A Silence in Belgrave Square by Jennifer Ashley

A Silence in Belgrave Square
by Jennifer Ashley

ISBN-13: 9780593549933
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: August 12, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Kat Holloway knows that her beau and confidante Daniel McAdam has a talent for dangerous work as a Scotland Yard agent. At long last though, Daniel’s coldhearted boss has promised that after a final mission, his debt will be repaid, and he’ll finally be free. However, Daniel must risk his life one last time, masquerading as a secretary to an elderly viscount who could be the mastermind behind the recent plots against the Queen and her government.

Using her contacts throughout London, Kat discovers several of her friends and colleagues have been victims of vicious blackmail. They’ll do anything to protect their scandalous secrets, even conform to the blackmailer’s political agenda. If Kat and Daniel wish to save each other and the Crown, they must prove the blackmailer’s identity and evade those who will stop at nothing to eliminate them.


My Review:
A Silence in Belgrave Square is a mystery set in 1884 in London, England. This is the 8th 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.

Kat started off investigating a series of blackmail letters based off of dated information while Daniel went undercover to investigate a suspected bombing plot. Kat couldn't stand the danger Daniel was in and so did things that drew attention to herself (along with the danger). In the end, she basically dropped her investigation in favor of solving the bombing plot and the murder of several people in the household that Daniel was intended to investigate. The mystery was clue-based. Kat asked questions and followed up on leads. She again charged off to confront a murderer (this time to save someone and assuming help was on the way), creating a suspenseful ending.

The main characters were interesting and likable. Historical details were woven into the story. There was no sex. There was occasional use of of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful 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.

Final Approach by Lynette Eason

Final Approach
by Lynette Eason

ISBN-13: 9780800741228
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: August 5, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Air Marshal Kristine Duncan is not on duty when a hijacker attempts to seize control of the plane she and her friends are on as they head out on a much-needed vacation. Jumping into action and aided by FBI Special Agent Andrew Ross, Kristine thwarts the attack and the plane lands safely. But as the investigation into the incident gets underway, Kristine and Andrew are confused at every step. Nothing about the investigation goes as it should, and each layer they peel back just reveals another layer of perplexity.

As the two work together to navigate a web of deception, blame, and personal reckoning, they find there's more to this story than meets the eye--and more to love and admire about each other. They'll have to put their skills to the test--and their hearts on the line--to unravel the truth and ensure that justice prevails.


My Review:
Final Approach is a Christian romantic suspense. It's the 4th book in a series, but it works as a standalone. So someone hijacks a plane full of law enforcement officers on their way to a vacation in a certain city. He merely intended to divert the flight to another random town. Why did they never ask if a major crime was going to go down in the place they were headed to? Anyway, someone's pulling people's strings to manipulate them, and it was pretty obvious to me who was doing it. Whodunit became more obvious as events piled up and clues were found. I understand why Kristine didn't make the connection until the very end, but whodunit practically waved a flag with some of their statements which should have made someone look a little harder at whodunit for at least one event.

The main characters were likable, capable people who reacted realistically to events. Kristine and Andrew worked well together and supported each other. The suspense came from danger to several characters. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting story.


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

Death in the Countryside by Maria Malone

Death in the Countryside
by Maria Malone

ISBN-13: 9798892422697
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Released: August 12, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.


Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sergeant Ali Wren has recently returned to her charming Yorkshire hometown of Heft, accompanied by her trusty canine companion Officer PD Wilson, a Springer Spaniel with a nose for trouble. Together they are the police force quietly serving the town.

When Brian, an older resident, reports his wife, Melody, missing, Ali at first suspects a routine case. Melody, tired of playing dutiful wife to an inattentive husband, may simply have left. But suspicion soon begins to mount when it emerges that Brian’s first wife died under tragic circumstances and Ali uncovers evidence of Melody’s recent puzzling behavior.


My Review:
Death in the Countryside came across as a cozy mystery even though the heroine is a police officer. Ali's the only police officer in a small town, and her main job seemed to be to help people get along. Ali's dog partner was trained by her and mainly acted as an emotional support dog. People liked to pet the attentive dog and would say things to him that they weren't comfortable saying directly to Ali. She occasionally let the dog off his leash to sniff around with the vague assurance that he'd let her know if he found something important. He found several critical clues with no obvious guidance from Ali on what he should look for (a dead body, drugs, evidence, etc.).

The mystery was clue-based and was paced more like a detective mystery. Ali gathered information, followed up on clues, and used police resources to dig into background information and such. She tended to assume the best about people and helped them out even when they didn't ask for help. I was willing to accuse whodunit long before Ali had the proof she needed to do the same. I liked that she did get her proof for the missing woman, the murder, and the bakery shops rivalry.

There were no sex scenes. There were only a few uses of bad language. 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.

The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron

The French Kitchen
by Kristy Cambron

ISBN-13: 9781400345267
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: August 5, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Paris, 1952 -- An ex-pat wife living in Paris signs up for a cookery class taught by an American chef with an indomitable wit and decidedly French airs--an instructor by name of Julia Child. Amongst pots and pans and prim Paris wives learning to sauté in the French way, Kat Fontaine searches for answers about what happened to her brother. Still haunted by the years she spent serving in the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during WWII, Kat soon finds a simple cookery class unearths the tangle of gut-wrenching memories of war and questions about the high-ranking society husband whose past is as murky as her own.

Rue, 1943 -- Deep in the heart of Nazi-controlled northern France, Manon Altier works as a French chef at the famous Château du Broutel, where names like Himmler, Rommel, and Goebbels frequent the guest list. She passes on information to rebel networks working against the Vichy regime. Manon digs deep into the glitz and glamour of a Nazi stronghold that has her teetering on the edge of being discovered at any turn. Manon must lean on her instincts to judge whether to run and hide or stand firm.


My Review:
The French Kitchen is a historical suspense and romance. While there were 2 main perspectives (Kat and Manon), we also eventually got point-of-view scenes from their love interests. The author initially switched between three timelines: Boston, USA in 1943, where Kat's brother disappears after stating he's going to join the war efforts. Kat's recruited into the OSS as a field agent lured by promises of helping her find her missing brother. Rue, France in 1943 where Manon works for the French Resistance as a chef in a kitchen feeding high ranking German officers. Kat ends up working with her. Paris, France in 1952, where Kat returns to find her missing brother and marries a Frenchman who worked under the Germans during the war. Kat's not sure if he was also helping the Resistance. It was a little confusing to keep track of everything until the 1943 timelines merged.

As people working for the OSS were caught, it's clear they needed to uncover who's leaking OSS information to the Germans. The unexpected third traitor at the end didn't really make sense, partly because the motive was rushed over, but the story otherwise held together once all of the pieces were revealed. Incidentally, Julia Child and the cooking classes were only a very minor part of this story.

Manon's a very determined woman willing to risk her life to get revenge for her family's deaths. Kat's courageous, observant, smart, able to read lips, and prepared for dangerous situations. Two men come to admire and love these two women, but secrets from the wartime cause rifts until the secrets were uncovered by Kat. The main characters acted realistically and were complex. It felt like they could have been real people. Vivid historical and setting details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of the time and place. The suspense was created by the constant danger of being found out by those quite willing to kill anyone working against the Nazis.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful, interesting story.


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

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe theater production

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

My Review:
I thought I'd do a review of a theater production by The Logos Theatre, as it is based off of a book. I've now seen "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" twice, first with extended family in the standard seats and again with two friends in the premium seats. The ages ranged from 6-years-old to 79-years-old, and we all loved this amazing show. There were children even younger than this present at the shows, and they appeared to handle it fine. Both seating areas were good, though the actors do walk down the aisles so I personally liked being near the aisle.

The show closely followed the book, only making a few changes that helped it work better on stage. They brought out the heart of the story: Aslan's sacrificial, redeeming love. The acting was excellent from everyone and drew you into the story. The beavers added just the right touch of humor to keep the story from getting too grim or scary. The costumes and set were well done, and even the music was well chosen to support the needed mood. It's a high quality production, and I'd highly recommend it to everyone, especially fans of the books.

The production is on tour--currently in Branson, MO, next in Washington DC, and then in Williamstown, KY. Check show times and places at: https://thelogostheatre.com/the-logos-theatre-on-tour/

(All opinions are my own, and I got nothing in return for this review. I just want to support an amazing production and make sure people who otherwise might not have known about it will have a chance to enjoy it.)

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton by Kelly J. Goshorn

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton
by Kelly J. Goshorn

ISBN-13: 9798891511774
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: August 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell is a hard-hitting investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. The catch? Etta must pen her columns under the nom de plume, Henry Mason—a fact that routinely puts a knot in her knickerbockers.

Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter with a passion for rendering aid to those in need. When Leo discovers that Henry Mason is really Henrietta Maxwell, the fire department’s wealthy benefactress, he agrees to keep her identity secret. After a sudden blast rocks the Grover Shoe Factory, Leo and Etta team up to determine if the explosion is related to a series of suspicious fires in the area.

When an unnamed source reveals Etta’s secret identity to a rival reporter, she falsely accuses Leo of being the informant. As the truth comes to light, Etta must persuade Leo to give her a second chance or lose the only man she’s ever loved.


My Review:
The Undercover Heiress of Brockton is a romance set in 1905 in Brockton, Massachusetts. Henrietta wants to be an investigative journalist but is only allowed to do so under the name Henry Mason. When she's investigating, she wears men's clothing and acts like a man...and worries she'll make some slip that gives away her cross-dressing. (Like the fact she wears the very same, thick glasses in both disguises? No one notices that, though!) While investigating a potential serial arson case, Leo discovers her true identity. They decide to work together, but then a boiler explosion at the Grover shoe factory causes it to catch fire. Leo and his firefighting family help the rescue efforts, but the fire spreads too fast to save everyone. Leo and Etta work the disaster and then help those affected by the disaster.

The somewhat bumbling romance was enjoyable enough until both Etta and Leo refused to listen to or forgive each other. Someone figured out who Etta was and revealed her, and she decided it had to be Leo. She just accused him and refused to talk with him. He wondered if he ever knew the real Etta and held tight to his hurt at her lack of trust. His family told him that he needed to forgive her, but it seemed too big a rift to heal. But both decided they couldn't live without the (imagined person) they loved and jumped into marriage rather than actually getting to know each other. Sigh.

The characters were generally likable, and the descriptions of the fire and aftermath were interesting. Etta as a male reporter was very fun to watch as she did a wonderful job. So it made no sense that, one time, she arrived at the news office more than an hour ahead of deadline but neglected to tell her boss that she had a story until after the deadline (therefore setting up a conflict with another reporter). Also, I found Leo a little annoying with his double standards. Like he didn't want a brother to get caught in the fire during the rescue but seemed to want to die heroically saving people. He felt that Etta, as a woman, ought to put more emotion into her very factual and accurate news stories. At least he was supportive of her work as a journalist. 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.

Buried Wilderness Secrets by Jaime Jo Wright

Buried Wilderness Secrets
by Jaime Jo Wright

ISBN-13: 9781335957207
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: July 29, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Montana park ranger Aaliyah Terrence finds a serial killer’s burial ground—and narrowly survives the brutal attack that follows. And when cold case detective Wade Marlowe reveals that her birth mother was the murderer’s first victim, it soon becomes clear that Aaliyah has been marked as his next target. As their search into the past reveals old skeletons and puts Aaliyah in ever-increasing danger, she’ll have to rely on Wade to keep her safe. But will they discover the killer’s identity before she meets the same end as her mother?


My Review:
Buried Wilderness Secrets is a Christian romantic suspense. Wade once had an argument with his sister, and she was murdered that night after going off to be alone. Now he'll always go after a woman who's upset with him to make sure she's safe. Aaliyah was abandoned by her mother and, though she has wonderful adoptive parents, she's taken a DNA test to see if she can connect with her biological family. Wade now knows the identity of a cold case victim. Aaliyah's extremely upset to learn that her mother was that old, local murder case that was never solved. It didn't help that she had just stumbled upon a serial killer's graveyard, which may be linked to her mother's case.

Aaliyah said hurtful things to Wade and refused to talk with her family to punish them for not handling things the way she believed they should have. She often needed rescue and protection, but happily her super-talented dog was there to help and Wade always came after her to save her. I guess Wade liked being the rescuer because I can't quite understand why he was romantically attracted to her. On her side, she loved that he never abandoned her. Anyway, the main characters were generally likable and reacted realistically to events. The suspense was created by ongoing attacks on Aaliyah. The mystery was a clue-based puzzle, though I guessed whodunit long before Aaliyah was captured by him.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting romantic suspense.


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

The Collector of Burned Books by Roseanna M. White

The Collector of Burned Books
by Roseanna M. White

ISBN-13: 9798400501739
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Released: July 15, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Paris, 1940. Ever since the Nazi Party began burning books, German writers exiled for their opinions or heritage have been taking up residence in Paris. There they opened a library meant to celebrate the freedom of ideas and gathered every book on the banned list and even made incognito versions of the forbidden books to smuggle back into Germany.

For the last six years, Corinne Bastien has been reading those books and making that library a second home. But when the German army takes possession of Paris, she loses access to the library and all the secrets she’d hidden there. Secrets the Allies will need.

Christian Bauer may be German, but he never wanted anything to do with the Nazi Party—he is a professor, one who’s done his best to protect his family as well as the books that were a threat to Nazi ideals. But when Goebbels sends him to Paris to handle the “relocation” of France’s libraries, he’s forced into an army uniform and given a rank he doesn’t want. In Paris, he tries to protect whoever and whatever he can from the madness of the Party and preserve the ideas that Germans will need again when that madness is over.


My Review:
The Collector of Burned Books is a romance set in 1940 in Paris. Unfortunately, this story just didn't work for me as it became increasingly unrealistic. Chris started off alright, walking a fine line of not drawing the attention of the Nazis watching him but also trying to preserve books and their authors. He knew what the Nazis were like from personal experience. Yet when a Nazi accused him of being a traitor, Chris seemed to genuinely believe that he wasn't really in danger. He acted like he could just reason with fervent Nazis and they'd see the error of their ways.

Corinne seemed out of touch with reality from the start. She wanted to do something to help with the war effort. She wrote codes in books, sent them to her students who had returned home, and they would return coded books with war-related information to pass on to the Allies. Very little of the story was about this as mainly it's an excuse for why she stayed in Paris. Her spy boss knew that she's very opinionated, outspoken, and impulsive, yet he let her take this role. She intended to use banned books to send the codes through the mail even knowing this would, at the very least, draw German attention to the books. Worse, she coded the books before needing them and stupidly put them back in a library that only held banned books....so of course the Nazis took it over and began sorting through the books.

Being a sloppy spy wasn't enough. Corinne insisted on telling Germans whose job was to censor speech just how wrong censorship was. She's warned that a dangerous, zealous Nazi officer was interested in her, and she still told him publicly how wrong he was--and then didn't believe she was in any danger from him. Her experienced spy boss also didn't seem to think she was in danger. It just didn't make sense.

Chris and Corinne were Catholics and occasionally did Catholic rituals. Their faith was why they valued human life. There were no sex scenes 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.

A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber

A Tarnished Canvas
by Anna Lee Huber

ISBN-13: 9780593639436
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: June 24, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
March 1833. Kiera and her husband, Sebastian Gage, have decided to settle in Edinburgh for the winter with their infant daughter. This also allows Kiera to enjoy long hours painting in her studio, making progress on the portraits she soon hopes to unveil in her own exhibit. She’s thrilled when she receives an invitation to the auction of the late Lord Eldin’s coveted art collection, and she and Gage eagerly accept. When the floor collapses beneath the gathering, killing one of their fellow bidders, Kiera and Gage are lucky to escape with their lives.

Within days it becomes apparent that what at first seemed to be a terrible accident is actually something far more nefarious. Someone deliberately compromised the integrity of the structure, though the police are unsure of the culprit’s aim. Sergeant Maclean requests Kiera and Gage’s assistance in figuring out who would wish to harm the bidders. As they dig deeper, it becomes increasingly apparent that the victim was not the killer’s intended target...and that Kiera was lured to the auction deliberately. Kiera and Gage must utilize all their resources to unveil a monster willing to risk the lives of dozens of bystanders to achieve their ends.


My Review:
A Tarnished Canvas is a mystery set in 1833 in Scotland. It is the 13th book in a series. It can be read as a standalone and didn't spoil previous mysteries. The main characters were complex, well-developed, and acted realistically. I enjoyed reading about them. A main part of the story was how Gage felt like he had to be useful to be lovable and Kiera feared the criticism that she knew she'd get for the subject matter of her latest paintings.

Overall, the story felt historically accurate and brought out some interesting details about the time period. Kiera, Sebastian, and their servants investigated the floor collapse. They uncovered clues and followed up on them. It was clear that the one man who died couldn't have been the target since nearly a hundred people were injured. So why sabotage the floor and who was involved? I was frustrated that they believed that the collapse was not targeted at a single person yet kept investigating who the intended target was like there was one. They're experienced investigators but were easily side-tracked, not following up on certain clues or asking certain questions that I felt they should have asked sooner. But I guess if they had then the mystery would have been solved too easily.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this mystery to fans of the series.


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.

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas

These Blue Mountains
by Sarah Loudin Thomas

ISBN-13: 9780764242021
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: July 15, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda is stunned to see Fritz's name in a photograph of an American memorial for German seamen who died near Asheville, North Carolina. Determined to reclaim his body and bring closure to his ailing mother, Hedda travels to the US. Her quest takes a shocking turn when, rather than Fritz's body, his casket contains the remains of a woman who died under mysterious circumstances.

Local deputy Garland Jones thought he'd left that dark chapter behind when he helped bury Fritz Meyer's coffin. The unexpected arrival of Hedda, a long-suffering yet captivating woman, forces him to confront how much of the truth he really knows. As he works to uncover the identity of the woman in the casket and to unravel Fritz's fate, Hedda and Garland grow closer. But with Hedda in the US on borrowed time while Hitler rises to power in Germany, she fears she'll be forced to return home before she can put the ghosts of her past to rest.


My Review:
These Blue Mountains is set in 1932 in Germany and North Carolina. I hesitate to call it a romance since only Garland seemed slightly in love. Hedda came to the USA on a temporary visa to retrieve her dead fiancé's body only to discover that he wasn't in the grave and that she didn't want to return to Germany. She overstayed her visa. Even though Garland told her she'd be deported since she didn't meet any of the exceptions for extending her visa, she went ahead and tried to anyway with a predictable result. She seemed to like Garland and her other potential love interest (who mainly wanted a German-born mother for his teen son), but she was completely content being single and teaching piano lessons. When Garland offered to marry her so she could stay, she laughed.

It wasn't until it was clear Garland really cared about her--and she really wanted to stay in America--that she suddenly decided she might love him. Someday. Also, she wanted to continue teaching at the college where her friends were, but Garland lived in a different town. This issue was skipped over (as well as the details about how they got legally married and the visa issue fixed). The epilogue simply showed a happily-ever-after ending.

That said, I enjoyed this as a historical. It was an interesting look at how people in Germany and the USA felt about the rise of Hitler and the changes that brought. Also, how non-combatant Germans had been detained at the beginning of WWI and about the village they made in a detainment camp located in the area. It showed how people might end up illegally in the USA and uncertain how to make things right without getting deported to a country that no longer felt safe. (It wasn't advocating illegal immigration, just used it as a way to increase suspense. Though it did bother me that law enforcement officers knew her illegal status and didn't push her to make things legal quickly.) While Garland did investigate the mystery, that was more an excuse for Hedda to stick around than the focus of the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting 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.

Fire Mountain by Dana Mentink

Fire Mountain
by Dana Mentink

ISBN-13: 9780800746520
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: July 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she's suddenly in possession of someone's baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.

As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he's the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn't want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he's in this thing, like it or not.

When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby's missing mother--all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above.


My Review:
Fire Mountain is a Christian romantic suspense. Kit's been let down by everyone she's ever cared about, so she's determined to take care of herself and work as a solitary long-haul trucker. She has short-term memory loss after a concussion from the crash. Why was she in the danger area of a volcano about to erupt and with a baby in her care? Ex-cop Cullen feels responsible for his partner getting hurt when he rushed into a dangerous situation, so he quit the force. He stayed in the area of the volcano to help his neighbors evacuate their animals when he spotted the crash. They need to get out of the area immediately, but several men seem intent on killing them and the missing woman.

Cullen quickly realized that he needed to treat Kit as a capable teammate and not just someone to rescue or give orders to. They worked well together and built each other up. The danger came from the volcano's imminent eruption (blocked roads, mudflows, etc.) as well as the men after their property. Considering the real danger, it was a little strange that the men didn't just wait and attack outside the volcano danger zone since they weren't in danger of losing track of their target. Also, a few of the descriptions were a little hard to follow, though the important points were clear enough. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful 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 Highland Heist by Pepper Basham

The Highland Heist
by Pepper Basham

ISBN-13: 9798891511415
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: July 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Lord Astley surprises his wife with a trip to America to see her family before they end their honeymoon adventures. But just as they arrive, they find Grace's sister, Lillias, is the prime suspect in her husband's murder. To add to the confusion a solicitor arrives to tell the sister's they are needed in Scotland immediately to claim their mother's inheritance.

The clock is ticking to clear Lillias of suspicion, but someone is determined to keep the sisters from reaching the Scottish Highlands. When Lillias heads for the Highlands without them, Freddie and Grace race to Scotland. With a mysterious Mr. Kane waiting in the wings to grab the inheritance for himself and an apparition haunting the infamous castle, Lord and Lady Astley must discover hidden documents within the castle, save Lillias, and not die in the process.


My Review:
The Highland Heist is a Christian mystery set in 1914 in America and Scotland. This is the 4th book in a series, and you can understand it without reading the previous books. Grace and Freddie come to America to visit her sister only to discover Lillias standing over her murdered husband with the knife in her hand. Grace believes that her sister has been set up, especially since they also learn of an inheritance in Scotland that they must both claim before a looming deadline. Much of the story was actually in American, proving whodunit so that both sisters were free to go to Scotland. Once in Scotland, it's a race to find the needed hidden documents to claim their inheritance while the villain continued to try to prevent them from succeeding.

Grace is full of enthusiasm and a lively imagination fueled by books. She's very resourceful in the face of unexpected adventures. Freddie now enjoys being a sleuth and put together many of the clues. They questioned people and reasoned things out, passing on information to the police detective. Lillias constantly belittled Grace and her love of books and mysteries. Freddie defended Grace and built her up.

Grace and Fredrick trusted God with each other's safety. There was no bad language. There was implied married sex. Overall, I'd recommend this fun 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.

Can You Solve the Murder? by Antony Johnston

Can You Solve the Murder?
by Antony Johnston

ISBN-13: 9780143138884
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books
Released: July 1, 2025

Source: Advanced proof review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Goodreads:
There’s been a murder at Elysium, a wellness retreat set in an English country manor. You arrive to find the body of a local businessman on the lawn – with a rose placed in his mouth. It appears he was stabbed with a gardening fork and fell to his death from the balcony above. But that balcony can only be accessed through a locked door, the key is missing, and everyone in Elysium is now a suspect…

Gather the evidence and examine the clues. Choose who to interview next, and who to accuse as your prime suspect. But remember that every decision you make has consequences – and some of them will prove fatal…


My Review:
Can You Solve the Murder? is an interactive mystery, where you decide who the Inspector interviews next. It's set in England, so 'you' are the Inspector. You work with a Sergeant and Constable on the scene and get reports back from forensics and such. You read a section that may include clues, then you go to another section based on the clues you have and the choices you make.

You write down clue codes, like A3, which help direct which sections you read next. Some clues can be found thorough several routes, but most can only be found by following one route. Some choices end the story early but most will get you to the end. It does matter who you interview first as clues picked up early allow you to ask better questions later. However, you don't get to follow up every lead before you (the Inspector) suddenly decides you know whodunit and gather the suspects to do a Big Reveal and make an arrest.

I was enjoying the story up until this abrupt end. While I knew who didn't do it and suspected whodunit, I didn't have proof. In fact, on a second try through focusing on whodunit, I still didn't have proof. I only succeeded because whodunit confessed in front of witnesses. You need one of two specific clue codes (out of about 52 clue codes) in order to get this outcome and otherwise end up not solving the murder due to lack of evidence even if you have the right whodunit. I found this frustrating as I expected detective fiction have definitive proof to find, not just suggestive evidence and clues.

The author had the detectives ask good questions and discuss some of the evidence to help the reader reason through the clues. There's a cipher to decode, and you get bonus points if you figure out the ciphers before forensics explains how to decode it. At the end, you count up points for various clues that you found and are rated as a detective based on this. I just barely rated Master Detective through the points even though I didn't successfully prove whodunit. There were no sex scenes and only a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this fun interactive mystery. I'll certainly look forward to any similar mysteries by this author in the future.


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.

Wyoming Wilderness Survival by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Wyoming Wilderness Survival
by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

ISBN-13: 9781335980700
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: July 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Just as EMT Tracey Graham’s murder conviction is about to be overturned, she is ambushed by the crime family who framed her — and now want her dead. Fleeing into the woods sends her into the path of ex-cop Callum Mitchell, who has his own history with her assailants. But when his secluded cabin comes under attack, the wilderness is their only escape route. With Callum’s toddler son in tow, they must evade hitmen while navigating treacherous terrain. But can they make it out alive when there are predators around every corner?


My Review:
Wyoming Wilderness Survival is a Christian romantic suspense. Tracey, Callum, and his dog made quite a team! The dog knew how to effectively protect his people. Callum's a sharp-shooter and prepared-for-emergencies type who knew how to survive in the wilderness. Tracey's an EMT with some skill in the forest and with guns. Considering the number of people after them, they had to be competent to survive. Not only were they up against bad guys who wanted them dead at any cost, but the terrain, weather, and wildlife were dangerous and provided many opportunities for suspense.

Callum initially helped Tracey because his wife had been bullied to death by the same brothers. As they spent time together and worked together, he was impressed with her compassion, courage, and the fact that she didn't complain about uncomfortable and painful situations. He respected her abilities and treated her as a partner, even entrusting her with his toddler son's safety. Tracey was grateful that he helped her despite the danger, as he soon became a target, too. They didn't pursue their growing feelings until they were out of constant danger (which I find realistic, so I approve). They spent time getting to know each other for 10 months post-adventure before the sweet proposal scene. This author most have read my list of pet peeves because she got everything right.

Both Tracey and Callum dealt with forgiving people who were unrepentant and cruel. 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.

Why Kings Confess by C.S. Harris

Why Kings Confess
by C.S. Harris

ISBN-13: 9780451417558
Hardcover: 340 pages
Publisher: Obsidian
Released: March 4, 2014

Source: Borrowed from library.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Regency England, January 1813: When a badly injured Frenchwoman is found beside the mutilated body of Dr. Damion Pelletan in one of London’s worst slums, Sebastian finds himself caught in a high-stakes tangle of murder and revenge. Although the woman, Alexi Sauvage, has no memory of the attack, Sebastian knows her all too well from an incident in his past—an act of wartime brutality and betrayal that nearly destroyed him.

As the search for the killer leads Sebastian into a treacherous web of duplicity, he discovers that Pelletan was part of a secret delegation sent by Napoleon to investigate the possibility of peace with Britain. Despite his powerful father-in-law’s warnings, Sebastian plunges deep into the mystery of the "Lost Dauphin”, the boy prince who disappeared in the darkest days of the French Revolution, and soon finds himself at lethal odds with the Dauphin’s sister—the imperious, ruthless daughter of Marie Antoinette—who is determined to retake the French crown at any cost.

With the murderer striking ever closer, Sebastian must battle new fears about Hero’s health and that of their soon-to-be born child. When he realizes the key to their survival may lie in the hands of an old enemy, he must finally face the truth about his own guilt in a past he has found too terrible to consider....


My Review:
Why Kings Confess is a mystery set in 1813 in London. This book is the 9th in a series. You can understand it without having read the previous novels, and it didn't spoil the whodunits of the previous mysteries.

The historical information was woven into the story without slowing the pacing. It created a distinct feeling of that specific time and place and helped bring the story alive in my imagination. The characters were interesting, complex, and acted in realistic ways. Sebastian (with some help from Hero) investigated by questioning suspects and witnesses. Sebastian tracked down leads and asked good questions. There were plenty of suspects and I did strongly suspect whodunit near the end, but we didn't get the critical clues until basically the end.

There was a brief sex scene. There was a fair amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical 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.

Where Secrets Lie by Colleen Coble; Rick Acker

Where Secrets Lie
by Colleen Coble;
Rick Acker

ISBN-13: 9781400345700
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: June 3, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
College professor Savannah Webster is ready to give her ex-husband, Hez, another chance, and she believes he's finally ready for them to face their many past trials as a team. But when Savannah finds evidence that points to Hez's old demons resurfacing, the fragile trust they've built begins to crumble. And it's not just their relationship that hanging in the balance--the survival of the university Savannah's family poured their lives into is also under threat.

Hez is determined to put his past mistakes behind him with his new role mentoring law students at Tupelo Grove University's legal clinic. His primary focus with the clinic is to help Savannah pull the university out of a pit of debt and bad decisions made by the previous leadership, including her father. But their quest for stability takes a dark turn as they try to root out the dangerous smuggling ring the university is entangled in, and their investigation puts them in the crosshairs of criminals who will stop at nothing to eliminate any obstacle in their path.


My Review:
Where Secrets Lie is a Christian mystery/suspense. It's the 2nd book in the series and continues the story from the first book. Savannah's still frustrating. She blindly trusted someone she knew was trying to break her and Hez up, and she didn't trust Hez even though she stated that he's never lied to her. Even at the end, she's so blindly loyal to her sister that she didn't connect the obvious dots. (We know Savannah's sister is working against Savannah's and Hez's efforts to save the university, but we don't know who she's working with.)

Hez was a clever investigator/attorney, but he suffered a head injury that made it hard for him to catch things. Some students were helping him, though, and he pulled off a clever strategy at the end. Savannah finally stood up to her father and also recognized that she had trust issues that she needed to deal with if her marriage to Hez was going to have a chance. Still, it didn't feel like she had really changed. The main characters came across as realistic, complex people, but I just don't like 'spending time' with Savannah.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting suspense even if Savannah's behavior frustrated me.


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 Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz

The Lawyer and the Laundress
by Christine Hill Suntz

ISBN-13: 9798400507755
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Released: June 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Canada, 1837. Widower James Kinney knows his precocious daughter, Evie, needs more than his lessons on law and logic, but Toronto offers few options. Classes with a couple other children seem ideal until James discovers Evie is secretly spending her time with Sara O’Connor, a kind and mysteriously educated servant. For propriety’s sake, James forbids their friendship. But then Evie falls victim to the illness ravaging the city, and James must call upon Sara’s medical knowledge and her special bond with Evie to save his daughter’s life.

When Sara’s presence in his household threatens scandal, however, James asks her to become his wife, in name only, and help him raise Evie to be a proper young lady. Sara isn't sure she can ignore the sparks she feels when they’re together. But soon, the forces of rebellion threaten their arrangement: James is accused of treason. Sara must find the courage to face a past that could save her husband’s life.


My Review:
The Lawyer and the Laundress is a Christian romance set in 1837 in Canada. James struggled to raise his daughter properly while trying to keep his law partner out of trouble. He's joined the rebels who want to violently overthrow the oppressive government. James feels it's still possible to create needed change legally. Sarah was disowned by her rich father when she married a poor man. Now a widow, she does laundry for an inn where James's daughter is getting tutored along with the owner's daughters by a strict, harsh woman.

James was initially prejudiced against Sarah because of her obviously lowly station, but he recognized that she had manners and education far above that of most common laborers. Plus she built his daughter up and supported her against bullying. As James and Sara spent time together, they grew to respect and care for each other. The marriage proposal didn't come until nearly the end, and it forced both of them to face the problems in their past relationships. The characters were engaging, well-developed, complex people who acted realistically. The bad guy was subtly manipulative, and it took courage from Sarah and James's daughter to expose his lies.

Sarah struggled with why God didn't heal her sick husband and allowed her so many sorrows. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this excellent historical romance.


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

Missing in Texas by Virginia Vaughan

Missing in Texas
by Virginia Vaughan

ISBN-13: 9781335980649
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: May 27, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The moment FBI agent Christy Williams arrives in Mercy, Texas, determined to solve her friend’s disappearance twelve years ago, she becomes a killer’s number one target. Ignoring the threats on her life, she partners with Deputy Mike Tyner, the cousin of one of the chief suspects and the last person to see her friend alive. As they work to investigate this cold case together, it becomes clear someone will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden. With time running out, can Mike keep Christy alive long enough to find justice for her friend?


My Review:
Missing in Texas is a romantic suspense novel. Although a part of a series, this book can be read as a standalone. Mike has worked a cold case that haunts him: the disappearance of his cousin's girlfriend. He saw her shortly before she disappeared. Christy, her roommate, chose to take a vacation with a boyfriend rather than go home with her roommate like she'd promised. Feeling guilty and unable to date again until this case is solved, she's investigating the case for herself. Christy thinks Mike's cousin is the obvious suspect as his girlfriend was going to break up with him. Mike's certain that it must be someone else. They team up, hoping their knowledge of the case and conflicting views about what likely happened will help them consider all of the possibilities.

Christy and Mike generally worked well together. They questioned people, considered various possibilities, and followed up on leads. Then Christy went off on her own (without telling Mike) to follow up on a lead and ended up needing to be rescued. But, hey, they did solve the case, complete with evidence. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romantic suspense.


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

A Telegram from Le Touquet by John Bude

A Telegram from Le Touquet
by John Bude

ISBN-13: 9781464230554
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Released: May 20, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
With some trepidation Nigel Derry approaches the country house of his enigmatic and unpredictable Aunt Gwenny for an Easter holiday visit. After a tense few days in which her guests' interactions range from awkward dinners to a knife fight, a disgruntled Aunt Gwenny departs for Europe. Receiving a telegram from Le Touquet inviting him to join Gwenny in the south of France, Nigel arrives to finds out Gwenny has been murdered.

Enter Inspector Blampignon of the Sûreté Nationale, whose problems abound as the case suggests that the crime may have occurred hundreds of miles away from where the victim was discovered. Undeterred, the formidable French detective embarks on a thrilling race to discover the truth.


My Review:
A Telegram from Le Touquet is a mystery set in England and France, which was first published (and is set) in 1956. The story started in England and in Nigel's viewpoint, so we saw what occurred leading up to the murder. Once the body was discovered in France, we switched to the viewpoint of the detective. Some clues were hidden (but guessable) because Nigel didn't witness them. The detective asked good questions and followed up on leads, but the clues were confusing. We pretty much got what the detective did until the end, when he confronted whodunit and got a full confession. While I didn't guess exactly how it was done, I did guess parts of it (like whodunit had an obvious motive) and certain secrets. So it felt like a fair puzzle mystery.

Though the mystery was completely solved and made good sense, the ending was pretty abrupt. We never learned how certain things played out as some things were left unresolved. It felt like we were missing the final chapter. There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this intriguing 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 Lesson in Propriety by Jen Turano

A Lesson in Propriety
by Jen Turano

ISBN-13: 9780764243851
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: May 20, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
With her father dead, her fortune stolen, and her fiancé casting her aside, Miss Drusilla Merriweather's privileged life has been upended. She is left with only one option: to provide for her family by opening a finishing school in the allegedly haunted castle she's inherited from her eccentric aunt. However, her plan is immediately threatened by unscrupulous developers keen on claiming the coveted estate for themselves, by any means necessary.

Mr. Rhenick Wittenbecker, a dashing architect with a tendency to charm his way out of trouble, is convinced he can protect Drusilla but is challenged by her fierce independence. Yet when strange occurrences--walking suits of armor and unexpected ghostly visitors--arise within castle grounds, Drusilla must decide whether to risk her family's safety and her school on the gallant architect who seems to have found his way into her heart.


My Review:
A Lesson in Propriety is a romantic comedy set in 1885, mostly in Chicago. Drusilla has learned to be extremely proper in matters of etiquette, so much so that her 'friends' have said that she reminded them of a finishing school teacher. Her ex-fiancé was always more interested in other women, too, making it hard for her to accept that Rhenick is immediately smitten with her beauty, courage, and willingness to be practical rather than proper. It's just not how she sees herself (even if he's seeing the truth). He helped her get the inherited castle remade into a finishing school and backed her up when she needed friends to stand against those who wanted to buy the property (and weren't afraid to use tricks and bullying to get it).

The characters were nice people with interesting personalities. The comedy was mainly silly situations that Drusilla and her family (and friends) had to deal with. Drusilla and Rhenick got along well, respected each other, and I understood why they were attracted to each other. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this fun romantic comedy.


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.

An Unexpected Grace by Tracie Peterson & Kimberley Woodhouse

An Unexpected Grace
by Tracie Peterson &
Kimberley Woodhouse

ISBN-13: 9780764239014
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: May 20, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After a decade away, Parker Bennett returns home with a traveling troupe to perform a play based on Uncle Tom's Cabin at the Kalispell Opera House. Parker has relished his life on the road, but being home awakens long-buried emotions when he encounters his first love, Johanna St. John. He can't help but wonder if there might still be a place for him in her heart.

Widowed for three years, Johanna's husband's father is determined to marry her despite her repeated and clear . devotes all her time to a demanding toddler, an injured father, and a successful millinery business. After the loss of her husband, she's unsure of what lies ahead. Both committed to God's distinct calling on their lives, Johanna and Parker struggle to see how their futures can unite.


My Review:
An Unexpected Grace is a Christian romance set in 1905 in Montana. This is the 3rd book in the series but can be read as a standalone. Ten years before, Parker went to seminary, intending to marry Johanna and become a preacher in Kalispell when he finished. Without consulting anyone, he quit school and accepted a position as an actor in a travelling acting troupe, mainly performing Shakespeare. He expected Johanna (whom he knew felt called to marry a preacher) to happily marry him--love is enough!--and create their family on the road. She's shocked. That wasn't what she agreed to, and she called off their engagement.

When he returns 10 years later, he's growing tired of traveling, misses his family, and realizes that fame hasn't presented him with the opportunities to present the Gospel that he'd expected. Johanna's still wonderful, and her daughter's charming. He once again made his decisions about his future without consulting anyone, which made things hard on Johanna, who loved him but thought a relationship meant she'd have to join his traveling lifestyle with a toddler and a father who needed her help.

At the same time, Johanna's dead husband's brother was determined to marry her despite her repeated and clear statements that she would never marry him and didn't trust or like him. He's determined to force her into accepting him, either from financial need or to stop his threat of accusing her of being a poor mother and so take her daughter from her. Happily, Johanna asked for help from the Judge (her friend) and had friends in the community. The villain descended into insanity, determine to kill those she loves--like that would convince her. The end got a little far-fetched. Also, the villain's ability to prevent Johanna from learning of her inheritance (which he wanted) seemed unrealistic to me.

The romance was predictable but enjoyable. The villain thought himself very clever but was illogical and stupid. I liked Johanna, but I was exasperated that Parker didn't learn from the past and discuss with Johanna his changing feelings about life as a traveling actor. Johanna trusted God despite the hard things happening to her family. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book to fans of the series.


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.

Dead Or Alive by Bill Kitson

Dead Or Alive
by Bill Kitson

ISBN-13: 9781805730958
Kindle: 272 pages
Publisher: Joffe Books
Released: May 13, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.


Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Two dead bodies, locked in a disused mortuary in the basement of a hospital that shut its doors over twenty years ago. The victims have been shot in the head, execution style, leaving no evidence and no solid leads for DI Mike Nash to go on.

The deeper Nash digs, the more he realizes that these bodies are tied to a dark history of crime and betrayal, and a past case with more loose ends than Nash cares to remember. It’s not long before a third body surfaces. This time the scene’s awash with DNA, belonging to a man who died decades ago. Now Nash must face the chilling possibility that his oldest adversary is behind it all, watching and waiting to take his own brand of deadly vengeance .


My Review:
Dead Or Alive is a police detective mystery. It's the 18th book in a series and ties up loose ends from a previous mystery, but it can be understood even if you haven't read any of the other books (like me). Nash heads a team of detectives, and they solve a series of crimes (thefts of oil, cars, jewelry) while working on several murders that appear to be linked. The story focused mostly on the investigation (asking questions, following up leads, etc.) rather than on developing the characters or the setting. There were some scenes from the point-of-view of the bad guys, so the reader has more idea of what's going on than the detectives. It's not really a puzzle for the reader, just reading to discover how Nash and his team will solve the crimes.

There was a minor amount of bad language. There were no sex scenes (though there were several references to couples sharing a bed or finding comfort in each other). Overall, I'd recommend this mystery to fans of action-focused detective mysteries.


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.

Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Capture the Moment
by Suzanne Woods Fisher

ISBN-13: 9780800745318
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: May 6, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Kate Cunningham has the opportunity of a lifetime. As a zoo photographer, she's spent years photographing animals in carefully controlled environments, but now National Geographic has dangled an irresistible prize: If Kate can snag a unique photo of a legendary bear in Grand Teton National Park, they might publish it. Kate's eager to prove herself in the wild. 

With more enthusiasm than experience, Kate soon realizes that capturing an image of this bear isn't as simple as she hoped. Fortunately, she crosses paths with Grant Cooper, a seasonal park ranger who knows the terrain--and the bears--better than anyone. His tracking skills could be exactly what Kate needs to succeed, and it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes. But they're not the only ones with an interest in the park's most famous bear. An illegal hunter wants the bear as his final hunting trophy, and he's found someone willing to help him get the bear.


My Review:
Capture the Moment is a Christian romance. A lot of experienced wildlife photographers want a memorable picture of a famous mama bear in Grand Teton National Park. Kate soon realizes that she'll never get published in National Geographic if she keeps standing next to her competition, but no one knows when the mama bear is coming out of hibernation or even if she's still alive. Coop would rather be in the back country than keep a eye on photographers, though rescuing the inexperienced Kate and giving her tips is enjoyable. When Kate learns Coop knows where mama bear's den is, she asks him to take her on the difficult hike into an area the public isn't supposed to go into in order to get her prize shot. Throw in a teen boy whom Coop has to mentor, his boss's 13-year-old, very enthusiastic (about everything) daughter who keeps hanging around, and rumors of illegal hunting, and he has his hands full.

The characters were well-developed, likable, and acted in realistic ways. Though I can't believe that Kate was willing to risk damage to her beloved, expensive camera to get that critical picture without even checking that the motion sensor function on the camera worked. Or knowing that the teen girl can't stop talking or moving, that they took her along when she and Kate would have to sit in the vehicle for 2-3 hours. And I don't think the author actually knows what waders are as Kate often walked around in them like boots. But the story was entertaining. Kate and Coop got along well and built each other up. The kids found some healing in their families.

Several characters didn't believe in God but became more open to a relationship with Him through events in the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable, entertaining romance and park adventure.


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.

When Maidens Mourn by C.S. Harris

When Maidens Mourn
by C.S. Harris

ISBN-13: 9780451235770
Hardcover: 341 pages
Publisher: NAL
Released: March 6, 2012

Source: Borrowed from library.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Regency England, August 1812. Sebastian's plans to escape the heat of London for a honeymoon are shattered when the murdered body of Hero's good friend, Gabrielle Tennyson, is discovered drifting in a battered boat at the site of a long-vanished castle known as Camlet Moat. A beautiful young antiquarian, Miss Tennyson had recently provoked an uproar with her controversial identification of the island as the location of Camelot. Missing and presumed also dead are Gabrielle's two young cousins, nine-year-old George and three-year-old Alfred.

Still struggling to define the nature of their new marriage, Sebastian and Hero find themselves occasionally working at cross-purposes as their investigation leads from London's medieval Inns of Court to its seedy back alleys, and from grand country homes to rural enclaves where ancient Celtic beliefs still hold sway. As he probes deeper, Sebastian also discovers dark secrets at the heart of the Tennyson family, and an enigmatic young French lieutenant with a dangerous, mysterious secret of his own.

Racing to unmask a ruthless killer and unravel the puzzle of the missing children, Sebastian and Hero soon find both their lives and their growing love for each other at risk as their investigation leads to Hero's father, who is also Sebastian's long-time nemesis.


My Review:
When Maidens Mourn is a mystery set in 1812 in London. This book is the 7th in a series. You can understand it without having read the previous novels, and it didn't spoil the whodunits of the previous mysteries.

The characters were interesting, complex, and acted in realistic ways. The historical information was woven into the story without slowing the pacing. It created a distinct feeling of that specific time and place and helped bring the story alive in my imagination. Sebastian investigated by questioning suspects and witnesses. Sebastian tracked down leads and asked good questions. There were plenty of suspects, and I did not suspect whodunit. We didn't get the critical clues to whodunit until nearly the end.

There were no sex scenes. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical 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.

Smoky Mountain Escape by Rhonda Starnes

Smoky Mountain Escape
by Rhonda Starnes

ISBN-13: 9781335980601
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: April 29, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sheriff Heath Dalton accidentally stumbles upon two gunmen trying to hide a body in the Smoky Mountains and barely escapes with his life. Soon traveling nurse Kayla Eldridge finds herself stranded in the stormy wilderness with Heath. They must work together to navigate the treacherous terrain and evade the criminals who are tracking their every move.


My Review:
Smoky Mountain Escape is a Christian romantic suspense. Apparently these characters were in a previous novel, but this novel can be understood and enjoyed without reading the previous one. Kayla was previously held in a cabin in the forest by a serial killer, so she had to deal with traumatic memories of the past as well as escaping from the current killers. The suspense was mainly created by the bad guys trying to kill Health for witnessing them commit a crime, and Kayla because she soon knew, too. Kayla and Heath worked well together, and Heath made Kayla feel safe around him. The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events.

My only complaint is that coyotes generally avoid humans, and a lone coyote would generally run from humans rather than seem determined to attack them for no apparent cause. 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.

Who Will Remember by C. S. Harris

Who Will Remember
by C. S. Harris

ISBN-13: 9780593639214
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: April 15, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
August 1816. England is in the grip of what will become known as the Year Without a Summer. Facing the twin crises of a harvest-destroying volcanic winter and the economic disruption caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the British monarchy finds itself haunted by the looming threat of bloody riots not seen since the earliest days of the French Revolution. Amidst the turmoil, a dead man is found hanging upside down by one leg in an abandoned chapel, his hands tied behind his back. The pose eerily echoes the image depicted on a tarot card known as Le Pendu, the Hanged Man. The victim—Lord Preston Farnsworth, the younger brother of one of the Regent’s boon companions—was a passionate crusader against what he called the forces of darkness, namely criminality, immorality, and sloth. His brutal murder shocks the Palace and panics the already troubled populace.

Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, learns of the murder from a ragged orphan who leads him to the corpse and then disappears. At first, everyone in the dead man’s orbit paints Lord Preston as a selfless saint. But as Sebastian delves deeper into his life, he quickly realizes that the man had accumulated more than his fair share of enemies, including Major Hugh Chandler, a close friend who once saved Sebastian’s life. Sebastian also discovers that the pious Lord Preston may have been much more dangerous than those he sought to redeem.

As dark clouds press down on the city and the rains fall unceasingly, two more victims are found, one strangled and one shot, with ominous tarot cards placed on their bodies. The killer is sending a gruesome message and Sebastian is running out of time to decipher it before more lives are lost and a fraught post-war London explodes.


My Review:
Who Will Remember is a mystery set in 1816 in London. This book is the 20th in a series. You can understand it without having read the previous novels, and it didn't spoil the whodunits of the previous mysteries.

The historical information was woven into the story without slowing the pacing. It created a distinct feeling of that specific time and place and helped bring the story alive in my imagination. The characters were interesting, complex, and acted in realistic ways. Sebastian investigated by questioning suspects and witnesses while the magistrate handled other aspects of the investigation. Sebastian tracked down leads and asked good questions. There were plenty of suspects. A couple had more motive than others, but we didn't get the critical clues to whodunit until nearly the end.

There were no sex scenes. There was a fair amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical 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.

Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac

Impact of Evidence
by Carol Carnac

ISBN-13: 9781464230523
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Released: April 8, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Near St. Brynneys in the Welsh border country, isolated by heavy snow and flooding from the thaw, a calamity has occurred. Old Dr. Robinson, a known 'menace on the roads', has met his end in a collision with a jeep on a hazardous junction. But why was there a second body—a man not recognised by any locals—in the back of Robinson's car?

As the local inspectors dive into the muddy waters of this strange crime, Chief Inspector Julian Rivers and Inspector Lancing are summoned from Scotland Yard to the windswept wilds, where danger and deceit lie in wait.


My Review:
Impact of Evidence is a mystery set in Wales, which was first published (and is set) in 1954. The author included interesting descriptions of life on farms in this remote area and having to deal with bad flooding that cut the area off from easy access. The characters were interesting, though it seemed like the city detectives were offended by smart farmers. They assumed a smart farmer must either be doing something super sneaky or hiding from secrets in their past.

The clues as to whodunit were not hidden and were even repeated several times, so whodunit was guessable. I didn't correctly guess the exact details about how, though the detective did figure out different parts of 'how' throughout the story. He withheld the most important clue until the end. I also couldn't guess a motive until nearly the end, so the story did keep me engaged and guessing even though I was pretty sure of whodunit.

There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language. There were simpler ways to dispose of a body, but, hey. Overall, I'd recommend this intriguing 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.

No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle

No Roast for the Weary
by Cleo Coyle

ISBN-13: 9780593642283
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: April 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As much as master roaster Clare Cosi adores coffee, the landmark shop she manages won't survive if she doesn't sell enough of it. So when the Village Blend's customer traffic grinds to a halt, she turns to her staff for creative ideas, and the Writer's Block Lounge is born.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the shop, is upset by this news. Years ago, a group of accomplished writers used the shop's second-floor lounge to inspire each other, but the group disbanded when one of their members was found murdered in another part of town. The case was never solved. Though that history is shrouded in mystery, Clare presses forward...

Soon the Village Blend tables are filled with aspiring novelists, playwrights, and poets, all happy to be coaxed, cajoled, and caffeinated by her coffeehouse crew. Clare admires the stamina of these scribes, many of them toiling at night jobs—driving taxis, tending bar, ushering for Broadway—while penning projects during the day.

Then one of their fictions turns fatal when a shocking secret leads to a deadly end. Unless Clare can untangle this mystery, uncover the truth, and stop a desperate killer, she fears more of these weary writers may be marked for eternal rest.


My Review:
No Roast for the Weary is a cozy mystery. This novel is the 21th 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.

A member of the original Writer's Block group (who has mental problems) is writing a true crime unveiling whodunit of an unsolved crime. Two members of his group got into a fist fight behind the Village Blend, and one of the fighters was later found murdered in another part of town. In current day, this writer is attacked and unconscious, and his manuscript is nowhere to be found. And several people want to find it.

Clare was the one primarily investigating by finding the original group members and talking with them about the old Writer's Block Lounge. She asked good questions and realized that several people were lying about various things. This was a clue-based mystery, but the clues built up slowly and the critical clue didn't come until the end. Then Clare had to race to warn several young writers about an unexpected danger.

There were only a few uses of bad language. There were no graphic 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.

Discovering Dahlia by Jennifer Moore

Discovering Dahlia
by Jennifer Moore

ISBN-13: 9781524427931
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: April 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Following a painful public rejection, Dahlia Lancaster was left heartbroken and shunned by London Society. Dahlia has turned her attentions to her unconventional inheritance—a steamship company. After a year of work, she’s preparing to launch The Aurora, a luxury ocean liner that promises to revolutionize travel. The invitation list is Dahlia’s closest friends—the Blue Orchid Society—as well as a few influential individuals from her old life, whose presence will ensure the success of her endeavor. Unfortunately, not all have the best interests of Dahlia or her shipping line at heart.

Lord Meredith has loved Dahlia since their first meeting. But after her fall from grace, she has evaded his every attempt to see her—until she extends an invitation to join her on The Aurora. Lord Meredith and Dahlia tentatively rekindle their friendship when things begin to go terribly wrong. When mischievous dealings take on an ominous tone, Lord Meredith is determined to keep Dahlia safe, hoping to win her heart as they spend time together.


My Review:
Discovering Dahlia is a romance set in 1874 in England. This was the 5th book in the series, but it can be read without first reading the previous books. This was not a mystery but a denial. Every time something happened, Dahlia dismissed it, even when--like the grease on a step--it was pretty obviously not an accident. This meant that Lord Meredith had to spend his time protecting her because she didn't believe herself to be in any danger. It's only when the detective (a friend on the cruise) was finally feeling better that her friends quickly solved the mystery and saved her ship's reputation.

The historical details were off, sometimes in important ways. Since Dahlia was going to inherit her father's successful business and a nobleman's heir proposed marriage to her, their fathers would have gotten together to work out a marriage settlement before making any public announcement. They didn't. The author referred to the English law of primogeniture, but Dahlia would have inherited her father's property under that. While it was unusual for Dahlia to run her father's business, it wasn't odd for the sole child to inherit.

Anyway. Dahlia seemed quite competent in running the company and had a useful, supportive assistant. Lord Meredith admired her and was very supportive of her. He didn't expect her to give up running the company (as he certainly didn't want to) if they married. However, it was never resolved what his father would say about his heir marrying a business woman. Lord Meredith had responsibilities, but he didn't feel up to doing them. The story kind of left things like he would travel with Dahlia and play at being a sailor while she did the real work.

He never seemed realistic. He hated being hot, yet he shoved coal into the ship's steam engines for hours, kept up with the regular workers, and only suffered a 'pleasant ache' in his muscles. He ought to have admired how hard they worked, but somehow he was instantly good at everything, including climbing ropes faster than a man could run up stairs.

I also got tired of Dahlia being unwilling to forgive Lord Meredith, her friend who tried to stay her friend, but he wouldn't drop his friendship with the man who rejected her. On the other hand, the female 'best' friend who triumphantly stole her betrothed, Dahlia forgave at once. Hmm. 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.

Murder in the Appalachians by Susan Furlong

Murder in the Appalachians
by Susan Furlong

ISBN-13: 9781335980533
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: April 1, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After unearthing secrets from her late brother’s police notebook, journalist Emma Hayes discovers his death was no accident—he was murdered. Only someone doesn’t want Emma to find out the connection to the cold case her brother was investigating…and they’ll kill to keep it that way. Now Emma must rely on local ER doctor Logan Greer to help her stay alive and follow a trail of elusive evidence. But as they unravel a conspiracy, they realize that the killer could be anyone.


My Review:
Murder in the Appalachians is a Christian romantic suspense. Emma's an investigative journalist whose detective brother was looking into an old, closed case. The murderer's in prison, so Emma had to figure out from his police notebook just what got him killed. ER doctor Logan helped protect her while she investigated, and he had an interest in it as his sister went missing during that old murder. They came to admire each other as they worked together.

The main characters were engaging, interesting, and generally reacted realistically to events. The suspense was created by ongoing attacks on Emma, some intended to be deadly. Emma and Logan supported each other and built each other up. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting romantic suspense.


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

A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson

A Constant Love
by Tracie Peterson

ISBN-13: 9780764241109
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: March 4, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the wake of a harsh winter, Micah Hamilton and Charlotte Aldrich are grappling with loss and guilt after the disaster that took the lives of their loved ones. Struggling to cope with his grief, Micah abandons his father's dreams of a prosperous ranch and cuts himself off from the rest of the world.

Charlotte has loved Micah her entire life and is determined not to lose him as well. With her mother's help, she begins coaxing Micah to live again. Despite their enduring heartache, the affection between them deepens, but just as Charlotte thinks her dreams may come true, a scorned suitor threatens everything she holds dear. Micah and Charlotte will have to embark on a journey of healing and restoration if they want to forge a future built on love, faith, and hope.


My Review:
A Constant Love is a Christian romance set in 1888 in Wyoming. In 1887, the area suffered a drought followed by a horrible winter, resulting in thousands of cattle dying. Charlotte's rancher father promised her in marriage to a business associate. She loves Micah and hotly refused the arranged marriage. Then Charlotte's father and brother headed out into the winter storm. Micah and his father searched for them, only to find them dead. Micah's father committed suicide after so many losses. Worried that Christians will condemn Micah for his father's actions, Charlotte's mother encouraged him to bury his father on his own land, and she told the officials that he died with her husband and son (which is technically true).

Charlotte refused to forgive herself for the argument with her father until her mother talked with her about God's forgiveness. Micah struggled over if his father was in heaven or not. He eventually found verses that assured him that his father was forgiven for committing suicide. I liked how this was worked into the story.

But some things didn't feel realistic. The bad man that Charlotte was supposed to marry was determined to marry her for her money. Since everyone suffered great loss, how can he know that she's still wealthy enough? He wanted a submissive bride, but he's determined to force feisty Charlotte to marry him even if he has to resort to blackmail. Charlotte talked to her mother and Micah about everything, but she refused to tell either about the blackmail or ask someone else for help.

Spoiler paragraph: Micah was willing to go to prison under false charges and Charlotte to marry a horrible man, all to save her mother's reputation for honesty. Seriously? Her mother was a smart woman and their elder. But neither was willing to let her decide what she valued more.

Anyway, I did like the main characters and their story of healing and love. The blackmail angle just seemed forced. 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.