A Christmas Carol Murder by Heather Redmond

A Christmas Carol Murder by Heather Redmond ISBN-13: 9781496717177 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Kensington Released: Sept. 29, 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
London, December 1835: Charles and Kate are out with friends and family for a chilly night of caroling and good cheer. But their blood truly runs cold when their singing is interrupted by a body plummeting from an upper window of a house. They soon learn the dead man at their feet, his neck strangely wrapped in chains, is Jacob Harley, the business partner of the resident of the house, an unpleasant codger who owns a counting house, one Emmanuel Screws.

Ever the journalist, Charles dedicates himself to discovering who's behind the diabolical defenestration. But before he can investigate further, Harley's corpse is stolen. Following that, Charles is visited in his quarters by what appears to be Harley's ghost—or is it merely Charles’s overwrought imagination? He continues to suspect Emmanuel, the same penurious penny pincher who denied his father a loan years ago, but Kate insists the old man is too weak to heave a body out a window. Their mutual affection and admiration can accommodate a difference of opinion, but matters are complicated by the unexpected arrival of an infant orphan. Charles must find the child a home while solving a murder, to ensure that the next one in chains is the guilty party...


My Review:
A Christmas Carol Murder is a mystery set in 1835 in England. It's the third in a series. You don't need to read the previous book to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the previous mysteries. Vivid historical and setting details were woven into the story, making it feel like these events could really have happened. The author tried to stay true to what is known about Charles Dickens' career and lifestyle in his early twenties. The main characters were interesting and acted realistically. I cared about what happened to them. Charles asked questions and otherwise investigated, but the other characters were otherwise occupied. Kate hardly played a role in this one. Charles was busy trying to prove that he was not the father of an illegitimate son, save the mudlarks from a bad situation, and juggle all of the jobs he had to do, so I suppose it's not surprising that he took a while to catch on to what I guessed near the beginning. However, the exact details weren't guessable until the confession (especially as even the murderer wasn't sure how Harley managed fall out the window). There were a couple uses of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical mystery. I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.


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.

Otherwise Engaged by Joanna Barker

Otherwise Engaged by Joanna Barker ISBN-13: 9781524413705 Paperback: 262 pages Publisher: Covenant Communications Released: October 1st 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
She’s never been afraid of breaking the rules—until she risks breaking her heart. Constantly stifled by the rules of Society, spirited Rebecca Rowley enjoys finding ways to quietly—or not so quietly—rebel. But riding bareback and avoiding nosy neighbors are nothing compared to the thrilling secret she is keeping from her family.

When Rebecca’s quick thinking saves the life of a young girl, she unwittingly attracts the attention of the child’s dashing brother, Lieutenant Nicholas Avery. As that attention turns flirtatious, Rebecca is forced to tell him the truth: she is secretly engaged—to the one man her family would never approve of. Fortunately, Lieutenant Avery is a navy man with no wish to marry, or so they both assume as they enter into a friendship.

Rebecca hopes to change her family’s mind about her betrothed, but the more she comes to know the handsome lieutenant, the more she wonders if she promised her hand too hastily. Rebecca must force her heart to decide. Should she stay true to the promise she made or fight for the future she’s only just begun to imagine?


My Review:
Otherwise Engaged is a romance set in 1822 in England. Rebecca has entered into a thrilling secret engagement with a charming, handsome man that she barely knows. She does know that her family would never approve because of a long-standing feud between their dead fathers. She's certain that she can get her mother's approval if only she can discover the reason behind the feud, but that turns out to be more difficult than she expected. When she meets Nicholas while out secretly bareback riding and he willingly keeps her secret and even admires her skill, she begins to question whether her betrothed will be so supportive of her unusual interests.

The characters were engaging, likable, and reacted realistically to events. Rebecca wasn't self-centered; she simply longed for more adventure than social custom (and her protective brother) allowed. I liked how Rebecca and Nicholas became best friends that supported and built each other up, and that this was the foundation of their growing attraction. When conflict occurred, both were quick to ask for forgiveness and see where they were at fault. And they could laugh and joke together. Both grew in maturity and character throughout the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this very enjoyable historical romance.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Revenge in Rubies by A. M. Stuart

Revenge in Rubies by A. M. Stuart ISBN-13: 9781984802668 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Berkley Released: September 15th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
1910 Singapore. Harriet Gordon has found fulfillment at last. Her young ward, Will, has settled into his new home with Harriet and her brother, Julian. And Harriet’s employment as a typist at the Straits Settlements Police Force has given her an intriguing way to occupy her time and some much-needed financial independence. But when her friend and employer, Inspector Robert Curran, is called to the scene of a brutal murder and Harriet is asked to comfort the victim’s family, her newfound sense of contentment is abruptly shattered.

Sylvie Nolan, the new and much-younger wife of Lieutenant Colonel John Nolan, has been bludgeoned to death in her bedroom. The tightly knit military community in Singapore quickly tries to close ranks to hinder Curran’s investigation. Harriet has ties to the Nolan family and realizes that her friendship with the colonel’s sister might prove useful to Curran’s efforts to find the culprit. But to get close enough to the family’s secrets, Harriet must once again face her painful past and Curran is forced to dredge up some long-buried secrets of his own.


My Review:
Revenge in Rubies is a mystery set in August 1910 in Singapore. This book is the second book in a series, but you don't need to read the first one to follow this story and this story didn't spoil the previous mystery.

The detective asked good questions, looked carefully for evidence, and was able to connect the clues well. Harriet was friends with many of the suspects, so she was able to gather some information for him that the detective couldn't get. She's also observant and intelligent. There were enough people who had both motive and opportunity that I wasn't completely sure of whodunit until the very end, though there were certainly clues pointing toward whodunit.

The main characters were complex, interesting people. I cared about what happened to them, and they reacted realistically to events. The historical and setting details were woven into the story without slowing the pacing. These details brought the story alive in my imagination. There were no sex scenes. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd highly 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Princess Pact by Melanie Cellier

The Princess Pact by Melanie Cellier ISBN-13: 978-0648080176 Kindle: 280 pages Publisher: Luminant Publications Released: February 7th 2018

Source: Rented through Kinle Unlimited.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Marie, the dutiful princess of Northhelm, chafes under the rigid protocol that governs her life. Then a growing darkness threatens the kingdom and uncovers the lie at the centre of her whole life - a single pact, made by her mother, that changes everything.

Throwing off convention, she joins Rafe, a handsome, charming newcomer, on a quest to save her kingdom. Except he doesn't know she has a mission of her own - to discover the truth about her identity. Increasingly drawn to Rafe's strength and good humour, Marie is torn by her double purpose. With time running out and death and destruction looming, Marie will have to unravel the bargains that surround her and choose where her true allegiance lies.

In this twist on the classic fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin, a hidden identity is just one of the things Marie will have to unravel.


My Review:
The Princess Pact is a young adult fantasy novel with a romance. Though the third in the series, this works as a standalone novel. When Marie learns that she's adopted and that it's her true father who threatens the kingdom by using a magic item to raise a rebellion, she's confused and feels betrayed by her adoptive parents. Her adoptive brother goes missing after being thwarted in his desire to join the mysterious Rafe in scouting out the rebel camp, so she decides to go to the rebel camp to find her brother, sort out what's going on, and figure out who she truly is.

The main characters were interesting, engaging, and I cared about what happened to them. Marie and Rafe worked together to save the kingdom, building their trust and friendship in addition to their physical attraction. Marie grew in maturity and skill throughout the story. The world-building was light, mainly a medieval feel but with curses and godmother magic items. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this fantasy to fans of fairytales and heroic fantasy.


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.

Forget Me Not by Sarah Eden

Forget Me Not by Sarah Eden ISBN-13: 9781524413354 Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Covenant Communications Released: September 7th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Julia Cummings has long been acquainted with loss-her mother, her brother, her sister, her friend, all gone too soon. But the loss that pushed her grief to the limit as a young girl was that of her best friend, Lucas Jonquil, who abandoned her without looking back. Now, eight years later, Lucas has returned to Lampton Park, and Julia has steeled herself-she will never again trust the man who broke her heart.

After losing too many of his friends and family to early deaths, Lucas vowed to live life to the fullest. And after traversing the world, he has returned from his adventures to find his family and home as he left them-except for Julia. The little girl he left behind has blossomed into a captivating lady, a lady who makes it clear she wants nothing to do with him. Then the former friends are blindsided when their parents make a shocking announcement. Lucas and Julia have been betrothed without their knowledge and are to marry immediately. Now Lucas must rely on the help of his closest friends to win the heart of a lady who doesn't trust him-a lady he’s coming to love more deeply every day.


My Review:
Forget Me Not is a romance set in 1785 in England. After so many of her friends and family have died or left her, Julia has decided it's better to be lonely than experience heartbreak again. Though Lucas has lost the same people, he's been able to create a close circle of friends and travel to deal with his grief. When he returns home after years away and little contact, he's baffled when his once best friend Julia makes it clear that she doesn't want to spend time with him and doesn't trust him. When their parents surprise them by publicly announcing their betrothal and forcing a quick marriage, both fight the idea but are given no choice. Lucas tries to go on living like he did before marriage, but he can see how his actions are crushing Julia. Unable to figure out how to fix things, he welcomes a visit from his close friends (the Gents). They give him advice and help rebuild Julia's trust in others.

The characters were complex, interesting, likable, and reacted realistically to events. But this was hard to read for me because Julia was so heartbroken for most of it. Lucas didn't mean to be cruel and could be thoughtful, but he didn't think through how his words and actions affected others and (like most people) tended to do what he wanted over offering selfless love. His friends helped him to uncover the hurt he caused long ago and to repair the damage already done in his marriage. I loved the Gents and look forward to their future stories. Historical details about the fashions and such of the time were woven into the story. While I'll accept that a forced marriage could happen as described, I had a hard time believing that the parents really didn't expect that their children would object to a public announcement with no notification of the betrothal ahead of time. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this historical romance.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White

A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White ISBN-13: 9780764231834 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: September 8th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Zivon Marin was one of Russia's top cryptographers, until the October Revolution tore apart his world. Forced to flee after speaking out against Lenin and separated from his brother along the way, he arrives in England driven by a growing anger and determined to offer his services to the Brits.

Lily Blackwell sees the world best through the lens of a camera--and possesses unsurpassed skill when it comes to retouching and recreating photographs. With her father's connections in propaganda, she's recruited to the intelligence division, even though her mother would disapprove.

After Captain Blackwell invites Zivon to dinner one evening, a friendship blooms between him and Lily. He sees patterns in what she deems chaos; she sees beauty in a world he thought destroyed. But both have secrets they're unwilling to share. When photographs are sent to Zivon's boss showing him with socialists, Zivon's loyalties are questioned--and his enemies are discovered to be far closer than he'd feared.


My Review:
A Portrait of Loyalty is a suspenseful Christian romance set in 1918 in England. This novel is the 3rd in the series. You don't need to read the previous novel to understand this one, and this story didn't spoil the previous book.

Zivon has lost everyone that he cares about and flees Russia because his life in danger. He accidentally ends up with information that the Socialists need, so they're still tracking him down. In the darkness of his loss and anger, he's uplifted by the beauty that he can see when Lily takes photographs. And Lily's intrigued by how Zivon can anticipate people's actions simply by watching the patterns of movement. Their interest grows as they spend time together, but then photographs turn up that call Zivan's loyalty into question. Will an opportunity to end the war be lost because Zivon's advice is ignored?

The main characters acted realistically, were engaging, and I cared about what happened to them. Interesting historical details were woven into the story and were critical to the plot. The hero and heroine respected and supported each other. The suspense came from danger to the hero's life as well as an outbreak of the Spanish Flu. Zivon needed to forgive those who killed his betrothed and ruined his life. There was no sex 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.

One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay

One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay ISBN-13: 9780593101742 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Berkley Books Released: September 1st 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Love is in the air in Briar Creek as library director Lindsey Norris and boat captain Mike (Sully) Sullivan are finally tying the knot. The entire town is excited for the happy day, and Lindsey and Sully's plan for a small wedding evaporates as more and more people insist upon attending the event of the year.

When Lindsey and her crafternoon pals head out to Bell Island to see if it can accommodate the ever-expanding guest list, they are horrified to discover a body washed up on the rocky shore. Even worse, Lindsey recognizes the man as the justice of the peace who was supposed to officiate her wedding ceremony. When it becomes clear he was murdered, she has to book it to solve the mystery before it ends her happily ever after before it's even begun....


My Review:
One for the Books is a cozy mystery. It's the eleventh 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.

The main characters were likable and interesting. This was a clue-based mystery that can be guessed before the end. Lindsey picked up clues about what was going on as she and Sully searched for someone to marry them, so the mystery was mixed into the wedding preparation. There were only four or five suspects, so more time was spent trying to prove that two people had an alibi than on finding clues about whodunit. The critical clue came near the end, and Lindsey quickly caught on to whodunit.

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.

Airborne by DiAnn Mills

Airborne by DiAnn Mills ISBN-13: 9781496427175 Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Released: September 8th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Heather Lawrence's long-awaited vacation to Salzburg wasn't supposed to go like this. Mere hours into the transatlantic flight, the Houston FBI agent is awakened when passengers begin exhibiting horrific symptoms of an unknown infection. As the virus quickly spreads and dozens of passengers fall ill, Heather fears she's witnessing an epidemic similar to ones her estranged husband studies for a living--but this airborne contagion may have been deliberately released.

While Heather remains quarantined with other survivors, she works with her FBI colleagues to identify the person behind this attack. The prime suspect? Dr. Chad Lawrence, an expert in his field . . . and Heather's husband. The Lawrences' marriage has been on the rocks since Chad announced his career took precedence over his wife and future family and moved out.

As more victims fall prey days after the initial outbreak, and time's running out to hunt down the killer.


My Review:
Airborne is a Christian romantic suspense novel. The story had some eerie parallels to the current COVID-19 outbreak, but it had many differences. It was about a quick acting, deadly virus that was being used as a weapon. Not only did Heather have to deal with the stress of wondering if she's going to get sick, she's also responsible for identifying which fellow passenger released the virus while also dealing with the emotional upheaval of a potential divorce with her husband (who also happens to be a main suspect). After losing a good friend in the Ebola outbreak, her husband returned a different man who said he had no room for her in his life anymore. As Heather dealt with her jumbled emotions, she realized that she had allowed her husband to take the place of God in her life and moved toward deeping her relationship with God. Her atheist husband's life went out of control when he's accused of creating the virus. Since he had time on his hands, he looked into the intellectual answers to his problems with God.

The characters were interesting, engaging, and complex with a lot of depth. They dealt with realistic problems in addition to the suspense elements. The suspense came from not knowing the origin of the virus and if they would find a way to save the people who were infected or stop any future dispersal of this bioweapon. While the identity of the mastermind behind the plot had an interesting twist, I must admit that I suspected whodunit based on current events more than clues found in the book. *laugh* There were no sex scenes. There was no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting, 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.

Hanging Falls by Margaret Mizushima

Hanging Falls by Margaret Mizushima ISBN-13: 9781643854458 Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Crooked Lane Books Released: September 8th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A deluge has flooded the high ground near Hanging Falls--but heavy rains aren't the only menace descending on Timber Creek. While on a scouting mission to pinpoint trail damage, officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo stumble upon a body floating at the edge of a lake. Robo catches human scent, which leads to an enigmatic forest-dweller who quickly becomes suspect number one.

With help from veterinarian Cole Walker, Mattie identifies the victim, and discovers an odd religious cult whose dress and manners harken back to the 19th century. As the list of suspects grows, an unexpected visit from members of Mattie's long-lost family sheds new light on her childhood as they help Mattie piece together details of the fateful night when she was abducted at age two.

The tangled threads of the investigation and family dynamics begin to intertwine--but darkness threatens to claim a new victim before Mattie and Robo can track down the killers.


My Review:
Hanging Falls is a K9-detective mystery/suspense. It's the sixth in a series. You can follow this book without reading the previous ones, and this book didn't spoil the previous mysteries. This series just keeps getting better. 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 engaging, had depth and complexity, and reacted realistically to events. The crime was a clue-based mystery, and Mattie was involved in finding clues and interviewing suspects. Though whodunit was on the suspect list, it wasn't obvious whodunit until the last clues were uncovered at the end. Suspense was mainly created from physical danger to those who had witnessed suspicious activity or clues.

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.

A Case of Cat and Mouse by Sofie Kelly

A Case of Cat and Mouse by Sofie Kelly ISBN-13: 9780440001164 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Released: September 1st 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Spring has come to charming Mayville Heights, and with it, some Hollywood glamour. The little town is abuzz because the reboot of a popular baking TV show is filming there. Librarian Kathleen Paulson is working as an advisor on historical facts for the show, local restaurants are providing catering for the camera crews, and Kathleen's faithful felines, Hercules and Owen, are hoping there is a cat treat challenge.

But then Kathleen finds one of the judges dead. She has solved many-a-murder with help from the supernaturally gifted Herc and Owen, and with the whole town on tenterhooks, the talented trio will have to have all paws on deck to chase down this killer.


My Review:
A Case of Cat and Mouse is a cozy mystery. This is the 12th 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. However, the author provided a lot of detail about events that happened in the previous books. These were not necessary to understand the story, and the first third of the book dragged a bit because of all these info dumps. The author also told all of the details of a coffee fiasco (which was comic relief) once when it happened and again when Kathleen was telling Marcus about it. It felt like the author was 45 pages short and so added a lot of filler to the front of the book. The pacing was fine after Kathleen started investigating the murder, though.

It's a clue-based mystery. The heroine is intelligent and knows how to ask questions without being pushy or accusing. She mainly helped uncover lies and sorted out alibis, which eliminated many people from the suspect list. She also spotted the critical clue, and it'd be difficult to correctly guess whodunit before that point. 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.

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.

Happily Ever Afters by Melanie Cellier

Happily Ever Afters by Melanie Cellier ISBN-13: 978-0648080190 Kindle: 140 pages Publisher: Luminant Publications Released: November 2nd 2016

Source: Rented through Amazon Unlimited.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sarah and Evelyn have already risked everything to help Ava win a crown. But they soon learn that a coronation is a beginning, not an ending. Not everyone in Rangmere is happy to see the young queen on the throne, and intrigue and danger lurk all around. The cousins find themselves fighting not only for their new kingdom but also for their own survival in the royal court. When a new threat emerges, the two girls must defeat it to both save the crown and secure their own Happily Ever Afters.


My Review:
Happily Ever Afters is a young adult fantasy novella with a romance. You really need to read "The Princess Fugitive" first in order to understand this story. While Sarah is a part of uncovering the plot and has her own romance, Evelyn and her love interest were more fully developed. We get to see Evelyn and her love interest interact and form a friendship. It's easy to understand why they're attracted to each other. Sarah and Evelyn uncover a plot against their friend Ava and work together with the love interests to save the day. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. The world-building was light, mainly a medieval feel but with curses and godmother magic items. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this fantasy to fans of fairytales and heroic fantasy.


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.