Meg Macy

Bear Witness to Murder by Meg Macy is the second book in A Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery series. Sasha Silverman manages her family’s Silver Bear Shop & Factory. Silver Hollow is kicking off their Octobear Fest with the Cranbeary Tea Party hosted by the Silver Bear Shop at the new Queen Bess Tea Room. Sasha is surprised that Holly Parker (her old high school nemesis) is attending the event with her shop assistant and publicity guru, Gina Lawson. Holly has opened Through the show more Looking Glass which sells Alice in Wonderland themed items along with teddy bears and storybooks. For the Octobear Fest Bears on Parade event, Maddie is creating an adorable Polka Bear and is assisting her new boyfriend, Kip O’Sullivan with his Hippie Bear. Kip keeps trying to perfect his creation and he might not get it completed on time (Maddie has her hands full with this one). Sasha is out walking Rosie early the next morning and stumbles across an individual with a knife sticking out of their back in the alley behind Fresh Grounds. At first Sasha believes it is Holly because of the jacket. The victim is later identified as Gina Lawson. When Mayor Cal Bloom on the suspect list, Judith Silverman wants Sasha to clear his name. The suspect list is lengthy due to Gina’s attitude and it includes Sasha’s ex-husband, Flynn Hanson. Can Sasha identify the killer before she becomes the next victim?

I thought Bear Witness to Murder was well-written and engaging. It has a steady pace and a conversational writing style which made the story easy to read. While this is the second tale in the series, it can be read alone. I like the Silverman family, though, I am puzzled by Sasha’s mother, Judith. I do not understand why she keeps trying to push Sasha and Flynn back together and it was never explained. Sasha is lucky to have escaped the cheating louse. She is fortunate to have a supportive father and sister. I enjoyed the humor provided by Eve and Ross. There are delightful descriptions of teddy bears (stuffed and resin) in Bear Witness to Murder along with teddy bear related facts. I thought it was clever to have Oktobear Fest (a great play on words). Silver Hollow would attract families with their theme. Silver Hollow is a charming small town with, for the most part, friendly residents and cute shops. Gossip spreads like wild fire in Silver Hollow which is helpful in gathering information on the suspects. The mystery was well-crafted, and I believe many readers will be surprised by the killer’s identity. There are several suspects, red herrings, and well-placed clues. While Sasha looks into the murder, she does not let it consume her like some amateur sleuths. There is some romance sprinkled through the story as Sasha gets to know Jay Kirby. I found Bear Witness to Murder more enjoyable than Bearly Departed (first book in the series). My rating for Bear Witness to Murder is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). Join in on the Oktobear Fest festivities in Bear Witness to Murder. show less

Sasha Silverman and her sister run the teddy bear factory that their parents own, along with help from their aunt, uncle, and several employees. But when Sasha’s old high school nemesis Holly Parker shows up in town, she knows things are about to get problematic. While in school Holly did her best to make Sasha’s life miserable, and her return is proving that things haven’t changed. She’s opened a shop that sells teddy bears and other toys along with books, and it’s causing a loss show more in customers for Sasha’s cousin Matt who own a bookstore across the street; and Sasha fears that there might soon be a loss in her own customer base, too.

But while at a teddy bear tea party for little ones and their teddy bears she learns that Holly’s assistant Gina is suing the mayor because he refused to pay her for some work - work that presented him in a negative light. It doesn’t help that the suit has been delivered by her ex-husband Flynn Hanson, whom Sasha wants nothing to do with. Then Gina is killed, and while everyone thinks the current mayor had the best reason to want her dead, Sasha's mom Judith is convinced otherwise and asks her to prove him innocent.

Her sister Maddie is working on a large acrylic bear for the Oktobear Fest, along with other artists in the town, including Maddie's boyfriend, Kip O'Sullivan. But she's upset that Kip won't finish his bear, and she's afraid it won't be done in time for the fest, which is causing tension between them. She doesn't know that Kip, in a moment alone with Sasha, has professed his love for Maddie and wants to marry her.

Also, Jay Kirby, another local artist, has made no bones about the fact that he's highly interested in Sasha, but this is complicated by the fact that her ex-husband was a louse, and her mother is trying to push them back together again, regardless of what Sasha wants.

It doesn't help that Holly is making her life miserable, making snide remarks at every turn and trying to ruin her business any way she can. But little things she discovers about Holly make her suspicious of the woman, and when she goes so far as to do something that puts Sasha in a panic that she realizes she'll have to keep on her guard. However, it might almost be too late for her when she discovers the truth of the matter, and how far some people are willing to go...

I truly enjoyed reading this book; Meg Macy is a talented writer with a voice that naturally tends to mystery. She is able to spin a tale that is lively and full of twists and turns, many of which you never see coming - like that in the end. She has drawn Holly as an unlikable character indeed; I can't imagine having someone this toxic in my life, and I truly feel for Sasha - which brings us to the fact that these are no one-dimensional characters, they have life and breath and you enjoy being with most of them (except, perhaps, Sasha's annoying mother, which is probably which she has the patience she does).

It is always a treat to read about a protagonist who doesn’t allow her emotions to run wild over her life. Sasha is a delight to read about - she’s smart, attractive, and doesn’t cave to the whims or machinations of others - including those of her mother and ex-husband. I like a woman with a backbone, and one who doesn’t come off as bumbling or pushy. Sasha is just such a woman, one you would enjoy spending time with and call your friend.

When all is said and done, I was truly surprised at the ending, which makes a very good mystery indeed. While this is only the second book in the series, I hope that there are many more to come, and I look forward to the next. Highly recommended. show less

Wedding Bear Blues by Meg Macy has Sasha Silverman and her sister, Maddie as bridesmaids in their friend, Cissy Davison’s wedding. It is a busy week leading up to Valentine’s Day for Sasha at the Silver Bear Shop and Factory with everyone searching for the perfect gift for their Valentine. Sasha also has a tour to give and they are hosting a Chocolate Bear Bar on Sunday for Chocolair, the new chocolate shop in town. At the rehearsal dinner, Maddie and Sasha enter the ladies’ room to show more find groomsman, Dylan Campbell dead in one of the stalls. With Debbie Davison in the hot seat with the police, Cissy begs Sasha to help. Sasha, of course, cannot resist a mystery. Wedding Bear Blues is the 4th A Teddy Bear Mystery. It can be read on its own if you are new to the series. I thought this charming cozy was well-written with developed characters and adorable teddy bears. I enjoyed all the cozy elements that make up this entertaining tale: Sasha’s family, her pets, the community, chocolate, teddy bears, food, and Sasha’s beau. These elements make for a rich and lively story. The mystery was appealing. There is a dead groomsman with multiple suspects. I am amazed that a group of people did not get together to off this man sooner. There is a secondary mystery (of sorts) involving mystery men who wish to purchase a certain type of teddy bear. Sasha is certain they are up to no good. I enjoyed the humor scattered throughout the story (who doesn’t love a book that makes them laugh). Wedding Bear Blues is a beartastic cozy with wedding woes, seamingly innocent bear sales, doggie doo doo overload, a beastly bridezilla, a tiny terror, and tasty chocolate teddy bears. show less

The minute I saw the cover, I knew I had to read the book. What can I say? I adore teddy bears. There is something so comforting about them. The author has done a good job on her debut Cozy Mystery series. I loved the town she described with so many cute little themed shops. It is a tourist's dream to visit a town like this. From the beginnng I was enthralled with the story of a bear shop with the bear factory behind it. I thought the author did a fabulous job of detailing the different show more bears and how they are made.

Sasha is a delightful character who runs the family shop while her sister Maddie does the books. They have employees that seem to be happy working at the factory but there is always someone who wants to change things up even though everything is fine. Enter into the story Mr. Will Taylor. I didn't like him at all. He was arrogant and so full of himself. Who does he think he is wanting to lay off workers and have production sent overseas? So what if he is their salesman and thinks the company will be better off with their product being done in China? I could here the grumblings among the employees as rumors spread about loss of jobs.

Uncle Ross is a great character and will not stand for any nonsense about the family business. His big mistake was running his mouth one night with threats against Will. Can you guess who is found dead at the factory soon after? I did like the authors creative way to use stuffing from a bear to perhaps end someone's life. It is only fitting since it is a bear factory. I did laugh because I found it brilliant writing. As in most cozy mysteries there is always one front runner as the suspect. Sasha decides she is going to find out who the killer is and off to the races we go.

The list of suspects start to grow as some people didn't exactly care for the deceased. There is a lot going on in the book that at times, I found to be too much. I wanted more focus on the mystery and less on Sasha's ex-husband. One of the best things I liked was the bear hospital. How cute it would be to take a bear there for repairs and watch a child light up when their bear was healed? I wasn't surprised at who the killer was, so that was disappointing. As a first in the series I believe the author has great potential and I will look forward to reading the next book in the series. I do feel the need to go get a teddy bear now.

I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Book Tour. The review is my own opinion. show less