Janice Hamrick

I read this for the challenge: Thanksgiving... I didn't like it at all, I didn't like the characters, I didn't like the story, I didn't like the writing. I normally do not Cozy-Up to Cozies, no not at all. I do not like rambling on & on & on (setting the scene or not), ad nauseam.

from the inside flap: "Texas high school teacher, Jocelyn Shore had been looking forward to spending Thanksgiving at her Uncle Kel's ranch" So from there she awakens to hear the sound of a shotgun being cocked and finds her Uncle Kel pointing it his daughter's (Ruby June) husband, Eddy... Ruby June is at the table weeping w/ a black eye, courtesy Eddy.....

So after chasing Eddy off.... Jocelyn & her look-alike cousin Kayla go out & about town, meeting up w/ the local folks. Somewhere along the line Ruby June disappears........ and of course Eddy is blamed. Later when Eddy's body is found the Shore Family become suspects..... Add to the mix a crooked lumber supplier, a shady neighboring rancher, and a racehorse owner of dubious integrity.

Blah, blah, blah, blah........

The writing was simple and left me without any desire to read anything else by the author.… (mehr)

Jocelyn and her cousin, Kyra are joining their family for Thanksgiving on the family ranch. They have barely settled in when the no-good husband of a cousin turns up on the ranch, dead of course. Now all eyes turn to their uncle Kel who recently threatened the deadbeat. And the deceased wife is missing. What kind of holiday is this going to be? Jocelyn wants to find her missing cousin and find the real killer. She is also juggling to suitors. Not to mention having to put up with Kyra.

This series is a lot of fun. I love Jocelyn. She is so nice and smart. Kyra is not my favorite and I sometimes wish Jocelyn would just slap her. But they have a real bond so I have to put up with her too. There is a lot going on and it is a pretty good mystery but I took 1/2 star away because they had to do a major wrap up at the end to explain everything that had happened. But for me it is the characters and the setting that make the cozy and this series has both in spades.… (mehr)

I liked this book, it is a cozy, but isn't too frivolous or superficial. The main character goes on a tour of Egypt and one of the tour members gets killed the second day in. Of course, all her fellow tour members are acting strangely, creating a perfect gaggle of suspects. The culprits were apparent to me before chapter 5, but I enjoyed the read immensely in spite of this. The backdrop of Egypt is always interesting and Ms. Hamrick does a beautiful job with her descriptions. Most of the characters are cleverly drawn and unique. My biggest complaint is Jocelyn's travelling companion, cousin and best friend comes across as shallow, narcissistic and unlikeable, although she does pull her head out towards the end.

I'm not sure if I'll read the next book in the series or not, but I'd recommend it to anyone liking cozies and travel.… (mehr)