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Review: Purrfectly Dead by Dixie Lyle

 

 

Purrfectly Dead

Dixie Lyle

, Book 5

Paperback, 336 pages
Published April 27th 2021 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Deirdre “Foxtrot” Lancaster is back―with her supernatural sidekicks Tango and Whiskey―to unlock the mysteries of life and death…and murder.

When zillionairess Zelda Zoransky throws a party, she means business. Foxtrot knows she’s in for a night when anything can―and will―happen. The festivities include a high-stakes showdown between two escape artists locked in a bitter rivalry. Meanwhile, Zelda is stuck in handcuffs… Can Foxtrot, her telepathic cat Tango, and her shapeshifting pooch Whiskey collectively channel their inner Houdini and make it out of the soirée alive?

PURRFECTLY DEAD

The magic turns tragic when one of the escape artists ends up dead. This is no disappearing act―it’s murder. The suspects include a scientist with a 3D printer that creates pop-culture clones, a psychedelically-impaired rock star, and a ghostly snake with a secret agenda. Now it’s up to Foxtrot, Tango, and Whiskey figure out which guest commited the crime before they reach they end of this deadly game of Clue. How will this tail end?

 

 

 

 

 4 Stars

A fun, fresh and interesting cozy mystery.

Purrfectly Dead was my first experience with Whiskey, Tango and Foxtrot and will definitely not be the last. Dixie Lyle has something very unique with this series and she has this reader very intrigued.

Deirdre “Foxtrot” Lancaster is an assistant for a

super rich social life with a short attention span and extravagant tastes. Foxtrot never knows what could possibly happen when ZZ throws a party. She can never say she is lacking for excitement. Foxtrot has an unique ability to communicate with Whiskey and Tango, who are departed animals and her companions. Foxtrot is very interesting. She has the ability to get things done, smart and funny.

Purrfectly Dead is extremely interesting. I have to admit I read through the book twice before I could even try to make anything into a review. I don’t wanna say that I was confused but I need to go slower and realize what was going on. Foxtrot it’s hysterical and I love the way that she interacts with everyone. From humans to the animals to the departed animals. A different take on a who done it murder mystery but one that has you guessing with the turn of every page. I very much enjoyed the world building within the story. The Thunderbirds that control the weather is a very interesting concept and I look forward to going back and reading previous books in the series just to be a little bit more informed of what’s going on in this vast world. I will admit I was not able to figure out the who done it on this one and with the paranormal and magic aspect it made it very interesting to conclusion at the end.

From concept to completion Purrfectly Dead is an all around entertaining read.

 

 

 

Review: Little Bookshop of Murder by Maggie Blackburn

 

Little Bookshop of Murder

Maggie Blackburn

A Beach Reads Mystery, Book 1 

Hardcover
Published September 8th 2020 by Crooked Lane Books

 

 

A Shakespearean scholar inherits a beachside bookshop–and a murder mystery–in this delightful new cozy series for fans of Kate Carlisle and Ellery Adams.

Summer Merriweather’s career as a Shakespeare professor hangs by a bookbinder’s thread. Academic life at her Virginia university is a viper’s pit, so Summer spends her summer in England, researching a scholarly paper that, with any luck, will finally get her published, impress the Dean, and save her job. But her English idyll ends when her mother, Hildy, shuffles off her mortal coil from an apparent heart attack.

Returning to Brigid’s Island, NC, for the funeral, Summer is impatient to settle the estate, sell her mom’s embarrassingly romance-themed bookstore, Beach Reads, and go home. But as she drops by Beach Reads, Summer finds threatening notes addressed to Hildy: “Sell the bookstore or die.”

Clearly, something is rotten on Brigid’s Island. What method is behind the madness? Was Hildy murdered? The police insist there’s not enough evidence to launch a murder investigation. Instead, Summer and her Aunt Agatha screw their courage to the sticking place and start sleuthing, with the help of Hildy’s beloved book club. But there are more suspects on Brigid’s Island than are dreamt of in the Bard’s darkest philosophizing. And if Summer can’t find the villain, the town will be littered with a Shakespearean tragedy’s worth of corpses–including her own.

 

 

 

 

3 Stars

 

Little Bookshop of Murder is a light and easy cozy mystery read that is more than fitting for beach reading. 

 

Summer Merriweather is having a time of it. A Shakespeare Professor researching a paper in England to try to save her career when the unexpected death of her very healthy mother brings her back to her childhood home.  Upon return she realizes things are not as they seem. Summer decides that if the local law won’t listen she will have to figure out this one herself. 

 

There are many things I enjoyed about Little Bookshop of Murder. First and foremost the store, Beach Reads!  The Idea of this store is a reader stream on the beach. From its name to its beach themed decor, It’s a place that I wouldn’t mind spending an afternoon or two enjoying reading by the sea. Second small towns whether I’m reading cozies or romance are always a favorite. This one has a vast array of quirky characters that make up a very fun and interesting town. Next the family dynamic within the story is priceless. I love the inner jokes and squabbling that goes back-and-forth between them. Summer it’s an interesting main character. She may have left a few ill feelings when she left home yet it’s still her home and has a love for it even if she didn’t realize how deep it goes. The mystery of the story itself was rather easy to figure out but the why was a bit off for me. However I enjoy this little town and these crazy characters enough that it will make me read the next book in the series.

 

Release Day: Hold Me by J. Kenner

 

 

My life with Damien has never been fuller. Every day is a miracle, and every night I lose myself in the oasis of his arms.

But there are new challenges, too. Our families. Our careers. And new responsibilities that test us with unrelenting, unexpected trials.

I know we will survive—we have to. Because I cannot live without Damien by my side. But sometimes the darkness seems overwhelming, and I am terrified that the day will come when Damien cannot bring the light. And I will have to find the strength inside myself to find my way back into his arms.

 

 

 

 

Amazon | Print

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Better?

I smile at the text from Damien, then immediately tap out a reply.

Much. Thank you.

It’s past noon, and I’ve spent a productive morning in my office getting all my proverbial ducks in order. Marge is making calls to all our clients to let them know about Eric’s departure and to tell them I’ll be calling to update them later in the week. Abby is taking point on hiring one new person who can walk the line between tech and client relations, and I’m doing everything else.

So far, there’ve been no crises today, and I’m feeling about eight thousand percent better than I was yesterday. It was still hard leaving the girls this morning, but I went in a bit later, and so we had breakfast and some playtime together.

Glad to hear it. Sending a car for you at five.

I frown, then tap out a reply.

I have Coop here. I drove my Mini Cooper into the office this morning and he’s tucked away in the small parking garage that serves my building.

He can stay in the garage overnight. I want you relaxed. We have plans tonight.

I laugh, delighted.

Are you handling me, Mr. Stark?

His reply is swift: Absolutely.

Love you. (Whispers: but I want to see my babies)

I can almost picture him smiling when he sends the next reply.

No need to whisper. I want to see them, too. Then I want to see you. Alone.

I sigh and realize that I’m smiling, the stress of the last twenty-four hours fading to zero. Maybe Jamie and Abby are right. Maybe I have got this.

Sounds good to me, I reply.

His final text comes almost immediately, tugging at my heart—and at other more intimate places.

Excellent. I’ll see you tonight, Ms. Fairchild. Until then, imagine me, touching you.

For the rest of the day, I spend a lot of time doing exactly that, and by the time Edward—Damien’s personal driver—comes into the office to tell me that he’s ready to take me home, I’m very much in the mood to see my husband.

 

 

 

Julie - J Kenner Author PhotoJ.Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development with AwesomenessTV/Awestruck.

Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YouTube | Amazon Author Page

 

 

Review: Without You by Reylynn Purdue

withoutWithout You

Reylynn Purdue

ebook
Published January 29th 2015 by Smashwords Edition
Roxanne Daniels was supposed to be spending her summer getting ready to head off to Julliard. That was the plan.

But that was before– Before she found her mother’s lifeless body– Before she walked in on her boyfriend in bed with someone else. Before she knew what heart shattering pain felt like.

Now all she wants is for the pain to go away. But it never does.

Until him. A complete stranger who could end up being much more.

But letting go and moving on is easier said than done.

review
3 Stars
I am kind of on the fence with Without You.  While the writing is sound and the story line did keep me reading the book.   The pages are filled with so much emotion. Both good and bad, that give a very real feel to the story.  I did however find a few of the characters really lacking for me.   Roxy’s world did fall apart in every way possible.  Emotional pain can be worse than physical at times, but is seemed like every step she took forward, two minutes later she was taking two steps back.  I don’t think I have ever wanted to smack a character so much.  She skated over her issues rather than dealing with them.  Roxy’s brother Ryan, I loved/hated.  I understood what he was doing, but didn’t like how it did it.  Big Brothers!!!
Without You is a rather long book with a cliff hanger ending.  The emotions of these pages are like riding a roller coaster.  Lots of up and downs.
A copy of Without You was provided for an honest review.
deana