The following reviews are by Dawn Dowdle mysterybks@yahoo.com

Visit her site at: www.mysteryloverscorner.com

Watches Of The Night
By: Sally Wright

University archivist Ben Reese was a scout in World War II. Kate Lindsay, a longtime friend, receives a package 20 years after it was mailed. It contains the eye of her husband killed in World War II. Ben served with her husband.

Ben and Kate set out to discover the identity of the sender and why it was sent. A person from the past haunts Ben and the memories of war.

The story jumps back and forth from the 1960s to 1945. While I'm sure the author did a great job portraying the war scenes, I didn't read them as I am just not into history. I love Ben and Kate, though. Their chemistry and detecting skills are terrific. I like how they work together and build off each other even through great distances between them.

The Body In The Lighthouse
By: Katherine Hall Page

Faith Fairchild and her family have gone to Sanpere Island , Maine , to their summer vacation home during a hot August. The renovations on their place aren't finished, so they move in with her friend Pix's mother. She learns a lot about the attitudes of the residents versus the summer people and especially the problems of residents losing their property to those building McMansions. The unrest is also evident by a feud going on between two families.

Faith discovers a body while exploring Sanpere's historical lighthouse and its grounds. Things begin to get serious, and Faith worries about keeping her family safe while she tracks down a killer.

I enjoy the books in this series. The first one I read featured Pix, so when I read the next one featuring Faith, I was confused. But Faith has won me over. She is a great character. She didn't do as much catering in this book as usual due to being at their summer place. But her outlook on life and family rang true through this book..

The Body In The Attic
By: Katherine Hall Page

Faith Fairchild's husband, Rev. Thomas Fairchild, is discontent with his life as a pastor and takes a sabbatical to teach at Harvard Divinity School . This moves the family to Cambridge , MA , temporarily. They stay in another professor's home while he is away. It is a nice large house with lots of antique furniture. But that is the problem with their two small children. Plus Faith does not get good vibes from the nursery on the third floor.

Faith helps out at the soup kitchen one day and runs into an old flame from her past. She agrees to meet him, but things are not always what they seem.

When her children are playing in an old wardrobe, a diary is found. Faith reads it and begins to work at unraveling the secrets of the house.

But can she do so without endangering herself or her family?

I enjoy this series. Faith is a fun character. She doesn't do much catering in this book. I did enjoy when she went to a party and commented on the catering. Really saw it from a different view point.

I was a little disconcerted with the lack of communication between Faith and Tom in this book. I think it added to the mystery of some of the events, but I was surprised by it.

Needled To Death
By: Maggie Sefton

Kelly Flynn volunteers to take a group of knitting tourists to visit Vickie Claymore's alpaca farm. Unfortunately when they arrive, she discovered Vickie dead on her original hand-woven rug.

Vickie's daughter Debbie hires Kelly to prepare financial documents for her mother's alpaca business for the attorney. As Kelly gets more involved in Vickie's business, she begins to dig deeper to find the killer.

Can she unmask the murderer without putting herself in his/her sites?

This is the second in this knitting mystery series. I have enjoyed both of them tremendously. I look forward to reading many more. The Colorado setting adds to the wonderful cozy mystery series. I really enjoy Kelly and the other women she knits with at the House of Lambspun. What a great cast of characters.

Dark Tort
By: Diane Mott Davidson

Goldy Shulz owns Goldilocks Catering in Aspen Meadows, CO. She has been hired by the law firm Hanrahan & Jule to cater breakfasts and snacks.

When Goldy arrives late one night to prepare for the next day's breakfast, she is supposed to meet Dusty Routt, a good friend and neighbor who is a paralegal in training at the firm. Goldy was to give Dusty a cooking lesson. Dusty's uncle is the managing partner in the law firm. Unfortunately Goldy trips over Dusty's body when she arrives.

Goldy is asked by Dusty's mother to look into her death. Years before Dusty's brother died while in police custody. Her mother doesn't have faith in the police to uncover the truth.

Goldy had recently noticed Dusty wearing an expensive bracelet, and Dusty had alluded to sharing some information with Goldy when they met that night.

Can Goldy uncover the true identity of the killer without putting her family through the mud again?

I really enjoy this series. Goldy is a great character, and all the food discussion is fabulous. I just find myself eating while reading, though.

I thought the story line in this book was well written and plotted out.

Motif For Murder
By: Laura Childs

Carmela and Ava are back. This time Carmela's husband Shamus has been kidnapped and Shamus' uncle Henry Meechum has been murdered. While we don't spend a lot of time in Carmel 's shop Memory Mine, it is still an integral part of the story.

This time we learn a lot more about Shamus and his family. Shamus' sister Glory is once again throwing tantrums and causing problems for Carmela.

The story is set in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. I thought the author did a great job of continuing her series while shedding a lot of light on life after the hurricane.

I love this series and its setting. Carmela and Ava are such fun characters. They often find themselves in some situations that make me want to yell at them to turn back. But it's always fun reading how they get out of those sticky situations.

I am hoping that Shamus and his family won't play such a big part in future books. I love Memory Mine and the various women that frequent the shop. I also love Carmela and Ava's interaction with others within the city.

Kiss Of Death
By: Linda Palmer

Morgan Tyler is a writer and co-producer of a daytime soap. When her best friend Nancy is arrested for murdering her boyfriend's evil ex, Morgan knows she didn't do it and sets out to prove it. Homicide Detective Matt Phoenix isn't thrilled with her involvement and things soon heat up.

In the meantime, Morgan has hired a P.I. to help her discover the truth about her childhood. No one is aware of her past, and she wants to keep it that way. She just wants to know the truth herself.

And on the set, they are dealing with a bizarre disappearance from years ago that apparently was never dealt with and has become a chat room joke. But when Morgan brings back the arrogant actor into the role, she doesn't know what she's in for.

I love this series. Morgan is such a fun character. I love getting to know the behind the scenes drama of running a daytime soap. Plus her uncanny way to discover the truth is always enjoyable. She has many escapades without me wanting to scream stop like so many other mysteries. She seems to keep her head about her when going into situations.

Grave Apparel
By: Ellen Byerrum

An editorial written about gaudy Christmas sweaters becomes known as Sweatergate around the newsroom at the Eye Street Observer. Many people believe fashion reporter Lacey Smithsonian wrote the editorial. But soon it is revealed that Cassandra Wentworth, an editor who is against materialism, wrote the article.

As Lacey is getting ready for the Eye's annual holiday party, she receives a phone call bringing her out to the alley where she finds Cassandra bleeding and unconscious and wearing one of those acrylic Christmas sweaters. A homeless child is the only witness and runs away at the mention of the police.

Suspicion falls on the Eye's food editor, Felicity Pickles. Lacey sets out to find the child to help him/her, but soon realizes they are in danger and her search intensifies. Does the killer believe the child saw more than they did?

I love this series. It's such a fun and quick read. I soon find myself lost in the fashion world of DC and murder. Having lived in DC I enjoy hearing about places I know. Lacy is such a fun character. I love reading of all her exploits and adventures. I can't wait for more!

Frill Kill
By: Laura Childs

Carmela runs a scrapbooking store, Memory Mine, in the French quarter of New Orleans . Her best friend, Ava, has a Halloween party at her voodoo shop, Juju Voodoo. Her new employee Giovanni is a sexy tarot card reader and brings in the crowds.

When Carmela is knocked unconscious and Amber's dead body is found near her in the alley near Ava's shop, Giovanni becomes the prime suspect. Ava and Carmela believe him to be innocent so they set out to try to locate the real killer without putting themselves in further danger.

I really enjoy this series. Ava and Carmela are such fun. I enjoy all the descriptions of the scrapbooking as well as the ambiance of New Orleans . It's a place I'd like to visit someday, so I enjoy reading mysteries set there.

This series is a great cozy mystery series that is easy to read and well plotted out

The Black Widow Agency
By: Felicia Donovan

Four very diverse women who have been wronged, have come together to create a detective agency: a financial whiz, a computer genius with a pet black widow, an ex-cop, and a manager/cook. Their specialty is to help other women who haven't been able to get results using the usual means.

They often use very creative ways to help these women. Sometimes I found that hard to read. But overall, I loved the book. The four women work great together and are each complex in their own way. I can't wait to read further books to learn more about each of their pasts.

I'm not a spider fan, so some of the discussion of the black widow bothered me, but overall it just added to the story.

I really enjoyed the use of modern technology to solve their cases. Hope there will be lots more of that in future books.

Aphrodisiac
By: Allyson Roy

Saylor Oz is a sex therapist. One of her close friends from college, Gwen Applebee, is found murdered. Saylor knows something is up because Gwen was wearing a fanny pack. Gwen wouldn't have been caught dead wearing one.

Plus Saylor realizes there is a coded message in Gwen's suicide note. She must work at decoding it to find the killer.

Saylor is abducted and must find the formula they want or her family and roommate, Benita, will be killed. Can she and Benita figure out who the killer is without putting themselves in further danger?

I really enjoyed this book. Saylor and Benita were fun characters. The author did a great job of plotting the mystery so that the reader doesn't figure out who done it before the protagonist does.

Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception
By: Lois Winston
Love Spell

Logan Crawford is a West Coast developer and billionaire interested in Philadelphia . While there, he meets Emma Wadsworth. Usually women latch on to him when they meet him. Usually he is a love 'em and leave 'em guy.

Philadelphia worships Emma, a widowed heiress. That is until her romance with logan attracts the tabloids and scandal and she is accused of murder.

Can Logan help Emma prove she is innocent without doing permanent damage to his business worth. And can Emma hold on long enough for the truth to win out?

I loved this romantic suspense. It was so much fun to read, I read it in two days. I just couldn't put it down. I kept wanting to know more.

The author has c reated a great love story with plenty of suspense and intrigue to keep the reader turning the pages.

Shoots To Kill
By: Kate Collins
Obsidian

Elizabeth Blume has returned to town. When she was eleven, Abby Knight babysat her. Now Elizabeth is imitating everything in Abby's life and no one else seems to see it. She's changed her name to Libby, buys a similar car, and opens a shop that looks identical. She's even put a wedge between Abby and Marco.

Abby is accused of murder. Then Libby is accused of murder. Could Libby been imitating Abby just to cover up the murder. Or is someone else framing both of them? Abby sets out to figure things out before she ends up in jail for a murder she didn't commit.

I love this series. Abby is such a fun character. The sparks always fly when she and Marco are together. The two women who help Abby in the flower shop are fabulous, too. Abby's mom is irritating, but then she's supposed to be.

A Catered Halloween
By: Isis Crawford
Kensington

Sisters Libby and Bernie Simmons run their catering service and shop called A Little Taste Of Heaven. They're catering the Lonely Volunteer Fireman's Halloween Haunted House fundraiser in the mansion wealthy Mark Kane just purchased for his Foundation. He has hired experts to set up holograms and special effects.

Mark, Libby, and Bernie stumble across the severed head of Amethyst Applegate at the bottom of the steps. Her body is found on the platform with the pendulum swinging above.

Amethyst wasn't well liked, so there are a lot of suspects. Bob Small becomes the prime suspect. Libby and Bernie are asked to find the real killer. They enlist the help of their ex-policeman father Sean Simmons. Marvin, Libby's boyfriend, also lends a hand.

Years ago this mansion was The Peabody School. Bessie Osgood, a student, fell out one of the windows and died. There has been speculation that it wasn't an accident and that Amethyst was involved. But no one knows for sure.

Could Amethyst's death be related to Bessie's? Is it really Bessie's ghost they keep seeing?

I'd never read any books by this author. I found this to be an easy to read cozy mystery with a good plot and likeable characters. Reading it around Halloween enhanced the reading experience.

Libby, Bernie, and Sean are very good investigators and kept me guessing as to the real identity of the killer until it was revealed.

Vengeance
By: Donna Dawson
Word Alive Press

When FBI agent James Benedict goes on a two week cruise, he thought he was going to relax and rest. But when a passenger dies covered in bois that eat the flesh and bone, he is called in to assist. When another person dies of similar but strange conditions, they fear a virus has been unleashed.

It is soon discovered it isn't a virus but someone is murdering these people. James begins investigating whether there is any connection between the select few who have died.

Dr. Julie Holding is James' girlfriend back at work. She has trouble focusing on work knowing he is on a ship that appears to be a time bomb. She soon joins in by working on the mystery.

Can James find the connection before another person is killed?

This book is well-written and fast-paced. I found myself picking it up continuously to read further and try to unravel the well-constructed mystery. James was a great character and his long-distance relationship with Julie was very endearing.

I found myself engrossed in the story and wondering who was doing it right up until things were revealed.

Murder Takes The Cake
By: Gayle Trent
Belle Books

Daphne Martin has returned to her Virginia hometown and is working at establishing her new business as a freelance cake decorator. When Brea Ridge dies, suspicion turns to the cake Daphne delivered. No one listens to the fact that she found the body while delivering the cake. Daphne sets out to clear her good name and find the murderer.

Who knew a small town could have so many people who wanted Yodel dead, including Daphne's family? Can she find the murderer and make a go of her business?

I really enjoyed this book. I devoured it in a little over a day. It is such a fun, fast cozy read. The author has done a great job of setting it in a small town in Virginia with plenty of suspects and intrigue.

Daphne is a great character with plenty of depth and smarts to be an amateur sleuth. I really enjoyed her.

Sweet Man Is Gone
By: Peggy Ehrhart
Five Star

Ever since guitarist Jimmy Nashville joined Maximum Blues, Maxx Maxwell's blues band, she's had visions of them hitting the big time.

Unfortunately before that can happen, Jimmy Nashville falls to his death from his ninth floor apartment. The police believe it was suicide and have closed the case. Maxx is not convinced and sets out to find evidence that it was murder to convince the police. In the meantime she must find a new guitarist before her band falls apart.

She begins talking to Monique, Jimmy's girlfriend, to try to learn all she can about his life and who might have killed him. Stan, the guitar player she replaced with Jimmy, is constantly showing up and trying to get back into the band.

Can Maxx discover the truth without putting herself in danger and still have time to keep her band together?

This was a great cozy mystery. It's a fast read. I really liked Maxx. She has a real heart for her music, but she also cares about people. The author's knowledge of the blues music scene was very apparent as well.

Dead Hunt
By: Beverly Connor
Obsidian

Clymene O'Riley is in prison for murdering her husband. The authorities think she is a black widow and has killed others, but they haven't been able to prove it.

Diane Fallon is in charge of the Rosewood, GA, crime lab as a forensic anthropologist as well as director of the River Trail Museum of Natural History. Actually the two jobs work well together.

Clymene is a manipulator and very smart. She asks to speak to Diane. FBI Profiler Ross Kingsley talks Diane into seeing her.

In the meantime museum assistant director Kendal Williams is under scrutiny, along with the museum, due to a report in a local newspaper that she knowingly purchased stolen artifacts. The rumors could destroy her career.

Clymene escapes from prison and is believed to have been murdered. Diane becomes the prime suspect.

Can she and her crime lab staff discover the identity of the real killer? Can Diane also help clear up the reputation of the museum and Kendal?

I absolutely love this series. Diane is such a great character. No matter whether she's caving or investigating, or working in the museum. I devour these books and can't wait for the next one.

The author does such a fabulous job plotting them out. I always have a terrible time trying to put the book down. I just have to keep reading to find out who did it and how.

Weddings Can Be Murder
By: Christie Craig
Love Spell

Katie Ray lost her $8,000 engagement ring. Then she comes upon a murder and is chased by the murderer only to end up being locked in the murder victim's house with a sexy PI for many hours.

The murder victim, a wedding planner, had hired PI Carl Hades to investigate some missing brides.

The brides turn up dead and Carl worried Katie may be next. Can he protect her while unsure of his feelings for her?

In the meantime, Katie's best friend Leslie and Katie's fiancé Joe meet without knowing who each other is. They are attracted to each other. Once they know who they are, Leslie is uncertain of pursuing the relationship.

This is more romance than mystery, but I absolutely loved it. Considering I rarely read books with explicit sex, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I found myself having trouble putting it down. The author did such a great job of creating enough suspense to keep this mystery reader enthralled. Plus she did a fabulous job of intertwining the story of Katie and Carl with the story of Leslie and Joe. She knew just how far to go with each story before jumping to the next one to keep the reader guessing.

Who Killed Walter Dobbs?
By: J. D. Tynan
Strategic Book Publishing

Since Angie Harrington was recently heard by her neighbors to threaten neighbor Walter Dobbs and her garden shovel was found in her thorax, she is the prime suspect in his murder. So she sets out to figure out who the real killer is 'cause she knows she didn't do it.

She thinks she may have found "the one" for her, but she isn't ready to trust again. Plus she has a hilarious mishap with Portland Police Officer Scott King. And her best friend Lily is determined to marry her off.

Angie keeps chanting "Celibacy Rocks," but she begins to doubt its truth.

Can Angie find the killer and open up her heart for love at the same time?

I really enjoyed this book. It's a fast reading cozy mystery. I highly recommend it. Angie is a lot of fun. The author writes with a great sense of humor and does a great job of plotting the mystery.

Sweet Revenge
By: Diane Mott Davidson
Avon

Goldy Schulz is a caterer in Colorado . With the holidays approaching, she has 25 parties to cater in December. Hermie MacArthur and her husband Smithfield , a map collector, are throwing two of those important events in the Aspen Meadow Regal Ridge Country Club.

About a month before, Goldy thought she saw a ghost in that she thought she saw Sandee Brisbane, the killer of her ex-husband, driving around time.

While getting ready to set up for the library breakfast the next morning, she and a library employee find former DA Drew Wellington murdered in a corner of the library.

Can Goldy complete all her catering jobs while doing some investigating of her own? Especially when she appears to be in the crosshairs of the killer.

I love this series, but I have to be honest and say that this book and Dark Tort were not my favorites. It felt, to me, as if the author had a specific word or page count to meet. I prefer mysteries to be under 350 pages. Her latest books have been well over.

Plus it felt like the author tried to have everything happen over too short a time period. I found myself asking whether so many things could really happen to one person in one day.

All that said, I love Goldy, Tom, Arch, Julian, and Marla. They are such likeable characters. I love all the discussion of food as well. The Colorado location is fabulous, too.