Dairy Dairy Quite Contrary

 In this blog post, I reviewed Amy Lillard’s Dairy Dairy Quite Contrary, the first installment in the Sunflower Cafe Amish cozy mystery series. (I finished this book last month.) You’ll be enchanted and intrigued in this debut novel. For Sissy Yoder, she left her hometown of Tulsa to live with her aunt and her cousin Lizzie. In Yoder, Kansas. It was supposed to be a temporary visit, while she helped her cousin at the cafe, until she had gotten caught up in a mystery. Who killed Kevin, the local milkman? And when she was the first one to find him, she became the prime suspect, though she’s new to town? To clear her name, she gathered up clues on Kevin, and learned about his family life, while running into some unwelcomed guests who didn’t want to pry into their business. With help from Gavin, who’s a reporter from the local newspaper, they team up to discover the clues to lead them to the true culprit right under their noses, before it would be too late.

This Amish cozy mystery is quaint and pretty charming. I cared for Sissy who’s learning a bit more of the Amish life, and her cousin Lizzie. I could see Gavin is sweet on Sissy. Though Yoder could’ve been better named (other than from her last name and from other characters), it’s a nice small town with the perfect location and settings for this storyline.  The theme of this story is family comes from different places. 

If you like cozy mysteries with an Amish twist, non-stop drama, plenty of intrigue and lots of red herrings, and sparks of intrigue to leave you in suspense, Dairy Dairy Quite Contrary is the cozy mystery for you. This is recommended for fans who love Amish mysteries, Laura Childs, MC Beaton, and Amanda Flower.

Master of the Art of French Murder

 In this blog post, I reviewed Colleen Cambridge’s Master of the Art of French Murder. The first installment in the American in Paris historical mystery cozy series, you’ll be transported back in time to post-war 1950s in Paris, France. For Tabitha Knight, she’s learning how to cook from Julia Child and tutors French to young students. When she discovered a note with her name on it in Therese Lognon’s dead body, it was up to her to find out more about her. She had run into some people that had thrown her some curveballs, while she worked behind the scenes as a coat check girl in a French theater. She had gotten to know the potential suspects without getting into the crosshairs of the potential killer. When someone else had turned up dead unexpectedly, and was almost hit by a car, it made her more curious as ever to connect the dots without butting heads with Inspector Merveille. As soon as she figured it out, she learned the truth without being discovered to call the police before it was too late.

This compelling historical mystery will leave you hooked on every page.  It’s gripping and puts us front and center of a ghastly crime. I cared for Tabitha, who was simply an American woman, who had gotten into the thick of it all, but had a  good eye for detail. I loved the 1950s settings to transport us to Paris after World War II. The theme is secrets and lies will get you into a heap of trouble.

I rated this enthralling historical cozy mystery novel, four stars.  If you love gripping historical mysteries with plenty of twisted turns and red herrings to throw you in a loop, Master of the Art of French Murder will give you goosebumps. This book is recommended for fans who love historical mysteries like Jacqueline Winspear and Margaret Truman.

The Quick and the Thread

   In this blog post, I reviewed Amanda Lee’s The Quick and the Thread, the first installment in the Embroidery Mystery cozy mystery series. This debut is riveting and keeps you guessing.  It all started for Marcella “Marcy” Singer, who first arrived in Tallulah Falls, Oregon, from San Francisco from her best friend Sadie’s insistence. As the new resident in town, she opened her embroidery shop across from her Sadie’s coffee shop. And at her open house, things turn a bit dicey when she later discovered a dead body with a mysterious message in her storage basement. This started her to discover the mystery of the Four Square Development scheme and those key players into it. She needed to take a closer look into it and why someone had stolen her identity too. The closer she was unraveling the truth, the more precarious the situation would be for her in the end with a shocking twist.

This captivating cozy mystery would have your eyes glued on every page and take up an interest in cross-stitching embroidery. I cared for Marcy on how she’d gotten into the thick of things with a tangled up mess. I could see her easily paired with Todd or Detective Nash, so there’s a potential love triangle in the series. The location of Tallulah Falls Oregon was enchanting and had compelling scenic settings in Northern Oregon. The theme of the story is beware of the past, before it would catch up with you.

This gripping mystery will leave you hooked at the edge of your seat. I rated this book, three out of five stars, for no reason. If you love crafty cozies with non-stop dramatic action, plenty of suspense, and plenty of shocking twists, The Quick and the Thread would be the book for you. This is recommended for fans of Laura Childs, Monica Ferris, Sally Goldenbaum, and other crafty cozies alike.