cozy mystery

Review: A Lost Claus (A Christmas Cozy Mystery #3) by Mona Marple

~ megs14malloy

A Lost Claus (A Christmas Cozy Mystery, #3)A Lost Claus by Mona Marple
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A Lost Claus is the 3rd-installment in Mona Marple’s A Christmas Cozy Mystery series. To this point, these stories have all been quick novellas, but I believe as the series progresses, the books get longer.

These stories are all set in a magical village and are sure to leave you in peak-Christmas mood. They’ve certainly lifted my spirits and gotten me there.

These stories follow Holly Wood ((yes, that is her real name)), who in the 1st-book is rescued from her car after a snow-related accident by a woman claiming to be Mrs. Claus. Holly is then brought to the Claus family home, in the town of Candy Cane Hollow, to recuperate.

Holly becomes enmeshed in village life, even helping to solve the homicide of their doctor’s receptionist. She also meets and becomes quite enamored with Mrs. Claus’s son, Nick, and he is with her as well.

In this story, Holly and Nick’s relationship has progressed significantly since that 1st-book. Christmas is approaching again and it’s time for the Claus annual ice fishing trip.

Holly is nervous about meeting Nick’s extended family for the first time, but for the most part, she needn’t have worried. However, no good family trip goes by without at least some drama, apparently even when you’re a Claus.

When one of the family members doesn’t return from their time on the ice, Holly finds herself enmeshed in another dangerous mystery. Will she be able to solve it in time to protect those she loves?

While I would say A Lost Claus is still a very cute story, I definitely wasn’t as invested in this particular mystery as I was with the previous 2-books.

I’m not sure why. They’ve all been short, but this one felt extremely surface level to me. Maybe it was because we were getting introduced to so many new characters, with Nick’s family, and I sort of missed the people I’ve come to know in Candy Cane Hollow.

Nevertheless, I’m certainly continuing on with the series. There’s just something so charming about the world that Marple has created here. It brings back a little of that Christmas magic from my youth.

Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m so glad that I’ve been introduced to this series, and this author!

View all my reviews

Review: This Is Not a Game by Kelly Mullen

~ megs14malloy

This Is Not a GameThis Is Not a Game by Kelly Mullen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

This Is Not a Game features a classic Locked Room set-up and a Grandmother-Granddaughter amateur sleuthing duo that I found incredibly charming.

Mimi lives on idyllic Mackinac Island in Michigan. The island is a popular tourist destination in the summer months, with that population dropping off significantly in the off-season. Something I can relate to all to well living on a similar island myself.

Mimi’s granddaughter, Addie, is trying to get over the heartbreak of having her fiance ditch her, as well as cutting her out of a deal for the wildly successful video game, Murderscape, that they created together.

Though Addie and Mimi’s relationship has been strained, mainly due to Brian, the scum, the two women end up reconnecting and they decide to have Addie come to Mackinac for a needed visit.

The visit happens to coincide with a lavish charity auction/party that Mimi has been invited to, hosted by the narcissistic, local-socialite, Jane Ireland. Mimi’s invitation extends to Addie as well. It should be fun.

The theme of the party, because every great party needs a theme, is Jazz Era Murder Mystery. Soon enough though, this crowd-pleasing theme takes on a frightening new meaning when Jane’s dead body is discovered.

With a terrible storm approaching, the guests of the murder mystery party are now trapped. There’s no means to escape and no way for help to get to them. The guests are left to their own devices with a horrible mystery to solve.

When another body is found, Mimi and Addie realize they’re going to have to put their special skills to the test to suss out the killer before they get the chance to kill again.

This Is Not a Game was such a fun read for me. I loved having a Grandmother-Granddaughter duo sleuthing together, which was different to the norm and I appreciated that representation. The whole set-up, really, was my cup of tea.

It currently has a surprisingly low rating, and I’m puzzled by that. I’ll have to dig into some reviews to discover why, because I feel like the rating definitely sells this one short.

It is quite Murder Mystery trope-filled, but that’s sort of my love language in a Cozy. I liked that part of it. My life is stressful. I find tropes comforting, especially in this genre.

That’s probably an unpopular opinion, but it works for me, as did this book.

Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’d love to read more from this author in the future!

View all my reviews

Review: Slay Bells Ring (A Christmas Cozy Mystery #2) by Mona Marple

~ megs14malloy

Slay Bells RingSlay Bells Ring by Mona Marple
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Slay Bells Ring is the 2nd-installment in Mona Marple’s Christmas Cozy Mystery series. I finished the 1st-book, Christmas Corpse, yesterday and thought it was so cute and fun, I couldn’t wait to start this next installment.

I ended up reading this entire thing today. They are novellas, so that wasn’t a difficult feat, but nevertheless, I did and now feel like I’m in peak Christmas mode.

This series centers around Holly Wood ((yes, that is her real name)), who in the 1st-book is rescued from her car after an accident by a woman claiming to be Mrs. Claus. Holly is then brought to the Claus family home in the magical town of Candy Cane Hollow to recuperate.

Holly becomes enmeshed in the village life, even helping to solve the homicide of their doctor’s receptionist. She also has become quite enamored with Mrs. Claus’s son, Nick, and he seems to be with her in turn.

This installment is a New Year’s Eve mystery, but the Christmas vibes are still heavy throughout. It is Candy Cane Hollow after all, where every day feels like Christmas.

The entire town, including Holly and Nick, attend the annual New Year’s Eve Ball, where all is going well, until a giant glitter ball comes crashing down, crushing an elf, Greasy, a local restaurant owner and chef, to death.

Though the local authorities believe it was an accident, Holly’s not convinced. She decides to lean into her new-found sleuthing skills and see if she can find the truth of what happened to Greasy.

Just like the 1st-book, this was such a pleasant read. It’s simple in its construction, and the perfect read for the holiday season when my brain feels pulled in a million different directions.

There’s something so warm and comforting about these little mysteries. Holly’s life outside of Candy Cane Hollow wasn’t going well. She had just got done at her job, and she had no close relationships. She felt very alone.

In Candy Cane Hollow, she’s found a place to belong, with residents being welcoming and inclusive. It has a found family element that’s so charming.

I also am enjoying the slow romance evolving between Holly and Nick. It’s very charming and I’m looking forward to watching that progress.

I do have the 3rd-book in the series on audio, they’re currently being released on audio and the narration from Charlie Albers definitely fits Holly’s personality. I would recommend the audio if you can get them, but I’m sure the physical copies are just as fun.

Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am having so much fun with this series. It’s exactly what I needed right now!

View all my reviews

Review: Christmas Corpse (A Christmas Cozy Mystery #1) by Mona Marple

~ megs14malloy

Christmas Corpse (A Christmas Cozy Mystery #1)Christmas Corpse by Mona Marple
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Cutest Cozy Christmas Mystery Novella!

Christmas Corpse was exactly what I needed to put me into the holiday spirit. This story follows Holly Wood ((yes, she knows her name is ridiculous)). After losing her job, Holly is driving home to her empty house for Christmas.

Along the way, she ends up in a spot of trouble and goes off the road. When she awakens in her freezing cold car hours later, it’s to a Good Samaritan coming to her rescue.

The Samaritan in question claims her name is Mrs. Claus, and she whisks Holly away to her home in the magical, seemingly secret, village of Candy Cane Hollow.

Holly is more than happy to recuperate at Mrs. Claus’s home, where she gets to know the jolly, kind-hearted woman, as well as her handsome son, Nick.

Shortly after Holly is coming to realize just how magical a place Candy Cane Hollow is, they receive word that the local doctor’s receptionist, Persephone, has been murdered, apparently poisoned by a mince pie.

Well, most unfortunately, Mrs. Claus happens to be the best mince pie baker in the village, and therefore becomes the prime suspect. Holly vows to stay on and clear Mrs. Claus’s name. After all, Mrs. Claus saved her from freezing to death in a snowbank, it’s the least she can do in return.

This is just the cutest story. It’s like a warm hug, with just a touch of murder. I won’t deny it’s a simple story, but it’s also funny, engaging, full of likable characters and cozy Christmas cheer.

If you’re like me, and your brain feels pulled in a million different directions this time of year, this could be the perfect holiday read for you. I know it certainly made me much more in the mood for the holidays than I was before.

I love how Holly gets pulled into this magical little village, seemingly hidden from the rest of the world, and becomes completely enmeshed in local life. The villagers were more than happy to take her in and treat her like one of their own.

This is the 1st-book in a Cozy Christmas Mystery series, and I already have the next 2-books on audio from the publisher. I’m so excited to keep going with the series.

I have no doubt that the further I go with it, the more attached I’m going to become to this cast of characters and the adorable setting. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for some Christmas Cozy vibes!

View all my reviews

Review: Bidding for Murder (Stamford Mysteries #3) by E.C. Bateman

~ megs14malloy

Bidding for Murder (The Stamford Mysteries 3)Bidding for Murder by E.C. Bateman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bidding for Murder is the 3rd-installment in E.C. Bateman’s Cozy Mystery series, The Stamford Mysteries.

If you’re unaware, this series follows Felicia Grant, a single-mom, who has returned to her home village of Stamford to help her Dad run their family-owned Auction House after her Dad’s health took a turn.

At this point, Felicia has been back in the village a while, and a lot has happened, including a few murders, which she’s become embroiled in solving.

Felicia’s ex, Dexter, the father to their son, Algernon, now 13-years old, has also returned to the village, so the family dynamics are chaotic and fun to follow. Add in her curmudgeon father, and you’re sure to be chuckling.

The mystery in this book kicks off when an old classmate of Felicia’s, Lucia, comes to town and asks Felicia to appraise some of her jewelry. The two meet up at the exclusive and mysterious Aquitaine Club, a private lodging and club in Stamford that regular residents really know nothing about.

Lucia, wife to a powerful politician, is staying there at the invitation of a friend, and Felicia is a bit overwhelmed and intrigued to even be invited in.

The meeting with Lucia is memorable indeed, and Felicia is drawn into the dramatic and secretive world of the Aquitaine. In fact, she’s invited back, along with her family, for their annual Halloween celebration the following day.

The evenings activities include a truly haunting Mummers performance, but everyone seems to be in good spirits. That is until the first body falls, followed quickly by another.

Before she knows it, Felicia is caught up in another investigation. Will she be able to weed out the killer lurking in the shadows before they successfully take another life?

There’s no doubt this is my favorite of the series thus far. A Murder Mystery set on Halloween night at a prestigious private club? Yes, please.

As a Spooky Season girlie through and through, I was loving the atmosphere Bateman was bringing to this story. It definitely had full-fledged Halloween vibes.

Additionally, I’m so attached to these characters now. As with many Cozy series, I feel like the further you go along, the more you feel like returning to the main characters is almost like going home. You get attached to their lives and whatever they have going on in it.

I found the mystery in this story so fun. I loved the locked room feel. Since it is set at the Aquitaine, and its being a private club, it is quite insular. The only people involved were those members staying there, as well as the employees, and Felicia and her family.

Over the course of the story, you learn a lot about the members and employees, and boy are they messy. There was so much going on amongst them, a lot of unlikable folks and certainly plenty of motives for any potential killers.

Pettifer and Jess are the police called to the scene, who we’ve come to know in previous books, and I loved having them back. I love how Pettifer and Felicia’s relationship has grown an developed across the books.

I really enjoyed trying to solve this one. There were so many clues, and I did have a lot of theories. It kept me hooked and therefore, up late into the night until I was able to finish. There’s no way I was sleeping on it.

I’m guessing from the final chapter and Epilogue that we’ll be getting another installment too, which I’m very happy about. I have no idea how long this series is slated to be, but I’m here for the long run.

I would definitely recommend this to Cozy Mystery fans, particularly if you enjoy charming village vibes and an amateur sleuth with a lot of pluck and a fun family dynamic.

Thank you to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me for a copy to read and review. I’m so excited for more Stamford Mysteries!

View all my reviews

Review: Murder on the Marlow Belle (The Marlow Murder Club #4) by Robert Thorogood

~ megs14malloy

Murder on the Marlow Belle (Marlow Murder Club, #4)Murder on the Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Murder on the Marlow Belle is the 4th-installment in the Marlow Murder Club series. I’ve had a lot of fun with the previous 3-books in this humorous Cozy Mystery series, so had been anxiously awaiting this latest.

This series follows Judith Potts, a widow in her 70s, and her two best friends, Suzie and Becks, as they tackle mysteries in their local Marlow community.

This mystery begins when Verity Beresford contacts Judith asking for help locating her missing husband, Oliver. Verity, like most residents of Marlow, is well aware of Judith’s superior sleuthing skills, and she believes Judith maybe able to help her find Oliver faster than anyone else.

Oliver’s only been missing overnight, but the circumstances are concerning. Oliver, the founder of the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, had hired The Marlow Belle, a private pleasure cruiser, for a party cruise for his committee members, but no one remembers seeing him disembark.

Of course anytime someone goes missing upon the water, there’s cause for concern. In this case, it’s more than warranted, when shortly thereafter Oliver’s body is discovered, having washed ashore with two bullet wounds.

As it turns out, Oliver was a complicated man, with no shortage of enemies. Nevertheless, Judith and her friends are confident they can weed out the killer.

Unfortunately, the task proves more difficult than they’d hoped when they discover what a twisted web the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society actually is.

Will the ladies be able to find Oliver’s murderer before they’ve flowed out of their grasp like the River Thames?

Overall, I thought this was a really fun installment to this Cozy series. I love books set at a theater, or involving a theater troupe, so this was perfect for me in that regard.

I’m fully attached to this charming cast of characters at this point, so find it hard to believe that I would dislike any of these books. Judith is plucky and resourceful.

I love that she’s found these two friends at this stage of her life, and though they’re all very different, they’re so supportive of one another. Squad goals!

I’m in for the long haul with this series. I have no clue how long it is slated to be, but I’ll be reading each and every one.

I would highly recommend this series to all Cozy Mystery fans, in particular if you enjoy friendship groups solving mysteries together, or elderly amateur sleuths. The small town vibes are on point as well.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m excited to solve more cases with Judith, Suzie and Becks.

The 5th-book in the series, The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts, is set to release on January 15, 2026. I’ll be marking my calendar, and so should you!

View all my reviews

Review: Stone Certainty (The Holy Terrors Mysteries #2) by Simon R. Green

~ megs14malloy

Stone Certainty (The Holy Terrors Mysteries)Stone Certainty by Simon R. Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Stone Certainty is the 2nd-installment of the Holy Terror Mysteries series, but the 3rd-book that I’ve read from the series. It’s also my highest-rated thus far.

My reading order was the 1st-book, The Holy Terrors, followed by the 3rd-book, Which Witch?, both of which I received as ARCs, and then I was enjoying the series enough to come back and pick up this middle release.

Luckily, as with any Adult Mystery series, they can really be read in any order, with each one focusing on a completely distinct mystery. What remains the same is our two MCs: Alistair, a young bishop, and Diana, a vibrant actress.

I think the reason this is my highest rated thus far isn’t because the mystery of this is better than the others, I think it’s more to do with the fact that I have become quite attached to Alistair and Diana at this point.

I mentioned in my reviews for the previous books how I started this series expecting Horror, and it’s definitely not that. To me this is a Cozy Mystery series, pure and simple, that just so happens to explore mysteries that have a strong, is it paranormal, is it not paranormal element.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. I love Cozy Mysteries. They’re one of my most read genres, I just went in with completely different expectations and it did have an effect on my initial enjoyment level.

At this point though, I know exactly what I’m getting and am enjoying it. This one in particular, set in the village of Chipping Amesbury, was especially fun. The mystery involves a stone circle, think Stonehenge, and all the local lore and legends that come along with that.

I adored the setting, in particular, how shifty the locals were being in regards to the stone circle and outsiders being there poking around it.

At the end of the day, I’m really glad that I continued on with this series, even though initially it didn’t knock my socks off. I’m having a lot of fun with it now and hope that it continues on.

I would definitely be down for reading more mysteries with Alistair and Diana investigating together. Their chemistry is fabulous and I know there’s so much more in store for their future together!

View all my reviews

Review: Which Witch (Holy Terrors Mystery #3) by Simon R. Green

~ megs14malloy

Which Witch? (Holy Terrors Mystery, #3)Which Witch? by Simon R. Green
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Which Witch is the 3rd-installment in Simon R. Green’s Holy Terrors Mystery series, which I would argue is a straight-up Cozy Mystery series, though the assigned genres on the book’s main page would disagree.

I read the 1st-book, The Holy Terrors, when it was released, mistakenly believing it to be a Religious Horror. I couldn’t have been more wrong, and the reality versus expectation divide did end up effecting my enjoyment.

Nevertheless, even though that wasn’t the best reading experience for me, as time passed I kept thinking about the main characters, and how if it had been pitched to me as a Cozy Mystery, I would have had so much more fun with it.

I ended up skipping the 2nd-book in the series, but then when I read the synopsis for this one, and discovered it revolved around a theater production of Macbeth, I knew I had to read it. Happily, it was a success.

I’m proper attached to the two MCs, Diana and Alistair, now. Their relationship is so sweet. I’m left wanting more.

If you’re unfamiliar with this series, Diana is an actress and Alistair is a young Bishop. The two were brought together during the 1st-book and really hit it off. They work well together when it comes to solving mysteries, and have a lot of chemistry to boot.

In this installment, Diana has been hired to play Lady Macbeth at a local theater. When things start going awry, and the whispers start that the production is cursed, Diana reaches out to her old pal, Alistair, inviting him to investigate the mysterious happenings.

Is the theater actually cursed, or is something more mundane at play?

Which Witch was a much better experience for me than that 1st-book, although TBF, I think that’s because I went into it with the right expectations. Don’t be fooled by the darker-themed cover, this reads like a Cozy Mystery.

I do really enjoy Diana and Alistair together. Their chemistry is undeniable. I also loved the theater setting with the active production, and all the actors and stage hands involved. It was quite a mixed group and I had a lot of fun trying to guess what was going on.

At times the dialogue does seem a little forced, but the mystery of this one was very engaging. It does have a nice is it paranormal, is it not paranormal feel that I tend to enjoy, so that was def another plus.

While I wouldn’t say this was the most memorable story, it was entertaining and I’m now excited to go back and read the 2nd-book in the series, Stone Certainty.

Thank you to the publisher, Severn House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to more Diana and Alistair!

View all my reviews

Review: A Tour to Die For (The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco #2) by Michelle Chouinard

~ megs14malloy

A Tour to Die For (The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mysteries, 2)A Tour to Die For by Michelle Chouinard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Tour to Die For is the 2nd-book in The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco mystery series. This is a fun and modern Cozy Mystery series perfect for fans of Finlay Donovan, or other series with that same level of humor.

These books follow Capri Sanzio, who owns her own tour company in San Francisco. Carpi is also a True Crime podcast host, and budding investigative journalist in her own right.

During one of her True Crime walking tours, one of Capri’s customers claims to have seen a woman being attacked in her apartment. Feeling she must take the woman’s report seriously, Capri contacts the police, who end up searching the apartment of the alleged attack.

Unfortunately, they find no evidence of anything amiss, so chalk it up to a false report. While Capri feels the police may be right, they also may be wrong.

Her senses urge her to look further into the alleged attack. She’d never forgive herself if someone was injured and she did nothing to help. When she stumbles across a body, she’s thrust into yet another murder investigation.

Using her full range of investigative skills and spot on instincts, Capri digs in to the mysterious death, putting herself in danger in the process.

I had so much for with the 1st-book in this series, The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, and had been anxiously awaiting this sequel. Happily, it didn’t disappoint. As with the 1st-book, this was a fast-paced, funny and mysterious romp through the streets of San Francisco.

I listened to the audiobook again and can’t recommend that format enough. The stellar narration by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker perfectly fits our MC, Capri. Nemeth-Parker’s delivery enhances Capri’s personality and I can’t imagine these stories without it. Her voice is Capri to me.

Capri sets everything aside when she starts digging into a new case, and this was no exception. I often wondered, who is running her company, but also, who cares, because I’m having so much fun.

These books are silly, mysterious, packed with intriguing leads, they’re just great entertainment; an escapist read.

It seems from the tone of the conclusion of this story, we may be getting more books in this series, and I certainly hope so. I would read them for as long as they’re released.

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I hope Michelle Chouinard keeps them coming.

If you love funny Cozy Mysteries, you need to check this series out!

View all my reviews

Review: A Very Bookish Murder (Ally McKinley Mystery #3) by Dee MacDonald

~ megs14malloy

A Very Bookish Murder (Ally McKinley Mystery #3)A Very Bookish Murder by Dee MacDonald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Very Bookish Murder is the 3rd-book in the Ally McKinley Mystery series, which has quickly become one of my favorite, currently-running Cozy Mystery series.

These books, set in the Scottish Highlands, follow recent-retiree and widow, Ally McKinley, who fell in love with the village of Locharran while on a holiday. Shortly thereafter, she purchased the old malthouse and transformed it into a now successful B&B.

Ally has settled into her new life very well. She’s made many great friends, adopted a beautiful Labrador puppy, Flora, and has even found a charming new love interest.

Her quiet life in the Highlands is going better than she could’ve ever dreamed. Well, except for the fact that she keeps finding herself adjacent to suspicious deaths.

Silver lining: Ally has turned into quite the intrepid amateur sleuth. There’s no stopping her once she starts digging.

This mystery revolves around a group of women authors, who are all visiting Locharran to attend a Writers’ Retreat Workshop led by successful novelist, Jodi Jones. A few of the women, including Jodi herself, will be staying at Ally’s B&B, while the rest stay in the village at the local hotel.

The women who check themselves into Ally’s guest house are all pleased with the accommodations, and hospitality. They seem to take to her, and invite her to attend one of the very first sessions of the retreat, which is being held at the hotel, the Craigmonie.

Ally is certainly interested by all the goings-on, and is surprised to hear a few complaints lodged against the host, Jodi Jones. Jodi’s accused of stealing plots, and plagiarism, amongst other things, and then Ally finds the famous author strangled in the Ladies restroom.

The authorities, as well as Ally, believe that the culprit is most likely one of the other retreat attendees. Ally uses her past experience cracking cases to methodically work her way through the cast of suspects, discovering new evidence and plenty of potential motives along the way.

When another attendee is found murdered, hours after she told Ally she knew who the killer was, Ally is positive the murderer is close at hand. Will she be able to figure it out before they stop her snooping for good?

Another fun, fulfilling and engaging Ally McKinley Mystery book complete. Let the countdown begin for the next one. I can’t wait to see what mystery unfolds next.

As mentioned above, this has become one of my favorite Cozy Mystery series and I think a lot of that has to do with Ally. She’s a great protagonist. There’s something about her that’s just so thoughtful and comfortable. She’s like getting a nice warm hug from your Gran.

Additionally, the Scottish Highlands setting is a huge plus, as well as the quirky cast of characters and always intriguing mysteries. As soon as I finish one of these books, I want the next one in my hands.

I loved that this one revolved around this group of women writers. They were each unique and distinct, yet all of them could have had reason to get rid of Jodi, so there were plenty of red herrings swimming about.

There wasn’t as much focus in this one on the local characters, which I sort of missed, but there really wasn’t reason to be, because there were so many new characters in town for the retreat. With this being said, we still got Ally having interactions with her friends, like Hamish, her cleaner and other local business owners.

I have a feeling that perhaps the next mystery will be more village-focused. Either way, even if it’s not, I’ll be reading it, and I’m more than confident that I’ll be enjoying it.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Bookouture, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Dee MacDonald has a real gem on her hands with this series, and I hope there’s many more installments to come!

View all my reviews