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kim_brockway_gatehouse's review against another edition
4.0
A Perfectly Cosy Murder Mystery
Kate Kingsbury is a new-to-me author. I enjoyed this charming story and liked the level of threat and danger our protagonists, Melanie and her grandmother Liza, found themselves in.
Is it unusual that I connected to Liza more than Melanie? I do love a female character with gumption! Max is a real sweetie, Ben's got book boyfriend potential, and I can't wait to find out about Orville's story.
I have listened to other books narrated by Tavia Gilbert and always enjoy her performances. I'm never confused who's speaking and enjoy the emotions Tavia brings to the scenes.
I already have audiobook 2 - Doom with a View - waiting to be listened to. I'm looking forward to seeing what adventures Melanie and Liza get drawn into next.
Kate Kingsbury is a new-to-me author. I enjoyed this charming story and liked the level of threat and danger our protagonists, Melanie and her grandmother Liza, found themselves in.
Is it unusual that I connected to Liza more than Melanie? I do love a female character with gumption! Max is a real sweetie, Ben's got book boyfriend potential, and I can't wait to find out about Orville's story.
I have listened to other books narrated by Tavia Gilbert and always enjoy her performances. I'm never confused who's speaking and enjoy the emotions Tavia brings to the scenes.
I already have audiobook 2 - Doom with a View - waiting to be listened to. I'm looking forward to seeing what adventures Melanie and Liza get drawn into next.
lunaeclipse's review against another edition
4.0
It was good. I enjoyed the relationship between Liza and Melanie. Liza is by far the best character. The story was pretty interesting. There was a ton of character building for Melanie and that's my only real complaint. There was too much. Should I focus on her ex, her finding her mom, the murder mystery? And she was a bit of a downer. Other than that, I look forward to reading anymore books that come out for this series.
blogginboutbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I'm always looking for fun new cozy mystery series. They make for light, entertaining reading that's perfect for sandwiching between heavier tomes. I hadn't heard of the Merry Ghost Inn books until I saw the first one in my library's audiobook collection. As is true with most cozy mysteries, I didn't end up loving this one, although I liked it enough to continue with the series.
The set up of DEAD AND BREAKFAST is appealing. As a PNW native, I enjoyed the Oregon setting with its familiar place names. I also liked the warm relationship between Melanie and her grandmother. My favorite element, though, was the inn's friendly ghost. As for the plot, it moves swiftly. Of course, it's far-fetched in places, predictable in others. The mystery isn't anything original and the identity of the killer comes as no surprise. Overall, DEAD AND BREAKFAST is a decent read. Nothing special, but entertaining enough. Like I said, I'm up for reading the next installment.
A note on the audio: The audiobook is narrated by Tavia Gilbert. I found her performance to be melodramatic, complete with a number of irritating voices. Liza's is especially overdone. It gets shrill in places, which drove me nuts. I don't even know if the next installment is on audio, but it doesn't matter—I won't be listening to it. I'll just read it, thank you very much.
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars. Since I can't, I'm rounding up.
The set up of DEAD AND BREAKFAST is appealing. As a PNW native, I enjoyed the Oregon setting with its familiar place names. I also liked the warm relationship between Melanie and her grandmother. My favorite element, though, was the inn's friendly ghost. As for the plot, it moves swiftly. Of course, it's far-fetched in places, predictable in others. The mystery isn't anything original and the identity of the killer comes as no surprise. Overall, DEAD AND BREAKFAST is a decent read. Nothing special, but entertaining enough. Like I said, I'm up for reading the next installment.
A note on the audio: The audiobook is narrated by Tavia Gilbert. I found her performance to be melodramatic, complete with a number of irritating voices. Liza's is especially overdone. It gets shrill in places, which drove me nuts. I don't even know if the next installment is on audio, but it doesn't matter—I won't be listening to it. I'll just read it, thank you very much.
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars. Since I can't, I'm rounding up.
life1sg00d's review against another edition
2.0
I did this in audiobooks and the narrator is definitely a romance reader, every sentence was over dramatic. There aren't any good secondary characters, the bed and breakfast seems unrealistic.
nabenn67's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked the Pennyfoot Hotel mysteries, so I was excited to find another interesting sounding series by Kate Kingsbury. I enjoyed the book, though it felt sort of "disjointed" to me -- like some pieces were missing. Not enough to drive me crazy, but just enough to make it not as enjoyable. I haven't completed connected with the characters yet, but I will be reading the second novel. I think I just might need some more time with them to really feel a part of their story.
melanietalksbooks's review against another edition
3.0
It was pretty good, but I had some issues when the main character says that adopted children aren't the same thing, but then says that a dog can fill the void of giving birth to a child. It was kind of weird logic, but aside from that it was a fun read.
katreader's review against another edition
4.0
DEAD AND BREAKFAST by Kate Kingsbury
The First Merry Ghost Inn Mystery
Melanie West was looking for a change when her grandmother, Liza Harris, asked her to move to the Oregon coast to become her partner in owning and running a bed and breakfast. Leaving the remnants of a nasty divorce and a boring job as a financial analyst behind, Melanie joins her grandmother and starts to transform the house into a B & B. Although they had heard rumors that the house was haunted, the pair certainly did not expect to find a skeleton during their renovations. The police halt the remodeling until a detective can further investigate this cold case. But, Liza is not one to sit idly by and she convinces her granddaughter that they need to investigate themselves so they can open the inn on time and start earning the money they desperately need. Meanwhile the sounds of male laughter when no one is near and small items found in odd locations add to Liza's conviction, and marketing plan, that there truly is a ghost, while unnerving Melanie, who doesn't believe that ghosts exist.
What a fun start to a new series. Melanie and Liza make a great team: the down to earth Melanie and the exuberant, willing to take a chance Liza, who continually tried to get Melanie to stop calling her Gran! Despite some of the physical limitations that come with age, Liza is the younger fun loving soul who longs to solve the murder. Melanie, though younger in years, is weighed down more with the unpleasant realities of the world. What makes me appreciate this mystery is that Melanie doesn't go into it by declaring she has to solve the crime. Instead, she intends to do what most logical people would do, leave it to the police. It's infinitely more realistic that she would play along with her grandmother rather than pursue the murder head on.
Kate Kingsbury gives us a cold case mystery, a new murder, and the possibility of a ghost, not to mention the ongoing puzzle of Melanie's missing mother. Told with a deft, engaging style the first book in the Merry Ghost Inn Mystery series is a delight!
Recipe Included.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
The First Merry Ghost Inn Mystery
Melanie West was looking for a change when her grandmother, Liza Harris, asked her to move to the Oregon coast to become her partner in owning and running a bed and breakfast. Leaving the remnants of a nasty divorce and a boring job as a financial analyst behind, Melanie joins her grandmother and starts to transform the house into a B & B. Although they had heard rumors that the house was haunted, the pair certainly did not expect to find a skeleton during their renovations. The police halt the remodeling until a detective can further investigate this cold case. But, Liza is not one to sit idly by and she convinces her granddaughter that they need to investigate themselves so they can open the inn on time and start earning the money they desperately need. Meanwhile the sounds of male laughter when no one is near and small items found in odd locations add to Liza's conviction, and marketing plan, that there truly is a ghost, while unnerving Melanie, who doesn't believe that ghosts exist.
What a fun start to a new series. Melanie and Liza make a great team: the down to earth Melanie and the exuberant, willing to take a chance Liza, who continually tried to get Melanie to stop calling her Gran! Despite some of the physical limitations that come with age, Liza is the younger fun loving soul who longs to solve the murder. Melanie, though younger in years, is weighed down more with the unpleasant realities of the world. What makes me appreciate this mystery is that Melanie doesn't go into it by declaring she has to solve the crime. Instead, she intends to do what most logical people would do, leave it to the police. It's infinitely more realistic that she would play along with her grandmother rather than pursue the murder head on.
Kate Kingsbury gives us a cold case mystery, a new murder, and the possibility of a ghost, not to mention the ongoing puzzle of Melanie's missing mother. Told with a deft, engaging style the first book in the Merry Ghost Inn Mystery series is a delight!
Recipe Included.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
cfulton20's review against another edition
cozy mystery
Read by Tavia Gilbert
The narrator OVER dramatized and made it hard to stick with the story. This is one that should be read and not listened to.
Read by Tavia Gilbert
The narrator OVER dramatized and made it hard to stick with the story. This is one that should be read and not listened to.
git_r_read's review against another edition
3.0
I looked forward to listening to this book as I enjoy cozies, especially paranormal cozies. I liked it well enough, but had issues with most of the story. I liked the characters, setting, and premise but I had issues with the story.
I will start with what I did like: Characters, setting and premise were sufficiently intriguing enough for me to keep listening. I also liked how the two main characters became involved in the investigation. If the cold case doesn't get solved, they can't open their inn and there's only one detective and he's out on two other suspicious deaths. So the main characters start looking for information and clues.
What bugged me:
It tends to irritate me when the characters fret about how much work they have to do and how little money they have left, but sleep in, eat a lot of meals, go shopping and do very little of the actual work they have been fretting about. Here one little room is off-limits for refurbishing in time for the grand opening in four weeks, yet they pretty much completely stop work on everything. They fret that there are boxes to go through, rooms to paint or wallpaper removed, furniture to move around, rooms to set up....and it all stops once the skeleton is found in the wall of the first bedroom they decide to work on.
Plus the grandmother, Liza, pestered granddaughter, Mel, about the good looking reporter and/or honey of a cop who answered their call about finding the skeleton. Mel is just out of a divorce and isn't interested in getting back on that horse but Liza keeps herding the horse towards her.
Tidbits that will have me coming back for more of the series at least one more time:
There may or may not be a ghost in the house. Ghostly laughter and items mysteriously going missing or being moved around occur so there might be one. And I am interested in Mel's research into what happened to her mother when Mel was young.
I liked it enough to come back for another listen and then I will decide if I can recommend.
I will start with what I did like: Characters, setting and premise were sufficiently intriguing enough for me to keep listening. I also liked how the two main characters became involved in the investigation. If the cold case doesn't get solved, they can't open their inn and there's only one detective and he's out on two other suspicious deaths. So the main characters start looking for information and clues.
What bugged me:
It tends to irritate me when the characters fret about how much work they have to do and how little money they have left, but sleep in, eat a lot of meals, go shopping and do very little of the actual work they have been fretting about. Here one little room is off-limits for refurbishing in time for the grand opening in four weeks, yet they pretty much completely stop work on everything. They fret that there are boxes to go through, rooms to paint or wallpaper removed, furniture to move around, rooms to set up....and it all stops once the skeleton is found in the wall of the first bedroom they decide to work on.
Plus the grandmother, Liza, pestered granddaughter, Mel, about the good looking reporter and/or honey of a cop who answered their call about finding the skeleton. Mel is just out of a divorce and isn't interested in getting back on that horse but Liza keeps herding the horse towards her.
Tidbits that will have me coming back for more of the series at least one more time:
There may or may not be a ghost in the house. Ghostly laughter and items mysteriously going missing or being moved around occur so there might be one. And I am interested in Mel's research into what happened to her mother when Mel was young.
I liked it enough to come back for another listen and then I will decide if I can recommend.