Sheri Richey

What a delightful beginning to the series and my first introduction to writing by Sheri Richey! The cozy opens on New Year's Eve, so if you haven't read it yet, I can highly recommend adding it to your holiday #tbr list, but truly it is a charming read at any time of the year.

"People coming through Spicetown and seeing all the street names and businesses left thinking that Spicetown grew spices when that was not the case at all."

When I started reading the cozy, I thought the leading show more business in town might be a manufacturing plant that produced all kinds of spices. It was fun to learn the origin of the town's name and that one of the mayor's plans for the new year includes a change on Paprika Parkway so all residents and visitors will learn and/or be reminded of the town's origins.

In this "Welcome to Spicetown," the reader meets Mayor Cora Mae Bingham, Cora's assistant Amanda Morgan, Amanda's mother Louise, hair salon owner and gossipmonger, Amanda's father Hymie, local veterinarian, Police Chief Conrad Harris, self-appointed crime stopper Harvey Salzman better known as Saucy, Bryan Stotlar, best known as the owner of the Christmas tree farm and for driving the town snow plow in winter, and Denise Ivy, new business owner of Ivy's Oils and Organics. Each character adds something unique to the storyline and is realistically portrayed, reminding me of different individuals in my hometown.

I enjoyed the dynamics of the small-town police force, the county sheriff, and his team. As individuals shop at Ivy's Oils and Organics, there is also a sprinkling of information about oils and diffusers that adds interest. The cozy also provided an opportunity to learn of drops of oil varieties that can be applied to the wrist or neck for various health-related reasons. show less

This is a new author to me and also of the series. All the characters were quite overwhelming at first and to keep them straight. It’s a short cozy mystery set around thanksgiving festivities in Spicetown. Definitely a page turner with some twists! Nice read throughout.

small-town, friendship *****

Small town southern Ohio is a lot like small town anywhere but with more nice folks than some. Everybody knows everyone else and gossip is a given, but here there is very little that's malicious. This is a comfortable story about some interesting mysteries but no murder of people or their character, and the characters you get to know are the kind of people you'd want for friends.
The audio is narrated by Nicole KandeLind who is well suited to the task.
I won a show more free audio copy in a giveaway. show less

Very good book. I will keep reading this series.