This was an interesting cozy. Ivy is a very optimistic person. It's all going good for her and she believes it's going to get better. Meanwhile, threats are coming in. I enjoyed the story. It really is quite entertaining. The dogs are colorful characters. Ivy and her friends kept the story colorful and engaging. I wanted to follow them as they tried to figure out what was going on. I was not a superfan of her boss. He's a little sexist. Overall, great read, I'm going to read more of this series. ( )

I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

It was good to catch up with American Ivy Stone, the new head maid at Hotel LaFontaine in London. (I have read two of the previous books in the series.) As usual she becomes involved in a murder, and she and her gang of sleuths - French receptionish Elise, Irish cook Moira, and hotel engineer Kat, who doubles as a tech genius - have to solve it themselves.

In this case the stakes are higher than usual because the next intended victim is Ivy's new beau, Mr. Humphrey, the owner of the hotel. Ivy is also threatened by the killer when it becomes apparent that she is getting closer to working out their identity.

But it's not all hard detective work. There is still time to walk their dogs, and even for the gang to have a sleepover at Ivy's.

If you are looking for a hardcore thriller this is not the book for you. But if you want to slip into a cosy mystery for a couple of hours to divert yourself from the cares of the day then you can't go wrong with Murky Murder. ( )

Coming up roses

Life is coming up roses for Ivy, she’s got her dream job and a date with the handsome owner of the hotel, until anonymous threats and murder crash her party. Determined to keep Max safe, Ivy and her gang are back on the case and it’s a fun one! ( )

Oh, my! Author Hazel Smith gets your heart racing as you follow all the twists in this mystery. She quickly takes us from a romantic first date to an attempted murder, and the excitement does not stop there.

Ivy Stone and her friends once again work together to solve a murder. Can they solve the crime before both Ivy and her boss also become victims? It is a wild ride following them as they chase down various paths in hopes of discovering the killer.

The reader is allowed a chance to catch her breath, though. There are moments when the budding romance between Ivy and her boss, Max Humphrey, shines through. If you enjoy animals in the story, there are delightful moments spent with pet dogs. And I cannot deny that the description of food coming from the hotel kitchen is mouth-watering.

It is fun to see the friendly relationships between members of the hotel staff and to recognize each person’s very distinct character. I also find it refreshing that, unlike many mysteries where the police try to dissuade the sleuths from getting involved, the inspector actually appreciates the help.

I received an advance copy from the author with no promise made of a positive review. However, I had previously enjoyed an earlier book in this series and am delighted to say that this one met my expectations. Any opinions given here are my strictly my own. ( )