Slow Hand by Victoria Vane (Source Books)

I'm not one to run after Erotica. I would say this is an Erotic romance. The characters in Slow Hand by Victoria Vane are so good. I had to keep reading. When the lovemaking became too hot and heavy, I passed over those places. However, Wade and Nikki's magnetism for one another is impossible to pass over. Let's say I peeked here and there. Anyway, the novel begins with a Damsel in Distress. In Montana because of her father's death, Nikki has to halt all business affairs. She loses her license, credit card, every important piece of paper with her. This is where Wade comes in. Wade is a sexy lawyer. It's impossible not to love him. Golly, he's so polite.As the magnetism between these two people grows,

Cruisin' Through The Cozies

http://socratesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2013/11/cruisin-thru-cozies-reading-challenge.html

1.The Cats That Surfed The Web by Karen Golden
2.Death by the Book by Julianna Dearing
3.By Hook or By Book by D.R. Meredith
4.Burnout by Teresa Trent
5.The Veiled Deception by Annette Blair
6.English Tea Murder by Leslie Meier
7.Rest In Pizza by Chris Cavender

Wrap up Post

I really enjoyed this Cozy challenge. I had my share of problems with links. Thanks for your patience, Yvonne. I do believe there were friendly, invisible ghosts or angels helping me along. I'm still nervous that something will go wrong. I have my fingers and feet crossed that everything is posted alright. I'm sorry for the boo-boos on your page.

Rest In Pizza by Chris Cavender

At this very moment, I can smell pizza baking in a pizzzeria oven. Eleanor along with her sister, Maddy, own a pizzzeria. They're always busy because customers around town love their pizza. However, there are times when something more important happens like a murder. When a very grouchy, snippety chef comes to town to sign and share his new book at the Bookmark, it isn't long before murder comes to town too. The chef is found sitting in The Slice with a knife stuck in his chest. There is no question whether it's murder. The only question is whodunnit. Eleanor and Maddy get involved with the investigation whether Detective Kevin Hurley wants them to or not. As a matter of fact, they find strong evidence and clues. As sleuths, they're just too good. It almost felt like no one else was working the case.

There aren't many suspects: Patrice, Cindy, Oliver, Jessie, Janet and Eleanor and Maddy. So, it's easy to keep up with who might have done the bad deed. Patrice,  wife of the Chef brings a lot of fun to the plot by drinking and drinking and drinking. Is she really as drunk as she seems?  

Of course, it wouldn't be a cozy without a little romance. Eleanor is a widow. She misses Joe, her husband, terribly. She has moved on and is in a relationship with David. It seems like it's working out fine. Maddy who is Eleanor's sister has been married four times. When Bob approaches her with marriage, she's hesitant. She and Eleanor have a falling out about what Eleanor won't tell Maddy. After all, Eleanor and Bob have been whispering about something. Eleanor promised Bob she wouldn't tell Maddy any part of the secret conversation. As far as Eleanor is concerned, their business is their business.

I liked the tension between Maddy and Eleanor. Like real sisters, they don't agree on every single thing that comes along. Maddy sticks to her opinion longer than Eleanor. So there can be a few moments of hot silence between the two. Not to worry, they always kiss and make up. Really, they have to make up because they work together in The Slice. 

I enjoyed Rest In Pizza by Chris Cavender. I didn't like my murder happening at the very beginning. I like to wait for about two chapters. I also like more suspects in a cozy. Makes it harder to figure out who is the true crime person. I loved the bookstore, the Bookmark. I hope Cindy will have another opening twice as successful. 

The relationships in the cozy are fun. Cindy and Janet are mother and daughter. It's also fun  that so many people know the Chef before he rolls into town. Some of the relationships are quite surprising. After while it began to become irksome with Maddy and Eleanor finding hard evidence before Kevin Hurley could get his hands on it. Plus, he seemed to swallow their involvement and good ability with sweet tolerance. Yuck! I wanted him to get steaming hot at those two for intruding on his case. 

All in all it's a good cozy. By the time the cozy ended, I had overdosed on pizza. I don't think any salad is served or hot Italian rolls. It's pizza, pizza, pizza. So I wasn't too excited about the few pizza recipes at the end of the book. I will have to let the book rest for a couple of weeks while my taste for pizza grows again. Then, I will appreciate the recipes in the back of the book. It's a welcome relief when Eleanor goes next door to the pastry shop and eats a donut or two not laced with cheese or pepperoni. It's a fun book.  http://www.cozy-mystery.com/Chris-Cavender.html

The Cats That Surfed The Web by Karen Golden

I enjoyed this cozy mystery so much. It's about a woman named Katherine. When she receives word of an inheritance from a great aunt for over forty million dollars, she finds herself leaving New York to live in Erie, Indiana for at least one year. If she doesn't live in her great aunt's huge Victorian mansion, she will forfeit the inheritance. So she take her three cats, Iris, Scout and Lilac and a friend named Colleen and heads for Erie. What happens there is shocking and bewildering. There is all sorts of murder and mayhem going on which drive her cats nuts. I never did figure out the solution to the mystery. However, I did love the solution. It made perfect sense. I am looking forward to another cozy mystery by Karen Anne Golden. By the way, there is a logical reason for the title The Cats That Surfed The Web.http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Anne-Golden

English Tea Murder by Leslie Meier

Lucy Stone, Sue and Pam have just returned from a trip. They traveled from the United States to England. I enjoyed reading about England in Leslie Meier's English Tea Murder cozy. Lucy Stone and her group are traveling along with another group. One of the men has a serious case of Asthma. One man, Dr. Cope, is a Medical doctor. There are two or three college students. One young man's mother is along for the trip and a few other people. I enjoyed their travels around England because Leslie Meier writes about the foods, the historical sites and the hotels in such a realistic way. Believe me, the author doesn't romanticize England like I might have wished. Some places are described as old due to Europe's age and also the blasting of bombs during the Blitz. 

Who gets murdered and the motivation for murdering that person is very interesting. Since there are two murders unless I can't count, I don't see why Leslie Meier didn't use the title "English Tea Murders" instead of English Tea Murder. What am I missing? I hope it wasn't her idea for a red herring spoiled by me.

Although, as I wrote, the murders and motives are interesting, the cozy seemed more like a fictional travelogue. I feel the bulk of the pages are about scones, tea, Devonshire Cream, Stonehenge, the Abbey, the Tower, etc. Perhaps, the author had taken a trip and wanted to write about it. Anyway, the murders take a back seat in the airplane while she wrote about Harrods. 

Since I like travel, it didn't bother me. If you want more murder than tourist attractions, this book might be disappointing. I've read a couple of Leslie Meier's long list of cozies. I happen to love Lucy Stone. So I ended up a happy camper.  http://www.lesliemeierbooks.com/

Burn Out by Teresa Trent

Rocky runs the Pecan Bayou Gazette. Unfortunately, his building catches fire with him in it.  I felt pretty sad about Rocky, but Betsy and her husband, Leo, and two boys had enough problems going on that I didn't worry about Rocky. I just had fun. There is a lot of humor in this cozy. I had to laugh as Betsy used a pink boxed pregnancy test to show what it's like to live in a small town. I always thought living in a small town would be great. After all, I would know everybody and everybody would know me. Now, I'm not so sure about my reasoning. Betsy goes to the pharmacy to quickly and secretly buy a pregnancy test. Impossible. At least, it's impossible in Pecan Bayou, Texas. She switches the pregnancy test off to so many ladies just to get the box in her house  that it's like playing musical chairs with this boxed test. With all her secrecy one lady comes to her with a pink blanket for her soon coming baby girl. Well, how does she know it's a girl when Betsy doesn't even know if she's really pregnant? Oh, it's a laugh a minute. Before she's out the door, the cashier calls a friend. "Guess who just bought a boxed pregnancy test?" It's amazing.

With all of Betsy's sick stomach spells, she still has time to try and find out who burnt up the Gazette with Rocky in it. There is a big red herring here. It's a good one too. However, the solution to the murder seemed slightly shallow to me.  To me, it didn't the motive didn't make sense. Why.....? Oh well, the reader will have to read this part. I won't give spoilers. 

Altogether I like Pecan Bayou and the people in the town. I am anxious to read the first book in the series. I thought it was interesting how Leo, Betsy's new husband, made her think of her first husband who left her after he found out she was pregnant. Betsy isn't sure whether Leo will do the same thing. She has a feeling his working late as a policeman down at the station isn't the whole truth. 

There are any number of twigs which are really thick branches to discuss in the cozy. All of which are making Betsy act anxious. She thinks, except for the upchucking, she's acting fine. Zach is her son while Tyler is Leo's son. Tyler is acting perfectly fine. Zach is beginning to act like a man before he's a boy. So you can tell there is a lot going on in Pecan Bayou not to mention again there is no newspaperman or building to print out all the local news. This is an important time. The wrong time for Rocky to go missing. It's Thanksgiving and Christmas will follow soon. Who in the world murdered Rocky and burnt the Gazette down? While you're wondering who murdered Rocky, at the end of the cozy there are quite a few recipes like Pumpkin Squares which is a story in itself. Since Betsy is known for her published hints like how to clean up doggie urine, there are hints in the back of the book also. http://teresatrent.com/

Death by the Book By Julianna Deering (BETHANY HOUSE)

It is 1932 in Farthering St. John, England. The quiet community is interrupted by a series of murders. Each murder is similar. There is a handwritten note pinned to the front of the bodies. On the note is a quote from a play. The note is pinned to the front of the body with a Victorian hat pin. The handwriting is always the same. Other than the similarites in the way the bodies are left, there is nothing else. Just very hard cases to solve. Between Inspector Birdsong and his unasked amateur sleuth, Drew and Madeleine, the love interest of Drew and a friend named Nick, these seem like unsolvable crimes. Finally, the wrong man, sweet Roger, ends up in a prison cell. Death by the Book by JULIANNA DEERING is wicked fun at its best. There is even a cantankerous aunt, Aunt Ruth, from America. She is related to Madeleine. There is also an American tourist, Freddie. This is not a Christian mystery which is sweetie pie and peaches. It's a mystery with Christian messages underlying the plot like Drew's calling on God's protection when he was in real danger. However the plot and characters are three dimensional. The Thirties come alive in this small village with the old man who rides his bike regularly and a time when every one knew their neighbors name, and people like Aunt Ruth weren't scared to speak their mind.

I look forward to reading more or all of Julianna Deering's Christian mysteries. By the way, I never did figure out whodunnit which is wonderful. I did learn the name of a new poison, Veronal. I am always use to seeing Laudanum and Arsenic in the classic mysteries from the past. I thoroughly enjoyed the romance between Drew and Madeleine. What a fine man! He's a great sleuth and a charmer.

I had a couple of problems. After Roger was put in jail,  he seemed to have gotten lost there. Did the author forget to go back and get him released? He was such a nice guy. Some characters you just knew couldn't have committed such horrible crimes. Since I love estates, I would have also liked to see descriptions of the estate: vintage pieces of art, busts, wallpaper, an antique table described. I didn't feel like I ever sat down in a room.  Thank goodness for Mr. Chambers. I do like a mystery with a cat or dog. Is it possible to have a good mystery without one of these furry dolls roaming around the estate or community? Loved it. juliannadeering

The Cats Who Surfed The Web by Karen Golden

"Two years ago she bought an Abyssinian female from a breeder in Wisconsin. I personally drove her up there to pick up the kitten."

Canyon by Brenda Jackson

I have fallen in love with Colorado. If I had the chance to visit Colorado, I would have one disappointment. The Westmorelands would not live near by or any where. I would definitely want to visit them. Canyon is only one of the many brothers, cousins, etc. Canyon by Brenda Jackson is not only about love and romance. It is also about family and the importance of forgiveness.

I think it was most hardest for Keisha to learn the gift of forgiveness. Keisha could easily see the bad and not the good in the other person. This character trait led her to make a huge, awful judgment about her true love, Canyon Westmoreland. Then, she also had to learn the hard lesson of forgiving herself. Canyon's love for Keisha is true. His love for her is as wide as the Grand Canyon. He seems able to forgive her so easily. He is also able to teach Keisha how to forgive herself. The reason for Canyon's name made me chuckle.

In Canyon, she draws on her suspense and mystery gloves along with her psychological gloves. Reading this novel helped me to see the intricacy of forgiveness. There is more to forgiveness than the three words "I forgive you." Reading about Keisha learning this lesson for the sake of herself, Beau, Canyon, her mom and Kenneth Drews and the Westmoreland family is fascinating. There were times I wanted to not forgive a character. A couple of characters walked on my last nerve. For example, Kenneth Drew is Keisha's father. From the beginning he says Keisha is not his child.  He breaks Keisha's mother's heart. Only after fifteen years does he meet and accept Keisha. Then, there is Bonita. When I met her, she had died in a car crash. That didn't stop me from wanting to pull her out of the grave and shake her. She is a terrible friend to Keisha and hurts her love, Michael. This is where Brenda Jackson delves deeply into the Mental Health world.  Canyon by Brenda Jackson is powerful. I now am ready to meet the rest of the Westmorelands. Can't say when but meeting them is definitely on my agenda. I might spend this evening looking up at the sky for "Flash" with Music of the Night playing in the background. This is definitely a starry, bright romance.http://www.brendajackson.net/

Dangerous Intentions by Donna Hill

Michelene Tyner lives in Louisiana. She owns her business. It's a shopping service called Exclusively Yours. Her business is about finding expensive art, clothing, shoes, office furnishings etc. for her clients. All of whom are rich and want only the best in their homes and on their bodies. Michelene is single. Her best friend is Lisa Renoir. Lisa Renoir owns The Gallery. She sells high end art that only the rich can afford. The novel drastically changes when Lisa Renoir is found in her home on the Bayou murdered. Michelene takes the news badly. She and Lisa were like sisters. However, before the murder Lisa had began to pull away and become very secretive about the man whom she was dating. In Dangerous Intentions by Donna Hill, all sorts of issues come into play such as interracial dating, secrecy, greed, theft.

 This question remained with me. Is it possible to have a best friend, one like a sister, and not really know her at all? This is Michelene's struggle. Did she ever really know the real Lisa Renoir? I found that question fascinating. Lisa Renoir appears strong and confident and happy. Really, she was needy and insecure.

All of the relationships are complicated and quite interesting fitting in with a complicated murder. Celeste Renoir, Lisa's mother, seemed odd to me. The words from her mouth are that she is a very grief stricken mother, and I think Donna Hill wanted her to seem like a very distressed mother, but she came across as cold, distant and demanding.

I truly enjoyed the novel. It was hard to put down. Liked the setting of Lisa's house, way, way back in a wooded area where anything could go down without anyone knowing what was happening. Percy is very interesting. Will not say more about him for fear of ruining the novel.  Again, I enjoyed it, and always have enjoyed a Donna Hill novel when I could get my hands on one. donnahill.com

Death By The Book by JULIANNA DEERLING

It is 1932 in Farthering St. John, England. The quiet community is interrupted by a series of murders. Each murder is similar. There is a handwritten note pinned to the front of the bodies. On the note is a quote from a play. The note is pinned to the front of the body with a Victorian hat pin. The handwriting is always the same. Other than the similarites in the way the bodies are left, there is nothing else. Just very hard cases to solve. Between Inspector Birdsong and his unasked amateur sleuth, Drew and Madeleine, the love interest of Drew and a friend named Nick, these seem like unsolvable crimes. Finally, the wrong man, sweet Roger, ends up in a prison cell. Death by the Book by JULIANNA DEERING is wicked fun at its best. There is even a cantankerous aunt, Aunt Ruth, from America. She is related to Madeleine. There is also an American tourist, Freddie. This is not a Christian mystery which is sweetie pie and peaches. It's a mystery with Christian messages underlying the plot like Drew's calling on God's protection when he was in real danger. However the plot and characters are three dimensional. The Thirties come alive in this small village with the old man who rides his bike regularly and a time when every one knew their neighbors name, and people like Aunt Ruth weren't scared to speak their mind.

I look forward to reading more or all of Julianna Deering's Christian mysteries. By the way, I never did figure out whodunnit which is wonderful. I did learn the name of a new poison, Veronal. I am always use to seeing Laudanum and Arsenic in the classic mysteries from the past. I thoroughly enjoyed the romance between Drew and Madeleine. What a fine man! He's a great sleuth and a charmer.

I had a couple of problems. After Roger was put in jail,  he seemed to have gotten lost there. Did the author forget to go back and get him released? He was such a nice guy. Some characters you just knew couldn't have committed such horrible crimes. Since I love estates, I would have also liked to see descriptions of the estate: vintage pieces of art, busts, wallpaper, an antique table described. I didn't feel like I ever sat down in a room.  Thank goodness for Mr. Chambers. I do like a mystery with a cat or dog. Is it possible to have a good mystery without one of these furry dolls roaming around the estate or community? Loved it. juliannadeering

The Veiled Deception by Annette Blair

Madeira who is nicknamed Maddie lives in Mystic Falls, Connecticut. Her most important goal for the year is to get her sister, Sherry's, wedding off to a great start. She is redoing the VanCourtland bridal gown which has come down through the family of Sherry's husband. Maddie will do a beautiful job because her passion is working with Vintage clothing.

However, no one expects Justin's ex-girlfriend's body to show up dead before the wedding day. Strangled with the wedding veil?? Perhaps.

I also enjoyed reading about the Vintage wedding gown, Bruges lace, etc. The solution to the mystery is amazingly romantic, tragic and challenging to figure out. The solution left me thinking of the beauty of family. I also left to think what is taken from us whether fairly or unfairly can never be regained. The time is gone.

One other problem the slang "scrap" drove me nuts. It didn't roll off my tongue easily at least, not until the end of the novel. Now I'm ready for Annette Blair's next Vintage clothing cozy. When I see "scrap," I'll throw it off my tongue very easily. Looking forward to reading this whole cozy series. A Veiled Deception is definitely deceptive. I could have never put the pieces together. [...]

Season of the Witch by NATASHA MOSTERT

"From inside the house, the sound of the violin was much clearer now and he recognised the music. 'Andante cantabile'. Tchaikovsky's string quartet no. 1, opus 11. The estatic notes struck a fugitive chord of memory. The last time he had listened to this piece there was a fire burning in the hearth, a bowl of drooping apricot roses on the dark wooden table and next to it three glasses filled with red wine waiting on a silver tray."http://youtu.be/zl3ckjAgxqI

By Hook Or By Book by D.R. Meredith

Murder By The Yard Book Store is giving a convention. Although Agnes is the owner of the book store, Megan will head the convention about string figures. She has invited Dr. Brownleigh. He owns the famous, authentic manuscript of Caroline Furness Jayne. Ms. Jayne was an expert about string figures from different cultures. However, all of Megan's plans will go awry when murder or murders enter the door of Murder By The Yard Book Store.

I did not know until this mystery how important string figures are in different cultures. I had no idea there was a book written on the subject. I enjoyed learning the names of different string figure arrangements. For those who have time there are instructions at the beginning of each chapter in the book on how to make a particular stick figure.

I have read the first book in this series. So I was already familiar with the relationship between Megan and Ryan. He is her childhood friend's father. Therefore, he is much older than Megan. This does not keep him from being very attracted to Megan. However, Megan is so busy playing detective she does not have time to see Ryan's gleam in the eye or to think about her feelings about him. I wonder if this relationship will grow in the next book. When she's not playing detective, Megan is a Paleopathologist.

I did have trouble with Megan interviewing the string figure enthusiasts at the book store. Jerry Carr the in house detective seems never to find out about Megan's plan to catch the murderer or murderers. How could he so mysteriously go out of pocket at the perfect time?? It's odd because Megan's plan is so intricate. I mean she has guests and the store book owner hiding behind a bush, in closets, behind a chair, etc. This part seemed really far out even for a cozy. I expected for Mr. Carr to go walk in on this play at a murder solution and scream bloody murder. He doesn't show.

I still love this series and enjoyed By Hook Or By Book by D. R. MERDITH. Will read the other books and hope the series continues for a long, long time. amazon.com/D.-R.-Meredith

By Hook Or By Book by D. R. Meredith

"So what do we have? Brownleigh has the rumored lost Caroline Furness Jayne manuscript which he offers to sell to the highest bidder. Those bidding are Rosemary and Herb from Murder by the Yard, although all of us made appointments to see it;"