A Very Merry Murder Mystery-Review

 

Christmas Cozy Mystery

I really enjoy cozy mysteries, so as the Christmas season was approaching, I found several Christmas themed cozy mysteries that I downloaded to my Kindle. I found one set of books that contained three different cozy mysteries all about a woman named Meridith and called Merry.  In these mysteries you are introduced to Merry and her interesting cast of friends who live in a small town.

Santa Slaughter

The first book in A Very Merry Murder Mystery series is set during a Christmas festival in a small town.  Meridith "Merry" is in between jobs and is working as an elf in the Santa hut.  Her friend Maggie has a booth by the Santa hut that sells hot chocolate.  On the first day of the festival Merry is working to set up the candy canes and her helpers are getting the children in line to see Santa.  The first two children enter the hut and start talking to Santa when he gets called away for a minute.  When Merry goes to take the photos she discovers that Santa is not there, the children show her how he went out the back door of the hut.  When Merry goes out to check on him she finds him on the ground and the mystery begins.  

First Date Disaster

In the second book, Merry's life his getting on a good track.  She now has a job running the cafe/coffee shop in her small town.  She also has a love interest in the town veterinarian.  When the book opens, they have yet to go on a date but that soon changes and things are looking up until they run into a dead body on their first date. Merry feels invested in solving the murder especially when a friend of hers becomes a suspect.  Rob, her date, is supportive and helpful but what a start to a relationship!  Will this work out? Will the murder be solved?  You will need to read the book to discover these answers.

The Body in the Bookstore

The third book in the series takes place when one of Merry's favorite authors, Aloysius Hunt comes to town to talk about his newest book at a local bookstore.  Merry's Aunt Cassie is also a big fan of the Mr. Hunt, so she comes to town to attend the event with Merry.  Before the event they are serving people in the cafe when a group of big fans of the Aloysius Hunt come in for some snacks and drinks before the big event.  They follow Mr. Hunt wherever he is speaking and they are very excited about his newest book.  

All is going well until they are at the bookstore, and a tragic accident occurs.  When it turns into a murder, it looks like they have another mystery to solve.

The Books on Amazon

The first three books in this series, along with the other six, can be purchased on Amazon in paperback or for Kindle.  Here is a link to the books A Very Merry Murder Mystery

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Cozy Mystery Review-Murder at Cape Costumers

In her latest book in "A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery", Maddie Day again brings together all of the interesting characters in a small Cape Cod town's book club.  The book group is dedicated to reading and discussing cozy mysteries, but when a real murder mystery happens in their small town they feel a need to help the police uncover the murderer.

Synopsis of the Book

In a charming village on Cape Cod, a Halloween murder shocks the community.  Enzo, the victim, is found dressed as a skeleton. A group of amateur sleuths from a local cozy mystery book club can't resist the urge to investigate, despite the police warning them to stay out of it.  As they dig deeper, they uncover a web of secrets and motives among the villagers, including the new owners of the costume shop, Shelly and Harini, an investment advisor, and the victim's nephew.  Can the book club solve the crime before they become the next victims?

The Book on Amazon

Maddie Days books can be found on Amazon in paperback, audible and kindle versions.  Here is a link to all 7 of the Cozy Capers Bookclub Mysteries.  Cozy Capers Book CLub

More Cozy Mystery Reviews

I always enjoy a good cozy mystery and so do many of the other writers for Review This.  Here are a few of the cozy mysteries we have reviewed.

• Murder on Cape Cod  This is another Maddie Day mystery.
  
• Tea by Sea   Wednesday Elf reviews this cozy mystery.
  
• Irish Village Mystery series  Margaret reviews a mystery series that takes place in an Irish Village.
  
• Toes on the Dash  This delightful cozy mystery series takes place in Colorado, and the main character is a high heeled tow truck driver.
  
• The Lighthouse Keeper  Lou reviews this cozy mystery that takes place by a lighthouse.
  
• Everything Bundt the Truth  This cozy mystery is one of a series that takes place around dinner parties.
  

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Cozy Mystery Review-Murder on Cape Cod

 

                                       Cape Cod Lighthouse Photo by Mary Beth Granger       

I love a good cozy mystery and the latest one I have read was delightful.  It is part of the "Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery" and was written by Maddie Day.  The author has a wonderful way of bringing the characters to life on the pages of the book.  This book was book one of the series and in it we are introduced to Mackenzie Almelda (Mac to her friends).   Mac had spent time after college traveling the world and has decided to come back to her home town, a small village on Cape Cod, to settle in and make a life for herself.  She opens a bicycle repair and rental shop, which is popular with all the tourists that visit the area.  In this first book we meet some of the other shop owners who are also members of her cozy mystery book club.

Book Summary

In  this charming town on Cape Cod, Mackenzie "Mac" Almeida stumbles upon a dead body while walking home from a book club meeting in the dense fog.  The victim is a local character, Jake who has been stabbed and the police investigation begins.

Despite warning from the police to stay out of it, Mac and her book club friends decide that the police need help determining the suspect and they start snooping around for clues.  As Mac digs deeper she fears that her brother Derrick will become a suspect.  She does more snooping and one evening comes home to a note in her door threatning her to stay out of it.

With the help of her quirky friends and loved ones, Mac navigates the web of complex relationships and secrets in the small town to uncover the truth behind Jake's murder.

The Book on Amazon

Here is a link to the book on Amazon  Murder on Cape Cod

More Cozy Mystery Reviews on Review This

Here are some other cozy mysteries reviewed by the Review This Staff.

Fear in First Gear

Tea by Sea

Irish Village Mystery Series

Mrs Fix it Mystery Series

Review of Cozy Mystery Genre

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Fear in First Gear a Book Review

 

I love cozy mysteries, and Karen Whalen has some really fun ones to read that are sure to keep you up reading to find out the mysteries. Fear in First Gear is #7 in her Tow Trucker Driver mystery series.  In this book you again meet with the delightful cast of characters in a small Colorado town.  First there is Delaney, the shoeaholic tow truck driver who is the main character. Coming back and reading another book about her is like meeting up with an old friend.  Then you have the fun cast of characters in Delaney's life.  Her romantic interest is Ephraim the town sheriff.  Her best friend is Kristin, who owns a coffee shop.  Other supporting characters include Zach, Kristins romantic interest, who is with the local police.  There is also Kristins cousin Axle, who rooms with Delaney and Tanner a fellow tow truck driver who is always willing to help to Delaney in the tow truck business.

Book Summary

The book starts off with a blizzard in this small Colorado town.  Delaney is asked to check out Clarkson Pass and make sure no one is stranded before there is a need to shut down the snow gates.  As she is driving up County Road 350 she sees a car off in a ditch and as she gets closer, she sees a woman with her eyes staring out in the car.  Delaney has to travel quite a distance before she finds somewhere to turn her rig around.  The snow is coming down harder and she does not have any cell service.  As she passes where she thought the car was, she can no longer see it, so she makes her way to the nearest place she has cell service and calls in what she believes to be a dead woman in the car.  Now Delaney has found other dead bodies during her tow truck career and the police are leery about what she thinks she has seen.  Meanwhile the blizzard has gotten worse, an avalanche goes through the area and the pass has been shut down.

In the days and weeks ahead, Delaney is determined to find out who the woman is in the car and find her murderer. She is constantly sidetracked by law enforcement who want her to leave the investigating to them.

As the story goes on Delaney finds herself in several situations where social media posters delight in reporting about her.  Here are some of the posts that received lots of attention:

• Tow Truck Driver finding bodies.
• Hi-heeled tow truck driver.
• Tow truck driver tows a bear across town.
• Mishaps during lip syncing with the band.

To read about the above situations and find out how Delaney discovers the answers to the mystery you must read this delightful book.  You can get the book on Amazon at the following link.

Here is the book on Amazon. Fear in First Gear

More Reviews on Karen C Whalen Books

The author has written three different series of books.  The Tow Truck Driver Mysteries, the Dinner Club Mysteries, and the Sea Oaks Beach mysteries.  I have reviewed several of the books and have thoroughly enjoyed them all.  Here are some of my reviews.

 

• Booty in the Backseat- Book Review
• Book Review-Stiletto to the Pedal
• Book Review - Friends Come to Call
• Book Review - Toes on the Dash
• Reviewing Murder at Sea Oaks Beach
• Everthing Bundt the Truth
  
• Washed Up on Sea Oaks Beach
  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Book Review- Peaches and Peril

 

                                                 Peaches and Peril by Karen C Whalen

I just finished another delightful book by Karen Whalen.  This one is part of her Dinner Club series of mysteries.  It features Jane Marsh and a cast of interesting characters. This book had me guessing who the murderer was till almost the end of the book.  It was a great page-turner.

Book Synopsis

This book begins when Jane Marsh and some of her fellow dinner club members went for a weekend to enjoy the Peach Festival in a small Colorado town and look to finalize preparations for Jane's upcoming wedding.  In the beginning we find the characters at a Murder Mystery game  at the B&B where they are staying.  Each of the attendees is in costume for their character in the "Murder Mystery Game" and they all have notes about their characters.  Jane messes up early on by mistakenly revealing that she is the killer.  This pretty much brings the mystery to a halt and the participants end up calling it an early evening.  Now the real mystery will begin when Jane comes across a dead body in the B&B.

The police are called and everyone that has attended or worked at the B&B, including the members of the Diner Club, become suspects.  The book continues with Jane trying to figure out the killer.  There is much at stake including the reputation of the B&B and the small town election for mayor.  This is a small town where everyone knows everyone, and everyone seems to have an opinion.  

If you are looking for a cozy mystery with lots of characters and possible suspects this is the book for you.  I didn't guess the killer till almost the end and it was fun to follow Jane's logic on who might be the culprit.

Here is a link to the book on Amazon.

Peaches and Peril

More Book Reviews by Karen Whalen   

      Karen has written three different series of cozy mysteries.  The are: A Tow Truck Murder Mystery, A Dinner Club Murder Mystery and A Sea Oaks Beach Murder Mystery.  I have written reviews on several of the books.  Here are links to my reviews.

• Book Review- Washed Up on Sea Oaks Beach
•  Book Review of Everything Bundt the Truth
• Booty in the Backseat- Book Review
• Reviewing Murder at Sea Oaks Beach
• Book Review-Stiletto to the Pedal
• Book Review - Friends Come to Call
• Book Review - Toes on the Dash                   

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Book Review of Everything Bundt the Truth

 If you enjoy cozy mysteries, good food and interesting people, this book is for you.  This book is the first of the series of dinner club murder mysteries.  In 2017 it won a first-place award in the suspense novel category.  In March, the author is having her dinner club mystery series re-released.

Book Summary

This book introduces us to Jane Marsh, a recent widow who really wants to recapture a full life.  One of her first ventures is to host and try to join an exclusive dinner club.

Before the first dinner club at her house, Jane discovers that her new housekeeper has been murdered in her laundry room. This leads us to discover that Jane has a suspicious mind and is very interested in trying to solve the murder.  Her past career as a paralegal at a Denver law firm gives her some experience in knowing how to follow the clues.  

In this sometimes humorous and fun cozy mystery we follow along as Jane works on all of the clues to determine the guilty party.  Will it be one of the housekeepers' ex-husbands, her drug addicted son, or perhaps it is one of the members of the dinner club?  Or could it be someone else entirely?  You will want to be sure to get this hard-to-put-down book to learn the answer.  You won't be disappointed.

Book on Amazon

You can find this book along with others by Karen C Whalen on Amazon at Everything Bundt the Truth

More Reviews of Cozy Mysteries by Karen Whalen

The author has also written two other mystery series, and I have written reviews on both of these series.  I know you will enjoy them.

• Booty in the Backseat- Book Review
• Book Review-Stiletto to the Pedal
• Book Review - Friends Come to Call
• Book Review - Toes on the Dash
• Reviewing Murder at Sea Oaks Beach

The second book in the Sea Oaks Beach series will be coming out in April so watch Review This for my review.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Booty in the Backseat- Book Review

 

I really enjoy Cozy Mysteries and Karen Whalen writes some that are a lot of fun.  The latest in her "Tow Truck Mystery" series is Booty in the Backseat.  Karen has another winner in this book with the delightful Delaney and her friends.

Book Summary

Booty in the Backseat is the 6th in Karen Whalen's "Tow Truck Mystery" Series. It again features Delaney the "high-heeled tow truck driver" and her cast of fun-loving friends.

As in the other books, Delaney stumbles across something during her working hours and ends up getting involved in trying to solve the mystery.  In this book, while towing a car away from a no parking zone, Delaney comes across a bag of money in the back seat of the car.  In addition, when looking in the bag she finds a severed hand.  Where did the hand come from?  Why is there a large amount of money left in the car?  Was someone murdered?  These are just some of the questions Delaney feels obligated to answer. After all it was a car she was towing that contained the evidence.

In her quest to find answers she finds herself meeting with gang members, spying on possible suspects and not being entirely upfront with her "boyfriend" the sheriff.  

I know you will enjoy this cozy mystery.  It is available on Amazon at the following link.  Booty in the Backseat

Author Interview

Karen Whalen very graciously agreed to do an author's interview with me.  Here are my questions and her answers.

1.     Tell us a bit about your background.

I worked as a paralegal for 30 years, but always had a love of writing. I wrote for paralegal magazines for a long time, including a regular column for The National Paralegal Reporter magazine.

 

2.     What made you decide to write novels and why did you choose the mystery genre?

Writing a novel has been one of my goals for as long as I can remember. I love to read cozy mysteries. Joanne Fluke and M.C. Beaton are two of my favorites. An idea came to me to center a mystery around a dinner club, so I got up at five each morning and wrote for two hours before leaving for work. I wrote on weekends. Evenings have never been a high-energy time for me, so I didn’t write at night. I wrote Everything Bundt the Truth in about six months. That was my first published novel and it came out in 2016.

 

3.     I love the way you make your characters come to life and Delaney in particular is delightful.  What is your secret?

I’m glad you like Delaney. I like her, too. The law firm where I worked represented tow truck companies. These car haulers are an under-appreciated, crazy breed, with interesting stories to tell and characters bigger than life. People I will never forget. That all of the tow truck drivers I met were men made me wonder…women in the industry would need to be tough to compete in a man’s world. But what if a woman owned her own towing business? What if the woman was young and inexperienced? What if she wore high heels to set herself apart from the all-male car haulers in town?  Oooh, sounds fun, amiright? Delaney is a female version of those characters, but she comes up with her own stories.

 

4.     Do you know the outcome of your book when you start writing or do you create the story as you go?

A little bit of both. I do love plotting, and I come up with thirty scenes as recommended by the books on the craft. But in between those scenes, I let the pantser in me take over—that means writing by the seat of your pants.

 

5.     What would you like your readers to come away with from Booty in the Backseat?

The tow truck business dropped into Delaney’s lap (and dead bodies have a way of turning up, too) and she encounters many oppositions, from learning the business to customers who prefer a male tow truck driver. But she makes a proactive decision to master the process, overcome the prejudice, and become the best high-heeled tow truck driver around. The tow truck business may have been a twist of fate, but she’s in charge of her own path now.

More Reviews of Karen Whalen Books

Here are some other reviews I have done of Karen Whalen books.  The first three are the tow truck series and the fourth is a separate book by the author.

• Book Review - Toes on the Dash
• Book Review - Friends Come to Call
• Book Review-Stiletto to the Pedal
• Reviewing Murder at Sea Oaks Beach

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Book Review-Stiletto to the Pedal

 

Stiletto to the Pedal

Karen Whalen's newest book will be published on May 15, 2024.  It is book 5 of the tow truck series but also works as a stand-alone book.  If you love mysteries, but you are also looking for something light and humorous, these fascinating novels by Ms Whalen are for you.

Brief Summary of Book

In the newest cozy mystery by Karen Whalen, Delaney Morran, has a visit from the IRS collections with an ultimatum to pay up or loose her assets.  Delaney is sure this must be a mistake, but in the time it takes to retrieve her records from her accountant the accountant ends up dead.  

As in the previous mysteries, Delaney is once again involved in finding the killer.  This time in her accountant's murder.  Along the way she has the help of Tanner, another tow truck driver and her ex-boyfriend and her current love Sheriff Ephraim Lopez.  

Delaney is known for her love of shoes and even has a stiletto design on her tow truck.  She inherited the tow truck from her Dad and is doing her best to have a successful career in a business she knew nothing about.

The Tow Truck series of mysteries are light-hearted and fun, but are sure to keep you guessing about the mystery involved.

Reviews from other Books in the Tow Truck Series

• Book Review - Toes on the Dash (reviewthisreviews.com)
• Book Review - Friends Come to Call (reviewthisreviews.com)

Purchase the Books on Amazon

The Tow Truck Series is available on Amazon.  Here is a link to the latest book Stiletto to the Pedal

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Book Review - Friends Come to Call

 

Finding the Perfect Christmas Tree-AI generated image

In the fourth book of the "Tow Truck Mysteries", author Karen Whalen delights us with another mystery starring Delaney, a tow truck driver with a love for shoes, and her interesting cast of friends.  This mystery takes place in the days leading up to Christmas at a Christkindl Market.

Summary of Storyline

Delaney loves everything about the Christkindl Market.  She can spend hours each day wandering through the booths and enjoying all the lights, music, refreshments and decorations.

The book opens with Delaney and her latest boyfriend, Sheriff Ephraim Lopez looking for that perfect Christmas tree at the tree booth at the market.  As they wander through the trees they come across a dead body of a woman near the back of the lot.

After her initial shock and concern for the identity of the woman and her family Delaney starts to worry about all of the negative effects this could have on the Christkindl market.  Her best friend has a coffee kiosk at the market and Delaney worries about if this will have a negative effect on her sales and that of the other booth operators.

Delaney has a reputation in her town of Spruce Ridge, Colorado of not only being the high heeled tow truck driver but of also being a bit of an amateur detective.  When her family and friends are involved, she can't seem to stay away from the investigation.  This time is no different and even though she is told to leave this to law enforcement she just can't help herself and proceeds to wander the market questioning people and trying to uncover the guilty party.

Will she discover who is guilty, will the Christkindl Market be saved and will Delaney find the perfect gift for Ephraim?  These are all questions you will need to read the book to discover.

Book Release

The book will be released on October 25, 2023.  Click on the Amazon link below to order the book.

More Books by Karen Whalen

Here is a link to a review I wrote about the first book in the Tow Truck Mystery Series.

Toes on the Dash

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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