Antiques Swap

I just finished Antiques Swap by Barbara Allan.  It is the ninth book in A Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery.  It is different from other cozies because the book is written from the characters point-of-view.  It is like Vivian and Brandy are talking to you.   There is also a cute little dog named Sushi.  She is a diabetic and recently had her sight restored through cataract surgery.

 

Vivian and Brandy Borne are mother and daughter.  Brandy has to keep a close eye on her bipolar mother.  They run an antiques store called Trash ‘n’ Treasures and are working on a television pilot called Antiques Sleuths.  Vivian is a very outgoing and over the top person who loves solving mysteries.  Vivian likes to be the center of attention and have all the latest gossip.  Brandy tries to reign in her mother, but has no luck.  Brandy is divorced and her son, Jake, lives with her ex-husband.  They are filming the last of the show at an antiques swap.  When they are done filming, Brandy sneaks off to eat Fried Butter (a stick of butter is dipped in funnel cake batter and deep fried) and encounters Wesley “Wes” Sinclair III.  He had also sneaked away for some fried butter (it sounds disgusting).  After they finish eating, Brandy trips and Wes catches her.  Wes’ wife finds Brandy in Wes’ arms and starts yelling.  Vanessa Sinclair is not the nicest person nor is she well liked about town.

 

Later that day Brandy receives a call from Vanessa.  She has some old beer signs that she wishes to sell and wants Brandy to look at them.  Brandy evaluates them (and takes pictures) and promises to return with a quote after 5 p.m.  The signs belong to Wes but Vanessa said Wes agreed to sell them (sounds like a set up to me).  When Brandy and Vivian (who has never been able to wheedle herself inside the house) return, they find Vanessa dead.

 

Brandy’s boyfriend (and cop), Tony Cassato, asks her to not get involved in the investigation.  Brandy agrees and tries to comply.  However, Vivian made no such promise.  Soon Brand is looking into the investigation as well and Tony is helping them.  They find out that Wes and Vanessa Sinclair have one big skeleton in their closet.  

 

To find out who killed Vanessa and the big secret, read Antiques Swap.  I give Antiques Swap 4.5 out of 5 stars.  There is a lot of humor in the story (sometimes a little too much) and the characters are quirky.  I found the mystery very easy to solve.  I have to say that this is the first book I have read in this series.  I own the first book in the series, but have never read it (it is a paperback version and the print is so tiny).   I think I will have to go and read all the book in A Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mystery series.  If you have not read the previous books, you can read Antiques Swap.  

 

I have received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley (and Kensington Books) in exchange for an honest review.

 

 Antiques Swap will be out on Tuesday, April 28, 2015.  I am off to watch The Originals (and read during the commercials).  Have a great evening and Happy Reading!

 

Kris

Oh Say Can You Fudge

Oh Say Can You Fudge by Nancy Coco is the third book in A Candy-Coated Mystery series.  The residents of Mackinac Island are getting ready for their Star Spangled Fourth celebration.  Allie McMurphy, who runs the McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shoppe, wants to offer a red, white, and blue fudge so she is experimenting in the kitchen and ignores the ringing of her phone.  When Allie finally checks her messages, she finds that Rodney Rivers has been trying to reach her.  Rodney is the pyrotechnic expert for their fireworks display.  Allie joined the committee responsible for fireworks and had them change from the company they have used previously.  Rodney left a voice mail stating that someone had sabotaged the fireworks and wanted Allie to come to the warehouse where they are being stored right away.

When Allie arrives at the warehouse she finds a dead body.  Allie immediately calls the police (Charlene, the dispatcher, cannot believe she found another dead body) who tell her to get out of the warehouse (since the fireworks have been tampered with).  Officer Rex Manning arrives quickly (he wanted to date Allie but she is seeing Trent Jessop) and the bomb squad is airlifted in.  Unfortunately, the warehouse blows up and the body along with it!  Who would kill Rodney Rivers and sabotage the islands fireworks?

Thankfully, no one was injured from the explosion.  Allie finds out that there is a firebug on the island.  There have been five fires on the island in the past few months.  Allie and the gang set out to solve the string of fires as well as Rodney’s murder (they even set up a murder board in the lobby of the inn).  Allie also has to get more fireworks (the chairman of the committee is breathing down her neck), work out the red, white, and blue fudge, find a licensed pyrotechnic expert to set off the fireworks (and it is just a few days before July 4), figure out who sets the fires, and who killed Rodney Rivers-easy peasy!  And, her parents have come to check on her (they heard about the explosion) and decided to stay a few days!

Poor Allie!  But I think with the help of her friends and family, she will be able to handle everything!  I give Oh Say Can You Fudge 4.5 out of 5 stars.  I enjoyed the story, but the mystery was very easy to solve (it can be solved in the first 50 pages).  I like the characters that Nancy Coco has created and there are some wonderful fudge recipes in the book. Oh Say Can You Fudge can be read without having read the previous two books in the series.  Oh Say Can You Fudge will be out on Tuesday, April 28, 2015.  If you like cozy mysteries, you will enjoy reading Oh Say Can You Fudge!  The fourth book in this series is All I want for Christmas is Fudge.  It will be out (according to Amazon) on September 29, 2015!  I have already pre-ordered my copy!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley (and the book Publisher) in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for reading my review.  I am currently reading Take Another Look by Rosalind Noonan.  Have a great evening and Happy Reading!

Kris

 

To Fudge or Not to Fudge

To Fudge or Not to Fudge by Nancy Coco is the second book in the Candy Coated Mystery series. Allie McMurphy is running the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shoppe on Mackinac Island.  Allie went to culinary school and is now making delicious fudge for the shop.  She has some great help who is teaching her how to run the hotel (since her grandfather passed away unexpectedly).  Chef Peter Thomas is visiting the island.  He is Allie’s former instructor and mentor from culinary school.  Chef Thomas is the judge of a reality television show featuring fudge.  They are short a contestant and he wants Allie to audition for the show.  When Allie hears the salary, she agrees to audition (reluctantly).  Unfortunately for Allie, she does great and is now a contestant on the show (the salary will come in handy for renovations she wants to make to the hotel).   Tammy Gooseworthy (that is really her name) is the new pastry chef at the new Grander Hotel.  She wants on the show and is being very persistent.

Allie and the staff are also getting ready for the Lilac Festival.  Jenn (Jennifer Christensen) is Allie's best friend and is an event planner.  Jenn is helping out at the McMurphy during Allie’s first season.  Allie is going to make a lilac fudge, and Jenn suggests that they old lilac teas.  While Allie is on her way to the newspaper to place an ad (while walking her adorable dog, Marshmallow-Mal for short) he starts digging under a lilac tree next to the newspaper.  He comes out with a bone between his teeth.  Before Allie can react, Mal dives back under the tree.  When the police arrive (Office Rex Manning), they agree that they are human bones.  Mal is not the only dog who found bones.  Daisy, the St. Bernard, is running around the island and has found bones.  But Daisy does not want to give them up.  Daisy ends up getting put in jail after swallowing a bone.  Her owner, Mrs. Finch, keeps Daisy company. 

Allie is busy recording the fudge contest reality show (all of the contestants are actors) at night and then up early making fudge.  It seems every time Allie takes Mal out for a walk, Mal is finding more bones.  Who do these bones belong to and why were they killed?  Then one of the contestants in the show turns up dead.  Unfortunately, Allie was the last person (before the killer) to see her alive.  Then Chef Peter Thomas is hurt and has to be flown out to a mainland hospital.  Jenn (Jennifer Christensen), is Allie’s best friend and an event planner.  Jenn finds herself attracted to crime scene tech, Shane Carpenter.  With all the bones being found, there are plenty of crime scenes and chances to Jenn to see Shane.

Allie and the gang will have their work cut out for them trying to find the killer.  To Fudge or Not to Fudge is a cute and fun cozy mystery.  It even includes some fudge recipes that sound delightful (especially the peanut butter fudge).  I give To Fudge or Not to Fudge 4.25 out of 5 stars.  The book needed an epilogue to wrap up some of the story lines.  It was never announced who won the contest on the reality show.  There also was not a conclusion with Chef Thomas.  We know he got better, but I think Chef Thomas should have come back to the island, stayed at McMurphy, we find out how he is doing and they watch the finale of the bogus fudge making show.  The mystery was very easy to solve.  I do like the characters in the book (especially the adorable little puppy) and the mystery had some twists and turns (always love that).  To Fudge or Not to Fudge is currently $1.99 on Amazon.  The next book in the series is Oh Say Can You Fudge and it will be out on Tuesday, April 28, 2015!

I am currently reading Take Another Look by Rosalind Noonan.   Thank you for visiting and reading my review.  I hope you have a good week!  Happy Reading!

Kris