I really loved this book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

Athena Spencer has invited her new beau Case Donnelly to the Save Our Dunes fundraiser and art festival to distract him while he waits for his PI license. However, while they are taking a walk along the nature trail they come across a body and get immersed in the ensuing investigation for the murder. The victim had wanted to meet with Case but was that why he was killed? Did he know something that the killer didn't want revealed?

I have enjoyed this series as it has continued to evolve, especially the family interaction.

Athena works at the Garden Center with her Mom and Dad. She has a son and several siblings. She and her boyfriend like to solve mysteries.
Kensington Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you). It wil be published on November 30th.

There are various family tensions as the girl's don't want to marry a Greek, they fallen in love with someone else. But how to tell Mom?

There was a journalist that liked to dig up old news and shared it with the paper. He's found dead in the woods. Who killed him?

There is also a fight going on over the beach ad dunes area. A lot of people would like to see a park there. But the council wants to develop it. This leads to bribery and blackmail of councilmembers.

There are several suspects, not everyone is telling the truth, and it's a hard road to follow to the killer.

That is, until Athena finds herself alone in a house, with the killer...

I absolutely loved the first two books in this series but found this book a bit slow to get started. Athena and Case would hard to solve the murder of the photographer. Nice twists to the plot and well-written.

I love Athena's relationship with her family and the way they are trying to discover the identity of the anonymous blogger. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kensington books for my copy of Big Trouble in Little Greektown by Kate Collins in exchange for an honest review. It published November 30, 2021.
Yet again with another great cozy. I just love this series and I’m genuinely bummed out that I have to wait for the next installment. If you love My Big Fat Greek Wedding and cozy mysteries, this will be a hit for you, too!

A cozy mystery at its best. It has it all: great characters, amazing setting, tight-knit family and community, very interesting villians and a promise of more adventures to come.

Even though Big Trouble in Little Greektown is the book 3 in the series, it is easy to read as a first introduction to the characters (as stand alone novel). Reader quickly gets involved, immersed and gets to like, love or despise characters.

I especially loved Athena's family dynamics and interaction. Being Russian, Greek family sounds so familiar, I could see myself at the table at Athena's family diner.

The murder of the story is a 'cosy' one as well. It is all about land, council dealings, community standing up against big business, saving the dunes and uncovering shady deals and crooked officials.

Getting help from her boyfriend Case (future PI), Athena gets to the bottom of the whodunit. Moreover, Athena gets to solve several issues with her own feelings and those of her loved ones.

All in all, a very warm, cozy, fun read.

Princess Fuzzypants here: A corrupt developer threatens to build on delicate dunes over looking Lake Michigan. The decision rides with the votes of the local politicians and it appears that he may have the majority of votes in his hands. There is a group trying to buy the land so they can revitalize it into what it once was but the leader of the group may be one of those bought politicians.

He enlists the help of the Goddess of Greene Street, Athena, who with her boyfriend Case is awaiting his chance to get his PI license so that can start an agency. He needs the help because a questionable reporter is murdered and he looks like the prime suspect. Athena is torn between thinking he is innocent and not being so sure. The more information she and Case dig up, the guiltier he looks. In fact, there are very few people involved in this whole mess who seem to have clean hands. Now all Athena has to do is sort out which one is which and solve the murder while stopping the desecration of the beautiful dunes.

I really like Athena. She is a smart, compassionate and passionate lady. Her overwhelming Greek family remind mew of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which she writes about anonymously in her blog. Her dad is the only one to know her secret identity but someone else may have sussed out the truth. Filled with great relatable characters and good mysteries, this is a series I enjoy. Five purrs and two paws up.

This is the third book in the Greektown series. The characters are fantastic. I love Athena's column and that her family has no idea it's her writing the blog. The mystery was well done and i didn't guess the killer until the end. I received this book from net galley in exchange for an honest review.

Big Trouble in Little Greektown: A Goddess of Greene St. Mystery
By Kate Carlisle
Kensington
December 2021

Review by Cynthia Chow

Having had something of a run on murders and mystery solving, it only makes sense that Case Donnelly and Athena Spencer would be on the precipice of becoming full-time, licensed private investigators. Before they can open their Greene Street Detective Agency though, Athena enlists Case in accompanying her to Sequoia, Michigan’s Entitled Art of the Park festival, where an Art for the Park section has been dedicated to the Save Our Dunes organization. Still working for her family’s Spencer’s Garden Center, Athena is very sympathetic to the cause of preserving Sequoia’s natural dunes, which are in danger of being eroded and the protective forests razed out for developments. A nature walk intended to showcase the beauty of the dunes and prospective parklands instead turns horrific when they discover the body of Hugo Lukan stuffed in the underbrush.

A photographer who had made Athena and the Garden Center infamous with his photo of her standing with the Treasure of Athena Statue, Hugo had a reputation for affairs and lack of morals. He had also approached them earlier at the festival wanting to hire Case professionally, with Lukan hinting that what he knew would greatly affect the efforts of S.O.D. Wanting to get a jump-start on the investigation despite the lack of an official license, Athena begins to investigate Hugo’s death and some very incriminating photos. Along with her off-books detecting, Athena continues to write the Blog by Goddess Anon, in which she anonymously vents and works out issues related to being part of an extended, extremely enmeshed, Greek-American family. While her own father may in fact come from English Stock, her traditional mother is determined that her daughters meet and marry a Good Greek Boy, which is why Athena’s sister Delphi has been submitted to a number of forced blind dates. Hiding the fact that she already has a non-Greek police officer boyfriend is nearly as important to Delphi as proving the identity of the Goddess Anon, whom she believes must be Athena…until she doesn’t.

This third in the series celebrates Athena’s Greek heritage though their mouth-watering meals and delicious treats. Custard-filled galaktobourekos may be challenging to pronounce and even more difficult to spell, but their descriptions will have readers drooling for one immediately. While Delphi forces Athena to lie to their mother rather than risk facing her disapproval and the matriarch never sees herself as the meddler portrayed in Athena’s blogs. As much as Athena may complain about the intrusiveness of her family though, she adores their close bonds and huge Sunday family meals. Their detective agency’s silent partner Lila Talbot is proving to be anything but, and Athena is learning to adjust and accept the moneyed, entitled, and extremely connected heiress. Full of humor and genial banter, a surprise twist of an ending will delight fans of the mysteries by Kate Carlisle and be left anxiously awaiting the next appearances of their favorite characters.

Big Trouble In Little Greektown
A Goddess Of Greene St. Mystery, Book #3
Kate Collins
5 Stars

Synopsis:

In a tourist town on Lake Michigan, Athena Spencer keeps busy raising a son (and a pet raccoon named Oscar) while working at her family’s garden center. But sometimes, she also has to get the dirt on a murderer, in the new series by the New York Times bestselling author of the Flower Shop Mysteries . . .

Athena has invited Case Donnelly, recently relocated from Pittsburgh and awaiting his PI license, to accompany her to a Save Our Dunes fundraiser and art festival. And her date proves helpful when the body of a disgraced photographer turns up during a nature walk.

The crime—and the photos taken by the dead man—raise a lot of questions about local politics, environmental battles, and the victim’s womanizing ways. As Athena’s endearing Greek-American family strives to solve a mystery of their own (uncovering the identity of Athena’s anonymous blog), she and Case try to find the tangled roots of this murder and make sure there’s no sanctuary for a killer . . .

“Mean girls, stalkers, and a jealous brother are all fair game as suspects in this clever and amusing mystery.”
—Kirkus on A Big Fat Greek Murder

“Kate Collins delivers an entertaining, amusing, and deliciously suspenseful mystery.”
—Cleo Coyle, New York Times bestselling author on Statue of Limitations

“A rewarding and satisfying delight.”
—Kings River Life Magazine on Statue of Limitations (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Althena and her family make me happy, I just love reading about them. And I love that no one knows that she is writing her blog and it makes for some fun reading.

A photographer is murdered and Althena must try to find the culprit. She will have to talk to people and figure out the clues to help solve the mystery. The mystery was well plotted and was not easily solved.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story and took me on a journey. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick, easy and enjoyable read.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

I’m giving this book 3 stars because while I couldn’t get into it, it’s largely my fault. I didn’t realize this was book 3 in a series. While some cozies (especially earlier on) are easy to hop into partway through a series, this wasn’t one of them. I spent so much time confused, that it wasn’t a great reading experience. However, I’m sure it would have been much better had I read the first two books in the series.

Big Trouble in Little Greektown, the third book in Kate Collins’s Goddess of Greene Street mystery series, combines an engaging mystery with the warmth and charm of protagonist Athena Spencer’s Greek family.

Athena and her boyfriend/business partner, Case Donnelly, don’t set out to find trouble, but somehow it finds them. This time, they encounter a murdered photographer while on a nature walk during an art festival. As it turns out, the photographer amassed several enemies; his photographs were unscrupulous at best. Athena must go it alone as, at the beginning of the story, Case is still in the process of finalizing his P.I. license. By using her wits and cooperating with the police, she sets out to find a killer.

There is much to like about this book. They mystery is not complex, but it is well-done. While there are few suspects, each of them has a reasonable motive for the murder. The conclusion, though somewhat predictable, is intense and dramatic. Athena’s family is a blast, from her zany sisters to her son Nico, who is both charming and insightful. The ongoing subplot of the “Goddess Anon” advice column is also present, which injects a sweet humor into the story. Both Athena and Case have grown as people over the last three books, with Athena being more cautious in her sleuthing. Their relationship, too, has blossomed, creating a comfort level that really hits home.

In my opinion, Big Trouble in Little Greektown is the best book in the series so far. I look forward to reading more in this delightful series.

Athena and love interest Case come across a body on a nature walk. Athena and Case decide to work together, secretly because of the pending PI license, to figure out what happened. They uncover a blackmail scheme and interesting actions from the victim. Will they be able to figure out who did it before it's too late?

I love Athena's relationship with Case. I love seeing them get closer. This series is so much fun. I love that they're going to be working relatively within the law because of Case's PI license. The mystery in this one kept me guessing the whole way through. I can't wait to see what's next!

*eARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

Part of my extended family is Greek so I enjoy reading about how they interact because that part of the family is just like that. I love the family dynamics and Athena and her sister and how close they are. This was a good, well thought out mystery, lots of clues and false flags. I really enjoy this series!

The plot of the book was such a great page turner. Loved the book. The plot of the book was very well written. I truly cannot wait to read another wonderful book from this author. This was a truly great book.

Big Trouble in Little Greektown by Kate Collins
Book #3: Goddess of Greene Street Mystery Series
Source: NetGalley and Kensington Cozies
Rating: 3½/5 stars

The Bottom Line: Though moderately better than the first two books, book three of the Goddess of Greene Street Mystery series still doesn’t quite come up to scratch for me. Athena and Case are official as a couple and nearly official as a proper PI operation. Of course, murder and mayhem rarely wait for the postal service to deliver a license so Athena dives into the latest murder. Wrapped in the murder is the husband of a good friend, the future of one of the area’s most precious natural areas, and naughty kid scared of what he may or may not have seen.

I did like this story, but as many cozies as I read, a new one must be pretty dang good to keep me coming back. Mediocre, and that is what this is, just isn’t going to keep me selecting and recommending these books. It is with a shrug and sigh that I move on from the Goddess of Greene Street.

Athena and Case are trying to live their lives. Athena by working at her fathers nursery while taking care of her son. Case by trying to get his PI license. When a murder happens they don't want to get involved as they dont want to risk Case's chance to become a PI.
THis book has a lot of mystery, humor, and romance. I really enjoyed it. It was a can't put doewn book.

** I received a copy of this book in eschange for a honest review **

If you have seen my previous reviews for this series, you will notice that I enjoyed the first and not so much the second. With this book, the series is back in my favour, and I feel like there has been a strong foundation that has been set up with regards to future investigations and all that that entails.
Athena is in a steady relationship (I still do not see it!) now, and the family is coming around to her new zeal for doing things her way. She has made a name for herself in the local merchant's association, and the local newspapers like to spot her when something goes wrong. Something does go wrong on an otherwise fun day.
Even before the actual events occur, we see all the fraying pieces and things that can turn sour for the town as a whole. Then a body is found, and Athen and Case are on the job (In that very order).
The investigation, as always, is carried out by consulting a bullet-pointed list of questions the pair consider important. They do not necessarily consult it while investigating(not all the time at least), but it is a sort of rehearsal.
Athena continues to let trust ruin her otherwise sharper intuitions, but her son does not have such qualms. He is precise and clear and gathers evidence to support any thoughts/accusations he has.
Overall, this brought the series back on track for me, and I started to enjoy the family dynamics again.
I would recommend giving this series a shot if you like a big family in the background and the noise they contribute to a cozy mystery.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

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!

I really enjoyed watching the progression of both the relationship between Athena and Case and their building of their new detective agency. The introduction of Lila adds a little more humor and tension into the budding relationship, and I found her refreshing with her “no holds barred” approach to investigating. Athena’s family is always good for laughs and they do not disappoint in this one. The mystery was intriguing, but it wasn’t too difficult to figure out who the murderer was as there weren’t too many suspects. Bonus point for the last two lines of this book – so excited to see where this leads!