Saturday, November 5, 2016

Weekend Book Reviews

Dangling by a Thread by Lea Wait is book four in the Mainely Needlepoint Mystery series.  I had read (and reviewed) a previous book in this series, but the book stands on its own.  In this particular book the needlepoint took a back seat.  Angie gets wrapped up in the mystery of the death of a hermit, Jesse.  Jesse has created a sanctuary for Great Cormorants, an endangered bird.  The setting and characters are a main draw of this book, and I look forward to more in the series.

Susan Farrow's Dying for Strawberries is the first book in the Berry Basket Mystery series.  Readers are introduced to Marlee Jacob who returns to her hometown of Oriole Point.  She owns The Berry Basket, a store for all things berries in this small harbor town.  A dead body as well as an attempt on her own life put Marlee at the center of a mystery.  She must solve the crime before she becomes the next victim.    The mystery was well thought out, and I enjoyed the book.  I can see great opportunities for character development with this series.

Eggnog Murder is a set of three short cozy mysteries by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Barbara Ross.  The other two stories are Death by Eggnog and Nogged Off.  The holiday themed stories are perfect with the Christmas season fast approaching.  They are quick fun reads, but I felt the mysteries were still strong.  As always, I enjoyed the characters and settings each author created.  The books are a wonderful introduction to each author's cozy mystery series.  This is a great choice if you are new to these authors.

Pocketbooks and Pistols by Dorothy Howell is part of the Haley Randolph Mystery series.  The mystery aspect of this book was good. The main character, Haley, leans toward shallow, self-centered, and annoying.  This is definitely light reading, and I would have enjoyed it more if Haley had more depth to her.  Her obsessions with designer shopping and coffee are a sad commentary on today's society.  If you can get over the main character's weak personality, it is a good book.

disclosure:  I received these e-books from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own!

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