Murder Most Actual by Alexis Hall

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From the author of Boyfriend Material and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake comes a cozy mystery that revisits the Golden Age of detective fiction, starring a heroine who’s more podcaster than private eye and topped with a lethal dose of parody -- perfect for fans of Clue, Knives Out, and Only Murders in the Building!

When up-and-coming true crime podcaster Liza and her corporate financier wife Hanna head to a luxurious hotel in the Scottish Highlands, they're hoping for a chance to rekindle their marriage - not to find themselves trapped in the middle of an Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery with no way home. But who better to take on the case than someone whose entire profession relies on an obsession with all things mysterious and macabre? Though some of her fellow guests may consider her an interfering new media hack, Liza knows a thing or two about crime and – despite Hanna’s preference for waiting out the chaos behind a locked door – might be the only one capable of discovering the killer. As the bodies rack up and the stakes rise, can they save their marriage -- and their lives?

Source: NetGally; ARC provided by Kobo Rakuten for an honest review

Alexis Hall writing a cozy mystery? Sign me up! Murder Most Actual is delightful mystery that pays homage to Clue and the current obsession with true crime mystery shows. 

When Liza and Hanna check into their hotel they weren't to know that their getaway, which is an attempt to repair their strained marriage, would be hijacked by multiple murders and a snow storm. The hotel is filled with the quintessential quirky characters including a Poirot-like detective who refers to himself in third person. The first murder when it occurs naturally unsettles all the guests, but Liza's inquisitive mind is drawn to the intrigue. As much as Hanna wants her wife to keep away from danger, she knows that this falls squarely into Liza's area of interest. As the bodies pile up, Liza gets deeper into the mystery potentially risking her own safety and that of Hanna's.

I truly enjoyed this book! It felt old-timey in a way and I absolutely go for that stuff being that I grew up on Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and Poirot series. I never got into the true crime frenzy, however, I did enjoy reading Liza's process and getting a bit of an idea of it.

Aside from the mystery, I was incredibly taken with the subplot of Liza and Hanna's relationship. The reason for their holiday is that their marriage has felt a little off recently. Hanna distracted by work, Liza who spends the bulk of her time researching and working on her podcast with her co-host means a lot of time has been spent apart and losing touch with one another. Hanna booked their getaway hoping that would be a kind of refresh button for them. It's not easy closing a gap that's been steadily widening. I think Hall did spectacularly at capturing the nuances of a long-term relationship that has stalled, of a couple who feel so distanced from each other that where the little things they used to like about the other become the things that irritate. All the subtle changes that steadily occur over a period of time that end up gaining momentum and that eventually change the face of the relationship. I understood that so well. 

I've read a few Alexis Hall books and I've become used to his style of writing and the self-deprecating ways most of his characters have. So I was impressed by how easily he switched to mystery-mode and by how it felt different. He's still excellent with the eccentric characters, but the way he wrote Liza and Hanna as more serious-minded and steady individuals with their humor intact was what felt different for me.  I've already said I enjoyed it and yes, I'd recommend Murder Most Actual to any mystery fan or any Alexis Hall fan.

~ Bel

 

Heavenly Hazelnut Murder (Southern Belle Cozy Mysteries #2) by C.C. Dragon

* * * 1/2

Everyone has secrets…even a pastor.

Life had been back to normal in Sweet Grove, with smoothie sales up and murders down to zero. With Gran’s shop doing well, Belle helps her best friend by tending bar at the Honey Buckle whenever needed. Belle tries her best to like Pastor Luke, who she’s been dating for the last few weeks, but when she finds out he’s been less than genuine, things end badly. Their break-up is epic gossip all around the small town.

When the pastor turns up dead, people rush to suspect her. Apparently, their fight about her spending so much time in a bar was overheard. Belle knows she didn’t do it, but who would kill a pastor? Who else would have a motive? With the handsome but romantically complicated sheriff asking her a lot of questions, Belle decides she needs to get to the bottom of it ASAP.

This had better be the last murder in Sweet Grove, or Belle’s amateur sleuthing might become a habit…

Reader advisory: This book contains references to parental abandonment, off-page murder and brief references to domestic abuse and infidelity.

Source: ARC generously provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Oh yeah, am I a sucker for cutesy-titled mysteries which is why I've just read my first C.C. Dragon book.

A lot happens immediately and there are so many characters to keep up with right off the bat. Belle works at the pastry and smoothie shop with her grandmother with whom she's extremely close, and she also tends bar for one of her closest friends. The girl is busy it feels like 24/7. Somewhere in there, she squeezes time to date Pastor Luke. It's a fairly new relationship and only a couple of weeks old before they break up.  She has good reasons, too, and I was impressed. She doesn't think anymore of it but when he's found dead a few days later, all eyes go to her because of their recent very public breakup. It's a unique enough case as the murder weapon of choice was a snake. A python to be exact. EWW. The sheriff who is a former love interest believes in her innocence and they work in unison to uncover what happened. As with murder mysteries, the deeper they dig, the more secrets reveal themselves and it seems like the Pastor wasn't as holy as people thought he was. 

I'll be honest - all those snakes gave me the heebie jeebies. I kind of wanted to stop reading because I didn't want to have nightmares. My discomfort aside, I was keen to learn who was behind this reptilian horror. 

The mystery was a puzzler and by the time the culprit was caught I was stunned. Partly because I didn't see it coming and partly because it's sensitive. Admittedly, I was also thrown off by some other things. I was unaware until after I started that this was book 2, so as think there were some background details missing like descriptions of the town or the people. I'd mentioned before that there are many characters but I didn't pick up on any physical details to create mental images in my reader's mind. The conversations between characters are mostly continuous, flowing from one to the next which is the author's style and I realized that I’m not used to that. It made it challenging to follow and since the story is told in first person, Belle's thoughts felt inaccessible. It would’ve helped me if there were breaks between conversations where Belle shared her inner monologue as she ruminated over new information or provide better context to people in general or connections as she’s helping to solve the crime. There were a couple of occasions when she did that but not enough for me to feel privy to what's on her mind and as a result, she didn't come off as a multi-dimensional character to me, so I didn't feel I got to know her or develop a connection to the town or other characters. 

Now I say all this while recognizing that the background I’m seeking could all be in the first book and perhaps I shouldn't have read this as a standalone. The author's style is also different from what I've been used to reading. So considering all of this, my rating is based purely on my experience jumping into this series by reading book 2 first. I do plan on reading the first book, The Mint Julep Murder at some point so I can get a better feel for C.C. Dragon's writing and the series. In the meantime, I did like Heavenly Hazelnut Murder. Snakes aside (eww again), it was different and kept my attention, and I'm glad to have read a new author. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes small town cozy mysteries, and any mysteries set in the south.

~ Bel

A Hive of Secrets and Spells Blog Tour

  

Welcome to A Hive of Secrets and Spells Blog Tour! We're excited to share with you this brand new release that's sure to add some magic to the Halloween season!

Synopsis for A Hive of Secrets and Spells:

Cupcakes, romance, and lovable canines abound in Heather and Sinead’s next adventure, but it isn’t all fun and games. The girlfriends are investigating a very personal kidnapping, and the threatening notes left behind accuse Sinéad and her punk-rocker twin brother of hiding something.

But after solving their first mystery together last Christmas, this one should be a piece of cake.After all, no one’s been murdered this time, and their witch-sorcerer rivalry is a thing of the past.Except it turns out there is a murderer, and a jewel thief as well, and why on earth does everyone keep talking about bees?

It appears Starford is a lot more exciting than Heather’s home town of Old Wetchhaven, and Sinéad’s insistence that Heather move in with her brings a whiff of trouble to their private paradise. Can Heather adjust to life near the big city? Or will the mounting secrets prove too much and turn their second case into their last?

A Hive of Secrets and Spells is a witch cozy mystery with a sweet lesbian romance and heart-warming magic.

Order now!

Amazon

Enjoy this excerpt:

Heather stared at the wall in front of her, eyes unfocused. She was sure she’d done nothing wrong, but the heavy lead in her stomach turned over rapidly, making her question everything about those blurred few days. Out of the corner of her eye, the rain cloud thundered harder than ever. With the timing of its dramatic antics, it was almost as if it had known what was coming, though Heather wasn’t sure how it could.

Had it predicted this? The spell she designed shouldn’t be able to predict anything. And anyway, why did it still act as though something bad hid around the corner? After Roger Branson’s call, nothing worse could come of today.

Then she looked over and saw Sinéad frozen in horror, staring down at a sheet of paper in her hand. It didn’t look as though she’d heard any of Heather’s conversation, which at least explained why she hadn’t been demanding Heather pass her the phone so she could unleash her outrage.

“What is it?” she asked, reaching out to rest a hand on her girlfriend’s knee.

“It’s a letter,” Sinéad said slowly.

Heather resisted the urge to poke fun at her for stating the obvious. Something was very wrong.

“It says they’ve been taken, I’m being watched, and I need to meet with him so we can work together before it’s too late.” Her voice caught on the words with a faint edge of panic that didn’t suit her.

“Who’s been taken?” Heather asked, fear rising in her chest. Her hands shook where they pressed against Sinéad’s knee, but she wasn’t sure which of the two of them was causing it. “Who do you need to meet with?”

Who could worry Sinéad so much? Sinéad’s close friends were few and far between, and as an orphan, she had no family to worry about.

“My parents.” Sinéad looked up, her eyes wide and startled. “And I need to meet my brother.”

Behind them, the rain cloud shattered in a crack of lightning two foot tall, then disappeared.

About the Author:

Ellen Jane Phillips is an Australian indie author of wlw romance. She loves writing about LGBTQ women who experience complex lives, emotions, needs, and desires. Her books are written for people who crave love stories where friendship is just as important as romance, and who want to experience cosy warmth with a hint of mystery, magic, and emotion.

You can find her writing under two pen names: Ellen Jane, and E.J. Phillips. If you like light, cosy wlw romance suffused with magic and mystery, Ellen Jane is the pen name for you. If you prefer something a little heavier, and you like your wlw romance tinged with magic and tender angst, E.J. Phillips is the one you want. When she isn't writing, you can find her walking the dogs, playing D&D, or bemoaning the number of days since she last ate nachos.

Author Links:

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