Murderous Mayhem at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennison

Once again, Kat Stanford is pulled into a murder investigation when the local postmistress turns up dead. Muriel Jarvis was also the local gossip. It was she who lost Hannah's mother's latest creation, another story written under her pseudonym, Krystalle Storm. It is also Muriel whose husband had recently died and left her deep in debt. Could it have been that Muriel was using her position to ferret out people's secrets and then making them pay for her to keep them?
This was an interesting book that had a nice mix of new and familiar characters. Harry is back as is his philandering father and slightly-dim-but-sweet mother. So is her brother who I didn't particularly like and I have a feeling we're going to see more of him. A lot of story shoved in to this book and I don't particularly love all of the side characters (the Iris/Alfred combo wears a bit) but other than that a nice addition to the series.

Three stars
This book comes out May 2
Follows A Killer Ball at Honeychurch Hall

The Thing Lou Couldn't Do by Ashley Spires

I didn't even realize that this book was by the same author as The Most Magnificent Thing.  I just liked the cover. And the story lived up to the cover. Lou is a little girl who can do anything. Except one thing. And her friends don't make fun of her for it, they just try to help. And whether she ends up doing it or not, they can still have fun.
Looking forward to more Spires books.

Five stars
This book comes out May 2

Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt by Ben Clanton

Another lovely book with three little vignettes, three linked stories. Narwhal has decided that he is going to be a super hero and Jelly offers to be his sidekick. They have fun, help a friend, and discover their own super powers.
I'd still characterize Narwhal as overenthusiastic but with a good heart. Jelly is still hesitant but game. A lovely story and one worth sharing.

Four Stars
This book comes out May 2
Follows Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea
Followed by Peanut Butter and Jelly

Brew or Die by Caroline Fardig

This series is starting to redeem itself for me a little bit, a very little bit. Rather than Juliet Langley just bungling about, getting involved in murders, she's now a trained investigator. Her first job doesn't go very well (the man she's been trailing claims she's attacked him rather than the mistress he just dumped) but she is starting to get the hang of it when Shane, one of the coffee shop's workers, asks her to investigate the death of his fiancee. She apparently died of a drug overdose but Shane claims she's been clean for years. So Juliet (and, of course, Pete) jump into the world of party planning, once again even going undercover to help solve the case.

I still wish we didn't have the love triangle... which may not actually be a love triangle? This will-they-won't-they is cute enough for the span of a book, but not more than that. And we're now six books into the series. This is what got me off of Joanna Fluke and this series is heading that way for me. At least Juliet was slightly less ditzy in this book.

Three stars

This book comes out April 25

Follows A Whole Latte Murder

Dial P for Poison by Zara Keane

I requested this book from NetGalley on a whim. There are any number of cozy series that I'm already reading and I didn't really need another. But I found one.
Maggie Doyle is a former cop. She found her husband cheating on her, reacted badly, and then accepted her aunt's offer to help run a movie theater/cafe in Ireland. Even though Maggie can't cook. Like, really can't cook. Instead of finding a relaxing life, Maggie is surrounded by her aunt's cats, she struggles not to alienate her aunt's customers while her aunt is getting surgery, and then discovers the town's evil queen dead at the local movie night. And the local garda seems eager to pin the crime on her aunt. It's up to Maggie to keep her out of jail.
There are some issues with this book, as there are many when an author is trying to build a series, but I really enjoyed Maggie and hope to read more about her.

Four stars

This book came out April 12, 2017

Followed by The Postman Always Dies Twice

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook from Libby September 2023

A Good Day to Buy by Sherry Harris

At the end of the last book, I wasn't sure that I liked our narrator, Sarah, very much. This book got her more on an even keel for me. Her brother has mysteriously shown up in town after nearly two years of estrangement. And this is right on the heels of a sale where the husband and wife were viciously attacked while Sarah was running their tag sale.
Now Sarah has to balance the love of her ex-husband (who doesn't really impress me much) with the love she has for her brother. There is also still a lot of tension between Sarah and her ex, most-eligible-bachelor attorney, Seth.
I like the way this story is heading better than the last one. This is still a fast, fun, and fluffy series worth following.

Three stars
This book comes out April 25
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Followed by I Know What You Bid Last Summer

Slow Burn Cowboy by Maisey Yates

Lane Jensen has only just figured out that Finn Donnelly is a man. Well, she knew, but she didn't know he was A MAN. After being burned as a teen, she has never really considered that love could be something that she could have. And now that she's finally figuring out that Finn could be everything she's ever wanted, but will she be too late?
Finn has trained himself not to want more than Lane can give. But he's done. He's done rescuing mice, he's done being the handyman. Basically, he's done being the boyfriend who doesn't get the sex. So... he and Lane start having sex. All while his life is falling to bits. Well, sort of. All of his brothers have moved back to the family ranch since their grandfather left it to them equally. Even though Lane is the one who's been there, taking care of everything. Now he has to share with the brothers he hasn't seen in years; the brothers who all left Copper Ridge.
It was an interesting book trying to continue a series while bridging into a new set of siblings. The romance between Lane and Finn suffered a little because of it but overall I think Maisey Yates' readers will enjoy.

Comes out tomorrow
Three stars
Followed by Down Home Cowboy