Of the 29 books I read in June 2023 here are three I gave 5 stars. 

Mr. & Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel (August 2018, 350 Pages, Inkshares publisher)

It’s 1969 and Palm Springs socialite and former beauty queen Maxine Simmons has just found out her husband is leaving her for his 22 year old secretary. After a massive public meltdown at Thanksgiving (involving a turkey in a pool), Maxine finds herself divorced and exiled to Scottsdale, Arizona. Never one to be knocked down for long, Maxine sets her eyes on a new crown: that of the Mrs. American Pie pageant, awarded to the nation’s best wife and mother. Only one problem: Maxine needs a family. This was such a fun, funny, zany read. I laughed out loud several times. (While this isn’t a mystery, Maxine made me laugh the way Finlay Donovan does). And this has the most lovable found family I could imagine. And even though it’s crazy, it doesn’t shy away from tackling big issues like sexism, racism and homophobia. I hugged this little gem when I finished.

Wined and Died in New Orleans by Ellen Byron, Vintage Cookbook Mystery #2  (February 2023, 304 pages, Berkley Publishing Group)

I adore cozy mystery series and this was just so well done. I listened through the @libby.app and didn’t want it to end. I enjoyed book 1 of this series (Bayou Book Thief) and loved this one even more. The writing made me feel like I was in New Orleans with Ricki, waiting for a hurricane. And the mysteries within the story are so strong. I was listening as I put away groceries and when I finished, I had to sit on the couch to finish the whole story. I love the cast of characters and can’t wait to be back with them in book 3. I recommend reading these in order–it’s great armchair travel! 

The Last Flight by Julie Clark (June 2020, 320 pages, Sourcebooks Landmark)

A backlist thriller that I tore through in one day–my heart pounding as I read. “The Last Flight is the story of two women — both alone, both scared — and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives.” This would be a great beach read but you might miss actually looking at the beach because you’ll be turning the pages so quickly. I got the same reading vibes as I did when I read The Last Thing He Told Me.