A FATAL FEAST AT BRAMSFORD MANOR is the first book in the brand-new Food & Spirits cozy mystery series by Darci Hannah. Oh my, what a fun romp through an English manor house with things that go bump in the night! Scottish protagonist Bunny MacBride is an accomplished New York City chef and has been offered a position on the new reality TV show, Food & Spirits. In her excitement, she misses that the “spirits” mentioned aren’t cocktail-based, instead it’s a ghost hunting show. Ms. Hannah’s way with words brings the descriptions to life in the most humorous of ways, and she sets up each scene for maximum entertainment. I loved each of the characters and found it especially charming that some of them have made previous appearances in the author’s other two series (Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries and Very Cherry Mysteries). Bunny is endearing as she struggles with her own tragic loss, which makes her seem relatable. I greatly enjoyed the addition of Bunny’s clairvoyant grandmother, who brings some much-needed comfort to Bunny and is the “team grandma” who guides the hapless ghost hunters with much entertainment.

The TV crew’s first stop is at an English countryside manor house, where a long-ago bride’s wedding day turned to tragedy. Bunny is soon in for a shock when she finds the house is not only haunted, but someone is a murderer and is out to frame her. I’ve always enjoyed long ago mysteries that need to be solved alongside current day murders. Ms. Hannah expertly weaves the two together, keeping the action and the intrigue moving at a fast clip. With shocking reveals and enough suspects to keep me guessing, I devoured the book, loath to put it down for even a moment. The one and only downside is that I don’t have the second book sitting by to dive into… I can’t wait to read what’s next in store for Bunny and the crew!

Bunny has thoughtfully included several of her recipes—sweet, savory, and libations—at the back of the book “to entertain your family and friends (and ghosts, if that’s what you’re into)”.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fast paced mystery set in a fictional National Park. I liked the setting and a lot of the characters seemed plausible, but I did start to get them a bit mixed up by the end. The main characters were mostly likeable if a bit accident prone and I don't think they would be able to clean up the cabins as fast or cheaply as implied. Will be interesting to see how this shakes out as a series.

Ellen Byron has been a must-read author for me throughout the last few years. I've enjoyed several of her series, some written under the pseudonym Maria DiRico, and now her newest series, A Golden Motel Mystery, is launching this summer. Thanks to an early copy, I was able to read A Very Woodsy Murder this week. The plot: A midcentury motel is on the market. Dee Stern, former tv series writer, decides to buy and fix up the place with her former husband, now bestie, Jeff. As she befriends some of the citizens of Foundgold and Goldgone, two towns with a lot of history and charm, her first guest checks in. And he's none other than a former colleague who sabotaged her career. When the guy ends up dead, Dee's got some crime-solving to do... not only to protect herself from jail but to save her reputation and the future or her new business.

Byron is superbly skilled at developing multi-faceted characters and creating the perfect scenery. I could feel crinkle of the foliage, smell the musty scent of an older motel, worry about the wariness of the townsfolk, and smile over the bond between Dee and Jeff. I rooted for them to be successful, and I was rewarded with a great ending and kickoff to the entire series. The murder is top notch -- the victim comes from the Foundgold area, has connections to several people who Dee likes and dislikes already, and the web of connections between Hollywood and this very woodsy motel property is filled with drama and deceit.

If you love books set in current times where the characters still have an echo of the past, this is a great new series. It has all the best parts of a cozy amateur sleuth investigation, it's intelligently written with poignant and comedic moments, and it will keep you connected to the real world all at the same time. I can't wait to find out what they discover during future renovations. Great read!