Welcome to Litsy!

This novel is a little difficult to follow with the large number of characters and jumps in time, which could be why it's less scary than it might have been. I appreciate the setting---California's Central Valley---and there's a lot of vivid imagery, but the story doesn't quite gel, at least for me. The ending is solid, though.

#CastTheDie #OneSnackToRuleThemAll #Chocolatiers

Nothing like finding the latest from one of your favorite childhood home state authors in your faraway neighborhood LFL. 🩷 #Wisconsin #California

4.5⭐️

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective is a fun mystery. Mrs. B is an elderly lady who rents her cottages out to an eccentric group of tenants. An ex-con, Anthony, moves in, and soon, there's a murder. The residents don't think he did it, so they all go about trying to solve the murder, except more occur.

The ending was a surprise!

It was published on August 19, 2025. If you like mysteries, you should read this one.

This was not on my radar but I‘m so happy my attention was diverted to it because it was fun - even after finding the resolution complicated for a cozy little murder mystery🤣 I loved Mrs. B and the tenants in her six units making up this sweet Santa Barbara cottage. If this is the first in a series of neighboring supportive sleuths, count me in.

What a quirky group of residents living at Marigold Cottages.

They all felt safe until one resident that Mrs. B met at the bus stop and invited to live in the studio apartment arrived. Anthony was an ex-con.

All was well until a body was found outside the cottages one day. It had to be Anthony.

It was an entertaining read.

Adding to your TBR?

FULL REVIEW: https://tinyurl.com/3h69w6ek

Jo Nichols
@stmartinspress
@minotaur_books

This is a fun mystery with delightfully quirky characters and found family. I love the format with short chapters from each character‘s POV. The short chapters make for a quicker read, and the multiple POVs bring the characters closer to the reader. The solution was fun, too. Out today (8/19). Just a day late for the #NGG #readathon.

This cozy mystery was an absolute delight, with just the right mix of murder, hijinks, and humor! Read my full review here: https://debbybrauer.org/#the-marigold-cottages-murder-collect...

Publication is expected August 19.

#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #MacmillanAudio #TheMarigoldCottagesMurderCollective 📚💙

Robert Louis Stevenson, his new wife and her son were on a honeymoon trip squatting in a falling apart cabin in the hills outside of Napa. There is zero mention of his wife and son. Lol.
Lots of description of the neighbors and the landscape. Surprisingly good. 3.5⭐