While I am not a fan of "cozy mysteries," this book was a fun read. Howard manages to incorporate suspense and romance into a very readable story. As a widow, Meredith has her hands full with 2 children and a growing relationship. The last thing she needs is to get caught up in a murder investigation, but she does. This book is a quick read, but be warned; there is no resolution at the end. I guess we will just have to wait for the 3rd book in this series.

Meredith is a recent widow with two young children, living in rural Idaho. While working on an online course at the library, she is befriended by a man who complains his wife is out to kill him. She considers him a bother, but thinks twice when he turns up dead. Trying to convince others that the man was murdered is a challenge, and Meredith seems to get on the wrong side of folks when she does so. That includes the handsome sheriff who is interested in her.

I thought the book was interesting, but it seemed like the story line of murder was a bit too "loosely" constructed. Some people are hinted at as possible suspects, yet not expanded upon to any great extent. I think that could have made the book a bit more complex and interesting. The perils of the main character seem focused around her house rather than on the danger in which she puts herself by trying to solve the murders. I kept expecting the murderer to go after her, but it didn't happen. I also wondered whether it was realistic for the sheriff to allow her to be present at investigations.

This story was a quick read, I enjoyed every page. Meredith is trying to solve a murder in the small town she moved in. Nice cozy mystery book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this copy.

Crime Times Two by Julie Howard is the 2nd book in the Wild Crime mystery series. Meredith is settling down in Idaho with her two young children, after her husband was murdered. When a man in the library tells Meredith that is wife is planning on killing him, she just thinks he is crazy, until he winds up dead. Meredith feels guilty that she didn't listen to the man. To be honest I like book one, Crime and Paradise, better. I enjoyed this book, but didn't like the findings the police concluded. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, because it has a personal cliff hanger for Meredith. I recommend this book for mystery lovers.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is an OK book, I generally like my crime separate from romance.

A woman moves to a small town with lots of personal baggage. She has 2 kids and a dead husband. There seems to be some mystery about her husband and his death and in typical small town fashion, the rumor mill is working overtime.

Struggling to get back on her feet with a no where job and distant hopes for more education she stumbles across a death that is suspicious to her, but to no one else. Partly chasing her detective and partially looking for something to distract her from her life, Meredith keeps pushing for more investigation.

Of course everyone doubts her and of course she is right. It all seems to work out in the end,

Pretty lightweight, but sweet.

It was a good cozy mystery.

It starts with Meredith a widow with two small children. One day she was at the library studying when a man she didn't know start telling her he afraid his wife going to kill him.

Then he is dead when the police thinks he died of natural causes Meredith knows it's not the truth.

As she try to convince the Sheriff of foul play and look at the wife there is a slow romance going on between them.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A well written cozy story that has NO ENDING. I HATE THAT.
And I especially hate it when there is no warning in the blurb.

Meredith met a man while she was in the library studying. She doesn't know the man, but he begins to tell her that he is afraid his wife is going to kill him. And now he's dead.

Evidence leads law enforcement to think it was a heart attack .. but Meredith knows better.

And then there's another death in the small town that rarely ever sees murder.

Meredith, a widow with 2 small children feels somewhat guilty because she ignored the man in the library, and she's going to do whatever it takes to convince the sheriff ... who she kind of sees a future with ... to look at the man's wife.

This is a fast read, a bit of suspense, a bit of mystery, a bit of romance. This is second of a series that does well as a stand alone. There's just enough information to give the reader a little background, but not too much that would keep the reader from enjoying reading out of order.

The characters are terrific ... the kids are precious ... and the small town residents are on the quirky side. I found moments of laughter and moments of tears. I look forward to reading the next adventure.

Many thanks to the author / The Wild Rose Press, Inc. / Netgalley for the digital copy of this mystery/suspense. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.