25) Ink Flamingos by Karen E. Olsen

The Blurb :

Dee Carmichael, lead singer of the pop sensation The Flamingoes, has been one of Brett Kavanaugh's most dedicated customers at her tattoo shop. When Dee is discovered dead surrounded by ink pots and needles, Brett is branded a suspect.

It seems that someone is impersonating Brett. And if she doesn't act fast, the killer is sure to put the dye in dying once again...

My Thoughts :

The Tattoo Shop Mysteries are a cozy series I picked up because of he tattoo aspect. I have a few tattoos myself and it was just nice to know that an author got away from the usual cozy themes and come up with something new and somehow more modern. So I enjoyed the first three books in the series and somehow, with my own imposed cut backs, this fourth book didn't make it to my Kindle until lately. Over a year after it was released.
I wish I hadn't waited so long.

Right from the beginning the characters, the shop and the concept felt comfortable. It didn't feel like I had been away so long but the plus side was that everything felt so fresh even if it wasn't new to me. I got used to the Vegas setting again and the tattoo angle had me wishing for some new ink. Actually it would be cool if there was actually a real 'Painted Lady' I could visit. Despite her tendency to get mixed up in murders I would still love her to tattoo me.

The mystery this time around really played close to home. It mostly revolved around Brett, her shop and her tattoos. I liked the way the author got things personal and it helped Brett come that little bit closer to someone I was hoping she would get to know better. The author really knew where she was going and how to get there. I really enjoyed this fourth installment and liked Brett even more than before.

Unfortunately I have found out that this was the last mystery in this series. I didn't think it would be but I had a feeling that this could have been the end. While there was no definite THE END for me it seems the author felt differently. It is a shame and I can only hope that someone else comes up with another original and unusual cozy theme like this one. Well worth reading. Now you can read them all in one go!

126) Driven to Ink by Karen E. Olson

The Blurb -

Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist and owner of Vegas's hottest tattoo shop, The Painted Lady. And in her spare time, she does some sleuthing. After discovering the corpse of a Dean Martin impersonator-sporting a spider web tattoo and a clip cord from a tattoo machine wrapped around his neck-Brett infiltrates That's Amore, a drive-through wedding chapel, as a bride-to-be looking for the mark of a murderer..

My Thoughts -

I needed something easy to read this week due to the lack of reading time. I decided a cozy mystery would be a good choice and seeing as this book had arrived in the post it was the first one I laid my hands on. The cute covers and the tattoo theme really caught my eye when I first came across this series. Since then it has been the main characters and well thought out mysteries that have kept me coming back for more.

Driven to Ink is the third book in the Tattoo Shop Mysteries and I am still enjoying this series. The whole tattoo spin on things is very interesting and the regular characters are very likable. The Las Vegas setting is somewhat apt but I am sure this series would have worked well in other locations as well. All in all this has become a must buy series for me. A definite favourite in the cozy mystery genre.

Although I have to say that this wasn't the best in the series so far. The plot, while good, was a little confusing at times. With so many players I started to lose track of who was who and what that meant in the big frame of things. Also I am a little frustrated about Brett and Jeff's relationship. I would really like to see them get together but it looks like their 'friendship' is just going to tease the reader for the foreseeable future.

As Cozy mysteries go this is a great one. Anyone who has tattoos will love the detailed in-depth workings of a tattooist. Readers who love a good cozy will find Brett to be an all round great part-time sleuth. Nosy, getting into trouble and just finding herself in the wrong place at the wrong time is what she does best and what just what a cozy reader enjoys. I just hope that the author manages to come up with a few more interesting and surprising mysteries for Brett!