The Jig Is Up (Irish Bed & Breakfast Mystery #1), by Lisa Q. Mathews

 

Publication August 20, 2024

Kate packs up her daughters and heads back home after getting a message from her sister Colleen. Home is Shamrock, Massachusetts. Colleen waves away her message, however, refusing to explain why she sent it. Not long after, Kate finds herself immersed in a murder. The main suspect? Colleen, the victim's best friend. Although she's with Kate when they discover the body, there's lots of evidence that points to Colleen, a talented Irish dancer. Heck, given the secretive nature of not just Colleen, who goes out of her way to avoid discussion with Kate, but others who are just as secretive, Kate even wonders if it's possible her sister did kill her friend.

As the first of a new series, there is a lot of background info worked into the plot as well as introductions to the probable recurring characters. To be honest, I never really warmed up to either Kate or Colleen, the latter being downright annoying much of the time. Kate is a chronic over-thinker, her mind seeming to whirl rapidly at almost every moment expecting the worst and she tended to wear me out. To be honest, I'm not sure I felt drawn to any of the characters. Maybe Garrett, former boyfriend, now cop, someone who seems to pop up unexpectedly and frequently. Kate's oldest daughter Maeve shows promise but, typical child, seemed to blow hot and cold. Kate's parents aren't well fleshed out and I was left wondering what the logic was behind her father being the former chief of police who was shot on the job and now in a wheelchair. Perhaps that will be made clearer as the series progresses. Oh, an Kate freezing up at playing the piano again sort of made sense but that's probably another thread for future books.

As for the murder, Kate arrived home just in time to go to the dance rehearsal with Colleen where they stumble across the dead body of Deirdre. Young Maeve and flighty Colleen handle it better than Kate, go figure. Could Colleen have murdered Deirdre? Why is there a trail of blood? Is it sheer coincidence that Moira McShane almost immediately tries to take advantage of Deirdre's death by advertising her soon-to-be-open new dance school? Where's the no-show pianist? Could the long-winded mayor somehow be involved? How about Conor, who works scooping ice cream, or maybe ambitious, organized Zoe? What secrets are being kept? Even Kate has secrets, of course. Bottom line, while I wasn't quite taken with this book (3.5 rounded to 4) and I'm also not quite sure how she figured out whodunit at the end, that may just be me. I am interested enough to say I'll definitely check out the next book in the series, however. There's promise here and still much, much more to be discovered about the characters and relationships/connections between them. Thanks #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for introducing me to Kate's grand debut as an amateur sleuth. The twist/reveal at the end definitely makes me curious.

The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History, by Karen Valby

 Publication April 30, 2024

Somewhere out there is a young girl with dreams. She will be inspired by this story. It's a story long past due. Misty Copeland, who has been celebrated as the first black prima ballerina, paid public tribute to the original dancers of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, emphasizing that she wasn't the first. I'm not particularly a ballet fan but found this a riveting story of dreams, hard work, discipline, determination, sacrifice, and an all too fleeting moment in the spotlight. It's also a celebration of sisterhood. 

Author Karen Valby does a wonderful job of introducing you to the women who were the stars of this story. Although their stories are ones of black dancers striving to break barriers, they emerge as real humans, too. You know, the sort whose grandchildren would advocate for them being introduced to the world for their accomplishments, which is really where the story begins. It then takes us back to a time when they were young and despite their love of and talent for dance, had doors closed in their faces due to race. Only after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King was the Dance Theatre of Harlem formed by Arthur Mitchell, whose personality practically pulses off the pages as he demands as much from himself as from his protege dancers. Ultimately they would dance before the Queen and party with Mick Jagger. 

This is their story, one of hopes and dreams, yes, but also sacrifice, pain, determination, and a refusal to be beaten down because of race. You are going to like these women, feel their pain as they try to balance lives with dreams, sometimes against family but also with family holding them up. Many abandoned college dreams to dance, working their hearts out for very little financial gain, but persisting nevertheless. Injuries and physical pain a constant problem as they tried to not just live up to but surpass Mitchell's demand for excellence. It's a story that can not just ignite dreams but perhaps reignite buried dreams. I thank NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me not just this early peek at the book but for providing such an inspiring story that gives us a look at history and some remarkable women. There's a lengthy list of sources included at the end, many with online links.

 

Murder Checks Out (Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #8), by Victoria Gilbert

 Publication Nov. 14, 2023

While a murder certainly takes center stage, this one was character driven. I thoroughly enjoyed the focus on Amy and Richard's family and friends, not to mention their energetic twins, Nicky and Ella. Although I spent some time trying to sort out how I'd somehow missed that they not only had twins but five-year old twins, I finally zeroed in on Amy's thoughts of having to resume her sleuthing to mean she'd have five lovely, crime free years and the author had simply fast-forwarded to the current situation. 

It's a busy one. Richard, a dancer/choreographer to be simplistic, is directing a modern version of The Nutcracker, one that includes his twins' stage debut. His difficult mother has also announced a visit, one that includes staying with Amy and Richard. Amy still has her job at the library, a job that fortunately means she has enviable research skills. To complicate things, environmental protesters have hit the streets to protest a proposed commercial development by a shady company. Than, so much for Christmas cheer, the head of that company is found murdered. Even worse, Amy's brother-in-law, Ethan seems to be the top suspect. Then, just to complicated things, Ethan goes missing. And that is just the beginning.

This was an intriguing, quick read. I liked the diverse characters who seemed to have full lives but came together during a crisis. Amy's usual circle of family and friends, including the mysterious Kurt, had her back, enabling her to stay on an even keel and focus on her own family. Let's face it, twins would keep most of us hopping and Nick and Ella seem to have also inherited their father's gene for being on stage. This opens all sorts of fun things for the future, I'd guess. Amy also finds support in an unexpected place when....oh, no. Nope. Not telling, enough teasers. Let's just add that there are several suspects and the killer's disturbed personality gave me chills. While you know it's inevitable in a cozy mystery that the main character find themself in danger, I'll give props to Amy. She isn't TSTL (too stupid to live) and doesn't seem to rush headlong into danger, not to mention she keeps Brad, her local law connection, in the loop...mostly. 

Bottom line, this one should be an enjoyable read for cozy mystery fans. A smart sleuth in a character driven story that's also full of fun holiday activities such as the prep for The Nutcracker as well as finding and decorating the perfect tree and wrapping presents. Somehow Amy doesn't seem to miss a second of it despite the life-or-death distractions. Thanks #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for giving me this dose of early Christmas cheer. The ending was perfect.

Stalking Around the Christmas Tree (A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery, #4), by Jacqueline Frost

 Publication Oct. 17, 2023

Oh, rats! Holly has her work cut out for her this time. With her wedding fast approaching, as is a major winter storm, she's also dealing with an inn full-up with a ballet company, holiday games to play and officiate, and the troubling behavior of soon-to-be-husband Evan's sister, Libby. Then Tiffany, the lead ballerina for the town's presentation of The Nutcracker, is killed. Who did it? One of the other ballerinas, or maybe the company's ballet master, George? Tiffany's online fan, or, wait, was she even the intended victim? Holly doesn't have time to think, to be honest, but she still can't help getting involved in the case, even after receiving threats.

Overall, I found it a fun read but wasn't quite as taken with it as I'd expected to be. Seemed to get bogged down with excessive descriptions of, say, clothing or hair styles, at times. Now, true, I loved every tiny detail at the end but, well, took me awhile to get to that point. Holly is likable although, quite frankly, I question, one, her common sense of darting out alone to confront a potential murderer, and, two, that she blew off parts of her mother's big moment being filmed to chase after said suspect. That left me annoyed at her for quite awhile. She also seemed to continually be distracted by thoughts of the murder. Never mind she'd barely spoken to the victim. She was fully invested in investigating. Investigating against Evan's attempts to detour her, btw.

The secondary plot involving Evan's sister was interesting. It did showcase Libby's ultimate maturity, however, and the bond between Evan and her. As for the involvement of Holly in that situation, she seemed largely sidelined and a bit overly dramatic as she thought about the case although, in her favor, her pestering Libby may have ultimately been the key to guiding Libby to share the situation with the already worried Evan. Mind you, all this is going on for Holly at the same time as the holiday festivities, wedding planning, addressing and signing cards, officiating at a snowman hat throwing contest, and watching the advance of the impending winter storm as her wedding day approached. Then there's the quirky friend who becomes an ordained minister to perform, no lie, a wedding for her pet goat. And, oh, the repeated comments about the toy drive coordinator looking like Santa and being able to seemingly make things happen. That said, the final scene is wonderfully described and reminds us all of the magic of people coming together to make the impossible happen.

Thanks #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the dose of Christmas. It was a fun story and I loved how it incorporated The Nutcracker into the plot.

Irish Coffee Murderl, story collection by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, Barbara Ross

 

Publication Jan. 24, 2023

The luck of the Irish was definitely with me. Not only a collection of mysteries built around the theme of Irish Coffee, but by three of my favorite authors and sets of characters. I definitely felt like I'd found the reader's pot of gold.

I won't detail the plot except to note that each author shines with their own voice and style. Even better, you don't have to be a former reader of that author to thoroughly enjoy the story, all of which include tidbits from past adventures but don't rely on them for the solution. Mysteries include the death of a single mother of a talented young Irish dancer, the poisoning of an up-and-coming stand-up comedian, and a very cold case, as in over a century old unsolved crime. The collection provides a great introduction to the various series and characters, including seeming to introduce some newcomers. In other words, a winning combination for both authors and readers. ENJOY! I know I did.

Thanks #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks - #KensingtonCozies for inviting me over for some Irish Coffee.

FOR BLOG READERS, the publisher's book blurb:

" You don't need to be Irish to enjoy St. Patrick's Day in Maine, where the chilly March weather offers the perfect excuse to curl up with an Irish coffee. But someone may have spiked this year's brew with
murder . . .

IRISH COFFEE MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
Part-time reporter Lucy Stone is writing a piece for the Courier about four Irish step dancing students from Tinker's Cove on the cusp of making it big. But the story becomes headline news for all the wrong reasons when one girl's mother is found dead in her bathtub. Did a stage mom take rivalry too far, or is some other motive at play?

DEATH OF AN IRISH COFFEE DRINKER by LEE HOLLIS
As owner of Bar Harbor's hottest new restaurant, Hayley Powell offers to cater the after-party for popular comedian Jefferson O'Keefe, who's playing his old hometown for St. Patrick's Day. But it's no laughing matter when Jefferson keels over after gulping down his post-show Irish coffee, leaving Hayley to figure out who decided this joker had gone too far . . .

PERKED UP by BARBARA ROSS
It's a snowy St. Patrick's Day in Busman's Harbor. But when the power goes out, what better way for Julia Snowden to spend the evening than sharing local ghost stories--and Irish coffees--with friends and family? By the time the lights come back, they might even have solved the coldest case in town .

Death in the Margins (Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #7), by Victoria Gilbert

 

Publication Dec. 6, 2022

I adore this series. While I somehow seem to have missed the book covering the wedding between Amy and Richard, this one would work nicely as a stand-alone. The characters are introduced in an efficient manner and brought to life, including the resident cats Loie and Fosse. Richard and Amy are a great pairing. As Fosse's name might hint to you, Richard is a dancer and dance coach/trainer/mentor, and it's his dance production that serves as the center of "Death in the Margins". Librarian Amy doesn't exactly discover the body of Richard's former girlfriend Meredith but she arrives on the scene just in time to see Conner, one of the young dancers in the show, holding a bloody knife beside the body. Conner is arrested on the scene but Amy, Richard, and several others question the teenager's ability to have done it. Although friend and sheriff Brad isn't the lead investigator this go round, Amy quickly becomes invested in "researching" the case, putting herself in danger. Oh, and horses are involved. No, they don't dance. Laugh.

Who killed the arrogant, not-very-nice Meredith. Besides Conner, several other suspects emerge. Was it her ex-husband? He was spied in the parking lot. How about the mother of the autistic and easily overwhelmed child that Meredith degraded in public? Or any of the other dance parents? Meredith wasn't a nice person, to be honest, although nice-guy Richard was trying to help her out by giving her the dance job in "The Folklore Suite" production. Even his partner, Karla, is harshly belittled by Meredith? Heck, she isn't even very nice to Amy. And, what's the pianist's connection to her? And, back to the horses, what was Meredith's connection to an odd illness that took the lives of some valuable show horses some four years ago? Or, was there even one? Could Amy be chasing red herrings with that bit of information? Who is keeping secrets? Or, oh, never mind. Enough teasers. I loved this book/series and am betting cozy mystery lovers who like their mysteries with a bit of romance will too.

Thanks #NetGalley and #CrppledLaneBooks for inviting me to witness the birth of Richard's "Folklore Suite". Kudoes to Karla (and obviously author #VictoriaGilbert ) for emphasizing Richard and Karla's efforts to be inclusive and work with children.