True Confections by Ruth Hartzler--review

This is the first in An Amish Cupcake Cozy Mystery, a new series set in Amish country in Pennsylvania, published in 2019.

The main character is Jane Delight, who was brought up Amish but decided to got out into the world.  When her husband of thirty years divorces her and leaves her with little money, she goes to her twin sister, Rebecca, who owns a cupcake shop.  Rebecca lets Jane rent part of the large apartment above it (to be shared with two elderly sisters, Eleanor and Matilda), and gives her a job in the shop.  Jane enjoys working in the shop, and is looking forward to meeting her elderly roommates when they return from their adventures.

The day Eleanor and Matilda are due to return, a man dies in the shop, and it is investigated as a murder.   Jane and her sister are suspects--Jane more than Rebecca, because Rebecca stayed Amish.  Eleanor and Matilda (who, while elderly, are certainly not OLD) decide the best thing to do is investigate the murder, along with Jane and Rebecca.

I enjoyed this story, and am looking forward to reading more.  It was a well written book, the plot moved along, and the characters were very interesting.

 

This book is number 10 in my 2021 Reading Challenge, as well as my 2021 Craving for Cozies Challenge. 

Around the Year in 52 books #21.  Beachcombers Challenge for Weapons, Crime Scenes, Detectives and Victims

Miss Melville Rides a Tiger by Evelyn E Smith--review

 I've recently read the other books in this series, and this one seems somehow different.  I didn't find it quite as good in some ways, although it was mostly well written, and had a decent if unbelievable plot.  But somehow it just didn't seem as good, or as interesting, or as amusing as the others.   It's still a good read, but to someone who has enjoyed the previous books, this left me not quite as content when I finished.

Miss Melville, a proper high society woman, who is also a skilled assassin, is the main character.  In this story she accidentally gets involved with the mob through one of her high society long time friends.  This causes her some distress and she takes steps to extricate herself.  

At times this seems to have dropped into farce as things happen, and the ending was...odd.  As far as I know, this is the last in the series.

This book is number 9 in both the 2021 Craving for Cozies Challenge, and my 2021 Reading Challenge.

Twelve Deaths of Christmas by Marian Babson--review

 

A stand alone book by Marian Babson.  I've enjoyed every book I've read of hers. I find them easy to read, well written, and no gratuitous sex scenes or grisly details when people die--a nice cozy mystery.

Set in England, in Maude Daneson's rooming house, this book is a little different from her usual.  It is presented from three very different points of view.  First point of view is the narrator, who gives descriptions of the roomers, and shares some of the happenings in the rooming house.  Second point of view is from the murderer's viewpoint, where the crimes and motives are described from the murderer's view, and the last point of view is from the police perspective, where they are trying to solve the murders before more people are killed.

This is a little different than the usual Marian Babson stories, and not quite as an easy read as are many of her other books.  It was still well-written, and very interesting. 

I enjoyed the mystery, and found myself changing my mind several times as to who the murderer was.  

This was number 8 in my 2021 Reading Challenge and my 2021 Craving for Cozies challenge.

It satisfies the Beachcombers Challenge, Weapons. It is also #9 in the Around The Year in 52 Books challenge.

It is T in Alphabet Soup Challenge

Miss Melville's Revenge by Evelyn E Smith--review

 

This is the third in the series, and was first published in 1989

 Miss Melville was raised in high society, rich, and without a care in the world.  Then her father absconded with all of their money.  While her friends in high society remained her friends, they were unaware of how poor she really was.

After years of just getting by, she inadvertently became a paid assassin, which lessened her money woes.  But she still had standards she insisted upon holding--she would only assassinate "bad guys".  After being "discovered" as an artist, she no longer accepted assassination assignments, but found she had a calling for killing.  So she continued on her own, only killing "bad guys".

I enjoyed this series about a middle-aged high society killer, although it is a little strange.

This is number 7 for my Craving for Cozies Challenge, and my 2021 Reading Challenge.

Forever Fudge by Nancy Coco--review

 

This is the sixth in the Candy Coated Mystery Series, published in 2018. I've enjoyed this series featuring Allie Murphy, who has taken over running her late grandfather's historic hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan.  She is a candy maker and has also opened a fudge shop off the lobby of the hotel.  She owns a dog named Mal, who had an instinct for finding dead bodies.  

Mal once again finds a body, and Allie is thrown into the middle of yet another investigation.  The hotel is understaffed, as two of her main workers are off on their honeymoon.  This, coupled with the murder, take up most of her time, but she still has time to be involved in an ongoing love triangle.

I enjoy reading these stories, they are nicely paced and well written. The plot is interesting, and the characters seem like real people and fun to read about.

Looking forward to reading the next in the series.

This book the sixth book of my 2021 Reading Challenge and my Craving for Cozies Challenge. 

 It is also part of my Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge (#25). It is #3 in my Mt. TBR challenge. 

For the Beachcombers Challenge it satisfies, Weapons, and Victims.

The Cat Who Wasn't A Dog by Marian Babson--review

 

 

I've read other books by Marian Babson, and have enjoyed all of them. First published in 2003, this is the sixth book in the seven book series featuring Trixie Dolan and Evangeline Sinclair, semi-retired actresses from the USA, now living in London.

One of Evangeline's very long-time friends, Dame Cecile Savoy, calls Evangeline for emotional support after her elderly dog passes away.  Dame Cecile needs Evangeline and Trixie to go with her while she takes her dog to the taxidermist.  

When they arrive, the door is unlocked, but no one answers the bell.  They wander through the store looking for someone, and Trixie wanders into an office, where she spies a cat in a cage waiting for the taxidermist's art.  She is surprised when the cat moves and isn't actually dead, and then is even more surprised when the taxi driver, Eddie, yells to get out he found a dead body, and then fire comes out of the file cabinet and the wastepaper basket.  She grabs the cat's cage and throws Dame Cecile's cape, which she was carrying, over the cage and runs out.

All four of them jump into the cab and take off, with Dame Cecile totally upset when she discovers that Trixie saved a cat instead of the remains of her dog.  They have to put up with her wailing and complaining for the rest of the cab ride, but first they have to find a pay phone to call in an anonymous tip.  They are relieved they are not involved with the murder.

They are wrong.  They become involved when their long-time cab driver, Eddie, is held by the police as his vehicle was spotted driving away from the taxidermy when it caught on fire. While coming to Eddie's assistance, another body is discovered at a home they are visiting.

This wasn't my favorite in the series, as Evangeline and Trixie don't seem to be as involved in solving the murders as usual.

This book qualifies for # 8 in my ATY in 52 Books

This is also number 5 in my 2021 Goodreads Reading Challenge and in my Craving for Cozies along with my Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge--C,

Christmas Calamity at the Vicarage by Emilily Organ--review

 First published in 2019, this is an author I haven't read before.  This book features two older ladies, Mrs. Churchill, who thinks she is a wonderful detective, and her assistant, Miss Pemberley.  The main police presence is Inspector Mappin, who does his best to discourage the ladies.

The book is set in England, sometime after either World War 1 (or possibly World War 2-- I was never one hundred per cent sure). It includes several quirky English characters, including the two lady detectives. It takes place at the local Vicarage, which holds a yearly Christmas party to which the entire village is invited.  

After an argument with several people, including Mrs. Churchill, the local choirmaster is found murdered.  Mrs. Churchill is determined to solve the murder because she is one of the main suspects, and because she wants to show up the police.

 

I really thought I'd enjoy this story, as I love Agatha Christie mysteries, and the Miss Seeton books.  I expected this to be similar, with a more humorous slant. This was more of a parody, but not one that I felt was really fun. I found that, while reading this, I didn't really care if Mrs. Churchill solved the murder, or even if Inspector Mappin did.  I was disappointed in this book.

I might read one more in the series to see if I (or the author) was having an off day, but am not going to make any major effort to do so.

 

This counts for several of my reading challenges this year--the fourth book in both my Craving for Cozies Challenge,  and 2021 Reading Challenge. It is #2 on my MTR Challenge, bought in 2020.

In the Beachcombers Challenge, it satisfies Detectives, and Victims.

Miss Melville Returns by Evelyn E Smith--review

 This is the second in the Miss Melville series. It was first published in 1987. Miss Melville is an artist, who has an interesting past, that she prefers not to talk about.

 Brought up in high society in New York, Miss Melville finds it difficult to be rude to friends, or even acquaintances.  This often puts her in situations she would rather not be in.  

She is giving a speech at a gallery opening, because she did not want to exhibit her paintings there, and felt obligated.  While at the opening, a man dies.  Due to his death Miss Melville becomes involved with several rather odd people, and finds herself curious about the deceased. 

She ends up finding out several things about people she had known for a while, and is disappointed in things they had done, but none the less continues to investigate.

I found this fairly interesting, and will probably read the next in the series.  

This is #3 in my 2021 Goodreads Reading Challenge and in my Craving for Cozies Challenge.

The Father Hunt by Rex Stout--review

 Rex Stout is a long time favorite author of mine.  It was first published in 1968.  When I first saw this, I assumed this was an old story that had been re-titled.  I was surprised to find out this was a Nero Wolfe story that I had somehow missed reading.  I enjoyed reading it, as I always do a Rex Stout story, but it wasn't as involved as some of his

The plot revolves around a young woman, Amy, who first attempts to hire Archie Goodwin, but has to settle for Nero Wolfe.  After her mother's death in a hit and run accident a few months before, she is given a lock box that her mother had kept in her boss's safe for many years.  The box contains a great deal of cash, and a note from her mother that states the money is from the Amy's father.  Having never met her father, and knowing nothing about him, she decides to find out who he is by hiring a detective.  

Nero has Archie delve into Amy's mother's background, and they find she didn't exist before Amy's birth, which makes finding the man who impregnated her twenty years before a little more difficult than they had originally thought. 

This is #2 in my 2021 Reading Challenge, "F" in my Alphabet Soup Challenge, and #2 in my Craving for Cozies Challenge.  

It is also #4--Leave It to the Professionals--A book featuring cops, private eyes, secret service, professional spies, etc. in the 2021 Vintage Scattergories Challenge (Silver).  

This is also #1 in my MTR challenge, was purchased 2020 and is #51  in my Around the World in 52 Books Challenge.

It is part of Beachcombers Challenge as well--Weapon, Crime Scenes, Detectives.

Miss Melville Regrets by Evelyn E. Smith--review

  This was an interesting read. This is the first in the series, and I had never read anything by the author. This book was first published in 1986.
I generally read mysteries, many of which are Cozies. I started this and found it to be interesting and well written, but not quite what I was expecting. 

 

Miss Melville is a member of New York's high society, but after her father absconded with his money (and other people's money) twenty years before, she and her mother end up with enough to live on to begin with, but as the years go on, the cost of living goes up, and the money doesn't go as far, in spite of living in a rent controlled apartment. 

Miss Melville is offered a job as Art Teacher in a school one of her relatives starts, but after many years the cousin decides to close the school, leaving Miss Melville without much of an income. She ends up accidentally crashing a fund-raising party, and meets several people who crash parties on regular basis. They give her advice on party crashing, and she begins to do it regularly, as it supplements her money by providing many meals per week. And then something unexpected happened...

I enjoyed this story. The book grabbed my interest fairly quickly, and nearing the end I found myself staying up late to finish it. I look forward to reading others in the series.

There are no gory death scenes, and I can't recall any bad language.

This book counts for several of my Challenges. It is  M for the Alphabet Soup Challenge, and is the first book for my Goodreads Reading Challenge and Craving for Cozies Challenge.  

It also satisfies the first topic in the Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge--"In the beginning"  as it is the first in a series.

Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge

 I added one more Challenge to my list. It's Around the Year in 52 Books.  This Challenge is from Goodreads.

 

 

I'm not sure I'll be able to finish this one, as there are 52 topics, one per week, in the Challenge.  I've just finished reading the first one, and have the second one picked out, but some of the topics appear to be a little more difficult to satisfy.  But that is what a challenge is all about!

 

 

 

 

THE 2021 LIST
1. A book related to “In the Beginning...”
Miss Melville Regrets by Evelyn E Smith--First in Series

2. A book by an author whose name doesn't contain the letters A, T or Y                                              One Dark and Stormy Knight by Hermione Moon

3. A book related to the lyrics for the song "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music
Christmas Calamity at the Vicarage--Door bells and sleigh bells reminds me of an old fashioned Christmas, and so does this book.


4. A book with a monochromatic cover

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5. A book by an author on USA Today's list of 100 Black Novelists You Should Read

6. A love story

7. A book that fits a prompt suggestion that didn't make the final list

8. A book set in a state, province, or country you have never visited
The Cat Who Wasn't a Dog by Marian Babson--set in England

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9. A book you associate with a specific season or time of year

 The Twelve Deaths of Christmas by Marian Babson--set at Christmas time

10. A book with a female villain or criminal

11. A book to celebrate The Grand Egyptian Museum

12. A book eligible for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation

13. A book written by an author of one of your best reads of 2020

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14. A book set in a made-up place

15. A book that features siblings as the main characters

16. A book with a building in the title

17. A book with a Muslim character or author

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18. 3 books related to "Past, Present, Future" - Book 1

19. 3 books related to "Past, Present, Future" - Book 2

20. 3 books related to "Past, Present, Future" - Book 3

21. A book whose title and author both contain the letter "u".

 True Confections by Ruth Hartzler                                                                                                              

22. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads

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23. A cross genre novel

24. A book about racism or race relations

25. A book set on an island
Forever Fudge by Nancy Coco--set on Mackinac Island in Michigan.

26. A short book (<210 pages) by a new-to-you author

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27. A book with a character who can be found in a deck of cards

28. A book connected to ice

29. A book that you consider comfort reading

30. A long book

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31. A book by an author whose career spanned more than 21 years
32. A book whose cover shows more than 2 people
33. A collection of short stories, essays, or poetry
34. A book with a travel theme
35. A book set in a country on or below the Tropic of Cancer

36. A book with six or more words in the title
37. A book from the Are You Well Read in World Literature list
38. A book related to a word given by a random word generator
39. A book involving an immigrant

40. A book with flowers or greenery on the cover
41. A book by a new-to-you BIPOC author
42. A mystery or thriller
43. A book with elements of magic

44. A book whose title contains a negative
45. A book related to a codeword from the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
46. A winner or nominee from the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards
47. A non-fiction book other than biography, autobiography or memoir
48. A book that might cause someone to react “You read what?!?”

49. A book with an ensemble cast
50. A book published in 2021

51. A book whose title refers to person(s) without giving their name

The Father Hunt by Rex Stout

52. A book related to "the end"

Goodreads Reading Challenge

I also joined this 2021 Reading Challenge from Goodreads, and plan on reading 50 books this year.  I'm pretty sure I can do it.  

I will be counting the books from my Alphabet Soup Challenge and my Craving for Cozies Challenge, so I think that will make it a little easier.  I hope.

 I will try to write a short review of most of the books I read, and at the very least my opinion of them , and if I would read the next in the series.

2021 Craving for Cozies Challenge

2021 Craving for Cozies is another challenge I joined for this year.  I'm going for the Famished level, which is reading 26-51 Cozy Mysteries.   Cozy mysteries are my favorites, so this should be easy.  I'm also using as many as possible of the books in this challenge to count in the other challenges I've joined.

 

I really enjoy challenges, and most years I read quite a lot (disregarding 2020, because yikes).

I am starting Miss Melville Regrets by Evelyn E Smith today.  I hope it counts as a Cozy, as I've read it is on a par with the Miss Seeton mysteries, and I've enjoyed the Miss Seeton mysteries that I've read so far.

Alphabet Soup Challenge 2021

 Time to get started again with my blog, the last 2 years have been something else.  Starting afresh, going to read more, post reviews, and spend some time on things I enjoy!

First off, I've joined the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge by Dollycas. The goal is to read one book that starts with each letter of the alphabet.  They do not have to be read in order.  Looking forward to this challenge!