Review: Death by Deception (Shepherd Sisters Mysteries #1) by Tracy Gardner

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.

After being fired and dumped in the same terrible day, Savanna 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 when a cozy book club meeting ends with a possible murder, and then dangerous incidents occur in and around the friend’s mansion, Savanna’s sharp eye is put to the test. 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?

 

My Review:

Entertaining and unpredictable.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I am already wanting to read the next book in this series.  It had a great cast of characters and the story was well written and kept my attention the entire time I was reading.  I had a hard time putting the book down.  It was so exciting and addictive all the way to the end.

 

 

Review: The Bookworm and the Cat's Meow by Jeanine Lauren

When life gives you a second chance, sometimes it comes with claws.

Recently divorced and looking for a fresh start, Lance Reed swaps his business in the city for the cozy charm of a bookstore in the heart of Sunshine Bay. What he doesn't expect is the slew of community commitments that come with it—especially the agreement to display cats from the local pet shelter in his store.

There's just one problem: Lance hates cats.

Enter Raven Johnson, the spirited, cat-loving woman behind the pet shelter. Also, in her mid-fifties and divorced, Raven has dedicated her life to her daughter and her feline friends, leaving little room for romance or other personal ambitions.

To her chagrin, her cat sanctuary is now linked to the bookstore, where her cats, the cat-hating Lance, and his books must somehow coexist.

Will Lance learn to open his heart to the furry friends he never wanted, and can Raven find room for a new chapter in her own story?

My Review:

A sweet clean romance.

I read another review about this book and I knew I had to read it as well. It is such a sweet story about a cat rescuer who meets the man who just bought the bookstore in their little town. I really liked the theme with cats, books and the 50+ year old characters that I could relate to.

 

 

Review: Crime and Cat-astrophes (A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery #4) by DeAnna Drake

 

Did the professor get what he deserved, or is murder on the prowl in small-town California?

As a late-summer heat wave scorches the sleepy town of Citrus Grove, the suspicious death of a notoriously unpopular professor puts Rebecca and her talking cat, Aneksi, hot on the trail of another cursed artifact and a killer.

Police Detective Nick Devon, her dashing new flame, is following the rulebook in his investigation, but the Cuthbert Exotic Antiques manager is trusting her instincts as she follows the clues. With her grandfather distracted by an unexpected visitor—who may not be what he seems—and Aneksi rekindling a bond with a long-lost sibling, Rebecca knows she’s on her own to search for the ancient scepter that may hold the key to the dead professor’s medical miracle…and the reason behind his demise.

In this twisty tale of hidden motives, intensifying danger, and a dash of magic, Rebecca must rely on her wits—and, hopefully, Aneksi’s sharp claws—to solve the case before she becomes the cunning murderer’s next victim.

 

My Review:

Purr-fectly entertaining.

I really enjoyed this book.  As with the other books in this series, I just couldn’t get enough of Rebecca, Aneski, and Stirling as they search for another murderer in Citrus Grove.  We are also introduced to new characters in this story, Phineas, Stirling’s cousin, and Khepeset, Aneksi’s sister, who also has magical powers.  They both pay important roles in this story helping to find the murderer.  There were a lot of twists to this story that made it harder for me to figure out who was the killer.  I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.