Good Reads: Diner Knock Out

Diner Knock Out by Terri L. Austin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Diner Knock Out is the fourth book in the Rose Strickland Mystery series. It is a very well written and professionally edited full length novel.

I love this series; the heroine, Rose, is smart and determined to make it through life as an independent woman. The secondary characters are complex and fully part of the plot.

The plot is a fast paced mystery intertwined with the romance between Rose and her underworld boss boyfriend.

I would suggest that this series of mysteries be read in order; this book wouldn't read well as a standalone novel. It does end with a satisfying HFN.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Guaranteed To Bleed

Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Guaranteed To Bleed is the second book in The Country Club Murders series. It is a well written and professionally edited, full length mystery novel.

The heroine is a widow (the first book was about her husband's murder) and part of the Kansas City country club set. She has been programmed to deny her feelings and hide any unpleasantness in her life by her controlling mother and promiscuous late husband.

In Guaraneed the h stumbles upon the body of a teenager under the bleachers at a high school football game. She finds herself and her daughter embroiled in a murder investigation, while she dodges the lawyer her matchmaking mother has decided should be her next husband. And there's the handsome police detective that keeps getting drawn into her life by the murders she stumbles upon.

The mystery was complex and fast paced; and the characters well developed. I was disappointed to see that the h was still allowing her mother to manipulate her. With everything she's been through she should have developed the strength to break free of outside influences.

All in all, Guaranteed To Bleed is a satisfying read with a HFN ending. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Double Mint

Double Mint by Gretchen Archer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Double Mint is the fourth book in the Davis Way Crime Caper series. It is a well written, professionally edited and hilariously funny mystery/comedy novel.

Davis and her new husband now both work for and live at the Bellissimo Casino. Davis' instincts are screaming to her that something is seriously wrong with the Bankers convention they are hosting. But her ideas are so far fetched that no one believes her. Davis, being Davis, decides to investigate anyways and chaos ensues.

This was one of the rare books that had me laughing and snorting (with dignity, of course) out loud. It is just incredibly witty and funny.

I highly recommend this novel, but read the series in order to understand the story's nuances.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Beyond A Doubt

Beyond A Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beyond A Doubt is the second book in the Carol Childs mystery series. It is a very well written and professionally edited, full length novel.

Carol, while working as a radio station's investigative reporter, is sent to cover the murder of a young woman. She soon finds herself delving into the world of missing women, sexual slavery and organ harvesting. The perpetrator of these crimes is a powerful man, entrenched in local government and charity circles. It is up to Carol to prove his guilt to law enforcement and to the public.

I fully enjoyed the fast paced plot and detailed investigation in BAD. And thank goodness (and the author) for an intelligent heroine and her equally intelligent female friend. Add that Carol is middle aged, a parent, with a normal body type and I was in Happy Reading Land.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Dying Brand

Dying Brand: An Allison Campbell Mystery by Wendy Tyson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dying Brand is the third book in the Allison Campbell mystery series. It is a well written and professionally edited full length novel.

Allison Campbell, an image consultant, is surprised to hear that her ex boyfriend has been murdered during an apparent drug deal gone wrong. She is horrified when photos of their love making, that she was not aware of, are mailed to her friends and relatives. With her professional and family relationships endangered, she is determined to investigate the murder.

Wendy Tyson writes deliciously complex plots that keep me interested from beginning to end. There are also several sub plots involving secondary characters which add to the book's depth.

I did have a problem with the relationship between Allison, her ex mother in law, Mia, and her ex husband, Jason. Despite their protestations of love neither Mia or Jason seem to trust Allison. Neither relationship seemed promising or convincing to me.

Overall, I highly recommend Dying Brand and I look forward to reading future books in this series.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Good Reads: With Vics You Get Eggroll

With Vics You Get Eggroll by Diane Vallere
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

With Vics You Get Eggroll is the third book in the Mad for Mod series. It is a well written and professionally edited mystery/romance novel.

The mystery element was nicely done with possible and plausible suspects popping up here and there. As soon as I thought I had the murderer figured out I was proven wrong.

Unfortunately, for me, the romance and romantic leads left me unimpressed. The two love interests are washy washy and not passionate about the heroine at all. Instead of committing to her they move in and out of her life without much regard to her well being or needs.

Overall, I enjoyed WVYGE and I look forward to reading future books by this author.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Lowcountry Boneyard

Lowcountry Boneyard by Susan M. Boyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lowcountry Boneyard is the third book in the Liz Talbot paranormal/mystery series. It is a very well written and professionally edited full length novel. There are a few misspellings in this ARC, but I am assuming they will be corrected prior to publication.

Liz, her boyfriend/partner Nate, and her spirit guardian Colleen are hired by an influential family to investigate a missing persons case. Soon it becomes apparent that evil and disfunction run rampant in the family of the missing girl. I enjoyed this complex plot, both for the interesting investigation and the growing relationship between Liz and Nate.

LB can be read as a standalone, but I suggest that the series be read in order to fully understand the characters and the plot nuances. The ending is a satisfying HFN. I look forward to reading more of this author's books.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Nun Too Soon

Nun Too Soon by Alice Loweecey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nun Too Soon is the first book in the Giulia Driscoll mystery series. It is a well written and professionally edited novel.

The plot is original, not fast paced, but moved forward steadily to the conclusion. The heroine is an ex-nun, and private detective, married to a police detective. Her agency is hired by a private company to investigate employee theft and an attorney to investigate the murder his client has been accused of committing. Both cases end up overlapping with common perpetrators. I found the plot to be interesting, because I enjoy investigative details.

I would have like more details about the main characters' background. I was left wondering why Giulia was no longer a nun, how she met her husband, how they married and how did she become a private detective.

Overall, this is an entertaining mystery novel and I look forward to reading more books in the series.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Good Reads: The Red Queen's Run

The Red Queen's Run by Bourne Morris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Red Queen's Run is one of the most intelligently written and emotionally gripping mystery novels that I have read this year. It starts with a chilling reference to a real murder that took place in academia and then smoothly moves us into the fictional heroine's fears regarding her own co-workers.

When the heroine, Red, receives a phone call telling her of the murder of her boss, the Dean of Journalism, at the university where she works, she is horrified. She is named as his temporary replacement, soon finds herself trying to identify his murderer and in a relationship with the investigating detective. The plot is fast paced and gripping.

I highly recommend The Red Queen's Run to any mystery lover. It ends with a satisfying HFN. I look forward to reading more from this author.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Lost Legacy

Lost Legacy by Annette Dashofy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lost Legacy is the second book in the Zoe Chambers mystery series. It is a very well written and professionally edited novel.

Zoe Chambers father died 27 years ago, the victim of a drunk driver. A more recent suspicious death and a visit from her cold mother and step father cause Zoe to begin looking into the real cause of her father's death. She is helped by her friend (and maybe love interest) the police chief.

I love the characters, even the evil characters, like Zoe's mom, are interesting. They have depth and are well developed.

The mystery kept me guessing up until the end. I used to work in law enforcement and it is obvious that the author did her research.

I highly recommend this series. The books end with a satisfying HFN.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Goodreads: Paw and Order

Paw and Order by Spencer Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Paw and Order is the seventh book in the Chet and Bernie mystery series. It is extremely well written and professionally edited.

Chet and Bernie leave Louisiana, headed toward Washington DC to reconnect with Bernie's love interest, Suzie, a reporter. Once in Washington they become embroiled in a murder mystery involving local police, federal agents and Russian sleeper agents.

As usual, Chet is a wonderful narrator of his and Bernie's detective work. I love how his dog eye view is described. Bernie is lovable and competent in his slightly bumbling, but endearing way.

The only problem I had with this book is with Suzie and Bernie's romance. Suzie comes off as judgmental and as operating under a double standard.

Paw and Order can be read as a standalone, but I suggest reading the whole series to fully enjoy the novels. This series is a joy and I strongly recommend it.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Deadly Assets

Deadly Assets by Wendy Tyson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Deadly Assets is the second book in the Allison Campbell Mystery series. It is a very well written and professionally edited mystery novel with a touch of romance.

Once again Allison Campbell, image consultant, becomes involved in solving a mystery in order to save her assistant from prosecution and her business' reputation. Two of her clients have gone missing at the same time. As she becomes involved in seeking the truth about their disappearances she finds herself involved in murders, family drama and the Russian mafia.

Wendy Tyson's mysteries have a definite Gothic feel about them. These books are not light hearted reading, but tackle some of the darkness that can surround families, business and the justice system. This mystery had me guessing up until the end.

My one complaint is that the romances between the heroine and her ex husband, and the one between her mother in law and her assistant, don't ring true to me. There is a definite coldness in the writing about these relationships.

Deadly Assets can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend that you read the series in order to fully understand this book's nuances.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Death In Perspective

Death in Perspective by Larissa Reinhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Death In Perspective is the fourth book in the Cherry Tucker humorous mystery series. It is very well written and professionally edited.

Cherry is a struggling fine artist that tends to nose her way into police investigations much to the dismay of her Sheriff uncle and Deputy Harper, her sometimes lover. In this book Cherry is working at the theater department of an exclusive private high school and employees of the school are committing suicide in record numbers. Cherry, being nosey as she is wont to do, begins investigating the deaths and the threatening text messages being sent to the remaining staff.

Several men are interested in Cherry: her roommate and ex husband , Todd, her on again off again lover and now friend Deputy Luke Harper, and the mysterious Eastern European, Max. This is where the story bogged down for me, because these relationships seem so static and the characters so stuck in their cubby holes.

I found Death in Perspective to be a funny and interesting read. I don't recommend it as a stand alone; the series is best read in order. There is no HEA or HFN, the ending was very close to being a cliffhanger.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Death In Perspective will be released on July 24th.

Good Reads: Circle of Influence

Circle of Influence by Annette Dashofy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Circle of Influence is the first book in the Zoe Chambers mystery series. It is a well written and well edited novel.

Zoe is a paramedic in a small Pennsylvania town trying to live her life quietly, but the murder of her best friend's husband interrupts her peace and brings out some secrets that she has kept well hidden. She begins to work with the police chief to solve the murder; sometimes with his knowledge and sometimes without.

This story is told partially from Zoe's and the Chief's point of views. These different POVs make for an interesting read and gives the reader a variety of bad guys to ponder. The solution to the mystery was kept well hidden and was a surprise for me.

There is a hint of romance between Zoe and the chief which is still in it's early stages by the end of the book. I look forward to seeing it flourish in future books.

Circle of Influence has a happy ending and doesn't end with a cliffhanger. I recommend it to lovers of murder mysteries.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Good Reads: That Touch of Ink

That Touch of Ink by Diane Vallere
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

That Touch of Ink is the second book in the Mad For Mod mystery/romance series. It is a very well written and well edited novel about the murder mystery solving, Doris Day look alike, Madison.

Madison's lost love, Brad, suddenly reappears claiming that he had forced her out of his life to save her from his criminal friends. Add to that murders centered around some iffy five thousand dollar bills and you have an entertaining mystery novel.

The two men in Madison's life, the detective Tex and handyman Hudson, have been waiting for her to recover from the last mystery she helped solve. In this book Tex is given more emphasis and his true self begins to appear.

With a happy ending and a complex, but satisfying, mystery I highly recommend this novel. It can be read as a stand alone, but I suggest reading the series in order.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Pillow Stalk

Pillow Stalk by Diane Vallere
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pillow Stalk is the first book in the A Mad For Mod romance/mystery series. It is a well written and well edited novel.

The heroine, Madison, is a mature, self made, independent, business woman that happens to become embroiled in a murder investigation. She is also in love with Doris Day and 1950's design. Her 1950's persona and blond bombshell appearance makes the men in her life underestimate her.

The secondary characters are varied and fully developed. I particularly enjoyed the two men in Madison's life; the detective with the fake persona and the kind handyman with a secret.

Madison has recently moved to Dallas to escape from a disastrous relationship with a man that violated her trust. She has found solace in her 1950's themed decorating business and the repetitive habits of her life. All of her hard earned peace is threatened when women that look like Doris Day, and Madison, are being murdered.

I was a little let down by the ending. Instead of ending on a positive note the secondary characters just deserted Madison and there was a very obvious cliff hanger.

If you like strong female leads and murder mysteries you will enjoy this novel.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Double Dip

Double Dip by Gretchen Archer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Double Dip, the second book in the Davis Way Crime Caper series, is a fast paced romp. The security team at a Biloxi casino uncover a crime while trying to keep the gamblers safe and the casino profitable.

Davis, the heroine, is a member of the security team plus she is the double for the casino owners crazy wife. She is a sweet southern woman, computer hacker with a good nose for solving crimes. She is never a helpless victim, but is resourceful at finding a way out of trouble.

I laughed throughout this book at the antics of Davis and the multitude of interesting secondary characters. There were also a few poignant moments and misunderstandings that had me feeling tearful.

I highly recommend this comedy/mystery/romance novel. It could be read as a standalone novel, but I would suggest reading the series in order.

ARC provided by Henery Press via Netgalley.