January 10, 2026

Book Review: Spring Thaw: A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery Novella and Other Mystery Short Stories

Book Title:
 Spring Thaw: A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery Novella and Other Mystery Short Stories
Author: Lauren Carr
Publisher:  Independently Published
Publisher Date: 23 October 2018 (250 Pages, Paperback)
Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Murder Mystery, Short Stories,
Series: A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #1.5
In today's hectic world, many whodunit fans don't have time to get their mystery fix diving into a whole novel. Lauren Carr's SPRING THAW AND OTHER MYSTERY SHORT STORIES is for these fans-but that doesn't mean whodunit fans who do have time can't dive in as well.

A novella, Spring Thaw features retired federal agent Chris Matheson from Lauren Carr's newest bestselling cold case series. When his late father's former friend is indicted for the seven-year-old murder of a church bishop, Chris renews old broken friendships to thaw out the cold case.

Featuring Mac Faraday from Lauren Carr's popular Mac Faraday Mysteries, an estate auction turns into a deadly affair after Gnarly's antics cause Mac to purchase a gem of a dress, which isn't his color in Killing Bid. (Previously published in Lauren Carr's BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.) Beauty to Die For features the Lovers in Crime, Joshua Thornton, and Cameron Gates in a race against the Angel of Death to clear the name of a dying woman's son, who was framed for murdering Miss Pennsylvania. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Countdown to Murder returns to the Lovers in Crime where Cameron and Joshua try to solve the murder of a young pregnant widow before it happens. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.) Mystery fans will see that every dog has his day, especially if that dog is Gnarly.

In Lucky Dog, Gnarly helps Mac Faraday to solve the murder of a wealthy society girl. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.) Dog Loving Mystery Fans will get a special treat when they read The Gnarly Rehabilitation Program. In this Gnarly Mystery Short, Bert and Ernie learn the hard way that crime does not pay when they dognap Gnarly. (Previously published as a bonus feature with A WEDDING AND A KILLING.)

Gnarly, the rambunctious German shepherd, is also featured in Lauren Carr's Christmas short, A Gnarly Christmas. It is Christmas day and Gnarly has been up to his old tricks again. Now he's in the doghouse--or rather the boathouse--after stealing the Christmas feast! Moments after Archie and Mac leave Spencer Manor, Gnarly hears a call for help from Rocky, the Maltese down the street. Four assassins for hire have invaded the home of Rocky's elderly owners. While the home invaders wait for instructions from a mysterious caller, Gnarly must plot to stop them. Can Gnarly save Christmas with only the help of an 8-pound Maltese dressed in an elf suit? (Previously published as a single short story by the same name.)

Disclaimer: I bought this book, as I am a big fan of Lauren Carr. I really wanted to read this book to catch up with all her series. This is my honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Want To Buy: Amazon | BH Publishing Group | Lifeway |
Add To: Goodreads
Spring Thaw:
A Chris Matheson Cold Case
We are introduced to Chris and his family when we get a premonition of what is going on six years earlier.

Who came into the church and started shooting up the church while trustees were in a meeting.

Was it a trustee or was it someone else? Was it Duance McCall? Why stick it to him? Why investigate him? Why does he have a mystery that was unsolved in the case of why he cut off his family and friends when the church split?

Chris got some information about what might be going on, but not much. Though we hear Kirk and what was going on around the time of the shooting. 

Though we get more of Kelly's father's story. Why all of a sudden do we have new witnesses come about, and now a murder weapon? 

A 6-year-old cold case seems to be reopened again, but why? Is someone covering for their own family member?

Lauren Carr can do it with short stories, too.  She hooked me with this one as it was only just starting. I am only a few pages in.

Well, we get more information, and now we don't know who did it. Was bishop really the target? Lauren Carr put twists and turns even in the middle of the story. Who is lying and why?

Killing Bid:
A Mac Faraday Mystery Short 
We are introduced to Mac and Artchie through Mac's perspective, primarily through his troubles with bag snatching. 

We are also introduced to Ben and Catherine's Flemings, who are Archie's friends.

While shopping, they talked about Celeste Taylor and the Estate auction Mac was invited to. 

When they get an auction or a lease, look at the jewelry left here. Archie and Catherine come up to respect their husbands' statement that all of Celeste Taylor's jewelry is fake.

Is this true or is it not? La Chat is mentioned in the book. Did he do it or not? Who is La Chat?

A Beauty to Die For:
A Lover In Crime Mystery Short
We meet up with Joshua and Cameron. It all starts with a 2 am phone call from his cousin Tad Macmillan.

This is the start of a series of secrets. But clarify one person's name for a dying person so she can have peace. 

Who is covering up murders, but especially Rachel Burke? Who framed Billy and murdered him? But made it look like something else and cover it up?

There are twists and turns, and even more to unravel this mystery.

Cameron and Joshua seem ready to prove that the dying mother's son did not do it, but to catch the real ones? But who did we seem to have found another murder along the way? 
 
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Calling All Mystery Fans! Join to get a Free copy of An Invitation to Murder (Lauren Carr' Mailing List Promotion)

* Exclusively for Followers who join Lauren Carr's Mailing List, become Mystery Club Members
A cryptic invitation arrives at the homes of Lauren Carr's most beloved detectives: an all-expenses-paid weekend of luxury at the five-star Spencer Inn—penthouse suites, black-tiedinners, and Sunday brunch included. It sounds too good to be true… or like the world’s mostelaborate time-share trap.

Mac Faraday, Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad, Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates, and Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday can’t resist. But this isn’t a vacation.

Mac has founded an exclusive club for the sharpest minds he knows—and their first challenge isto help a retired captain finally solve the forty-year-old murder that has haunted him since hisvery first case.

Over gourmet meals, spring gardens, and one chaotic dog-led treasure hunt, rivalries flare, old secrets surface, and a single silk scarf reveals a betrayal no one saw coming.

Packed with Lauren Carr’s signature humor, heart, and four-legged mischief, An Invitation to Mystery is the debut novella in the exclusive Deep Creek Detectives Club series—where luxury meets cold justice, and the past refuses to stay buried.
*Exclusive for Mystery Lovers’ Club members—join today for your invitation!

Become a Mystery Lovers Club Member - An Invitation to Murder

*All Followers who joined Lauren Carr's Mailing List to become Mystery Club Members, you get this Novella in exchange for joining and clicking the BookFunnel link above
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January 1, 2026

2025 Yearly Wrap up


Well, 2025 is left in the blink of an eye. When I first started the year, I wanted to get more done and stay on track. I could get mostly caught up on what was needed for my Instagram and here. Monthly wrap-ups took a hit, but my reading improved slightly. That's with only a few books over my 2025 goal. My goal was only 12 books for the year. I read over that in a few books.

But as my year wraps up, I aim to complete more of the reviews in 2026. But mainly, my Grandma needs my mom and me for the summer of 2025. Family came first, then reading. Though I did okay. I hope to resume monthly wraps starting next year. A New Graphic will be made once I post this, or if I have time before the year is out, I will create one.

I had a reading goal of 12. I read 15 books this year. Congrats to me. I have read 3 books so far this year, exceeding my 2025 goal. My first book of 2025 was The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Martha Bolton, and my last book of 2025 was Bring Her Home by David Bell.
The Fall and Rise of Miss Frannie's Biscuits Book Cover
First Read of 2025
Bring Her Home Book Cover
Last Read of 2025

My mood read for the year was up and down. I read every month, but my pages were all over the place, and they were up and down. I had a reading goal of 12 and read 15 books in total. I had a goal of 1000 pages and read over 3,231 pages.



The genre I spent the most time with is 2025, as shown in the graph below.


Here is my mood in what I read according to StoryGraph. Which was up and down, looking bumpy at times, but mostly lighthearted throughout 2025.

I hope you all have a wonderful year of books and reading in the year 2026. Hopefuly it not a crazy one again.




 
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