The Frame-Up by Meghan Scott Molin

This story revolves around a comic book writer. And she's a girl! (woman) which makes it more fun. It's her expertise that helps solve the mystery when she is consulted as an expert after making an off-hand remark about the murder scene resembling an old comic. She's in line at the coffee shop and the remark is made to a handsome guy who turns out to be Detective Kildaire (that name!).
I felt bad because I never really warmed to MG -- the trope of "I'm going to investigate even when I've been told not to and then bumble my way through completely screwing up the investigation but still somehow solve the mystery" annoys the heck out of me. And she has a giant chip on her shoulder that somewhat comes off at the end but is a little too late for me.

Three stars
This book came out December 1
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Appleby Talks Again by Michael Innes

I haven't read a lot of the Appleby books but I hear about Innes' work on the Classic Mysteries podcast quite often. That made me very excited to see this book on NetGalley and even more delighted to get the ARC. The stories are interesting but very short which makes it hard for a plot to really develop. They were interesting, to be sure but I also felt the lack of character development. I really suspect it would be different had I read more Appleby stories.

Three stars
This book came out November 19
ARC kindly provided by publisher and NetGalley

Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal by Rose Pressey

Cookie Chanel is back again. This time she's got the ghost of a 1920s flapper who joins her in a cemetery where a fashion shoot is going on. Cookie is the clothing expert. Too bad the photographer is a jerk. A dead jerk before all is said and done. A dead jerk who also joins Cookie's crew as a black cat.
This book was okay but not at all up to the levels of the others in this series. This was definitely more disjointed and the story lines just sort of petered out.

Three stars
This book came out December 18
ARC kindly provided by publisher and NetGalley

Uneasy Lies the Crown by Tasha Alexander

With her dying breath, Queen Victoria asks Colin Hargreaves to be a protector to the crown. This becomes very important when it seems that a serial killer may be after the new king; bodies are turning up all over London dressed as dead kings. It seems fairly obvious. And Colin and Lady Emily, along with her friend Jeremy are on the case.
The "historical" story interwoven with the "current day" story is stronger than the last couple of books but the ties between the two seems a bit weak. An okay addition to the series but not my favorite.

Three stars
This book came out October 30
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and the publisher

Campion at Christmas by Marjorie Allingham

Not all of the stories are about Campion and not all of the stories are mysteries. But all are set at Christmas and display the skill Allingham had in weaving a story, even a short one. A definite holiday classic to be re-read every year.

Three stars
This book came out November 29
ARC kindly provided by publisher and NetGalley

Tempting Fate by Stacy Finz

In earlier Nugget books, Raylene Rosser was decidedly the villain. And in this book, she's the heroine. It's a long slog to get her there but Stacy Finn manages to do it well. Raylene is back in town for her brother's wedding and literally no one is happy. And she really deserves it. Not only was she kind of a bitch, she was an alcoholic, and  almost helped to put an innocent man in jail for murder.
Gabe Moretti is in town because he helped open up a security business with Raylene's half-brother, Logan. And when Logan asks Gabe to keep an eye on Raylene, Gabe takes that very seriously. Even though he's very attracted to Raylene, he tries to keep his distance. Though he will help her search for the gold that her ancestor supposedly buried.
There are definitely some rough spots in this story but it was, overall, lovely.

Three stars
This book came out December 11
ARC kindly provided by publisher and NetGalley

The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson

Charlotte Gorman doesn't understand her twin sister. An elementary school librarian, Charlotte doesn't often get dressed up as opposed to her sister who regularly competes in beauty pageants. Ginny is REALLY into beauty, even keeping a popular Instagram series about her competitions. She throws herself into her causes, just recently adopting a dog in order.
Charlotte always internally (sometimes externally) rolls her eyes when they talk about the competitions but when Ginny has a horribly allergic reaction that causes her face to swell, it's going to be up to Charlotte to step in and keep her sister in the competition.
This book created some great characters, both A and B. It was very light and just what I needed during a heavy time in my life. It was a little shallow as well but as to be expected.

Four stars
This book came out December 4
ARC kindly provided by publisher and NetGalley