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Apple Orchard #17
Muffin But Trouble
When you’re an amateur sleuth, you’ve always got baggage…
…and that means you never get a vacation from murder.
Chelsea, Teeny, and Miss May are trying to have a fun trip to Los Angeles.
But they’ve barely checked in to their hotel when they get a call from their old friends Amy and Petunia…
There’s been a murder!
Worse yet, all the evidence seems to point to everyone's favorite dog groomer... Betsy! This is not good for Betsy. And it's not good for our vacationing Pine Grove ladies, either.
Chelsea wants to enjoy the sunshine and celebrities of SoCal. Miss May wants to sample the pies. Teeny wants to eat every meal at Sprinkles Cupcakes.
But first they’ve got to catch a killer. Because death never takes a day off.
You’ll love this cozy because everyone loves a suspenseful murder mystery with lots of sweet treats and adorable pets.
Get it now.
…and that means you never get a vacation from murder.
Chelsea, Teeny, and Miss May are trying to have a fun trip to Los Angeles.
But they’ve barely checked in to their hotel when they get a call from their old friends Amy and Petunia…
There’s been a murder!
Worse yet, all the evidence seems to point to everyone's favorite dog groomer... Betsy! This is not good for Betsy. And it's not good for our vacationing Pine Grove ladies, either.
Chelsea wants to enjoy the sunshine and celebrities of SoCal. Miss May wants to sample the pies. Teeny wants to eat every meal at Sprinkles Cupcakes.
But first they’ve got to catch a killer. Because death never takes a day off.
You’ll love this cozy because everyone loves a suspenseful murder mystery with lots of sweet treats and adorable pets.
Get it now.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2023
157 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Chelsea Thomas
56 books807 followersEveryone loves a secret.
So here's a good one...
...Chelsea Thomas is technically two people, married writing team Chelsea and Matthew Thomas.
Matt and Chelsea write cozy mysteries set on an apple orchard in upstate New York. They also write television and film. As screenwriters, they have worked with several studios, including Nickelodeon, SONY and CBS.
Chelsea and Matt are graduates of Duke University and they are members of the Writers Guild of America. And they are USA Today Bestselling authors.
Chelsea enjoys spending time with animals and practicing yoga. Matt loves playing music. They both enjoy spending time near the water.
Want a free novella PLUS a free cozy mystery cookbook?
Join the Chelsea Thomas Reader Club at www.chelseathomasauthor.com.
So here's a good one...
...Chelsea Thomas is technically two people, married writing team Chelsea and Matthew Thomas.
Matt and Chelsea write cozy mysteries set on an apple orchard in upstate New York. They also write television and film. As screenwriters, they have worked with several studios, including Nickelodeon, SONY and CBS.
Chelsea and Matt are graduates of Duke University and they are members of the Writers Guild of America. And they are USA Today Bestselling authors.
Chelsea enjoys spending time with animals and practicing yoga. Matt loves playing music. They both enjoy spending time near the water.
Want a free novella PLUS a free cozy mystery cookbook?
Join the Chelsea Thomas Reader Club at www.chelseathomasauthor.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
April 17, 2023
Thank you Team Thomas for the free book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.
Chelsea, Miss May and Teeny, plus Wayne, are in Los Angeles for a relaxing vacation. Or so they think. Upon arrival, they receive a message from their friend Petunia, a transplant from back home, that a murder has been committed and she wants the trio's help to solve it! Petunia and her granddaughter Amy normally solve the murders in their small community but with a petapalooza event coming up soon, their grooming shop is swamped. Their best friend has been arrested for doing the deed so they're extra motivated to get this case solved quickly and not wait for the police. Wayne teams up with fellow cop and Amy's boyfriend, Mike to attempt to solve this one. As usual, the trio of ladies is on the case and ready for anything. A big Hollywood producer was shot in her car outside the local diner. It sounds like everyone in Hollywood had a motive for murder but was that a red herring and it's actually her personal life that got her killed? The search for the killer takes the sleuths to Hollywood, Los Angeles and Petunia and Amy's small town before they can save the day.
This story was engaging enough to keep my attention the whole time. I did not figure out who the killer was because there were too many obvious suspects. However, I have outgrown this style of writing. All the dialogue was juvenile and unrealistic and none of the sleuthing made much sense. The food sounded good but Teeny is on vacation and not cooking this time. The red herrings in the plot were a little more interesting than the actual mystery. The constant deliberate misspellings using "alright" instead of "all right" and "donut" instead of "doughnut" (in spite of me mentioning them directly to Chelsea) drove me up a wall. As did the lazy descriptions of using race, ethnicity and religion to describe people. Don't do that, especially not in post-2020. Chelsea and Matt are young enough to know better even if they've been in North Carolina for a year or so.
So I missed something or forgot something because there's been a major development in Chelsea's life. She's too nervous or something to let Miss May and Teeny know. I don't like how she hides her big news and neither does Wayne. It makes her seem insecure and unsure of what she wants and in turn makes HIM feel insecure and unsure of Chelsea. Chelsea has come a long way in confidence when it comes to sleuthing though. She just walks right onto a movie set and acts like she belongs. She only babbles once in the story and sometimes her plans go awry thanks to Teeny. Teeny is more immature than Chelsea. She's impulsive, hot tempered, jealous and petty- yet she's so likable! Her banter with Miss May is supposed to be funny and comforting but I found it rather tiring. It went on too long. Miss May is awesome in this book. She goes into lawyer mode a few times and does her thing. She impresses a lot of people because she comes across as so intimidating.
Petunia is still crusty but she has changed since moving to LA. She's more focused on something positive and more caring towards others. Amy has been receiving relationship advice from Chelsea and now he's confident and happy with Mike. Mike seems nice but not terribly bright. Their friend Betsy is crazy. She's eccentric and quirky in a fun way but she also has anger management issues. I don't think she's the murderer though. She's too nice and a big fan of Chelsea, Miss May and Teeny. Killing someone just to meet them is not her style. Amy's friend Jess is sarcastic and witty. She's not very friendly or warm but she's honest and forthcoming with the sleuths once she finds out who they are and what they want. She's protective of her friends.
Movie producer Rayna Kim was the most hated woman in Hollywood. She had a number of hit movies (and many not so hit) and the arrogance to go with it. She felt the need to be rude and yell at literally everyone, from diner servers in a small town to everyone on a movie set. Alex Yukon, Rayna's producing partner, is the prime suspect. He's equally nasty and cold and callous too. He has no love lost for Rayna and for him, the show must go on. Yes he has valid reasons but he's super nasty and mean to everyone around him. He's cutthroat and would have left Rayna in the dust if it meant furthering his own career. With friends like that, who needs enemies? Suspect #2 is Jeremy Sanderson, an aspiring screenwriter. He, too, has a giant ego and an inflated sense of his own importance. He thinks his writing is the greatest thing since sliced bread and expects everyone else to fawn over him. He can't even accept constructive criticism from critique partners, let alone rejection from Rayna. It seems a little too obvious though for him to have killed her for rejecting his script. However, what if Rayna was stealing scripts and passing them off as her own or someone else's or just stealing the outline and making movies based on someone else's ideas without paying them? That to me sounds like a more valid and interesting reason for a character to commit murder.
Rayna was divorced and locked in a custody battle with her ex, whom she referred to as "Monster." Yikes! It sounds like she had a son and he hasn't lived with her for awhile. I get the impression she did love her boy in her own way but she sounds like she was probably never home and probably had high expectations for her boy. I wonder what her ex is like? He turns out to be a huge surprise. Not what I expected from a monster at all. The school headmaster is super lazy and rude but OH so realistic! The budget always comes first! Even if the kids have wealthy parents who can afford to send them to another school, those 5 kids deserve the right to stay in a school with their friends where they've been all along. They deserve the best education possible and to be happy and like school all at the same time. Yes I know this scenario is the reality and the norm. My sister deals with it all the time as a school psychologist and I, too, have seen it as a museum educator. SO I DO think Rayna would have committed murder but do I think the headmaster would have killed HER? I doubt it. He does seem the nervous type though and isn't fully honest with the trio.
This wasn't my favorite mystery but I am curious to know what's next for Chelsea.
Chelsea, Miss May and Teeny, plus Wayne, are in Los Angeles for a relaxing vacation. Or so they think. Upon arrival, they receive a message from their friend Petunia, a transplant from back home, that a murder has been committed and she wants the trio's help to solve it! Petunia and her granddaughter Amy normally solve the murders in their small community but with a petapalooza event coming up soon, their grooming shop is swamped. Their best friend has been arrested for doing the deed so they're extra motivated to get this case solved quickly and not wait for the police. Wayne teams up with fellow cop and Amy's boyfriend, Mike to attempt to solve this one. As usual, the trio of ladies is on the case and ready for anything. A big Hollywood producer was shot in her car outside the local diner. It sounds like everyone in Hollywood had a motive for murder but was that a red herring and it's actually her personal life that got her killed? The search for the killer takes the sleuths to Hollywood, Los Angeles and Petunia and Amy's small town before they can save the day.
This story was engaging enough to keep my attention the whole time. I did not figure out who the killer was because there were too many obvious suspects. However, I have outgrown this style of writing. All the dialogue was juvenile and unrealistic and none of the sleuthing made much sense. The food sounded good but Teeny is on vacation and not cooking this time. The red herrings in the plot were a little more interesting than the actual mystery. The constant deliberate misspellings using "alright" instead of "all right" and "donut" instead of "doughnut" (in spite of me mentioning them directly to Chelsea) drove me up a wall. As did the lazy descriptions of using race, ethnicity and religion to describe people. Don't do that, especially not in post-2020. Chelsea and Matt are young enough to know better even if they've been in North Carolina for a year or so.
So I missed something or forgot something because there's been a major development in Chelsea's life. She's too nervous or something to let Miss May and Teeny know. I don't like how she hides her big news and neither does Wayne. It makes her seem insecure and unsure of what she wants and in turn makes HIM feel insecure and unsure of Chelsea. Chelsea has come a long way in confidence when it comes to sleuthing though. She just walks right onto a movie set and acts like she belongs. She only babbles once in the story and sometimes her plans go awry thanks to Teeny. Teeny is more immature than Chelsea. She's impulsive, hot tempered, jealous and petty- yet she's so likable! Her banter with Miss May is supposed to be funny and comforting but I found it rather tiring. It went on too long. Miss May is awesome in this book. She goes into lawyer mode a few times and does her thing. She impresses a lot of people because she comes across as so intimidating.
Petunia is still crusty but she has changed since moving to LA. She's more focused on something positive and more caring towards others. Amy has been receiving relationship advice from Chelsea and now he's confident and happy with Mike. Mike seems nice but not terribly bright. Their friend Betsy is crazy. She's eccentric and quirky in a fun way but she also has anger management issues. I don't think she's the murderer though. She's too nice and a big fan of Chelsea, Miss May and Teeny. Killing someone just to meet them is not her style. Amy's friend Jess is sarcastic and witty. She's not very friendly or warm but she's honest and forthcoming with the sleuths once she finds out who they are and what they want. She's protective of her friends.
Movie producer Rayna Kim was the most hated woman in Hollywood. She had a number of hit movies (and many not so hit) and the arrogance to go with it. She felt the need to be rude and yell at literally everyone, from diner servers in a small town to everyone on a movie set. Alex Yukon, Rayna's producing partner, is the prime suspect. He's equally nasty and cold and callous too. He has no love lost for Rayna and for him, the show must go on. Yes he has valid reasons but he's super nasty and mean to everyone around him. He's cutthroat and would have left Rayna in the dust if it meant furthering his own career. With friends like that, who needs enemies? Suspect #2 is Jeremy Sanderson, an aspiring screenwriter. He, too, has a giant ego and an inflated sense of his own importance. He thinks his writing is the greatest thing since sliced bread and expects everyone else to fawn over him. He can't even accept constructive criticism from critique partners, let alone rejection from Rayna. It seems a little too obvious though for him to have killed her for rejecting his script. However, what if Rayna was stealing scripts and passing them off as her own or someone else's or just stealing the outline and making movies based on someone else's ideas without paying them? That to me sounds like a more valid and interesting reason for a character to commit murder.
Rayna was divorced and locked in a custody battle with her ex, whom she referred to as "Monster." Yikes! It sounds like she had a son and he hasn't lived with her for awhile. I get the impression she did love her boy in her own way but she sounds like she was probably never home and probably had high expectations for her boy. I wonder what her ex is like? He turns out to be a huge surprise. Not what I expected from a monster at all. The school headmaster is super lazy and rude but OH so realistic! The budget always comes first! Even if the kids have wealthy parents who can afford to send them to another school, those 5 kids deserve the right to stay in a school with their friends where they've been all along. They deserve the best education possible and to be happy and like school all at the same time. Yes I know this scenario is the reality and the norm. My sister deals with it all the time as a school psychologist and I, too, have seen it as a museum educator. SO I DO think Rayna would have committed murder but do I think the headmaster would have killed HER? I doubt it. He does seem the nervous type though and isn't fully honest with the trio.
This wasn't my favorite mystery but I am curious to know what's next for Chelsea.
December 26, 2022
Teeny, Miss May and Chelsea and her fiancé Wayne are taking a vacation to LA to celebrate their engagement and to see their old friends Petunia and Amy. Rest and relaxation? Well not exactly. They get a call from Petunia about a dead body. So goes the hope of a relaxing vacation! This is the first book I have read by Chelsea Thomas and I highly recommend this book. It definitely kept my interest and it was a fun read. Suspects abound and keep you guessing!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 5, 2023
"You'll love this installment in the apple orchard mysteries because everyone loves quirky characters and exciting adventures!"
I loved the quirky misadventures that take place in this story. This is the first book I've read by this author but it won't be the last.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved the quirky misadventures that take place in this story. This is the first book I've read by this author but it won't be the last.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 29, 2023
Muffin but Trouble is another great adventure with Miss May, Teeny and Chelsea along with Wayne taking a “vacation” to California. Where they run into their old pals, Petunia and Amy, plus some new characters. Of course murder and mayhem follow them everywhere, plus a lot of dogs and and a dog costume contest. A bunch of twists and turns and a surprise at the end. Pure Chelsea fun. :-D.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 20, 2022
It's time for vacation for the sleuths of Pine Grove. Chelsea, Miss May, and Teeny -- along with Chelsea's cop boyfriend, Wayne Hudson, are heading to LA. Unfortunately, when they arrive, they're waylaid by their friends Amy and Petunia, who moved to LA some time back to open a dog grooming business. It seems Amy's friend and employee Betsy is suspected of murder in the death of movie producer Rayna Kim -- all because Betsy TP'd her house right before the death. Now they're back on duty, hoping to free Betsy and find a killer before their vacation time is up...and the killer figures out what they're doing...
The really unfortunate part is the fact that Rayna didn't have any friends, but she sure had a lot of enemies. The problem is they don't know where to look or who to start with, and this time they might find themselves in a real Hollywood murder mystery ending...
I have read this series for awhile now, and I have loved every one of these. This book is a crossover between Ms. Thomas's two series, The Apple Orchard Mysteries and The Dog Groomer Mysteries. While Amy and Petunia are way too busy trying to get dogs ready for the annual Halloween pup parade, they've called on their sleuth counterparts from New York to help them. Unfortunately, the three Pine Grove women have no idea how to navigate Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. They're helped somewhat by Amy's friends, and Wayne has found a true friend in Amy's cop boyfriend Mike. The two have bonded and Wayne is hanging out with Mike to see what they can find out on the murder.
But when Chelsea, Teeny, and Miss May start investigating, there is no stopping them. Not even gaining entrance to movie studios -- and other exclusive areas. These three are on a mission not only to free Betsy, but to sample every type of food they can while they're at it.
Following them along their trail makes you hungry. It also makes you want to figure out who the killer might be. Did this woman make any friends, or just enemies along the way? Not wanting to say more because I don't want to give the plot away, you'll just need to read this yourself. You'll have a fun ride through the streets of LA (and its restaurants).
When the killer is discovered, the answers come surprisingly with a strange clue that shocks Chelsea. But there is more in store, and you'll love the ending. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy from BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.
The really unfortunate part is the fact that Rayna didn't have any friends, but she sure had a lot of enemies. The problem is they don't know where to look or who to start with, and this time they might find themselves in a real Hollywood murder mystery ending...
I have read this series for awhile now, and I have loved every one of these. This book is a crossover between Ms. Thomas's two series, The Apple Orchard Mysteries and The Dog Groomer Mysteries. While Amy and Petunia are way too busy trying to get dogs ready for the annual Halloween pup parade, they've called on their sleuth counterparts from New York to help them. Unfortunately, the three Pine Grove women have no idea how to navigate Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. They're helped somewhat by Amy's friends, and Wayne has found a true friend in Amy's cop boyfriend Mike. The two have bonded and Wayne is hanging out with Mike to see what they can find out on the murder.
But when Chelsea, Teeny, and Miss May start investigating, there is no stopping them. Not even gaining entrance to movie studios -- and other exclusive areas. These three are on a mission not only to free Betsy, but to sample every type of food they can while they're at it.
Following them along their trail makes you hungry. It also makes you want to figure out who the killer might be. Did this woman make any friends, or just enemies along the way? Not wanting to say more because I don't want to give the plot away, you'll just need to read this yourself. You'll have a fun ride through the streets of LA (and its restaurants).
When the killer is discovered, the answers come surprisingly with a strange clue that shocks Chelsea. But there is more in store, and you'll love the ending. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy from BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.
February 15, 2023
Chelsea, Miss May, Teeny and Wayne are in LA for a vacation. Chelsea is newly engaged but hiding the news for now as the group got an SOS call fro Petunia and Amy friends from back east now in LA and who have a murder on their hands. So we have a crossover between the Apple Orchard ladies and the Dog Groomer group. Betsy wacky member of the latter has been arrested for the murder of a producer who trashed her latest screenplay. While the former are on unfamiliar turf they’re no less enthusiastic about solving a crime and helping some old friends out of a jam.
This is crossover light. I’m 70 percent of the way through the book and the most the LA trio have appeared is when Betsy got sprung from jail and they went for tacos. They do interact a bit more at the end but it still wasn’t very prominent. What is the point of going to LA and being set in the other series universe if they’re not going to play a significant role in the story. If this is supposed to be a vacation mystery then why have the other characters appear at all, or why not go anywhere other than LA. This irks me, a lot. I don’t know why it just does. I’ve read books in both series and they’re enjoyable enough but this one just didn’t work for me. The characters do a whole lot of running around but in the end the wrap up comes out of nowhere. For me this is a pass, skip it and read the next in series. My two cents. Your mileage may vary.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is crossover light. I’m 70 percent of the way through the book and the most the LA trio have appeared is when Betsy got sprung from jail and they went for tacos. They do interact a bit more at the end but it still wasn’t very prominent. What is the point of going to LA and being set in the other series universe if they’re not going to play a significant role in the story. If this is supposed to be a vacation mystery then why have the other characters appear at all, or why not go anywhere other than LA. This irks me, a lot. I don’t know why it just does. I’ve read books in both series and they’re enjoyable enough but this one just didn’t work for me. The characters do a whole lot of running around but in the end the wrap up comes out of nowhere. For me this is a pass, skip it and read the next in series. My two cents. Your mileage may vary.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 23, 2022
It's vacation time for Chelsea, Teeny and Miss May and Wayne, Chelsea's fiance (shhh don't tell anyone) came with them to LA. The trip brought back some memories Miss May had when she worked as a lawyer there in the city. But all good intentions sometimes gets sidetracked. Just as they were getting settled in their hotel rooms, Miss May gets a call from an old friend, Petunia, who used to live in Pine Grove too but moved and opened a pet grooming shop with her granddaughter, Amy. It seems there was a murder and one of their shop's groomers was arrested and put in jail. Petunia and Amy are sure their groomer, Betsy, was innocent and Petunia and Amy wanted Miss May, Chelsea and Teeny to find the murderer and free Betsy. In the meanwhile, Chelsea doesn't want to wear her engagement ring or to tell Miss May or Teeny that she and Wayne were engaged. She wanted to tell them at the right time and investigating a murder just wasn't it. And so it begins. There are so many twists and turns suspects but all with alibis. Well who committed the murder? Can Betsy really have done it? This is a fun mystery and the 17th book in an incredible series that grabs your attention and holds on! I can't wait to see what's next in the series. Will Chelsea and Wayne actually make it to the altar? I highly recommend this series. I received and ARC of this book but the opinions here are strictly my own.
January 5, 2023
I enjoyed this book. Not many authors can keep a series feeling fresh and still entertaining but with book 17 in the series that is exactly what this author has done. I love that the amateur sleuths were taken out of there comfort zone and investigate a murder in a big and colour city, it's also fun having a cross over story with characters from another series. The characters work well together and also played off each other bringing humour to the story. The mystery was good with plenty of suspects and with so much going on I had no clue who the killer was. The story kept me hooked until the very end and was easy to picture. I can't wait to see what the author has in store for the characters next.
Chelsea, Wayne, Teeny and Miss May arrive in Los Angeles to find there holiday plans have changed. Former residents of Pine Grove Amy and Petunia need there help, there friend as been arrested for murder of a big time film producer. Amy and Petunia would normally investigate themselves but with a big dog show days away they are to busy to wave more than a brush. Can Chelsea, Miss May and Teeny survive the cut throat film industry to find a killer?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Chelsea, Wayne, Teeny and Miss May arrive in Los Angeles to find there holiday plans have changed. Former residents of Pine Grove Amy and Petunia need there help, there friend as been arrested for murder of a big time film producer. Amy and Petunia would normally investigate themselves but with a big dog show days away they are to busy to wave more than a brush. Can Chelsea, Miss May and Teeny survive the cut throat film industry to find a killer?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 1, 2023
Chelsea Thomas is an accomplished cozey author and I have been following this particular series since the beginning enjoying each and every one. Each time I read one of her cozey mysterys I think well it can't get better than this and each time I read the next Ms.Thomas has made me correct that thought because each mystery is better than the last and each one prior has been hard to top but its been a pleasure to have been wrong because once again the marvelous array of vibrant, colorful, quirky constant characters of amateur sleuths have had an intriguing mayhem of clues in an electric array of deaths to try to solve, this time they are the furthest away from home to-date but it dosen't stop them from their inner need to help find the bad guy.These woman draw you in with their comical antics and heartwarming personalities while the intrigue of the who done draws you in further with the alluring plot keeping you turning page after page until you've reached its unexpected and climatic conclusion. Acquire " Muffin But Trouble " today because if you enjoy a fabulous cozey mystery with mayhem and murder you won't want to miss this intriguing and enjoyable entertainment. Kat.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 11, 2023
4.5 Stars: My first book by the author, but won't be my last. It's a bit more zany and quirky than I am used to my cozies being, but it was entertaining and fast-paced with quite a bit of humor thrown in. I'll admit that poor Teeny aggravated me a bit at first, but I grew to enjoy her antics. The oddball characters are what really elevate this book when all is said and done.
The murder mystery was also good however, with plenty of red herrings, suspects and twists to keep me guessing. Incidentally, there's a lot of eating and good food descriptions in the book, which made me hungry more than once!
Fans of Thomas's work will want to note that this is a crossover with her Dog Groomer series. Since I am new to her, it didn't mean much to me, but if I was a fan, it would have added an extra element to the book.
Humor, light-hearted, well developed eccentric characters, red herrings and suspects abound. Fans of off the wall cozies will enjoy this one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The murder mystery was also good however, with plenty of red herrings, suspects and twists to keep me guessing. Incidentally, there's a lot of eating and good food descriptions in the book, which made me hungry more than once!
Fans of Thomas's work will want to note that this is a crossover with her Dog Groomer series. Since I am new to her, it didn't mean much to me, but if I was a fan, it would have added an extra element to the book.
Humor, light-hearted, well developed eccentric characters, red herrings and suspects abound. Fans of off the wall cozies will enjoy this one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 26, 2022
This is book 17 of the apple orchard cozy mystery series.
This latest installment finds Chelsea, Wayne, Teeny and Miss May in Los Angeles on vacation. However, when they arrived at their hotel there was a message from their friend Amy saying there has been a murder at Petunia's Pet Salon and their help was desperately needed. The victim was movie producer Rayna Kim who was shot in her car parked behind the Big Baby Diner. Their employee/friend Betsy was picked up as the murder suspect because she had toilet papered Rayna's home the night before after having her screenplay rejected. Wayne and Mike, Amy's police officer boyfriend, team up to solve the mystery from one angle and the ladies from another angle. What follows is a series of suspects and clues (and another dead body) the ladies diligently investigate before solving the mystery.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This latest installment finds Chelsea, Wayne, Teeny and Miss May in Los Angeles on vacation. However, when they arrived at their hotel there was a message from their friend Amy saying there has been a murder at Petunia's Pet Salon and their help was desperately needed. The victim was movie producer Rayna Kim who was shot in her car parked behind the Big Baby Diner. Their employee/friend Betsy was picked up as the murder suspect because she had toilet papered Rayna's home the night before after having her screenplay rejected. Wayne and Mike, Amy's police officer boyfriend, team up to solve the mystery from one angle and the ladies from another angle. What follows is a series of suspects and clues (and another dead body) the ladies diligently investigate before solving the mystery.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 5, 2023
Another great installment in this series with Chelsea, her Aunt May and friend Teeny. I can’t help but laugh with some of the situations that Chelsea gets into while investigating search for clues as to who the murder could be.
Miss May, Teeny, Wayne and Chelsea head to LA for a vacation after solving a number a murders back home in Pine Grove, NY. They barely arrive when Miss May gets a call from Petunia asking them to come to her and her granddaughter Amy’s Pet Salon in Toluca Lake.
The four head out to at least find out what is going on. Come to find out, one of their employees Betsy has been taken in for the murder of a movie producer. Wayne joins forces with one of the police TL police officers, Mike, to keep in touch with what information the police know. As Petunia and Amy are overworked at the pet salon in preparation for a dog parade, they leave the investigation up to the 3 women sleuths from NY.
Miss May, Teeny, Wayne and Chelsea head to LA for a vacation after solving a number a murders back home in Pine Grove, NY. They barely arrive when Miss May gets a call from Petunia asking them to come to her and her granddaughter Amy’s Pet Salon in Toluca Lake.
The four head out to at least find out what is going on. Come to find out, one of their employees Betsy has been taken in for the murder of a movie producer. Wayne joins forces with one of the police TL police officers, Mike, to keep in touch with what information the police know. As Petunia and Amy are overworked at the pet salon in preparation for a dog parade, they leave the investigation up to the 3 women sleuths from NY.
March 29, 2023
There is always another mystery to solve, something our heroine is very familiar with. Another vacation trip is at risk if she can't solve this one quickly enough.
This is book seventeen in the series, but it is written as a standalone. All the essentials are covered early on.
This is a clean cozy mystery filled with plenty of humor and all the little elements you would expect from a cozy mystery. If you are looking for a gritty realistic action book with hot romance, this is not it. But if you like small towns, interesting characters and the occasional witty banter, this one should do the trick. The story is well written with an easy to follow plot, but that does not mean an easy to solve mystery. There are enough twists and turns during the investigation to keep the reader guessing until the end and only a little bit of drama. Overall it was a pleasant and relaxing read.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
This is book seventeen in the series, but it is written as a standalone. All the essentials are covered early on.
This is a clean cozy mystery filled with plenty of humor and all the little elements you would expect from a cozy mystery. If you are looking for a gritty realistic action book with hot romance, this is not it. But if you like small towns, interesting characters and the occasional witty banter, this one should do the trick. The story is well written with an easy to follow plot, but that does not mean an easy to solve mystery. There are enough twists and turns during the investigation to keep the reader guessing until the end and only a little bit of drama. Overall it was a pleasant and relaxing read.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
December 23, 2022
A Very Short "Vacation" . . .
Miss May, Chelsea and Teeny are taking a vacation trip to Los Angeles when they are sidetracked by old friends Petunia and Amy who need their help clearing an employee, Betsy, of the murder of Hollywood producer Rayna Kim! Because the producer was not well liked in Hollywood, there is a very large suspect list to follow and our team doesn’t know their way around in this environment. Can they find the killer before they have to go home? Or will the killer be on their trail to stop them from their investigation?
As always, the author gives us a fun, enjoyable story line with characters who have become old friends to the readers. Grab your copy and follow the clues to see whether the ladies can do the impossible and close this case… while they still have a little time to see the sights!
Miss May, Chelsea and Teeny are taking a vacation trip to Los Angeles when they are sidetracked by old friends Petunia and Amy who need their help clearing an employee, Betsy, of the murder of Hollywood producer Rayna Kim! Because the producer was not well liked in Hollywood, there is a very large suspect list to follow and our team doesn’t know their way around in this environment. Can they find the killer before they have to go home? Or will the killer be on their trail to stop them from their investigation?
As always, the author gives us a fun, enjoyable story line with characters who have become old friends to the readers. Grab your copy and follow the clues to see whether the ladies can do the impossible and close this case… while they still have a little time to see the sights!
January 13, 2023
I really enjoy the Apple Orchard and Dog Groomer series, especially the banter back and forth between the main characters. Some of the dialogue just makes you laugh out loud. Catching up with both series in one book was nice.
I couldn't give five stars due to several editing errors, such as "by between" in one sentence. Was the location by another or between two others? Found instead of find - you can't found something but you can find something. Wayne (Chelsea's fiance) leaves the building, closes the door, it is locked behind him, and a few sentences later, he is being offered a donut. Really? How did he get back inside with no one unlocking the door? Also, using voice instead of the word view. Small things but distracting. It is still a good read, just wish the editor did a better job.
I couldn't give five stars due to several editing errors, such as "by between" in one sentence. Was the location by another or between two others? Found instead of find - you can't found something but you can find something. Wayne (Chelsea's fiance) leaves the building, closes the door, it is locked behind him, and a few sentences later, he is being offered a donut. Really? How did he get back inside with no one unlocking the door? Also, using voice instead of the word view. Small things but distracting. It is still a good read, just wish the editor did a better job.
January 16, 2023
Reading it Write
When Miss May, Teeny, Chelsea and Wayne go to LA for a vacation, Before they even start there’s a message on the hotel phone. Petunia, who moved to Toluca lake, which is near LA, stated they need their help with murder. So after bustling off to meet Petunia and Amy At the pet salon they run, They find out that your friend Betsy‘s in jail as a suspect in a murder of a Hollywood film producer.
Although it messes up their vacation they decide to take the case. Wayne goes off to TPD and meet Amy’s boyfriend Mike get a better grip on the case, and the girls work on finding out more.
Can they figure out the whodunit in the bustling LA area full of Hollywood celebrities? I think you know the answer! So with the levelheadedness of Mis May, the courage of Chelsea and The trippy comments of Teeny, I think you’ll enjoy this book.
When Miss May, Teeny, Chelsea and Wayne go to LA for a vacation, Before they even start there’s a message on the hotel phone. Petunia, who moved to Toluca lake, which is near LA, stated they need their help with murder. So after bustling off to meet Petunia and Amy At the pet salon they run, They find out that your friend Betsy‘s in jail as a suspect in a murder of a Hollywood film producer.
Although it messes up their vacation they decide to take the case. Wayne goes off to TPD and meet Amy’s boyfriend Mike get a better grip on the case, and the girls work on finding out more.
Can they figure out the whodunit in the bustling LA area full of Hollywood celebrities? I think you know the answer! So with the levelheadedness of Mis May, the courage of Chelsea and The trippy comments of Teeny, I think you’ll enjoy this book.
March 14, 2023
From Pine Grove to LA murder is murder!
Another fun mystery in the Apple Orchard series. This time the girls and Wayne took their sleuthing abilities to LA. What was supposed to be a vacation (with a surprise included), turned into another murder mystery caper.
Follow along as Chelsea, Miss May and Teeny traipse around LA and Hollywood to find the killer of two infamous Hollywood producers. Will they find the killer before they kill again? Why did they kill them? Will Chelsea have to use her karate skills again to save the day?
Chelsea Thomas knows how to weave a great story and keep you not only guessing but on the edge of your seat until you’ve read the whole book. I look forward to the next book I the series, don’t you?
Disclaimer:
I am part of the ARC team. I received this book from the author, voluntarily read and reviewed it.
Another fun mystery in the Apple Orchard series. This time the girls and Wayne took their sleuthing abilities to LA. What was supposed to be a vacation (with a surprise included), turned into another murder mystery caper.
Follow along as Chelsea, Miss May and Teeny traipse around LA and Hollywood to find the killer of two infamous Hollywood producers. Will they find the killer before they kill again? Why did they kill them? Will Chelsea have to use her karate skills again to save the day?
Chelsea Thomas knows how to weave a great story and keep you not only guessing but on the edge of your seat until you’ve read the whole book. I look forward to the next book I the series, don’t you?
Disclaimer:
I am part of the ARC team. I received this book from the author, voluntarily read and reviewed it.
April 2, 2023
17th in series with no background info
Unless you’ve read the other books in the series, I don’t suggest starting with this one. Yes, it’s a decent cozy, but when I started reading, I felt like I was in the middle of the book. I had no idea who the characters were, what their backgrounds were, or anything else. Plus, the book needs a better copy editor. There were more than a few grammatical mistakes that I couldn’t chalk them all up to typos.
The murder mystery itself is decent enough and gets solved, but I really felt lost sometimes as I tried to figure out facts about the main character. I’ll probably go back and read the first one just to see who’s who, but I don’t recommend starting with this one. Had I known it was #17 in the series, I probably wouldn’t have gotten it, but as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for” and this was a freebie.
Unless you’ve read the other books in the series, I don’t suggest starting with this one. Yes, it’s a decent cozy, but when I started reading, I felt like I was in the middle of the book. I had no idea who the characters were, what their backgrounds were, or anything else. Plus, the book needs a better copy editor. There were more than a few grammatical mistakes that I couldn’t chalk them all up to typos.
The murder mystery itself is decent enough and gets solved, but I really felt lost sometimes as I tried to figure out facts about the main character. I’ll probably go back and read the first one just to see who’s who, but I don’t recommend starting with this one. Had I known it was #17 in the series, I probably wouldn’t have gotten it, but as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for” and this was a freebie.
July 2, 2023
Muffin But Trouble (great title for this book!) is another must read in the Apple Orchard cozy mystery series by Chelsea Thomas. Our three unlikely sleuths, Chelsea Thomas, Miss May, and Teeny, are back again only this time they are literally in La la land! Their friends Petunia and Amy need help solving a murder that happened at their dog grooming business, so off they go, bringing Chelsea's boyfriend, Wayne Hudson, with them. In this installment, super Hollywood producer, Rayna Kim was found dead in her car! This book has some especially fun speech "confusions"! "It's a red'n hairy" (It's a red herring), and "The guy is evil in car seats" (Incarnate) I always enjoy reading these in this series. There are also several references to Tom Hanks which made me smile! I highly recommend this series to cozy fans!
December 22, 2022
A killer script!
The sleuthing trio is on the case again; this time it's in Hollywood. Chelsea, Wayne, Aunt May, and Teeny are in California for their dream vacation but a friend in need puts their plans on hold. The book is a cute cozy mystery. There is humor and light drama as the team pursues the clues.
I always enjoy the Apple Orchard cozies. Teeny was a little too over the top for me at the beginning. It was tempting to skip ahead in the book even though I liked the plot and the other characters. After a few chapters, the focus became less on her farcical antics and dialogue and got down to solving the murder. At that point, it was a better blend of all the characters and was an enjoyable read. I received a free copy of this book but my review is voluntary and honest.
The sleuthing trio is on the case again; this time it's in Hollywood. Chelsea, Wayne, Aunt May, and Teeny are in California for their dream vacation but a friend in need puts their plans on hold. The book is a cute cozy mystery. There is humor and light drama as the team pursues the clues.
I always enjoy the Apple Orchard cozies. Teeny was a little too over the top for me at the beginning. It was tempting to skip ahead in the book even though I liked the plot and the other characters. After a few chapters, the focus became less on her farcical antics and dialogue and got down to solving the murder. At that point, it was a better blend of all the characters and was an enjoyable read. I received a free copy of this book but my review is voluntary and honest.
December 24, 2022
The sleuthing trio along with Wayne go from being on vacation to solving a murder when they arrive in Amy and Petunia stomping ground and find out Amy is the number one suspect in a murder.
It was fun seeing the ladies doubt themselves a bit with being in a different environment but also pull their boot straps up and get on with it. There are plenty of suspects to choose from and some I thought were for sure the killer, whilst trying to solve things the ladies as always find delicious food to eat and it was fun seeing Wayne meet a new friend and try and solve things with them. This was a great who dunnite with a treat of having our favourite people from both series come together once again.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It was fun seeing the ladies doubt themselves a bit with being in a different environment but also pull their boot straps up and get on with it. There are plenty of suspects to choose from and some I thought were for sure the killer, whilst trying to solve things the ladies as always find delicious food to eat and it was fun seeing Wayne meet a new friend and try and solve things with them. This was a great who dunnite with a treat of having our favourite people from both series come together once again.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 21, 2022
Muffin But Trouble is the 17th installment of Apple Orchard cozy mysteries and does not disappoint. This storyline is a fun and entertaining cozy mystery series. I really liked the quirky and unique lovable characters and I quite rather enjoyed that this book was a bit of a cross-over between two of the authors series. The mystery was intriguing, interesting and had many plot twists and surprise turns. This well written book is very humorous and rather interesting to read. I really quite enjoyed this book I was sad when it was over. Looking forward to the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 25, 2022
This book was a great mystery book with a small town feel despite being in the middle of the city. All of the characters were so unique and distinct, rather than cookie cutter characters with only habits important to the plot.
The one thing that I had a little trouble working out was working out mental images of people, especially Miss May and Teeny, but this is also the 17th book in the series and I haven’t read the first sixteen, so that’s on me.
Overall, I highly recommend this book!! It’s a good one to curl up next to the fire with and enjoy a cozy night in.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this ebook from Booksprout and am voluntarily offering my review
The one thing that I had a little trouble working out was working out mental images of people, especially Miss May and Teeny, but this is also the 17th book in the series and I haven’t read the first sixteen, so that’s on me.
Overall, I highly recommend this book!! It’s a good one to curl up next to the fire with and enjoy a cozy night in.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this ebook from Booksprout and am voluntarily offering my review
January 1, 2023
I loved reading about the advebtures of Chelsea, Miss May and Teeney. But this time there's a twist, they are on holiday in LA and are asked to help in an investigation by Petunia and Amy.
So with all of these sleuths together with Wayne they investigate the murder.
As always with these book's Teeney is a great source of entertainment with her one liners, that she doesn't mean to make. And with Chelsea always being picked to do the jobs nobody wants to do.
It's a fabulous read, with fantastic characters 😀
This is a series I'd definitely recommend ❤️
Let the hijinks begin 😊.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So with all of these sleuths together with Wayne they investigate the murder.
As always with these book's Teeney is a great source of entertainment with her one liners, that she doesn't mean to make. And with Chelsea always being picked to do the jobs nobody wants to do.
It's a fabulous read, with fantastic characters 😀
This is a series I'd definitely recommend ❤️
Let the hijinks begin 😊.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 1, 2023
Chelsea, Miss May, Teeny, and Wayne are all headed for a much deserved vacation in LA. However, shortly after arriving to their hotel, Miss May gets a frantic phone call from Petunia and Amy, explaining there has been a murder and that Betsy, one of the groomers that works for them, has been accused. Petunia hopes that Chelsea, Miss May, and Teeny will help investigate the murder and prove that Betsy is innocent. It seems like all the suspects have alibis and as with all the books in this series there are lots of twists and turns before the murderer is exposed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 10, 2023
If you love fun and funny cozy mysteries, with a bit of romance, you’ll love this book! The main character’s continuing personal growth is inspiring in a subtle, feel-good way. I didn’t guess ‘Who dun it?’ until the very end!
This book brought the Apple Orchard Mysteries & Dog Groomer Mysteries series together in a wonderful way. If you’re like me and have only read books from one of the two series, no worries – you won’t feel like you’ve missed a thing!
On a final note, I must add that although the food descriptions in the Apple Orchard Mysteries are always outstanding, they were even better in this book! I wished the eating establishments were real so I could eat at each of them.
This book brought the Apple Orchard Mysteries & Dog Groomer Mysteries series together in a wonderful way. If you’re like me and have only read books from one of the two series, no worries – you won’t feel like you’ve missed a thing!
On a final note, I must add that although the food descriptions in the Apple Orchard Mysteries are always outstanding, they were even better in this book! I wished the eating establishments were real so I could eat at each of them.
January 11, 2023
Another exciting installment in the Apple Orchard series! Chelsea, Miss May and Teenie travel from the East Coast to California for a vacation. But you know vacation for them is going to mean solving another mystery! They just can’t help themselves! Especially when their friends Amy and Petunia need help to rescue Betsy from being falsely accused!
Fans of the Dog Groomer series will love this crossover book, when the Apple Orchard sleuths meet the Creature Comforts crew.
And of course, as with all Chelsea’s books, you can expect plenty of laughs and a mystery that keeps you guessing!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Fans of the Dog Groomer series will love this crossover book, when the Apple Orchard sleuths meet the Creature Comforts crew.
And of course, as with all Chelsea’s books, you can expect plenty of laughs and a mystery that keeps you guessing!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 25, 2022
Chelsea, Miss May, Teeny and Wayne were looking forward to a fun and delicious vacation in California. Never did they think they would end up investigating not one but two murders. Petunia and Amy needed them to clear their friend Betsy. Wayne worked with Amy’s boyfriend friend, a local police officer while the ladies did their investigation. In the end both murders were solved. Chelsea also shared special news with everyone. This was a great addition to these two series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 27, 2022
This is book 17 of Apple Orchard Cozy Mystery, a page-turner from beginning to end. The characters are realistic, and the world-building is exceptional. Their journey is enthralling with delicious desserts, an apple orchard, trouble, suspense, murder, adventure and action, drama, and more. I recommend reading this book by an extraordinary author who knows how to captivate her reader's hearts and attention with muffin but trouble and an apple orchard cozy mystery.
I received a free copy of this book via Book Sprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Book Sprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 15, 2023
I've read a lot of books written by Chelsea Thomas; she is one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of her books.
This is part of the Apple Orchard Cozy Mystery Series; it is a stand-alone book. The story is about Chelsea, Teeny, Miss May, Amy, Petunia & Betsy. Chelsea, Teeny & Miss May go to Vegas on vacation; they run into Amy & Petunia and find out there has been a murder and their friend Betsy is the suspect.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
This is part of the Apple Orchard Cozy Mystery Series; it is a stand-alone book. The story is about Chelsea, Teeny, Miss May, Amy, Petunia & Betsy. Chelsea, Teeny & Miss May go to Vegas on vacation; they run into Amy & Petunia and find out there has been a murder and their friend Betsy is the suspect.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
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