5 stars for A Trifling Murder by @JoHiestand #cozycrime #mystery #burnsnight #bookreview
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  • N. N. Light
    • Feb 8, 2022
    • 3 min read

5 stars for A Trifling Murder by @JoHiestand #cozycrime #mystery #burnsnight #bookreview



Title: A Trifling Murder

Author: Jo. A. Hiestand

Genre: Cozy Crime


Book Blurb:


Not another death in Beaudin Trace. Not at the Robert Burns Birthday Celebration. The bakery will never survive this one... It was all Kate could think of while the bagpipes blared and the caterers served up the haggis, neeps, and trifle. I'll never survive, either, not with my knife as the murder weapon. But how can I convince anyone I'm innocent? The fight to clear herself from the suspicion of murder isn't as smooth as Scotch whisky, however. But she finds her help in an unlikely source: a slightly nutty songwriter and his Scottie dog. The help is comforting. Afterall, murder is no trifling matter.


My Review:


Who knew a celebrations dinner honoring Scotland’s most famous poet could turn so deadly? Everyone in Beaudin Trace is excited about the Robert Burns Night feast. There’s plenty of Scottish food including haggis and a trifle for dessert. When a fight breaks out between the Society’s president and VP over the haggis, no one thinks much about it until one of them is found dead. It’s a case of pure conjecture when bakery owner Kate Dunbar’s knife is the murder weapon and she’s suspect number one. Her poor bakery is the victim in all of this murder nonsense as customers stop coming in. Armed with grit, determination, and the cutest Scottie dog ever, Kate tracks down the killer. Kate better be careful, or she’ll wind up the next victim, and that’s no trifling matter.


A Trifling Murder is a cozy crime I couldn’t stop reading. I’m a big fan of Scottish celebrations and Robert Burns Night is one of the biggest feasts. People from all over the world host this event and it was such fun to see how a small town pulls it off. The descriptive narration pulled me into the story right away. The whole backstabbing amongst its membership rang true and added authenticity to the overall story. It's set in a charming small town filled with an assorted cast of characters. I connected with Kate right away. She's such a confident woman who has to clear her name yet again. While she was hunting down clues, I found myself immersed in small-town life. The plot moves at an easy pace with plenty of clues to pick up along the way. Jo A. Hiestand is an outstanding mystery writer, and I thoroughly enjoyed A Trifling Murder. As I whipped through the pages, I tried to solve the mystery before Kate did. When the killer was revealed, I was fooled. If you love cozy crime and/or cozy mystery with a dark side, you'll want to read A Trifling Murder. If you're looking for a cozy Scottish-themed mystery, pick up A Trifling Murder. Highly recommend!


My Rating: 5 stars


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Author Biography:


Jo A. Hiestand grew up on regular doses of music, books, and Girl Scout camping. She gravitated toward writing in her post-high school years and finally did something sensible about it, graduating from Webster University with a BA degree in English and departmental honors. She writes two British mystery series—of which three books have garnered the prestigious N.N. Light’s Book Heaven ‘Best Mystery Novel’ three years straight. She also writes two Missouri-based mystery series that are grounded in places associated with her camping haunts. The camping is a thing of the past, for the most part, but the music stayed with her in the form of playing guitar and harpsichord and singing in a folk group. Jo carves jack o’ lanterns badly; sings loudly; and loves barbecue sauce and ice cream (separately, not together), kilts (especially if men wear them), clouds and stormy skies, and the music of G.F. Handel. You can usually find her pulling mystery plots out of scenery—whether from photographs or the real thing.


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Reviewed by: Mrs. N

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