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Missing Pieces: 4 Puzzling Cozy Mysteries
What could go wrong when jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts get together?
How about four murders and a couple thefts? Can clues be pieced together to solve these puzzling crimes?
Elvis Has Left the Building by Cynthia Hickey
Cee Cee is hosting a jigsaw puzzle party in Apple Blossom, Arkansas, and everyone is expected to bring a brand-new 500-piece jigsaw puzzle to work on that depicts something from the 1950s. With a vintage car show, vendors, live music, and a dance, the night promises to be a great one—until the Elvis impersonator is murdered and a priceless puzzle is missing.
The Puzzle King by Linda Baten Johnson
Jane enters a jigsaw puzzle competition at the Fargo, North Dakota, fairgrounds. When a fellow competitor is poisoned, all suspects are confined at the hotel during the investigation, and Jane is determined to use her puzzle-solving skills to root out the killer.
A Puzzling Weekend by Teresa Ives Lilly
Tabitha’s first event at her new bed and breakfast in Pumpkin City, Pennsylvania, is a jigsaw puzzle mystery weekend. All is going well until the hired cook is found stabbed to death. As the prime suspect, Tabitha works with the handsome investigator—and two wily beagle dogs—to clear her name.
Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap by Janice Thompson
Mariah hopes to sell her vast puzzle collection at a jigsaw puzzle swap in Camden, Maine, at the historic opera house. But her most valuable puzzle ends up missing when another vendor is stabbed to death.
Enjoy four short cozy mysteries...all involving jigsaw puzzles!
How about four murders and a couple thefts? Can clues be pieced together to solve these puzzling crimes?
Elvis Has Left the Building by Cynthia Hickey
Cee Cee is hosting a jigsaw puzzle party in Apple Blossom, Arkansas, and everyone is expected to bring a brand-new 500-piece jigsaw puzzle to work on that depicts something from the 1950s. With a vintage car show, vendors, live music, and a dance, the night promises to be a great one—until the Elvis impersonator is murdered and a priceless puzzle is missing.
The Puzzle King by Linda Baten Johnson
Jane enters a jigsaw puzzle competition at the Fargo, North Dakota, fairgrounds. When a fellow competitor is poisoned, all suspects are confined at the hotel during the investigation, and Jane is determined to use her puzzle-solving skills to root out the killer.
A Puzzling Weekend by Teresa Ives Lilly
Tabitha’s first event at her new bed and breakfast in Pumpkin City, Pennsylvania, is a jigsaw puzzle mystery weekend. All is going well until the hired cook is found stabbed to death. As the prime suspect, Tabitha works with the handsome investigator—and two wily beagle dogs—to clear her name.
Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap by Janice Thompson
Mariah hopes to sell her vast puzzle collection at a jigsaw puzzle swap in Camden, Maine, at the historic opera house. But her most valuable puzzle ends up missing when another vendor is stabbed to death.
Enjoy four short cozy mysteries...all involving jigsaw puzzles!
451 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2022
16 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Hickey
465 books326 followersWebsite at www.cynthiahickey.com
Also www.forgetmenotromances.com
Multi-published and Amazon and ECPA Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre. She had several historical romances release through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, and has sold close to a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, several small ACFW chapters and RWA chapters. You can find her on FB, twitter, and Goodreads, and is a contributor to Cozy Mystery Magazine blog and Suspense Sisters blog. She and her husband run the small press, Forget Me Not Romances, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs, two cats, three box turtles, and two Sulcata tortoises. She has eight grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”.
Also www.forgetmenotromances.com
Multi-published and Amazon and ECPA Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre. She had several historical romances release through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, and has sold close to a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, several small ACFW chapters and RWA chapters. You can find her on FB, twitter, and Goodreads, and is a contributor to Cozy Mystery Magazine blog and Suspense Sisters blog. She and her husband run the small press, Forget Me Not Romances, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs, two cats, three box turtles, and two Sulcata tortoises. She has eight grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 30, 2022
About this book:
“What could go wrong when jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts get together?
How about four murders and a couple thefts? Can clues be pieced together to solve these puzzling crimes?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Elvis Has Left the Building” by Cynthia Hickey
About this book:
“Cee Cee is hosting a jigsaw puzzle party in Apple Blossom, Arkansas, and everyone is expected to bring a brand-new 500-piece jigsaw puzzle to work on that depicts something from the 1950s. With a vintage car show, vendors, live music, and a dance, the night promises to be a great one—until the Elvis impersonator is murdered and a priceless puzzle is missing.”
Series: Does not seem to be connected to any other book.
Spiritual Content- Prayers; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & praying; A couple mentions of church & helping with the youth; A mention of Heaven; A mention of Vacation Bible School.
*Note: A mention of not having good luck; A mention of a man not only impersonating Elvis, but idolizing him.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, a ‘stinking’, two ‘dumb’s, two forms of ‘shut up’, and five ‘stupid’s; Eye rolling; A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Being shot at; A car chase, crash, & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Seeing a break-in; All about many mentions of a murder, the murderer, how it happened, poison, & the crime scene (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of thieves, thefts, break-ins, stealing, & stolen items; Mentions of a dirty cop; Mentions of jail/prison, arrests, & criminals; Mentions of a car chase & crash; Mentions of gunfire, a gunfight/shoot-out, shooters, being shot, & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of injuries, beatings, & pain (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of threats & threatening; Mentions of bullies & being bullied (Cee Cee was locked in a locker by bullies in high school); Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & drunks; A few mentions of a friend being jumped & killed (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of druggies & a drug dealer; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of cigarettes & smoking; A couple mentions of throwing up/vomit; A mention of people acting like someone else is a famous serial killer; A mention of vandalism; A mention of cheating on a test; A mention of hatred;
*Note: Many mentions of an Elvis impersonator, songs, & a movie; Mentions of car brands; A couple mentions of Uber; A mention of a brand name (Coke); A mention of a TV show (Bates Motel); A mention of NASCAR.
Sexual Content- A lips-to-hands touch, a not-detailed kiss, and a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Electricity, & Warmth (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); When Cee Cee is stuck in a window, Dane offers to push her backside (but they are both embarrassed by the thought and she handles it herself); Mentions of boyfriends, exes, dating, & dumping someone; A few mentions of a married man having a fling with another woman & a child being the result of it (the child is grown and they all are using each other to accomplish their own goals); A few mentions of teens being caught making out behind a library (which the old man who saw it was going to tell their parents, but didn’t because he “was young once too”); A couple mentions of flirting; A mention of crushes; Love, being in love, & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of an Elvis impersonator’s hip moves; A mention of a group not seeming like bosom buddies back in high school.
-Celia “Cee Cee” Adams, age 28
1st person P.O.V. of Cee Cee
Novella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“The Puzzle King” by Linda Baten Johnson
About this book:
“Jane enters a jigsaw puzzle competition at the Fargo, North Dakota, fairgrounds. When a fellow competitor is poisoned, all suspects are confined at the hotel during the investigation, and Jane is determined to use her puzzle-solving skills to root out the killer.”
Series: Does not seem to be connected to any other book.
Spiritual Content- Prayers; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, church services, church events, church family, & Bible studies; A few mentions of a Bible & Bible reading; A couple mentions of missions; A couple mentions of a devotional book; A mention of a person admitting that it’s not very Christian of them, but they don’t like a certain person; A mention of a person being treated like a leper in biblical days;
*Note: A few mentions of the Sioux funeral traditions (“They view the earth as our mother, so burial in the dirt reconnects the body and frees the soul”); A couple mentions of a man who is called “devilishly handsome” and was “blessed” with good looks.
Negative Content- Eye rolling; Passing out & Being poisoned (barely-above-not-detailed); Finding a body (poisoned, barely-above-not-detailed); Being arrested; Nobody is sad when a man is murdered as none of them liked him; All about many mentions of a murder, the body, the murderer, how it happened (poison), the motive, & the crime scene (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of jail/prison & arrests; Mentions of drunk driving, a car wreck, injuries, & blame/guilt (Jane and her friend many years prior to the book, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a man who was mauled by a bear (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of poisons, being poisoned, & drugs; Mentions of blackmail & threats; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, choosing not to drink, & drunks; A few mentions of a father being a mean drunk and him abusing his family; A couple mentions of hatred; A mention of a service man’s death; A mention of tobacco;
*Note: After seeing an interaction between a married couple, Jane thinks that she would hate to be married to someone so controlling; A mention of a “somewhat disturbing movie” (Fargo made by the Cohen brothers); A mention of Disney World; A mention of John Lennon; A mention of a magazine (USA Today); A mention of someone’s zombielike movements.
Sexual Content- Hand holding; Mentions of a teen ruining his girlfriend’s life, her getting pregnant, & the father being kept a secret (& the woman now living in a “facility for those not in touch with reality”); Mentions of Rohypnol (the “date rape drug”) & that a man confiscated it from a high school boy (not pure motives); Mentions of dates & dating; Mentions of (innocent) pictures of a married woman and another man that could be taken the wrong way; A couple mentions of a popular teen girl in high school getting pregnant and the school opinion being split between sympathetic and being delighted she’d been caught in a scandal.
-Jane Dahl
1st person P.O.V. of Jane
Novella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- One Star
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“A Puzzling Weekend” by Teresa Ives Lilly
About this book:
“Tabitha’s first event at her new bed and breakfast in Pumpkin City, Pennsylvania, is a jigsaw puzzle mystery weekend. All is going well until the hired cook is found stabbed to death. As the prime suspect, Tabitha works with the handsome investigator—and two wily beagle dogs—to clear her name.”
Series: Does not seem to be connected to any other book.
Spiritual Content- Prayers; A small discussion about sin & God forgiving a murderer; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Tabi is trying to not partake in gossip & asks God to help her; When a lady says a stinging comment, Tabi reminds herself that she’s a Christian and needs to turn the other cheek; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of a church, church going, & church groups; A few mentions of Bible reading & devotionals; A mention of a Bible study;
*Note: Tabi being worried that if it gets out about there being a murder at her B&B, only ghost hunters would come at Halloween.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘stupid; Finding a body & blood (up to semi-detailed); All about many mentions of a murder, the murderer, how it happened, the crime scene, & blood (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of gossip & rumors (which is an issue that Tabi feels like God has been working on in her life and tries not to listen to or partake in gossip; When she slips up, she asks God to help her); Mentions of hatred; A few mentions of another murder; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A mention of a woman going to kick a dog, but is stopped before she does;
*Note: Mentions of stores & brand names (Piggly Wiggly, Hobby Lobby, Pine-Sol, Sprite, Coke/Diet Coke, ); Mentions of dogs named after Bonnie & Clyde; A mention of a play of ‘Gone With the Wind’; A mention of Nancy Drew.
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss; Noticing & Nearness; Blushes; Tabi has a slight crush on the new, good-looking officer and wants to get to know him better; Many mentions of dating, break-ups, boyfriends/girlfriends, exes, & a cheater that dated many girls at once (called a playboy who dated a girl for the excitement of getting away it behind his other girlfriend’s back); Mentions of a rumor of a guy getting a girl pregnant (untrue); A couple mentions of a rumor of an affair;
*Note: A mention of a woman being dressed like a saloon girl from an old Western movie.
-Tabitha “Tabi” Jenkins
1st person P.O.V. of Tabi
Novella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap” by Janice Thompson
About this book:
“Mariah hopes to sell her vast puzzle collection at a jigsaw puzzle swap in Camden, Maine, at the historic opera house. But her most valuable puzzle ends up missing when another vendor is stabbed to death.”
Series: Does not seem to be connected to any other book.
Spiritual Content- A Scripture is quoted; Prayers; Talks about God, His plans for you, His timing, & trusting Him; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God, His plans for you, His timing, & trusting Him; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, teaching at church, Sunday school teachers, & a worship team; A mention of thanking God; A mention of being a good Christian (Mariah is told she is one, to which she responds “Some days. Other days, not so much.”); A mention of a blessing;
*Note: A mention of there being a curse on an item.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘screw-up’ and three ‘stupid’s; Finding a body & blood (barely-above-not-detailed); Mariah tries not to spread gossip (she does try to eavesdrop a couple times though); All about many mentions of a murder, the murderer, how it happened, the crime scene, blood, & the screaming/crying by someone close to the victim (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of thieves, a theft, & stolen item; Mentions of hearing something like gunfire (it was fireworks) & thinking there’s a shooter in the building; A few mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of lottery tickets; A couple mentions of cigarettes & smoking; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of World War I; A mention of hatred; A mention of gossip;
*Note: Mentions of songs; A couple mentions of sports teams; A couple mentions of TV show (Hoarders & The Big Bang Theory); A mention of Clark Kent; A mention of a car brand.
Sexual Content- A bit of noticing; Mentions of catching a couple kissing/making-out like “two teenagers on steroids” (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends, a plan to get back at an ex, & a boyfriend hitting on with another girl; Mentions of handsome men & them causing Mariah’s heart to flutter; A few mentions of a great-grandfather who “got around” & had a whole other family; A mention of a married couple sharing a kiss;
*Note: A mention of Mariah’s best friend saying she (Mariah) has the best figure in town.
-Mariah Jamison, age 29
1st person P.O.V. of Mariah
Novella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Overall Ratings:
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
Elvis Has Left the Building – The Elvis stuff was completely lost on me, but it was a decent mystery. Definitely not the most realistic or accurate, but that’s pretty common with suspense/mystery books. The little bit of romance was okay, rushed, but okay.
The Puzzle King – Hmm. This one was interesting because of the puzzle competitions, but I wasn’t a fan of the mystery. The brand-new sheriff instant pegged that Jane was the murderer just because she gave him a cup of coffee. Then, Jane was constantly alone with the murder suspects. I didn’t care for her personality, really. The whole novella had depressing undertones.
A Puzzling Weekend – This one was pretty good. The ending/result was a little lackluster, but I actually liked the main girl this time and thought the mystery was interesting. Very light romance with the officer, but the Tabi never put herself in danger like the other novellas.
Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap – My favorite of the collection—no shock, I know. ;) I liked how Mariah didn’t put herself in dangerous situations, but still was involved in trying to figure things out. There was good faith content (the most from the four novellas) and I enjoyed it.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy this collection as much as I hoped I would, but the last two were pretty good and I thought it was neat how there could be four different murder mysteries surrounding puzzles.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Barbour Publishing) for this honest review.
“What could go wrong when jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts get together?
How about four murders and a couple thefts? Can clues be pieced together to solve these puzzling crimes?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Elvis Has Left the Building” by Cynthia Hickey
About this book:
“Cee Cee is hosting a jigsaw puzzle party in Apple Blossom, Arkansas, and everyone is expected to bring a brand-new 500-piece jigsaw puzzle to work on that depicts something from the 1950s. With a vintage car show, vendors, live music, and a dance, the night promises to be a great one—until the Elvis impersonator is murdered and a priceless puzzle is missing.”
Series: Does not seem to be connected to any other book.
Spiritual Content- Prayers; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & praying; A couple mentions of church & helping with the youth; A mention of Heaven; A mention of Vacation Bible School.
*Note: A mention of not having good luck; A mention of a man not only impersonating Elvis, but idolizing him.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, a ‘stinking’, two ‘dumb’s, two forms of ‘shut up’, and five ‘stupid’s; Eye rolling; A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Being shot at; A car chase, crash, & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Seeing a break-in; All about many mentions of a murder, the murderer, how it happened, poison, & the crime scene (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of thieves, thefts, break-ins, stealing, & stolen items; Mentions of a dirty cop; Mentions of jail/prison, arrests, & criminals; Mentions of a car chase & crash; Mentions of gunfire, a gunfight/shoot-out, shooters, being shot, & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of injuries, beatings, & pain (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of threats & threatening; Mentions of bullies & being bullied (Cee Cee was locked in a locker by bullies in high school); Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & drunks; A few mentions of a friend being jumped & killed (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of druggies & a drug dealer; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of cigarettes & smoking; A couple mentions of throwing up/vomit; A mention of people acting like someone else is a famous serial killer; A mention of vandalism; A mention of cheating on a test; A mention of hatred;
*Note: Many mentions of an Elvis impersonator, songs, & a movie; Mentions of car brands; A couple mentions of Uber; A mention of a brand name (Coke); A mention of a TV show (Bates Motel); A mention of NASCAR.
Sexual Content- A lips-to-hands touch, a not-detailed kiss, and a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Electricity, & Warmth (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); When Cee Cee is stuck in a window, Dane offers to push her backside (but they are both embarrassed by the thought and she handles it herself); Mentions of boyfriends, exes, dating, & dumping someone; A few mentions of a married man having a fling with another woman & a child being the result of it (the child is grown and they all are using each other to accomplish their own goals); A few mentions of teens being caught making out behind a library (which the old man who saw it was going to tell their parents, but didn’t because he “was young once too”); A couple mentions of flirting; A mention of crushes; Love, being in love, & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of an Elvis impersonator’s hip moves; A mention of a group not seeming like bosom buddies back in high school.
-Celia “Cee Cee” Adams, age 28
1st person P.O.V. of Cee Cee
Novella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“The Puzzle King” by Linda Baten Johnson
About this book:
“Jane enters a jigsaw puzzle competition at the Fargo, North Dakota, fairgrounds. When a fellow competitor is poisoned, all suspects are confined at the hotel during the investigation, and Jane is determined to use her puzzle-solving skills to root out the killer.”
Series: Does not seem to be connected to any other book.
Spiritual Content- Prayers; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, church services, church events, church family, & Bible studies; A few mentions of a Bible & Bible reading; A couple mentions of missions; A couple mentions of a devotional book; A mention of a person admitting that it’s not very Christian of them, but they don’t like a certain person; A mention of a person being treated like a leper in biblical days;
*Note: A few mentions of the Sioux funeral traditions (“They view the earth as our mother, so burial in the dirt reconnects the body and frees the soul”); A couple mentions of a man who is called “devilishly handsome” and was “blessed” with good looks.
Negative Content- Eye rolling; Passing out & Being poisoned (barely-above-not-detailed); Finding a body (poisoned, barely-above-not-detailed); Being arrested; Nobody is sad when a man is murdered as none of them liked him; All about many mentions of a murder, the body, the murderer, how it happened (poison), the motive, & the crime scene (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of jail/prison & arrests; Mentions of drunk driving, a car wreck, injuries, & blame/guilt (Jane and her friend many years prior to the book, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a man who was mauled by a bear (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of poisons, being poisoned, & drugs; Mentions of blackmail & threats; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, choosing not to drink, & drunks; A few mentions of a father being a mean drunk and him abusing his family; A couple mentions of hatred; A mention of a service man’s death; A mention of tobacco;
*Note: After seeing an interaction between a married couple, Jane thinks that she would hate to be married to someone so controlling; A mention of a “somewhat disturbing movie” (Fargo made by the Cohen brothers); A mention of Disney World; A mention of John Lennon; A mention of a magazine (USA Today); A mention of someone’s zombielike movements.
Sexual Content- Hand holding; Mentions of a teen ruining his girlfriend’s life, her getting pregnant, & the father being kept a secret (& the woman now living in a “facility for those not in touch with reality”); Mentions of Rohypnol (the “date rape drug”) & that a man confiscated it from a high school boy (not pure motives); Mentions of dates & dating; Mentions of (innocent) pictures of a married woman and another man that could be taken the wrong way; A couple mentions of a popular teen girl in high school getting pregnant and the school opinion being split between sympathetic and being delighted she’d been caught in a scandal.
-Jane Dahl
1st person P.O.V. of Jane
Novella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- One Star
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“A Puzzling Weekend” by Teresa Ives Lilly
About this book:
“Tabitha’s first event at her new bed and breakfast in Pumpkin City, Pennsylvania, is a jigsaw puzzle mystery weekend. All is going well until the hired cook is found stabbed to death. As the prime suspect, Tabitha works with the handsome investigator—and two wily beagle dogs—to clear her name.”
Series: Does not seem to be connected to any other book.
Spiritual Content- Prayers; A small discussion about sin & God forgiving a murderer; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Tabi is trying to not partake in gossip & asks God to help her; When a lady says a stinging comment, Tabi reminds herself that she’s a Christian and needs to turn the other cheek; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of a church, church going, & church groups; A few mentions of Bible reading & devotionals; A mention of a Bible study;
*Note: Tabi being worried that if it gets out about there being a murder at her B&B, only ghost hunters would come at Halloween.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘stupid; Finding a body & blood (up to semi-detailed); All about many mentions of a murder, the murderer, how it happened, the crime scene, & blood (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of gossip & rumors (which is an issue that Tabi feels like God has been working on in her life and tries not to listen to or partake in gossip; When she slips up, she asks God to help her); Mentions of hatred; A few mentions of another murder; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A mention of a woman going to kick a dog, but is stopped before she does;
*Note: Mentions of stores & brand names (Piggly Wiggly, Hobby Lobby, Pine-Sol, Sprite, Coke/Diet Coke, ); Mentions of dogs named after Bonnie & Clyde; A mention of a play of ‘Gone With the Wind’; A mention of Nancy Drew.
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss; Noticing & Nearness; Blushes; Tabi has a slight crush on the new, good-looking officer and wants to get to know him better; Many mentions of dating, break-ups, boyfriends/girlfriends, exes, & a cheater that dated many girls at once (called a playboy who dated a girl for the excitement of getting away it behind his other girlfriend’s back); Mentions of a rumor of a guy getting a girl pregnant (untrue); A couple mentions of a rumor of an affair;
*Note: A mention of a woman being dressed like a saloon girl from an old Western movie.
-Tabitha “Tabi” Jenkins
1st person P.O.V. of Tabi
Novella
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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
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“Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap” by Janice Thompson
About this book:
“Mariah hopes to sell her vast puzzle collection at a jigsaw puzzle swap in Camden, Maine, at the historic opera house. But her most valuable puzzle ends up missing when another vendor is stabbed to death.”
Series: Does not seem to be connected to any other book.
Spiritual Content- A Scripture is quoted; Prayers; Talks about God, His plans for you, His timing, & trusting Him; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God, His plans for you, His timing, & trusting Him; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, teaching at church, Sunday school teachers, & a worship team; A mention of thanking God; A mention of being a good Christian (Mariah is told she is one, to which she responds “Some days. Other days, not so much.”); A mention of a blessing;
*Note: A mention of there being a curse on an item.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘screw-up’ and three ‘stupid’s; Finding a body & blood (barely-above-not-detailed); Mariah tries not to spread gossip (she does try to eavesdrop a couple times though); All about many mentions of a murder, the murderer, how it happened, the crime scene, blood, & the screaming/crying by someone close to the victim (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of thieves, a theft, & stolen item; Mentions of hearing something like gunfire (it was fireworks) & thinking there’s a shooter in the building; A few mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of lottery tickets; A couple mentions of cigarettes & smoking; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of World War I; A mention of hatred; A mention of gossip;
*Note: Mentions of songs; A couple mentions of sports teams; A couple mentions of TV show (Hoarders & The Big Bang Theory); A mention of Clark Kent; A mention of a car brand.
Sexual Content- A bit of noticing; Mentions of catching a couple kissing/making-out like “two teenagers on steroids” (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends, a plan to get back at an ex, & a boyfriend hitting on with another girl; Mentions of handsome men & them causing Mariah’s heart to flutter; A few mentions of a great-grandfather who “got around” & had a whole other family; A mention of a married couple sharing a kiss;
*Note: A mention of Mariah’s best friend saying she (Mariah) has the best figure in town.
-Mariah Jamison, age 29
1st person P.O.V. of Mariah
Novella
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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
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Overall Ratings:
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
Elvis Has Left the Building – The Elvis stuff was completely lost on me, but it was a decent mystery. Definitely not the most realistic or accurate, but that’s pretty common with suspense/mystery books. The little bit of romance was okay, rushed, but okay.
The Puzzle King – Hmm. This one was interesting because of the puzzle competitions, but I wasn’t a fan of the mystery. The brand-new sheriff instant pegged that Jane was the murderer just because she gave him a cup of coffee. Then, Jane was constantly alone with the murder suspects. I didn’t care for her personality, really. The whole novella had depressing undertones.
A Puzzling Weekend – This one was pretty good. The ending/result was a little lackluster, but I actually liked the main girl this time and thought the mystery was interesting. Very light romance with the officer, but the Tabi never put herself in danger like the other novellas.
Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap – My favorite of the collection—no shock, I know. ;) I liked how Mariah didn’t put herself in dangerous situations, but still was involved in trying to figure things out. There was good faith content (the most from the four novellas) and I enjoyed it.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy this collection as much as I hoped I would, but the last two were pretty good and I thought it was neat how there could be four different murder mysteries surrounding puzzles.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Barbour Publishing) for this honest review.
November 7, 2024
Average Story Enjoyment Rating: 7.5/10 Average Christian Faith Rating 1.5/3
"Elvis Has Left the Building" by Cynthia Hickey is a cozy mystery novella set in Apple Blossom, Kansas. The story follows Cee Cee, who hosts a 1950s-themed jigsaw puzzle party with an Elvis impersonator. When a valuable puzzle goes missing and the impersonator turns up dead, Cee Cee must solve the mystery. While I enjoyed the plot and even the unique setting with its Elvis themes and puzzles, I found the characters unbelievable and unrealistic, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story. Despite this, I still found the mystery engaging enough to want to find out the culprit. Overall, I gave this novella 6/10 for a Story Enjoyment Rating. There are some Christian references, so I gave it 1.5/3 for a Christian Faith Rating.
"The Puzzle King" by Linda Baton Johnson is a mystery novella about Jane, a contestant in a timed puzzle competition. At the competition, Jane meets another team whose leader is disliked by others and ends up dying. As a result, everyone is forced to stay at the hotel overnight while the sheriff investigates and interviews them. I found that the story focused mainly on the mystery and its characters, which I appreciated. I also found the characters and pacing believable, despite the unusual setting of a puzzle competition. Although I guessed the ending early on, I still enjoyed the mystery, giving it an 8/10 for Story Enjoyment Rating. The novella includes some Christian faith content, such as mentions of prayer, church, and devotional practices, leading to a 2-1/3 Christian Faith Rating. (There was a single reference to a main character using “yoga breathing”, which I don’t think should be in a Christian fiction book)
"A Puzzling Weekend", the third novella in the "Missing Pieces" series by Teresa Ives Lilly, follows Tabi, the owner of a pumpkin-themed guesthouse, as she hosts a jigsaw puzzle mystery weekend. When the cook she hired for the weekend is found dead, Tabi helps the police investigate the guests and their connections to the cook. This is a sweet, cosy mystery which focuses on the mystery elements and the characters' relationships. While I enjoyed the story, I felt it could have been longer and more convoluted but it was well-suited for a novella as the I still got to know the characters in a short amount of time. I gave it an 8/10 for Story Enjoyment Rating and a 2/3 for Christian Faith Rating.
“Puzzle Me This” by Janice Thompson, is a light-hearted mystery novella, following Mariah, a jigsaw puzzle seller attending a sales conference. When Mariah's valuable antique puzzle is stolen and a fellow vendor is found murdered, the story becomes a fun and upbeat whodunnit. The mystery was engaging, and I liked that it wasn't too gruesome or dark. The book had a light-hearted feel to it that I appreciated. The characters were sometimes annoying, and I wasn't completely convinced by the motive behind the murder, but overall I thought it was a fun read. There were also some Christian themes throughout the story, with discussions about faith and church.
"Elvis Has Left the Building" by Cynthia Hickey is a cozy mystery novella set in Apple Blossom, Kansas. The story follows Cee Cee, who hosts a 1950s-themed jigsaw puzzle party with an Elvis impersonator. When a valuable puzzle goes missing and the impersonator turns up dead, Cee Cee must solve the mystery. While I enjoyed the plot and even the unique setting with its Elvis themes and puzzles, I found the characters unbelievable and unrealistic, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story. Despite this, I still found the mystery engaging enough to want to find out the culprit. Overall, I gave this novella 6/10 for a Story Enjoyment Rating. There are some Christian references, so I gave it 1.5/3 for a Christian Faith Rating.
"The Puzzle King" by Linda Baton Johnson is a mystery novella about Jane, a contestant in a timed puzzle competition. At the competition, Jane meets another team whose leader is disliked by others and ends up dying. As a result, everyone is forced to stay at the hotel overnight while the sheriff investigates and interviews them. I found that the story focused mainly on the mystery and its characters, which I appreciated. I also found the characters and pacing believable, despite the unusual setting of a puzzle competition. Although I guessed the ending early on, I still enjoyed the mystery, giving it an 8/10 for Story Enjoyment Rating. The novella includes some Christian faith content, such as mentions of prayer, church, and devotional practices, leading to a 2-1/3 Christian Faith Rating. (There was a single reference to a main character using “yoga breathing”, which I don’t think should be in a Christian fiction book)
"A Puzzling Weekend", the third novella in the "Missing Pieces" series by Teresa Ives Lilly, follows Tabi, the owner of a pumpkin-themed guesthouse, as she hosts a jigsaw puzzle mystery weekend. When the cook she hired for the weekend is found dead, Tabi helps the police investigate the guests and their connections to the cook. This is a sweet, cosy mystery which focuses on the mystery elements and the characters' relationships. While I enjoyed the story, I felt it could have been longer and more convoluted but it was well-suited for a novella as the I still got to know the characters in a short amount of time. I gave it an 8/10 for Story Enjoyment Rating and a 2/3 for Christian Faith Rating.
“Puzzle Me This” by Janice Thompson, is a light-hearted mystery novella, following Mariah, a jigsaw puzzle seller attending a sales conference. When Mariah's valuable antique puzzle is stolen and a fellow vendor is found murdered, the story becomes a fun and upbeat whodunnit. The mystery was engaging, and I liked that it wasn't too gruesome or dark. The book had a light-hearted feel to it that I appreciated. The characters were sometimes annoying, and I wasn't completely convinced by the motive behind the murder, but overall I thought it was a fun read. There were also some Christian themes throughout the story, with discussions about faith and church.
June 2, 2022
A fun collection of puzzle themed cozies! I liked the 4 stories in this collection. All held my attention and had some surprises in store as the stories reached their conclusions. This was an enjoyable set of stories and a quick and easy read. Each story is a stand-alone and not connected to the other stories in this collection. Recommended.
May 23, 2022
A fast-paced collection of fun mysteries! These all feature some kind of jigsaw puzzle event with an incidental murder, putting the heroines in the center of danger. A small town feel and low on violence, gives them a cozy mystery feel.
The first one by Cynthia Hickey was my favorite, featuring a librarian. It reminded me a little of the Aurora Teagarden character except with humor. All of the tales seem to lean on the quirky side with colorful characters. Some of the stories had spiritual tidbits tucked in, with characters struggling to let go of past mistakes, dealing with loneliness, self-doubt and gossip, and trusting God for the future. Not much romance except a reacquaintance in the first tale, but not an emphasis.
Recommend for readers looking for a fun, quick read.
(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)
The first one by Cynthia Hickey was my favorite, featuring a librarian. It reminded me a little of the Aurora Teagarden character except with humor. All of the tales seem to lean on the quirky side with colorful characters. Some of the stories had spiritual tidbits tucked in, with characters struggling to let go of past mistakes, dealing with loneliness, self-doubt and gossip, and trusting God for the future. Not much romance except a reacquaintance in the first tale, but not an emphasis.
Recommend for readers looking for a fun, quick read.
(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)
May 14, 2022
"Missing Pieces" is a collection of 4 short story cozy mysteries. They contained no sex or bad language. Unfortunately, there wasn't a smart heroine in the bunch and most of the stories weren't very realistic.
"Elvis Has Left the Building" seemed like a parody mocking cozy mysteries since it was illogical and unrealistic. The department's newest patrol officer was sent to do crowd control at the jigsaw puzzle event. He apparently always had evidence collection bags on his person, was then assigned to solve the murder case, and soon was helping Cee Cee break into a suspect's house in search of evidence. Earlier, Cee Cee was the one to point out to him that the puzzle in front of them was the missing puzzle, then they ran off to investigate the death scream. The officer/ex-boyfriend promptly accused her of killing the victim because there's a dark hair (like hers) on this guy that she had talked to several times throughout the night. He also accused her of stealing the puzzle. And he's the romantic interest. That's not romantic, in my opinion. 1 star.
"The Puzzle King" had some interesting information about jigsaw puzzle competitions woven into the story. I strongly suspected whodunit from the moment the murder was discovered. The sheriff in charge of the investigation basically accused Jane of murder before they even knew it was murder, all because Jane had given him some coffee. Despite several people warning Jane not to be alone with any of the suspects, what does she do? And once she finally figured out who the murderer was, she still did several very stupid things (to increase the suspense, I guess). Jane was always dense, asking again for information she'd already been told or genuinely thinking that rules didn't apply to her. It was hard to respect her as a sleuth. Still, it wasn't a bad story. 3 stars.
"A Puzzling Weekend" at least reads like a genuine cozy right down to the cute dogs that help solve whodunit. The heroine secretly likes the handsome detective, who goes to her church. Though she's obviously framed for the murder, he believed that she was innocent because he'd previously observed her character and genuine Christianity. He accepted any gossip she overheard but warned her to be careful and let him do the actual interviews and such. Of course, she had to push it but got a confession. I guessed whodunit even before the murder happened, though. 3.75 stars.
"Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap" is a "bumbling detective" type mystery that's meant to be funny but was just painful for me to read. (I've never enjoyed bumbling detectives.) Mariah didn't think she was good at detective work and just thinking about who was where when her puzzle was stolen gave her a headache. She felt like a loser and failure, but solving the mystery made her feel more like a success. She seemed a little out of touch with reality, like thinking the detective might be mutually attracted to her while she's standing there covered with garbage and stink from a dumpster dive. Or that the police should delay their arrest until she could be there to watch. Mariah solved the mystery by overhearing clues and suspecting and then eliminating all of the suspects until the solution was obvious even to her. 2 stars.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
"Elvis Has Left the Building" seemed like a parody mocking cozy mysteries since it was illogical and unrealistic. The department's newest patrol officer was sent to do crowd control at the jigsaw puzzle event. He apparently always had evidence collection bags on his person, was then assigned to solve the murder case, and soon was helping Cee Cee break into a suspect's house in search of evidence. Earlier, Cee Cee was the one to point out to him that the puzzle in front of them was the missing puzzle, then they ran off to investigate the death scream. The officer/ex-boyfriend promptly accused her of killing the victim because there's a dark hair (like hers) on this guy that she had talked to several times throughout the night. He also accused her of stealing the puzzle. And he's the romantic interest. That's not romantic, in my opinion. 1 star.
"The Puzzle King" had some interesting information about jigsaw puzzle competitions woven into the story. I strongly suspected whodunit from the moment the murder was discovered. The sheriff in charge of the investigation basically accused Jane of murder before they even knew it was murder, all because Jane had given him some coffee. Despite several people warning Jane not to be alone with any of the suspects, what does she do? And once she finally figured out who the murderer was, she still did several very stupid things (to increase the suspense, I guess). Jane was always dense, asking again for information she'd already been told or genuinely thinking that rules didn't apply to her. It was hard to respect her as a sleuth. Still, it wasn't a bad story. 3 stars.
"A Puzzling Weekend" at least reads like a genuine cozy right down to the cute dogs that help solve whodunit. The heroine secretly likes the handsome detective, who goes to her church. Though she's obviously framed for the murder, he believed that she was innocent because he'd previously observed her character and genuine Christianity. He accepted any gossip she overheard but warned her to be careful and let him do the actual interviews and such. Of course, she had to push it but got a confession. I guessed whodunit even before the murder happened, though. 3.75 stars.
"Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap" is a "bumbling detective" type mystery that's meant to be funny but was just painful for me to read. (I've never enjoyed bumbling detectives.) Mariah didn't think she was good at detective work and just thinking about who was where when her puzzle was stolen gave her a headache. She felt like a loser and failure, but solving the mystery made her feel more like a success. She seemed a little out of touch with reality, like thinking the detective might be mutually attracted to her while she's standing there covered with garbage and stink from a dumpster dive. Or that the police should delay their arrest until she could be there to watch. Mariah solved the mystery by overhearing clues and suspecting and then eliminating all of the suspects until the solution was obvious even to her. 2 stars.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
April 19, 2025
This book is a collection of four mysteries involving jigsaw puzzles.
ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING - CYNTHIA HICKEY - 4 stars
This one is between 3 stars (par for the genre) and 4 stars (thoroughly enjoyable), but I doubt I'd reread it (5 stars) once I know whodunit.
I would be interested in reading more of these characters if I came across them elsewhere.
I first selected this book because of the puzzle theme, and because I think my mom might like to read it as well.
I have been in a jigsaw competition with my eldest daughter (and we won!), but this event seemed like a bigger one than the library competition we did. Cee Cee's sounded fun, too.
I like how some of the clues were in the puzzle.
I like the ties to a library.
Dane breaks a lot of rules for Cee Cee, and in real life, that would be both alarming, and have more serious repercussions. Some of it is reasonable given the circumstances, but altogether it is too much.
Reviewer Debbie called this "a parody mocking cozy mysteries since it was illogical and unrealistic." I can see that. It would explain the alarming rule-breaking I'd mentioned above. Also, this story is so short that some of the characters are not well fleshed out, but that is the nature of most novellas.
This mystery was more action than contemplative, maybe lightly Christian, but it's too soon to tell yet. The Christian part seemed more trite than anything of depth, and perhaps a little health-and-wealth gospel, expecting everything to go well just because they asked God for it to.
It reminds me a little of Debbie Viguie's Psalm 23 Mysteries series, as far as how decisive and pushy the protagonists are, and in the lightly Christian thought. The Psalm 23 Mysteries grow deeper (and darker) though. If this becomes a series, it would have a chance to grow as well. I would recommend that series to those who liked this story.
Favorite quote:
"... because you were so wrapped up in your perfect little life." It's a good reminder that we need to be aware of the sufferings of those around us instead of always being wrapped up in our own lives, "perfect" or not.
THE PUZZLE KING - LINDA JOHNSON - 4 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed it (4 stars), but I doubt I'd reread it (5 stars) now that I know whodunit.
The jigsaw puzzle competition in this story was more like the one that my daughter and I won. That is to say that it was more like a competition, and less like a festival with vendors, booths, and other events and contests going on. However, the puzzle competition we did was smaller and the entrants weren't as serious.
I did not know that "dissectologists" is the proper name for a jigsaw puzzle enthusiast.
My family frequently does puzzles that don't match the box. They tend to be mystery puzzles, though: BePuzzled, TDC Alphabet Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle (such as "C is for Chocolate" or "E is for Espresso")
I appreciated that this mystery had actual clues, rather than just being a suspense story without them.
I loved that the character (Sheriff Bergensen) that the main character (Jane) feared, had some good things to say about her in the end. I think the reason Jane viewed her as she did was because of a guilty conscience from high school activities, and not from a rational grownup point of view.
Some of the faith-centered places that Jane attends seem to be missing grace, and living in rules and fear. Rules can be important for keeping people safe and having the best outcome, etc., but grace is important, too. In fact, I felt the heavy-handedness was overdone. I would want readers to know that not all churches are like that. Jesus died so that forgiveness can be ours freely. We don't have to earn salvation, and in fact, we can't.
There's a balance, however, because Jesus' free gift of forgiveness is not an excuse for us to continue down dangerous paths, crossing boundaries and breaking rules. Jesus paid the penalty for our sin, but often there are still the natural consequences of it, even if we like to think we are getting away with something.
On the other hand, I had a heart-to-heart talk once during my grownup years with the fourth grade teacher I'd feared, and I was surprised by her consideration. It was a conversation I would've had years earlier if I had known her demeanor towards me, and it felt so freeing after I had.
I couldn't believe that Jane would risk handing someone else a beverage, after what happened the first time.
I also couldn't believe Jane would volunteer to room with a murder suspect she'd only just met, before the crime was solved. I do understand that Jane felt like she'd let down her high school friend, and was determined not to let another person down, especially someone who needed a friend so desperately. So maybe she was pre-conditioned to do that, but still ... very risky.
As far as the mystery goes, I had originally guessed whodunit because of the clues spread about, but then two events dissuaded me of that. Surely Sheriff Bergensen, who knew whodunit but couldn't prove it, wouldn't allow ...
I thought one of Marta's secrets would be that she was somehow helping Steven cheat with the puzzle competition, handing him pre-worked sections of the puzzle perhaps. I won't say whether or not I was right.
I don't think snake venom works like that.
A PUZZLING WEEKEND - TERESA IVES LILLY -4 stars
This is a definite four stars, and possibly my favorite of the set so far, although "The Puzzle King" was a contender. I still don't tend to reread mysteries (5 stars) once I know whodunit.
If this story became a series, I would definitely read more.
In this story, the owner of a B & B hosts a jigsaw puzzle working weekend with a prize. In this event, the puzzles come from the alphabet mystery jigsaw mystery puzzles. They did "C is for Calico", but I happen to know that the C mystery puzzle is "C is for Chocolate", having done that one myself years ago. I Googled "C is for Calico" to see if they ever did another C-mystery, but didn't find anything of that set.
I like the description of the cozy B & B, and the theme of the pumpkins everywhere. I've seen the colorful glass-blown pumpkins and considered buying one, but they are so expensive! I would love to stay there (unless there is a murder going on.)
Since they always have a pumpkin theme for the B & B, I wasn't sure if it was autumn, with all those pumpkin recipes, or sometime in winter, with the cold weather. I am adding "autumn" to my list of shelves for this book, because I envision it being a nice autumn read. The recipes, by the way, do sound very savory.
I like the dogs, Bonnie and Clyde, and reading about their mischief.
I did consider the right suspect as murderer, but I could've seen it being another character as well. I 'm sorry that it turned out to be the person that it did, for reasons that would give it away. (I tend to like characters that are ... SPOILER ... socially awkward and quiet, both because I'm an introvert myself, like the protagonist here, and because I've loved so many quiet, socially awkward family members and friends. At least this book doesn't pick on "the quiet ones" as so many mysteries do.)
PUZZLE ME THIS - JANICE THOMPSON - 4 stars
"A Puzzling Weekend" is still my favorite of the set, but this was a good entrant.
I was a little disappointed that this "Puzzle Exchange" is not like the one I've attended at a local library, where people bring their old, worked puzzles, and get a voucher that allows them to pick up an identical number of other puzzles on the table from other people. It was a fun event.
This story is more like a festival, or a craft show, or farmer's market, with all the vendors and booths selling puzzles. I'm not sure why they'd call that an "Exchange". That venue is more like the one in the first story, "Elvis Has Left the Building," but without the actual working of puzzles, only the selling of them. A puzzle fair could be a fun venue, too, but it's just not what I expected.
Mariah is a likeable character, but I could've done without the trash incident.
I like that Amber told Mariah that there's the possibility that God has singleness in mind for some people, because to say that everyone will eventually find someone gives some people a false hope, which might later lead them to disillusionment. Biblically, Amber's statement is true (think the Apostle Paul, for example), but most romances, even Christian romances, do not consider the possibility. But we can all think of people who have either chosen singleness, or found themselves single.
I was impressed the author addressed that issue in a Biblical way, or even mentioned it.
Mariah thinks that her mom says she's worried too often. One of my kids has told me the same thing, that she grew up thinking I was worried all the time, because I used the phrase so often. Maybe "concerned" would've been a better word choice for me.
I knew about the note.
I did not guess whodunit, and SPOILER ... I understand that evidence pointed to both suspects, but I don't understand the motivation for one of them, or why they worked together.
"You're perfect just as you are, Mariah. God made you ... you. And don't you dare go changing anything about yourself." - Amber to Mariah
In the Bible, we are all loved by God regardless of anything, and God did create us, but we are not perfect as we are. It's okay not to be perfect, because Jesus is.
"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23. We are not perfect because we have sinned, because we do sin. That doesn't make us any less loved, however, and "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." - John 3:16.
That is the basis for Christianity. "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." - 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.
And while we don't have to change ourselves in order to be loved, as per Amber's statement, God does, in fact change us and grow us, giving us His Spirit to help us and guide us in that endeavor, making us more like Jesus. There's the old saying that God loves us just as we are, but He loves us too much to let us stay that way.
ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING - CYNTHIA HICKEY - 4 stars
This one is between 3 stars (par for the genre) and 4 stars (thoroughly enjoyable), but I doubt I'd reread it (5 stars) once I know whodunit.
I would be interested in reading more of these characters if I came across them elsewhere.
I first selected this book because of the puzzle theme, and because I think my mom might like to read it as well.
I have been in a jigsaw competition with my eldest daughter (and we won!), but this event seemed like a bigger one than the library competition we did. Cee Cee's sounded fun, too.
I like how some of the clues were in the puzzle.
I like the ties to a library.
Dane breaks a lot of rules for Cee Cee, and in real life, that would be both alarming, and have more serious repercussions. Some of it is reasonable given the circumstances, but altogether it is too much.
Reviewer Debbie called this "a parody mocking cozy mysteries since it was illogical and unrealistic." I can see that. It would explain the alarming rule-breaking I'd mentioned above. Also, this story is so short that some of the characters are not well fleshed out, but that is the nature of most novellas.
This mystery was more action than contemplative, maybe lightly Christian, but it's too soon to tell yet. The Christian part seemed more trite than anything of depth, and perhaps a little health-and-wealth gospel, expecting everything to go well just because they asked God for it to.
It reminds me a little of Debbie Viguie's Psalm 23 Mysteries series, as far as how decisive and pushy the protagonists are, and in the lightly Christian thought. The Psalm 23 Mysteries grow deeper (and darker) though. If this becomes a series, it would have a chance to grow as well. I would recommend that series to those who liked this story.
Favorite quote:
"... because you were so wrapped up in your perfect little life." It's a good reminder that we need to be aware of the sufferings of those around us instead of always being wrapped up in our own lives, "perfect" or not.
THE PUZZLE KING - LINDA JOHNSON - 4 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed it (4 stars), but I doubt I'd reread it (5 stars) now that I know whodunit.
The jigsaw puzzle competition in this story was more like the one that my daughter and I won. That is to say that it was more like a competition, and less like a festival with vendors, booths, and other events and contests going on. However, the puzzle competition we did was smaller and the entrants weren't as serious.
I did not know that "dissectologists" is the proper name for a jigsaw puzzle enthusiast.
My family frequently does puzzles that don't match the box. They tend to be mystery puzzles, though: BePuzzled, TDC Alphabet Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle (such as "C is for Chocolate" or "E is for Espresso")
I appreciated that this mystery had actual clues, rather than just being a suspense story without them.
I loved that the character (Sheriff Bergensen) that the main character (Jane) feared, had some good things to say about her in the end. I think the reason Jane viewed her as she did was because of a guilty conscience from high school activities, and not from a rational grownup point of view.
Some of the faith-centered places that Jane attends seem to be missing grace, and living in rules and fear. Rules can be important for keeping people safe and having the best outcome, etc., but grace is important, too. In fact, I felt the heavy-handedness was overdone. I would want readers to know that not all churches are like that. Jesus died so that forgiveness can be ours freely. We don't have to earn salvation, and in fact, we can't.
There's a balance, however, because Jesus' free gift of forgiveness is not an excuse for us to continue down dangerous paths, crossing boundaries and breaking rules. Jesus paid the penalty for our sin, but often there are still the natural consequences of it, even if we like to think we are getting away with something.
On the other hand, I had a heart-to-heart talk once during my grownup years with the fourth grade teacher I'd feared, and I was surprised by her consideration. It was a conversation I would've had years earlier if I had known her demeanor towards me, and it felt so freeing after I had.
I couldn't believe that Jane would risk handing someone else a beverage, after what happened the first time.
I also couldn't believe Jane would volunteer to room with a murder suspect she'd only just met, before the crime was solved. I do understand that Jane felt like she'd let down her high school friend, and was determined not to let another person down, especially someone who needed a friend so desperately. So maybe she was pre-conditioned to do that, but still ... very risky.
As far as the mystery goes, I had originally guessed whodunit because of the clues spread about, but then two events dissuaded me of that. Surely Sheriff Bergensen, who knew whodunit but couldn't prove it, wouldn't allow ...
I thought one of Marta's secrets would be that she was somehow helping Steven cheat with the puzzle competition, handing him pre-worked sections of the puzzle perhaps. I won't say whether or not I was right.
I don't think snake venom works like that.
A PUZZLING WEEKEND - TERESA IVES LILLY -4 stars
This is a definite four stars, and possibly my favorite of the set so far, although "The Puzzle King" was a contender. I still don't tend to reread mysteries (5 stars) once I know whodunit.
If this story became a series, I would definitely read more.
In this story, the owner of a B & B hosts a jigsaw puzzle working weekend with a prize. In this event, the puzzles come from the alphabet mystery jigsaw mystery puzzles. They did "C is for Calico", but I happen to know that the C mystery puzzle is "C is for Chocolate", having done that one myself years ago. I Googled "C is for Calico" to see if they ever did another C-mystery, but didn't find anything of that set.
I like the description of the cozy B & B, and the theme of the pumpkins everywhere. I've seen the colorful glass-blown pumpkins and considered buying one, but they are so expensive! I would love to stay there (unless there is a murder going on.)
Since they always have a pumpkin theme for the B & B, I wasn't sure if it was autumn, with all those pumpkin recipes, or sometime in winter, with the cold weather. I am adding "autumn" to my list of shelves for this book, because I envision it being a nice autumn read. The recipes, by the way, do sound very savory.
I like the dogs, Bonnie and Clyde, and reading about their mischief.
I did consider the right suspect as murderer, but I could've seen it being another character as well. I 'm sorry that it turned out to be the person that it did, for reasons that would give it away. (I tend to like characters that are ... SPOILER ... socially awkward and quiet, both because I'm an introvert myself, like the protagonist here, and because I've loved so many quiet, socially awkward family members and friends. At least this book doesn't pick on "the quiet ones" as so many mysteries do.)
PUZZLE ME THIS - JANICE THOMPSON - 4 stars
"A Puzzling Weekend" is still my favorite of the set, but this was a good entrant.
I was a little disappointed that this "Puzzle Exchange" is not like the one I've attended at a local library, where people bring their old, worked puzzles, and get a voucher that allows them to pick up an identical number of other puzzles on the table from other people. It was a fun event.
This story is more like a festival, or a craft show, or farmer's market, with all the vendors and booths selling puzzles. I'm not sure why they'd call that an "Exchange". That venue is more like the one in the first story, "Elvis Has Left the Building," but without the actual working of puzzles, only the selling of them. A puzzle fair could be a fun venue, too, but it's just not what I expected.
Mariah is a likeable character, but I could've done without the trash incident.
I like that Amber told Mariah that there's the possibility that God has singleness in mind for some people, because to say that everyone will eventually find someone gives some people a false hope, which might later lead them to disillusionment. Biblically, Amber's statement is true (think the Apostle Paul, for example), but most romances, even Christian romances, do not consider the possibility. But we can all think of people who have either chosen singleness, or found themselves single.
I was impressed the author addressed that issue in a Biblical way, or even mentioned it.
Mariah thinks that her mom says she's worried too often. One of my kids has told me the same thing, that she grew up thinking I was worried all the time, because I used the phrase so often. Maybe "concerned" would've been a better word choice for me.
I knew about the note.
I did not guess whodunit, and SPOILER ... I understand that evidence pointed to both suspects, but I don't understand the motivation for one of them, or why they worked together.
"You're perfect just as you are, Mariah. God made you ... you. And don't you dare go changing anything about yourself." - Amber to Mariah
In the Bible, we are all loved by God regardless of anything, and God did create us, but we are not perfect as we are. It's okay not to be perfect, because Jesus is.
"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23. We are not perfect because we have sinned, because we do sin. That doesn't make us any less loved, however, and "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." - John 3:16.
That is the basis for Christianity. "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." - 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.
And while we don't have to change ourselves in order to be loved, as per Amber's statement, God does, in fact change us and grow us, giving us His Spirit to help us and guide us in that endeavor, making us more like Jesus. There's the old saying that God loves us just as we are, but He loves us too much to let us stay that way.
July 16, 2022
2.5/5
I love jigsaw puzzles. So, when I saw the cover of Missing Pieces, I knew I had to read it!! With the exception of Janice Thompson, all the authors are new to me.
Elvis Has Left the Building by Cynthia Hickey
This story was okay. It needed more work, especially at the beginning. One of my biggest pet peeves was one of the characters asked a question, and the person who she asked didn't acknowledge it, the story moved on. It was an incomplete scene. The overall premise was good, but the execution was lacking. There was no time for great character development and the romance between the two characters was off.
★★/5
The Puzzle King by Linda Baten Johnson
I liked that the setting was a puzzle competition and it made me curious if such a thing actually exists. The murderer is obvious, the sheriff is constantly making it known she is up for reelection, and Jane doesn't use the brain God gave her, constantly putting herself alone with murder suspects.
★★/5
A Puzzling Weekend by Teresa Ives Lilly
The premise was a little different from the first two stories, and I appreciated that. This one started with 5 (Kindle) pages of descriptions leading to the location of the mystery, making me bored from the start. I didn't understand why the officers didn't immediately get all the guest's statements, saying they would come back later to do it. I don't think that is the normal order in a real murder.
★★/5
Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap by Janice Thompson
I enjoyed this one. It was well-written. I like Moriah, I appreciated how she was trying to prove herself to her parents since her mother did not approve of her career choice. I think most of us might be able to relate. Moriah was smart when trying to solve the mystery, she didn't put herself in harm's way. I also enjoyed the ending.
★★★/5
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
★★⋆/5
I love jigsaw puzzles. So, when I saw the cover of Missing Pieces, I knew I had to read it!! With the exception of Janice Thompson, all the authors are new to me.
Elvis Has Left the Building by Cynthia Hickey
This story was okay. It needed more work, especially at the beginning. One of my biggest pet peeves was one of the characters asked a question, and the person who she asked didn't acknowledge it, the story moved on. It was an incomplete scene. The overall premise was good, but the execution was lacking. There was no time for great character development and the romance between the two characters was off.
★★/5
The Puzzle King by Linda Baten Johnson
I liked that the setting was a puzzle competition and it made me curious if such a thing actually exists. The murderer is obvious, the sheriff is constantly making it known she is up for reelection, and Jane doesn't use the brain God gave her, constantly putting herself alone with murder suspects.
★★/5
A Puzzling Weekend by Teresa Ives Lilly
The premise was a little different from the first two stories, and I appreciated that. This one started with 5 (Kindle) pages of descriptions leading to the location of the mystery, making me bored from the start. I didn't understand why the officers didn't immediately get all the guest's statements, saying they would come back later to do it. I don't think that is the normal order in a real murder.
★★/5
Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap by Janice Thompson
I enjoyed this one. It was well-written. I like Moriah, I appreciated how she was trying to prove herself to her parents since her mother did not approve of her career choice. I think most of us might be able to relate. Moriah was smart when trying to solve the mystery, she didn't put herself in harm's way. I also enjoyed the ending.
★★★/5
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
★★⋆/5
June 21, 2022
Overall, this is a fun cozy mystery set. The four novellas are only connected by a common theme: jigsaw puzzles. One could easily read the books in between other longer titles for a fun reading break. Here are my thoughts on all four books.
Elvis Has Left the Building by Cynthia Hickey
I would say this book has the most fun back story with vintage flair that includes an Elvis impersonator. Being able to complete the puzzle that is described sounds fun to me. This one had a few twists and turns. Since Cee Cee happens to know the law enforcement officer, one can possibly predict one part of the story. :-) Rating: 4.7 stars
The Puzzle King by Linda Baten Johnson
Rarely does one read books set in Fargo, North Dakota. I liked that part. I did not see all of the connections coming together in this one. I liked how it involved others who were competing at a puzzle competition as a team. There was a bit of romance, but more of it is implied. Rating: 4.2 stars
A Puzzling Weekend by Teresa Ives Lilly
This book involves a bed and breakfast in Pumpkin City, Pennsylvania. The pumpkin theme was fun. Considering all of the women who attend this jigsaw puzzle convention are connected in the past, determining who might hold a grudge was interesting. This one had a potential romance, but it was not really critical to the plot. Rating: 4.1 stars
Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap by Janice Thompson
This book felt like it had the most developed plot. A giant jigsaw puzzle swap sounds like a fun event - that is until someone was killed. This one was also hard to predict. The faith element was stronger in this one as well as the life lessons. I enjoyed that part of the story. Rating: 4.8 stars
If readers enjoy jigsaw puzzles, they will find something to like in this collection. I would classify it as a mystery with a bit of suspense and only some romance. The puzzles drive the plot.
Final overall rating: 4 stars
I did read a copy of this book through NetGalley. I wanted to review it. All opinions are my own.
Elvis Has Left the Building by Cynthia Hickey
I would say this book has the most fun back story with vintage flair that includes an Elvis impersonator. Being able to complete the puzzle that is described sounds fun to me. This one had a few twists and turns. Since Cee Cee happens to know the law enforcement officer, one can possibly predict one part of the story. :-) Rating: 4.7 stars
The Puzzle King by Linda Baten Johnson
Rarely does one read books set in Fargo, North Dakota. I liked that part. I did not see all of the connections coming together in this one. I liked how it involved others who were competing at a puzzle competition as a team. There was a bit of romance, but more of it is implied. Rating: 4.2 stars
A Puzzling Weekend by Teresa Ives Lilly
This book involves a bed and breakfast in Pumpkin City, Pennsylvania. The pumpkin theme was fun. Considering all of the women who attend this jigsaw puzzle convention are connected in the past, determining who might hold a grudge was interesting. This one had a potential romance, but it was not really critical to the plot. Rating: 4.1 stars
Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap by Janice Thompson
This book felt like it had the most developed plot. A giant jigsaw puzzle swap sounds like a fun event - that is until someone was killed. This one was also hard to predict. The faith element was stronger in this one as well as the life lessons. I enjoyed that part of the story. Rating: 4.8 stars
If readers enjoy jigsaw puzzles, they will find something to like in this collection. I would classify it as a mystery with a bit of suspense and only some romance. The puzzles drive the plot.
Final overall rating: 4 stars
I did read a copy of this book through NetGalley. I wanted to review it. All opinions are my own.
December 21, 2024
Missing Pieces
4 Puzzling Cozy Mysteries
by Cynthia Hickey; Linda Baten Johnson; Teresa Ives Lilly; Janice Thompson
Barbour Publishing
Pub Date Jun 01 2022
Missing Pieces was provided to me by Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for review:
The meeting of jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts is bound to result in conflict. What could possibly go wrong?
What about four murders and a couple of thefts? Can these puzzling crimes be solved by piecing together clues?
It is Cee Cee's turn to host a jigsaw puzzle party in Apple Blossom, Arkansas, and everyone is expected to bring a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle that depicts something from the 1950s to work on. A vintage car show, vendors, live music, and a dance promise to make the night one to remember -- until an Elvis impersonator is murdered and a priceless puzzle goes missing.
The Puzzle King by Linda Baten JohnsonAuthor Linda Baten Johnson is the author of The Puzzle King
Jane participates in a jigsaw puzzle competition at the fairgrounds in Fargo, North Dakota. A fellow competitor is poisoned, and all suspects are confined at the hotel during the investigation. Jane is determined to use her puzzle-solving skills to solve the case.
A Puzzling Weekend by Teresa Ives LillyThere is something puzzling about Teresa Ives Lilly's A Puzzling Weekend
Tabitha's first event at her new bed and breakfast in Pumpkin City, Pennsylvania, will be a jigsaw puzzle mystery weekend. Everything is going well until the hired cook is found stabbed to death. In order to clear her name, Tabitha works with the handsome investigator and two wily beagle dogs.
Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap by Janice ThompsonJanice Thompson's Jigsaw Swap Mystery Mariah hopes to sell her large collection of puzzles at a jigsaw puzzle swap in Camden, Maine. When another vendor is stabbed to death, her most valuable puzzle is lost.
I give Missing Pieces four out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
4 Puzzling Cozy Mysteries
by Cynthia Hickey; Linda Baten Johnson; Teresa Ives Lilly; Janice Thompson
Barbour Publishing
Pub Date Jun 01 2022
Missing Pieces was provided to me by Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for review:
The meeting of jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts is bound to result in conflict. What could possibly go wrong?
What about four murders and a couple of thefts? Can these puzzling crimes be solved by piecing together clues?
It is Cee Cee's turn to host a jigsaw puzzle party in Apple Blossom, Arkansas, and everyone is expected to bring a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle that depicts something from the 1950s to work on. A vintage car show, vendors, live music, and a dance promise to make the night one to remember -- until an Elvis impersonator is murdered and a priceless puzzle goes missing.
The Puzzle King by Linda Baten JohnsonAuthor Linda Baten Johnson is the author of The Puzzle King
Jane participates in a jigsaw puzzle competition at the fairgrounds in Fargo, North Dakota. A fellow competitor is poisoned, and all suspects are confined at the hotel during the investigation. Jane is determined to use her puzzle-solving skills to solve the case.
A Puzzling Weekend by Teresa Ives LillyThere is something puzzling about Teresa Ives Lilly's A Puzzling Weekend
Tabitha's first event at her new bed and breakfast in Pumpkin City, Pennsylvania, will be a jigsaw puzzle mystery weekend. Everything is going well until the hired cook is found stabbed to death. In order to clear her name, Tabitha works with the handsome investigator and two wily beagle dogs.
Mystery at the Jigsaw Swap by Janice ThompsonJanice Thompson's Jigsaw Swap Mystery Mariah hopes to sell her large collection of puzzles at a jigsaw puzzle swap in Camden, Maine. When another vendor is stabbed to death, her most valuable puzzle is lost.
I give Missing Pieces four out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
May 13, 2022
I was really excited for this one, as someone who loves cozy mysteries and doesn't often see many within the Christian fiction genre. However, even with how much I was looking forward to reading it, I still ended up being blown away by just how amazing this lovely collection truly was. It's a wonderful, well crafted cozy mystery novella collection, and each title definitely kept me guessing right through until the end.
Each story features a jigsaw puzzle theme, and I was impressed with how each individual author made their story unique from the others, while still incorporating jigsaw puzzles as a big piece of the mystery.
I wasn't expecting each of the stories to be so well put together, especially the mysteries, considering each author only had a novella word count to work within. However, I ended up being pleasantly surprised, and really ended up enjoying the mysteries, the settings, and the three dimensional characters who all drew me right into their stories.
If I had to pick a favorite, it definitely would have been Teresa Ives Lilly's contribution, but I wholeheartedly enjoyed each one, and I hope Barbour plans to publish more like these in the future.
Final Rating: 5/5.
If you love cozy mysteries, jigsaw puzzles, and Christian fiction, then definitely go ahead and pick up this lovely and quirky novella collection, as I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.
Thanks so much to Barbour for allowing me to advance read and review this one!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Barbour) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Each story features a jigsaw puzzle theme, and I was impressed with how each individual author made their story unique from the others, while still incorporating jigsaw puzzles as a big piece of the mystery.
I wasn't expecting each of the stories to be so well put together, especially the mysteries, considering each author only had a novella word count to work within. However, I ended up being pleasantly surprised, and really ended up enjoying the mysteries, the settings, and the three dimensional characters who all drew me right into their stories.
If I had to pick a favorite, it definitely would have been Teresa Ives Lilly's contribution, but I wholeheartedly enjoyed each one, and I hope Barbour plans to publish more like these in the future.
Final Rating: 5/5.
If you love cozy mysteries, jigsaw puzzles, and Christian fiction, then definitely go ahead and pick up this lovely and quirky novella collection, as I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.
Thanks so much to Barbour for allowing me to advance read and review this one!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Barbour) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 17, 2022
** “We all have missing pieces. That’s part of the adventure of being a Christian. We have to learn to trust God to see what we can’t see. He’s working things out behind the scenes, even when we can’t see it.” **
Authors Cynthia Hickey, Linda Baten Johnson, Teresa Ives Lilly and Janice Thompson have joined forces to offer “Missing Pieces,” featuring four “Puzzling Cozy Mysteries.”
All four stories revolve around a jigsaw puzzle event — a ‘50s jigsaw party (“Elvis Has Left the Building”), the North Dakota state jigsaw championship (“The Puzzle King”), a mystery jigsaw puzzle weekend held at a bed and breakfast (“A Puzzling Weekend”), and an annual jigsaw puzzle show (“Puzzle Me This”).
Each story features the main female character solving a murder that occurs at their event. Filled with fun that will keep readers guessing, each author manages to throw in some good lessons in addition to their mystery, like giving up gossip; God can take away overwhelming fear; we should wait for God to put together the puzzle pieces of our lives; we all have a purpose and a plan; and the power of prayer (“Praying kept my mind from dwelling on the what-ifs that would choke me if I allowed them to”).
“Missing Pieces,” which is due out May 30, is a fun read for fans of jigsaw puzzles, mysteries, especially cozy mysteries, as well as stories with plucky female characters.
Five stars out of five.
Barbour Fiction provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.
Authors Cynthia Hickey, Linda Baten Johnson, Teresa Ives Lilly and Janice Thompson have joined forces to offer “Missing Pieces,” featuring four “Puzzling Cozy Mysteries.”
All four stories revolve around a jigsaw puzzle event — a ‘50s jigsaw party (“Elvis Has Left the Building”), the North Dakota state jigsaw championship (“The Puzzle King”), a mystery jigsaw puzzle weekend held at a bed and breakfast (“A Puzzling Weekend”), and an annual jigsaw puzzle show (“Puzzle Me This”).
Each story features the main female character solving a murder that occurs at their event. Filled with fun that will keep readers guessing, each author manages to throw in some good lessons in addition to their mystery, like giving up gossip; God can take away overwhelming fear; we should wait for God to put together the puzzle pieces of our lives; we all have a purpose and a plan; and the power of prayer (“Praying kept my mind from dwelling on the what-ifs that would choke me if I allowed them to”).
“Missing Pieces,” which is due out May 30, is a fun read for fans of jigsaw puzzles, mysteries, especially cozy mysteries, as well as stories with plucky female characters.
Five stars out of five.
Barbour Fiction provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.
June 6, 2022
This is a good collection of novellas centered around jigsaw puzzles. As is often the case with a collection, I found the quality of the writing and plot structure varied. I felt the first one was kind of silly. Going from place to place to keep from the bad guy seemed kind of dumb. Perhaps, as others have suggested, it was a parody of cozy mysteries. The second story offered a little information in that I did not know about puzzles where the cover picture does not accurately depict the puzzle inside. The cat shown on the cover may be orange when the cat in the puzzle may actually be gray. The third novella was most like the mysteries I enjoy. There is a murder and a person is framed for it. There are a limited number of suspects and there are even a couple of dogs who help solve the mystery. The last story had a weak heroine. She forgets to tell the police information in a timely manner and when she identifies the culprits, I'm not sure I understood at all how she solved the case.
This collection of novellas would be of interest to readers who also enjoy jigsaw puzzles. You'll find out a bit about them, be introduced to four authors, and enjoy solving mysteries at some level.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
This collection of novellas would be of interest to readers who also enjoy jigsaw puzzles. You'll find out a bit about them, be introduced to four authors, and enjoy solving mysteries at some level.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
May 27, 2022
The publisher has brought together four different faith-based cozy mysteries all centered on the theme of Jigsaw puzzles. Each was enjoyable and provided a few hours of fun reading.
For this reader the most enjoyable story was Janice Thompson’s “Puzzle Me This”. Set in the annual Camden Jigsaw Puzzle Show, Mariah was opening a new business - selling Jigsaw puzzles - but it seemed like it would be a failure from the start. First were the gunshots heard throughout the Camden Opera House, home to the show; then came the dead body found near Mariah’s booth; the first night ended with the missing, i.e. stolen, “Grindle Point '' antique puzzle valued at over $2500. That puzzle was the key to Mariah’s future success and now it was gone.
Mariah, working with other shop owners and Detective Casey Durham of the Camden PD, would follow (stumble on) clues which would lead to the guilty party. The clues not only guided Mariah and her friends, but they also provided tantalizing breadcrumbs for the reader, leading to a very satisfying conclusion. This final story, and the book, gets five stars.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.
For this reader the most enjoyable story was Janice Thompson’s “Puzzle Me This”. Set in the annual Camden Jigsaw Puzzle Show, Mariah was opening a new business - selling Jigsaw puzzles - but it seemed like it would be a failure from the start. First were the gunshots heard throughout the Camden Opera House, home to the show; then came the dead body found near Mariah’s booth; the first night ended with the missing, i.e. stolen, “Grindle Point '' antique puzzle valued at over $2500. That puzzle was the key to Mariah’s future success and now it was gone.
Mariah, working with other shop owners and Detective Casey Durham of the Camden PD, would follow (stumble on) clues which would lead to the guilty party. The clues not only guided Mariah and her friends, but they also provided tantalizing breadcrumbs for the reader, leading to a very satisfying conclusion. This final story, and the book, gets five stars.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.
May 25, 2022
I most enjoyed the first (Cynthia Hickey) and last (Janice Thompson) stories in this cozy-mystery collection! Thompson is one of my favorite inspy-fic authors, and if you enjoyed her here/want to read more, I definitely recommend her "Weddings by Bella" series, book 1 being "Fools Rush In."
Both authors' stories were amusing and enjoyable. Frankly, they all were--so let me rephrase. Hickey's and Thompson's stories were the most well written. I found Johnson's and Lilly's to be overly wordy and telling the reader way too many minute details (i.e. step-by-step how the MC opened a door) rather than advancing the story.
The mysteries were all intriguing, and I enjoyed them all being jigsaw-puzzle based. (I was amused to note I'm one of the "scattered" puzzle solvers, starting with edges but totally moving around to different sections, lol.) And the timing was perfect, as I'll be going on vacation soon and will defo be working on some puzzles (maybe even an Alphabet Mystery puzzle) with my dad!
Would I pick up the collection again? Probably not. But it was a fun way to while away a few hours.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Both authors' stories were amusing and enjoyable. Frankly, they all were--so let me rephrase. Hickey's and Thompson's stories were the most well written. I found Johnson's and Lilly's to be overly wordy and telling the reader way too many minute details (i.e. step-by-step how the MC opened a door) rather than advancing the story.
The mysteries were all intriguing, and I enjoyed them all being jigsaw-puzzle based. (I was amused to note I'm one of the "scattered" puzzle solvers, starting with edges but totally moving around to different sections, lol.) And the timing was perfect, as I'll be going on vacation soon and will defo be working on some puzzles (maybe even an Alphabet Mystery puzzle) with my dad!
Would I pick up the collection again? Probably not. But it was a fun way to while away a few hours.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
May 7, 2022
3.5 stars
This is a collection of short cozy mysteries with jigsaw puzzle events providing the backdrop for each mystery. Each novelette provides interesting characters, quirky circumstances, and colourful illustrations of the jigsaw world.
Each story features a murder of someone participating in a jigsaw puzzle event – a puzzle party, a competition, a weekend getaway, and a puzzle swap.
Some stories are more engaging than others, but they are all light reads (as much as a cozy murder mystery story can be).
A fun collection, just in time for summer reading.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is a collection of short cozy mysteries with jigsaw puzzle events providing the backdrop for each mystery. Each novelette provides interesting characters, quirky circumstances, and colourful illustrations of the jigsaw world.
Each story features a murder of someone participating in a jigsaw puzzle event – a puzzle party, a competition, a weekend getaway, and a puzzle swap.
Some stories are more engaging than others, but they are all light reads (as much as a cozy murder mystery story can be).
A fun collection, just in time for summer reading.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 17, 2022
I have enjoyed the previous mystery novellas that Barbour has published, but Missing Pieces didn't draw me in as quickly. The four stories are based around the theme of jigsaw puzzles. Mysteries are cozy in nature with each protagonist is a woman who finds herself in a middle of a murder investigation.
The novella collection is a great way to read authors new to you and see if you find a favorite new author. Cynthia Hickey and Janice Thompson have many other full length mysteries and there contributions to this book are enjoyable.
I received a complimentary copy of Missing Pieces through NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.
The novella collection is a great way to read authors new to you and see if you find a favorite new author. Cynthia Hickey and Janice Thompson have many other full length mysteries and there contributions to this book are enjoyable.
I received a complimentary copy of Missing Pieces through NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.
June 21, 2022
The people in Apple Blossom, Arkansas are friendly and like to have fun. Most of all they seem to like solving boxed puzzles. When we meet the Cecily Adams, she and the neighbors are involved in giving a Puzzle Party. The jigsaw puzzle and everything else points to Elvis Pressley, their Fifties Rock And Roll singer. It's fun remembering the velvet paintings and other memorabilia.
Cynthia Hickey gently leads us to murder. Why? whodunnit? Become almost more exciting than the murder. It's a cozy filled with excitement. It's a chance to meet another Elvis Impersonator and say one more good-bye..Remember "Blue Hawaii?"
Cynthia Hickey gently leads us to murder. Why? whodunnit? Become almost more exciting than the murder. It's a cozy filled with excitement. It's a chance to meet another Elvis Impersonator and say one more good-bye..Remember "Blue Hawaii?"
May 15, 2022
Each of these four novellas feature puzzles and murders. The story's all revolve around putting puzzles together, or selling boxes of puzzles, and each is unique, with different characters and culprits, but all keep you guessing, and page turning for answers!
You can sit down and read one, and then save the next, or if you are like me you won't be able to stop at one!
Fun summer reads to enjoy!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.
June 10, 2022
Missing Pieces brings together 4 mystery novellas fashioned around the theme of jigsaw puzzles. While writing styles for each was different, the novellas were fast paced and kept the reader guessing. Not only were we tasked at figuring out who done it, we were also invited to learn some things about jigsaw puzzles. I for one love both mysteries and putting together jigsaw puzzles on a quiet night. With all of the different writing styles, I am not sure that I could choose my favorite. I received an advanced copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.
December 30, 2022
Missing Pieces: 4 Puzzling Cozy Mysteries by Cynthia Hickey, Linda Baten Johnson, Teresa Ives Lilly, and Janice Thompson is a wonderful collection of short stories based on the lives of jigsaw puzzle fans. This book is a fun collection. I really enjoyed the short length of the stories and found them really interesting despite the shortness of the stories. This is the perfect book for a quick weekend getaway. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
July 8, 2024
Overall: if you're looking for quick murder mysteries involving jigsaw puzzles and cheesiness, you've found the right book. If you're looking for realistic crime literature, this is not the book for you. 3.5/5 overall
Here are some notes about each of the 4 short stories:
#1. Cheesy in a cute way, Hallmark-y, lots of Elvis - 4/5
#2. Still cheesy but less cute, a little confusing - 3/5
#3. Most idyllic setting, most gruesome murder (gruesome for a Hallmark-y story), lots of pumpkins - 4/5
#4. Least believable (premise, characters, motive)- 3/4
Here are some notes about each of the 4 short stories:
#1. Cheesy in a cute way, Hallmark-y, lots of Elvis - 4/5
#2. Still cheesy but less cute, a little confusing - 3/5
#3. Most idyllic setting, most gruesome murder (gruesome for a Hallmark-y story), lots of pumpkins - 4/5
#4. Least believable (premise, characters, motive)- 3/4
November 20, 2024
This book was a little daunting from the outside simply just because of its size, but the second you start each book inside it flies by.
I assumed from the outside that most of the books would be exactly the same because how can you come up with four different murder mystery books involving jigsaw puzzles, but they were each unique.
Not only were they unique but they were complementary. They smoothly went into the next one even though they were each very different plots.
I would definitely recommend this for a good cozy read!
Happy Reading!
I assumed from the outside that most of the books would be exactly the same because how can you come up with four different murder mystery books involving jigsaw puzzles, but they were each unique.
Not only were they unique but they were complementary. They smoothly went into the next one even though they were each very different plots.
I would definitely recommend this for a good cozy read!
Happy Reading!
December 1, 2025
This collection of 4 cozy mystery stories all involve jigsaw puzzles in some way. I liked the mystery elements of all of the stories but there was no indication going in that all 4 stories (especially the last one) would have strong themes of faith as well. That's something that would've impacted my purchase if it had been clear (I avoid religious books by personal choice) so I'm rating it in the middle.
Find all my reviews at: https://readingatrandom.blogspot.com
Find all my reviews at: https://readingatrandom.blogspot.com
October 3, 2023
This is the second Christian cozy mystery collection that l've read. This one was about puzzles. All four stories were great and held my attention. They was stand alone and took place in different states and had different woman sleuths at each a different point. Besides that there was a fun mystery and mention of faith in each.
November 27, 2023
During this busy week of Thanksgiving, Christmas prep and preparing to travel, I just wanted a fun and simple book to read. I was also considering if it would be right for my sister along with the jigsaw puzzle I got her for Christmas. I think she’d like it. It was quick and easy reading with good plots and interesting characters.
May 25, 2025
If you like mysteries, cozies, and puzzles, this is the book for you! I really enjoyed these four short puzzle-themed stories by four different authors: Cynthia Hickey, Linda Baten Johnson, Teresa Ives Lilly, and Janice Thompson. Each one was well-written, fun, and intriguing, and it provided satisfying conclusions for the reader.
A fun read for any cozy or puzzle enthusiast.
A fun read for any cozy or puzzle enthusiast.
June 10, 2022
I liked these cozy mysteries. They're nice novella and share the Jigsaw them. I found them entertaining and compelling.
I had fun and they kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I had fun and they kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
October 26, 2022
This included 4 stories about puzzles and murder. Very cute and funny despite the murders. Elvis has left the Building, The Puzzle King-Linda Baten Johnson, A Puzzling Weekend-Teresa Ives Lilly & Puzzle Me This-Janice Thompson, 446 pages.
June 28, 2023
Overall I enjoyed this, although I felt that some things weren't explained very well. In the last story I found it odd that a couple had been dating for 18 months, but the woman was surprised to hear that the man went to church.
June 25, 2022
Cute mysteries! I like the last one the best.
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