Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds.

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5★ 

Mia Crawford is responsible to a fault. She has to be. Between her high-demand job and taking care of her grandmother and her cats, she has little time for anything else. What time she does have, she pours into reading. Mysteries, romances, thrillers…books filled with women who are far more impulsive than she would ever dream of being. Now, forced into taking a long-overdue vacation, she finds herself on a luxurious private island where she just might have a chance to reinvent herself—for a little while, anyway. She can explore the island. Flirt shamelessly with a cute bartender. Have a vacation fling. Live like a heroine in one of her favorite novels. 

Or she can curl up with a good book on the beach. Turns out reinventing yourself is easier planned than done. But when gossipy notes written in the margins of an old book turn out to be clues to the disappearance of another guest, Mia finds herself diving headfirst into a dangerous adventure. With everyone at the resort hiding secrets of their own, she’ll have to solve this real-life mystery before she becomes the next target. 

 

 🌷

 
I've been hearing about Allison Brennan for some time. I've even got a few of her thrillers on my reading list. I came across Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds while getting a few books from the library. The title and cover were what drew my attention first. The book has a mysterious appearance based solely on its cover. Then I saw the author's name, and since I had wanted to read her for a while, I decided to check it out. I’m so glad that I did. I was captivated by the story and the characters within the first few pages of the book. I couldn’t put the book down; I didn’t want to because I needed to see what was going to happen next. I liked how this story took place on a resort during a vacation, which added a different feeling to the mystery. I loved how the author started the story, adding suspense and hooking the reader from the beginning. 

You can't help but admire Mia for her determination. However, there were times when I feared she was putting herself in danger. I knew someone wouldn't be pleased that she was looking into the past. I like how she teamed up with someone to figure out what happened. Bri and Mia made a great team, and no matter what was going on, the two of them always had each other's back. Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds was a fast-paced story that kept me turning pages and on the edge of my seat. I found myself trying to solve the mystery alongside Mia, and the suspense increased as the story progressed. 

I loved that at the beginning of each chapter there was a quote from a book, and there were even a few from the books that I had read. I enjoy reading books, especially mysteries with book-loving characters. I loved how the clues came from the book. There is so much more I could say about this book, but I don't want to give too much away. I recommend checking out the book to find out!

Murder By Cheesecake(Golden Girls,#1)

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When Dorothy’s obnoxious date is found dead in a hotel freezer, it not only ruins a gorgeous cheesecake but threatens the elaborate St. Olaf–themed wedding Rose is hosting.

 
Things are heating up, and not just because of Blanche’s hot flashes. Rose’s cousin is eloping to Miami, and Rose is playing host. If she can't balance the groom’s family’s snobbery against the traditional St. Olaf wedding week guidelines, her hometown may never accept her cousin again! 

Dorothy quickly realizes she needs a date with whom she can exchange wedding-related wisecracks. Turning to a newfangled VHS dating service, she believes she’s found the ideal conversationalist. Unfortunately, what looks good on TV can actually be a total jerk in real life. It seems she’ll just have to enjoy the company of Sophia, Blanche, and whomever Blanche has targeted for a hookup. 

As the Girls all pitch in, Rose is thrilled that the tea-and-fish-themed kickoff event is perfect, not a herring out of place. That is until Dorothy’s date is found dead—face-planted in an otherwise scrumptious-looking cheesecake. With every guest a suspect (especially Dorothy) and a marriage on the line, the four besties must ID the real killer, get the should-be-happy couple down the aisle, and make sure nobody from St. Olaf gets lost in the wilds of Miami. It’s up to the Golden Girls to sleuth out a way for friendship and love to win the day!

 

 🌷

 
When I heard about this book, I knew I needed to read it. I loved The Golden Girls and watched the entire series with my mom. I was thrilled to learn that there would be a cozy mystery featuring Golden Girls. A part of me was hesitant to read the book because I adored The Golden Girls and wasn't sure if they'd be portrayed in the same way in the books. I'm glad I decided to give it a shot; the author did a fantastic job bringing The Golden Girls back to life, with a mystery in the mix. I think this would be a great spin-off show, if all the cast were still alive. I felt as I was transformed back into my favorite show. I did feel like the beginning was slow and there wasn't much going on, but as the story progressed, so did the pacing, and I had to force myself to put the book down. 

You can't help but love Rose, Dorothy, Sophia, and Blanche. I missed seeing all the girls together, and I found myself laughing at some of their banter that I enjoyed on show. Adding humor to the story made it much more difficult to pull away from it. I found myself turning the pages without realizing how much time had passed. From the moment the body was discovered, I was captivated by the story and wondered about the motive for the murder and who was responsible. I was curious about the title, Murder by Cheesecake. However, it became clear as I read the book. Considering how much the girls loved the cheesecake; it fit the story perfectly. 

I loved how the girls worked together to figure out what happened. They were there for each other, just like in the show, but this time it was to solve the murder. There were several twists that kept you on the edge of your seat. I felt like I was attempting to solve the mystery alongside Rose, Dorothy, Blanche, and Sophia. I also liked how we saw a slightly different side of Rose in this book. There was so much I loved about this book. A part of me wishes the next book was already out; I'm curious what adventures the girls will have next. I recommend this to Golden Girls fans, especially those who enjoy cozy mysteries.