pickThis book was wild. A person is murderer during an extreme croquet tournament and there are a zillion wacky characters who might have done it. This series has been growing on me and I‘m going to have to go back and start at the beginning one of these days.
This was my April sports themed #ThematicCozy
so-soThis dragged on for me. Too much talk: blah blah blah from Lord Peter Wimsey. Harriet Vane, the voice of reason, sighted a dead body by the shore when she was picnicking. The plot that unfolds due to their investigation, although convoluted, did reach a resolution in the end. #readyourkindle
pickThese books are very formulaic (travel to big historic mansion and bring pets, yell at the staff and other guests, solve a murder) but I did think this was the best one out of the four. I liked the nods to Nancy Drew.
so-so3✨ I always struggle when there is a lot of characters and time jumping. This book had both, and for the most part I think I followed along. The biggest struggle was his current wife and fifth wife had similar names. Plus situations that happened 8 years ago seemed to be happening again. There was a lot going on with all of the characters, but I really enjoyed the ride.
pickAbigail is trying to find her solo way in Soap Lake after her husband takes off for a work opportunity. In a separate timeline, we see Esme grow up in Soap Lake then meet the fate we see in Abigail‘s timeline. I enjoyed this overall but was sometimes thrown going back and forth between the stories, as there‘s no reminders that the timelines are different. I also thought the ending was a bit too drawn out and I got a little bored.
#Bibliophile #BkBasedOnPainting I read all of Blocks Matthew Scudder books , this book is from a more lighthearted series about a gentleman burglar named Bernie Rhodenbarr . Read a few of those too. Enjoyable.
pickWhat a gorgeous Hawaiian mystery drama!
I‘ve been to Hawai‘i many times, but surprisingly I have never been to Kaua‘i. I was very eager to get a glimpse of the island through this book and it did not disappoint.
This book may be classified as a mystery, but it is so much more than that. It explores Hawaiian life, especially the family dynamics.
Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/05/03/review-kauai-storm/
pickScone Cold Dead is filled with well-developed characters and a well-plotted mystery.
Read my full review here: https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/2025/04/30/cozy-wednesday-featuring-scone-col...
pickThis is one messed up book. I loved it. If you like novels with dysfunctional characters, this one has got a bunch. The lake, the town, the desert, the canals, the orchards, it all feels dysfunctional. I wouldn‘t choose to live there. Murder, mayhem, the bogeyman, ecological destruction, a crazy, desperate cabal of sorts. It‘s a twisty tale and no one is really innocent. What a ride. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
