Murder on Mustang Beach (Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery, Book 2)

 ALICIA BESSETTE

How acquired: Borrowed from my local library.

First line: Running the Mustang Beach footpath was the sweetest kind of torture.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: I think I liked this second book in the series a little better than the first book. Partly because I really liked the friendship that developed between Callie and Geri-Lynn, the caretaker of the Mustang Beach sanctuary. Geri-Lynn was a great addition to the cast of characters, and her love for and dedication to the mustangs made me appreciate her. Callie really needed a good friend, and while I had hoped during the first book that Officer Fusco would become one, it didn’t happen.

The story opens eleven months after the events of the first book, and Callie and Toby have spent a lot of time together, learning everything there is to know about each other. Toby’s one year self-imposed moratorium on romantic relationships is about to come to an end, and Callie is very much looking forward to having a first date and a first kiss. So of course a dead body is found in Toby’s martial arts studio and the heat – a different kind of heat – is on. And of course Callie can’t sit idly by and let the police solve the murder, so her investigative journalist skills are called upon once again as she begins her own investigation. And of course she puts herself in danger again.

I’m really hoping there will be a third book.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When a killer stirs up trouble in the Outer Banks, amateur sleuth and bookseller Callie Padget is on the case, in a new beachside mystery from author Alicia Bessette.

Cattail Island in the Outer Banks is a popular destination for honeymooners and nature lovers alike. So it is a huge blow when the murder of a newlywed grinds the pre-summer season to a screeching halt. Bookseller Callie Padget launches her own investigation, after mysterious customer Geri-Lynn Humfeld, caretaker of the island’s protected wild horses, brings in an irresistible piece of information.

Determined to restore order and safety to her beloved hometown, Callie searches for answers—even as those answers cast suspicion on her soon-to-be boyfriend, Toby Dodge, whose martial arts studio was the scene of the crime. As she digs deeper, Toby becomes the police’s prime suspect. The truth raises troubling questions and sends her scouring the bookshop’s shelves for guidance.

Meanwhile, a well-loved member of the mustang herd—a pregnant mare whose anticipated foal is a symbol of summery hope for locals and visitors alike—may be facing dire circumstances. With help from Geri-Lynn, Callie unearths startling secrets surrounding not only the compromised mare, but the murdered newlywed, too. And when another body shows up, this time on isolated Mustang Beach, she must race against time to stop a killer from claiming any more innocent lives.

Smile Beach Murder (Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery 1)

 

ALICIA BESSETTE

Stats: Hardback, Berkley, 2023.

How acquired: Library.

First line: I ran for Smile Beach with the tangs of summer in my nose and an ache in my heart.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: The cover of this book caught my eye while browsing the shelves at the library, and while it looked maybe it’s a cozy mystery, which I’m not generally a big fan of, it sounded interesting. I’m not sure if it is officially a cozy, though it is tagged that way on Goodreads, but it didn’t really read like one to me. Or maybe I just enjoyed it so much compared to other cozies I’ve read.

Cattail Island seems like such a great place to live, filled with quaint sounding shops and quirky residents – but not so quirky to be caricatures. Callie’s mother died when she was young, under mysterious circumstances (ruled a suicide), and Callie left the island as soon as she grew up and hasn’t been back since. But now she’s been laid off from her job, and has moved back in with the uncle who raised her after her mother’s death. The fact that Callie is a reporter may also contribute to why I enjoyed this more than other cozies. When two deaths occur, Callie investigating seems more natural than for a pastry chef, or a cheese maker, for example. Though I will admit as it becomes obvious that someone seems to be gunning for her, I sometimes thought what the heck are you doing meeting this person in that place alone at night!

The first death that occurs after Callie’s return, in the same manner as Callie’s mother’s death, is a woman on a treasure hunt, which becomes an integral part of Callie’s investigation. But in between her snooping around looking for clues and information, she gets a job at the local bookstore (her duties include posting pictures and observations to the bookstore cat’s Instagram account), and she meets a man opening a martial arts studio, who offers her lessons in self-defense. Lessons that eventually come in pretty handy.

My only quibble with the book is that there are a lot of really short chapters. Like two to four pages long. And for some of those chapters it didn’t make sense for one to end and another to begin, it felt like they could have been combined into longer chapters. And I can’t even really explain why the short chapters were irritating, other than mentally disrupting the flow of the story maybe. But overall, I very much enjoyed the book, and I’m sad that there are only two books in the series.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

From author Alicia Bessette comes an all-new mystery series featuring Callie Padget, a former reporter turned bookshop clerk in the Outer Banks who is pulled into a deadly web of secrets when a mysterious fall at a lighthouse echoes a tragedy from her past. 

When Callie is laid off from her reporting job, she returns to her hometown of Cattail Island and lands a gig at the local bookstore—the same one where she found comfort after her mother died. 

In fact, the anniversary of her mother’s infamous death is approaching. Years ago, Teri Padget tumbled from the top of the lighthouse. As islanders are once again gossiping about the tragedy, devastating news strikes: the lighthouse has claimed another victim. Eva Meeks, of Meeks Hardware. 

The police are calling it suicide, but Callie does not believe Eva jumped any more than she believes her mother did—especially because Callie knows that before her death, Eva had dug up a long-forgotten treasure hunt that could have put a target on Eva’s back. 

In Callie’s search for answers, she enlists the help of some beloved books and several new friends, including the handsome local martial arts instructor, Toby Dodge. But when another death rocks Cattail Island, Callie must face her fears alone. As she earns enemies in pursuit of the truth, Callie knows she will either uncover the killer or become a victim herself.

Someone Else's Skin (DI Marnie Rome, Book One)

 

SARAH HILARY

Stats: Trade paperback, Penguin Books, 6/24/14.

How acquired: Birthday gift.

First line: They’ve cordoned off the house by the time she gets home.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: I struggled a bit to get into this book. The author's writing style did not appeal to me at all. But eventually I fell into the rhythm, and it no longer bothered me. Much.

The lead, DI Marnie Rome, has some serious PTSD over her parents' brutal deaths, and while I gathered she attended some counseling afterwards, I still find it hard to believe that she was allowed to immediately return to work, and I believe she still needs a lot of counseling. DS Noah Jake, Marnie's partner in the current investigation, is the best character in the book, who Marnie could have treated with a little more respect regardless of her higher rank.

Also, speaking of Noah, it really bugged me that at one point early in the story he picked Marnie up at her house, but then just a few pages later Marnie was the one driving the car.

The plot got a bit convoluted, and a bit graphic and violent for Noah. But I did get very caught up towards the end, thus the book earning a higher rating from me than I anticipated in the beginning.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Five years ago, a shocking and bloody crime left Detective Inspector Marnie Rome’s parents dead. Not even her partner, Detective Sergeant Noah Jake, knows much about Marnie’s past. Though as one of the few gay officers on the force, Noah’s not one to over-share about his private life either.

By chance, Marnie and Noah are at the domestic violence shelter when Hope Proctor stabs her husband, Leo. It should be an open and shut case of self-defense, but none of the eight witnesses tells quite the same story. And the question remains: How did Leo get into the secure building? As the violence spirals, Marnie finds herself drawn into a place where the past casts long shadows and she must tread carefully to survive.

Nutcracker With Benefits

 

LIZ ALDEN

Stats for my copy: Kindle edition, 2022.

How acquired: BookSprout

First line: It was a goddamn Christmas miracle.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: This was a light, somewhat breezy rom com, which was perfect for my mood when I picked it up. I’m not crazy about present tense narration, or about stories where two characters alternate providing the narration in first person POV, and I did not love that here. While the author’s writing was good, the narrative voice felt the same regardless of whether Clara or Nash was telling the story. But the story itself was fun, and it wasn’t hard to overlook that.

Nash and Clara are best friends who don’t see each other often, as Clara’s career has her traveling all over the world, but whenever she breezes into town they enjoy some benefits. Clara is content with the relationship, but Nash wants more, and while Clara is in town for a couple of days at Christmas he sets out to provide her with the perfect day, and show her that she can be just as happy not always being gone.

I especially enjoyed all the supporting characters - Clara’s two dads, her niece and nephew, Nash’s personal stylist, etc. Nobody is one note, and considering this is a novella, and of course the focus is on Clara and Nash, the author did a good job with making the supporting characters vivid and fleshed out.

The book is billed as a “holiday retelling rom com”. Well, I’ll admit right now that I’ve never seen The Nutcracker, and I don’t really know anything about it, but that did not hinder my enjoyment of this story in any way. Just in case you wonder if you need to see The Nutcracker first.

A fun read, with both Nash and Clara ultimately learning to compromise, and getting that satisfying HEA.

*I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and have voluntarily reviewed it* 

Goodreads Synopsis: Clara: I love my life—as a food and travel blogger I make my own hours, work all over the world, and don’t have a single regret. The cherry on top is flying home to New York City to celebrate the holidays with my family—and Nash. He’s my best friend with benefits and was just named the sexiest billionaire bachelor of the year. He’s all mine—for now. But someday, Nash is going to break my heart.

Nash: Clara can have her cake—whether its pavlova, mochi, or tres leches—and eat it too. I have twenty-four hours to convince her that she can have everything she wants right here in the city—including me.

Twilight (Twilight Saga, Book One)

 

STEPHENIE MEYER

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Little Brown and Company, 2008.

How acquired: No idea.

First line: I’d never given much thought to how I would die – thought I’d had reason enough in the last few months – but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: I’ve had this book since 2008, and do not remember how it came into my possession since I was never remotely interested in reading it. But I wanted an inconsequential easy read before starting the next book in my review queue and it was right there on the shelf, so I plucked it down and started reading.

I was pleasantly surprised right away that the writing was better than I had anticipated it would be. As I got further in, it got a little tedious, what with the super detailed minutiae of every facial expression when Bella and Edward talked, and especially when one or the other would suddenly whisper instead of talking like a normal person. Though Edward, of course, is not a normal person. From there it was enjoyable enough, definitely worth at least three stars. And then towards the end the action ramped up and it was actually pretty tense and gripping, which bumped it up to four stars. And now, much as I hate to admit it, I actually would like to watch the movie. I think I saw it way back when it was still fairly new, but while I was reading I remembered virtually nothing, so maybe I didn’t see it, or maybe I just didn’t care for it enough to be bothered wasting any memory space in my brain. 

Synopsis from Goodreads: About three things I was absolutely positive.

First, Edward was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him—and I didn't know how dominant that part might be—that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

Hot Chocolate on a Cold Day

 

ROZ DENNY FOX

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Harlequin Signature Sagas, 2006.

How acquired: Bought.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: We first met Megan Benton (or at least, I did) in ANYTHING YOU CAN DO…, which was an absolutely delightful book. Megan was a teenager, and the hero and heroine of that book were her mother Emily, and her now stepfather, Camp. That book was followed up with THE BOSS NEXT DOOR, which starred Camp’s sister, Sherry, and which I just loved. So when I finally found a copy of this book, I was eager to revisit the characters.

Megan is an adult now, and working for the Coast Guard in Michigan. Her brother Mark has graduated from college, and Emily and Camp are expecting him to take a job in the child psychology field in their tight knit community. But he’s decided he wants to try his hand at photography and he’s come to Michigan to stay with Megan and take some pictures around the island where she lives.

I loved Emily and Camp in their book, but it was a little disconcerting to now see them heaping expectations on Mark and belittling his love of photography and his desire to pursue that. And then Megan and Mark’s grandmother, Mona, also comes to visit. Megan is not happy about that at first, as Mona and Emily have never gotten along. In fact, the whole point of Emily taking Mark and Megan on the wagon train trip in the first book was because she felt her deceased husband’s parents were interfering in their lives too much and constantly trying to buy the kids. She hoped to spend some time with them and try to ground them in reality, and when I read the book I agreed that they needed it. They started out as spoiled, coddled kids who looked down their noses at their mother and couldn’t stop talking about their grandparents’ money. Since then, Megan has come to realize her mother was right, and she’s pretty much cut off ties with Mona, but Mark has stayed close to her, and Mona provided Mark the money to launch his photography efforts.

Megan quickly comes to realize that Mona has changed, and now that she’s no longer under her late husband’s thumb, she’s sold her huge house, is planning a trip around the country, and has become a softer, nicer person, who has some regrets about the past. Unfortunately, every time Megan tries to tell Emily and Camp that, or talks about Mona at all, they get angry and yell at her on the phone, and it just really gave me bad vibes.

Ok, so getting past that. Sterling moves into the apartment below Megan’s, with his four year old son, Tyler, and his late wife’s younger sister and brother, who he is guardian of. They are sullen and angry about Sterling moving them away from New York. Sterling’s wife was a police officer, and he recoils from Megan initially because of her job, putting her life on the line. It didn’t make him very likable to begin with, but he grew on me quickly, and I knew he’d get past it eventually. And of course it provided some conflict for them to overcome, which I always like.

Megan is constantly making hot chocolate, and it inspired me to do the same, so I bought some Hershey’s Cocoa and followed the recipe printed on the label, and oh my god, it was soooo good. And my three year old granddaughter loved it also, although her mama added milk to hers because she thought it was too sweet. But back to the book.

There were some tense scenes towards the end, a couple of scary rescues at sea, and of course Sterling, and then Megan, realizing they love each other and a great happy ending. Although I never did warm back up to Emily and Camp. I definitely recommend reading the first two books, and I also recommend reading TROUBLE AT LONE SPUR, which is my favorite of Ms. Fox’s books, followed closely by ROMANTIC NOTIONS, which was my introduction to the author.

Synopsis from Goodreads: After a family tragedy, Captain Sterling Dodge and his kids move into the apartment below Coast Guard Lieutenant Meagan Benton. Soon they all learn to love and care again--together.

Celebration at Christmas Cove

 

My review of Celebration at Christmas Cove, by Carrie Jansen, is live on the Fresh Fiction website! 

You can see it here.