Fortune Funhouse by Jana Deleon--review

 The nineteenth book in the Miss Fortune series has a carnival in town.  While Fortune is focused on eating her weight in funnel cakes, Gertie, Ida Belle and Walter are more interested in riding some rides and exploring the venue, and drag Fortune along.

When Celia, a long-time thorn in Gertie's side, comes running out of the funhouse, screaming, and runs full-tilt into a mirror, knocking herself out, Fortune and friends go into the funhouse to see what caused Celia to panic.  Inside, they find Emmaline LeBlanc, the mother of Fortune's boyfriend, Carter, knocked out on the floor.  While waiting for the paramedics to arrive, Fortune discovers a dead body a few steps away.  She keeps this knowledge to herself until Emmaline is on her way to the hospital, and she and her 

Carter, the deputy sheriff of Sinful, is involved in the case because of his mom's serious injury, so the State Police send Palmer Reed, the worst of their detectives ( a man who has disliked Carter since childhood) to solve the case.  He manages to annoy everyone he meets, and doesn't seem to know how to run a case.  T

This means that Fortune, Ida Belle and Gertie get on the job of solving the case.  

This was a great addition to the series, and I'm looking forward to the next in the Miss Fortune books!

In both my 2021 Reading Challenge, and my 2021 Craving for Cozies, this is number 15.

Gators and Garters by Jana Deleon--review

 This is number 18 in the Miss Fortune series, and Gert, Ida Belle, and Fortune are involved in another mystery.  Ida Belle is finally getting ready to marry Walter, and hires the best caterer in Sinful, Louisiana to do the food.  Shortly after they make the arrangements, the caterer, Molly Broussard, disappears.  
An old friend of Molly's hires the ladies to investigate Molly's disappearance, and they throw themselves into it.  They find out about Molly's abusive childhood, the disappearance/death of her brother, her abusive first husband, and her abusive current boyfriend.
I've enjoyed all of the Miss Fortune books I've read so far, and this is no exception.  The mystery is well written, with plenty of humor, and the characters are memorable.
Looking forward to the next in the series!

This is #14 in both by 2021 Reading Challenge and my 2021 Craving for Cozies Challenge.

It is also "G" in my 2021 Alphabet Soup Challenge.

One Dark and Stormy Knight by Hermione Moon---review

 This book is a little different for me.  The main character, Gwen, is a kitchen witch, who is running a cafe, where she adds beneficial herbs and magic to improve her customer's health and life.  Her mother was also a witch, as is her aunt.  The magic has, in fact, been passed down for several generations.

She is having a strange day, discovering the suit of armor that has been in the cafe for years is inhabited by the spirit of King Arthur.  She also has to deal with a customer who is a woman she had gone to school with, who had ended up stealing her boyfriend and marrying him.  When her classmate ends up murdered just a few minutes later, and she is the one to discover the body, she feels she has to do a little investigating.  

I don't read very many paranormal mysteries, but this one was fairly interesting.  It was a fairly short read, and is the first in a series. I will probably continue to read the books in this series.

This is "O" in my 2021 Alphabet Soup Challenge, and is #13 in both the Reading and Craving for Cozies Challenges. It is also #2--author name doesn't contain A, T, or Y.

Boiled Over by Barbara Ross--review

 I enjoyed this book, and found the plot very interesting. However, I wasn't crazy about switching back and forth from the past to the present, with the chapter headings the only warning.  It actually was a little annoying to start a chapter and realize it took place a month or two before the chapter you just finished reading.
Julia Snowden has temporarily moved back to her hometown to help out with her family's clambake business.  She thinks that it will help the business to serve their food at the Founder's Day celebration, but unfortunately, a dead body is found in their oven.
One of their new, young employees is a suspect, so Julia decides she has to help out by doing a little investigating, while continuing to help out at the Founder's Day event.
She is also dealing with some confused feelings about her boyfriend, and whether she still wants to move back to her high powered job in the city.
I found the book enjoyable, the plot was well thought out, and the romantic part of it wasn't overwhelming.  

This was "B" in my Alphabet Soup Challenge, and #12 in both my 2021 Reading and Craving for Cozies Challenges.

New Challenge--2021 Beachcomber Mystery Reading Challenge

 

 

 

 I've joined Rick Mills 2021  Beachcomber's Challenge, it looks like fun!  I'm going to edit my previous reviews to add this challenge to the appropriate book/books.

There are 4 bags to be filled--Weapons, Crime Scenes, Detectives names (must include letter), and Victims names (must include letter).

New Challenge--Vintage Scattergories by My Reader's Block

I just found this challenge on My Reader's Block blog, and wanted to try it.  Luckily, you can sign up all year, and can count books from January 1. The Challenge is called Vintage Scattergories; Vintage Mystery Challenge 2021.

 

 I did this Challenge back in 2013, and really enjoyed it.  The Challenge is to read books first published either before 1960 (Golden) or 1989 (Silver), and which fulfills certain categories.  Examples include Colorful Crime, with a color in title, or Murder by the Numbers, with a number in the title, or Malicious Men, with a man in the title, and so forth. There are 40 categories, but you only need to read books in 8 of them.

I'm going to try for both the Silver and Gold Challenges.  We'll see how this goes.  I know at least one of the books I've already read will count for the Silver, so that's a start!

Fudge Bites by Nancy Coco--review

 

The seventh book in the Candy Coated Mystery series, published in 2019.  I've enjoyed reading this series. 

Allie McMurphy is the owner of the historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop on Michigan's Mackinac Island. It's late October, when most of the tourists have stopped coming, and the locals put on a Zombie Walk as a fundraiser for charity. 

While it is usually her pup, Mal, who discovers bodies, this time it is her cat, Mella, that comes to her with blood its paws, leading Allie and her friends to a dead body.  Allie decides to help with the investigation, and a bombing follows not too long after.  

 I thought this book was well-written with an interesting plot.  There were enough red herrings, false leads, and several twists and turns to make it hard to put down. 

There was also the usual love triangle, to add a little romance to the mix.  And of course, there are several fudge recipes!

This book is number eleven in my 2021 Craving for Cozies Challenge, as well as my 2021 Reading Challenge.  It is #5 in my Mt. TBR challenge. For Beachcombers Challenge it is in Weapons, Crime Scenes, Detectives, and Victims.