Pumpkins in Paradise by Kathi Daley is a 2013 publication.

I’m not going to tell anyone how many books I have on my Kindle- but it’s pretty bad when books have loitered around on your device for over ten years. I stumbled across this one while looking for another book- and paused- looking at the cover- covered in pumpkins. I was actually looking for a Thanksgiving themed book- not Halloween- but it is still autumn- so why not?

This is not a bad start to this series. The mystery is solid and the characters likeable- the execution, though, was a bit wobbly. There were too many loose ends to tie up after the murderer is revealed- then a flat closing chapter filled with unnecessary information which didn’t leave me eagerly anticipating the next installment.

That said, it was an enjoyable story, overall. I read this book while preparing for Thanksgiving and with my DH home from work all week. My focus was divided for sure- so this was a nice, light escape from all the chaos.

Not sure if I’ll continue with this series. Daley has several long running series out there to choose from- maybe I’ll give her books another try someday- who knows, I may have more of her books on my Kindle already! 😁😁 ( )

2 1/2 stars. Overall, I liked this mystery but it had a few flaws, some more serious than others.

Most annoying for me was the fact that the author doesn't seem to actually know what life as a teacher is like. The main character, Tj, was supposed to be a high school P.E. teacher & coach to the girls' soccer team but she never seemed to actually have any work except a few committee meetings or watching the soccer team while chatting with people. What kind of school system does she work in, where she has an office to herself, hour-long lunch breaks, and can leave the school whenever she wants to run errands without even telling anyone? She is put in charge of the school's chorus which seems to have met once and then disbanded.

I also found it "unfair" that after following every little detail of Tj's life, no matter how trivial, at the end of Chap. 20 Dan tells Tj he has something important to tell her but we the readers are not allowed to hear it. As I had already figured out who the killer was at this point, this was irritating but not critical.

Less serious is the frequency of the use of "cozy" as an adjective and the unneccessarily long last chapter after the mystery has been solved. ( )

A fun new cozy series that I just discovered. There are 10 books written so far and include lots of holiday themed cozies which I love. I almost read Thanksgiving in Paradise until I realized that it was book 10 so that will have to wait until next year. The characters are fun and smart and the mystery was entertaining. I will definitely read more in the series. ( )

I enjoyed Pumpkins in Paradise. TJ has a lot on her plate. I wasn’t certain I would enjoy this series. It seemed like it might get bogged down with all TJ has going on plus a lot of characters. However, I quickly became engrossed in the story. TJ and her friendship with Zachary drew me in. I was able to quickly understand why it was so important for her to solve the mystery of Zachary’s death, particularly since it wasn’t being considered a homicide at first. The clues being wrapped up in puzzles TJ needed to solve was very interesting and enjoyable for me. I love logic puzzles. It set this book a bit a part from other cozy mysteries I have read. ( )

**I received a copy of this book from Henery Press via NetGalley in exhange for a fair, honest review**


High school teacher TJ Jenson is busy. Between volunteering for Serenity, Nevada's annual pumpkin festival, teaching, coaching soccer, and raising her two half-sisters, her schedule is pretty full most of the time. But she always has time for her friend, an elderly recluse named Zachary. The two met on Halloween night years before when she tried to pull a childish prank on him and got caught. After years of friendship, she really doesn't know a lot about Zachary's past. She knows two things for sure: the scars on his face are from a car accident that killed a friend of his; and, it's been years since he ventured outside his house. TJ is shocked when she goes to visit Zachary one night before Halloween, only to find him dead. Even though initial clues point to suicide, TJ knows her friend was murdered. Often he would leave her puzzle clues to locate presents he bought for her. This time, he's left her clues that will lead to his killer.

This book was an enjoyable read! The mystery was engaging and interesting. It kept my attention from beginning to end. There were several suspects, plot twists and turns, and an exciting ending! I had my suspicions but wasn't sure who the culprit was until the very end. TJ is a likable and believable main character. The side characters are varied and not just formula stereotypes. The story was complex and well-written. Kathi Daley never fails to deliver a great cozy mystery!

Pumpkins in Paradise is the first book in the TJ Jenson Paradise Lake Mystery series. There are 6 books in the series, with an 7th book, Treasure in Paradise, coming in April 2017. Henery Press is re-releasing the complete series September 6th in anticipation of the new book! I will definitely be reading the rest of this series!

Kathi Daley also writes the Zoe Donovan Mysteries and Whales and Tails Mystery series. Check out her website at www.kathidaley.com ( )