Review: CROOKS & NANNIES by Misty Simon

Fiction, Cozy Mystery

5*****

Blurb: A surprise visit from Roxy’s sister stirs up all kinds of chaos when a jilted lover is found dead at the Charmed Inn… The middle of summer is the busiest time of year for Roxy Gleason. So when the inn springs a few leaks, more than her usual handyman can handle, Roxy hires a father and son team to make quick and hopefully inconspicuous work of getting things back on track. It’s all going well until one of them is found dead in the basement among the wine racks.
Enter Roxy’s wanderlust sister that she hasn’t seen in months. She shows up unexpectedly as a nanny to a family vacationing at the inn. Roxy is thrilled to see her but when she’s tagged as the main suspect for the murder the hunt is on for the real culprit. Roxy will have one chance to get it right while she tests out the limits of her gift. It’s do or die but she’s not sure which is going to come out on top…

THOUGHTS: Misty Simon never fails to entertain with her witty cozy mysteries. They not only have the mystery, but quirky characters that make you laugh. Yes, there are dark moments – like the murders – but there are also lots of lighter times that let you know these characters could be real people. In this one, Roxy is gearing up for the Fourth of July with a full inn that includes her wayward sister (surprise) and a 200 year-old ghost (Earl) who uses a hidden pay phone to contact her. When an electrician who is looking into issues the inn is having is killed in the wine cellar, Roxy is determined to find out who the killer is before her sister gets blamed for it. She is still learning bibliomancy from her aunt and uncle, trying to run the inn, solve the murder, and keep a precocious 12-year-old from finding out all her secrets. Yes, I suspected who the perp was early on, but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book. I especially loved Earl and his ploys. And the “food fight” at the family dinner, enhanced by a spell from Roxy’s aunt, was a fun moment. Also, even though the mystery was solved, there were enough strings left dangling that you knew there will be more books to follow. I can’t wait to read more about Roxy, her magic powers with books, and the Charmed Inn.

Recommended.

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