Jan Jones

Christmas story follows grand estate, boarding house

Published by admin on Tue, 12/03/2024 - 1:47pm

I’ve never been a fan of romance novels or Hallmark movies, but when I accidentally downloaded “Cinder Bella” by Kathleen Shoop, I decided to read it anyway. It is the third in her ‘’Tis the Season” series.

It is late December 1893. The financial panic has caused hardships for everyone. Young Bella Darling has been allowed to live in the cozy barn on the Westminster estate after she got three spent hens to lay again and produce more eggs than normal. Everyone who uses the eggs insists that they make every recipe better and food go much further than regular eggs.

Complicated moves make ‘Bluff’ a winner

Published by kjpasson on Fri, 11/22/2024 - 10:05am

When I finished reading “Bluff” by Jane Stanton Hitchcock, I wondered how I could ever share it here. The plot was beyond complicated but very intriguing. I will try to give you a summary and hope it inspires you to read one of Hitchcock’s other books.

The story centers around Maud Warner. As part of New York’s wealthy elite, she and her brother grew up with every privilege. They had no idea how their lives would change when they agreed to hire Burt Sklar to manage their finances.

Wedding doesn’t go smoothly in Stander novel

Published by admin on Wed, 11/13/2024 - 11:23am

This week’s selection was “Destination Wedding” by Aaron Stander. It is number 11 in his Ray Elkins mystery series.

It is May and Cedar County, Michigan, and Sheriff Ray Elkins is slowly recovering from a near-fatal gunshot wound. He and detective sergeant Sue Lawerence are enjoying the quiet time before tourist season.

Murder, madness and aliens spur sci-fi mystery

Published by admin on Wed, 11/06/2024 - 6:45am

This week I read M.G. Herron’s “Culture Shock.” It is the first in the Gunn Files science fiction series featuring bounty hunter Anderson Gunn.

It is said that if it is weird, you can probably find it in Austin, Texas, and Anderson couldn’t agree more. The last year has been rough. Just when his Gunn Bounties was taking off, his personal life went haywire.

The money he’d borrowed to expand went toward his mother’s medical expenses and bounty work dried up. Now Gunn is deeply in debt with no idea how to proceed. The sweltering heat of summer only deepens his malaise.

Four friends on the road get a chili reception

Published by kjpasson on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 2:30pm

“The Great Chili Kill Off” by Livia J. Washburn is the 12th in her Fresh Baked Mystery series featuring Phyllis Newsom and her friends Carolyn Wilbarger, Eve Turner and Sam Fletcher. Phyllis is a retired teacher from Weatherford, Texas, who rents rooms to the three friends.

Sam Mason and his K-9 face tangled mystery

Published by kjpasson on Tue, 10/22/2024 - 9:22am

I finally took the time to read one of L.A. Dobbs’ Sam Mason K-9 mysteries. “Seeking Justice” is the seventh book in the popular series.

It took a few chapters, but I discovered that Police Sgt. Jo Harris moved to White Rock, North Carolina, to follow a lead in the long-ago disappearance of her 4-year-old sister, Tammy. After years of drug abuse and living on the streets, Jo’s sister, Bridget, is finally clean and has moved in with Jo. The sisters have included Police Chief Sam Mason in their quest to find Tammy.

Esme Cahill can’t seem to cut a break

Published by kjpasson on Wed, 10/09/2024 - 7:51am

This week, I found “Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly” by Marie Bostwick was both thought-provoking and heartwarming.

As the title says, Esme Cahill has had some spectacular failures, but it takes her a long time to see the value in every failure. The story moves between 1942 and the early 2000s, revealing the lives of Esme’s grandparents, her mother, Robyn, Esme and their friends.

Three-pack is good intro to cozy sleuth

Published by kjpasson on Tue, 10/01/2024 - 9:37am

This week I selected a three-book set from BookBub. The cozy mysteries by Michele Pariza Wacek feature inadvertent sleuth Charlotte “Charlie” Kingsley and are set in the small town of Redemption, Wisconsin. “The Murder Before Christmas,” “Ice Cold Murder” and “Murder Next Door” gave me a bit of Charlie’s backstory.

Ellis conjures a complicated fantasy

Published by kjpasson on Tue, 09/24/2024 - 6:15am

This week I chose “A Conjuring of Ravens” by Azalea Ellis. It is subtitled “A Practical Guide to Sorcery” and is best described as a tome rather than a book.

The only backstory is an archaeological expedition recovers an ancient book of spells and an amulet. The artifacts are taken to a special university in Gilbratha. Before the professors can begin an examination, the book and an amulet are stolen.

Skeleton in closet leads to harrowing mystery

Published by kjpasson on Tue, 09/17/2024 - 8:45am

“Llama See That Evidence” by Erin McCarthy and Kathy Love was better than I expected. It is the second in the Friendship Harbor series of cozy mysteries.

Sophie LaFleur grew up in California and became an actress starring in the series “Murder She Texted.” About the time the series was canceled, Sophie learned that she had inherited her grandmother’s estate in Friendship Harbor, Maine. The estate includes a large home, a successful restaurant and Grammy’s beloved pet llama, Jack.