Dead Man Talking by Casey Daniels.

Dead Man Talking by Casey Daniels

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Honestly, I had a hard time suspending my disbelief at times. However, it had nothing to do with the paranormal aspects of the story. I can accept that Pepper is a private investigator for the dead. I had a much harder time with some of the other plot points. For example, I don't believe you could be signed up to do a reality TV series and NOT know about it until the camera crew shows up. Also, it seemed odd to me that the community service people weren't escorted by anyone "official", especially considering Pepper didn't know she was going to be supervising them until they showed up. Additionally, I had a bit of a hard time suspending disbelief for how the ending went down. It just seemed a little fantastical to me. Overall, however, it wasn't a bad story. I just felt like certain parts weren't ringing true for me and it took me out of the book a bit.

Dying for Dinner by Miranda Bliss

Dying for Dinner by Miranda Bliss

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Even though I figured out who the bad guy was very early on, I didn't know his motive or other very important details until much later. I feel bad for Jacques because that character has been squeezed for more story lines than I would have thought possible. Yet, I still like the series. I really like Annie, Jim, and Eve overall. I was a little disappointed with how Eve was portrayed during one scene at the end, but it wasn't enough to affect my overall impression. If I could talk to the author, however, I would encourage her to be a little more careful with Eve in the future. Otherwise, the stories have all been quite good and I'm loving the progression. Keep it up and I'll keep reading! :)

Possible spoiler! I didn't care for how Eve reacted to the motel clerk. I just don't think a grown woman would really worry that much about a stranger carrying out the wishes of another stranger, even at a no tell motel. Seriously, Eve? He pops out for a ciggie and you're worried about your life? Not so sure I agree with that portrayal. Just saying.

Devil May Ride by Wendy Roberts

Devil May Ride by Wendy Roberts

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Satanism, a motorcycle gang, and ghosts galore! Seriously, this woman is fast becoming my new favorite author. This series is so up my alley! They characters talk like my friends talk and I just love that. The main mystery is seedy and fascinating. We learn some really interesting back story and it seems to fit in well. Sometimes, when an author goes back to explain things, they can stop following their own rules or it will stick out in some way. That did NOT happen for me at all. I felt it was all very smart and it totally worked for me. I can't wait for more in this series. :)

While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo

While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Overall, I was a little disappointed because the mystery was so easy to figure out. I knew who did it and the motive long before the reveal. So, it was a little difficult for me to give it a higher star rating when I felt annoyed at how simple the mystery was to solve. But, that being said, I still finished the book and enjoyed it well enough. I will give the next book in the series a shot because I'm a knitter that loves to read knitting related mystery novels. What can I say? I'm a total sucker. lol! :)

Poisoned by Gilt by Leslie Caine

Poisoned by Gilt by Leslie Caine

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This is the first book I've read in this series and it is okay. I would not say it is poorly written, but I did not fall in love with the main characters. It is almost too realistic at times with Erin's inner thoughts. But, she's much more girly than I am so I did not really connect with her. I don't know that I want to go back and read this series from the beginning. I fear that it's a Stephanie Plum-like scenario where Gilbert and Sullivan are "made for each other" but that their romance has trouble getting off the ground and never really gets anywhere. In fact, that is a strong reason I may have disconnected from the story in the first place. It's just something that doesn't work for me. I'm not really sure what to say about the mystery. It was a little odd and the reveal seemed a little uneven. It felt delayed and rushed all at the same time. Very odd to me. Oh well. The book didn't suck, but I'm not sure I'm going to read any others in this series.

Leftover Dead by Jimmie Ruth Evans

Leftover Dead by Jimmie Ruth Evans

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Overall, I really liked it. I like that they were investigating an unsolved crime because it feels somewhat unrealistic for a small town setting to host so many murders throughout a series. It's especially difficult to suspend my disbelief that one character would find herself connected to every murder, in such a setting. Additionally, the main characters leave town to follow up on some leads and I really liked that. I guess I just need to see some changes of scenery, even in a book series. Miranda and Mayrene were pushed to the side quite a bit in this book, which was surprising to me. They were really only mentioned in passing. The author really focused on Wanda Nell and Jack's relationship, as well as the unsolved crime, of course. I was put off by a few small plot points, but not enough to stop reading the series. In fact, I am really looking forward to reading the next installment soon. :)

Dyer Consequences by Maggie Sefton

Dyer Consequences by Maggie Sefton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A bit of a spoiler in this review! Beware if you are one of those that hates a spoiler!

I loved this series when it first started, but I did not love this installment. The plot seemed a little unusual by the end. I had a million and 4 ideas as to why the victim was killed and they were all very wrong. But, in the end, I liked my possibilities more than the what the author gave me. There was one thing in the book that really got to me. Kelly has a moment where she thinks she's figured out who is behind every thing and even thinks she might be falling into a trap, but she stubbornly ignores that thought and proceeds recklessly. I understand that she's impatient and impulsive to a degree, but it just didn't feel genuine. If one thought they might be walking in to a trap of some kind, even for a second, how could they proceed without finding a way to inform someone just to be safe? It's one thing to walk in on a killer unwittingly in a mystery novel, it's another to recognize it may be a trap but proceed without a safety net. I thought it was a little sloppy because the author showed me that Kelly wasn't blind to the possibility of walking into a killer's trap. But, no, instead she ignores her internal warnings, with the handicap of a broken ankle no less. With all of that said, however, I look forward to reading the next book in the series. But, if I'm unhappy when I finish that one, I can't say for certain I will continue with future installments. :(

Dying to Be Thin by Kathryn Lilley

Dying to Be Thin by Kathryn Lilley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have been on a cozy mystery kick for a few years now and this one caught my eye as something new to try. Overall, I enjoyed it. Often when I start a new series, I'm disappointed with the first installment. Happily, that did not happen this time. I think this was a very strong start to a series. It is a little seedier than I was expecting, but that doesn't bother me at all. :) Also, I must confess that I figured out who was behind everything rather early on and I deduced a big part of the motive as well before the reveal. I don't think it was obviously written, but it is easy enough if you don't fall for all of the red herrings and other misdirections. I will definitely read more in this series.

The Cluttered Corpse by Mary Jane Maffini

The Cluttered Corpse by Mary Jane Maffini

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
My main criticism/observation from the first book in this series was that the main character, Charlotte, never finishes an organizational job during the book. In fact, I finished my review for Organize your Corpses by saying, "Perhaps Charlotte will be able to finish a job in the next book? Ha ha!" Well, imagine my surprise to discover the same thing happens in this book too! I just don't get it. Again, Charlotte is interrupted during a big job with a mystery, so that explains the hold up on the big job. But, she never actually finishes any other job either. This is really striking me as odd for a series with organization as a theme. Am I the only one bothered by this? I guess I just expect a little more from Charlotte than I've been given thus far. Of course, I enjoy the books overall and will continue with the series, despite this random concern. The author does throw in a lot of organizational tips, but I'd kind of like to see her complete a job from start to finish as well as help solve a mystery. Am I asking for too much here? :/

I did find parts of the mystery a little obvious to solve and other parts impossible to solve until the reveal. I had no reason to suspect who was behind everything and how it all came together, which can be both good and bad. I liked that it was a surprise, but I don't like that I had no chance of solving the case before Charlotte. What can I say? I'm competitive with these fictional sleuths and I want a chance to beat them at their own game. :)

Bring Your Own Poison by Jimmie Ruth Evans

Bring Your Own Poison by Jimmie Ruth Evans

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While the mystery of this book isn't as exciting as I would have liked, there are a lot of character developments that help make up the difference. In fact, the only plot points that I recall with clarity have to do with the main characters and what is happening in their lives. It's only been 3 days since I've read this book and I find it is difficult to recall who did what, how, and why. I wouldn't say it's poorly written, but the character developments definitely overshadow the mystery for me. I look forward to reading more in this series, despite not loving this installment.

Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss

Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Overall, I really liked this book. I liked Annie and Eve quite a bit. After reading a review or two, I noticed Eve wasn't as popular as Annie. Personally, I know people like Eve in real life, so she seemed very real to me. Additionally, I just like the idea of 2 friends working together to solve a mystery. I've always thought that if I were to become an amateur detective in real life, that I'd have to work with a friend. I would need that other person to bounce ideas off, if nothing else. Plus, I would feel safer if I had a friend with me when dealing with possibly dangerous situations. :) Now, my biggest problem with the book was the ending. It wasn't as strong as I would have liked, but it wasn't bad. I think the author was a touch lazy about some of the finer points when it comes to believability, but it wasn't so unrealistic that I felt dissatisfied by it. A big plus, though, is that one of the recipes supplied at the end of the book sounds really good and I think I'm actually going to try it. (It's bacon pinwheels... Honestly, the name alone sounds great to me!) I look forward to reading more in this series and I have a feeling they will get better with each installment. :)

Kilt Dead by Kaitlyn Dunnett

rating: 4 of 5 stars
My biggest complaint about this book is that it ended very abruptly. I turned the last page fully expecting to see at least another paragraph or chapter, but that wasn't the case. Another small complaint is that I figured out who the bad guy was very early on and it was starting to get annoying that they weren't figuring it out in the book. But, overall, I really enjoyed it. I will definitely read the next book in the series, no doubt about it. I hope the characters evolve a little and that should make for a very good sequel. :)

Don of the Dead by Casey Daniels

Number 69: Don of the Dead by Casey Daniels

I do believe this is the first in a new series featuring Pepper Martin. Publisher's Weekly described it as a cozy mystery mixed with a bit of paranormal romance, which seems fitting enough for me. Basically, Pepper hits her head on a mausoleum and begins seeing the ghost of Gus Scarpetti, a Mob boss that was murdered 30 years ago. He asks Pepper to solve the crime and she agrees to help the spirit. (Ugh. Great! Now I have that Fall Out Boy song stuck in my head. "Lie in the grass next to the mausoleum/I'm just a notch in your bedpost but you're just a line in a song". Honestly, how many songs have the word mausoleum in them?)

Okay, here's my one big issue with the book. We are introduced to a character, Dan the brain man, and we NEVER learn anything important about him. We learn he has a serious lack of fashion sense and that he's fascinated with Pepper's brain, but not why he's so interested in Pepper or what he's doing in the story. I hope that he is in the next installment and that we learn a little more about him and why he's so fascinated with Pepper. He seems interesting, but I don't like how little we know of him given how often he is involved in the story. That just irritated me, especially when I got to the last page and found the set up for the next book without the kind of resolution I was looking for. I really wanted the author to explain him in more detail before ending the book, but I did not get my wish.

Overall, though, I liked it a lot. I've become a big fan of cozy mysteries recently and I love trying out a new series. I'm very adventurous in my reading tastes, even if that sense of adventure doesn't carry over into my real life. :) The premise intrigues me and I'm looking forward to reading more about Pepper in the future. Generally speaking, I find the first book in a new cozy series to be the weakest and I hope that book 2 will be even better than this one.