Elizabeth Logan

I picked up this book at a bookstore on a whim, purely because it has a moose pun in the title. There were some things I liked about it—mostly the Alaskan diner setting—but sadly a lot more that I disliked. To start with the positive, though, I really appreciated the MC Charlie's close ties with her family and BFF Annie. The setting (both the Alaska part and the diner part) felt realistic to me as someone who has been to both Alaska and diners, but never spent significant time in either. show more (Though I can't say how people more familiar than that would feel.)

Probably the biggest issue I had with this book was Chris, the man who was set up from the start as the love interest. I just didn't buy whatever is is Charlie sees in him. What really cemented it for me, though, was early on when Charlie lets Chris drive her car for a two-hour trip to investigate the murder... and then he drives again when they go back... and then it seems he does all the driving forever. They're not even dating, and she's okay with him driving her car all over the place just because it's extra incentive for him to go with her to snoop around? "'I think I'm in love,' he said. I had no doubt he meant with my Outback." Ugh. I hated that part, and it put a bad taste in my mouth when it came to him.

A close second on the complaints, though, is the reveal of the murderer. It's an unwritten rule of cozy mysteries that the person the MC focuses on in the last bit of confusion before proof is found is not going to be the murderer. However, the true murderer is also supposed to have been enough of a suspect to have a possible motive and have been questioned about their movements, etc. In my opinion, this book did not do enough focusing on other possible suspects, and so it felt too much like the reveal came out of left field. To be fair, there are warning signs and one of the later clues makes the killer obvious to anyone who knows French better than Charlie, but I wanted more concrete clues. Leaving it to vibes and whether or not the cat liked the person just felt sloppy.

TL;DR version: this is a quick cozy mystery if you're looking for something set in Alaska for vibes or a reading challenge checklist, but I personally didn't enjoy it enough to continue the series. show less

I always enjoy the anticipation of starting a new cozy series. To find out if the characters will become friends that I want to continue getting to know, to read about a new setting or hobby, and to see if I can solve the mystery before it’s resolved. Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan (pen name for Camille Minichino, who writes a bunch of other cozy series under various names) really had the description and history of Alaska going on, but as for the characters and mystery, not so much.
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I did really enjoy getting to know Alaska more and to read the beautiful descriptions of the state. Although sometimes, it felt like Logan was just listing facts about Alaska and not incorporating it into the book seamlessly. And the diner, along with the recipes and diner lingo, was another great addition to the cozy. I also really enjoyed the cat, Benny, and how Charlie had her house set up electronically to interact with Benny throughout the day. I thought this detail was spot on for so many people and their pets with the work heavy life many people lead.

As far as the characters go, they were nice people, but no one really stood out to me as someone I would want to befriend or even get to know more. And the workers at the diner didn’t really have much to differentiate them from each other. They were all just there, being nice and taking over running the diner when Charlie was off chasing clues.
I did really like that the sheriff deputized Charlie and a few more characters (even if it is farfetched), instead of the local law enforcement continually telling the main character to stay out of the investigation. And I also liked that Charlie’s mom and friends were encouraging and helped investigate. It gets old fast when everyone is constantly nagging on the sleuth to stop sleuthing!

As far as the mystery itself went, I thought it was very easy to figure out the murderer, even though I only had half of the motivation correct. Logan does leave some red herrings laying around and gives the reader a couple of twists, which is always welcomed in a murder mystery. If it had just been the easy to figure out mystery alone, I would have given the book a higher rating, but with none of the characters really engaging me, I can’t.

I would try book two in An Alaskan Diner Mystery series, Fishing for Trouble, which comes out November 2020, to see if the characters get more depth to them, and to read more about Alaska, the diner, and Benny. show less

MOUSSE AND MURDER is an enjoyable start to a new cozy mystery series set in Elkview, Alaska. Charlie Cooke runs the Bear Claw Diner in this tiny tourist town. After a spat between Charlie and her chef Oliver, Oliver is found murdered on the outskirts of town. That doesn’t bode well for Charlie, so she and her friends offer to help with the investigation.

I was intrigued by the unique Alaskan setting, and the author did a fantastic job describing life in and around Elkview. I felt like I was show more there! The mystery itself was interesting and well-plotted. Several possible suspects came to light as Charlie and friends learned more about Oliver’s secret past.

I loved Charlie, Elkview, and its residents, and I’m looking forward to continuing with this series.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. show less

Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan has Charlotte “Charlie” Cooke running the Bear Claw Diner in Elkview, Alaska after her mother’s retirement. Charlie wants to add a chocolate bear claw to the menu, but it has head chef, Oliver Whitestone up in arms. They have a terrible row in front of customers and then Oliver storms off. Trooper Cory Graham arrives later in the day to question Charlie because Oliver was found dead near his home. Charlie is asked by her mother, Evelyn to work with show more Trooper Graham to uncover Oliver’s killer. Mousse and Murder is the debut novel in An Alaskan Diner Mystery series. I thought it was unique to set a cozy mystery in Alaska. I enjoyed the descriptions of Elkview which is a small Alaskan tourist town. I thought the author captured the Alaskan weather and lifestyle including the wildlife ingredients they utilize (like moose meat). Charlie is a warm and likeable main character. She works hard, is a good friend and daughter, and a cat lover. Charlie knows trivia and fun facts about Alaska. It was enjoyable learning more about our fiftieth state. Charlie grew up in the town and is known by the locals. Her best friend, Annie Jensen owns Jensen’s Elkview Inn. I like how Charlie uses technology to interact with her cat, Eggs Benedict aka Benny during the workday. She can talk to Benny, see how the cat is doing, how much he has eaten, and even play with Benny using a laser. It is cute that she confides in Benny. There is a diverse cast of secondary characters from Trooper Graham, Chris Doucette, Annie, diner staff, and diner regulars. Oliver’s murder had a small handful of suspects, good clues and a red herring or two. I would have liked to have gotten to know Oliver before he was murdered. While I was able to identify the killer early in the story, I did not know why. I joined Charlie and her friends as they set out to learn the who and, most importantly, the why. They did uncover some interesting information including something unexpected. I did have a couple of unanswered questions at the end of the book and I wish they had been addressed. Mousse and Murder is a carefree cozy mystery with moose meatloaf, a cavorting cat, suspicious siblings, a cold climate, and pleasing pastries. show less