Dangerous to Know by Tasha Alexander

Dangerous to Know
by Tasha Alexander

ISBN-13: 9780312383794
ebook: 306 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Released: October 26, 2010

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Returning from her honeymoon with Colin Hargreaves and a near brush with death in Constantinople, Lady Emily convalesces at her mother-in-law's beautiful estate in Normandy. But the calm she so desperately seeks is shattered when, out riding a horse, she comes upon the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered. The girl's wounds are identical to those inflicted on the victims of Jack the Ripper, who has wreaked havoc across the channel in London. Emily feels a connection to the young woman and is determined to bring the killer to justice.

Pursuing a trail of clues and victims to the beautiful medieval city of Rouen and a crumbling chateau in the country, Emily begins to worry about her own sanity: she hears the cries of a little girl she cannot find and discovers blue ribbons left in the child's wake. As Emily is forced to match wits with a brilliant and manipulative killer, only her courage, keen instincts and formidable will to win can help her escape becoming his next victim.


My Review:
Dangerous to Know is a mystery set in 1892 in France. This book is the 5th in the series, but you can understand it without reading the previous books.

The characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. They felt like real people. The historical details were woven into the story, bringing the world alive in my imagination without slowing the pace. It's a clue-based, puzzle mystery. Emily investigated by asking questions of various people and being observant. However, unusual for the pair, Colin had no idea of whodunit and Emily didn't suspect until she was captured by whodunit. Since whodunit was my major suspect, I guess that the author did this to show that Emily can save herself and Colin had to admit he couldn't keep her safe even when trying as it's his fault that she was in danger.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. 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.

Family in Hiding by Valerie Hansen

Family in Hiding
by Valerie Hansen

ISBN-13: 9780593197882
ebook: 288 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: January 1, 2014

Source: Rented Kindle ebook.

Book Description from Goodreads:
When her estranged husband Dylan's inadvertent dealings with a crime ring bring danger to her doorstep, Grace McIntyre has no choice but to follow him into the witness protection program. To safeguard her children, they must all go into hiding as one big happy family. Grace doesn't know what's worse—having to pretend she's in love with the man who betrayed her trust or keeping ahead of the killers. In hiding, Dylan is all that stands between their safety and certain death. Now more than ever, he wants to be the man that Grace once loved. Keeping his family alive is his only hope—to be a hero and a husband.


My Review:
Family in Hiding is a Christian romantic suspense. This story was less about avoiding attacks--though there were some--or solving a case but about trying to adjust to being in Witness Protection and assuming new identities. Especially with 3 pre-teen kids involved.

Dylan wanted to provide abundantly for his family, so he spent a lot of time at work and got into to less-than-legal adoptions, though he didn't realize the children were being kidnapped. In return for providing evidence, he and his family were given new identities and moved to a new state. Grace didn't want to go with her husband as she felt angry with him and was trying to get a divorce, but she was also targeted by the crooks.

Dylan first decided to seek forgiveness from God then determined to be the husband his family deserved. Grace came to realize she'd contributed to their relationship problems, too. 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.

Christmas Cover-Up by Lynette Eason

Christmas Cover-Up
by Lynette Eason

ISBN-13: 9780373445745
Kindle: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: January 1, 2013

Source: Rented through Kindle.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Seven-year-old Lucy Randall had been kidnapped in broad daylight fourteen years ago, and now Detective Katie Randall is determined to solve her sister's case. Her only option is to team up with the man whose family hates her. Former FBI agent Jordan Grey knows the beautiful cop isn't to blame for his brother's death, but he can't risk causing his parents more pain by falling for Katie. He'll have to focus on finding Lucy. But when Katie and Jordan uncover the truth, will this kidnapper turn killer?


My Review:
Christmas Cover-Up is a Christian romantic suspense. Katie's sister was kidnapped when they were kids, and her parents blame her. She became a detective and has tried to solve her sister's cold case in hopes of earning back her parent's love. She comes to realize that God's love isn't earned and maybe she was wrong about her parents not loving her after all...

FBI consultant Jordan has been hired to help solve the case, but his parents blame Katie for his brother's death, even though they shouldn't. While Katie and Jordan quickly were attracted to each other, his parent's blame and rejection of Katie made any relationship problematic.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Jordan and Katie worked well together and came to care for each other as they got to know each other. The suspense came from threats and whodunit's willingness to kill to keep the truth hidden.

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.

In at the Death by Judith Cutler

In at the Death
by Judith Cutler

ISBN-13: 9781448313471
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: January 7, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
October 1861, England. Harriet and Matthew Rowsley, the housekeeper and estate manager of Thorncroft House in Shropshire, have to cut short their successful trip to Oxford when they receive word a decapitated and mutilated body has been found on the estate.

While trying to help the strangely slow police investigation, the couple face an unsettling threat to their after years of searching, a legitimate heir of Thorncroft estate has been found! They find themselves hosting an American gentleman whose charm doesn't quite conceal his alarming plans for the future of the estate and all its inhabitants.

Harriet has to confront her past but also share a secret of her own that could change her and her loved ones' lives forever...


My Review:
In at the Death is a historical set in 1861 in England. As it's more about wrapping up the series (with an epilogue explaining the futures of all the favorite characters), you'll probably enjoy this story more if you've read at least a few of the previous books. A murdered man's found near the estate, and they struggled to find someone willing to photograph or sketch the head so they can identify the man. They all agreed that it was pretty obvious why he was killed, who (in general) did it, and that the killer's likely long gone. And the police discouraged anyone from even talking about the murder. This was one case where I didn't mind that the killer was never found.

The Trustees have to deal with the American heir, a Southern slave owner looking to raise money since the American Civil War is starting. He's determined to find a way to inherit earlier rather than later, or at least sneak some expensive items away. The whole household's on edge as he schemed against them, specifically targeting Harriet. This prompted her to look for a missing will that could change who inherits, which was apparently discussed in a previous book. And, of course, there's a happy ending to wrap everything up.

There was some bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this story to fans of the series.


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.

Tough as Steele by Susan Sleeman

Tough as Steele
by Susan Sleeman

ISBN-13: 9780593197882
Kindle: 320 pages
Publisher: Edge of Your Seat Books
Released: February 1, 2022

Source: Rented through Kindle.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Detective Londyn Steel must find an abducted socialite. Her family’s company, Steele Guardians, was supposed to protect the family matriarch at her eightieth birthday party when she disappears, and Londyn fears her investigation will ruin her family’s company's reputation. Then County Detective Nate Ryder declares jurisdiction over the scene. Londyn bristles at his interference at first, but they combine forces to locate this missing woman before it’s too late.

As they search for leads, emotions Nate hasn’t felt since before his service as a Navy SEAL come to the surface. He credits Londyn for unearthing the guy he used to be before his military service. But they fear the socialite may be murdered soon--if she hasn't been already--so their feelings for each other have to be put on hold.


My Review:
Tough as Steele is a romantic suspense. Detective Londyn and County Detective Nate investigated the kidnapping of a rich, older woman during an event for which Steele Guardians was providing security. The woman was like a grandmother to Nate as her daughter acted as a mother to him when he lost his own father. Her faith was an example to him in the past, and now his faith helped Londyn trust God even when He seemed untrustworthy.

They worked well together. The mystery was interesting, and they followed up on any leads--even when they broke the rules. They felt saving a life was more important than making sure the case would be airtight against the kidnapper. There was the constant worry that the woman had already been killed, and the rescue attempt created a suspenseful ending.

There was no sex or bad language. 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.

The Resurrection Mystery by Karen Charlton

The Resurrection Mystery
by Karen Charlton

ISBN-13: 978-1916292840
ebook: 305 pages
Publisher: Famelton Publishing
Released: March 7, 2024

Source: Rented ebook.

Book Description from Goodreads:
There's a new man in charge at Bow Street Magistrates' Court and all is not well. His ambition is to split up Lavender and Woods - and to add to Lavender's woes, someone is leaking exaggerated stories about his investigations to The Times.

Lavender is tasked with solving the theft of an aristocrat's precious jewels, while Woods is instructed to track down a libeller. But after a series of vicious murders and surprising coincidences, they discover that these apparently unconnected crimes have more in common than they could ever have imagined. They disobey orders and work together to track down the killers.

Faced with some of the most bizarre mysteries of their career, Lavender and Woods need all their cunning and guile to expose the devious secrecy of their suspects, solve these deadly crimes - and prove to Magistrate Conant that as a team, they are so much greater than the sum of its parts.


My Review:
The Resurrection Mystery is a mystery set in 1814 in England. It's the 7th book in a series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one. It was a clue-based mystery. Lavender and Woods have a new boss, so there was some interpersonal conflict as they learned to work together. The boss assigned Lavender and Woods to different cases, but soon their cases started to overlap. Both asked good questions and followed up on leads until they had evidence they needed.

The main characters were engaging and had realistic reactions to events. I cared what happened to them. The vivid historical and setting details made the story feel unique to that time and place yet didn't slow the pacing down.

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


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.

The Theft of the Iron Dogs by E.C.R. Lorac

The Theft of the Iron Dogs
by E.C.R. Lorac

ISBN-13: 9781464216503
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Released: Dec. 3, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
It's not long after the end of WWII, rationing is still in force in the UK, and Chief Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard is hot on the heels of a coupon racketeer, Gordon Ginner. Just then he gets a letter from Lancastrian farmer Giles Hoggett about some odd thefts recently in Lunesdale. The possibility that Giles's suspicions might link to the Ginner investigation are just too tantalizing to leave alone, so off to Lancashire goes Chief Inspector Macdonald.


My Review:
The Theft of the Iron Dogs is a mystery originally published in 1946 and set in England. The detective was likable. A lot of his investigation involved getting the locals to provide information and then sort through the known facts to comment on what they felt the clues pointed to. He did his own questioning and observing of suspects, plus he got others to gather some needed information from outside the area. He's able to put it all together to discover whodunit (both the thefts and the murder) and catch the murderer in the act of attempting another murder. There were enough clues that I was able to correctly guess whodunit shortly before the reveal.

There was a fair amount of bad language. There was no sex. 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.