Review: DEATH BY DREIDEL by Susie Black

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal

4****

Blurb: Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik attends an industry Hanukkah party to honor Rapido Swimwear CEO Leni Waxman as the Mount Cedars Hospital Woman of the Year. The guest of honor collapses and dies in the middle of the event. An autopsy confirms that industry bully Leni expired as a result of poisoning by coming in contact with a purposely contaminated dreidel. When Holly’s business partner is wrongly arrested for Leni’s murder, the wise-cracking, irreverent snoop sticks her nose everywhere it doesn’t belong to flesh out the real killer. But the trail has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster and nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she takes on a ruthless killer hellbent on revenge.

THOUGHTS: Author Susie Black has done it again in this continuation of the Mermaid Swimwear series with a touch of paranormal (ghosts). In this one, Holly Schlivnik and her friends are trying to figure out who killed Leni Waxman – a nasty competitor – and help out their innocent designer. In addition, she’s still juggling relationships with Buddy and Miguel (helped along by Buddy’s ghostly mother and daughter). There are some obvious perps, but the cops focus strictly on Holly’s designer. So she goes forward to figure out the real killer—nearly getting killed herself. I will admit, I pretty much knew who the real killer was early on and what was used (though not how – interesting!).

What I liked: The witty writing. Holly and her buddies are well-done characters. The descriptions of the swimwear companies shows the author’s knowledge. I also loved the Hanukkah party with all the blue and white decorations, the explanations of the dreidel game, and more. And the New Year’s Eve fiasco turned party was perfect. Nicely done.

Recommended.

Review: A WITCH’S TAIL by Melanie Snow

Fiction, Paranormal Cozy Mystery, first in series

3***

Blurb: Can she awaken her dormant powers and stop a desperate killer destroying the forest? Sarah Spellwood feels she’s hit bottom. Divorced and jobless, she relocates to the enchanting village of Witchland intent on solving the murder of her late mentor. But as she pursues clues buried in the man’s fight to save the endangered forest-dwelling lynx, she makes an enemy of a ruthless land developer. Encountering fairies in the woods, Sarah discovers she’s been repressing unique gifts passed down from her ancestor and founding witch, Lativia Spellwood. But though she can now hear her deceased friend’s dog speak, she isn’t sure her abilities are enough to expose the greed and corruption covering a killer’s lies. Can Sarah work with the magical beings to bring a murderer to justice? Witch’s Tail is the charming first book in the light-hearted The Spellwood Witches cozy mystery series. If you like paranormal puzzles, delightful canine companions, and environmental enlightenment, then you’ll love Melanie Snow’s wagging-ly fun whodunit.

THOUGHTS: I really wanted to like this story more than I did. It was okay. Not great, not awful. The plot was intriguing – a woman-lawyer is hit with a divorce, throws herself into her job, but then loses that, and her mentor and friend is killed. She inherits his house/law business and dog and moves from the big city (NY) to the small town of Witchland, where her family is from. Her ancestor, Lativia, founded the town and still protects it as a ghost with the help of tiny fairies. With their help, she also discovers her own powers, including being able to talk to her dog. Her first job is to keep a crooked developer from taking over and destroying the nearby forest. She also discovers that her mentor was murdered and is determined to prove that.

Things I liked: the fairies! They were hilarious, especially when they kept moving the things in Sarah’s house back to the way her mentor had them and not the way she wants them. The dog is interesting too. I like the way Sarah finally solves her mentor’s murder.

Things I didn’t like: The instant attraction between the hunky sheriff and Sarah, even though he doesn’t believe her. And hitting us over the head with how handsome he is way too many times. The story itself read more like a book for a much younger reader – the subject matter was adult, the writing wasn’t.

Review: WHISPERS THROUGH TIME by Rosetta Diane Hoessli

Fiction, Romance,

5*****

Blurb: The only man Sierra Masters has ever loved appears with a proposition that could alter her future. She turns him down, but then after experiencing a foretelling dream, decides to take a risk in order to uncover the truth. Hunter Davenport realizes the evidence he’s shared with Sierra could indeed destroy her—but it could free her as well. The decision is yanked from her hands when the past and present collide through a historical portal on sacred Native American land. Will she take the gift that is offered? And will Hunter do what he didn’t do twelve years earlier—stand by her? Only time will give them their answers.

THOUGHTS: This is a clever, well-constructed story that is part current time, part glimpses into the past. A past that is both true and tragic. Based in part on actual events that occurred in South Dakota in the 1880s and the 1970s, the story centers around the Pine Ridge Lakota tribe. As the daughter of a history buff, I grew up knowing about Wounded Knee and the events that transpired there.

In this book, Sierra Masters’ old flame, Hunter, shows up at her home one day with photos that shock her and change everything she ever knew. Hunter is a film documentarian. She discovers that she was adopted and that her parents were part of the fight between the Native Americans and corrupted government. The descriptions of the Badlands are beautifully done, putting you right there in that stark landscape. But what really draws you in are the descriptions of the massacres that took place and the awful treatment at the hands of the white men. The terror and devastation are real. And Sierra “sees” it all as it happened.

Meeting her “real” family for the first time has a profound affect on Sierra. In addition, she finds herself falling again for Hunter as he stands with her through all the action. The two of them uncover a crooked ring of black-market relic sellers and help restore some sacred relics to the tribe. Sierra finds her birth family while still staying close to her adoptive family and she and Hunter find each other again.

An evocative story with deeper meaning than just a good read – though it is definitely that. I also loved the reading list at the end so the reader can find out more information on this period of history.

Recommended.

Blurb: Casey came to Wyoming to mend her heart. Chance returned to face the past. They meet, and love blooms like the blue lupine in the valley. But will two broken hearts heal before summer’s end? Widowed single mom Casey Girard hopes time in Wyoming will help her recover from a tragic loss. Working as a cook at the North Star ranch for the summer offers an opportunity to start life over near the beautiful Grand Teton Mountains. Ex-rodeo champ and prodigal son of the North Star, Chance McCord returns to face a family still divided by their own painful past. To overcome the estrangement, he needs to find a way to face his own haunting memories. Chance and Casey meet, and the attraction is undeniable and blooms like the blue lupine in the valley. But can they learn to put their pasts to rest and trust one another so love can grow?

Purchase Links:  https://wildrosepress.com/product/chances-return/

Author Bio: Lucy Naylor Kubash has been writing for most of her life. She began her career writing short romance stories for Woman’s World magazine and now writes contemporary romance for The Wild Rose Press. Lucy has penned a column, The Pet Corner, for nearly 25 years, that advocates for homeless pets and animal rescue. She lives in Michigan, with her husband of over 50 years, where they enjoy spending time with their two grown children, an assortment of pets, and traveling whenever possible.

Website: http://lucynaylorkubash.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LucyNaylorKubash

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/lucykubash_author

Amazon:  https://tinyurl.com/2t4k6x7j

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2966398.Lucy_Naylor_Kubash

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lucy-naylor-kubash

Blue Sky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lucynaylorkubash.bsky.social

Blurb: What do you do when the past you start to remember is quickly becoming a past you wished would stay forgotten? On the surface, Samantha Walker is your average human. She’s working hard to rebuild her future, but there’s more than one fanged skeleton in her closet and they’re about to be released. In the sleepy town of Glenwood this should’ve been a piece of cake, but when mystery man, Deacon Vasileios, shows up at her feet bleeding from a gunshot wound her life gets turned upside down. Something about him isn’t human, but the glow of his icy blue eyes holds all the keys to unlock her past. People she thought she trusted are lying to her as she struggles to understand her twisted memories. Hunters want to use her while an alpha wants her to become his. As the fire rekindles between Samantha and Deacon, she must make a choice. Is her life in fate’s hands or is she in control? Choices are dangerous things to make.
Buy Links:

Barnes & Noble

Wild Rose Press

Amazon

Apple books, Walmart, Target and more!

Bio: Tashia L. Fugate lives in Kentucky with her husband and their family. She is the author of Silver and Aconite, the first book in A Prophecy of Blood and Flowers series. She began writing this series in college but has always used her imagination to create different characters and worlds. In the summer she gardens and can usually be found on a walk or in her craft room. She enjoys painting and drawing, but her greatest joy is reading. There’s no place she would go without a good book in hand. You can visit her online via TikTok, Instagram or Facebook (@tashialfugate).

Blurb: Enter the world of witches and lose your pound of flesh… Cassandra Poole loses her hearing when an alluring stranger touches her in her family’s apothecary. With her loss, she gains the ability to detect witches, but she will stop at nothing to find a cure, even if it means turning over other witches to the witch hunter, Lord Lyme. Niko Moore, the stranger, has powerful empathic abilities. He wants witches to remain free to cherish their abilities, but he must stand against the woman he has fallen for or risk betraying his fellow witches. Cassandra must choose who to trust, risking more than her hearing but also her humanity.

Goodreads

Shop: 

https://bookshop.org/shop/Maethorn

Author bio: Mae Thorn enjoys being romanced and terrified- a combination not normally found in books so she writes them. Her favorite stories include kickass women and the men they fall for. She writes historical romance, fantasy, and horror. She has published three historical romance books: Notorious, Dangerous, and Rebellious. Her newest book is a historical fantasy romance, Without Words. Mae holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University. She is the co-president of the League of Utah Writers Romance Chapter, and she lives near Salt Lake City, Utah with her cats; Church, Shadow Moon, and Sabrina, and a puppy, Whiskey.

Maethorn.com 

https://linktr.ee/maethornwrites

REVIEW: RED SHADOWS AT SAUGATUCK by Randy Overbeck

Fiction, Paranormal Mystery

5*****

Blurb: Darrell Henshaw hoped he was past it all. After all, no ghosts had visited him for years. Instead, he learns his five-year-old-son, Leo, has inherited his gift. Now, they both can see ghosts. Upon his parents insistence, Darrell drives his young family 800 miles to celebrate his aunt Gertrude s 80th birthday. But, once they arrive in the resort town of Saugatuck, Michigan, their participation gets derailed by the spirit of a Native teen who went missing weeks earlier. When he and Leo inquire about the girl, the locals dismiss their concerns “Those girls run away all the time. Still, as questions pile up and threats grow, Darrell senses they may have stumbled onto something far worse and even more evil than one missing teen. Can Darrell continue to pursue justice for the girl if it places his wife and son in danger?

THOUGHTS: This is the fourth book in the author’s Haunted Shores Mysteries. In this one, the main character, Darrell, his wife and 5-year-old son, Leo, drive from Maryland to Michigan to help his aunt celebrate her eightieth birthday. Along the way, Darrell discovers that his son has inherited his “gift” of being able to see ghosts. At a stop outside of Pittsburg, they visit a historical site of the Monogahela tribes. While there, an old Native man tells Darrell that he must help the Michigan tribes find the lost ones. At another stop, Leo sees a “missing” poster for a young Native American woman and Darrell realizes that this is what the old man was tasking him with. But helping out these ghosts is the last thing Darrell wants to get involved with. Unfortunately, the fates have different plans for him as both he and Leo see the ghost of the missing Sheila and learn that she is not the only one to have gone missing recently. While trying to enjoy family time, they discover there are darker things going on in the small town of Saugatuck and the surrounding area.

I enjoyed the settings that are based on the actual town of Saugatuck and area and the historical and cultural descriptions of the area. Yes, there are some “fictional” areas, but a lot of the story takes place in real places. And the plight of missing Native American women and girls is very real and tragic. The story is entertaining while still touching on reality and has a (mostly) satisfying ending in that they get justice for Sheila…but what about the real ones who are actually missing?

Recommended.

SECRETS, SHAME, AND A SHOEBOX by L.B. Griffin

Fiction, Historical (1960s)

4****

Blurb: When Harriet Laws loses her grandmother and her job, her happy life in London seems over. Alone, grief-stricken and penniless, she thinks wildly of ending it all. Fate steps in as Tom Fletcher saves her, gives her hope, and guides her to new employment. He takes her to dinner, and she finds him attractive. He’s older, but she doesn’t mind. Does he? Tom, a quiet, hardworking man, is unsure of Harriet’s feelings, but he’s also very busy building his business interests. So it’s no wonder a suave, sophisticated fellow walks off with Harriet right under Tom’s nose. What follows, no one could have predicted, as Harriet not only loses contact with all her friends but must again fight for her very life…will she ever see Tom again?

THOUGHTS: This story is partly historical fiction (1950s-60s) and partly romance. It takes place in London and centers around one young woman, Harriet. At the outset of the story, she lives in a slum-like apartment with her grandmother. With the death of her granny and loss of her job, she doesn’t know what she’s going to do. Their friends in the slums rally around her and with help, she manages to find another job, another place to live, and new friends.

Throughout the story, the author portrays Harriet as a kind, caring individual who struggles against odds. She has a gentleman friend, but marries someone else. Unfortunately, life took another nasty turn as her husband was an abuser. She gets the nerve to escape, but is found. When her husband is killed, she is considered the main suspect. Eventually found innocent, she is determined to move forward, and possibly help other women who are in danger.

I loved how the author showed passage of time through little historical tidbits and musical clues. This is almost a coming-of-age story in that Harriet grows from naive young woman (older teenager) to a woman of means who wants only to help others stand up for themselves and live good lives. There were a few threads left dangling that I wish had been answered, but they were minor ones. This isn’t a fast, full-of-action story, but it is an intriguing one that keeps you reading. I will note, that there are often point-of-view jumps that jarred me a few times, but overall, a good story.

Recommended.

Blurb: Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik attends an industry Hanukkah party to honor Rapido Swimwear CEO Leni Waxman as the Mount Cedars Hospital Woman of the Year. The guest of honor collapses and dies in the middle of the event. An autopsy confirms that Leni expired as a result of poisoning by coming in contact with a purposely contaminated dreidel. There is no shortage of suspects—Leni had no problem destroying anyone who threatened her top-dog swimwear industry position. When Holly’s business partner is wrongly arrested for Leni’s murder, the irreverent sales exec can’t mind her own beeswax. The wise-cracking snoop sticks her nose everywhere it doesn’t belong to flesh out the real killer. But the trail has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster and nothing turns out how Holly thinks it will as she takes on a ruthless killer hellbent on revenge.

Goodreads:

Amazon: Amazon.com : Death by Dreidel

Barnes & Noble:

IBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/death-by-dreidel/id6743085030

Book Bub

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries. She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred
from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector and
sailor. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck
adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.
Looking for more? Contact Susie at:
Website: www.authorsusieblack.com
E-mail: mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

Blurb: Family tradition dictates the women go home to Wales to find a husband, but it’s 1966 and Tegan Lewis, daughter of a wealthy Colombian cattle rancher, rejects this old-fashioned idea. And she’s going to marry Luís, son of a local politician with ambitions. But when it comes to it, she can’t bend to his desire to turn her into a society lady. Deeply hurt that he doesn’t understand her need to prioritise the ranch while her father is recovering from cancer, she makes a complete break with him and ends up on a journey half way across the world – to a remote Welsh village and a chance to discover her roots. She’s certainly not looking for love, but high in the Brecon Beacons, she meets sheep farmer Hywel Davies – handsome, intense and with a tragic past – and soon realises how shallow her previous relationship was. Divided by two very different cultures and 5,000 miles of ocean, can they find a way to make a life together?

Let Love find a Way published by The Silent Room https://amzn.eu/d/gHMpQkC 

Author Biography – Mary Georgina de Grey

After a children’s adventure story which I produced in my early 20s, which sank immediately, I wrote no fiction until about ten years ago. At that point, I was creating languages courses for schools and one editor asked me to produce a pack of French short stories and poems – and I was off on my writer’s journey: I enjoyed this dip into fiction so much, I had to write a novel. But life was busy, and it wasn’t until lockdown that I began to write seriously. As a linguist, I find it logical to use the setting of countries I’ve lived and worked in, and this forces me to try to understand the culture and how it affects anyone with a different background. Stuck at home, I wanted to travel, and Italy glowed in my mind as a desirable place to visit, and so my first published novel began. Then The Earth Moved was published in March 2023. The main character in my novels is always a strong young woman determined to make her way in the world and each novel has a love story at its centre. I live on the beautiful English Riviera in the UK with my artist husband where I indulge in my passions of writing, reading and desperately trying to control my garden.

Website: https:// https://marygeorginadegreyauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086424198194

Email: marygeorginadg@gmail.com for newsletter and other enquiries.

I have since written three further novels in the romance and romantic suspense genres:

Then the Earth Moved https://amzn.eu/d/fNtaXHK  (Italy)

Let Love Find a Way  https://amzn.eu/d/gHMpQkC  (Wales and Colombia)

Then Time Stands Still  https://amzn.eu/d/1pGgH5Q  (Spain)

The Disappeared is romantic suspense and not yet published. (Colombia)