Marla A. White

The past: Emmeline (Mel) O’Rourke was a Los Angeles patrol officer and scaled mountains with her brother Liam. That was before an accident during a rooftop chase. That was before the aftermath forced Mel into early retirement, leaving the only job she had ever wanted.

The present: Mel’s life is the Babbling Brook Bed and Breakfast in Pine Cove, owning it with her family, living onsite, and being responsible for day-to-day operations. Liam owns a contracting company, so he visits the B&B periodically to take care of needed maintenance.

The surprises: I put forth 2 names. Poppy Phillips and Grandma O’Rourke. Talk about surprises! I can’t wait until you meet them!

I loved this cozy! The setting of the B&B, the characters that include Mel’s friend’s dog Chewbarka or Chewie for short that takes advantage of escape possibilities, and the delightful sprinkling of humor throughout the storyline. Mel’s acrophobia and the different ways explored to cope with her phobia was well-written. It not only gave depth to her character but was meaningfully layered as an integral part of the storyline.

Thank you to Marla White for the opportunity to be a member of the ARC Team. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.… (altro)

Like cozy mysteries and in the mood for a holiday read? Then you're going to want to grab this one. It's a short read, and you could easily get through it in an afternoon while curled up with your favorite cookies and some cocoa. I loved Mel - she's a great character who's just made a big life change, but can't quite leave her old life behind. A quiet town, a quaint inn, and a murder. I'm really hoping we get to see more of Mel, or at least the town and the people who live there, in future books!… (altro)

Mel O’Rourke has left her job as a police officer in LA after a injury and has moved to a small mountain town to open a B&B with the support, both emotional and financial, of her large family. So far things are going (well except for her attempts at her grandmother’s recipe for starlight mint surprise cookies) when one of her guests is found dead. She’s pretty sure it’s natural causes but she wants an investigation done to protect the reputation of the B&B and her family’s investment. The local deputy, on the other hand,, thinks an investigation would be a waste of resources even after another guest goes missing. When her body is found at the bottom of a cliff, he’s convinced it’s just an accident but Mel is not so sure and decides to investigate on her own, a decision that could put her in danger.

The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder (Christmas Cookies) by Maria A. White is a fun fast and short cozy mystery with an interesting storyline, a likeable female protagonist, a touch of humour, and, of course, the requisite potential love interest. I’m not sure if this is a stand-alone or the start of a new series - either way, I will be looking for more by this author in the future. A perfect read for a snowy afternoon with a warm blanket, a cup of hot chocolate, and maybe a cookie or two.

Thanks to Netgalley and The Wild Rose Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review… (altro)