Murder at Jade Cove (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery #2) by Dianne Harman

Murder at Jade Cove (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery #2) Reviews

• 
  JoAn

  Although I hadn't read the first book in the series I didn't feel lost regarding the town or the characters. The plot was smoothly paced with several suspects that had reasons to kill the man and a few twists to keep a reader guessing. I have mixed feelings about Kelly because of her tendency to "mentally cross her fingers" when she is making promises to her fiance', Mike. I'll try the next one to see how it develops.
• 
  Beth

  A nice cozy mystery to read on a rainy weekend
• 
  Erin Lewis

  4 Star review Murder At Jade Cove (A Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery #2) by Dianne Harman
  
  Audio Review:
  
  Dianne Harman is a relatively new author to me although I have listened to the narrator Erin deWard before. If you are an animal lover and enjoy cozy mysteries then this is for you.
  There were so many people that wanted the victim dead but it is up to Mike, the sheriff of Beaver County, Oregon and his fiancee Kelly of Kelly's Koffee Shop to follow the clues and solve the murder before more danger rears it’s head.
  There were plenty of clues to follow as I tried to beat Mike and Kelly to solve the crime. The narration by Erin deWard was good and did justice to the story.
• 
  Debbie

  Okay, I RARELY leave a book unfinished and I read a LOT. That should attest to this book being pretty poorly written, because I just could not finish it. I made it a quarter of the way through, and that was more than enough.
  Like the first book in the series, the author uses conversations - random, unrealistic and extremely long-winded conversations - to supposedly give back stories to the reader. Every. Single. Conversation. Even with her DOG. There is no way on earth anyone would give as many ridiculous details that barely pertain to any given topic as the conversations depicted in this book. Here is an example: a man who doesn't even remember who the protagonist is, brings two coffees in for her and his wife, who also barely knows her, and proceeds to not only say he can't join them because he's going to the rifle range, but goes on for FIVE pages about the problem he's having with the sights on his one rifle and how he has five rifles. Seriously. You'd think this is maybe to point out how the guy is rifle obsessed or something? But no. This is only one example of many, trust me. Every single time the protagonist is talking to someone it's the same thing, and she also constantly brings up things to people that they already know, just to ostensibly bring the reader up to date, I guess?
  Don't even get me started about Doc and his lack of confidentiality. The protagonist asks him about confidentiality at one point and he tells her it's because the woman was in the waiting room when she told him and others also heard. And yet, he had told her two other things about other counselling patients already at that point. Also, he keeps telling Kelly not to get involved in more murders, and yet he comes to her with every single item of gossip or related information about the murder.
  The characters and mysteries in this series are irritating and not interesting enough to keep me reading through this drivel.
• 
  Michele

  What a wonderful series this is! This is the second book in the series and I loved it every bit as much as I did the first. You can see my review of Kelly's Koffee Shop on my blog or my review is under the book here as well.
  Murder at Jade Cove Dianne Harman knows how to write a clean cozy mystery which will not only keep you guessing but will have you smiling as well.
  
  Kelly has a tendency to keep her fingers crossed when promising not to help her finance (Mike the Sheriff) with his cases. At least she always has her dog-a big well trained Boxer with her! She is still cooking up a storm at her restaurant and now brings stuff home for Mike to eat. She also uses some of those delicious baked goods as an excuse to visit where she is not really supposed to be--at least not for the reason she is really going there.
  
  This can be read as a stand alone but there is a continuation from the first book and you really don't want to miss any of the fun!! The recipes are again featured at the end of the book!!!!!! Now waiting for Book #3-I just have to find out how the newest addition (a gift) gets along with the Boxer!! And besides there is still a wedding to attend!!
• 
  Janne Merete

  This book series have the most stupid main character of all time. Although this is a so called "cozy murder mystery" series, it shouldn't mean that all logic is thrown overboard. Seriously. I'm just waiting for the main character to be killed because of all the stupid things she does, like confronting the murderer without talking to the police (or the sheriff, whom she's engaged to!) first, or telling anyone about her plans. Despite the sheriff telling her not to get involved in arresting murderers or accusing suspects, she just "mentally crosses her fingers" when she lies, and joins in, with gunfights and all. How about being a nosy, lying piece of shit!
  
  Too bad I can't help myself, but I have to read these books just to see how stupid and non-logical everything is, and how weird and foolish the characters are behaving. Like talking to and telling their dogs about everything that's going on, because that seems to be the only way the author knows how to explain what's going on.
  
  These books costs like one dollar on Kindle, and I can understand why they are cheap!
• 
  Betty

  This is the second book I have read in Dianne Harman's Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery series. Ms. Harman seems to be a very popular writer and from these two books, I find it difficult to understand why. The writing is not really that great.
  
  The premise is fairly interesting: widow running small Oregon Coast town coffee shop gets engaged to the local sheriff and helps him solve his cases. It's the fact that this author simply does not have the knack of writing good dialogue. It's mostly very stilted and she still has the habit of saying the people's names in almost every sentence of dialogue.
  
  Then the heroine has the habit of constantly lying to her boyfriend (the sheriff) and "mentally crossing her fingers." That cliche drives me up the wall and I won't read another book in this series. I can't figure out how she has so many 5 and 4 star reviews on Amazon.
  
  She looks like a nice person, so perhaps people like her and support her.
  
• 
  Lise

  DNF!!!
  
  I abandoned this after 32 pages. The writing style is awkward to me. It’s all... “Mike, I’m going to do this..” and “Kelly, that’s very interesting...” “I know Mike, blah blah blah...” “So Kelly, der der der...” No one always uses the other person’s name in almost every single sentence when they talk to them. It’s irritating and unrealistic.
  
  Also the author writes the dialogue of the son of the Indian Chief like something out of a bad B movie from the 40’s: “Just because some politicians say it’s okay, doesn’t make it right. In fact, the Great Spirit knows it’s wrong. That’s probably why Jeff Black is dead. The Great Spirit took care of something the politicians screwed up.”
  
  And Jeff Black is almost always referred to as Jeff Black even though there doesn’t seem to be another Jeff in this story.
  
  I really don’t care who killed Jeff... I mean Jeff Black. 😐
• 
  Carolyn Injoy

  I received a free paperback copy of Murder at Jade Cove (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery #2) by Dianne Harman from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
  
  I especially liked the way Kelly 'mentally crossed her fingers' when she was agreeing not to do something. I gave this fast reading mystery five stars.
  
  Dianne Harman is my favorite cozy mystery writer. I highly recommend her work. Although this is the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery #2, it is also a stand alone.
  
  Link to purchase:
  http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Jade-Cov...
• 
  Sue Ross

  Murder, love, drugs, drug cartels, and spotted owls. These are the main plots in this second book in the Cedar Bay Cozy Mysteries. This book continues right were the first one ended and refreshes memories about what happened before. When Jeff is murdered, there is no reason why that anyone can see. Then you have another man come into the picture and then throw in an activist dead set on saving spotted owls and you have a great recipe for twists and turns in a story. I enjoyed this book as much as the first one and will be reading the rest of the series.
• 
  Vivian

  I didn't like this book at all - or the first one either. I thought I would give the author another try because everyone was continuing to give such good reviews and I thought I must have missed something, but I should have remained true to myself and not bothered. In my opinion, it was poorly written and didn't catch my interest one iota - I returned it after reading only one chapter. There are much better books out there for your money.
• 
  Colleen Ray

  Seriously, how many times can a character "mentally cross her fingers?"
• 
  Bonnie

  "Murder At Jade Cove" is book two in the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery series. Jeff Black has the environmentalists out in droves. Indeed, there is a definite line of division in town regarding his upcoming project to build a commercial hotel and spa on his property. It kind of put the kibosh to things when he was found murdered. No lack of suspects - including environmentalists, a local Native American tribe, and his own wife - who was served with divorce papers on the day that he was murdered. As well as his wife's lover.
  
  Then there was the Mexican drug lord who wanted his money back - the money he had fronted Jeff Black to set up a marijuana operation that Black ended up burning down.
  
  Kelly (the owner of Kelly's Koffee Shop), her dog and constant companion, Rebel, and her fiance, Sheriff Mike, set out to solve the murder. Kelly, of course, being under orders from Sheriff Mike to stay out of hte investigation. And she really does need to plan for her upcoming wdding to Sheriff Mike!
  
  This is a very well written story, with well rounded, interesting characters. It has some lovely side trips it very postiive, and ... my favorite ... has recipies at the end! I consider this an uplifting, worthwhile book.
• 
  Mary Cokenour

  Love #reading this mystery series by Dianne Harman! Only a few months since the murder of high school senior Amber, and once again the Black family is the center of another murder; this time it's Jeff Black who seemed to be only loved by his son, Brandon. Kelly is engaged to Sheriff Mike, and her crossed fingers keep her involved with the suspects. The one character I can't stand is hypocritical Bonnie who preaches "Save the Spotted Owl!", and then you find out she actually murdered one, had it stuffed and all because she "had to have one of her own to hug and love". If I met her in real life, I'd punch her lights out!!!
  
  I enjoy Dianne's writing style as it is not over detailed, so the story and characters aren't overly dramatic and phony; it's as if you're sitting back, reading, but actually experiencing. This series is one that each book can be read in one day; especially on a day where you're feeling lazy and simply want to enjoy a good story.
• 
  Joy

  I couldn't even make it through six chapters. The story was already going nowhere, and the characters were just gossiping about unrelated information (The characters were oddly open about other people's business. I'm surprised the killer hadn't already told someone who told the lead character, "Guess what?! I'm the murderer!" by chapter two). I was already getting annoyed with how many times a character said, "Anyway...". It's kind of a throw-away word used when you go off topic and you want to get back on track, but these were all bunny trails anyways. I also didn't enjoy how major characteristics were introduced in a character's first sentence, like in a soap opera. These things can be drawn out and introduced a little later, instead of having everything you need to know about a character being dumped first thing into your lap. The only reason I tried reading the story was because it's part of the Winter Whodunnits cozy boxed set.
• 
  Linda

  I wasn’t thrilled with the first book, Kelly’s Koffee Shop, but I decided to give this series one more chance. I’m sorry to say that this book was even more annoying than the first. I wanted to like the main character, Kelly, who is engaged to Mike, the county sheriff. But after the tenth time she “mentally crossed her fingers” when making a promise and then went ahead and did whatever she promised not to do (no matter how stupid and dangerous), I really began to dislike her. Add to that the author’s habit of Kelly having ridiculous conversations with her dog in order to advance the plot and other characters acting in completely improbable ways (like the bank teller telling her all about the financial transactions of another customer), and I won’t be reading any more books in this series.
• 
  Dharia Scarab

  
  Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
  
  1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
  
  2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
  
  3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
  
  4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
  
  5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
• 
  Thelma and Louise Book Blog

  Star review Murder At Jade Cove (A Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery #2) by Dianne Harman
  
  Audio Review:
  
  Dianne Harman is a relatively new author to me although I have listened to the narrator Erin deWard before. If you are an animal lover and enjoy cozy mysteries then this is for you.
  There were so many people that wanted the victim dead but it is up to Mike, the sheriff of Beaver County, Oregon and his fiancee Kelly of Kelly's Koffee Shop to follow the clues and solve the murder before more danger rears it’s head.
  There were plenty of clues to follow as I tried to beat Mike and Kelly to solve the crime. The narration by Erin deWard was good and did justice to the story.
• 
  Roger

  Murder at Jade Cove (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery #2), my fifth read/listen from author Dianne Harman and the second book in the highly enjoyable Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery series, and perhaps the best of her books I've read to date. I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. Erin deWard's excellent narration adds to an excellent book's enjoyment. I look forward to reading more in this series & from this author. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
• 
  Suzan

  Once again Dianne Harman has done a lovely job of taking us on a murder. Erin deWard is wonderful with her narrative too. I truly enjoy this series. I have listened and read the books in this series and both are well done and very entertaining. I was gifted this audiobook with the understanding I would leave an honest review and so I have.
• 
  Michelle Ferrari-Johnson

  When Premeditated Murder Backfires
  
  An awful lot has happened in Cedar Bay in the last two months, including two murders! I almost fell for the red herring, or what I deemed to be the red herring. The truth behind the murder is incredibly sad, however, the gift at the end is truly beautiful~
• 
  Cheryl

  This is the 2nd in the series. The main characters are Kelly and her soon to be hubby, Sheriff Mike. Kelly is delivering a cake to Jack Black when she finds him dead. Murdered. She calls in Sheriff Mike and they start working to find out who murdered him. They have way to many suspects and start to weed out the ones they can. Can they figure this out before anyone else is murdered?
• 
  Lee

  Sometimes you just can’t win and poor Brandon has lost his girlfriend, all the land burned up on his ranch, and now his father is murdered. He may never find out about his mother and the dealings his father had. I really liked the storyline and I’m very impressed with Ms Harman. I can’t wait for the next book!!