Rose Pressey

Marci Beaucoup lives in Paris - just not the Paris you're thinking of. Paris, Kentucky, Marci's hometown, is a small, peaceful community with all the usual suspects: the town gossip, sassy older women, and elderly men you can set your watch to. But that all changes when Marci finds a dead body in front of her French bakery. As the town starts to talk, Marci realizes her business may be in danger and there's only one thing to do...find out who in the town is a murderer.

This was my first "cozy show more mystery" and it was a pleasant departure from the suspenseful, violent thrillers/whodunnits that dominate the genre. Betancourt's characters are sweet, smart, and reminiscent of small town America. If you've lived in a small town, you'll feel right at home with this novel. Are some elements of the story unrealistic? Sure. Are some characters a little "extra"? Of course. But that is exactly what I was looking for when I decided to pick up this story. Despite the nefarious topic of the book, Macarons Can Be Murder escapes from graphic scenes of either violence or intimacy and can be seen as a palate-cleanser for readers searching for a lighthearted, easy read.

My experience with this story came in the form of an audiobook, narrated by Nan McNamara. I felt it quite easy and enjoyable to listen to McNamara's interpretation of Betancourt's work. Through the story, I found myself utilizing not only physical written descriptions but also McNamara's audio to determine my visual of what the characters looked and acted like. I fully enjoyed this audiobook and would be interested in listening to more from both McNamara and Betancourt. show less

Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal by Rose Pressey takes us back to Sugar Creek, Georgia. Cookie Chanel owns It’s Vintage, Y’All and has been hired by Tyler Fields, a photographer, to style models for a fashion shoot for the Halloween issue of Fashion & Style magazine. The shoot is taking place at a local cemetery where Tyler has been snappish all day and Cookie saw him get into an argument with a man who has been lingering in the background all day. Cookie is surprised when a ghost show more dressed in fashions from the 1920s appears next to her and her ghostly friend, Charlotte. Minnie Lynn is wearing the pearls that Cookie recently acquired at an estate sale. Before she can react to the spirit, a shot rings out which sends Cookie running towards the sound. A model runs past her stating the photographer is dead. Cookie finds Tyler lying next to a headstone and he has taken his last shot. Detective Dylan Valentine, Cookie’s boyfriend, arrives on the scene and Cookie fills him in on all the details. Dylan, thankfully, knows better than to warn Cookie not to delve into the case. Cookie is back at her shop when her friend Heather pops in. To their surprise, Heather can now see Charlotte and Minnie. Cookie’s first order of business is identifying the man that Tyler was arguing with at the cemetery. Krissy Dustin, one of the models from the shoot, is a talkative woman and provides a suspect in Tyler’s possessive ex-girlfriend. Cookie goes back to examine the crime scene in more detail and a helpful cat leads her to a clue. Cookie soon discovers that the cat is no ordinary feline. Cookie, with the help of her spirit friends, Grandma Pearl (aka Wind Song) and her new feline companion, sets out to dig up Tyler’s killer.

Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal is an entertaining and lighthearted cozy mystery. Cookie Chanel is a quirky young woman who dresses in vintage fashions plus drives a beautiful classic car. Her best friend, Heather Sweet, owns Magic Emporium which has helpful books for Cookie plus a Ouija board when Grandma Pearl needs to converse. Minnie Lynn was a fun addition to the book. The witty repartee between Minnie and Charlotte will have you in stitches. The way Cookie walks around town talking to the ghosts, I am surprised the whole town is not aware that she can see and talk with spirits. I like that Dylan is now aware of Cookie’s secret. Dylan Valentine is a good man and the perfect suitor for Cookie. He understands her and accepts her (does not want to change her). I like that nothing seems to phase Dylan. The mystery is straightforward and is a cinch to solve. Cookie goes around asking questions, listening in on conversations, and does a little catfishing to garner information. The ending is romantic and heartwarming (readers will love it). It was the perfect ending for Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal. Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal is the seventh book in A Haunted Vintage Mystery and it can be read alone. Rose Pressey has an engaging, casual writing style which makes her stories a pleasure to read. Her characters are likeable, and the setting is charming. The town is filled with friendly residents who understand and accept Cookie’s quirks. I am giving Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). If you wish to read a lively and humorous cozy mystery, then look no further than Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal. show less

A Passion for Haunted Fashion by Rose Pressey is the sixth tale in A Haunted Vintage Mystery series. Cookie Chanel the owner of Vintage Y’All in Sugar Creek, Georgia is doing the costumes for Sugar Creek Theater’s production of A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. She is in the costume room checking out a trunk when the ghost of Peggy Page appears. Peggy does not know what happened to her and Cookie agrees to help her. Then Cookie hears a scream from the stage and takes off running. Her best friend, show more heather Sweet is standing over Morris Palmer with blood on her hands and he has a knife sticking out of his chest. This is definitely not part of the play. With Heather the prime suspect and Dylan being pressured to make an arrest, Cookie dons her investigators cap and plunges into the case. Cookie needs to track down the killer or Heather’s new role will be that of a prisoner!

A Passion for Haunted Fashion is a light, humorous cozy mystery. While is sixth book in the series, it can be read alone. The book is nicely written and has a steady pace throughout. However, Cookie did not seem like herself in A Passion for Haunted Fashion. Cookie is normally a fun character with a flair for vintage fashion. In this story, Cookie was scared, nervous and paranoid throughout the whole book. The murder of Morris Palmer was uncomplicated. I felt the author missed the mark by not introducing readers to the victim before he was offed. Peggy’s story was sadly neglected. It is the one that I found more appealing, and I wanted to know more about Peggy and what happened to her. I enjoyed the interactions between Charlotte, Peggy and Cookie. Charlotte’s witty and sarcastic dialogue had me laughing along her tips for the afterlife. Wind Song (or Cookie’s Grandma) had a bigger presence, and I like how she aided the investigation. I do wish that the ghosts were better utilized in the investigations and during dangerous situations. I love the descriptions of the vintage fashions and Cookie’s 1948 red convertible. I am rating A Passion for Haunted Fashion 3 out of 5 stars. A cute story, but it is not my favorite book in A Haunted Vintage Mystery series. show less

Cookie Chanel, owner of a vintage clothing store, is asked to do the costumes for a local production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Sugar Creek Theater. While in the basement she hears a scream and runs toward the stage, where she sees her friend Heather (who is in the play) standing over the body of the main actor with blood on her hands. After calling the police she helps Heather clean herself up and eventually hears her boyfriend, homicide detective Dylan Valentine, outside the show more door.

After discussing what happened they naturally take Heather to the police station and Cookie waits until she can escort her home. Realizing that Heather is the only real suspect, she knows that Heather didn't do it and decides to conduct a little investigation of her own, along with the help of her attending ghost Charlotte and her Grandma Pearl, stuck in the body of her cat Wind Song.

Also along for the ride is another ghost: Peggy Page, a young woman who disappeared in 1956, and doesn't know what happened to her; she's been stuck in the theater since that time but doesn't know why or how she got there. Charlotte convinces Cookie to help find the truth, and since Dylan now knows that Cookie communicates with ghosts, she vows to enlist his help if needed, too. But will Cookie be able to find out what happened to Peggy before Heather is thrown in jail for a crime she didn't commit? Or will Cookie, putting her own life on the line to save her friend, wind up as a ghost keeping Charlotte permanent company?

I really enjoy these books as they are quite a fun read. I don't like paranormal books about vampires, witches, etc.; but I do love books with ghosts (as long as they're friendly) and these are written very well. Cookie is an extremely likable character, as she's not perfect. She has a terrific sense of style, but can't cook too well; cares about her friends but is rather klutzy. In other words, she's an imperfect human, much like the rest of us.

As a matter of fact, she would be a lousy PI as she's prone to panic attacks (kept at bay with the help of Charlotte) and not very good at hiding herself - her main choice is bushes if she can find them - and so far has no idea how to wear disguises like the people who are usually stalking her. Lord help her if she ever gets stuck in a desert while following a suspect! She's not very good at thinking on her feet - when confronted with situations she just says the first thing that pops into her mind - and pretty much does whatever Charlotte pushes her to do. Poor Cookie. But she's still a delightful character and one that you wouldn't mind spending time with at all.

When she does start investigating, she's very good at noticing details, which is important, and does her best to find out the truth, even when it gets her in some sticky situations. At least she has Charlotte to help her out, but I do think that Charlotte could do a little better job without being snarky; i.e., if they hear someone out on the porch, why send Cookie out when Charlotte could just go herself and see who it is? This is probably the only thing that bothers me about the series, but it's so minor I never let it spoil my enjoyment.

The author is very good at spinning a tale that keeps you interested throughout, and there is enough action to keep the story flowing at a nice pace. The characters are three-dimensional and and believable; there is plenty of humor in the story to boot. When the ending comes and the killer is revealed it is satisfying indeed. This is a wonderful series and I enjoyed every minute of the book. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended. show less