Terrie Farley MoranCritiques

**I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Full of lovely descriptions of Ireland, this addition to the Murder, She Wrote franchise has Jessica once again on the track of a killer. While by now the books are a little formulaic with plot and the climax at the end, I still turn to these for a fun entertainment. Jessica is a little different from her TV persona (I cannot help but think of Angela Lansbury as I read this series), but I find this Jessica just as captivating. While I did suspect the killer by the end of the book, I enjoyed the journey towards that conclusion. Great read!

Scrapbooking Tips and Recipes included

As cozy and comfortable as the previous series’ books, it still provides a fresh and exciting new story.

Murder, She Wrote: Death on the Emerald Isle is the 56th book in the long-running cozy mystery series based on the television show of the same name. This latest entry is as cozy and comfortable as all those before it, yet it still provides a fresh and exciting new story.

Jessica Fletcher is a kind and observant woman with an insatiable appetite for solving mysteries and serving up truth and justice. She builds a circle of new friends and acquaintances everywhere she goes who help her solve the crime. In this case, Maggie Nolan, the daughter of the owner of the hotel where Jessica is staying, is pulled into the matter. Maggie is also the fiancée of the son of one of Maeve's cousins, so she has a vested interest, making her involvement irresistible. The local chief inspector assigned to the official case comes to see Jessica’s value to his investigation. I enjoyed their back and forth, each trying to draw important information from the other.

The murder victim has gotten involved with some shady characters while gambling, but he’s also angered members of his own family and legitimate business associates. So, there are a couple of scenarios for Jessica and Maggie to consider and more than a few possible suspects. It was compelling reading as they followed their leads into Michael’s background and business dealings.

The setting in Belfast and Bushmills in Northern Ireland offered Jessica several attractive sightseeing opportunities, which are worked into the story. Some are off the usual tourist itinerary, and I was given a new appreciation for the depth of Ireland’s history and the travel opportunities available. The location descriptions were amazing, and even simple country drives sounded beautiful, relaxing, and familiar. It was easy to visualize the action in these settings.

With comfortable recurring characters and its well-known amateur sleuth, I recommend MURDER, SHE WROTE: DEATH ON THE EMERALD ISLE to cozy mystery readers who are fans of the previous books or the television show as well as newcomers ready to sample the long-running series.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Murder, She Wrote: Death on the Emerald Isle by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran is a 2023 Berkley publication.

Jessica heads to Belfast, Ireland to attend a Book Festival for a colleague who is unable to attend. Her stay is extended when, Maeve, her Cabot Cove neighbor, asks Jessica to do her a favor and deliver some family heirloom paintings to her family in Bushmills.

The last thing she anticipates is having to call Maeve with the news that one of her cousins has been murdered…

The television show, on which these books are based, featured a handful of episodes set in Ireland, and I do believe that Angela Lansbury had some Irish roots in real life, so I was happy to see the author once again remained true to the series, while taking us on a trip to Bushmills, Ireland!

This is the 56th installment in the series and the fourth by Terrie Farley Moran, but it is also the first MSW novel published after the death of Angela Lansbury. (To be released in early 2023) As such, there is a bit of a bittersweet pall cast over this one, but it also made the setting all the more fitting, though my favorite installments are normally those set in Cabot Cove.

As for the mystery, it stands up nicely, and I was invested in the story right way, though the clues could have been a bit more subtle in some places and Moran, while doing an admirable job, still seems a bit too tentative.

Other than that, this was another enjoyable installment in the series- and as always it is so nice to touch base with Jessica again-especially now, when I really needed to hear her voice again. I hope this series will continue Jessica’s legacy and help keep Lansbury’s memory alive for a long time to come!

3.5 rounded up.½

My goodness, do I love Murder She Wrote. Not surprising, since I am fairly sure the tv show was responsible for the cozy mystery trend that followed it. I was so excited to find out that there are books that continue the series only to find out that I have to play catch up on upwards of 50 of them. Missing a detail like that probably means that I won’t be a successful cozy sleuth anytime soon. Oh well, at least I love to read. I only hope that the rest of the books are as good as “Killing in a Koi Pond.”

In this book, Jessica has come into town to visit with an old college friend. At a dinner party on her first night there she can’t help but notice that her friend’s new husband has a temper and is quick to show it. He also seems to have a sadistic side, leaving everyone in the room a suspect when he turns up dead the next morning. There are the classic usual suspects, someone who owes money, someone who has been swindled, the family member about to be cut off, and the ever helpful business partner, to name a few. The only person Jessica is sure of is Delores, the widow.


I am very much aware of the fact that an author would have to do double duty in writing for such a well established series. First they have to remain true to the voice created by the original actors and writers. Then, they must be able to tell a cohesive whodunnit in their own right. Terrie Farley Moran has done a bang up job in both. This book truly felt as if I had been dropped into the show with old friends and new to fill out the cast. I can’t even begin to explain how exciting it was to read Harry Mcgraw in the late Jerry Orbach’s voice. The best part? No commercials. Plus, it reads well, with plenty of clues dropped in just the right places at just the right time with Jessica’s signature withholding of the key piece of evidence until the big reveal. I am going to have to find more books written by Terrie Farley Moran , MSW or otherwise.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

For someone my age, Jessica Fletcher is an old friend. While I have my doubts that she wrote Cozies, the television show chronicling her adventures most definitely became the template for the mystery sub-genre. This is my third read in the ongoing series, co-penned by Terrie Farley Moran. Once again, I am blown away by the ease with which I slip into reading this story. Cabot Cove, its community at large, and its penchant for gossip is large and center stage. Beloved characters leap off the page to take up residence in my imagination and I feel the craving for a pot of tea and a vat of popcorn, my go-to MSW snack foods.

In this installment, Jessica, having just sent off her latest book is looking forward to spending summer vacation at an NYC beach with her favorite nephew Grady and his family. His wife had just received a promotion and had been invited to join in her boss’s family beach getaway. After meeting the likely suspects and being given a plethora of clues, her boss is found dead and Jessica dives in to figure out who murdered the man with tennis balls. She pulls the reader along in her usual persistent fashion.

It is always a pleasure to follow JB Fletcher through and investigation. She sees everything, asks the oddest questions then sets up the big reveal all while holding true to her purpose, which in this story was spending time with her young nephew. I will admit to figuring out the bad guy early on, but it is only Jessica’s patience that I was able to find the why. What is it about her Great Aunt vibe that has the killers confessing with only a disappointed look from her?

Much like the long-running series, there is an overall story arc, but the books can be read as stand-alone and in any order.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Murder, She Wrote: Killer on the Court by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran is a 2022 Berkley publication.

Jessica celebrates the completion of her latest book by accepting an invitation from Grady, Donna, and her grandnephew, Frank, to join them in New York at a beachside bungalow. The trip is sponsored by Donna’s company- but the relaxing vacation turns tense when Donna discovers her boss dead on the tennis court. Immediately, Jessica suspects foul play and soon her suspicions are confirmed. The Fletcher’s have been asked to stand by while the investigation proceeds, which gives Jessica plenty of time to do her own digging- which unearths a nest of greed and family resentments leaving her no shortage of suspects.

What fun to catch up with Grady and his family, and the locations couldn’t have been better for summer mystery. This installment was sweet- with so many touching moments between Jessica and Frank. The mystery did seem to take a back seat in this installment and Jessica seemed a bit distracted in this one and not especially interested in butting her nose in too far. All the same the mystery wraps up nicely, with an unexpected twist I never saw coming- and that’s always a good thing for me.

The mystery was subdued this time around, but the moments with Jessica and her family were priceless. I don’t think we’ve seen Jessica’s interaction with family have such poignancy either on the show or in previous incarnations of the book series. I liked it- and hope we will see more of this side of Jessica in the future- but also hope the mystery areas will not lose momentum in the process.

Overall, a very nice addition to this long running series and a good one to pop into your beach bag this summer!

3.5 stars½

My favorite episodes of the series are the ones set in Cabot Cove, and I have a soft spot for the books set there as well. This one opens with a scene in Loretta's Beauty Shop, and most of the gang is there, even Ideal Malloy! That was certainly a welcome opening scene.

The plot is exactly as it says on the tin: a newcomer to town, Nelson Penzell, is found murdered by Coreen Wilson, the manicurist at Loretta's. She's found covered in blood and holding the murder weapon, so naturally she is the #1 suspect. Jessica doesn't believe for a second that Coreen could've murdered a man, so she sets about trying to rustle up other suspects. In the meanwhile, secret agent Michael Haggerty shows up, sniffing around Penzell's home, and he soon ropes Jessica into his current mission - trying to bust up an international smuggling ring. Between helping Coreen and Michael, Jessica is also trying to finish the synopsis for her next book, but she barely has time to breathe!

It's very obvious that Ms. Moran has seen the show and read the Bain novels, because she sprinkles all sorts of little details that harken back to both throughout the story. As a fan of the canon, I just adore that! ♥ Even deputy Floyd is back!! Michael Haggerty was not one of my favorite recurring characters, and I kinda like that Jessica has little patience for him here, but once he shows up halfway through the book, he sorta takes over the story. The murder of Nelson Penzell becomes an afterthought, and the denoument of that particular storyline goes over like a lead balloon. Which is unfortunate, because the first half was exactly what I love about this series: Jessica & the gang in Cabot Cove, working to help each other out as best they can.

I appreciated the cameo appearance of Jessica's beau, George Sutherland, and I hope he returns sooner rather than later ♥

Interestingly enough, the D-plot of this novel is that Evelyn Philips, the boisterous (novel-series only) editor of the Cabot Cove Gazette, is finally retiring and moving on to greener pastures. Evelyn is a supremely abrasive character, so I wonder if this is a not-so-subtle attempt to move less popular characters off the canvas. Either way, I salute it - she was often more trouble than she was worth.

I'm definitely looking forward to the next novel, which is set in the tennis world!½

I had so much fun reading this book! From the beginning I was whisked off from my comfy chair and set down in New Orleans, just in time to celebrate Mardi Gras! The authors did an amazing job bringing the sights, sounds, taste, fun and excitement come alive. I was bewitched! The hours flew by and interruptions were barely tolerated. I wanted to stay immersed in the vivid party atmosphere that was going on in my mind. This was my first adventure in A New Orleans Scrapbooking Mystery Series but certainly not my last. Glitter Bomb is one of those books that invites you to delight your senses, as well as your mind, between its covers.
I love the characters and their senses of humor. They play off of each other with the warmth and knowledge that long time friends have. I felt like I was a part of the friendships even though I haven’t read the previous books. The mystery was well done, starting the book off with a bang! I was kept guessing and even included a suspect whose job normally keeps me from suspecting them. In the end, I was wrong about my list. I love it! That’s entertainment!

Murder, She Wrote: Debonair in Death by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran is a 2021 Berkely publication.

Superb!

Jessica is back home in Cabot Cove, stopping by the beauty salon, sitting in committees, researching her next book, and trying to write a synopsis.

Her work in progress is placed on a back burner, when the co-owner of a local art and treasure store is murdered, and Coreen, a nail technician at the beauty salon, is the primary suspect. If that wasn’t enough excitement, MI6 agent Michael Haggerty, of all people, shows up in Cabot Cove!

Once more Michael and Jessica team up to solve a mystery, and hopefully clear Coreen's name!!

Terrie Farley Moran knows her stuff! I guffawed out loud when Haggerty made his appearance. Let’s just say Jessica got some long overdue revenge!

I loved touching base with the gang in Cabot Cover, and of course, the suave Michael Haggerty! The mystery is twofold, but also interconnects. It is a very clever plot, well executed, fast-paced and entertaining!

I love Murder, She Wrote- I’m currently 'binging' it on Peacock, so many of these characters are very fresh in my mind.

Because of that, I see how well this author is keeping the spirit of the show alive, and her respect for the show and its audience is quite evident!

Can’t wait for the next installment!!

Exactly what it says on the tin: Jessica takes a detour after a professional conference in Bethseda, Maryland, to visit an old college friend in Columbia, South Carolina. Delores Nickens is a twice-divorced, now happily married for the third time, newlywed; her husband, Willis Nickens, is a multimillionaire businessman who treats her like a queen. Jessica is happy for her old friend, but is less than impressed when she meets Willis - who is loud, arrogant, pompous, and nasty (all qualities of a successful businessman, I suppose). Unfortunately, when she wakes up the next morning, Jessica finds Willis face down in the koi pond, and even though there are quite a few people who are more than happy to see Willis dead, Jessica is sure that her friend isn't one of them. When the local sheriff proves to be less than helpful, Jessica finds herself as Delores's only hope for finding the real killer, and getting the law to move the target they've placed squarely on her back.

Boy was it nice to rekindle my interest in this series! After Donald Bain's death, the franchise owners made a serious mistake when they hired a thriller writer to take over the series, who promptly showed his clear ignorance of the canon and did his best to wreck the series. It's taken about six books, but mercifully, they've switched to a writer far more familiar with cozy mysteries, who is a MUCH better fit. She not only shows knowledge, but respect for the original TV series. Her take on Harry McGraw hews much closer to his original characterization, and I could picture 80s-era Jerry Orbach at his Boston gritty best!

She didn't get everything quite right - overplaying Seth's temper; too much name dropping of various labels, book titles, and authors; and her portrayal of the local sheriff's office is horrifically bad (look, they were on LivePD, so its pretty easy to see the real life deputies in action and see that none of them would've been as nasty to the family as they are portrayed here) - but it was much, much better than her predecessor, and the construction of the murder and reveal was absolutely spot-on for MSW. I wouldn't be surprised if this author is from South Carolina, for she certainly painted a lovely and authentic picture of the town - and I'm sure that helps when stepping up at #53 in a series as a first-time writer.

Brava! I'm so happy that this series is back on track, and look forward to reading future entries.½

Murder, She Wrote: Killing in Koi Pond by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran is a 2021 Berkley publication.

In this 53rd installment, Jessica is on one of her many trips away from Cabot Cove. This time she’s off to South Carolina for a small vacation, where she plans to visit Delores, an old college friend.

Delores is blissfully happy in her third marriage, but her happiness is short lived, when Jessica discovers her husband, Willis, dead in the Koi Pond. Jessica immediately suspects foul play, but unfortunately, she has a hard time convincing law enforcement to dig a little deeper. But once it has been established that Willis was indeed murdered, there seems to be no shortage of suspects…. Including Delores!

This is Moran’s first book in the MSW series, and it is the first book I’ve read in the series since 2018. If you are wondering if that is a coincidence- it’s not- and we’ll just leave it at that.

I am so happy the writing is back within the cozy format, and Jessica’s character traits are back to normal.

While I want the series to retain the charm we grew to love through the television series, and keep all the recurring characters, and their unique personalities and mannerisms pretty much the same, in that regard, that is not to say Jessica must stay in her quaint 1980s bubble.

Moran brings her up to date a bit, technology wise, while remaining true to everything else we love about this series- and I think it's about time.

Another thing that is back to normal is the pacing. If you remained loyal to the series, even after Donald Bain's death, you might need to adjust yourself back from the tempo of a thriller to the stride of a cozy- but that's as it should be- and I for one am happy to see the author reign that back in.

When it came to the plot and execution, it is possible Moran played it a little too safe. There were a few warbles, but overall it was a solid mystery.

I’m quite pleased with this addition to the series. Hopefully, I can go back to auto adding MSW to my TBR list again!!

4 stars

Jessica’s back! And I for one am very happy about it. Co-authors Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran have perfectly captured the essence of the TV series and the early books. Jessica is still thorough, competent, determined (nosy), fearless, and even though she never takes any guff from anyone, she always retains her wit, humor, manners and common sense.

Everywhere she is, whether she stays home or goes visiting, a murder happens. And that’s the fun, because Jessica is the perfect one to solve it, and she’ll continue to “help” the authorities until solved it is

I was delighted to see Harry McGraw at work again in this story and to hear from grumpy best buddy Seth. I felt as if I was viewing another episode of the series; I could picture the characters, their voices, their mannerisms and enjoyed the often mundane but much needed descriptions of clothes, food, surroundings, Jessica’s jogs . . . .

Moran has done an excellent job with her first pairing with Fletcher. Looking forward to many more books in this totally enjoyable and satisfying series.

Review of uncorrected ebook file

After Jessica Fletcher attends the Malice Domestic conference, she decides to visit her friend, Dolores, in South Carolina. Dolores, recently married to her third husband, Willis Nickens, lives in a palatial mansion with plenty of room for guests and Jessica is looking forward to some girl time, shopping, swapping stories, and relaxing.

Out for her regular early-morning jog, Jessica finds a body face-down in the koi pond. It’s Willis . . . and soon Dolores is the prime suspect in his murder. When Jessica sets out to investigate, she discovers that Willis was definitely lacking in the friend department . . . and more than one person had reason enough to want Willis dead.

But Sheriff Halvorsen is certain Dolores is the culprit. Will Jessica be able to find the truth that will free her friend?

The venerable series continues to shine in this, the fifty-third narrative. The characters are much as readers [and viewers of the long-running television series] expect them to be; the mystery is intriguing; and, of course, Jessica figures it out ahead of everyone else.

Harry McGraw and Seth Hazlitt both make appearances as Jessica juggles Cabot Cove responsibilities and staying in South Carolina to clear her friend; the other characters are sufficiently fleshed out and relatable. Early on, readers get a taste of Willis’s ruthless, fractious comportment; readers are not likely to be surprised when he is the one that turns up dead.

Astute readers may identify the culprit prior to Jessica’s spelling out of the clues that led her to the murderer, but the unfolding story offers enough intrigue and plot twists to keep the pages turning in this delightful, quick-read adventure.

Highly recommended, especially for “Murder, She Wrote” fans.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
#MurderSheWroteKillinginaKoiPond #NetGalley

I can't say I had this predicted early but after the second murder I knew who it was. Kitschy and extremely over the top, the best thing about this book isn't any of the characters or the plot itself, it's the setting. New Orleans is the stand out in this cozy mystery; not Carmela the scrapbook store owner, Detective Babcock her grumpy fiance (although to be fair I'd be more than grumpy if my fiance kept discovering bodies), Ava the stylish single romantic best friend, or any of the ten thousand suspects. New Orleans is pretty much the only good thing about this mystery, I can't believe there are FIFTEEN books in the series before you get to this one!! Carmela sure knows how to do the job better than the police apparently! Carmela and her bestie are wandering the streets, enjoying the food and drinks, while watching a street parade when they hear a window break and screaming. They rush over and discover that Carmela's friend (honestly more like acquaintance) has been killed inside his antique store. Since it's her FRIEND, obviously Carmela has to do some sleuthing - why would she ever trust her fiance - you know, the detective on the case?!?! Lots of red herrings, asides about food, crafting tips, and witty banter. Pretty banal in my opinion and I wouldn't read more in the series.

The place: New Orleans. The time: Jazz Fest. Lots of people, lots of tourists, lots of floats, lots of entertainers around. Suddenly Carmela Bertrand and her best friend Ava Gruiex, here crash from their friend Devon’s antique shop. They run into the shop and find him bleeding on the floor.

The police arrive, soon followed by Carmella’s fiancé Detective Edgar Babcock. Babcock wasn’t happy to find Carmela there and told her to leave. Has she done so, this book would’ve been much shorter.

The book continues for almost 300 more pages as Carmella and Ava try to figure out who killed Devon and why and Babcock tries to stop them.

In the meantime, there’s another killing and a former male friend of Carmella puts her in a possibly lucrative situation while Babcock lets her know he doesn’t want her to have any part of it. The book also contains six craft ideas and ten recipes.

As far as writing goes, the book isn’t bad. The reader can+ differentiate between the characters and they are consistent. Unfortunately, I didn’t like any of them.

Carmella gets very upset when Babcock has to leave the dinner and romantic evening she planned because of a call from work. He’s a police detective. What does she expect him to do?

Babcock, on the other hand, is very controlling and tries to stop her from going into business with her former friend. She’s run a successful business for awhile and should get credit for knowing what she is doing. However, the friend doesn’t accept her desire to make up her own mind as to whether or not to become involved in the new business.

Ava thinks showing an excessive amount of skin in always appropriate.

Carmella discover a break-in and don’t inform the police. They take evidence from a crime scene, thereby tainting them, and agree to go to a cemetery late at night to get information without letting Babcock or anyone else know.

Rating: 2 stars for the writing.

Carmela Bertrand and Ava Gruiex have watched the parade for the Jazz Fest in New Orleans and head over to Royal Street for the street fair and food stalls. While they are wondering around, they hear shouting and glass breaking but arrive too late at Dulcimers Antiques where Carmela finds her friend Devon Dowling dead. Detective Babcock (Carmela's fiancé) arrives with the police and Carmela begs him to find who did this to her friend. But she is impatient, and not hearing anything about progress on the investigation, so she and Ava set out with an investigation of heir own.

This is a fun series mainly because of the setting in New Orleans, however, I think it is starting to get a bit stale with Carmela's friends being bumped off one by one. If I was Ava, I'd watch out!

Thanks to the author for an advanced copy for review.

It’s Jazz Fest in New Orleans, but the fun times turn serious when an antique shop owner is killed. Carmela and Ava are hot on the trail, putting their own lives in danger. Carmela’s fiancé Detective Edgar Babcock tries unsuccessfully to get her to cease and desist, but his displeasure just makes Carmela more secretive. Add in some side stories about Carmela’s friend Quigg and Ava’s pursuit of the perfect date, and you have a perfect recipe for an exciting tale of murder, southern style.

Mumbo Gumbo Murder by Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran is the 16th A Scrapbooking Mystery. Carmela Bertrand and Ava Gruiex finished watching the kick-off parade for Jazz Fest and went to Royal Street where a street fair is taking place. They hear glass breaking along with shouting and rush to investigate. At Dulcimers Antiques owned by Devon Dowling, they find the shop is a mess with Devon dead on the Persian carpet. Carmela wants to know what happened to her friend and sets out to get answers despite the warning from her fiancé, Detective Edgar Babcock. Mumbo Gumbo Murder is a delightfully entertaining cozy mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series, but you would be missing out on some charming cozy mysteries. I thought Mumbo Gumbo Murder was well-written with developed characters and a wonderful setting (New Orleans). The descriptions brought the city alive for me. Carmela Bertrand owns Memory Mine Scrapbooking Shop in the French Quarter which she runs with the assistance of Gabby Mercer-Morris. Carmela is a creative and clever woman who has two dogs (maybe three now), divorced, and has a penchant for getting into fixes. Ava Gruiex is Carmela’s best friend who owns Juju Voodoo and likes to wear tight, revealing clothing plus she is outrageous (never met a man she wouldn’t flirt with). I enjoy the dialogue between Carmela and Ava. They are a fun duo whose antics will have you laughing. Ava decides to consult a matchmaker so she can find a good man. Carmela finds herself roped into Quigg Brevard’s new venture. She likes the idea and so does everyone else except Edgar Babcock. Edgar wants Carmela to set the wedding date and begin planning their nuptials. Carmela wants to marry Edgar, but something (like her disastrous first marriage) is holding her back. I had to laugh when Edgar mentioned getting bow ties for the two dogs (they need to be appropriately attired for the wedding). Carmela works on some creative projects at Memory Mine including a paper theater and I was drooling over the descriptions of the items in Memory Mine (hundreds of papers, stamps, Paperclay, ribbon, and so much more). There is even a mention of one of my favorite magazine companies, Somerset Studio. The murder of Devon Dowling has Carmela asking questions, digging up clues, and prying information out of Edgar. There is misdirection along with direct clues. I wish, though, that I had not been able to identify the killer so early in the story plus there were unanswered questions at the end. I hope we hear wedding bells for Carmela soon. She just needs to figure out where she wishes to get married and when. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mumbo Gumbo Murder and I look forward to Cadmium Red Dead next year. There are New Orleans recipes at the end along with Scrapbook, Stamping and Craft Tips. Two of my favorite lines from Mumbo Gumbo Murder were “Nothing like a good exorcism to set you straight again” and “I swear, this is the last time I buy Louboutin knockoffs!”. Mumbo Gumbo Murder is a pleasing cozy mystery with paper projects, wedding woes, a bowwow bystander, a mystified matchmaker, a bothersome ex-beau, and a frustrated fiancé.

Well Read, Then Dead by Terrie Farley Moran is the first book in the Read ‘Em and Eat Mysteries. The concept really drew me to the book. I love to read and I love to eat. Moran’s descriptions of the cafe are wonderful. I wish we had that type of book store or cafe in the town I live in. The tables with the various author themes sounded awesome, and the titles of the various food items were super fun. Just to give you an example; The Old Man and the Sea chowder.

The two main characters, Sassy and Bridgy, were actually my least favorite of the characters. They were fine, but nothing about them really stood out to me. The side characters though… Aunt Ophie was a hoot. A cougar who spoke her mind and made a mess in the kitchen while she whipped up delicious food. And Augusta was a feisty woman who has a beautiful softer side. And the bit characters were really well fleshed out for not having as much story line.

The mystery itself was not as strong as other cozies I’ve read, but for a first in the series, it wasn’t bad. And I’m sure Moran will continue to get better with each book in the Read ‘Em and Eat Mysteries!

Hope this is a new series

Kept you guessing on the whodunit until the end. I get very tired of all the irritation of Babcock with her sleuthing etc. Ot did not match with the very hurried up conclusion of the book.½

Carmela Bertrand and her BFF,Ava Gruiex, are watching the Mardi Gras parade when the King Neptune float directly in front of them explodes spewing glitter and bodies allover! Carmela's ex-husband, Shamus, was part of the krewe and when it is discovered that the Krewe captain has been killed, Shamus is a suspect in the murder. Begging Carmela for her help, Shamus's request could cause problems with her relationship with her fiancé Detective Babcock.

Carmela and Ava keep the action moving while entertaining the reader with their jazzy repartee.

Glitter Bomb by Laura Childs is the fifteenth A Scrapbooking Mystery. Carmela Bertrand and Ava Gruiex are watching the Pluvius Parade and are not surprised when they see that Carmela’s ex-husband, Shamus Meechum hitched a ride on the head float. The head float features King Neptune with gold glitter pluming out from his head over the revelers. All the sudden the float starts acting wonky and then—BOOM! An explosion erupted from King Neptune’s head and gold glitter is everywhere as well as the riders of the float. The men start getting up, but one lays unmoving on the ground. Hughes Wilder, the Pluvius Krewe captain, is pronounced dead at the scene and Lt. Edgar Babcock, Carmela’s fiancé (sort of) is on the case (this could be awkward). The next day, Shamus stumbles into Memory Mine seeking Carmela’s help (of course). A bomb had been set in the float right under Hughes Wilder’s seat and Shamus is at the top of the suspect list thanks to an unwise investment. Carmela knows that Shamus does not have the brain power to execute this type of killing. Carmela, with Ava’s eager assistance, begins investigating the other krewe members and investors. They need to proceed carefully, or they could up as confetti on Bourbon Street.

Glitter Bomb is part of the delightful A Scrapbooking Mystery series. While Glitter Bomb can be read alone, I highly recommend reading all the books in the series. I have enjoyed watching Carmela develop over the course of the series as she went from divorcee to savvy business owner and sleuth. I still do not know what she saw in Shamus (it is baffling). Carmela is currently engaged to Lt. Edgar Bertrand. I am on the fence about this relationship. I wish he would quit discouraging her investigations. Bertrand should know by now Carmela will always help those in her circle (even Shamus) and she is just plain curious. I love the scrapbooking projects mentioned in the book. There are some creative ideas that I am looking forward to playing with in my studio. I found Glitter Bomb to be well-written with a fast pace. Carmela and Ava are a hoot. I enjoy their witty repartee. Ava and Carmela do not let grass grow under their feet on this investigation. Of course, you can always count on Ava to spice things up. This time Ava promised to house sit for her boyfriend’s parents and committed the pair to appearing in a fashion show. Laura Childs brought the French Quarter during Mardi Gras alive for me with her word imagery. The mystery had several suspects along with a red herring or two and good clues. Cozy mystery sleuths, though, will find it a cinch to identify the guilty party. The ending is exciting, suspenseful, romantic and funny. The last line is amusing which is a great way to end a book. There is a preview of Eggs on Ice at the end along with scrapbooking tips and recipes for New Orleans delicacies. I am giving Glitter Bomb 4.5 out of 5 stars (I loved it). I cannot wait to read Mumbo Jumbo which is the next installment in A Scrapbooking Mystery series.

Carmela Bertrand lives in New Orleans and owns a successful scrapbooking shop. She's enjoying the Mardi Gras festivities when a float practically explodes right in front of her. Since her ex-husband was one of the krewe, she rushes over to make sure he's okay, then sees that someone else is hurt badly. When the man dies, everyone thinks it was a horrible accident. But when Shamus, her ex, shows up at her shop the next day begging for help, her first instinct is to refuse.

Shamus insists that he's on the suspect list - and her fiancé Edgar Babcock, homicide detective for the NOPD, is targeting him as the killer. While she knows Shamus is sleazy, she also knows he's too weak to be a killer and decides to help him. But when she starts investigating, she doesn't count on the many suspects to be closed-mouthed about their hatred of the dead man. Still, she keeps on digging - on the down low, since Babcock has warned her away - but it's not low enough as someone discovers what she's doing and decides that Carmela needs to go away...permanently...

I really enjoyed reading this book. While I thought it started with a bang as it were, it stalled for a couple of chapters but then picked up again almost immediately. Carmela is an interesting character; she's smart, strong, a savvy businesswoman, devoted to her friends fiercely, in love with Babcock deeply, annoyed by her ex-husband, and detests Shamus' sister Glory. She's definitely a colorful personality, and I like that.

She's also smack-dab in a murder investigation, and doesn't want to be, but she has an innate curiosity that won't let her back out. Unfortunately, it's also that curiosity and her bluntness that, merged together, rub some people the wrong way. Some of the wrong people. And one of them is out to do her in. But with a host of suspects - the victim's wife and various krewe members - it seems every one of them had a reason to want the man dead. He had a hedge fund that somehow went wrong and people lost money...a lot of it. Now she's trying to figure out who decided that a final revenge was the way to get even.

Ava is a hoot as a best friend, always on the lookout for a new man in her life, and pretty much dresses as risqué as she can get away with. Carmela realizes she's not going to change her, but does her best to be the voice of reason. Ava just eggs Carmela on to investigate. They're quite a pair together. The situation with Ava house sitting would have made my blood boil and I can tell you that there would have been a few choice words with every single member of Harrison's family when they returned. It wouldn't have been pretty to watch.

I did have a couple of moments that made me cringe a little when Carmela was blatantly asking people questions about Wilder (the dead man). For some reason, it seemed terribly invasive and not like she was merely curious. No wonder they clammed up. While I realize this is just her personality (and while I also consider myself to be brutally honest, I try to step back when need be) it still made me skim those pages a little bit.

But when the last chapter finally arrived and I got close to the end, everything fell into place just as it was supposed to. Carmela finally got the pay off (just as expected) the killer was discovered, and it came as a complete surprise. There was a hairy moment or two (not a situation I'd like to find myself in at any stretch of the imagination) but everything tied together nicely.

There were plenty of twists in the story and it seemed around every corner there was another question that needed to be answered; and lots of red herrings to sift through. While I thought a few of the characters were nasty pieces to deal with, Carmela managed to hold her own with them. She's an admirable woman and I'm happy to see that she's successful, not with a struggling business like so many of the cozy characters. Carmela's got it going on.

I'm sorry to say that this is only the second book in this series that I've read by this author; but in my defense I have to add that I have read her other series, and with so many other authors I try to give everyone an even chance, and it really was on my list to begin again. I also will add with this book, I plan on going back and reading every single one from the beginning. This is a series worth following, and worth reading every single book. Highly recommended.