Tag Archive: mystery



The Vampire Book Club (Vampire Book Club, #1)The Vampire Book Club by Nancy Warren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh, boy. Do I need a 12-step program for Nancy Warren’s books? I can’t stop! I’m already two books out from this one and haven’t written the review for this one yet.

May I stop for a moment? EVERYTHING about these books is fun, except the murder parts. And don’t blame the witches (at least the good ones) or the vampires. It is always a human with a grudge or two.

Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. In the olden days, I wouldn’t be caught without a book in my purse. A purse should always be big enough to carry a book or two. That way, I could read while sitting and waiting in the car for kids or long lights or even in an unmoving traffic jam. Standing in line at the DMV or at the Theater, out came the book, even if I merely got a paragraph.

Now, I have a different book on old cell phones tucked away in the bathroom or next to my bed; two different Fires hold different books or types of books. One Fire has games that don’t require much thought while listening to a book on the other Fire. The audiobook is my favorite venue now, but I do read the occasional paper book or Kindle on the phones.

I have books that require a lot of thought. I save those for daytime or waiting times. At nighttime, fantasy and lighter Sci-fi play with me.

So you know these are my nighttime pleasures. The dream of the last series was a yarn story in my house, where the knitting club met. This series, though having the occasional visit from the knitting vampires, is in the home above the bookstore the main character owns. This is my other dream life.

My husband and I met, dreaming of owning the noisiest bookstore ever. I planned to have a music area. If you want quiet, you go somewhere else. I wonder if the vampires bookclub would still meet in my imaginary bookstore?

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The Vampire Knitting Club: Cornwall (Vampire Knitting Club: Cornwall, #1)The Vampire Knitting Club: Cornwall by Nancy Warren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading the Vampire Knitting Club series, I couldn’t stop. I ordered and started immediately on this one.

Whoa! Wait! New narrator. What a shock. I got used to the other one. But after I got used to her, Piper Goodeve (Narrator) is a good choice for a new witch. Best friends with our former series star, Lucy, Jennifer proves to be a fun character to hang out with. And she can hold her own.

This new place gives that bit of travel I like in a good book. And more knitting, more competent knitting.

I haven’t mentioned this in any of the series’ reviews, but I wish we could do a cozy mystery without a murder. But that seems to be how it is. Oh, well. It is still fun.

And guess what! I’ve already started and finished the next book. On to my next review.

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Leave the World BehindLeave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I saw the movie a while ago. It did the book justice. I will have to watch it again now that I read the book. Well, I listened to the audiobook through Libby, the library app. I highly recommend both ways to enjoy this thrilling story.

Here is the first part of the blurb about this book:

“A magnetic novel about two families, strangers to each other, who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong.”

I think that says it all!

Add to that the wonderful voice acting by Marin Ireland. Wow! Make sure your nails are long enough to bite.

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Herringbones and Hexes (Vampire Knitting Club, #12)Herringbones and Hexes by Nancy Warren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One more fun Vampire Knitting Club! I am sad to know that there are many of these left. The story continues, and I feel that saying much more becomes a spoiler. It was fun figuring out if plans would come to fruition or if another murder could be solved.

I love Nancy Warren’s dry humor in her writing. Her reader, Sarah Zimmerman, knows how to vocalize it. If I didn’t have a lot of other books, library books, to read, I would be set to listen to the next of the VKC.

If you get the chance and need a fun, cozy book or series, try Ms. Warren’s.

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Diamonds and Daggers (Vampire Knitting Club, #11)Diamonds and Daggers by Nancy Warren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading serious books, I like to take a reading vacation. The Vampire Knitting Club is a fun place to go. Not your usual vampires. These are sophisticated, mostly non-neck-biting types. They meet in the original owner’s residence above and below the yarn shop. They knit. Anyone who knows me understands my affection for the wooly soft stuff.

It is the original owner’s granddaughter who owns the store now. Her grandmother is now a vampire. It was the only way to save her life. But she can’t be seen in the shop. It really upsets the customers to see their favorite yet dead yarn expert walking around.

Each and every volume of this series is fun and wrapped around some murder. Don’t doubt for a minute the pointy needles are harmless. But they do remind one of the canine teeth, don’t they?

Add to all that, the grandmother and granddaughter are witches. Well, the granddaughter didn’t know that until she inherited the shop when her grandmother supposedly passed. Now she is learning to knit and to ‘witch.’ In this particular volume, she is learning about her athame. Dagger.

Sarah Zimmerman narrates the Audible version I was reading/listening to. She isn’t too irritating, but her attitude seems a bit too high society for the main character, but you get used to it. At least you don’t get lost. And the author writes a wonderful story and keeps you engaged and wanting more.

I have already finished and started number 12. These books are a bit of a drug of fun for me. I hope you all get to read them.

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Garters and GargoylesGarters and Gargoyles by Nancy Warren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sarah Zimmerman’s narration is a bit off-putting. But after a while, you get used to her cadence and the smirk in her voice.

Once again, the yarn shop is where a batch of late-night knitters gather. These knitters just happen to be of the vampire variety.

My biggest problem with this book is that by now, Lucy, the store owner, who inherited, sort of, from her grandmother, who is now a part of the night shift yarning club. Lucy is still just knitting scarves and having a hard time. With all that help, she should be much farther along in her abilities. I wish I had that many teachers helping me figure out how to deal with the dropped stitches or tangled mess a distracted mind can create.

That’s not much of a problem in the long run. Lucy is learning to be a proper witch and trying to be a good person. So I shouldn’t complain. The rest of the story is fun. And the cozy mystery wrapped up in yarn pulls you in.

I love this series, and I already have the next book lined up for when I have a few moments to take a bite with my needles clicking.

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Linda’s JJiJ and John’s Prompt . Thank you both! Go check out their blogs!!!!


Pet Psychic Magical Mysteries (Pet Psychic Series #1-8)Pet Psychic Magical Mysteries by Erin Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This eight-book series was good in some ways. It was great for reading before sleep. I did like the main character’s attitude, but I hated the voice given to the dog by Hannah Somerville (narrator). It wasn’t bad enough to stop reading. That and the scoff sound before saying they scoffed, and that happened a lot. It’s still not enough to quit reading (listening). There was enough mystery involved that I wanted to see it all through. Not the murders, but how the main character would fix all the problems, or if she even could. Murder for the police is commonplace, so it was a vehicle to show off Jolene’s skills as a person who could hear animals speak. She pretends to be a pet psychic, but that cover brings her in to help solve the cases. It keeps the curious at bay. However, she has to hide her growls or tweets as she chats with the animals.

I don’t want you to think it is childish, but it is rather a fantasy, cozy mystery in every book. A fun book that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Well worth putting off other books while wading through all eight in a row.

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Everything I Never Told YouEverything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cassandra Campbell (Narrator) did a great job bringing this story to life. The funny thing is I read this long ago and gave it five stars. It was a Kindle version. It was way back when I didn’t bother writing a review, so I don’t know what I fell in love with.

The writing was excellent. And it did keep me guessing as to who might have done it or didn’t do it. But it is more about controversial issues for the parents and the children. And how a lack of 0f communication between family members can cause many problems. And maybe the feeling I had heard this story before makes me less in love with it now? I don’t know. It is a heartbreaker.

I finished reading this a few days ago and am just now writing this review. So, decide for yourself. This may be a great read for you!

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As the Wicked WatchAs the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Susan Dalian (Narrator) did a good job of reading this, but I would have liked it better had Tamron Hall used her own voice.

Still, it was too real for me. I really don’t like murder mysteries. Why can’t mysteries be more than that? Why make murder an everyday occurrence when, if you think about it, there are a lot of mysteries to look into that could save lives rather than seeing it from the deadly point of view?

Mostly, it was a difficult read at bedtime. That’s on me, I suppose.

I did like that Ms. Hall presented facts about racial inequalities and those inequalities that women go through. I liked the parts of the book about a struggling professional woman trying to make her way in the business Tamron knows well.

I will probably not read the rest of the series. But I am sure there are those who will love it, so don’t take my word for it. Try it. I was lucky to pick up my copy for Libby.

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Spelling the Tea (Vampire Tea Room Magical Mystery, #1)Spelling the Tea by Erin Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The narration of Hannah Somerville made this less fun than my previous reads of Erin Johnson’s vampire reads. Maybe it is because Hannah is missing the British accent? I don’t know. But I kept at it and made myself understand that this was a different character than the Knitting Store star. And I think that trick worked. By the end, I was enjoying this personality, her baggage, and desires almost as much as the previous series.

I have to admit that I am hooked on Ms. Johnson’s books. I just ordered the Pet Psychic series on Audible. I had a credit, after all.

This little mystery, though light, was intriguing. If you are looking for a fun read, I suggest any of Erin’s books

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