I can respect an author that gives me a twist on the B&B genre of cozy mysteries and plus. This was a pleasant read with interesting characters and and female protagonist. The reason behind the B&B itself was also intriguing, I'll be reading more of this authors work

A nice start to a new series. Pippa's the classic cozy heroine. This has a good setting, sufficient twists to keep you guessing, and it's a good read.

A very gentle lighthearted summer read that I thoroughly enjoyed on a beach last month. A gentle love story but with a hint of humour and a sprinkling of murder digested slowly with scones and tea in a bed and breakfast. Pure escapism.

I read book 1, Smugglers and Scones, and Burglars and Blintzes one right after the other. I think when a reader does that they might have a more positive experience since elements are reinforced. (May explain why romance trilogy are sometimes released in a three month time span instead of 1 a year.) I liked both books. While a B&B setting isn't new for a cozy series, the situation here with the B&B being funded by a trust and solely for mystery authors is. (I would have liked that set up to have been spelled out a little better though.)

The plot lines in both books were really different as well. I also liked the mix of characters, both permanent and visiting. Perhaps the visitors could have gotten even more involved. Oh, the joy of being a mystery writer and having a real mystery fall into your lap!! There was some feeling of that, but I felt it could have been enhanced.

Still, I liked both and am looking forward to a third.

I received copies of both books from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I am always excited to start a new cozy series. I enjoy getting to know the setting and the characters and learning about the relationships and how they interact with each other.
The Moorehaven Mysteries shows great promise.

The excitement starts early on, with a boom!
Even during the darkest moments, there is some humor to be found.
The writing is crisp and endearing. The characters colorful and captivating.
A hotel where the only allowed guests are writers? Wow- someone is setting themself up for quirky and weird. Especially when those writers want to actually test out their ideas and storylines.

It is a good thing to have strong ties to local law enforcement, past and present.
It is not only the writers who are keeping secrets.
I had fun reading this book and look forward to watching the series develop.
I asked for this book via Hidden Gems. The opinions are my own

WOW WOW WOW! The scones in this book sounds INCREDIBLE! I loved the recipe at the back and I will be trying it for sure! I really enjoyed this mystery which kept me guessing right until the end. I loved the romance between Lake and Pippa and hoped the whole way through that he wasn't the murderer. It was a well written story with small town charm and a welcoming B&B which kept me entertained all day, I couldn't put it down. Thank you for the chance to read and review - blog post up soon!

Smugglers & Scones is between 3 & 4 stars for me. I thought the plot was interesting but at times the story really stalled. I liked the characters overall but again sometimes they seemed a bit flat.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Smugglers and Scones is the first book in Morgan C. Talbot's Moorehaven Mysteries. Pippa Winterbourne runs Moorehaven Bed and Breakfast, a unique writer's retreat in the Oregon coastal town of Seacrest. Having been the home of famous crime mystery writer A. Raymond Moore, it was bequeathed to Pippa's great uncle Hilton MacKellar, who had been a good friend of the author's as well as the town's police chief. His mother had been a great fan of Moore's books and had named him after his main character, Hilton Gray.

Pippa enjoys her job, her quirky clientele, and her place in this small community. Not very exciting for a young woman, but that all changes when she is awoken by a loud crash on the cliffs outside her room. Throwing on her robe and fuzzy bunny slippers, Pippa runs down the steps to the waterfront grabbing the life preserver from its storage box atop the stairs.

ActIng on instinct, Pippa is able to locate the boat's survivor and haul him in. Weak from his struggles and sporting a head injury, Pippa gets the boat's pilot to safety, then awaits the doctor. Needing rest and to be watched overnight because of the head injury, Pippa and Uncle Hilt settle the survivor in a suite where Pippa can watch him overnight.

And thus the mystery begins. What happened on that boat and how did its owner end up dead on board? What is the secret that leads to a second death? And how will this all affect this little town?

A fast paced mystery with great characters and lovely setting, I look forward to the second installment of this series and do recommend this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Red Adept Publishing, LLC for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is a new cozy series, and I love the setting. It's about a B & B, which caters only to mystery writers (what a perfect place!!!) An actual dead body shows up, and they have to solve the mystery. I'll definitely read more in this series.

Pippa Winterbourne runs Moorehaven, the Oregon Coast’s quirkiest bed-and-breakfast and former home of world-famous mystery writer A. Raymond Moore. Guests come there to write their own crime novels. When a real-life murder takes a local’s life and washes a handsome boat pilot into her arms, Pippa is yanked into a deadly plot of her own. A tangle of secrets crashes past into present, and Pippa must uncover clues dating back to Seacrest’s Prohibition days, including a secret Moore himself hid from the world.

Juggling her book-writing guests, small-town intrigues, secret club agendas, and a possibly fatal attraction, Pippa must sort fact from fiction to know who to trust before a desperate killer claims a final revenge nearly a century in the making.

This book was a lovely easy read which I really enjoyed. 5*

This book starts with a very different premise wi h the shipwreck below the B &B that Pippa manages. It is an exciting mystery with humour included throughout. I found it hard to put down. The quotes are a nice addition.

Pippa Worthy has what she thinks of as her dream job running Moorehaven, a bed-and-breakfast that was once the home of world-famous mystery writer A. Raymond Moore. Located on the Oregon Coast Moorehaven is a slightly quirky B&B in the fact that the guests that come here are all mystery writers looking for an away place to write their own novels.

One night Pippa hears what sounds like a crash outside and rushes off to help finding that a boat had indeed crashed. Not knowing if there are survivors Pippa calls out and hears the voice of a man so she immediately throws him a lifeline. Unfortunately the next morning Pippa finds that the man she saved is suspected of murder when his boss was found among the crash remains.

Smugglers & Scones is a book in the cozy mystery genre that at some points in the story I absolutely loved the characters, setting and story but at other times found myself struggling to remain interested. I guess I just never really connected with this one the way I would like to with a mystery which seemed to have this one going along at a slower pace than I normally would enjoy.

The book had a unique setting with Moorehaven although I did question just how realistic it was to run a business with only a certain select clientele but the history behind the location gave some life to the story that was needed at times to hold my interest. I enjoyed Pippa and some other characters well enough but never really fell in love with any of them either.

In the end I’d say if you are a fan of a cozy mystery give this one a shot as it might have just been an off day for me when picking this one up. The book seems to have all the right ingredients for a good cozy but a bit slow paced for my taste.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Unfortunately this book was a dnf for me. I couldn't reconcile Pippa's age with her actions and attitudes, her immaturity with her responsibilities. I couldn't connect with the plot, although the premise had me genuinely interested as I'm a long time cozy mystery lover. It just wasn't for me.

What a great way to start a series! I read this book in one sitting. It was an easy read with a great cast of characters and a nice setting. It had the right balance of romance and humour and suspense and it flowed really well. Can't wait to read book two!

Great start to a series

I loved this book. Yes, it has all the typical cosy mystery stuff: food, romance, death, and dog or cat. What makes this book special is the setting, an inn that caters to writers and how this all ties into the mystery. Author Morgan Talbot tells a great story with some humor. I recommend this book for fans of the genre and I look forward to reading more books in the series.

I really enjoyed this first book in the Moorehaven Mystery series.

The characters were interesting and I'm looking forward to see how they grow in the next books. Just enough description of the area, Bed and breakfast and guests to make you feel like you can 'see' the scene without bogging down the story-line.

There were twists and turns and even though I had 'figured' out one of the mysteries, the book kept my attention to the end. However, I admit that I wished that I had some scones to eat while reading.

Smugglers & Scones is the debut of the Moorehaven Mysteries series set in the small town of Seacrest located off the Oregon coast and features B&B manager Pippa Winterbourne. Pippa along with her great Uncle Hilt run Moorehaven Bed and Breakfast, originally the home of famed mystery writer Raymond Moore, and now an Inn that only takes in writers.

Awakening to the sound of a boat crashing into the rocks below her bedroom window, Pippa races out and manages to pull boat pilot Lake Ivens from the rough waters. Unfortunately, Police Chief Craig shows up at the door the next morning to say that the authorities have located the body of Lake's boss Cecil French in the wreckage. Lake has no memory of the events leading up to the accident and is shaken to learn that Cecil was dead before the accident and is being considered the prime murder suspect.

Pippa sets out with the help of her writer houseguests to clear Lake's name and soon discovers there are many secrets under the surface of the tiny coastal town. Pippa, Lake and her friends are soon drawn in to an investigation that revolves around the local Prohibition era Speakeasy and the abandoned lighthouse.

A fast moving plot with well crafted characters, two adorable cats, beautiful scenery and a touch of romance.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley via Red Adept Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

Excellent beginning to a an amazing new cozy mystery series!

A definite cozy mystery that is a delight from beginning to end. The first book in the Moorehaven Mystery series is a perfect blend of great characterization, location and a well crafted mystery. I loved this book and read it in one sitting.
Our delightfully fun protagonist is Pippa Winterbourn who runs a bed and breakfast on the Oregon coast with her Father, a famous mystery author. Many people come to the inn to write and learn from her Father. A murder occurs and our smart protagonist is on the case with her Father to solve the case.
What makes this story unique is the excellence in characters, the lovely location and the beautiful.writing of this author. This draws the reader in . I look forward to the next in series with great anticipation. This is a winning series that I highly recommend. Well Done !

This book had more substance than a typical cosy mystery. I very much enjoyed the setting of Seacrest and specifically Moorehaven. I loved the idea of it being a B & B for mystery writers. This naturally gave the characters an interest when crimes were being committed across town.
The set up was quick - readers are introduced to the B&B immediately (an excellent opening page) and the first chapter introduces a lot of the main characters. The pace is continued when Pippa rescues a man from a sinking boat in the middle of the night and discovers he has no memory of the hours leading up to the rescue - throughout the story as romance begins to bloom, readers aren't sure with whether she should fully trust him or not.
Crimes are committed and it's all Pippa can do to keep her paying guests out of trouble as they hunt down authentic details for their books. She ends up utilising their skills while trying to find out exactly what happened in those missing hours before the boat sank.
The book is tightly plotted, with good subplots weaving together. I hadn't heard of Morgan C Talbot but I will definitely be looking out for the next book in the series.