Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns

 Murder is a Piece of Cake

Book Summary

With small town New Bison’s Spring Festival just around the corner, the pressure is on Maddy to continue her late great-aunt Octavia’s legacy. That means scoring the top prize and transforming Baby Cakes into Southwest Michigan’s must-visit bakery, even though her inexperience in the kitchen brings nightmares of humiliating tagged photos and scathing reviews.
 
There’s another reason for lost beauty sleep. A second bakery is opening in town under the ownership of CJ Davenport, a shrewd investor with a reputation for sabotaging anyone who gets in his way. And savvy, flashy Maddy tops his list. It’s a sticky spot to be in—more so when Davenport turns up dead with a Baby Cakes’s knife stuck in his back.
 
Maddy’s whole life just went from #thriving to barely surviving. Now, supported by the crafty Baker Street Irregulars and her new boyfriend, she must find the courage to face off against a killer who could very well get her name trending for the first and last time . . .

My Thoughts

Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns is the second book in A Baker Street Mysteries.  It can be read as a standalone for those who did not read Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder.  We return to New Bison, Michigan where Maddy is getting ready to reopen Baby Cakes, the bakery she inherited from her great aunt, Octavia.  Maddy wants the opening to coincide with New Bison’s Spring Festival.  Maddy is still learning to bake and, naturally, makes mistakes.  Of course, most people’s mistakes are not online for all to see.  Maddy likes to take pictures (of food, events, etc.) and post them online with hashtags.  I quickly tired of the hashtags (there were too many).  The first half of the book deals with the setup.   It was obvious who would die.  The victim was not a nice guy.   Maddy and her friends work to solve the mystery.    Maddy is determined to find the guilty party which will clear her friends.  The killer can easily be identified along with the why (there might as well have been a neon sign over the killer’s head).  The reveal felt rushed.  I was left with some lingering questions.  

I have a feeling that residents of New Bison have more secrets that will come to light in the future.  I wonder, though, how many murders can occur in one small town (soon the tourists will stay away in droves). Maddy seemed a touch more grounded in this book than in the first.  She has made some good changes to the bakery and, hopefully, it will get to open to the public soon.  I like the discovery they made concerning the bakery (sorry, but it is a spoiler).   I love Maddy’s dog, Baby (I like big dogs).  Baby is the highlight of the story.  Murder is a Piece of Cake is a lighthearted cozy mystery with whipped egg whites, a horrible husband, a lovesick mastiff, a setup sheriff, copious hashtags, and a probing baker.

Murder is a Piece of Cake is available from Amazon*.  The first A Baker Street Mystery is Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder.  Valerie Burns writes cozy mysteries using the non de plume V.M. Burns.  Thank you for joining me today.  I will return on July 11 with Must Love Flowers by Debbie Macomber.  I am taking a little break to rest and recover.  I injured my back courtesy of cat, Dickens. She lives up to her name.  I was hoping that she would settle down as she became older (she turned thirteen at Easter). Unfortunately for me, Dickens has become livelier with each passing day.  I was going down the steps and Dickens thought it would be fun to run between my feet.  I am grateful that I did not break any bones.   I hope that you have a fun and safe Fourth of July.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

How many of you read under the covers with a flashlight as a child?

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

A Single Dad in Amish Country by Patricia Johns

 A Single Dad in Amish Country

Book Summary

He wants security…

She wants the chance to fly

All single mom and soon-to-be commercial pilot Hazel Dobbs expects from her Amish B&B vacation is gorgeous farmland, fresh air and delicious food. No one mentioned handsome landscaper Joe Carter—or his irrepressible little girl. Suddenly Hazel sees the possibilities of a whole new family. But with her biggest dream finally on the horizon, falling in love looks like the ultimate crash landing…

My Thoughts

A Single Dad in Amish Country by Patricia Johns is a story that I enjoyed reading.  Hazel Dobbs and Joe Carter are both single parents, but they are at different points in their lives.  Hazel’s daughter is grown, and Hazel has just gotten her dream job as a pilot for an airline.  Joe is a landscaper with a preschool age daughter.  Lottie, Joe’s daughter, is obsessed with airplanes.  Lottie is a scene stealer.  She definitely keeps her father on her toes (she is a ball of energy).  You can tell that Hazel is taken with Lottie and Joe.  It was great to catch up with Belinda Wickey who owns the Butternut Bed and Breakfast as well as her crotchety neighbor, Eli Lapp.  Let us not forget Belinda’s donkey, Eeyore who likes to pull a Houdini now and then.  I like Patricia Johns writing style.  It makes her stories easy to read.  She creates characters that are realistic and relatable. 

Eli and Belinda have a unique relationship.  Eli has cared for Belinda since she was a teenager.  I enjoy their banter.  It will be interesting to see if the two can get over their differences (like Eli having chickens on his dining room table).  Hazel regularly talks to her daughter, Maddie, who is visiting her father in England for the first time.  Maddie has some troubles with her father’s family and needs her mother’s guidance.  I thought Hazel gave her some sound advice.  A Single Dad in Amish Country is the second book in The Butternut Amish B&B series.  Each book can be read as a standalone, but I do recommend reading Her Amish Country Valentine.  I am eager to read A Boy’s Amish Christmas.  One of my favorite lines from A Single Dad in Amish Country is, “Every family is different.”  There are good lessons in A Single Dad in Amish Country.  The ending left me smiling.  A Single Dad in Amish Country is a sweet story with a precocious preschooler, a family calamity, pant patch-ups, an escaping Eeyore, a pretty pilot, an appealing landscaper, and high-flying fun.

A Single Dad in Amish Country is available from Amazon*.  The first book in The Butternut Amish B&B series is Her Amish Country Valentine.  The third book in The Butternut Amish B&B series is A Boy's Amish Christmas which will be out on October 24.  Thank you for taking the time to stop by today.  I will return tomorrow with Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns.  It is the second book in A Baker Street Mysteries.  I am off to do some organizing.  My bedroom closet is out of control (I cannot even get in it).  Hopefully, this is a task that I can do without injuring myself.  I need to find a way to fit my extensive t-shirt collection in the closet along with my winter wardrobe and my bed linens.  Storage is a big problem in this house.  I am also having a problem with my socks.  I like to wear cute no-show character socks (Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Snoopy, Bugs Bunny, Scooby Doo, etc.).  I have more socks than drawer space.  I am trying to discern if it is better to roll the socks or leave them flat.  They are minor problems considering what is going on in the world, but my things are starting to take over my bedroom.  If you have any helpful tips, please leave me a comment.  I hope that you have an uplifting day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

A Murder of Aspic Proportions by Amy Lillard

 A Murder of Aspic Proportions

Book Summary

The award-winning author’s brand-new Sunflower Café Mystery series, set in small-town Kansas, features a twenty-something advice columnist turned café manager and sleuth, her loyal Yorkie, farm-fresh produce—and murder. Will appeal to fans of Charlotte Hubbard, Molly Jebber, Susan Lantz Simpson, and Kelly Long.

Twenty-something Sissy Yoder never imagined herself running her Aunt Bethel’s café, but her help is needed, so she’s making a go of it. And she must admit that life in tiny Yoder has been anything but

dull–she’s already solved one homicide—after being named the prime suspect in the case! Enjoying a peaceful respite after all that excitement, Sissy just wants to write her advice column, hang out with her loyal Yorkie, Duke, and procure some of local farmer Walt Summers’ scrumptious “To Die For” tomatoes for the Sunshine Café’s menu. But when the unsavory Summers–resented by just about everyone in town–turns up murdered in his garden shed, it’s up to Sissy to roll up her sleeves, dig for some clues, and weed out the culprit . . .

My Thoughts

A Murder of Aspic Proportions by Amy Lillard is a cute, lighthearted cozy mystery.  Amy Lillard has a casual writing style.  It is reminiscent of talking with an old, Southern friend.  The story moves along at a good pace.  There is a cast of quirky characters that includes Sissy Yoder, Aunt Bethel, Lizzie, Gavin Wainwright, and indolent Earl Berry.  Sissy Yoder's temporary stay in Yoder, Kansas may become permanent.  She is discovering that she likes life in the small town.  Sissy especially likes the Chicken Coop, her tiny home that she shares with her small companion, a Yorkie named Duke.  Sissy is getting to know her Amish relatives as well.  She has a fondness for her Lizzie who is on bedrest awaiting the birth of fraternal twins.  Aunt Bethel is quite a character.  She is a bit of a grump, but Bethel loves her family.  The mystery was simple and frustrating.  Emma, a young Amish woman, confesses to the crime.  Deputy Earl Berry should not be in charge of a donut shop much less a town.  That he would let her confess without a lawyer or a parent present is appalling (it is a small town, and he should know that Emma could not have committed the crime).  Earl Berry does no investigating (why is this man an officer of the law).  I can understand why Bethel feels the need to clear Emma.  Sissy, of course, is happy to tag along and help (plus, she has the car).  The mystery is one that can be solved early in the book.  The reason why is mentioned many times.  The reveal was anticlimactic and unsatisfying.  

I did feel that A Murder of Aspic Proportions was a little long.  Fifty pages could have easily been shaved off.  There is repetition of information (Sissy’s convertible Fiat is mentioned eleven times, Duke is mentioned by name over fifty times, her column alias at least eight times).  There is humor in the story which keeps things light.  A Murder of Aspic Proportions is the second A Sunflower Café Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone since the author provides the necessary background information on the main characters.  A Murder of Aspic Proportions is a cute story that is good to read when you need something to lighten your mood or brighten a rainy afternoon.  A Murder of Aspic Proportions is an upbeat tale with a snuffed-out farmer, a cozy convertible, an idle deputy, a false confession, stolen tomato plants, futile fertilizer, and a sleuthing Sissy.  

A Murder of Aspic Proportions is available from Amazon*.  The first book in A Sunflower Cafe Mysteries is Dairy, Dairy Quite Contrary.  Amy Lillard has The Amish Christmas Promise (Love Inspired) and When Hattie Finds Love (4th book in the Paradise Valley series) coming out November 28.  You can find Amy Lillard's other novels here.  Thank you for stopping by today.  Here are some of the books that came out today:  Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns, The Other Mistress by Shanora Williams, Her Pretend Amish Boyfriend by Rachel J. Good, Dead Man's Wake by Paul Doiron, Palazzo by Danielle Steel, A Single Dad in Amish Country by Patricia Johns, Hidden Beneath by Barbara Ross, and Hiss Me Deadly by Miranda James.  I will return tomorrow with A Single Dad in Amish Country by Patricia Johns.  It is the second book in The Butternut Amish B&B series.  I hope that you have a joyful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Hiss Me Deadly by Miranda James

 Hiss Me Deadly

Book Summary

Charlie and Diesel must catch a killer before he strikes another deadly note in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling Cat in the Stacks Mysteries.

Charlie Harris remembers Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill as one of the outsiders during high school in Athena. Although Wil was a couple of years ahead of him and his friend Melba Gilley, Melba had a big crush on Wil, who dropped out after his junior year. An aspiring musician, Wil hit the road for California and never looked back. Wil eventually became a star, fronting a band and writing award-winning songs. 

Coming back to Athena to work for two weeks with students in the college music department, Wil is now the big man on campus. Not everyone is happy to have him back, however. His entourage has been the target of several acts of petty harassment. At first, they are easy for Wil to shrug off, but the incidents escalate and become more troubling. When one of the band members is killed Charlie worries that Melba, now deeply involved with the man at the center of the attacks, could be in deadly danger. It is up to Charlie and Diesel to find out who hates Wil Threadgill enough to silence his song . . . forever!

My Thoughts

Hiss Me Deadly by Miranda James is the fifteenth A Cat in the Stacks Mystery.  It is hard to believe that we have had fourteen adventures with Charlie and Diesel.  If you are new to the series, I would recommend starting with one of the earlier books in the series.  Charlie and Diesel find themselves caught up in a mystery when musician and composer Wil Threadgill returns to Athena after forty years.  Wil has a bad feeling that something is wrong within his entourage.  He is hoping Charlie and Diesel will have some insights.  I found that to be vague and odd.  Then an old friend and high school bandmate of Wil’s end up dead.  Charlie is not very hands on in this investigation.  He does ask some questions (that’s it).  There are a couple of incidents that happen to other people, but we are not privy to them.  We are only told about them.  The whodunit can be solved before the reveal.   I felt the mystery was lacking.  There is no sleuthing and no action.  There was a subplot involving Wil that added nothing to the book.  The story moves along lethargically.  All our favorite characters are present including the adorable Diesel (love his warbles and chirps). 

We get to follow Charlie as he goes about his day-to-day life (getting up and having breakfast, feeding the cats, heading off to work, talking to Sean, etc.).  His son, Sean, has an issue with his wife regarding her coming back to work and their new home.  He seeks his father’s advice and so does Charlie’s daughter-in-law.  There is lots of talking and eating in this installment.  Melba acted like a lovesick fool. There was even a moment of jealousy which I thought was out of line.  Hiss Me Deadly is my least favorite book in A Cat in the Stacks Mysteries.  It needed some oomph (action, humor, sleuthing).  I was not a fan of the foul language in the book.  There was too much of it and it was unneeded.  I am glad that Charlie and Helen Louise are in a good place.  I am looking forward to their nuptials.  Hiss Me Deadly takes us back to Athena with a returning rocker, an electric killing, curious occurrences, a chirruping cat, a family fuss, a dwelling decision, and matrimonial determinations.  

Hiss Me Deadly will be out on Tuesday, June 27 and it can be preordered from from Amazon*.  You can find the other fourteen A Cat in the Stacks Mysteries here.  If you follow Miranda James on Amazon, they will send you an email when she has a new book release.  Thank you for joining me today.  On Tuesday, June 27 I will be featuring A Murder of Aspic Proportions by Amy Lillard.  It is the second A Sunflower Cafe Mystery.   I hope that you have a fun weekend.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

 The Lost Bookshop

Book Summary

The Keeper of Stories meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets.

‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

My Thoughts

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods is an interesting story.  It is told from three points of view (Opaline, 1921 and the present day).  The story does contain good writing.  I found the pacing to be slow especially in the middle (it dragged).  The book is too long (407 pages).  I can tell that the author loves books based on her beautiful descriptions of the bookstore and books.  I can certainly relate to that special feeling you get each time you enter a bookstore.  The wonderful smell of the paper and ink.  You never know who you will meet or where you will go when you pick up a book.  Opaline created a special bookstore with creative displays. It is a tragedy what happened to her (I am not going to tell you).  The laws in early twentieth century were archaic and gave men too much leeway over the women in their “care”.  

There are a number of characters, and it can be difficult to keep them all straight.  The bookshop with its magic is intriguing.  I especially liked the stained-glass windows with their changing scenes.  I felt for Opaline, but I had trouble relating to Martha and Henry (I was not a fan of Henry).  The story had, of course, romance (I would have preferred two woman who came into their own and carved their own path).  I was not a fan of the intimate scenes.  The story does contain foul language (quite a bit).  Those who have suffered physical or mental abuse will find triggers in the story.  There are various things that happen without explanation.   I can understand letting a couple of things be mysterious, but all of them. It becomes frustrating.  The last twenty percent is the best (if you make it that far).   I like how everything came together.  The ending was expected because the storylines are similar to those I have read in other novels.  The Lost Bookshop has mystery, love, magic, and books.  Three strangers who discover their stories by unlocking the secrets of a special bookstore.  I wanted to like The Lost Bookshop, but I found it tedious to wade through it (long and slow).  The Lost Bookshop is a book for bibliophiles with beloved books, a Parisian paramour, a brutal brother, a helpful position, an absent bookshop, phantastic happenings, and a magical culmination. 

The Lost Bookshop will be out on June 22, and it is available from Amazon*.  You can find the author's other books here.  Thank you for stopping by today.  Tomorrow I am featuring Hiss Me Deadly by Miranda James which will be out on Tuesday, June 27.  It is 15th A Cat in the Stacks Mystery.   I hope that you have an enchanting day. I am off to get some work done around the house.  The painting is delayed again because I damaged the toes on my right foot again (that trunk we use as a coffee table jumped right out in front of me).  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How the Murder Crumbles by Debra Sennefelder

 

How the Murder Crumbles

 

About How the Murder Crumbles

 

How the Murder Crumbles (A Cookie Shop Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 

1st in Series Setting - Connecticut 

Crooked Lane Books (June 20, 2023) 

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages 

Debra Sennefelder whips up cookies and crime in a delicious new cozy series, perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Peg Cochran.

Wingate, Connecticut, is famed as one of the top ten shopping destinations in the state, and home to Mallory Monroe’s beloved Cookie Shop—a place where patrons are greeted with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked cookies that are as beautifully decorated as they are insanely delicious.

But things aren’t going so smoothly for Mallory. Her two employees are a disaster in the kitchen, she catches her boyfriend with another woman, and she’s seen having a fierce argument with food blogger Beatrice Wright, who accuses Mallory of stealing her cookie recipe. Then Beatrice turns up dead in her kitchen, flour outlining her body and a bloodied marble rolling pin nearby. Mallory immediately becomes suspect number one, her sales plummet, and she desperately tries to clear her name—but that’s not the only murder the killer is baking up.

Debra Sennefelder has cooked up a perfect recipe—endearing characters, a picture-perfect evocation of small-town life, and a quaint sweets shop. And just when things get a little too comfy, there’s always a murder or two for good measure.

About Debra Sennefelder

Debra Sennefelder, the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series, the Resale Boutique Mystery series, and the Cookie Shop mystery series, is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.

Born and raised in New York City, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in pre-hospital care, retail and publishing. Her writing companions are her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih-Tzus, Susie, and Billy.

Author Links

WEBSITE

NEWSLETTER

FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE

GOODREADS

INSTAGRAM

BOOKBUB

My Thoughts

How the Murder Crumbles by Debra Sennefelder is a lighthearted cozy mystery.  Mallory Monroe enjoys baking and decorating cookies.  She has traded in the big city for a small town.  Mallory has fond memories of summers spent in Wingate, especially the summer she received her first kiss.  The cookie descriptions will have your mouth watering.  There are recipes for a couple of them at the end including the controversial Almond Meltaways.  The mystery has the unpleasant Beatrice Wright ending up dead and Mallory finding her body.  Beatrice was a disagreeable woman who managed to annoy the majority of the town’s residents.  This leads to a lengthy suspect list.  It can be confusing trying to keep all the suspects straight.  The guilty party can easily be identified and with the reason why long before the reveal.  Mallory runs around town asking questions in a not-so-subtle manner.  I thought someone who had worked in advertising would be a better schmoozer.  Mallory manages to anger several people during her investigation (not good for a fledgling business).  There are a couple of incidents along the way, but they do not deter Mallory.  Personally, I kept hoping Mallory’s cantankerous employee, Claudia, would find herself in the killer’s crosshairs (there is always the next installment).  The mystery is neatly wrapped up at the end.  

Almond Meltaways

There is some romance in the story.  Mallory breaks up with one fellow and soon has feelings for another.  I thought it was a little quick.   I liked Mallory’s cat, Agatha.  Mallory’s best friend, Kip, is a friendly, upbeat individual as well as a good baker.  He is a good friend and there for Mallory in her time of need.  How the Murder Crumbles was just okay for me (as you can tell).  How the Murder Crumbles is a cookie centric cozy with a mean Queen Bea, a cookie controversy, a lethal rolling pin, an unkind cousin, a two-timing suitor, a cuddly cat, an attractive detective, and a probing baker. 

How the Murder Crumbles is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Other retailers.  You can find Debra Sennefelder's other novels here.  As part of the tour, Debra Sennefelder is giving away two (2) $15 Amazon Gift Cards.  You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below or click here to enter.  Leave a comment on my blog for an extra entry.  Good Luck!  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will return tomorrow with my thoughts on The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods.  I am off to install more hooks for my windchimes.  I acquired some new ones recently (I like how they sound on a windy day).  I hope the person that moves into the new house next door likes windchimes.  I hope that you have a joyful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Participants

June 12 – Brooke Blogs – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 12 – Carla Loves To Read - REVIEW

June 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

June 13 – My Reading Journeys – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 13 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews - SPOTLIGHT

June 14 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 14 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

June 15 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 15 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 16 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

June 16 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW

June 16 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

June 17 – The Book Decoder - AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 17 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 18 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

June 18 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

June 19 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW

June 19 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT

June 20 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

June 20 – Jane Reads – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 21 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 21 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 22 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

June 22 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW

June 23 – Nadaness In Motion – SPOTLIGHT

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Q & A by Carolyn R. Russell

 Q & A

Book Summary

Something very creepy is going on inside the Eco Trooper Club's gloomy warehouse.

Quinn Bard has been forced to join a club at her high school in the new town she hates. Her first meeting leaves her questioning her sanity.

Despite her family’s joyfully chaotic home life, things get worse. Quinn is shocked to discover a sinister conspiracy at the heart of the club’s mission, and there’s something very bizarre about the group’s adult leader, Nadine Stent.

Enlisting the help of her older sister Arista, Quinn learns that the club’s student members are unhappy hostages. What mysterious power does Stent hold over them? And what kind of twisted scheme has she dragged everyone into?

In a race against time, the two sisters and new friends work to expose Stent’s evil plot. And together they have adventures funnier, stranger and more thrilling than Quinn ever imagined possible.

If Quinn and her allies succeed, it’ll be a new beginning for her. If they fail, innocent people will go to jail, and families will be destroyed. Including Quinn’s.

My Thoughts

Q & A by Carolyn R. Russell has Quinn Bard getting involved in the Eco Troopers thanks to her mother.  Quinn soon finds herself embroiled in a mystery with her sister, Arista, and two other Eco members.  Q & A is a young adult mystery.   I like the author’s friendly, chatty writing style.  The characters are relatable.  I could understand why Quinn was unhappy with her family’s move from Boston.  I did feel that the characters were not fleshed out enough.  They were a little flat.  I liked that the teenagers are smart, adventurous, and resourceful.  They have moments of insecurity which is normal for their age.  I liked Quinn’s quirky family.  I was not a fan of the food descriptions (veggie everything).  I like that the Bard family were closeknit.  The youngest son, Bub, though, needed a heaping dose of discipline.  A younger audience will appreciate his antics. There is humor scattered throughout the story.  The mystery was straightforward.  I did not find it as intriguing because the bad guy is already known.  The teens want to know what the leader of the Eco Troopers is up to.  Her behavior is suspicious, and she is not above a little blackmail.  The teens search for clues and find a way to expose the truth.  I like that the story provides a lesson about not judging people.  It is subtle while still getting the point across.  Q & A is a cute, young adult mystery with a peculiar eco group, a despot advisor, intriguing test tubes, mystery mice, a busy Bub, and the veracity revealed.  

Q & A is available from Amazon*.  You can find Carolyn R. Russell's other novels here.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will return on Tuesday, June 20 with How the Murder Crumbles by Debra Sennefelder.  It is the debut of A Cookie Shop Mysteries.  Amy Lillard has A Murder of Aspic Proportions coming out on June 27.  It is the second A Sunflower Cafe Mystery.  I hope that you have a fun weekend.  I am hoping to get some painting accomplished.  Wish me luck.  I want it to go better than last time (when I broke two toes and injured my shoulder).  During my down time, I will be reading Must Love Flower by Debbie Macomber.  The next book in my TBR pile is Take the Honey and Run by Jennie Marts.  It is the first A Bee Keeping Mystery.   Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.