A Study in Secrets by Jeffrey Siger

A Study in Secrets
by Jeffrey Siger

ISBN-13: 9781448317066
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Severn House
Released: February 3, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Michael A— lives a quiet, comfortable life since his retirement from the intelligence services. Practically a recluse, he spends his days imagining the lives of the anonymous people he watches in the park beneath the window of his elegant New York townhouse—number 221—his every need tended to by his housekeeper, Mrs. Baker.

For weeks, a girl has sat in the park every morning at dawn. Always alone. Always watchful. And when the sun rises, she vanishes, as if she was never there. But one day her routine changes—and Michael realizes that she faces terrible danger. He makes an uncharacteristic decision to abandon his solitude and help her. Soon, Michael finds himself plunged into the New York underworld, and he’ll have to use all the tricks of his former trade if he’s to keep not just himself, but his new friend, alive.


My Review:
A Study in Secrets is a mystery with some suspense. Michael managed to get himself into and out of some rather dangerous situations. He used his wealth and connections to uncover information and solved the murder of a bad guy with the help of his housekeeper and a local restaurant owner. But his sense of justice was more concerned with giving victims a second chance to change and make better choices. I usually don't like civilians acting as judge and jury, but this story was such a delight to read that it felt like true justice had been served. Michael's a master at manipulating people (by guessing motives, probable past actions, etc.) into giving him information, yet people rarely acted completely as he expected leading to some funny moments. So many moving pieces, and yet it all worked out in the end.

There was occasional bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this delightful mystery.1931


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.

Mists over the Channel Islands by Sarah Sundin

Mists over the Channel Islands
by Sarah Sundin

ISBN-13: 9780800741877
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: February 1, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
The German invasion of the British Channel Islands shatters Dr. Ivy Picot's peaceful world, forcing her to shoulder the weight of her father's medical practice and hold together a family unraveling under the strain of war. As conditions worsen in Jersey with the arrival of thousands of forced laborers, Ivy's quiet allegiance to the Allies compels her to risk everything--providing medical aid to escaped workers even as danger closes in.

Dutch engineer and resistance member Gerrit van der Zee volunteers to build fortifications for the Germans so he can secretly send maps and diagrams to the Allies. On his arrival in the Channel Islands, he crosses paths with Ivy, who shows him contempt for the uniform he wears. As tensions mount and their missions grow increasingly dangerous, Ivy and Gerrit must confront the cost of courage, the meaning of sacrifice, and whether love can survive in the shadow of war. Will their covert efforts turn the tide--or will they pay the ultimate price for defiance?


My Review:
Mists over the Channel Islands is a Christian romantic suspense set in the British Channel Islands mainly during 1942-44. Gerrit planned to send layouts and maps of the German fortifications to the British, but he needed someone to take the drawings--and Ivy's younger brother worked on a ship that regularly went to France. Ivy didn't initially know this, but she secretly treated forced workers that ran away. Their sister, however, undermined and belittled Ivy and then went to work for a German officer. The suspense came from the high danger to those involved in the resistance and tension in the family from the split loyalties.

The historical details were woven into the story and brought the story alive in my imagination, from food and medicine shortages to details of the harsh German occupation. The characters were well-developed, complex, and acted realistically to events. They felt like real people who really lived through these events. Gerrit and Ivy were engaging characters who shared values and built each other up. Gerrit and Ivy struggled to see God's goodness when things were going so wrong and people died. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.


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.

Whiteout by Lynette Eason & Dani Pettrey

Whiteout
by Lynette Eason
and Dani Pettrey

ISBN-13: 9780764245978
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: February 3, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In Buried in Shadows by Dani Pettrey, Cassandra Parker arrives at her best friend's destination wedding, praying her stalker hasn't tracked her to Colorado. Also part of the wedding party is Sheriff Joel Brunswick, the man she stunned by leaving at the altar to hide a dangerous truth. When an avalanche strands their ski group in an abandoned lodge, it becomes chillingly clear that Cassandra's stalker has followed her . . . and he's willing to kill to make her his.

In Snowbound Secrets by Lynette Eason, Dr. Maya Sullivan fully intends to escape her past and finish planning a retreat for military veterans at the ranch she's inherited. Unfortunately, her plans go sideways when an avalanche traps her in a Colorado ski resort. An unexpected reunion with her high school crush forces her to confront past wounds, but she soon realizes someone is targeting her, and their search for a shadowy enemy becomes a matter of life and death.


My Review:
Whiteout contains 2 Christian romantic suspense novellas. Buried in Shadows is almost a horror movie, with a ski group stuck in an abandoned lodge after surviving an avalanche and surrounded by a whiteout snowstorm. Cassandra's stalker is killing people one by one, and her love, Sheriff Joel, is the killer's ultimate target. The killer must be one of their party, made up of close friends and family, but who? Throw in some secret passages and some injuries, and the suspense never stops. The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. I am a little confused, though: the killer expected the party to end up at the out-of-the-way lodge, so I assumed he'd caused the avalanche, but no one (in either novella) suspects anything but a natural cause.

Snowbound Secrets unexpectedly reunites high school friends, all with some level of PTSD. After the avalanche cut the main ski lodge off from help, Maya uses her medical skills to help those injured. Only, someone's trying to hurt HER and she doesn't know why. She's an understanding, caring woman, determined to help others heal from their wounds. Gideon vows to keep her safe, but he doesn't feel worthy of her due to his PTSD and some compromising choices he made that cost him his construction business. The two worked well together and shared a vision to help others with PTSD.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend these suspenseful novellas.


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 Field Guide to Murder by Michelle L. Cullen

A Field Guide to Murder
by Michelle L. Cullen

ISBN-13: 9798892424639
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Released: January 27, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Once a globe-trotting anthropologist, Harry Lancaster is now certain that all his grand adventures are behind him. Recently widowed and suffering from a fractured hip, Harry spends his days and nights behind a pair of binoculars, nose-deep in his neighbors’ affairs. His millennial caregiver, Emma, is determined to get him out of his armchair and back into the world.

Fate intervenes when Harry’s mysterious neighbor Sue phones, pleading for help. But instead of rescuing her, Harry and Emma find Sue dead: poisoned, days after a break-in at Sue’s house. Harry resolves to find out what happened, and Emma insists on going along for the ride. Together, they discover motives and suspects abound in Harry’s quaint condominium community—putting them both in the crosshairs of a cold-blooded killer.


My Review:
A Field Guide to Murder is an amateur detective mystery novel. It's a clue-based puzzle mystery. Emma and Harry were both very observant (noticing even small details) and were logical in how they considered the things they heard and observed. Harry used his life experience in observing people and discovering what motivated them along with his skill in leading people in casual conversation to provide the information he desired. It seemed like everyone in the community had secrets so there were many potential clues to expose and sort through. I was certain of whodunit several chapters before Harry figured it out, but I didn't identified whodunit until near the end of the book.

The characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. There was actual character development, too. Emma was engaged to a handsome, successful man who was nice but who had different goals in life. Emma wanted to use her skills to help people, but he wanted to primarily make money. Harry tried to help her find the confidence to chose the life she really wanted while she tried to get him engaged with life again rather than feeling like a has-been. They were a good team.

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

Hunting a Killer by Sarah Varland

Hunting a Killer
by Sarah Varland

ISBN-13: 9781488237690
Audiobook, Unabridged
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: Jan. 27, 2026

Source: Audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
During an investigation into a series of homicides, FBI agent Finn McDaniel is unexpectedly attacked, and a blow to the head leaves him with amnesia. Left for dead, he’s discovered by cadaver dog Cipher and her handler, search and rescue specialist Jordyn Williams — who is also Finn’s missing sister’s best friend. As Finn and Jordyn work to recover his crucial memories, they unearth evidence that links his sister’s disappearance to the killings. After finding the body of the latest victim, can they stop the murderer from striking again?


My Review:
Hunting a Killer is a Christian romantic suspense. Finn discovered an important, overlooked clue to the killer's habits and identity and didn't tell anyone those details or apparently write it down anywhere. In an attempt to keep the latest missing woman from dying, he searched in the deep woods by himself, witnessed the murder, saw the killer, got hit over the head, and was left for dead. Happily, Jordyn followed her cadaver dog straight to him while searching for the missing woman. He didn't remember the important clues or whodunit but insisted that he needed to hide because he's certain he can't trust someone on the FBI team.

The main characters were likable, honorable, and reacted realistically to events. Finn and Jordyn both had a long-standing crush on each other that they never acted upon when they were younger. They got to know each other in the couple days that they worked the case together and came to admire each other. They worked well together. Both struggled with trusting God with their future when he let a loved one die despite their prayers. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.) and spoke in a way that kept my interest. It was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on.


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.

Rebuilding His Trust by Jenna Mindel

Rebuilding His Trust
by Jenna Mindel

ISBN-13: 9781335621412
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired
Released: January 27, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Jace Moore has been afraid to love since losing his parents as a teen. But when he meets equine therapist Meredith Lewis and her horse Bella, something shifts inside him. Soon, constructing her indoor riding arena turns into volunteering with her therapy program just to spend more time with them. Initially wary of Jace’s charming ways, Meredith can’t deny her attraction to the off-limits builder, especially when he shows such kindness to one of her young clients. But as sessions with the animals—and Meredith—begin to heal Jace’s closed-off heart, can he convince her that love is worth the risk?


My Review:
Rebuilding His Trust is a Christian romance. I assumed the author knew something about horses, or would at least have an actual equine therapist (or riding instructor, for that matter) read through it to correct any errors. However, the author didn't spell "canter" correctly. Seemed to think "harness" referred to a halter or a bridle--she used it in place of both--when it's neither. Had Meredith describe one of her horses as blond (not what a horse person would use for a horse's color). Had the characters riding Western style (neck reining and a horn on the saddle) but had them post (which is typically only done in English-style riding). And not just posting when the horse was trotting, either, but at a walk and canter. And so on. Meredith had no credibility as a equine therapist as she got so many things incorrect. I read an ARC, so hopefully these errors will be fixed in the final version.

Anyway, Meredith's dad cheated on her mother, and they got divorced when she was young. Her mother told Meredith that a handsome man like Jace would never stay true to her, and Meredith already believed that her red hair and freckles made her ugly. Jace lost his parents when he was young, so he had trouble committing to relationships due to his fear of losing someone he loved. He's come to Christ, accepted God's forgiveness, and is trying to do things right now rather than casually dating around. But Meredith refused to believe he'd stay true to her, let alone find her beautiful (which he does).

Frankly, Jace fell in love with Meredith's horses while building her riding arena. He seemed to credit her with helping him, but she refused to be his therapist. There was a lot of 'I'm not interested in him, but I can't keep my eyes off his lips' and repeatedly stating 'we can't have a relationship because you're building my area and it'd also put my professional reputation at risk' but when he kissed her and then apologized, she's all 'Why? You must secretly not like me after all!' Sigh. It also annoyed me that Jace would fix things around her house when she said she was okay with them as they were. It just seemed controlling and disrespectful, though she liked it.

At least Jace was very supportive of Meredith's business and had a knack for showing up when needed. 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.

Ambushed in the Night by Rhonda Starnes

Ambushed in the Night
by Rhonda Starnes

ISBN-13: 9781335957542
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: January 27, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When his scared neighbor appears on his doorstep seeking refuge from a gunman, former police officer Maxwell Prescott is determined to shield the single mother and her toddler daughter. With Brenda Granger’s witness-protection location compromised and her late husband’s ties to a drug-trafficking ring placing a target on her back, Maxwell is the only person she can trust. But with threats at every turn, Maxwell’s protection skills are put to the ultimate test, and outrunning danger could be beyond their reach. Can they evade lethal assailants determined to silence Brenda?


My Review:
Ambushed in the Night is a Christian romantic suspense. Brenda and her toddler are in witness protection because her brother and husband were dealing drugs (and she didn't know it). Her husband's dead, her brother's in prison, and she's determined to make a new life. Except two hitmen have found her and are looking for something that they think she has. Maxwell and his K9 Gus are trying to build a new life after false accusations that he took bribes left him disillusioned with police work. Stopping the bad guys after Brenda requires him to ask for help, forcing him to make contact with his family and friends and leading him to realize that people hadn't doubted him as much as he'd thought.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Maxwell respected and supported Brenda, and they worked well together. Maxwell used his knowledge and skills to keep her safe, which she appreciated. The suspense came from repeated attacks on Brenda. She had to figure out how they'd found her and what the bad guys wanted. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.