On What Grounds (A Coffeehouse Mystery)

 Clare Cosi used to manage the historic Village Blend coffeehouse... until she opted for quieter pastures and a more suburban life. But after ten years and a little friendly cajolingw from the owner (a fresh pot of Jamaican Blue Mountain was all it took), she's back to the grind, serving coffee, and solving crime-one cup at a time... 

With a sprawling rent-free apartment directly above The Village Blend, her cat Java by her side, and plenty of coffeehouse redecorating ideas, Clare is thrilled to return to work. Until she discovers the assistant manager unconscious in the back of the store, coffee grounds strewn everywhere. Police arrive on the scene to investigate. But when they find no sign of forced entry or foul play, they deem it an accident. Case closed. But Clare is not convinced. And after the police leave, there are a few things she just can't get out of her mind... Why was the trash bin in the wrong place? If this wasn't an accident, is Clare in danger? And... are all detectives this handsome?

Just my tongue & cheek review...

I just could NOT get into this book. It started off VERY slow and with a lot of mindless "Java Talk". I tried to get past all the coffee blather but I had a very hard time getting to the bottom of the cup... so to speak :P The plot and "mystery" itself wasn't all that enticing either, the mystery killer and co-conspirators were very predictable and weak. If your into coffee and don't mind dealing with all the "mocha snobbery" this book has to offer than you might just like it. Personally I wasn't impressed however, since this IS a first in a series... I'm willing to give the next book in this series a shot. Hopefully it will be a bit better, if not I might have to "ground this one out" for good :P

The Cakes of Wrath (A Piece of Cake Mystery)

Rita Lucero, owner of New Orleans cake shop Zydeco Cakes, can't seem to stop saying "yes". Even though things at the bakery care busy, Rita finds herself accepting a seat on the local small buisness alliance, a group full of colorful characters like Chopper Shop owner Moose Hazen and his wife, Destiny, whose personal life is messier than a cake someone left out in the rain. 

On the street following a heated alliance meeting, Moose pulls Rita out of the path of a speeding van. Shaken and bruised, Rita notices the next day that her prescribed pain killers are missing. When she discovers Destiny's body in the couple's shop, the stolen pill bottle in her lifeless hand only adds another layer to her mysterious death. But getting the frosty NOPD detective to stop focusing on Rita and look for Destiny's real killer will be anything but a cakewalk... 

I loved it! As usual Jacklyn Brady keeps me guessing until the end of this delightful and surprising mystery! I love the bit of twist that she tied in at the end of the book, it has me wondering how everything will work out... I hope we will find out in her next installment of this fabulous series! This whole series is pretty amazing, I love all the zany characters and all their "Sweet Southern Style" and flare! In "The Cakes of Wrath" we get to read about more of the neighborhood that Zydeco Bakery resides in and a bit more of the staff's personal life. We also get to see a bit more of that sexy-smokin-hot Cajun bartender that frequently gives Rita all those sizzling vibes, while the famous detective Sullivan takes a bit of a back seat in this novel. It's definitely an interesting read and I am excited to discover where this series is headed!

Rubbed Out (A Memphis BBQ Mystery)

Even Lulu Taylor proprietress of Aunt Pat's Barbeque restaurant in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee needs to get out of the kitchen now and then. But at the Rock and Ribs festival, she finds more than a taste of trouble...

Reuben Shaw rubs a lot of people the wrong way including Lulu's best friend, Cherry, who has the misfortune of being in the booth next to his  at the festival. The pigheaded pit master thinks he's a shoo-in to win the barbeque competition, but he spends more time stirring up trouble than seasonsing his spare ribs. Hours after she gets into a quarrel with him, Cherry finds Shaw dead with a butcher knife in his chest. Now it's her turn to get grilled by the police. Lulu sets out to clear her friends name and finds Shaw had more secrets than his barbeque recipe. She'll need to act fast, because the real killer will spare no one... including Lulu. 

Mrs. Lulu, Cherry and the Graces are back at it again with some seriously good BBQ and top notch mystery sleuthing! This time things heat up when one of the competitors at the world famous "Rock and Ribs" BBQ competition and festival gets stabbed, and it's up to the gang at Aunt Pats to find out who did it! This mystery will keep you guessing and your mouth watering with all the mention of great food!

Dead Ever After By: Charlaine Harris *WARNING CONTAINS SPOILERS*

After the terrible events of the past weeks, both Sookie and Sam are finding it hard to concentrate on Merlott's and the bar is suffering for it. But Sookie finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. 

Sookie's relationship with Eric Northman is in limbo. He and his vampires are keeping their distance... and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated. 

Then Arlene is found murdered, and Sookie is arrested for the crime. But the evidence against her is weak, and Sookie makes bail. Helped by her assortment of friends, living and undead, she must discover the truth about Arlene's death to clear herself of suspicion. All she knows is that two mysterious men were somehow involved. As to whom they might be Sookie will soon learn that she has more than one enemy waiting to get vengeance for the past. 

Nothing is ever clear cut in Bon Temps. What passes for truth is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough... 

Disappointing is an understatement. This time the writing from Charlaine Harris seems detached and distant, it feels like she really had to dig deep and try hard to finish this series. The writing almost makes you believe that is was written in sections, the flow is not consistent and very choppy. Sookie also seems very jaded and everyone in Bon Temps seems different, it's definitely not the series I fell in love with and couldn't wait to read book after book.  I am also annoyed with the ending, not because of Sookie choosing Sam over Eric but because a lot of it didn't make sense. What about the contract written in blood? Charlaine never really does explain who the "devil" is... my guess is she is referring to Claude and the way he is scarred and burned?

And then Sookie sends Barry to live with Sams mom? FTW??? I get that she can't live with another telepath but still? That seems like a poor way to write off a character. I am thoroughly confused and left hurt with such a pitiful ending to my once beloved favorite series. The only consultation I feel I received is that I had the opportunity to read about most of my favorite characters just one last time. I am happy that in the end Sookie is with Sam, I understand that Eric and her would have never worked out, but I still feel cheated out of what had the potential to be a good book and a end to a great series.

Hex on the Ex (A Mind for Murder Mystery)

At a Dodgers game to celebrate her father's birthday, Liz's evening out with Nick and her family is a welcome break from renovating her new home. But there are a couple of people in the stadium she'd like to forget: her two-timing ex-friend in the stands, and her ex-husband, star relief pitcher Jarret, in the dugout. 

All hell breaks loose when Jarret violates an old baseball superstition on his way to the mound, a game changer triggering a discouraging loss on the field and later a horrific murder-with Liz on deck as the prime suspect... 

 As usual Rochelle Staab leaves me happily content with her latest book in her "A Mind for Murder" series. I am a huge fan of this series and grow more fond of it with each book. "Hex on the Ex" has a great and intense plot, it also has its usual zany and loveable cast of characters from her previous books with a few new additions. In "Hex on the Ex" Murder strikes in a form from the past, and the heat is turned up on Dr. Liz Cooper when her Ex husband Jarret throws suspicion her way to cover his own assets--as if dealing with Jarret and his self absorbed and ego inflated demeanor wasn't enough already. Thank goodness for Nick and the rest of Liz's team backing in her corner... because newly minted LAPD detective of the Laurel Canyon department; Carla Pratt is hot on her tail to pin this hex of a murder on her! One this is for sure... there is more than one "blast from the past" in this book and you'll enjoy finding out just which one it is! 

Trouble in the Tarot (A Fortune Teller Mystery)

Lately Sunny has been experiencing a period of big opportunity: her business in Divinity, New York, is thriving, and Detective Mitch Stone has finally agreed to take Sunny on a date. But thanks to her clairvoyant abilities, Sunny knows better than anyone that life deals out bad cards along with good. 

When Sunny agrees to read tarot cards at the annual Summer Solstice Carnival, she meets her Granny Gert's "arch nemesis" Fiona Atwater, and is overcome by a vision of Fiona in a violent argument. Sunny knows trouble is brewing when Granny and Fiona start having squabbles all over town. But the fighting comes to a head when a local backer gets run over by a big white Cadillac and Granny and Fiona are found at the crime scene. 

Sunny knows she should step aside and let Mitch handle the investigating, but she's not about to ignore her visions and leave her granny's life in fate's hands... 

Oh Sunshine Meadows... you might have actually outdone yourself this time! What a great book! This mystery kept me guessing from start to finish! I had an idea of who I thought did it but in the end.. I had no idea how deep this mystery really went! I also loved the mini sub plot involved too, it gave it a lot more twists and turns than your average mystery! Sunny's Granny & her "nemesis" Fiona had me cracking up at just about every hair brained idea they came across... and once again Morty, Sunny's "special" kitty steals my heart! I also can't wait to see how Sunny & "Detective Grumpy Pants" turn out... big steps in this book... hopefully even bigger ones will happen for them both in the next! :)

Buried in a Bog (A County Cork Mystery)

Honoring the wish of her late grandmother Maura Donovan visits the small Irish village where her Gran was born-though she never expected to get bogged down in a murder mystery. Nor had she planned to take a job in one of the local pubs, but she finds herself excited to get to know the people who knew her Gran. 

In the pub, she's swamped with drink orders as everyone in town gathers to talk about the recent discovery of a nearly half century old body in a nearby bog. When Maura realizes she may know something about the dead man and that he might be connected to another, more recent, death she fears she's about to become mired in a homicide investigation. Maura has a sinking feeling she may really be getting in over her head... 

Shelia Connolly is a well established author and this new series has the potential to be a great success much like her other cozy mystery novels, I can't wait to read the next addition!

Buried in a Bog is not your typical cozy mystery... no this one has a story within it. One that was set long ago, it's only now how Maura Donovan has discovered the truth behind it. It has great Irish charm and plays out exactly what one would think the typical Irish lifestyle would be like.

So I pretty much loved it! It was a little slow at times and didn't have the climax I had hoped for but all in all it was a great read. I am excited to see what's in store for Maura next and Sullivans Pub
and you'll see its no secret that even Officer Sean Murphy has a bit of a crush on Maura... let's hope she might not stay out of trouble for his sake... ;)