Puzzle 134 - Blooms

Enjoy this springtime puzzle! It took me 1:38 using 24 non-rotating pieces.

You can change the number of pieces if you prefer to make it easier or more challenging.

Friday Features 33

Happy Friday!

Today I'm once again participating in six blog hops.  You can click on the host links below to find the blogs of others who are participating in each blog hop. If you're a blogger, feel free to join through the host links.

BOOK BLOGGER HOP, hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

Question: What is your favorite bookish scent, and why does it appeal to you?

My response:  That "new book" scent is always fun when I start reading one that's a physical copy. It makes me excited about the new adventure that's ahead of me.

FIRST LINE FRIDAY, hosted by Reading is My Superpower

FRIDAY 56, hosted by My Head is Full of Books

BOOK BEGINNINGS, hosted by Rose City Reader

In honor of National Whiskey Day, today's excerpts are from the paperback format of Whiskey Business (Mixology Lounge Mystery 1), by Adrian Andover.

Here's the beginning:

I rested my blowtorch on the bar.

And here's an excerpt from page 56:

    If Kristin wasn't willing to share more about him and why he was so good at making enemies, I wondered why she went out of her way to chat with me.

I won a signed copy of this book last year and I'm so excited to finally read it. I met the author at Malice Domestic last year, before the book was published. This year, the book is nominated for an Agatha Award. I'll report back when I'm done, but so far, I'm loving it!

FELINE FRIDAY, hosted my messymimi's meanderings

I don't have a lot of pictures of the girls together, but when I do get one, this is the vibe.

NATURE FRIDAY, hosted by Living the LLB Life

The first picture was taken on March 19th. The second picture was taken about one week later. These are some of my favorite spring flowers to see on my walks.

Nelly Knows Mysteries: All Manners of Murder (2026)

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Two years ago, Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement, the first in what seemed like it was going to become a series, premiered. I was not a huge fan of it.

This year, a second Nelly Knows Mysteries premiered. As I watch all of the new mysteries, I knew this would be no exception. It took two years for us to get a second one, but it was worth the wait. One change was made for the better and I enjoyed All Manners of Murder much more than the first one.

Nelly (Pascale Hutton) is an advice columnist. In All Manners of Murder, she receives a phone call from someone she replied to in the advice column. An invitation to a dinner party is extended to Nelly so she could be there when bad news is delivered to the estranged family. Nelly accepts the invitation, but asks Detective Mike Hogan (Kavan Smith) to be her plus one. Of course, this is not a date. It's work-related. Or is it? They attend the dinner party, which turns deadly when one of the guests is murdered. How could this have happened and who is responsible for such a heinous crime?

The mystery in this one was strong. I do wish it stayed a "locked room" through most of the movie, but at least the crime took place during the dinner party, which narrowed down the suspects. An incident took place in the opening scene in the movie, and when the characters were introduced after that, I immediately knew who the masked person was. That wasn't the solution to the whole mystery, though. I did identify a second culprit correctly, but it was still fun to watch everything unfold and to see if I would be right.

One major issue I had with the first installment in this series was the character of Nelly. She was too over-the-top perky for my taste. Her character seemed fake. Well, apparently, I wasn't the only one who felt that way because she was toned down quite a bit in this second one. She was fun-loving, not over-the-top. I liked the change and I hope she stays that way if the series continues.

This is Hallmark, so not surprisingly, we did get a touch of romance between Nelly and Detective Mike. I'm enjoying the slow progression of their relationship and I'm excited to see what the next steps are for them. The romance aspect of the movie was just right. It did not interfere with the mystery aspect at all. And I love how Nelly's help on the case is most appreciated.

Longtime Hallmark fans will notice some familiar faces in the form of supporting characters in this movie. I was not expecting any of them, so I was pleasantly surprised. Their appearances didn't feel forced. They all fit right in and they felt like natural additions to the cast. I am curious about where the series is going with one of them, though, as he is one of the characters in another mystery series as well. It seems like he could become a regular character in the Nelly Knows Mysteries.

If you enjoy Hallmark's cozy mysteries, I think you'll be happy with this one. Although I got confused with some of the many clues and it felt convoluted close to the end, it had all the right ingredients to make an overall great mystery. I'll be on the lookout for more in this series.

Puzzle 133 - Hello Spring

Happy Springtime!

My time on this one was 2:41 using 35 non-rotating pieces.

Remember, you can modify the number of pieces if you like. 

Enjoy!

Friday Features 32

Happy Springtime!

Today I'm once again participating in six blog hops.  You can click on the host links below to find the blogs of others who are participating in each blog hop. If you're a blogger, feel free to join through the host links.

BOOK BLOGGER HOP, hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

Question: If you could write the sequel to a classic book, which one would it be? What new characters or plot twists would you bring in? 

My response:  I haven't read too many books that are considered classics, and the ones I have read already have sequels. I'll leave the writing to the authors. I might read them, but not necessarily write them.

FIRST LINE FRIDAY, hosted by Reading is My Superpower

FRIDAY 56, hosted by My Head is Full of Books

BOOK BEGINNINGS, hosted by Rose City Reader

Today's excerpts are from the paperback ARC of Murder in a Lavender Daze (Aroma Wellness Mystery 2), by Daryl Wood Gerber.

Here's the beginning:

I was adjusting the spa menu to reflect the Halloween-themed treatments we would offer during the month of October, like the pumpkin spice facial and apple cider wraps - the latter being great for detoxification - when the silent alarm flashed in big red letters on my computer screen and cell phone.

And here's an excerpt from page 56:

    They retreated, and my gaze landed on Rodriguez. She'd moved away from the door and was taking photographs of the surroundings. Was this truly a murder investigation? She snapped an image of the desk, the chaise longue, the armoire, and finally Addison, who sat hunched and miserable and unaware of the officer's attention.

This book releases at the end of April, but I'm almost done reading the ARC. I'm planning to have my review posted next week. I can say I am enjoying it, even more than the first one in the series.

FELINE FRIDAY, hosted my messymimi's meanderings

Fiona is taking time out from her busy day of eating and napping to say Hello.

NATURE FRIDAY, hosted by Living the LLB Life

I spy a little bit of spring!

Syrup to No Good (Maple Syrup Mystery 2), by Catherine Bruns

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Last fall, I received an ARC of In the Blink of a Pie (Maple Syrup Mystery 3), by Catherine Bruns. I had not expected to receive it. I hadn't yet started the series, so I listened the first one, A Doomful of Sugar, but skipped the second one, Syrup to No Good, so I could read and review the ARC of In the Blink of a Pie. I worried a little about getting spoilers that I hadn't yet read in book 2, but someone who read all three assured me that wouldn't happen. And she was right. I recently read book 2 and didn't feel like anything was spoiled having read the third one before it.

In Syrup to No Good, it is spring in Sugar Ridge, Vermont. This marks the end of syrup-making season at Sappy Endings Farm, and farm owner, Leila Khoury, is preparing for her best friend Heather's upcoming wedding. The dynamics in Heather's family are complicated and she not looking forward to having everyone there. Perhaps her intuition was right because at the conclusion of Heather's bridal shower, a dead body is found. Will Heather have her happily ever after?

In addition to the mystery, someone from Leila's past shows up and puts a potential damper on a budding relationship with her current love interest. Leila's mom is convinced that Leila's ex is right for her and she encourages her to work things out with him. Will Leila's feelings from her past, in addition to her mom's influence, affect her future with her current love interest?

I really like most of the main characters in this series, which is one reason I keep reading it. However, in this installment, I found Leila's mother to be overbearing. I understood she wanted her daughter to be happy, but she didn't accept what Leila said would make her happy. On the other hand, I think Leila made the situation worse by keeping a secret. Again, I understood her reason for keeping that secret, but at the same time, being open and honest would have given her mother a better understanding of the situation.

I really liked the romantic relationship aspect of this installment, but I did feel it overpowered the mystery. I would have preferred more sleuthing. At times, it felt like two different books - a romance and a mystery. I don't mind some romance in cozies, but it isn't my preference when it takes time away from the mystery.

While I wanted more focus on the mystery, I did think it was well-crafted. I didn't figure out the whodunnit, but it all made sense in the end. More clues and sleuthing leading up to the big reveal would have been made it even better.

Fans of culinary cozies will appreciate the recipes at the end of this book. I may even give some of them a try, which is saying a lot since I usually skip them. The ones in this book sound delicious and fairly easy to make. Unfortunately, the recipes are not in the audiobook.

If there are more books in this series, I will be reading them. The characters and setting (I love maple syrup and anything about it) will keep me coming back as long as there is growth and evolving relationships. I hope in future installments the mystery takes clear precedence over all of that, however.

Claire O’Keefe’s Favorite Much Ado About Nothing Insults for Modern Life

Today, I'm very happy to present my first character guest post! Introducing, Claire O'Keefe from the Claire O'Keefe Mysteries!

Hi everyone! Claire O’Keefe here. I’m so happy to stop by Caboodle of Cozies today.

Most people know me as someone who tends to stumble across mysteries. That reputation might be slightly exaggerated… although my boyfriend might disagree.

But before the mysteries, before the investigations, and before I started noticing suspicious details everywhere, I was simply an English as a foreign language teacher.

These days I’m back in the United States substitute teaching high school English while helping my dad during his recovery. My current assignment involves introducing a classroom full of teenagers to Shakespeare.

Now, convincing high school students that Shakespeare is interesting can be a challenge.

However, I have discovered a strategy that works almost every time.

Shakespeare’s insults.

The moment students realize that Shakespeare wrote some of the most creative insults in the English language, suddenly everyone is paying attention.

Since we’re currently reading Much Ado About Nothing, my students have been collecting their favorite lines from the play. Some of them are surprisingly funny, and a few feel oddly useful in modern life.

Here are a few of my favorites.

1. “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.”

— Beatrice, Much Ado About Nothing

Beatrice is famous for her sharp wit, and this line is one of the reasons why. My students always laugh when they realize how blunt she is about romance.

2. “There was never yet philosopher that could endure the toothache patiently.”

— Leonato, Much Ado About Nothing

This one isn’t exactly an insult, but it’s a great reminder that even the wisest people have their limits, and my students like this line because it proves that even philosophers complain sometimes.

3. “He is of a very melancholy disposition.”

— Hero, Much Ado About Nothing

Shakespeare had a very polite way of suggesting that someone might not be the most pleasant person to be around.

4. “For man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion.”

— Benedick, Much Ado About Nothing

My students love this line because it’s simple and surprisingly accurate about how people can change their minds.

5. “Speak low if you speak love.”

— Don Pedro, Much Ado About Nothing

This line always sparks discussion in my classroom about secrets, misunderstandings, and the trouble that can happen when people don’t tell the truth.

Teaching Much Ado About Nothing has reminded me how much fun language can be. Words reveal a lot about people. Sometimes they reveal emotions, motivations, and occasionally even hidden truths.

And sometimes the truth shows up when you least expect it.

In Lies Are Better at the Lake, what begins as a peaceful return to my hometown turns into something far more complicated. While substitute teaching and helping my dad during his recovery, I expect life to be fairly quiet for a while.

But small towns have a way of holding onto old stories, old rivalries, and a few secrets that people would rather keep buried.

When a shocking death at the lake leaves the community whispering and searching for answers, I can’t help noticing that some of the explanations don’t quite add up.

And once I start asking questions, the truth becomes harder and harder to ignore.

Let’s just say that sometimes lies are better at the lake… at least until someone starts looking a little too closely.

Which brings me to my question for you.

Do you have a favorite Shakespeare line or insult that still makes you laugh today?

Author Cindy Quayle