Knot Ready for Murder by Mary Marks: Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway!

  

Knot Ready for Murder (A Quilting Mystery)

About Knot Ready for Murder

Knot Ready for Murder (A Quilting Mystery) 

 

The ninth installment in the hit Quilting Mystery series by Mary Marks finds sleuth Martha searching for her fiancé’s ex-wife.

One loose thread threatens to unravel Martha’s wedding plans: the groom-to-be married a pregnant teen to save her from scandal thirty years ago—and the marriage was never annulled. Now Crusher’s wife Hadas is coming to LA, along with his sister Fanya. But soon after she arrives, their houseguest goes missing, with her room ransacked and a chloroform-soaked cloth left behind. Could her apparent abduction be connected to her brother’s unsolved death from a hit-and-run six months ago? Martha and her quilting cohorts must find the pattern to solve the twin mysteries and determine if Crusher is still married—or now a widower . . .

About Mary Marks

Born and raised in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, Mary Marks earned a B.A. in Anthropology from UCLA and an M.A. in Public Administration from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. In 2004 she enrolled in the UCLA Extension Writers Program. Her first novel, Forget Me Knot, was a finalist in a national writing competition in 2011. She is currently a reviewer of cozy mysteries for The New York Journal of Books at www.nyjournalofbooks.com.

Author Links

Kensington: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496720511/knot-of-this-world/ 

Website: https://marymarksmysteries.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mmarks2013 

My Thoughts

Knot Ready for Murder by Mary Marks is the 9^th A Quilting Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone, but you will be missing out on watching the characters meet and become friends.  We get to see characters develop over the course of the series.  I like that the protagonist as well as the other characters are mature.  I want to thank the author for giving us a main character who has fibromyalgia.  Readers get to see what someone with the disease experiences (the day-to-day pain, trouble sleeping, the severe migraines).  Martha Rose is ready to marry her fiancé, Crusher and announces it to the family at Friday’s Sabbath dinner.  Martha soon learns that she spoke too quickly when Crusher tells her that he has recently learned that he is still married.  Martha had no idea that Crusher had ever been wed. Crusher’s “wife” is on her way to California with his sister.  Martha is looking forward meeting Fanya, Crusher’s sister.  Martha soon learns that Hadas, the little “wifey”, has no intention of letting go of Crusher.  When Hadas is kidnapped from Martha’s home, she sets out to find the errant wife with help from Fanya and her friends.  If Martha wants her happily ever after, she needs to get Hadas to sign the divorce papers.  

I thought Knot Ready for Murder was well-written with steady pacing.  I always love visiting Martha Rose and the Tuesday quilting group.  They are a group of quirky characters that provide humor and energy.  I learned new information about quilting as Martha teaches Fanya how to quilt plus Jewish customs.  Judaism is a fascinating religion.  I enjoyed learning more about their traditions.  The mystery was fun.  Martha Rose was challenged in tracking down Crusher’s missing “wife”.  I had a good time joining Martha Rose, Giselle, and Fanya as they set out to locate Hadas.  Fanya was certainly a hoot.  She is an over-the-top character who is a wallpaper hanger who knows krav maga and is extremely superstitious.  Fanya’s antics had me laughing frequently.   I loved the epilogue.  It was just the ending needed.  Knot Ready for Murder was a special story and fans of A Quilting Mystery series will be delighted.  Knot Ready for Murder is an entertaining whodunit with a missing mate, a superstitious sister, a frantic fiancé, quilting quips, a disparaging detective, a frustrated FBI agent, and a woman who is eager to wed.  

Excerpt

I spent a restless night fretting over having to guess the reason for Fanya’s visit. My tossing and turning didn’t faze Crusher as he snored softly. Why is she bringing Hadas? Does Hadas want Crusher back after all these years? Why didn’t she get an annulment? How much of a threat will she be?

Had Crusher been totally honest with me? Even though my rational mind told me this present situation wasn’t his fault, he should have followed through with the annulment years ago. Bitter resentment crept up my gut and landed in the back of my throat. I finally fell into an exhausted sleep around three in the morning.

When I opened my eyes again, the clock read eight.

The curtains were drawn shut, but they couldn’t totally defeat the gentle morning light from creating a warm glow in the bedroom. Every muscle and joint ached with a painful flare-up. I threw aside the down comforter, rolled out of bed, and hobbled to the bathroom to take my fibromyalgia meds. The face staring back at me from the mirror looked pinched and drawn with pain. Puffy bags sat under my eyes, testifying to a night with little sleep.

I raked a wide-toothed comb through my gray curls. Oh great. Crusher’s “wife” Hadas will still be in her forties. She probably has a perfect figure, perfect hair, and a creamy complexion. How can I compete with her? She might be younger than me, but I’m not going to let her waltz in and grab my future husband. If she wants to fight, I’ll give her a run for her money.

Saturday was supposed to be a day of rest. But I knew I wouldn’t relax until the house was clean and sparkling. I wanted my home—Crusher’s home—to be above reproach. God forbid Hadas should find a reason to criticize!

By the time I shuffled into the kitchen for my first cup of coffee, I was primed for combat mode. It must’ve shown on my face because Crusher came over to me and gave me a hug. “Morning. Are you okay?”

I stuck out a defiant chin. Does he think he can drop a bombshell about his marriage and expect me to welcome his wife in our home?

 

Knot Ready for Murder is available from Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Google Play, IndieBound.  You can find the other novels in A Quilting Mystery series here.  Time for the giveaway! You can win a print copy (U.S. Only) of Knot Ready for Murder.  You can click here or enter using the Rafflecopter form below.  Good Luck!  Thank you for joining me today.  Next time I am featuring Seven-Year Witch by Angela M. Sanders.  I hope that you have a satisfying day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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Tour Participants

August 24 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST 

August 24 – I Read What You Write - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT 

August 24 – Laura's Interests – REVIEW 

August 25 – Celticlady's Reviews - SPOTLIGHT 

August 25 – StoreyBook Reviews - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT 

August 25 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – REVIEW 

August 26 – Hearts & Scribbles - SPOTLIGHT 

August 26 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW 

August 26 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT 

August 27 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT 

August 27 – The Avid Reader - REVIEW, EXCERPT 

August 28 – Reading Is My SuperPower - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT 

August 28 – Carla Loves To Read - REVIEW

August 28 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW

August 29 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT 

August 29 – Author Elena Taylor's Blog - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT 

August 30 – Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

August 30 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

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

The Amish Baby Finds a Home by Barbara Cameron

 The Amish Baby Finds a Home

Book Summary

In this heartwarming Amish romance, an Amish toymaker and his sweetheart discover the greatest gifts come in the smallest packages.

Between his busy toy shop and the farm he owns with his twin brother, Gideon Troyer’s life is full. Now, the handsome Amish woodworker is ready to share it with someone special, someone like Hannah Stoltzfus, the lovely quilt shop owner a few doors down. Their friendship has already grown into something deeper. But before Gideon can tell Hannah how he really feels, she makes an unexpected discovery in his shop: a baby . . . one who shares an unmistakable Troyer family resemblance.

Hannah has never forgotten the kindness and support Gideon offered when she first opened her shop. So she’s happy to help him care for the sweet abandoned boppli until they find his family. But as they untangle the mystery surrounding the child, Hannah wonders at Gideon’s hesitation to take their relationship to the next level. He’s a natural with the baby, and Hannah can see Gideon’s ready for a familye of his own . . . but can she help him believe it? 

My Thoughts

The Amish Baby Finds a Home by Barbara Cameron is a cute Amish tale.  Twins Gideon and Eli Troyer are complete opposites.  Gideon is a toy maker who is thoughtful, patient, and thinks things through.  Eli is the more spirited twin.  He is reckless, a farmer, a charmer, and likes to have fun.  Gideon has been courting Hannah Stoltzfus and is ready to pop the question.  The sudden appearance of a baby who resembles the Troyer twins changes Gideon’s plans.  I enjoyed this sweet story.  I thought The Amish Baby Finds a Home was well written with developed, realistic characters and situations.  My favorite character was John, the charming baby found in the toy shop.  He is such a sweetie and a charmer. I appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up the book.  I was drawn into this moving story, and it held my attention to the end.    While The Amish Baby Finds a Home is the second A Hearts of Lancaster County Novel, it can be read as a standalone.  The Amish Baby Finds a Home is a story that will tug at your heartstrings.  The Amish Baby Finds a Home is a heartwarming Amish tale with a charming farmer, a thoughtful toy maker, a generous quilt maker, a muddled mother, and blissful baby boy.  

The Amish Baby Finds a Home is available from Amazon*.  The first A Hearts of Lancaster County Novel is The Amish Midwife's Hope.  Barbara Cameron's next release is The Amish Farmer's Proposal which publishes April 26, 2022.  You can find Barbara Cameron's other novels here.  I hope that you enjoy The Amish Baby Finds a Home as much as I did.  Tomorrow I am a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Knot Ready for Murder by Mary Marks.  It is the 9th A Quilting Mystery.  There will be an excerpt and a giveaway.  I hope that you have a optimistic day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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

Murder in the Village by Lisa Cutts

 Murder in the Village

Book Summary

Meet Belinda Penshurst. Castle owner, dog lover… crime solver?

Belinda Penshurst loves her home village Little Challham, with its shady lanes, two pubs and weekly market, and she’s determined to keep it peaceful. She may live in Challham Castle but she knows almost everything that goes on under her nose. So when irritable pub landlord Tipper is found dead in his cellar, she’s perfectly placed to investigate.

Retired detective Harry Powell moved to Little Challham for a quiet life. He didn’t expect to be dragged into a murder investigation. But the police don’t seem half as enthusiastic as Belinda about the case, and there are strange things happening in the village. Particularly the number of dogs that have disappeared lately…

Is there a dognapper snaffling schnauzers and luring away Labradors? Is Belinda barking mad to be worried that her brother Marcus was arguing with Tipper on the day he died? Belinda and Harry track down the suspects: the rival landlord, the outraged barmaid, the mysterious man in the black car following dogwalkers around. But are the dogged detectives running out of time to sniff out the killer, before he starts hounding them?

A charming cozy mystery full of laughs and eccentric characters. Fans of M.C. Beaton, H.Y. Hanna and Emily Organ will love the first novel in the Belinda Penshurst series!

My Thoughts

Murder in the Village by Lisa Cutts is the first book in The Belinda Penshurst Mystery series.  I like that this cozy mystery is set in Britain.  We get that cozy English village charm.  The author provided detailed descriptions that allowed me to visualize the village, Belinda’s home, and the characters.  Our two amateur sleuths, Belinda Penshurst and Harry Powell work to solve two crimes.  They must catch a murderer and figure out who is behind the local dognapping’s.  The two run around asking questions and trying to outdo each other.  The mysteries were straightforward.  For a detective, Harry failed to question the right people with regard to the dognapping.   I felt the story got bogged down in the details.  The endless detailed descriptions made for slow reading along with the repetitive details.  I had a hard time wading through this whodunit (it is great if you are suffering from insomnia). 

I could not get into Murder in the Village (I really tried).  It did not feel that this was the first book.  The author did not provide the backstory that I wanted on our main characters especially Harry.  We are told that Harry is a retired detective inspector who has moved to Little Challham and now works for Doggie Delight delivering kibble (I want more information).  Of course, Harry may no longer be a detective, but it is hard to give up old habits.  Belinda has her finger in a number of pies in the village plus she is trying to find out what mischief her brother, Marcus is up to this time.  The last time the family almost lost their home.  She is also having trouble with her latest investment.  Belinda finds the cause of her latest problem dead which is how she gets involved in solving the crime.  The author was trying to establish a romantic relationship between our two protagonists, but it missed the mark.  Why Harry would like someone who looks down on him and sneers, I do not know.  The dialogue between them makes a person cringe. Personally, I was not a fan of either one of them.  Belinda is a bossy, forceful woman with attitude (big chip or should I say boulder on her shoulder).  Harry is a quiet man who pays attention to details.  There are times, though, when I felt he missed the mark.  The book moved at a snail’s pace (I felt like I was traveling on a glacier to get to the resolution).  The best thing about the story was the cute dogs.  Murder in the Village was not the right fit for me.  I suggest you read a sample to see if this cozy mystery suits you.  Murder in the Village is British whodunit with dognapped doggies, pub problems, a troublemaker brother, a mysterious murder, and two squabbling sleuths.  

Murder in the Village is available from Amazon*.  If you belong to Kindle Unlimited, you can borrow it for free.  The next novel in A Belinda Penshurst Mystery series is Murder in the Castle which publishes December 8.  You can find Lisa Cutts other books here.  I appreciate you stopping by today and reading my review.  Next time I am featuring The Amish Baby Finds a Home by Barbara Cameron which came out today.  It is the 2nd A Hearts of Lancaster County Novel.  I do hope that you have a peaceful day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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

An Unexpected Amish Harvest by Carrie Light: Review & Excerpt

An Unexpected Amish Harvest

Book Summary

She’s struggling to forgive…

But it’s the only way to heal her heart.

When Susannah Peachy returns to her grandfather’s potato farm to help out after her grandmother’s injured, she’s not ready to face her ex-beau. But with Peter Lambright pitching in to harvest her grandfather’s crop, she can’t avoid him. For his family’s sake, Peter can’t tell Susannah why he had to leave her. But sharing his secret could make all the difference for their future…

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

Add An Unexpected Amish Harvest to your Goodreads!

About the Author

Carrie Lighte enjoys traveling to Amish communities across the United States and she hopes to visit a few in Canada soon, too. When she isn't writing, reading or researching, she likes to hike, kayak and spend time at the beach.

Connect with the Author

Website: https://www.carrielighte.com/books

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarrieLighte

My Thoughts

An Unexpected Amish Harvest by Carrie Lighte is the 2^nd book in The Amish of New Hope series.  It can be read as a standalone if you have not indulged in Hiding Her Amish Secret.  I thought An Unexpected Amish Harvest was well-written with realistic characters.  Susannah Peachy and Peter Lambright began courting the previous year, but then Peter broke off their courtship without providing a reason.  She wishes to avoid Peter, but it looks like it is not meant to be.  Susannah has loving grandparents who wish to protect her and ensure that she has a safe future.  That future may not be what Susannah has envisioned.  There are a couple of secondary storylines in this tale.  Miscommunication and misunderstandings abound.  There were some good life lessons in this story.  People should not be judged based on their outward appearance and things are not always the way they appear.  We need to remember that there are two sides to every story.  Forgiveness is one of the central themes.  Forgiving someone does more for the person giving it than for the person receiving it.  I like how it all came together into one heartwarming Amish tale.  I appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story.  I am eager to read Caring for Her Amish Family.  An Unexpected Amish Harvest is a sweet story about forgiveness, family, misapprehensions, friends, misperceptions, and love.

Excerpt

When Susannah stayed in New Hope last summer, she had quickly formed a close friendship with Dorcas Troyer. The two young, single women had enjoyed each other’s company again when Susannah returned to New Hope for a week at Christmastime, and they’d written to each other frequently throughout the last year.

In fact, Dorcas was the only person that Susannah had confided in when Peter asked to be her suitor the previous summer…and the only person Susannah had told about their breakup last January. She still remembered teardrops splashing onto the stationery as she wrote,

Peter wouldn’t give me any reason for ending our courtship, other than to say he doesn’t think we’re compatible, after all. But I know it’s because I’ve gained so much weight since last summer.

Her friend had written back,

I’ve known Peter for years and I can’t believe your weight is such an issue for him. Are you sure that’s why he broke up with you? Could it be that he just finds it too difficult to carry on a long-distance courtship?

Susannah highly doubted that. After she’d left New Hope the first time, Peter’s biweekly letters had been filled with proclamations of his affection for her. The couple had called each other at their respective phone shanties at three o’clock every other Sunday. Even after two hours of talking, they’d never run out of things to share and laugh about. And although they had only been able to sneak off for an hour with each other when Susannah came to New Hope last Christmas, they’d agreed their time alone together was the best part of the holiday.

That’s why it was so confusing that four days after she got home, Peter called and said he had decided to end their courtship. The change in his attitude was so abrupt it made Susannah feel as if he was an utter stranger. As if someone else had been pretending to be him on the phone and in his letters. Had been pretending to fall in love with her the way she’d been falling in love with him.

“Why?” she had cried, as bewildered as she was devastated. “I don’t understand.”

“We’re just not a gut match.”

“But why aren’t we a gut match? What has changed all of a sudden?”

“I’m sorry to hurt your feelings like this, Susannah, but I don’t want to discuss it further. Please accept my decision.”

Afterward, she went over it and over it in her mind, trying to figure out what could have possibly changed to make Peter end their relationship. The only thing she could come up with was that once he’d seen her again, he was no longer drawn to her because of how much heavier she’d gotten. Maybe that was why he’d held his tongue about his reason; he hadn’t wanted to hurt her feelings by telling her the truth. But whether he said it aloud or not, she’d been crushed to discover that Peter valued how she looked more than who she was. That he was rejecting her because of her weight gain.

Likewise, in the following months she was disappointed when certain other men accepted her because of her appearance. During the past spring and summer, she’d had no fewer than four bachelors in Dover ask to court her. Susannah would have felt honored, if it hadn’t been for the fact that they’d all known her for at least ten years and they’d never expressed an interest in her until she was slender. 

An Unexpected Amish Harvest is available from Amazon* and Harlequin.  The first novel in The Amish of New Hope series is Hiding Her Amish Secret.  The next book is Caring for Her Amish Family which publishes January 25, 2022.  You can find Carrie Lighte's other novels here.  Thank you for joining me today for the release of An Unexpected Amish Harvest.  I hope you enjoy this charming Amish tale as much as I did.  Tomorrow I am featuring Murder in the Village by Lisa Cutts.  It is the debut of A Belinda Penshurst Mystery series.  I hope you have a friendly day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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

The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly

 The Secret Staircase

Book Summary

From New York Times bestselling author Sheila Connolly, The Secret Staircase is the third Victorian Village Mystery, which finds Kate Hamilton discovering a long-dead body in a hidden staircase.

Kate Hamilton is feeling good about her plans to recreate Asheboro, Maryland as the Victorian village it once was. The town is finally on her side, and the finances are coming together.

Kate's first goal is to renovate the Barton Mansion on the outskirts of town. Luckily, it's been well maintained in the century since the wealthy Henry Barton lived and died there. The only substantial change she's planning is to update the original kitchen so that it can be used to cater events in the building. But when the contractor gets started, he discovers a hidden staircase that had been walled in years earlier. And as Kate's luck would have it, in the stairwell is a body.

After her initial shock wears off, Kate is relieved when the autopsy reveals that the man had died around 1880. Unfortunately, it also reveals that his was not a natural death—he was murdered. And serious questions remain: who was he and what was he doing there?

Kate begins a hunt to identify the man and figure out what he was doing at the Barton Mansion. But when a second body is found—this time from the present day—Kate realizes that real dangers lie in digging up the past...

My Thoughts

The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly has Kate Hamilton working on her plans for the Barton Mansion in Asheboro, Maryland.  Her first order of business is to find a contractor.  The third one on the list seems like the best fit for the project.  He discovers a hidden staircase in the kitchen with a body laying at the bottom.  It turns out that the man has been there since the late 1800s and someone murdered him.  This is not the type of history Kate wanted to uncover on the Victorian home nor the family that occupied it.  Not long after the kitchen work begins, a second man is found dead inside the mansion.  Kate wonders if there is a connection between the two deaths and sets out to get answers.  

The Secret Staircase is the third book in A Victorian Village Mystery series.  I like the premise for this series which is why I have kept coming back to it.  I grew up in German Village in Columbus, Ohio and nearby there is a Victorian Village.  I find myself, though, unable to get into the story.  It is told in the first person, so we are subject to Kate’s thoughts (she has so many of them).  Kate seems to have an endless list of questions and list of items to accomplish (but she does not write them down).  If she is going to get this project completed, Kate needs to get organized (and be more professional). She also needs to get over her self-doubts (she goes on endlessly about them).  Kate needed a contractor for the project who does reconstruction not renovation.  Most people would have used a search engine, but Kate kept asking people if they knew a contractor.  I wondered if Kate owned a computer (or any office supplies).  There are quite a few characters in the story.  We are given basic information on them, but they are not fully fleshed out.  I like Carroll, Lisbeth, and Bethany.  Josh seems like a nice man, but how many times do we have to hear about his looks.  The author’s descriptions of the mansion allowed me to visualize the beautiful Victorian home.  However, the details about the renovations were dry and repetitive.  The story moved at a slow pace and many details were repeated at least three times (sometimes more).  The research into the Barton family is interesting (some parts were more fascinating than others).  It just became dreary at times (the research part).  I found this series different from Sheila Connolly’s A Museum Mystery series.  I wanted this series to be more like the one featuring Nell Pratt.  The mystery was fascinating.  I was curious to see how everything would tie together.  I was beginning to wonder if any progress would be made on the Barton Mansion.   As you can tell, I did not enjoy my experience with The Secret Staircase.  There are good bones, but it did not come together into a pleasing whole.  The Secret Staircase is small town cozy with staircase surprises, a kitchen conundrum, fine food, congeries of research, and a pair of murders.  

The Secret Staircase publishes Tuesday, August 24 and can be pre-ordered from Amazon*.  The first two novels in A Victorian Village Mystery series are Murder at the Mansion and Killer in the Carriage House.  You can find Sheila Connolly's other novels here.  Thank you for reading my review today.  Tomorrow I am featuring An Unexpected Amish Harvest by Carrie Lighte.  It is the 2nd novel in  The Amish of New Hope series.  I hope you have a joyful day.  Take care of yourself, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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

No Grater Crime by Maddie Day

 No Grater Crime

Book Summary

Robbie Jordan's Pans 'N Pancakes boasts delicious eats and the best vintage cookware finds in South Lick, Indiana. 

No Grater Crime by Maddie Day has Robbie Jordan enjoying a day of shopping with her Aunt Adele at the Scottsburg Antique Fair.  Robbie is looking for vintage cookware items to sell at Pans N’ Pancakes.  She finds some great items including a beautiful grater with a green handle.  The next day, the restaurant is hopping.  Robbie is serving a mushroom omelet that is turning out to be popular.  The couple opening an antique shop across the street stop by as well.  Robbie notices that Hattie Sands browses through her selection of antique cookware.  Around lunchtime, Lt. Buck Bird stop by with some distressing news.  The people who ate her mushroom omelet have become ill and one man is in a bad way.  The health department shuts down the restaurant when the last patron departs and that is when Robbie hears the one customer passed away.  She also discovers that many of her vintage cookware tools including the pretty grater have disappeared.  The next day a food truck parks in front of the new antique shop and opens for business.  Robbie is distressed over what happened with the mushrooms and decides to do a little digging.  She intends to get answers especially when she hears that she is going to be charged in the customer’s death.

My Thoughts

No Grater Crime by Maddie Day is the 9^th A Country Store Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series (but you will be missing out on some cute country cozy mysteries).  Robbie Jordan is getting married in a month and still has some details to finalize.  Her life becomes complicated when customers become ill after eating her mushroom omelet.  Her restaurant is shut down leaving Robbie with unanswered questions and a dead patron.  To top it off, some of her vintage implements have disappeared and a food truck opens across the street.  No Grater Crime is a cute story that is action packed.  I have been looking forward to Robbie and Abe’s wedding.  They are such a sweet couple.  I thought the author captured the area with her word imagery (of South Lick, Indiana) plus the dialects, dialogue, and references to nearby cities.  It is funny how people call items by different names depending on what area of the country they are from.  One example is soda.  When I lived in Ohio, we called it pop.  When I moved to Florida, I was told it was soda.  I like that the author includes different examples.  The mystery was interesting.  There are multiple suspects in this whodunit that easily could have done the deed including Abe’s ex-wife.  I had a good time following the mystery and seeing how it turned it (I love to solve the crimes).   I would have liked a more thorough wrap-up.  I was also baffled as to why Robbie never reported the missing items.  It seemed odd.  The ending will delight fans of the series.  No Grater Crime is an enticing tale with mortal mushrooms, a purloined utensil, a lookie-loo, food truck trouble, and a wonderful wedding. 

No Grater Crime publishes Tuesday, August 24 and can be pre-ordered from Amazon*.  You can find the other novels in A Country Store Mystery series here.   You can find Maddie Day's other novels here and Edith Maxwell's here.  I hope you have found a new book and author today.  I will return on Monday with The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly.  It is the 3rd A Victorian Village Mystery.  I hope you have a fun filled weekend.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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