The Missing Maid by Holly Hepburn

The Missing Maid
by Holly Hepburn

ISBN-13: 9781835337394
ebook: 219 pages
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Released: March 27, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
London, 1932. When Harriet White rebuffs the advances of her boss at the Baker Street building society where she works, she finds herself demoted to a new position… a very unusual position. Deep in the postal department beneath the bank, she is tasked with working her way through a mountain of correspondence addressed to Baker Street’s most famous Mr Sherlock Holmes.

Seemingly undeterred by the fact that Sherlock Holmes doesn’t exist, letter after letter arrives, beseeching him to help solve mysteries, and Harry diligently replies to each writer with the same Mr Holmes has retired from detective work and now lives in Sussex, keeping bees.

Until one entreaty catches her eye. It’s from a village around five miles from Harry’s family estate, about a young woman who went to London to work as a domestic, then disappeared soon afterwards in strange circumstances. Intrigued, Harry decides, just this once, to take matters into her own hands. And so, the case of the missing maid is opened…


My Review:
The Missing Maid is a mystery set in 1932 in England. No one is murdered. It started off fine, with a well-born gal working as a secretary at a bank deciding to solve a case sent to Sherlock Holmes (because the bank is located at the fictional address). She posed as Holmes' secretary when dealing with the missing girl's family. She asked questions and followed up on leads, though mostly she seemed to stumble upon the needed information. She realistically made mistakes along the way, including not being very convincing in a disguise. Things started to become less and less realistic, though. The missing maid showed back up, but she's accused of theft. Again. Harry's determined to prove the maid's innocent.

At least one modern phrase was used. When questioning the girl, the maid never mentioned that the girl who took her in looked exactly like her yet Harry immediately assumed she was the look-alike girl. Harry put on trousers for the first time and hid her hair, and suddenly she had everyone convinced she's a man. The author implied she stunk and people moved downwind to avoid it, but they'd want to move upwind, and why is there a wind in an enclosed space? When in disguise, she walked off with a beer mug from a bar, and no one objected or found it odd that she was carrying it around in the streets. She could throw corrugated iron sheeting some distance yet couldn't figure out how to deal with her captive without help. Yet Oliver (who was helping her) could not only do it alone but came up with a way to pass the evidence on to the police. She's the one who insisted on doing a citizen's arrest, yet she hadn't thought all that through? And then she decided to type up her adventures like a Sherlock Holmes story while on bank time. Huh. Not to mention, why did the thief twice hide the jewelry under Mildred's pillow so she'd get caught if the game was to use her to allow the true thief to walk out of the house with the stolen goods? As in, the true thief never benefited from this complicated look-alike game.

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.

To Slip the Bonds of Earth by Amanda Flower

To Slip the Bonds of Earth
by Amanda Flower

ISBN-13: 9781496747662
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Kensington
Released: March 26, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
December 1903: While Wilbur and Orville Wright’s flying machine is quite literally taking off in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with its historic fifty-seven second flight, their sister Katharine is back home in Dayton, Ohio, running the bicycle shop, teaching Latin, and looking after the family. A Latin teacher and suffragette, Katharine is fiercely independent, intellectual, and the only Wright sibling to finish college. But at twenty-nine, she’s frustrated by the gender inequality in academia.

Returning home to Dayton, Wilbur and Orville (and Katharine) receive an invitation to a fancy Christmas ball. Orville decides to bring their as-yet-unpatented flyer plans to the festivities, where they are stolen. Orville and Katharine also find a murdered blackmailer with Orville's screwdriver in his chest and the host's son covered in blood. Katharine sets out to find the missing plans and prove that her student is innocent.


My Review:
To Slip the Bonds of Earth is a historical mystery set in 1903 in Ohio. Katharine had a hard time remembering that her goal was to find the stolen plans. She spent no time looking for them but switched to proving that her student wasn't the murderer, or maybe discovering whodunit. She asked questions, broke into buildings to poke around, read letters not meant for her, and generally annoyed people. Yet she didn't figure out whodunit or find out who had the plans. Whodunit helpfully decided to confess in front of witnesses. It's never adequately explained how everyone seemed to know that Orville had Critically Important Plans in his jacket pocket, and it's mind-boggling that he took them to a party instead of leaving them behind with Wilbur. So I found the mystery pretty disappointing and, yes, I guessed whodunit before the reveal.

Katharine certainly had courage and drive, but she's not willing to listen to anyone's advice, even the people she's supposedly helping. She just did what she wanted to do, usually very impulsively and without thinking out the consequences. She had a quick temper, which didn't make her any friends, but she felt completely justified in her behavior. She lied all the time, yet was so disappointed when she caught her maid in a lie. She wasn't especially logical. For example, she couldn't decide if she should trust the description of a man given by a servant that she knew who was familiar with the man or the besotted description of him given by her best friend. Basically, I didn't find her very likable, and none of the other characters were particularly engaging.

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.

One Last Shot by Susan May Warren

One Last Shot
by Susan May Warren

ISBN-13: 9780800745479
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: March 5, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When country music star Oaken Fox joins survivalist Mike Grizz's new adventure show in the Alaskan wilderness, he just wants to please his fans while earning money for his favorite charity. But when tragedy strikes, Air One Rescue must save them. The show's producer convinces him to sign on with Air One Rescue as a recruit for a new reality show as another way to get the money for charity.

EMT Boo Kingston did not join Air One Rescue to train a celebrity. But she's a rookie to the team, so yes, she'll train Oaken and keep him alive and not for a minute pay attention to his charm. And then five women go missing from a resort during a bachelorette weekend gone wrong. Now, Air One and the rescue team will have to use all their skills and manpower--including Oaken--to find them before a blizzard settles in.


My Review:
One Last Shot is a Christian romantic suspense. Boo pays too much attention to the negative things that people say about her on social media. She hopes that avoiding media attention will keep her emotionally safe, but she can't hide from how she feels about what happened. She's afraid that men that act like they care about her might just be using her. Oaken has to care about what his fans think of him if he wants to keep his fame, but he feels like he took over his talented sister's place after her death and maybe doesn't even deserve his fame. He also feels like God doesn't like him and is constantly making things go wrong around him. When he agrees to star in a reality show about SARs, Boo is tasked to be his main trainer and has to face the spotlight again. Her teammates help Oaken to see that God isn't against him, and Oaken helps her see the truth about what happened in her past and that he's trustworthy.

The main characters were engaging and came across as real people. I cared about what happened to them. Oaken and Boo got to know each other as they worked together and built each other up. There was plenty of suspense from the physical dangers of search and rescue as well as the emotional trials that they faced. The one thing that didn't make sense to me was how people spoke multiple times about sending the chute to the police (and I thought they finally had), yet at the end it was still just sitting around like no one even tried to put it somewhere secure.

The Christian theme was how God can use things in our lives to get our attention. 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.

Baby Protection Mission by Laura Scott

Baby Protection Mission
by Laura Scott

ISBN-13: 9781335597984
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: March 26, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When his sister is kidnapped, rancher Cade McNeal will do anything to prevent his baby nephew from being next. Now Officer Ashley Hanson and her K-9 partner are on the case, and it’s up to them to track down the assailant and keep Cade and his nephew from harm. But as the suspect list grows and the attacks escalate, will they bring a kidnapper to justice before he strikes again?


My Review:
Baby Protection Mission is a Christian romantic suspense. This is part of a series but works as a standalone. Unknown to Ashley, her usually-absent FBI father got her a spot on a task force (for the ongoing case in the series), and she felt like her teammates doubted her abilities because of that. She's nearby when someone tried to kidnap Cade's nephew from his arms and ended up taking his sister (the baby's mother) instead. She used her K9 to immediately track down clues and was put on the case. She helped protect Cade and the baby while also investigating possible leads. Cade's worried about his sister, the safety of his nephew, and how to run his ranch as the animals still need tending.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Ashley and Cade worked well together and generally got along well. They came to admire and care for each other as they spent a lot of time together. Cade (and Ashley) prayed for protection and guidance. Cade trusted that God was in control, and Ashley grew stronger in her faith. 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.

A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian

A Midnight Puzzle
by Gigi Pandian

ISBN-13: 9781250880208
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Released: March 19, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Secret Staircase Construction is under attack, and Tempest Raj feels helpless. After former client Julian Rhodes tried to kill his wife, he blamed her "accident" on the home renovation company’s craftsmanship. Now the family business—known for bringing magic into homes through hidden doors, floating staircases, and architectural puzzle walls—is at a breaking point. No amount of Scottish and Indian meals from her grandfather can distract Tempest from the fact they’re being framed.

When Tempest receives an urgent midnight phone call from Julian, she decides to meet him at the historic Whispering Creek Theater—only to find his dead body, a sword through his chest. After a blade appears from thin air to claim another victim, Tempest is certain they’re dealing with a booby trap… something Secret Staircase Construction could easily build. Tempest refuses to wait for the investigation to turn to her or her loved ones. She knows the pieces of the puzzle are right in front of her, she just has to put them together correctly before more disaster strikes.


My Review:
A Midnight Puzzle is a cozy mystery. This is the third novel in the series. You can understand it without reading the previous books, and none of the previous mysteries were spoiled.

The main characters were interesting and generally likable. This was a clue-based mystery. I kept thinking 'if Tempest would just listen--really listen--to what her mentor is saying...clues, girl!' But she didn't want to think anything bad about her mentor and so didn't think over what he said. While I had much of the mystery solved fairly early on, I didn't guess specifically whodunit until Tempest figured it out and set up an elaborate performance/trap to prove their guilt.

There was some bad language. There was no sex. 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.

A Noble Scheme by Roseanna M. White

A Noble Scheme
by Roseanna M. White

ISBN-13: 9780593197882
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: March 1, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Gemma Parks is known throughout high society as G. M. Parker, a columnist renowned for her commentary on the cream of society. Behind the scenes, she uses her talent to aid the Imposters in their investigations by gathering intel at events and providing alibis for the elite firm's members through her columns. Yet her clandestine work would be more exhilarating if it weren't for the constant presence of the gentleman who broke her heart.

Graham Wharton has never had eyes for anyone but Gemma, and she left his soul in tatters when she walked away from him. When the Imposters take on a new job to recover a kidnapped boy mistaken for his aristocratic cousin, Graham is determined to use the time with Gemma not only to restore the missing boy, but also to win back the only woman he's ever loved.


My Review:
A Noble Scheme is a Christian romance with a mystery, set in 1909 in England. Most of the story was about this mysterious, unforgivable problem between Gemma and Graham. It didn't matter if they were in a rush to save a young boy, they had time for a long argument about Gemma's lack of trust and forgiveness. Or if Gemma was freezing while lost in the snowy woods, it was a perfect time to kneel in the snow mourning her loss. This rather undercut any suspense. By the end, they'd finally worked through a lot of their relationship trauma and focused on the problem of saving two kidnapped boys.

The mystery was pretty straight forward: they soon identified who was demanding the ransom, where the boys were, and even why they were kidnapped. It was just a matter of getting them back. However, some things were never explained: How did Graham find the lost Gemma so quickly when he didn't know where she'd gone? Or why did someone steal Graham's notes since later no one seemed to suspect him of having anything to do with the attempt to save the boys?

The main characters were likable and generally acted realistically. Gemma had to learn to forgive (because God forgave her and expected her to forgive others). Graham didn't trust God to be good since He could have stopped a tragic loss but didn't, so he had to work through that issue. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this story to those who have read the previous book and enjoyed the characters.


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.

On the Lookout by Christy Barritt

On the Lookout
by Christy Barritt

ISBN-13: 9780593197882
ebook: 302 pages
Publisher: River Heights
Released: January 1, 2019

Source: Kindle, free book.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When Cassidy Chambers accepted the job as police chief on Lantern Beach, she knew the island had its secrets. But a suspicious death with potentially far-reaching implications will test all her skills. Cassidy enlists the help of her husband, former Navy SEAL Ty Chambers. They must figure out if their John Doe is connected to the secretive group that has moved onto the island. As facts materialize, danger on the island grows. Can Cassidy and Ty discover the truth about the shadowy crimes in their cozy community? Or has darkness permanently invaded their beloved Lantern Beach?


My Review:
On the Lookout is a mystery. Police chief Cassidy identifies a potentially murdered man as coming from a cult located in her area. It's hard to investigate this closed-off group to determine if anything criminal is going on. Her husband, Ty, helps keep her safe as she asked questions and followed up on leads. Whodunit was guessable but not obvious, though I figured it out before Cassidy did. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this 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.

Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn

Never Fall Again
by Lynn H. Blackburn

ISBN-13: 9780800745363
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: March 12, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven's guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.

Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family's business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can't bear to lose like that again.

Before construction on the house can begin, Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger--but because of whom?


My Review:
Never Fall Again is a Christian romantic suspense. Landry married a 'good Christian man' only to find out it was a front. He was emotionally abusive and manipulative. After he died in an accident, his parents threaten to take her daughter from her, so Landry took up a friend on her offer of a job making and teaching pottery to rich people at her exclusive mountain resort. Landry had a hard time trusting the appearance of goodness though she still believes in God. As she and Cal worked together on her dream home, they came to admire and care for each other. They built a friendship until they could trust each other enough to work through their issues from past relationships.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the the repeated attacks on Landry's livelihood escalating to danger to her, her daughter, and Cal. Both Landry and Cal occasionally prayed to God for help. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I would 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.

Speculations in Sin by Jennifer Ashley

Speculations in Sin
by Jennifer Ashley

ISBN-13: 9780593549919
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: March 5, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Cook Kat Holloway is distressed to learn that Samuel Millburn, husband of the woman who looks after her daughter, has been accused of embezzling funds from the bank where he works as a clerk. The accusation is absurd, and Samuel’s wife fears that her husband will not only lose his post but be imprisoned. Kat vows to uncover the truth. She turns to her confidante and handsome suitor, Daniel McAdam, for help.


My Review:
Speculations in Sin is a mystery set in 1883 in London, England. This is the 7th book in the series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the mysteries of the previous books.

The mystery was clue-based, and whodunit was pretty obvious from the start of the investigation. Kat asked questions and followed up on leads but seemed rather distracted by her growing attachment to Daniel. Kat has solved enough mysteries that it's mindboggling that she angerly rushed off to confront a person she believed was a murderer rather than waiting for the police to do their job like Daniel suggested. Of course, she's gotten off in private and threatened by the murderer. Also, some things didn't seem realistic, like she's locked in a strong room in a bank which required two keys to open the door but there's a window to the outside. Like criminals can't climb the outside of a building. Anyway, I wasn't that impressed by the ending.

The main characters were interesting and likable. Historical details were woven into the story. There was no sex. There were 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.

Hailey's Haven by Laura Scott

Hailey's Haven
by Laura Scott

ISBN-13: 978-1949144482
Kindle: 222 pages
Publisher: Readscape Publishing
Released: May 1, 2021

Source: Free ebook.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After escaping her abusive foster parents thirteen years ago, Hailey Donovan thought her nightmare was over. Gatlinburg Tennessee had been a safe place to live, until she's nearly hit by gunfire while hiking the Smoky Mountains. Her instincts are to avoid law enforcement, especially handsome park ranger Rock Wilson, but when more gunfire echoes around them, they're forced to work together to escape.

More attempts against Hailey convinces her to leave the city to start over someplace new. Rock talks her into staying and fighting against the unknown assailant. Rock senses Hailey has been traumatized in the past, and is determined to uncover the mystery surrounding her. As Hailey and Rock seek the truth behind the escalating attacks, Rock realizes he's also in danger of losing his heart. Can Rock provide Hailey the save haven she desperately needs?


My Review:
Hailey's Haven is a Christian romantic suspense. Hailey's foster father abused his foster children, preaching hell-and-brimstone while punishing them in abusive ways for being sinners. Obviously, Hailey's not interested in God who at the very least didn't save them from this man. The children escaped and became runaways, eventually becoming separated from each other. Hailey's finally found a place where she feels valued and safe, working on an animal rescue farm and giving tours to children. But when someone tries to kill her, she's ready to go on the run again.

Park ranger Rock heard a shot fired on a hiking trail and rushed to the scene, ready to rescue a damsel that didn't seem very distressed and was quite competent surviving in the forest. He quickly came to admire her and urged her to accept his help uncovering the attacker so she could keep the life she loves. Hailey's not really a team player, but she did try to get along, and she and Rock shared interests. The suspense came from the frequent attacks and the uncertainty as to who would want her dead, not to mention that she didn't really trust the police to treat her fairly.

Rock was a Christian and tried to show Hailey that God could be trusted. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting 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.

Undercover Colorado Conspiracy by Jodie Bailey

Undercover Colorado Conspiracy
by Jodie Bailey

ISBN-13: 9781335597946
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: February 20, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
To expose a crooked adoption agency, military investigators Thalia Renner and Phillip Campbell pose as a married couple at a mountain resort. But when they become the target of unknown enemies and deadly assaults, they wonder if their cover has been blown. As they investigate, they learn that the past is coming to get them.


My Review:
Undercover Colorado Conspiracy is a Christian romantic suspense novel. The main characters were likable and capable, and they reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from frequent attacks on Thalia and Phillip, and they're not sure who's behind them. Thalia was adopted when a child, so she's determined to endure despite the attacks and stop any crooked business. However, her unknown origins have left her feeling unanchored despite having good adoptive parents. She's determined to not need help, but her undercover role demands that she accept it. She learns to accept help (and love) and find security in her identity in Christ.

Phillip was stalked by a popular girl in his youth, but no one took his concerns seriously until she turned violent. The current attacks look at lot like those pulled by this stalker, but why would she track him down now? He felt like he did everything wrong, but he learned that God could still make it turn out alright. Thalia and Phillip worked well together and had a long working relationship to build their growing attraction on.

My only complaint was that the descriptions occasionally changed. Mainly, their suite was on the ground level, and they walked straight out of their suite to wander down to a trail or around the outside of the hotel. But later they needed to go up at least one floor in an elevator to get to their rooms. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I 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.