Tanya R. Taylor

Barbara Sandosa is a paralegal at the law firm of J. Wilfred & Co. I was immediately ready to become Barbara’s assistant as she brought pumpkin spice cupcakes to work, baked fresh the same morning. As if that’s not enough, the law firm is a beach house! A beach house with spectacular views. But, the truth is that Harry Buford is Barbara’s assistant, and they both work for Jack Wilfred, Esquire. Protective of the boss, Barbara has questions about Jack’s newest client enlisting Harry show more to help her investigate Alan Danzabar’s tale.

It’s a fast-paced, fun cozy that I read in one sitting. I love it when the amateur sleuth(s) work in a profession I’ve not read about earlier in a cozy, and this is the first paralegal sleuth I’ve read. A delightful introduction to the author’s writing and a charming cozy for the season!

And a cliffhanger to think about until the release of “Red Velvet & Murder” (Book 2) on February 10, 2023. Time to click that pre-order button! Thankfully, the author has several series for me to investigate until then. show less

Lucille Pfiffer lives with her little Shih Tzu named Vanilla (Nilla for short) in Chadsworth. Lucille rents rooms to young men not because she needs the income but because, truth be told, since her husband Donnie died, she’s not comfortable living alone. Lucille is hostessing a party at her home to commemorate the evening that would have been her 50th wedding anniversary. The evening is memorable but sadly, because the girlfriend of one of her young renters dies. If Lucille doesn’t show more intervene, this young man will be more than a person of interest but pronounced guilty before he’s even arrested.

A lighthearted paranormal cozy. It was lovely to feel the warm acceptance of neighbors and friends coming to help Lucille celebrate her 50th anniversary rather than staying home alone. I enjoyed the portrayal of Lucille with her care and delight in the companionship of Nilla, her friendship with Merlene and her renters, and her clever trap that wraps her investigation. However, Lucille sometimes seemed older than 68 years old, and I didn't find her character portrayal consistent. I do not anticipate continuing to read the series.

Note: Due to language, it cannot be marketed as a clean cozy mystery. show less

This turned into a nice surprise for me. I have enjoyed ghost stories and tales of haunts since I was a child. I can remember being in the backseat with my cousins just as it was getting dark out. My aunts were in the front seat talking about all the haunted places in the holler. It was delightfully scary and goosebumps would pop upon our skin. We would be showing our arms to each other with eyes wide open when all of a sudden my aunts would start screaming and shouting for us to hide in the show more floor because the haunts were after us. One of the best memories from my childhood. Haha. It is what set the bar for so high for ghost stories. Consequently, I read a lot of “haunting” books but am not always entertained by them. I’m happy to say I was entertained by this one. The author told the story straight with the appropriate amount of details to the setting. There were parts that chilled me. It was a fast paced story. Definitely a good tale for a gloomy afternoon. I read this book through the Kindle Unlimited program. show less

Pumpkin Spice and Deadly Heist starts this splendid cozy mystery with the successful law offices of J. Wilfred & Co., the wise and one of the best attorneys in town, Mr. Wilfred, and his team of quirky characters.
The ambience of J. Wilfred & Co. is pleasant and carefree until Alan Danzabar walks in requiring Mr. Wilfred to represent him in a deadly bank robbery – that has sent Barbara and Harry to pursue something dangerous..
The prolific Tanya R. Taylor has skillfully spun some suspense show more with a hint of humor into this entertaining Pumpkin Spice and Deadly Heist, book One of The Nosy Paralegal Mystery Series.
I read this delightful novella with relish and in one sitting! I actually like this team of decidedly eccentric characters, especially Barbara Sandosa, the noisy paralegal.
I would like to thank Tanya R. Taylor for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. show less