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Red Hot Murder (Charlie Kingsley Mysteries) by Michele Pariza Wacek

On Flashback Fridays I will share with you the books I was not able to review when they were first released that have been screaming at me from my To-Be-Read bookshelf.

Murder Among Friends (Charlie Kingsley Mysteries) Cozy Mystery 4th in Series Setting - Wisconsin Love-Based Publishing (August 4, 2022) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 309 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1945363460 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1945363467 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09VG4F9DL

Five friends went into the woods. Only four came back. If something ails you, Charlie Kingsley likely has a tea to fix it. So, when Charlie witnesses a young woman faint on the side of the road, she has no choice but to offer her services. (Along with a cup of her famous tea, of course.) In no time at all, the young woman is back to normal, which is good news, as she's about to go camping with her friends. Charlie thinks that will be the last of it … so imagine her surprise when she gets a phone call that one of the friends is missing. Is the friend simply lost? Or did something more disturbing happen? Luckily, Charlie is not only on the case but fueled with tea, as this will prove to be one of her most puzzling crimes to date. Meet Charlie. Better known as “Aunt Charlie” from the award-winning Secrets of Redemption series. She's back, making teas and solving cases in this funny, twisty, cozy mystery series set in the 1990s in Redemption, Wisconsin. Dollycas's Thoughts Charlie met five friends when one fainted and she helped her. Then those five friends went into the woods. Only four came back. Much to the regret of the local law Charlie inserts herself right into the middle of these people's lives and their investigation.  Redemption Wisconsin is a unique town with an eerie history that draws people into its web usually with negative results. An old legend has brought  Naomi, Lynette, Raymond, Mace, and Sloan to Redemption and their lives will never be the same. The residents of Redemption are used to tourists exploring their community which is why Charlie Kingsley is so at ease helping a young woman who has fainted practically right in front of her. Some of her special tea is just the thing the woman needs. The author has set up the perfect situation to get her protagonist into the lives of these new characters. Charlie is independent and stubborn and no matter how many times Officer Brandon Wyle advises her that she could be putting herself in unnecessary danger she still forges ahead. The relationship between Charlie and Wyle is complicated. You can cut the romantic tension with a knife. The young adults we meet in this story are an interesting group. They are out on their last adventure before they enter the adult portions of their lives. Finding work and doing humanitarian efforts but their relationships are not normal. Lynette is the ring leader and she has a peculiar involvement with each member of the group. With secrets abound these characters evolve over the course of the entire story. The mystery this time revolves around the lore of Fire Cottage which seems to be cursed. Those that find it are never seen again. What a fantastic hook! I would expect no less from the town of Redemption and Ms. Wacek. But there is so much more to this story. It is like a great onion, with so many layers to be peeled away. One of the best things about this series of books is that the author has written them in a way that each one can truly be read all on their own. Yes, the core character's lives move forward but she doesn't spoil any of the previous mysteries. They may be mentioned but nothing is given away. So you can pick up this one and go back and read any of the others anytime you wish. They all deserve your time and I recommend them all but you can jump into this series anywhere to give them a try, and then you will want to read the rest and probably the Secrets of Redemption series where Charlie was introduced although those stories are edgier and not cozy mysteries.  Murder Among Friends is a fantastic story full of twists and turns. It was a book that was very hard to put down. I don't know how I got behind on this series but I hope to rectify that soon. Red Hot Murder, the sixth book in the series will be released on April 25, 2023.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

Hidden in the Pines (A Lew Ferris Mystery) Mystery/ Small Town Fiction 2nd in Series with this Publisher 21st in Series Overall Setting - Wisconsin Crooked Lane Books (January 10, 2023) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639101470 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639101474 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09XM49DQC

Sheriff Lew Ferris knows how to land a sweet brook trout—but can she catch a cold-blooded killer in the thrilling second installment in the Lew Ferris mysteries. It’s Lew Ferris’s first day as the newly-elected Sheriff of McBride County, and already things are heating up in the Wisconsin Northwoods. The tragic drowning of a teenage girl draws an eerie parallel to the unsolved murder of another teen thirty years earlier, but one of Lew’s new subordinates—Alan Stern, Chief of the Deer Haven Police Department—has ruled it an accidental death by drowning. Neither Lew nor the girl’s family accept the ruling, but Lew is up against a wall of sexism and subterfuge. Not only is Stern belligerent and dismissive of Lew, but he takes the word of the local coroner, Ed Pecore, who Lew believes is completely unqualified for the job. Adding to Lew’s headaches, an unwelcome interference in the case by a multimillionaire resident reopens a cold case that stretches back decades—and could lead to an anguished relative taking justice into his own hands to avenge a crime the cops never solved. And when Lew’s dear friend, Dr. Paul “Doc” Osborne, finds himself witness to a sophisticated money laundering scheme that could threaten the lives of his daughter and her close friend, Lew finally feels like she’s reached the breaking point. The fish may be biting in McBride County—but now, Lew is on the line to uncover the long-buried secret that could ensnare a killer once and for all. Dollycas's Thoughts Newly elected Sheriff Lew Ferris isn’t going to have a lot of time for flyfishing as she tries to get things in order in McBride County, Wisconsin. Deer Haven Chief of Police, Alan Stern is livid when he finds out his new boss is looking into a case he had closed and ruled as accidental. The case has been brought to Lew’s attention by the family’s lawyer because the family does not accept the girl’s death was accidental. When Lew sees that Ed Pecore, the county’s embarrassment of a coroner is behind the ruling she agrees to take a second look. The case has a lot of similarities to an unsolved case from 30 years ago. Meanwhile, Dr. Paul “Doc” Osborne receives some stunning information that could put the lives of his daughter and her friend in danger. He is going to need some help from Lew to keep them safe. Lew’s first days as Sheriff are going to be filled with mayhem as she juggles it all trying to uncover the truth to finally put a killer behind bars where he belongs. _____ While this is the second book in the series from Crooked Lane, there were 19 books featuring this cast of characters prior to those. Don’t worry the author will give you enough details to feel quite a home no matter where you jump into the series. I have enjoyed this series so much. The characters are like old friends. I do love that Lew took the leap and has become the Sheriff of the whole county after being Chief of Police for Loon Lake for years. She is qualified and strong enough to deal with the flack she is going to receive by being a woman in typically man’s position. Her relationship with the man in her life, Doc Osborne is comfortable and realistic. I liked that his daughter had a role in this story. Ray Pradt continues to be a fave. He is truly a man with his own set of rules and talents and is always game for anything. We do meet a very interesting new character in this story connected to the 30-year-old open case. I hate to say too much but she fits in really well with everyone and I am happy that it looks like she will be sticking around. The mysteries are very interesting with some nice moments of suspense. The cold case really tugged at my heartstrings. Still being haunted by something that happened so long ago was a huge load to shoulder. I was so happy that by the end of this book, the character finally had some closure. As always, the author’s descriptions of life in the Wisconsin Northwoods are always a delight. The places, the actions and the dialogues always ring true. The flyfishing excursions always remind me of my grandfather. I can always picture him in his waders, reel in his hand, just around the next curve from where Doc and Lew are. He has been gone a very long time but he was happiest casting out a line just like so many characters in these stories. Victoria Houston is such a fine storyteller and her love of the Northwoods always shines. I am always able to escape right into her stories. Hidden in the Pines is a terrific addition to this series. I can’t wait for my next visit up north.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent   About the Author Victoria Houston is the author of the Loon Lake mysteries as well as several nonfiction books on family issues. She has been featured on the front page of The Wall Street Journal and on NPR. She lives, writes, and fishes in northern Wisconsin. To find out more about Victoria Houston visit her webpage here and Facebook here.

Check out The Loon Lake Mysteries to see how these characters started out.