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When a glass-making competition turns deadly, glass shop owner Savannah Webb must search for a window into a criminal's mind…

As the new proprietor of Webb's Glass Shop, Savannah has been appointed to fill her late father's shoes as a judge for the Spinnaker Arts Festival, held in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. With her innovative glass works, the clear winner is Megan Loyola, a student of Savannah's former mentor.

But when Megan doesn't show up to accept her $25,000 award, rumors start flying. And when Savannah discovers the woman's dead body on festival grounds, the police immediately suspect her of murder. To keep from appearing before a judge herself, Savannah sorts through the broken pieces of glass scattered around the victim for clues as to who took this killer competition too far…

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First published February 23, 2016

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About the author

Cheryl Hollon

11 books536 followers
Cheryl Hollon writes full time after she left an engineering career of designing and building military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan and India. Fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for creating glass art. In the small glass studio behind their St. Petersburg, FL, 1920's craftsman bungalow, Cheryl and her husband design, create, and produce fused glass, stained glass and painted glass artworks.

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5 stars
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281 (41%)
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165 (24%)
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34 (5%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
Profile Image for Lola.
1,983 reviews275 followers
February 29, 2016
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

The first book was enjoyable enough that I decided to give the second book a try and I have to say I enjoyed this one a lot more. I got more of a feel for the characters and as I already knew everyone I got easier into this book. I had a lot of fun reading this book and finished it in a few days. The pace was well done and enough things happened to keep me interested. The ending did feel a bit rushed though and things suddenly got wrapped up very quickly. There's a plot line surrounding Rooney that didn't got wrapped up and I was a bit disappointed about that as I enjoyed that sub plot.

The mystery was very well done, up until the end. There were lots of clues and investigating and things happening and changing. It was a bit unbelievable how Savannah did her own investigation and the police was more or less okay with it, but I didn't mind too much as I did enjoy how much she was involved with solving the mystery and it made for an interesting read. I liked how they kept track of everything and also kept the reader updated that way on all the latest developments. I didn't guess who the murderer was and it was a nice twist at the end, but I also thought there could've been a few more hints in that direction. Looking back there are a few small hints, but I would've liked a bit more. But overall the mystery was written very engaging.

I am enjoying reading more about the glass shop and glass making, it's interesting and adds a fun touch to the book. Savannah is also developing the glass shop more, branching out in new directions and I liked seeing how Amanda found her place working in the shop as well. I did feel like sometimes there was a bit too much focus on the mystery and I wondered if they got any work done at all and we don't really see where Jacob is working on besides the mystery.

I got a bit more of a feel for the characters in this book and I liked the subplot involving Rooney, Savannah her puppy and how she trained him. Then there is her relationship with the side characters, mostly Jacob, Amanda and Edward, and how they all work together to solve the mystery. I felt like I got a bit more of a feel for their personalities in this book. There are also some new characters we meet and I liked the art festival plot line and how the murder tied around that. It did bother me a bit that Savannah hid something from her friends as I thought that was a bit unnecessary.

There's a hint of a romance, but Savannah keeps saying she isn't ready for a relationship. And suddenly at the end it jumps forward, which seemed a bit rushed, just like the whole ending. I would've liked to see it explored a bit more instead of going from a hint to more in hardly any time at al.

To summarize: I really enjoyed this book and thought it was better than the first book. I felt like I got easier into this book and I enjoyed the strong focus on the mystery, while it might have been a bit unbelievable at times I really enjoyed it. The mystery moves along nicely, with enough progress and updates on the progress. It kept my attention and I finished this book in a few days. The characters got a bit more developed in this book I liked seeing the four of them work together to solve the mystery. There are also some new side characters we meet. And there's a hint of romance, that at the end suddenly seems to turn into more, which felt a bit rushed, but we'll see how that continues in the next book. The ending and how the mystery got wrapped up also felt a bit rushed, but overall this was a great sequel and I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Doward Wilson.
752 reviews18 followers
January 19, 2018
Savannah Webb has moved to St. Petersburg, Florida to run the family glass shop after the murder of her father. In this second book she is replacing her father as a judge at the Spinnaker Arts Festival. In addition to her judging duties, Savannah is busy opening a second location of her glass shop to be used as a workroom and display area for immediate and advanced glass students. Savannah observes some discord among the artists displaying their entries at the festival and when the winner of the largest cash prize fails to claim it, Savannah knows something is wrong. Megan Loyola is showing a new innovation in glass art but someone isn't happy about it. When Savannah finds the girls dead body floating in the canal, she has to discover who the murderer really is.

The writing is smooth, the characters well developed, the glass making background interesting and the murder plots diabolically plotted with lots of clues and red herrings. I loved learning about making glass art and feel that this series will entertain any mystery or cozy fan, as they explore a new craft.
Profile Image for Toni.
1,566 reviews64 followers
January 19, 2016
I have to say, Cheryl Hollon really knows the stained glass business. It is interesting to read about all the complexities that go on in a glass shop, besides murder, I mean. The mysteries that Hollon weaves are as stunning as glass creation that would win best of show. I am hooked on this intriguing series.

While Savannah Webb is judging the Spinnaker Arts Festival Art Show, she meets an interesting couple of artists that she tries to choose between. When the girl she awards best of show is found dead, Savannah and her "posse" set forth on a mission to solve the murder and take Savannah out of the cross hairs of the police.

The twists and turns this mystery takes and how full-blooded the characters are just make this a breeze to read, a definite jewel among the clear glass. You should check this out if you love crafting, mysteries or just want to up your Goodreads goal. This one goes by quickly and is greatly satisfying.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from Net Galley in return for an honest review. I thank the publisher, author and Net Galley for allowing me to read this title.
Profile Image for Cozybooklady .
2,177 reviews119 followers
January 22, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. This is my fair and honest opinion.
In this second book by Cheryl Hollon, Savannah is stepping in as judge for the art fair.
Even though she is very talented, she isn't sure if she is qualified enough to make such a huge decision.
Torn between two artists, Savannah finally reaches her decision, only to find the winner dead, and finds herself as a prime suspect.
Savannah gathers the posse together and soon Edward, Jacob and Amanda are looking for clues and following leads. When Savannah invites her mentor Keith to join in the investigation, sparks soon begin to fly.

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first. Ms. Hollon has a style of writing that blends all the elements in this series together and the result s a perfect cozy mystery.
Profile Image for Moondance.
1,188 reviews62 followers
October 28, 2017
"You're going to love the Beach Blonde."

Savannah has been chosen to replace her dad as a judge for the Spinnaker Art Festival. Her former instructor, Keith, from the Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle is in town to check on a couple of students. He provides Savannah with good advice on how to judge the artists.

Two artists from Pilchuck are entered in the contest and it quickly becomes known that they are also former lovers. Megan wins Best in Show over Leon but is not present for the awards. Savannah finds Megan's body the following morning while out exercising her dog, Rooney. Savannah becomes a prime suspect because she was the last person to be seen with Megan. This brings out the sleuthing crew at Webb's Glass.

This is such an interesting book. I really appreciate the way that Jacob is portrayed in the story. It is quite an education for someone that is not aware of Asperger. I love little Suzy as a therapy dog! Her new little booties made me smile. Shop assistant, Amanda is a true force of nature. She levels out Savannah and is a true friend. Edward steps up a bit this go round as well. Perhaps there will be a bit more of a romance for the two in the next book.

I really enjoy the information about glass. I have taken a glass fusion class and learned more from the instructions given by Savannah that I did in the actual class. It makes me want to branch out again and try my hand at a making a platter.

The students in the class are always a bit quirky and well defined. I feel like I am a part of the group as I read along.

The mystery was good. I waivered between a couple of suspects as the story went along but had figured things out before Savannah did, It was a fun ride and I look forward to the next book.

Note: Anyone that has the patience to train a Weimaraner puppy has my vote as a saint. I've watched a friend dissolve into hysteria trying to keep her two from destroying her house.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Kristi Housman Confessions of a YA Reader.
1,369 reviews112 followers
January 12, 2016
Thank you for Netgalley and Kensington publishing for the advanced copy of this book to review.

Since this was my first netgalley book, I skipped book one and read this one right away. Although I think readers would benefit from reading the first book, I think it worked as a stand alone, too. I'm sure I was missing some of the character background from the first one, but I was able to follow pretty well.

Savannah Webb runs the glass shop that her father used to own before his death. She is asked to be a judge in the local art competition in his place. Not only does the winner not show up, she is found dead the next day by Savannah and her dog. In order to clear herself from the suspect list, she and her friends start investigating the murder. Although I had a pretty good guess on the murderer, I still enjoyed reading about their investigation and where that lead.

What I really enjoyed in the book were the details on glass making. I honestly knew nothing about it, but after reading this book, I would love to try it out. The author obviously knows her stuff and did a great job explaining it for the basic reader like myself.

This was a fun, easy read and I will definitely be looking out for the next one in the series.
2,017 reviews57 followers
March 3, 2016
3.5 stars

I don't think the author has quite hit her stride yet. I found references to the first book quite heavy-handed, and a few discrepancies within the plot itself and rather unusually I'd guessed the murderer very early on, but the background was interesting enough that it didn't bother me too much. Other areas felt a little too arranged, and there wasn't much character development within the book either individually or as a whole, but I still enjoyed reading it.

There was more detailed information about glassworks available at the end, which avoided mid-story infodumps and allowed for more specific explanations. It sounds quite intriguing!

Overall, a decent cozy mystery based around glassworks, with a bonus of some canine agility training thrown in.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Lisa Ks Book Reviews.
842 reviews140 followers
February 20, 2016
A dazzling installment to this wonderfully crafted series.

SHARDS OF MURDER absolutely sparkled with fabulous writing, and an amazingly polished plot that held me captivated through the entire story.

Learning about glass making was just one of the awesome facets to this well written mystery. You can tell author Cheryl Hollon is equally passionate on the subject as she is one writing.

Enjoyable characters, a marvelous storyline, and intriguing twists made this book a fast read for me. I simply couldn’t put it down! I just had to know who the killer was before I did, and Ms. Hollon kept that a mystery right up until the end.

Add SHARDS OF MURDER to your TBR!

The back of this book has information on fused glass, and a blurb on CRACKED TO DEATH, book 3 in this great series, which releases July 2016!
3,318 reviews31 followers
February 15, 2020
This cozy series is set in St.Petersburg where the main character, Savannah Webb is the judge at an art show. When the winner goes missing and is later found dead, Savannah wants to know why and who did it. The book was a quick easy read.
Profile Image for Emmalynn.
2,938 reviews29 followers
November 21, 2023
A good one, I suspected the killer early on just not the reason. The mystery and investigation were pretty good overall. The characters are evolving and growing
Profile Image for Linda.
2,319 reviews58 followers
November 28, 2022
Great story, great characters

I’m really enjoying this series. Savannah and her posse are a lot of fun and I enjoy solving cases with them. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.
Profile Image for Betty.
2,004 reviews73 followers
February 23, 2016
Savannah Webb has replaced her Father as a judge at the glass blowing exhibits in the Spinnakers Art Festival. There two equal glass exhibits and the one she chose was award BIS. The exhibitor Megan Loyola did pick up her $25,000 prize at the Award Ceremony. The next day while running Rooney Savannah finds Mega.n's body on the sea wall about to be washed out to sea. Savannah called 911 and tries to save the body. She put Rooney and herself in danger of drowning. The police immediately suspect Savannah as the killer. Savannah and her posse investigate the murder to clear her name. Savannah is holding a fused glass class while the investigation is ongoing and planning a new Webb studio for glass artists. This the second book in a good series.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Kensington Books through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Kristine .
1,801 reviews12 followers
February 22, 2016
This is such a great book! I was quickly drawn into the story and couldn't put the book down. Savannah has been asked to be a judge at the Spinnaker Art Festival. During the awards ceremony the winner of the glass competition doesn't show up and is soon found dead. Savannah quickly becomes the prime suspect. Savannah must sort through the broken pieces of evidence to find out who the culprit is.

I enjoyed this story very much. I have not read the first story in this series and didn't feel lost at all. I'm eager to read that book now. The story was tightly written with characters who are likable and full of depth. The author talks about some of the processes of glass making and does it in a way that is not overdone and keeps the story moving. There are plenty of twists to the story that keep it interesting and fast paced. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I recieved a copy of this manuscript from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest reveiw.
Profile Image for Kelly.
896 reviews19 followers
February 28, 2016
This is the first book that I have read by Cheryl Hollon but it is the second book in the Webb's Glass Shop Mystery series. I will definitely be going back and reading the first book! When I read the back of this book and saw that it has an art festival in it, I knew that I would enjoy it. I like to go to art festivals and enjoyed the descriptions of the works entered in the festival and seeing how the judging is handled. I liked the characters, especially Savannah, and how she and her friends, the "posse", worked together to help solve the murder. I also enjoyed learning about the glass fusing along with the class members that Savannah and Amanda taught at Webb's Glass Shop. The book was very engaging and kept me reading well past my bedtime. I'm looking forward to the continued development of this series. I received this book from a drawing at Cozy Mystery Review Crew for a fair and honest review.
Profile Image for Erika.
262 reviews41 followers
March 10, 2016
In this installment of the Webb's Glass Shop mysteries, Savannah and her posse get back together to solve another crime. This time, they aren't personally connected to the victim, but Savannah herself is a suspect. With no solid alibi, she has to rely on her wits and her friends to solve the case before she is arrested for a crime she didn't commit. Anyone who has ever considered taking up glasswork as a hobby has to read this series - it's full of interesting facts, procedures, and tidbits.

While this book does fine as a standalone, the author does a good job of explaining what has happened before, if you haven't read any of this series yet, I'd suggest starting at the beginning to get a better feel for the characters and their relationships.

NOTE: I received a free copy of this book from the author and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
341 reviews3 followers
March 2, 2016
I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair review. Shards of Murder was the first book I've read by Cheryl Hollon but it certainly will not be my last. I've always found working with glass fascinating so I loved the glass workshop and art show as a backdrop for the whodunit. The writing is very descriptive without being overly wordy. Having been to the St. Petersburg area recently, I felt transported back while reading. My favorite part of the book was "The Posse". Savannah and her crew of amateur crime fighters is funny, smart and thoroughly entertaining. I felt like I was investigating along with them. I cannot wait to see what Savannah, Rooney and the Posse get themselves into next.
Profile Image for Karen.
1,089 reviews13 followers
May 29, 2016
3.5 stars!

I enjoyed Shards Of Murder and I love how Cheryl Hollon described the stained glass business. I didn't even know about the competitions. The story was fast paced and interesting. I was bugged that the police would think of Savannah as a suspect, but that's part of the plot. It was a good and interesting story, but I felt it was missing a little something compared to the first book. That also won't stop me from reading the next installment either.

I received a review copy from NetGalley for my honest opinion.
333 reviews13 followers
December 11, 2020
Book 2 is an improvement. The author is getting to know her characters better though I still kind of like the side characters the most. The glass info and the dog training is excellent. I will still keep going.
Profile Image for Mysteryfan.
1,907 reviews23 followers
November 29, 2025
I didn't like this one quite as much as the first one but it was still quite enjoyable. The characters are well drawn and the plot was clever. The Chihuly Collection is housed in St. Petersburg so it makes sense people would be so fascinated with glassblowing. The ending felt a little rushed and I wasn't impressed with the reasoning behind the killer. Still, I'll look for more by this author.
Profile Image for Sheryl  Hagan-The Book Conservatory.
74 reviews3 followers
February 28, 2016
Savannah Webb has just inherited Webb’s Glass Shop after the death of her father, the pioneer and founder. This unfortunate twist of his death, assisting to solve his murder and new role as a shop owner takes her away from the dream of becoming a care-free glass artist and holds her down to the small town she has always known. Not exactly the way she had seen her life heading. As her former teacher, Keith Irvin states, “The transition from student to master requires tremendous personal growth.” Savannah does so much of that and more in “Shards of Murder.”

We encounter Savannah as she is coping with her recent loss and beginning to get the shop settled. To aid her, she hires several high-spirited workers to make the transition easier; Amanda Blake and her father’s former apprentice, Jacob Underwood. She starts to understand how tough it is to manage a studio business. In addition, she finds out more about her father’s life in the community when she is requested as the new glass judge at the Spinnaker Art Festival, taking her father’s place.

Savannah’s days leading up to the festival are busy with situating the schedules and agenda for glass making classes and meeting the new students. On the day of the festival, she explores exhibits, ready to score the pieces, but is floored by one particular piece, a ruby red glass dress by glass artist Megan Loyola. Upon meeting Megan, she is spoken to hostilely and is told that she is driven by unbridled passion to make her pieces. She then abruptly storms off, leaving Savannah actually wanting to know more about Megan and fascinated.

I love the descriptions given about the glass piece of Megan’s. Noting being a glass artist or a person who is around many pieces of glass art, I could truly understand the intensity in the piece. I love the way Cheryl gives life to the art though her choice of words in this section.

We get to meet others in Savannah’s life; most important I believe is Rooney, who had been her father’s dog. We get to spend time with Savannah and Rooney in agility practice and on walks, getting to see a side of the character we could only see with this hyper pet. I enjoyed these sections she spends with the Rooney as through his training and learning discipline, she is learning to work though and understand her own feeling pertaining to her dad’s death; a disciplining of her emotions and learning to heal.

Savannah chooses the winner of the glass competition, Megan, but she is nowhere to be found. Megan’s entire exhibition at the art show has been packed up. After the presentations, Savannah starts probing around the show and then calling but Megan is not to be found.

It’s not until the next day that we begin to understand why Megan did not claim her prize at the art show. On Savannah and Rooney’s morning walk, they find her body floating in the river. Savannah calls the police as she holds on to the bobbing corpse of the girl. When they arrive, and unfortunate turn of events sends the body back into the water where it is lost until authorities find it later that day. Savannah is put at the top of the murder suspect list and a story of twisted intent, scorned love and jealousy start from there. But, even with classes, an upcoming dog show and being the number one suspect, Savannah, along with her employees are on the track of this ruthless killer to clear her name and keep Webb’s Glass’ reputation streak free.

This book was full of beautiful descriptions. During the classroom scenes, I felt like I was actually learning along with the students to the point of where I now want to find a fused glass studio and give it a go myself.

Cheryl not only made me feel like part of the crime-solving posse, but also introduced me to two thinks I have never been a part of before. Those being, glass art and dog agility training. Anyone can write about a dead body, but it takes a special gift of writing to be able to get a reader to actually want to participate in something in the real world outside of the book. Kudos!

“Shards of Murder” is a fun cozy, mystery that the reader will enjoy for not only the murder but for the characters, the family feel of non-relation family and how well the whole piece works together to become one fantastic book. If only all friends were like “The Posse.”

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.*
127 reviews6 followers
April 5, 2016
This is a cozy mystery set in St. Petersburg, Florida. Savannah Webb is the main character who owns a glass shop. The other main characters who helped work on the murder were enjoyable and nice: Edward, her English boyfriend who owns a pub next door, brings Savannah and her crew coffee and snacks; Amanda is her office manager; and Jacob her apprentice. I like that it also featured animals (dogs). Savannah has a Weimaraner named Rooney who belonged to her late father. She goes to an agility class with him for training. Because he has a lot of energy she takes him for long runs. Jacob has a service beagle named Suzy. I liked how he picked her up often and cuddled her. A nice relationship. Suzy also wears booties in the glass shop so she can go anywhere in the shop and no one has to worry about her stepping on glass.

Savannah is a judge at the art festival and you learn how hard it is to pick winners and you receive some insight into the judging process. Savannah called it "exciting but challenging." It's a bit hard to imagine the glass products at the festival (glass body parts?) but you have to use your imagination when reading. Savannah teaches glass classes and you get to meet her students. There are a lot of descriptions, such as the different types of glass available. Glass working sounds hard and complex. I do own some fused-glass necklaces so it was interesting to learn about glassmaking.

The data analysis that Jacob did was different and kind of a weird thing. He was good at detecting patterns.

When I first saw the words "Coffee Pot Boulevard" it was hyphenated and I thought Savannah was going to a coffee shop! Great name and apparently it's a real place in St. Petersburg and so is Coffee Pot Park. I think the word whiteboard was used too much. It's a new word for me. I guess that's what some people call a dry-erase board now. It was used as a murder board and the chart of suspects was shown in the book a few times.

Took a while for me to get into the book, maybe about page 40. Then it got interesting when the body was discovered and Savannah had to hold on to it so it wouldn't float away! I wouldn't have guessed who the murderer was, but I did peek in back to see who did it. Some parts of the book I enjoyed but I probably won't read any more in the series. It was good clean fun and there wasn't any bad language in the book.

I received a copy of the book to review in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Profile Image for Allison Collins.
Author 5 books52 followers
March 5, 2016
The second in the Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery series finds Savannah Webb on the case once again. Luckily she was able to solve her father’s murder in the first book, because this time she has to prove she is not the murderer of a talented glass artist.

Stepping in, to fill her father’s place as a judge at an art festival, she’s hard pressed to decide who the most talented glass artist is. But when it’s time to announce the winner is Megan, the artist is a no-show to collect the hefty cash prize. It’s Savannah’s bad luck to find the artist’s body the next morning, floating in the Gulf with a bashed head. Because she was the one to find the body, it puts her at the top of the suspect list. So, gathering her posse once again, she sets out to find who really wanted the artist dead, and why.

This is my first foray into Savannah’s world of glass, and I very much enjoyed it. I like the cast of characters, and the author has put together very unique individuals. While the dialogue at times is a bit stilted, I could overlook it because of the good story. I came across a couple of holes in the story, but again, could overlook them because I did enjoy the book.

I was fascinated to learn more about glass art, and its many variations. It was no surprise to me to learn the author is a glass artist herself, and has a small studio she uses to actually make fused glass, stained glass, and painted glass artworks. It’s clear the author knows what she is writing about, and has a passion for it, which she’s infused into her main character.

The author’s voice is so good that I could envision the stunning piece of art that the victim had created to win the coveted first prize in the contest. I wish I could see it in person. Another strong point is how the author has brought St. Petersburg, Florida to life. I lived in that area several years ago, and it was fun to revisit St. Pete in this book.

There’s a quote that Keith, one of the characters, says that I love so much I intend for it to be my new mantra: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

I look forward to the next book in the series, and delving once again into Savannah’s world of glass art.
I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Profile Image for Debbie.
29 reviews20 followers
March 5, 2016
Savannah Webb takes her new duty as a judge in the glass category of the Spinnaker Art Festival very seriously. After all, the competition can be cutthroat as artists rely on the art festivals to boost their sales and their acclaim to help their careers thrive. Unfortunately, someone seems to have taken the Spinnaker Art Festival glass competition to a whole new level as the winning artist fails to accept her award- only to later be found dead. Savannah finds herself embroiled in yet another murder investigation as she needs to solve it in order to clear her own name.
SHARDS OF MURDER is the second book in A Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery series but can easily be read as a standalone. However, readers should be forewarned that spoilers from the first book are revealed in SHARDS OF MURDER. For those of us who are new to the series, the recap is quite helpful as it allowed me to jump right into the story with a bit of the background history on both Savannah and the other characters.

I love the characters of SHARDS OF MURDER, but I have to admit Jacob Underwood is my favorite. Kudos to Cheryl Hollon for including a character with Asperger’s Syndrome and showing him flourishing. I particularly love how Jacob contributes to the team as his information proves to be critical to uncovering what is going on.

Cheryl Hollon’s knowledge and love of glass making shine through each and every page of SHARDS OF MURDER. As much as I loved the mystery itself, I found myself eagerly reading all the details about glass making (such as the instructions given in the classes taught by Savannah and Amanda). Cheryl Hollon may not have just gained a new fan of her books, but also one for glass making! I will definitely be exploring this artistic craft in the future as a potential hobby. Easily recommended!

*A copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
10 reviews1 follower
March 6, 2016
Book 2 in the Webbs Glass Shop series finds Savannah Webb right in the thick of another murder investigation. Due to a series of unfortunate coincidences Savannah is at the top of the suspect list for the killing of a gifted young glass artist, Megan Loyola. In order to clear her name Savannah and crew decide to launch their own investigation into the untimely demise of the unfortunate Ms. Loyola.

The author, Cheryl Hollon, has an obvious love of the art of glass work. She provides great insight into the process of creating fused glass pieces, and you never doubt the authenticity of her main character's expertise in the field. Many of the passages which take place in her classroom scenes are so detailed you almost feel like you are getting a mini-lesson as well. I found that very interesting, as I have never worked in or studied this subject. Anytime I can be entertained and learn something new is a "win-win". The story was good, but I must confess that I had a strong idea about the identity of the murder fairly early on. In general I found the characters to be pretty likable, but felt that they sometimes (but not always) express themselves in a manner that I felt did not always flow as naturally as it might. This could be nothing more than a difference in my personal style preference, and it was not enough of an issue for me that I would be deterred from reading this book or others by this author. Overall, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to other fans of the cozy mystery genre. * Please note that I reviewed a free copy of this work in exchange for my honest review. I have no personal knowledge of the author or anyone associated in the creation of this work.
33 reviews2 followers
March 5, 2016
I had not read the first book in this series, but quickly picked up on the characters and learned a lot about glassmaking, which I found very interesting.
Savannah Webb has come to run the glass shop that her father had before he passed away. I felt that Savannah did not think she could compare to her father, but her former teacher Keith thinks she is.
Savannah must take her father's place judging a glass competition and was torn between two competitors, she picks one and now the winner Megan Loyola never shows to the awards ceremony to claim her $25,000 dollar prize.
Monday morning after the show Savannah and Rooney were doing there morning run when Rooney alerts to something. Rooney drags Savannah down to some rocks and the water and there she sees Megan's body and grabs a hold of her arm so she does not wash out into the bay.
When officials arrive they of course end up making Savannah their prime suspect in Megan's murder.
Savannah's friends Amanda,Edward, Jacob and Rooney start investigating the murder to clear Savannah. Savannah's former teacher Keith joins the investigation and even though Savannah had said she didn't want to be in a relationship yet, but something starts happening between her and Keith.

I enjoyed this book, it picked up the pace once all the major players were in place and especially liked learning about glass blowing and glass work in general. I am going to go back and read the first book. I recommend this book to those who love cozies and enjoys learning something new.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Phyllis.
26 reviews1 follower
January 25, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book Shards of Murder by Cheryl Hollon. I had not read the 1st book in this series so it took me some time to "catch up" on the background of the cast of characters and the custom glass shop business. While I think it would have been to helpful to have read the 1st book in the series before reading this one, it wasn't necessary to enjoy the 2nd mystery.

Others have provided the details of the book so I'll just say that I was captivated both by the business of the glass shop as well as the mystery. I knew absolutely nothing about custom glass shops so it was very interesting from that perspective. The mystery was well developed, the cast of characters were warm and caring toward one another and I didn't guess the murderer until almost the end - my favorite kind of cozy mystery.

I was provided an advance copy of the book by net galley in exchange for an honest review. I liked the book so much that I immediately bought Pane and Suffering. I highly recommend this fascinating series.

Profile Image for Barb.
249 reviews12 followers
February 3, 2016
SHARDS OF MURDER, which launches in February, 2016, is Cheryl Hollon's second entry in her Webb's Glass Shop Mystery series. Set in the St. Petersburg, Florida, area, the book follows the actions of chief protagonist, Savannah Webb, as she attempts to remove her placement as a person of interest in the death of a talented, young, glass artist. Savannah owns and operates a glass shop and studio, and knows a thing or two about the whole glass making scene. Enlisting her "posse" of friends, bolstered by the addition of her glass school mentor, Savannah tries to make sense of the young woman's life and death.
As in any good mystery there are several reasonable red herrings, and due to plot twists and turns, the solution is a bit of a surprise. I loved learning about various glass making techniques, and there is even a glossary explaining some of the terms used in more detail. There is a lovely subplot involving Savannah and her dog, who she is training for the agility ring. If there is any weakness in this tale, I thought the romantic subplot was lacking depth and chemistry. In addition, some of the conversations came off as a tiny bit stilted and unnatural. However, overall, this is a very good read, and I'm looking forward to #3, Cracked to Death, which comes out in June, 2016.
Profile Image for Katrina Wiese.
217 reviews
February 7, 2016
I was once again immediately taken with this story. As with the first book, I loved being immersed in the glass making business in this story, although I feel there was less of seeing the glass making side of the business in this book than in the first book. But with that being said I really enjoyed this story. The plot itself was well developed and interesting. I pegged the "who done it" almost from the beginning, even if I didn't get the "why" part correct! But even after guessing who the actual murderer was I found myself second-guessing that many times throughout the story, as there were many twists and turns in the story, leading to an enjoyable read.

I loved seeing the characters of Savannah, Amanda and Edward grow in this book and I saw them become much more rounded and complex! And can we just talk about the cover? Another simply beautiful cover design! I was right when I said that Mrs. Hollon has a hit on her hands, this mystery series is awesome! I can't wait for the third book, Cracked to Death, to come out on June 28th, 2016!

Overall, Shards of Murder was another fun addition to the Webb's Glass Shop Mystery series. It was a fast read with an enjoyable, original story line.

I received an ARC of this book, from NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Lorraine Kraft.
120 reviews1 follower
February 12, 2016
With the recent death of her father, Savannah Webb, has been appointed the judge in the glass category by her father's friends for the upcoming Spinnaker Art Festival. After reviewing all the entries, it is clear that young, innovative Megan Loyola, who also has the same mentor as Savannah, is the winner of the glass category and grand prize winner overall. But when her name is called to receive the grand prize of $25,000, and she doesn't show up to collect her prize, rumors start flying. Later, while walking her dog, Savannah finds the body of Megan in the bay.

To clear her name, Savannah, reassembles her "team" of friends and coworkers to find out who really murdered Megan. This is a well written, entertaining cozy mystery. I think the characters are well defined and it had a great story line. What drew me to this series to begin with is that the protagonist works with stain glass, which has always interested me. The fact that it is a good cozy mystery is even better. I would recommend this series to those who like cozy mysteries.

**Please note: I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher, Kensington Corp. through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
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