Review: Wedding Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Hannah Swensen is getting married. Hannah thinks that marrying Ross Barton is long overdue since he was her college crush.
Hannah is also going to New York City for the food Channel's Dessert Competition. This is all very exciting and when Ross can join her in New York City she can't think of anything fulfilling and wonderful to happen to her. What's even better is that her little sister Michelle will be joining her as her assistant in the competition.
To top all of this off Hannah's Aunt Nancy knows one of the judges and is quick to give Hannah and Michelle the inside scoop on what he likes and doesn't like in the food and presentation.
Better yet Mike and Norman like Ross and have known him as long as Hannah has known Ross Moishe her cat even loves Ross although everyone knows that Moishe also loves Norman and his cat.
Life couldn't be sweeter and Hannah is finally happy to take her slice of life and happiness.
However sooner rather than later the judge and Chef Hannah was happy to get kudos from is murdered. Michelle finds the body and Hannah knows on many levels and for many reasons she has to solve this murder.
She doesn't want her honeymoon haunted by nightmares and visions of murder.
Everyone in Lake Eden Minnesota knows Hannah can win the competition and solve the murder. She doesn't know how but Hannah is a multitasker and will find a way to solve the murder and whip wonderful desserts.
Did I mention the shows, the wedding and Lake Eden is being taped live?
There is not room for anything to go wrong/.
At least Hannah doesn't have to worry about the wedding, her mother, other sister Andrea, Lisa her business partner and a few close friends are seeing to the wedding. Hannah does have to try on wedding dresses and make time to follow the scent of murder.


I have to say this is a very fun book in the series to read. this has been the book I have waited on and it doesn't disappoint anyone.
So many fun tidbits and I love Hannah's clothes.
If you want a cozy to fit the month of June, a wedding mystery and a culinary delight of a book you can't miss reading this book.
The recipes are to die for and I have to say I am going to try to make a couple of these no fail recipes.
Joanne Fluke knows how to keep me turning the page on murder, mayhem and family.
Reviewed by Pamela James
Library copy --hardback.

Kindle Book Blog by Pamela James

I hope everyone had a "Happy Mother's Day" this evening I am going to list in no particular order my kindle books that I have read the past three to four months. I think this is where I seem to do most of my book reads.


I will rate them by number but no real reviews as I just wanted to blog about my list of books. 10 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. I am still learning how to post the book covers or I would post them to this blog.


1. What the Cat Saw by Carolyn G. Hart I give this one a 9
2. Anything For A Story by Cynthia Hickey I loved this one and give it a 10.
3. Murder She Typed by Sylvia Selfman I really enjoyed this book. I rated it a 10
4. A Corpse In A Teacup by Cassie Page I rated this one a 10
5. Armoires and Arsenic by Cassie page I rate this one a 9.
6. Antique Roadkill: A Trash and Trailer Mystery by Barbara Allen. Rating is 9 I really laughed a lot.
7. Seaside Secrets (A Dune House Cozy Mystery) by Cindy Bell absolutely loved it and if I could give it a rating higher than a 10 I would but 10 it is tonight.
8. A Novel Way To Die by Ali Brandon this is a great read. I give it a 9
9. Guide Book to Murder ( A Tourist Trap Mystery Series) by Lynn Cahoon who is a gifted author. Her series is truly amazing. Rating is a 10.
10. Mission To Murder (A Tourist Trap Mystery Series) again this author is remarkable. Another 10 rating.
11. Murder on The Page by Kennedy Chase love, love and love this series. I give this one a 10.
12. Murder On the Hill by Kennedy Chase another fun mystery series. This one is also rated 10.
13. Hilda Hopkins Murder She knit by Vivienne Fagan This is a must read for any cozy author. I give it a 10.
14. Another Murder In The Inn by Barbara Fox I give this one a 8 it's very good and well written.
15. Edited For Death by Michele Drier This is a great mystery and you will enjoy every page. I give it a 10
16. The Invisible Code: A Peculiar Crimes unit Series Mystery by Christopher Fowler: What a talented author whose mystery series and characters go beyond books and time. This is one of the best series I have ever read. The plot is intricate, Bryant and May are characters you will not soon forget. I want to call these historical crime but they are also modern each book in the series is absolutely engrossing and what a page turner series. I have never read any other series that made me NOT worry about page count. This one I give up sleep for so yes if I could give this series a 20 I would. 10 it is and I really think his books should be taught in writing classes.
17. Archie Meets Nero Wolfe by Robert Goldsborough. This tell us how Archie came to work for Nero and is highly entertaining it also clears up some questions on both men. I give this one a 9 out of 10.
18. Cocaine Blues: By Phryne Fisher Mystery Book Series by Kerry Greenwood. This one is a wonderful series setting is 1920's and she is a sleuth/detective. Set in Australia there are movies made based on the series. I love all the characters, costumes and plots.
19. Dying To get Published by Judy Fitzwater. I read this series for the first time years ago and loved it. I was crushed when there wasn't anymore of them but I hear they are back now. I have this one on my kindle and if you want to have cozy fun then enjoy the this series and wait for the new ones.
I give it 10 out of 10.
Okay more on the kindle read tomorrow night.
Hugs,
Pamela

Review: Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron

I want preface this mystery series review with a few words. If you have ever stayed in a bed and Breakfast in the south, or visited Louisiana, lived in Louisiana then you know that colorful characters are as common as sweet tea. That hospitality is right up there with gumbo and you probably in one form or another have met characters like the ones in Plantation Shudders (A Cajun County Mystery), in other words you will enjoy every word and every character in this wonderful series.

The Crozat Plantation Bed and Breakfast was once just a plantation but it cost a lot of money for upkeep of any southern mansion. Hence why it is now a bed and breakfast with charm, sweet tea and wonderful rooms.

Maggie Crozat returns home to help her family with the bed and breakfast. This week will be a busy one as the food festival is one of many events that are happening of course this means everyone is booked to the hilt.

The guest checking in are Georgia frat boys to which Maggie named them  one two and three, the Cajun Cuties a fan club of sorts who usually stayed at another bed and breakfast but that mansion had flooded so the Crozarts were happy to help,  plus a stranger to die for who was from Texas his name is Kyle, if this isn't colorful character enough then a family arrives complete with children in tow and the couple are celebrating their fifth anniversary.
An elderly honeymoon couple is supposed to arrive and eventually do arrive late.

The elderly couple has everyone's attention because the husband is a tad more than grouchy but the wife has a smile on her face. I mean this smile is kinda scary, a little grotesque and much like a train wreck you want to look away but cannot not look at this face.

The first thing that happens the elderly honeymooners Bud and Beverly Clabber arrive late he complaints and the room access and stated they were supposed to be on the first floor. Maggie corrects Bud as they had not booked the first floor.
The rose room is beautiful but Bud went into the bathroom came out and had Maggie follow him into the bathroom. He told her the toilet paper roll was put on all wrong and this would not do that it should unrolled from the top not the bottom. There are some days nothing but the middle finger comes in handy. But Maggie never gives the middle finger that would not show a proper upbringing, or good manners, instead she just fixes the toilet paper role while keeping her middle finger out of sight.
Anyway this is just one example of colorful characters. 

Maggie's own family has gran whose accent becomes even more thick when she doesn't like someone and has to be nice and sweet as sliced pie to them. Her father Tug is a wonderful delightful man who is a hard worker and loves his life more than the south. Her mother will not be found idle, sprinkle in here and there a few cousins and you have a rich and wonderful family history, one of their history is that when you shudder it means something and not always in a good way.
Long story short this is a book full of mystery, just like it's southern setting it has something for everyone.  Murder is also on the menu and so is secrets.
Everyone has a secret or two the trick is to figure what secrets are worth killing for and of course finding in order to find this out Maggie must get her hands dirty.
In other words she has to clean to find the dirty secrets, she also has a little help along the way from a new Deputy who is the Sheriff's cousin.

I have never laughed, loved and wanted to solve a crime more than I did in this mystery.
I think Plantation Shudders should be in every creative writing class as a study of character, humor, plot and setting. I can see this series one day becoming a made for television movie or a Hallmark Movies and Mystery Series.
It might just become a classic series.

With every turn of the page the you will lose track of time and be transported to a southern bed and breakfast you won't soon forget...