Light Reading (My favorites yes most include food, anyone else see my issues?)

Since I go to the gym like 6 days a week, I need a tool to let me not get bored and be able to do an hour on the elliptical.  This is when my iPad has come in handy big time.  I download books from the library to the iPad, rentals last 21 days which is perfect I usually can read a book in 3 days.  I’m all about the free . I hope you find one or more you would like  to read.  And NO I didn’t receive any of these I just rented them threw the library with my shiny card .

I’m not a knitter but I’m all about a good murder mystery book.  I really enjoyed this book and the build up of the characters.  And for you knitters she does include some patterns you can use.

Knit One, Kill Two

Kelly Flynn never picked up a pair of knitting needles she liked-until she strolled into House of Lambspun. Now, in the first in a brand-new series, she learns how to knit one, purl two, and untangle the mystery behind her aunt's murder.

The 2nd story in the Knitting Mystery Series, picks up right where you want it too (plus if you don’t read book 1 you don’t get lost with book 2).  Again knitters you will find patterns you may want to use.  Great writing style that will keep you want to turn the page or in my case slide my finger across the screen .

Needled to Death

Taking a troop of tourists to Vickie Claymore's alpaca farm doesn't earn knitter Kelly Flynn a warm welcome. Instead she finds Vickie splayed out on her original hand-woven rug, her blood seeping into the design.

The only bad thing about the ebooks is they are not all made into this form.  So the library had book 1 and 2 and then we skip to book 5.  Which again the author makes it easy to follow but for you who read the 1st or 2nd you miss some of the personal details that you would love to hear, like weddings & hook ups.  Still another great book that will keep you wanting more.

Dyer Consequences

Kelly Flynn is eager to renovate the alpaca ranch she's just bought, but someone else has different ideas for keeping her busy, which seem to include slashing tires, cracking windshields, and covering the walls of her cottage with red paint. Then her local yarn shop, House of Lambspun, is trashed and a young woman is found dead in the basement, drowned in a tub of dye. As disturbing incidents continue to pile up, Kelly knows she must try to pick up the stitches of these crimes before a killer strikes again. But she can't fathom what anyone at Lambspun could have done to invite such dyer consequences.

Again the ebook kicks me, we skip from the previous book 5 to now the book 8 in the series.  The author still is very good about making the new book flow with out having to read the previous ones, but again if you’ve read the previous books you miss the personal things.  I’m in love with this series and will have to find the other books to fill in the gaps .

Skein of the Crime

Fall has come to Fort Connor, Colorado, and the cool air has inspired the knitters at the House of Lambspun to start on their hats and mittens. It's also brought an influx of students to the university town-and into the shop for knitting classes. Kelly Flynn is happy to teach them the tricks of the trade-until one of them is found dead on the river trail near Kelly's house. Compelled to investigate, Kelly finds herself following a path that twists more easily than the yarn with which she knits. Knowing the killer could be close, Kelly must work fast to unravel the skein of this crime.

Next on my list was a mystery with a psychic as the lead, you fall in love with Abby Cooper and the hot romance that is on the cusp of happening and not happening. This book kept me wanting to read more and see if there was another book after it (not that I could find).

Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye

Abby Cooper is a P.I., psychic intuitive. But her insight failed her when she didn't foresee the death of one of her clients-or that the lead investigator for the case is the gorgeous blind date she just met. Now, with the police suspicious of her abilities and a killer on the loose, Abby's future looks more uncertain than ever.

Diane Mott Davidson is one of my favorite mystery writers.  Her series with Goldy Bear catering is one of the best I’ve read in a very long time.  This is book 15 in the series don’t worry you don’t have to read them all but I suggest you do.

Fatally Flaky

It's been a long, rainy summer for Goldy Schulz, who is engaged in planning wedding receptions for what seems to be all of Aspen Meadow. It's bad enough that Billie Attenborough, the bride from hell, has changed her menu six times and the event date twice. Now she wants to move the location to the Gold Gulch Spa just a scant two days before tying the knot to her doctor fiancé.

Then Doc Finn, beloved local physician and the best friend of Goldy's godfather, Jack, is killed when his car tumbles into a ravine. At least that's what appears to have happened. But Jack thinks Doc was murdered because of the research he was doing at the spa — allegations that are confirmed when Jack himself is attacked.

So Goldy dons chef's whites and goes undercover at the spa, where coffee is outlawed in favor of calming smoothies, and the fruit cocktail doesn't include fresh fruit. Add in the obstreperous owner, who years ago tried to sabotage Goldy's fledgling business, and she's got her hands full.

Above all, there seems to be a clever killer on the spa grounds, watching her every move. After what befell Jack, Goldy knows that she might be next. Catering weddings, and cooking low-fat food, could be killing her — literally.

On my theme with cooking and mysteries I found this book it was a little slow in some spots but over all a good book.  This is the 6 book in the series but the only one I could find on ebook to download.

A Catered Birthday Party

A Little Taste of Heaven catering certainly knows how to feed people. Dogs, however..? When sisters Bernie and Libby sign on to cater Trudy the Pug's birthday bash, it isn't just any doggie 'do. Trudy's owner, Annabel Colbert, is one of the richest women in town—and as mascot of the Colbert toy company, Trudy herself is a bona fide celebrity. But when the big day arrives, mere moments after dipping into the wine, Annabel is shrieking she's been poisoned—and falling face first into her soup. After two days in a coma, Annabel is dead.

It seems the woman who had everything also had her share of enemies. In fact, Annabel was cheating, blackmailing, or backstabbing most everyone she knew—including Trudy's trainer and kennel owner. With so many suspects, sniffing out the truth is a risky proposition. Bernie and Libby had better close the oven on this case fast—before they get burned.

Yup I’m on a baking theme here .  This book was slow in some spots it’s characters where a little on the older side and geared more to them but it over all was a good book.  The writer style not one of my favorites I tried another book of hers and just couldn’t get into it.  This is the book 5 of this series but yet again ebooks only had this one for me to read.

The Pumpkin Muffin Murder

Phyllis loves to spend quality time with her grandson. She'll be taking him to a festival with hopes of winning the baking contest—now that her friendly competitor, Carolyn, is judging and not competing. But when a decorative scarecrow is actually a dead body in disguise, it's Phyllis's sleuthing skills that are needed.

The dead body is that of the festival's organizer—and his wife, Carolyn's friend, falls under suspicion. Carolyn turns to Phyllis for help, because who's better at dishing out some justice than a baker extraordinaire who can handle the heat.

My last few books are by Joanne Fluke who is my 2nd favorite mystery writer and of course it’s food related … hmm .  Her series follows Hannah Swenson who is a cookie shop owner that stumbles upon lot’s of murder victims and then solves the case in the nick of time.  I love her books because they are packed with recipes.  I hear she is putting together a book of recipes soon!  This is the 12th book in the series.  Like the others you can pick up any of these books and be fine but I suggest you read them all!

Cream Puff Murder

Bakery owner Hannah Swensen has a dress to fit into and a date with her sister, Andrea, at Lake Eden's new health club, Heavenly Bodies. Dragging herself out of bed on a frigid Minnesota morning for exercise, of all things, is bad enough. Discovering the body of man-eating bombshell Ronni Ward floating in the gym's jacuzzi? Okay, that's worse. Nor does it help that there's a plate of The Cookie Jar's very own cream puffs garnishing the murder scene.

Trying to narrow the list of Ronni's enemies down to fewer than half the town's female population, Hannah has her plate full. Trouble is, when it comes to cookies—and to murder—there's always room for one more.

Next on my Hannah Swensen book is 13th in the series. I swear these books get better and better.  Plus so do the recipes!

Plum Pudding Murder

The yuletide season in Lake Eden, Minnesota, guarantees a white Christmas, delectable holiday goodies from Hannah Swensen's bakery, The Cookie Jar--and murder. As a shadow hangs over her friends' Christmas wedding, Hannah's determined to cook a killer's goose before anyone else gets burned...

The Cookie Jar's busiest time of the year also happens to be the most wonderful time...for Christmas cookies, Hannah's own special plum pudding--and romance! Holiday orders are high, and Hannah's slated to provide dessert at the Reverend Knudsen's upcoming nuptials. She's busy as can be and loving it. She also gets a kick out of "Lunatic Larry Jaeger's Crazy Elf Christmas Tree Lot," a kitschy carnival taking place smack-dab in the middle of the village green. Larry thinks he's crazy like a fox with his wild business schemes, but this time, the entrepreneur may have bitten off more than he can chew. Rumor has it that Larry's in the red--an idea that takes a sinister turn when Hannah discovers the man himself dead as a doornail in his own office...

It seems quite a few people would have liked to fill Larry's stocking with coal and then bash him with it--including his bitter ex-wife, his ex-partner's daughter, a woman he was wooing, and the Crazy Elf Tree lot's extremely exasperated investors...

Now, with so many suspects to investigate and the twelve days of Christmas ticking away, Hannah's running out of time to nab a murderous Scrooge who doesn't want her to see the New Year.

My favorite gal Hannah is back solving murders and making apple turnover’s for the town’s biggest event! Book 14

Apple Turnover Murder

It's June in Lake Eden, Minnesota, and for Hannah Swensen, that means bridal showers galore, plus a massive fundraising event in need of confections—not to mention a killer who never learned that charity begins at home...

Early summer brings plenty of work for Hannah, even before Mayor Bascomb's wife drops by The Cookie Jar to place an order ...for eleven-hundred cookies! Stephanie Bascomb is organizing an elaborate three-day event to support local charities, and though it's a worthy cause, Hannah almost flips when her business partner, Lisa, suggests setting up an apple turnover stand. Hannah's never made a turnover—but, pushover that she is, she places her faith in Lisa's mother-in-law's recipe and agrees to be a magician's assistant in the fundraiser's talent show...

Dozens of pastries and one hideous purple dress later, Hannah has to admit that stepping out of her comfort zone has been fun as well as profitable. The only snag is the show's host, community college professor Bradford Ramsey. Hannah and her younger sister Michelle each had unfortunate romantic relationships with Ramsey, and when the cad comes sniffing around between acts, Hannah tells him off. But when the curtain doesn't go up, she discovers Ramsey backstage—dead as a doornail with a turnover in his hand...

Now, to protect her reputation and Michelle's, Hannah must get to the bottom of the professor's bitter end. There are plenty of scorned suspects, including an ex-wife who feels cheated in more ways than one, and a prominent local who may have been using Ramsey to avenge her own randy spouse. But who was unstable enough to snuff out Professor Love? A killer who's flakier than puff pastry—and far more dangerous.

Oh yes now we’re talking chocolate and book 15, Another one in the series that doesn’t let you down.

Devil's Food Cake Murder

These days, everyone in Lake Eden, Minnesota, is buzzing with activity, and Hannah Swensen is no exception. But no matter how busy she may be, Hannah can always find time to help a friend in need—especially when he's been murdered. . .

Hannah Swensen has to admit that her life is pretty sweet. Things are going well in the romance department, and her bakery's delectable confections are selling almost as fast as she can bake them. Even her good friend Claire is on Cloud Nine, head over heels with her new husband, Reverend Bob Knudson. If only they could find time to take their honeymoon!

When Bob's childhood friend, Matthew Walters, comes to town, it seems like divine intervention. Matthew, like Bob, is a Lutheran minister with a stubborn sweet tooth. Since he's on sabbatical, Matthew is happy to fill in for Bob while he and Claire take that long-awaited honeymoon. It sounds like the perfect plan—until Hannah finds Matthew in the rectory, face-down in a plate full of Devil's Food Cake, a single bullet in his head.

Determined to find out who killed Matthew, Hannah starts asking questions—and discovers that the good Reverend wasn't quite the saintly fellow he appeared to be. But could the gold Sacagawea coins in Sunday's collection plate hold the key to solving the crime? Or is the murder connected to that big jewel heist out in Minneapolis? Is it possible that Matthew's love of chocolate somehow led to his downfall? It will take some more digging to find out, but Hannah is sure of one thing: even the most half-baked murder plot can be oh so deadly.

The latest book in my fav mystery series is one that won’t disappoint and the recipes in this book are some of my favorites. Book 16

Gingerbread Cookie Murder

Nothing's better on Christmas Eve than waiting for the stroke of midnight with a cup of eggnog and a plate of warm gingerbread cookies. But in this merry collection of holiday mysteries, murder is making its own special delivery.