Bear Witness to Murder

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 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 show more 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 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 show more 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

Sasha Silverman enjoys her job at the family business, the Silver Bear Shop & Factory. But she's a bit frazzled. Autumn is the start of their busy season...the Cranbeary Tea Party and the Oktobear Fest get the holiday season started. This year there's a bit more stress because an old high school rival has returned to town and opened a gift and book shop, directly competing with the Silver Bear Shop and the local bookstore. Holly Parker seems to want to cause as much drama as possible, at least where Sasha is concerned. Old high school rivalries never die? When Holly's shop assistant is found dead with a knife in her back, Sasha tries to resist doing any sleuthing. It only gets her into trouble. But as other incidents start happening show more around town, she realizes this is more than old high school problems or jealous business owners. Sasha wants to solve the case before anyone else is killed and Oktobear Fest is ruined.

I love this series. I'm not sure if it's the teddy bear theme (I have collected teddy bears since I was 6 years old), or the mix of humor and mystery...or maybe both? Bear Witness to Murder is the second book in the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery series. This book was just as enjoyable as the first book in the series. I like Sasha as a main character. She's getting her life back together following a divorce and works hard at the family business. She has a good relationship with her sister Maddie who also works for the teddy bear factory. However, I don't really care for her relationship with her parents. Her mother is always trying to push her into going back to her ex-husband, who was a womanizing jerk. Why would any mother do that? And her father never sticks up for her. Just seems like a weird family dynamic.

I liked the Oktobear Fest theme. The teddy bear theme didn't over power the mystery, but just added some flavor to the story. The mystery kept my attention and had some interesting twists and clues. There is a little bit of romance sprinkled in amongst the sleuthing and fall festival-ing...just enough to round out the characters. All in all, a "beary'' enjoyable cozy mystery! I'm definitely going to keep reading this series. :)

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** show less

I love stuffed bears. Whenever I see one in a store, I always grab it and give it a hug. I never had a stuffed animal growing up, but I sure did look at them when I saw one in a store. If I could I would have a room full of them now. I so enjoyed reading about the Silver Bear Shop. The tea party was so much fun to read about. I imagined myself as a child sitting there at the table with my pretty bear. We would each take a sip of tea and laugh with the others girls at the table. The author does such a great job of describing the setting and all the wonderful foods and it was evident that everyone was having a great time.

Why did Sasha's ex-husband Flynn decide that barging in on a tea party and making a scene was a good idea ? I would show more have gone over there and ushered him out. The children were having a grand time and didn't need some silly man making a spectacle of himself. He seems to be chatting up Gina and the mayor. Not many people like Gina. She seems to be pushy and a bit snotty. When Sasha finds out who Flynn cheated with, she is non too happy. Well she needs to keep her mind on the upcoming Bears on Parade and Oktobear Fest. It is sure to be a success and the town is looking forward to it.

Sasha sure is not going to have a good day when she discovers a body in the parking lot where she left her car the night before. I thought it was pretty funny when at first she identified the dead person as Holly. When the body is turned over it is Gina laying dead. That starts a list of suspects right away. I loved how the author gives us a great story with intrigue and an abundance of suspects that all seem to be guilty. Looks like our deceased wasn't well liked.

Mystery lovers will enjoy this story filled with whimsical themes and fun characters that will have you wanting more. I adored the book and the authors style of writing. The ending is explosive and unexpected. I love when I can't figure out the mystery, because it shows how creative the author is. Don't miss this wonderful 2nd in a series cozy mystery series.

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

Sasha Silverman has things in full swing for the fall season including Silver Hollow’s Cranbeary Tea Party, the opening event of the Oktobear Fest in town. Sasha's rivalry with her high school nemesis, Holly Parker, is heating up as the temperatures fall - Holly's new toy shop could cut into the profits of the Teddy bear factory. The murder of Holly's assistant throw things even further off kilter and it doesn't help that Sasha's ex is rumored to have been having an affair with the victim. But was the victim the intended target? Sasha has a lot to clear up before things will quiet down.

I love teddy bears so I can't help but love these stories. I do feel that the characters need a bit more fleshing out but hopefully that is in the show more future plans. show less

Second in a serious, after Bearly Departed. The writing is smoother in this one, without the overly intrusive descriptions of everything. On the other hand, there is a lot less focus on teddy bears.

This continues to be a light, pleasant series of cozy mysteries, with engaging characters and a small-town feel.