A Dark and Twisting Path by Julia Buckley

A Dark and Twisting Path by Julia Buckley
(Writer's Apprentice Mystery #3)
273 pages / 9 hrs, 39 mins

"Lena's best friend, Allison, is in a panic. On a walk in the woods by her home, Allison discovers the body of her mail carrier, an argumentative man who recently had a falling out with Allison's husband. Lena quickly realizes that Allison has nothing to worry about as the murder weapon points to a different suspect altogether: Lena's embattled boyfriend, Sam West.

"Sam was cleared of his wife's murder when she was found alive, and now someone is trying to make him look guilty again. Surveillance video of a break-in at his house shows a shadowy figure trying to incriminate him by stealing the weapon from his desk. Lena and Camilla work on a suspect list, but a threatening note and a violent intrusion at Graham House prove that the devious killer has decided to write them into the plot."  --from the publisher

I found this to be a solid cozy mystery, but some of the details are too far-fetched for me to rate it above three stars out of five.

Death in Dark Blue by Julia Buckley

Death in Dark Blue by Julia Buckley
(A Writer's Apprentice Mystery #2)
304 pages / 7 hrs, 53 mins

"Things are beginning to go right for Lena. She's got a new job assisting suspense novelist and friend, Camilla Graham. She lives rent-free in Camilla's beautiful Gothic house. She even has a handsome new boyfriend, Sam West.

"After being under attack by the media and his neighbors, Sam has recently been cleared of suspicion for murder. Journalists and townsfolk alike are remorseful, and one blogger would even like to apologize to him in person. But when she's found dead behind Sam's house, Lena must dodge paparazzi as she unravels the many mysteries that threaten to darken the skies of her little town and her newfound love with Sam."  --from the publisher

This is a solid, cozy mystery series that I'm enjoying very much. The writing is good, and the characters are likable and easy to relate to.  I give this one four out of five stars.

Into the Deep by Samantha Young

Into the Deep by Samantha Young -- 305 pages

Live young. Live hard. Love deep.

Charley Redford was just an ordinary girl until Jake Caplin moved to her small town in Indiana and convinced her she was extraordinary. Almost from day one Jake pulled Charley into the deep and promised he was right there with her. But when a tragic incident darkened Jake’s life he waded out into the shallows and left Charley behind.

Almost four years later Charley thinks she’s moved on. That is until she takes a study year abroad in Edinburgh and bumps into none other than Jake Caplin at a party with his new girlfriend. The bad-boy-turned-good attempts to convince Charley to forgive him, and as her best friend starts spending time with Jake’s, Charley calls a truce, only to find herself tumbling back into a friendship with him. As they grow closer, the spark between them flares and begins playing havoc with their lives and relationships. When jealousy and longing rear their destructive heads, Charley and Jake struggle to come to grips with what they mean to one another. And even if they work it out, there is no guarantee Charley will ever trust Jake to lead her back into the deep…

A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley

A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley
(A Writer's Apprentice Mystery #1)
304 pages

"Lena London's literary dreams are coming true--as long as she can avoid any real-life villains...

"Camilla Graham's bestselling suspense novels inspired Lena London to become a writer, so when she lands a job as Camilla's new assistant, she can't believe her luck. Not only will she help her idol craft an enchanting new mystery, she'll get to live rent-free in Camilla's gorgeous Victorian home in the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana.

"But Lena's fortune soon changes for the worse. First, she lands in the center of small town gossip for befriending the local recluse. Then, she stumbles across one thing that a Camilla Graham novel is never without--a dead body, found on her new boss's lakefront property.

"Now Lena must take a page out of one of Camilla's books to hunt down clues in a real crime that seems to be connected to the novelist's mysterious estate--before the killer writes them both out of the story for good..."

I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery.  The writing, setting and story line make for a relaxing read--which is just what I needed.