2) A Dog Gone Murder by Elaine Viets

The Blurb :

Josie has been asked to investigate Uncle Bob’s Doggy Day Camp, known for its commercials featuring Uncle Bob liking dogs so much that he acts like one. But Josie soon learns how Uncle Bob acts when the cameras are off. Her mother’s new tenant, Franklin, who works for Uncle Bob, plans to quit after seeing the man’s true nature. But before he gets the chance, Bob is murdered, and Franklin goes from the doghouse to the big house.

Now it’s up to Josie to clear Franklin’s name. Her investigation reveals that Bob was more of a dog than anyone knew—and had been kicked out of his house for bad behavior. As she digs up new clues, Josie will have to catch the killer quickly, before any more trouble is unleashed.

My Thoughts :

I love this cozy mystery author and this series is on my pre-order list.  However this tenth installment has been sitting on my Kindle waiting for attention since it released in November!  Like so many other pre-orders I just don't seem to be getting to them and I have to say a lot of books I want all seem to come out on the same day every few months.  This makes it even harder for me to keep up with them all.

With the holidays nearly over I still have some time to get some serious reading done and this was my second pick of the new year.  I finished it one day and enjoyed it just as much as the rest of the series.  There was a great mystery and all the characters I have come to know and love.  It was perfect and just what I needed after my last couple of bleh cozy experiences.

As the title and cover suggests, this tenth installment revolves around dogs.  Of course now that Josie is married to a vet she has even more to do with animals and her mystery shopping job manages to combine the two.  Once again Josie manages to get involved in a murder and tries her best to find out who did it.  Her amateur sleuth skills are well known to her family and friends which means she gets a lot of support.

The ongoing story regarding Josie's family and friends is just as interesting as the mystery plot.  Josie's daughter, husband, mother and friend all have their own stuff going on and it adds a nice touch to the series to be a part of such a nice set of people.  So I hope this isn't the last we will see of them all but somehow the epilogue came across as a final chapter to put everything in its place and leave no loose ends.

Elaine Viets is one of the best cozy mystery writers I know and I enjoy both of her series.  The Dead-End Job mysteries and the Mystery Shopper series are both must reads and I always look forward to the ongoing stories of the characters as much as the well thought out mystery plots.  Definitely check out the books if you haven't already.  They are a treat!

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161) Fixing to Die by Elaine Viets

The Blurb :

Mystery shopper Josie Marcus has been happily married to veterinarian Ted Scottsmeyer for months. But her newly wedded bliss is about to be cut short....

Josie and Ted have finally tied the knot, and they’re ready for the next step: buying a house. Ted’s business partner, Christine, has one she’s willing to sell, but it needs a lot of love. Luckily, the newlyweds are up for the challenge.

But when they tear down a rickety gazebo in the backyard, they find the body of Christine’s sister, a free spirit who supposedly took off six months before. The police arrest Christine for murder, leaving Ted to work overtime at the office to cover for his partner. With no time to work on the house or be with her husband, Josie will have to find the real killer quickly, before both her house and marriage are beyond repair....

My Thoughts :

I have been reading Elaine Viets cozies for a few years now and I love both of her series.  Her Dead-End job mysteries are super reads and her Mystery Shopper books are wonderful.  I have enjoyed following both Helen and Josie over the years and it is nice to see them both settled down but still getting into trouble.  I hope they both have a few more mysteries in them!

This is the ninth book in the series and you really need to catch up with the others before getting into this one.  There is the on going story of Josie, her daughter, mother and various other characters which makes the books so much more fun to read and harder to read out of order.  It is always fun to find out how Josie sees her daughters development and I love how her Amelia is growing up into such a nice, clever and well-behaved young woman.  Also it seems she is going to follow in her mums footsteps!

The mystery this time around was harder to solve but I did have my suspicions straight away.  Of course it isn't easy to know who did it when you aren't completely sure what the motive may have been and this is what stumped me until it all became clear.  So despite being right all along I wouldn't have bet any money on my choice because the story kept the important bits hidden until the time came to reveal the murderer.  Very well written.

I missed the mystery shopping in this book.  Yes there was a job or two but it was quick jobs that didn't really need a lot of work.  I am used to having a few more visits to strange and interesting shops or restaurants  Also Alyce played a smaller part than usual.  Alyce is normally her partner when investigating where she shouldn't and this time Josie did the majority of the snooping alone.

Another great addition to the series and another reason for this author to stay on my must read and pre-order lists.  However I am still waiting for this author to come up with a paranormal cozy (I think she would rock it) I am very attached to the stories and characters in her books and couldn't give them up.




 

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64) Murder is a Piece of Cake by Elaine Viets

The Blurb :

As a bride-to-be, Josie’s latest assignment is absolutely fitting—investigating wedding flowers and wedding cakes. Josie can’t wait to pick out the details to make her own wedding perfect, even as her fiancé Ted’s outrageous mother has plans to turn the celebration into an over-the-top extravaganza. Still, the pistol-packing Lenore does come in handy when she draws her gun on Molly—a homicidal bridezilla who threatens to kill Ted unless he agrees to marry her—and saves the day.

Josie thinks the worst pre-wedding disaster is behind her—until Molly is shot and Lenore becomes the prime suspect. With her mother-in-law behind bars and her wedding on hold, Josie’s about to become fully engaged in finding the bridezilla killer and getting her own wedding back on track


My Thoughts :


Elaine Viets is one of my favourite cozy mystery writers and even though I don't always get her new releases when they come out, I do make sure they go on my wishlist. This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for a while and it was high time I found out what happened next to Josie Marcus. The cover and title as well as how the last book ended was a big giveaway as to the storyline but what kind of mystery would be woven into the wedding was to be seen.

Actually the murder mystery came a little too close to home for Josie this time. Not only is her finacé Ted being stalked but the his mother ends up in prison. Josie, like in the previous books, manages to Get involved in the investigation without the help of the local police. It doesn't take her long to find out that there is more going on that it seems and she has some of her family and friends to help her along the way.

I enjoyed this installment as much as the previous books and hope that this wasn't the last Josie Marcus book. The Mystery Shopping angle is a nice one and I really like all the characters and want to see what happens with them now that Josie has found a guy. Also I throughly enjoy Elaine Viets style. Her books are always good reads and I only wish that she would start a cozy with a paranormal twist.

Like cozies? You really need to try this series and Elaine's Dead-End Job Mysteries. Well thought out and always enterntaining they really are worth giving a chance.

   

               

151) Death on a Platter by Elaine Viets

The Blurb :

Josie Marcus plans to savor sampling the local St. Louis cuisine for a City Eats food tour. But her appetite is ruined at Tillie's Off the Hill Italian Restaurant when another customer is poisoned. Was the victim the real target-or is someone trying to ruin Tillie's reputation? It's up to Josie to find a killer who has no reservations about preparing a dish to die for...

My Thoughts :

Elaine Viets is one of my favourite cozy mystery writers. If she added some paranormal to her already amazing books I would adore her forever. As it is I have to be satisfied with a non paranormal cozy and the author doesn't make it hard to like these books. Always a spectacular mystery with loads of nice twists and turns awaits the reader in this series and all of Elaine's books. She knows how to write a good mystery and I haven't been disappointed yet.

This is the seventh Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper book in the series and it has been a great ride so far. This time around we even see Josie moving along with her life a little and I can't wait to see what awaits her in book eight. The mystery aspect of the series may always be worth reading but the trials and tribulations of Josie, her family and her friends make these books even more addictive and readable.

The writing style makes these books a light read even if the plot is never an easy one. The author manages to give her stories many suspects and lots of clues to follow. This doesn't make it hard to read though. The story always flows and doesn't give you a headache but a sense of achievement when the penny finally drops and you and Josie realise who the murderer is.

If you are looking for a good cozy mystery and haven't already tried any of Elaine Viets books then I highly suggest you do! Her Dead-End Jobs series is also a favourite of mine and I love catching up with the characters and their interesting lives.