Moorehaven is swarming with guests during summer’s last hurrah, and Pippa has her hands full at the mystery-author B&B. When her gossip-group connections inform her that a local construction project has unearthed a skeleton with a pocketful of Spanish gold, the news spreads, and treasure hunters flood the beaches. But the skeleton has a more recent connection to the area than anyone … suspected, unearthing a shameful secret that hits far too close to home.
A marine salvage team rolls into town, seeking the rest of the treasure. When they hire Pippa’s boyfriend, Lake, to be their pilot, the team’s pretty spelunker quickly stakes a claim, rousing Pippa’s jealousy. But Pippa’s been playing tug-of-war over Lake ever since his ex-wife, Mallory Tavish, became the new acting chief of police.
When a killer’s strike brings tragedy to Moorehaven’s door, Pippa must rally her friends, family, and mystery-writing guests to catch the murderer before she loses someone she can’t live without and all the warmth of summer dies with one last gasp.
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After the debut book in the Moorehaven Mysteries series last year, I was very excited to read the next one, Burglars & Blintzes from author Morgan C. Talbot. I may have messaged her a few times asking (demanding?) when the next would be released, but I won’t say how many times. A few weeks ago, I learned it was ready for publication and I got an early release. I was super excited and it definitely delivered on all counts!
Pippa runs a bed & breakfast that she inherited from her uncle. It was previously home for a famous author she adored and whom her family became close with over the years. It’s used exclusively for writers who need a retreat to discover their muse or find some silence to pen their latest mystery. Unfortunately, most writers learn there is often more mystery and action at Moorehaven than they include in their novels. In this caper, a dead body washes ashore during the impact of a typhoon off Oregon’s Pacific Coast. Gold coins missing for several centuries suddenly turn up, inciting a surge of looters looking for a quick win. And a youthful rivalry from years ago comes full force when it turns out the deceased is someone who’d been missing for a long time and who knew Pippa’s uncle quite well. As Pippa caters to her writers and tries to build her relationship with Lake, the handsome boat pilot, various side stories begin to intersect when more accidents happen and long-buried secrets come to light. Will Pippa survive or does the killer make an attempt on her life, too? I suppose you’ll have to read in order to know what happens…
Talbot’s scenery, descriptions and setting are top-notch for readers. Among references to famous authors, books and literary concepts, we find a charming yet spooky mansion filled with history and secrets. All sorts of author types pop up throughout the book sharing stories about their own characters and/or how they build a mystery. One of them almost always is involved with the actual crime happening, but it’s our job as readers to figure it out. A mystery within a mystery of sorts… sounds fun, right?
Pippa is also a fantastic leading character and sleuth. While she tries to stay away from the investigation, she’s pulled in when the people around her are suspected of being the culprit. Talbot builds a tug-of-war for us to constantly shift our thoughts on how involved Pippa should get, but it’s in the normal daily running of the inn where we fall even harder for her. She’s just a wonderful main sleuth and her on-going battle with the new Chief of Police makes it all the more interesting. The town is full of supporting characters who have fun or curious side stories to keep us immersed in a fantastic world.
Like many other cozies, food plays a big role in this series. While not a central focus, and more just a common theme throughout, I craved blintzes, of course. There’s a delectable recipe in the back, perhaps I’ll test it out one day. I’m excited with this sophomore release in the series and can’t wait to see where Talbot takes us in the third one hopefully sooner rather than later. It’s quickly becoming one of my more favorite series even with only two in it so far. Kudos to the author and the publishing team behind this one…
Loved it, light reading, kept my interest and fun
Kept me guessing! I love that!!
Book source ~ ARC. My review is voluntary and honest.
Pippa Winterbourne runs Moorehaven Bed-and-Breakfast Inn in Seacrest, Oregon. Moorehaven is unique in that it now caters to the mystery writer crowd since the famous author A. Raymond Moore had once made it his home. When a skeleton is found with real gold Spanish coins the town is swarmed with treasure hunters. But the skeleton isn’t as old as originally thought and actually has a 50-yr-old tie to the town and Pippa’s Great-Uncle Hilt. In the middle of all the craziness, a murder is committed putting Pippa smack in the middle of a real-life murder mystery. It’s time for Pippa, her friends, and her guests to put their collective brains to work and figure out these two mysteries before someone else ends up dead.
Even though this is book 2 it can be read as a standalone. There is a huge info dump in the beginning and not having read the first book (yet) all of the characters were hard to keep straight in my head during this info overload. But once the stage is set the book takes off on its own. The characters are great, the writing is decent, and the plot keeps me guessing until nearly the end. My only other complaint is Pippa. For most of the book she’s kinda unlikeable. She’s eaten alive with jealousy and doesn’t really trust her boyfriend, Lake, even though she says she loves him. And she treats her sister like shit. Her character grows towards the end, but I had a hard time liking her for much of the story. The other colorful characters make up for this though. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery in a picturesque setting then give this one a go.
I read book 1, Smugglers and Scones, and Burglars and Blintzes one right after the other. I think when a reader does that they might have a more positive experience since elements are reinforced. (May explain why romance trilogy are sometimes released in a three month time span instead of 1 a year.) I liked both books. While a B&B setting isn’t new for a cozy series, the situation here with the B&B being funded by a trust and solely for mystery authors is. (I would have liked that set up to have been spelled out a little better though.)
The plot lines in both books were really different as well. I also liked the mix of characters, both permanent and visiting. Perhaps the visitors could have gotten even more involved. Oh, the joy of being a mystery writer and having a real mystery fall into your lap!! There was some feeling of that, but I felt it could have been enhanced.
Still, I liked both and am looking forward to a third.
I received copies of both books from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
romance, cozy-mystery
The characters are very interesting, the setting is marvelous, but some of the plot devices are incongruous. The idea of a Bed and Breakfast catering strictly to writers is innovative, the finding of a skeleton from 1964 of a man who was presumed to have simply absented himself from the area but found with authentic pieces of eight created real interest for me, but I was disappointed in this vegetable stew of a mystery.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.
An earthquake at another part of the world has created a tsunami, so Pippa decides to have a viewing party on the window’s walk at Moorehaven (a mystery-author B&B). The last things she expects is a damaged fence and a skeleton (holding a treasure of coins) to be unearthed.
The skeleton belongs to a missing person from a cold case that Pippa’s uncle tried to solve many years ago. Between the mystery of what happened to the missing person and where did the gold treasure come from has Pippa and her friends trying to help her uncle solve the mystery. Along the way an author is murdered, several members of a treasure hunting crew are injured, and the ex-con boyfriend of Pippa’s sister is arrested for at least one murder.
What I love most about this series is that the B&B guests are all authors writing in the genre of mystery. In each book, Pippa is aided or hindered by their expertise in resolving a real mystery. Between the B&B staff and the authors, you get a wild mix of quirky, witty, and sometimes a mysterious cast of characters.
If you like a mystery filled with lots of hijinks, twists and turns, a bit of romance, red herrings, and a strong female amateur sleuth, then this series is definitely one you will want to read.
Moorehaven is a writer’s paradise. Pippa and her Uncle Hilt make Moorehaven more than just a B&B. It is a retreat from the world were writers can relax and be creative. They also get to enjoy the best blintzes and breakfasts in the area. While Moorehaven is a retreat, life often interferes and the mystery lovers become embroiled in solving murders. Not to be left out the gossip club has a hand in every part of the town and they often solve problems. What is not to love about a book that tells the stories of how Moorehaven and the town of Seacrest lives and breathes. Wonderful book you will be glad you read this book and the other books in this series.
This was a good cozy mystery book. I have not read the first book and that was okay to enjoy this book. It’s interesting to have the main character run a B&B that hosts only mystery writers. Pippa is good at figuring things out and getting people to help her solve the mysteries. In this book there are two mysteries to solve. If you like cozy mysteries you will like this book.
*I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.*