ROCCO'S March Cozy Reviews!

 MA-ROW!

Here are  my March cozy reviews!

PERIL N THE PAGE

MARGARET LOUDEN

AN OPEN BOOK MYSTERY

BERKLEY; MPB; 3/1/22

Four Paws

A murder in her quaint British bookshop drops American Gothic novelist Penelope Parish into her deadliest caper yet.

Penelope Parish is ready to close the book on her amateur sleuthing—from now on, The Open Book’s writer-in-residence will be sticking to villains of the fictional variety while she puts the final touches on her new novel. But when an author is murdered inside the bookshop, all of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke goes on high alert.
 
Now it’s up to Pen and the quirky citizens of Chumley to stop a killer and protect the charming British town she’s begun to call home.

Another good entry in this series.  We love the quirky characters!  four Paws!

DEADLY DIRECTOR'S CUT

A CATSKILL RESORT MYSTERY

VICKI DELANY

BERKLEY; MMPB; 3/1/22

FOUR AND A HALF STARS

Daring resort manager Elizabeth Grady will need to think fast to bring a killer into the limelight in this charming 1950s set cozy mystery series.

Famous director Elias Theropodous has chosen Haggerman’s Catskills Resort as a shooting location for his next film. It sounds glamorous to much of the staff, but resort manager Elizabeth Grady is less satisfied. Dealing with the ridiculous demands of the antagonistic director is bad enough, and his attempts to walk all over Elizabeth are making her feel like her position at the resort has been changed into a bit part.
 
But when Elias is poisoned during a dinner at the resort, the future of the film and the resort itself are on the line. Between an aging movie star, a harried producer, and former victims of the deceased director’s wrath, Elizabeth has a full cast of suspects to examine, and she’ll need to investigate every lead to catch a killer.

The setting is reminiscent of Dirty Dancing but that's where the similarities end.  Vicki Delany is one of our favorite author and it seems she has anohter winner with htis series!  four and a half paws!

EVIL in EMERALD

A. M. Stuart

A Harriet Gordon Mystery

Berkley/ Trade PP/ 3/29/22

four Paws

Craving a change of pace, Harriet Gordon, joins a local musical theatre production but when a fellow cast member is brutally killed, Harriet and Inspector Curran must turn the spotlight on murder in this all-new mystery from the author of Revenge in Rubies.
 
Between working at her brother’s school and typing up Inspector Robert Curran’s police reports, Harriet Gordon has little time for personal pursuits and she has been enjoying the rehearsals for her role in the Singapore Amateur Dramatic and Musical Society’s latest production – Pirates of Penzance. But Harriet quickly discovers tensions run deep within the theatre company and when the leading man is found murdered, suspicions abound, exposing scandalous behavior as well as some insidious crimes.

Inspector Curran once again turns to Harriet for help with this difficult case, but his own life begins to unravel as a mysterious man turns up on his doorstep claiming to know more about Curran’s painful past than he himself does. And after the one person he has always counted on delivers him some devastating news, the line between his personal and professional life begins to blur. Now, more than ever, Curran needs Harriet’s steadfast assistance, and when another cast member meets a violent end, Curran and Harriet will have to close in on a killer determined to make this case their final curtain call.

We find this turn of the century series surprisingly good.  the characters are multi-dimensional and the plots challenging. Especially loved the  mystery surroundng Inspector Curran! Four paws.

Happy Release Day for MURDER FAUX PAWS!

 today, 2/22/2022 is the official release day of the Fifth Nick and Nora mystery, MURDER FAUX PAWS!

When a local PI's untimely death is ruled a suicide by the police, budding sleuth Nora Charles has no intention of letting sleeping dogs lie—or sleeping cats, for that matter. Certain it was a case of foul play, Nora rouses her trusty sidekick Nick and launches an investigation of her own. Then a second PI is murdered, and Nora knows the two men were on to something—and that she's on to something too.

Following the enigmatic clues left by her late predecessors, Nora soon uncovers a plot that involves a local politician, missing campaign funds, and what could be a bogus real estate deal. But when hints of treason surface, what started as small-time thievery soon balloons into a matter of national security. With the uncanny Nick sniffing out—and spelling out—leads, Nora follows a trail that will take her to the heart of a shadowy conspiracy, and into a trap set by a conniving culprit that will have her wishing she had Nick's nine lives . . .

Praise for the Nick and Nora Mysteries:

"Hiss H for Homicide packs all the trimmings into its classic cozy structure in smooth, silky fashion. William Powell and Myrna Loy played the original Nick and Nora Charles in the classic Thin Man films, and LoTempio does them great justice in this masterpiece of the genre that leaves no stone, or cat treat, unturned." —Jon Land, Providence Journal

"If you like hard-boiled old crime fiction, you will find parts here to scratch your itch. If you are looking for a cozy mystery with elements of romance (whose team will you be on?), get comfy and prepare to be intrigued." —Laura's Interests

ROCCO reviews MURDER AT THE CDC!!!!!!!!

Meow! today I am reviewing a new novel by our friend Jon Land:

MARGARET TRUMAN'S MURDER AT THE CDC

Murder and intrigue on the steps of the United States capital building pulls Robert Brixton into his most personal case yet, in Margaret Truman's Murder at the CDC

2017: A military transport on a secret run to dispose of its deadly contents vanishes without a trace.

The present: A mass shooting on the steps of the Capitol nearly claims the life of Robert Brixton’s grandson.

No stranger to high-stakes investigations, Brixton embarks on a trail to uncover the motive behind the shooting. On the way he finds himself probing the attempted murder of the daughter his best friend, who works at the Washington offices of the CDC.

The connection between the mass shooting and Alexandra’s poisoning lies in that long-lost military transport that has been recovered by forces determined to change America forever. Those forces are led by radical separatist leader Deacon Frank Wilhyte, whose goal is nothing short of bringing on a second Civil War.

Brixton joins forces with Kelly Lofton, a former Baltimore homicide detective. She has her own reasons for wanting to find the truth behind the shooting on the Capitol steps, and is the only person with the direct knowledge Brixton needs. But chasing the truth places them in the cross-hairs of both Wilhyte’s legions and his Washington enablers.

This is the second in this series we've read and we're  hooked!  If you love sharp thrillers, conspiracy theories, slick sleuths and thrill rides that keep you on the edge of your seat, this is the series for you!  Jon Land does an exceptional job of keeping the reader hooked from page one right through to the end!  a resounding five paws!!!!!

Praise for MURDER AT THE CDC:

“A wild ride with sharp curves, twists and turns. Jon Land has super-charged the iconic Capital Crimes series, merging fact and fiction in this terrific tale that races out of the gate and never lets up.” ―Sandra Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Blind Tiger

“The complicated, traumatic backstories Land constructs for each of his leads never slow the plot, which addresses a host of hot topics such as bullying and school shootings, as it races to a cinematic conclusion. Political thriller fans will be pleased.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Murder at the CDC grips you from the chilling first chapter and doesn’t let go until the resolution of the story as you try to crack the conspiracy from different angles alongside the protagonists.” ―Best Thriller Books

“Land's deft hand at characterization gives gravity to this superb entry, and the sharp-witted dialogue between good and bad characters is solid. Not one word is out of place. He weaves timely political and environmental issues like the coronavirus throughout the story, seamlessly and without being preachy. No filler--all action.” ―Press-Republican

ROCCO's February Cozy Revews!

 Ma-Row!  Here are my February Cozy Reviews!

TOTALLY PAWSTRUCK

Sofie Ryan

Berkley/MMPB/2/1/22

Second Chance Cat Mysteries

Five Paws

Secondhand store owner Sarah Grayson and her inquisitive rescue cat, Elvis, will need to close the book on a killer in the newest installment of this charming New York Times bestselling series.

Although Sarah Grayson is often tending to the contained chaos of her delightful secondhand store in North Harbor, Maine, plus dealing with the quirky personality of her rescue cat, Elvis, she still takes an occasional night off. But her evening out comes to an abrupt end when Sarah discovers Stella Hall, a member of the library board, standing over a body in the street.
 
Although Stella admits that she and the victim had fought about several things including library funding, she is adamant that she is innocent and the real killer is on the loose. Sarah is eager to help, but even with the assistance of Charlotte’s Angels, the senior citizen detectives who rent out part of her shop, there is still a vast amount of circumstantial evidence linking Stella to the crime. The odds may be stacked against them, but Sarah and Elvis, along with the Angels, will work hard to check out the suspects and catch a killer.

Another entertaining instalment in this series by Sofie Ryan aka Sofie Kelly!  Is it us, or does Elvis get more adorable with each adventure?  Five Paws!

EVIL UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN

Stephanie Cole

Tuscan Cooking School Mystery #3

Berkley/MMPB/ 2-1-22

Four stars

Nell Valenti is at ease when managing a farm to table cooking school in sun-dappled Tuscany, but begins to feel the heat when tasked with catching a killer, in this engaging Italian-set cozy mystery series.

When a wealthy New York philanthropist pays top dollar for a private, four-day ziti workshop, Nell Valenti wants everyone at the Orlandini cooking school focused on the task at hand. But complications abound when Nell’s boyfriend Pete Orlandini rushes to Rome for an unexpected business trip, Chef Orlandini is more preoccupied with a potential spot on an American cooking show than preparing for the workshop, and an uninvited woman sneaks into the villa to inspect Pete’s olive grove. The last disturbance proves deadly, and when the woman’s body is found in the grove, Nell must investigate before her hopes for the workshop, like the olives, are crushed.
 
Nell now has another item on her checklist--keep the Orlandinis out of trouble and the wealthy ziti-lovers happy while she looks into the stranger’s past. When Nell discovers that for one of the Orlandinis, at least, the murder victim was not such a stranger after all, she’ll learn that when a detective goes digging in Italy, she’d better be ready for truffle.

Okay, food plus a good mystery!  We're there!  Four paws.

A DEADLY BONE TO PICK

PEGGY ROTHSCHILD

BERKLEY/HC/2-8-22

FOUR PAWS

When Molly Madison, dog-wrangler extraordinaire, stumbles upon a murder in her new hometown, she must track down a killer to save the day.

Ex-police officer and former P.I. Molly Madison is starting over. After the death of her husband, she and her golden retriever, Harlow, move cross-country to California. But as charming and peaceful as the beachside town seems, she soon learns its tranquil tides hold dark secrets.
 
On her first day in the new house, a large, slobbering Saint Berdoodle wanders in. Molly winds up taking on the responsibility of training Noodle since his owner is too busy to do the job. On one of their daily beachside walks, Noodle digs up a severed hand. Once Molly alerts the police and they run a background check on her, an incident from her past makes her an immediate suspect—after all, Noodle’s testimony to clear her name won’t hold much water in court. 
 
To prove her innocence, Molly must rely on instincts keener than a canine’s to sniff out the real killer. But when Molly’s life is put in danger, will her two very loyal pups be able to rescue her?

A new promising series (even if it does feature dogs)  Four paws.

HOMICIDE AND HALO HALO

MIA MANANSALA

ROSIE KITCHEN MYSTERY #2

TPB/BERKLEY/2-8-22

FOUR PAWS

HDeath at a beauty pageant turns Tita Rosie's Kitchen upside down in the latest entry of this witty and humorous cozy-mystery series by Mia P. Manansala.

Things are heating up for Lila Macapagal. Not in her love life, which she insists on keeping nonexistent despite the attention of two very eligible bachelors. Or her professional life, since she can't bring herself to open her new café after the unpleasantness that occurred a few months ago at her aunt's Filipino restaurant, Tita Rosie's Kitchen. No, things are heating up quite literally, since summer, her least favorite season, has just started. 

To add to her feelings of sticky unease, Lila's little town of Shady Palms has resurrected the Miss Teen Shady Palms Beauty Pageant, which she won many years ago - a fact that serves as a wedge between Lila and her cousin-slash-rival, Bernadette. But when the head judge of the pageant is murdered and Bernadette becomes the main suspect, the two must put aside their differences and solve the case - it looks like one of them might be next.

11 Guest Stars we bet you forgot were on Desperate Housewives

 Meow!

Recently the human and I binged on the tv series DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES.  I was amazed at how many big stars guested on the show, whether it was for a small cameo or a recurring role.  here are 11of them I bet you forgot were on too! 

11.  Heidi Klum

Supermodel and future AGT judge Heidi Klum bumped into Gaby and Angie while they were in the city in Season 6. But Heidi didn't have anything kind to say to former model Gaby. That's because she hadn't forgotten the practical joke Gaby pulled that cost Heidi the cover of Sports Illustrated.

10.John Schneider

Played Bree's boyfriends husband in season 7. Things got awkward when he tried to kiss Bree, so he only showed up in 3 episodes.

9.  Carol Burnett

She played Bree's stepmother Eleanor Mason. She arrived to take Bree's son Andrew home with her when Bree and Andrew are having issues.

8.Doris Roberts

Played a wealthy widow who becomes one of personal shopper Gabi's clients in Season 8.

7.Nathan Fillion

the future "Castle" star played Katherine Mayfar (Dana Delany)'s husband in Season 4.

6.  Valerie Harper

TV's Rhoda played Susan's Aunt Clare, who visits her in the hospital when she's having her kidney removed.

5.  Larry Hagman

the Dallas and I Dream of Jeannie star played Lynette's mothers boyfriend, an arrogant rich guy (gee, not too much unlike JR huh????)  He dies on their wedding day, so Lynette helps her  mom keep his corpse a secret so mom can inherit his money.

4. Laurie Metcalf

Rosanne star and Sheldon's mother from the Big Bang appeared as a woman who goes crazy when she thinks her husband is cheating on her. She holds Lynette and some others hostages in a grocery store.

3.  Lily Tomlin

the Laugh-In and 9 to 5 star appeared in a handful of episodes as Karen McClusky's wacko sister, who helps her investigate Edie's new husband.

2.  Brian Austin Greene

the 90210 star appeared in Season 7 as Bree's boyfriend, who ultimately left her to be with his son in Florida.

And the biggest surprise to me:

1.  Sarah Paulson

The future American Horror Story star and Emmy winner for the American Crime Story OJ appeared in Season 4 and Season 8 as one of Lynette's two sisters.

So how many did you remember?

Nick and Nora #5 Cover Reveal!

It's finally here....the cover for Nick and Nora Five, MURDER FAUX PAWS!  Honestly, we didn't think they could top Hiss H for Homicide but we think they have!!!!!

The book will be up shortly at Amazon and Barnes and Noble for pre-order.  Those ordering the e-book can get it for $3.99 if you order it before the release date of February 22!

And don't forget - sales and pre-orders are what make publishers extend writer's contracts and ask for more books!

Okay, drum roll please.......here is MURDER FAUX PAWS!

ROCCO'S JANUARY COZY REVIEWS!

Me-ow!  Here are my cozy reviews for January!

Starting the New Year off with:

HONEY ROASTED

 Cleo Coyle

A CoffeeHouse Mystery

Hardcover; Berkley; January 25, 2022

Five Stars/Paws

Clare Cosi is busy as a bee planning her honeymoon when murder buzzes into the Village Blend in this all-new mystery in the beloved New York Times best-selling Coffeehouse series.

While struggling to find a romantic (and affordable) destination for her upcoming honeymoon, coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi whips up a honey of a drink made from honey-processed coffee. Clare plans to serve her outstanding new Honey-Cinnamon Latte at her spring wedding to her longtime honey, NYPD detective Mike Quinn. The culinary world is also abuzz about the amazing honey that Clare was lucky enough to source for her shop's new latte. Produced by Madame's old friend "Queen" Bea Hastings, the rare, prize-winning nectar from Bea's rooftop hives commands a premium price, and top chefs compete for a chance to use it in their signature seasonal dishes.

One night, a swarm of escaped bees blanket the Village Blend's chimney, and Clare discovers Bea's unconscious body after she seemingly fell from her high-rise rooftop-hive setup. The police want to rule it as a tragic accident or possible attempted suicide, but Clare does not believe either theory. To sort out this mystery, Clare investigates a world of cutthroat chefs, culinary start-ups, and competitive urban beekeepers. But can she uncover the truth without getting stung?

Clare Cosi is back in a new adventure after what seems to be a much too-long absence!  Love, love, Cleo Coyle's weaving of a spectacular  mystery, and as always, love Clare's sleuthing, and all the supporting characters.  A much beloved series, and we hope there is not another year and a half wait for the next instalment!  Five Paws!!!!!

A KILLER SUNDAE

An ice Cream Parlor Mystery

Trade Paperback; Berkley; January 4, 2022

Abby Collette

Four Paws

Ice cream shop owner Bronwyn Crewse is in for two scoops of murder in this charming mystery from Abby Collette.

Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is gorgeous in the fall, and Bronwyn Crewse, owner of Crewse Creamery, knows just how to welcome the new season. At the annual Harvest Time Festival, residents will get a chance to enjoy hot-air balloons and hayrides, crown a new Harvest Time Festival Queen, and eat delicious frozen treats sold at Win’s freshly purchased ice cream truck. But she gets into a sprinkle of trouble when a festivalgoer is poisoned and Win is implicated.

Although the victim was a former Harvest Time Festival Queen, her once-sunny disposition had dimmed into bitterness, leaving no shortage of suspects at the festival. To clear her name before the chill of winter sets in, Win will have to investigate and hope that her detective skills won’t “dessert” her.

Cozy mystery. Cats.  Ice Cream. Enough said. Four Paws!!!!!

THE LIBRARIAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE

Marty Wingate

1st Edition Library Mystery

Berkley/Hardcover/jan 4, 2022

Four Paws

When a mysterious stranger turns up making claims that threaten Lady Fowling’s legacy, Hayley Burke must dig deep into her late-benefactor’s history to uncover the truth and catch a conniving killer in this new mystery from USA Today bestselling author Marty Wingate.

It has been nearly a year since I took up my position as curator of Lady Georgiana Fowling’s collection of Golden Age of Mystery writers’ first editions at her library in Middlebank House. I have learned that I need to take the good with the bad. The good: I have finally convinced Mrs. Woolgar to open up the collection to the public one day a week so that they too can share in Lady Fowling’s passion. The bad: although he would not be my first, or even tenth, choice, at the insistence of the board Charles Henry Dill, Lady Fowling’s unscrupulous nephew, is now my personal assistant.

On one of our first days open to the public, Mr. John Aubrey shows up at Middlebank House and insists that Lady Georgiana Fowling is his grandmother. Mrs. Woolgar is scandalized by his claims, and Charles Henry, who feels he has been cheated out of his rightful inheritance as Lady Fowling’s heir, is furious. I do not know that I believe Mr. Aubrey, yet he has knowledge of Lady Fowling’s life and writings that few possess. To further complicate matters, an associate of Mr. Aubrey’s intends to help us uncover the truth of John’s story. But before he can do that, he is murdered and the police have reason to suspect Charles Henry.

As much as I would like to lock up Charles Henry and throw away the key, I cannot believe he is a killer. And I also know there is something dead wrong about Mr. Aubrey’s tales regarding his “grandmother” Lady Fowling. I will need to make sense of her past in order to suss out the true villain of this story.

An exciting additiion to this series!  You just have to admire Hayley's tenacity in folloiwng clues!  Would recommend anyone give it a try.  Four Paws.

 SPIRITS AND SOURDOUGH

MAGICAL BAKERY MYSTERY

BAILEY CATES

MMPB; BERKLEY; 1/4/22

FOUR AND A HALF PAWS

Baker Katie Lightfoot needs a sprinkle of magic to solve a haunting mystery in the newest book in this New York Times bestselling series.

Hedgewitch Katie Lightfoot works at the Honeybee Bakery in Savannah, and she's always up for investigating her adopted home's rich supernatural history. That's why she's taking a ghost tour for the very first time. But when the psychic tour guide tells Katie that she's being followed by the ghost of a recently murdered woman, Katie realizes she met the victim earlier that day, just before she died. She knows she must bring the killer to justice.

And this murder isn't the only mystery Katie needs to solve. Her new husband, Declan McCarthy, is missing the guardian spirit who always watched over him, and she's concerned that Deck's life could be at risk if they can't find him. Under pressure from the living and the dead, Katie will have to use all of her magical skills to start an investigation from scratch and avoid half-baked alibis, because this baker kneads to find a killer.

This series combines two of my favorite things:  magic and baked goods! Bailey Cates is a master at this craft. This series continues to be - ahem - enchanting!  four and a half paws!