Gina’s Reviews > Mystery Follows Her > Status Update

VENDORS AND VILLAINS by Angela K Ryan
A jewelry maker takes a booth at a local craft fair to sell raffle tickets for charity with a grand prize of a beautiful handcrafted necklace, only to have the necklace disappear at the event. A lot of setup and backstory at the beginning made this a slow go until the halfway point. 3.5 stars

HIJINKS IN AJIJIC by Vikki Walton. Another fun story about a widow who becomes a pet sitter so she can fulfill her travel bucket list and winds up in Mexico surrounded by an unusual cast of characters and a money scheme. 4 stars

WHEN THE CLOCK CHIMES TWO by Adriana Licio. I loved this darling story about a perfume maker who believes she may have been responsible for a shy, mousy woman being charged with murder, and her writer sister who helps solve the case. I'll definitely be looking for more by this author! Five stars.

MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN RING by Beate Boeker. Carlina and her mother are enjoying a lovely girls' week when a stranger attempts to steal Mama's purse. From out of nowhere, a woman named Tonia leaps into the fray. When the police arrive, they're not interested in the purse. They're focused on Tonia and a missing ring. Did Tonia steal it and how can Carlina and Mama help clear her name? A charming mystery. 5 stars.

TREASURES IN HEAVEN by Sarah Biglow.
Rev. Margot Quade is an army chaplain whose instincts are aroused when a soldier comes to speak with her but leaves before revealing what's troubling him. Shortly thereafter, he's injured by a sniper's bullet and Margot believes his visit to her spurred the attack. A good military romance - some editing issues. 4.5 stars

CLOSED OUT by Tamara Woods
After her embezzling husband's arrest, Fraya needs an escape from her small town. She picks up and moves to Hawaii (on a whim I still don't understand) and her series of misadventures begins from the minute she arrives. A beta reader would have picked up the typos and I think the opening should have either been deleted or further clarified to the reader's satisfaction. 3.5 stars

Buried by the Beach by Ellen Jacobson
3.5 Stars

Mollie McGhie and her friend, Ben, get drawn into a treasure hunt for an emerald that's been missing for decades. Cute characters. I particularly enjoyed the dialogue between Mollie and the local police chief, but the mystery itself had too many loose ends, a few villains that were never truly explained, and some actions that didn't make sense.

Story 1: Thanksgiving and Theft
Lois Stone has returned to Toronto to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends when she witnesses a mugging and decides to find the culprit. 4 stars. Heavy backstory, and some repetition but a cute story.