Deadly Schemes by Penny Zeller Review

 

Deadly Schemes is another Christian romantic suspense page-turner from Penny Zeller. We return to the small town of Lake Radford with another Close Proximity series murder mystery. This second book focuses on the best friends of the main characters from the first book, Deadly Secrets. 

Kennedy Olohan works at the local senior center and Trace Ridgely is a detective at the local police department. They first meet at the scene of a tragedy where Kennedy is one of two women who come across a dead body. Unbeknownst to them, their best friends Harper and Kade have set them up on a blind date, so they get to spend more time together. And when Kennedy becomes the victim of some threatening and stalker-ish behavior, they end up meeting up even more. But now that he is working on a case that she is involved in, they aren't quite sure if they will be able to have relationship beyond that of friends. 

Like the first book in this series, we also get to see the story through the POV of the villain. We can see his planning and crazy reasoning and how unhinged he is, even though Kennedy has no clue why someone is coming after her. All she wants is do her job planning activities for the seniors she has come to care for at the senior center, helping them with errands as well, plus helping them to avoid scams. And that is what puts her in the killer's crosshairs. Because she has become an obstacle in his relator fraud scheme. 

So much danger surrounding her makes it unclear whether all the different attacks are related, or if there is more than one person out to get her. There are quite a few possible suspects, but Trace is determined to get to the bottom of these crimes before Kennedy gets hurt worse, or even killed. I loved how he was dedicated to his job, but also, I loved how they started caring for each other through all that was going on. There were definitely some sweet moments between them.

I have to say, knowing that seniors were being targeted by the villain really gripped my emotions. I felt so bad for them and was hoping Trace would get to the bottom of these crimes before any more of them got hurt.

As with all her books, the author weaves faith throughout the story. Kennedy and Trace are both Christians who pray to God, go to church, and lean on Him. And we can see Kennedy reaching out to those who are not Christians and praying for them, sharing her faith, but not in a pushy way. You could see that she truly cared for people and showed Christ's love. Even in times of danger she was bringing to mind God's Word and trusting in Him.

Deadly Schemes is very much a faith-filled romantic suspense page-turner. And one I highly recommend.

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Murder Goes Flying by Malissa Chapin Review

 

Murder Goes Flying by Malissa Chapin is a wonderful Christian cozy mystery. It is book four in her Piper Haydn Piano Mystery series and I was so glad to be able to visit with Piper and her best friend Rosie again. Though, of course, another book means poor Piper is dealing with another mystery she would rather not be dealing with. Which also means Rosie is again going to be pulling Piper into trying to solve the mystery, even though they have repeatedly been told to let the police handle it. . . 

In this book Piper's brother has purchased an old war plane and is planning on entering a competition. Which has Piper all worried because he isn't the most responsible of people. But her cousins arrive to help get the plane in tiptop shape and there are plenty of people reassuring Piper that her brother Chase will be just fine, also reminding her to trust in the Lord. And then the unthinkable happens even before it is time for the competition. What exactly caused the accident that put multiple people in the hospital? Was there sabotage? Of course Rosie wanted Piper to help her figure out what had happened. 

As the reader, I would say there was a clue that was quite obvious, though I did have to wonder if it was there to lead us astray. The biggest mystery was trying to figure out WHY someone would sabotage Chase's dream, and endanger other people. I enjoyed following Piper and Rosie as they tried to figure out what was going on. At the same time we got to see friends rally around them because of this tragedy. I loved getting to see more of each of the women from the different businesses in Cranberry Harbor. I loved the small town love. 

I admit, there were times I was frustrated with Piper when it came to her attitude toward Police Chief Maxwell. I had hoped to see their relationship continue in a positive way, but she was dealing with some insecurities and there were definitely barriers to their relationship in this book. I'm hoping to see more of their relationship in the next book. 

All in all, I loved this book and highly recommend it, especially if you are a fan of faith filled cozy mysteries. I would also recommend reading the previous books first. Yes, each books' mystery is a stand alone story, but you will miss the progression of the relationships in the series, plus there are mentions of events from past books which could be spoilerish. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts. 

Friday Fun - September 18, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: First Line Friday, Friday Book Snippets, and Book Blogger Hop.

This week I have three books to share with you.

I actually set aside the book I started last week, because I figured I could read a different book faster because it was a lot shorter. Plus, it released this past week and I wanted to have it finished before the release date. That book is Murder Goes Flying by Malissa Chapin.

Then I started Deadly Schemes by Penny Zeller. This is the second book in her Close Proximity series. It also released this past week. 

But then I realized I had a deadline coming up for another book I'm on the launch team for, so I set Deadly Schemes aside to read Watched by Jerusha Agen. 

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my First Line Friday selections:

Murder Goes Flying by Malissa Chapin:

"Piper Haydn's book had fallen upside down into the grass, and music blared through her headphones as she dozed in the chaise lounge in her backyard."

Sounds like something I would do, minus being outside.

 Deadly Schemes by Penny Zeller:

"What happened last night hadn't really need to happen."

That sounds like regret but maybe not, seeing as I remember in the first book of this series the first chapter is from the POV of the villain. So, I wondered what exactly had happened. 

Watched by Jerusha Agen:

"'I wished I was dead.' Carrie Mason dabbed the damp tissue below her eye to catch another tear."

I noticed Carrie was speaking in the past tense, and was glad to see the first word of the next sentence was "but." And I realized, seeing as the MMC of this book is a psychiatrist, this was possibly one of his clients.

Friday Book Snippets    

 

Friday Book Snippets is the new weekly blog party that has combined Book Beginnings on Friday and Friday56. Participants can link up at either Bemused & Bookish with Olivia or Head Full of Books with Anne. Here are the instructions:

Share two snippets (a sentence or short paragraph) from a) the book's opening and b) page 56 (or another page) from the book you are currently reading. No spoilers, please.

Here are my selections from page 56 or 56% of the way through the book:

Murder Goes Flying by Malissa Chapin:

"'I am not jealous. Take that back, Roosevelt Hale.'

'Oh, you are jealous, but I don't understand what set you off. Tell me now, otherwise I'm driving out to the airport to find out what happened.'

'You'll do no such thing.'

Rosie stood. 'Oh, I will. Care to try me? Tell me right now, or I'm outta here.'

Piper crossed her arms and glared."

Deadly Schemes by Penny Zeller:

"Sondria folded her hands in her lap. 'this man named Mr. Lenz paid me a visit and wanted to buy my house.'

'Oh?'

'I don't want to sell, but it was like he didn't want to take no for an answer.'

'Did he threaten you?'

'No, not really, and I couldn't see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but he seemed none too happy with my answer. He visited me several times.'"

Watched by Jerusha Agen

"Robert grabbed Monty's attacker by the arm. 

Too late. He'd let go of Monty.

After throwing her over the railing.

Epinephrine surged through Robert, delaying his shock and the horror that tried to freeze him. 

The man in the black jacket and mask swung a punch."

Book Blogger Hop.

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy over at Ranblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer. The hop occurs weekly, starting on Friday and ending the following Thursday, featuring a specific book-related prompt each week. The main goal is to connect bloggers, encouraging them to follow each other, discover new titles, and grow their audience.

This week's question is: If you could recommend one overlooked book, what would it be and why?

My answer: I really can't think of anything.

And now it is time to share my current Reviews:

 

As I mentioned above, there are books I have shared on my past Friday Fun posts that I have not finished. However, I did finish two of the books shared above. Here are the reviews:

Murder Goes Flying by Malissa Chapin

Watched by Jerusha Agen

Watched by Jerusha Agen Review

 

Oh my goodness, another awesome book by Jerusha Agen! I have been loving her Christian romantic suspense series, Windy City Westons, a series where each book focuses on one of five siblings. And finally it was time to read about Robert. Like the other books in the series it is dual point of view, so we get to see the story from the FMC's POV too. Monty Montgomery is also part of a family with several siblings (and I have to say, I'm sort of hoping the author will write a series for these siblings as well, because I loved getting to know them along with the Weston family siblings). 

Robert Weston is a psychiatrist who is very proud of his mental capabilities and his job of being able to help others. However, he is currently the defendant in a medical malpractice suit because one of his clients tried to commit suicide. Additionally, he is suddenly questioning his own mental faculties because of little things that are happening that he doesn't remember doing, appointments he's missing or late to, among other things. 

Monty is the attorney who is representing him, though at first she wishes she didn't have to, seeing as she can't stand him. Also, due to a past failed relationship, she is also unsure if she can trust him, especially when he keeps doing weird things. When it seems like they might be getting closer, obstacles keep appearing. Of course, it also doesn't help that Robert is not a Christian while Monty is. 

Of course, this is a romantic SUSPENSE book, so of course there is suspense, and plenty of it. Not only do strange things keep happening to Robert, which as a reader I figured couldn't be what he was afraid of, but Monty starts getting threats because she is representing him. Threats that continue to escalate as the story progresses. I mean, I was already drawn in and invested in this book because of Robert being falsely accused of malpractice, but the danger and twists kept me glued to the book, zinging through the pages.

One of the biggest questions was whether the weird things happening to Robert were being committed by the same person who was threatening Monty. Were they connected or not? There were so many suspects, some that seemed a lot more likely than others. I was definitely surprised by the reveal. 

As with her previous books, the author has written a book where faith is very important in the characters' lives. We see how Monty leans on the Lord, though, I appreciate that we see, that yes, she is human, and has struggles. With Monty, I was hoping that Robert would learn that their is a mind that he needed to rely on that was way more powerful than his. 

I was definitely invested in this book and these characters' lives. I loved getting to see the siblings from both families, and get an update on the main characters from the first two books. And I can not wait to read Treese's story in book four.

Highly recommended!

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

The One Who Felt Like Home by Tammy Karasek Review

 

The One Who Felt Like Home by Tammy Karasek is another great book in the Fox Grove series of novellas. This series is comprised of three novellas, written by three different authors, focusing on one of three friends, their ten-year high school reunion, and the men they meet up with. 

We had briefly met the FMC, Gracelyn Cooper, in the first book, mainly through text messages with Tilly, the FMC of The One I Never Forgot. Gracelyn is a flight attendant, a job she loves; however, she doesn't get a lot of chances to get home to Fox Grove and see her family. However, she has every intention of making it back for the reunion, which the reader does already know if they read the first book. 

On the flight that she is on as the story begins she comes face to face with someone from her hometown, someone she didn't even recognize. However, this person, our MMC Brent Marshall, has had a crush on Gracelyn since they were in school. He's just always been too shy and nervous to approach her, and feels like he is invisible. Now, however, he has decided to get up the nerve to approach her and talk to her. Thus begins a tentative relationship that may or may not work out because they are both always on the move.

This book was more about the relationship between Gracelyn and Brent, plus time with their families, and obstacles they needed to overcome, than it was the reunion. The first book focused on the reunion a lot more because Tilly and Walker were in charge of the reunion. However, we do get to see plenty of great characters in Fox Grove, I especially loved meeting Grams and the young nieces. There were definitely some emotional moments, times of laughter and tears and concern, but faith in God was important to the characters as was praying.

I really enjoyed this book, which is the first fiction book that the author has written. I hope she plans to continue writing. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - September 11, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: First Line Friday, Friday Book Snippets, and Book Blogger Hop.

This week I have one book to share with you.

I started Song of the Khan by J.J. Fischer. This is the third book in her Painted Wind series, and it released earlier this week.

      

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here is my First Line Friday selection:

 Song of the Khan by J.J. Fischer:

"The world always looked most beautiful when it was just about to end."

I wondered why someone felt like the world was about to end, plus what was making it so beautiful.

Friday Book Snippets    

 

Friday Book Snippets is the new weekly blog party that has combined Book Beginnings on Friday and Friday56. Participants can link up at either Bemused & Bookish with Olivia or Head Full of Books with Anne. Here are the instructions:

Share two snippets (a sentence or short paragraph) from a) the book's opening and b) page 56 (or another page) from the book you are currently reading. No spoilers, please.

Here is my selection from page 56:

Song of the Khan by J.J. Fischer:

"'Have you already forgotten the way?' was his only reply, and when he turned, she caught her breath. His private courtyard, his respite from the endless demands of the court. They passed beneath the familiar stone arch, more floral scents tickling Isel's nose, along with the reassuring trickle of the fountain and the lazy tinkle of several metal chimes. Spring had arrived while she'd been asleep."

Book Blogger Hop.

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy over at Ranblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer. The hop occurs weekly, starting on Friday and ending the following Thursday, featuring a specific book-related prompt each week. The main goal is to connect bloggers, encouraging them to follow each other, discover new titles, and grow their audience.

This week's question is: How much do online reviews shape what you pick up next?

My answer: These days, not much at all because I am reading so many ARCs. But if I am interested in a book I will usually look at the 1 and 2 star reviews and see if there are any huge concerns. Other than that, I usually go more by what the book is about.

And now it is time to share my current Reviews:

 

Two weeks ago I re-shared a few of the books I had been reading but hadn't finished yet. Last week I shared one review, here is the link again:

Braving Red Waters by Sarah Hanks

Since then I finished another one of those books, plus the book I shared about last week. 

Here are those reviews:

The One I Never Forgot by Mandy Boerma

The One Who Felt Like Home by Tammy Karasek

The One I Never Forgot by Mandy Boerma Review

 

The One I Never Forgot by Mandy Boerma is a great first book in the Fox Grove series. There are three novellas in this series and each one is written by a different author. In this first story, we are introduced to one of three friends who will each be the FMC in these books. 

Tilly grew up in Fox Grove and is now the vice principal of the high school she used to attend. The story begins with her suddenly being assigned to organize the upcoming ten-year reunion. While this already adds to her stress because of how little was prepared beforehand, she also discovers that she is going to have to work with Walker, football coach, history teacher, and breaker of her heart back in high school. And to make matters worse, he barely acknowledges her when they meet in the principal's office. 

We do also get to see this story from Walker's POV, so we see how much he still cares for Tilly, plus as the story continues, we learn the reason for why he ghosted her at homecoming and broke up with her. 

I loved seeing how they reconnected as they worked together on planning the high school reunion, dealing with all sorts of obstacles along the way. I was rooting for this couple and really hoping they could work things out. I also loved getting to know family members, friends, and other characters. 

This is a wonderful story of faith, forgiveness, and second chances. I couldn't wait to get to meet Tilly's friends, so I actually started book two right away, even though I had other books I was supposed to be reading first. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.