An Ale of Two Cities
The Winter Carnival always brings holiday cheer, Christmas joy, and tourists with cash to picturesque Shady Creek, Vermont. At the center of the glittering decorations and twinkling lights, is booklover and pub owner, Sadie Coleman, creating original cocktails, hosting a literary trivia evening, and cheering on her loyal employee Melanie “Mel” Costas as she competes in the ice carving competition.
But holiday cheer can’t compete with former resident and renowned chef Freddy Mancini, who arrives with his nose in the air, showing off his ice-sculpting skills like a modern-day Michelangelo. During the artists’ break in the night-long contest, Mel’s tools disappear, and Freddy is found dead with her missing pick in his chest.
Although the police turn their attention to Mel, it seems everyone in town had a grudge against Freddy, including his assistant, his mentor, his former flame, and even his half-brother.
Faster than she can fling a Huckleberry Gin, Sadie finds herself racing to make sure the police don’t arrest the wrong suspect, all while sharing a flirtation with local brewery owner Grayson Blake. Their chemistry leads to a heated rivalry at the hockey rink, and the hot pursuit of a killer.
Series: A Literary Pub Mystery – Book #2
Author: Sarah Fox
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Culinary/Holiday
Publisher: Kensington Books
Page Count: 288
Rating: 
From Kensington Books comes the new addition to the “A Literary Pub Mystery” cozy series, by Sarah Fox, An Ale of Two Cities.
Book two in this new cozy series shows the growth of the characters and the more likable aspects of who they are becoming. Ms. Fox writes with ease of experience and tells original stories readers will love. The characters have pleasant personalities, with faults, a sense of humor, fears, and concerns that make this series worth exploring, and a pub like no other.
The victim is genuinely unlikeable, even when he is alive, which isn’t always the case in a cozy series. He is reprehensible in every way, and most of the characters and suspects throughout the book are happy to be rid of him. Unfortunately, the killer is not what they seem, and in the end, and makes the mistake of thinking Sadie will be a pushover. After some tense moments, Sadie wins out and catches the killer, clearing her friend’s name and making certain no one else dies. I would like to have seen more interaction with the pub and customers but everything worked out well.
I enjoyed this book immensely and think that Sarah Fox writes some of the most compelling and believable characters, and plots in a cozy series today. Readers will fall for these people and will love the town, her pub, and the multiple issues that arise for the main character. I hope this series will continue for many years to come and urge readers to check out An Ale of Two Cities along with the first book in the series, “Wine and Punishment.”
Some wonderful culinary-based series readers may enjoy include Daryl Wood Gerber’s (Avery Aames) http://darylwoodgerber.com/ “A Cookbook Nook Mystery” cozy series https://www.thecozyreview.com/wreath-between-the-lines/ or Maddie Day’s https://edithmaxwell.com/ “A Country Store Mystery” https://www.thecozyreview.com/when-the-grits-hit-the-fan/.
About the Author:
Sarah Fox, a writer of cozy mysteries, was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she developed a love for mysteries at a young age. When not writing novels or working as a legal writer, she is often reading her way through a stack of books or spending time outdoors with her English Springer Spaniel.
Represented by Jessica Faust of BookEnds.
Contact Sarah: http://www.authorsarahfox.com/
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