Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd

Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd ISBN-13: 9781496426833 Paperback: 480 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Released: Oct. 9, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.

The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.

Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.

With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured.


My Review:
Lady of a Thousand Treasures is a Christian historical romance set in 1866 in England. Eleanor is a skilled, kind, and well-meaning woman. Harry is honorable but made mistakes because he was desperate to find approval with his father. His father continued to punish them from beyond the grave by asking Eleanor to decide if Harry is trustworthy while providing her with inaccurate information. Eleanor is determined to find the truth, but in the process she may destroy her relationship with Harry through her doubts about him.

The story was suspenseful as Eleanor went from one trouble to the next, but most of these were brought on by illogical behavior. For example, she had full right to go into a locked room. Instead of going with everyone's full knowledge, though, she sneaked away at night (without a light) and broke into the room only to nearly be trapped where no one would know to look. She also did things like carry valuable items into dangerous areas. The suspense often seemed forced to me.

Other people also acted illogically to create suspense. When a treasure went missing, Eleanor was blamed because she was inventorying items at the time. Yet she was never entrusted with that treasure's safekeeping and didn't even know it existed until is was gone. No one questioned the people who actually did control treasure, they just blamed her and made finding it her responsibility. Another example is that the help at the antique shop was so obviously untrustworthy yet Eleanor fell for his manipulations until she had to face the consequences of his actions--for which, yet again, people were holding her responsible.

The book read like the author put a lot of historical research into it, but I found errors throughout it. Many of the details about prison and a woman's ability to take over financial control of her uncle's assets (signing for his debt, signing contracts, withdrawing his money, selling his things, etc.) without his knowledge don't match what I've read about that time period. If you don't care about perfect historical accuracy, the story should be enjoyable enough, but I felt frustrated by it.

The theme was not being afraid of being tested and found true. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable story even if it frustrated me at times.


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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock ISBN-13: 9780310351726 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: Oct. 9, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As a first-year law associate, Sydney Batson knows she will be updating her resume by New Year’s if she loses her current court case. So when her grandmother gets inexplicably ill while she’s in court, Sydney arranges for a cab to get her to the clinic.

The last thing cab driver Finn Parrish wants is to be saddled with a wheelchair-bound old lady with dementia. But because Miss Callie reminds him of his own mother, whom he failed miserably in her last days, he can’t say no when she keeps calling him for rides. Once a successful gourmet chef, Finn’s biggest concern now is making his rent, but half the time Callie doesn’t remember to pay him. She leads him on wild goose chases to find a Christmas date for her granddaughter.

He’s reluctantly willing to help fulfill Callie’s Christmas wish. He just never expected to be a vital part of it.


My Review:
Catching Christmas is a rather depressing Christian general fiction novel. The whole story is full of sadness, guilt, and frustration. The story was written in first person, present tense and switched between Sydney and Finn. They initially had separate story lines. They didn't even meet until 36% of the way in to the story, when they briefly met and fought because Finn put a major guilt trip on Sydney. They don't meet again until halfway in, and they're still fighting. At 77%, after a sad, frustrating Christmas day (though with some happy moments), they're suddenly kissing each other. I've never felt inclined to kiss someone who makes me feel bad, so I just don't get it except that maybe she wanted someone to hold onto in her sadness.

So it's basically about: Callie, an old woman who publicly embarrasses people by pointing out their shortcomings and who is dying. Her granddaughter, Sydney, who is being used by her law firm to take the fall on a case that cannot be won. She went around feeling frustrated, angry, and guilty about the case preventing her from taking care of her grandmother. And Finn, who feels guilty that he let his own mother down when she was dying. He helped Callie due to guilt but resented every moment of it and felt like God--if there is a God--was punishing him. Though, by the end, he's thanking God for giving him a second chance.

The story's theme was about having correct priorities and spending time with the people we love while we still have the chance. Both Sydney and Finn were inspired by Callie's faith in God in the face of imminent death. There is 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Guggenheim Mystery by Robin Stevens

The Guggenheim Mystery by Robin Stevens ISBN-13: 9780525582359 Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Released: Oct. 16, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
The adventure that began in Siobhan Dowd's popular and acclaimed novel The London Eye Mystery at long last continues with Ted, Kat, and their cousin Salim investigating a theft at the Guggenheim Museum that's been pinned on Salim's mother!

When Ted and his big sister, Kat, take a trip to New York to visit their cousin Salim and their aunt Gloria, they think they're prepared for big-city adventures. But when a famous painting is stolen from the Guggenheim Museum, where Aunt Gloria works, the surprises begin to mount faster than they could have anticipated. With the police looking at Aunt Gloria as the prime suspect, Ted, Kat, and Salim become sleuthing partners, following a trail of clues across NYC to prove her innocence--and to pinpoint the real thief. Ultimately, it comes down to Ted, whose brain works in its own very unique way, to find the key to the mystery.


My Review:
The Guggenheim Mystery is a children's mystery. The point-of-view hero is a 12-year-old boy, and he worked to solve the mystery along with his older sister and his cousin. He's well informed, very observant, and good at reasoning things out, but he has trouble dealing with new or unusual situations. He doesn't think or act quite like other kids. He had trouble coping with being in New York City when he normally lives in London.

The kids asked questions in a reasonable way and looked at sources that might not have been obvious to everyone. They recorded what they discovered and eliminated suspects as best they could. The answer to whodunit and how was foreshadowed enough that it can be guessed, though it's not obvious.

This book is the second book in a series, but you don't need to read the previous book to understand this one. This book did not spoil the mystery of the previous book. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable story.


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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin

Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin ISBN-13: 9780764217630 Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Having returned to Chicago, young socialite Anna Nicholson can't seem to focus on her upcoming marriage. The new information she's learned about her birth mother continues to pull at her, and she hires Pinkerton detectives to help her find the truth. But as she meets people who once knew her mother and hears stories about the past, Anna soon discovers that some secrets are better left hidden.

Unflattering stories about Anna are leaked by someone who would love to see her disgraced and her engagement broken. And as Anna tries to share her faith with her society friends, she understands that her choice to seek God's purpose for her life isn't as simple as she had hoped.

When things are at their darkest, Anna knows she can turn to her grandmother, Geesje de Jonge, back in Holland, Michigan. Geesje's been helping new Dutch immigrants, including a teen with a haunted past, adjust to America. She only hopes that her wisdom can help all these young people through the turmoil they face.


My Review:
Legacy of Mercy is Christian historical fiction set in 1897 in Chicago and in Holland, Michigan. It's the second book in a series, and it continues the story of Anna and Geesje. While it can be read out of order, you will better understand the story if you read the first book before this one. This book also "spoils" many of the things discovered in the first book.

Anna has grown in her Christian faith. She digs into her past to learn more about her biological parents, but a jealous girl creates a scandal about her potential illegitimacy. Anna needs to marry her rich fiance in order to save her father from financial ruin, but they aren't a well-suited couple due to their different values. The scandal threatens their engagement, and she's conflicted about what to do.

Anna story alternated with Geesje's story. Geesje was asked to take in a young woman from Holland who had moved here with her grandfather after the loss of her family. The young woman is suicidal, and Geesje has to gain her trust and help her grieve her losses. The young woman has turned away from God because she sees him as unforgiving, like a grandfather. Geesje also helps the grandfather, who was a minister, to learn grace and how to show love.

The characters acted realistically, and I cared about what happened to them. Several characters struggled with how to best serve God. The book was written in first person, present tense. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd highly 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Excellent Intentions by Richard Hull

Excellent Intentions by Richard Hull ISBN-13: 9781464209758 Paperback Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Great Barwick's least popular man is murdered on a train. Twelve jurors sit in court. Four suspects are identified - but which of them is on trial? This novel has all the makings of a classic murder mystery, but with a twist: as Attorney-General Anstruther Blayton leads the court through prosecution and defence, Inspector Fenby carries out his investigation. All this occurs while the identity of the figure in the dock is kept tantalisingly out of reach. Excellent Intentions is a classic crime novel laced with irreverent wit, first published in 1938.


My Review:
Excellent Intentions is a mystery set in England and originally published in 1938. The novel started at the opening of a trial and then had flashback descriptions of events as seen by various witnesses and the detective. The reader isn't told who is on trial until the end, but everyone is sure that the accused is guilty.

This is a clue-based puzzle mystery. There were only four main suspects, and I quickly narrowed it down to two based on the same reasoning that the characters followed later in the story. The evidence seemed to point toward one character, so I reasoned out a scenario for that character. But that seemed too obvious, so I came up with a scenario that worked for the other one. We don't learn the final evidence that determines whodunit until after the characters have essentially revealed who the accused is.

There was no sex. There was only a couple uses of 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 Chinese Orange Mystery by Ellery Queen

The Chinese Orange Mystery by Ellery Queen ISBN-13: 9781613161104 Hardcover Publisher: American Mystery Classics Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The offices of foreign literature publisher and renowned stamp collector Donald Kirk are often host to strange activities, but the most recent occurrence­—the murder of an unknown caller, found dead in an empty waiting room—is unlike any that has come before. Nobody, it seems, entered or exited the room, and yet the crime scene clearly has been manipulated, leaving everything in the room turned backwards and upside down. Stuck through the back of the corpse’s shirt are two long spears—and a tangerine is missing from the fruit bowl. Enter amateur sleuth Ellery Queen, who arrives just in time to witness the discovery of the body, only to be immediately drawn into a complex case in which no clue is too minor or too glaring to warrant careful consideration.

Reprinted for the first time in over thirty years, The Chinese Orange Mystery is revered to this day for its challenging conceit and inventive solution. The book is a “fair-play” mystery in which readers have all the clues needed to solve the crime.


My Review:
The Chinese Orange Mystery is a mystery set in New York City and was originally published in 1934. The mystery was a clue-based puzzle that can be solved based on the clues. I was able to narrow my suspects down much more quickly than the detective or his clever son, Ellery Queen. Ellery got started down an odd, wrong track at the start. There really wasn't a lot more to go on by the time the author asked the reader to guess whodunit than there was shortly after the murder. Still, it was entertaining to see the results of Ellery following up on every "backward" lead.

I was able to guess whodunit after we're given the vague details of the experiments that Ellery performed AFTER the author suggested that the reader guess at whodunit. However, I could not guess how or why. There was no sex. There was occasional use of 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Lethal Target by Janice Cantore

Lethal Target by Janice Cantore ISBN-13: 9781496423740 Paperback: 416 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Released: Oct. 9, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Police Chief Tess O'Rourke thought she'd taken care of her small town's drug problem last year. But now Rogue's Hollow residents are up in arms over a contentious vote on legalizing the sale of marijuana within city limits. And when an eighteen-year-old is found dead of a possible overdose, Tess wonders if the local pot farms might be involved and begins to fear that a new, deadlier drug supply chain has cropped up.

With her relationship to Sergeant Steve Logan on shaky ground, Tess could really use a friend, and she feels drawn to Pastor Oliver Macpherson's quiet presence. But the anger she holds over her father's death prevents her from embracing his faith and finding peace. Battling storms within and without, Tess is shocked when an enemy from her past shows up in town to stir up more trouble and works to turn the town against her. When she learns that a drug boss has put a price on her head, it feels like everyone has turned against her.


My Review:
Lethal Target is a Christian suspense novel. It's the second book in a series and is a continuation of that story, though you can understand what's going on if you read it as a stand alone. I'd strongly recommend reading them in order, though, especially as the events in the previous novel are "spoiled" in this one.

Poor Tess has to deal with a lot in this novel. She's called to the scene of a teenager's death. It looks like a drug overdose, but some things aren't quite right. The teenager's father is angry at her for even considering that his son might have done drugs and for not instantly solving the crime. Someone from her past who hates her comes along to stir up the town against her, and a drug boss wants everyone dead who was involved in killing a family member (which includes Tess). Tess just wants to solve the crimes and stop the bad guys, but it seems like everyone's making this as difficult as possible.

The characters acted realistically, and I cared about what happened to them. I liked Tess's tenacity, sense of duty, and compassion. Pastor Oliver's willingness to reach out to anyone and show God's love helped several people find emotional and spiritual peace. Tess dealt with her anger with God over letting her father die in the line of duty when she was young. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this engaging, suspenseful story.


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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

In at the Death by Francis Duncan

In at the Death by Francis Duncan ISBN-13: 9781492673408 Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Mordecai Tremaine and Chief Inspector Jonathan Boyce travel to Bridgton to investigate the murder of the local doctor. No sooner have they arrived than it becomes clear that the city harbors more than its fair share of passions and motives...and one question echoes loudly throughout the cobbled streets: why did Dr. Hardene, the local GP of impeccable reputation, bring a revolver with him on a routine visit to a patient?


My Review:
In at the Death is a mystery set in England that was originally published in 1952. It is the fourth book in a series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one. The amateur sleuth of the series, Mordecai Tremaine, has permission to follow Chief Inspector Jonathan Boyce around as he investigates.

The mystery was a clue-based puzzle. Whodunit can be correctly guessed before the big reveal, though the author tried to create uncertainty about who Mordecai's main suspect was near the end. Both the detective and Mordecai asked good questions and observed important clues. Since Mordecai wasn't official, he was able to see things that the detective didn't. He passed on useful information and solved the mystery.

There was no sex. There were only a few uses of bad language. 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Burden of Proof by DiAnn Mills

Burden of Proof by DiAnn Mills ISBN-13: 9781496427045 Paperback: 416 pages Publisher: Tyndale Released: Oct. 9, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Reeling from a negotiation gone wrong, FBI Special Agent April Ramos is caught off guard when a frazzled young woman shoves a crying baby into her arms, then disappears. Worry for the child’s safety quickly turns to fear when a man claiming to be the girl’s father abducts them at gunpoint. April puts her hostage negotiation skills to use to learn more about who she’s dealing with: Jason Snyder, a fugitive accused of murder.

As Jason spins a tall tale about being framed for the killing of his business partner, April must sort through his claims to find the truth. A truth that becomes all the more evident after April overhears a conversation between Jason and the local sheriff and realizes something more sinister may be happening in their small town of Sweet Briar, Texas. But aligning herself with a known fugitive to uncover the burden of proof could cost April her job . . . or worse, her life and the lives of other innocent people.


My Review:
Burden of Proof is a Christian romantic suspense novel. The hero helped the corrupt, local sheriff's wife and child escape his abuse, and the sheriff will do anything to get them back. The sheriff sets the hero up as the main suspect in a murder.

The hero has a temper and made some bad decisions. He insisted on doing things his own way and sometimes even kept important evidence to himself. The heroine tries to win his trust and to keep him from (legally speaking) messing up the evidence that has proven so difficult to gather. She has her hands full.

The suspense was created by the repeated attacks on the main characters. The main characters were likable, but I often felt exasperated with the hero since his actions often needlessly put the heroine (and himself) in danger. By the end, he realized that his desire to be in control (even the illusion of control) hadn't helped matters.

The characters occasionally prayed for help. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting suspense 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.

Hidden Peril by Irene Hannon

Hidden Peril by Irene Hannon ISBN-13: 9780800727697 Paperback: 416 pages Publisher: Revell Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
As teenagers, Kristin Dane and her two best friends took a vow to make the world a better place. Twenty years later, she's fulfilling that pledge through her fair trade shop that features products from around the world. All is well until, one by one, people connected to the shop begin dying.

Detective Luke Carter, new to the St. Louis PD, wants to know why. Before he can answer that question, however, the FBI weighs in and Kristin suddenly finds herself in the middle of international intrigue--and in the sights of the ruthless mastermind behind an ingenious and deadly, scheme. Can this cold-blooded killer be stopped before more people die . . . including Kristin?


My Review:
Hidden Peril is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the second book in a new series, but it's also a stand-alone novel.

The main characters were likable and acted in realistic ways. Kristin was admirable because she spent her life trying to help others and was willing to face danger to stop the bad people. I can understand why Luke was attracted to her, but first he had to overcome his feeling that he was betraying his dead wife. The suspense came from the danger to anyone involved with the smuggling scheme, whether they were aware of it or not. Multiple people were killed simply because they messed up or were no longer useful.

We mainly saw the character's Christian faith through how they treated people and what they cared about. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Big Book of Female Detectives by Otto Penzler, Editor

The Big Book of Female Detectives by Otto Penzler, Editor ISBN-13: 9780525434740 Paperback: 1136 pages Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard Released: Oct. 9, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Edgar Award-winning editor Otto Penzler's new anthology brings together the most cunning, resourceful, and brilliant female sleuths in mystery fiction. A Vintage Crime/Black Lizard Original.

For the first time ever, Otto Penzler gathers the most iconic women of the detective canon over the past 150 years, captivating and surprising readers in equal measure. The 74 handpicked stories in this collection introduce us to the most determined of gumshoe gals, from debutant detectives like Anna Katharine Green's Violet Strange to spinster sleuths like Mary Roberts Rinehart's Hilda Adams, from groundbreaking female cops like Baroness Orczy's Lady Molly to contemporary crime-fighting P.I.s like Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone, and include indelible tales from Agatha Christie, Carolyn Wells, Edgar Wallace, L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace, Sara Paretsky, Nevada Barr, Linda Barnes, Laura Lippman, and many more.


My Review:
The Big Book of Female Detectives is a collection of 74 short mystery stories featuring a female detective. These stories were grouped by when they were written and featured stories from the first fictional female detectives in the mid-1800s up to the modern day. Some of the stories were very short while a few seemed novella length, but most could be read in an hour or two.

Some were essentially the detective telling how she solved the crime. Many told events as they happened and provided clues for the reader to puzzle out. Many of the women were competent, clever private or amateur detectives. A few were criminals intrigued by solving the puzzle or were even the one committing the crime. A whole group of stories had the woman as basically the beautiful sidekick to the real detective. This collection was interesting to read and contained many fun stories. There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language, mostly found in the more modern stories.

The Victorians And Edwardians
THE MYSTERIOUS COUNTESS by Anonymous
THE UNRAVELED MYSTERY by Andrew Forrester, Jr.
THE REDHILL SISTERHOOD by C. L. Pirkis
THE DIAMOND LIZARD by George R. Sims
THE STIR OUTSIDE THE CAFÉ ROYAL by Clarence Rook
THE MANDARIN by Fergus Hume
THE OUTSIDE LEDGE: A CABLEGRAM MYSTERY by L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace
THE FREWIN MINIATURES by Emmuska Orczy
CONSCIENCE by Richard Marsh
THE HIDDEN VIOLINby M. McDonell Bodkin


Before World War I
CHRISTABEL’S CRYSTAL by Carolyn Wells
THE BULLET FROM NOWHERE by Hugh C. Weir
AN INTANGIBLE CLEW by Anna Katharine Green
PLANTED by James Oppenheim


The Pulp Era
THE WIZARD’S SAFE by Valentine
THE MADAME GOES DRAMATIC by Perry Paul
RED HOT by Frederick Nebel
THE DOMINO LADY COLLECTS by Lars Anderson
THE LETTERS AND THE LAW by T. T. Flynn
THE OLD MAIDS DIE by Whitman Chambers
TOO MANY CLIENTS by D. B. McCandless
RAT RUNAROUND by Roger Torrey
MURDER WITH MUSIC AND COKE FOR CO-EDS by Adolphe Barreaux
CHILLER-DILLER by Richard Sale


The Golden Age
THE SECRET ADVERSARY by Agatha Christie
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND by Frederic Arnold Kummer
LOCKED DOORS by Mary Roberts Rinehart
THE TEA-LEAF by Edgar Jepson and Robert Eustace
THE ALMOST PERFECT MURDER by Hulbert Footner
THE LOVER OF ST. LYS by F. Tennyson Jesse
MISOGYNY AT MOUGINS by Gilbert Frankau
INTRODUCING SUSAN DARE by Mignon G. Eberhart
THE BLOODY CRESCENDO by Vincent Starrett
THE WOMAN FROM THE EAST by Edgar Wallace
BURGLARS MUST DINE E. by Phillips Oppenheim
THE MISSING CHARACTER by Phyllis Bentley
MURDER IN THE MOVIES by Karl Detzer
THE GILDED PUPIL by Ethel Lina White
THE CASE OF THE HUNDRED CATS by Gladys Mitchell


Mid-Century
MURDER WITH FLOWERS by Q. Patrick
VACANCY WITH CORPSE by H. H. Holmes
THE RIDDLE OF THE BLACK MUSEUM by Stuart Palmer
MEREDITH’S MURDER by Charlotte Armstrong
FLOWERS FOR AN ANGEL by Nigel Morland
THERE’S DEATH FOR REMEMBRANCE by Frances and Richard Lockridge
MOM SINGS AN ARIA by James Yaffe


The Modern Era
ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE by Marcia Muller
BLOOD TYPES by Julie Smith
A POISON THAT LEAVES NO TRACE by Sue Grafton
DISCARDS by Faye Kellerman
SPOOKED by Carolyn Hart
MAKING LEMONADE by Barbara Paul
LOUISE by Max Allan Collins
STRUNG OUT by Sara Paretsky
BENEATH THE LILACS by Nevada Barr
MISS GIBSON by Linda Barnes
HEADACHES AND BAD DREAMS by Lawrence Block
AN AFFAIR OF INCONVENIENCE by Anne Perry
BEAUBIEN by Deborah Morgan
DOUBLE-CROSSING DELANCEY by S. J. Rozan
THE SHOESHINE MAN’S REGRETS by Laura Lippman
DUST UP by Wendy Hornsby
THE CASE OF THE PARR CHILDREN by Antonia Fraser
FAST by Jeffery Deaver


Bad Girls
THE WINGED ASSASSIN by L. T. Meade & Robert Eustace
THE BLOOD-RED CROSS by L. T. Meade & Robert Eustace
HE ADVENTURE OF THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY by John Kendrick Bangs
SHE KNEW WHAT TO DO by Joseph Shearing
THE FORGERS by Arthur B. Reeve
THE MEANEST MAN IN EUROPE by David Durham
FOUR SQUARE JANE UNMASKED by Edgar Wallace
THE ADVENTURE OF THE HEADLESS STATUE by Eugene Thomas
THE PASSING OF ANNE MARSH by Arthur Leo Zagat
EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES by Joyce Carol Oates



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.

Undercover Memories by Lenora Worth

Undercover Memories by Lenora Worth ISBN-13: 9781335490650 Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Her most important mission...and she can't remember what it is. After amnesia strands private investigator Emma Langston in Dallas, only Detective Ryder Palladin can stop the men trying to kill her. But protective custody on Ryder's family ranch has its own risks, like falling for the handsome cowboy. Before she can untangle her feelings for Ryder, Emma must recover her memory...because she's sure someone's life depends on it, even if she can't remember whose.


My Review:
Undercover Memories is a Christian romantic suspense novel. The detective rescues and protects Emma, a private investigator, from repeated attacks. She initially can't remember why she was asking questions at the bar where she was beaten, but she feels an urgency to go back there again. She recovers her memory pretty quickly, only to realize that she's trying to find a kidnapped teenager and time may be running out. She has little to go on and feels desperate, which makes her reckless.

The detective just wants her to cooperate with him as he helps her, but they're constantly frustrated with each other. They're also physically attracted, despite personality conflicts and past relationship hangups. The race to find clues and save the teenager kept my interest, but the romance just didn't work for me. They can barely work together as a team. After knowing each other for only a few days, the story ended with a scene that basically goes: you want to try dating despite everything? Yup. What about let's get married? Yes!

There was no sex or bad language. The Christian element was Emma's trust that God had a purpose to everything.


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 Christmas Heirloom by Karen Witemeyer; Kristi Ann Hunter; Sarah Loudin Thomas; Becky Wade

The Christmas Heirloom by Karen Witemeyer; Kristi Ann Hunter; Sarah Loudin Thomas; Becky Wade ISBN-13: 9780764230783 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In Kristi Ann Hunter's "Legacy of Love," Sarah Gooding never suspected returning a brooch to an elderly woman would lead to a job . . . and introduce her to the woman's grandson, a man far above her station.

In Karen Witemeyer's "Gift of the Heart," widow Ruth Albright uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local banker. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love.

In Sarah Loudin Thomas's "A Shot at Love," Fleeta Brady's rough-and-tumble childhood means she prefers hunting to more feminine activities. She never expected her family's brooch might be how a fellow hunter turns her attention from competition to romance.

In Becky Wade's "Because of You," Maddie Winslow has spent years in love with a man whose heart was already spoken for. When a church Christmas project brings them together and she stumbles upon an old family brooch, might it finally be her turn for love?


My Review:
The Christmas Heirloom is a collection of four Christian romance novellas, spanning from 1827 in England to modern day America. It's hard enough to create a naturally-paced romance in a novel length, so I was pleasantly surprised that three of these stories felt like the couple had really gotten to know each other and were well-suited matches. I also liked that they were attracted to the other's character and not simply the other's good looks.

While Fleeta's story was enjoyable, the focus was more on her feeling like she wasn't loved and didn't belong. As a consequence, it felt like she suddenly changed her mind about marrying because her lifelong dream hit a snag. He was interested in her and kind, and they shared an interest in guns, so, hey. But they hardly knew each other.

The characters believed in God and we see how God provided in their lives, etc. None of the stories were preachy, and the mentions of God were worked in naturally. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.