Birds of A Feather by Jacquelin Winspear--Review

I just recently read the first one in the Maisie Dobbs series, and couldn't wait to read the second.  I read this in one sitting, and really enjoyed it quite a bit, but it somehow felt not quite as good as the first.  But it was still good.

I enjoy that the lead character is a little different than most other private investigators, and I love the setting ( 1920s-1930s in England).  I also find the supporting characters to be well written, and they appear to be well rounded people.

In this story, a rich man comes to Maisie to find his adult daughter, who is missing.  He's not overly concerned, as she has run away from his home before, but he wants her found and returned home.  He's overbearing, and demands quick results.

During Maisie's investigation, she discovers information that concerns her, and she fears that the woman may be in danger, and is running for her life.

Good book, looking forward to starting the next one in the series.

This is #22 of my Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge.

Arsenic and Old Books by Miranda James--Review

This is the sixth book in the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries series.  I've really enjoyed the previous ones, and this one is also a winner in my book.  The series features Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon Cat, Diesel.  There are several recurring characters that are often mentioned in the books, and I look forward to hearing about them in each book.

Charlie is a librarian at a college, and when the local mayor, Lucinda Beckwith Long, comes by with some Civil War era diaries from an ancestor, that she wishes to donate, Charlie is thrilled about the diaries.

Then he is accosted by a young women who wants access to them immediately, but Charlie explains they have to be examined and evaluated before they will available.  She accepts that, but is unhappy.  Then one of the teachers wants immediate access, and she wants exclusive access, as she feels the diaries will help her to get tenure.  Charlie turns her down, too, but she goes to the mayor, a long-time friend, who agrees she can have exclusive access for a limited time, after Charlie has had time to check them out.

While examining them, a slow process, he leaves the diaries in his office while he goes out to lunch.  When he returns, they are missing.  The police and the mayor are notified, and Charlie feels awful.  He feels it is his fault, and he should make an effort to help in the investigation.

The plot drew me in, and kept me interested throughout the story. There were several surprises, and other crimes that happen before the final reveal.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

This book is #21 of my Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge.

The Fala Factor by Stuart Kaminsky--Review

This is the ninth book in the Toby Peters series, and I've enjoyed all of the books in this series that I've read.  In this one, Toby is hired by Eleanor Roosevelt to find the real Fala, as she suspects that the dog in the White House at that moment is an imposter.

Toby begins his investigation, and almost immediately runs afoul with his brother, a captain in the police department, when he discovers a fresh dead body.  Between his bouts with his brother, dealing with his deaf landlady, finding the dog, and worrying about possible political plots, he has his hands full, even with the help of his friends, Gunther and Jeremy.

The book is set during World War II, and little touches throughout the book remind you that it was a different time, with different values and different ideas.  As always, I enjoyed this little trip back into a slightly time-frame.  The plot is filled with twists, and famous people of the era are mentioned, or even occur as a character in the story.

This is number 20 in my Craving for Cozies Challenge, and is also part of my Mount TBR Reading Challenge, as this was first purchased on 2 December 2013.

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear--Review

This is the first in the Maisie Dobbs series of books, and the first that I've read.  I enjoy books that are set in the early 20th century, and this starts off in the late 1920s, in London, England.  The main character, Maisie, is opening a new private investigation office, and gets her first client.  She is a little different type of investigator.  She doesn't want to just solve the problem, she wants to make everyone involved to be in a good place after she is done.

During the investigation, there is a long flashback to her childhood, and how she obtained the training she needed for her profession.  The flashback helped the reader to understand her character quite a bit, as she is rather odd for the time, and different from other detectives I've read.

The story was interesting, and I enjoyed it enough to finish it in one sitting.  Already have the second one in the series, so will be reading it soon.

This is part of my Mount TBR (bought 13 Feb 2016) Reading Challenge, as well as # 20 in my Craving for Cozies and my Alphabet Soup--Authors Challenges.

Death by Eggnog by Alex Erickson--Review

I've had this one for a while, and decided I should finally read it.  As the title suggests, the events take place during the Christmas season.  The main character, Krissy Hancock, owns a bookshop/cafe in Pine Hills, Ohio, and takes a week off of work, leaving her employees to run the shop.

Her plans were to spend go home and spend the holidays with her father, when he lets her know he's going to spend the time with his new girlfriend and her family.  She is invited, but decides to stay home, instead.

Her employees tell her not to come back to work, as she needs a break, but she doesn't know what to do with herself.  A friend suggests she volunteer for the Christmas play that is put on every year, as they are short of participants.  She agrees, and becomes an elf.  At the rehearsals, she discovers her ex-boyfriend is also in the play, along with his new girlfriend.  She is long over him, so she doesn't really care, although he is a little annoying.

During one of the rehearsals, someone is murdered.  The number one suspect is her ex, Robert.  While she admits he is a king-sized jerk, she doesn't think he is capable of murder.  He and his current girlfriend both ask her to do some investigating, as they are afraid he'll be convicted of something they both swear he didn't do.  Krissy reluctantly agrees.

I read the entire book, but mostly just to finish it.  It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't one of those books you just can't put down.

This book is part of several of my 2019 Reading Challenges--The Craving for Cozies Challenge, my Alphabet Soup Challenge, and the Alphabet Soup--Authors Challenge.

Fixin' to Die by Tonya Kappas--Review

This is the first book in this series that I've read, and is the first in the series.  I've had this one for a while, but just never got around to reading it.  Probably because it involves a ghost.  I'm not really a big fan of this type of story, but that being said, while there are several of this type of book that I've read and enjoyed, they just don't call out to me as strongly as other books in my TBR piles.

On to the story.   Kenni Lowry is sheriff of Cottonwood, Kentucky, elected after the death of the former sheriff, her grandfather.  There has been very little crime since she's become sheriff, so she feels she is doing a pretty good job, until one of the local doctors is murdered, and on the same day, there is a major jewelry store robbery.

Knowing she is a little out of her depth, she asks for an investigator to be sent out to assist her. While under all this stress, she becomes aware of her grandfather's ghost, who wants to help with the murder of his longtime friend.  She also discovers that he has been helping her out all along, by scaring all the criminals out of town.  She is not sure if the ghost is real, or a figment of her imagination because of the stress.  She also becomes aware that the investigator sent to help is an attractive man, which her friends also become aware of, which just adds to the stress.

I found this book to be pretty well written, I liked the characters in the book, and there were a couple of interesting plot twists.  Will be reading more.

This book is part of my Alphabet Soup--Authors, Craving for Cozies, Alphabet Soup, and Mount TBR (bought 12 Mar 2018) Reading Challenges. 

Introducing Gertrude, Gumshoe by Robin Merrill--Review

This is the first in the series, and as the title suggests, it introduces us to Gertrude, who decides to become a "gumshoe".

Gertrude is an older woman living on disability living in a trailer park with many cats.  When one of her cats is missing, she goes door to door looking for it.  She discovers the cat in the care of two children in one of the other trailers. They young children are waiting for their mother, who hasn't come home from work, and they are getting worried.

Gertrude starts snooping around the trailer, trying to find a way to contact the mother, and discovers one of the mother's secrets.  Gertrude decides to find the mother and make sure she is all right.  While checking for the mother, she discovers a crime, and decides to investigate, in spite of the police.

She drags one of her other neighbors into her investigations, because he has a car and she needs rides.  He also tries to discourage her from butting into the police investigation. She, of course, doesn't listen.

I thought the book was only okay, and since I have a couple of other of the books in the series, I will probably read another one to see if I like it better.  My main problem with the book is that Gertrude wasn't very likable, she was a bit selfish and egotistical, and pretty pushy.

This book fits into several of my reading challenges--Mount TBR (bought 4 Jan 2018), Craving for Cozies, and Alphabet Soup.

The Winter Mystery by Faith Martin Review

For some unknown reason, this is the first book in this series that I've read, but it is the second book in the series, and I have the first one, too.  I should have read the other one first, not that this wasn't a good book on its own, it just bothers me when I read out of order.  Oh, well.

Jenny Starling, the lead character, is a cook.  She takes a temporary job as a cook over the Christmas holidays for an isolated farm family.  She discovers she doesn't have cell phone coverage there, but decides it is only for two weeks.

There is a lot of tension in the family, which Jenny becomes aware of.  Then, just before Christmas, they are snowed in, and Jenny discovers the body of a member of the family.  She walks out to the nearest phone, and calls the police.  When they arrive, they begin their investigation, although the main investigator feels a little out of his depth.  When Jenny gives her name, the investigator recognizes it as a person who has helped the police solve other mysteries, and asks for her help.

It turns out there are a very limited number of suspects, because of the snow and lack of footprints.  It reminds me of the classic locked room mysteries I've always loved.

While I enjoyed the book, it wasn't perfect.  I never really understood why everyone stayed on the farm when they were so unhappy, for one thing. In spite of this, I enjoyed this book, and intend to read more of the series (especially the first one). 

This counts towards my Craving for Cozies Challenge, and the Alphabet Soup Challenge.