Enjoyable LDS mystery
345172
It is light and funny.  I enjoyed it as I didn't have to worry about language and content.  It was funny in parts
4121989
When a San Fransisco Guy Noir detective is sent to investigate the murder of a Latter Day Saint Bishop he finds that the sweet frosting on top of a somewhat ordinary looking cake hides layers and layers of comically complicated messes underneath.

For the novice just dabbling in Mormon cultural nuances this fun mystery novel will take you from the naive Pre-school level right into the more subversive underbelly of the graduate levels of Mormonism, all while weaving an intricate story of deception and social graces that hide the many comical skeletons in the typical LDS closets.

Donna Banta writes with the hard earned tics and wits of an insider of this unique and strange culture and gives a fun peek into the bizarre practices and beliefs of the average Latter Day Saint Ward congregation. You'll find yourself cheering for the girls to the end.
4397354
I have read Susan Dunlap's other series and this one does not disappoint.  Darcy is a assistant to a Zen master and a Stunt Women in San Francisco.  When Leo is attacked in the temple she sets out to solve the mystery while also working on an action movie.  This is quite a good mystery. Enough Red Herrings to keep the mystery interesting. The author does a good job with the Zen and San Francisco background.  There are as many twists in the book as on the famed Lombard Street.  The ending took me by surprise.  Enjoy this book for twisty mystery through San Francisco.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review
4618505
Identity is a wonderful depiction of what actual, everyday LDS members are like. I love the sample of this, it totally hooked me into buying the whole book. The only reason to put this book down would be in case of a natural disaster. And then you would be putting it at the top of the box to carry out with you. The characterizations are solid, the setting is fun and the plot makes you want to read more.
324000
This mystery, like the first in the series, was tightly written with a good pace and plot. The mystery solution was fair. The characters are well drawn. The author is not too wordy. He tells enough to set the scene, but not so much that the story is obscured. Thank Mr. Boyd and keep writing. I plan to keep reading.
3042299
Good mystery that closes some long-running plots while leaving others for another day. Im thinking this may be the most mystical  of the Parker series, a good thing IMHO.  Could have used a little more time with Parker and a bit more attention to editing, but a very good book. Ready for the next one.
2865790
I enjoyed all of Julie Smith's mysteries which were situated in New Orleans and featured the police officer and was very sad when she stopped writing them. This is the first of the San Francisco mysteries I've read--the protagonist, an attorney, is likable, as are her friends. I haven't finished reading the novel, so it may get "bloody," but I haven't seen that so far. I recommend her mysteries for enjoyable without requiring "too much" thinking! Good for an afternoon, a rainy day, etc.
2708763
Betsy Devonshire finds herself in the middle of another murder investigation when a body is found floating in the swimming pool facility she has been attending for water aerobics classes. How could a murderer access the locked building and pool? When one of her regular Crewel World customers begs her to help solve the puzzle, Betsy agrees to investigate.

This mystery was a nice twist on the classic locked room mysteries. The clues are presented in such a way that the reader can solve the mystery along with Betsy, which is a feature I prefer to have in cozy mystery novels.

The supporting characters who are regulars in this series are all present in this installment. Godwin, Jill, and the Monday Bunch members are all included, which is one of the things I enjoy most in these books. The supporting characters are like old friends from book to book and seem to grow as their lives move along with the years rather than remaining static and unchanging.

That's not to say that this book cannot be read as a stand-alone mystery. It will be more enjoyable to those who already know the characters from previous books in the series, but the mystery itself does not suffer from not knowing these characters' backstories.

Recommended as an enjoyable puzzle in an entertaining package.
89927
Very well written small town mystery.  Usually I can guess whodunit, but didn't this time until right as it occured to the main character, Utah.
3723511
I found this mystery to be intriguing and enjoyable. The characters were believable, which is one of the important factors to me. I cared what happened to them. I also enjoyed the setting and historical aspects of the story. I'm planning to read the next in the series.
555270
Herein lies another intriguing, absorbing mystery in this Sebastian St. Cyr series. In some ways, I like this one the best so far. Although, as I got introduced to the characters surrounding this particular murder mystery, I had trouble keeping up with exactly which Bishop did what.

We again meet Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, the talented gentleman who keeps getting entangled in solving mysteries. The Viscount with the wolf-like yellow eyes that can see better than other humans, and the ears that can hear slight sounds better than most. As he solves this mystery with a 30-year-old corpse as well as the recent death of the Bishop of London, he discovers that he himself is not who he thought he was. So who is he? The personal mystery continues....

The cover, while beautifully done, somehow misses its mark. I assume it has a symbolic value of a stairway to heaven, but having a woman in red going up the steps is strange, and not at all relevant to the story inside.

I recommend this book for those who like mysteries and want to try a different author, and for those who have already read another book in this series. It'll be a good choice!
3416905
A good solid mystery with a touch of the paranormal thrown in for good measure.  I enjoy the Stephanie Plum series, particularly the one with Deisel.  This book has a similar tone. I love the humor & thought this was very well written; the characters are well rounded and three dimensional too.  This is a week written nice light read - highly recommended.
384187
This is the second Mitzy Neuhas mystery I have read and I enjoyed both books.  Hilton tells a good story, characters are realistic including their struggle with acting as Christians.  The stories are based on the main character, Mitzy, who is a gung-ho real estate agent.  What I like about Mitzy is that she doesn't shun making money but uses it wisely to help others and good causes.  Hilton's books are not preachy but yet show how mature Christians should behave and apply their faith to day-to-day living.
4959560
I enjoyed this mystery, which I suppose falls under the heading of historical mystery, although there is less period detail than that label sometimes implies. The characters are well drawn and the plot generally well handled, although there is one clue which the female protagonist takes well too long to absorb. I'll be giving the next book in the series a try.
840088
Delilah Percy Powers operates a private investigation office in Philadelphia. One of the more interesting things about the office is that it is staffed by all women. Delilah was a week away from her marriage when her fiance was killed in a kayak accident. She mourns him still years later and his body was never found. Maybe that's why the PI business interests her so.

Margot is the office manager and an ex-nun possessed with "uncanny intuition". Barb is a sensible, resourceful stay-at-home mom married to a cop. She was looking for a job with flexible hours, and working for Delilah fit the bill. Natasha is a single mom of a three-year-old boy who lived on the streets for awhile and is tough as nails.

Their newest client wants Delilah to investigate her aunt's murder. Miriam Cross wrote feminist literary novels and she was found decapitated in a house she rented under an assumed name. Cross was not well liked by many people, her novels were controversial, but as the investigation proceeds, it becomes clear that she wasn't the quiet maiden aunt that her niece was led to believe.

The investigation uncovers links to white slavery, a financial institution's involvement, mob connections, an underground railroad system for abused women run by a nun, a hacker trying to get a job with Percy Powers, and Cross' kinky relationship with two men. I have to confess that I had trouble following the resolution of the convoluted mystery, but Tyson did keep me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen.

I became very invested in Percy Powers Investigations, and really enjoyed the scenes among all of the women in the agency. Tyson's strong suit is writing about these interesting women. I can see this as a series of books, and I would love to find out more about these women and how they came to this point in their lives. Tyson's strong suit is writing about these interesting women.
2138462
This was a very good mystery - I looked forward to the snatches of time that I could grab to read it ! I like the setting of the Hawaiian Islands, and I learned a little folklore along the way.
4089305
I find it interesting how much this book speaks to me in terms of character, setting, and plot.  Maybe it's because I've grown up in Mormon-dominated Utah myself and been surrounded by others of my faith pretty much my whole life. Kit's experiences as a so-called outsider were somewhat eye-opening. There is an unfortunate tendency in a culture dominated by one religion or one way of thinking to exclude outsiders but at the same time Mormons can be very welcoming as well.  I was happy to see this in the Bridgers, the LDS family that takes Kit under their wing. This story feels very real with the ups and downs of growing up and finding one's own way in life.

This story is full of heart, family, and faith. There is a good amount of LDS doctrine weaved into the story but it doesn't slow the story down. I found the author did a fine job of explaining LDS beliefs in an understandable way. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy a contemporary story about family, friends, and faith.