Welcome to Litsy!

Abigail is hosting a birthday party for her brother, Benjamin & has invited his circle of close friends. She arrives at the Airbnb to set up the food & drink & also hide the clues for the period murder mystery game they'll be playing later. The party passes without a hitch but the next morning, Benjamin fails to appear for breakfast. His bedroom door is locked & he isn't answering their knocks so they break the door open - Benjamin is dead.

April‘s #FictionalTraveler pick.

https://youtu.be/_Zr70Qi2Fgw?si=mBARudHQvenKgELE

Introduction
Mystery guest
Week in Review
Babbacombe's by Susan Scarlett
Luck by David Carpenter
After Nora by Penelope Curtis
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 4 by Beth Brower
The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor
The Pornographer by John McGahern

Apparently this is the same book as Artful Dodger? Anyway.

Can I accept romance in a cozy mystery? Yes.

Can I tolerate a romance with a cop? Eh.

Can I continue reading a romantic cozy mystery where the cop kisses his prime suspect, WHILE HE IS INVESTIGATING HER? ✨No.✨

I want to give romance another try.
Okay, romance novels anyway.
Does anyone have any recommendations for good romance books with a FMC that is over 40, (preferably no kids), no love triangle? I‘m not feeling any angsty teen or young adult story. Any subgenre is fine. Oh, and spice is okay!
As this clip says “No! That is too specific!” 🤪

https://youtu.be/SItFvB0Upb8?si=rbJmFDdFO3L7PhuO. 🤷‍♀️

I really enjoyed the first book of this series, so I decided to get onto the second book right away. This one has a lot of the same tone -- funny without being slapstick, and not trying to push it too hard.

I find it interesting that apparently there's a lot of debate among readers about whether Hilary Tamar is meant to be male or female. It's completely ambiguous, and also utterly irrelevant.

I came across this poem about Ritchie Valens, and wanted to share on the anniversary of "the day the music died."

https://youtu.be/AvVulbbm85s?si=R4WW8Loy6Dkx-b3g

#poetrymatters

This is the 4th book in the Erin McCabe mystery series and I recommend starting with the 1st one, “By Way of Sorrow“. These are legal thrillers featuring a trans woman lawyer, Erin, & her law partner (a black male). This case deals with racist & homophobic police and a murder. The story also follows Erin in her personal life. I have really enjoyed all of these books, the mysteries are good and the various morality issues are covered well. 4/5 !

Tagging another book by the same author, as this one isn‘t in the database!

Here‘s my #ThematicCozies pick for February, Romance! @julieclair

You Have Gone Too Far is the first book I have read by Carlene O'Connor. I won it through a Goodreads Giveaway. I was quickly drawn into the book, even though this is the 3rd installment in the County Kerry Series. I feel it can be read as a stand-alone, as I did, without any problem.

I enjoyed getting to know the main characters. There seems to be a little romance in the air that has seemed to be growing for a while. I enjoyed the ⬇️