A Wytch's Book Review Blog

Molded 4 Murder (Sophie Kimball Mystery #5) by J.C. Eaton

Sophie "Phee" Kimball enjoys working as a bookkeeper for a private investigator. If only her mother Harriet could enjoy her retirement at Sun City West in Arizona--instead of constantly getting involved with retirees being prematurely put out to pasture. This time Quentin Dussler, a prominent member of the clay sculpting club, was found dead, clutching a piece of paper scrawled with Phee's mother's name.

Terrified she's been targeted by assassins, Harriet begs Phee to investigate. What Phee uncovers is a complicated scheme that only the most diabolical of murderers would ever devise. And as she chisels away at confusing clues and potential suspects, Phee unearths something far more precious and valuable than she could imagine. Eager for answers, she takes a bold step--placing herself in the crosshairs of a stonefaced killer ...

An Interview With A Character

What is your full name? 

Sophie Vera Kimball 

What is your Profession?

Bookkeeper/accountant for Williams Investigations in Glendale, AZ. 

What is your current favorite book or movie? 

Nancy Atherton’s AUNT DIMITY AND THE HEART OF GOLD, favorite movie – The Trouble with Angels. 

What is your go to comfort book or movie?

Anything from the Aunt Dimity series and anything that does not involve a murder or a neurotic dog. 

If someone was to play you in a movie who would it be? OR what would be the character you would want to be in a book?

I would love to have Jessica Chastain play me in a movie!

What is your ideal evening? 

Italian take-out food, sitting on the couch watching a mystery with my boyfriend, Marshall Gregory.  I’m really quite a homebody but lately these murder investigations have changed that. 

 

MOLDED 4 MURDER TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 15 – I Read What You Write – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 15 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

October 15 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf - SPOTLIGHT

October 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

October 16 – Reading Is My SuperPower - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

October 16 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 16 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

October 17 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

October 17 – Baroness' Book Trove – REVIEW

October 17 – Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my! – GUEST POST

October 18 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

October 18 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 18 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, GUEST POST

October 19 – Diane Reviews Books – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

October 19 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

October 19 – Brooke Blogs - SPOTLIGHT

October 20 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 20 – Laura's Interests – SPOTLIGHT

October 20 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

October 21 - Diary of a Book Fiend – REVIEW

October 21 - Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

October 22 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

October 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 22 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Murder At The Palace (Movie Palace Mystery #1) by Margaret Dumas

Welcome to the Palace movie theater! Now Showing: Philandering husbands, ghostly sidekicks, and a murder or two.

When Nora Paige's movie-star husband leaves her for his latest co-star, she flees Hollywood to take refuge in San Francisco at the Palace, a historic movie theater that shows the classic films she loves. There she finds a band of misfit film buffs who care about movies (almost) as much as she does.

She also finds some shady financial dealings and the body of a murdered stranger.

Oh, and then there's Trixie, the lively ghost of a 1930's usherette who appears only to Nora and has a lot to catch up on. With the help of her new ghostly friend, can Nora catch the killer before there's another murder at the Palace?

What a fun and yet convoluted start to a new series :D, the only thing that grated a bit for me was the sudden inclusion of bits of classic film information that broke up the action a bit too much.

Nora has taken her best friends advice and headed away from Hollywood and the paparazzi following her due to her husband's well publicized affair, she has taken the vacant job of manager at the Palace movie theatre, a place that doesn't show the latest blockbusters but rather the classic films that stand the test of time. There is a mixed bag of staff who all seem to work there not only for the money but also because they, like Nora, enjoy these classic films.  The Palace though is somewhat rundown and it is due to the breaking of a piece of equipment that means Nora finds a man on ice, literally! in the secondary ice maker there is a very dead body, and if that wasn't enough of a shock a couple of days later she gets hit on the head by a light fitting .... and now she can see the ghost of an usherette who was killed back in the 1930's.

The do say that trouble comes in threes - Nora is beginning to think that is an underestimate when she finds oddities in the accounting, a local shop owner is attacked and she herself seems to be being stalked by a couple of men.  Now Nora, with some help from the ghostly Trixie and the rest of the (very small number of) staff need to figure out what is happening, who killed the man on ice and try to save the theatre at the same time!

Better Watch Out (A Merry and Bright Handcrafted Mystery) by Christina Freeburn

Making a list. Merry's life is Christmas chaos. Her divorce is still in question. She's behind on crafting orders. Ebenezer is an escape artist. And with one day left, she hasn't completed the line-up for the annual Christmas parade, thanks to one grinch. Once Merry knows the Christmas secret, she realizes Santa isn't what's coming to town.

Checking it twice. Santa's naughty list, courtesy of Jenna Wilcox, will roll down Main Street with names of residents who deserve a lump of coal in their stocking. Saving the parade won't be easy, but Merry is up to task. Or so she thinks until she discovers Jenna's body stashed in Santa's sack.

Going to find out. As facts are unwrapped, Merry finds the line blurred between who's naughty and nice. As threats are aimed at her and those she loves, Merry dashes for the truth before the murderer puts her on the naughty list and crosses her off for good.

Christina Freeburn has written a wonderful tale of festivities, family, fun ..... and murder!

Merry has more than enough on her plate, she has stepped up and taken over the role of parade coordinator (something her late ex husband did), she still has to get the last of her Christmas items sent out (the ones bought through the Merry and Bright Etsy store), she needs to stop her Guinea Pig Ebenezer from being an escape and chew artist! Oh and along with that she still isn't sure if her late ex really was an ex (ie had the divorce gone through or was he a bigamist?) and who has the rights to the winning lottery ticket?  All this should be more than enough for any person - but then she finds out that one of the parade floats is going to be some one unpleasant, with a list of "naughty" people and the reason why they are on the list! Neither Merry nor the Mayor have any joy in getting the woman to change her mind, although that becomes moot when someone changes everything by killing the female Grinch!

Now the body count is rising, Merry finds her name on another naughty list and someone threatens both her and her stepdaughter Cassie, now Merry needs to get the Christmas Spirit back on track otherwise it will turn into a Nightmare of a Festive Season.

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 15 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW

October 15 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY – digital copy giveaway

October 16 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 16 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 16 – My Devotional Thoughts – REVIEW

October 17 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY – print copy giveaway

October 17 – Diane Reviews Books – GUEST POST

October 18 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

October 18 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW*, GIVEAWAY – digital copy giveaway

October 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT

October 19 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

October 20 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

October 21 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

October 22 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 22 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

October 24 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

October 24 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW*

October 25 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW*

October 25 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT

October 25 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY- print copy giveaway

The Final Reveille (Living History Museum #1) by Amanda Flower

As the director of Barton Farm, a living history museum in Ohio, Kelsey Cambridge is underpaid and underappreciated, but she loves every minute of it. Determined to keep the struggling farm open, she plans to impress the museum's wealthy benefactress, Cynthia Cherry, with a Civil War reenactment on the farm's grounds.

Unfortunately, the first shot in the battle isn't from a period soldier. It's from Cynthia's greedy nephew, Maxwell, who fires a threat at Kelsey to cut the museum's funding. The next morning, things go from bad to worse when Kelsey discovers Maxwell dead. Now Kelsey is the police's number one suspect, and she must start her own investigation to save Barton Farm . . . and herself.

Who would have thought that a reenactment would lead to murder!

Kelsey Cambridge is divorced and living with her young son on a small cottage in the grounds of Barton Farm, a living history museum, she has arranged a Civil War reenactment long weekend culminating in a Ball, on the opening day the benefactress of the Farm (Cynthia Cherry) has arrived to see what is happening and she has brought her nephew Maxwell and his fiancee Portia with her.  Whilst Cynthia is distracted Maxwell takes the opportunity to tell Kelsey that he will be taking over the Cherry Foundation and that funding will soon be withdrawn.  Kelsey is somewhat stunned as Barton Farm is one of Cynthia's favourite non-profits within the foundation, but she is even more stunned when she discovers one of the re-enactors (Chase) with the dead body of Maxwell! Now she is in the position of suspect #1 and when there is another death it looks even worse for her, now against her better judgement she needs to team up with Chase to stop the Police railroading her, oh and keeping Barton Farm and her job would be good as well!

A Midwinter's Tail (Magical Cats Mystery #6) by Sofie Kelly

Winter in Mayville Heights is busy and not just because of the holidays. Kathleen is hard at work organizing a benefit to raise money for the library’s popular Reading Buddies program. She has her hands full hosting the event. And when a guest at the gala drops dead, her magical cats, Owen and Hercules, will have their paws full helping her solve a murder.

The victim is the ex of town rascal Burtis Chapman, but she hasn’t lived in the area in years. And though everybody is denying knowledge of why she was back in town, as Kathleen and her detective boyfriend, Marcus, begin nosing around, they discover more people are connected to the deceased than claimed to be. Now Marcus, Kathleen, and her uncanny cats have to unravel this midwinter tale before the case gets cold.

It is always great to revisit Mayville Heights and the cats that live there!

It is Winter but that is not what has Kathleen rushing about, she and her staff are planning a fund raiser for a reading programme within the library, people are donating time and others are giving items such as food for cost, oh and Kathleen's neighbour and good friend is getting married and that is another headache (albeit a nice one!) as that also needs planning! The day before the fund raiser Kathleen, the bride to be Rebecca and their friend Roma are enjoying lunch when Rebecca is startled by a woman entering the cafe, apparently no-one had seen Dayna Chapman in about 20 years, they are even more startled when she turns up at the fund raiser.  Unfortunately her time there was short lived, literally as she keels over having eaten one of the gift truffles everyone was given.

Now Kathleen, along with her two magical cats Owen and Hercules, need to assist her boyfriend (and local detective) Marcus to find out the truth behind the death and why she arrived back in Mayville originally.  Oh and make sure that the wedding goes smoothly as well!

Unbreakable Bond (Jamie Bond #1) by Gemma Halliday, Jennifer Fischetto

Her name is Bond. Jamie Bond. And her life is about to be shaken and stirred in a cocktail of sex, lies, scandal, and one very dead body.

Jamie Bond is a former cover model who switches gears to take over the family business: The Bond Agency, a high-powered P.I. firm located in Los Angeles that specializes in domestic espionage - catching cheating husbands. Jamie's assembled a team of other disenchanted former models to help her take names and kick derrieres among L.A.'s wealthiest philandering husbands. Her current client: Mrs. Veronica Waterston, the young, distraught wife of superior court judge, Thomas Waterston, known for his tough sentencing, right-wing leanings, and his fondness for blondes with double D's. Easy target. But Jamie's simple case takes an unexpected turn for the worse when the not-so-good judge winds up on the ten o'clock news with a bullet through his head. It's clear that someone has set Jamie up, and suddenly she's on the run, under fire, and in serious jeopardy of losing it all. With a hot A.D.A. on her trail, a killer on the loose, and her life on the line, Jamie must prove once and for all that nobody messes with a Bond.

Another series from the Halliday stables and it looks like it is another winner!

Jamie Bond has left the world of modelling (after all as soon as she hit 25 she was past it!), she has taken over the PI business her father set up and with some other former models lives a life tracking down straying husbands! They need a big payment/client to ensure that they all keep their jobs so when a Judge's wife comes to find out if he is straying they jump at the job.  So far so good, yes he is easily distracted by Jamie's ... cough .... charms! and the following day they had over the evidence and take the cash payment (a lot of the clients pay cash - but Jamie makes sure all the correct taxes etc are paid!), that evening though Jamie sees the judge again or at least a picture of him as he has been killed ..... and the police want to talk to the lady he was fawning over the previous night .... gulp! Then they find the supposed Mrs Waterston dead ... double gulp! and now Jamie is wearing an orange jumpsuit and being arraigned for murder, time for the Bond Girls to step up and find out the truth quickly!

Read and Buried (Lighthouse Library Mystery #6) by Eva Gates

The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library Classic Novel Book Club is reading Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne while workers dig into the earth to repair the Lighthouse Library's foundations. The digging halts when Lucy pulls a battered tin box containing a Civil War-era diary from the pit. Tucked inside is a hand-drawn map of the Outer Banks accompanied by a page written in an indecipherable code.

The library is overrun by people clamoring to see the artifact. Later that night, Lucy and Connor McNeil find the body of historical society member Jeremy Hughes inside the library. Clearly Jeremy was not the only one who broke into the library--the map and the coded page are missing.

Lucy's nemesis, Louise Jane McKaughnan, confesses to entering the library after closing to sneak a peek but denies seeing Jeremy--or his killer. When Lucy discovers that fellow-librarian Charlene had a past with Jeremy, she's forced to do what she vowed not to do--get involved in the case. Meanwhile, the entire library staff and community become obsessed with trying to decode the page. But when the library has a second break in, it becomes clear that someone is determined to solve that code.

Eve Gates has pulled out all the stops and written another fantastic page turner of a book!

We open with essential building works being done to the lighthouse (more to the point the foundations of the lighthouse!) when the contractor comes in requesting that Bertie (the library manager) comes outside, apparently the workmen have found something in the hole and they need Bertie to see it - she has claustrophobia though and so Lucy dons a hard hat and goes down to see, what they find is a box that has been buried under the foundations, when removed it turns out not to be that heavy and so it is easily transported into Bertie's office, when opened they find a leather bound journal, a crudely drawn map and a letter ..... in code!

Now various people want to get their hands on the map, the code and the journal, but no one expects one of them to end up well and truly dead in Bertie's office! and whilst the journal was still there the map and coded letter had gone, now everyone wants to crack the code (luckily Lucy and Charlene, the rare book and history librarian, had taken photographs), whilst Detective Watson just wants to nab the killer.  Add in some history of displaced people, a potential new mega hotel and golf course and of course the upcoming historical society fun day and it is no wonder that Lucy just wants it all to be over!

An Interview With A Character

What is your full name? 

Lucy Richardson

What is your Profession?

Librarian 

What is your current favourite book or movie? 

The Lost Man by Jane Harper. Also, anything by Kate Morton. 

What is your go to comfort book or movie? 

I’m a big Jane Austen fan and I love re-reading her books. At the Lighthouse Library we have a classic novel book club, and it’s always great to read those familiar old books again.  This month we’re reading Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne.

If someone was to play you in a movie who would it be? OR what would be the character you would want to be in a book?

I’d love to me a heroine in a Mary Stewart novel. Alone in Europe, sad, lonely, and then whisked away for adventure and romance

What is your ideal evening?

My boyfriend and I try to have a date night at least once a week. Our favorite place is Jake’s Seafood Bar in Nags Head North Carolina. 

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 7 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

October 7 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT – Sapphyria’s Books

October 8 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

October 8 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

October 8 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

October 9 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW, GUEST POST

October 9 – eBook Addicts – RECIPE POST

October 9 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

October 10 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

October 10 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 10 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 11 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard – REVIEW

October 11 – Sapphyria’s Books – REVIEW

October 11 – The Book Diva’s Reads – SPOTLIGHT

October 11 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

October 12 – T’s Stuff – SPOTLIGHT

October 12 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT

October 12 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 13 – Brianne’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

October 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

October 14 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

October 14 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW  

October 15 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 15 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

October 16 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

October 16 – Diane Reviews Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 17 – Curling up by the Fire – REVIEW

October 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 17 – Ascroft, eh? – GUEST POST

October 18 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

October 18 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIW

October 18 – Reading Authors – REVIEW

Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theater (Phoebe and Her Unicorn #8) by Dana Simpson

Summer is here, and Phoebe and Marigold are headed to drama camp. At Camp Thespis, Phoebe and her friends have their work cut out for them: writing, producing, and acting in an entirely original play! Phoebe's expecting some quality time with her best friend, but in a surprise twist, Marigold has invited her sister, Florence Unfortunate Nostrils! The newest Phoebe and her Unicorn graphic novel is a sparkling tale of sisterhood and summer fun, as well as a reminder that sometimes it takes a bit of drama to rediscover true friendship.

Unicorn of Many Hats (Phoebe and Her Unicorn #7) by Dana Simpson

Marigold Heavenly Nostrils is no ordinary unicorn. She has Wi-Fi-enabled appendages. She's the most enchanted babysitter of all time. She's published numerous scholarly articles on the "shimmering" versus "glimmering" debate. She is, in short, a unicorn of many hats.

Phoebe and her exceptional hooved pal are back in this all-new collection of comics! Laugh alongside the lovable duo as they question the idea of "coolness," gain a deeper appreciation for the power of friendship, and put off summer reading assignments for as long as physically possible.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn in the Magic Storm (Phoebe and Her Unicorn #6) by Dana Simpson

Phoebe and Marigold decide to investigate a powerful storm that is wreaking havoc with the electricity in their town. The adults think it’s just winter weather, but Phoebe and Marigold soon discover that all is not what it seems to be, and that the storm may have a magical cause. To solve the case, they team up with Max, who is desperate for the electricity to return so he can play video games, and frenemy Dakota, who is aided by her goblin minions. Together, they must get to the bottom of the mystery and save the town from the magic storm.