Al Dente's Inferno by Stephanie Cole

Al Dente's Inferno by Stephanie Cole ISBN-13: 9780593097793 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: February 25th 2020

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
An American chef will have to serve up more than good eats if she wants to establish a successful farm-to-table cooking school in Tuscany, in this charming first installment in a new cozy mystery series set in Italy.

When Nell Valenti is offered a chance to move to Tuscany to help transform an aging villa into a farm-to-table cooking school, she eagerly accepts. After all, both her job and her love life in America have been feeling stale. Plus, she'll get the chance to work under the acclaimed Italian Chef Claudio Orlandini.

But Nell gets more than she bargained for when she arrives. With only a day to go until the launch dinner for the cooking school, the villa is in shambles, and Chef O is blissfully oblivious of the work that needs to be done before a group of local dignitaries arrive, along with a filmmaker sent to showcase and advertise the new school. The situation only worsens when Nell discovers that the filmmaker is an ex-boyfriend, and he’s found murdered later that night. Even worse, Chef O has disappeared, and accusations of murder could shut the school down for good.


My Review:
Al Dente's Inferno is a cozy mystery. Nell was often in awkward or mildly humorous situations (situational humor), but she didn't come across as incompetent. She needed to create a cooking school, but the murder was a major public relations disaster. She hoped that solving the mystery would give the school a chance. She and the son of the chef questioned the suspects together, and she made a timeline about who was doing what and when. They asked good questions, and the suspects were remarkably willing to answer their questions. I didn't like that she withheld evidence from the police. I was able to guess the murderer based on the clues, but Nell was so caught up in investigating that she didn't think over the pertinent clues until the very end. The characters were interesting. 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.

Venetia by Georgette Heyer

Venetia by Georgette Heyer ISBN-13: 9780373774180 Trade Paperback: 355 pages Publisher: Harlequin Books Released: 1958; October 20, 2009

Source: bought through Half.com.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Venetia spends her days running her family's estate and looking after her physically disabled yet brilliant younger brother. Her older brother is determined to stay in the army and delays returning from overseas to face his responsibilities. Then Lord Damerel, a known rake, takes up residence nearby. After a chance encounter, Damerel is determined to win her affections. Though everything is done properly, his pursuit sets the whole town talking.

Venetia is delighted to find in him a friend, and he's surprised to find that Venetia has stolen his heart. But with so many determined to keep them apart and suitors vying for her attention, Venetia must use all her wits to sort out the situation.


My Review:
Venetia is a Regency romance. As usual, I enjoyed the underlying humor in many of the situations. The characters acted in realistic ways, and there were some surprise twists thrown in that I didn't expect. This story was a bit different from the other Heyer novels, but the romance was still very fun.

I like that Damerel really was a rake, unlike the Heyer heroes who have reputations but act perfectly respectable. I'm not saying I like rakes, just that I like how he had to fight habit and how the effects of his past decisions now complicated his true romance.

There was a fair amount of bad language (mostly the swearing use of "God"). There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.


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


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green

Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green ISBN-13: 9780764233302 Paperback: 416 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: February 4th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Meg and Sylvie Townsend manage the family bookshop and care for their father, Stephen, a veteran still suffering in mind and spirit from his time as a POW during the Civil War. But when the Great Fire sweeps through Chicago's business district, they lose much more than just their store.

The sisters become separated from their father, and after Meg burns her hands in an attempt to save a family heirloom, they make a harrowing escape from the flames with the help of Chicago Tribune reporter Nate Pierce. Once the smoke clears away, they reunite with Stephen, only to learn soon after that their family friend not only died during the fire--he was murdered. Even more shocking, Stephen is charged with the crime and committed to the Cook County Insane Asylum.

Though homeless, injured, and suddenly unemployed, Meg must not only gather the pieces of her shattered life, but prove her father's innocence before the asylum truly drives him mad.


My Review:
Veiled in Smoke is a Christian historical romance mostly set in October to December 1871 in Chicago. The historical details focused on the Great Fire, the rebuilding, the struggles of the survivors, the Civil War (especially the prisoner of war camps), how the traumatized veterans were treated, and about what the insane asylum was like. These interesting details were woven into the story.

The main characters were interesting and reacted realistically to events. The romance between Meg and Nate progressed from friendship and spending time together into romance. They supported and helped each other and worked well together. I was disappointed by the mystery, though. I was able to quickly figure out whodunit and why, though it was realistic that it took the characters a while to piece it all together. However, the confession didn't seem to entirely match the facts that had been gathered throughout the story. The murder seemed to consist of a series of highly improbable circumstances, all happening during and immediately after a citywide fire.

Several main characters learned to trust God to help heal them from trauma. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book to fans of historical romances.


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.

Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert

Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert ISBN-13: 9780593097892 Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: February 18th 2020

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Thirteen months ago, former NYPD detective Shana Merchant barely survived being abducted by a serial killer. Now hoping to leave grisly murder cases behind, she's taken a job in her fiancé's sleepy hometown in the Thousand Islands region of Upstate New York.

But as a nor'easter bears down on her new territory, Shana and fellow investigator Tim Wellington receive a call about a man missing on a private island. Shana and Tim travel to the isolated island owned by the wealthy Sinclair family to question the witnesses. They arrive to find blood on the scene and a house full of Sinclair family and friends on edge.

While Tim guesses they're dealing with a runaway case, Shana is convinced that they have a murder on their hands. As the gale intensifies outside, she starts conducting interviews and discovers the Sinclairs and their guests are crawling with dark and dangerous secrets.

Trapped on the island by the raging storm with only Tim whose reliability is thrown into question, the increasingly restless suspects, and her own trauma-fueled flashbacks for company, Shana will have to trust the one person her abduction destroyed her faith in—herself.


My Review:
Death in the Family is a suspenseful detective mystery. There were two mysteries: what happened in the serial killer case (which was slowly explained throughout the story, yet still left open-ended) and the case of the missing son. Shana was convinced that the missing son had been murdered, though she considered other ideas. Her partner for the case believed that murder was very unlikely (especially with no body), and his doubt combined with the past made Shana doubt herself. She fought her insecurity and traumatic stress responses while trying to sort out the truth from lies.

Much of the story was a series of interviews that contained sometimes conflicting information. Shana asked good questions and clearly knew her job well. I strongly suspected whodunit (and why) fairly early on, but there was enough confusing information that I questioned if I had guessed correctly. And the solution was more complex than I had guessed. The characters were varied and interesting, and I liked Shana (though she doesn't like herself). There was a fair amount of bad language. A character stumbled across a couple having sex, but it was only briefly glimpsed and not graphically described. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting detective 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.

Adoring Abigail by Chalon Linton

Adoring Abigail by Chalon Linton ISBN-13: 9781524411510 Paperback: 208 pages Publisher: Covenant Communications Released: February 3rd 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Captain Robert Wilkins has never aspired to grandeur. So when the returned war hero unexpectedly inherits the vast estate of Cattersley from his great-aunt, he feels woefully inadequate in his new role. Out of place in his lavish surroundings, his first glimmer of hope comes when he happens upon a lovely trespasser in his gardens.

Words have never come easily for Abigail Rutherford, and she prefers the solitude of exploring the gardens at the neighboring country estate to engaging in uncomfortable conversation. But when she unexpectedly encounters Captain Robert Wilkins in her place of solace, she is surprised at the immediate ease she feels in his presence. Soon her brightest moments are those spent with the captain. But even as their friendship grows into something more, outside forces have other plans for the two. Mr. Mead, the handsome vicar, has also taken a liking to the quiet and timid Abigail—and he will stop at nothing to ensure she becomes his wife.


My Review:
Adoring Abigail is a romance set in 1818 in England. Abigail had trouble correctly pronouncing her R's when excited or upset, and her family shamed her for this her entire life. Her grandmother also constantly criticized Abigail for this. The community laughed at her rather than befriending her, so she often read or visited with a friendly gardener at the neighboring estate. She's amazed that the new owner of the estate and his family don't seem to notice her problems with pronunciation and even befriend her.

The main characters were interesting, and I cared about what happened to them. The evil vicar was attracted by Abigail's looks, but he apparently was so driven by lust that he wasn't acting rationally. The community would never have accepted Abigail as his wife, and she had no money to improve his circumstances. By pursuing Abigail, he was also making an enemy of Robert, who owned his living and could dismiss him. Still, he made a suitably creepy villain as he stalked her and tried to force his affections on her to force her to marry him.

I found it a bit frustrating that Robert, the decisive captain, was so passive regarding Abigail until the last scene. When he rescued Abigail, it was simply because he happened to be in the area. He needed his sister and mother to clue him in to the vicar's attentions, and they were the ones who acted to encourage a match between the two. Still, Robert was a very kind, compassionate man. And the story was suspenseful because Robert took so long to realize that Abigail needed to be rescued from the vicar. I enjoyed how their romance grew out of a friendship.

The time period was simply a backdrop, and there were some details that were not probable for the time period. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.

Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar

Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar ISBN-13: 9781496428714 Paperback: 416 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Released: February 4th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When the daughter of a prominent Roman general meets a disinherited Jewish immigrant, neither one can dream of God's plan to transform them into the most influential couple of the early church. Nor can they anticipate the mountains that will threaten to bury them. Priscilla and Aquila slowly work to build a community of believers, while their lives grow increasingly complicated thanks to a shaggy dog, a mysterious runaway, and a ruthless foe desperate for love. But when they're banished from their home by a capricious emperor, they must join forces with an unusual rabbi named Paul and fight to turn treachery into redemption.


My Review:
Daughter of Rome is a Christian romance set in Rome and Corinth around 50 AD. Not a lot is said about Priscilla and Aquila in the Bible, so she added some informed speculation and pure fiction to fill out the story. She also included their working with Paul during his stay in Corinth. In a way, I felt like the story covered too much time (sometimes skipping forward by months) because the author sometimes slipped into telling instead of showing. As in, things were going well, but time passed and now they're not because these new emotions got in the way and needed to be worked through. But it was still an enjoyable story.

The characters acted realistically, were likable, and grew as people. Historical and cultural details were woven into the story. The Christian element was their evangelism efforts and the need for several characters to truly accept forgiveness for past sins. There were (married) sex scenes, but they were emotionally rather than physically focused when described. Priscilla felt shame about abandoning herself to her husband, and this was an issue they had to deal with. There was no bad language. Overall, I recommend this enjoyable novel.


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


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Decent Inn of Death by Rennie Airth

The Decent Inn of Death by Rennie Airth ISBN-13: 9780143134299 Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Penguin Books Released: January 14th 2020

Source: review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Snowed in at a country manor, former Scotland Yard inspectors John Madden and Angus Sinclair find themselves trapped in the company of a murderer.

On a trip into Winchester, former chief inspector Angus Sinclair learns of a tragedy that has taken place in the village he is staying in. Beloved church organist Greta Hartmann has slipped and fallen to her death in a shallow creek, and while investigations conclude it to be an accident, her friend and housemate, Vera, remains unconvinced. After learning that Greta was the widow of a prominent anti-Nazi German preacher, Sinclair meets with the distraught Vera, and he resolves to dig deeper into the story. His investigations lead him to the stately manor of Julia Lesage, where she lives with her devoted staff that includes her secretary, cook, and driver. Though confined to a wheelchair, Julia is an electrifying spirit with a sharp wit, and those who know her adore her. Among those who do, a gentleman with dubious business dealings is also staying at the house--and Julia appears to be in love with him. A blizzard hits, keeping Sinclair, and later Madden, on the grounds with little to do but analyze the case of Greta's death, until a murder takes place, and everyone becomes a suspect.


My Review:
The Decent Inn of Death is a mystery set around 1950 in England. It is the sixth book in the series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one. This book did not spoil any of the previous mysteries. Two retired detectives and several current detectives worked on this case to solve it.

Angus stumbled across an apparent accident that the victim's friend was certain was murder. He found clues and passed them on to the police, but then he become stuck at a mansion due to snow storm. His friend, John, was concerned about his health and was quickly able to re-create what Angus had done. At this point, the detectives started looking into certain suspicious people while John tried to get to his friend. After he got to the manor, both Angus and John were suspicious that some of the servants may be the very people they're after.

It then turned into a suspense as they tried to survive a known serial murder. The characters were engaging, clever, and I cared about what happened to the good guys. The detectives were smart and able to quickly find and track down clues. The difficulty was in sorting out some confusing clues to determine exactly who was who.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.