Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen

I've actually read this book before but hearing it just emphasizes the craziness that is involved. Keyes is a private detective, former newspaperman, whose old co-worker and ex-girlfriend have set off a chain of events, including many murders, that are designed to get the tourists and other interlopers out of Florida. It's a great story which makes no sense but it's certainly a fun ride.

Three and a half stars
This book came out in 1986

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own
 

Murder and a Christmas Gift by Sonia Parin

It's Christmas and the young Earl of Woodridge is back at Halton House. Evie wants to make his holiday special but can she top Tom's gift of a pony? Maybe, with his family's Christmas decorations. So Evie and Tom are off to find them. But, they get caught in a dense fog and are forced to take shelter in a nearby manor house. That normally wouldn't be an issue but someone in the village died recently and the people decide to hold a seance that seems... odd. Could it be that the man was murdered? Why? 

This was a quick read. Mostly about the mystery but an odd number of other little side stories for such a short book.

Three stars

Evie Parker Mystery #7

This book came out December 25, 2019

Follows Murder in the Third Act

Followed by Murder at the Fashion House

Mistletoe Murders 2 by Ken Cuperus

The first story of this book starts 10 months after the last story in the other book. 

Emily is still sticking her nose into local mysteries even though her habit caused the cooling of her relationship with Detective-Constable Sam Wilner. 

The first story centers around a fire at the diner where Emily usually gets her coffee. The owner's nephew was killed in the blaze. We do see other characters that have been in the series before. 

The second story includes Emily getting on the stage when a local stagehand is killed by a falling bridge in a Christmas adaptation of Twelfth Night. The cast includes the local gossip, the local handyman, and an actor who was famous several decades ago but still thinks he has charm.

The last story takes this book a little out of the realm of cozy/Hallmark movie when one of the people Emily has interacted with in several other stories is killed. While it was set to look like suicide, Emily has her doubts.

The ending of this story introduces a character from Emily's old life.

Three and a half stars

Mistletoe Murders #2

This book came out November 30, 2022

Follows Mistletoe Murders

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Garden of Lies by Amanda Quick

Ursula Kern's dearest friend is dead. But was it suicide, an accident, or murder? Ursula is afraid that it's the last. So she's going to find out which by going undercover. But first she has to get out of her current job. 

Even though they've only worked together twice, Slater Roxton isn't ready to let Ursula go. Especially into something that promises to lead to great danger. And he knows great danger after having been left for dead (though he doesn't blame his friend) after a cave in. He wandered the labyrinth of caves for days before he made his way out and then was stuck on a desert island for over a year. Luckily, there was some sort of ashram where he learned The Principles of the Three Ways. Since his recent return, his legend has grown. And not just because he, his father's first-born, but bastard child was put in charge of his brother's finances. Nope. All sorts of legends swirling around this guy. And some of them true. As we're told over and over and over...

A perfectly good Quick book in the tradition of her non-Arcane series but I have to admit that I missed the paranormal.

Three stars

This book came out April 21, 2015

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Mistletoe Murders 1 by Ken Cuperus

A series of short stories that link together to make a series. This reminds me a lot of old time radio shows. The stories in this audiobook all center around Emily who lives in a small town and runs a Christmas store. She has a light flirtation with the local law enforcement and a mysterious past. 

In this book, we have a story wherein a man is murdered in a Christmas tree farm. It seems he may have been poisoned by a cookie from Emily's store.

The second story revolves around a young heartthrob who was part of the local drama. He left a few months ago but no one thought he was dead. In fact, no one knows he's dead until they find him under the water when the local skating festival starts.

The last story is set in a recently renovated, supposedly haunted mansion. The ghost is thought to be the remnants of an old mayor who may or may not have been murdered by his valet. The murder weapon itself is on display and ends up being used in a modern day murder as well.

Three and a half stars

Mistletoe Murders #1

This book came out November 8, 2023

Followed by Mistletoe Murders 2

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Illusion Town by Jayne Castle

Hannah West is known online as the Finder. Her psychic ability to "talk" to her doppelganger during sleep helps her find objects for people (this is sort of sketchy how this works, takes some suspension of disbelief). She has recently helped Elias Coppersmith track down a family heirloom and now she's accepted a dinner date. But she wakes up the next morning with no memory of the evening before and a marriage certificate in her purse. She and Elias will have to work together to piece together the evening before, figure out why they're being chased by biker dudes, discover a lost Arcane archive, and rescue a team of his people from a hidden gate.
This was very reminiscent of several other books in this series. The female character being the only one who can work the dreamlight and open a gate where people are trapped. Biker dudes chasing our main characters down. And some shadowy subplot with a secret location. It was a good story but felt a bit repetitive and a little disjointed. A fast, fun read and I'm not going to be giving up on the series any time soon.

Three stars

This book came out July 15, 2016

Ghosthunters #13

Follows Siren's Calll

Followed by Guild Boss

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Sure, I'll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford

Definitely absorb this as an audiobook. Maria Bamford's voice is so distinctive and it's a delight to listen to her. Her tone is wry, her stories sometimes hard to digest but she does, indeed, have a rich history of joining various groups that could be classified as cults whether it's a religion, a diet scheme, or any number of "anonymous" organizations. 

Four stars

This book came out September 5, 2023

Book borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own