When Maidens Mourn by C.S. Harris

When Maidens Mourn
by C.S. Harris

ISBN-13: 9780451235770
Hardcover: 341 pages
Publisher: NAL
Released: March 6, 2012

Source: Borrowed from library.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Regency England, August 1812. Sebastian's plans to escape the heat of London for a honeymoon are shattered when the murdered body of Hero's good friend, Gabrielle Tennyson, is discovered drifting in a battered boat at the site of a long-vanished castle known as Camlet Moat. A beautiful young antiquarian, Miss Tennyson had recently provoked an uproar with her controversial identification of the island as the location of Camelot. Missing and presumed also dead are Gabrielle's two young cousins, nine-year-old George and three-year-old Alfred.

Still struggling to define the nature of their new marriage, Sebastian and Hero find themselves occasionally working at cross-purposes as their investigation leads from London's medieval Inns of Court to its seedy back alleys, and from grand country homes to rural enclaves where ancient Celtic beliefs still hold sway. As he probes deeper, Sebastian also discovers dark secrets at the heart of the Tennyson family, and an enigmatic young French lieutenant with a dangerous, mysterious secret of his own.

Racing to unmask a ruthless killer and unravel the puzzle of the missing children, Sebastian and Hero soon find both their lives and their growing love for each other at risk as their investigation leads to Hero's father, who is also Sebastian's long-time nemesis.


My Review:
When Maidens Mourn is a mystery set in 1812 in London. This book is the 7th in a series. You can understand it without having read the previous novels, and it didn't spoil the whodunits of the previous mysteries.

The characters were interesting, complex, and acted in realistic ways. The historical information was woven into the story without slowing the pacing. It created a distinct feeling of that specific time and place and helped bring the story alive in my imagination. Sebastian investigated by questioning suspects and witnesses. Sebastian tracked down leads and asked good questions. There were plenty of suspects, and I did not suspect whodunit. We didn't get the critical clues to whodunit until nearly the end.

There were no sex scenes. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Smoky Mountain Escape by Rhonda Starnes

Smoky Mountain Escape
by Rhonda Starnes

ISBN-13: 9781335980601
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: April 29, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sheriff Heath Dalton accidentally stumbles upon two gunmen trying to hide a body in the Smoky Mountains and barely escapes with his life. Soon traveling nurse Kayla Eldridge finds herself stranded in the stormy wilderness with Heath. They must work together to navigate the treacherous terrain and evade the criminals who are tracking their every move.


My Review:
Smoky Mountain Escape is a Christian romantic suspense. Apparently these characters were in a previous novel, but this novel can be understood and enjoyed without reading the previous one. Kayla was previously held in a cabin in the forest by a serial killer, so she had to deal with traumatic memories of the past as well as escaping from the current killers. The suspense was mainly created by the bad guys trying to kill Health for witnessing them commit a crime, and Kayla because she soon knew, too. Kayla and Heath worked well together, and Heath made Kayla feel safe around him. The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events.

My only complaint is that coyotes generally avoid humans, and a lone coyote would generally run from humans rather than seem determined to attack them for no apparent cause. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Who Will Remember by C. S. Harris

Who Will Remember
by C. S. Harris

ISBN-13: 9780593639214
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: April 15, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
August 1816. England is in the grip of what will become known as the Year Without a Summer. Facing the twin crises of a harvest-destroying volcanic winter and the economic disruption caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the British monarchy finds itself haunted by the looming threat of bloody riots not seen since the earliest days of the French Revolution. Amidst the turmoil, a dead man is found hanging upside down by one leg in an abandoned chapel, his hands tied behind his back. The pose eerily echoes the image depicted on a tarot card known as Le Pendu, the Hanged Man. The victim—Lord Preston Farnsworth, the younger brother of one of the Regent’s boon companions—was a passionate crusader against what he called the forces of darkness, namely criminality, immorality, and sloth. His brutal murder shocks the Palace and panics the already troubled populace.

Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, learns of the murder from a ragged orphan who leads him to the corpse and then disappears. At first, everyone in the dead man’s orbit paints Lord Preston as a selfless saint. But as Sebastian delves deeper into his life, he quickly realizes that the man had accumulated more than his fair share of enemies, including Major Hugh Chandler, a close friend who once saved Sebastian’s life. Sebastian also discovers that the pious Lord Preston may have been much more dangerous than those he sought to redeem.

As dark clouds press down on the city and the rains fall unceasingly, two more victims are found, one strangled and one shot, with ominous tarot cards placed on their bodies. The killer is sending a gruesome message and Sebastian is running out of time to decipher it before more lives are lost and a fraught post-war London explodes.


My Review:
Who Will Remember is a mystery set in 1816 in London. This book is the 20th in a series. You can understand it without having read the previous novels, and it didn't spoil the whodunits of the previous mysteries.

The historical information was woven into the story without slowing the pacing. It created a distinct feeling of that specific time and place and helped bring the story alive in my imagination. The characters were interesting, complex, and acted in realistic ways. Sebastian investigated by questioning suspects and witnesses while the magistrate handled other aspects of the investigation. Sebastian tracked down leads and asked good questions. There were plenty of suspects. A couple had more motive than others, but we didn't get the critical clues to whodunit until nearly the end.

There were no sex scenes. There was a fair amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac

Impact of Evidence
by Carol Carnac

ISBN-13: 9781464230523
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Released: April 8, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Near St. Brynneys in the Welsh border country, isolated by heavy snow and flooding from the thaw, a calamity has occurred. Old Dr. Robinson, a known 'menace on the roads', has met his end in a collision with a jeep on a hazardous junction. But why was there a second body—a man not recognised by any locals—in the back of Robinson's car?

As the local inspectors dive into the muddy waters of this strange crime, Chief Inspector Julian Rivers and Inspector Lancing are summoned from Scotland Yard to the windswept wilds, where danger and deceit lie in wait.


My Review:
Impact of Evidence is a mystery set in Wales, which was first published (and is set) in 1954. The author included interesting descriptions of life on farms in this remote area and having to deal with bad flooding that cut the area off from easy access. The characters were interesting, though it seemed like the city detectives were offended by smart farmers. They assumed a smart farmer must either be doing something super sneaky or hiding from secrets in their past.

The clues as to whodunit were not hidden and were even repeated several times, so whodunit was guessable. I didn't correctly guess the exact details about how, though the detective did figure out different parts of 'how' throughout the story. He withheld the most important clue until the end. I also couldn't guess a motive until nearly the end, so the story did keep me engaged and guessing even though I was pretty sure of whodunit.

There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language. There were simpler ways to dispose of a body, but, hey. Overall, I'd recommend this intriguing mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle

No Roast for the Weary
by Cleo Coyle

ISBN-13: 9780593642283
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: April 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As much as master roaster Clare Cosi adores coffee, the landmark shop she manages won't survive if she doesn't sell enough of it. So when the Village Blend's customer traffic grinds to a halt, she turns to her staff for creative ideas, and the Writer's Block Lounge is born.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the shop, is upset by this news. Years ago, a group of accomplished writers used the shop's second-floor lounge to inspire each other, but the group disbanded when one of their members was found murdered in another part of town. The case was never solved. Though that history is shrouded in mystery, Clare presses forward...

Soon the Village Blend tables are filled with aspiring novelists, playwrights, and poets, all happy to be coaxed, cajoled, and caffeinated by her coffeehouse crew. Clare admires the stamina of these scribes, many of them toiling at night jobs—driving taxis, tending bar, ushering for Broadway—while penning projects during the day.

Then one of their fictions turns fatal when a shocking secret leads to a deadly end. Unless Clare can untangle this mystery, uncover the truth, and stop a desperate killer, she fears more of these weary writers may be marked for eternal rest.


My Review:
No Roast for the Weary is a cozy mystery. This novel is the 21th in the series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this story didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous books.

A member of the original Writer's Block group (who has mental problems) is writing a true crime unveiling whodunit of an unsolved crime. Two members of his group got into a fist fight behind the Village Blend, and one of the fighters was later found murdered in another part of town. In current day, this writer is attacked and unconscious, and his manuscript is nowhere to be found. And several people want to find it.

Clare was the one primarily investigating by finding the original group members and talking with them about the old Writer's Block Lounge. She asked good questions and realized that several people were lying about various things. This was a clue-based mystery, but the clues built up slowly and the critical clue didn't come until the end. Then Clare had to race to warn several young writers about an unexpected danger.

There were only a few uses of bad language. There were no graphic sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Discovering Dahlia by Jennifer Moore

Discovering Dahlia
by Jennifer Moore

ISBN-13: 9781524427931
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: April 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Following a painful public rejection, Dahlia Lancaster was left heartbroken and shunned by London Society. Dahlia has turned her attentions to her unconventional inheritance—a steamship company. After a year of work, she’s preparing to launch The Aurora, a luxury ocean liner that promises to revolutionize travel. The invitation list is Dahlia’s closest friends—the Blue Orchid Society—as well as a few influential individuals from her old life, whose presence will ensure the success of her endeavor. Unfortunately, not all have the best interests of Dahlia or her shipping line at heart.

Lord Meredith has loved Dahlia since their first meeting. But after her fall from grace, she has evaded his every attempt to see her—until she extends an invitation to join her on The Aurora. Lord Meredith and Dahlia tentatively rekindle their friendship when things begin to go terribly wrong. When mischievous dealings take on an ominous tone, Lord Meredith is determined to keep Dahlia safe, hoping to win her heart as they spend time together.


My Review:
Discovering Dahlia is a romance set in 1874 in England. This was the 5th book in the series, but it can be read without first reading the previous books. This was not a mystery but a denial. Every time something happened, Dahlia dismissed it, even when--like the grease on a step--it was pretty obviously not an accident. This meant that Lord Meredith had to spend his time protecting her because she didn't believe herself to be in any danger. It's only when the detective (a friend on the cruise) was finally feeling better that her friends quickly solved the mystery and saved her ship's reputation.

The historical details were off, sometimes in important ways. Since Dahlia was going to inherit her father's successful business and a nobleman's heir proposed marriage to her, their fathers would have gotten together to work out a marriage settlement before making any public announcement. They didn't. The author referred to the English law of primogeniture, but Dahlia would have inherited her father's property under that. While it was unusual for Dahlia to run her father's business, it wasn't odd for the sole child to inherit.

Anyway. Dahlia seemed quite competent in running the company and had a useful, supportive assistant. Lord Meredith admired her and was very supportive of her. He didn't expect her to give up running the company (as he certainly didn't want to) if they married. However, it was never resolved what his father would say about his heir marrying a business woman. Lord Meredith had responsibilities, but he didn't feel up to doing them. The story kind of left things like he would travel with Dahlia and play at being a sailor while she did the real work.

He never seemed realistic. He hated being hot, yet he shoved coal into the ship's steam engines for hours, kept up with the regular workers, and only suffered a 'pleasant ache' in his muscles. He ought to have admired how hard they worked, but somehow he was instantly good at everything, including climbing ropes faster than a man could run up stairs.

I also got tired of Dahlia being unwilling to forgive Lord Meredith, her friend who tried to stay her friend, but he wouldn't drop his friendship with the man who rejected her. On the other hand, the female 'best' friend who triumphantly stole her betrothed, Dahlia forgave at once. Hmm. There was no sex or bad language.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Murder in the Appalachians by Susan Furlong

Murder in the Appalachians
by Susan Furlong

ISBN-13: 9781335980533
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: April 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After unearthing secrets from her late brother’s police notebook, journalist Emma Hayes discovers his death was no accident—he was murdered. Only someone doesn’t want Emma to find out the connection to the cold case her brother was investigating…and they’ll kill to keep it that way. Now Emma must rely on local ER doctor Logan Greer to help her stay alive and follow a trail of elusive evidence. But as they unravel a conspiracy, they realize that the killer could be anyone.


My Review:
Murder in the Appalachians is a Christian romantic suspense. Emma's an investigative journalist whose detective brother was looking into an old, closed case. The murderer's in prison, so Emma had to figure out from his police notebook just what got him killed. ER doctor Logan helped protect her while she investigated, and he had an interest in it as his sister went missing during that old murder. They came to admire each other as they worked together.

The main characters were engaging, interesting, and generally reacted realistically to events. The suspense was created by ongoing attacks on Emma, some intended to be deadly. Emma and Logan supported each other and built each other up. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting romantic suspense.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.