Title: Out of the Picture Author: Tracy Gardner Series: A Shepherd Sisters Mystery #1 Genre: Cozy Mystery
Join the Shepherd sisters in solving a mystery…before it’s too late!
This artful cozy mystery is perfect for fans of Krista Davis and Joanne Fluke.
Savanna Shepherd is a former art authenticator—someone who can tell a forgery from the real thing. She’s got a talent for spotting secrets hiding in plain sight.
In the wake of a painful breakup, she moves back to her idyllic hometown on the banks of Lake Michigan. At least she’s close to her sisters again, and she’s enjoying her new job as a grade school art teacher.
Savanna even rediscovers her creative soul when an old family friend hires her to paint a mural. But sad and strange incidents occur at the woman’s mansion, compelling Savanna to investigate. With a little help from her sisters—and from Aidan, the intriguing town doctor—will she be able to figure out what’s wrong with this picture?
This intriguing cozy mystery includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Holy Yum Baked Chicken.
Out of the Picture by Tracy Gardner is the first Hallmark Mystery I’ve read. And it didn’t disappoint. The Shepherd Sisters were a riot and I want to be their forgotten fourth. The only major problem I had was telling them apart. With all the names starting with S, I got them all confused until the very end. Only Savanna, the main sleuth in this case, stood out.
There’s an interesting mix of murder and theft tied together in Out of the Picture. And it really did seem to take the whole community to solve the case, which was a little different to me. While Savannah was the focal point, she really relied on everyone around her to help put the pieces together and catch the bad guys.
The small-town atmosphere and peeks into family gatherings really brought everything together. It rounded the characters out in a way that I don’t always get to see. The side characters weren’t just there for decoration, they were all very unique to themselves and had a reason for being there.
I’m excited to see where this series goes. And it looks like there are a couple of other Hallmark Mysteries that I may need to check out as well!
Title:A Little Night Magic: Five tales of love, laughter & friendship – under a full moon Author:Angie Fox Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Cozy Mystery
New York Times bestselling author Angie Fox is back with an enchanting collection of six sweet, quirky, laugh-out-loud tales of paranormal mischief. Enter a world of magic with the ever-popular and always rowdy biker witches; take off on a spine-tingling adventure with a Southern good girl turned reluctant ghost hunter; and sizzle in the sultry heat of New Orleans as a voodoo mamba makes one very big mistake when casting a love spell. These charming tales of love, friendship, and laughter are a pure delight.
A spirit at the resale shop is trying to make right something he didn’t get to do from his past. Verity’s jobs to help him seem simple at first, but they always take a fun and slightly dangerous twist before the end.
By far, my favorite of the Southern Ghost Hunter short stories so far. There’s a wonderful romance, a family in need of mending, and it all takes place on the ghostly plane. This one dives a little deeper into Verity’s past (which you learn more about in the main series), and it was written in a way that gives you enough information without giving everything away.
Both Southern Ghost Hunter stories do an amazing job of telling a full story without messing with the main series too much. You can enjoy them as an addition to the series, or you can use them to find out if the series is right for you – which I’m sure it will be!
This was a really fun story. When Amie, a voodoo priestess, accidentally summons a man from the grave when she tries to summon love – well – things get a little interesting. She’s determined to put him back in the grave where he came from. He’s determined to convince Amie he’s the perfect man for her – but time is quickly running out. A very different take on the paranormal romance genre. I’m not sure how this fits into the overall Demon Slayer series – but it definitely makes me want to read more of them.
This was my first introduction to Lizzie Brown – the main character of the Demon Slayer series (or so it seems). She was fun, feisty, and quite a bit over the top. All the biker witches are. But how cool is it to follow a biker gang that’s all really crazy over-the-top witches. I Brake for Biker Witches seemed like an introduction story, even though it takes place later in the series. It was a great way to get to know the crew and a little bit about their history.
Celebrating their anniversary in a haunted Bed and Breakfast might not be the best idea. Especially when the ghost is very violent and hates when people get a little frisky under his roof. There were some light-hearted moments with the occupants of the B&B, but this was definitely a little on the darker side.
This story was so much fun! The characters really cracked me up, and there were a lot of great pagan references and some really good-hearted Halloween fun. This is the story that makes me want to know more. It was the perfect mix of fun, mystery, and excitement.
The Demon Slayers stories were a bit of a mixed bag – but overall I really enjoyed the fun characters, and it definitely made me want to read more about them.
The magical realism in All the Breaking Waves sucks you into a world you know with just a little twist.
Molly and her daughter Cassie are such beautiful characters, and their mother-daughter bond was amazing.
I did not see the end coming – not at one bit. Kerry Lonsdale threw me a curveball, and I loved it.
About All the Breaking Waves by Kerry Lonsdale
After a harrowing accident tore her family apart, Molly Brennan fled from the man she loved and the tragic mistake she made.
Twelve years later, Molly has created a new life for herself and her eight-year-old daughter, Cassie. The art history professor crafts jewelry as unique and weathered as the surf-tumbled sea glass she collects, while raising her daughter in a safe and loving environment—something Molly never had. But when Cassie is plagued by horrific visions and debilitating nightmares, Molly is forced to return to the one place she swore she’d never move back to—home to Pacific Grove.
A riveting exploration of love, secrets, and motherhood, All the Breaking Waves is the poignant story of a woman who discovers she must confront her past, let go of her guilt, and summon everything in her power to save her daughter.
My Review
Kerry Lonsdale has a way with her characters. Molly and Cassie start the book faced with the frightening reality that Cassie has inherited psychic abilities. It runs in the women of the family, but each generation is a little different. Cassie is forced to see horrible events in the near future, reliving them in her nightmares until the event comes to pass. And someone usually ends up dead. Not a very good thing for a little girl.
When Cassie sees Molly’s death, they both completely freak out – understandably so – and take a trip to Molly’s mother’s house – hoping that Cassie can learn to control her abilities. But also hoping to find a way to avoid Cassie’s tragic vision.
Nana has other ideas though, and this is where things started to take a few very interesting turns. One of those turns was Owen. And while this isn’t quite a romance, there is definitely a romantic storyline between him and Molly – with a long history to drive it forward. Owen and Nana both play a crucial role in helping both Molly and Cassie find their way.
I found myself infinitely frustrated at Molly’s inability to stay away from the very things that could make Cassie’s vision come to pass. Like a moth to the flame – she was drawn to it. Lonsdale used this to create a level of suspense without having an actual bad guy, and it was brilliant. The tension was ever-present and I could feel it in every word and between each line.
I was shocked at the end. Lonsdale led me on and made me believe so many things – and I was wrong about a lot of them. We have a lot of happy moments, but there is some sadness as well. Much like life, this novel took me on a journey the was quite memorable.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
