The Moonglow Cafe

Paige MacKenzie Mystery #2

by Deborah Garner

New York reporter Paige MacKenzie has a hidden motive when she heads to the small town of Timberton, Montana. Assigned to research the area's unique Yogo sapphires for the Manhattan Post, she hopes to reconnect romantically with handsome cowboy Jake Norris. The local gem gallery offers the material needed for the article, but the discovery of an old diary, hidden inside the wall of a historic hotel, soon sends her on a detour into the underworld of art and deception.

Each of the town's residents holds a key to untangling more than one long-buried secret, from the hippie chick owner of a new age cafe to the mute homeless man in the town park. As the worlds of western art and sapphire mining collide, Paige finds herself juggling research, romance and danger. With stolen sapphires and shady characters thrown into the mix, will Paige escape the consequences of her own curiosity?"

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Romance, Ebooks, Contemporary, Westerns

209 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 21, 2014

About the author

Deborah Garner is an accomplished travel writer with a passion for back roads and secret hideaways. Born and raised in California, she studied in France before returning to the U.S. to attend UCLA. After stints in graduate school and teaching, she attempted to clone herself for decades by founding and running a dance and performing arts center, designing and manufacturing clothing and accessories, and tackling both spreadsheets and display racks for corporate retail management. Her passions include photography, hiking and animal rescue. She speaks five languages, some substantially better than others. She now divides her time between California and Wyoming, dragging one human and two canines along whenever possible.

Reviews

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Moonglow Café is book#2 in the Paige McKenzie series, but can be read as a stand alone novel. Paige and Jake, met in book #1 and there is some reference to that in #2. Usually, I do prefer to read a series of books in numerical order, but I saw this was a free Kindle download, so decided to try the series. I have now put books #1 & 2 on my wish list.

Paige McKenzie is a New York reporter. She has been sent to Timberton to gather info and do research on Yogo sapphires, which are unique to this area of Montana. Paige books into the hotel and Betty, the owner, tells her that everyone in town eats at the Moonglow Café. Mist, a new age type of woman and also an artist, runs the Moonglow. Food is superb and the café is run on no menu and a 'pay as you feel' basis. You eat what is put in front of you and pay what you think it is worth.

The inside of the hotel could also do with some TLC. Paige, trying to get some heat into the radiator in her room notices something on the wall, has a bit of a fiddle and manages to retrieve part of a diary from inside the wall cavity. Unfortunately, the remainder of the book falls further down the cavity and is beyond her reach.

Early one morning, the Moonglow Café is ablaze and a total write off. Mist who lives at the café is safe and goes to help Betty at the hotel - everyone in the community is now eating at the hotel. Paige, in between doing her research also helps out, and she is still trying to find the other part of the diary. Paige and Jake's relationship continues to develop.

There appears to be some link between a painting at the jewel store, to the artist who wrote the diary, so Paige as tenacious as ever about the missing diary pages, decides to up her search. Events take a turn for the worse and Paige falls through the rotten cellar flooring into a tunnel. Unbeknown to Paige, she was followed to Timberton and this person has no scruples in what they will do to achieve their goal.

This was an easy, quick and enjoyable read, with twists and turns to keep you captivated.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series featuring Paige MacKenzie and I loved it as much as the first. Paige is stubborn and dogged in trying to find answers to feed her curiosity which is a great attribute in a reporter. The thing I love about the series is how she makes friends in the western towns she visits and finds such an interesting menagerie of people while she stumbles into some mystery that drives the story along. I just find everything about these stories entertains and Paige sure does get into some trouble along the way. I will definitely continue the series.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Moonglow Cafe by Deborah Garner is a lovely mystery as Paige comes to Montana to research sapphires for a huge gen show that will be held in New York City. Of course, Paige finds more than just the history of the sapphires and the town of Timberton. The plot moved smoothly with detailed descriptions of the towns and the characters to make me feel like I was there with Paige.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sapphires

This book was slow for me, but maybe it’s just where I’m at. I learned a lot about Yogo sapphires, so thats always nice to learn something new. And it was learning in a gentle way...
Its an easy book to put down. About 3/4 through it finally became more interesting. Ended abruptly. I hate to say anything bad. It had aspects that were good and nice.
Not great. Not bad. A good distraction

[Britt B · Rating 1 out of 5]

Continued reading just to finish the story. I was disappointed because the book has so many good reviews but I felt like the characters had no depth and overall it was just boring to read.

[Margaret Standafer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Moonglow Cafe is the second book in the Paige MacKenzie series. After reading the first, I was curious to see what Paige's next adventure would be as well as to find out what happened with her new relationship with Jake.

In this story, Paige works her way back West from her job as a reporter in New York City. This time, she's in Timberton, MT to research a story on Yogo Sapphires. Once again, her digging leads her to a mystery involving just about everyone in the small town. From a hippie restaurant owner to a homeless man, it seems the town's residents hold many secrets. Paige and Jake work together to find answers to what becomes a mystery involving valuable art work.

This is a rather slow-paced story, taking lots of time to give the reader vivid descriptions of the characters as well as the setting, but it's an interesting story and I learned things about the area and about the history of sapphire mining.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first experience with this author, and I absolutely loved the action and pace of this novel. Several mysteries are included throughout this book, starting with the discovery of the partial remains of an old diary in the walls of a historic hotel in the small town of Timberton, Montana where New York Reporter Paige MacKenzie has been assigned to do research on the famous Yogo sapphires.

Garner's characters are extremely well developed, the town's sometimes quirky inhabitants soon feel like friends, and their close-knit friendships quickly draw you into rooting for this small, historic town that is dwindling because of their declining tourist trade and lack of resources. The author's descriptions are vivid, and her language is clean. Romance is subtle and as it should be.

I'll definitely be reading more of Garner's novels and would recommend this author to anyone wanting to read a good novel full of multiple mysteries!

[Christa Nardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A New York jewelry show is the impetus for Paige to travel back west to Montana to find out about Yogo sapphires. Timberton is a far cry from New York, local businesses barely making it since the close of the sapphire mines. Most of the community eats at the Moonglow Cafe, recently taken over by Mist, an artist. Paige finds a diary but a part is missing. The diary and her search for the missing part prove more challenging all around. And then there's the maybe relationship with Jake.

THE MOONGLOW CAFE has mystery, secrecy, and a touch of romance. It also has interesting characters not the least of which are Mist and the homeless man she's feeding, the gem dealer and the lonely woman trying to keep the hotel afloat. This is the second in the series, following ABOVE THE BRIDGE, but easily read as a stand-alone. Hopefully there is a third coming soon!

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books in this series but must have missed this one. I stumbled on the 3 holiday novellas centered around the Moonglow Cafe and then hit on this Paige Mackenzie mystery. So read things a bit out of order but completely enjoyed the whole experience! Reading these books over the last week was like reconnecting with old friends.

[Judi Easley · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Thoughts: What a fabulous cozy! I want more Paige and Jake! She's a curious journalist from NYC and he's a rancher just trying to keep her out of too much trouble when they run into a crooked fake sheriff looking for saffires in a tiny little Montana town. But there's more than one mystery here. Recommended.

[Leslie J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice clean romantic mystery. The romance was not the main focus, which was nice. The story seemed a little predictable, but there ended up being a couple small twists I hadn't predicted that kept it interesting enough!

The story wasn't anything extraordinary, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a clean comfortable mystery with a sweet romantic side story.

[Viola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aromatic

The description of the town is delicious. Characters very fulfilling and the anticipation delightful. Some romance, theft of artistic items and great history of a little western town help contribute to a fully scrumptious work.

[Melissa Layne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoying this Paige Mackenzie series! It’s very much cozy mystery, with all those feelings of small towns and loveable characters.

[Charlene Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feel good mystery

Nice story to read while sequestered. Paige was not only a journalist but a sleuth. Story line was interesting - sapphires and paintings - with a touch of romance.

[Carolyn Injoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free kindle copy of The Moonglow Cafe: A Paige MacKenzie Mystery by Deborah Garner, published by Cranberry Cove Press from an Amazon promotion in exchange for a fair review. I gave it four stars.

It's a lighthearted romantic cozy mystery about a New York reporter named Paige MacKenzie who heads to Montana for a brief respite from the grind of the big city. "Kindness, a lost art. Patience, even more elusive. City life in all its undesirable glory." She hopes to reconnect with her cowboy Jake, while she's there. "Dealing with relationships had never been her strength. She was stubborn & work driven, always had been."

She's researching the Yogo gemstone found in Timberton, Montana & adventure awaits her. This mystery is filled with an eccentric crew of characters & Paige discovers a journal hidden behind a heating register.

Here are some significant quotes Paige from the journal she discovered.

"Raw emotions seemed to burst off the paper like flames, all depending on the handwritten scroll of the text."

"Was the process of creating, then destroying therapeutic somehow? Or could the frustrated hands that spewed the words & slashes on the page simply be that of a man consumed by rage?

She went to the recommended Moonglow Cafe. She asks for a menu. "Moonglow does not have menus. Menus complicate life. Today is Tuesday. I will bring you the Tuesday breakfast." The hippie waitress, Mist, went into the kitchen.

Will Paige solve the aged mystery before the current one endangers her? It's a race to find out.

Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J...

[Rosemary K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paige Mackenzie is back at work in New York City, but she is thinking about her sexy cowboy and longing to see him again. She misses Jake Norris. Today is her lucky day. Her editor is sending her to Montana to research sapphires. When Paige arrives in Timberton, she finds a small, rundown hotel and a town filled with interesting and mysterious residents. With her inquisitive nature who knows what she'll find in this small town. It all starts with a diary hidden behind the wall of her hotel room. Paige is intrigued. She can be tenacious in her investigation. Deborah Garner writes an addictive mystery. Everyone in this small town has their own story which interests our reporter and the reader. The mystery and the suspense keep building. There are so many twists and turns. The author mixes suspense with a sweet romance. There is great dialogue and a stellar cast of characters. I was completely surprised by the ending. The story was so well-plotted that I never saw it coming. Paige, as always, will keep you entertained in this cozy mystery.


I was gifted a copy of The Moonglow Café by the author in exchanged for an honest and unbiased review.

[Jeanette Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery loves art and jewels

A wonderful mystery about new love, old art, and lost jewels. The author weaves a fabulous tale of greed and love set in a wonderful little Montana town where Yogo sapphires are at the center of the mystery. A diary and one persistent reporter follows the trail that will lead to a new love, an unspoken love and an fortune in stolen sapphires and hidden paintings. Unravel the mystery for yourself.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I downloaded this book on recommendation by a friend who reads much lighter books than my normal fare. It is the second in a series, and I have not read the first, so really the book is up against it with me.
Actually, it is a really nice, light, romantic tale with a bit of mystery and a happy ending. What’s not to like? It was a really nice break between some heavy books, not taxing, not overly fluffy, and with just about enough mystery to keep turning the pages.

[Rita Sheppard · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can't miss with a mystery story and a little romance thrown in. A little spice is added with the possibility of expensive gems and paintings and crooks looking to get rich with stolen goods. This story has all the elements to keep you entertained and reading on to the end.

This is a charming, suspenseful, heart warming story of the people in Timberton, Montana who you will enjoy meeting.

[Sally Stackhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written story with good characters. It is more than a city girl versus small town America story with mystery, romance and philosophy interspersed in the story line for good measure.
An enjoyable read.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable continuation of the Paige and Jake story, with another good plot line. So often I find that the second book in a series is a disappointment, but this one was definitely worth reading.

[RJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice cozy mystery. Not to serious of a read. Good entertainment.

[Namitha Varma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started out very slow and unfocused, but by half of the book it became very intriguing. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

[Texas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mistletoe At Moonglow - This is my first story by this author and I enjoyed this lovely, clean novella. Told in a smooth flowing, conversational style with a good mix of likable characters and an interesting story set around Christmas at a hotel in a small town. The story is heavily into the Christmas part of love, kindness and caring for others. I got the impression this isn't the first time in this small town, but there weren't many references to the past; and those mentioned didn't interrupt the flow of the story. This is an interesting, quickly read story perfect for winding down with a cuppa and a furbaby. Since there's a cookie swap involved in the story, the cookie recipes from a variety of sources follow the ending. Some good and some OK, but plenty for everyone's taste. Later when I read the first two books, this book was full of spoilers, but at least, I had the background. 4*

Above The Bridge #1 - After reading Mistletoe At Moonglow, I was happy to find more books in this series. I've been using them as my "bedtime" reads. This is a clean, well written, interesting story using a conversational writing-style with likable, believable characters. The storylines are intriguing, along with good historical research adding depth to the story. The in depth details about the terrain and clothing and food shows the background of the author as a travel writer. Take this story as entertainment since the only way to solve the mystery of the location is time-travel, which while predictable is a good addition since reality doesn't solve this mystery. Needs editing, but the flow of the story isn't interrupted. 4*

Moonglow Cafe #2 - Paige returns to the West and this time got on my nerves with her actions. This story is clean, well written with interesting ongoing and new storylines. The characters are still likable and believable, and the new characters add intrigue. Paige is snooping under the guise of investigating, but I find the behavior disrespectful and despicable. She's damaging walls, taking things and going through Betty's office without regard for others. Add to lying about her actions instead of telling the truth to her friends. There's a part of the story where her snooping gets her into big trouble and I found this part of the story unrealistic. There's a head injury, but the drama placed on what she's going through is over the top. The ground covered is 200 feet and the impression is given that she's going miles. She has a long way to travel after making a discovery, but that discovery is found within feet of her later. Not consistent or realistic. Again, the in depth details about the terrain and clothing and food shows the background of the author as a travel writer and maybe a little too much after having read Above the Bridge. There's no time-travel but the ending about a certain discovery is very good. Again, Mistletoe Mist had a lot of spoilers for this book. Needs minor editing, but is better edited than ATB. 3*

[Jennifer Tooker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Disclosure – I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review

Big Sky Country

The Moonglow Café is the second book in the Paige McKenzie series by Deborah Garner.
Taking place shortly after “Above the Bridge” Paige has returned to her fast-paced Manhattan lifestyle and resumes daily activity at the newspaper. An upcoming gemstone convention in the area results in another unusual assignment. This time Paige is requested to travel to Timberton, Montana for an in-depth piece on the yogo sapphire, which is exclusive to this region of the country. After the success of her Jackson Hole piece, Paige happily agrees since this will also put her closer to Jake and the possibility of seeing him again. Upon arrival, Paige checks into the Timberton Hotel and is intrigued by its charm and the hospitality of the owner. After visiting the neighboring Moonglow Café and its eclectic proprietor Mist, she is taken by the entire area and the residents. Her research seems to be taking her to dead ends with not very much information and Paige starts to wonder if her article will ever even get off the ground. Upon finding an old diary in her room another angle presents itself; was Timberton also the home of a brilliant artist? As she attempts to write her article and unravel the mystery of the diary and its contents Paige finds herself in the middle of one doozy of a mystery. True to her investigative nature, she is determined to get the bottom of the mystery and have her article turned in in time for the conference.

The Moonglow Café is an excellent follow up to Above the Bridge. The more I see Paige taken out of the hustle and bustle of New York and into the slower paced Midwest it seems that this is truly where she belongs. She has a heart to help everyone, and it really shows with Mist, Clive and Betty. While her curiosity does tend to get her into trouble, her New York street smarts are there to help her find her way out. Jake also plays prominently the tale, as his impromptu visits to Montana to surprise and ultimately join in the search for Paige really goes to show that he is falling for Paige just as she is falling for him. Just like Above the Bridge, The Moonglow Café is packed full of unique characters, neat history and tidbits of trivia that lets the reader really immerse themselves in the story. Honestly, the further I get into this series the more I am enjoying the uniqueness of the characters and their stories. I have already got the other two books in the series on my “to be read” list and I’m sure they will be just as good.

[DJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stolen gems,a mystery artist, and romance-YUM!

The Moonglow Cafe, book 2, of Deborah Garner's Paige Mackenzie Mystery series, was as entertaining as her first book. In some ways it was like reading an adult version of a Nancy Drew mystery. What?! I love Nancy Drew and continue to collect and read them with my 30 year old daughter! So for me, a book that is like a Nancy Drew mystery all grown up, is high praise.
I am falling in love with Paige and her unfailingly curiosity, that always seems to get her in the most outrageous scrapes. But in her defense, she stumbles on some wonderful mysteries, that make her stories as a journalist better than ever! Deborah Garner continues to slowly develop the romance between Paige and her cowboy Jake. A sweet romance that reminds me of the old Hollywood movies where sex was hinted at with the wind gently ruffling the curtains. It is a nice change to the movies now that leave nothing to the imagination. (Though I am not adverse to seeing Mel Gibson's sexy body on display in Lethal Weapon a time or two!)
Deborah Garner's Moonglow Cafe took me on another virtual tour of the Old West, this time to a small town in Montana. Her words paint a vivid picture of the town. It was like I could see the hotel, cafe and gem gallery as I read. Again the setting was as real as my own backyard. I could imagine walking the sidewalks and having dinner with the quirky townspeople. Speaking of quirky characters- Deborah's support characters provide some laugh out loud moments. It takes a special creative mind to think of these witty residents. Even more talent is involved as Ms. Garner makes these people sound so real I feel like they are family. I almost cry when I read the last page ,knowing I once again have to say goodbye to good friends!
Like my collection of childhood mystery novels, Paige Mackenzie Mystery series is one I would put on my special To Be Read Again shelf in my library. A pick me up read, that is sure to make me smile on days I feel a little down!

[Lora Shouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Moonglow Café is the second book in the Paige Mackenzie Mystery series. After her successful article on silver mining in Wyoming, Paige’s boss thinks it’s time to send her to research another story for their series of articles on the Old West. Paige is hopeful that the assignment will give her a chance to reconnect with Jake Norris, the sexy cowboy she met while working on her previous article.

This time the article’s hook is sapphire mining in Montanna.

But shortly after arriving in Timberton, Montanna, Paige accidentally discovers part of the diary of what seems to be an artist. Eventually, this entices her to become as interested in Western art as she is in sapphire mining.

Timberton has two shops that Paige finds useful in her research. One is the Timberton Gem Gallery, run by an old-timer by the name of Clive Barns. This is the sort of place where you can purchase a scoopful of gravel and sort through it to find, if you are lucky, a nice sapphire or two. Clive is a fount of valuable information about the history of sapphire mining in the area. The other is the town’s only restaurant, the Moonglow Café, run by a hippie chick from California named Mist. Mist is an excellent cook but a slightly strange person. At first, she makes Paige slightly uneasy, but in the end, she turns out to be a wonderful human being.

Unbeknownst to Paige and most of the townspeople, the town is beset by a couple of unusual criminals. The first most of them know of this is when the Moonglow Café burns down a couple of days after Paige’s arrival.

In her previous adventure, Paige engaged in a bit of mild time travel to solve the silver-mining mystery. This time even that is unnecessary. All she really needs is the mysterious diary and a rotten section of floor in the hotel’s basement. But eventually, she helps uncover both the missing sapphires and the truth behind the mysterious painter.

And she does reconnect with Jake, which she considers the best outcome of all.

Apparently, readers found the cast of Moonglow Café to be especially relatable, because it spawned an entire other series of Moonglow Christmas books.

[Judi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's really a two but I believe with a good editor this author has potential. She describes the setting well and develops interesting characters except for Paige. I do not like her at all. She is whiney, unfocused and just dumb. She is supposed to be writing about sapphires but also she is expected to add to her series on Western life and there are potential stories all around her that she just doesn't see. There are plot holes big enough to drive convoys through. Clive is bemoaning that his stash of gems was stolen and he can barely go on without them but why doesn't he go mine more? The story Paige is supposedly researching is about the mining process but she spends all her time hanging out in Clive's store or following up on other leads. We are told that she packed lightly for a trip to Montana in winter yet later there is a description of her bikini top. I know I would pack a bikini to go to a desert mining town in winter, especially if I am packing light. The grammar and typos are not in need of an editor, but someone to tighten up the plot holes and make the characters not so dumb. I don't know if there is any saving Paige though, she is inconsiderate and annoying, selfish and irrational.

[Charles Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paige MacKenzie, a reporter for The Manhattan Post, is assigned to do a feature story on the famous Yogo sapphires, found in Timberton, Montana. While doing the story, she hopes to reconnect with her (maybe) boyfriend, the cowboy, Jake Norris. In Timberton, Paige stumbles across a mystery involving a western artist that overshadows her research into the sapphire trade, and her curiosity almost gets her killed.
The Moonglow Café by Deborah Garner is a cozy mystery with a fascinating cast of characters, and a convoluted plot that the author neatly wraps up in the end. There is romance, but, thankfully, it’s kept well enough in the background and doesn’t interfere with the flow of a compelling mystery story with more twists and turns than a champion rodeo horse. Paige is an intriguing main character; strong-willed and tenacious, she puts herself in a position requiring rescue, but is not painted as a damsel in distress—more an imp who bites off more than she can chew, but, even in distress, she’s key to solving the mystery.
A ’can’t-put-down’ read that you will thoroughly enjoy.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I am a fan of Deborah Garner's books, the Paige Mac Kenzie mysteries are new to me. In Moonglow Cafe, Paige, who works at the Manhattan Post in New York, is given a new assignment. She is to head to Timberton, Montana to look into sapphire mining. While there, she hopes to find time to meet up with her "potential romance", Jake Norris, who lives in Wyoming. Paige enjoys eating at the Moonglow Cafe which is run by Mist, a woman from Santa Cruz, CA. (I especially liked reading this since I have visited Santa Cruz dozens of times!) Paige discovers an old diary while figuring out how to turn on the heat in her room. Although her curiosity causes her trouble, she finds more than enough information to write an article for the paper. This story does not revolve around a murder as most cozy mysteries do. But Paige begins to really like the people of Timberton and she is determined to learn about its past from the diary. I liked the characters and the way the story unfolded, and I look forward to reading other books in this series.