Tag: mystery

Reviews

Magic, Lies and Deadly Pies Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Magic, Lies and Deadly Pies Review

* A BIT SPOILERY*

Daisy Ellery’s pies have a secret ingredient: The magical ability to avenge women done wrong by men. But Daisy finds herself on the receiving end in Misha Popp’s cozy series debut, a sweet-as-buttercream treat for fans of Ellery Adams and Mary Maxwell. The first time Daisy Ellery killed a man with a pie, it was an accident. Now, it’s her calling. Daisy bakes sweet vengeance into her pastries, which she and her dog Zoe deliver to the men who’ve done dirty deeds to the town’s women. But if she can’t solve the one crime that’s not of her own baking, she’ll be out of the pie pan and into the oven.

Daisy has a very strong moral compass which I really enjoyed about her. She has these strict rules about the murder pies and she doesn’t stray from them and make exceptions for anyone. I did kind of side eye her a little bit because I thought she was literally murdering people with her pies but as the limitations surrounding her magic was revealed I thought her intentions were pure.

I liked that the whole book wasn’t just revolving around the murder pies and the mystery about who was blackmailing Daisy, she still goes about her day baking normal pies, going to the farmers market where she meets Noel and entering the baking competition. There was other things to keep my mind occupied instead of just focusing on the mystery. I definitely didn’t trust Melly’s character from the start. There was something about her do-gooder attitude that made me think maybe there was something else she wasn’t telling us and I was kind of justified when we find out her role in the grand scheme of things.

This was my first foray into cozy mysteries and I have to say I had a lot of fun! Granted you really have to suspend all beliefs and just jump into it expecting an over the top plot with ridiculous schemes and shenanigans.

⭐️4/5 stars This book made me crave pie lol

Reviews

Near the Bone Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Near the Bone Review

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Mattie can’t remember a time before she and William lived alone on a mountain together. She must never make him upset. But when Mattie discovers the mutilated body of a fox in the woods, she realizes that they’re not alone after all. There’s something in the woods that wasn’t there before, something that makes strange cries in the night, something with sharp teeth and claws. When three strangers appear on the mountaintop looking for the creature in the woods, Mattie knows their presence will anger William. Terrible things happen when William is angry.

Mattie’s character broke my heart in this book. Just how much she has retreated into her mind, blocking out all her old memories and just becoming accustomed to the truly terrible treatment she has had to endure from William. Just the cavalier way her mind just accepts that she is going to be beaten and tortured by this man and yet will still continue to be his dutiful wife was horrifying. I was so proud of her for talking to the strangers when they came to the cabin and listened to herself and escaped when she did.

The fantastical element to the story with the monster I would of liked to be explored a little more. Maybe go into the lore of this creature and why it’s come now. Is it just a coincidence that Mattie comes across the dead fox and can subsequently feel when it’s near or is she just more in tune with her surroundings than everyone else. Is it just a physical representation of William and how monstrous his nature is which turned on him in the end?

The setting and atmosphere really played a big role in this book. The insular setting really showcases just how isolated Mattie has been from the rest of the world and restricts her from any chance of escape most of the time. There was just this overlying sense of dread and helplessness woven into the story that sets the tone of the rest of the plot and how it plays out.

⭐️4/5 stars This was heart wrenching!

Reviews

When No One is Watching Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on When No One is Watching Review

Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo. But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.

I liked Sydney right from the start when we are introduced to her at the tour of the neighborhood and she challenges the tour guide. She is very unforgiving of her attitude towards these families that have come and are seemingly taking over yet she knows when to leave things alone even though it’s unfair and very racist. She was a little bit of an unreliable character which did get on my nerves a bit but I think it was realistic when we find out what she has had to deal with.

Theo I didn’t feel as connected to as Sydney. It was an interesting perspective to put into the book for sure as we kind of get to see things from the other side of the ‘invaders’. I didn’t really know what his intentions were right up to the climax of the book. I was annoyed that he wouldn’t call out the problematic language his girlfriend would use and make excuses for her when she was obviously racially profiling people and using her white privilege to get what she wanted.

I loved the feeling of comradery between the neighbors and that sense of familiarity and comfort that can be had by knowing so much about the people around you and then how violating that can be when new people keep forcing their way in. The book was a little slow in terms of pace for a good two thirds of the book but the ending does ramp up. There was just this ominous tone that was woven throughout the storyline that kept me hooked and eager to find out what was going to happen next and boy could I not predict that ending!

⭐️4/5 stars Darker than what I was expecting!

Reviews

One of Us Is Dead Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on One of Us Is Dead Review

Meet the women of Buckhead—a place of expensive cars, huge houses, and competitive friendships. Shannon was once the queen bee of Buckhead. But she’s been unceremoniously dumped by Bryce, her politician husband. When Bryce replaces her with a much younger woman, Shannon sets out to take revenge … Crystal has stepped into Shannon’s old shoes. A young, innocent Texan girl, she simply has no idea what she’s up against … Olivia has waited years to take Shannon’s crown as the unofficial queen of Buckhead. Finally, her moment has come. But to take her rightful place, she will need to use every backstabbing, manipulative, underhand trick in the book … Jenny owns Glow, the most exclusive salon in town. Jenny knows all her clients’ secrets and darkest desires. But will she ever tell? Who amongst these women will be clever enough to survive Buckhead—and who will wind up dead? They say that friendships can be complex, but no one said it could ever be this deadly.

Jenny was a good buffer between all of these pretentious housewives. She really utilised the connections that Olivia has and built up her salon from basically nothing. I wish she would of exerted her power as the owner a little bit more, especially when she knew Olivia was up to her tricks but I can understand her wanting to keep the status quo. Seeing the behind the scenes of how much these women need Jenny to handle their upkeep just to keep up appearances in this town was fun and pretty crazy.

The rest of the ladies at first were a little hard to distinguish between but as the plot unfolds they become more distinct. Olivia is our obvious antagonist and she does very well at it, Crystal is a little too naïve for the majority of story, Karen was a bit of a wild card and was quite fun to see how her story unfolds and I couldn’t help but feel bad for Shannon. None of them were particularly likeable but that was definitely by design but I think they were all very integral to the plot and kept things interesting.

The premise of this book is just so fun and entertaining. Knowing that one of these women are dead and going back and trying to figure out which was a great time. It definitely got a lot darker than what I was expecting which once again kept me so engaged and eager to find out what is going to happen next. These women are so conniving and strategic and the way that the story plays out was so satisfying.

⭐️4/5 stars Rich housewife drama that takes a deadly turn, so much fun!

Reviews

His and Hers Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on His and Hers Review

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation. Someone isn’t telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

I liked Anna’s character for the most part. I thought she was quite relatable and her drive was admirable for sure. I thought she was going to end up being an unreliable narrator just from the amount of drinks she has throughout the day but I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t take over her character. I think the way she has overcome everything in her life, especially her daughter’s death made me more attached to her and made me invested in what was happening.

Jack I was a little apprehensive about at the start but I warmed up to him for sure. Again after hearing his backstory and the connection he has with Anna and the rest of the women that are getting murdered piqued my interest. He was definitely one of those characters that are making all the wrong decisions while he’s in the middle of an investigation pretty much implicating himself but it was quite entertaining.

I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives and the format of the story kept the pace pretty fast which really helped me fly through this book. There were so many little twists and revelations throughout the course of the plot and it had me guessing right up to the end who was really behind all of the murders. Didn’t blow me away by any means and isn’t a new favourite but I still really enjoyed it.

⭐️3/5 star a solid read