Ginger Reviews "The Bullet That Missed" by Richard Osman #cozy #mystery #cozymysteries

Hello, fellow book lovers! 

Ginger here, your friendly neighborhood kitten, ready to share my thoughts on "The Bullet That Missed" by the delightful Richard Osman. Let's dive right into this cozy mystery, shall we?

I must confess that I made a rookie mistake. This book is part of a series, and while it stands well on its own, I couldn't help but feel a tad lost without the context of the first two books. Lesson learned: always start at the beginning! If only I had followed that advice, I might have been better acquainted with our cast of charming characters from the get-go.

Speaking of characters, let me tell you about the delightful bunch in "The Bullet That Missed." Picture this: a club full of elderly amateur sleuths, each with their quirks and secrets. There's a former spy among them, adding a dash of intrigue to the mix. Oh, the tales they must have to tell!

At their club, these intrepid investigators delve into cold cases, and the one at the center of this installment is a real humdinger. It involves a TV investigative journalist with connections to a prominent television personality who seems to have been quite smitten with the deceased. Cue the backstage drama and onscreen antics!

Osman's narrative effortlessly weaves together the world of TV personalities and backstage intrigue with the cozy charm of a classic mystery. It's like curling up by the fire with a bowl of warm milk and a whodunit unfolding before your very eyes. Romances and attractions simmer beneath the surface, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the mix.

While the mystery itself kept me guessing until the very end, it was the characters and their relationships that truly stole the show. From budding romances to unlikely friendships, there's a warmth and camaraderie among the club members that is utterly endearing.

"The Bullet That Missed" is a delightful romp through the world of TV personalities, backstage drama, and cold case investigations. Recommended for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a dash of romance and a sprinkle of onscreen magic. If you're smarter than me, you might even start at the beginning of the series for the full experience. 

Find "The Bullet That Missed" at Amazon

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The Missing Cash Mystery: A #Cozy #NewRelease Featuring The #Mystery #Cats!

It's not every day that someone writes a book about you, which is why we Mystery Cats are overjoyed that our cat-mom Doris Hay has just released The Missing Cash Mystery!

Why are we so excited?

Because the book's about us!

The Missing Cash Mystery stars ME (Ginger)! Zorro and Butterball play a role too, and KitKat gets introduced as well. It's a great book about a funny little mystery. I think you'll love it, but I could be biased.

The Missing Cash Mystery
Series: Mystery Cats on the Case
Book: 1
Author: Doris Hay
Publisher: Rainbow Crush
Available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VCPBSCS?tag=dorishay-20

Ginger’s just a kitten who loves a good mystery. She’s never actually solved one before, but when a neighbour’s safe is broken into, Ginger’s on the case.

Her fellow Mystery Cats, Butterball and Zorro, don’t see any point in looking into this crime. Clearly, the neighbour’s son stole the money. He doesn’t work, mooches off his parents, and suddenly has the cash to take his girlfriend on a splashy beach vacation? Even Gemma, the neighbour-lady, feels pretty certain her son is to blame—that’s why she didn’t bother calling the police.

But Ginger smells a rat, and she won’t give up until the true culprit is brought to justice… even if the investigation puts this tiny kitten in all sorts of danger!

Don't delay! Read The Missing Cash Mystery today!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VCPBSCS?tag=dorishay-20


There are plenty more places to buy this book. Check them out here: https://books2read.com/u/4j2Dyk

Or look for a copy at your local library! 

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Ginger Reviews The #Cat Who Went Bananas #Cozy #Mystery

Title: The Cat Who Went Bananas

Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Genre: Cozy / Pets / Amateur Sleuth
Status: Abandoned
Cats?: At least three

Ginger Says:

I'm breaking my own rules, here.

I have a bit of a personal policy about not reviewing books until I've read them to completion. If I have no intention of finishing a book, I wouldn't normally review it.

Why have I broken my rule for The Cat Who Went Bananas?

Because it's bad.  It's really bad, really poorly written. Dick and Jane Solve a Murder, with a heavy helping of Grampa Simpson rambling. When you're constantly asking a book "Why are you telling me this?" that's not a good sign. Honestly, it was a struggle to get through the first three chapters. By that point, I knew I wouldn't be reading the rest of the book.

Sure cats have nine lives, but they're all too short to waste on bad writing.

The reason I wanted to review The Cat Who Went Bananas (or at least comment on it) anyway is that this book comes from a series that's been around for decades. The earlier "The Cat Who..." books are fantastic. I've reviewed one written in 1967 very positively.

When I got my paws on a copy of The Cat Who Went Bananas, I put it aside for a time when I wanted to treat myself. Sometimes you need to cozy up with a good book, and if you're lucky, you're familiar with a series that can give you just the feeling of warmth and comfort you need.

The fact that this terrible book is part of a series that was formerly fantastic is what disappoints me the most. I had high expectations based on other books in the series.  This book doesn't meet those expectations. Nowhere near.

How the mighty have fallen.

Ever since I put this book down, I've been thinking about successful series on a grander scale. Not just books, but television too.  No matter how good a series is in the beginning (or wherever its golden era is situated), at some point that series is going to be in decline. I really respect creators who know when to pull the plug, but I also understand the urge to keep on truckin, especially if the series is making big money.

As a reader, do you prefer to follow a series into the abyss because you're comfortable and familiar with the characters? Or do you stop buying those books as soon as they're past their prime? I can think of a lot of TV shows I've stopped watching even though I really liked them earlier on.

What about you? Can you think of a series (whether it be books or television) that dropped off in quality? Did you keep reading or watching?  Or did you dump it like yesterday's trash? Let us know in the comments.

If you're curious about The Cat Who Went Bananas, I invite you to form your own opinions. I won't be finishing it, but maybe you will. Maybe you'll love it!

Find The Cat Who Went Bananas at Amazon

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Hey Mystery Cats, What is the Ultimate British Mystery Series?

We're talking television today.

The Brits make the best TV mysteries, but which series is the best of the best?

Butterball Says:

There is only one possible response to such a question. The greatest British mystery series of all time is Midsomer Murders. This program has been around for decades. Why are we still watching it after more than 20 years? Because this long-running television show is consistent and reliable in providing us with the cosy settings and situations we crave.

That's why the Ultimate British Mystery Series is Midsomer Murders.

Zorro Says:

Looking for a good time? Well then Death in Paradise is the show for you. Set on the fictitious island of Saint Marie and filmed on location in Guadeloupe, Death in Paradise is funny, sunny, and comfortingly formulaic. One of the best things about all these British shows is the predictable pacing, and Death in Paradise has got that down to an art form. You always know roughly when things are going to happen, but I'm always surprised by the results. This show's got a lot going for it--including comedy legends like Ardal O'Hanlon!

That's why the Ultimate British Mystery Series is Death in Paradise!

KitKat Says:

Believe it or not, I agree with Butterball (it happens on rare occasions), but I'll pick another one--which is easy to do, because there are so many amazing British mysteries out there. I'm going with Inspector Lewis, the Morse spin-off. Why Lewis and not Morse? Because Inspector Lewis has everything going for it that I enjoyed with Morse--it's cinematic, it's got an amazing soundtrack and intriguing mysteries--but it doesn't have the one thing I was never too fond of with Morse: Morse himself. I just never liked that character, sue me! With Inspector Lewis, I really enjoy the interplay between the investigators and, on top of that, the show is visually stunning.

That's why the Ultimate British Mystery Series is Inspector Lewis.

Ginger Says:

Oh, it's so hard to choose, but I'll have to go with Rosemary and Thyme. If you've never seen it, you should go out and find yourself a copy. It's a murder mystery series about two gardeners who just happen to solve crimes. One used to be in the police and one has an academic background, so they're perfectly positioned to figure out whodunit. This is the cosy of cosies. It's the cosiest cosy that ever cosied. The characters are great and there's plenty of gardening? Who could ask for anything more.

That's why the Ultimate British Mystery Series is Rosemary and Thyme.



Feel free to weigh in. That's what comments are for! 
Which is your favourite British mystery series?

Ginger Reads The #Cat Who Ate Danish Modern: A #Cozy #Mystery

Title: The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern

Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Genre: Cozy / Pets / Amateur Sleuth
Status: Read
Cats?: Two, and one's got a knack for presenting clues!

Ginger Says:

I've seen Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who..." books on library shelves since I was a kitten, but this is the first time I've actually picked one up to read.  I always wondered how these stories were told.  For some reason, I assumed I would be reading a book told from a cat's point of view.  As it turns out, that wasn't the case.  Once I got over the initial disappointment of being told a human story instead of a cat one, I really got into it and had a lot of fun with this book.

The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern features a journalist named Jim Qwilleran who used to work the crime beat.  Now he's down on his luck, living in a run-down apartment with a Siamese cat named Koko.  When his boss assigns him to an interior design magazine, Qwilleran's not keen.  He's clueless about design. It's really not his world... that is, until a crime spree breaks out!  Every property he visits seems to get burgled, someone dies, the police raid it as a brothel... the list goes on!  Finally, some crime to investigate. Qwilleran's back in his element.

Now, his cat Koko doesn't accompany him on his investigations.  That would be pretty neat, but I guess you'd get a reputation if, as a journalist, you brought your cat along to interviews.  So Koko stays home while Jim is out and about, but still manages to bring attention to clues leading to whodunit.

When I first picked up this book, I didn't quite realize its age.  I was barely three pages into the novel when I said to myself, "When was this written?!?"  There are certain concepts, relationships and turns of phrase that struck me as outmoded.  That's when I checked the copyright date: 1967.  No wonder the book's got a bit of a Mad Men feel about it.

All in all, I ate this book up.  It's very witty, consistently amusing, and the characters are a lot of fun: big personalities that keep you wanting more.  This is probably my feline bias talking, but I would have enjoyed more time with the cats.  Yes there are cats in the book, but it's primarily a human story and a human investigator.

Having said all that, if you're looking for a big-city cozy mystery set in the world of 1960s-era interior design, The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern certainly fits the bill! 

Find The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern at Amazon

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Magical Bookshop Mysteries: A New #Paranormal #Cozy #Mystery Series

Title: Magical Bookshop Mysteries: A New Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series

Author: Samantha Silver
Genre: Cozy / Paranormal / Small Town
Status:TBR
Cats?: Yes

Ginger Says:


Mystery author Samantha Silver is best known for paranormal cozies, and she's back at it with her new venture: the Magical Bookshop Mystery series!

If you've got a taste for witchcraft, small-town life and books, you might want to give this new series a try. There are already three installments available:

1) Alice In Murderland
2) Murder on the Oregon Express
3) The Very Killer Caterpillar (pre-order, available July 30, 2017)

Here's a bit more information about the first in the series, Alice In Murderland:

Moving from Miami to small-town Oregon was supposed to be boring...

When Alice Calliope takes over her recently deceased aunt's bookshop in Sapphire Village, Oregon, she's not expecting her world to be flipped upside down, but that's exactly what happens when her cousin Cat reveals to Alice that she's actually a witch. Add in the fact that the two of them stumble upon a dead body, and Alice's first day in town ends up being a lot more eventful than she could have possibly imagined!

What was supposed to be a simple cross-country move winds up with Alice having to learn how to navigate a whole new magical world while at the same time trying to clear Cat's name as she emerges as the main suspect in the murder. Add in the eccentric Grandma Cee, witchcraft lessons, a whiny old ghost and the laziest cat ever, and Alice definitely has her hands full.

With pressure mounting for the super-hot local sheriff to arrest her cousin, will Alice be able to hunt down the real killer before it's too late?

Alice in Murderland is a full-length novel and the first book in the Magical Bookshop Mystery series of paranormal cozy mysteries.

Find Alice in Murderland at Amazon

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Ginger Reads The Quiche of Death, Agatha Raisin #Cozy #British #Mystery

Title: The Quiche of Death, The First Agatha Raisin Mystery

Author: M.C. Beaton
Genre: Cozy / British / Small Town
Status:In Progress
Cats?:Not Yet

Ginger Says:

I only just started reading The Quiche of Death the other day, but already I understand why my fellow cozy-enthusiasts have been encouraging me to pounce on this series: within the first couple chapters, it's already got everything you could ask for in a cozy. Oh, except nobody's been murdered yet. Obviously that isn't an obstacle to my enjoyment.

What I'm really loving about The Quiche of Death is the way our main character, Agatha Raisin, is a fish out of water in her new surroundings. In the first chapter, she sells her business in London and moves to a quaint town in the Cotswolds. Moving to a small English town is a fantasy for most cozy readers, even a Canadian kitten like me. I think that's half the reason we read cozies: for the setting.

Agatha Raisin is a fish out of water not only because she's a Londoner in a tiny town, but she's a contemporary person amidst a swell of characters who seem plucked from Father Brown. The townsfolk act, dress, and even style their hair like people from the past. Sure we're getting glimpses of Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages in this town, but there's a distinct period drama aspect to the supporting cast. It's a world the reader wants to inhabit all day long. The ins and outs of village life are so attractive to a city cat like me. And a rigged Quiche Competition? Yes, please!

I would love to tell you more, but that's all I know so far. As I say, I haven't even made it to the murder yet. But unless this book takes a wild turn, I'm sure to enjoy it tremendously!

Find The Quiche of Death at Amazon

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Sand-Witch on Rye: First in a #Paranormal #Cozy #Mystery #Series by Molly Dox

Title: Sand-Witch on Rye
Author: Molly Dox
Genre: Paranormal / Cozy / Mystery
Status: TBR
Cats?: I suspect so (there's a cat on the cover)

Ginger Says:

Hello friends!  I have yet to begin The Soup and Sand-Witch Cozy Mystery Series, but I figured I'd post about it because these books look absolutely adorable.

In Not-So-Normal Town, strange things are happening. Turmoil, murder, and cookie jar spirits are turning the paranormal world upside down. Katy can’t help digging for clues when Miss Priss turns up dead at the local bowling alley. Too bad her magic is rusty. She’s having a spell of a time finding answers. Magic is only good when you remember how to use it.

Teaming up with her best friend, Katy hopes to reveal the truth before it’s too late. With an itch to become a better witch, she knows she’ll need to brush up on her skills, but with no time to spare, she needs to find answers before the killer strikes again.

Sand-Witch on Rye is the first book in The Soup and Sand-Witch Cozy Mystery series, and offers a family-friendly read with no foul language.

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What's New, #Mystery #Cats?

Hey, Mystery Cats! What are we reading?

KitKat Says:

Zorro's Hardy Boys review inspired me to dive into Nancy Drew. I've never read the series, if you can believe it, but I'm starting with The Witch Tree Symbol. Antique furniture and the Amish--what's not to love?

Zorro Says:

Haven't started it yet, but there's a Linwood Barclay waiting for me. Been hearing great things about his books for years. He's a bit of a hometown hero, too. So time to take him for a spin with The Accident.

Ginger Says:

Next on my list is Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris. I read Shakespeare's Trollop in the Lily Bard series and gobbled it up. I absolutely loved it. I'm not sure if Definitely Dead (A Sookie Stackhouse Novel) will appeal to me quite as strongly because it's paranormal and that's not really my thing, but if it isn't to my taste I'll pass it over to KitKit.

Butterball Says:

It is always most difficult to choose a book to read after one has devoured an Agatha Christie mystery as brilliant as The ABC Murders (which I shall have to review on the blog sooner rather than later), but I have selected a Martha Grimes novel to follow. I must admit I've judged The Old Fox Deceiv'd by its eerie cover. I am very much looking forward to exploring its interior.

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Ginger Reads The Witness by Nora Roberts #Romantic #Suspense #Mystery

Title: The Witness
Author: Nora Roberts
Genre: Romantic / Suspense / Mystery
Status: Reading
Cats?: No, but there's a BIG dog!

Ginger Says:

I'm only halfway through The Witness, but I wanted to tell you about it because this book sucked me in right from the very first page. You get a real sense of 16-year-old Elizabeth Fitch's personality: highly intelligent, but socially-stunted by an overbearing mother.

When Elizabeth rebels for the first time in her life, terrible things happen. We're talking more than just a bad haircut. Elizabeth ends up witnessing a Russian mafia hit. She winds up in witness protection, and would you believe things go downhill from there?!

Quite a few years later, we meet up with Elizabeth living under another name and living in a small town that has its own cunning and attractive sheriff. She's got herself a giant guard dog that understands at least four languages and is so well-trained it almost makes me wish Doris would get us a dog.

Now, I know what you're thinking: cats and dogs are sworn enemies. But does that necessarily have to be the case? Is it really so wrong for a tiny ginger kitten to read about a big strong canine and wonder what it would be like to cuddle up together in front of a roaring fire?

In any case, if you're looking for a book that starts out action-packed, morphs into a romance, and then I don't know what because I haven't read that far, then The Witness by Nora Roberts is the novel for you!

Daughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth Fitch finally let loose one night, drinking too much at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent to lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive.

Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance security systems designer, her own protection is supplemented by a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. Unfortunately, that seems to be the quickest way to get attention in a tiny southern town.

The mystery of Abigail Lowery and her sharp mind, secretive nature and unromantic viewpoint intrigues local police chief Brooks Gleason, on both a personal and professional level. And while he suspects that Abigail needs protection from something, Gleason is accustomed to two-bit troublemakers, not the powerful and dangerous men who are about to have him in their sights.

And Abigail Lowery, who has built a life based on security and self-control, is at risk of losing both.

Find The Witness at Amazon

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Poison in Paddington: #British #Cozy #Mystery

Title: Poison in Paddington 
Author: Samantha Silver
Genre: Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Mystery
Presence of Cats: Yes! A cat named Biscuit.

Ginger Says:

Mystery writer Samantha Silver has recently come out with a new series of cozies set in London. The first in the Cassie Coburn Mysteries is Poison in Paddington, which is currently available at a very attractive price from Amazon.

When Cassie Coburn moved to London, she never thought she'd be involved in a quadruple homicide.

After a car accident ended her medical career before it even started, Cassie moved to London on a whim, expecting to see the sights and live the typical tourist backpacker lifestyle.

Instead she finds herself accompanying a French private detective, Violet Despuis, as they attempt to find out who poisoned four people in the middle of London.

Cassie's life soon includes this crazy detective, an ancient landlady with a curious past, a mischeivous orange cat who likes going for walks on a leash, and a super hot pathologist that Cassie is sure is out of her league.

And they haven't even found the murderer yet...

Find Poison in Paddington at Amazon Today!

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The Purr-fect Crime: #Cozy #Mystery, Witchy Women and a Talking #Cat!

Title: The Purr-fect Crime (Book 1 in the Willow Bay Witches Series)
Author: Samantha Silver
Genre:Paranormal
Status: TBR
Presence of Cats: Yes! And she speaks!

Ginger Says:

Samantha Silver has been a friend to the Mystery Cats since before we had this blog. Since I'm her favourite (she told me so--but don't ask her to repeat it because that wouldn't be fair to Zorro and Butterball), I want to tell you about a new series she's written.

The Willow Bay Witches is a series of paranormal cozy mysteries featuring a witch with a talking cat.

As of now, this series has 4 installments with a 5th available for preorder and coming out at the end of January 2017. I'm calling attention to the first in the series, The Purr-fect Crime, not only because the very beginning is a very good place to start (according to The Sound of Music), but because the price is definitely right!


Magic is about to meet murder in Willow Bay...

Find The Purr-fect Crime at Amazon Today!

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Ginger Reads A Crafty Killing by Lorraine Bartlett

Title: A Crafty Killing
Author: Lorraine Bartlett
Genre: Cozy
Reviewed by: Ginger
Status: Completed
Cats?: Yes! Two!

Ginger Says:

A Crafty Killing, the first book in Lorraine Bartlett’s Victoria Square Mystery series, dangles all the right strings for this little kitty. It’s set in a small town, inside a quaint old structure that’s been converted into Artisans Alley—a destination for lovers of arts and crafts. This book's got artists and artisans. It’s got murder.
What else does a cozy mystery need?

Well, CATS, obviously!

And this book’s got not one, but TWO. The main character, Katie, has a cat that never appears “on-screen” but Katie very often thinks to herself that she has no food in the house except kibble for Mason. To me, this suggests Katie cares more for her cat than she does for herself. Now, I’m not saying humans shouldn’t care about their own health and dietary requirements… I’m just saying it’s only right for them to care more about ours.

In addition to this off-screen feline, there’s also a cat who is orphaned when the first murder victim (owner of Artisans Alley) is killed. Katie takes it upon herself to care for poor grieving Della, and I don’t think I’m giving too much away when I say there’s a real payoff to her good nature.

Della is the true star of this book, if you ask me. She shows some true heroics when Katie’s in danger. That said, Katie’s more than worth saving and her modest adventures in this cozy mystery are highly enjoyable.

If you love a good cozy—especially one that’s set in a small town and involves artists, baked goods and saving a business on the brink of bankruptcy—I highly recommend A Crafty Killing.

Find A Crafty Killing at Amazon.

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