Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
Bear Witness to Murder is the second installment in the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery series set in Silver Hollow, Michigan and featuring Sasha Silverman, manager of the Silver Bear Shop & Factory, the teddy bear shop owned and operated by her family. Fall is setting in and there are many activities planned in the small town of Silver Hollow included the annual Cranbeary Tea Party and the Oktobear Fest.
While helping out at the tea party alongside her sister Maddie, Sasha is none too happy to see that her high school nemesis, Holly Parker is in attendance. Holly has moved back into town and purchased the shop across the street from the Silver Bear and opened up a toy shop and bookstore. Sasha is convinced that Holly is still carrying her mean girl card and is trying to ruin not only her family bear shop but also the bookstore operated by Sasha's cousin. To make matters worse, Holly is accompanied to the tea party by her assistant Gina Lawson and Sasha's ex, Flynn Hanson who create quite a stir when they served the Mayor with lawsuit papers.
When Sasha and her dog, Rosie stumble upon a body in the alley she is quick to identify the victim as Holly based upon the signature pink jacket. But, further investigation reveals that the body belongs to Gina. Was the killer as confused as Sasha? Despite warnings from her family and boyfriend, Jay Kirby Sasha throws herself full tilt into finding a killer.
A fast paced plot coupled with delightful descriptions of the bear sculptures on display during Oktobear Fest, a warm and cozy small town atmosphere combined with a tight knit but quirky family dynamic makes it "beary" hard to put this book down. A twist at the end will leave readers wanting more from the Silvermans.
While helping out at the tea party alongside her sister Maddie, Sasha is none too happy to see that her high school nemesis, Holly Parker is in attendance. Holly has moved back into town and purchased the shop across the street from the Silver Bear and opened up a toy shop and bookstore. Sasha is convinced that Holly is still carrying her mean girl card and is trying to ruin not only her family bear shop but also the bookstore operated by Sasha's cousin. To make matters worse, Holly is accompanied to the tea party by her assistant Gina Lawson and Sasha's ex, Flynn Hanson who create quite a stir when they served the Mayor with lawsuit papers.
When Sasha and her dog, Rosie stumble upon a body in the alley she is quick to identify the victim as Holly based upon the signature pink jacket. But, further investigation reveals that the body belongs to Gina. Was the killer as confused as Sasha? Despite warnings from her family and boyfriend, Jay Kirby Sasha throws herself full tilt into finding a killer.
A fast paced plot coupled with delightful descriptions of the bear sculptures on display during Oktobear Fest, a warm and cozy small town atmosphere combined with a tight knit but quirky family dynamic makes it "beary" hard to put this book down. A twist at the end will leave readers wanting more from the Silvermans.
Bear Witness to Murder by Meg Macy is the second book in A Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery series. Sasha Silverman manages her family's Silver Bear Shop & Factory. Silver Hollow is kicking off their Octobear Fest with the Cranbeary Tea Party hosted by the Silver Bear Shop at the new Queen Bess Tea Room. Sasha is surprised that Holly Parker (her old high school nemesis) is attending the event with her shop assistant and publicity guru, Gina Lawson. Holly has opened Through the Looking Glass which sells Alice in Wonderland themed items along with teddy bears and storybooks. For the Octobear Fest Bears on Parade event, Maddie is creating an adorable Polka Bear and is assisting her new boyfriend, Kip O'Sullivan with his Hippie Bear. Kip keeps trying to perfect his creation and he might not get it completed on time (Maddie has her hands full with this one). Sasha is out walking Rosie early the next morning and stumbles across an individual with a knife sticking out of their back in the alley behind Fresh Grounds. At first Sasha believes it is Holly because of the jacket. The victim is later identified as Gina Lawson. When Mayor Cal Bloom on the suspect list, Judith Silverman wants Sasha to clear his name. The suspect list is lengthy due to Gina's attitude and it includes Sasha's ex-husband, Flynn Hanson. Can Sasha identify the killer before she becomes the next victim?
I thought Bear Witness to Murder was well-written and engaging. It has a steady pace and a conversational writing style which made the story easy to read. While this is the second tale in the series, it can be read alone. I like the Silverman family, though, I am puzzled by Sasha's mother, Judith. I do not understand why she keeps trying to push Sasha and Flynn back together and it was never explained. Sasha is lucky to have escaped the cheating louse. She is fortunate to have a supportive father and sister. I enjoyed the humor provided by Eve and Ross. There are delightful descriptions of teddy bears (stuffed and resin) in Bear Witness to Murder along with teddy bear related facts. I thought it was clever to have Oktobear Fest (a great play on words). Silver Hollow would attract families with their theme. Silver Hollow is a charming small town with, for the most part, friendly residents and cute shops. Gossip spreads like wild fire in Silver Hollow which is helpful in gathering information on the suspects. The mystery was well-crafted, and I believe many readers will be surprised by the killer's identity. There are several suspects, red herrings, and well-placed clues. While Sasha looks into the murder, she does not let it consume her like some amateur sleuths. There is some romance sprinkled through the story as Sasha gets to know Jay Kirby. I found Bear Witness to Murder more enjoyable than Bearly Departed (first book in the series). My rating for Bear Witness to Murder is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). Join in on the Oktobear Fest festivities in Bear Witness to Murder.
I thought Bear Witness to Murder was well-written and engaging. It has a steady pace and a conversational writing style which made the story easy to read. While this is the second tale in the series, it can be read alone. I like the Silverman family, though, I am puzzled by Sasha's mother, Judith. I do not understand why she keeps trying to push Sasha and Flynn back together and it was never explained. Sasha is lucky to have escaped the cheating louse. She is fortunate to have a supportive father and sister. I enjoyed the humor provided by Eve and Ross. There are delightful descriptions of teddy bears (stuffed and resin) in Bear Witness to Murder along with teddy bear related facts. I thought it was clever to have Oktobear Fest (a great play on words). Silver Hollow would attract families with their theme. Silver Hollow is a charming small town with, for the most part, friendly residents and cute shops. Gossip spreads like wild fire in Silver Hollow which is helpful in gathering information on the suspects. The mystery was well-crafted, and I believe many readers will be surprised by the killer's identity. There are several suspects, red herrings, and well-placed clues. While Sasha looks into the murder, she does not let it consume her like some amateur sleuths. There is some romance sprinkled through the story as Sasha gets to know Jay Kirby. I found Bear Witness to Murder more enjoyable than Bearly Departed (first book in the series). My rating for Bear Witness to Murder is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). Join in on the Oktobear Fest festivities in Bear Witness to Murder.
