Cozy Kind of Weekend

What's a girl to do on a rainy weekend?

Easy...cozy up on my comfy couch with two cozy mysteries.

Here's the blurb for The Ghost And Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly:

This spirit is willing -- to catch a killer.

Young widow Penelope Thornton-McClure and her old Aunt Sadie are making end meet by managing a mystery bookshop - a quaint Rhode Island landmark rumored to be haunted. Pen may not believe in ghosts, but she does believe in good publicity -- like nabbing Timothy Brennan for a book signing. But soon after the bestselling thriller writer reveals a secret about the store's link to a 1940's murder, he keels over dead -- and right in the middle of the store's new Community Events space.

Who gives Mrs. McClure the first clue that it was murder? The bookstore's full time ghost -- a PI murdered on the very spot more than fifty years ago. Is he a figment of Pen's overactive imagination? Or is the oddly likable fedora wearing specter the only hope Pen has to solve the crime? You can bet your everlasting life on it...

This was my second time reading this book. I first read it when it was published, a few years ago. I remembered that I enjoyed it, and I remember some of the plot points, but I couldn't recall everything that occurred. Anyway, when this book was chosen to discussed in a group discussion, I just couldn't resist taking another look at it. Thank goodness I was able to find at my local library.

I enjoyed how quickly everything happened, the pace was wonderful, without feeling that we were lacking in information. And it also short, it' wasn't a long book, just long enough to read it in one sitting. The characters were very good, loved the interaction between Pen and Jack, and Pen and Sadie. There were definitely a lot of laugh out moments (IMO). The dialogue was brilliant.

The Ghost And Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly (Re-read) Contemporary Mystery Paranormal: Ghost; Published: Berkley Prime Crime (2004); Series: # 1, A Haunted Bookshop Mystery; 100 + Reading Challenge (11); Library book;

The other book I read was Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett. Here's its blurb:

The streets of Stoneham, New Hampsire are lined with bookstores...and paved with murder.

When she moved to Stoneham, city slicker Tricia Miles met nothing but friendly faces. And when she opened her mystery bookstore, she met friendly competition. But when she finds Doris Gleason dead in her own cookbook store, killed by a carving knife, the atmosphere seems more cutthroat than cordial. Someone wanted to get their hands on the rare cookbook that Doris had recently purchased—and the locals think that someone is Tricia. To clear her name, Tricia will have to take a page out of one of her own mysteries—and hunt down someone who isn't killing by the book.

I enjoyed it, I love the little twists and turns the author lead me through, but overall I found that something was missing. But here's the thing, I cannot put my finger on what was lacking. I just can't figure it out!

I liked most of the character, the main character Tricia was likable enough, and I could understand her plight, her sister was comic relief (IMO), great friendly characters like Ginny and Mr Everett. And then there was the Sheriff, and I can honestly tell you that she gave me the willies. Didn't like her at all. Maybe that's it. Nope, that's not it.

Oh well....Anyway, it was an enjoyable enough read and I'm looking forward on reading more books from this author.

Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett (3.5/5) Contemporary Mystery; Published: Berkley Prime Crime (2008); Series: # 1, A Booktown Mystery; 100 + Reading Challenge (12); Library book;