Murder by Invitation Only by Colleen Cambridge

Murder by Invitation Only
by Colleen Cambridge

ISBN-13: 9781496742568
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Released: September 26, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Agatha Christie’s ever-capable housekeeper, Phyllida Bright, not only keeps the celebrated author’s English country home in tip-top shape, she excels as an amateur sleuth.

“A murder will occur tonight at Beecham House . . .” Who could resist such a compelling invitation? Of course, the murder is probably a party game, but Phyllida goes to find out. The hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Wokesley, are new to the area, and Phyllida gladly offers their own overwhelmed housekeeper some guidance while events get underway. Family friends have been enlisted to play the suspects, and Mr. Wokesley excels in his role of dead body. Unfortunately, the participants discover that life has imitated art. Mr. Wokesley really is dead!

In the absence of Inspector Cork, Phyllida takes temporary charge of the investigation, guiding the local constable through interviews with the Murder Game actors. Phyllida begins to connect each of the suspects with the roles they played and the motives assigned to them. It soon becomes clear that everyone had a reason to murder their host—both in the game and in real life. Before long, Phyllida is embroiled in a fiendishly puzzling case.


My Review:
Murder by Invitation Only is a mystery set in 1930 in England. This is the 3rd book in the series. You don't need to read the previous novel to understand this one. Phyllida has many of the characteristics of Poirot, including a love of order and logic. She's also proud and arrogant, and the killer used this against her. I felt like this was fitting as I don't particularly like her, but she was more tolerable this time. I read these books because I enjoy complex historical mysteries that focus on the investigation.

Because the detective was unable to be present for the investigation and the local constable was willing to follow Phyllida's lead in the investigation, she freely searched the rooms and questioned everyone. She was eventually able to puzzle out whodunit. I guessed whodunit before the actual murder was even discovered and soon had a good idea of the motive. Phyllida claimed she also suspected that person but seemed unable to put the relevant clues together until the final clue, which worried her. Oddly, instead of being annoyed that she apparently missed the obvious, I wondered if she'd be a tad more humble in the future.

Historical details were woven into the story without slowing the pacing. There was some bad language (most of it was British 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.

The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky

The Legacy of Longdale Manor
by Carrie Turansky

ISBN-13: 9780764241055
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: September 26, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In 2012, art historian Gwen Monroe travels to England's Lake District to appraise the paintings and antiques of an old family friend, hoping to prove herself to her prestigious grandfather. While at Longdale Manor, she becomes acquainted with David Bradley--the owner's handsome grandson--who is desperate to save the crumbling estate by turning it into a luxury hotel. When Gwen's invited to read a one-hundred-year-old journal and finds an intricately carved shepherd's staff similar to one in a photo of her parents, she uncovers a connection to the father she never knew.

In 1912, after her father's death, Charlotte Harper uncovers a painful family secret she can only confess to her journal. She and her family travel to the Lake District to stay on a sheep farm, hoping eventually to find a home with Charlotte's grandfather at Longdale Manor, but old wounds and bitter regrets make it a difficult challenge. As Charlotte grows closer to shepherd Ian Storey and rebuilds her shattered faith, she must decide whether she will ever trust a man's word again.

Two women a century apart are taken on a journey to healing, faith, and forgiveness in this heartfelt dual-time Edwardian romance from bestselling author Carrie Turansky.


My Review:
The Legacy of Longdale Manor is a Christian romance set in 1912 and 2012 in England. I felt like the 1912 story was the more developed story as we're able to see Charlotte and Ian grow in maturity and wisdom and fall in love as they spent time together. Many of the scenes in the 2012 story either showed Gwen and David in conflict due to different values or apologizing and learning to get along. Gwen helped David to see that sometimes he got focused on the wrong things and needed to take people's feelings into consideration. We're told they spent time working together on ways to preserve the historical aspects of the manor during the renovation. I would have liked to see scenes of their shared interests and collaboration, especially as that turned out to be an important point later.

Historical details were woven into the story and created a distinct sense of time and place without slowing the pacing. The characters came across as real, complex people who changed and matured through the events of the story. Any misunderstandings between the couples felt like realistic issues that needed to be worked through--and were-- rather than artificial conflict.

Gwen's father apparently abandoned her and her mother before she was born. Charlotte felt deeply betrayed by her father preaching one thing while engaging in a secret sin that she only discovered after his death. They both came to realize that only God is the perfect Father, and He can be fully trusted even in difficult times. They also had to forgive people who let them down. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.


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

Tracked Through the Woods by Laura Scott

Tracked Through the Woods
by Laura Scott

ISBN-13: 9781335597632
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: September 26, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Abby Miller is determined to find her missing FBI informant father before the mafia does, but time is ticking away. Someone tried to kill her father before he disappeared—and now gunmen are on her trail. Teaming with Agent Wyatt Kane is her only chance to uncover an FBI mole—and survive the mob.


My Review:
Tracked Through the Woods is a Christian romantic suspense. I liked that both Wyatt and Abby had good aim. Wyatt didn't want to kill the assassins because he wanted to know who sent them, but he very sensibly shot to stop the threat rather than to spare his conscience if they died. He regretted killing another human without casting himself as the bad guy for defending himself and Abby. I liked how the author portrayed this dynamic.

Someone in the FBI has been leaking information to mafia bosses, and mafia assassins are trying to kill Abby's father because he came forward to inform on them. Since the mafia has corrupted law enforcement officers, who can they trust? Some of the suspense came from Abby's urgency to find her father as she thinks he may have been found during their last phone call. Most of the suspense was because those assassins were also targeting her and eventually Wyatt as well. Abby and Wyatt generally worked well together and were willing to take advice from each other. They were attracted to each other, quickly became friends, and soon were kissing during down times. Wyatt supported Abby's dreams for her danger-free future.

Abby had stopped praying while on the run, but Wyatt's prayer over their meals lead to her starting to pray for God's protection and help again. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.

Hunting the Truth by Kathleen Donnelly

Hunting the Truth
by Kathleen Donnelly

ISBN-13: 9781335475916
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Carina Press
Released: September 26, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
“Hide, Maya. Don’t let the bad people find you.” Those are the last words Forest Service law enforcement officer and K-9 handler Maya Thompson ever heard her mother say.

Returning home to the Colorado mountains after leaving the Marines, Maya is no longer a scared little girl. She’s determined to investigate her mother’s cold case, but fear creeps in when it comes to her personal life—things are getting serious with sheriff deputy Josh Colten. After new DNA evidence surfaces, both her beloved grandfather and Josh warn her away from the case, suspecting that she could be the next victim. But Maya doesn’t listen. Instead, Maya and her K-9 partner, Juniper, track a suspect deep into the forest and directly into grave danger.


My Review:
Hunting the Truth is a K9 mystery. It's the second book in a series, and it spoiled events in the previous book. It can be read as a standalone, but I wonder if I might have understood the "romance" better if I'd read the first story. Maya's relationship with Josh seemed more like a physical attraction than a true friendship on her part. She's not very nice to the guy. They didn't even work well together because she didn't work well with anyone. Maya just did whatever she wanted, even when she knew it'd worry or emotionally hurt those she supposedly loved and even if it went against the rules or an order. She's so emotionally distant from everyone--even her K9--that I had a hard time relating to her.

She just recently started working with her K9, and the dog clearly didn't respect Maya. The dog did whatever she wanted, and Maya was gratified when that happened to be what Maya wanted, too. Maya was clearly not the one in charge as she kept doing things to "make up" to the sulking dog. Maya thought that she trusted her dog, but the dog tried to alert her to things on several occasions and Maya just dismissed it. So they didn't have much of a bond or a good working relationship even if the dog was good at what she was trained to do.

The mystery had some twists and turns. Maya's mother had something that several people wanted. When Maya reopened her mother's murder case, those people assumed she'd found evidence against them and came to stop her. The suspense stayed fairly high as repeated attempts were made to kill Maya. Maya used her dog to find evidence, track scent trails, and bite bad guys. She got the bad guys to confess, but even so, some parts didn't really make sense to me.

Maya came across as competent when she was finding and disabling booby-traps on hiking trails (as a part of her normal job). When trying to solve the murder case, though, she came across as so very unprofessional that I can't believe she still has a job. She's been sober for several months, so there was no drinking in this story. There was no sex. There was some bad language. Overall, this book didn't engage me, but K9 mystery fans might be interested in it.


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.

Educating Elizabeth by Jennifer Moore

Educating Elizabeth
by Jennifer Moore

ISBN-13: 9781524424008
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: September 12, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
For years, Elizabeth Miller has dreamed of opening a school for underprivileged girls in London’s East End. But despite her best efforts, she soon discovers that the cost of running the fledgling school keep increasing. In desperation she turns to Lord Charles Chatsworth, a rich and carefree flirt with a scandalous reputation. Charles is happy to donate to the school, but in exchange for his financial support, Elizabeth must tutor his relative in elocution. It's not until a journey to Charles’s country estate that Elizabeth truly begins to see the man behind the rakish reputation. But when Elizabeth discovers that her school is being sabotaged, she realizes her country romance may not withstand the scheming of the ton.


My Review:
Educating Elizabeth is a romance set in 1874 in England. The historical details about the Poor Laws, working children, and educating girls were woven into the story. The main characters were likable and reacted realistically. Elizabeth was clever and determined, but she had trouble asking for help (even from her friends) because she felt like it made her look incompetent to run the school. She took advice well even though it went against her long-held beliefs about rich men. Then she used that information to create a good plan to save her school from sabotage.

Charles is likable, but he didn't understand the difference between teasing and mocking. He mocked Elizabeth, didn't understand why she didn't like it, but did quit when she asked him to. He's also dismissive when women told him something that's worrying them (and they were valid worries). But he apologized and tried to change any time he realized he was in the wrong.

In my opinion, the romance was rather abrupt. Elizabeth was guarded around Charles for the first half of the book, and rightly so considering his behavior. When they went to his country house, she finally saw the genuine man rather than the front Charles put on. She was just starting to like this version of him when he suddenly kissed her. No lead-up of attraction, just a sudden kiss. It surprised me as much as it startled her. When he tried to do it again (with his rakish reputation and no promises of love or marriage), he's baffled when Elizabeth avoided it. Dense man. He admired her character, they shared interests, and she appreciated his support. But the ending declaration of devoted love just seemed too soon when they were still working on building basic trust in each other. I felt like they'd get there, though, so a good match.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romance mixed with some interesting history.


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.

Kidnap Threat by Anne Galbraith

Kidnap Threat
by Anne Galbraith

ISBN-13: 9780593197882
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: September 28, 2021

Source: Rented from Amazon Kindle Unlimited library.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Intruders breaking into Alice Benoit's home was no coincidence—she’s a ruthless gang’s best pawn to keep a witness from testifying. Now with a leak in his own police department, superintendent Ben Parsons must keep Alice safe. There's nowhere to go. No one to trust. And Alice and Ben have twenty-four hours to survive, before they lose everything they care about…including each other.


My Review:
Kidnap Threat is a Christian romantic suspense. I enjoyed that it was different than the standard suspense. Both Alice and Ben were in their forties, so they were able to use their life experience and quick thinking to deal with the dangerous situation. They also came across as real people rather than superhero material. Alice's son was in witness protection but her identify leaked so the bad guys were trying to kidnap her to force her son to not testify. Ben ended up protecting her alone because they didn't know who else to trust. They needed to figure out who the leak from inside the department was because that person was setting Ben up to look like a bad guy.

Ben and Alice worked well together, able to separate if needed to stay undetected in crowds while still able to guess how to find the other afterward. It was also clear that God was working behind the scenes to protect Alice (and she told Ben that she was depending on God, so he didn't need to feel the burden was solely on him). This is one case of a romance blossoming within 24 hours and yet feeling enduring to me. They were impressed by the way the other handled the hard situation, and they got along well. They didn't impulsively decide to get married the moment the danger ended but did pursue steps so they could begin a relationship. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.

Voice of the Ancient by Connilyn Cossette

Voice of the Ancient
by Connilyn Cossette

ISBN-13: 9780764238918
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: August 15, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As the eldest son of a Levite and a Philistine, Avidan dispises his duty to become a Levite musician and desires to fight in glorious battle. When Ammonites attack the city of Yavash-Gilead, he takes the opportunity to fight with his cousins for the newly crowned King Saul. But when one of the cousins goes missing during the battle, Avidan stays behind to search for him in hopes that he's still alive.

Keziah is the daughter of a clan chief in the territory of Manasseh. On the brink of a forced marriage to a loathsome man decades older than her, she has no choice but to run when she learns her life is in danger. Dressed as a boy, she takes her horse and heads for the south, hoping to find sanctuary with her mother's family.

Battling to survive the dangers surrounding them, Avidan and Keziah make a pact to travel together. As Keziah's true origins are revealed and Avidan's search for his cousin becomes increasingly futile, they must not only rely on each other to stay alive but learn to trust the true and eternal King of Israel to guide their every step.


My Review:
Voice of the Ancient is biblical fiction set during the first months of King Saul's reign (1 Samuel 10-12). The author added a lot about the battle and the aftermath that's not actually in the Bible. Her additions showed the people on the east side of the Jordan River as hardly knowing of God anymore and Saul as failing as a king right from the start. Keziah didn't worship God until Levite and storyteller Avi started telling her and other Hebrews about their history.

My main problem was that too many things were unrealistic. For example, a sword was coming at Avi and he was about to die, yet he had time to contemplate his life and wrong choices. I've taken fencing lessons, and you barely have time to recognize the danger before it hits; the contemplation comes afterward. The characters liked reminiscing in the middle of high danger when it'd be best to focus on getting out of the situation alive. Keziah's horse seemed to be permanently saddled and bridled with the only way to remove the saddle being to cut it off with a knife. Hm, you remove the saddle when not riding and cutting the saddle off in that situation probably would have injured the horse. I didn't understand why Avi didn't try to free the saddle first as that would have made more sense.

And Avi left a 15-year-old young man behind in a cave at the break of day only to come back and find him missing. His friends concluded that a huge pack of hyenas must have attacked, killed, and dragged the remains away. But hyenas are primarily nocturnal animals, and it's rare for them to prey on humans (especially adult humans). The only hyena that's maybe referred to one time in the Bible is the type that's primarily a scavenger, so they don't "hunt" in large packs. Why not pick a more believable animal? And Avi made a lot of assumptions about what happened to his missing cousin. He believed he'd found him every time someone said they had seen a boy about the right age, whether they saw any distinctive markings or not. I realize guilt was driving him, but that seemed a very futile method for finding him.

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.

A Lady's Promise by Raneé S. Clark

A Lady's Promise
by Raneé S. Clark

ISBN-13: 9781524424121
Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: September 5, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
For orphaned New York socialite Isabella De Vries, finding a husband has become imperative. After unsuccessfully navigating four Seasons, it’s time to enlist the help of an old family friend to find her a suitable match. She trusts Preston implicitly, but his solution is both unconventional and heartbreaking: he himself will marry Isabella in name alone so that she may be the sole beneficiary of his fortune when he succumbs to the disease that will soon take his life. His plan solves everyone’s problems: Isabella will be cared for, and his inheritance will be protected from his irresponsible younger brother, Prince.

There is no love left between Prince Baxter and his older brother. Preston has left him half his fortune, but only if he changes his ways. When Prince hears that Preston is going to marry Isabella, Prince knows he will have to charm his way into friendship with Isabella if he wants to see any portion of the inheritance money. His plot, however, quickly crumples to pieces as he and Isabella establish a genuine connection―and he makes the mistake of falling in love with her.


My Review:
A Lady's Promise is a romance set in 1895 in New York. Some historical details were woven into the story, creating a backdrop for the action. Isabella enjoyed creating mechanical things to solve everyday problems. Both Preston and Prince admired how she used her intelligence and skill to help others and supported her even though she belittled her own ability. I think their support of her unusual hobby was why she loved them.

Preston was a kind, indulging friend toward her but harsh in how he treated his own half-brother. Prince had been taught by his mother to waste money on frivolous things, and Preston felt that Isabella would make much better use of his fortune. Isabella mourned the coming loss of her dear friend. Through her growing friendship with Prince, she helped Prince start to genuinely care about others than himself. Prince was never unlikable, but he did start off self-centered. Prince also came to forgive his brother for perceived wrongs and decided that some things were more important than his pride.

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.

A Royal Christmas by Melody Carlson

A Royal Christmas
by Melody Carlson

ISBN-13: 9780800742317
ebook: 176 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: September 1, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Adelaide Smith has been working hard to put herself through law school. Then she receives a letter notifying her that she has been found through a DNA registry to be a direct descendant of King Maximillian V, the ruler of a small Eastern European principality called Montovia. She's understandably skeptical. This is the stuff of cheesy made-for-TV movies, not real life. Although the pieces of this surprising family puzzle seem too good to be true, curiosity gets the best of her. At the king's invitation, Adelaide embarks on a Christmas break trip that is chock-full of surprises, including a charming village, an opulent palace, family mysteries, royal jealousies, a handsome young member of Parliament.


My Review:
A Royal Christmas is a Christian romance novella set at Christmas time. I kept getting lost in the story even though it's a fairly predictable, light read. Adelaide knew nothing about her father only to learn he's a king, dying, and wants to meet her. In Montovia, she's attended by a handsome, kind man who helps her and shows her around. They quickly form a friendship as they spend time together. But the heir has gone missing, and the queen expects her son by another marriage to inherit, so she's not very welcoming.

The main characters acted realistically and were likable. There was some mild relational and physical danger suspense, but mostly it was Adelaide enjoying Christmas and her father while deciding what to do with her future. Adelaide's father tells her to trust God's timing. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this novella to princess fiction fans.


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.