Member Reviews
This is the 3rd installment of the Vintage Sweets Mystery series. Tally Holt and her friend Yolanda Bella ordered plastic version of Tally’s sweets so they would not melt as they were on display in Bella’s Baskets. The sweets are perfect and look amazing, however, as they are on display in the window of Bella’s they are beginning to melt. They of course think it is just the heat and the Texas sun. Unbeknownst to Yo and Tally, there was a mix-up back at the factory which produced the plastics and jade was put into their plastics as opposed to another shipment. That same night the store window is broken and the plastic candies are stolen and one of the crime watch citizen is hurt in the process. Tally helps Yo clear up the mess and finds some green stones but thinks they are just weights inside for the plastic candies. The people involved arrive in Fredericksburg and some other incidents happen and Tally’s landlady Mrs. Berg also gets caught in the crosshairs. Detective Jackson and Tally are dating and as she is trying to get information on the burglary, she mentions she has some of the leftover glass and he finds the green stones and suspects it is jade. So, in this mystery we know there was smuggling of jade from the very beginning but we don’t know who in the town is their accomplice and if they are involved with all the other burglaries and crimes happening in the area. There end up another murder and Yo wonders if her employee is involved. Tally has concerns about Mrs. Berg’s current housemate Walter who was the one injured during the crime at Bella’s Baskets. Tally’s concern for Mrs. Berg is what ultimately breaks the case. This is a solid mystery and you begin to see both Yo and Tally’s relationships grow and that was nice. I like this series and look forward to the next installment.
Tally and Yolanda are mystified as to who is breaking windows in the town of Fredericksburg and stealing items from the displays. That is until someone smashes Tallly's window and steals some of the fake chocolates she uses because the sun would melt the real ones. Turns out that one of the candies left behind is filled with jewels! Smuggling, secrets, and lies abound in this delightful tourist town. I like that George give both women a voice as they have slightly different takes on things. She's packed a lot into this relatively slim addition to the series - it will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Entertaining, realistic, set in Texas for a new spin on a cozy. Candy shops pack in all the fun and the characters make sure to keep you reading.
Tally Holt and Yolanda Bella are best friends and business owners living in Fredericksburg, Texas. Things are going on in town.. Petty crimes and the likes even though the crime watchers group -- The Crime Fritters are one the job.. Yolanda's shop window is targeted but what's taken is a bit puzzling. Until its likely that the stolen items contained smuggled jade.. That's when things get interesting. Strangers showing up in town, bodies being found . and victims being beaten. Tally is trying to figure out how everything is connected but she might just have poked her nose in too far this time. This just might be her final event. Great book. Love the cast and while this could be a stand alone its best read starting with the first book..
An entertaining cozy mystery. A definite change of pace. This time we know who the bad guys are. It is a matter of all involved figuring it out. Lots going on to keep one turning the pages. Family issues and sweet romances.
Set in beautiful Fredericksburg Texas shop owners Tally and Yolanda receive a shipment of Blood Jade inadvertently. The characters are realistic and believable. The story flows along nicely. I enjoyed this book. Will be reading more by her.
Thanks Netgalley for letting me read it.
Into the Sweet Hereafter is a Texas cozy mystery about some missing jewels. The mystery was fairly solid and the characters were interesting. IF you are into Texas style mysteries you will love this one.
I enjoyed this book. It's a little confusing since it moves around the characters alot but otherwise it's good. The characters are interesting. You know who the bad guys are throughout the book so there's no surprise. There's not big finale. #IntotheSweetHereafter #NetGalley
I really wanted to like 'Into the Sweet Hereafter', but I was mostly confused. The switch in the points of view of the characters was weak and the mystery was both annoyingly 'woke' and a little ridiculous. I don't know if this is the first in a series but I suspect it is not and I was expected to have sorted out all of the characters in a previous offering. It jus really missed for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
This is such a fun series, and I had a great time with this cozy mystery. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, and the characters!
Tally Holt has a sweets shop in a friendly little town in Texas and a happy life that centers on that shop. So when she notices that her plastic display candies are melting in her shop window, she's naturally upset. Her friend and neighboring shopkeeper helps her clean up, but there's a strange event with the neighborhood watch almost immediately.
Tally and her friends and family are involved in something much bigger than they realize. When people start getting hurt, they're worried and confused...but they don't realize that they're in over their heads till it's almost too late.
This novel shifts points of view to show the bigger picture and the perspective we usually see in this series -- that of Tally and her friends -- to create an interesting and different story.
Tally and her crew are likable, and the book is full of local color. The detective work is limited, but the story has plenty fo twists and turns.
A new to me series, well written, interesting characters and love the historic location. Interesting in checking out the rest of the series.
I enjoy the premise of this series but this latest whodunit had too many subplots.
The protagonist is a bit annoying and the back and forth between her point of view and her friend Yolanda is distracting.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
Tally Holt and Yolanda Bella are the sleuth duo in Fredricksburg Texas! Tally’s Old Tyme Sweets and Bella’s Baskets keep the friends busy enough. When Bella’s Baskets is vandalized with other burglaries and then a murder the two work to discover the truth.
The characters are well developed, a cute setting and interesting mystery. I really enjoyed hearing from both ladies throughout the story.
#IntotheSweetHereafter #NetGalley
Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of INTO THE SWEET HEREAFTER (Book 3 of the Vintage Sweets Mysteries) by Kaye George in exchange for an honest review. Tally Holt, owner of Tally’s Old Tyme Sweets, and Yolanda Bella, owner of Bella’s Baskets, are called to duty to investigate even more crimes. There’s been a rash of burglaries throughout Fredricksburg, Texas, but the pair don’t know about it until the front window of Yolanda’s business is smashed and part of her display stolen. When a murder seems to be linked to the break-in at Yolanda’s, Tally and her friend work to find the connection and to determine if the murder is also related to the other burglaries. When their own employees seem suspect, the duo struggles to separate paranoia from reality.
I liked the story. The story fluxes between Tally’s and Yolanda’s viewpoints. Perhaps because I usually listen to the books through my Kindle text-to-speech, I find some difficulty in keeping the separate women and their stories straight since there doesn’t seem to be a clear auditory indication of when the viewpoint has shifted. It took me awhile to adjust. I recommend this book to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, burglary, jewels, smuggling, slavery, small towns, and small businesses.
#IntotheSweetHereafter #NetGalley
A really sweet cozy mystery. I loved Tally and Yolanda. A lot of subplots going on in the book. This kept my interest to the end
The mystery was good, the characters are starting to flesh out more, but I’m less intrigued this time around. I think there mights have been too much going on all at once for me. Each of the plot lines individually, or even a few of them together would have made this great. But with 6 or more different things going on, it was too much for me. But the story was well written and I really enjoyed the character growth.
Tally and Yolanda have decided to use fake candy in the window display of Yolanda’s shop. Chocolate would just melt in the Texas heat, so they found a plastic alternative that is also environmentally friendly. The window looks great until Tally notices the plastic candies are melting. Before she can even deal with it someone breaks the shop window and steals them. Who would steal fake candies like that?
As Tally and Yolanda clean up the glass from the break in, Tally picks up one candies left behind and finds green gems coming out of it. Truly bizarre, but she calls the police and reports it. When the gems turn out to be Burmese jade, lots of strange things going on around town seem to be more than coincidence and Tally tries to figure it out. But she and Yolanda best be careful if they don’t want to become collateral damage in what seems to be an international smuggling operation.
This is the second book I have read in this series and I’m glad I tried a second book. I wasn’t overwhelmed with the last book but this one knocked it out of the ballpark and I’m ready for more. Historic locations always grab me when I see stories set in them and Fredericksburg is definitely full of history.