The Hanging Psalm by Chris Nickson

The Hanging Psalm by Chris Nickson ISBN-13: 9780727888310 Hardcover: 224 pages Publisher: Severn House Publishers Released: Jan. 1, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Leeds, 1820. Thief-taker Simon Westow knows all about lost property. A boy from the workhouse, he now has a comfortable business finding and returning his clients' stolen possessions. But when John Milner, a successful Leeds businessman, seeks out Simon's services to find his kidnapped daughter, Hannah, it's clear he faces a challenge like no other.

Accompanied by his enigmatic and capable young assistant, Jane, Simon takes to the dark, shadowy streets of Leeds for information - streets he knows like the back of his hand. But his enquiries lead Simon and Jane into great danger. Could the answers lie in Simon's own past, and an old enemy seeking revenge?


My Review:
The Hanging Psalm is a dark suspense set in 1820 in Leeds, England. Details about the time period and the city were woven into the story and brought it alive in my imagination. We follow a team--the husband finds and returns stolen goods for a reward and he is assisted by his wife and a street girl with a traumatic past and habit of cutting.

We start with a rich man who wants his kidnapped daughter found and returned so he doesn't have to pay a ransom for her safe return. There's a time limit and the kidnapping is to remain a secret, so they rush around asking questions and following leads. Things don't go as expected, and soon they learn that a murderer from their past with friends in high places is out to get his revenge by killing them. He's very clever, so they must find and defeat him before his assassins kill them.

There was some bad language. Simon interrupts a man having sex with a whore, so there was a brief mention of how they were positioned and his sending her away (only vaguely described). Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful story to those who don't mind darker, damaged main 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.

Code of Valor by Lynette Eason

Code of Valor by Lynette Eason ISBN-13: 9780800727048 Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Revell Released: Jan. 1, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
What Detective Brady St. John really needs is a relaxing vacation. Unfortunately, just as the sun is setting on his second day at a friend's cabin on Lake Henley, he hears a scream and races to rescue a woman from her would-be killer. When the killer escapes only to return to finish the job, Brady vows to utilize all of his many resources to keep her safe--and catch those who would see her dead.

Financial crimes investigator Emily Chastain doesn't trust many people. And even though she let the detective who saved her life in on a few pertinent facts about why she was being attacked, there are some things you just don't share with a stranger. Little does she suspect that the secret she is keeping just might get them both killed.


My Review:
Code of Valor is a Christian romantic suspense. Emily is repeatedly kidnapped and shot at, but she keeps her wits about her and leaves clues about where she is so that it's easier to find and rescue her. Several people have been hired to come after her, and some seem intent on killing her while the others want information from her. Unfortunately, she doesn't know the information that they want. In addition to surviving, she needs to uncover the information that her friend risked her life to obtain.

The main characters acted realistically and were kind people that I cared about. Emily's past includes an abusive father, running away, and an addiction to pain medication that she has overcome. Emily believes in God even though she's had a hard past, and her faith draws Brady closer to God. 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Amish Hideout by Maggie K. Black

Amish Hideout by Maggie K. Black ISBN-13: 9781335231833 Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Released: Dec. 31, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
She must survive to testify... With a price on his witness's head, US Marshal Jonathan Mast can think of only one place to hide Celeste Alexander--in the Amish community he left behind. As a computer expert, leading a life off the grid isn't easy for Celeste. But will staying in Jonathan's childhood home save her...and convince them a future together is worth fighting for?


My Review:
Amish Hideout is a Christian romantic suspense novel. Celeste is excellent with computers and at finding patterns and connections. She has uncovered the man who electronically stole money from thousands. She's now in witness protection until she testifies at his trial. Even though she has given all this information to the FBI, for some reason she has to be the one to explain it at the trial. The bad guy sets a bounty on her head, and the only way to avoid being captured is to avoid any electronic devices. Once they figure this out after repeated kidnapping attempts, they end up in an Amish community. It so happens that her FBI protector came from this Amish community, and he mends family relationships while they are there.

The characters were brave, earnest people that I cared about. Each was willing to risk their lives to help others, and each was good at what they did. I like that they respected each other. The suspense came from repeated attempts to kidnap her. There was a lull while they were in the Amish community, but the danger was even higher when she came out to testify.

The Christian element was praying to God for help and God's calling to use their abilities to help others even when it brought trouble with it. 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.

A Few Right Thinking Men by Sulari Gentill

A Few Right Thinking Men by Sulari Gentill ISBN-13: 9781921997778 Paperback: 349 pages Publisher: Pantera Press Released: Sept. 1, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Rowland Sinclair is an artist and a gentleman. In Australia's 1930s the Sinclair name is respectable and influential, yet Rowland has a talent for scandal. Even with thousands of unemployed lining the streets, Rowland's sheltered world is one of exorbitant wealth, culture and impeccable tailoring. He relies on the Sinclair fortune to indulge his artistic passions and friends ... a poet, a painter and a brazen sculptress. Mounting tensions fuelled by the Great Depression take Australia to the brink of revolution. The murder of his uncle, also named Rowland Sinclair, pulls him into the clash of various--and increasingly violent--political parties.


My Review:
A Few Right Thinking Men is a mystery set in Dec. 1931 to March 1932 in Australia. This is the first novel in a series. Interesting historical details were woven into the the story and were a part of solving whodunit. The main characters were interesting, caring people. It was a clue-based mystery, but it was more of a suspense than a puzzle.

Rowly comes into contact with several political groups that are convinced of the need for militant action to save their country from the other groups (Communist, Fascist, etc.). He simply wants to bring the murderer of his favorite uncle to justice. He arranges to paint a portrait of the New Guard leader after a lead points to that group, but he's constantly in danger of exposure...and potentially ending up dead like his uncle.

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


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


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Envious Casca by Georgette Heyer

Envious Casca by Georgette Heyer ISBN-13: 9780099493662 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Arrow Released: 1941; October 24, 2006

Source: Borrowed from the library.

Book Description from Goodreadsr:
It is no ordinary Christmas at Lexham Manor. Six holiday guests find themselves the suspects of a murder enquiry when the old Scrooge, Nathaniel Herriad, who owns the substantial estate, is found stabbed in the back. For Inspector Hemingway of Scotland Yard, ‘tis the season to find whodunit but it’s a real conundrum how any of the suspects could have entered the locked room to commit this foul deed in the first place.


My Review:
Envious Casca is a historical mystery set in England in 1941. The characters were fairly normal (though self-centered) people who frequently squabbled, so there were plenty of suspects. There were some very funny squabbles in the story. I correctly guessed whodunit from the start for the very reasons that Inspector Hemingway later gave. The mystery was still how it was done--so many possibilities! I knew certain clues were important and howdunit is guessable, but I didn't guess it. I suppose my main idea was just to mundane to use.

There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language (mainly a swearing use of "God"). 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.

Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber

Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber ISBN-13: 9780399181283 Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ARC review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Before beginning her dream job as sous chef in one of Seattle's hottest new restaurants, Josie Avery takes a summer position cooking at a lakeside lodge in the remote Alaskan town of Ponder. Josie falls for the rustic charms of the local community--including Jack Corcoran, the crotchety keeper of Ponder's famed sourdough starter, and, in particular, the quiet and intense Palmer Saxon, a famed master swordsmith.

Josie and Palmer become close during the long Alaskan summer days, but Josie knows that, come fall, she'll be returning to reality and the career she's worked so hard for. Palmer, on the other hand, would like nothing better than to make Josie his wife and to keep her in Ponder. But Josie can't imagine abandoning her mother back in the Emerald City and sacrificing her career to stay in this isolated town--not even for a man she's quickly coming to love.

Fate has other plans. Josie misses the last boat out of town before winter sets in, stranding her in Ponder and putting her dream job at risk. As the holidays approach, Josie and Palmer must grapple with the complications that arise when dreams confront reality, and the Christmas magic that can happen when they put their faith in love.


My Review:
Alaskan Holiday is a romance novel and doesn't actually involve a holiday in Alaska. The heroine is a big-city gal whose family and a big career opportunity await her back at home. She just finished a short stint in the middle of nowhere as a cook at a hunting lodge. She's fallen in love with a swordsmith who hates crowds and is socially awkward. This is where the story begins. The "falling in love" had already happen, and we only get a quick summary of how they had spent special time together.

This was simply the story of overcoming the obstacles between them. It's basically all about her deciding if she loves him enough to give everything up for him and of him feeling jealous because he's sure anyone else had a better chance with her (except maybe Jack, the comic relief). But even though he's insecure, he's a giving fellow who wants the best for the woman he loves. There was no sex or bad language.


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


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Eggs on Ice by Laura Childs

Eggs on Ice by Laura Childs ISBN-13: 9780425281727 Hardback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: Dec. 4, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Some say that casting crusty attorney Allen Sharpe as Scrooge in the Kindred Players production of "A Christmas Carol" is just playing to type. He's not the most beloved man in town. In fact, you'd have a dickens of a time finding someone who liked him. Still it's a shock when the Ghost of Christmas Past stabs him during the first rehearsal. Suzanne, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club cafe, Kindred's favorite combination diner, craft store and bookshop, chases the murderer out of the building but loses him in the alley.

As the days pass the list of suspects grows longer. Is it the disgruntled partner? The former secretary whom Sharpe sexually harrassed? Or is it fellow owner of the Cackleberry Club, Toni's almost ex-husband, Junior? The women of the Cackleberry Club are determined to find the killer before he can add another victim to his Christmas list.


My Review:
Eggs on Ice is a cozy mystery. It's the eighth book in the series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this story didn't spoil the previous whodunits.

So a murder is committed in front of a lot of witnesses, but the murderer is wearing a costume. Suzanne saw the murder and later asked some questions about who had a motive or could have done it. But there is no clue or evidence to narrow down her suspects. On a whim, she decided to break and enter into one of her suspects houses even though she didn't know what, exactly, she was looking for. She also basically told another suspect that she thought he was the murderer, even though nothing clearly pointed at him. Of course, she discovers who the murderer is when that person tries to kill her at the end.

I prefer mysteries that have more clues and a puzzle to solve, plus I didn't like how she felt justified in breaking the law. There was occasional use of bad language. There was no sex.


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


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.