Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd

Lady of a Thousand Treasures by Sandra Byrd ISBN-13: 9781496426833 Paperback: 480 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Released: Oct. 9, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.

The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.

Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.

With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured.


My Review:
Lady of a Thousand Treasures is a Christian historical romance set in 1866 in England. Eleanor is a skilled, kind, and well-meaning woman. Harry is honorable but made mistakes because he was desperate to find approval with his father. His father continued to punish them from beyond the grave by asking Eleanor to decide if Harry is trustworthy while providing her with inaccurate information. Eleanor is determined to find the truth, but in the process she may destroy her relationship with Harry through her doubts about him.

The story was suspenseful as Eleanor went from one trouble to the next, but most of these were brought on by illogical behavior. For example, she had full right to go into a locked room. Instead of going with everyone's full knowledge, though, she sneaked away at night (without a light) and broke into the room only to nearly be trapped where no one would know to look. She also did things like carry valuable items into dangerous areas. The suspense often seemed forced to me.

Other people also acted illogically to create suspense. When a treasure went missing, Eleanor was blamed because she was inventorying items at the time. Yet she was never entrusted with that treasure's safekeeping and didn't even know it existed until is was gone. No one questioned the people who actually did control treasure, they just blamed her and made finding it her responsibility. Another example is that the help at the antique shop was so obviously untrustworthy yet Eleanor fell for his manipulations until she had to face the consequences of his actions--for which, yet again, people were holding her responsible.

The book read like the author put a lot of historical research into it, but I found errors throughout it. Many of the details about prison and a woman's ability to take over financial control of her uncle's assets (signing for his debt, signing contracts, withdrawing his money, selling his things, etc.) without his knowledge don't match what I've read about that time period. If you don't care about perfect historical accuracy, the story should be enjoyable enough, but I felt frustrated by it.

The theme was not being afraid of being tested and found true. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable story even if it frustrated me at times.


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.

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock ISBN-13: 9780310351726 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: Oct. 9, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As a first-year law associate, Sydney Batson knows she will be updating her resume by New Year’s if she loses her current court case. So when her grandmother gets inexplicably ill while she’s in court, Sydney arranges for a cab to get her to the clinic.

The last thing cab driver Finn Parrish wants is to be saddled with a wheelchair-bound old lady with dementia. But because Miss Callie reminds him of his own mother, whom he failed miserably in her last days, he can’t say no when she keeps calling him for rides. Once a successful gourmet chef, Finn’s biggest concern now is making his rent, but half the time Callie doesn’t remember to pay him. She leads him on wild goose chases to find a Christmas date for her granddaughter.

He’s reluctantly willing to help fulfill Callie’s Christmas wish. He just never expected to be a vital part of it.


My Review:
Catching Christmas is a rather depressing Christian general fiction novel. The whole story is full of sadness, guilt, and frustration. The story was written in first person, present tense and switched between Sydney and Finn. They initially had separate story lines. They didn't even meet until 36% of the way in to the story, when they briefly met and fought because Finn put a major guilt trip on Sydney. They don't meet again until halfway in, and they're still fighting. At 77%, after a sad, frustrating Christmas day (though with some happy moments), they're suddenly kissing each other. I've never felt inclined to kiss someone who makes me feel bad, so I just don't get it except that maybe she wanted someone to hold onto in her sadness.

So it's basically about: Callie, an old woman who publicly embarrasses people by pointing out their shortcomings and who is dying. Her granddaughter, Sydney, who is being used by her law firm to take the fall on a case that cannot be won. She went around feeling frustrated, angry, and guilty about the case preventing her from taking care of her grandmother. And Finn, who feels guilty that he let his own mother down when she was dying. He helped Callie due to guilt but resented every moment of it and felt like God--if there is a God--was punishing him. Though, by the end, he's thanking God for giving him a second chance.

The story's theme was about having correct priorities and spending time with the people we love while we still have the chance. Both Sydney and Finn were inspired by Callie's faith in God in the face of imminent death. There is 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.

The Guggenheim Mystery by Robin Stevens

The Guggenheim Mystery by Robin Stevens ISBN-13: 9780525582359 Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Released: Oct. 16, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
The adventure that began in Siobhan Dowd's popular and acclaimed novel The London Eye Mystery at long last continues with Ted, Kat, and their cousin Salim investigating a theft at the Guggenheim Museum that's been pinned on Salim's mother!

When Ted and his big sister, Kat, take a trip to New York to visit their cousin Salim and their aunt Gloria, they think they're prepared for big-city adventures. But when a famous painting is stolen from the Guggenheim Museum, where Aunt Gloria works, the surprises begin to mount faster than they could have anticipated. With the police looking at Aunt Gloria as the prime suspect, Ted, Kat, and Salim become sleuthing partners, following a trail of clues across NYC to prove her innocence--and to pinpoint the real thief. Ultimately, it comes down to Ted, whose brain works in its own very unique way, to find the key to the mystery.


My Review:
The Guggenheim Mystery is a children's mystery. The point-of-view hero is a 12-year-old boy, and he worked to solve the mystery along with his older sister and his cousin. He's well informed, very observant, and good at reasoning things out, but he has trouble dealing with new or unusual situations. He doesn't think or act quite like other kids. He had trouble coping with being in New York City when he normally lives in London.

The kids asked questions in a reasonable way and looked at sources that might not have been obvious to everyone. They recorded what they discovered and eliminated suspects as best they could. The answer to whodunit and how was foreshadowed enough that it can be guessed, though it's not obvious.

This book is the second book in a series, but you don't need to read the previous book to understand this one. This book did not spoil the mystery of the previous book. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable 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.

Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin

Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin ISBN-13: 9780764217630 Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Having returned to Chicago, young socialite Anna Nicholson can't seem to focus on her upcoming marriage. The new information she's learned about her birth mother continues to pull at her, and she hires Pinkerton detectives to help her find the truth. But as she meets people who once knew her mother and hears stories about the past, Anna soon discovers that some secrets are better left hidden.

Unflattering stories about Anna are leaked by someone who would love to see her disgraced and her engagement broken. And as Anna tries to share her faith with her society friends, she understands that her choice to seek God's purpose for her life isn't as simple as she had hoped.

When things are at their darkest, Anna knows she can turn to her grandmother, Geesje de Jonge, back in Holland, Michigan. Geesje's been helping new Dutch immigrants, including a teen with a haunted past, adjust to America. She only hopes that her wisdom can help all these young people through the turmoil they face.


My Review:
Legacy of Mercy is Christian historical fiction set in 1897 in Chicago and in Holland, Michigan. It's the second book in a series, and it continues the story of Anna and Geesje. While it can be read out of order, you will better understand the story if you read the first book before this one. This book also "spoils" many of the things discovered in the first book.

Anna has grown in her Christian faith. She digs into her past to learn more about her biological parents, but a jealous girl creates a scandal about her potential illegitimacy. Anna needs to marry her rich fiance in order to save her father from financial ruin, but they aren't a well-suited couple due to their different values. The scandal threatens their engagement, and she's conflicted about what to do.

Anna story alternated with Geesje's story. Geesje was asked to take in a young woman from Holland who had moved here with her grandfather after the loss of her family. The young woman is suicidal, and Geesje has to gain her trust and help her grieve her losses. The young woman has turned away from God because she sees him as unforgiving, like a grandfather. Geesje also helps the grandfather, who was a minister, to learn grace and how to show love.

The characters acted realistically, and I cared about what happened to them. Several characters struggled with how to best serve God. The book was written in first person, present tense. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this 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.

Excellent Intentions by Richard Hull

Excellent Intentions by Richard Hull ISBN-13: 9781464209758 Paperback Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Great Barwick's least popular man is murdered on a train. Twelve jurors sit in court. Four suspects are identified - but which of them is on trial? This novel has all the makings of a classic murder mystery, but with a twist: as Attorney-General Anstruther Blayton leads the court through prosecution and defence, Inspector Fenby carries out his investigation. All this occurs while the identity of the figure in the dock is kept tantalisingly out of reach. Excellent Intentions is a classic crime novel laced with irreverent wit, first published in 1938.


My Review:
Excellent Intentions is a mystery set in England and originally published in 1938. The novel started at the opening of a trial and then had flashback descriptions of events as seen by various witnesses and the detective. The reader isn't told who is on trial until the end, but everyone is sure that the accused is guilty.

This is a clue-based puzzle mystery. There were only four main suspects, and I quickly narrowed it down to two based on the same reasoning that the characters followed later in the story. The evidence seemed to point toward one character, so I reasoned out a scenario for that character. But that seemed too obvious, so I came up with a scenario that worked for the other one. We don't learn the final evidence that determines whodunit until after the characters have essentially revealed who the accused is.

There was no sex. There was only a couple uses of bad language. 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.

The Chinese Orange Mystery by Ellery Queen

The Chinese Orange Mystery by Ellery Queen ISBN-13: 9781613161104 Hardcover Publisher: American Mystery Classics Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The offices of foreign literature publisher and renowned stamp collector Donald Kirk are often host to strange activities, but the most recent occurrence­—the murder of an unknown caller, found dead in an empty waiting room—is unlike any that has come before. Nobody, it seems, entered or exited the room, and yet the crime scene clearly has been manipulated, leaving everything in the room turned backwards and upside down. Stuck through the back of the corpse’s shirt are two long spears—and a tangerine is missing from the fruit bowl. Enter amateur sleuth Ellery Queen, who arrives just in time to witness the discovery of the body, only to be immediately drawn into a complex case in which no clue is too minor or too glaring to warrant careful consideration.

Reprinted for the first time in over thirty years, The Chinese Orange Mystery is revered to this day for its challenging conceit and inventive solution. The book is a “fair-play” mystery in which readers have all the clues needed to solve the crime.


My Review:
The Chinese Orange Mystery is a mystery set in New York City and was originally published in 1934. The mystery was a clue-based puzzle that can be solved based on the clues. I was able to narrow my suspects down much more quickly than the detective or his clever son, Ellery Queen. Ellery got started down an odd, wrong track at the start. There really wasn't a lot more to go on by the time the author asked the reader to guess whodunit than there was shortly after the murder. Still, it was entertaining to see the results of Ellery following up on every "backward" lead.

I was able to guess whodunit after we're given the vague details of the experiments that Ellery performed AFTER the author suggested that the reader guess at whodunit. However, I could not guess how or why. There was no sex. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting mystery.


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


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Lethal Target by Janice Cantore

Lethal Target by Janice Cantore ISBN-13: 9781496423740 Paperback: 416 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Released: Oct. 9, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Police Chief Tess O'Rourke thought she'd taken care of her small town's drug problem last year. But now Rogue's Hollow residents are up in arms over a contentious vote on legalizing the sale of marijuana within city limits. And when an eighteen-year-old is found dead of a possible overdose, Tess wonders if the local pot farms might be involved and begins to fear that a new, deadlier drug supply chain has cropped up.

With her relationship to Sergeant Steve Logan on shaky ground, Tess could really use a friend, and she feels drawn to Pastor Oliver Macpherson's quiet presence. But the anger she holds over her father's death prevents her from embracing his faith and finding peace. Battling storms within and without, Tess is shocked when an enemy from her past shows up in town to stir up more trouble and works to turn the town against her. When she learns that a drug boss has put a price on her head, it feels like everyone has turned against her.


My Review:
Lethal Target is a Christian suspense novel. It's the second book in a series and is a continuation of that story, though you can understand what's going on if you read it as a stand alone. I'd strongly recommend reading them in order, though, especially as the events in the previous novel are "spoiled" in this one.

Poor Tess has to deal with a lot in this novel. She's called to the scene of a teenager's death. It looks like a drug overdose, but some things aren't quite right. The teenager's father is angry at her for even considering that his son might have done drugs and for not instantly solving the crime. Someone from her past who hates her comes along to stir up the town against her, and a drug boss wants everyone dead who was involved in killing a family member (which includes Tess). Tess just wants to solve the crimes and stop the bad guys, but it seems like everyone's making this as difficult as possible.

The characters acted realistically, and I cared about what happened to them. I liked Tess's tenacity, sense of duty, and compassion. Pastor Oliver's willingness to reach out to anyone and show God's love helped several people find emotional and spiritual peace. Tess dealt with her anger with God over letting her father die in the line of duty when she was young. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this engaging, suspenseful 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.