Calling on the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund

Calling on the Matchmaker
by Jody Hedlund

ISBN-13: 9780764241963
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: December 12, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
1849 St. Louis. Haunted by the death of her sister, Finola Shanahan has resolved that she's not worthy of a family of her own and commits to spending her days caring for immigrants in the slums. Unwilling to consider marriage, Finola has perfected the ability to sabotage the relationships her parents arrange for her. At wit's end, her father calls upon the local Irish matchmaker, who pairs her with successful wagonmaker Riley Rafferty. After her usual tricks fail, Finola quickly realizes she can't outsmart or outwit the dashing, determined, and daring man.

A candidate in the St. Louis mayoral election, Riley is confident a union with the wealthy Shanahan family will help solidify his chances of winning--and even more assured he and Finola can make a difference together. When a cholera outbreak begins to take St. Louis by storm, they must navigate a burgeoning attraction and growing danger testing all they know about love and sacrifice.


My Review:
Calling on the Matchmaker is a romance set in 1849 in St. Louis. Frankly, the matchmaker was the best part of this story. He was a good judge of character and compatibility and was quite the schemer, but with a good intentions and sense of humor. Plus he had a good information network, so he knew people well. He knew what to do and say to keep Finola and Riley working on their issues and relationship when they wanted to give up.

Riley felt like he'd pressured his first wife into marriage and had gotten physically intimate too quickly, so he was determined to never pressure a woman into marriage if she had reservations about it. Ah, oh, Finola had reservations. Her inattention at a critical moment led to her toddler sister dying in an accident, and she's so guilt-stricken that she feels she must do penance the rest of her life and never feel happy again. Plus it surely proves she'd be a horrible mother, so she's determined to become a nun. Riley did use kissing to convince her that maybe she didn't want to be a nun after all, but he always stopped before things could move too far.

The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. Riley was thoughtful in how he treated Finola, respected her knowledge about the needs of the immigrants, and supported her work among them even when it was dangerous. They shared a passion for helping improve the lives of the immigrants. Historical details were woven into the story and gave a sense of what life was like at that time.

The Christian element was Finola learning that God forgives if we ask and to not to mistake her own inability to forgive herself with God's unforgiveness. 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.

The Secret of the Lady's Maid by Darcie Wilde

The Secret of the Lady's Maid
by Darcie Wilde

ISBN-13: 9781496738035
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington Books
Released: December 26, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Rosalind Thorne’s quick wits and discretion have proved invaluable to London’s haut ton. Success has at last brought her financial stability and a new home, which she shares with her best friend, Alice Littlefield. But now trouble has infiltrated Rosalind’s sanctuary.

Alice has formed a tender attachment to Amelia, the maid in their employ, and her affection is returned. But before meeting Alice, Amelia was involved with Cate Levitton, daughter of a well-respected family. The scandalous liaison caused the Levittons to banish Cate to the house of her widowed cousin. Amelia has no expectation of seeing Cate again—until she stumbles upon her in the marketplace, looking deathly ill.

The women bring Cate to their home with the help of Bow Street officer Adam Harkness, who deduces that Cate’s sickness may in fact be arsenic poisoning. But who had motive, or means? Rosalind works to discover the truth. She also knows that both her blossoming relationship with Adam and her increasing independence would be frowned upon by society. Poison, politics, jealousy and jewel thieves combine in Rosalind’s most complex case yet.


My Review:
The Secret of the Lady's Maid is a mystery set in 1820 in England. This is the 7th 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.

I'm feeling confused by how this ended. Adam's storyline was his struggle to make a big choice: do what he thought was right (arresting two criminals, one of whom was a Bow Street informant) and losing his job or letting his Bow Street friends deal with their mutual case without him. He made his decision but then never carried through on it one way or the other. It just kind of was forgotten as Adam got caught up in Rosalind's case.

Also, criminals walked free. With two women in Rosalind's case, the idea seemed to be that since they're oppressed women and were sorry they were caught, Rosalind and Alice (and Adam) would just overlook what they did as they felt the legal punishment was too severe for the crime. I still wanted them to have some negative consequences for their actions, but both end up in better circumstances than before.

This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. Rosalind asked good questions and collected information, but it took her the longest time to figure out how Cate was poisoned when I figured that out very quickly. Whodunit was guessable, and I guessed correctly long before Rosalind. Historical details were woven into the story. However, Rosalind kept waffling between wanting Adam and preferring to keep her social status and independence. While there were no sex scenes, there was plenty of intense kissing in private. There was occasional 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.

Undercover Baby Rescue by Maggie K. Black

Undercover Baby Rescue
by Maggie K. Black

ISBN-13: 9781335597823
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: December 26, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A dangerous organization is kidnapping and trafficking newborns—and Officer Justin Leacock’s nephew is their latest victim. To save the stolen baby, Justin will have to go undercover as a married couple with his former fiancée, Detective Violet Jones. Except finding the boy isn’t enough; they have to prove he's the kidnapped child. Now they must outwit the kidnappers on their tail and survive the icy wilderness, too.


My Review:
Undercover Baby Rescue is a Christian romantic suspense novel. Justin feels like he needs to fix everything, so he's always involved with his family's messes. He didn't want to drag his wonderful fiancée, Violet, into his chaotic life, so he called things off. While Violet liked Justin, she wished he'd actually open up about what was worrying him. Since he'd never asked for help before, she agreed to go undercover with him to try to save his nephew. As they worked together, they also worked through the issues that broke their relationship up and learned how to truly be a team.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the attacks by the bad guy and the danger created by the weather and terrain. Justin supported and admired Violet. He came to realize that he needed to ask others--and God--for help rather than just trying to fix things on his own. Both Justin and Violet grew as people through the events in the story. They prayed to God for help with the situation. 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.

Seed on the Wind by Rex Stout

Seed on the Wind
by Rex Stout

ISBN-13: 9781803364841
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Hard Case Crime
Released: December 12, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The lawyer, the jeweler, the art critic, and the oil-company man: Lora Winter has had a child with each of them. But when one of these men drives up to her house with a fifth man in the car, Lora runs to hide. This extraordinary novel's many desperate characters resort to kidnapping a baby, blackmailing another of the fathers, and possibly even murdering a baby (though Lora refuses to consider abortion). Rex Stout wrote this novel in 1930.


My Review:
Seed on the Wind is fiction set in the 1920s to 1930. There was no mystery and no romance (the sex was about pleasure or making babies). Whatever the point of this story was, I totally missed it. Lora was the point-of-view character, but she had little personality and felt fairly passive to me, not thinking through the consequences of her actions and then desperately trying to deal with them. There was no "psychological jigsaw puzzle" as there was no puzzle and certainly no focus on a crime (for example, a baby was kidnapped by a relative but promptly retrieved by Lora). There was no suspense, only mild curiosity at best. The characters weren't even interesting to me. I felt I was sold a crime and was given one of the most boring books I've recently read.

The story started at the end, when Lora's first lover showed up and threatened things with her current, comfortable life. Then we go back in time to explain how the man who's currently supporting her met her and got her pregnant. Then we go back to how the previous man (and father of one of her children) met her, and so on back to the beginning. She was mistress to only one man at a time, but she didn't love these men and basically was a prostitute, using her body to support herself and her children.

While there was plenty of sex, the focus was more on the participant's attitudes than physical descriptions of the act. There was a fair amount 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.

A Winter by the Sea by Julie Klassen

A Winter by the Sea
by Julie Klassen

ISBN-13: 9780764234286
Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: December 5, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When the Duke and Duchess of Kent rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage for the winter, the Summers sisters are called upon to host three of the royal couple's male staff in their seaside house. But they soon realize they've invited mysterious secrets and the sweet possibility of romance into their home.

Meanwhile, Emily Summers approaches a local publisher in hopes of fulfilling her dream of becoming an author. When he turns her down, his dashing competitor promises to consider her novel if she will first write a new Sidmouth guidebook for him. Emily accepts and begins researching with the help of the Duke of Kent's handsome private secretary. But a surprise visitor from her past shows up at Sea View, leaving Emily torn between the desires she used to hold dear and her budding dreams for the future.


My Review:
A Winter by the Sea is a Christian romance set in 1819 in England. Emily still longs to marry Charles, a long-time family friend. She thought he was going to propose until he suddenly distanced himself from them two years ago, after the hushed up scandal attached to her oldest sister. He's visiting Sidmouth with his parents and renewed his attentions to Emily--especially after he realized his rival James was interested in her. James supported Emily's desire to be a writer and backed her up in times of conflict. He admired her as she was. But he's not in a position to marry. Charles is a good friend and her dream man, but his parents don't approve of her and her family. She started to question if she still wanted to marry Charles now that she's experienced a man approving of her just as she is.

Historical details were woven into the story and brought it alive in my imagination. The characters were engaging, varied, and acted in realistic ways. I cared about what happened to them, including people staying at Sea View. They faced challenges and grew in character. 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.

Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin

Sniffing Out Murder
by Kallie E. Benjamin

ISBN-13: 9780593547359
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: December 5, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After deciding that life as a teacher wasn’t right for her, Priscilla found inspiration for her first children’s book in her three-year-old bloodhound’s nose for truth, and so The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound was born. After the book’s massively pawsitive response led Pris to move back to her hometown of Crosbyville, Indiana, to continue the series, she’s surprised by how things have changed in the town, but even more so how they haven’t.

Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, Whitney's sister accusses Pris and Bailey of the crime. Pris is determined to clear her name by finding the real killer.


My Review:
Sniffing Out Murder is a cozy mystery. Priscilla's extremely insecure and cared a great deal what others thought about her. Add in that she's very clumsy (at least in the first half of the story), and she's flushing in anger or blushing in embarrassment in nearly every scene. When she found the body, she regretted not taking the time while waiting for the police to arrive to primp and put on more makeup. She didn't spend it looking for clues, either. Bailey, the dog, was the one who kept finding clues, which she passed on to the police along with the town gossip she "happened" to hear.

Whodunit was one of my initial two suspects. I was certain of that person when Pris' best friend gushed a major clue to Pris, yet neither recognized it was a clue. They never figured it out. The killer decided to kill Pris and confessed everything to her at that time. At least Pris managed to save herself.

The author tended to omit needed description or gave it too late. For example, Pris found the body and looked around in panic like she couldn't see if the killer was nearby. Only we later learn that the maze hedge was only 3 foot tall and she could pretty easily see and hear that the maze was empty. I'm confused about what Pris looks like. We're only told that she has grey eyes and dark, curly hair. Since the author made such a point that she had a very visible, bright red blush that traveled up her neck and into her face, I assumed she was fair skinned. However, her hair stylist implied she had "Black hair" and her aunt is dark skinned (which could mean anything from someone who tans dark to an ebony skin).

I don't care about fashion, so I wasn't very interested in a mystery hinging on knowledge about fashion designers and such along with discussions about what clothes she should wear, like to impress a date she didn't really care for. She even invited her true crush to join them on their date. She later initiated a kiss with one man and led him on then encouraged a kiss from her crush while everyone thought she was dating the first man. Hmm. Anyway, not really my type of story. I also fail to see how her middle grade mystery (which read like a board book for young readers) became a best seller. The cozy had no sex and only 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.

The Juliet Code by Pepper Basham

The Juliet Code
by Pepper Basham

ISBN-13: 9781636096940
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: December 1, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon and explore the beauties of the historic city of Venice. To their surprise, their friend, Detective Jack Miracle, is also in the city, investigating a series of thefts of the Juliet paintings, including one owned by millionaire Laraby Covington. Laraby's holding a house party where he's featuring another Juliet painting and wants them there. These Renaissance paintings feature Shakespeare’s tragic heroine and three of the paintings hold a secret code to find a hidden treasure. As Freddie and Grace are pulled deeper into the mystery, can they use their wits to stop the thieves before it’s too late.?


My Review:
The Juliet Code is a Christian mystery set in 1914 in Venice. This is the third book in a series, and you can understand it without reading the previous books. However, this book did spoil both events and the mystery in the previous books, so it's best to read them in order.

Grace is full of enthusiasm and a lively imagination fueled by books. She gets a thrill from adventure, and I love how resourceful she is in the face of unexpected adventures. Frederick's finally getting into being a sleuth and actually put together many of the clues before Grace did. She figured out the secret code leading to the treasure, though. Anyway, they were working with Detective Jack, so he mostly led the questioning and detecting. Frederick and Grace spent a lot of time mooning over each other (as it is their honeymoon) and having fade-to-black bedroom scenes.

It was a fun romp, but I had the ghost whodunit figured out before even Grace (who had all of the clues) and the same with Laraby's stunt. The ending got confusing, partly because the author switched from the known names for the characters to their true names and relationships. The scenes were so poorly described that the 'suspenseful' ending just left me confused. It felt like the author forgot how she initially described the place, nor did the scene seem possible.

Grace and Fredrick learned to trust God with each other's safety. There was no bad language. There was implied married sex. Overall, I'd recommend this fun mystery, but I hope the end is rewritten to make more sense as it was hard to follow.


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.

Bulletproof Barista by Cleo Coyle

Bulletproof Barista
by Cleo Coyle

ISBN-13: 9780593197592
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: November 14, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Only Murders in Gotham, the smash-hit streaming program, is famous for filming in authentic New York locations and using real New Yorkers as extras. For its second season, they’ve chosen to spotlight the century-old Village Blend and its quirky crew of baristas. Shop manager and master roaster Clare Cosi is beyond thrilled, especially when her superb bulletproof coffee lands her a craft services contract for the production.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the landmark shop, reveals an old kinship with the star of the show, comedian Jerry Sullivan. Now a Hollywood legend, Jerry frequented the Blend during his early years performing in Greenwich Village comedy clubs. But the past may hold more than nostalgia for Jerry. Suspicious accidents begin plaguing his shoot. Then a real bullet is fired from a stage gun, and Clare becomes convinced something sinister is afoot. While Jerry’s production moves to exciting new locations, Clare keeps the coffee flowing—and her investigation going—even as a murderer lurks in the wings.


My Review:
Bulletproof Barista is a cozy mystery. This novel is the 20th in the series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this story didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous books.

Clare was the one primarily investigating the accidents since she had access to the set and the people as her company was providing the beverages and snacks. She asked good questions, and she's good at noticing things and considering possibilities. Whodunit was guessable, but the needed clues didn't come until nearly the end. Clare even managed to get full proof through her cleverness. Suspense was created from the danger to those on the set, as anyone could be a target.

There was a minor amount of bad language. There were no graphic sex scenes; any sex was fade-to-black style after they started to kiss. 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.

From an Unknown Sender by Traci Hunter Abramson, Sian Ann Bessey

From an Unknown Sender
by Traci Hunter Abramson,
Sian Ann Bessey

ISBN-13: 9781524424602
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: November 21, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After spending a busy holiday season putting drug smugglers behind bars, CIA operative Cole Bridger is looking forward to spending a quiet Christmas in Vienna with his girlfriend and fellow operative, Isabelle Roberts. But when Isabelle is tasked with investigating a string of suspect financial transactions and redirects a suspicious package to a museum in Amsterdam, she inadvertently places Cole’s cousins in the crosshairs of a drug smuggling ring.

Lars and Marit have no desire to be drawn into the deadly dealings of the criminal underworld, but when Lars’s sister, Tess’s, life is placed in danger, they willingly join Cole and Isabelle in their efforts to uncover the mastermind behind the drug smuggling ring. Unfortunately, the two couples’ involvement does not go unnoticed. And though each step brings them closer to the truth, they also reveal a startling picture of greed and corruption at the center of a dangerous organization that will stop at nothing to retrieve what it has lost.


My Review:
From an Unknown Sender is a romantic suspense. This is the 2nd novel featuring Cole, Lars, and their girlfriends, but it works as a standalone. Lars and Marit continued to get along well, enjoy their time together, and add to the team when Cole and Isabelle involved them in a case. Isabelle felt guilty about getting them involved and like Cole only invited her along for her help in solving the case. She questioned the strength of their romantic relationship, but she was willing to accept his word when he said that he desired to spend time with her as his girlfriend, too. So they're making progress. He also trusted her abilities as an agent and helped her accept that things rarely go as planned in fieldwork.

So the main characters were likable, skilled, and brave. There was plenty of suspense as the bad guys were willing to kill anyone getting in the way of their drug smuggling business. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense 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.

City of Betrayal by Victoria Thompson

City of Betrayal
by Victoria Thompson

ISBN-13: 9780593440605
Hardback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: December 5, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A year has passed since Elizabeth Bates ran her last con. Life has been simpler, although not nearly as exciting, but she has thrown herself into working to get the 19th Amendment ratified by thirty-six states to become the law of the land. Since every other Southern state has already rejected the amendment, it seems unlikely Tennessee will be an exception . . . but it's their only hope, so the suffragists descend on Tennessee for the final battle.

Elizabeth’s ability to interact with difficult men and to persuasively explain all the advantages of allowing women to vote—all skills she perfected as a grifter—have made her a valuable member of the team. But she would never have expected the lengths to which some would go to keep the vote out of women's hands.


My Review:
City of Betrayal is a historical set in August 1920 in Tennessee. This is the 7th book in the series. While you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, the author did assume the reader had some familiarity with the main characters. So, there was no con. Elizabeth's father was working a relatively uncomplicated con in the background. It's mostly where she sent the names of anti-suffrage legislators to get some level of revenge since she had no time to participate in a con. I do hope that we get back to the cons in the future, though this was plenty suspenseful to make an exciting story.

The historical details were woven into the story to create a vivid sense of the specific time and place and brought the story alive in my imagination. Elizabeth, Gideon, and his mother joined the suffragists in Tennessee, thinking the vote would be over in a few days. But the battle to sway the votes stretched on for days and nights. Knowing cons, they were able to spot and stop a lot of the underhanded tactics used by the anti's. I was immersed in the story, uncertain of winning the vote and worried that yet another pledged "for" legislator would betray the suffragists. If you don't already know the details, don't look them up, just read this book.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this educational and suspenseful 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.

A Twisted Skein by Sally Goldenbaum

A Twisted Skein
by Sally Goldenbaum

ISBN-13: 9781496729439
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Kensington Books
Released: Nov. 28, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Izzy Perry’s Sea Harbor Yarn Studio is heating up, thanks to an upcoming fashion benefit. The show will feature hand-knit garments, and enthusiastic knitters flock to the shop for supplies to create runway-worthy pieces. Yet Seaside Knitter Birdie is enjoying flocks of a different kind, thanks to a rekindled interest in birdwatching, a hobby she enjoyed with her late husband. Along with a small group of passionate birders, she often spends weekend mornings looking for warblers, or keeping watch for gannets and grebes. It’s a lovely, special time—until Birdie stumbles upon a fellow birder’s body.

At first, it appears to be an accidental fall, but an autopsy soon reveals that the victim died before hitting a granite boulder. When police discover a clue linking the victim to one of the Seaside Knitters, the web of suspicion grows. Before the knitters have cast off the final rows on their runway projects, they’ll have to unravel secrets and ties strong enough to bind friends and neighbors together.


My Review:
A Twisted Skein is supposedly a cozy mystery. At least in the Advanced Reader Copy, the mystery was never fully explained. It's the 17th novel in a series, but you can understand this story without reading the previous books.

There was so much that was never explained, like how the victim died. We're simply told that he was murdered. Near the end, they finally started asking people relevant questions, like who knew about the secret place where the murder happened and who might have known or guessed the victim would be there. But anything important that they learned wasn't told to the reader so that everyone in the story knew whodunit while the reader was left in the dark until after the arrest was made. And we never learn some of the 'hidden from the reader' things like the name of the mysterious hiker, which shocked our detectives.

Whodunit confessed to motive in general terms, but we never learned details about how (especially how someone could murder a healthy, relatively young man when whodunit must have made noise getting to the secret spot). So many details were glossed over, like how someone could so easily commit a series of financial crimes or what happened to the kid who was arrested.

Much of the story was knitting filler and about how the murder impacted the community. Though why people were terrified about possibly being the next victim baffles me since everyone knew it was a targeted killing, not a random one. The main characters got to know every detail about the victim's life, finding many people with possible motives. Then they simply dismissed many of them because they didn't feel like this person was lying and that person would have known they'd be a suspect, so of course they wouldn't do it. Hmm.

There was no sex or bad language. I'd recommend this book to fans of the characters--what's next in their lives?--but not mystery lovers.


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.