The book started off with a lot of promise, with a potential pre-wedding dinner gone awry by murder. I just didn't connect with the characters which is really odd for a cozy mystery, because usually, you find a way to connect with them. There seem to be a lot of references back to a previous story and maybe that was what put me off? Or that the sisters were just too over the top and the subject from the previous book was a bit too 'Hallmark movie'? Not sure...I managed to get through the book and found it to be a bit predictable but if you're looking for something with a Greek twist then this book might appeal to you. It just wasn't my flavor.

An enjoyable and engaging cozy mystery. It will keep you guessing. A young boy and a raccoon add to the charm. The Greek family is at its entertaining best. Lots of love, humor and food. A little romance. I look forward to reading more from this author. She never disappoints.

"A Big Fat Greek Murder" was just an OK, so-so cozy mystery. It wasn't one of the best, but not one of the worst, either. Just sort of mediocre, in my opinion.

I loved the first book in The Goddess of Greene Street Mysteries, Statue of Limitations, so I was very excited to be able sit down and read book two, My Big Fat Greek Murder by Kate Collins. And in many ways it was as good, if not better than the first. I love the crazy, caring Greek family. And Delphi is fast becoming my favorite character with her psychic abilities, whether they are real or she’s just messing with her family, and I’m also loving where Delphi’s romantic life is going.

But, Kim, what about the main character, Athena? Well, I’m still enjoying her blog posts, dating mishaps, and in general. But I have some concerns. First, with her love life. I’m not a huge fan when the protagonist gets super jealous and I have a strong dislike for love triangles. I don’t think it’ll be going in the love triangle direction, and how Collins left the book could make for some funny moments in the future books, as long as Athena can get her jealousy under control.

And the thing that had me almost throwing the book into the wall, but I was reading on my Kindle and I didn’t want to break it, was towards the end when Athena had a key piece of evidence to help get her sister out of jail. Now I know in cozies, the protagonist will often hide information from the police or suddenly get really stupid, but it was a bit too much. She waits almost a day to see about it even though she or Case could have made time to find out and/or give it to Bob, the police officer who has been helping her. Numerous times in the book Athena’s dad gives her permission to leave work, anything to help her sister, and then suddenly she just can’t. I won’t even get into the final confrontation with the killer.

I was going to give My Big Fat Greek Murder three stars or even two because the evidence bit was so bad, but I ended up at four stars because Collins really is good at character development and writing about a family that is so caring and amusing. I will be cautiously optimistic when I read book three, and hope Athena doesn’t suddenly get erratically stupid or dive deeper down the jealousy hole.

Athena has a lot on her hands = she's working at the family garden center AND helping out at their restaurant AND raising her kid AND trying to figure out her relationship with Case. The Parthenon is about to do a big Greek wedding until....the groom is found stabbed to death with a pair of Selene's scissors. Athena knows her sister can get angry but she also knows she didn't kill the creep, so she. along with Case, set to to find the real killer. Cozy fans know he had more than one person (besides Selene) who didn't appreciate his behavior. You might figure out who that is but keep reading because there are other delights here, such as Athena's blog. The family is a hoot and the food sounds delicious. This is the second in the series but it will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It made me laugh.

This is the 2nd installment in the Goddess of Green Street Mystery series. Divorced Athena Spencer is back in her hometown in Michigan with her 10 year old son working at the family garden center and family restaurant if needed. Well needed as they are hosting a wedding rehearsal dinner which ends up with the groom missing and later found dead with the bride accusing Athena’s sister Selene of the deed. Athena is not going to let Selene down and vows to find out who the real killer is. Case is now living in town and is helping her out with the mystery. Nice to see that relationship growing even though not without struggles. This is a good solid cozy with lots of suspects as the groom is not all her appears to be and I love that Athena also writes a blog about Greek families and such and it is funny that her entire family love to read it but cannot recognize themselves in the stories. I like that the family is close knit and all about family. The series is a keeper and look forward to the next installment.

When I saw a new cozy mystery by Kate Collins, I knew I had to read it. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read this book for an unbiased review.
A Big Fat Greek Murder is the second book in Kate Collins' newest series. Athena is still living in the family home with her son while she gets back on her feet after a divorce. When a rehearsal dinner ends with a dead groom, all fingers point to Athena's sister as the killer. Case has returned to town with an idea for a new business and agrees to help Athena prove her sister's innocence. What follows is a well written story, great characters and trying to find a killer. If you like Kate Collins Flower Shop Mysteries you need to pick up this new series and get started. You will not regret it!

The second in the Goddess of Greene St Mysteries and another fast, fun cozy. There is that strong family theme with the Greek families’ enclave in Sequoia, Michigan, and the tie to the nursery family business and the little mascot that comes to get his peanuts. The family also has a restaurant, the Parthenon, which was to be graced by the Athena statue her grandfather found and brought over. Too large, it ended up at the garden center. But it was a way to introduce Case to Book 1 who plays a very prominent part in Book 2.

In this installment, the restaurant is hosting a rehearsal dinner for Mandy Black and Brady Rogers. Protagonists’ Athena’s sister Selene was to be one of the bridesmaids, but when the groom doesn’t show up, he is later found murdered. Athena will get involved along with Case, as it is her sister the police arrest.

A little side tongue-in-cheek gig that slides just under the main storyline is Athena’s blog—unknown to her family (mostly)—known as “Goddess Anon.” Fun little snipes regarding what is going on in her family, the joys of a large family with all the drama, relationships, and idiosyncrasies of the individuals.

She and Case have a direct prosecutorial style of questioning; double-teaming those on their interview list. Of course, it’s not terribly difficult to figure out who is the culprit and in the meantime I enjoy the steps they take to each new clue. Athena is smart, if not wholly open to a relationship that you know is brewing between she and Case.

The conclusion is satisfying and a wrap-up of details, which we’ve pretty much sussed out at this point. Engaging characters, descriptive locale, and entertaining storyline. However, there is a monkey-wrench thrown in at the end which worries me about a possible partner in Book 3? Say it isn’t so…and I’ll be watching for it.

Athena Karros Spencer is dividing her time helping at her family's Greek diner and running the family garden shop. They are hosting a rehearsal dinner but things take a turn when the groom does not show up. When the groomsmen look for him, they find out he was stabbed in his apartment with a pair of scissors. The scissors turn out to be Athena's sister, Selene's. Selene had filed a complaint against the groom weeks before so she becomes the prime suspect. As the evidence against Selene continues to grow, Athena does her best to clear Selene's name.

I am a huge fan of this authors flower shop mysteries so I was really excited when she announced she was coming out with a new series. I read the first book when it first came out and absolutely loved it. This is the second book in the series and I adored it just as much. I love the dynamics of the large Greek family. Each person has their owns quirks and I love that. Athena is a great protagonist. She is strong, smart, and determined. I love the chemistry between her and Case. I am so happy to see what is in store for them in future books. The mystery was well done. I liked how Athena and Case worked well together to solve the mystery. Athena's blog provides a nice, humorous break in the story. I love that her family has no idea that she is the one writing the blog. Overall, I give this book 4.5 stars. I can't wait for the next book.

Great read by a new author for me. The plot is well written and enticing to the reader. The author writes in a way that makes the reader feel like part of The story.

I adore the Flower Shop Mystery by Kate Collins and was beyond excited when she started this new series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, Statue of Limitations, and I'm happy to say that the sequel to it was just as enjoyable

The characters truly make this series extra special. I LOVE this big Greek family. They are loud, noisy, supportive and just downright fun to hang out with. When one of them gets arrested for murder, you better believe all hands will be on deck to save her name and prove her innocence. Athena is such a wonderful lead. She is smart, feisty and a great mom. Her anonymous blog posts make me laugh and I love the sweet relationship she shares with her dad and sisters. I enjoy all the food chatter and gossip that occurs at her family owned diner, the Parthenon, but I really like the scenes that take place at their garden center. Oscar, the pet racoon, is an added bonus.

I was so happy to see Chase put down some roots and join Athena for another string of mysteries. They spent a lot of time truly interviewing every single connection or suspect which made the sleuthing feel more realistic. There were some great red herrings to throw you for a doubtful loop and some pretty great clues if you read closely to pick up on them. The two have a great, playful chemistry and I look forward to seeing how their new venture takes off.

I'm hooked on this fun cozy series and will definitely be on the lookout for it to continue!

4.5 stars

This is the second installment in Kate Collins's Goddess of Greene St. Mystery series. Our protagonist, Athena Spencer, who after going through a divorce, decided to move back to her hometown of Sequoia, Michigan, with her ten-year-old son. Athena works at her family's garden center and occasionally helps out at the Parthenon, a Greek diner owned by her grandparents. When a wedding rehearsal at the Parthenon ends up with the groom dead and the bride to be accusing Athena's sister of seducing and murdering her fiancé, Athena becomes determined to prove her sister's innocence.

A Big Fat Greek Murder by Kate Collins is a delightful addition to the series. It was nice learning about the Greek culture and of course, the mouth-watering descriptions of Greek food was very enjoyable to read about. I love Athena and her fun, boisterous Greek family. The interactions between her and her family kept me laughing and entertained. When she's not working or solving murders, Athena also writes blog posts inspired by her family and no one except Case and her dad knows she's the writer behind the popular blog. I thought that added a fun layer to the story. Speaking of Case, I Iike the way the relationship between him and Athena is developing. I think he's going to make a great private investigator and I can't wait to see him team up with her, plus the addition of Lila is sure to be interesting.
As for the mystery, I thought it was well-done. The culprit wasn't a huge surprise, but I have to give the author props for pointing me in a different direction every time I thought I had the mystery all figured out.
All in all, I enjoyed my time with this book and eagerly await the third installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The first installment was an ejoyable read, this second installment has me completely hooked to the series. With all hands on deck for a wedding, a dead groom, this is the perfect seed to plant a perfectly executed mystery. Everything about this read was wonderful, the story, the characters. I can't wait to read more.

small-business, small-town, cozy-mystery, family-dynamics, friendship, amateur-sleuth, cultural-heritage, situational-humor, verbal-humor

Athena’s sister Selene is the chief suspect in the murder of her friend's groom-to-be due to the fact that her salon shears were stuck in his back and she has no alibi. The victim was a sleaze who worked in a gym and had a history with women, but Selene had ratted him out to management some time before so the local law added that to the physical evidence. Athena is part of a large Greek family in Sequoia, Michigan and has had some experience as an amateur sleuth, so she takes it all on with the help of a friend. Good sleuthing, interesting red herrings and plot twists, and some really good laughs. I really enjoyed it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley, Thank you!

I'm really enjoying this new series. Athena is a delight and I love the new love interest, Case. Her big, boisterous Greek family are fun. I love how Jer mother keeps trying to set her up on dates and her sisters all add to the chaos. The raccoon, Oscar, is a cute animal touch. This mystery had me stumped. I had the suspects narrowed down to two, but Collins threw in a last minute curve ball clue that temporarily led me astray. I have a feeling Lila is going to play a similar role as the interfering cousin did in the Flower Shop series. Go to Sequoia, Michigan in this series and meet all the interesting characters.

Terrific author with a tremendous knack to write compelling characters and a well written mystery. This is a new series, second in the series, and it was terrific. I will go track down the first in the series because I enjoyed this well crafted mystery immensely.

I was so happy to be back with Athena in 'A Big Fat Greek Murder'. Kate Collins' latest offering in her delightful series features wonderful characters, an intriguing mystery and a charming romance. I loved the exposure to Athena's Greek family with all their delightful quirks. I look forward to many, many more happy times with the A Goddess of Green Street Mystery series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Kate Collins writes books the reader can get into. Her characters are true to life and in this series very family orientated. They come together to solve the mystery of who done it by helping to get her sister out of jail. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and exciting read!

Did you ever finish a book, give a happy sigh and immediately look for the author's backlist and earlier books in the series? That's how much I enjoyed this book! I was completely engaged and read the book in one sitting. The story flowed well, the characters were relatable and sometimes fun and there was even some romance. There were enough red herrings to keep me guessing and the final denouement was wow!

I have not read the earlier books in the series but I had no issues with that.

Our protagonist is Athena Spencer who is a divorced Mom. After her divorce and the resulting financial difficulties she has moved back to her home town with her son and living and working with her father at the family garden center and helping out at her grandparents' restaurant.

A rehearsal dinner, for which her sister Selena is a bridesmaid, is being held at the restaurant but the groom is late. His groomsmen run out to his apartment and discover that he's been murdered-stabbed in the back with scissors. Those scissors belong to Selena and when other evidence is found, Selena is taken into police custody.

All the clues that point to Selena are a little obvious and Athena knows she is being framed. Because she feels the police won't dig deeper if there is an obvious suspect she knows she needs to investigate. And so she does.

I received an ARC from Kensington via NetGalley-however, the opinions expressed are my own.

When Athena shows up late at the Parthenon to help her family with the meal for the wedding rehearsal, she discovers that she’s not the only one late. The groom hasn’t shown up yet and isn’t answering his phone. Later he’s discovered at home with an expensive pair of shears in his back. Athena’s sister Selene’s shears from her salon to be exact. When all the signs are pointing to Selene as the killer, Athena decides to step in and solve the case. Well, Athena and Case. After helping Case clear his name, he’s decided to move to town and see about setting up a charter fishing company.
When Selene’s arrested, Athena and Case pull out all the stops to clear her name and get her out of jail and back into the family home.
While working to solve the groom’s death, Athena and Case become closer, but Athena’s jealousy doesn’t become her. Having to maneuver through her feelings to see Case has feelings for her as well is something that Athena didn’t seem ready to do, but I’m glad she did. But don’t worry, the romance doesn’t overpower the mystery aspect of this story. It blends in seamlessly and keeps you interested all the way through. This is the second book in the series, but the first I read. I didn’t feel like I needed to have read the first book, but now that I know it’s out there, I want to make sure to grab it.
I loved the whole family dynamic. Especially Athena and Selene’s mother. She’s truly a hoot!
If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, big loud families, and a dash of romance, I think you’ll really enjoy this book!
**I received an ARC of this story from NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.