Recipe for Deception (Creative Woman Mysteries #3) by Rachael Phillips

Title: Recipe for Deception (Creative Woman Mysteries #3)

Author: Rachael Phillips

Pages: 250

Year: 2013

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Annie’s Fiction

Format: Hardback (also available in eBook)

About the book:

     From the moment Shannon McClain set foot in America, she’s dreamed of the day her teenage twins, Alec and Lara, could join her. Now that the college semester is over, Shannon’s dreams have finally come true!

     The twins arrive in Apple Grove just in time for the grand opening of Espresso Yourself, the new coffee shop addition to the Paisley Craft Market & Artist Lofts, and both spend much of their time helping out at the store. Thrilled to have her kids with her again, Shannon looks forward to a summer together filled with laughter and fun.

     But her plans quickly spoil when her daughter takes a part-time delivery job working for Joyce Buchanan at the Pink Sprinkles Bakery and a customer dies after eating a cupcake delivered by Lara. Consumed by guilt for having served the fatal dessert, Lara turns to local bad boy Chaz Loper for comfort—the last boy Shannon would ever want her daughter to date. Shannon and Alec each have their own suspicions about Chaz and his true motives for befriending Lara, but when they try to warn her about him, it only pushes her away and creates tension in the house.

     Meanwhile, rumors about the deadly cupcake spread like wildfire through the small town and Joyce’s business begins to suffer. As more unsavory events unfold, all seemingly connected to Joyce, it becomes clear to Shannon, and the other women of the Purls of Hope knitting circle, that someone is trying to set her up. They decide to take matters into their own hands and find out who’s really behind all the trouble before Joyce is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit.

     With two irascible teens breathing down her neck, and a busy craft business to run, can Shannon whip up a crime-solving recipe in time to catch the killer before another deadly dish is served? Join Shannon and the Purls as they tackle this latest mystery to come to Apple Grove.

My review:

     This is a great cozy mystery!

     I love the regular characters in this series. It is wonderful to see how they interact with and support each other through all of the difficulties that they face. It was wonderful to see how Shannon and her kids butted heads over a number of things. They are such realistic characters.

     The mystery is well developed. I did manage to guess who the murderer was before the end of the book. I was completely confused about the motive though. That definitely kept my interest and reading to the very end.

     I have decided to give this book a rating of 5 stars. I am definitely recommending it.

A Deadly Stitch (Creative Woman Mystery #2) by Susan Sleeman + A GIVEAWAY

Title: A Deadly Stitch (Creative Woman Mystery #2)

Author: Susan Sleeman

Pages: 240

Year: 2012

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Annie’s Attic

Format: Hardback (also available in eBook)

About the book:

     After Purls of Hope member Melanie’s ex-husband is found buried in the flower bed outside the craft store with one of her knitting needles in his neck, she’s named as the number one suspect in his murder.

     She certainly had the motive. He’d left her a year earlier, after learning she had breast cancer. And it’s no secret they hadn’t been on good terms since.

     Shannon and the Purls know someone is setting Melanie up. But who would do such a thing? And can Shannon track down the real killer before he strikes again?

My review:

     This is a delightful cozy mystery!

     The mystery is a stand-alone story. But Shannon’s personal life is moving along and things in the first book are referenced.

     I absolutely love the main character in this series. Shannon McClain is the devoted friend that everyone needs to have at least one of. Even though she is dealing with her own personal struggles when her friend Melanie needs her she focuses on helping in any way she can. I thoroughly enjoy the fact that her love of watching mysteries and crime shows on TV has made her the group expert for solving crimes for her friends.

     Michael Stone is a nice person for her to have step up and help her out. I was very amused by the fact that all of Shannon’s friends keep trying to make him a romantic interest for her. It will be very interesting to see how their relationship develops over the course of the series.

     The mystery itself is wonderful. There are enough suspects that show up over the course of the book to keep the reader guessing. Shannon’s approach to solving the case is very methodical.

     I am very caught up in Shannon’s life and look forward to seeing what comes next for her personal life. It will be interesting to see what the next mystery is that she and her friends the Purls of Hope knitting circle come across.

     I’m giving this wonderful book a rating of 5 stars. I am also highly recommending it.

Giveaway Information:

     Leave a comment on this post and you will be entered to win a copy of this fantastic book. Please include in your comment your email address so that I can contact you if you are the winner. Suggested format: debbie (at) yahoo (dot) com

     I will leave the giveaway open for one week. Next Tuesday, February 7, 2017, I will use Random.org to draw the winner. I will then send an email to the winner to get their mailing address. I will give that person 3 days to contact me before drawing another winner. I plan to mail the book out within 3 days of receiving the winner’s mailing address. After confirming the winner I will announce their name here in the comment section of this post.

     Good luck!