Laura Bradford

AND DEATH GOES TO…
Book 3 in the Tobi Tobias Mysteries
By Laura Bradford

What a joy to get to read another Tobi Tobias Mystery!

Just when you think author Laura Bradford can’t possibly outdo herself, she does! AND DEATH GOES TO… is the best book in this series so far. All outside distraction was a mere whisper in the background as I lost myself in this wonderful tale.

The more I read of these characters, the harder it is to leave them and their world once the story is over. Protagonist show more Tobi is brilliant. I could spend time talking with her all day. Grandpa Stu is my guy. I simply adore him. I got to see a different side of him in this book, and just wanted to give him a hug.

Ms. Bradford always manages to bring so many levels to her stories. Laugh out loud moments, the tenderness of romance, and of course, the drama of murder. And speaking of murder…Wow! From the unique way the victim was killed (haven’t seen it in a cozy before), through the following investigation, AND DEATH GOES TO… was nonstop twists and turns, with new suspects popping up all over! I honestly had to remind myself to keep breathing.

If you’re a fan of the Tobi Tobias mysteries, or a fan of Laura Bradford’s, you can’t miss, AND DEATH GOES TO… And, if you haven’t read anything by this author, it’s time you do! show less

Cozy mystery fans, boy do I have an entertaining new series for you to read!

In Éclair and Present Danger, the first book in the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries Series, author Laura Bradford weaves a thoroughly delightful cozy mystery that follows the amateur sleuth adventures of bakery owner Winnie Johnson.

When Winnie is faced with closing her bakery Delectable Delights due to a rising rent increase, she hoped that the inheritance that her neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher left her would be show more money, but alas, all she received was a vintage ambulance and an ornery tabby cat named Lovey! While making her final peach pie delivery, she finds her widowed neighbor Bart Wagner dead on the floor. Worried that a killer was out there stalking her elderly neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue by launching a new enterprise: the Emergency Dessert Squad, delivering her delectable baked goods via the vintage ambulance. And if that isn't enough, Winnie goes into amateur sleuth mode as she tries to track down the killer before he strikes again.

Éclair and Present Danger is an entertaining cozy whodunit filled with enough humor, drama, yummy recipes, and a subtle romance that will easily keep the reader engaged and guessing the identity of the killer. I was really intrigued with the clever concept of converting a vintage ambulance into a dessert delivery service, and the to-die-for desserts with witty names like: Hot Flash Fudge Sundaes (for those suffering menopause symptoms) … Never Give Up-side down cake (for someone in need of a little encouragement) … When Life Hands You Lemon (s) pie (for someone just dealt a lousy hand) … and Worry No S’more Bars (for someone who’s overly stressed)… are enough to make your mouth water! Winnie is a sassy lady who I could relate to, and I loved the relationship she had with her elderly neighbors. I really enjoyed following Winnie and her friends on their amateur sleuth adventure filled with crazy trials and tribulations, and I really enjoyed the crazy antics from Lovey the tabby cat. I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I enjoyed the inclusion of the delectable dessert recipes, oh my goodness they sound amazing and made my mouth water!

Éclair and Present Danger is an exciting new cozy mystery story that will leave the reader wanting more. I look forward to reading the next adventure in the series.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2016/06/eclair-and-present-danger-by-l... show less

First and foremost, the Emergency Dessert Squad concept and the names of Winnie's desserts are an absolute stroke of genius. I loved reading about putting Winnie's new business together and the brain-storming sessions for dessert names every bit as much as I enjoyed the mystery.

Winnie Johnson is a fabulous character as is the secondary cast of-- mainly-- senior citizens. Winnie tends to surround herself with older people, and she has a good reason for doing so. There are so many things to show more like about Éclair and Present Danger, and one of them is the sense of community and of caring Winnie and her "old folks" have.

Winnie-- like several other heroines in cozy mysteries-- has captured the attention of two very handsome and available men, but she deals with both of them very honestly. I certainly appreciated the fact that there was no real dithering back and forth between Greg and Jay. Romantic triangles have become a bit of a cliché and tend to bore me to insensibility.

The mystery of Bart's death is pretty much kept on the back burner until almost the end of the book, but the solution is very satisfying. Bart had no real part in the book, but I was left wishing that I'd known him better-- a testament to Bradford's writing in that she took just as much care in developing a character who "had no future" as she did with her returning cast.

With such a satisfying mystery, a wonderful cast, and a brilliant concept, is it any wonder that I'm eagerly awaiting the second book in the series? show less

A Plus One for Murder by Laura Bradford is the first cozy in A Friend for Hire Mystery and it was a blast and different than so many other cozies because the main character actually thinks the police should handle the investigating. But her two clients who turn into friends convince her otherwise.

The dynamic between the three sleuths is fantastic, and Bradford even had one of the characters comment on it which gave us a bit of a four wall feel, which just added to my amusement.
We get a show more main character, Emma and her dog, Scout (the best dog in the world and whom Emma loves so much!), which is a fairly typical main character who is going through a life change and finds herself wrapped up in a murder mystery. I think the Friend for Hire (not an escort!) angle that Brandford came up with is fantastic because we will continually meet new people throughout the series and I can even see Emma traveling to other states/countries, depending on what the person hiring her would want.
There is also Dottie, the 80 year old wealthy woman, Dottie, who is fearless and Stephanie, a self-proclaimed True Crime addict and a middle aged woman whom I feel many readers can relate to… always very busy and when she does have down time she has no motivation to do anything.
Can you tell I was blown away by the characters?!?

The reader also gets a well written mystery with some red herrings and clues that can have you guessing the killer before the three friends… if you pay attention. And lastly, a possible love interest, whom I am looking forward to knowing more about… along with his wonderful father.

Already have book two in the Friend for Hire Mysteries, A Perilous Pal, on my TBR pile and am excited for July 2022, when it comes out! show less