Such great reading all month long! Here are the ones I gave FIVE Stars!

Ghost at Work by Carolyn Heart – book one in the Bailey Ruth series by a talented mystery writer. It’s a small town setting with a paranormal element and that paranormal element was the most delightful Bailey Ruth. I loved the setting, the characters and the mystery. Excellent on audio. 

Murder at Glenloch Hill by Clara McKenna – book six in the outstanding Stella and Lyndy historical mysteries series. Could be read as a standalone, but honestly, you’d be missing out on wonderful stories in books one – five.  This was a page-turning, complex mystery with vivid writing. I inhaled this story in a day and a half. I love everything about this series – the details of the settings (this time beautiful Scotland), the many clues and red-herrings surrounding the mystery, and Stella’s dogged determination to find truth and justice. Stella and Lyndy are my favorites. 

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter – I absolutely adored this locked room, enemies to lovers rom-com. This is just what I needed in my ears to remind me that this season can be fun. It’s a wonderful escape and I rooted for both main characters so much. I swooned and laughed and just loved every page so much.

A Room for Murder by Michele Pariza Wacek –  Book 4 in The Charlie Kingsley Cozy Novella series but can be read in any order. The ghost element was fun and certainly not too scary. The writing is clever and vivid, and I enjoy the suspense mixed with the witty. The 1990s setting is also a hoot and fun to relive through the pages of the mystery. 

When the Carnival Came by Kathleen Bailey – This series has been recommended for fans of Clue and Nancy Drew, and I totally agree! This entry can certainly be read as a standalone. The small-town setting of Apple Station, Virginia is so vivid and cozy that I felt like I was there with Olivia. This is exactly the kind of cozy mystery I like – a page-turning mystery brimming with cozy details AND suspects, clues and red-herrings. The addition of two adorable pets (dog and cat) are a wonderful bonus. 

Holly Homicide by Tonya Kappes – Welcome to Holiday Junction! If you’re new to this fun series, don’t worry, these books work as standalones or read together. It’s Christmas time and local journalist and amateur sleuth Violet Rhinehammer is loving life in her cozy town. She’s in for some wonderful and some not so wonderful surprises involving the newly renovated lodge in town, opening just in time for Christmas celebrations. Vivid writing and a solid mystery make this a fun, short seasonal read. 

Mean Low Water by Stephanie Alexander – This is the exact kind of southern suspenseful fiction I love to read. This is a story of best friends from childhood and how bonds connect each other, even when each friend takes a very different path. I had to remind myself to slow down when I was reading, because I wanted to know the ending, but I also didn’t want to miss any details. There is much here that would be wonderful to discuss, so book clubs should consider this as a selection.

The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny – Chief Inspector Armand Gamache book #19. I loved it. Some reviews said it was all over the place, I didn’t find that to be true for me. I couldn’t put it down and let’s just say I feel like stocking up on bottled water (IYKYK). I recommend this series on audio.