• book,  Uncategorized

    SERIES REVIEW: Secrets and Scrabble Books 3-5 by Josh Lanyon

    Secrets and Scrabble: Mystery at the Masquerade – Josh Lanyon

    Love is in the Salt Sea Air–and So is Murder!

    Ellery Page, aspiring screenwriter, reigning Scrabble champion, and occasionally clueless owner of the village’s only mystery bookstore, the Crow’s Nest, is both flattered and bemused when he’s invited to the annual Marauder’s Masquerade, the best and biggest social event of the season in the quaint seaside village of Pirate’s Cove, Rhode Island. The event is hosted by the wealthy Marguerite Bloodworth-Ainsley—a descendant of the famed pirate Tom Blood.

    Ellery doesn’t even know Mrs. Bloodworth-Ainsley—nor, it turns out—does Mrs. Bloodworth-Ainsley know him. But Marguerite’s son, Julian wants to know Ellery. Julian, handsome, rich and engaging, is a huge mystery buff. In fact, he’s bought quite a few books at the Crow’s Nest bookstore, but never quite worked up the nerve to ask Ellery out.

    As his relationship with Police Chief Carson seems to be dead in the water, Ellery is grateful for a little flattering attention from the village’s most eligible bachelor, but any hopes of romance hit the shoals when Julian is accused of murdering his mother’s unlikable second husband during the Masquerade’s annual ghost hunt in the family’s spooky cemetery


    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Only for You
    Artist: Heartless Bastards
    Album: Arrow


    Secrets and Scrabble: Scandal at the Salty Dog – Josh Lanyon

    Mystery Stalks the Cobbled Streets of Pirate’s Cove

    Who or what is haunting elderly recluse Juliet Blackwell, what does it have to do with mysterious goings-on at the Salty Dog Pub–and why is any of it mystery bookshop owner Ellery Page’s problem? According to sometimes boyfriend Police Chief Jack Carson, it’s not Ellery’s problem, and Ellery should stop asking awkward questions before it’s too late.

    Ellery couldn’t agree more, but it’s hard to say no when someone is as frightened as old Mrs. Blackwell. Mrs. Blackwell insists the ghost of long dead pirate Rufus Blackwell has come to avenge himself on the last member of his treacherous clan.

    Before Ellery can say, “Yikes!” Mrs. Blackwell takes a tumble down the grand staircase of her spooky mansion, and it’s up to Ellery to find who is trying to kill his eccentric customer.


    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Now That I’ve Found You
    Artist: Liam Gallagher
    Album: Why Me? Why Not.


    Secrets and Scrabble: Body at Buccaneer’s Bay – Josh Lanyon

    Dead Men Tell No Tales

    Mystery Bookshop owner Ellery Page and Police Chief Jack Carson are diving for the legendary sunken pirate galleon Blood Red Rose when they discover an old fashioned diver’s suit, water-damaged and encrusted with barnacles. Further examination reveals the 19th Century suit contains a 21st Century body.

    Who is the mysterious diver? No one seems to be missing from the quaint and cozy town of Pirate’s Cove. Was he really diving for pirate’s gold? And if not, what exactly did he do to earn that bullet hole in his skull?


    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Every Side of You
    Artist: Vance Joy
    Album: In Our Own Sweet Time


    Secrets and Scrabble is a cozy mystery that is as adorable as advertised. The first two books, Murder at Pirate’s Cove and Secret At Skull House, I was admittedly not that into the series just yet since the first 2 cases were similar. Our hero Ellery Page was accused of murder twice.

    The third time’s the charm because Book 3, Mystery at the Masquerade, I was all in! Here, reluctant amateur sleuth Ellery was asked to prove his masquerade ball date’s innocence. This had him crossing paths with the one-time date and more-than-friend friend, Police Chief Jack Carson.

    Each mystery put one of Buck Island’s founding families under scrutiny and took Ellery to midnight forays in centuries old crypts, tunnels, and old houses. I totally love the setting! Buck Island was founded by pirates who built grand houses, and secret tunnels. It’s a great place to explore.

    To live in? I’m not sure. The series is chockful of very spry, very gossipy septuagenarians, and as per Ellery, it’s a fishbowl. Nosy as they are, the supporting cast is very entertaining. At this point, the initially maligned Ellery, a transplant from New York but a descendant of the founding father, Horatio Page, is now a respected member of the community.

    The next two books, Scandal at the Salty Dog and Body in Buccaneer’s Bay, Ellery is roped in to investigate since he now has the reputation as an amateur sleuth. To me, the hallmarks of a great mystery novel is how much I enjoy tagging along with the detective, regardless of whether or not I care about catching the culprit. And Secrets and Scrabble made it so much fun to tag along with Ellery and experience Pirate Cove through his eyes.

    Ellery is a fantastic MC for a cozy! Lovable, kind-hearted, loyal, and always willing to lend a hand even if greatly inconvenienced. Not overly quirky or introverted, abysmally bad actor, okay playwright, a struggling bookstore owner, and a devoted human to Watson, the black mixed-breed puppy. (I audiobooked this and narrator Matt Haynes’s Watson barks are ridiculously adorbs!)

    He went through the trademark Josh Lanyon hot/cold treatment in love interest Jack. The whys of this were later revealed in the last part of Book 3 through Jack’s impassioned speech about his tragic past. The chief is one the best cop boyfriends in the author’s roster of gruff cop boyfriends because he’s not an asshole like the others. The romance might be low-key but certainly very cute!

    Secrets and Scrabble is a pirate-flavored cozy mystery series that continues to charm me with intriguing cases, quirky characters, lovable MCs and an island full of secrets and hidden treasures yet to be discovered. With a delightful slow-burn romance as the cherry on top, I’m completely onboard for the rest of the journey!

    P.S.

    Secrets and Scrabble should be read in order. Witness a pirate cosplay murder in Murder at Pirate’s Cove. Find out how Ellery fared as a suspect in yet another murder in Secret At Skull House.


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    MYSTERY AT THE MASQUERADE
    SCANDAL AT THE SALTY DOG
    BODY AT BUCCANEER”S BAY

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  • song,  Uncategorized

    SOUNDTRACK: Only For You by Heartless Bastards, Now That I’ve Found You by Liam Gallagher & Every Side of You by Vance Joy

    Soundtrack to Secrets and Scrabble: Mystery at the Masquerade by Josh Lanyon

    Only For You by Heartless Bastards for a book about a grieving police chief taking a chance at a mild-mannered bookstore owner who risked his life to uncover the truth

    It’s been a while since I felt this way about someone
    I’d really really like to know you more, know you more
    Oh your eyes they sing a song to me
    And I’d really really like to move to it, groove

    And I will open my heart
    And I will only for you

    Soundtrack to Secrets and Scrabble: Scandal at the Salty Dog by Josh Lanyon

    Now That I’ve Found You by Liam Gallagher for a book about friends turned lovers and the question of commitment.

    I’ll take an ocean in my stride
    Steal the stars and hitch a ride
    To your door
    And time builds a bridge through our bloodlines
    From the roots, we’ll watch love rise
    Heaven knows how it grows

    Now that I’ve found you
    Now that I’ve found you
    I won’t let go
    Let my love surround you
    Now that I’ve found you
    I can lay down with my ghost

    Soundtrack to Secrets and Scrabble: Body at Buccaneer’s Bay by Josh Lanyon

    Every Side of You by Vance Joy for a book about when you know you found a keeper.

    Yeah, I don’t know what tomorrow knows, where these feelings go
    But I plan on being ’round, time is nothing when you look at me
    Can’t you see this thing’s meant to go on way past right now?

  • quote,  Uncategorized

    It’s been a while since I felt this way about someone
    I’d really really like to know you more, know you more
    Oh your eyes they sing a song to me
    And I’d really really like to move to it, groove

    And I will open my heart
    And I will only for you

    Oh your eyes they’re spinning round my head
    And oh, oh this light is on, ooh yeah, on ooh yeah
    Oh your eyes they’re spinning round my head
    And oh, oh this light is on, ooh yeah, on ooh

    And I will open my heart
    And I will only for you

    And I just don’t know what to do
    My head has such a cloudy view
    I’m so tired of trying
    And I just don’t know what to do
    My head has such a cloudy view
    I’m so tired of trying

    Oh your eyes they’re spinning round my head
    And oh, oh this light is on, ooh yeah, on ooh yeah
    Oh your eyes they’re spinning round my head
    And oh, oh this light is on, ooh yeah, on ooh

    And I will open my heart
    And I will only for you

    I’ll take an ocean in my stride
    Steal the stars and hitch a ride
    To your door
    And time builds a bridge through our bloodlines
    From the roots, we’ll watch love rise
    Heaven knows how it grows

    Now that I’ve found you
    Now that I’ve found you
    I won’t let go
    Let my love surround you
    Now that I’ve found you
    I can lay down with my ghost

    Now that I’ve found you, don’t go
    Don’t go

    I’ll be the branch that breaks your fall
    If you need me, make the call
    I’ll be there
    And I know it’s late for lullabies
    But the future’s yours and mine
    Now and for evermore

    Now that I’ve found you
    Now that I’ve found you
    I won’t let go
    Let my love surround you
    Now that I’ve found you
    I can lay down with my ghost

    (Ooh-ooh-ooh)
    Now that I’ve found you, don’t go
    Don’t go
    (Ooh-ooh-ooh)

    Now that I’ve found you
    Now that I’ve found you
    I won’t let go
    Let my love surround you (Ooh-ooh-ooh)
    Now that I’ve found you
    I can lay down with my ghost

    (Ooh-ooh-ooh)
    Now that I’ve found you, don’t go

    Yeah, I wanna be on your mind, when the stars ignite
    When the summer night unfolds, yeah, I wanna take a picture now
    When the lights go down and our senses all take hold

    Thought I was the same kind of guy
    Strong and silent type
    But you got me talking now, yeah, it’s in the way you look at me
    I can see that you feel everything I feel

    And it’s no surprise
    When you’re this close, every touch is amplified
    I don’t know when we’ll be here again, so I memorize
    Every inch of your body, show me every side
    Of you

    Yeah, I don’t know what tomorrow knows, where these feelings go
    But I plan on being ’round, time is nothing when you look at me
    Can’t you see this thing’s meant to go on way past right now?

    And it’s no surprise
    When you’re this close, every touch is amplified
    I don’t know when we’ll be here again, so I memorized
    Every inch of your body, show me every side
    Of you

    Show me every side
    Of you

    Every shape and every color that I found
    I can hardly see a world without you now
    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
    Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

    And it’s no surprise
    When you’re this close, every touch is amplified
    I don’t know when we’ll be here again, so I memorized
    Every inch of your body, show me every side
    Of you

    Show me every side, of you
    Of you
    Show me every side
    Of you