You ever have one of those days when you find bits of a corpse, but it doesn’t belong to any of the zombies? Foxtrot has and it’s not even the weirdest part of her day. Actually, it’s just another day working at her boss ZZ’s mansion, where there are always guests (who are often weird), zoo animals to take care of (yes, ZZ has a zoo on her estate) and a spiritual Crossroads to maintain. The zombies aren’t real (they’re part of a film set), […]
Julia the jerk
Have you ever read a book that is part of a series and wonder where you went wrong? Do you question if you were high when you started the series and are only just now seeing things clearly? That’s where I’m at with this fourth book in the Maine Clambake Mystery series. I’m wondering if there was something wrong with me during the first three books or if there’s something wrong with me now. Let’s discuss. Your main character is Julia Snowden. Julia is living […]
Not so hidden flame
Inspector David Graham has moved to the island of Jersey (UK, not New Jersey) for the peace, quiet and laid-back life that I guess Jersey is known for. Unfortunately, a murder happens almost as soon as he arrives, so he has to go straight to work with his ragtag group of officers (the drunk, the wannabe super detective and the lonely woman officer who thinks her new boss might be quite a catch). Witnesses are interviewed, motives are sussed out and the case is solved […]
Sweet and Cozy
Sometimes I want a quick read. A comfortable read where nothing too gross happens. It’s what they call a “cozy” mystery. If you’re not familiar with the term, think of it as a book that’s like an episode of Castle. There’s a mystery – usually a death – but it’s not described in lurid detail. The main character (almost always a woman) may even say something like “I didn’t need a close look to know that <victim> was dead.” There are quirky characters, quirky settings, and an […]
Elvis is the best
Shop owner Sarah is cleaning out a hoarder house for appraisal and sale when she (well, her cat, Elvis) finds a body in the kitchen. The rest of the story details how Sarah and her friends try to solve the murder. Does that sound like I’m bored? I was bored and I don’t know why. It’s a perfectly capable cozy mystery, but I just didn’t care about the mystery. I guess because I figured out the who and why during the first few chapters, so […]
Darn Hooch
This is the fourth book in the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade series by JJ Cook. The story centers around fire chief Stella Griffin, some ghosts and a hooch war. By the way, that’s hooch as in moonshine, not any of the other terms you might be thinking of (money, female private parts, a loose woman, a scuzzy man or half of a K-9/cop duo). There’s also some stereotypical small town stuff (romance or the lack thereof, family issues, politics, misogyny and food) to round out […]