Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay

Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay ISBN-13: 9780593100035 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Released: September 3, 2019

Source: review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Lindsey Norris is finally getting married to the man of her dreams--but it's not all roses for Briar Creek's beloved library director, as gardening enthusiast and town newcomer Aaron Grady gives the term "book lover" a whole new meaning. Inappropriate looks and unwelcome late-night visits to Lindsey's house have everyone from the crafternooners to Lindsey's fiancé, Sully, on edge.

When Grady's dead body is found staged outside the library and all the clues point to Sully, Lindsey knows it's up to her to dig through the hidden chapters of Grady's previous life to find the real culprit and clear Sully's name. But becoming a thorn in the killer's side is not without its consequences.


My Review:
Word to the Wise is a cozy mystery. It's the tenth in a series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the whodunits of the previous mysteries.

This was a clue-based mystery that was easily guessable. I liked that the author chose a topic like stalking – a real concern – as the lead up to the murder. The man started stalking Lindsey even though she never encouraged him, so her fiancé and friends had to protect her until he ended up murdered. They then investigated to discover who might have murdered him since the fiancé was suspected for the murder.

There were no sex scenes. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, it was an 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.

A Night's Tail by Sofie Kelly

A Night's Tail by Sofie Kelly ISBN-13: 978-0440001133 Hardback: 336 pages Publisher: Berkley Released: September 3, 2019

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Spring is coming to Mayville Heights, and Kathleen’s brother, Ethan, has arrived in town with his band, The Flaming Gerbils. But not everything goes as scheduled when one of Ethan’s bandmates gets into a fight with a man interested in investing in the town. When the businessman’s body is later found, Ethan’s friend is implicated in the crime.

Kathleen wants to help her brother by solving the case, but she has no shortage of suspects from which to choose. Prior to his death, the investor was fighting like cats and dogs with lots of people. If this librarian wants more than a whisker’s chance of solving the case, she will need to rely on her trusty feline sidekicks, Owen and Hercules.


My Review:
A Night's Tail is a cozy mystery. This is the 11th book in the series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the mysteries in the previous books. The cats are intelligent and have cat abilities (disappearing and getting out of places) taken to a magical degree. Their actions drew attention to clues but mostly they provided humor with their antics.

It's a clue-based puzzle mystery. The heroine is intelligent and knows how to ask questions without being pushy or accusing. I didn't catch a critical clue at the beginning of the book and so didn't really have any suspects until right before the heroine figured out whodunit and how. The heroine had to dig up information about the victim's past to uncover who had motive.

There was no sex. There was a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this fun 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.

A Killer Carol by Laura Bradford

A Killer Carol by Laura Bradford ISBN-13: 9781984805904 Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: September 24, 2019

Source: review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Heavenly, PA has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland. As the owner of Heavenly Treasures, the local gift shop, Claire is busier than ever helping her English customers (and even a few of her Amish friends, like Esther and Ben) find the perfect gift for the special people on their shopping list. Claire makes sure she has time for her boyfriend, Detective Jakob Fisher. But the man, who was raised and then shunned by the Amish over his choice of career, has been unusually secretive lately.

Before she can figure out what's going on with Jakob, word comes that Ruth and Samuel Yoder are being questioned in the death of an elderly Amish couple, found murdered not long after the newlyweds were seen leaving the victims' farm. Ruth, in turn, seeks Claire's help in convincing the police that she and Samuel had nothing to do with what happened. But when Claire comes across a cryptic note tucked inside the wedding gift the victims had given the newlyweds no more than an hour before their murder, she finds herself in dire need of a little convincing as well. Can Claire get to the bottom of things in time to ensure a merry Christmas for all?


My Review:
A Killer Carol is a cozy mystery. It's the seventh book in a series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this novel didn't spoil the whodunits in the previous novels. The author wove in details about living near the Amish and what it's like for people to be or leave the Amish.

The mystery was clue-based. Claire helped find new information about what happened leading up to the murder which helped her and the detective to realize whodunit. Due to the murderer planting false clues, uncovering the correct whodunit was more complex than in most cozy mysteries. The characters were engaging, complex, and reacted realistically.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this 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 Words between Us by Erin Bartels

The Words between Us by Erin Bartels ISBN-13: 9780800734923 Paperback: 358 pages Publisher: Revell Released: Sept. 3, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Robin Windsor has spent most of her life using an assumed name, running from her family's ignominious past. She thought she'd finally found sanctuary in her rather unremarkable used bookstore just up the street from the marina in River City, Michigan. But the store is failing and the past is hot on her heels.

When she receives an eerily familiar book in the mail on the morning of her father's scheduled execution, Robin is thrown back to the long-lost summer she met Peter Flynt. That book--Catcher in the Rye--is soon followed by the other books she shared with Peter nearly twenty years ago. But why would Peter be making contact after all these years? And why does she have a sinking feeling that she'll have to finally stop running and face her past?


My Review:
The Words between Us is general fiction about a hurting girl who hurts other hurting people. Part of the story occurred when she was 14 years old. The "now" part of the story happened when she's 32 years old. It's a depressing story because Robin was depressed and hopeless for 80% of the book. I didn't even find the ending very satisfying, partly because it wrapped up so fast that there were loose ends.

Anyway, Robin blamed everyone else for messing up her life, but she made a lot of bad choices of her own (including spending 9+ years of her life not speaking at all in an effort to hide from life). When 14 years old, Robin began loving an older boy named Peter because he shared his mother's books with her, allowing her to escape her own life for a while. Even though she only knew Peter for 6 months and believes he betrayed her trust, 18 years later she still "loves" him because she shared more of her inner thoughts and feelings with him (in poems) than with anyone else. She doesn't even know the guy anymore, but that doesn't matter. I suppose the ending is supposed to be impulsively romantic and touching, but I thought it was rather foolish.

Throughout the story, Robin uncovered the truth about some things in the past that prompted her to look at her life, forgive some people, and take responsibility for her own actions. There was no sex. There were two uses of cr*p but no other 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.

Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano

Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano ISBN-13: 9780764231681 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Released: Sept. 3, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As part of a bargain with her grandmother, Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season. Forced to travel to America to help his cousin find an heiress to wed, bachelor Reginald Blackburn is asked to give Poppy etiquette lessons. He swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for.


My Review:
Diamond in the Rough is a romantic comedy set in 1885 in New York City. The characters got into silly situations, mainly involving the spirited heroine trying to learn things like complicated dances and social etiquette. The main characters were kind, caring people who wanted to help others. I cared about what happened to them. The hero and heroine spent a lot of time together and got along well (after an initial misunderstanding and even though keeping up with Poppy was exhausting). There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this humorous 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.

One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn

One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn ISBN-13: 9780800729301 Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Revell Released: Sept. 3, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
When investigator Gabriel Chavez had his cover blown by an aggressive reporter, the silver lining was being able to rejoin the dive team. The downside? Dive team captain Anissa Bell--a woman who both fascinates and frustrates him.

Anissa grew up as a missionary kid on the Micronesian island of Yap and always planned to return after college. But she remained stateside, determined to solve the case that haunts her--the murder of her best friend and the disappearance of a three-year-old child.

When Anissa's fractured past collides with Gabe's investigation into the tragic shooting death of a teenage boy in Lake Porter, they'll have to put their complicated history with each other aside in order to uncover the identity of a killer.


My Review:
One Final Breath is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the third book in a series, but it works as a standalone. There were several cases that the team had to work on and which touched on each other in unexpected ways. Several crimes occurred on or near a lake, and the dive team had to search underwater several times for evidence that was potentially dropped into the lake. The suspense came from physical danger to multiple people and from relationship tensions.

The main characters were kind, determined people who reacted realistically to the situations. I cared about what happened to them. The hero and heroine were attracted to each other but they didn't feel like they were good marriage material. They had to overcome some personal issues before moving beyond friendship.

The hero and heroine were strong Christians, but they struggled with guilt over past actions and accepting and giving forgiveness. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I would recommend this enjoyable, 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer

Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer ISBN-13: 9780099465591 Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Arrow Released: 1941

Source: Borrowed from the library.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Lady Mablethorpe is aghast. Her young son Adrian is marrying Miss Deborah Grantham--a gambling-club wench! She sends her trusted nephew, the vastly wealthy, clever, and imperturbable Max Ravenscar, to buy the hussy off. To Ravenscar's surprise, Deborah is remarkably handsome, witty, and--he could scarcely believe it--well-bred. He expects she'll be grateful for the high price he offers her to give up her young suitor. After all, she and her aunt are deeply in debt.

Instead, Deborah decides to match her wits with his to get even for his low opinion of her--she's no fortune-hunter! She tries to entice Adrian with a more suitable girl while doing everything she can to convince Max that she's everything he accused her of being.


My Review:
Faro's Daughter is a Regency Romance. Deborah realizes from the start that her choice to act as a hostess in her aunt's gaming house has ruined her reputation as a respectable girl. Yet she's extremely insulted that Max tries to buy her off after his aunt tells him that Deborah is going to marry Adrian. Deborah doesn't care why there's a misunderstanding; she has no intention of marrying Adrian and everyone should be able to read her thoughts! So she decides to act exactly like the scheming hussy that Max assumed she was so that she can continue in her righteous fury.

Only Max realizes that she's playing a game. He matches his wits against hers in their game to get what they want. He gradually learns what Deborah is really like despite all her efforts at deception. Yet finally Deborah succeeds in a secret scheme that fools him into thinking he was wrong about her after all. Instead of correcting him, she plays along AGAIN. The girl is determined to cause herself as much pain as possible to sustain her prideful sense of outrage. I think I might have liked her story a little better if she didn't have my name...

The story had a number of funny incidents as the two match wits. I understood why Max liked her. But, oh, I just didn't get why Deborah--who started out sensible--was so determined to destroy herself and her aunt in her efforts to spite Max! The comedy was funny, but the romance was a little confusing to me.

The was some bad language (mostly the swearing use of "God"). There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those who enjoy the comedy aspect of Heyer's novels.


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.

Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble

Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble ISBN-13: 9780718085889 Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: Sept. 10, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Harper Taylor is used to being alone. Her mother passed away in a car accident when she was an infant, she never knew who her father was, and now even the widowed grandmother who raised her is gone. She’s done just fine investing her marine biology degree and her energy into her pen shell business.

The last thing she expects is for the DNA test she took to reveal a likely half-sister. And when she and Annabelle meet, there are striking similarities in their stories. Is it just coincidence that both their mothers died tragically without revealing Harper and Annabelle’s father’s name?

When Harper is attacked and her business partner ends up in a coma, his son Ridge steps in to help protect her and find out who attacked his father. Tensions from the past stand in the way of their admitting their attraction to one another. When another tragedy strikes close to home, Harper and Ridge realize that they’ll have to unravel Harper’s past before they can secure their future.


My Review:
Strands of Truth is a Christian romantic suspense novel. The main characters were likable, interesting people. Ridge started out determined to expose Harper as this horrible person yet never suspected her of wrongdoing during current events and quickly decided he'd been wrong about her. They worked well together and had long been secretly attracted to each other. Since Ridge's 'revenge' intent was never developed, I wondered why the author added it (rather than simply having him resenting her).

Suspense was created by a man attacking Ridge's father and repeatedly attempting to kidnap Harper and her half-sister. They asked questions about Harper's unknown father while trying to figure out why someone was trying to kidnap the half-sisters. Since the reader knows more than the characters, both the reason and the father seemed obvious to me from the moment we're first introduced to that character, but the good guys were (understandably) baffled until the end.

Unfortunately, some things about the story didn't feel realistic. For example, a cop re-opened an old cold case then just handed all the case notes and evidence over to these civilians that he barely knew to do with as they please. No attempt was made at maintaining chain of evidence.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful novel, though it's not my favorite by this author.


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 Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis

The Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis ISBN-13: 9780593099056 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Books Released: Sept. 10, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Yorkshire, 1845. A young wife and mother has gone missing from her home, with only a large pool of blood in her room to hint at what has happened. Just a few miles away, a humble parson's daughters--the Brontë sisters--learn of the crime. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë are horrified and intrigued by the mysterious disappearance.

These three creative, energetic, and resourceful women quickly realize that they have all the skills required to make for excellent "lady detectors." Not yet published novelists, they have well-honed imaginations. As they investigate, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne are confronted with a society that believes a woman's place is in the home, not scouring the countryside looking for clues. But nothing will stop the sisters from discovering what happened to the vanished bride, even as they find their own lives are in great peril...


My Review:
The Vanished Bride is a mystery set in 1845 in England. Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, and Anne Brontë were each view point characters, and the story focused almost more on describing their lives and relationships than on the mystery. While I did learn a lot about them, I didn't particularly care for them as people. They tended to be rude just because they didn't feel like being polite. They also had childish fights about who would lead the questioning or if a clue was important or not. But, hey, lots of character development, and they were creative and resourceful (and often deceitful) in their efforts to solve the mystery.

There's a ghost (only seen by Emily) wanting peace. There's an abused wife that's vanished from the manor house and a series of clues that the constable never looked for. By about halfway through, I knew what had happened and who was involved (though I didn't have enough information yet to assign the right actions to the right people). The point of the story seemed to be that a woman should never marry (a man, anyway) but should forge their own, brilliant path in life. Their feminism was based on the concerns of their time period rather than modern feminism, and the author showed what life could be like for women at that time.

There were a few uses of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this to fans of historical-writers-becoming-sleuths novels.


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 Silent Speaker by Rex Stout

The Silent Speaker by Rex Stout ISBN-13: 9780553234978 Paperback: 271 pages Publisher: Crimeline Released: 1946; January 1994

Source: Borrowed from the library.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When a powerful government official is murdered and the stenograph cylinders recording a secret meeting go missing, it is an event worthy of the notice of the great Nero Wolfe. Soon a second victim is found bludgeoned to death on Wolfe's doorstep. While the Business world clamors for a solution, Nero Wolfe lays a trap that will net him a killer worth his weight in gold.


My Review:
The Silent Speaker is a mystery set in 1946 in New York. The narrator, Archie Goodwin, always has a humorous view of events which makes the mystery fun to read. This is a clue-based puzzle mystery, and not only are you guessing whodunit but also where the critical cylinder has been hidden. Using clues, I narrowed the suspects down to two. Technically, you could guess whodunit, but Nero Wolfe keeps back the critical clue which makes whodunit obvious. The humor and the fun of trying to guess made it an enjoyable read.

There was no sex. These was a fair amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book to mystery fans.


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.

Deep Waters by Martin Edwards

Deep Waters by Martin Edwards ISBN-13: 9781464211775 Paperback Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: September 3, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
From picturesque canals to the swirling currents of the ocean, a world of secrets lies buried beneath the surface of the water. Dubious vessels crawl along riverbeds, while the murky depths conceal more than one gruesome murder.

The stories in this collection will dredge up delight in crime fiction fans, as watery graves claim unintended dwellers and disembodied whispers penetrate the sleeping quarters of a ship's captain. How might a thief plot their escape from a floating crime scene? And what is to follow when murder victims, lost to the ocean floor, inevitably resurface?


My Review:
Deep Waters is a short story collection of 16 mysteries written in the 1880s to 1950s. The mysteries were set on boats and ships, along the coast, or just involve a pool. Most of the stories had the detective as the point of view character, but some were from the villain's point of view. Most were told as they happened, but a few were the detective telling about the case after it was finished. While whodunit in most of the mysteries was either obvious or not guessable (due to lack of necessary clues until the reveal), a few of these had clues and were guessable. The enjoyment mainly came from watching a detective work through a tough mystery to solve it. There was no sex. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable mystery collection.

The included mysteries:
The Adventure of the ‘Gloria Scott’ Arthur Conan Doyle
The Eight-Mile Lock L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace
The Gift of the Emperor E. W. Hornung
Bullion! William Hope Hodgson
The Echo of a Mutiny R. Austin Freeman
The Pool of Secrets Gwyn Evans
Four Friends and Death Christopher St John Sprigg
The Turning of the Tide C. S. Forester
The Swimming Pool H. C. Bailey
A Question of Timing by Phyllis Bentley
The Thimble River Mystery Josephine Bell
Man Overboard Edmund Crispin
The Queer Fish Kem Bennett
The Man Who Was Drowned James Pattinson
Seasprite Andrew Garve
Death by Water Michael Innes


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 Twin by Heather Woodhaven

Undercover Twin by Heather Woodhaven ISBN-13: 9781335232342 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Released: Sept. 3, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Audrey Clark never knew she was a twin—until she stumbled onto a covert operation. Now with her FBI agent sister shot and in critical condition, going undercover with Agent Lee Benson is the only way to protect her newfound twin. And as her pretend husband, Lee must keep Audrey safe…or pay twice the deadly price.


My Review:
Undercover Twin is a Christian romantic suspense novel. Audrey was mistaken for her undercover FBI twin--a twin she didn't know that she had. She must take her twin's place, pretending to be a criminal to stop the bad guys that are now a threat to both of them. She's extremely smart when it comes to science and how things work, but she felt like the weaker twin when it came to the undercover work, especially as there wasn't enough time to properly prepare her for the role. It's difficult enough to earn a meeting with the people running a phone network used by criminals because they're under close scrutiny. How would a criminal react to each situation? But an unknown man was also trying to kill Audrey. Agent Lee used his knowledge to help and protect Audrey, but it also took her unique knowledge to save their lives. I loved that he appreciated and cooperated with Audrey when she had the needed solution or had to take the lead.

With one dangerous situation after another, the suspense was high. The main characters were engaging, and I cared about what happened to them. They briefly asked God to help or heal on several occasions. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting 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.

Third Girl by Agatha Christie

Third Girl by Agatha Christie ISBN-13: 9780007121106 Mass Market Paperback: 365 pages Publisher: HarperCollins Released: 1966, 2002

Source: Borrowed from my local library.

Book Description from Amazon.com:
When the Third Girl sharing a London flat with two others announces to Hercule Poirot that she’s a murderer and then disappears, the masterful investigator must figure out whether the missing girl is a criminal, a victim, or merely insane.


My Review:
Third Girl is a historical mystery set in 1966 in England (though it was a contemporary mystery when it was written). It's a clue-based puzzle mystery, and there were plenty of clues. It was mainly a matter of figuring out how the author was going to put them all together as it could have gone several ways. I accurately guessed several elements of whodunit and why, but I had a few things slightly off as well.

It felt like less happened in this book than happens in most of Christie's books. Also, some elements of the story weren't fully explained or clearly resolved (though the main whodunit was fully explained). So the puzzle was fun, but the story wasn't as strong as many of Christie's other novels.

There was no bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this book to Christie fans and fans of puzzle mysteries.


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.

Fatal Strike by DiAnn Mills

Fatal Strike by DiAnn Mills ISBN-13: 9781496427090 Hardcover: 400 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Released: Sept. 3, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
There's a killer on the loose in Galveston, targeting law enforcement officials and using a fatal injection of snake venom to take them down. Authorities have reasons to believe the Veneno gang is behind the hits, and FBI Agents Leah Riesel and Jon Colbert team up to track down those responsible. Their best lead is an eyewitness who identifies a young man dumping the third body on a church doorstep. But their suspect has gone into hiding, and those closest to him are reluctant to reveal anything that might help investigators find him.

As Leah and Jon check connections among the victims and dig deeper into motives, they discover appearances may be deceiving. Someone is desperate to keep their secrets hidden, and Leah and Jon must face their greatest fears in order to stop the next fatal strike.


My Review:
Fatal Strike is a Christian romantic suspense. The main characters were likable and determined to track down the truth. Though they'd never worked together before, the two FBI agents got along well and made a good team. The hero respected the heroine's skill and wasn't put off by her reputation. Each allowed the other to take the lead if the other was better suited to handle the person or situation. They fell in love as they got to know each other.

The author maintained a delicate balance between making little forward progress while having them constantly following up leads. Their main lead was a young man that was witnessed dumping the body but whom everyone swears wouldn't have killed the man. And it seemed like everyone was hiding some secret that impacted the case. The high suspense came from the continuing attacks on the future targets of the gang.

Both main characters had some questions about how God works. They objected to how the priest seemed more devoted to trying to save those in gangs than helping the FBI pursue justice. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.