Saturday, June 8, 2019

ROCCO's June Cozy Reviews!

Time for more cozy reviews!


AUNT DIMITY AND THE HEART OF GOLD
Nancy Atherton
Aunt Dimity Series
Berkley
June 18, 2019
Four Stars


It's almost Christmas in the small English village of Finch--and everyone is sick. Though many of the villagers regretfully decline their invitations to Emma Harris's annual Christmas bash, Lori Shepherd has no intention of missing it. When the winter weather takes a turn for the worse, it's agreed that none of the guests will leave until morning. There's general merriment as the Christmas party becomes a pajama party--until a car appears in the winding driveway and promptly slides off the slick pavement and into a ditch. 

Matilda "Tilly" Trout--a lost and scatterbrained, middle-aged woman--is mercifully unhurt and invited to stay the night. While she catches her breath, Emma asks her other guests if they would like a tour of the Manor--including an odd room that puzzles her. Several guests put forth guesses as to its purpose, but it's Tilly who correctly identifies the room as a chapel. Placing a palm on one of the ornately-carved panels, Tilly finds a hidden compartment concealing a pile of glittering treasure--including an exquisitely decorated heart made of solid gold. Where did it come from, and why does it look so different from everything else in the chapel? Why didn't Emma even know about this hidden compartment in her own home until now--and how did Tilly?

With Aunt Dimity's otherworldly help and Tilly's bewildering store of knowledge, Lori and friends set out to unravel the mystery behind the heart of gold. And, against all odds--and Christmas finally comes to Finch!
Entertaining mystery. Four paws!


WHISKERS IN THE DARK
A Mrs. Murphy Mystery
Rita Mae Brown
Penguin
June 4, 2019
Five Paws

A massive nor’easter has hit northern Virginia, where Mary Minor “Harry” Harristeen joins groundskeeping efforts at the National Beagle Club at Aldie as the date for its springtime Hounds for Heroes veterans’ benefit approaches. Harry’s fellow volunteers, including her oldest friend, Susan Tucker, comprise a spirited group of hunting enthusiasts, some former service members themselves. But things take a sinister turn when, after a routine tree cleanup along the Club’s hunting trails, retired foreign services officer Jason Holzknect is found dead, throat slit from ear to ear. Soon enough, another murder in their midst jolts the preparations, convincing Harry that the killer is familiar with the Club—and must be close by, masked in plain sight.

The intrigue extends to the grounds of Harry’s beloved local church, where the identity of an eighteenth-century skeleton wearing precious pearls remains a mystery. The anonymous woman’s neck had been snapped, and marks on the grave where her body was secreted indicate that someone recently tried to remove it, leading Harry to question how well she really knows those around her.

As always, Harry’s crime-solving cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, and Tee Tucker the Corgi share her determination to sniff out the foes among friends, even those long buried. Harry will need her four-legged companions’ help more than ever: a ghostly beagle only they can see may hold the key to the culprit.

One of my favorite series. I never tire of watching Mrs. Murphy and her friends Tucker and Pewter help Harry solve murders!  Definite Five Paws!

THE TELL TAIL HEART
CATE CONTE
Cat Cafe Mystery Series
St. Martin's
June 25, 2019
Four and a half Paws


Maddie is hoping to have some downtime during Daybreak Island’s off-season to tackle her to-do list. Her grandfather’s house-turned-cat-cafĂ© is under construction and she’s also scoping out places to open a juice bar on the island. On top of that, her relationship with adorable dog groomer Lucas has taken a pawsitive turn.
But easy is getting harder every day for Maddie, especially when a big-name writer who’s on the island working on a new project winds up floating in the canal. This, on the exact same day an eccentric woman shows up at the cafe claiming Maddie’s cat, JJ, is hers.
As the investigation into the dead writer picks up, Maddie realizes that even the neighbors she’s known all her life might be keeping secrets that go deep into the heart of this small seaside town. Meanwhile, a killer remains at-large...and on the prowl. A very enjoyable series.


THE BOOK SUPREMCY
BIBLIOPHILE MYSTERY
KATE CARLISLE
PENGUIN
JUNE 4, 2019
FOUR STARS


Newlyweds Brooklyn and Derek are enjoying the final days of their honeymoon in Paris. As they're browsing the book stalls along the Seine, Brooklyn finds the perfect gift for Derek, a first edition James Bond novel, The Spy Who Loved Me. When they bump into Ned, an old friend from Derek’s spy days, Brooklyn shows him her latest treasure.

Once they're back home in San Francisco, they visit a spy shop Ned mentioned. The owner begs them to let him display the book Brooklyn found in Paris as part of the shop's first anniversary celebration. Before they agree, Derek makes sure the security is up to snuff—turns out, the unassuming book is worth a great deal more than sentimental value.

Soon after, Derek is dismayed when he receives a mysterious letter from Paris announcing Ned’s death. Then late one night, someone is killed inside the spy shop. Are the murders connected to Brooklyn's rare, pricey book? Is there something even more sinister afoot? Brooklyn and the spy who loves her will have to delve into the darkest parts of Derek's past to unmask an enemy who's been waiting for the chance to destroy everything they hold dear.


DEATH IN KEW GARDENS
JENNIFER ASHLEY
BERKLEY
JUNE 4 2019
FOUR STARS

n return for a random act of kindness, scholar Li Bai Chang presents young cook Kat Holloway with a rare and precious gift—a box of tea. Kat thinks no more of her unusual visitor until two days later when the kitchen erupts with the news that Lady Cynthia's next-door neighbor has been murdered.

Known about London as an "Old China Hand," the victim claimed to be an expert in the language and customs of China, acting as intermediary for merchants and government officials. But Sir Jacob's dealings were not what they seemed, and when the authorities accuse Mr. Li of the crime, Kat and Daniel find themselves embroiled in a world of deadly secrets that reach from the gilded homes of Mayfair to the beautiful wonder of Kew Gardens.  FOUR STARS


WIN ROCCO'S REVIEW COPY OF AUNT DIMITY AND THE HEART OF GOLD!

To enter, leave your name and email address in our comments section.  Winner will be chosen using random.org.  For extra points, share this post on twitter and/or facebook, or on your blog if you have one.  Contest closes midnight, June 16.

12 comments:

  1. Thank you for another great review roundup, ROCCO! Marla Bradeen: mbradeen [at] yahoo [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great reviews thank you. I'm loving all of these covers too.

    Mary Preston
    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy June Rocco! I love looking at all the pretty book covers!! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Rocco, you always review such good books. How can I choose which one to buy this month?
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for the info on the upcoming new releases, Rocco! Looking forward to reading all of them.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really enjoy the Aunt Dimity books. I'm looking forward to reading the new one & the other books featured. Shared on Facebook. Thanks for the giveaway!
    Jana - turtle6422 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nice article admin thanks for share your atricle keep share your knowledge i am waiting for your new post check mens winter jackets polo shirts kindly review and reply me

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nice article admin thanks for share your article keep share your knowledge i am waiting for your new post check nursing dresses boys t shirts kindly review and reply me

    ReplyDelete
  11. Many Thanks for the shared this informative and interesting post with me.
    Defly 2020
    DogeMiner2 Game Free
    Defly.io
    GamesBX
    KidsGamesBX2

    ReplyDelete
  12. A GREAT SPELL CASTER (DR. EMU) THAT HELP ME BRING BACK MY EX GIRLFRIEND.
    Am so happy to testify about a great spell caster that helped me when all hope was lost for me to unite with my ex-girlfriend that I love so much. I had a girlfriend that love me so much but something terrible happen to our relationship one afternoon when her friend that was always trying to get to me was trying to force me to make love to her just because she was been jealous of her friend that i was dating and on the scene my girlfriend just walk in and she thought we had something special doing together, i tried to explain things to her that her friend always do this whenever she is not with me and i always refuse her but i never told her because i did not want the both of them to be enemies to each other but she never believed me. She broke up with me and I tried times without numbers to make her believe me but she never believed me until one day i heard about the DR. EMU and I emailed him and he replied to me so kindly and helped me get back my lovely relationship that was already gone for two months.
    Email him at: Emutemple@gmail.com  
    Call or Whats-app him: +2347012841542

    ReplyDelete