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.