Reviews To Share

Thanksgiving is over for most and thoughts are turning to Christmas which is less than a month away.

My family is celebrating Thanksgiving today so I’ll be away from blogdom all day. But I want to share my thoughts on two mysteries that would make great gifts for Christmas (or anytime).

Tomorrow author Lian Dolan will be here talking about her latest release, HELEN OF PASADENA. Now my book thoughts.

THE LIES THAT BIND by Kate Carlisle

Brooklyn Wainwright is a master when it comes to rare books and antiquities. She’s in San Francisco to teach a class on bookbinding at Bay Area Book Arts (BABA).

The director of BABA is Layla Fontaine and she’s a major pain. She hires another teacher who is a former classmate Brooklyn dislikes. Despite all the problems, Brooklyn decides to continue teaching her class.

Apparently Brooklyn isn’t the only one unhappy. The new teacher is assaulted and Layla is found murdered. Brooklyn can’t help but get involved in the search for the killer. It seems Layla’s past is connected to hunky Derek Stone, who Brooklyn would like to know better.

The interesting characters, along with the twists and turns of the plot will keep readers glued to the book from the first page. THE LIES THAT BIND is the third installment in the Bibliophile series, but is a stand alone book. Readers are given glimpses of the previous books in the series but not left in the dark if they haven’t read the other books yet.

Readers will also get a look at bookbinding. A glossary of bookbinding terms is included, along with a sneak peek at the next installment in the Bibliophile series, MURDER UNDER COVER.

This is a fun and action packed read.

Author Kate Carlisle’s website is www.katecarlisle.com

The Lies That Bind by Kate Carlisle A Bibliophile Mystery, Obsidian, @2010, ISBN: 978-0-451-23169-7, Paperback, 304 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - I won a ARC copy of this book from the author. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

THE PUMPKIN MUFFIN MURDER by Livia J. Washburn

It’s Thanksgiving time in the small town of Weatherford, Texas, and residents will soon be attending the first Harvest Festival.

Baker extraordinaire Phyllis Newsome is busy playing with her grandson, Bobby, and preparing her special pumpkin cheesecake muffins for the festival. Phyllis hopes to win the baking contest since her biggest competitor, Carolyn, is judging the contest instead of competing in it.

Getting ready for the festival, Phyllis and Carolyn discover one of the scarecrow decorations is really a dead body. It’s the body of festival organizer Logan Powell. A fight between Powell and his wife, Dana, leads authorities to arrest Dana, who is Carolyn’s best friend. Phyllis goes into action to prove Dana isn’t the killer.

THE PUMPKIN MUFFIN MURDER is the fifth installment in the Fresh Baked Mystery series, but it is a stand alone book. An added bonus is the delicious recipes included in the back of the book.

This is a delightful cozy murder mystery. A quick read that flows well.

The Pumpkin Muffin Murder by Livia J. Washburn, A Fresh-Baked Mystery, Obsidian, @2010, ISBN: 978-0-451-23132-1 Paperback, 304 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.