Penny returns to her shop to find a dead body on the toilet and a bizarre message from her cousin Izzy telling her not to inform the authorities. Who is the dead woman and why was she is in the shop?
The Sequinned Cape Murders is the third book in the Cosy Craft series of cosy murder mysteries. I have recently reviewed the first two books in the series: The Wonderland Murders and The Painted Lobster Murders.
Penny and Izzy have an unknown dead woman in their toilet. We are straight into the murder mystery compared to the previous books but we know nothing of the victim. There are no indications of her identity, how she got in their shop or how she died. The pair undertake an investigation whilst trying to sort out the costumes for a fancy dress party. I felt proud of myself as I guessed the culprit this time! This didn’t spoil my enjoyment at all.
The murder has slightly more prominence in this book compared to the earlier books in my opinion. However there is still a hefty proportion of the plot dedicated to the sewing escapades of the main duo. There is also a romantic angle for both Penny and Izzy which was an enjoyable addition to the plot and series. The tone of the writing is light hearted and there is a gentle and warm humour layered throughout the plot and characters. I loved the home episodes showing us Izzy’s family life and their quirky behaviour.
The Sequinned Cape Murders is a fun and enjoyable cosy murder mystery.
The Sequinned Cape Murders
Cozy Craft Mysteries can be read in any order. A funny whodunnit series, full of charming characters and mysteries that will keep you guessing to the very end.
Things are going great for Penny Slipper. Running a sewing shop in the middle of the English countryside is like a dream come true and she’s got her colourful cousin Izzy and her corgi, Monty, to keep her entertained.
Her grandma’s eightieth birthday is coming up soon and Penny and Izzy are busier than ever, making fancy dress costumes for the party guests.
However, Penny’s dream life is thrown into chaos when a murdered woman is found in the bathroom of her cosy flat above the shop. With the doors and the windows all locked, no one can understand how this mystery corpse got there.
But things take a further sinister turn when a local shopkeeper is also killed. There’s a murderer on the loose and no one is safe!
Can Penny and Izzy uncover the answers and unmask the criminal in their midst?
If your ideal book features mystery, friendship, cute romance, even cuter animals, crafting and a big slice of birthday cake then this is the book for you.
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Author Bio – Millie Ravensworth writes the Cozy Craft Mystery series of books. Her love of murder mysteries and passion for dressmaking made her want to write books full of quirky characters and unbelievable murders. Millie lives in central England where children and pets are something of a distraction from the serious business of writing, although dog walking is always a good time to plot the next book.
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TRIGGER WARNING: war crimes and anti-Semitism
Julia’s father has gone to fight the Nazis and now she wants to help save her country. She is reunited with two boys from her childhood, now grown men, but on opposing sides of the fight…
The Polish Daughter is the third book in the WW2 Polish resistance series and I have previously reviewed the first two books, The Polish Girl and The Polish Wife.
Julia’s Jewish mother died giving birth to her and now her father has left to join the fight. Julia begins to work for the resistance and meets Alek who she has a negative history with. She also sees her former sweetheart Nikolaj and their relationship seems ready to start up again. But Julia is shocked by the secrets she uncovers and her heart reels from the sad truth.
Most of the book is written from the viewpoints of Julia and Alek but there are also some chilling diary entries from Nikolaj. The author includes characters and events from the previous books but it is not necessary to have read the books in order. We don’t find out about the incident of antagonism between Julia and Alek until halfway through the book and I was starting to wonder why she was so keen to think badly of him.
The brutality of the soldiers and Nikolaj’s twisted opinions were difficult to read at times. Julia is almost emotionally broken by her experiences but she decides to stay strong to honour those who have died. The softening of the relationship between Julia and Alek gives the book a lighter and more hopeful angle. There is a powerful message about the strength of human spirit even in the darkest days.
The Polish Daughter is an emotional historical novel.
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The Polish Daughter: A completely heartbreaking and addictive World War Two historical fiction novel (The Secret Resistance Series)
Poland, 1944: Armed men line the streets and herd us forward as they pull people from the crowd. My heart pounds as I hear a familiar cry. They have my best friend. I desperately push through to her, to save her. But we are too densely packed in. I can’t hold back my sobs as she disappears from sight. I am too late…
When war broke out, Julia’s father, a high-ranking Polish officer, took her from Warsaw to keep her safe. Now her father is missing in action, Julia has returned home to find him and fight for the resistance—but the city is more dangerous than she ever thought it could be.
When she is trapped in the ghetto, Nazis shoving people into the streets all around her, Julia can only watch in horror as her dearest friend is dragged away. It seems she is about to suffer the same awful fate, until her childhood sweetheart, Nikolaj, appears in enemy uniform and stops the guards with one word.
Surely the boy Julia remembers would never side with the Germans? In the safety of his private room, he explains he is a resistance spy within the ranks of Nazi officers. But the longer he keeps her in the barracks, surrounded by his soldiers, the more Julia grows uneasy about the man she once knew…
Half-Jewish and with her father a wanted man, how safe can she be behind enemy lines? And, not knowing who to trust, will she ever be able to reunite with her captured friend, and her beloved father—or will the war tear them apart forever?
This utterly heartbreaking, unputdownable and inspiring historical fiction novel will have you reaching for the tissues. Perfect for fans of Orphan Train, The Nightingale and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
About Gosia Nealon
While Gosia Nealon is a proud New Yorker, she was born and raised in Poland. Her journey to the Big Apple revealed a wealth of cultural differences, but also the values that connect us all. Like the fierce desire to protect family, find love, and ultimately, discover who we are and why we’re here.
Gosia’s award-winning short stories have always delved into life’s biggest questions, but it was the drama, sacrifice, and tragedy of WWII that led her to pen her debut novel, which won a gold medal in the 2022 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY).
Growing up in Poland, Gosia heard many firsthand accounts of the war, told from a perspective rarely captured in mainstream literature. She was compelled to breathe life into two young people falling in love in the midst of the most terrifying conflict of our time.
When Gosia isn’t tapping away at her laptop, she’s often walking the streets of New York. With her husband and two young sons in tow, they search for the most succulent pierogi, transporting them back to the cobbled streets of her childhood.
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Simone, Vicky and Hannah all receive an invite from their former friend Jodie. They are invited to go to a luxury getaway abroad and despite their misgiving they all decide to attend. But when Jodie meets them on the island, she expresses her shock at seeing her old friends. She didn’t invite them…
The Birthday Reunion is a psychological thriller, set mainly on an island near Ibiza.
The three friends haven’t seen Jodie in years but are all tempted to celebrate her birthday especially as the trip is free. But immediately the friends feel uneasy and this tension ramps up when they discover that it wasn’t Jodie who invited them.
The book is written from the first person perspectives of all four of the friends in the present day and the past. We see how they became friends and some of the incidents that have defined their relationships. I think I would have preferred either a linear narrative or a single narrator as I felt that the plot jumped around a bit.
There are lots of little incidents that create tension and a sinister atmosphere. The chapters are short and this helps the pace move the plot along swiftly. Each of the characters have their flaws and vulnerabilities which make them more human.
The Birthday Reunion is a tense and intriguing thriller.
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The Birthday Reunion: A completely addictive psychological thriller packed with twists by Claire Seeber
Four friends. One dream getaway. But who will make it out alive?
When the gold-rimmed invitations arrive through the doors of best friends Simone, Hannah and Vicky they’re instantly taken aback. Their ex-friend Jodie is inviting them to a lavish Mediterranean villa to celebrate her birthday. They haven’t spoken in years since she betrayed them in the worst way. So how did they make the guest list?
They all have their reasons for saying yes. Stay-at-home mum Simone had her dream job snatched away. Hannah lost the love of her life. Café-owner Vicky wants the chance to help a wronged friend. Is the reunion a chance to confront Jodie and the past once and for all?
Arriving at a villa that looks straight out of a movie set, the friends relax by the sumptuous pool as they wait for the other guests to arrive. But as the chilled wine is poured and the three friends reminisce, they see Jodie walking towards them with a look of shock on her face.
Because Jodie didn’t invite them here.
But by the end of the weekend it will become clear who did. Someone else has a reason for revenge. Who will make it out alive?
An absolutely addictive and twist-filled psychological thriller that will have you reading late into the night. Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies, Lisa Jewell and T.M. Logan.
Author bio
Claire Seeber is the author of bestselling psychological thrillers that shine a light onto the simmering resentments and past secrets that exist amongst seemingly ordinary lives. She has been published in more than twelve different languages and is CWA Dagger-nominated.
She started her professional life as a (bad) actress and went on to become a documentary maker, before becoming a newspaper feature writer. When she had her first baby in 2004, Claire started writing psychological thrillers and now also works as a psychotherapist.
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Penny and Izzy have a new project: an outfit based on Schiaperelli and Dali’s 1937 lobster dress. The commission comes from Fliss Starling who is hosting a house party in advance of a classic car show. But as the crafting duo get creative, they also have a murder to solve…
The Painted Lobster Murders is the second book in the Cosy Crafts series which began with The Wonderland Murders.
I loved the escapades of Penny and Izzy as they race to complete their latest project. The sewing detail was really interesting to me alongside the historical information about the original dress. They are hampered by the arrival of a corgi and allegations about a crime spree in masks from their shop.
The pair also have to contend with a rival business with a connection to the murdered man. In personal matters, Penny has two potential dates and I enjoyed seeing how she interacts with these two male characters.
There is plenty of fun and once again the murder element is secondary to the other aspects of the plot. The number of suspects is limited by the house party but there are suspicions about the past which offer a clue or a red herring…?
The Painted Lobster Murders is another enjoyable instalment in this series and I’ll be reviewing the next book soon!
The Painted Lobster Murders
A quirky and funny series for fans of a good mystery and compelling characters. Can you solve the crime before our dressmaking duo?
Penny Slipper runs a sewing shop in the beautiful market town of Framlingham and she’s got her wild and creative cousin, Izzy, to help with the latest dressmaking project.
A classic car weekend is coming to town and stylish Fliss Starling wants an outfit that will match her husband’s elegant vintage car.
When one of Fliss’s house guests is murdered by a masked intruder, Penny and Izzy have a deadly mystery to solve (as well as a dress to make!). With the aid of a cheeky little corgi dog and handyman Aubrey, they begin to search out the clues to this motor-related murder.
But fingers are soon pointing at Penny and Izzy when the intruder’s mask appears to have come from their own shop! And rival shop owner, Carmella, would be delighted to see them take the blame.
Can Penny and Izzy stitch the pieces of this puzzle together and find the guilty culprit?
If you enjoy fast-paced mysteries, charming country towns and characters who you want to spend hours with then you’re going to love the Cozy Craft Mystery series.
Start your next murder mystery adventure today!
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Author Bio – Millie Ravensworth writes the Cozy Craft Mystery series of books. Her love of murder mysteries and passion for dressmaking made her want to write books full of quirky characters and unbelievable murders. Millie lives in central England where children and pets are something of a distraction from the serious business of writing, although dog walking is always a good time to plot the next book.
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