Wednesday, July 29, 2015


IF ONIONS COULD SPRING LEEKS by Paige Shelton 
BETTER HOMES AND CORPSES by Kathleen Bridge

IF ONIONS COULD SPRING LEEKS 
Book 5 in the Country Cooking School Mystery series 
by Paige Shelton


The New York Times bestselling author of If Catfish Had Nine Lives returns to Broken Rope, Missouri, where ghosts of the Old West seek assistance from country cooks and amateur sleuths Betts Winston and her grandmother.
 
With summer tourists flocking to Broken Rope, locals volunteer to keep chaos to a minimum. Old West skits are running smoothly, actors are behaving, and stagecoach rides are more popular than ever, but when a spectral visitor appears by ghost train, it’s a job only Betts and Gram can handle.
 
Gram soon starts having nightmares about their ghostly visitor’s demise.  And if a ghost and the hot summer weather weren’t making things sticky enough, one of the town’s volunteers—a man notorious for having more than his fair share of ex-wives—is murdered. When Jerome, Bett’s otherworldly friend, makes an unsettling appearance, this simmering double mystery becomes a recipe for disaster.


Includes delicious recipes!

MY REVIEW



I’m always surprised when I start a book in this series because I’m thinking it’s only a culinary cozy, which it is, but it’s also a paracozy. And what a fun paracozy it was! Any fan of the Country Cooking School Mystery series is going to be simply thrilled with this installment.

Author Paige Shelton wasted no time in getting the mystery and action going in this story. It started on page one and didn’t slow down until almost the last chapter. With all the twists and turns, then the surprising reveal, this was one of the best in the series so far. Author Sheldon is going to have a lot of work to do to top this one. But I have no doubt she will!

The characters in this series are wonderful. I adore Betts and Grams. Just the thought of being a “ghost whisperer” with my grandmother is outrageous. But it sure is fun to read about with this pair. And I’m head over heels for ghostly Jarome.

Rather you prefer traditional cozies, culinaries, or paracozies you’re going to be thrilled with IF ONIONS COULD SPRING LEEKS.

Ms. Shelton also included 5 yummy recipes. Make sure to look for them in the back of the book!

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BETTER HOMES AND CORPSES 
Book 1 in the Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery series
by Kathleen Bridge


After Meg Barrett found her fiancĂ© still had designs on his ex-wife, she decided it was time to refurbish her life. Leaving her glamorous job at a top home and garden magazine, she fled Manhattan for Montauk, only to find decorating can sometimes lead to detecting…

In between scouring estate sales for her new interior design business, Cottages by the Sea, Meg visits the swanky East Hampton home of her old college roommate, Jillian Spenser. But instead of seeing how the other half lives—she learns how the other half dies. Jillian’s mother, known as the Queen Mother of the Hamptons, has been murdered. Someone has staged a coup.

When she helps a friend inventory the Spensers’ estate for the insurance company, Meg finds herself right in the thick of things. Cataloging valuable antiques and art loses its charm when Meg discovers that the Spenser family has been hiding dangerous secrets, which may have furnished a murderer with a motive. As Meg gets closer to the truth, the killer will do anything to paint her out of the picture…


FIRST IN A NEW SERIES

MY REVIEW 


I’ve been excited about this first book in a new series since I first heard about it. Author Kathleen Bridge did not disappoint! She hit the ground running in chapter one and kept building the intrigue straight through to the exciting reveal!

Meg Barrett is a relatable protagonist. I enjoyed getting to know her. I love her business, Cottages By The Sea. Poor woman sure didn’t expect to stumble on a murder scene. But then, none of our lead characters do, do they? J

BETTER HOMES AND CORPSES was a very well written, with a wonderful plot. Extremely well done for a first installment in a series. You can tell author Bridge really put her all into this book. I have no doubt this series is going to be a favorite on more than a few people’s book shelves.  

I’m already looking forward to the second book in this series. It’s going to be a long year!

Make sure to check out the back of the book where Ms. Bridge shares a guide on repurposing vintage finds, as well as some delicious sounding recipes!

Both of these great titles are now 
available for pre-order

Release date:
Tuesday, August 4

As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

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11 comments:

  1. BETTER HOMES AND CORPSES sounds exciting and you wrote great reviews for both cozies, Lisa. Thank you.

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    1. Susan, I always smile when I see you've been by to visit!

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  2. Thank you, Susan! Your support means a lot to me.

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  3. Thanks, Lisa! Both books sound great. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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    1. Pat, thanks for always coming to visit. Every time I see your name on the blog, it feels like a hug. :-)

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  4. Thanks so much for the reviews!

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  5. Oh wow, both of these books sound amazing, and I have added them to my TBR list. Thank you Lisa for the great reviews.

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    1. Thank you, Jen. It always makes me happy to be able to add to your TBR. ;-)

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  6. You make every book you review sounds so wonderful. I wish I could have them all but I have to have Onion. Thanks.

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    1. Aw...Thank you, Billie! What a wonderful thing to say. A lovely comment to close my night with. Hugs.

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