#Laurien Berenson

[rachel-sylvan-author]

"A Pedigree To Die For" by Laurien Berenson

[doodlesink]

Pumpkin Spice Puppy by Laurien Berenson -- A Book Review

Happy Thursday!  Pumpkin Spice Puppy by Laurien Berenson is a fun fall whodunit.  Stop by to learn more about the 30th A Melanie Travis Canine Mystery & what I had to say about it.  Happy Reading!

https://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2024/08/pumpkin-spice-puppy-by-laurien-berenson.html

[louhastings]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[e-b-reads]

[master list here]

Cozy mysteries - if you’ve read one you know the genre! Often follow the plot pattern of: [single young woman/divorcee] returns to [hometown/other important location of her childhood] to [take over family/start a new] business. Someone is murdered! Because [the murder hurts her business/she’s a suspect/her bestie is a suspect/…] she must investigate extra-judiciously. Luckily she is successful, and also a romance is developing with the hunky [detective/co-worker…it’s usually a detective and/or cop tho].

Despite the similarities, many cozy mysteries I’ve read do have a thing or two that sets them apart! Read on for some recommendations based on what kind of experience you might be looking for! (In order of how recently I read them; this is by no means an exhaustive list, just some things I read and thought worth recommending.)

Are you looking for a cozy mystery series that…

…has recurring characters that may become future murderers/victims?

Local Foods Mystery Series, by Edith Maxwell!

Otherwise a fairly typical cozy mystery experience, but I did like the setting and the journey to end up with the love interest - who is not, for once, described mainly as “handsome,” but is given physical traits that have no inherent value, but which the heroine obviously likes. (It’s a small thing, but worth noting!)

…has characters of color as the main cast?

Noodle Shop Mystery series, by Vivien Chien

In this mystery, when the main character moves “back home” it means she’s working in her parent’s noodle house again, in a shopping center full of Chinese-American owned businesses. This is the community she mostly solves mysteries in. Cute and funny at times!

…has a love interest who isn’t a cop?

Melanie Travis mystery series, by Laurien Berenson

As you can hopefully tell from the cover, the sort of business/special interest driving this cozy series is dog breeding and dog shows! The main character’s aunt gets her into helping show standard Poodles. Aside from the fascinating look into the world of showing dogs, the mysteries are fairly standard, but I do like (as said above) that the love interest isn’t a cop for once - and also and maybe more importantly, the main character is a single mom who really loves her six-year-old and has to deal with logistics like child care before diving into dog shows and mysteries.

…has a more experienced amateur detective?

Coffeehouse Mysteries, by Cleo Coyle

She’s not experienced at solving crime, but she’s a 40-something divorcée with an adult daughter who, in book 1, is about to take back over a coffee house that she has several years of experience running. In other ways, not dissimilar from the standard cozy series outline - except that they take place in NYC instead of a small town somewhere! Also good if you like a slow burn romance - it takes several books for the main character to get with the main love interest.

…has characters more complex than they seem?

Cajun Country Mysteries, by Ellen Byron

These also have a strong, fun sense of place deep in the heart of Louisiana, though in a fictional town. Though essentially light-hearted, they do acknowledge the history of plantations in the area, as well as giving the reader a look at various true funky Cajun Country traditions. The recurring characters are a little over-the-top at points, but they’re saved by the added complexity: for example, the mean sheriff character who is nowhere near as handsome as his detective cousin (guess who the love interest is…) turns out to be a still annoying but OK guy who is able to acknowledge when he was wrong. Also, as someone who works in hospitality: the people staying in the main character’s BnB are unfortunately not super over-the-top, people can really be like that. (Except with less murder, in my experience.)

…has a Marple-ish (older, underestimated) protagonist?

Deadly Edits series, by Kaitlyn Dunnett

There is no love interest here! (At least, not in the ones I read.) A retired widow moves to her childhood hometown and opens a copy-editing business, then starts solving murders. It’s a nice change of pace from the young businesswomen looking for love, if you’re still looking for an essentially cozy plot.

[rockislandadultreads]

New Title Tuesday: Cozy Mysteries

Mrs. Plansky's Revenge by Spencer Quinn

Mrs. Loretta Plansky, a recent widow in her seventies, is settling into retirement in Florida while dealing with her 98-year-old father and fielding requests for money from her beloved children and grandchildren. Thankfully, her new hip hasn’t changed her killer tennis game one bit.

One night Mrs. Plansky is startled awake by a phone call from a voice claiming to be her grandson Will, who desperately needs ten thousand dollars to get out of a jam. Of course, Loretta obliges―after all, what are grandmothers for, even grandmothers who still haven’t gotten a simple “thank you” for a gift sent weeks ago. Not that she's counting.

By morning, Mrs. Plansky has lost everything. Law enforcement announces that Loretta's life savings have vanished, and that it’s hopeless to find the scammers behind the heist. First humiliated, then furious, Loretta Plansky refuses to be just another victim.

In a courageous bid for justice, Mrs. Plansky follows her only clue on a whirlwind adventure to a small village in Romania to get her money and her dignity back―and perhaps find a new lease on life, too.

Peg and Rose Stir Up Trouble by Laurien Berenson

When a typically closed-off Peg attempts online dating at Rose’s strong urging, the experience plays out like an embarrassing mistake. At least, until she matches with Nolan Abercrombie—intelligent, attractive, and a self-proclaimed dog lover. The two share an instant connection that has Peg cautiously excited to finally bring someone special into her busy world of Standard Poodles and conformation shows.

Before Peg can admit that Rose was right and let down her walls for the budding romance, a terrible accident claims Nolan’s life. As details about his background and tragic death come to light, Peg has a serious hunch that someone successfully plotted to kill her first real date in decades . . .

With suspects galore and a slew of puzzling clues to peel through, Peg and Rose team up to solve a dangerous mystery unfolding before their eyes. The question is: Can the unlikely duo turn their radically different personalities into an advantage as they scramble to ID the guilty culprit—or will they manage to work against each other and find themselves precisely where a meticulous murderer wants them to be?

This is the second volume of the "Senior Sleuths Mystery" series.

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers

Summer is in full swing as tourists flock back to the Northwoods and travel to Lofty Pines, Wisconsin. For Rain Wilmot, owner of the Lakeside Library, this is the perfect opportunity to bring back her mother’s summer book club. But the summer sun starts to really heat up when one of the club’s members, Lily Redlin, is found dead in her own home not long after the first meeting.

Alongside her sidekick and neighbor Julia Reynolds and the charming Jace Lowe, Rain discovers that the murder is seemingly inspired by the book club’s recent selection of Agatha Christie’s classic mystery novel, Sparkling Cyanide. But who would kill Lily, and more importantly, why?

The deeper Rain goes into the story, the more confusing and complicated the plot becomes. Was Lily murdered to cover up a tragic accident involving an old classmate years earlier? Or were the rumors true—did Lily really possess priceless original Laura Ingles Wilder manuscripts and someone killed her for them? And who stands to gain the recently inherited piece of waterfront property that Lily received from a long-lost relative?

With a long list of suspects and motives, Rain realizes that all leads come back to people involved in the book club. Rain and her friends take a page from Agatha Christie’s book by hosting a reenactment of the club’s first meeting to flush out the killer. Will Rain’s plan succeed—or will this librarian’s book be checked out for good?

This is the third volume of the "Lakeside Library Mystery" series.

Take the Honey and Run by Jennie Marts

As a successful mystery author, Bailey Briggs writes about murder, but nothing prepares her for actually discovering the dead body of the founder of her hometown of Humble Hills, Colorado. Bailey grew up at Honeybuzz Mountain Ranch and was raised by her beekeeping grandmother, Blossom Briggs, aka Granny Bee, and her two eccentric sisters, Aster and Marigold—which is why she drops everything to come home and help Granny Bee after a bad fall.

A broken foot doesn’t stop her grandmother from ruling The Hive, her granny’s book club, or continuing to prepare and package her bee-inspired products. But when Bailey's grandmother’s infamous "Honey I'm Home" hot spiced honey turns out to “bee” the murder weapon and her granny is now the prime suspect, Bailey has no choice but to use her fictional detective skills to help solve the murder and ‘smoke-out’ the real culprit.

With the help of Bailey’s witty bestie, a pair of meddling aunts, the feisty members of The Hive, and her computer-savvy daughter, this amateur sleuth is determined to solve the case. A malicious attack and an ominous threat reveal that someone wants Bailey to butt out of the investigation, but there’s no way she’s backing down. She must use her skills to uncover the truth and catch the clever culprit before her grandmother ends up bee-hind bars.

This is the first volume of "A Bee Keeping Mystery" series.

[sidlaw7]

Pumpkin Spice Puppy (A Melanie Travis Canine Mystery) by Laurien Berenson #Review / #Giveaway @KensingtonBooks @LaurienBerenson - Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Great Escapes Book Tours

[dollycas]

Sunday Salon / Sunday Post – A Week in the Life of Dollycas – Weekly Rewind – New Arrivals

The Sunday Salon is a Facebook group that has become an informal week-in-review gathering place for bloggers. It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature. You can also link up weekly on Readerbuzz. The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE! Last Monday we traveled to watch Kaden at an away game. He tweaked his knee just before the half and we were afraid it was serious and he was done, but soon after he iced it down he was walking around the sidelines and was ready to play the second half. In addition to his spot on the defensive line, he went in on a couple of offensive plays down at the goal line. He "pancaked" the guy in front of him both times. They won 44-6. On Tuesday we were able to catch Natalie's final volleyball match of the season. We hadn't watched volleyball since her aunts had played, and not too much had changed. Her team won the first two games but lost the third. She has a great serve and the whole team is strong. I wish we would have made it to more, the 4:30 start time was tough. We promised to do better when basketball starts in just a couple of weeks. Wednesday, my nephew and a few of his coworkers joined 23 other Wisconsin communities of linemen headed to Florida to help with storm recovery in anticipation of Hurricane Milton. They arrived late Thursday night and got right to work on Friday. We don't know how long they will be there. Please keep the people devastated by these storms in your thoughts and prayers as well as all of the people that have rushed to the areas to help. Friday night we traveled to Kaden's last home game of the regular season. It was a nail-biter with the score staying close until the final quarter when the Cardinals dominated and sealed the deal 57-33 over the Rockets. Kaden played more than he has played since his concussion and he was a man on a mission. He is so much fun to watch as he blocks and tackles and moves to do it again. He had speed that we hadn't seen for a while. As you can tell, I am beyond proud of him as he not only succeeds on the field but in his classes as well. I only have sad news to report on Remi's football season. A couple of weeks ago he had an injury that ended his year. He was upset but his safety comes first. He is already excited for basketball to start. Less contact there so he should be good to go. He is excited because his mom will be coaching again. All week long we worked on wedding preparations as Daughter #1 and her fiancé are set to tie the knot this Saturday after being together for 17 years. Her brother and his fiancée's wedding will take place the week after. Both are outdoor weddings so I am praying it doesn't get too cold. It will be a crazy couple of weeks especially when you throw in a football game on the Friday nights. I am beyond excited for my kids. How was your week? Weekly Rewind - October 7 - 12, 2024 Monday - My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #41 – 2024 Tuesday - Barks and Clues: A Canine Cozy Mystery by Sharon Michaels #Review / #Giveaway – Great Escapes Book Tour @AuthorSharonMichaels Wednesday - Cozy Wednesday featuring Sleep in Heavenly Pizza: A Deep Dish Mystery by Mindy Quigley #Review / #Giveaway @MinotaurBooks @StMartinsPress @minty_fresh_books Thursday - Pumpkin Spice Puppy (A Melanie Travis Canine Mystery) by Laurien Berenson #Review / #Giveaway @KensingtonBooks @LaurienBerenson Friday - #FlashbackFriday – A Corpse at the Witching Hour: A Food Blogger Mystery by Debra Sennefelder #Review / #Giveaway @debrasennefelder Saturday - Special Guest – Elizabeth Pantley – Author of Meditation and Mischief: Magical Mystery Book Club #GuestPost / #Giveaway – Great Escapes Book Tour @DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent   Read the full article

[southernista]

February was a great month mostly 4 & 5⭐️ reads! Six Feet Deep Dish by @minty_fresh_books Against the Currant by Olivia Matthew Mulled to Death by @kmlansing The Plot is Murder by @vmburnsbooks Killer Cupid by Laurien Berenson Because I Could Not Stop for Death by @amandaflowerauthor A Game of Cones by @abbylvandiver Wine and Punishment by @thewritefox Midnight Spells Murder by @maryangelabooks Buried in a Good Book by @tamaratamaralucy A Caterer's Guide to Love & Murder by @jessicathauthor2 #februaryreads #cozymysteryseries #cozymysteries #cozymysteryauthors #bookstagram #booksiread #readersofinstagram #ilovecozymysteries #sleuthers #cozymysteryreader #cozymysteryrecommandations (at Durham, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpPBL71swVU/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[nevinslibrary]

Mystery/Thriller Monday

Jazz is working with her ex, Nick, and a cadaver dog trainee when they stumble upon a dead body, like ya do, well, like people in these mysteries do. Nick is on the case, but, because it would be a very boring book if he simply worked the case. Jazz gets in on the mystery solving as well.

Jazz was an interesting character, not a one note one at all. And, cadaver dogs mysteries, like forensic mysteries, that’s most definitely in my wheelhouse.

You may like this book If you Liked: Killing Trail by Margaret Mizushima, Breaking Creed by Alex Kava, or Best in Show by Laurien Berenson

The Scent of Murder by Kylie Logan

[sassybrit]

Here Comes Santa Paws! #TalkTuesday #Interview with author Laurien Berenson @laurienberenson #TeaserTuesday #Christmas! #TuesdayBookBlog #TuesdayThoughts

Hello book lovers, today it is CHRISTMAS COME EARLY!

I’m very pleased to be able to welcome back author Laurien Berenson! (Remember, “What’s the first rule of BITE CLUB?” – link below for anyone who missed it!)

As usual, today’s #TalkTuesday interview is also our #TeaserTuesday and First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros!  

Enjoy this cutie!

  Here Comes Santa Paws (A Melanie Travis…

[rachel-sylvan-author]

Murder Grandmas is one of my favorite genres! Whether they're solving or committing a murder, we support women's rights AND women's wrongs! 😘 Here's to the wild and feral women we love! ❤️

"The Marlow Murder Club" by Robert Thorogood "Peg and Rose Solve a Murder" by Laurien Berenson "A Long Way From Chicago" and "A Year Down Yonder" by Richard Peck "An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good" and "An Elderly Lady Must Be Crossed" by Helene Tursten "Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead" by Olga Tokarczuk "Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers" by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Shoutout to my fellow Canva artist, Sassy! 🥰

QOTD: What is a murder grandma book you love? Committing and solving are equally valid! 😎

[doodlesink]

Killer Cupid by Laurien Berenson--Book Review

#Happy Wednesday!  Killer Cupid by Laurien Berenson has Melanie & her hubby enjoying a weekend away.  See what I thought about the 29th A Melanie Travis Mystery.  Happy Reading!

https://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2022/12/killer-cupid-by-laurien-berenson.html

[rpoli3]

Wagging Through The Snow (Melanie Travis 21) By Laurien Berenson [Book Review]

Wagging Through The Snow (Melanie Travis 21) By Laurien Berenson [Book Review]

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!

I got it as a Christmas gift. Summary:

Melanie Travis needs a little peace from her busy life this Christmas. But the usual holiday hubbub is a joy compared to the killer surprise she finds tucked underneath the tree . . .

With a…

[bettylouiseme]

WAGGING THROUGH THE SNOW By Laurien Berenson It is always a pleasure to read once of Laurien Berenson's dog stories. The cover is a delight.

[rockislandadultreads]

Book Recommendations: Let It Snow! 

Let It Snow by Nancy Thayer

Christina Antonioni is preparing for the holidays at her Nantucket toy shop, unpacking last-minute shipments and decorating for her loyal Christmas shoppers. But when her Scrooge of a landlord, Oscar Bittlesman, raises her rent, it seems nearly impossible for Christina to continue business on the wharf.

Even so, Christina hopes there is a warm heart underneath Oscar’s steely exterior. When she bonds with Wink, his sweet, young granddaughter who frequents the shop, it becomes clear that perhaps he isn’t so cold after all. And with the help of Wink’s uncle, who happens to be a charming and very handsome bachelor, this may be the best Christmas any of them could have ever imagined. Nancy Thayer’s enchanting Nantucket setting provides the perfect backdrop for this holiday love story.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart - he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone - but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.

This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka

When a beloved high schooler named Lucinda Hayes is found murdered, no one in her sleepy Colorado suburb is untouched - not the boy who loved her too much; not the girl who wanted her perfect life; not the officer assigned to investigate her murder. In the aftermath of the tragedy, these three indelible characters - Cameron, Jade, and Russ - must each confront their darkest secrets in an effort to find solace, the truth, or both. In crystalline prose, Danya Kukafka offers a brilliant exploration of identity and of the razor-sharp line between love and obsession, between watching and seeing, between truth and memory.

Wagging Through the Snow by Laurien Berenson

With a demanding teaching job at Connecticut's elite Howard Academy and five poodles scampering around the house, Melanie barely has energy for the upcoming Christmas rush. But she unwraps an unexpected challenge when her brother and ex-husband, elated by the recent success of their country cafe, make a spontaneous bid on a dilapidated pine tree farm. Although the ten-acre lot had been a popular seasonal destination while the original owner was still alive, it'll take some sprucing up - and a small miracle or two - before the neglected place is in shape for December.

Unfortunately, the impromptu business venture goes cold when the group discovers a purebred Maltese whimpering in the snow-covered grove - right beside a dead body. Pete, a squatter who camped out on the land, apparently met his end after a fallen fir tree branch knocked him on the head. But as Melanie and Aunt Peg investigate Pete's history and the terrible habit that cost him everything, it's clear his death was no accident. Now, Melanie must run through a flurry of likely suspects and muzzle a dogged murderer in time - or she'll be next on someone's deadly list.

This is the 21st volume in the “Melanie Travis” series.