Cover Image: Down in Flames

Down in Flames

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Member Reviews

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Kensington Books, in return for an honest review. I enjoyed this book, which surprised me a bit since the beginning was very much a tutorial on the craft of flame working glass, before transitioning into the crime. From then on, the story was well written (so was the tutorial on glass work!) and the author's story development was good. It's not the first book in this series and you're able to get into the story without the preceding series knowledge. The protagonist owns a glass working shop that she inherited from her father. She's engaged to the (Brit or NZ or Australian?) pub owner next door. When someone is killed in front of their respective businesses, everyone in their tight group is impacted. Some saw the death; others knew the deceased. I truly appreciate the diversity of people represented in this book, including a young man who is on the high-functioning Asperger's scale and a woman who's mother is in hospice. There's a great deal of life in these characters, in addition to those that directly propel the story forward. The mystery plot line is well developed and well-told. I recommend this book.

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Down in Flames is the sixth book in A Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery series. The mystery in the story is self-contained, but I would recommend reading this series in order. The relationships between the characters and the character development over the previous books will allow you to enjoy this story so much more. Savannah Webb has her hands full. She has a new class going on and Amanda, her store manager and teacher of beginner classes is spending more time with her mother who is in hospice. This causes Savannah to be pulled in many directions, but when Nicole, her friend and the manager at her fiancé's pub next door is run down, things get even more dicey. Once again, Savannah is hired as a consultant and the investigation begins.

Savannah is a great protagonist. She is a well-developed character who is friendly, outgoing, helpful and relatable. Edward Morris, Savannah’s fiancé, is the perfect man for her. He is understanding, caring and works with Savannah when she is investigating. I love that he cooks when he is stressed and tried all kinds of crazy new recipes while dealing with trying to run his business after Nicole has been killed. Jacob is one of my favorite characters in this series. He is a high functioning autistic eighteen year old who has a support dog, Suzy. He is extremely observant and helps Savannah a lot when she is investigating. There are many other characters who are regulars in the series such as the quirky and eccentric Rosenberg twins, Officer Joy Williams and Detective Parker. There were a few instances where there was some discrimination toward homosexuality and I liked how this was handled in the story. It is at timely issue, as well as an important one. The artistic storyline was two-fold. There were the glass workshops which I always find interesting, but also the graffitti aspect with the contest and community it encompasses. The mystery and investigation take some time to get moving, but once it was determined that it was a murder, not an accident, then Savannah and Joy went full on. There were several suspects, at one time I had three different people in mind, plus a red herring or two. I did have my suspicions about the killer and that made the ending a bit anti-climactic for me, but that is my only concern. Overall, I enjoyed this story. The setting, the wonderful characters, the well-written plot, the mystery and mayhem as well as the art storylines all mesh together to form a great story. Thanks for another great entry into the Webb Glass Shop Mysteries, Cheryl Hollon.

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A highlight of Savannah's new glass bead workshop is a technique called flame-working, which requires the careful wielding of acetylene torches. Understandably, safety is a top priority. But as Savannah is ensuring her students' safety inside, a hit-and-run driver strikes down a pedestrian outside her shop.

The victim is Nicole Borawski, the bartender/manager at the Queen's Head Pub, owned by Savannah's boyfriend Edward. It quickly becomes clear that this was no random act of vehicular manslaughter. Now the glass shop owner is all fired up to get a bead on the driver--before someone else meets a dead end . . .

This was a short and cozy mystery, perfect for the recent rainy weather. I enjoyed the setting and overall themes, as well as how well-researched the glass-making techniques seem to be.

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I really enjoyed this mystery. Enjoyed the setting and the characters. Thank you Cheryl Hollon for this delightful mystery read. Look forward to reading more.

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Down in Flames is the sixth book in Cheryl Hollon's "A Webb's Glass Shop Mystery" series. I am a fan of glasswork and always enjoy learning from each book in the series. The author includes details about flame working and glass beading which is fascinating. Each book in the series features a different type of glasswork and I appreciate the author's time and effort in detail. i find this series very enjoyable with likeable charcters and a good sleuth. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the ARC. My opinion is my own. I like the Florida setting which is always entertaining. I have read the entire series and highly recommend each in series as a enjoyable reading experience with strong mysteries and fun charcters.

In this next in series Savannah is investigating a fatal hit and run where a local man was murdered in front of her shop. She decides to investigate as she has solved murders in the past. Savannah's fiance is assisting her in the investigation and gives her back up as needed. They work closely with the police as Savannah is officially a police consultant and very well respected.

She has a tight group of friends and employees that always provide details and research for her. She has a employee / apprentice who is autistic and very detailed . I love that the author features a person challenged with autism in this series as it is rare and appreciated . I enjoy the cast of charcters and every one adds to the plot and sleuth. The regular charcters have life events going on in this book and its a nice growth of the series. The sleuth was enjoyable with enough surprises to keep me guessing. I enjoyed reading this next in series and look forward to the next book. Savannah and her crew are always fun to return to and I love the glass work aspect of each book. I highly recommend this next in series as a very enjoyable read for all who enjoy the arts, Florida and cozy mystery reading.

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Down in Flames is the sixth installment in A Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery series. While it can be read alone, I would recommend reading the series in order. It will allow you to know the characters and their relationships (cast of characters at end of book). Savannah has her hands full in Down in Flames with Nicole’s death, the new flameworking class, Amanda’s mother has been admitted to hospice so she is working part-time, Jacob has a setback after witnessing the hit-and-run that killed Nicole which leaves no one to run Webb’s Studio, Best Burger in the Burg competition and she is being pressured to set a wedding date. Savannah is a delightful protagonist. She is a well-developed character who is friendly, outgoing, and relatable. Edward Morris, Savannah’s fiancé, is the perfect mate for her. He is understanding and dives into the investigation’s with Savannah (he knows there is no stopping her). Amanda Blake is going through a rough time. Her mother, Viola, is in hospice so she knows her days are limited and wants to spend as much time with her as possible. Jacob is a high functioning autistic eighteen year old who has a support dog, Suzy. The Rosenberg twins are always a delight. I especially liked that we got to see more of Officer Joy Williams and Detective Parker. The police moving into their new HQ provided several humorous moments. I had to chuckle at Detective Parker’s office situation. I had to agree with Detective Parker when he said the following about Savannah conducting an investigation “sometimes she lets her enthusiasm overcome good sense.” I like how the author dealt with sensitive and timely topics (prejudice against LGBTQIA for example). The mystery takes a little bit of time to get started, but I did find it interesting as it delved into the graffiti community in St. Petersburg. There are a variety of suspects plus a red herring or two. I wish, though, it had been more of a challenge to identify the guilty party. I live near St. Petersburg, which is the setting for this series, so I particularly enjoyed the local color. It mentions area businesses (like Haslam’s), streets and sights. The author described flameworking in an easy to understand fashion. I enjoyed learning more about it (it has me exploring classes in my area). I did tire of the repetition of certain information (Edward is Savannah’s fiance and case details are two examples). There were a couple of unanswered questions at the end which I found frustrating. However, those points did not detract from me having a pleasurable reading experience. Down in Flames has manslaughter, mischief and mayhem wrapped up in one charming cozy mystery.

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This is #6 in the series and while it can be read as a stand alone a reader new to the series would get much more enjoyment from Down in Flames by reading them in order. The relationship between the hit and run victim and Jacob, the young man who witnessed the tragedy and Savannah has lots of depth when you know the history. But, even if you don't go back to the first book, you will be fine if you start with this one.
Savannah is branching out from her stained glass classes and teaching bead making. Jacob, a high functioning autistic young man, has become her apprentice, coming along well with help from his mother and Savannah and his service dog, Suzy. At the end of class, Jacob sees one of their friends, Nicole, the bartender at the restaurant owned by Savannah finance, Edward, killed in a hit and run accident that is later ruled a homicide. Jacob is so traumatized by the event that he has become mute, blocking it all from his mind. The police, who are also friends of Savannah, ask for her expertise in the local art world in investigating the case. One of the threads in the case involves graffiti plus Nicole was a friend. From past experience they also know that Savannah will snoop on her own if not included.
There are many levels to this mystery - family relationships, Autism, Savannah's store manager, Amanda and her dealing with her mother now in hospice care, same sex marriage and family tensions over it - add to the fact that Savannah is going to marry Edward but has yet to set a date. Some of the story is serious but it is softened by two of my favorite characters, the Rosenberg twins, Faith and Rachel. Dressed head to toe in pink and decorated with flamingos, they are such a sweet pair of senior citizens even though Faith lights one of the torches before the class can start and sets her pink sweater on fire. Still, they have been a fixture from book one, about 5 years by their guess, never missing a single class. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Down In Flames is the sixth book in the A Webb’s Glass Shop Mysteries series.

This is another wonderful trip to St. Petersburg Fl to visit with Samantha “Sam” Webb and learn to make glass beads. If you’re not familiar with working with glass, Ms. Hollon provides a glossary of terms for flameworking glass. She also provides several links to be able to actually see the process.

The class is flameworking has just ended and as the students are heading outdoors, screams and a commotion are heard. When Sam gets outdoors she sees a white car accelerating down the street and the body of Nicole Borawski bartender and manager of Queen’s Head that is owned by Sam’s boyfriend. Nicole is rushed to the hospital where she passes away. Edward, owner of the Queen’s Head is of course devastated and vow to bring the driver to justice. In addition to the hit and run, Sam’s apprentice Jacob, an autistic eighteen-year-old who had witnessed the accident has gone mute and is in shock and unable to communicate anything that he might have seen.

The police without any real proof otherwise are considering this just a terrible accident. As Sam begins to investigate she finds that somehow this is connected to someone in the graffiti community. Sam finally gathers enough facts to be able to show Detective Parker and policewoman, Joy Williams that it is in fact related to the artistic community and Sam is able to get a contract to investigate.

Most of the characters from previous books are back again. Yes, the Rosenberg sisters are back to provide a few chuckles. Also, a new character is introduced, Herbert Klug. Klug is one of the new students in the flameworking class proves to be such an adept student that Sam offers him a teaching position at Webb’s Glass.

This is another well written and told story with a great cast of believable and likable characters. There were plenty of twist and turns and red herrings that kept me guessing till the end.

I will be looking forward to reading the next book in this informative series.

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Loved the story. Some of it hit close to home and stirred up some emotions. The characters in this story truly love each other and look out for each other. I love Jacob and the relationship he has with his mother. There are some possible uncomfortable situations in this story and the author does a great job writing them into the story line. I just wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. I can’t wait to travel to St. Pete again and hang out with Savannah, Edward, Jacob, Amanda and the rest of the gang. Oh, I also love the twins. How much fun are they!!! I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

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Down in Flames by Cheryl Hollon is the 6th book in A Webb's Glass Shop Mystery Series and another great read. I love this series. Savannah Webb owns the glass shop and her boyfriend Edward owns the Queen's Head Pub next door. When Edward's manager, Nicole, is killed in a hit and run right in front of the shop, Savannah is determined to find the truth. Once I started this book, I could not stop reading. The story and characters are very well developed, and the characters feels like friends I am catching up with. The author also makes glass making interesting and not too technical to stall the story. I love all the twists and turns in this cozy mystery, and look forward to the characters next adventure. Although you can read this book as a stand alone, I suggest you read all the books, they are all good. I highly recommend this book for cozy book lovers.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.

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I really enjoyed this mystery. After one of Edward's employees is run down in front of Savannah's shop, she knows that she will have to investigate. This leaves Edward with a staffing problem at his pub. Nicole was a very good manager and it will take two people to replace her. As Savannah, Edward and friends investigate, they find that Nicole was not the person they thought she was. Investigating the death has put several more people in the crosshairs of the killer. Can they find that person before more people die?

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This has been an enjoyable series. A diverse set of characters. The police point of view chapters were a nice change of pace.

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Down in Flames
(A Webb's Glass Shop Mystery #6)
by Cheryl Hollon

Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication: June 25th 2019 by Kensington Publishing Corporation




Goodreads synopsis:
A fatal hit-and-run in front of Savannah Webb's glass shop proves to be no accident . . .

A highlight of Savannah's new glass bead workshop is a technique called flame-working, which requires the careful wielding of acetylene torches. Understandably, safety is a top priority. But as Savannah is ensuring her students' safety inside, a hit-and-run driver strikes down a pedestrian outside her shop.

The victim is Nicole Borawski, the bartender/manager at the Queen's Head Pub, owned by Savannah's boyfriend Edward. It quickly becomes clear that this was no random act of vehicular manslaughter. Now the glass shop owner is all fired up to get a bead on the driver--before someone else meets a dead end . . .
***

4.5 Stars

This is the sixth book in the Web Glass Shop Mystery series by Cheryl Hollon.

I am not sure why I feel like this is not a normal cozy mystery. Maybe it is the police-procedural version of a cozy mystery. At least, that is how I feel. This starts out with a hit and run accident out front of Webb’s Glass Shop. Turns out someone deliberately hit Nicole, the manager of the Queen’s Head Pub owned by Savannah’s boyfriend, Edward.

Between giving a how to make glass beads workshop and trying to find some snuggle time with Edward, Savannah tries to solve the mystery of who could have run down her friend in cold blood. The actual mystery solving seemed a bit blasé and not the normal caliber I am used to in a Webb’s Glass Shop book.

There were quite a number of emotional scenes in this book that effected many characters and I wondered if Hollon might have had a somewhat similar experience in her life while she was writing this book and just channelled her emotions into the pages herein.

It has been a few years since I’ve read a Webb’s Glass Shop mystery. I think it was one of the first books I read to review for NetGalley. It is nice that I found such a keeper of a series right from the start. For me, this is just super interesting. My great-uncle used to do a lot of stained glass crafting and I thought that was pretty neat. There isn’t as much stained glass stuff in this as I remember there being in past books but that doesn’t bother me. This is more about the mystery than the craft, more about character building and overall arc of series building than anything else. This book is just a work of character art. So many themes came forward if only momentarily. I found it all endearing, sad sometimes and thrilling other times.

This series is a cozy mystery lovers dream. Definitely check it out soon if you dig series like that.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

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Who ran down Nicky? And why? She seemed like an affable and fun person but clearly someone didn't agree. Savannah, who owns a glass shop, finds herself once again trying to solve a murder, this time as an official liaison to the artistic community in St Petersburg. You might, to be honest, have some confusion early on if you haven't read at least one of the novels in this series but that will quickly level off. I enjoy this series for the info about glass making and in this case I learned about glass beads, thanks to Savannah's classes. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a classic cozy with a artist protagonist who has a nice love interest in Edward, and a nose for the truth.

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What a wonderful book. When Someone is killed by a hit and run driver in front of Savannah’s shop something must be done. Savannah has to juggle not only her life but the life be for her friends and employee’s during difficult times in their lives. This is a great mystery that delves into the worlds of graffiti, forgery and of course glass. I felt so connected with the characters I tested up at moments, laughed and even felt pride for them! I highly recommend this book!

I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

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Down in Flames is the sixth book in this Webb Glass shop series. Savannah has expanded her business to teaching a new fire glass beading workshop. But her peaceful routine is shattered when a hit-and-run kills the manager of her fiancé's pub. To make matters even worse, her assistant Jacob appears to be the only eyewitness and he has stopped any verbal communication, due to the effect of PTSD on his already fragile Asperger's condition. Is Nicole's death a tragic accident--being at the wrong place at the wrong time or is there something more sinister rising to the level of murder?
I've read all the prior books in the series in order. While it can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading in order . There is a lot of progressive character and detail development that a new reader would miss, especially a dedicated cozy mystery lover.
I enjoyed the detailed description of the craft itself; it is well-detailed and researched with a description of the terms at the back of the book. I also thought the author treated Jacob's recovery from the trauma of the accident and trying to obtain vital information from him was handled with special sensitivity. I just didn't connect with this book the way I did with the prior five. There was no strong connection between Samantha and the victim other than repeating how important she was to the running of the pub. I really hope that there are more books in the series' the back cover conflicted with what the author wrote in her afterword

I received a complimentary ARC of this book. My review is voluntary.

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Down in Flames is the 6th installment of The Webb's Glass mystery series by Cheryl Hollon. This was the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it. The author gives you enough of the details, that you can read as a stand alone.

A fatal hit-and-run in front of Savannah Webb's glass shop proves to be no accident . . .
A highlight of Savannah's new glass bead workshop is a technique called flame-working, which requires the careful wielding of acetylene torches. Understandably, safety is a top priority. But as Savannah is ensuring her students' safety inside, a hit-and-run driver strikes down a pedestrian outside her shop.

The victim is Nicole Borawski, the bartender/manager at the Queen's Head Pub, owned by Savannah's boyfriend Edward. It quickly becomes clear that this was no random act of vehicular manslaughter. Now the glass shop owner is all fired up to get a bead on the driver—before someone else meets a dead end . . .

Protagonist Savannah is relatable, Independent and resourceful. The characters are well developed and very likeable, such as Amanda who has had to put her mum in hospice, Jacob a highly functioning autistic teenager. The author dealt very well with social aspects that face many of us today, loss, disabilities, and homosexual issues in a predominantly heterosexual community.

There are plenty of twists and turns to keep me wanting to find out what will happen next. The book is engaging from start to finish. I look forward to catching up on the whole series. I highly recommend this book to all my cozy mystery friends .

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from the Publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Savannah Webb has just begun teaching a new class in beadmaking at her family’s glass shop in St. Petersburg, Florida. After one of the classes ends and Savannah has dismissed her small group of students, she hears a commotion next door. She races outside and is horrified to see the young woman who manages the pub owned by Savannah’s fiancé is a victim of a hit and run. The only one who witnessed Nicole being hit is Savannah’s teenaged apprentice, who is autistic and goes into shock from what he saw. When police officer Joy Williams’s investigation takes an unusual turn, she enlists Savannah to track down a lead and find a killer.

There are five books that came before this one in the Webb’s Glass Shop series, but "Down in Flames" is the first one I’ve read. There are a lot of characters in the book between Savannah’s friends, employees, and students. However, the author does a great job of introducing the main characters in the first couple of chapters, and also includes a helpful “Cast of Characters” list. I enjoyed getting to know the diverse group of characters and seeing their interactions with each other. I like how patient Savannah is with her students and the loyalty she shows her friends. It’s nice that Savannah’s sleuthing has the blessing of Joy, the officer in charge of the case. It’s wonderful seeing them collaborate and share information each has learned. I had an idea about who the killer was, but there were enough possible suspects that I was kept guessing until the end.

The best part about this book is the detailed information given about beadmaking. I love it when the theme of a cozy mystery is covered in depth and not just mentioned in passing and isn’t an important part of the book. I’ve not done any type of glasswork before, but I learned a lot as Savannah instructs her class on how to make glass beads. In addition to the information included within the story, there is more information included in a glossary and author’s note at the end of the book. I like seeing Savannah in action teaching the classes and not just hearing that she run the glass show that she inherited from her father.

I enjoyed the book and think fans of Krista Davis would also enjoy it. I would rate it 4.5 stars and have rounded up to 5 stars. I liked "Down in Flames" so much, I will be seeking out additional books in this series.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Kensington Publishing. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

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Hope I am able to write a review this time! I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Wonderful characters. An employee of Edward's is a victim of a hit and run driver outside Savannah's glass shop. Savannah and Edward venture out to find out who the driver is. Jacob is a witness. There are other mysteries besides the identity of the driver. They find out there is a rich uncle and the possibility of art forgery.

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Savannah Webb has slowly been building her stained glass business by offering a wide range of classes. During one of her classes, the students hear a sickening thud, squealing tires, and screaming and race outside to see to a body in the street. Nicole Borawski, manager of the Queen's Head Pub, is critically injured. Savannah believes this was no accident and searches for the reasons behind the hit and run.

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