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Murder a la Christie (Golden Age of Mystery Book Club) by Marilyn Levinson – Review by Christie Mitchum

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Murder a la Christie (Golden Age of Mystery Bookclub Book 1)Murder a la Christie by Marilyn Levinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Murder a la Christie was a great, cozy mystery with some romance sprinkled in.

Professor Lexie Driscoll is excited about her first Golden Age of Mystery Book Club meeting. However, that excitement turns to shock and sadness when a dear friend dies under suspicious circumstances. Lexie believes it’s murder, but the others aren’t so sure. It doesn’t take long for the police to verify Lexie’s suspicions. It was murder. She is determined to find out who did it. One murder turns into two, and Lexie knows she has to reveal the killer before someone else dies.

There were many characters, and in the beginning, I thought I would have a hard time keeping them straight, but the author provides a handy list of characters at the start of the book. The further I got into the book, it became easier to navigate them. I had mixed feelings about Lexie initially as she was very blunt and didn’t care whose feathers she ruffled. I came to see that as tenacity and love for her friend, Sylvia. She wanted justice for her friend, and that revealed her loyalty to those she cared for.

She is beginning to find herself in a bit of a love triangle; however, given her past, I can understand her reasons for not wanting to commit to a relationship. Both love interests are great guys, and in my opinion, she can’t go wrong with either. Hopefully, we will see some resolution to that in the next book.

Overall, this was a great read, full of twists and turns. I had no idea who the murderer was until the culprit was revealed. The author did a great job keeping me interested and engaged in the story. If you are an Agatha Christie fan, you will enjoy this book.

I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

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The Ghostly Diva (Divine Vintage Series) by Sandra L. Young – Review by Christie Mitchum

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The Ghostly Diva (Divine Vintage)The Ghostly Diva by Sandra L. Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Ghostly Diva is the third and final book in the Divine Vintage series. It’s just as well-written and charming as the first two books.

Justine is the Assistant Museum Director in her small town. She loves her town and job and has a great relationship with her boss. However, with budget cuts coming and not knowing if her job is safe, she is contemplating leaving for a job in Chicago. She feels she needs a change and wants to walk a more exciting professional path.

She soon had an opportunity to work with a famous screenwriter, Jackson Maddox, who possibly went through his late mother’s personal effects to be used in the museum. She jumps at the chance to go through the actress’s treasures, but Jackson’s company leaves much to be desired. He is rude and surly. She expects the job to be pretty easy. However, she discovers the opposite is true. Not only is Jackson somewhat hard to deal with, but she is now seeing the ghost of his dead mother. One night, getting snowed in with Jackson leads to a tenuous friendship between them, not to mention their crackling chemistry that is bubbling underneath the service. She also vows to help him solve the mystery of his paternity.

Young’s writing shines in The Ghostly Diva, particularly in carefully crafting the relationship between Justine and Jackson. The characters evolve organically throughout the story, with Jackson’s mother playing a significant role in their journey. Her influence adds depth and direction to both the narrative and the characters.

Discovering Sandra Young’s work was a delight. Her skillful fusion of romance, mystery, and the paranormal in ‘The Ghostly Diva’ creates a unique and captivating narrative that is sure to appeal to a wide range of readers.

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The Ghostly Diva (Divine Vintage Series) by Sandra L. Young – Review by Christie Mitchum

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The Ghostly Diva (Divine Vintage)The Ghostly Diva by Sandra L. Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Ghostly Diva is the third and final book in the Divine Vintage series. It’s just as well-written and charming as the first two books.

Justine is the Assistant Museum Director in her small town. She loves her town and job and has a great relationship with her boss. However, with budget cuts coming and not knowing if her job is safe, she is contemplating leaving for a job in Chicago. She feels she needs a change and wants to walk a more exciting professional path.

She soon had an opportunity to work with a famous screenwriter, Jackson Maddox, who possibly went through his late mother’s personal effects to be used in the museum. She jumps at the chance to go through the actress’s treasures, but Jackson’s company leaves much to be desired. He is rude and surly. She expects the job to be pretty easy. However, she discovers the opposite is true. Not only is Jackson somewhat hard to deal with, but she is now seeing the ghost of his dead mother. One night, getting snowed in with Jackson leads to a tenuous friendship between them, not to mention their crackling chemistry that is bubbling underneath the service. She also vows to help him solve the mystery of his paternity.

Young’s writing shines in The Ghostly Diva, particularly in carefully crafting the relationship between Justine and Jackson. The characters evolve organically throughout the story, with Jackson’s mother playing a significant role in their journey. Her influence adds depth and direction to both the narrative and the characters.

Discovering Sandra Young’s work was a delight. Her skillful fusion of romance, mystery, and the paranormal in ‘The Ghostly Diva’ creates a unique and captivating narrative that is sure to appeal to a wide range of readers.

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Murder on West Main (A South Shore Mystery) by I.M. Foster – Review by Christie Mitchum

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Murder on West Main: A South Shore MysteryMurder on West Main: A South Shore Mystery by I.M. Foster
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Murder on West Main is the second South Shore Mystery series book. While I enjoyed the first book, I enjoyed this one even more.

In this book, Kathleen’s brother, Colin, finds himself the prime suspect in his boss’s murder. His boss had threatened to fire him mere days before. Colin is certainly not perfect, but Kathleen knows he is no murderer. Daniel, the assistant coroner tasked to investigate, doesn’t believe Colin could do it either. He is determined to find the killer, but his feelings for Kathleen complicate matters, especially when she wants to investigate independently. As they try to solve the mystery, they discover that almost no one likes the victim, Brice. In fact, Brice may be the true villain in this book.

The author did a wonderful job of revealing even more about the characters, and each is still growing throughout the pages of this novel. In addition, the book is well-written. Her town descriptions made me feel like a part of the book myself. She kept me guessing. I had a suspect in mind, but I kept second-guessing myself.

Her secondary characters were some of the most developed I have seen before. I liked getting to know Daniel’s sister, Isabell, and Kathleen’s brother, Colin. I’m hoping these two are on the cusp of their own romance.

Foster created a perfect little historical mystery. She combined twists and turns, a little romance sprinkled in, and some historical facts (the beginning of fingerprinting and a new toy, a teddy bear), giving her readers a book that was hard to put down. I look forward to the next mystery these unforgettable characters have to solve.

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Finding Cheer (Magical Emerald Hollow Series) by Heather Schneider – Review by Christie Mitchum

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Finding Cheer (Magical Emerald Hollow #2)Finding Cheer by Heather Schneider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finding Cheer was a sweet, magical, and uplifting read. It is the second book in the Magical Emerald Hollow series. I did not read the first book and felt this could be a standalone. However, I will go back to read the first book as it would give me more background on Ash and Holly, even though this book focuses on the romance between Sofia and Isaiah.

Sofia is still dealing with the grief of losing her mother and the end of a relationship with a man she thought she could trust. While hiking, she finds a man with no memory of his past. Because of everything that she has endured, she is rather skeptical of him. As she spends more time with Isaiah, trying to help him uncover her past, she finds herself drawn to him as he is to her.

The story is told from Sofia and Isaiah’s perspectives, and Holly and Ash are also narrators. At first, I wasn’t sure what the significance of including Holly and Ash was, but it all comes to light at the end of the book. It all connects brilliantly.

I thought the book was well-written, and I could feel the pull between Sofia and Isaiah. I’m glad the author took her time with their relationship, and I enjoyed watching their friendship grow and how they came to support one another. The setting was described well, and I wanted to visit Emerald Hollow. Heather Schneider is a new writer for me, and I am so glad I ran across her. I’m hoping this series will continue. If you like the following tropes, you will love this series: small-town setting, clean romance, strong female leads, irresistible male main characters, and some magic mixed in.

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