Good Reads: A Muddied Murder

A Muddied Murder by Wendy Tyson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Muddied Murder is the first book in the A Greenhouse Mystery series. It is a well written and professionally edited full length novel.

Megan, a former attorney, has returned to her small hometown to take over her father's failed organic farm and to live with her grandmother. She is frustrated in her attempts to get her farm store and cafe opened by an overzealous city inspector and the local historical society. When said inspector is found murdered in her barn Megan is the prime suspect.

First novels in a series are always tricky because the author has to introduce new characters and locations to the reader and still tell the story. It is done nicely in A Muddied Murder; I enjoyed the mystery without getting bogged down in the details.

Megan is my kind of female main character; she's a competent adult, intelligent and kind. The other characters were interesting and well developed.

The mystery is not overly complicated nor too simple. Just right.

I recommend this novel and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

Good Reads: Compelled

Compelled by D.B. Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Compelled is book 10.5 in the Vampires in America paranormal romance series. It is an very well written and professionally edited novella.

Cyn and Raphael owe Nick, a sorcerer and Cyn's ex lover, a favor for assisting Cyn when she freed Raphael from his captors in a previous book. Nick needs their assistance to steal the magical handcuffs that were used to restrain Raphael.

This is a short, but fun romp with Cyn and Raphael's relationship at the forefront and the intense competition and hate between Raphael and Nick.

Compelled is a must read for any reader following this series as it sets up future books that contain the sorcerers.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.