A Body at the Grand Hotel by Benedict Brown

A Body at the Grand Hotel
by Benedict Brown

ISBN-13: 9781805088189
Kindle: 305 pages
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Released: November 12, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When successful mystery novelist and fledgling private detective, Marius Quin, is invited to speak at the Mystery and Detection Society he jumps at the chance of a luxurious weekend away on the English Riviera. But arriving at Torquay’s Grand Hotel with his sleuthing partner Lady Bella Montague, there is the definite sense that all is not well.

When they wake the next morning to discover the body of a cantankerous local in the hotel pool, things go from bad to worse. But how can the duo catch a killer when every piece of evidence they uncover is contradicted by two more? Faced with a hostile police sergeant, evasive witnesses and a conspiracy to conceal the truth, Bella and Marius must call upon every last resource they possess to uncover the truth.


My Review:
A Body at the Grand Hotel is a mystery set in the 1920s in England. This book is the 4th in a series, but you can understand this story without having read the previous books. The official detective's main role seemed to be to tell everyone to cooperate with Marius and to arrest whodunit when revealed. Bella's main role seemed to be to help Marius with the suspect questioning as they got much more information together than when Marius tried to question people by himself. They questioned people and poked around for clues, so it's a clue-based mystery and whodunit is guessable. However, the clues could have been made to fit several people, so motive and even the assistant was easier to identify before the end than the possibly changeable whodunit.

The main characters were likable enough and interesting. The author clearly put a lot of time into researching the historical details (and the last 10% of the book explained more about these details). There were no sex scenes. There were only a couple uses of bad language. Overall, the mystery was fairly interesting, but the characters didn't engage me enough for me to read the rest of the series.

Deadly Revenge by Patricia Bradley

Deadly Revenge
by Patricia Bradley

ISBN-13: 9780800741648
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: November 1, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Deputy Jenna Hart has only been working in her sleepy hometown of Pearl Springs for seven months when former city officials begin to be targeted by a killer. Twenty years ago, the construction of a dam caused people to lose their land to eminent domain. That wound has not healed with time, and someone bearing a grudge is clearly set on revenge. With the former mayor of Pearl Springs now running for the US Senate, they need backup to ensure his protection.

Agent Maxwell Anderson and Jenna used to work together in the Chattanooga Police Department, and there was even a smoldering fire of attraction. Now they team up to track down the killer before a big political rally that promises to bring not only the former mayor into the crosshairs but hundreds of civilians as well.

As the sparks of romance reignite and the threads of the investigation get tangled when another suspect comes into play, Jenna and Max will have to draw on all of their skills to stay alive and prevent the wave of disaster poised to hit the community of Pearl Springs. The question is, can either of them fully trust that the other has their back?


My Review:
Deadly Revenge is a Christian romantic suspense. It's the 3rd book in the series but works as a standalone. Jenna discovered that her ex-boyfriend is a dirty cop involved in drug trafficking, but she's unable to prove it. He discredited her, so she moved to work as a deputy in Pearl Springs. Unfortunately, the gang-leader she was able to take down and her ex are now active in this community and work to make people question her judgment here as well.

State police officer Maxwell's tasked with protecting the former mayor during a political rally. The threating letter he received may be connected with the series of murders that Jenna's investigating. Maxwell admired her after working with her in the past, but he questioned if her mind was playing tricks on her due to PTSD. Despite this doubt, they worked well together in solving the cases.

The murder mystery was a clue-based puzzle whodunit while the suspense mainly came from the pair playing mind games with Jenna with the intent to eventually kill her. The main characters were likable, complex, and reacted realistically to events. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense.

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble & Rick Acker

I Think I Was Murdered
by Colleen Coble
and Rick Acker

ISBN-13: 9780840712578
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: November 12, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Just a year ago, Katrina Berg was at the pinnacle of her career. She was a rising star in the AI chatbot start-up everyone was talking about and married to an adoring husband. Then her husband, Jason, was killed in a fiery car crash. Her CEO was indicted and, as the company's legal counsel, Katrina faces tough questions as the Feds take over and lock her out of her office. The final blow is the passing of her beloved grandmother.

Her most prized possession is the beta prototype for a new, ultra-sophisticated chatbot loaded onto her phone. The contents of Jason's email, social media backups, pictures, and every bit of data she could find were loaded into the bot, and Katrina has "talked" to him every day for the past six months. She has been amazed at how well it works. Even the syntax and words the bot uses sound like Jason. Sometimes, she imagines he isn't really dead and is right there beside her. One day, she taps out: Tell me something I don't know. The reply: I think I was murdered.

Distraught, Katrina returns to her cozy Norwegian-flavored hometown in the northern California redwoods and enlists the help of Seb Wallace, local restaurateur, to try to parse out the truth of what really happened. They must navigate the complicated paths of grief, family dynamics, and second chances, as well as the complex questions of how much control technology has.


My Review:
I Think I Was Murdered is a romance with a mystery. I was intrigued by the idea of a woman addicted to an AI version of her husband, and I liked how that was explored. The main characters were generally likable and acted in realistic ways. However, I didn't quite understand why she was so completely trusting and open with someone I thought she ought to question the motives of a little more. Seb, who had a crush on Katrina when they were young, now goes out of his way to help her out even though he has a lot to deal with at the moment. She finally appreciates his fine qualities and willingness to help and protect her, which helps her realize how dependent she's been on the AI.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this 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.

Never Forgotten by Hannah Linder

Never Forgotten
by Hannah Linder

ISBN-13: 9781636098371
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: November 1, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Georgina Whitmore's not accustomed to any man being unaffected by her charms. She's sure she's in love with the indifferent Simon Fancourt...even after he leaves England without a word, breaking their engagement. Twelve years later, Mr. Fancourt returns to British society with two children and a mad hunger for justice. Simon works to uncover the men responsible for releasing the murderer that killed his wife. That person threatens his children and tries to kill him in an effort to get him to stop.

Simon's mother urges him to fulfill his father’s will, which states he must marry Georgina to inherit everything. Though she longs to accept, she won't marry man who doesn't love her. As tragedies unravel and secret enemies narrow their sights on Simon, Georgina risks her life—and her reputation—to protect him and the children. Will the danger, for the first time, open his heart to her?


My Review:
Never Forgotten is set in 1813, mostly in England. I got 63% of the way through this story before I just couldn't care how it ended and quit due to lack of interest. I just couldn't relate to the main characters, who seemed determined to be contrary. Georgina is rich, beautiful, and sweet. She had many suitors but only fell "in love" with Simon, the only man who was indifferent to her. She still believes herself in love with him twelve years after he abandoned her (his betrothed) for another country and another wife.

Simon's father doesn't come across as cruel or unreasonable, but Simon will do anything (even stupid things) to spite his father...even after his father's dead. Simon also handled everything with violence, killing his wife's murderers and then beggaring himself to return to England to have revenge on the person who set those known murderers free instead of hanging them. His method of searching for answers left dead innocents in his wake.

Since Georgina was one of the few still supporting him, he used her, even put her in danger to protect his children. It's only at the point that I quit that he began to think he had misjudged Georgina and took some interest in her life and worries. The thing is, Simon has a horrible temper and dealt with practically everything personally and with violence. If Georgina and Simon get married, I just don't believe Georgina will get the devoted love that she's longing for. Someday, Simon will hit her or maybe even abandon her again because he doesn't appreciate his current life and thinks something else will be fulfilling. I don't want them to end up together, so I won't finish the story. Georgina deserves much better.

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 of a Suffragette by Marty Wingate

Murder of a Suffragette
by Marty Wingate

ISBN-13: 9781835252116
Paperback: 332 pages
Publisher: Bookouture
Released: October 28, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Fellbridge Hall, England: Mabel Canning is thrilled to be organising a suffragette conference. But when all the women are settled in the sprawling country mansion, she barely has time for a sip of gin before chaos ensues. Leading suffragette Annie Harkin has been found murdered in her bed.

Young police officers Ned and Ted arrive in time to trip over the banners. Mabel and her pals to take control. When it comes to solving mysteries, there’s nobody equal to the London Ladies’ Murder Club! But soon it’s clear many a suffragette is hiding a secret under her sash. Eccentric veteran of the cause Dorothea Goose is acting rather flighty. Or would Annie’s rival go this far to replace her as leader? Mabel is sure the answers lie in the past.


My Review:
Murder of a Suffragette is a mystery set in 1922 England. It's the 4th book in the series. You can understand the story without reading the previous books (and I haven't), but it's like all the character development happened already and the author didn't bother in this story. It's like paper dolls delivered the needed lines. The dog had the most personality of the bunch, and she was also the true detective. The dog found bodies, missing people, clues, and even saved Mabel in the nick of time.

While there were clues, this wasn't a puzzle mystery which the reader could have fun solving. Mabel did basic interviews, and she and the dog's owner brought the clues to the detective (who couldn't be on the spot for long so left the leg work to her). However, she solved whodunit by walking into danger and managing to get whodunit to confess before trying to kill her. There was a little bit of suffragette history mentioned, but much more about the food they were eating or what the hats looked like.

There were no sex scenes. There were only a few uses of bad language. Overall, the story wasn't bad, but it didn't interest me in reading any more 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.

Courting the Country Preacher by Angela K Couch; Carolyn Miller; Naomi Musch; Kari Trumbo

Courting the Country Preacher
by Angela K Couch;
Carolyn Miller;
Naomi Musch;
Kari Trumbo

ISBN-13: 9781636099767
Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: November 1, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Being a preacher in the countryside is not for the faint of heart nor faith. Four inexperienced preachers face a myriad of challenges including those who figure a man of the cloth needs a wife. Can they meet the expectations of “helpful” congregants and be true to their hearts?

The Mountie’s Rival by Angela K. Couch
Canada, 1907 — Tired of living in his twin’s shadow, Jonathan Burton is frustrated to find himself serving as a still wet-behind-the-ears preacher in the same community as his Mountie brother. How is he to find a wife when all the eligible women of the community seem enamored by his dashing brother in scarlet uniform?

Convincing the Circuit Preacher by Carolyn Miller
Australia, 1863 — As soon as Dorothea Maclean saw the country preacher, she knew Mr. Hammill was the man of her dreams. Now she just needs to convince her wealthy parents—and Mr. Hammill.

The Angel and the Sky Pilot by Naomi Musch
Minnesota, 1910 — A preacher with a checkered past sets off to win souls in the lumber camps like the “sky pilots” before him. But can he earn the respect of hard-living men—and still respect himself—after a local trader’s daughter joins the congregation?

Mail Order Minister by Kari Trumbo
South Dakota, 1889 — Olive’s parents mail-ordered a preacher and prayed their daughter would want him as a husband. The rest of the town—and Olive—have other ideas.


My Review:
Courting the Country Preacher is a collection of 4 Christian romance novels set at different times and in different countries. They're general sweet romances, where both preacher and future wife like and admire each other from the start, but something stands in their way that needs to be resolved before they can get together. One gal is the daughter of the town's main drunk and criminal and tries to counter being tarred with the same brush by being a quietly caring, hardworking Christian woman. Another gal is one of the few single women in the area and has several admirers, so the preacher has to figure out how to win the respect of the lumberjacks while handling her unwanted suitor's attempts to run him off.

The main characters were complex and likable, though some of the characters in Trumbo's story didn't quite come across as realistic. The romantic pair supported and built each other up. Three of the historical settings were based on real places or situations, giving a nice feel for the place and time. Each story had a Christian message about dealing with others. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this romance collection.


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.

A St Ives Christmas Mystery by Deborah Fowler

A St Ives Christmas Mystery
by Deborah Fowler

ISBN-13: 9780749031930
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Released: October 24, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
When tragedy brings Merrin McKenzie back to St Ives, she knows adjusting might take time, even with the comfort of Christmas back in her hometown. Stepping back from her career as a solicitor, she agrees to clean holiday rentals for her friends who own cottages nearby. She anticipates dirty laundry and sandy floors, but she didn’t sign up for a dead body, neatly tucked up in one of the guest beds.

The police are baffled by the young man’s identity and the strangeness of his death. For Merrin, however, coincidences are beginning to stack up. Even though Inspector Louis Peppiatt is sceptical of her theories, something sinister is hiding beneath the festive surface of this charming seaside town. As the case unfolds, a dark side to the Cornish coast emerges.


My Review:
A St Ives Christmas Mystery is a cozy mystery set in England. The main characters were likable and interesting. Merrin was a solicitor and married a policeman, so she understood legal issues as well as thought things out (rather than making random guesses). She often came across clues that she passed on to the detective on the case, Louis. They worked well together, but Louis often felt like Merrin was making connections that weren't there...so she sometimes felt like she needed to get further proof. Louis and the police did most of the investigating, and we also follow that investigation.

This was a clue-based mystery that can be puzzled out, though generally Louis and Merrin came to the correct conclusions as fast as the reader could. There was no sex. There was some bad language (with about a third of that being British 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.