Vanished in the Night by Lynette Eason

Vanished in the Night by Lynette Eason ISBN-13: 9781335490414 Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Released: June 5, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After saving Kaylee Martin from abduction and delivering her baby boy on the side of the road, Dr. Joshua Crawford can't get them out of his mind. Unfortunately, neither can Kaylee's violent stalker. He'll stop at nothing to get to the new mom and her child. Can Joshua keep them safe so they can become the family he's dreamed about?


My Review:
Vanished in the Night is a romantic suspense novel. Though a part of a series, it worked as a standalone. The book is short, so things happened very fast. The hero and heroine fell in love practically as soon as they met. There were only a few attacks on the heroine before the ending suspense sequence happened. There weren't very many suspects. It was more about figuring out who was doing what and where to find them.

I liked the main characters. The heroine picked her battles, was willing to accept help, made good decisions about safety, and could think on her feet and defend herself. The hero was caring, a doctor, and a mixed martial artist who was good at defending her. The physical danger to Kaylee and her baby caused the suspense.

There was no bad language or 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.

Where the Fire Falls by Karen Barnett

Where the Fire Falls by Karen Barnett ISBN-13: 9780735289567 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: WaterBrook Released: June 5, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Watercolorist Olivia Rutherford has shet her humble beginnings to fashion her image as an avant-garde artist to appeal to the region's wealthy art-collectors. When she lands a lucrative contract painting illustrations of Yosemite National Park for a travel magazine, including its nightly one-of-a-kind Firefall event, she hopes the money will lift her and her sisters out of poverty.

After false accusations cost him everything, former minister Clark Johnson has found purpose as a backcountry guide in this natural cathedral of granite and trees. Now he's faced with the opportunity to become a National Parks Ranger, but is it his true calling? As Clark opens Olivia's eyes to the wonders of Yosemite, she hides her father's connection to a murder in the park's past.


My Review:
Where the Fire Falls is a Christian romance set in 1929 in Yosemite National Park. Though this book is a part of a series, it works as a standalone. The series is about the early years of the various national parks.

I was interested in the story because the heroine is talented at watercolor painting. Sadly, the author seems to have simply looked up some art terms and scattered them throughout the story as she doesn't convey an accurate understanding of watercolor painting. She spent more time researching the park, though, so we got vivid descriptions of the park as Olivia toured it while painting the sights.

The hero is a guide in the park. He's leery of women because untrue accusations by one got him fired by his church. He's uncertain what to do with his future as he wants to be a minister but feels he can no longer be one. Olivia wants to be a famous artist and is pressured into acting like a jerk to fit in with her rich clients. She has to decide what is most important to her and what she's willing to compromise. These two fall in love as she works on her paintings. We get a suspenseful ending when people start to do unethical things to make money off of her paintings.

The Christian theme was about understanding where your identity comes from as a child of God. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, it was an 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Fire in the Thatch by E.C.R Lorac

Fire in the Thatch by E.C.R Lorac ISBN-13: 9781464209673 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: June 5, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
The Second World War is drawing to a close. Nicholas Vaughan, released from the navy after an accident, takes refuge in Devon—renting a thatched cottage in the beautiful countryside at Mallory Fitzjohn. Vaughan sets to work farming the land, rearing geese and renovating the cottage. Hard work and rural peace seem to make this a happy bachelor life.

On a nearby farm lives the bored, flirtatious June St Cyres, an exile from London while her husband is a Japanese POW. June's presence attracts fashionable visitors of dubious character, and threatens to spoil Vaughan's prized seclusion. When Little Thatch is destroyed in a blaze, all Vaughan's work goes up in smoke—and Inspector Macdonald is drafted in to uncover a motive for murder.


My Review:
Fire in the Thatch is a mystery published in 1946 and set at the end of World War II in England. The first fourth of the book set up who the characters were and let us get to know the victim, who happened to be a nice fellow. The characters were complex and interesting.

The fire was declared an accident, yet the Scotland Yard detective is brought in to determine if it was an accident or a very clever murder. The detective thoroughly looked into every detail of the matter and questioned suspects. He's quite clever and astute about how people act. While I did highly suspect whodunit from the same scene that the detective did, the author muddied things enough that I wasn't certain until nearly the end.

There was a fair amount of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I would recommend this enjoyable and 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.

Gentlemen Formerly Dressed by Sulari Gentill

Gentlemen Formerly Dressed by Sulari Gentill ISBN-13: 9781464206955 Paperback Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: June 5, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The dedicated black sheep of his conservative, wealthy Australian family, Rowland Sinclair prefers to leave managing the immense family fortune and politics to his elder brother, Wil, while pursuing a life as a gentleman artist. A life in company of boho housemates Clyde, a fellow painter; Milton, a plagiarising poet; and Edna, the beautiful, emancipated sculptress who is both his muse and the (unacknowledged) love of his life.

Having barely escaped 1933 Germany while reluctantly pursuing an off-the-books mission in Munich, the usually stoic Rowly remains horrified and deeply troubled by the changes that have come about under the Nazi government. The country which he knew in his early twenties as the centre of modern art and culture, is now, under Hitler, oppressed and sanitised. Tortured by the SA for the degeneracy of his own paintings, he bears both physical and emotional scars. For the first time he is moved to take a stance politically, to try and sway the political thought of the time. A friend of the Left and son of the Right, Rowland doesn't really know what he is doing, or what should be done, but he is consumed with a notion that something should be done. Plus he needs to recuperate.

And so Rowly and his friends make for England rather than returning to Sydney. In London, in the superlative luxury of Claridge's, they feel safe. Then Viscount Pierrepont is discovered in his club, impaled by a sword. Pierrepont is sporting a frilly negligée and makeup - so, a sex crime? Too embarrassing. And too bizarre a death for this aging gentleman, and him newly wed. His murder, and the suspicion falling on his young niece, quickly plunge the Australians into a queer world of British aristocracy, Fascist Blackshirts, illicit love, scandal, and spies ranging from London and its suburbs to Bletchley Park and Oxford, and inevitably drawing in Wil Sinclair as well as players like H.G. Wells and Winston Churchill. It's a world where gentlemen are not always what they are dressed up to be.


My Review:
Gentlemen Formerly Dressed is a mystery set in June and July 1933 in England. This is the fifth novel in a series. This story referred back to events that happened in previous books, especially the fourth book. The events that happened in Germany still impact the characters during this book, so I'd recommend reading that story before this one.

The main characters were interesting, caring people. Since an innocent girl was being accused of murder, they asked questions despite being warned off by people trying to hush up the crime. Since the murdered man was found in a woman's nightgown, they looked into a possible homosexual connection. There were enough clues that I could guess whodunit shortly before Rowley. The main characters also tried to warn people in Britain about Hitler and what's going on in Germany. Interesting historical details were woven into the the story and touch on the crime.

There was some bad language (if you're American) to a fair amount of bad language (if you count British/Australia bad words). 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.

The Hills Have Spies by Mercedes Lackey

The Hills Have Spies by Mercedes Lackey ISBN-13: 9780756413170 Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Daw Books Released: June 5, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Mags, Herald Spy of Valdemar, and his wife Amily are happily married with three kids. The oldest, Peregrine, has the Gift of animal Mindspeech--he can talk to animals and persuade them to act as he wishes. His dream is to follow in his father's footsteps as a spy. He wonders if he even wants to be Chosen by a horse-like Companion, like his parents expect.

Mags regularly trains his children with tests and exercises, preparing them for the complicated and dangerous lives they will likely lead. When reports of an unusual number of missing people reaches Mag's ears, he decides to take Peregrine with him to discover who (or what) is behind the disappearances.

Peregrine and his father travel as traders so they can follow the rumors without inciting suspicion. He uses his Gift to help rescue several animals in distress, but he's disappointed at the lack of adventure. When they discover the missing people are actually being kidnapped outside of Valdemar's border, Mags declares that they can't do anything. Yet Peregrine is determined to at least learn more about what is happening to the people and if this poses a threat to Valdemar...


My Review:
The Hills Have Spies is a fantasy novel with an adult and a 13-year-old main character, so it may appeal to tweens and teens as well as adults. It helps if you've read some of the other Valdemar series so you can better understand the references to certain people or unusual creatures. However, you can understand this story without that additional depth of knowledge. The world-building created a unique and interesting setting for the story.

Mags is uncertain about how to be a good father since he had no parents as a child. Perry has been trained in and is skilled at being a spy, so he wants to use that training. But adventure can be scary. Perry makes a poor decision--though for the right reasons--and realizes things are much more dangerous than he thought. Yet he has no choice but to continue what he began even though the danger only increases.

There was no sex. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable fantasy 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.

A Date with Murder by Donald Bain & Jon Land

A Date with Murder by Donald Bain & Jon Land ISBN-13: 9780451489272 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: May 1, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, my take:
Jessica Fletcher's friend Barbara "Babs" Wirth and her husband, Hal Wirth, host a Labor Day party at their home in Cabot Cove, Maine. Hal is found dead at the party. Officially, he died from a massive heart attack, but something doesn't seem quite right to Jessica Fletcher. Especially when his ex-business partner is also found dead in Cabot Cove. Jessica finds an unpublished memoir that Hal was working on and is shocked to discover that he'd tried dating on the sly with an online dating service. After one date, though, he changes his mind...but it was too late as that date eventually led to deadly consequences.

My Review:
A Date with Murder is a more of a thriller than a cozy mystery. Someone tried to kill Jessica Fletcher multiple times as she investigated. She had no proof beyond a gut feeling, so she asked a young man to hack into websites to get information and did things like set herself up as bait to try to solve whodunit.

Ironically, I guessed whodunit even before the body was found and that did turn out to be the person behind the whole, complex crime. While the crime and characters were interesting enough to hold my interest, I rolled my eyes at the end when Jessica, knowing the cops were there to arrest someone and thinking she spotted that person, left safety to follow that person. After solving hundreds of murders, you'd think she'd know better.

This is the forty-seventh book in the series. You don't have to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this one doesn't spoil the whodunit of previous novels. There was no sex. There was a minor amount 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.

Lone Witness by Rachel Dylan

Lone Witness by Rachel Dylan ISBN-13: 9780764219818 Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: May 1, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
Prosecutor Sophie Dawson's first job in the White Collar division of the Fulton County D.A.'s office is to build a case against a local bank employee who may be cheating clients. But when circumstances beyond her control leave her as the only witness to a double homicide involving a vengeful gang, her world is turned upside down.

Former Atlanta police officer turned private security guard Cooper Knight is hired to ensure that Sophie is kept safe. But as threats escalate, they don't know who they can trust.

Sophie is determined not to back down, but her bank case gets more complicated by the day, and the gang will stop at nothing to keep her from testifying. Sophie wants to take a stand for what's right--but can Cooper, who is determined not to be distracted by their growing attraction, keep her safe so that she can finish her pursuit for justice?


My Review:
Lone Witness is a Christian legal suspense novel. There were two high-stakes cases going on at the same time. Sophie was a witness to a double homicide. She had to learn to be a good witness, able to withstand an aggressive defense attorney despite her struggle with panic attacks happening when she's stressed. Since her testimony was the main evidence against the murderer, the boy's gang leader brother was willing to kill Sophie to stop the case.

At the same time, Sophie was working on a case of a bank employee who cheated clients, but her boss was pressuring her to offer a plea deal. Then she found evidence of a major crime going on that involved more people. The criminal was willing to kill to prevent Sophie from exposing the deeper crime. The suspense was high as multiple people attempted to physically hurt or kill Sophie.

Cooper was an honorable man who tried to think of others before his own desires. Since his father abused his mother, he's afraid he may do the same. He came to realize that, as a follower of Christ and with God's help, he's not destined to follow in his father's patterns of addiction and abuse. The romance was based on both physical attraction and admiration of the other's character. There was no sex. There were four uses of cr*p, but no other bad language. Overall, I'd 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.