digging around, trying to figure out whatever she could.

I loved learning about the local area along with her and meeting the various colorful characters of the small town.

Jon Flanders, the Police Chief, who asked for Morgan’s assistance in the 1st-book, appears in this one as well, as their relationship has continued to grow.

There have been some sparks between them and I love the way the chemistry is continuing to build. They both have some traumas in their past, so I like that it’s moving slowly, at a pace that seems realistic. It makes sense.

I also liked the dynamic between Morgan and Charlie. Charlie, as the local girl, has her own very strong opinions on the Bigfoot legends and I liked how Morgan didn’t let Charlie really sway her one way or another.

The highlight for me though is definitely the relationship between Morgan and Newt. I absolutely adore and appreciate the way that Ryan writes their connection.

As a Dog Mom, who frequently spends the majority of a book worrying about any doggie characters who may be involved, it was so nice to just sit back and enjoy the fact that Newt got to participate in pretty much everything Morgan does.

And I never worried about him! You can tell that Annelise Ryan is a dog person, and I just knew that she wouldn’t take it anywhere uncomfortable. It was freaking great!

At this point, I’m not sure what the long-term plans are for this series, but I really hoping for more books. There’s so much left to explore with Morgan, both as far as potential cryptid mysteries, but also with her personal life.

I am properly attached to Morgan, Newt and even Jon. Keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll be getting news of a 3rd-book soon!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I recommend this to Cozy Mystery fans. It’s a unique series and a lot of fun. I’ve never read anything quite like it!

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