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USA Today Bestselling author Kathi Daley brings you a heartwarming mystery series about finding answers and fostering hope while building friendships and embracing the magic of life by the sea and small town holidays.

Ainsley Holloway had come to Gooseberry Bay to find answers about her past. She’d come to find an explanation for the dreams that haunted her after the death of the cop who’d both rescued and raised her. And she’d come to identify the family she couldn’t remember but knew in her heart she’d once belonged to.

Ainsley hoped that by finding these answers, she’d also find healing. She hoped that once she’d resurrected the memories buried deep in her mind, she’d find peace.

The Cottage at Gooseberry Bay is a series about, not only finding answers, but finding hope.

It’s a series about family and friendship.

It’s a series about shared holidays, festivals, and celebrations.

It’s a series about shared heartbreak and hardship.

And it’s a series about the bond that can be forged amongst strangers when tragedy binds two or more individuals with a common goal.

In book 11 in the series, Ainsley is hired to help a woman prove to the police that she actually saw a kidnapping she's sure she witnessed as a child but only just recently remembered after returning to Gooseberry Bay for the first time in decades.

148 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 13, 2022

523 people are currently reading
183 people want to read

About the author

Kathi Daley

357 books1,788 followers
Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn't writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she's not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing, the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home.
Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries.

Join me on Facebook at Kathi Daley Books (www.facebook.com/kathidaleybooks) for updates on my books, photos of life in Lake Tahoe, recipes, contests, and giveaways. For weekly updates and contests sign up for The Daley Weekly Newsletter (http://eepurl.com/NRPDf).



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5 stars
789 (63%)
4 stars
329 (26%)
3 stars
114 (9%)
2 stars
16 (1%)
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3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
418 reviews7 followers
December 11, 2023
This book was good bit didn't have the suspense and surprise factor some of the other books did. I didn't care for the love triangle between Ainsley, Remi and Adam. I'm hoping in the next book maybe she'll meet someone when she goes out of town to visit her sister.
Profile Image for RO G'ma.
1,061 reviews43 followers
December 6, 2022
A Christmas Memory is the eleventh book in Kathi Daley’s Cottage on Gooseberry Bay series. This is an entertaining and clean series with a strong emphasis on family, friends, community, and caring. The setting is charming, and the three-dimensional characters are well-developed. The complex mysteries in this installment encompass the search for a biological mother and a woman who believes she witnessed a kidnapping twenty years ago. The intriguing mysteries, twists, and red herrings will keep readers engaged and guessing. Ms. Daley’s descriptive writing draws the reader in, making them feel like they’re taking part in the action. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading well-crafted cozies.

After Ainsley Holloway’s adoptive father passed away, she found a photograph of a woman with two young children. For reasons Ainsley couldn’t explain, she felt connected to the people in the photograph and started doubting her past. In her search for the truth about her past, Ansley and her two Bernese Mountain Dogs, Kai and Kallie, moved from Georgia to Washington State and rented a cozy cottage in Gooseberry Bay. Ainsley, who originally planned to stay for only a month or two, quickly made friends, settled into the community, and opened Ainsley Holloway Investigations.

In this installment, Ainsley has two new clients. The first client, Lennox Waylen, believes she witnessed the kidnapping of a teenage boy when she was nine years old. Lennox drops in without an appointment to ask Ainsley to help her find out what happened to the boy. Ainsley and local newspaper reporter, Parker Peterson, join forces with their friends, Jemma Hawthorn and Josie Wellington, to figure out what happened twenty years ago. The second client, Bridget Summerset, who believes her biological mother lives in or near Gooseberry Bay, hires Ainsley to locate her. Since Bridget provided a lot of information, Ainsley believed this would be a straightforward case. Meanwhile, Ainsley is enjoying the holiday season and is looking forward to Skeet, Phoenix, and the other Geek Squad members coming home from college for winter break and attending the Winchester Brothers’ Winter Ball.
Profile Image for Loretta TheMoodyRedhead.
1,044 reviews4 followers
December 25, 2022
I was a bit disappointed because I feel like the mysteries weren’t all solved that Ainsley tends to get a hold of.

A lady went to Ainsley’s Detective Agency to request she help her find out what happened to a boy she saw get kidnapped 20 years prior. That same lady was hit by a person in a car that put her into the hospital in a coma. Is the hit and run accident related to the decades old Kidnapping? Those are the answers Ainsley will seek to find.

Then there’s another lady that hired Ainsley to find her mother that put her up for adoption many years earlier.

And there are the questions Ainsley asks of herself about what hers and Adam’s relationship really is and if it’s going to ever be anything romantic or if it’s just a platonic thing. For now though, Ainsley seems content just being single and having her sister, her good friends and her two dogs by her side.

I suppose the mystery with the kidnapped boy was sort of solved in this read, but I feel there is so much more digging to do and I guess that digging will be in the next book called “Time Will Tell” - appropriate title - but that won’t be released until April 2023. Darn, we’ll have to wait until then for the other answers and new mysteries.

As always, Daley gets five stars from me because I always love her books!
Profile Image for Darla Taylor.
1,851 reviews
December 7, 2022
Ainsley Holloway came to Gooseberry Bay in search of answers about her past, but that's not all she found. She also found family and friendship. Ainsley decided to settle down and even opened her own PI agency. In this book, she's investigating a women's story about witnessing a kidnapping when she was a child.

Kathi Daley is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors, and this series is also a favorite. The book's well-written with well-rounded characters and a well-thought-out plot. Small town life is well-captured ~ I always enjoy returning to Gooseberry Bay. I was drawn into this captivating story and kept hooked from beginning to end. The mystery will keep you on your toes and guessing throughout. This is an excellent series about family (both natural and chosen) and friendship. I'm really looking forward to the next book. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order for the most enjoyment and benefit.
Profile Image for Tarri.
627 reviews6 followers
December 10, 2022
Christmas Memory

When Lennox's mother dies she Lennox finds some pictures of her father's last Christmas which has her remembering the Christmas they spent in Gooseberry Bay. The one where she saw a young teenaged boy dragged into a boat and kidnapped. The police had no missing person's report so they dismissed her as a child with an active imagination and do not take a report. Now it's 20 years later and in several pictures she spots the boy in the background.

Also on the agenda is a woman who is looking for her birth mother.

Ainsley enjoys the town activities, her friends, as well as the cases she takes on. The kidnapped boy is very interesting because no one can determine what happened to him.

As usual in this series I enjoy the group of (mostly) women working together to solve crimes. They are the friends we should all have.

Good story, characters, locales, and plot twists.
Profile Image for Nikki.
1,419 reviews12 followers
December 14, 2022
The latest from Gooseberry Bay, a great cozy mystery series by Kathi Daley, a prolific cozy mystery writer. This series is a spin off from The Inn at Holiday Bay, also a great cozy mystery series. No need to have read one series before this.

Ainsley has settled into the Bay, running her own PI agency. It's just before Christmas and she has 2 cases, someone wishing to reconnect with her birth mother and Lennox, who visited as a child and witnessed a kidnapping, but she wasn't taken seriously by the police at the time. When Lennox got older, she realised she needed answers so returned to the Bay to find them, however when she's involved in an accident, Ainsley thinks there's more to the story. I'm not going to say more except I think this will run for at least another book.

Its also nearing Christmas and its time for the annual ball at Archie and Adam's estate, a night to remember for all who attend.

I really like this series and, as usual cannot wait to read the next book.
130 reviews2 followers
January 17, 2023
I have read the entire series of "Cottage on Gooseberry Bay" all 11 books.
O enjoyed the stories although some were entirely unrealistic.
Now I am waiting for book # 12 to come out in April 2023.

This is an exciting journey for a young woman who turns out to be quite wealthy and also has a career as a PI. She also becomes friends with several of her neighbors who she feels are part of her new family life.

I would love to visit "Gooseberry Bay" one day and enjoy the views and scenery presented in the book. I did look up the village on Google but can't find any town by that name in the state of Washington.

But I did enjoy the series and the author's writing and look forward to reading next book.


1,995 reviews
December 8, 2022
Another great book in this series. I enjoy the new mystery/mysteries and the “updates” on the ongoing characters. Ainsley is settling into life the town and getting. Lovely to her “family” of friends, A new man in town is making her think about her “connection” to Adam and her future. good mystery and fun adventures.

Amazon synopsis: in book 11 in the series, Ainsley is hired to help a woman prove to the police that she actually saw a kidnapping she's sure she witnessed as a child but only just recently remembered after returning to Gooseberry Bay for the first time in decades.
Profile Image for JoAn.
2,460 reviews1 follower
December 7, 2022
This may be the 11th book in the series but Ms. Daley continues to bring new mysteries that capture my attention in each book. I really enjoy visiting Gooseberry Bay and seeing what Ainsley, Jemma, Josie and Parker are up to in each book. The plot is quickly paced with a lot of twists that kept me guessing. The resolutions of both cases that Ainsley was working on were rather low key this time but they were logical and reflected the characters attitudes.
Profile Image for Cindy.
781 reviews1 follower
December 15, 2022
Great series

Ainsley takes on 2 cases as a PI. One case may not have the ending the client hoped for and one case led to a lot more than it initially seemed. Then there is the friendship between Ainsley and Remi and Ainsley and Adam. Will something more come of either? Parker may also have a big change coming. Great series, but do suggest you start reading from the beginning for fully understand the characters.
181 reviews2 followers
January 11, 2023
Great book. Another in the series of great stories

A Christmas. Memory was another great story about friendships, relationships, and all the normal things in the small village as well as a mystery in every book. This book was Christmas themed to some degree, so the big party of course. But an unexpected murder seemed likely to throw slot of things off. Of course , given ingenuity and cooperation, the crime was solved and Christmas celebrations were wonderful
Profile Image for Raymond Johnson.
38 reviews
January 26, 2023
The layout used to be major issue (a woman hired Ainsley to investigate a kidnapping she thinks she saw), a minor issue ( a woman hires Ainsley to find her birth mother), and Ainsley’s search for Avery, but the search has ended successfully. The minor issue is resolved, and the major issue is resolved by implication (there is no arrest). Most of the third leg is taken up by the progress or lack of progress of various romances. The characters are still interesting; their romantic angst less so.
641 reviews11 followers
August 18, 2024
Ainsley is hired to help a woman prove to the police that she actually saw a kidnapping she's sure she witnessed as a child but only just recently remembered after returning to Gooseberry Bay for the first time in decades. As usual, the author did a great job of pulling me into the story. I have come to really care about Ainsley and the various secondary characters. I also enjoyed the Christmas theme.
Profile Image for Ana Gimenes.
114 reviews5 followers
December 31, 2023
The series is amazing, all the books deserve five stars, but this one is a little predictable. I was waiting for something wow, and it didn´t happen. I have already said that I am addicted to this author and I truly recommend all books. Cozy mysteries mixed with incredible characters. The perfect match.
363 reviews7 followers
December 8, 2022
Good book

I enjoy all the books in this series. I like the fact that there are always two or three storylines. The friendships, the dogs and everything that goes with it is a great way to keep my attention. I admit that I am never able to guess the ending.
974 reviews3 followers
December 22, 2022
Cottage on Goosenberry Bay: A Christmas Memory

Pretty good story in the series but it needs some relationship help for the main character. The other characters seem to have a more defined love life. But the characters are always interesting.
411 reviews1 follower
December 29, 2022
Awesome

Interesting the turns that the mysteries took in this one. The biological mom didn't want to meet her daughter and the crazy theft ring from the early 2000s. So glad that Christmas with Avery is happening.
1,063 reviews4 followers
February 2, 2023
A great cozy

I love every character in this wonderful series by Kathi Daley and if you love cozies that keep you turning the page then this series is a must read. I can't wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Lisa Millett.
298 reviews10 followers
March 16, 2023
Intriguing cozy

A twenty year old mystery causes Ainsley and the gang to. investigate some of the older townsfolk. This story is intriguing and keeps you guessing till the end. Another winning cozy mystery series by Kathi Daley.
41 reviews2 followers
April 19, 2023
Ainsley and her friends have become some of my favorite characters. I love how Jemma and the others are always willing to help whenever she needs it. The mystery itself was a little slow for me, but the character interaction made up for it!
478 reviews1 follower
December 19, 2025
The xmass tree lot should be safe..

Well this Xmas story was definitely different. It had some difficult moments when they were trying to find out the answer to the client's questions. It was almost deadly. But then there was also the Ball to attend. But that also had issues.
469 reviews5 followers
December 9, 2022
Love This Series!

I love this series with Ainsley and her Bernese Mountain dogs Kai and Kallie. The group of friends are amazing and I look forward to each new book.
4,417 reviews43 followers
December 11, 2022
Who ran into Lennox and why??? Families!!! I enjoyed this story and recommend the book.
Profile Image for Susan.
1,616 reviews
December 13, 2022
enjoyed the book, can't wait to see what happens next...
15 reviews3 followers
December 19, 2022
wonderful friendships

My first read with Kathi Daley and Gooseberry bay. Loved it for the get go. Moves smoothly characters are really great
Profile Image for Sarah.
36 reviews1 follower
December 20, 2022
Not a review per se but this sudden colling down with Adam while trying to build up a relationship with Remi is really not working for me. At all.
25 reviews
December 29, 2022
A good Memory

Nice book. Good for a weekend read with a cup of cocoa and a fire. Worth the time and price.
Profile Image for D.
1,296 reviews16 followers
February 7, 2023
Ainsley has two cases dropped into her lap in one day. Later, that day one client, Lennox, is run down by a car. Both cases have twists and turns lading to an interesting and fun read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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