Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden

Carved in Stone
by Elizabeth Camden

ISBN-13: 9780764238437
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: August 31st 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Gwen Kellerman is one of the infamous Blackstone family, villified for their business practices and gaining little sympathy when her young brother was kidnapped and never returned. She now lives a quiet life at the idyllic college founded with her family's fortune and hopes to keep the tragedies of her past safely behind her.

Patrick O'Neill survived a hardscrabble youth to become a lawyer for the downtrodden Irish immigrants in his community. He's proud of his work, even though he struggles to afford his ramshackle law office. All that changes when he accepts a case to challenge the Blackstones' legacy of greed and corruption by resurrecting a thirty-year-old mystery.

Little does Patrick suspect that the Blackstones will launch their most sympathetic family member to derail him. Gwen is tasked with getting Patrick to drop the case, but the old mystery takes a shocking twist neither of them saw coming. Now, as they navigate a burgeoning attraction, Patrick struggles with how people are criticizing their relationship.


My Review:
Carved in Stone is a romance set in 1900 in New York. I liked how Gwen forgave and helped others even when wronged. I admired Liam's willingness to do hard and uncomfortable things to gain his end goal (which was also to help others). But I had a hard time liking Patrick. He was a good lawyer, but he chose to serve those who were too poor to pay (at least in cash) out of guilt though he also called it his mission. His mother worked hard to earn the money for their rent and food. So he's living off a woman's money. But when it came to marrying Gwen, he didn't want any of her money. He wanted to be the provider and her savior because he didn't like that others thought he was marrying her for her money. He wasn't going to change to working for the rich and wouldn't let Gwen live in poverty with him. He refused to compromise one bit to get what he wanted even if it meant giving up a strong, compassionate woman who built him up. He's exasperating, though the point of the story was how he had to deal with his pride (while helping solve the mystery of Gwen's kidnapped brother).

The characters reacted realistically, were complex, and I cared about what happened to them. Gwen and Patrick admired each other's character and became better people from having known each other. Historical details about mega-corporations, powerful banks, worker unions, etc., were woven into the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Aspen Crossroads by Janine Rosche

Aspen Crossroads
by Janine Rosche

ISBN-13: 9780593335758
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: August 24th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Few in the community of Whisper Canyon have actually met Jace Daring, a handsome recluse who lives at Aspen Crossroads, the farm at the edge of town. But that doesn't stop the rumors about the multiple women who live with him. He must protect the truth--that his farm-to-table restaurant will provide new livelihoods for women rescued from human trafficking--or he risks the safety and futures of those relying on him. But he can't do it alone.

Haven Haviland has always been everyone's safe place to fall until one mistake closes her counseling practice and leaves her open to the town's gossip. Trusting men has gotten her in trouble before. However, accepting Jace's job offer to mentor the rescued women seems like the perfect way to right her wrongs.

When the mayor's campaign to clean up Whisper Canyon targets Aspen Crossroads, the restaurant comes under fire, dangers from the women's pasts are awakened, and Haven's sins are exposed for all to see. Jace would sacrifice himself to save Haven and the women under his care, but his efforts might not be enough.


My Review:
Aspen Crossroads is a contemporary romance. Jace passionately cares about rescuing women from human trafficking. He works for organization that helps set these women up with new skills and jobs--in this case, a farm-to-table restaurant. But the women need counseling as well, which would be better from a professional and a woman. Haven closed her counseling practice in shame because she broke her professional standards when a client manipulated her when she was hurting emotionally and needed someone to talk to. Desperate for a new job, she takes on helping these women who have learned not to trust or be vulnerable to anyone. Making an already difficult job even harder, the mayor's determined to get rid of the ex-prostitutes even if it means underhanded dealing.

The main characters were complex, well-developed, and reacted realistically to events. Neither Haven or Jace felt like they deserved or could handle a loving, romantic relationship. However, they were attracted to the kindness and caring that the other showed toward the hurting. They built each other (and others) up and helped them to heal and hope for a better future. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this intense 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.

Cold Case Double Cross by Jessica R. Patch

Cold Case Double Cross
by Jessica R. Patch

ISBN-13: 9781335554529
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: August 24, 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Convinced his brother was wrongly convicted of murder years ago, detective Cash Ryland’s determined to find the real killer—even if it puts him in the crosshairs. But he needs help from cold case investigator Mae Vogel, whom he mistreated in high school. Can they put their past aside to solve the murder...before the killer succeeds in silencing them for good?


My Review:
Cold Case Double Cross is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the second in a series, but it works as a standalone. The mystery was a clue-based puzzle to solve. I had a suspicion that they ought to look further into certain people, but I wasn't sure of exactly whodunit until the final clues (when Mae and Cash also worked it out). The suspense came from repeated attacks on Cash, Mae, and anyone who ticked off the killer (like Cash's brother).

Cash and Mae worked well together as a team despite the past issues that they needed to work through. Cash broke Mae's heart and trust when they were in high school, reinforcing her belief that men can't be trusted to respect women. She struggled to forgive Cash for the past and trust him again. Cash respected Mae's skill but had her back when she needed help or someone at her side. He felt stupid due to his severe dyslexia, and he didn't want to tell Mae about it even though she always insisted he was smart. Mae built Cash up (except when he triggered her continuing trust issues).

The Christian element was Mae learning to forgive past offenses. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romantic 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.

Murder on Principle by Eleanor Kuhns

Murder on Principle
by Eleanor Kuhns

ISBN-13: 9780727850072
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Released: August 3rd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Will Rees faces a moral dilemma when a slaveholder is murdered while attempting to recapture a former slave: should he pursue lawful justice or should he let the killer go free? November 1800, Maine. After helping their long-time friend Tobias escort his wife, along with a liberated slave and her child, from the Great Dismal back to Durham, Will and Lydia Rees's lives are interrupted when a dead body is found near their home. The body is that of Mr Gilbert, a slaveholder from the Great Dismal. Was he murdered in pursuit of the former slaves? When it's discovered Gilbert was infected with smallpox, and Gilbert's sister arrives demanding justice and the return of her absconded slaves, Will is torn. Finding the killer could lead to the recapture of the former slaves. Letting them go free could result in a false arrest and endanger the Durham community. Will must make a choice.


My Review:
Murder on Principle is a mystery set in 1800 in Maine. This was the 10th book in a series, but you can follow what's going on without having read the previous books. This book did spoil some events in a previous book but not any whodunits. I didn't find Will be particularly intelligent or engaging. While this was a clue-based mystery, the clues all clearly pointed toward one person. It was easy to catch on to whodunit and each clue only further pointed towards whodunit. Unfortunately, Will was so certain that only certain people would have reason to kill the victims that he didn't look at the clues so much as try to prove his suspects either innocent or guilty. He suspected his friends and destroyed his friendship with them because he didn't trust them when they claim innocence.

The book explored why Will pursued the killer so relentlessly when multiple people told him that he wasn't going to like knowing whodunit because the victims deserved it. In the end, it seemed like he wanted to know so he could personally judge if the person should be punished or not. He allowed someone innocent but out of reach of the law to take the blame. I didn't find this very satisfying, though the real killer might have been treated unfairly if brought to light. I felt there was another solution that would have been better.

Some interesting historical details were woven into the story. I found it ironic that Will declared it a smallpox epidemic when only one living person was known to be sick. There was no sex. There was one use 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

To Write a Wrong by Jen Turano

To Write a Wrong
by Jen Turano

ISBN-13: 9780764235320
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: August 3rd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Miss Daphne Beekman is a mystery writer by day, inquiry agent by night. Known for her ability to puzzle out plots, she happily works behind the scenes for the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, staying well away from danger. However, when Mr. Herman Henderson arrives on the doorstep of the agency, desperate for someone to investigate numerous attempts on his life, Daphne soon finds herself in the thick of a case she's determined to solve.

Mr. Herman Henderson is also a mystery writer, but unlike the dashing heroes he pens, he prefers living a quiet life, determined to avoid the fate of his adventurous parents, who perished while searching for the Lost City of Gold. As the list of suspects grows and sinister plots are directed at Daphne, the situation quickly deteriorates, and a revealed secret jeopardizes Daphne's career.


My Review:
To Write a Wrong is a Christian romance set in 1887 in New York. The characters got into silly situations, but the humor seemed to fall flat for me. In the first part of the book, the author sometimes even skipped out on the funny part of the scene. Daphne would get into an awkward situation, then we'd jump forward to Daphne summarizing what had happened rather than getting to see how she managed to talk her way out of it (which is usually the funny part). There were also a lot of scenes with two characters talking things over in detail, so not a lot of action happened until the second part of the book.

The mystery wasn't really the point of the story. Daphne asked enough questions to create an extensive suspect list, but she didn't ask obvious questions to help narrow down that list. Like one incident happened in the secret passages, so who knew how to access them? Daphne was able to solve the mystery, but most of the time was spent in silly situations with Herman, allowing them to get to know each other. They had shared interests, built each other up, and got along well.

Some historical details (mainly about clothing) were woven into the story, but this author doesn't write highly historical novels. For example, she used modern phrases like "you are stronger than you think." Daphne felt like she lacked courage and often prayed to God for courage in the past. 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.

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander

The Cryptographer’s Dilemma
by Johnnie Alexander

ISBN-13: 9781643529516
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: August 1st 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Navy cryptographer Eloise Marshall is grieving the death of her brother, who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor, when she is assigned to investigate a seemingly innocent letter about dolls. FBI Agent Phillip Clayton is ready to enlist and head oversees when asked to work one more FBI job. A case of coded navy intel using jargon code related to dolls should be easy, but not so when hearts get entangled. Can Eloise risk loving and losing again?


My Review:
The Cryptographer’s Dilemma is a Christian romance set in 1942 in America. There was a mystery, but more scenes focused on Eloise or Philip thinking about their personal troubles than on solving who the traitor was. The author often had someone think about what happened rather than show events, especially in the first half of the story. These were significant events, like apparently Eloise's and Philip's opinion of each other changed from "unpleasant person" to admiration during a briefly summarized train ride. It was a sudden change from mildly negative feelings to fighting romantic attraction, and I'm not really sure why they were attracted. For that matter, I never understood why an invaluable cryptographer was quickly trained as an FBI agent and sent to interview people when other people (with more experience) could have done that job.

Eloise's past was a secret for half of the story. There's a scene where she saw a newspaper photograph and got extremely upset for pages, and we have absolutely no idea why. It's hard to empathize when I have no idea why she's upset. Many chapters (20% of the book) passed with no more information about why she's upset or what was in the picture. At least with Philip, we know about the event that had him upset. I didn't really understand him, though. He felt guilty that a criminal was facing the death sentence because of his testimony since even that man is made in the image of God. However, he's determined to go to the war front, and it never occurred to him that he might feel guilty about personally killing the enemy.

The mystery was basically talking to a few doll collectors in an attempt to understand who could have written the coded messages. It didn't take Eloise long to solve the code. Scenes from the traitor's point of view explained her motives and actions, so it's not a puzzle for the reader to solve. At the end, Eloise threw away common sense (though not her gun) when she charged in before the FBI to save her beloved stranger...er, Phillip. And, of course, they paused in the middle of a time sensitive, danger-filled moment to have their first kiss. So it had a lot of my pet peeves. 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.

An Engagement of Sorts by Alene Wecker

An Engagement of Sorts
by Alene Wecker

ISBN-13: 9781524417642
ebook
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: August 9th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
More comfortable in breeches than ball gowns, Anne Fletcher sees the freedoms she once enjoyed slowly taken from her in the name of fashioning her into an eligible young lady. When her parents try to force her into marriage, Anne makes a desperate attempt to salvage her last vestige of independence. Anne strikes a deal with her intended husband: if she cannot secure a man for herself in London, she will marry him when she returns. Her parents agree to send her to help her pregnant sister who lives in London if she agrees to finally marry some eligible man. Now she simply needs to find a way to get out of her sort-of-engagement.


My Review:
An Engagement of Sorts is a Regency romance. Unfortunately, the book wasn't what I expected from the description, and I didn't find it believable due to the inaccuracies. For example, an explosion that threw people away from a fireplace and toward the window also shattered the window, yet somehow the glass shards ended up all over the floor inside the room. A lot of odd things about that scene, like this bomb-like explosion occurred in a powder horn that her father was wearing, yet he didn't even suffer a flesh wound? Anyway.

Anne didn't defy convention so much as she was willfully ignorant of etiquette and propriety to a degree that just didn't seem believable. Granted, multiple times she deliberately tuned out what other people said then later realized it would've been good if she had listened to them. However, she seriously didn't seem to realize that there would be any problem with her wandering about a village at dawn in her nightgown and then demanding that the vicar allow her inside a room alone with him. Worse, he knew the possible consequences and didn't want to marry her, yet he let her in? All to create another scrape for her to get out of.

Anyway, Anne had an abusive family where everyone criticized her every behavior and called her silly and stupid, so she's drawn to the one man who loves her willful, bold, rude, and unpredictable behavior. She feels like every man ogles her bust or leers at her. The villain repeatedly tried to rape her, including in her own home (with plenty of people about) and in outdoor areas where he could be spotted. She's traumatized by these attacks and has nightmares, but the few people she tells either don't believe her or say that her behavior rather invites that sort of aggressive response. The whole story was about her trying to find someone who won't abuse her and will help her stop this villain from hurting other women.

I liked that the author tried to make complex characters, like a hero so disgusted with his father's behavior that he acted the exact opposite of him even though it didn't really achieve anything. But the numerous inaccuracies drained any realistic feel from the story. While I appreciated how the hero believed and supported Anne, he actually went too far with this by saying that she shouldn't change anything about herself. Is it really a good thing to discourage Anne from improving her flaws (like her temper and impulsiveness now that she finally realizes that actions have consequences)? Anyway, this was clearly not a story suited to me. While there was attempted rape, there were no sex scenes. There was no modern 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.

The Man Who Wasn't There by Henrietta Hamilton

The Man Who Wasn't There
by Henrietta Hamilton

ISBN-13: 9781914904684
ebook
Publisher: Agora Books
Released: August 12th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
People who get mixed up in murder cases must expect to be bothered. And so it is for amateur sleuths Sally and Johnny Heldar late one evening. It seems cousin Tim has found himself in a bit of a pickle: his fiancée, Prue, has reneged on their engagement after becoming a suspect in the murder of her unlikeable employer. Desperate to win her back, Tim pleads with the Heldars to help clear Prue’s name. But Sally and Johnny find themselves perplexed by the Willow Walk murder. Filled with blackmail, wartime treachery and lying witnesses, the crime-solving duo have their work cut out for them.

But will they be able to help Prue… or is she more wrapped up in the case than Tim realised?


My Review:
The Man Who Wasn't There is a mystery that was written in 1956 and set in England. It's the third in a series, but it works as a stand-alone. This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. Johnny (who is helped by his wife) used logic to puzzle out the solution. They made sure that anyone who came to them with information also gave it to the police. Much of the story was interviews, so the main characters were barely developed. They're likable people, but little was told about them outside of the crime. There were several suspects that could have murdered the victim. I was able to guess whodunit near the end and even the twist before it was revealed, but I was uncertain before then. There was no sex. There were only a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting puzzle mystery.


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

The Barrister and the Letter of Marque by Todd M. Johnson

The Barrister and the Letter of Marque
by Todd M. Johnson

ISBN-13: 9780764212369
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: August 3rd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As a barrister in 1819 London, William Snopes is a strong advocate who chooses to defend the poorer classes against the powerful. That changes the day a struggling heiress, Lady Malissa Jameson, arrives at his door.

In a last-ditch effort to save her faltering estate, Lady Jameson invested in the acquisition of a merchant brig, the Padget, allowed by a letter of marque from the king's regent to legally capture cargo from French traders operating illegally in the Indian Sea. Yet when the ship returns to the London harbor, it's met by constables and soldiers ready to seize its goods, accusing the sailors of piracy. And the letter proving their legality has disappeared.

Moved by the lady's distress, William Snopes cautiously takes the case. But as he gets deeper into the mystery and prepares for trial, he learns that the forces arrayed against Lady Jameson, and now himself, are even more powerful than he'd imagined.


My Review:
The Barrister and the Letter of Marque is a suspense set in 1818 in England. There were a number of point of view characters, but none of these characters were deeply developed. While there were certainly noble things about both William and the lady, they were flawed enough that I didn't really find them engaging. Neither of them had more than one good, loyal friend outside of work/home, so apparently I'm not the only one. The reader knows the scam, who's involved, and what's going on (or, at least, they should have a very good idea based on the clues they get from the bad guy viewpoint). It all seems hopelessly stacked against justice.

The main characters did react realistically to events, but to the point it was a problem for me. Initially, the good guys have a lot of fight in them, but then they view it as hopeless. While I found it interesting to see how everything worked out, I prefer books that maintain a feeling of hope even when things are at their worst. The main characters didn't believe in God or that he might work things out for justice, but either God was at work or the good guys ended up incredibly lucky. The characters didn't thank God.

The author clearly did a lot of research on the historical details, though he still got a few minor things wrong. For example, Saturday was not a "common day of rest" in the Regency Period. Still, the details woven into the story created a vivid, distinct sense of place and time. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this intense historical 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.

Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond

Death in Castle Dark
by Veronica Bond

ISBN-13: 9780593335871
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: August 3rd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Maybe it was too good to be true, but when Nora Blake accepted the job from Derek Corby, proprietor of Castle Dark, she could not see any downsides. She would sink her acting chops into the troupe's intricately staged murder-mystery shows, earn free room and board in the castle, and make friends with her new roommates, which include some adorable kittens.

But something sinister lurks behind the walls of Castle Dark. During Nora's second performance, one of her castmates plays the part of the victim a little too well. He's been murdered. Not ready to give up her dream gig--or to be the next victim--Nora sets out to see which one of her fellow actors has taken the role of a murderous real-life villain.


My Review:
Death in Castle Dark is a mystery novel. The mystery was clue-based, and the author included many misleading clues that needed to be sorted out. The final necessary clue didn't come until nearly the end, but I was suspicious enough of whodunit that I was saying "no, don't do that!" while Nora still hadn't figured it all out. Nora had a rather active imagination that made living in a literally dark, large castle rather spooky for her. The main characters were an interesting mix of actors, and the murder mystery show idea was entertaining. There was no sex. There was some bad language (the casual swearing use of "God"). Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.

Hostile Intent by Lynette Eason

Hostile Intent
by Lynette Eason

ISBN-13: 9780800729370
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: August 3rd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Ava Jackson entered the military shortly after high school, but her mother's illness has forced her to request an early discharge. She already lost her father while deployed, and there's no way she's going to let her mother die alone. But after a visit to the nursing facility where her mother lives, Ava is attacked walking back to her car. Fortunately, FBI Special Agent Caden Denning arrives in time to help fight off her attacker.

Caden reveals to Ava that she may hold the key to the murders of three families, and he needs her help before anyone else is harmed. The hits show a pattern, and clearly the killer has an agenda. But if Caden and Ava can't discover what it is, Ava may be next on the hit list.


My Review:
Hostile Intent is a Christian romantic suspense. This book is the fourth in a series, but it works as a standalone. Both Ava and Caden were competent and did a good job of thwarting the bad guy. The suspense came from Ava being a target as well as the need to solve the complex mystery of what was going on and who was killing people before more people died. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Ava and Caden worked very well together and finally acknowledged an attraction that had existed for a long time. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting story.


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