Gayle Trent

Amanda Lee is a great cozy writer. I really liked that there was a reasonable number of suspects. This story has Marcy's mother Beverly, a costume designer for a Bollywood film contacting her daughter for her expertise in embroidery. Marcie is learning an Indian form of embroidery called chikankari.

But the jarring thing is that Beverly is the last one to see the star actress, and is suspected of killing. Her mother's reaction to stressful situations is to withdraw and just separate herself and not talk to anyone. That just makes the police more suspicious of her.

I have not tried the type of embroidery mentioned in the book but I have a lot of experience in other times of embroidery and that really made me feel at home with the book.

An added bonus is Angus, Marcy's Irish Wolfhound adds devotion, and humor to this story.… (más)

This is a snappy, cozy read right from the start.

Daphne Martin has left a failed marriage, crummy apartment and dead-end job and moved back to her hometown, Brea Ridge, Virginia, to start over. She has started her own cake decorating business and her first customer is Yodel Watson, the meanest gossip in town.

When Daphne goes to deliver the cake, which is #3 in trying to satisfy Yodel’s vague request, a voice yells “Come in! It’s open! Come in!” in response to her knock. What she finds is Yodel lying on the sofa — dead. The voice is a grey parrot named Banjo. What a great start for a new business.

Daphne’s notoriety from finding Yodel dead isn’t the only thing that dampens her business. Seems the police chief’s wife is a blabber mouth and Daphne is her prime subject.

The suspects are many — almost everyone in town has suffered from Yodel’s vicious tongue. When it becomes known Yodel kept a diary, things get a bit more hairy.

Brea Ridge is a small town and it has its own secrets, but some are not as secret as their owners would like.
The characters are good and there is even a budding romance. Daphne does have a problem with her Mom and a past event, but things do get ironed out.

My only rough spot is when Daphne sets up to work on her cakes and becomes a little more detailed in the particular tips she uses for her designs. If you’re into cake decorating, this would be of interest. With that written — I’d still read more books from this author and series.… (más)