Cozy Mystery Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Legacy of the Bluffs by Loretta Marion

A meddling nanny, beachside murder, and another Mitchell family mystery make Legacy of the Bluffs by Loretta Marion a rollercoaster installment in the Haunted Bluffs series.

A year into juggling new motherhood, marriage to an FBI agent, and management of The Bluffs, a historic mansion in Cape Cod, Cassie Mitchell is settling into her roles with grace, bolstered by the ethereal support of her ancestors, whose spirits inhabit the halls of her spacious home. Unexpectedly, her husband hires an au pair named Abby Grant to relieve some of the pressure, but Cassie is immediately unsettled by the young woman, and […]

A Player’s Exit by Terri Karsten

A linguistic feast featuring a rich spread of finely crafted characters, A Player’s Exit by Terri Karsten serves up a hearty helping of historical sleuthing and narrative charm.

Penelope Corbitt has spent more than a year working as the tavern cook and improving its reputation alongside the tavern owner – and determined suitor – Miles Tucker. However, the extended stay of a royal representative has practically dried their business up, along with the essential flow of bootleg molasses and rum.

When a traveling troupe of actors arrives, it seems like a godsend, but a sudden series of shocking murders among […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-09-23T12:41:28+02:00September 23rd, 2026|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Cozy Mystery Book Reviews, Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: A Necessary Death by Terri Karsten

Immersive, clever, and impeccably detailed, A Necessary Death by Terri Karsten is a charming historical mystery with a healthy dash of pastoral romance.

Freshly widowed and left penniless by her seafaring husband, Penelope Corbitt is heading towards a new life in colonial Boston with her two children – 16-year-old Nabby and young Nathaniel. On the journey north, however, accompanied by her dour brother-in-law, a stagecoach accident diverts them to a roadside tavern, where Penelope promptly finds a dead man in the outhouse.

Miles Turner, the gruff innkeeper, constable, and a fellow widower, may not appreciate Penelope’s presumptuous nature, but her […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-17T17:56:13+02:00September 2nd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Cozy Mystery Book Reviews, Mystery Book Reviews|

Lights, Camera, Murder by Lisa Shay

Cryptic warnings, mysterious powers, and a film shoot headed for catastrophe are just the beginning of Lights, Camera, Murder by Lisa Shay, the latest in her Kallie Collins Cozy Mystery series.

When Dr. Kallie Collins, a specialized psychic who can communicate with animals, befriends a young star filming a movie at a mountain lodge, she doesn’t expect to be pulled into yet another investigation. However, pastoral mysteries with equine informants and canine confidants seem unavoidable for the good doctor, and this latest case is both glamorous and deadly, requiring all of her veterinary, psychic, and sleuthing skills so she doesn’t […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-06-27T11:12:35+02:00June 27th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Cozy Mystery Book Reviews|

Review: Catwalk Dead: Murder in the Rue de L’Histoire Theatre by F. Della Notte

A nearly century-old mystery, an historic theatre and fears of the Macbeth curse make for an irresistible trifecta in Catwalk Dead: Murder in the Rue de L’Histoire Theatre, F. Della Notte’s newest whodunit in her Housekeeper Mystery series.

Life has become much more exciting as of late for Mrs. B. since her son and daughter-in-law moved to Austin and have accepted positions as artistic directors of the Bernardi-Bono Ballet Company, situated in the old Rue de L’Histoire Theatre. What Mrs. B. doesn’t know is that the theatre’s stage manager had voiced his concern about strange goings-on at the theatre […]

Marta Cheng2020-02-06T10:42:58+02:00December 11th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Cozy Mystery Book Reviews, Mystery Book Reviews|

Review: The Hotel Westend by Ashley Lynch-Harris

★★★★

The Hotel Westend by Ashley Lynch-Harris is a classic mystery with plenty of twists.

With eccentric characters, an historic hotel with its fair share of secrets, and an innocent ingénue with a good dose of curiosity, The Hotel Westend is a slow-boiling thriller that will have you guessing until the very end. In the beloved style of Agatha Christie and other British suspense classics, this murder mystery pays homage to the genre in an impressive way.

The gradual introduction of the characters – all heading for the same destination for an unknown reason – has the same slow pacing […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2016-08-12T11:38:35+02:00August 11th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Cozy Mystery Book Reviews, Mystery Book Reviews|

Review: Black & White & Dead All Over by Anna Castle ★★★★★

What happens when the Internet service provider in a small town spies on his clients’ cyber-lives and blackmails them for gifts and services?

Murder and mayhem abound in Anna Castle’s cozy mystery novel Black & White & Dead All Over.

Penelope Trigg is new to Lost Hat, Texas. She’s opened a photography studio and has a few clients, some friends, and has started dating a sexy and successful man. Everything is going well. That is until she submits nude figure studies of her boyfriend to a contest. Penny receives an email blackmailing her. If she fails to comply, the […]

T B Markinson2015-11-24T06:32:23+02:00May 29th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Cozy Mystery Book Reviews, Mystery Book Reviews|