"Hidden Meaning" by Elizabeth Adams

About this book:

  “At the funeral of Margaret Flannery, Mary encounters a woman who claims Margaret stole her daughter’s identity. At first Margaret’s daughter, Marnie, dismisses the accusation. But when she finds a box of documents in her mother’s cottage that suggests Margaret did, indeed, change her name when she was younger, Marnie asks for Mary’s help to find out the truth. If the real Margaret Flannery died as a girl decades ago, then who was Marnie’s mother?
   With the aid of photographs found in Margaret’s Bible, Mary tries to track down her true identity. The search takes Mary from the well-moneyed neighborhood of Nantucket to a women’s shelter in Boston and requires all of her sleuthing skills to put the pieces together.”


Series: Book #23 (of 24) in the “Secrets of Mary’s Bookshop” series. Please click on the number to be taken to that review: Book #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23, and #24.


Spiritual Content- Genesis 1:27 at the end in bonus content; A couple Scriptures are remembered; Prayers; Church going; Talks about God & praying; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, & books of the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, a pastor, a sermon, hymns, & Sunday school; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed;
             *Note: The phrase “speak of the devil” is used; A few mentions of someone never being a “religious person” and wondering if the person “became more spiritual…as she got older”; A mention of a devil-may-care look; A mention of a painting with mermaids.
 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘drat’; A bit of eye rolling; Many mentions of deaths & grieving (for spouses, a mother, a daughter, friends, & parents, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of missing people & families grieving; Mentions of car accidents & deaths (including a drunk driver, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a murder mystery, murder, & murderer; Mentions of crimes, criminals, & threats; Mentions of robberies, break-ins, thieves, stolen items, & an elderly woman being tied up and left to die (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of identity theft; Mentions of domestic violence, abuse, women being covered in bruises and trying to leave their abusers (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of the Vietnam war & a death (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of World War II; A mention of divorces; A mention of a shelter requiring their guests to be sober; A mention of jealousy;
             *Note: A few mentions of authors (John Grisham, J. K. Rowling, Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie); A few mentions of Girl Scouts & Boy Scouts; A couple mentions of a TV show & movie (60 Minutes & Ghostbusters); A mention of a car brand; A mention of a brand name (Crock-pot); A mention of social media sites (Facebook); A mention of a vintage product that would “have the animal-rights people up in arms” if it was sold today.
 
 
Sexual Content- Mentions of a baby born out of wedlock & the girl never knowing about her father; A mention of wondering if there will be something more between two friends (Mary and Henry); A few mentions of a boyfriend; A mention of a wink; 
             *Note: A few mentions of some men wearing pink (salmon) pants and Mary thinking that it’s strange; A mention of a woman being “stuffed into a clingy top” that was too small for her; A mention of a social media page for a teenager that has pictures of her not “wearing enough clothing, in Mary’s opinion”.
 
-Mary Fisher
                                P.O.V. of Mary 
                                                        268 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

To be frankly honest, I didn’t love or even really enjoy this book. The mystery was interesting and I was very much into it, but the whole book had a sad tone because of the deaths of loved ones and also wasn’t as squeaky clean as the prior books in the series because of some content mentioned (domestic violence/abuse). I will add that Mary frustrated me a bit towards the end and I don’t agree with how she handled something at the big reveal. I don’t typically share spoilers in these final thoughts, but I feel like I need to for this book: *Spoiler* She tells the abusive jerk (who was the reason Margaret disappeared and changed her identity) that he has a daughter—despite Mary knowing that he was abusive and him literally just threatening Mary herself. I don’t know what Mary was thinking? It almost felt like the book needed to end right there for some reason and only lasted a chapter longer. Rushed is an understatement. I think Mary should have talked with the daughter, Marnie, first before revealing anything to the man, as it would greatly affect Marnie and if she even wants to meet her biological father. *End of Spoiler*. I found this part and different elements to bring down the ratings for this book and they caused me to not enjoy the book as much as I was hoping.

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

"Snowbound" by Elizabeth Adams

About this book:

  “The luxurious Chadwick Inn is hosting a special weekend for guests, in which actors play out a historical murder-mystery for them to solve. Mary figures it's a perfect opportunity to sell some books to mystery fans and sets up a table in the lobby. However, when a blizzard blows in and dumps snow and ice over Ivy Bay - and knocks out the power - Mary finds herself trapped at the inn with everyone else. Then one of the guests goes missing!
    As the fictional mystery becomes real and more strange occurrences happen, Mary has to navigate the tangled relationships of the guests and actors to solve a seemingly impossible mystery. Where could the missing woman have gone? And which of these snowbound suspects is behind her disappearance?”


Series: Book #20 (of 24) in the “Secrets of Mary’s Bookshop” series. Please click on the number to be taken to that review: Book #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23, and #24.


Spiritual Content- Genesis 1:27 at the end in bonus content; A Scripture is remembered; Prayers; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God; A couple mentions of a church & church going; A mention of God’s Word; A mention of musicals at a church that brought people “closer to God” A mention of a miracle; 
             *Note: A mention of Mother Nature.
 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’ and two ‘stupid’s; A mention of a curse (said, not written); A bit of eye rolling & sarcasm; Eavesdropping; Set during (and therefore all about) a murder mystery game at the hotel, many mentions of the “deaths”, how they happened, and the “bodies” (barely-above-not-detailed); All about many mentions of a woman disappearing, her missing, & possible foul play; Many mentions of a fight, screams, injuries, blood/bleeding, & possible domestic violence (*Spoiler* was not domestic violence *End of Spoiler*, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of wars; Mentions of poison & being poisoned; Mentions of car accidents (because of bad weather, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of someone being attacked, it possibly happening again, pain, & injuries; Mentions of crimes, criminals, crime scenes, a break-in, stealing, stolen items, & thieves; Mentions of drinking, a cocktail hour at an event, & an old tavern; Mentions of smoking & a cigarette; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A couple mentions of gossip & rumors; A mention of the possibility of it being a while before a body is found (due to the weather); A mention of a fire; A mention of tobacco; A mention of a lottery; A mention of jealousy; 
             *Note: A comment from Mary about girls her granddaughter’s age probably having no idea about the fact that she can be anything thanks to other women who paved the way; Mentions of books (Harlan Coben, Agatha Christie, Nancy Drew, & “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne); A couple mentions of car brands; A mention of Norman Rockwell; A mention of Google; A mention of a painting at the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland; A mention of the Academy Awards. 
 
 
Sexual Content- Mentions of dates, asking someone out, & girlfriends/boyfriends; A few mentions of couples kissing; A mention of jealousy. 
 
-Mary Fisher, age 62 (?)
                                P.O.V. of Mary 
                                              270 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

This was a really fun plot! An acting troop sets up a historical murder mystery for their guests at a hotel and then a woman actually goes missing. I was thoroughly involved in this story and trying to figure things out myself. There were some parts where the reader is left out from what Mary is seeing, though, which did annoy me at times because I wanted to know what was happening as well. Mary felt a little off, if you will, in this book (not completely her normal personality) compared to the prior books in the series, but that can happen when there’s multiple authors writing the same character. Overall, it was a dramatic plot, but fun nonetheless. 

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

"Mystery and Macarons" by Elizabeth Adams

About this book:

  “When a Tea for Two patron’s wallet goes missing, the owners, Jan and Elaine, are determined to figure out what happened to it. The incident is not an isolated one: tourists all over Lancaster are reporting stolen wallets, purses, and credit cards. Who is behind the thefts? Can the intrepid cousins stop the culprit before the town’s reputation as an idyllic summer getaway is ruined and the tearoom’s business suffers?

    Meanwhile, Rose seems distracted as she works to perfect her macaron recipe, and the cousins soon learn it’s because she has met someone special. Her new beau has a young daughter, and she wonders if she has what it takes to commit to the relationship. Can Jan and Elaine find the right words to help this young woman who has become so dear to them? They also uncover new secrets about the painting they bought at the flea market. Could it have ties to someone else they know and love?”

Series: Book #10 in the “Tearoom Mysteries” series. Review of Book #1, Here!, #2 Here!, #3 Here, #4 Here, #5 Here, #6 Here, #7 Here, #8 Here, and #9 Here!

 

 

Spiritual Content- Talks about God, praying, & trusting God; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God & trusting Him; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of a church, church going, services, hymns/worship, & a pastor; A couple mentions of a nativity scene; A mention of a baby’s christening; A mention of devotionals; A mention of a Christian radio station; A mention of a Christian camp; 

             *Note: A mention of a child who practically worshipped his father. 

 

 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’; A mention of a curse (said, not written); A bit of sarcasm & eye rolling; A break-in; All about many mentions of crimes, robberies/break-ins, thieves, stealing, & stolen items; Mentions of divorces/parents separating (after adopting a child), their fighting (their adult daughter is concerned about that happening to her one day and Elaine tells her that “some relationships turn out wonderfully. Others fall apart.”), & also a man ranting about his ex-wife on social media; A few mentions of World War II; A few mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A couple mentions of a fire; A mention of a girl’s deadbeat dad; A mention of drugs; A mention of poker;

             *Note: Mentions of car brands; Mentions of a brand names & items (Revlon, Maybelline, Colgate, Bic razors, and iPads); Mentions of social media & websites (Facebook, Instagram, & Google); A few mentions of Disney world; A couple mentions of yoga; A mention of Boy Scouts; A mention of Starbucks; A mention of a Bing Crosby song; A mention of a sports team.

 

 

Sexual Content- Touches, Warmth, & Blushes; Mentions of dates, dating, & girlfriends/boyfriends; A few mentions of kisses; A couple mentions of a cute guy; A mention of women making goo-goo eyes at a handsome man; A bit of love, being in love, & the emotions;

             *Note: A mention of feminine products.

 

-Jan Blake

-Elaine Cook, age 57

                                P.O.V. switches between them

                                                        310 pages

 

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Pre Teens- 

 

New Teens-

Early High School Teens- 

 

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

Just when I was fixing to stop reading this series, that last chapter pulled me back in. I’m not sure if I will actually continue the series, but I did really like the faith content towards the end. I think that this series might just not be my cup of tea, though.

I wished at the conversation of Elaine with an employee asking about relationships and wanting advice, she would have talked about God, keeping your eyes on Him, and following His will of your life, but no. There was no faith content in that discussion, which I thought was disappointing for that part. It’s mentioned later after a tween mentions about praying about it all. It comes up again towards the end, which I appreciated seeing.

Throughout this tenth book in the series, it’s talked about even more about how Jan and Elaine are just as good as the police (Elaine even says that they’ve managed to solve several mysteries before the State Trooper could) and get mistaken for being officers when hunting for clues and questioning witnesses. It’s played off in a silly manner, but it’s truly what annoys me about these books.

The concept is fun, but I can’t say the execution is my favorite, personally.

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

 

"Cover Story" by Elizabeth Adams

About this book:

  “Mary is trying to enjoy a fancy fund-raiser at the Ivy Bay Glass Museum when Henry is pulled away to search for a boat out in the bay. The boat's distress call relayed its approximate position as well as the presence of a fire onboard before cutting out. The rescuers search the water all night, but by morning they haven't found a trace of the boat or the family trapped on it. The community is so upset, fearing the worst for the missing family, that the news of a laptop stolen from the museum is barely noticed. It's only when Mary's sister, Betty, discovers that her bank account has been emptied, as have the accounts of several other prominent citizens, that Mary starts to wonder if these events are connected.”

Series: Book #13 (of 24) in the “Secrets of Mary’s Bookshop” series. Please click on the number to be taken to that review: Book #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23, and #24.

Spiritual Content- Prayers; Scriptures are read & mentioned; Talks about God, talents He has given you, & praying; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, a prayer group, & prayer requests; Mentions of churches, church going, & services; A couple mentions of a Bible; A mention of hymns; A mention of a Christian rock song; Genesis 1:31 at the end in the bonus content.

 

 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘stupid’, two ‘idiot’s, and four forms of ‘dumb’; A few mention of curses (said, not written); A bit of eye rolling; Being kidnapped & on a sinking boat; All about mentions of stolen items/money, stealing, identity theft, crimes, & thieves; Mentions of a distress call, an explosion, a fire, injuries (up to semi-detailed), & missing people; Mentions of a cocktail party & drinks; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A couple mentions of bank robberies & being held at gunpoint; A couple mentions of gossip & rumors; A mention of prison; A mention of cheating; A mention of a lottery winner;

             *Note: A couple mentions of car brands; A couple mentions of a TV channel (PBS) & show (Sesame Street); A mention of an author & book.

 

 

Sexual Content- A couple mentions of a man being handsome (from Mary’s point of view); A mention of flirting; A mention of a young girl going to have boys beating down the door; A mention of a young girl “with an almost boyish figure”.

 

-Mary Fisher

                                P.O.V. of Mary

                                                        279 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

This one had a bit more of a suspenseful ending than more Guidepost mysteries, so I thought that was exciting. Not my favorite in this series, but it was pretty good and an easy read.

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.