Best Served Cold: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

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I am always excited when a new Hannah Swensen mystery premieres on The Hallmark Channel. I've enjoyed this series since the beginning when it was called Murder, She Baked. The setting and some of the characters have changed in recent years, but it continues to be my favorite mystery series. The latest installment, Best Served Cold, is one of the strongest.

The prosecutor in a forgery case has gone missing, leaving Chad (Victor Webster) to take over the investigation. It's a race against time when Hannah (Alison Sweeney) and Chad collaborate to find out how the cases are connected and solve them before the trial. To make matters worse, while sleuthing, a dead body is discovered. Can they untangle all the threads in this mystery in time for the trial and bring the killer to justice?

Despite the pool of suspects being small, this was a very strong and twisty mystery. Every time I thought I figured out the whodunnit, something else happened to make me question my thoughts. I wasn't completely sure who the culprit was until seconds before it was revealed in a clever and unique way. It's not something that's likely to happen in real life, but I've learned to suspend belief and enjoy the ride. It worked well in this cozy mystery.

This installment was the perfect blend of cozy vibes with the bakery and at-home scenes combined with courtroom drama.  I loved seeing Chad doing his job in the courtroom. I also enjoyed how he welcomed Hannah's help and expertise throughout the investigation. Their relationship has grown since the last installment, which was nice to see. 

We didn't get to see Norman (Gabriel Hogan) in Best Served Cold, which may be due to the fact that he's been moonlighting on The Way Home (a series I highly recommend watching). We also didn't see Andrea (Lisa Durupt) in this installment. While the movie was fine without them, they were missed. It would have been nice if they had at least been briefly mentioned. These are characters we've come to love spending time with, so it would be good to acknowledge them.

Delores (Barbara Niven) shined in this movie, as always. She did some of her own private investigating in these cases, which was fun to watch. She consistently provides a kind of lightheartedness and light humor that only Barbara Niven can do.

Best Served Cold is based on Joanne Fluke's Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder. I have not read this one yet, so I can't say for sure if and how the movie is similar to the book. However, if it follows the trend from the previous recent movies, the plot is completely different. It would be more to love in the same Hannah Swensen universe.

If Best Served Cold is any indication where this series is going, I am very excited for future movies should there be more. Alison Sweeney wrote this one and if there are more, I hope she continues to be the writer. She has played the character of Hannah Swensen for over a decade, so she knows the movies and the characters very well. 

If you enjoy cozy mystery movies, I encourage you to check out this series. Including Murder, She Baked, there are over a dozen movies in the series. As with most cozy mysteries, each movie is a self-contained mystery, but starting from the beginning will allow you to follow the characters and their relationships.

Between a Roquefort and a Hard Place (Grilled Cheese Mystery 7), by Linda Reilly

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I have been enjoying the Grilled Cheese Mystery series since book 1, Up to No Gouda. So I'm very happy that author Linda Reilly has continued writing them. She rises to the challenge of allowing the main characters' lives to evolve, while keeping with the comforting feeling of coming home to familiar friends. This combined with a compelling mystery made the seventh installment, Between a Roquefort and a Hard Place, a favorite of mine in the series.

Carly, owner of Carly's Grilled Cheese Eatery, is asked by the elderly owner of a historic mansion to make one of her popular grilled cheese sandwiches. Carly enjoys spending time with the owner and she loves being in the mansion that feels like it's from Downton Abbey. So she agrees to make the sandwich at the mansion.

Meanwhile, Carly's husband, Ari, has been hired to do some rewiring in the mansion while it undergoes major renovations. When one of the contractors falls to his death, Ari is the prime suspect in what becomes a murder investigation. Naturally, Carly knows her husband is not capable of such foul play, so she sets out to do some sleuthing of her own to clear his name and find out who the real culprit is.

I had a great time revisiting the cozy town of Balsam Dell, Vermont and everyone in Carly's close knit circle. Carly is one of the most kind-hearted main characters I've ever read in a cozy, although sometimes I think she needs to say no to other people's requests more often. It always feels like I'm hanging out with old friends when I'm there. I did feel the detective was a little too harsh with Carly, but this was addressed beautifully later in the book. While some characters from earlier in the series have moved on with their lives outside of the eatery and out of state, they still make brief appearances, or they are at least mentioned. This feels like real life to me. Throughout our lives, we meet people who eventually move away. However, we may still keep in touch with them and occasionally see them. 

I also had fun getting to know the suspects. They had depth, history, and secrets to uncover. The victim wasn't someone who easily made friends, so there are multiple people who could have wanted to see him gone. There were several viable suspects with possible motives and opportunity. I had a hunch early in the book who the culprit was, which turned out to be correct. However, there were enough twists and turns that made me question who I thought it was a few times. I really enjoyed the big reveal, which in itself had a bit of a twist.

The historic mansion combined with major renovations made for a great setting in this mystery. I could visualize the layout of the rooms, as well as the decor. There were times when I was confused about the overall floorplan of the mansion, but I just went along for the ride.  Another aspect of the mystery I enjoyed was the jigsaw puzzle. Those who know me, know how much I love jigsaw puzzles. Adding this to a cozy and making it part of the story was absolute perfection!

There is a light-hearted subplot in this installment, which balanced out the seriousness of the mystery. It involved a grilled cheese competition. I loved reading about the mouth-watering creations. It made me wish I was there to taste-test all of them with Carly and her co-workers.

Since Carly and Ari were recently married, there is a new dynamic with there relationship. They clearly love and respect each other, and it was obvious they have great communication. It was fun to read about their day-to-day lives, even something as simple as what they were having for dinner. I also enjoyed reading about another possible budding romance with two of the characters. I'm equally invested in their relationship as I have been with Carly and Ari.

There was only one thing in this installment that felt jarring and out of place for me, and that was one instance of mild swearing. With this being the seventh book in the swearing and not a single swear word before now that I can remember, I've come to expect this series to be completely clean in that respect. So while it doesn't take anything away from the story and it fit in the context, it still felt off for me. I'm hoping this isn't an indication of where the series is going because I prefer cozies to be completely free of swear words.

As with every installment, there are a few mouth-watering recipes at the end of the book. I love how the story behind each one was part of the subplot in the book. And I learned something new. Before reading this book, I had never heard of Roquefort cheese before. Now I'll have to try it!

As I say with most cozies, Between a Roquefort and a Hard Place is a self-contained mystery. You can easily start with this book and not feel lost in the series. However, I'm confident you'll want to go back and read all previous installments to find out how the characters and their relationships have evolved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for providing me with an eARC of this book.

Sunday Post 137

Hi everyone!

Through Monday, I am linking with the following: 

Reading Reality, who hosts Stacking the Shelves

Readerbuzz, who hosts Sunday Salon

Caffeinated Reviewer, who hosts Sunday Post

The Book Date, who hosts It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Memorial Day Weekend greetings to my friends in the U.S. and Happy Sunday to all! 

I had a couple of virtual appointments, but it was an otherwise quiet week. Both appointments went well. We had three consecutive days with highs in the 90's, then on Thursday the temperatures dropped into the 60's for a high and it's been cool and raining most of the time since then. I'm happy with the rain and cooler temps. I prefer 60's and rain over sunshine and 90+ any day. It does mean I have not been out for a walk in a while, but I'm getting my cardio in with my hand cycle. I usually listen to an audiobook or podcast, or watch television while I'm cycling.

I also had a chance to work on the puzzle, though I haven't gotten very far. I am making progress; it's just taking a while. Here's what I've done so far:

So it looks like I'm at least halfway done, which means I have around 250 pieces left to lock in. The challenges are most of the pieces that are left are similar colors and similar shapes. I'm determined to finish this puzzle in this century, though.

IN THE BOOKS

RECENTLY FINISHED

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I finished listening to A Game of Cones (Ice Cream Parlor Mystery 2), written by Abby Collette and narrated by Chandra Skyye. The mystery in this one was stronger, but I'm still not connecting with all of the characters. One of them really needs to be toned down. I did enjoy it enough to read or listen to the third and final one in this series in the fall.

IN PROGRESS

I read Spring Week 9 in The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year, written by Margaret Renkl and illustrated by Billy Renkl. This was a bittersweet chapter about the author's amazing encounter with a healthy, thriving bobcat. She was advised to let it be, noting that there are now fewer rabbits. As someone who loves all cats, even the big ones, and rabbits, my heart doesn't know what to feel.

I'm almost 90% through Between a Roquefort and A Hard Place (Grilled Cheese Mystery 7), by Linda Reilly, and I still don't know who the culprit is. I'm definitely enjoying the ride and I'm excited to see how it ends when I finish it this weekend.

UP NEXT

I'm very excited to have an ARC of Pour Choices (Mixology Lounge Mystery 2), by Adrian Andover. This is the follow-up to the award-winning Whiskey Business, which I loved. Pour Choices releases next month and the ARC is next on my list to read.

ON THE SCREEN

• The Way Home - We are officially halfway through the final season. Episode 5 was highly entertaining, but I didn't feel like it moved the story along enough. Supposedly, we'll get a lot of answers in the next episode.
• The Brady Bunch - I'm almost halfway through season 3. The kids have really grown up in this season, most noticeably Greg who is now in high school.
• Murder, She Wrote - I finally started watching season 5. I've watched the first three episodes, with the third episode being my favorite in the season so far. That one is set in Cabot Cove. It's called "Mr. Penroy's Vacation". Do you remember this episode?
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - This the series that started in the mid 80's and stars Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. I watched season 1 and really enjoyed it. You can read my full review here.
• Best Served Cold: A Hannah Swensen Mystery - This is my favorite Hallmark mystery series and this one was especially strong. I thought it was a good mix of courtroom drama and cozy vibes. Although the pool of suspects was small, I still didn't figure out the whodunnit until just a few minutes before it was revealed. And I loved the big reveal. It was quite different than the norm for these cozies. Everything about this movie worked for me. It's my favorite new movie of the year so far.

ON THE BLOG

• Sunday Post - 05/16 - Weekly Recap
• Character Guest Post - 05/18 - Jessica Fletcher
• Series Review - 05/19 - Murder, She Wrote (Season 4)
• Book Review - 05/21 - Where the Light Shines Through, by Kathleen Bailey
• Series Review - 05/22 - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Season 1)
• Puzzle - 05/23 - The Sherlock Holmes Museum

Have a great week!

Puzzle 139 - The Sherlock Holmes Museum

Since yesterday was Sherlock Holmes Day, I thought we'd continue the celebration with a puzzle of 121B Baker Street. This fictional home of Sherlock Holmes is an actual location in London, which is now a museum.

This puzzle took me longer than usual because it has more pieces that what I normally post. It took me 5:16 using 48 non-rotating pieces. Remember you can change the number of pieces if you prefer fewer or more.

Enjoy!

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Season 1 (1984-1985)

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Happy Sherlock Holmes Day and Happy Birthday, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle!

I became interested in cozy mysteries five years ago. I have since then dabbled in the world of Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I have read a few short stories and I recently finished watching season 1 of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, released in 1984-1985.  I have the complete collection of the series on DVD, but season 1 also recently aired on television.

The first season of this series primarily stars Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes, David Burke as Dr. John Watson, and Rosalie Williams as Mrs. Hudson. I have nothing to compare this adaptation to, as far as screen time goes, but in my opinion, Jeremy Brett portrays Sherlock Holmes flawlessly. His stern delivery of lines and spot-on mannerisms are exactly how I picture Sherlock Holmes in the short stories I've read. David Burke is equally suited for his role as the trusty sidekick who balances out Holmes and provides us with some light-hearted moments throughout the season. Rosalie Williams is delightful as the landlady.

There are seven episodes in season 1, each running just a few minutes short of one hour (not including commercials if you watch it on television). This is my favorite amount of time for mysteries. There is enough time for the plot to develop and we reach the resolution soon enough. The basic format for each episode is Holmes's client gives him an explanation of the problem that needs to be addressed (this is where we see flashbacks of what has happened), Holmes devises a plan, he and his sidekick execute the plan, and in the end, the mystery is solved. I love that the format is familiar in each episode. It provides a level of comfort without knowing exactly what will happen.

The seven episodes in season 1 are as follows:

A Scandal in Bohemia

The Dancing Men

The Naval Treaty

The Solitary Cyclist

The Crooked Man

The Speckled Band

The Blue Carbuncle

My favorites of these are The Solitary Cyclist and The Speckled Band. I found the mysteries in these especially clever and entertaining. My least favorite is The Blue Carbuncle. It was the least interesting to me and it lacked the coziness of the previous episodes. I also found Holmes's yelling a bit overbearing in this episode. I still enjoyed it, just not as much as the others. Perhaps I'll give it a try another time and see if my opinion changes.

It is widely known that this series is extremely faithful to the original works. I have only read a couple of these, but I can say for those, this is definitely true. For the ones I did read, I watched the screen adaptations first. I was amazed at how accurate they all were. This rarely happens where screen adaptations so closely match the original works.

I tend to enjoy the screen adaptations more than the short stories, but that's because I love the visual representations of them. I enjoy the way London during that time period is portrayed. For me, it adds immensely to the cozy vibes.

This is just the beginning of my journey into the world of Sherlock Holmes. I eventually want to read all of the short stories and novels, and I want to see all of the major screen adaptations. I'll continue on with season 2 of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, while also catching up on the corresponding short stories.

Do you have a favorite Sherlock Holmes story or screen adaptation? Who do you think best portrays Sherlock Holmes?

Where the Light Shines Through (Olivia Penn Mystery 1), by Kathleen Bailey

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I was introduced to and had the opportunity to chat with author Kathleen Bailey at Malice Domestic this year. After meeting her and looking into her Olivia Penn series, I knew this was one I had to pick up. I love the cover and the premise seemed interesting.

In this first installment in the series, Where the Light Shines Through, Olivia Penn is heading back to her hometown of Apple Station, Virginia to visit her family and friends for one week before embarking on a new publishing career in New York City. Unfortunately, it isn't long before a dead body is found and her childhood friend is the prime suspect in this murder investigation. As she sets out to untangle this mystery and clear her friend's name, she discovers secrets she didn't see coming.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. One of the main elements that keeps me coming back to a series are the characters. I want to feel like I can be friends with them. If I'm going to be reading the series, I need to enjoy spending time with them. And I did. Olivia is a caring and intelligent amateur sleuth. She's fiercely loyal to her loved ones. Her friends and family are equally likeable. 

I love that her friend is a physical therapist. This is an occupation I have never read in a cozy and it fits well into the story. As someone who has had a lot of experience in physical therapy throughout my life as a patient, I found this relatable.

The mystery is strong. I did not guess the whodunnit. It all came together logically, yet, I was still shocked by the big reveal. There were enough viable suspects that kept me guessing, but not so many that it was overwhelming. I was easily able to keep track of all of the characters.

Olivia is recovering from a recent breakup, but if you like romance in your cozies, you'll be pleased to know there may be something on the horizon. There are sparks flying. I'll have to read the rest of the series to see where this goes. 

Great care is taken with the way this book is written. It's filled with emotional depth that kept me engaged.  Besides a cozy and engaging story with wonderful characters, the descriptions are beautifully written. The author takes the concept of "show don't tell" to a new level. In addition to this, light humor is infused at just the right times.

If you enjoy mysteries where the vibes are cozy, but suspenseful where they need to be, then I highly recommend Where the Light Shines Through, by Kathleen Bailey. This is one series I will definitely continue.

Murder, She Wrote (Season 4)

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Happy International Murder, She Wrote Day!

On this date 30 years ago, after 12 seasons, the final episode of the beloved television series, Murder, She Wrote, aired. I never did watch the series until about five years ago when I became interested in cozy mysteries. I started watching it in order from season 1 and I just recently finished watching season 4.

For the most part, the series maintained the same vibe as the previous three seasons. Jessica Fletcher is a widow who is a retired teacher turned mystery author. She has a knack for noticing details, piecing together clues, and solving whodunnits in hour long (with commercials) episodes. While the authorities consistently remind her that she is not one of them, overall she gets along well with them and they realize how valuable she is in helping to solve these crimes.

While we often think of Murder, She Wrote being set in Cabot Cove, Maine, I counted only five episodes out of 22 in season 4 taking place here. Others are set in various states like Maryland and New York. Some are also set in other countries, like France and Canada. Ms. Fletcher has a lot of friends, many of whom don't live in Cabot Cove, which means she travels a lot. So, is there really a high rate of crime in Cabot Cove? I don't know. But wherever they are set, Ms. Fletcher does seem to frequently find herself where murders happen. It's a good thing she's so good at solving them!

The mysteries continue to be strong. It's very rare when I'm able to figure out the whodunnit, and usually when I do, it's simply based on a hunch. I enjoy seeing how Ms. Fletcher untangles the mysteries and presents the big reveals. She's intelligent and poised.

Murder, She Wrote fans know that the series often includes notable guest stars. There were several from this season that I was familiar with including, Nancy Dussault, Jenilee Harrison, Christopher Hewett, John Callahan, Charlotte Rae, Jeffrey Tambor, Robert Reed, Sonny Bono, Norman Fell, Kristy McNichol, and Terry Kiser. Four of these are from Three's Company, which is a sitcom I used to watch in reruns.

One of the drawbacks of watching older shows like Murder, She Wrote is that not every episode ages well. What was acceptable when this season aired in the late 1980s would not go over well in present day. One such episode was the tenth one in this season titled, "Indian Giver". Another episode in season 4 I was not a fan of because it felt darker was the second one titled, "When Thieves Fall Out". 

However, this season also aired some of my favorite episodes including, "Old Habits Die Hard" (episode 5) for it's locked room feel, "If It's Thursday, It Must Be Beverly" (episode 7) because I love the Cabot Cove episodes most of all, "Curse of the Daanav" (episode 14) because it's set in my home state of Maryland and because it has a twisty mystery, and "Deadpan" (episode 21) because I enjoyed the plot and the clever reveal.

So that's a wrap on season 4. I'm looking forward to watching the remaining seasons!

Do you have a favorite episode or guest star from this season or from any season?