The Maid by Nita Prose

The Maid
by Nita Prose

ISBN-13: 9780593356159
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Released: January 4th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.

Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.

But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her to help free her.


My Review:
The Maid is a suspense novel, I suppose, as it's not really a typical mystery. From the start, I got the feeling that Molly knew who murdered Mr. Black but she's not revealing critical clues to anyone (including the reader) until the very last chapter. However, as she thought over the past, you realize just how deeply she's in trouble because she's challenged when it comes to reading social cues. People used her kind, trusting nature to get her to do wrong things and she didn't even realize it. So while she knew all the clues, it's her friends that helped put the pieces together and worked to get her out of trouble.

While I felt that the writing was excellent and the main characters were interesting and engaging, I didn't like the message of 'the ends justify the means.' It started with her grandmother teaching Molly to keep her promises and then forcing her to do something horrible rather than handling the matter herself. In order to get Molly out of trouble, her friends literally taught her how to lie effectively. Up until then, she omitted details but always told the truth. In the end, Molly effectively pinned the murder on a bad guy but not the right whodunit justifying this by thinking Mr. Black was a bad guy who deserved to die for the greater good and Molly really didn't like the accused bad guy.

I'll also note that the story was written with the present in present tense and flashback scenes in past tense. There were a lot of flashbacks. I find it awkward "sounding" to read stories in present tense, but it worked because Molly had awkward, formal speech patterns. There were no sex scenes. There was occasional use of bad language (including "non-mild" words). Overall, the story was a riveting read, but I was disappointed with how nearly everyone used and corrupted Molly.


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.

Rocky Mountain Standoff by Laura Scott

Rocky Mountain Standoff
by Laura Scott

ISBN-13: 9781335554741
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: December 28th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A criminal will do anything to get federal judge Sidney Logan to throw a trial—even target her six-month-old foster daughter. And it’s up to US Deputy Marshal Tanner Wilcox to keep Sidney and little Lilly safe in the Colorado Rockies. But with danger finding them at every turn, there might be a mole in the courthouse...and trusting anyone could prove lethal.


My Review:
Rocky Mountain Standoff is a romantic suspense novel. It's the fifth book in a series but works as a stand alone. The suspense was high throughout due to the danger to Sidney and her foster baby. Some parts didn't make sense, though, like why the deputies responsible for the courthouse security kept letting things come through without checking them. Or why the defendant kept threatening the people Sidney loved so she would find him not guilty when he knew only the jury could do that. Not to mention that his thugs kept shooting at her like she was the target. Or why another victim of this guy didn't go after the criminal (who was nearby) in revenge rather than threaten to kill Sidney, who was a victim like him.

Anyway. The romance didn't work for me. I understand why Sidney was attracted to this handsome guy who made her feel safe and who was great with her foster baby. But in the last book, Tanner was complaining about how difficult she was to protect because she wanted to do her job so this trial could be completed. She's still "difficult" that way, just like he's stubborn about refusing to get needed medical help. He's charmed by the baby. Then he's suddenly passionately kissing her. Panicked she'll leave him. Declaring that "love was all that mattered" no matter their differences and she and the baby made his life worth living. Um. Where did this come from? Later, he kept pushing her to say they'll adopt a lot more children even though they both have intense jobs and she feels rather old to raise children. Personally, I felt like they weren't a good match for a long term relationship. There was no sex or bad language.


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

Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen

Shadows of Swanford Abbey
by Julie Klassen

ISBN-13: 9780764234248
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: December 7th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
When Miss Rebecca Lane returns to her home village after a few years away, her brother begs for a favor: go to nearby Swanford Abbey and deliver his manuscript to an author staying there who could help him get published. Feeling responsible for her brother's desperate state, she reluctantly agrees.

The medieval monastery turned grand hotel is rumored to be haunted. Once there, Rebecca begins noticing strange things, including a figure in a hooded black gown gliding silently through the abbey's cloisters. For all its renovations and veneer of luxury, the ancient foundations seem to echo with whispers of the past--including her own. For there she encounters Sir Frederick--magistrate, widower, and former neighbor--who long ago broke her heart.

When the famous author is found murdered in the abbey, Sir Frederick begins questioning staff and guests and quickly discovers that several people held grudges against the man, including Miss Lane and her brother. Haunted by a painful betrayal in his past, Sir Frederick searches for answers but is torn between his growing feelings for Rebecca and his pursuit of the truth. For Miss Lane is clearly hiding something....


My Review:
Shadows of Swanford Abbey is a Christian historical romance and mystery set in 1820 in England. Rebecca felt responsible for her brother's moods and so allowed him to manipulate her into doing something that made no sense: give his rejected manuscript to the author that stole his last manuscript in hopes he'd recommend it to his publisher. The author was guarded so no one could bother him, so she approached the visiting publisher when he's in a bad mood despite being told he won't look at unrequested manuscripts. Rebecca convinced herself that getting the manuscript to the author would somehow make her brother all better even though she had valid doubts at the start. She deliberately deceived several people to gain this goal.

Sir Frederick was friends with Rebecca when they were children and could see how she's grown into a beautiful woman, but he's also the one investigating the murder. She's clearly hiding something. Yet she's also uncovering a lot of clues. He interviewed people while she tended to overhear or notice clues. Once they decided to trust each other, the romance grew beyond the physical attraction and an old crush. Historical details were woven into the story, giving it a distinct setting in that place and time.

The main characters learned to forgive themselves. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical.


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 Finder of Forgotten Things by Sarah Loudin Thomas

The Finder of Forgotten Things
by Sarah Loudin Thomas

ISBN-13: 9780764238352
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: December 7th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
It's 1932 and Sullivan Harris is on the run. He promised the people of Kline, West Virginia, that he would find them water, but now he's failed and disappeared with their cash. Although he's determined to stay a step ahead of pursuers--like Jeremiah Weber--his resources are running low.

Gainey Floyd is suspicious of Sulley's claim to be a dowser when he appears in town but reconsiders after he finds water. Rather, it's Sulley who grows uneasy when his success makes folks wonder if he can find more than water--like forgotten items or missing people. He lights out to escape such expectations and runs smack into something worse.

Hundreds of men have found jobs digging the Hawks Nest Tunnel--but what they thought was a blessing is killing them. And no one seems to care. Here, Sulley finds something new--a desire to help. As Jeremiah--and now Gainey--pursue him, Sulley becomes the unexpected catalyst for finding what even he has forgotten. Hope.


My Review:
The Finder of Forgotten Things is historical fiction set in 1932 in West Virginia. Sulley grew up in an orphanage and never knew his parents. He feels like he doesn't belong anywhere, so he wanders around offering his services as a water-finder. When he encounters Gainey, he wants to make her reconsider her impression that he's a fraud.

Jeremiah and Gainey were also viewpoint characters and were the romantic pair. Gainey had to give up her newborn son for adoption but never told anyone. When she found an object indicating a dead man might be her son, she asked Jeremiah and Sulley for help. Sulley half hoped that Gainey was his mother, so he helped track down the truth. Jeremiah and Gainey admired each other and grew closer as they worked together.

The main characters were complex, realistic people. I cared about what happened to them, especially lonely Sulley. The historical details were woven into the story and brought the time period to life in my imagination. It's so sad what happened at the Hawks Nest Tunnel. Jeremiah and Gainey believed in God and that motivated them to treat others as valuable. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I highly recommend this well-written historical fiction.


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.

Stitched in Crime by Emmie Caldwell

Stitched in Crime
by Emmie Caldwell

ISBN-13: 9780593101704
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Books
Released: December 7th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The Craft Fair may have hit a few snags lately, but knitting enthusiast Lia Geiger is hopeful her quiet life will return to its usual patterns in no time. Her daughter has officially moved back home, and sure, the house is a little crowded with Hayley's take-home work from the alpaca farm, but that's a price Lia will happily pay. All seems well until Cori Littlefield, a new vendor with a gift for crochet, is found dead at the bottom of a waterfall.

What begins as a tragic accident turns into a snarled spool of lies that only the combined efforts of the Ninth Street Knitters can untangle. Lia makes a connection between Cori's death and a decades-old murder, and it's up to her to weave together the clues and find the truth.


My Review:
Stitched in Crime is a cozy mystery. It's the second in a series. You don't need to read the previous book to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous mystery.

The main characters were likable and interesting. The police declared Cori's death an accident. When Lia realized that Cori had witnessed a similar death--perhaps a murder--when she was a child, she decided to investigate in case Cori was killed because of what she had seen. She asked questions and looked for clues but had difficulty finding proof or narrowing down the suspect pool. I strongly suspected whodunit from various hints, and I became even more sure as the story went on. Lia saved the day, catching whodunit in the act of another murder and so gained her proof. 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 Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden by Kate Saunders

The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden
by Kate Saunders

ISBN-13: 9781408866924
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Released: December 7th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
In the spring of 1853, private detective Laetitia Rodd receives a delicate request from a retired actor, whose days on the stage were ended by a theater fire ten years before. His great friend, and the man he rescued from the fire, Thomas Transome, has decided to leave his wife, who now needs assistance in securing a worthy settlement. Though Mrs. Rodd is reluctant to get involved with the scandalous world of the theater, she cannot turn away the woman in need. She agrees to take the case.

But what starts out as a simple matter of negotiation becomes complicated when a body is discovered in the burnt husk of the old theater. Soon Mrs. Rodd finds herself embroiled in family politics, rivalries that put the Capulets and Montagues to shame, and betrayals on a Shakespearean scale. Mrs. Rodd will need all her investigatory powers, not to mention her famous discretion, to solve the case before tragedy strikes once more.


My Review:
The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden is a mystery set in 1853 in England. This is the third book in the series, but it works as a stand alone. Laetitia was well-meaning and had some progressive views, but she generally reflected the current (1850s England) culture. The characters were interesting and reacted realistically to events. Historical details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of time and place without slowing the pacing. I appreciate that the author did enough research to get those historical details accurate. Laetitia and the detective on the case were friends and worked well together to uncover clues and gather information. Some pieces of the mystery were more obvious than others, and the critical clue pointing to whodunit didn't come until nearly the end. At that point, Laetitia understood who but still had to find a way to prove it. There were no sex scenes, though there were a lot of people meeting lovers and having babies. There were only a few uses of bad language. 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.

City of Shadows by Victoria Thompson

City of Shadows
by Victoria Thompson

ISBN-13: 9780593197530
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley Books
Released: December 7th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Elizabeth Miles Bates has returned from her honeymoon cruise and is taking great pride in having completely forsaken her past life as a con artist. Then her friend, Anna Vanderslice, begs her to use her talents to help save her widowed mother from a disreputable medium. Since the war and the flu epidemic left so many families bereaved, interest in contacting the dead has experienced a revival. Once quite popular, séances have come back into vogue as desperate families mourn their loved ones and long to communicate with them.

Anna's mother has been attending séances in an attempt to contact her son, David, who died of influenza. Anna had thought it a harmless activity, though a heartbreaking one, but she has just learned that Mrs. Vanderslice is paying the medium large sums of money in her eagerness to make contact with her deceased son. Since David's death has caused Anna and her mother financial hardship already, Mrs. Vanderslice's obsession is in danger of ruining them.

Madame Ophelia is part of a group of con artists working together to fleece as many New Yorkers as possible before moving onto another city. Several of Mrs. Vanderslice's friends as well as some of Gideon's clients have already been victimized. Elizabeth knows that simply exposing the medium as a fraud will not be enough, and the only way to get at least some of the stolen money back is to con the medium and her cohorts. But will Elizabeth's family help her when it means betraying other con artists? So Elizabeth turns to her aunt, Cybil, and Cybil's partner, Zelda, for help. Although Cybil disapproves of her family's shady profession, she is happy to lend a hand. Can Elizabeth and her gang of amateurs fool the professionals?


My Review:
City of Shadows is a historical set in 1919 in New York City. This is the fifth 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. 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.

Elizabeth is a reformed con artist married to Gideon, an honorable lawyer who refuses to lie. Elizabeth and her family has learned how to use his honesty to help in their right-a-wrong cons, and Elizabeth's friends were more than happy to be a part of the fun. The reader isn't told the plans before they happen, so there's an element of mystery and suspense. But we see events as they happen and know the overall goal, so it's fun guessing how the cons are going to go. It was very entertaining and humorous to see each of the interconnected cons being pulled off.

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.

Of Daggers and Deception by A.L. Sowards

Of Daggers and Deception
by A.L. Sowards

ISBN-13: 9781524420543
Paperback
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: December 6, 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
After years as a soldier and mercenary, Rasheed has retired from battle to run the bathhouse in Thebes with his friends Gillen and Eudocia. The simple life suits them, so when Venetian strangers come to town looking to hire the renowned crew, their answer is no. But when one of his friends is abducted, Rasheed is left with no choice but to take up his weapons and join forces with the Venetians, including the beautiful and clever Cecilia, whose betrothed has also been seized by the unknown foe.

As the reluctant allies face ambushes and the looming threat of capture, Rasheed and Cecilia forge a surprising connection. But as the party races to rescue their friends, Rasheed discovers that nothing is as it seems. As his trust in Cecilia begins to waver, he realizes that in the end, they will both be forced to make a choice between love and duty.


My Review:
Of Daggers and Deception is a romance and adventure set in 1390 in Greece. It's the second book in the series, but it works as a stand alone. The characters were well-developed, complex, interesting, and I cared about what happened to them. The historical details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of time and place. While based on true events, many details of specific battles are unknown and the author filled this in with events involving our fictional heroes. The adventure involved many suspenseful battle and escape scenes.

Rasheed admired Cecilia's intelligence, resourcefulness, and beauty, but she's already betrothed. Cecilia wanted to be valued for herself, not just as a pawn in a political marriage, so she's tempted by the respect and care shown by Rasheed. Then he learned about her talent that made her a valuable resource that her family wasn't about to let go of even for a love match. Both believed that God had a plan and purpose for their lives even when it wasn't clear to them. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting, 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.

Radiant Apples by Joe R. Lansdale

Radiant Apples
by Joe R. Lansdale

ISBN-13: 9781645240419
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: November Subterranean Press
Released: November 30th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Nat Love has had enough adventures for ten men. From son of a former slave, to buffalo soldier, to gun hand, to Marshal for Hanging Judge Parker. Now, entering old age, he’s a train porter. A job he’s happy to have, but not exactly the cream of his life. And then an unlikely train robbery and a moment of bravery gives him an opportunity to relive his past and perhaps redeem his wayward son. He’s still got the skills, but he’s also older and stiffer, and a little less certain.

He’ll need his old pal, Choctaw, to help him track down the murderous Radiant Apple Gang, so named for the odd, glowing cheeks of the two brothers who lead it. They’re not exactly the James Gang, but then again, Nat and Choctaw aren’t exactly in their prime, even if they do have an automobile and an expense account.

From the train tracks and cotton fields of East Texas, to the Oklahoma hills and a corrupt town, they’ll end up in a desperate struggle for survival that includes gun play, an outlaw, who though dreadfully wounded, doesn’t seem capable of dying, to a man gagging on dirty underpants. They’ll need the right hat, the right guns, and plenty of rest. The biggest question is can Nat and his companion, Chocktaw, survive bullets and lumbago, and come out on top.


My Review:
Radiant Apples is a western set in 1919 in Texas and Oklahoma. It's apparently based off of a real man. There was a reference to Nat being the real Deadwood Dick (as well as several references to Dick in the lower case). Not only were the main characters crude in language, there was a lot of nudity. There were sex scenes (though not highly graphic), blood and guts (somewhat graphically described), and a fair amount of bad language. I guess I was expecting more of a biography/adventure rather than this very earthy story. Historical details about the man and what life was like at the time were woven into the story. The main characters were interesting. There was some suspense during the fight scene.


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.

Christmas Vendetta by Valerie Hansen

Christmas Vendetta
by Valerie Hansen

ISBN-13: 9781335554703
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: November 30th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sandy Lynn Forrester's Christmas holiday takes a terrifying turn when someone breaks into her home and attacks her roommate thinking it's her. But no one will protect her from her ex-husband except for her old childhood neighbor and friend, ex-cop Clay Danforth. Clay has his own problems, as he's just been set up by corrupt cops and accused of stealing drugs from the evidence locker. With their enemies working together, they'll have to stick together to survive.


My Review:
Christmas Vendetta is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the fourth book in a series but works as a stand alone. Sandy's abusive ex-husband is out to kill her for putting him in prison. Clay, a friend from her childhood whom she had a crush on, saves her but has enemies of his own among the police force. He suspected several were corrupt cops, but they framed him for theft of drugs from the evidence locker, ruining his reputation. Sandy and Clay go on the run as their enemies spread lies and attack them.

The suspense stayed high through as the action was nearly constant from beginning to end. Things wrapped up very quickly, with the bad guys acting in ways which exposed the truth, allowing the good guys to quickly straighten everything out. The main character were developed as the story progressed. They renewed their friendship from the past, recognizing how they've changed and admiring and caring about the other to the point of being romantically attracted. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting 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.

A Counterfeit Suitor by Darcie Wilde

A Counterfeit Suitor
by Darcie Wilde

ISBN-13: 9781496720887
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Released: November 30th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Among the ton of Regency London, one breath of scandal can be disastrous. Enter Rosalind Thorne, a young woman adept at helping ladies of quality navigate the most delicate problems. It is every mama’s dearest wish that her daughter marries well. But how to ensure that a seemingly earnest suitor is not merely a fortune hunter? Rosalind is involved in just such a case, discreetly investigating a client’s prospective son-in-law, when she is drawn into another predicament shockingly close to home.

Rosalind’s estranged father, Sir Reginald Thorne—a drunkard and forger—has fallen into the hands of the vicious scoundrel Russell Fullerton. Angered by her interference in his blackmail schemes, Fullerton intends to unleash Sir Reginald on society and ruin Rosalind. Before Rosalind’s enemy can act, Sir Reginald is found murdered—and Fullerton is arrested for the crime. He protests his innocence, and Rosalind reluctantly agrees to uncover the truth, suspecting that this mystery may be linked to her other, ongoing cases.

Aided by her sister, Charlotte, and sundry friends and associates—including handsome Bow Street Runner Adam Harkness—Rosalind sets to work. But with political espionage and Napoleon loyalists in the mix, there may be more sinister motives, and far higher stakes, than she ever imagined.


My Review:
A Counterfeit Suitor is a mystery set in 1819 in England. This is the fifth book in the series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this one didn't spoil the previous mysteries.

This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. Rosalind (and those helping her) asked good questions and collected information. Rosalind was clever, but most of the people involved either lied to her or tried to misdirect her. Whodunit was guessable near the end but wasn't obvious. The characters were interesting and reacted realistically to events. The author clearly researched the manners and etiquette of the time. Historical details were usually woven into the story, but she still sometimes simply told information about historical differences.

There was no sex. There was some 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.

Under Pressure by Sara Driscoll

Under Pressure
by Sara Driscoll

ISBN-13: 9781496735041
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington Books
Released: November 30th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Diamonds are no one’s best friend when the jewels in question are smuggled conflict gems. FBI handler Meg Jennings and her Labrador K-9 partner, Hawk, have undertaken many search-and-rescue missions, but this case has an unusual twist. A Philadelphia syndicate is importing diamonds from war-torn African nations and selling them with fake certificates to Stateside dealers. Agent Finn Pierce of the Organized Crime Program is embedded with the syndicate, but being caught with a wire or tracking device would mean instant execution. If Meg, her partner Brian Foster, and their dogs can track Pierce to a deal location, they can break the smuggling chain while maintaining Pierce’s cover.

With the syndicate monitoring every move, it’s a risky operation with more players than Meg and Brian first assumed—on both sides of the law. And when one of their own gets caught in the line of fire, the team embarks on a desperate rescue mission, knowing that mere seconds are all that separate life and death.


My Review:
Under Pressure is a K9 suspense. This book is the sixth in a series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one. This book didn't spoil any previous mysteries.

The main characters were likable, interesting, and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the danger involved with taking on a powerful crime syndicate and the potential for them to discover how the FBI was busting their deals. Tracking the deals also turned out to be more challenging than they expected. I kind of wondered why Hawk, who had a personal reason to remember the scent of a certain violent criminal, seemed oblivious (and useless) when his owner later tried to track that man by sight.

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.

Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders by Emily Brightwell

Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders
by Emily Brightwell

ISBN-13: 9780593101087
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: November 16th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Harriet Andover had no intention of dying young like her siblings, but Harriet is strangled inside her mansion with a house full of resentful family and a friend.

The last thing Inspector Witherspoon wanted was a complicated murder case just a week before Christmas. The room where Harriet's body was found was locked from the inside and she had the only key in her pocket. He soon discovers that Harriet's own husband and grown stepchildren are not overcome with grief and neither is her friend.

Mrs. Jeffries and the household have no intention of letting their inspector down and learn that Harriet's sister may have died from foul play as well. As the clues mount, this dedicated band of sleuths will not rest until they've delivered a stocking full of coal to a crafty killer.


My Review:
Mrs. Jeffries and the Midwinter Murders is a historical mystery set in England in the 1890's. It's the 40th book in a series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous books. This was a clue-based puzzle mystery, and there were enough clues for a reader to figure out whodunit. The story wasn't heavily historical, though there were enough details to provide a historical feel.

This wasn't one of the best in the series. We got a lot of filler, from repetition when Mrs. Jeffries thinks over the clues each night to the author giving extensive biographies on each character and telling us about them rather than showing their personalities in their interactions. Not surprisingly, whodunit was pretty easy to figure out. There was no sex. There were a few uses of 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.

Every Word Unsaid by Kimberly Duffy

Every Word Unsaid
by Kimberly Duffy

ISBN-13: 9780764235658
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family's constant disappointment. As the nation's most fearless--and reviled--columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal at the worst possible moment, she's forced to leave America entirely.

Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and adventures that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel's sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing.

As she grows closer to friends, old and new, and allows their words of truth to heal parched places, she pictures a new future. But will she take her chance to finally stop running?


My Review:
Every Word Unsaid is a Christian romance set in 1897 mostly in India. When Augusta's family became rich, she longed for the life they had before, when she was valued rather than a failure at the required social graces. She rebelled by periodically running off to see the world and writing about her adventures for a lady's magazine. Yet her family's hurtful words still follow her, making her feel worthless and like she'll never belong. When she visits her childhood friends in India, though, she realizes that some people do value her. Still, she struggled to believe their healing words over the hurtful ones.

Her childhood best friend, Gabriel, is now a handsome man. He still supports her and builds her up. He loves her even though he struggles with the fear of losing his loved ones like he did his parents. He knows Augusta's impulsiveness and love of adventure, though, so he doesn't let himself hope she'll stay.

This is a story about how past hurts shape our futures if we listen to the lies and hurtful words. How we find our worth in God, not in how others view us. The main characters were complex, reacted realistically to events, and I cared about what happened to them. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting and enjoyable historical.


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.

After She Falls by Carmen Schober

After She Falls
by Carmen Schober

ISBN-13: 9780764239298
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Strong-willed Adri Rivera always dreamed of becoming a professional mixed martial artist, but then she fell in love with a man who smashed everything to pieces. When their tumultuous relationship finally comes to a head, Adri flees with their young daughter to her small hometown in the mountains of Pennsylvania. There, she must face the people she left behind and put her broken life back together as a single mother.

Adri struggles to regain her independence after so many years under the oppressive influence of her ex, but a job opportunity at a local gym gives her hope that she'll be able to stand on her own two feet. The one problem? The man who offers it to her is the handsome but hardened Max Lyons--her former best friend and training partner, whom she left heartbroken years before.

As Adri dares to pursue her dream again, training for a big tournament, can she avoid the past defining her future?


My Review:
After She Falls is a Christian romance. Though I liked many things about this story, it's written in present tense, which detracted from the story in my opinion. I simply find it easier to read a novel written in the usual past tense. Since the focus of the story was on Adri training as a professional mixed martial artist and fighting in cage fights, there was violence. The author focused mainly on the fighting moves and strategies (at a level that anyone can follow) but didn't shy away from the injuries that can occur. The author also didn't make the characters perfect. It's implied that Max had casual sexual flings, and Adri wasn't married when she got pregnant. However, there were no sex scenes. There wasn't printed out bad language beyond a few uses of cr*p.

The author explored how difficult it is to leave an abusive husband. Max was still attracted to Adri. He was jealous and doubted she'd truly leave her husband since her own mother never left her abusive husband. This created a realistic tension to their relationship where attraction kept getting shattered by this lack of trust. It took advice from people who'd been there before and the influence of God (which happened slowly) to shift their relationship into healthy territory. Though nothing was left hanging, the story ended with the results of a big championship fight rather than the usual romance novel epilogue (which is fine by me). Anyway, realistic, complex characters struggling with real problems. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting 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.

As Dawn Breaks by Kate Breslin

As Dawn Breaks
by Kate Breslin

ISBN-13: 9780764237485
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Amid the Great War in 1918 England, munitions worker Rosalind Graham is desperate to escape the arranged marriage being forced on her by her ruthless guardian and instead follow her own course. When the Chilwell factory explodes, killing hundreds of unidentified workers, Rose realizes the world believes she perished in the disaster. Seizing the chance to escape, she risks all and assumes a new identity, taking a supervisory position in Gretna, Scotland, as Miss Tilly Lockhart.

RAF Captain Alex Baird is returning home to Gretna on a secret mission to uncover the saboteur suspected in the Chilwell explosion, as Gretna's factory is likely next. Fearing for his family's safety, he's also haunted by guilt after failing to protect his brother. Alex is surprised to discover a young woman, Miss Lockhart, renting his boyhood room, but the two eventually bond over their mutual affection for his family--until Alex receives orders to surveil her.

Rose squirms beneath Alex's scrutiny while she struggles to gain her workers' respect. But when her deception turns to danger, she and Alex must find a way to put their painful pasts behind them and together try to safeguard the future.


My Review:
As Dawn Breaks is a romance set in 1918 in England and Scotland. Unfortunately, I felt like this story had so many twists that it became too confusing and unbelievable. Some things were never explained, probably because there was no believable explanation. Others were explained by Tilly's brother being such a master of disguises that even the people who knew the impersonated person didn't realize the switch. Even after reading the explanation of who did what, why, and when at the end, some explanations still made no sense and seemed forced in order to prolong the suspense. (If you want someone to stop killing people, do you wait until he's set the bombs or stop things as soon as you can?)

I also didn't feel like the romance worked. Sure, Alex was wonderful compared to the cruel bully that Rose was supposed to marry, and she loved his family. But each repeatedly assumed the worst about the other, sometimes even after the evidence indicated otherwise. Alex wouldn't even consider the truth when Rose finally told him, so she stopped talking to him. Their future marriage will have great conflict resolution skills. Not.

Finally, very little of the story was about trying to uncover and capture the bad guy. Rose was busy being afraid and being bullied by the girls that she supervised until she suddenly found her courage. The whole time, Rose knew some valuable information but didn't trust anyone enough to tell them. Alex didn't suspect the bad guys that were right in front of him and did little to uncover them. Oddly, it was the bad guys that finally clued them in to who they were and where the bombs were hidden. Go figure.

The Christian themes were that God had a good plan for Rose's life and Alex needed to forgive himself for his brother's death. There was no sex or bad language.


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

Behind Love's Wall by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Behind Love's Wall
by Carrie Fancett Pagels

ISBN-13: 9781636090696
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: November 1st 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Two successful women, a hundred-and-twenty-years apart, build walls to protect their hearts. Modern-day Willa, a successful interior decorator, is chosen to consult for the Grand Hotel’s possible redesign. She discovers a journal detailing the struggles of a young woman, Lily—which reveals dark secrets. The renowned singer wasn’t who she pretended to be. As Willa reaches out to Lily’s descendant, a handsome and prominent landscape artist, she lets down her guard.


My Review:
Behind Love's Wall is a romance set in both 1895 and 2021. The author tried to pack too much in, though. In the past, we have Lily's story, but also the story of her hotel maid and the continuation of Maude's family's story from "Maude’s Mooring." In the present day, we have Willa's story but also flashbacks and a mystery from Willa's mother's past. Both Willa and Lily didn't know who their father was and uncovered that information while on Mackinac Island. But it got downright confusing when a lot of people in the area had the same last name and some modern people had the same names as the people in the past. Just too many people and too many stories to keep track of easily.

I enjoyed Lily's story. She feared that she was going to become mentally ill like her mother and was attracted to a kind man who lost his father in a fire started by her mother. Her singing act was also under threat of being broken up. In modern day (with COVID restrictions causing difficulties), Willa fell for a super-handsome but cranky landscaper. I'm not sure why she's attracted to him beyond his looks. He's dealing with his own worries about a possible mental illness and kept flip-flopping between asking to see the journal and questioning why Willa was asking him about the journal and his ancestors (mentioned therein) right now. Especially since she should be trying to come up with a redesign that will win a contract with the Grand Hotel. The "redesign" was mostly there just so they could find the journal. There were no sex scenes 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.

Lights Out by Natalie Walters

Lights Out
by Natalie Walters

ISBN-13: 9780800739782
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
CIA analyst Brynn Taylor developed a new program to combat terrorism, and she invited members of foreign intelligence agencies to America to foster cooperation between countries. Now one of them, Egyptian spy Remon Riad, is missing.

Jack Hudson has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency (SNAP) for almost nine years and takes the lead in hunting down the missing spy. But he isn't at all pleased to find out Brynn is involved. It's hard to trust a woman who's already betrayed you.

Every lead they follow draws them dangerously deeper into an international plot. Kidnapping, murder, explosions, poisoning--the terrorists will do anything to accomplish their goal of causing a digital blackout that will blind a strategic US military communications center and throw the world into chaos.


My Review:
Lights Out is a Christian romantic suspense/mystery. I felt slightly exasperated with the romance. The whole thing started with Jack saying that he didn't trust Brynn because she betrayed him, but it turned out that all she did was choose her dream job over a budding relationship with him. Years later, they're still attracted even though he still struggled with her going into danger and wanting to spend so much time on the job. I'm not saying that it's a bad relationship, but Jack seems to love her "despite" these stress points rather than learning how to make the relationship work.

Anyway, the characters reacted realistically to events and came across as real people with genuine struggles. The suspense came from an unknown terrorist threat that they slowly uncovered (will it be in time?) and the danger that it put them in. Brynn was able to protect herself in unarmed combat. But I appreciated that, after Jack repeatedly tackled Brynn (and it really was to save her life), she finally got injured from it. I've long thought that having a large, brawny man knock a woman down would result in some injury.

Brynn didn't quite trust that God was both good and in control. She learned to "anchor" herself in God to find peace when life was out of her control. 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.

An Alleged Rogue by Sian Ann Bessey

An Alleged Rogue
by Sian Ann Bessey

ISBN-13: 9781524418991
Paperback
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: November 8th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Everyone says Lord Adam Dunsbourne is a tyrant. The tales are shocking: accounts of a man who gambled away the family fortune and keeps his younger sister, Emily, captive in their home at Dunsbourne Manor. So when Adam and his sister make an unexpected appearance at a dinner party, the scandalized whispers cannot be contained. New to the town, Phoebe Hadford hears the condemning rumors and determines to do all she can to help the baron’s oppressed sister. Upon entering Dunsbourne Manor, however, she quickly discovers that all is not what she has been led to believe.

Adam, unsure of whether he can trust the intentions of his beautiful neighbor, is quickly drawn in by Phoebe’s genuine nature. But even as Adam and Phoebe’s connection deepens, a dangerous enemy from Adam’s past reemerges. For years, Adam has hunted for the man who betrayed him, not realizing he had only to wait. His foe has returned, and this time, he will threaten everything Adam cherishes most—including the woman he loves.


My Review:
An Alleged Rogue is a romance set in 1788 in England. It's not highly historical or realistic, though the author did some research about fashion and making cider at that time. The villain was able to easily create new personas that were accepted immediately into exclusive clubs or was able to forge anything without apparent effort or special equipment. He's incredibly slick and smart yet somehow made some very stupid mistakes (which allowed us to have a happy ending). Basically, this was more fairytale than realistic, but it's enjoyable.

Phoebe enjoyed things like fashion and society, but she didn't join in gossip. She saw that Emily needed help and gave her useful advice and built up her confidence even though Emily's older brother was intimidating. As she got to know the family, she was willing to learn the reasons behind their actions rather than just assume the worst. She admired Adam's hard work and integrity and supported his efforts as she could. Adam appreciated her beauty, kindness, and trustworthiness. I cared about what happened to these families, which created suspense since the villain had scammed Adam's father and intended to scam her family. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.

Crosshairs by Patricia Bradley

Crosshairs
by Patricia Bradley

ISBN-13: 9780800735753
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Investigative Services Branch (ISB) ranger Ainsley Beaumont arrives in her hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, to investigate the murder of a three-month-pregnant teenager. While she wishes the visit was under better circumstances, she never imagined that she would become a killer's target--nor that she'd have to work alongside an old flame.

After he almost killed an innocent child, former FBI sniper Lincoln Steele couldn't bring himself to fire a gun, which had deadly and unforeseen consequences for his best friend. Crushed beneath a load of guilt, Linc is working at Melrose Estate as an interpretive ranger. But as danger closes in on Ainsley during her murder investigation, Linc will have to find the strength to overcome his fears so he can protect her.


My Review:
Crosshairs is a Christian romantic suspense. This is the third book in a series, but it works as a standalone novel. The main characters were engaging, complex, and reacted in realistic ways to events. They asked good questions as they investigated and worked well together. The suspense came from the physical danger to Ainsley since more than one person hated her enough to want her dead. There were also several mysteries that needed to be solved: Who murdered the girl? Who wanted Ainsley's relative's diaries enough to kill for them? And is a criminal that Ainsley sent to prison the one trying to shoot her?

Since we get the bad guy viewpoints, we know more about the dangers than Ainsley does. However, both Ainsley and Linc were sensible about protecting themselves. Linc realized that he needed to genuinely ask God to help him overcome his mental inability to shoot a gun so he could help protect the woman he loves. Their high school dating relationship broke down because of Linc's fears and selfishness. They worked through their past issues as they spent time together. He's changed, and Ainsley admired the man he's become. He built her up and genuinely trusted her abilities. He simply wanted to protect her with more than shouted warnings.

Ainsley came to understand that God did care about her and wanted the best for her life. There was no sex or bad language. 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.

Killer Research by Jenn McKinlay

Killer Research
by Jenn McKinlay

ISBN-13: 9780593101773
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: November 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Spring is livening up Briar Creek after a long, cold winter, and newlyweds Lindsey and Sully could not be happier. Even though the upcoming mayoral election is getting heated, everything else in town is coming up daffodils...until a body is found.

Ms. Cole, a librarian and current candidate for town mayor, is shocked when she opens her trunk to discover a murder victim who just so happens to be a guy she dated forty years ago and the founder of the baking empire Nana's Cookies. As the town gossip mill turns, a batch of rumors begins to circulate about Ms. Cole's rebellious youth, which--along with being a murder suspect--threatens to ruin her life and her budding political career. But Ms. Cole will not go down without a fight.

Has the campaign for mayor turned deadly? It is up to Lindsey, Sully, and the rest of the crafternoon pals to figure out who is trying to frame Ms. Cole for murder and why.


My Review:
Killer Research is a cozy mystery. It's the 12th 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. The mystery was mixed into Ms. Cole's campaign efforts, and she shines amid the difficulties. This was a clue-based mystery that can be guessed before the end. Lindsey asked good questions and kept an eye out to spot clues. There were hints at whodunit with the critical clue near the end, after which Lindsey realized whodunit. I was pretty sure of whodunit from the hints, but I wasn't certain until that same critical clue. There were no sex scenes. There was one use of 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.

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan

Once Upon a Wardrobe
by Patti Callahan

ISBN-13: 9780785251729
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Harper Muse
Released: October 19th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Megs Devonshire is brilliant with numbers and equations, on a scholarship at Oxford, and dreams of solving the greatest mysteries of physics.

She prefers the dependability of facts—except for one: the younger brother she loves with all her heart doesn’t have long to live. When George becomes captivated by a copy of a brand-new book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and begs her to find out where Narnia came from, there’s no way she can refuse.

Despite her timidity about approaching the famous author, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with the Oxford don and his own brother, imploring them for answers. What she receives instead are more stories . . . stories of Jack Lewis’s life, which she takes home to George.

Why won’t Mr. Lewis just tell her plainly what George wants to know? The answer will reveal to Meg many truths that science and math cannot.


My Review:
Once Upon a Wardrobe is set in 1950 in England. The scenes mostly focused on Megs gathering stories from C.S. Lewis about events in his life that contributed to the story "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." These were then told to her brother, who understood their importance more than Megs, the logic one. There were also scenes of her talking with a literature major about the importance of stories (specifically, fairytales). He felt that Meg's maths and physics may explain the universe, but stories give soul-soothing meaning to the cold, hard facts. Not a whole lot of time was actually spent developing the family relationships or, really, any characters except C.S. Lewis and maybe Megs. It seemed more of a philosophical debate than about these specific people. I didn't really feel attached to the characters (though that's just as well since the brother didn't get a happy ending).

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, this was an interesting way to learn more about how different events in C.S. Lewis' life may have influenced his Narnia stories.


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 Pickwick Murders by Heather Redmond

The Pickwick Murders
by Heather Redmond

ISBN-13: 9781496734280
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Released: October 26th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
London, January 1836: Just weeks before the release of his first book, Charles is thrilled by an invitation to join the exclusive Lightning Club. But his initiation in a basement maze takes a wicked turn when he stumbles upon the corpse of Samuel Pickwick, the club's president. With the victim's blood literally on his hands, Charles is locked away in notorious Newgate Prison.

Now it's up to Kate to keep her framed fiance from the hangman's noose, but she's forced instead to puzzle her way through a fiendish series of baffling riddles sent to her in anonymous poison pen letters. With the help of family and friends, she must keep her wits about her to corner the real killer--before time runs out and Charles Dickens meets a dead end...


My Review:
The Pickwick Murders is a mystery set in 1836 in London. It's the fourth 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. However, minor characters from the previous mysteries do show up in this one.

Vivid historical and setting details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of the time and place. The author tried to stay true to what is known about Charles Dickens' career and lifestyle in his early twenties (minus the being thrown in prison part, which didn't really happen). The main characters were interesting and acted realistically. I cared about what happened to them.

However, there were a couple of tales that were thrown in that had nothing to do with the main story. Kate also had to solve a series of riddles rather than work on solving the main whodunit mystery, which was frustrating for her and soon felt like filler to me. Once Charles friends got down to investigating, they solved the mystery pretty quickly. Though a realistic ending, it wasn't a very satisfying one. The people behind the evil weren't really punished.

There was one use of British bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'll probably keep on reading the series because of the wonderful, accurate historical detail, so I guess I'd recommend this book to fans of historicals.


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.

Hiding His Holiday Witness by Laura Scott

Hiding His Holiday Witness
by Laura Scott

ISBN-13: 9781335554628
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: October 26th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A frantic call from a witness whose Colorado safe house is breached sends US marshal Slade Brooks to Robyn Lowry’s side at Christmastime. But when he reaches her, she doesn’t remember him—or the crime she witnessed. With the trial just days away, someone won’t stop until Robyn’s dead. And while she might recover her memory in time, keeping Robyn alive long enough to testify is Slade’s hardest mission.


My Review:
Hiding His Holiday Witness is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the fourth book in a series but works as a stand alone. The suspense was created by the attacks on Robyn and the uncertainty about if she'll remember witnessing the crime in time for the trial. The first half was pure suspense: attack, run, attack, run. There was little character development since Slade didn't want to tell her anything she couldn't remember, and she had total amnesia. He admired how she dealt with this situation, though, and she was attracted to her hunky protector. It wasn't until the last half that she started remembering things and they finally tried to figure out how their location kept getting leaked to the bad guys. In my opinion, this was more like a template for a romantic suspense that needed some filling out with character development. The action was there, but a few times people did things that didn't make sense to me and the characters didn't really engage me. There was no sex or bad language.


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

Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge

Murder at Mallowan Hall
by Colleen Cambridge

ISBN-13: 9781496732446
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Released: October 26th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Tucked away among Devon's rolling green hills, Mallowan Hall combines the best of English tradition with the modern conveniences of 1930. Housekeeper Phyllida Bright, as efficient as she is personable, manages the large household with an iron fist in her very elegant glove. In one respect, however, Mallowan Hall stands far apart from other picturesque country houses...

The manor is home to archaeologist Max Mallowan and his famous wife, Agatha Christie. Phyllida is both loyal to and protective of the crime writer, who is as much friend as employer. An aficionado of detective fiction, Phyllida has yet to find a gentleman in real life half as fascinating as Mrs. Agatha's Belgian hero, Hercule Poirot. But though accustomed to murder and its methods as frequent topics of conversation, Phyllida is unprepared for the sight of a very real, very dead body on the library floor...


My Review:
Murder at Mallowan Hall is a mystery set in 1930 in England. Much of Phyllida's past is a bit of a mystery, but she had many of the characteristics of Poirot, including a love of order and logic. She noticed many details that the police missed, and she gathered information from the servant's observations. She passed on information to the police as she came across it, and she was eventually able to puzzle out whodunit. I guessed what was going on before Phyllida, though my main suspect was slightly off. Historical details were woven into the story (mostly about Agatha Christie and housekeeping at the time). Phyllida held very modern views about homosexuality and even lectured others from her morally superior position. Though she's a bit arrogant, I enjoyed the main characters and the mystery kept me puzzling out the clues.

There was occasional use of bad language. There were no sex scenes. 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.

Jane Austen Investigates: The Burglar's Ball by Julia Golding

Jane Austen Investigates: The Burglar's Ball
by Julia Golding

ISBN-13: 9781782643456
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Lion Hudson Ltd.
Released: October 22nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Join young budding detective Jane Austen in her second investigation to uncover a devious diamond thief at the glitziest, most scandalous ball of the year! These events will later inspire "Sense and Sensibility."

When the headmistress invites her past favourite pupil to attend their end of term ball, Cassandra brings her younger sister, Jane, along too. Cassandra plunges into the feverish excitement of preparing for the biggest event of the year – the dresses, the dances and the boys expected from the neighbouring school.

Feeling rather excluded, sharp-witted Jane unearths the reason for the fuss – the headteacher wants to impress a rich family returned from India as the school is at risk of going bankrupt. Jane also befriends the dancing master’s assistant, a former slave, called Brandon, who is as quick to notice things as she. At the ball, a diamond necklace is stolen from a locked room and they are propelled into a race to uncover the burglar and save Brandon from gaol.

With the ever-present Austen spirit, Jane with notebook in hand, boldly overcomes the obstacles to finding the truth.


My Review:
The Burglar's Ball is a delightful mystery set in 1789 in England with a 13-year-old Jane Austen as the amateur detective. I would've loved her as a kid, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story as an adult, too. Jane used modern wording and was a realistic 13-year-old girl, so younger readers will feel at home with her. She's spunky, determined, loyal, and has a sense of humor. This book is the second in a series, but it can be read as a stand-alone and didn't spoil the previous mystery.

The mystery was clue-based, and whodunit was guessable from the clues. Jane made good friends that helped her to accomplish her goal of proving who was at fault rather than the foreign, young man who was blamed. She had good ideas about where to look, what questions to ask, and what was going on. The historical details about manners and customs were deftly woven into the story, were briefly explained when needed, and didn't slow down the pacing. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable 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.

A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries by Martin Edwards

A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries
by Martin Edwards

ISBN-13: 9781464214813
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Released: October 12th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
A Postman murdered while delivering cards on Christmas morning. A Christmas pine growing over a forgotten homicide. A Yuletide heist gone horribly wrong. When there's as much murder as magic in the air and the facts seem to point to the impossible, it's up to the detective's trained eye to unwrap the clues and neatly tie together an explanation (preferably with a bow on top).

Martin Edwards has once again gathered the best of these seasonal stories into a stellar anthology brimming with rare tales, fresh as fallen snow, and classics from the likes of Julian Symons, Margery Allingham, Anthony Gilbert and Cyril Hare. A most welcome surprise indeed, and perfect to be shared between super-sleuths by the fire on a cold winter's night.


My Review:
A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries is a collection of Christmas-themed, short story mysteries that were first published between 1933 and 1963. Many of the stories were clued-based puzzles where the detective gathered clues and gave the solution. A few were from the murderer's viewpoint, so we're told how they did it and see how they're discovered. And, of course, there were some stories where we're told the action as it happened but they weren't puzzles for the reader to solve. I've read a couple of these mysteries before, but I enjoyed all of them. There was no sex. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting collection of short story mysteries.

The stories include:
The Black Bag Left on a Doorstep by Caharie Louisa Pirkis
The Hole in the Wall by G. K. Chesterton
Death on the Air by Ngaio Marsh
Persons or Things Unknown by Carter Dickson
Dead Man's Hand by E. R. Punshon
The Christmas Eve Ghost By Ernest Dudley
Dick Whittington's Cat By Victor Canning
A Surprise for Christmas by Cyril Hare
On Christmas Day in the Morning by Margery Allingham
Give Me a Ring by Anthony Gilbert
Father Christmas Comes to Orbins by Julian Symons
The Turn-Again Bell by Barry Perowne


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.

Dear Santa by Debbie Macomber

Dear Santa
by Debbie Macomber

ISBN-13: 9781984818812
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Released: October 19th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Lindy Carmichael isn't feeling particularly joyful when she returns home to Wenatchee, Washington, for Christmas. The man she thought was the one has cheated on her with her best friend, and she feels unappreciated in her graphic design job. Lindy's mother, Ellen, suggests an old tradition that might lift her daughter's spirits. Reading through a box of childhood letters to Santa and reminiscing about what she'd wished for as a young girl may be just the inspiration Lindy needs. With Ellen's encouragement, she decides to write a new letter to Santa. Little does Lindy know that her wishes will unfold before her in unexpected ways. And, thanks to some fateful twists of Christmas magic, Lindy ultimately realizes that there is truly no place like home for the holidays.


My Review:
Dear Santa is a holiday romance. Lindy asks Santa to bring her a new best friend, a perfect boyfriend, and success at work. Santa (who was an actual character) tells her that she'll get her wishes. Much of the story was watching a romance unfold alongside Christmas fun with family and friends. The only problem was that Lindy discovered that she couldn't have all three wishes at once and must choose what she wanted most.

The characters were sweet and kind. Except for The Choice at the end, there wasn't really any set-backs or points of conflict to create suspense. Just a fun read about a "perfect" Christmas. My main problem was that Santa had God-like abilities. I kept expecting God to be thanked for the blessings, but Santa got the credit and even appeared in person to help Lindy make the right choices. I know the title says it's a Santa story, but the book description said the letter was to herself and an "exercise in gratitude." It's not. It's a wish list written to Santa. Anyway, there was no sex or bad language.


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

Heirs of Falcon Point by Traci Hunter Abramson

Heirs of Falcon Point
by Traci Hunter Abramson,
Sian Ann Bessey,
Paige Edwards & A.L. Sowards

ISBN-13: 9781524417796
ebook
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: October 11th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the early days of World War II, the Lang family lost everything. Eighty years later, it’s time to take it back.

The Nazis have taken control of Austria, and wealthy widower Leopold Lang faces a difficult decision: join the ranks of the foreign power that has taken over his homeland or flee with his children to safety. Leopold makes his choice—but too late. His family is ripped apart, never to be reunited. But decades later, fate brings together the descendants of this broken dynasty in the place where it all began—Falcon Point.

Anna, Cole, and Tess have never met, each relying on fractured pieces of information to understand their Austrian heritage. But when unforeseen opportunities draw these Lang cousins to Falcon Point, they soon discover that it won't be easy to claim the coveted property and the fabled treasure hidden within. Unfortunately, someone with a much darker heritage is determined to eliminate the Lang family once and for all and claim their property for himself.


My Review:
Heirs of Falcon Point is a romantic suspense novel. It started with Karl in 1940 as he and his two younger sisters escape from an evil SS officer and get separated in the process. The story then skipped forward to present day and followed three descendants--one from each original child--as they discover each other and their right to claim Falcon Point. However, the descendent of the evil Nazi wants to retain control of the property and hires assassins to take them out.

The suspense was high throughout, especially in the historical section as they were constantly on the run. While all of the main characters were feisty and fought back, one was better trained for this task. Luckily, each descendent reconnected with a romantic partner from the past or met someone new who was willing to help support and protect them. These romantic partners supported their main character, built them up, and were smart and caring. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I recommend this enjoyable and 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.

Waiting on Love by Tracie Peterson

Waiting on Love
by Tracie Peterson

ISBN-13: 9780764232404
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: October 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Elise Wright loves her Great Lakes life onboard her father's ship, the Mary Elise. As cook, Elise can keep an eye on her father and the grief he bears, fulfilling a promise to her late mother. But in doing so, she may forfeit love and a family of her own.

Trying to forget his own guilt over a wrong decision while captaining another ship, Nick Clark hires on as the Mary Elise's first mate, quickly bonding with the attractive cook over their common struggles.

When a rough new sailor makes an inappropriate pass at Elise, her father believes it was a misunderstanding and offers a second chance. But other odd behavior raises Nick's suspicions. Just as clues to the sailor's unsavory past start to stack up, an even more immediate danger swells up around them. Forced to confront their greatest fears, Nick and Elise will have to rely on their faith and each other to see them through.


My Review:
Waiting on Love is set in 1872 on the Great Lakes. This book is the third in a series, but it's basically a stand-alone. Historical details about life on a freight ship and the development of the Great Lakes area were woven into the story and provided a distinct sense of time and place. The main characters were complex and grew throughout the story. Elise and Nick spent time together and got to know each other. They shared interests, especially their love of life on ship. Elise, her father, and Nick looked to God for peace during danger and studied the Bible. The father's belief in God's power to transform people was why he gave a trouble-maker a position on his boat. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.

That said, I felt like they didn't react realistically to this trouble-maker. At first, yes, but when it's clear that he's violent and hates everyone on the crew, and Elise suspects that he might have committed murder? I'd at least be very wary and tell my father about it immediately. She boarded a ship that would isolate them from help and forgot to tell her father for days. No real proof, so they keep him on. Huh? They knew he was a poor crewman; that's reason enough. Later, Nick saw a wanted-for-murder poster that looked just like the crewman but with a different name. He didn't tell the police because he couldn't prove he was the wanted man. Huh? The police want to know where possible suspects are. They're not asking people to prove anything. Nick did tell the father/captain, who also didn't report the crewman because he felt there wasn't enough proof. Hm. Just seems odd and like they didn't take the danger seriously.


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 View Most Glorious by Regina Scott

A View Most Glorious
by Regina Scott

ISBN-13: 9780800736415
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: October 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Headstrong Coraline Baxter has worked all her life to be more than the spoiled socialite others expect. When her fellow suffragettes in Tacoma, Washington, suggest that she should climb to the top of Mount Rainier to prove that a woman can do anything, she resolves to do it. And if she can climb Mount Rainier, her mother promises to stop pressuring her to get married to the wealthy Cash Kincaid. All Cora needs is a guide to get her to the top of the mountain.

Nathan Hardee may look like a mountain man, but he once ruled the halls of high society. He left all that behind after his father broke under financial pressure from Kincaid. To best Kincaid now, Nathan agrees to guide Cora up the mountain.

Climbing Rainier will require all of Cora's strength and will lead her and Nathan to rediscover their faith in God and humanity. These two right a wrong and may just discover that only together is the view most glorious.


My Review:
A View Most Glorious is a Christian romance set in 1893. It's the 3rd in a series, but it's essentially a stand-alone novel. Historical details about what Tacoma and Mount Rainier were like at that time were woven into the story and brought the story to life. The main characters were engaging, complex, and reacted realistically to events. Nathan and Cora built each other up and helped each other heal from hurts from the past. Their initial conflict was over his need for instant obedience when guiding people on the mountain and Cora's determination to not let men order her about or disrespect her intelligence. However, once she realized he wasn't going to abuse his position and that he did respect her, Cora was able to trust Nathan with her life. I enjoyed how Cora was able to use her intelligence and boldness to take down a threat to her family meant to force her into an abusive marriage.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I recommend this enjoyable historical romance.


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

All That Is Secret by Patricia Raybon

All That Is Secret
by Patricia Raybon

ISBN-13: 9781496458384
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: October 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the winter of 1923, Professor Annalee Spain--a theologian at a small Chicago Bible college--receives a cryptic telegram calling her home to Denver to solve the mystery of the murder of her estranged father.

For a young Black woman, searching for answers in a city ruled by the KKK could mean real danger. Still, figuring she's learned something from reading Sherlock Holmes stories, Annalee launches her hunt for clues, attracting two surprising allies: Eddie, a relentless young white boy searching for his missing father, and Jack, a handsome Black pastor who loves rides in his sporty car, awakening Annalee's heart to the surprising highs and lows of romantic love.

With their help, Annalee follows clues that land her among Denver's powerful elite. But when their sleuthing unravels sinister motives and deep secrets, Annalee confronts the dangerous truths and beliefs that could make her a victim too.


My Review:
All That Is Secret is a romantic suspense set in Nov. 1923 in America. I was expecting Annalee to be smart, logical, and a Christian. Nope. She knows the Bible but hasn't prayed in a long time. She's more of a philosopher and doesn't follow any of Sherlock Holmes' methods. She tells herself things like, "Stop trying so hard. Let the answers find their way to you." Or when a child pointed out that Goldilocks didn't break in, Annalee's suddenly sure that her father's mysterious key must unlock something that's already open. Huh? She's very impulsive, makes foolish choices, and has scattered thoughts. The author used a lot of short, partial (poor grammar) sentences, giving it a poorly edited feel.

By 20% into the book, I wasn't even sure why Annalee had quit her good job to follow up on a cryptic message that might have to do with her father's murder. Everything seemed so disjointed that it's hard to follow what's going on or put clues together. Her thinking was hard to follow, especially since coherent ideas about the case were kept out of her thoughts until nearly the end. For example, she told someone she needed a distraction, but we're not told why or what she's looking for until her actions show her intent.

I also felt like some things that happened weren't probable for the time period. For example, the pastor knew he was picking up a single woman, and he's a single man, living alone. There's a rooming house within view of his house with rooms available. He didn't arrange a place for her to stay, though, so she ended up sleeping in his bed (with him in another room). Really?!

In the end, Annalee basically solved the mystery by happening to hide from the bad guy and overhear his confession. So many details were never explained, especially things that happened on the train. The Christian element was Annalee starting to pray again as she realized she needed God's help. There was no sex or bad language.


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


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.