Between The Pages - The Princess Shoppe

The Princess Shoppe 

Kerry Blaisdell 

October 2024 

Once upon a time in La-La-Land... When theme park princesses start vanishing, a free-spirited P.I. goes undercover and finds her prince - a cautious ex-military spy who'd rather be left alone. 

Fired from her job, Allie Kincade has a house in escrow, an eviction notice from her landlord, and nothing in the bank. So when she’s offered an insanely large paycheck to dress up as a princess and find three women who’ve gone missing from their jobs as costume characters at GrimmLand, she jumps at the chance. But the park isn’t all it seems: Deep in the SoCal desert, it’s owned by the king of an obscure European country, and the attractions are based on the Grimm brothers’ goriest folktales. Plus, Allie’s new boss clearly wishes she’d never been hired. 

As head of GrimmLand security, buttoned-down Matt Wilcox is convinced the princesses - all out-of-work actresses - simply found better gigs and "forgot" to quit. But he owes his life to King Roland, and he can’t retire and pursue his own dreams until the women are found. Then the king’s adult daughter - a real princess - also goes missing, and Matt must work with Allie to uncover the truth. Will their fairy-tale ending be a happy one…or more Grimm? 

Between The Pages 

This story had an appealing spin on a fairly land amusement park. The main characters were fun and had an immediate connection. There were a few side stories, which were equally enjoyable and all interlocked together with a colorful supporting cast. The mystery of who kidnapped the princesses was well-written, but as a hired PI, Allie's investigating skills were lacking. With such an interesting setting, readers would enjoy reading more mysterious stories from GrimmLand. 

Rating 

4.5 Stars

Between The Pages - Murder Under The Mistletoe

Murder Under The Mistletoe

Liz Fielding 

November 2023 

Abby Finch arrives at the old church hall armed with festive mistletoe and holly, ready to decorate. But within moments of her walking through the door, tragedy strikes . . . 

Edward Marsh reaches to test the antique star at the top of the tree. There’s a fizz and the lights go out. Abby hears the sickening thud of a body hitting the floor. When the lights turn back on, Edward is dead. It soon becomes clear it was no accident. 

The real victim should have been Gregory Tatton. Dapper silver fox. Popular with the ladies of the seniors’ lunch club. A known blackmailer . . . 

Abby is desperate to find out the truth, but putting herself in danger isn’t on her Christmas wish list. 

Who’s been naughty? Who’s been nice? Who’s hiding the fact they’re a murderer?

Between The Pages 

This cozy mystery was an engaging read, a page-turner, and a great who-done-it murder. There is a large cast of characters to keep track of, but reading the first book in the Maybridge Murder Mysteries series is helpful to get to know everyone. This book added a little more romance between Abby and Jake. Jake is one of my favorite characters. He provided a bit of humor to the story and emotion as he bonded with Abby’s children. The well-developed plot holds your interest from beginning to end.

Rating 

5 Stars

Between The Pages - Murder Among The Roses

Murder Among The Roses 

Liz Fielding 

April 2023 

In the peaceful Cotswolds village of Maybridge, you wouldn’t expect to find a dead body in the rose garden. And certainly not two. 

Abby is horrified to discover the bones of a baby buried under a rose bush. It’s in the garden of her soon-to-be ex-husband Howard’s family home. 

She immediately calls the police. But she can’t get hold of Howard. He’s off on a jolly with the woman he’s got pregnant. 

And then, just two days later, Abby finds Howard himself. Lying dead in the very same rose garden. Throat slashed with her own garden spade. 

Now Abby is the prime suspect. 

Between The Pages 

This was a compelling cozy murder mystery. The plot was well-developed with twists that upped the suspense. There was a large cast, leading to forgetting what role some of them played, but the main characters of Abby, her family, friends, and the police were interesting. The author pulls you into the storyline, leaving clues of who the murderer is along the way. However, with many possible suspects, you’re still guessing, which added to the enjoyment of the read. The ending was engaging and makes you anxious to read the next book in the Maybridge Murder Mysteries Series. 

Rating 

5 Stars

Between The Pages - Cruel Charade

Cruel Charade

Alana Lorens 

July 2024 

Miami attorney Bet Lenard has had a rough year. She’s battling an unknown illness that drives her to drink to cope with her pain. Her lawyer husband has divorced her and taken the best part of their business, their home and their children. On the night of May 16, 1996, Bet finds herself in the Everglades in the middle of the night, drugged, lost and next to a burned car with a dead body in it. 

Hoping she’s hit bottom, Bet must drag herself out of her living hell and discover who tried to kill her. Was it her ex-husband, not satisfied with stealing everything that mattered? An angry client, unhappy with the outcome of their case? Her best friend’s husband, livid that Bet’s restraining order kicked him out of her life forever? Police officers fuming that Bet helped a client convict a dirty cop who was their friend? She has no idea. 

As she tries to sort out the motives behind her would-be killer, even more suspects come to light. The only thing keeping Bet sane is her relationship with her therapist, who encourages her to struggle and survive, despite everything that’s gone wrong. How will Bet discover the truth and bring her enemy to justice before they strike again and, this time, succeed? 

Between The Pages 

This murder mystery was a great suspenseful who-done-it. The plot was well-developed, and the cast of characters was interesting. Bet held the lead superbly on her own. She has traveled a bumpy road with more down moments than up but still kept her head high. There was so much to like about this story filled with humor, tension, and drama. Bet reciting her senses to ground her was an enjoyable bonus. The story dipped from present to past to fill in the blanks so it’s not a quick read, but the author’s long list of suspects will keep you reading and guessing until the end.

Rating 

4.5 Stars

Between The Pages - Framed For Murder

Framed For Murder

Marla A. White

June 2024 

After a life-changing injury, Mel O’Rourke trades in her badge for bed sheets, running a B & B in the quirky mountain town of Pine Cove. Her peaceful life is interrupted when an old frenemy, the notorious and charismatic cat burglar, Poppy Phillips, shows up on her doorstep, claiming she’s been framed for murder. While she’s broken plenty of laws, Mel knows she’d never kill anyone. Good thing she’s a better detective than she is a cook as she sets out to prove Poppy's innocence. 

The situation gets complicated, however, when the ruggedly handsome Deputy Sheriff Gregg Marks flirts with Mel, bringing him dangerously close to the criminal she’s hiding. And just when her friendship with café owner Jackson Thibodeaux blossoms into something more, he’s offered the opportunity of a lifetime in New Orleans. Should she encourage him to go, or ask him to stay? Who knew romance could be just as hard to solve as murder? 

Between The Pages 

The reader is introduced to Mel in The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder novella but in this book, Mel has settled into Pine Cove. The first chapter pulls the reader in with a blast from Mel’s past. A body is found, and the mystery begins. Poppy and Mel’s grandmother highlight the story, adding fun and mischief. In this book, the growth of Mel’s character is well written as she tries new hobbies. The author sets up a good mystery and introduces several possible suspects. This cozy mystery was a fun read and had a great ending hook. 

Rating 

4.5 Stars

Between The Pages - The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder

The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder 

Marla A. White 

November 2021 

After injuring herself on the job as a Los Angeles cop, Mel O'Rourke leaves the force battered both physically and mentally. Looking for a fresh start, she moves to a quiet mountain town and opens the Babbling Brook Inn. Excited for her new life, Mel decides to participate in the town's holiday cookie contest, but her newfound joy crashes when one of her guests turns up dead in her lobby. 

Mel is tempted to attribute the death to natural causes, but when another guest dies, her cop sense kicks in. The local Sheriff tells her to stand down, but with her own life in danger, Mel won't back off. With everything on the line, she has to push through her own fears to catch the killer before more bodies drop, perhaps even her own. 

Between The Pages 

This cozy mystery is a suspenseful who-done-it. The author wrote a strong and likable leading character. Mel is an ex-cop who must solve two murders while suffering from an injury, emotional fears, and running an Inn. The engaging storyline has moments of humor and plenty of drama. The author takes you on a fun ride with a list of suspects, leading to an explosive ending. An enjoyable weekend read.

Rating 

4.5 Stars