Dear Cupid

Dear Cupid by Julie Ortolon is a e-book that I had purchased and had not read until today.  The title refers to an advice column written by Kate Bradsaw for Gwendolyn's Garden.  Kate's friend Gwen the owner of the on-line publication puts Kate on probation as she needs to relate more to her readers.  So, Kate decides she needs some romance and decides to flirt with a man in the airport while waiting for her plane to leave.  She sees a handsome man and drops her handbag and he winds up helping her to pick up things.  One of the items is a lipstick which is peach.  The man does not look wealthy.  He is Micheal Cameron, an animator for the movies.  Mike is returning home from his class reunion and realizes that he has spent his life working and his classmates are married with children.

Mike falls in love at first sight with the redheaded lady in the airport.  She had dropped a business card with a picture of a blond.  The telephone number was from the same area in which he lived.  When he turns over the card he sees a message wishing Kate, good luck from, Linda.  So, he realizes the woman's name is Kate.

Because he wants to see Kate again, Mike calls Linda's business, Rent A Wife, and asks for Kate.  When she arrives, Kate realizes Mike is the man from the airport.  She is surprised when Mike asks her to help him find a wife.  She says he needs the place remodeled and asks Linda's husband, Jim to come to Mike's to do the contracting as Linda is pregnant.

Mike eventually meets Dylan, who is Kate's son and winds up deciding having a step-son would not be bad.  He does manage to seduce Kate and they have sex.  Mike helps Kate find a new outlet for her column when she is fired.

I love the way the love story develops.  Mike slowly builds a friendship with Dylan and that lends to Kate changing her mind about him.  The book does have a happy ending.

Cat Laughing Last Spring Challenge

Cat Laughing Last by Shirley Rousseau Murphy is my entry for C in A-Z challenge and for March challenge.  It also fits the What an Animal Reading Challenge and is a Cozy Mysteroy.  This book has been in my home for awhile.

Joe Grey and Dulcie with the aid of Kit discover that certain items found at yard sales contain treasure that someone will kill for.  Molena Point has been invaded by a writer and his rude wife.   The author is also casting a play at the local theater.

Thanks to the cats, the police are given enough leads to discover who the villians or villian might be.
It was a newspaper article that mentions that something was found isix weeks before in early March which gives me the clue that this book is set in springtime.  Since the setting is California, the fact that they can cut flowers does not help set the time of the story.

Unfortunately, because I was looking for something to help me date this book, it let me know too much about the solution.  As one follows the progress of the mystery, you do get the idea that all does not meet the eye.  I love the descriptions of the cats, the scenery, clothes and costumes and the people.  This is a great series to read.  One does not have to read the books in order to enjoy them.

One Hot Murder

One Hot Murder by Lorraine Bartlett was published in February, 2013.  It is part of her Victoria Square Mystery series which are cozy. The cover has a picture of a cat on it and Katie mentions her two cats Della and Mason on page 2.  Even though the cats are not a big part of the book, just having them on the cover qualifies this book for What An Animal Reading Challenge.  I am using it as O for A-Z Reading Challenge.

There is a heat wave in July and Katie Bonner is living in a small apartment over a pizza shop owned by her boyfriend.  It is not air conditioned which does not bother her cats but is bothering her.  The apartment does overlook Victoria Square where Artisan's Alley, her business, is also located.  She has been wanting to buy the Webster mansion and turn it into a bed & breakfast but does not have the funds to do so.  She is looking out the window of her apartment when she sees the south side of the Square glowing.  She realizes there is a fire, grabs her cell and calls 911 as she is running toward the end of the Square.  Wood U was on fire.  The store sold wooden gifts and small furniture.
The owner of Wood U was Dennis Wheeler and his wife, Abby, worked in the store during the school year while he taught industrial arts at McKinlay Mill High School. One of the other shop owners calls the Wheeler home to see if they are there.  Abby answered and will come to the Square.    Katie checks and finds Mr. Wheeler's car is still in the lot.   The fire chief calls for the meat wagon.  The deputy asks if it was smoke inhalation?  The chief says there was a whole in the middle of the victim's face.  Katie overhears and is told not to say anything.

Detective Ray Davenport is about ready to retire.  This murder is probably going to be his last case.  He wanted to try to solve it before he officially retire.  It turns out that Dennis had bulled a number of his students including one of Andy's charges at his Pizza Shop.  Even one of the new owners of the Webster Mansion had been one of Mr. Wheeler's victims. When the local brown delivery man is replaced, Katie winds up having Davenport find out more about him.  Could the delivery man be the dead man found in the shop and Dennis hiding?  Katie does some sleuthing to try to find if her theory is correct.

It is hard to say anything more because if I do, you would not want to read this wonderful book.  I have yet to be disappointed by any of Lorraine's series.  I gave this book Goodreads highest rating available.  I felt like I could actually visualize some of the scenes mentioned.

Murder on the Mind

I was able to download a free copy of Murder on the Mind for my Kobo thanks to a message on one of the blogs I read.  I just noticed it is listed still as free on Amazon.com.  I am using this as M for the A to Z book challenge.  I have had a paper edition of this book on my shelf.

Jeff Resnick was an insurance investigater but, had lost his job.  He had just won some money when he is mugged.  He suffers from a broken arm and a head injury.  After he awakens, he finds out that he is seeing and feeling things - he is now a psychic. 

Since he has used all his savings and is unable to work, Jeff's half-brother, Richard moves him to Buffalo.   He sees a man hanging like a deer.  When he reads a paper, Jeff sees a picture of the man and realizes he was murdered.  The book is filled with Jeff interviewing various people and discovering clues and evidence.  The location of part of the body was anonymously called in to the police.  Jeff finds the murderer, but unfortunately his brother is in the middle of things.

I love these books and will be reading the second one shortly.  A have owned hard copies of this series for awhile and did not remember reading this book before.  The characters are well written.  Richard has a black girlfriend and he forgets to tell others that she is black.  I would recommend these books to any mystery fan!