Welcome to my Monday Minis where I share shorter reviews of books I’ve read.

Today I’ve got a cozy mystery series to share with you.

*****

Mystic Falls

A Coyote Wells Mystery #1

by Vickie McKeehan

Genre: Cozy Mystery

My Review

There’s nothing Gemma regrets more than letting her mother drag her away from her grandmother and home so many years ago. Now she’s back and staying put, keeping her grandmother’s beloved chocolate shop running after her passing and putting down roots again. She quickly becomes embroiled in the case of some disappearing girls.

Gemma is a delight and I loved the chemistry between her and her sexy ex-husband, Lando, now the town chief of police.  I love second chance romance and these two are adorable. The Native American mysticism was an added bonus. I enjoyed learning, along with Gemma, about the psychic abilities both she and her grandmother shared and how each of the three spirits will help her use and grow her abilities.

Vickie cleverly and all too easily had me running in circles. one misdirection after another keeping me guessing until the last couple of chapters.

Did I enjoy this book? I sure did. All the ingredients I ask for in a cozy mystery and some delightful characters. Would I recommend this book? I do, very much so. And I’m already reading Shadow Canyon, the next book.

*****

Synopsis

Emotionally reeling after the death of her grandmother, Gemma Channing is settling into Coyote Wells, the hometown where she grew up, after a ten-year absence. While trying to come to terms with the loss of her Gram, disturbing things begin to happen. Women are disappearing. Just when she begins to realize Coyote Wells has changed—and not for the better—she’s forced to bump heads with Lando Bonner, her ex, a man who still carries around a grudge. But since she’s digging for answers trying to explain exactly how her grandmother died, she needs his help. It won’t be easy. Lando has never forgiven her for leaving him. Tensions flair between the two as a killer grips the town in fear. Is it kill or be killed? Who will the killer target next? And when will it all end?

Amazon / B&N

*****

Shadow Canyon

A Coyote Wells Mystery #2

by Vickie McKeehan

Genre: Cozy Mystery

My Review

Gemma is settling into being home again and her rekindled romance with her ex-husband, Lando, is steaming right along. They have much to work out but are confident they’ll get there. While taking her dog for a late evening walk she discovers the body of a woman she’s bumped heads with since back in school. Now she has to clear her name, keep her friends and family safe and keep her beloved Coyote Chocolate Company from becoming a casualty of the rumors.

Gemma is still learning about her psychic abilities. In the first book, Kamena, a reassuring Native American spirit visited her. This time she deals with the terse, kind of scary, Aponivi. The author made this so believable. Gemma doesn’t just become psychic. She struggles to understand her abilities and bumbles with using them. Not something she can just command at the drop of a hat.

Her and Lando were as adorable as ever. While Gemma grew in confidence, so did he. He’s really found his niche as chief of police and might just be coming around to believing in Gemma’s special powers too.

Rufus, Gemma’s chocolate lab, has a bigger role to play in this story. And when he loses his beloved sock puppet he becomes so depressed. My dog does that too. You know she’ll not stop until she finds that toy and makes her best friend happy again. Look closely at the covers and you’ll spy his smiling face.

A fun new adventure in the Coyote Wells Mystery series. Once again, I’m left hungry for more. And not just for chocolate. Can’t wait to get my hands on Spirit Lake, the third book in this exciting series.

Did I enjoy this book? You betcha. As much if not more than the first one. Would I recommend it? Yep. And you can read each of them as a stand alone, but I’d urge you to start where it all began and connect with the characters more fully.

*****

Synopsis

Murder with a side of chocolate.

Exhausted from dealing with the annual Sun Bringer Festival, Gemma Channing and her ex, Lando Bonner, are hanging out at the beach, trying to recover from the three-day event when her longtime nemesis is found dead on the sand dunes. As rumors grow about Mallory’s demise, many in Coyote Wells feel like Gemma is responsible.

Determined to find out who did it, Gemma goes into overdrive to find the real killer. With the help of Lando and her friends, they dig deeper into Mallory’s past, hoping to uncover all of her secrets. But they get more than they bargained for when the tables turn. The new theory brings a longtime mystery to the forefront, one that’s been hanging around for three decades…unsolved. What does it mean for the people in Coyote Wells when the secret’s uncovered? And will Gemma be able to figure things out before anyone else dies?

Amazon / B&N

*****

And I can’t wait to get my hands on the third book in this fun series! Hopefully, very soon!

Spirit Lake

A Coyote Wells Mystery #3

by Vickie McKeehan

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Synopsis

Cozy mystery with a side of chocolate.

It’s the middle of summer and Gemma Channing is dealing with a host of issues that’s driving her straight up the wall. Small town politics. Wedding jitters. A crazy competitor from out of town. And now a serial killer.

Chief of Police Lando Bonner has his hands full with a crime wave. A string of burglaries and petty thefts are keeping him hopping. A decades-old, unsolved murder is now stalled, and he can’t seem to identify the young teenage victim.

On top of all that, someone wants them dead. No matter how hard Gemma tries, chocolate won’t fix this dilemma. But she’s determined to find a solution. Her decision to put her meddling ways behind her for good is lousy timing, but it unlocks a unique trust between her and Lando that hasn’t been there before. Will they ever reach their wedding day? Or will a serial killer, bent on covering up his crimes, get the best of them?

It’s all happening in this 3rd installment to Coyote Wells, a town reaped in history with its share of quirky characters.

Amazon / B&N

*****

Author Vickie McKeehan

   Vickie is the author of six novels, including The Evil Trilogy and the Pelican Pointe series. She’s a hardcore lover of books who grew up listening to her mother tell fascinating stories about ghosts and other tales full of characters she wasn’t sure ever really existed.

A self-proclaimed beachgoer and ocean-lover, she lives in Southern California with the love of her life. When she isn’t working on her next manuscript or screenplay, she loves to be outdoors.

In her spare time she tries to grow things which other people commonly refer to as gardening. She loves reading all kinds of books, both fiction and non-fiction, loves to play video games, and enjoys watching football with the hubby. If you’ve ever read any of her books, you know she’s a die-hard Raider fan, which means she has the patience of Job.

She lives for chocolate, but then who doesn’t? She’ll kill for a cup of coffee in the morning. She’s convinced the best food on earth is French fries. And she could easily be a vegetarian if it wasn’t for bacon.

Author links: Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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*****

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You can find a list of my reviews HERE.