Tangled Up in Brew by Joyce Tremel

Brew pub owner Maxine “Max” O’Hara and her chef/boyfriend Jake Lambert are excited to be participating in the Three Rivers Brews and Burgers Festival. Max hopes to win the coveted Golden Stein for best craft beer—but even if she doesn’t, the festival will be great publicity for her Allegheny Brew House.

Or will it? When notoriously nasty food and beverage critic Reginald Mobley is drafted as a last-minute replacement judge, Max dreads a punishing review. Her fears are confirmed when Mobley literally spits out her beer, but things get even worse when the cranky critic drops dead right after trying one of Jake’s burgers. Now an ambitious new police detective is determined to pin Mobley’s murder on Max and Jake, who must pore over the clues to protect their freedom and reputations—and to find the self-appointed judge, jury, and executioner.

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This is the second novel in the series, but can easily be read as a stand alone. I really like this series because it’s different than other cozy mystery series since it’s about beer brewing!

The mystery wasn’t too complex and I figured out the killer a few chapters before the killer was announced (yay me!). I learned so much about the brewing process and realized it is much more complex than I thought it was. I also like how it takes place in Pittsburgh, so I had a bit of an understanding of locations since I had visited Pittsburgh a few times.

The best part of the series is the characters, I really like Max and her boyfriend/chef Jake. There is also a great cast of secondary characters who keeps things entertaining!

3 calculators out of a potential 5. An enjoyable cozy mystery which I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in brewing!

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The Couple on Cedar Close by Anna – Lou Weatherley

Cedar Close has always been a nice place to live – a quiet suburban street where everyone looks out for one another and bad things don’t happen. Until late one evening, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom. 

Downstairs, in their beautiful kitchen, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands. She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert. The trouble is, no-one believes her…

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Available today – January 18, 2019! 

Turns out this is the second novel in a series, but like me, you can read this as a stand alone and not miss out on anything!

I found that this was a quick read novel. The novel moves along nicely and splits into multiple characters – Laurie, Detective Dan Riley and a young girl growing up. I figured out quickly who the killer was, but for reasons unknown to me until the very end.

I wish the novel took a bit of a different approach and we got to know Robert a bit more. A lot of things came out after this death and I wished we got to see a one day in the life of Robert. I think it would of been very interesting and added a little bit more to the mystery.

3 calculators out of a potential 5. A good read by an author that I will check out again! Note: I did find one storyline a bit disturbing, so this novel may not be for everyone.

Thank you to Netgallery and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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Right Behind You (Quincy & Rainie, #7) by Lisa Gardner

Eight years ago, Sharlah May Nash’s older brother beat their drunken father to death with a baseball bat in order to save both of their lives. Now thirteen years old, Sharlah has finally moved on. About to be adopted by retired FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his partner, Rainie Conner, Sharlah loves one thing best about her new family: They are all experts on monsters.

Then the call comes in. A double murder at a local gas station, followed by reports of an armed suspect shooting his way through the wilds of Oregon. As Quincy and Rainie race to assist, they are forced to confront mounting evidence: The shooter may very well be Sharlah’s older brother, Telly Ray Nash, and it appears his killing spree has only just begun.

As the clock winds down on a massive hunt for Telly, Quincy and Rainie must answer two critical questions: Why after eight years has this young man started killing again? And what does this mean for Sharlah? Once upon a time, Sharlah’s big brother saved her life. Now, she has two questions of her own: Is her brother a hero or a killer? And how much will it cost her new family before they learn the final, shattering truth? Because as Sharlah knows all too well, the biggest danger is the one standing right behind you.

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I love this series and I love Quincy and Rainie! It was interesting reading the author’s note at the end of the novel where Lisa Gardner said that she let her fans pick her next series novel. She was surprised that it was a large majority for Quincy and Rainie, instead of her more recent series (Detective DD Warren and Tessa Leoni). Thank you fans for picking Quincy and Rainie!

This isn’t the best novel in the series, but I could argue that it is the most emotional. First, you have Quincy and Rainie who are ready to adopt their foster daughter, Sharlah. Sharlah is made for Quincy and Rainie. She is quiet, stubborn and doesn’t let others tell her what to do. Second, there is Telly, Sharlah’s brother. Telly killed his parents eight years ago and is now on a killing spree.

I really loved Telly and I was trying so hard not too. You have a boy who is about to become a legal adult, who is still struggling with his feelings from eight years ago. Is he a zero or hero? I was emotional reading the past flashbacks with him and his foster parents. I wanted him so badly to be a hero.

The ending wasn’t super amazing, but that wasn’t what made this novel great. You felt for all of the characters, even the bad guy who was ready for his next kill. I don’t want this series to end!

4 calculators out of a potential 5. Read this novel, read this series! It’s amazing!

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I can’t wait for… The Couple on Cedar Close Anna-Lou Weatherley (Can’t-Wait Wednesday)

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we are excited about that we have yet to read. The book I can’t wait to read is this week is:

Cedar Close has always been a nice place to live – a quiet suburban street where everyone looks out for one another and bad things don’t happen. 

Until late one evening, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom. 

Downstairs, in their beautiful kitchen, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands. 

She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert. 

The trouble is, no-one believes her…

What novel are you excited to read? Let me know in the comments below!

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Top 5 Tuesday – Top 5 books I read in 2018!

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme that Bionic Bookworm hosts.  I’m changing the topic for today to Top 5 books I read in 2018 since I never did a wrap up post for 2018!

What book was your favourite 2018 read?

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