A Wytch's Book Review Blog

Murder with Cinnamon Scones (Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery #2) by Karen Rose Smith

Daisy Swanson and her Aunt Iris run a delightful shop in Pennsylvania’s Amish country with an emphasis on tasty teas and treats—but murder is not so sweet . . .

As local merchants unite to attract tourists for a much anticipated weekend quilting event, business is sure to spill over into eateries like Daisy’s Tea Garden. Gorgeous craftwork is hanging everywhere—but among the quilts, potholders, and placemats, one gallery owner is wrapped up in some dangerous affairs . . .

Reese Masemer had been dating one of Daisy’s employees, Tessa, an artist, though their last interaction was as strained as a cup of loose leaf tea. Now Reese has been found dead near a covered bridge where Tessa’s been practicing her sketches. She’s the obvious suspect, but Daisy’s learning that there were some major secrets in Reese’s background, and several of his relationships were infused with resentment. To save Tessa, she’ll have to find out who’s tainted this quaint little town with murder . . .

Murder at the Mansion (Victorian Village Mysteries #1) by Sheila Connolly

Katherine Hamilton's goal in high school was to escape from her dead-end hometown of Asheford, Maryland. Fifteen years later she's got a degree in hospitality management and a great job supervising every aspect of the day-to-day operations of a high-end boutique hotel on the Baltimore waterfront. Then her high school best friend asks her to come talk with the town leaders of Asheford, but she won't say why. Kate can't cut her last link to her past, so she agrees to make the short trip across the state to Asheford.

Once Kate arrives, the town council members reveal that their town is on the verge of going bankrupt, and they've decided that Kate's skills and knowledge make her the perfect person to cure all their ills. The town has used its last available funds to buy the huge Victorian mansion just outside of town, hoping to use it to attract some of the tourists who travel to visit the nearby Civil War battle sites. Kate has less-than-fond memories of the mansion, for personal reasons, but to make matters worse, the only person who has presented a possible alternate plan is Cordelia Walker--Kate's high school nemesis, who had a hand in driving Kate away from Asheford so many years.

But a few days later Kate receives a call from the police--Cordelia has been found dead on the mansion property, and Kate is all-but certain that her name is high on the suspect list. She finds herself juggling the murder investigation and her growing fascination with the magnificent old house that turns out to be full of long-hidden mysteries itself. Kate knows she must clear her name and save her town--before she ends up behind bars.

The House that Vanity Built (A Misty Dawn Mystery #2) by Nancy Cole Silverman

Misty Dawn, a former Hollywood psychic to the stars, knows the dark and sometimes glamorous streets of Los Angeles are full of secrets, broken promises, and dashed hopes.

When a young woman comes to her door because she’s lost her engagement ring and is afraid to tell her fiancé (the son of one of the world’s biggest cosmetics empires), Misty senses it’s no accident.

Together Misty Dawn and her psychic charge, Wilson Thorne, must not only sneak behind the walls of the Conroy Estate (aka The House That Vanity Built), but go beyond the veil where the luminaries have laid plans to seek revenge.

Murder, lust, and a quest for a fountain of youth are hidden inside a family’s secret, one that threatens to upend the young woman’s life, and quite possibly, Misty’s as well.

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 11 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT

May 11 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

May 12 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT

May 12 – Carla Loves to Read – REVIEW

May 13 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

May 13 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT

May 14 – Mysteries with Character – SPOTLIGHT

May 14 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW

May 15 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW

May 15 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – SPOTLIGHT

May 16 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

May 17 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

May 18 – eBook addicts – REVIEW

May 18 – Gimme The Scoop Reviews -SPOTLIGHT

May 19 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT

May 19 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 20 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

May 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

May 22 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

May 23 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

A Black Place and a White Place (Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries Book 7) by Patrice Greenwood

When a Texan tourist turns up dead in a lonely arroyo at Ghost Ranch, questions arise that reach back to the Wild West. Murdered by outlaws, or by a lynch mob? Killed for money or for hate?

Finally done with the hectic holidays, Ellen Rosings gets a chance to relax. After catching up on researching the Wisteria Tearoom's resident ghost, Captain Dusenberry, she and sweetheart Tony Aragón plan a long weekend at Ghost Ranch, where artist Georgia O'Keeffe lived and painted the colorful northern New Mexico landscapes.

Hiking, horseback riding, and a tour of O'Keeffe's studio are on the agenda, but finding a body is not. Alas, even the most careful plans are subject to change. When a ranch guest from Texas dies, Ellen and Tony must collaborate to identify the killer—but he suspects Ellen's new friend. Are they headed for a clash?

Intermezzo: Family Matters: A Wisteria Tearoom Interlude by Patrice Greenwood

Between Christmas and New Year's, Ellen Rosings travels a landscape of doubt. Can she and Tony truly forge a permanent relationship, and will their families support or oppose their intention to marry?

Mousse and Murder (Alaskan Diner Mystery #1) by Elizabeth Logan

When Chef Charlie Cooke is offered the chance to leave San Francisco and return home to Elkview, Alaska, to take over her mother's diner, she doesn't even consider saying no. After all--her love life has recently become a Love Life Crumble, and a chance to reconnect with her roots may be just what she needs.

Determined to bring fresh life and flavors to the Bear Claw Diner, Charlie starts planning changes to the menu, which has grown stale over the years. But her plans are fried when her head cook Oliver turns up dead after a bitter and public fight over Charlie's ideas--leaving Charlie as the only suspect in the case.

With her career, freedom, and life all on thin ice, Charlie must find out who the real killer is, before it's too late.

An Interview With A Character

What is your full name?

Charlotte Cooke, aka Charlie

What is your Profession?

Owner of the Bear Claw Diner in Elkview, Alaska, recently inherited from my mom when she retired. 

What is your current favorite book or movie?

Reading cookbooks to rework our menu.

What is your go to comfort book or movie?

Julie & Julia, with Meryl Streep playing Julia Child.

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?

Evan Rachel Wood; the right age and coloring, if a couple of inches shorter.

What is your ideal evening?

In my rocker with a bowl of ice cream on my lap; my orange tabby, Eggs Benedict, aka Benny, at my feet with his own treat; watching the cooking channel. 

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 5 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE

May 5 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST

May 5 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT

May 5 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

May 6 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

May 6 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

May 6 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

May 6 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

May 6 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

May 7 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

May 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

May 7 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

May 7 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

May 8 – Reading Reality – REVIEW

May 8 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT 

May 8 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 8 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

May 9 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW

May 9 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 9 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST

May 9 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews– SPOTLIGHT

May 10 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

May 10 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW 

May 10 – Literary Gold– SPOTLIGHT

May 10 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW 

May 11 – eBook Addicts – REVIEW

May 11 – Brianne’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

May 11 – Sapphyria’s Books – REVIEW

May 11 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 12 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

May 12 – Diary of a Book Fiend – REVIEW

May 12 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW  

 

As Red as Any Blood (Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries #6) by Patrice Greenwood

Yuletide in Santa Fe: biscochitos, farolitos, Las Posadas, music...and murder.

Ellen Rosings does not have time for murder investigations. It’s December, and the Wisteria Tearoom is awash in shoppers, cookies, and groups of strange women brought to tea by the eccentric Bird Woman.

Alas, Ellen must cope with murder anyway. One of her high school classmates is stabbed to death, and she and her best friend Gina can't resist the puzzle. Handsome Tony Aragón is on the case, and Ellen is only too happy to assist, but when a second classmate of Ellen's turns up dead, Tony's protective instinct kicks in. Much as Ellen agrees, she can't stay in a cocoon—she's got a business to run.

Is the fact that the victim has recently been to the tearoom merely a coincidence? Could Tony’s gratifying concern for Ellen’s safety inspire him to become her personal bodyguard? And what on earth should she get him for Christmas?

Intermezzo: Spirit Matters: A Wisteria Tearoom Interlude by Patrice Greenwood

After a disastrous Halloween party at the Wisteria Tearoom, Ellen Rosings seeks to draw some understanding out of the chaos.

While trying to support her grieving Goth office manager, Ellen ponders the mysterious flashes of light she saw in another part of Santa Fe, wondering if they are related to Captain Dusenberry, the tearoom's resident ghost. She asks for help from the local spirit-tour guide, Willow Lane, who takes curiosity about the captain's unsolved murder to a new level, where Ellen finds herself exploring the very meaning of spirit.

Will a séance in the tearoom finally provide the answers to her questions?

(This is a novella, a short companion story to the Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries series. It is recommended that you read A Masquerade of Muertos before reading this story.)

A Masquerade of Muertos (Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries #5) by Patrice Greenwood

Goths reenacting Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" on Halloween night...what could possibly go wrong? Despite her desire to make the Wisteria Tearoom a haven of tranquility, Ellen Rosings can't rid her parlors of the shadow of death. Fascinated with the tearoom's resident ghost, her customers flock to spirit-tours-with-tea, and to crown all, the office manager and her Goth friends plan a Halloween masquerade recreating a classic horror story. Between his heavy workload and his fits of jealousy when Ellen looks at anything male, Detective Tony Arag�n can't offer her much comfort. Are the flashes of light she's been seeing some kind of message from the spirit world? Or is it just coincidence when a body turns up where she last saw a gleam?

Bake, Eat, & Be Buried (Ooey Gooey Bakery Mystery Book 3) by Katherine H. Brown

Piper and Sam are flooded with ideas to help Flo’s Flowers next door to have a spectacular 4th of July sale. However, plans get interrupted when the friends must prepare Piper to testify in court.

There is one major problem: Piper’s fear of public speaking has her passing out!
Soon, a crowded room isn’t the only thing Piper has to worry about.
Will she escape the tattooed man determined to shut her up permanently? Will the sheriff be able to help catch him after he hospitalizes one of her friends?

And, the biggest question of all, what is in the giant paper sack of “emergency supplies” that Gladys brings to the bakery?