No Man's Land by Sara Driscoll

No Man's Land by Sara Driscoll ISBN-13: 9781496722478 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Kensington Released: November 26, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
For Special Agent Meg Jennings and her K-9 companion, Hawk, exploring the ruins of a deserted building is an exciting way to sharpen their skills without the life-or-death stakes they face as part of the FBI's Human Scent Evidence Team. But deep in the echoing rooms of an abandoned asylum, Hawk finds the body of an elderly woman. The victim couldn't have made her way into the derelict building on her own. Before forty-eight hours pass, Meg learns of more cases of elders found dead in neglected urban structures.

There's not enough evidence to link the deaths--yet. But Meg scents a pattern, and when she gets word of another senior gone missing, she and Hawk don't hesitate. Meg is sure a murderer is hunting the elderly, and she can prove it if she can just find a connection. It will take the expert coordination of her whole team, along with help from Clay McCord and Todd Webb, to uncover the means, let alone a motive.


My Review:
No Man's Land is a suspense/mystery. This book is the fourth in a series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one. This novel did spoil a previous mystery's whodunit, though.

The characters were engaging, interesting, and reacted realistically to events. Meg and her K9 partner mainly focused their efforts on racing to save the next victim from within ruined buildings. The danger to everyone from the buildings and from the killer kept the suspense high. Her team found clues and eventually figured out who the killer was, but Meg's role was mainly to discover the initial body and track down subsequent victims.

There was some bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful 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.

Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders by Tessa Arlen

Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders by Tessa Arlen ISBN-13: 9781984805805 Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Berkley Released: November 5th 2019

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Summer 1942. The world has been at war for three long and desperate years. In the remote English village of Little Buffenden, the Redfern family's house and farmland has been requisitioned by the War Office as a new airfield for the American Air Force.

The village's Air Raid Warden, twentysomething Poppy Redfern, spends her nights patrolling the village and her days writing a novel of passion. It is a far cry from the experience of the other young women in town: within days, two of the village's prettiest girls are dating American airmen and Little Buffenden considers the "Friendly Invasion" to be a success.

But less than a week later, Doreen Newcombe, the baker's daughter; and the popular Ivy Wantage are both found dead. Poppy realizes that her community has been divided by murder, and the mistrust and suspicion of their new American neighbors threatens to tear this town, already grappling with the horrors of war, apart. Poppy decides to start her own investigation, but she might very well become the next victim.


My Review:
Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders is a mystery set in 1942 in England. The main characters were engaging, likable people. Poppy reacted realistically to events and grew as a person. The mystery was clue-based, and whodunit could be guessed. However, I was surprised to realize that I had stopped trying to guess whodunit by the end. Poppy would discover an alibi for certain people only to discover that alibi wasn't valid after all, or she would discover a clue that turned out to be less helpful than expected in narrowing down whodunit. For example, one murder happened while the USA airmen were confined to the base, so they seemed to be in the clear. But then she discovered that people could have gotten out after all. So I stopped guessing. Still, it was an interesting mystery and fun to see Poppy investigate and solve it.

There was occasional use of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this very interesting historical 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.

Death in Room Five by George Bellairs

Death in Room Five by George Bellairs ISBN-13: 9781913099152 Paperback: 240 pages Publisher: Agora Books Released: Nov. 14, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
This is not Scotland Yard, Inspector. This is France… This trip to the French Riviera isn’t what anyone signed up for: while Littlejohn loses his vacation, another man loses his life. When Alderman Dawson, the victim of a deathly stabbing, calls Littlejohn to his deathbed, the inspector is left with no choice but to investigate. With twelve suspects in play and motives dating back to WWII, this might be one of his toughest cases yet. More bodies are turning up and the French police are unwilling to investigate.


My Review:
Death in Room Five is a mystery that was originally published in 1955 and is set in France and England. The characters were described with a humorous touch, especially as the British vacationing in France thought the French behaved oddly. They didn't want to cooperate with the French police, so Inspector Littlejohn was taken from his vacation in France to question the suspects and determine whodunit.

Inspector Littlejohn followed up on obvious leads and questioned many people, slowly uncovering possible motives and actions until he was finally able to put it all together. There were clues, and the reader can guess whodunit, though I was never completely sure I was right since there were several strong suspects. The mystery was more complex than I expected.

There was no sex. There was a fair amount 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.

Blind Search by Paula Munier

Blind Search by Paula Munier ISBN-13: 9781250153050 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Minotaur Books Released: November 5, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
It’s October, hunting season in the Green Mountains—and the Vermont wilderness has never been more beautiful or more dangerous. Especially for nine-year-old Henry, who’s lost in the woods. Again. Only this time he sees something terrible. When a young woman is found shot through the heart with a fatal arrow, Mercy thinks that something is murder. But Henry, a math genius whose autism often silences him when he should speak up most, is not talking.

Now there’s a murderer hiding among the hunters in the forest—and Mercy and Elvis must team up with their crime-solving friends, game warden Troy Warner and search-and-rescue dog Susie Bear, to find the killer—before the killer finds Henry. When an early season blizzard hits the mountains, cutting them off from the rest of the world, the race is on to solve the crime, apprehend the murderer, and keep the boy safe until the snowplows get through.


My Review:
Blind Search is a mystery/suspense novel. It's the second book in a series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this novel didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous novel.

The characters were engaging, complex, and acted in realistic ways. The mystery was complex since things were happening at the same time which may or may not have been connected: two murders, illegal hunting, gun smuggling, and more. Mercy and her talented service dog, Elvis, were hired by her billionaire neighbor to track down clues and protect their only witness, an autistic boy who isn't talking about what he saw. She worked with U.S. Game Warden Troy Warner and his search and rescue dog since he had the right to investigate and arrest when it came to several of their leads. The suspense remained high since several people were after the boy and other suspects simply didn't want to get caught doing other illegal activities.

There was occasional use of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this novel to people who enjoy canine mysteries and 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.

The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr

The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr ISBN-13: 9780764234910 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: November 5, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Following his vision of the coming Messiah, the prophet Daniel creates a select group of men who will count down the calendar to the arrival of Israel’s promised king. Centuries later, as the day nears, Myrad, a young magi acolyte, flees for his life when his adoptive father and others are put to death by a ruthless Parthian queen.

Having grabbed only a few possessions, Myrad escapes the city. Searching for a way to hide from the soldiers scouring the trade routes, he tries to join the caravan of the merchant Walagash. The merchant senses that Myrad is hiding secrets, but when the young man proves himself a valuable traveler, an epic journey filled with peril, close escapes, and dangerous battles begins.

With every day that passes, the calendar creeps closer to the coming Messiah. And over everything shines the dream of a star that Myrad can’t forget and the promise that the world will never be the same.


My Review:
The End of the Magi is a Christian historical novel set in Babylon in 537 BC and then around the birth of Christ (5 BC) and his death. The prophet Daniel tasks a group of Hebrews among the magi with accurately counting down the days to the appearance of the Messiah-King. Myrad was adopted by one of these magi and taught about the Hebrew beliefs and the prophecy. When his adoptive father and many other magi are killed at the command of a Roman concubine determined to rule as queen, he gathers his father's money and papers and flees. His clubfoot makes it difficult to travel quickly or hide his identity. He bargains what he has for what people want most and gains their help. In the process, he travels with several magi to witness the birth of Christ. However, the count won't be complete for another 30 years, and the Hebrew magi are determined to be there at the announcement of their Messiah-King.

The characters were complex, likable people who reacted realistically to events. The story was very suspenseful from start to finish due to the danger to Myrad and the people with him. God's hand was seen subtly working events so that Myrad and his companions not only survived but affected the major political and military events happening around them. Their lives were changed by the events they witnessed and participated in. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this exciting biblical adventure.


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.

Deadly Deceit by Natalie Walters

Deadly Deceit by Natalie Walters ISBN-13: 9780800735333 Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Revell Released: November 5, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Independent and tenacious journalist Vivian DeMarco is back in Walton, Georgia, for one reason--to do her job and get out. When her boss suddenly dies under suspicious circumstances, Vivian's only hope for finding the truth--and the next big story--is small-town law enforcement's lanky poster boy, Deputy Ryan Frost. But the deeper they dig, the more twisted the truth becomes, and Vivian finds herself fighting for not only answers but also her life. False leads, incriminating emails, and someone called The Watcher force Vivian to confront the secret of her past and decide what she really wants in her future.


My Review:
Deadly Deceit is a Christian romantic suspense novel. This is the second book in a series. You don't need to read the previous book to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the previous book.

Vivian is a kind, caring woman who pursues the truth and is willing to put herself in danger to help others. But after her father abandoned her family, she avoided forming close relationships. Ryan was also abandoned by his father, and he's reluctant to leave his mother and sister to pursue his own dreams. When Vivian's boss dies and a blackmail video is exposed, they both work to discover who is blackmailing people with their dirty secrets. Suspense was created by the relationship tensions and from the race to stop the blackmailer before more people got hurt.

Ryan felt that Vivian helped him become a better person, but at the first difficulty, he assumed that she was pursuing a story for glory when she was actually helping to protect someone. This caused conflict in the relationship. Although this ultimately strengthened the relationship as they worked through the misunderstanding, but it made me not like Ryan as much because he so easily assumed the worst about the woman he supposedly loves.

There were a few prayers to God. 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.

Tracking Game by Margaret Mizushima

Tracking Game by Margaret Mizushima ISBN-13: 9781643851358 Hardcover Publisher: Crooked Lane Books Released: November 12, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
An explosion outside a community dance sends Mattie Cobb and Cole Walker to the scene, where they discover a burning van and beside it the body of outfitter Nate Fletcher. But the explosion didn't kill Nate--it was two gunshots to the heart.

The investigation leads them to the family of rancher Doyle Redman, whose daughter is Nate's widow, and the people who work on the ranch. Then they receive an emergency call from a man who's been shot in the mountains. Mattie and Robo rush to the scene, only to be confronted by the ominous growl of a wild predator. Mattie begins to understand the true danger that's enveloping Timber Creek.


My Review:
Tracking Game is a K9-detective mystery/suspense. It's the fifth in a series. You can follow this book without reading the previous ones, and this book didn't spoil the previous mysteries. It's another satisfying, suspenseful mystery with the Timber Creek police (and friends).

Robo is a talented, well-trained working dog, and it's always fun to see him "on the job" with Mattie. The main characters were likable and had depth and complexity. Events had a realistic impact on them, and they had to (maturely) deal with relationship struggles at the same time as they dealt with crime. The crime was a clue-based mystery, and whodunit wasn't obvious until the last clues were uncovered at the end. Suspense was created from physical danger and relationship conflicts.

There were no sex scenes. The was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting 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.

City of Scoundrels by Victoria Thompson

City of Scoundrels by Victoria Thompson ISBN-13: 9781984805652 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Berkley Released: November 5th 2019

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Elizabeth Miles finds herself in a position no con can help her escape. Her beloved fiancé, Gideon Bates, is awaiting his turn in the draft to fight in the Great War. Elizabeth is finding it hard to think of anything else, but Gideon has thrown himself into his work, preparing wills for soldiers before they ship out. Corporal Tom Preston is part owner of Preston Shoes, a company that is making footwear for the army, so he has a rather large estate. He needs a new will, however, because he has just been secretly married to a woman whom his family would never approve. He wants to make sure she and their unborn child are provided for if he does not return.

When Tom is later reported killed, Elizabeth and Gideon learn that the new will has gone missing after Tom's bride revealed her identity to his family. Unless the new will is found and validated, the original will, which leaves everything to Tom's brother, will prevail and the wife and child will get nothing. If Tom's new bride survives, that is. Some terrible threats have been leveled against her, and Elizabeth and Gideon must figure out a way, legal or not quite, to secure Tom's fortune for his wife and child while saving her life in the process.


My Review:
City of Scoundrels is a historical suspense set in October/November 1918 in New York City. This is the third book in the series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the previous novels.

Elizabeth is a reformed con artist engaged to marry an honorable lawyer who refuses to lie. He's also honorably willing to be drafted and go to war, which terrifies Elizabeth. The 1918 Flu epidemic hit right as they're pulling their con, adding more suspense to the uncertainties involved in pulling off two complex cons. Her family sure enjoys conning rich, evil people and are starting to see the point of doing it to help women left poor through injustice. It was entertaining to guess just how the con was going to be pulled off. The historical details were woven into the story to create a sense of the specific time and place as well as bring the story alive.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this entertaining historical 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 Pursuit of Home by Kristi Ann Hunter

A Pursuit of Home by Kristi Ann Hunter ISBN-13: 9780764230776 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Released: November 5, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
In early 1800s England, Jess Beauchene has spent most of her life in hiding and always on the move in an effort to leave her past far behind her. But when she learns the family she thought had died just might be alive and in danger, she knows her secrets can only stay buried for so long.

Derek Thornbury loves the past, which has led him to become an expert in history and artifacts. He knows Jess has never liked him, but when she requests his help deciphering the clues laid out in an old family diary, he can't resist the urge to solve the puzzle.

As Jess and Derek race to find the hidden artifact before her family's enemies, they learn as much about each other as they do about the past. But can their search to uncover the truth and set history right lead to a future together?


My Review:
A Pursuit of Home "A Pursuit of Home" is a Christian romance set in 1816 in England. This is the third book in a series. It can be read as a standalone, but reading the previous stories and/or "A Noble Masquerade" will help you to better understand the depth of the relationships. I've been eagerly awaiting Jess's story, and she has a surprising backstory. A brother that she thought had died along with the rest of her family has appeared to claim the throne of a small, nearby European country. To prove that he's the true heir, Jess must decipher an old diary in her possession with the help of an art history expert and together they must track down an ancient artifact. But Jess isn't the only one who wants the proof needed to become king.

The characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. Jess and Derek didn't seem like a good romantic match, yet they brought out the best in each other once they started to understand one another. There was suspense and humor in the disguises and in their attempts to avoid danger. Jess learned that you don't only go to God when you can't handle things by yourself. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd 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.

Death Has Deep Roots by Michael Gilbert

Death Has Deep Roots by Michael Gilbert ISBN-13: 9781492699538 Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: Nov. 5, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
The woman was young, French, and on trial for murdering a man said to be her ex-lover and the father of her dead child: an English major who had been one of the great heroes of the French Underground Resistance during the war. Mr. Macrea, hired to be her attorney on the first day of the trial, must find a way to prove her innocence in only one week. And he must dig deeply into the past to prove it.


My Review:
Death Has Deep Roots is a mystery set in England and France and originally published in 1951. A young French woman is on trial for the murder of an English war hero that she met while working for the French underground resistance in World War II. She switches attorneys right before the trial starts, so we get the details of the trial while also following the adventures of the people trying to find proof that she had no motive to murder the man. The police evidence could as easily apply to others in the hotel, after all. There's a mystery that occurred in the past that the culprits want to keep hidden, so the investigators are in danger. The mystery was clue based and could be guessed, though it turned out to be more complex than I originally suspected. It was an enjoyable mix of courtroom drama and suspense.

There was occasional use of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical 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 Pale Horse by Agatha Christie

The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie ISBN-13: 978-0062074119 Paperback: 272 pages Publisher: William Morrow Released: 1961; June 2011

Source: Borrowed from the library.

Book Description from Goodreads:
When an elderly priest is murdered, the killer searches the victim so roughly that his already ragged cassock is torn in the process. What was the killer looking for? And what had a dying woman confided to the priest on her deathbed only hours earlier?

Mark Easterbrook and his sidekick Ginger Corrigan are determined to find out. Maybe the three women who run The Pale Horse public house, and who are rumored to practice the “Dark Arts,” can provide some answers?


My Review:
The Pale Horse is a historical mystery set in 1961 in England (though it was written as a contemporary mystery). The usual Agatha Christie sleuths don't show up, but I liked Mark and Ginger as they were likable, realistic, courageous, and generally sensible. They were a good team.

The detective, Mark, and Ginger weren't stupid and were able to pick up on leads (and dangers) quickly. The mystery was a clue-based puzzle mystery with some suspense. I correctly guessed the murderer from nearly the beginning and the subtle clues did point that way, but there was enough uncertainty to make me eagerly read to the end.

There was no sex. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this intriguing 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.

Soldier's Christmas Secrets by Laura Scott

Soldier's Christmas Secrets by Laura Scott ISBN-13: 9781335232441 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Released: November 5, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
When a plane crash leaves special ops soldier Hawk Jacobson with amnesia, all he knows is that the plane was sabotaged and he has a target on his back. His survival depends on letting everyone—including his wife, Jillian Wade—believe he’s dead. Until gunmen come after Jillian and the daughter he never knew existed. Can Jillian help him regain his memory in time to expose a killer?


My Review:
Soldier's Christmas Secrets is a Christian suspense novel. Hawk has fairly permanent amnesia after surviving a crash, but he knows that someone is after him because of an illegal gun deal that he witnessed. He can't remember who was involved and who to trust. After years of trying to regain his memory and track down the truth, his wife is attacked and he saves her life. She didn't know that he survived, so his appearance comes as a shock. She's busy taking care of their young daughter, so she generally left the fighting and decisions up to him. However, she did help solve the mystery and wasn't just a warm body to keep safe.

Hawk and his wife have to decide if they still want to be married since Hawk has changed so much (and so has his wife). The suspense came from the danger to Hawk and everyone involved in the mystery. The characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. 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.

Protecting Tanner Hollow by Lynette Eason

Protecting Tanner Hollow by Lynette Eason ISBN-13: 9780800736460 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Revell Released: November 5, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Four novellas in one!

Lethal Homecoming
Nolan Tanner never got over Kallie Ainsworth's sudden, unexplained departure. Now when he comes to her rescue after an attempt on her life, all the old feelings come rushing back.

Lethal Conspiracy
When Lillian Maloney sees her father's campaign manager commit murder, she goes on the run from the men he hires to kill her. A close call brings firefighter Jason Tanner to the rescue, but the killer is closing in . . .

Lethal Secrets
Someone wants Honor McBride dead. When Eli Murphy helps her change a flat tire and discovers the danger Honor is in, he longs to help.

Lethal Agenda
When Detective Derek St. John rescues a woman he's met only once before--and has never been able to forget--he finds himself falling for her. But he'll have to keep Claire Montgomery alive if they're to have a future together.


My Review:
Protecting Tanner Hollow is a collection of four romantic suspense novellas. The main characters were likable, and I cared about what happened to them. The suspense was created by people trying to kill the heroine. The heroes were kind, caring, supportive, and protective. The heroines didn't do anything stupid to bring on the danger, so it was simply a matter of staying alive long enough to figure out who was attacking them. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense 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.