Anthem

Title: Anthem
Author: Ayn Rand
Published: First Published in 1938 by Cassell
Format: Kindle, 112 pages
Genre: Dystopian Novella

First Sentence: It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper on others are to see.

Blurb: In Anthem, Rand examines a frightening future in which individuals have no name, no independence, and no values. Equality 7-2521 lives in the dark ages of the future where all decisions are made by committee, all people live in collectives, and all traces of individualism have been wiped out.

Despite such a restrictive environment, the spark of individual thought and freedom still burns in him--a passion which he has been taught to call sinful. In a purely egalitarian world, Equality 7-2521 dares to stand apart from the herd--to think and choose for himself, to discover electricity, and to love the woman of his choice.

Now he has been marked for death for committing the ultimate sin. In a world where the great "we" reign supreme, he has rediscovered the lost and holy word--"I." (Amazon)

My Opinion: A short and powerful dystopian novella that explores the idea of individualism (“I”) versus collectivism (“we”) and ends with ego. The story follows a man (Equality 7-2521) who lives in a society where everyone is equal and has no identity or choice, even when it comes to occupations. He rebels against this system after discovering what was left behind, and in doing so, discovers his own self and the word “I”.

For me, the novella was engaging and terrifying. Others claim it has flaws and biases, and some of the events are unrealistic, but isn’t that prevalent in all dystopic novels?

Having a Fudgy Christmas Time

Title: Having a Fudgy Christmas Time
Author: Nancy Coco
Published: September 26, 2023 by Kensington Cozies
Format: Kindle, 132 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Candy-Coated Mystery Series #11.5

First Sentence: I’ve lived my whole life on Mackinac Island, and I think there’s no place better in the world.

Blurb: Carol Tunisian is looking forward to finishing plans for the Mackinac Island Senior Center Christmas Ball. But when she arrives at the center, she finds the door jimmied open and a dead man inside. The victim is a local senior who seems to have been sleeping in the center at night—but why? Although she promises Officer Rex Manning not to involve her book club in solving the mystery, Carol finds a way to fudge around that. Rallying her troop of silver-haired sleuths—and with some support from Ally in between her batches of Christmas fudge -- Carol sets out to discover which grinch tried to steal this Christmas. All she wants from Santa is to get this case wrapped up with a bow!

My Opinion: A nice filler novella that has Carol Tunisian as the amateur sleuth instead of Allie and her ever-present Bichonpoo Mal. To be honest, I needed a break from the usual protagonist and her trusty sidekick that can sniff out a dead body miles away. Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs, but this one has more skill than Sherlock Holmes.

This quick read novella hits all the right cozy and wintery spots. I did question a few things, but that is what cozies are, friendly books that might have a few things that make you wonder, but are woven with enough antics to make you easily forget about the “whys” and the “would a person really do that” parts.

A dozen books in and I’m going to stick with the characters I know since the next book in the series, ‘Three Fudges and a Baby’, is due this spring.

The Golden Gate

Title: The Golden Gate
Author: Amy Chua
Published: September 19, 2023 by Minotaur Books
Format: 384 pages, Hardcover
Genre: Historical Mystery

First Sentence: 1930. Inside an alabaster palace one January afternoon in 1930, a six-year-old girl hiding inside a closed armoire felt truly alone for the firs time in her life.

Blurb: In Berkeley, California, in 1944, Homicide Detective Al Sullivan has just left the swanky Claremont Hotel after a drink in the bar when a presidential candidate is assassinated in one of the rooms upstairs. A rich industrialist with enemies among the anarchist factions on the far left, Walter Wilkinson could have been targeted by any number of groups. But strangely, Sullivan’s investigation brings up the specter of another tragedy at the Claremont, ten years the death of seven-year-old Iris Stafford, a member of the Bainbridge family, one of the wealthiest in all of San Francisco. Some say she haunts the Claremont still.

The many threads of the case keep leading Sullivan back to the three remaining Bainbridge heiresses, now Iris’s sister, Isabella, and her cousins Cassie and Nicole. Determined not to let anything distract him from the truth―not the powerful influence of Bainbridges’ grandmother, or the political aspirations of Berkeley’s district attorney, or the interest of China's First Lady Madame Chiang Kai-Shek in his findings―Sullivan follows his investigation to its devastating conclusion.

Chua’s page-turning debut brings to life a historical era rife with turbulent social forces and groundbreaking forensic advances, when race and class defined the very essence of power, sex, and justice, and introduces a fascinating character in Detective Sullivan, a mixed race former Army officer who is still reckoning with his own history.

My Opinion: What sets the stage:

“Q: Mrs. Bainbridge, I’m giving you a chance to help your family. We know one of your three granddaughters is a murderer, I can convict all three as coconspirators, or you can tell me which one did it, and I’ll spare the other two”.

For the first third of the book, I couldn’t understand the flow. The mystery would then suddenly devolve into a history of the bay area, then back to the mystery, then over to family history. It got to the point that I was ready to put the book down since, to me, it felt like Amy Chua (Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother) was just testing the waters.

Then something happened. I got the flow; the cousins finally came into their own. The background and history added to the story and made the time and place its own character, becoming just as important as the dead guy on the bed.

What I came to feel, not a full comparison and others might not see it, there were parts that reminded me of John Steinbeck. I know that is a reach, an maybe it is just the bay area, but my brain was linking the two authors.

This is a book that might deserve a second read. Now that I understand the characters, the beginning, and the importance of the California history sections, I think I will appreciate it more.

Geneva

Title: Geneva
Author: Richard Armitage
Published: October 12, 2023 by Pegasus Crime
Format: 288 pages, Hardcover
Genre: Medical Thriller

First Sentence: Prologue: A shard of ancient granite thrusts upwards through the white origami folds of the Swiss Alps, piercing the low-hanging cloud.

Blurb: Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sarah Collier has taken a step back from work to spend more time with her family. Movie nights with her husband Daniel and their daughter Maddie are a welcome respite from the scrutiny of the world’s press. As much as it hurts, it’s good to be able to see her father more too. He’s suffering from Alzheimer’s and needs special care.

Sarah has started to show tell-tale signs of the disease too. She’s been experiencing blackouts and memory loss. It’s early days but she must face the possibility that she won’t be there to see her daughter grow up. Daniel, a neuroscientist himself, is doing his best to be supportive but she already knows that she will have to be the strong one. For all of them.

So when Sarah is invited to be the guest of honour at a prestigious biotech conference in Geneva she declines, wanting to stay out of the public eye—that is until Daniel shows her the kind of work that the enigmatic Mauritz Schiller has been developing.

Flown first class to the spectacular alpine city and housed in a luxury hotel, Sarah and Daniel are thrust back into the spotlight. As they try to shut out the noise of the public media storm, in private Sarah is struggling with her escalating symptoms. And the true extent of what Schiller has achieved is a revelation. This is technology that could change medicine forever. More than that, it could save Sarah’s life.

But technology so valuable attracts all kinds of interest. Wealthy investors are circling, controversial blogger Terri Landau is all over the story, and someone close to Schiller seems bent on taking advantage of the situation for themselves. Sarah feels threatened and does not know who to trust—including herself. Far from being her lifeline Schiller's technology may be her undoing.

As events spiral out of control, Sarah and Daniel are faced with the ultimate question: how far would you go for someone you love?

My Opinion: I found the book overly descriptive and it felt like the author was writing a screenplay rather than a novel.

The premise was not believable, I couldn't understand why the media would be interested in stalking and photographing a Nobel Prize winner acting as an influencer for research dollars at a technology summit in Geneva. While the person hosting the summit is world-renowned, the average person would hardly know a Nobel winner in the field of science, let alone be impressed enough for photos and inside scoops.

The book had many unrealistic details, which isn't unheard of in medical thrillers but still annoying. A quarter of the way through the book, readers can predict the plot, but Richard Armitage manages to pull off one final twist.

By the end, there are more questions than answers, and I will continue to believe the intention all along was a screenplay rather than a novel.

Charlotte's Web

Title: Charlotte's Web
Author: E.B. White
Published: January 1, 2012 by Harper Collins (First published October 15, 1952)
Format: Hardcover, 182 pages
Genre: Children's Classic

First Sentence: Where’s Papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.

Blurb: Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.

My Opinion: This is the first time that I have read the book. I know, I should have read it as a child, but here we are. My first take is that it is scary and sad, maybe too much for a child. As an adult, it is just heartbreaking.

Wilbur, the pig that should not have lived, is the one left behind to remember all the stories and can only share them with the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of those who were so important to the humble pig.

Maybe I’m reading too much into it and it’s just a great book about the antic in a barnyard and county fair, but Wilbur is just one of those characters that will stay with the reader whether they are 5 or 50. There is just so much heart in that little runt.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Title: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
Author: Judy Blume
Published: April 29, 2014 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (First published January 1, 1970)
Format: 192 pages, Paperback
Genre: Coming of Age

First Sentence: Are you there God, It’s me Margaret, We’re moving today.

Blurb: If anyone tried to determine the most common rite of passage for preteen girls in North America, a girl's first reading of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret would rank near the top of the list. Adolescents are often so relieved to discover that someone understands their body-angst that they miss one of the book's deeper explorations: a young person's relationship with God. Margaret has a very private relationship with God, and it's only after she moves to New Jersey and hangs out with a new friend that she discovers that it might be weird to talk to God without a priest or a rabbi to mediate. Margaret just wants to fit in! Who is God, and where is He when she needs Him?

My Opinion: I remember feeling scandalized when I first read this book as a preteen. However, reading it today made me miss those naive times. At the same time, I realized how outdated the ideals portrayed in the book are.

The genre of coming-of-age books has evolved over the last 50 years. Unfortunately, I don't believe this novel is the classic others claim it to be since it doesn’t hold true today as it did in 1970. Although the portrayal of girls' friendships, lies, and cliques still resonates today, other parts of the book seem dated and unrelatable. Do girls still stuff their bras?

Thank you for taking me on a trip down memory lane, but I would not recommend this book to today's young girls.

Hemlock Island

Title: Hemlock Island
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Published: September 12, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 259 Pages
Genre: Occult Fiction

First Sentence: I never wanted to rent out the island house.

Blurb: Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. The invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks, but it’s the only way she can keep her beloved Hemlock Island, the only thing she owns after a pandemic-fueled divorce. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and now, terrified renters who’ve fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet, as though someone tried to claw their way out…and failed.

When Laney shows up to investigate with her teenaged niece in tow, she discovers that her ex, Kit, has also been informed and is there with Jayla, his sister and her former best friend. Then Sadie, another old high school friend, charters over with her brother, who’s now a cop.

There are tensions and secrets, whispers in the woods, and before long, the discovery of a hand poking up from the earth. Then the body that goes with it… But by that time, someone has taken off with their one and only means off the island, and they’re trapped with someone—or something—that doesn’t want them leaving the island alive. (GoodReads)

My Opinion: This book had me confused. I know the characters were adults, except for one, and her backstory came out of nowhere, but this book felt like a young adult. The horror / occult aspect never drew me in or scared me, and the whole premise was just lukewarm and missing that 10% of reality that makes a story ring towards possible.

What first drew me to this title was the author. I have been a fan of hers since I read the first Rockton book and found myself disappointed that her usual flair of storytelling, in my opinion, was missing from Hemlock Island.

The Bitter Past

Title: The Bitter Past
Author: Bruce Borgos
Published: July 18, 2023 by Minotaur Books
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Police Procedural
Series: Porter Beck #1

First Paragraph: We don’t have a lot of murder in Lincoln County. The long stretches of open road provide us with more than our share of high-speed vehicular deaths, the images of which can haunt your dreams, but there just isn’t a lot of people killing other people on purpose. When we do encounter it, it’s never like this. This is something from hell.

Blurb: Porter Beck is the sheriff in the high desert of Nevada, north of Las Vegas. Born and raised there, he left to join the Army, where he worked in Intelligence, deep in the shadows in far off places. Now he's back home, doing the same lawman's job his father once did, before his father started to develop dementia. All is relatively quiet in this corner of the world, until an old, retired FBI agent is found killed. He was brutally tortured before he was killed and clues at the scene point to a mystery dating back to the early days of the nuclear age. If that wasn't strange enough, a current FBI agent shows up to help Beck's investigation.

In a case that unfolds in the past (the 1950s) and the present, it seems that a Russian spy infiltrated the nuclear testing site and now someone is looking for that long-ago, all-but forgotten person, who holds the key to what happened then and to the deadly goings on now. (GoodReads)

My Opinion: I am not sure how I first stumbled upon this book. Initially, I passed it up, but eventually, I felt it was the right time to read it. I regret not having read it earlier since Bruce Borgos is an excellent storyteller who keeps the reader hooked with the right balance of plotting and storytelling. Although he has been compared to Craig Johnson, his approach and style are distinct.

The book has elements of US history and family past, but it is in the last quarter of the book where an unexpected twist will captivate the reader. This twist caught me off guard, and I was engrossed in the book until the last page.

The second book in the series, "Shade of Mercy," is set to release next summer, and it is already on my wish list.

Dead on Target

Title: Dead on Target
Author: M.C. Beaton, Written by R.W. Green
Published: September 19, 2023 by Minotaur Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover 256 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Agatha Raisin #34

First Sentence: “I’ll kill him! I swear I will! We can’t let him get away with this!”

Blurb: A visit to the local village fete for a spot of fun and relaxation turns into a nightmare for Agatha Raisin when she discovers the body of the local landowner in the woods—with an arrow in his chest and his trousers round his ankles.

At first her old adversary, Detective Chief Inspector Wilkes, declares the death a tragic accident, believing the victim has been hit by a stray arrow from an archery demonstration. Agatha is convinced the man was murdered and is shocked when Wilkes eventually agrees...particularly as he considers her to be his prime suspect.

Determined to clear her name and find the real killer, Agatha launches her own investigation, quickly becoming involved with a family at war, an unscrupulous gangster—and a murderer who is determined to make her the next victim. (GoodReads)

My Opinion: Agatha cannot be ready to leave in 10 minutes; this is just one of many things that R.W. Green, the new writer of the series, will never understand about her. The plotting has potential, but Mr. Green fails to grasp the essence of Agatha.

I don't recall the reasoning behind James' hospitalization being previously mentioned. It was either a new invention, or my memory failed me, but it should have stood out.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy reading about Agatha's adventures, but the books aren't the same since Marion's passing and the new author taking over.

Bulletproof Barista

Title: Bulletproof Barista
Author: Cleo Coyle
Published: November 14, 2023 by Berkley
Format: Kindle, Hardcover 352 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Coffeehouse Mystery #20

First Sentence: Prologue: One screw loosened. Then two. Then three….

Blurb: Only Murders in Gotham, the smash hit streaming show, is famous for filming in authentic New York City locations and using real New Yorkers as extras. For their latest episode, they've chosen to spotlight the century-old Village Blend and its quirky crew of baristas.

But when the film crew's week of shooting delivers an actual shooting, coffeehouse manager and master roaster Clare Cosi and her staff find themselves at the scene of a true crime.

My Opinion: The story did not primarily take place in the Village Blend, which made me crave coffee less than I usually do while reading this series. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing, just surprising. I felt the plotting was a bit drawn out, and there were not enough subplots to keep me engaged. I missed the charming naiveté of Nancy and the quick barbs of Esther. Additionally, there was not enough mention of Madam and Matt, except for a brief moment when Matt saves an incidental character.

In the next book, I hope the author focuses more on the main characters that have made this series so popular and enjoyable to read.

Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune

Title: Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune
Author: Anderson Cooper, Katherine Howe
Published: September 19, 2023 by Harper
Format: 336 pages, Hardcover
Genre: Biography

First Sentence: Introduction. My first thought when I met Brooke Astor was, Who is this very small lady in a big fur coat?

Blurb: The story of the Astors is a quintessentially American story—of ambition, invention, destruction, and reinvention.

From 1783, when German immigrant John Jacob Astor first arrived in the United States, until 2009, when Brooke Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of defrauding his elderly mother, the Astor name occupied a unique place in American society.

The family fortune, first made by a beaver trapping business that grew into an empire, was then amplified by holdings in Manhattan real estate. Over the ensuing generations, Astors ruled Gilded Age New York society and inserted themselves into political and cultural life, but also suffered the most famous loss on the Titanic, one of many shocking and unexpected twists in the family’s story.

In this unconventional, page-turning historical biography, featuring black-and-white and color photographs, #1 New York Times bestselling authors Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe chronicle the lives of the Astors and explore what the Astor name has come to mean in America—offering a window onto the making of America itself. (GoodReads)

My Opinion: Fighting over who will be called Mrs. Astor, seemed ridiculous, but I guess that is what people, who have nothing else to offer, find important.

I can’t say that the book was bad, but I can say that the Astor’s were tedious. Rags to riches, to rags. Isn’t this the same story told on repeat with generational wealth? Be it three generations or six, they all seem to end up back in the same place with only pettiness in the middle.

The authors, Cooper and Howe, did seem to struggle with enough interesting facts and there did seem to be a bit of repetition, but then again, the Astor’s were not unique or interesting.

Since this writing team has found its niche, I wonder which Gilded Age family will be next.

Elon Musk

Title: Elon Musk
Author: Walter Isaacson
Published: September 12, 2023 by Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardcover, 688 pages
Genre: Biography

First Sentence: Prologue: As a kid growing up in South Africa, Elon Musk knew pain and learned how to survive it.

Blurb: When Elon Musk was a kid in South Africa, he was regularly beaten by bullies. One day a group pushed him down some concrete steps and kicked him until his face was a swollen ball of flesh. He was in the hospital for a week. But the physical scars were minor compared to the emotional ones inflicted by his father, an engineer, rogue, and charismatic fantasist.

His father’s impact on his psyche would linger. He developed into a tough yet vulnerable man-child, prone to abrupt Jekyll-and-Hyde mood swings, with an exceedingly high tolerance for risk, a craving for drama, an epic sense of mission, and a maniacal intensity that was callous and at times destructive.

At the beginning of 2022—after a year marked by SpaceX launching thirty-one rockets into orbit, Tesla selling a million cars, and him becoming the richest man on earth—Musk spoke ruefully about his compulsion to stir up dramas. “I need to shift my mindset away from being in crisis mode, which it has been for about fourteen years now, or arguably most of my life,” he said.

It was a wistful comment, not a New Year’s resolution. Even as he said it, he was secretly buying up shares of Twitter, the world’s ultimate playground. Over the years, whenever he was in a dark place, his mind went back to being bullied on the playground. Now he had the chance to own the playground.

For two years, Isaacson shadowed Musk, attended his meetings, walked his factories with him, and spent hours interviewing him, his family, friends, coworkers, and adversaries. The result is the revealing inside story, filled with amazing tales of triumphs and turmoil, that addresses the are the demons that drive Musk also what it takes to drive innovation and progress?

My Opinion: A crazy manchild, who can, and most certainly will, change the future. That is paraphrasing the ending of the book, and I couldn’t agree more.

Stepping back to the beginning, you feel for the child that was Elon. His home life was awful, and this school life was torment, so it is not surprising that he was determined to show the world, and his father, that he was underestimated. Watching the maniacal narcissist in his taking over of companies that he didn’t quite start but sued his way to the top, to his deleting anything and anyone in his way, was a slippery slide into the take-no-prisoners person he has become. Yet, people, mostly the women in his life, and some family members, stick by him no matter the abuse he puts them through.

Somehow, he makes his impetuous decisions work. He will rebuild the decimated Twitter after laying off approximately 75% of its workforce. He will continue to make Tesla a premiere car company even though he deleted all the parts that he thought were unnecessary, and no one will be surprised when SpaceX makes it to Mars before NASA.

After finishing the book, I don’t know what I would say about Musk. Other than I know that I would never work for him, and I don’t think I would ever buy one of his cars. He is a man who desperately loves his family, but his mind doesn’t understand empathy and deep love. The man is a trainwreck that I can’t look away from. And yes, Elon, invest in Kevlar boots since you will always be your own worst enemy.

Walter Isaacson, though repetitive, introduces the reader to the life and bipolar mind of one of this generation’s greatest thinkers. I’m not going to say that Elon is a genius -- it is the people around him who have created the mind-blowing technology -- Elon was just the person who said, “I have an idea, make it work, or I’ll fire you.”

The Raging Storm

Title: The Raging Storm
Author: Ann Cleeves
Published: September 5, 2023 by Minotaur Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover 383 pages
Genre: Police Procedural
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Two Rivers #3

First Sentence: The man blew into Greystone at the height of a September gale.

Blurb: When Jem Rosco—sailor, adventurer, and legend—blows into town in the middle of an autumn gale, the residents of Greystone, Devon, are delighted to have a celebrity in their midst. But just as abruptly as he arrived, Rosco disappears again, and soon his lifeless body is discovered in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, a place with legends of its own.

This is an uncomfortable case for Detective Inspector Matthew Venn. Greystone is a place he visited as a child, a community he parted ways with. Superstition and rumor mix with fact as another body is found, and Venn finds his judgment clouded.

As the winds howl, and Venn and his team investigate, he realizes that no one, including himself, is safe from Scully Cove’s storm of dark secrets.(GoodReads)

My Opinion: Sometimes I wonder if I am smart enough to read an Ann Cleeves novel since I seem to be the last to the party.

It could be that because I am rewatching the Vera television series, but part of this book seemed familiar but also different at the same time. Matthew Venn is not Vera Stanhope, but they both approach the “dead body in the boat” the same way, and as their investigations broaden, other secrets come to life.

There is no way that I would have been able to guess the ultimate person responsible for the murder of the local celebrity, but I’m not sure that is what Ann Cleeves wanted. By the time I finished, I thought Greystone was the main character in the book and the body was secondary. The dark, gloomy, superstitious town of rumors and side-eye is what carried the novel through.

Of course, I will continue with Matthew Venn since his story is still coming to light, and one day, I hope to, not exactly be a step ahead, but at least not a football field behind.

The Longmire Defense

Title: The Longmire Defense
Author: Craig Johnson
Published: September 5, 2023 by Viking
Format: Kindle, 336 Pages
Genre: Police Procedural
Series: Walt Longmire #19

First Sentence: “Where have you been?” I looked out amid the grove of aspens that led to the beaver pond where Hero trimmed the small saplings and dragged them into the water, ever building, ever improving his tiny world near my family cabin in the Bighorn National Forest.

Blurb: Walt Longmire faces one of his most challenging crime scenes as he tries to reckon with the revelations of his last case where he confronted the ghosts of his past and questioned the very nature of justice and mercy in the hard country of the West.

Deep in the heart of the Wyoming countryside, Sheriff of Absaroka County, Walt Longmire, is called to a crime scene like few others that he has seen. This crime brings up issues that go back to Walt's grandfather's time in Wyoming, as the revelations he learns about his grandfather come back to offer clues and motives for Walt's investigation. Filled with back-country action, and with the great cast of characters that readers have come to love with the Longmire series, this new book will be sure to satisfy both long-time readers and those new to the series. (GoodReads)

My Opinion: I am relieved that Craig Johnson is back to his old ways and no longer in the land of make-believe. The last couple of books had me wondering what rabbit hole he wanted us to travel with him, but I am glad we are all back on sure footing. Except for the coincidental finding of a missing gun on a 25,000-acre piece of property in the middle of nowhere - a story must begin somewhere.

This narrative was a long time coming. Readers familiar with Walt’s father and the unsettled past will see that the author finally took this fork in the road and answered some questions, along with opening a few new detours in Walt’s story.

I liked the “oh, you’re not the bad guy I thought you were” feel of the book. The usual characters are there, each playing their parts and new characters that we will hopefully see in the future. But with Walt and Craig, only time will tell.

A Body in a Cornish Village

Title: A Body in a Cornish Village
Author: Dee MacDonald
Published: August 17, 2023 by Bookouture
Format: Kindle, 278 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Kate Palmer #7

First Sentence: There wasn't a cloud in the August Sky.

Blurb: Kate Palmer is delighted when she learns that her home, the beautiful seaside village of Tinworthy, is the setting for a new TV show. She’s even more excited when she, her handsome husband Woody and her drama queen sister Angie are all invited to be extras. But when the cameras start rolling, the trio are in for a nasty surprise when the film’s writer and producer, Crispin Wyngarde, drops dead.

Before long, rumours start flying and Angie is in the spotlight for murder. Kate knows her sister had a brief, stormy fling with Crispin during her younger days as an actress, but surely Angie couldn’t have hated him that much, could she?

Kate is certain of her sister’s innocence, and is determined to prove it. But who would want to kill Crispin and set the stage for Angie to take the fall? Could it be Fergal, Angie’s jealous boyfriend? Sonja, the eccentric director, who had a love-hate relationship with Crispin? Or gorgeous Guy, the hairdresser who’s held a grudge against the problematic producer for years?

Armed with a list of possible culprits, Kate sets out to interview everyone she can. Over cups of tea, secrets start to spill out about overheard conversations and mysterious money transfers. But just as Kate thinks she’s finally on the right track, her main suspect is found dead after a party in the village. To make matters worse, he’s one of Angie’s old flames too.

Kate needs to solve the crime – and quick – to save her feisty sister. Can she untangle the clues and get to the truth, before it’s curtains down for Angie? (GoodReads)

My Opinion: I feel disappointed that the Kate Palmer series has come to an end. It's hard to find many amateur detective series that feature middle-aged women. I wish more series didn't depend on bouncy curls and boyfriends who are conveniently detectives, which is overused in cozy mysteries. Though Kate does live in a small seaside town, it was enjoyable to follow her as she walks on trails and unravels the mystery.

However, I'm looking forward to Dee MacDonald's upcoming books. I hope they'll captivate me just as much as Kate and Angie did.

The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove

Title: The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove
Author: Karen Hawkins
Published: August 15, 2023 by Gallery Books
Format: Kindle, Paperback 352 Pages
Genre: Magical Realism
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Dove Pond #3

First Sentence: It’s a sad fact of life that in very large, very noisy families filled with big personalities, it’s possible for a quieter, more solitary child to get lost.

Blurb: Ella Dove is an acclaimed baker whose desserts spark vivid, cherished memories in those who taste them. A restless soul, Ella goes wherever the wind takes her—but driven by a haunting dream, she’s coming home to Dove Pond. Years ago, her mentor, Angela Stewart Harrington, falsely accused Ella of stealing her beloved family recipe book, known as the Book of Cakes. Now, Ella believes it’s time for them to reconcile.

Angela has her own share of amends to make. Her daughter Jules has never forgiven her for divorcing her father, and they’ve been estranged ever since. But just as Angela begins to hope that she and Jules might mend their tattered relationship, a miscommunication turns into a lie that could destroy everything.

Meanwhile, Jules’s son Gray is shocked that Ella, his first love and his first heartbreak, has returned to Dove Pond. But even though he knows Ella is a wanderer and will soon leave, he’s unable to stop himself from falling for her once again. Can Gray find a way to convince Ella to give him, and their town, a serious chance? Or is he once again on the road to a broken heart? (GoodReads)

With so much at stake, Ella, Angela, and Gray must learn to accept each other—flaws and all—forgive the many mistakes of their pasts, and trust that love can, and will, always find a way.

My Opinion: This is one of those series where I wish new releases would be more frequent since I tend to forget which sister has which ability and the reasons for their unease with each other. Karen Hawkins does a good job of reminding readers of each person, but there are still a few tidbits floating in the back of my mind that aren’t coming to the surface.

Like other readers, I didn’t think this book had as much of a magical twist as the previous books. The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove was more of a slow-burning book of infatuation and then realizing the right person has been in front of you the whole time.

I have no idea what the next sister’s story will be, but I hope the author will get back to the magical realism that originally brought me to this series.

Murder in the Book Lover's Loft

Title: Murder in the Book Lover's Loft
Author: Ellery Adams
Published: July 25, 2023 by Kensington Cozies
Format: Kindle, 304 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Book Retreat Mysteries #9

First Sentence: Jane Steward stood in a small, secret room in the attic turret of a sprawling manor house called Storyton Hall, a world-famous resort catering to readers, and tried to come to a decision.

Blurb: Jane and her fiancé, Edwin, are headed to the North Carolina coast for a much-needed vacation. Their harborside loft has floor-to-ceiling bookcases and breathtaking views, but Jane’s hopes of exploring the town with her man are stymied when Edwin steps on a stingray. Things take an even less romantic turn when Jane stumbles across a dead body.

Instead of taking leisurely beach strolls, Jane is suddenly on a literary chase through time, unearthing a dark secret in her family tree that threatens all she holds dear back in Storyton. And it’ll take a whole village to help her make amends for the past—and stop a madman bent on exacting justice in the present. (GoodReads)

My Opinion: I really thought it was another person who had committed the murder. So much so, that I think I tuned out other possibilities.

As the book was winding down, it appears to be the end, or possibly close to the end, of this series. There are ways to branch off, especially with Jane’s Uncle Aloysius and his little secret, but that might have to wait until Hem and Fitz grow up. We will have to see since no one ends a series with book #9? Or do they? Maybe there is another secret that we haven’t yet been privy to. Wondering minds what to know.

Dead Mountain

Title: Dead Mountain
Author: Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
Published: August 22, 2023 by Grand Central Publishing
Format: Hardcover, 388 Pages
Genre: Police Procedural
Series: Nora Kelly #4

First Sentence: Brandon Purdue and his frat buddy Mike Kottke sat on a rock underneath a big fir tree, near where their Jeep had skidded of a Forrest Service road into a ditch and run over a sapling.

Blurb: In 2008, nine mountaineers failed to return from a winter backpacking trip in the New Mexico mountains. At their final campsite, searchers found a bizarre scene: something had appeared at the door of their tent so terrifying that it impelled them to slash their way out and flee barefoot to certain death in a blizzard. Despite a diligent search, only six bodies were found, two violently crushed and inexplicably missing their eyes. The case, given the code name “Dead Mountain” by the FBI, was never solved.

Now, two more bodies from the lost expedition are unexpectedly discovered in a cave, one a grisly suicide. Young FBI Agent Corrie Swanson teams up with archaeologist Nora Kelly to investigate what really happened on that fateful trip fifteen years ago—and to find the ninth victim. But their search awakens a long-slumbering evil, which pursues Corrie and Nora with a vengeance, determined to prevent the final missing corpse from ever coming to light.(GoodReads)

My Opinion: The writing team of Preston and Childs does an excellent job of keeping the multiple storylines in this book distinct and engaging. The reader is bouncing around, in a good way, from one plot to the next, then back again, then on to something else, yet everything meshes. At no time do you feel that the authors are throwing ideas at the wall to see what sticks. That type of plotting is too typical of many other writers.

I’m unsure if you need to read the previous books to get on board with this 4th book in the series, but I would suggest it to understand how Nora and Corrie came to be and how Sheriff Watt came on board. Or the impact of Corrie’s previous training officer, but it is necessary to know and understand where the team came from and where it is going.

This series is a step above most police procedurals since it combines history, culture, geography, and stimulating plotting.

Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant

Title: Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant
Author: Darci Hannah
Published: July 25, 2023 by Kensington Cozies
Format: Kindle, 300 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Beacon Bakeshop #4

First Sentence: Time to make the donuts!

Blurb: Lindsey prefers to keep her bakeshop’s Halloween decor light and autumnal, rather than gruesome and ghoulish. But everyone knows her lighthouse home is haunted. Some intrepid teens have even tried to break in to witness the resident ghost themselves. Dreading Halloween night, Lindsey reluctantly allows her influencer and podcaster best friend, Kennedy, to host a live ghost hunting investigation in the lighthouse, conducted by a professional team. Protective of her ghost, Lyndsey is understandably nervous about what they might uncover.

The segment is uneventful—until things take a terrifying turn. The team freaks out. As Kennedy joins the mad dash outside, she bumps into what looks like the prankster teens’ creepy clown costume hanging from a tree. But when Lindsey’s dog, Wellington, begins to whine, they make a grim the clown is no dummy. It’s a corpse.

Now Lindsey and company will need to keep their cool if they want a ghost of a chance to solve the murder—and see another Halloween. (GoodReads)

My Opinion: This is one of those series that caught me off guard. I thought it would be the usual run-of-the-mill cozy mysteries that were easy to guess the culprits and left me with the feeling that there should have been more. Not so with this series.

I enjoy all the characters that Darci Hannah introduced. The atmosphere and the dialog fit without being overdrawn or talking down to the reader, and the newest creations out of the Beacon Bakeshop make you wonder where you can pop out to find a pumpkin scone.

My only issue was the title. Is a pumpkin pageant the same as a pumpkin carving contest? Is a parade a pageant? With that little matter aside, The Beacon Bakeshop series is still one that I keep on my radar.

The Lady from Burma

Title: The Lady from Burma
Author: Allison Montclair
Published: July 25, 2023 by Minotaur Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 336 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery #5

First Sentence: He sat on the edge of the narrow bed, reaching for the black wool socks he had stuffed into his shoes.

Blurb: In the immediate post-war days of London, two unlikely partners have undertaken an even more unlikely, if necessary, business venture - The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. The two partners are Miss Iris Sparks, a woman with a dangerous - and never discussed - past in British intelligence and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a war widow with a young son entangled in a complicated aristocratic family. Mostly their clients are people trying to start (or restart) their lives in this much-changed world, but their new client is something different. A happily married woman has come to them to find a new wife for her husband. Dying of cancer, she wants the two to make sure her entomologist, academic husband finds someone new once she passes.

Shortly thereafter, she's found dead in Epping Forest, in what appears to be a suicide. But that doesn't make sense to either Sparks or Bainbridge. At the same time, Bainbridge is attempting to regain legal control of her life, opposed by the conservator who has been managing her assets - perhaps not always in her best interest. When that conservator is found dead, Bainbridge herself is one of the prime suspects. Attempting to make sense of two deaths at once, to protect themselves and their clients, the redoubtable owners of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau are once again on the case.

My Opinion: I think I have narrowed down why I enjoy this series so much. It’s the humor. The things that come out of Gwen’s and Iris’s mouths make me laugh out loud and shake my head. The humor is spot-on, snarky, and insightful, all at the same time.

The book begins with a conversation between two unidentified people, and the reader spends the best part of the book matching up pairs in hopes of getting the puzzle right. I did not have it right. That didn’t bother me. There was so much going on in the book that it was easy to put the puzzle aside to readjust my focus to the next quandary facing the ladies. Whether it was their business, legal, relationships, family, or something else, there were so many distractions that by the time the book ended, somehow Allison Montclair tied enough up that the only parts left would work as fodder for the next book in the series.

A Cryptic Clue

Title: A Cryptic Clue
Author: Victoria Gilbert
Published: July 11, 2023 by Crooked Lane Books
Format: Kindle, 320 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Hunter and Clewe #1

First Sentence: On the day I met Cameron Clewe, I thought I was simply changing jobs.

Blurb: A retired librarian gets back to the books—and into a devilish murder case—in acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert’s new series, the perfect literary adventure for fans of Kate Carlisle and Jenn McKinlay. Sixty-year-old Jane Hunter, forced into early retirement from her job as a university librarian, is seeking a new challenge to keep her spirits up and supplement her meager pension. But as she’s about to discover, a retiree’s life can bring new thrills—and new dangers.

Cameron “Cam” Clewe, an eccentric 33-year-old collector, is also seeking something—an archivist to inventory his ever-expanding compendium of rare books and artifacts. Jane’s thrilled to be hired on by Cam and to uncover the secrets of his latest acquisition, a trove of items related to the classic mystery and detective authors. But Jane’s delight is upended when a body is discovered in Cam’s library. The victim, heir to a pharmaceutical fortune, was the last in line of Cam’s failed romances—and now he’s suspect number one.

Cam vows to use his intelligence and deductive skills to clear his name—but with a slight case of agoraphobia, rampant anxiety, and limited social skills, he’ll need some help. It comes down to Jane to exonerate her new boss—but is he truly innocent?

My Opinion: I didn't enjoy this book and should not have read beyond the first few chapters. The descriptions were excessive and repetitive, and the plot contained unrealistic events. The author included too many elements without proper development, resulting in a slow-moving story that abruptly concluded. I had to backtrack and remember the culprit and how they had fit into the story. Needless to say, the characters were unremarkable and despite being the first book in a series, I have no desire to read the second installment.

An Evil Heart

Title: An Evil Heart
Author: Linda Castillo
Published: July 11, 2023 by Minotaur Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Police Procedural
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Kate Burkholder #15

First Sentence: Prologue: the sky above the treetops blazed in hues of florescent orange and Easter-egg pink when Aden Karen backed his bicycle from the shed.

Blurb: On a crisp autumn day in Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a call only to discover an Amish man who has been violently killed with a crossbow, his body abandoned on a dirt road. Aden Karn was just twenty years old, well liked, and from an upstanding Amish family. Who would commit such a heinous crime against a young man whose life was just beginning?

The more Kate gets to know his devastated family and the people—both English and Amish—who loved him, the more determined she becomes to solve the case. Aden Karn was funny and hardworking and looking forward to marrying his sweet fiancé, Emily. All the while, Kate’s own wedding day to Tomasetti draws near...

But as she delves into Karn’s past, Kate begins to hear whispers about a dark side. What if Aden Karn wasn’t the wholesome young man everyone admired? Is it possible the rumors are a cruel campaign to blame the victim? Kate pursues every lead with a vengeance, sensing an unspeakable secret no one will broach.

The case spirals out of control when a young Amish woman comes forward with a horrific story that pits Kate against a dangerous and unexpected opponent. When the awful truth is finally uncovered, Kate comes face to face with the terrible consequences of a life lived in all the dark places.

My Opinion: I need to go back to the first chapter because there was something that caught my attention but wasn't clear by the end. It's possible that I misread or forgot something, or maybe there's a gap in the story.

The book was intense and graphic, more than any other book I've read from Castillo. It wasn't until halfway through the book that a possible suspect list started to form. As I was narrowing my list of suspects, a new tragedy occurred -- out went the old list, in came the new.

I was surprised that Castillo took the time to reintroduce her recurring characters in the fifteenth book of the series. It might be me, but I can't imagine anyone starting a series with the fifteenth book. Speaking of jumping, Kate is no novice, but the number of fences she jumped over made me chuckle.

Some parts were repeated, and some sections felt drawn out, but overall, I highly recommend this series.

Unorthodox Love

Title: Unorthodox Love
Author: Heidi Shertok
Published: July 11, 2023 by Alcove Press
Format: Kindle, 333 pages
Genre: Romance

First Sentence: On the scale of catastrophic things n the world, being a twenty-nine-year-old virgin isn’t that bad.

Blurb: Twenty-nine-year-old Penina longs for true love and marriage, but being infertile in the Orthodox Jewish community means she’s rarely matched with the cream of the crop—or even skim milk two weeks past its expiration date. Matchmakers either set her up with men twice her age or those with serious mommy issues. At this point, she might as well wear a sign around her neck that says “professional virgin.”

As if things weren’t bad enough, her sister Libby then shares a terrible her husband’s failed businesses have already put strain on their marriage, and now they might also lose their family home. Penina is desperate to help, so when a secretly gay Orthodox Jew offers a payout in exchange for a fake marriage, it feels like kismet. Who needs true love anyway?

Enter Sam Kleinfeld. Rude, secular, undeniably sexy, and also…Penina’s new boss. The last thing he wants is a relationship, especially not with a beautiful, smart-mouthed employee. But soon an attraction builds that they both can’t ignore. Will Penina follow her heart and find true love, or will she stick to the traditions she knows best?

My Opinion: I'm not typically a fan of the romance genre. However, from the beginning, I found myself thoroughly enjoying Unorthodox Love. The characters were so captivating that I found myself rooting for them and becoming invested in their lives.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this book was Heidi Shertok’s explanation of the Orthodox Jewish religion and how it was central to Penina's life. It wasn't just a typical romance novel; but a deeper exploration of faith and individualism.

What stood out to me was the strong and independent nature of Penina. She didn't conform to the expectations of a man and stayed true to herself, even if it meant making sacrifices for her loved ones.

I loved every character in this book and felt like I was leaving the best party of the year when I finished reading it.

Fatal Fudge Swirl

Title: Fatal Fudge Swirl
Author: Meri Allen
Published: June 27, 2023 by St. Martin's Paperbacks
Format: Kindle, Paperback 320 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Ice Cream Shop Mysteries #3

First Sentence: “Nothing like reading other people’s mail.”

Blurb: A movie production brings drama―and murder―to a close-knit New England village, forcing Riley Rhodes to scoop out the suspects.

Former CIA librarian and amateur sleuth Riley Rhodes is loving her fresh start as the manager of the Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop. The leaves are turning, tourists are leaf-peeping, and Penniman, Connecticut is putting finishing touches on the weekend long Halloween Happening. But the village is also buzzing. Former child star Cooper Collins is overseeing the production of a romantic comedy that’s filming on the town green and his domineering socialite mother, Diantha, is planning her lavish Halloween themed wedding at her Inn on the Green. Her fiancé has run the Inn's kitchen for years, ably aided by his recent ex-wife, chef Mary Ann Dumas. An old friend of Riley’s, Mary Ann turns to her when the bride requests a spooky ice cream wedding cake.

But the weekend takes a frightful turn when Diantha is found dead and suspicion falls on Mary Ann. The cast of potential suspects is long―each wedding guest had a chilling motive to kill the vicious heiress. Can Riley unmask the murderer before another guest ends up on ice? (GoodReads)

My Opinion: When a book begins with a list of characters, I get nervous. Does that mean the author knows that they aren’t defining their characters with individual voices or that there are too many to keep straight? Although the recurring characters were not included in the list, readers should be familiar with the women of Penniman by the time they reach the third book in the series.

I read this Halloween themed book during a summer heatwave and just the thought of cold foggy nights and ice cream was refreshing.

The storyline was a bit twisty and the subplots were weak. There is unnecessary repetition and the clues along the way may cause the reader a moment or two to connect the dots. Am I the only one that removes luggage tags after each flight?

By the end, the male characters all melded together. Which brother was which, who was the manager of the Inn, the groom to be, and who was the chef? Maybe I should have paid more attention to the list of characters at the beginning of the book.

Einstein: His Life and Universe

Title: Einstein: His Life and Universe
Author: Walter Isaacson
Published: April 10, 2007 by Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardcover, 675 pages
Genre: Biography

First Sentence: “I promise you four papers,” the young patent examiner wrote his friend.

Blurb: How did his mind work? What made him a genius? Isaacson’s biography shows how his scientific imagination sprang from the rebellious nature of his personality. His fascinating story is a testament to the connection between creativity and freedom.

Based on newly released personal letters of Einstein, this book explores how an imaginative, impertinent patent clerk—a struggling father in a difficult marriage who couldn’t get a teaching job or a doctorate—became the mind reader of the creator of the cosmos, the locksmith of the mysteries of the atom, and the universe. His success came from questioning conventional wisdom and marveling at mysteries that struck others as mundane. This led him to embrace a morality and politics based on respect for free minds, free spirits, and free individuals.

These traits are just as vital for this new century of globalization, in which our success will depend on our creativity, as they were for the beginning of the last century, when Einstein helped usher in the modern age.

My Opinion: Let’s be honest, the science was over my head, but the people, places, and history are what kept me reading.

I had never put into context the history timeline of Albert Einstein from the time he was wondering what it was like to ride a light-beam, to his relativity theory, to challenging conventional wisdom, to fighting for what he believed in even though he, as a person, didn’t change that much from the lowly patient clerk where he started.

This book has sat on my shelf for years and I always made excuses not to read it since I just knew it was going to be a dry, boring slog throw an arrogant egotistical man’s life. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Albert Einstein, through the words of Walter Isaacson, is a warm, goofy, charming man who didn’t take himself seriously. His science was serious, but he was just a regular guy, who took regular walks and helped the neighborhood kids with their homework.

He lived in exciting time and with his little bit of fame, and a couple of awards, he was able to travel in renowned circles and influenced other great scientists. He was not a good husband, and it took years to be a decent father, but in the end, he got there.

I suggest reading this book for the history, the humor, and to be introduced to a man that you did not expect to jump off these pages.

Death Comes to Marlow

Title: Death Comes to Marlow
Author: Robert Thorogood
Published: June 6, 2023 by Poison Pen Press
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 286 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: The Marlow Murder Club #2

First Sentence: After the excitement of the previous summer, Mrs. Judith Potts spent the winter returning to the more solitary rhythms of life.

Blurb: Robert Thorogood delights in giving the Christie-mystery a busy-body twist. Judith (our favorite skinny-dipping, whiskey-sipping, crossword puzzle author), along with Becks the vicar's wife, and Susie the dogwalker find themselves in a head-scratching, utterly clever country house, locked-room murder mystery.

Holiday festivities are now January doldrums when Judith gets a call—Sir Peter Bailey, a prominent Marlovian is inviting notable citizens to his house the day before his wedding to celebrate.

Judith decides to go—after all, it's a few houses up the Thames and free champagne, for sure. During the party, a loud crash inside stops the festivities. The groom-to-be has been crushed to death in his study. The door was locked from the inside so the police say suicide, obviously. (the Poisoned Pen Press)

My Opinion: I cannot tell what year this book takes place. One aspect seems to be an old-fashioned 1950s mystery, but at the same time, they have cell phones and talk cryptocurrency. Then they talk extortion, but the number mentioned seems correct for the 50s but is missing a few zeros for the current day.

Once you get past that confusion, next up is a mansion without staff that conveniently, because that is what the plot needed, allowed people to wander unnoticed. That brings me to another quirk. How does a man on a boat hear a display case fall in a house quite a distance away?

Granted, I read an ARC, and I hope the editors caught onto the glaring issues in this 2nd book in the Marlow Murder Club series.

The book was slow-paced, repetitive, had problems with consistency, and lacked the same energy that the women brought to the first installment.

Misfortune Cookie

Title: Misfortune Cookie
Author: Vivien Chien
Published: June 27, 2023 by St. Martin's Paperbacks
Format: Kindle, Paperback 336 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Noodle Shop Mystery #9

First Sentence: I’m what you’d call a nervous flyer.

Blurb: They say fortune favors the bold, and Lana Lee is determined to prove that true.

Lana, now officially manager of her family’s restaurant, the Ho-Lee Noodle House, is headed to sunny Irvine, California to attend a restaurant convention with her sister, Anna May, along for the ride. The girls’ very Americanized Aunt Grace has asked them to stay in her posh rental, and as the trip begins, it seems to be just what they both needed. Even the restaurant convention proves to be worthwhile and entertaining, especially when Lana witnesses a dramatic cat fight between a fortune cookie vendor and a journalist.

Lana and Anna May can’t imagine things getting any better until they learn their aunt has yet another surprise in store for them―a swanky cocktail party hosted for the freelancers of Southern California. But on the night of the party, things go south when a close journalist friend of Grace’s mysteriously plunges from the roof top of the hotel. Even more suspicious is the fact that Aunt Grace’s friend is the same journalist Lana saw getting into a screaming match with the fortune cookie vendor at the convention.

The police rule the death a gruesome accident, but Aunt Grace refuses to accept that explanation and begs Lana for her help uncovering the truth. Lana, Anna May, Aunt Grace attempt to keep up appearances as they search for answers, but unwanted attention from suspicious colleagues and convention attendees starts to surface, causing Lana to wonder if they’ll find the killer in time…or if they’ll be the next ones pushed over the edge.

My Opinion: Even though the Mahjong Matron’s were not part of this book, I believe it is one of the best in the series. Maybe because it takes place in my old stomping grounds, maybe it is because Lana Lee isn’t always trying to stay one step ahead of her detective boyfriend, or maybe it is because she is connecting with her sister Anna May and their Aunt Grace. Whatever it was, there was something different and more engaging in this ninth book of the Noodle Shop Mystery series.

Lana can’t help it when bodies are literally falling out of the sky, but when the reasons are hitting too close to home for Aunt Grace, Lana must step in to protect her family. When she does, more of Grace’s story comes out and the girls, Lana and Anna, must decide when to push and when to sit back and let Grace reveal her own secrets. As long as the girls can keep Grace safe, the rest will have to wait for another day. (GoodReads)

Songs of Wine and Murder

Title: Songs of Wine and Murder
Author: Lynn Cahoon
Published: June 6, 2023 by Lyrical Press
Format: Kindle, 204 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: A Tourist Trap Mystery #15

First Sentence: Early summer was a busy time for South Cove’s businesses, so it didn’t surprise me that the attendance for the first Tuesday of the month’s business-to-business meeting was light.

Blurb: With the Moonstone Beach Festival coming up, Jill is touching base with her fellow small business owners to make it as successful as possible. It’s frustrating when Darla, the owner of South Cove Winery, is late to a big meeting, but they manage to get the discussion rolling about the kite flying event and the big Battle of the Bands—which Darla’s musician boyfriend is hoping will be his big break. And Jill, of course, will be there with her food truck, hoping for a financial boost after a slow spring.

But amid the fun in the California sun, someone will soon be planning a funeral instead of a festival—and Jill and her detective fiancé will have to find out who ruined the Moonstone Beach mood with murder. (GoodReads)

My Opinion: Either this series has gone downhill, or my tastes have changed.

Songs of Wine and Murder is slow, repetitive, has continuity issues, and Jill, the owner of Coffee, Books, and More, in the tourist town of South Cove, has lost her spark and energy. And in this book, the number of times she has walked from the coffee van to her shop is mentioned more than the murder. The readers understand that Jill has a busy festival weekend ahead of her, which includes navigating through the crowd at a music festival, repeatedly getting food, heading to the beach to meet her fiancé for a coffee break, and managing employee rotations. There must be more going on than this since there is a body that no one is really that interested in until the last third of the book. Oh yeah, and an employee who thinks the new temp’s name is familiar only to find out a fill-in-the-blank ridiculous reason for her not remembering him. Plus, when the town detective wondered how his fiancée put the obvious together before he did, made me shake my head and wonder if I was wasting my time.

This series could benefit from new energy, fresh material, or a significant change to engage and excite the audience.

Central Park West

Title: Central Park West
Author: James Comey
Published: May 30, 2023 by Mysterious Press
Format: Kindle, Hardcover 335 Pages
Genre: Crime Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

First Sentence: The doorman barely glanced up as she breezed past, bright blonde hair spilling from under her navy blue Hermes scarf, fancy Jackie O sunglasses on even at night, black Prada gabardine raincoat.

Blurb: The gripping crime fiction debut from former FBI director James Comey takes readers deep inside the world of lawyers and investigators working to solve a murder while navigating the treacherous currents of modern politics and the mob. When a years-long case against a powerful mobster finally cracks and an unimpeachable witness takes the stand, federal prosecutor Nora Carleton is looking forward to putting the defendant away for good. The mobster, though, has other plans. As the witness’s testimony concludes, a note is passed to the prosecution offering up information into the assassination of a disgraced former New York governor, murdered in his penthouse apartment just days before. It’s enough to blow the case wide open, and to send Nora into a high-stakes investigation of conspiracy, corruption, and danger. Drawing from the author’s decades in federal law enforcement, including his years in Manhattan as a mob prosecutor and later the chief federal prosecutor, Central Park West is a fast-paced legal thriller with an intriguing plot enriched by real-life details and experiences. That unique perspective gives the novel much of its allure, but it’s the unforgettable characters, shocking twists, and courtroom scenes as authentic as they are dramatic that will leave readers looking forward to more from this bold new talent in the genre.(GoodReads)

My Opinion: While reading this book, I wondered if it could become a series since I enjoyed the people, investigation, politics, and courtroom atmosphere. I don’t know if James Comey will continue down this crime fiction path, but he has a flare for this genre.

After reading other reviews, I must disagree with those who compared him to James Patterson. The two authors have a similar way of storytelling, but Comey takes it a few steps further. Central Park West has more meat and atmosphere, which goes a long way for a reader who likes to settle in and not feel that they have picked up a brain candy beach read.

The story has a few graphic moments, but that’s what you get when mafia stories are told, but there is also balance, with the people fighting in the courts and the people they go home to.

People will judge James Comey by his politics, but as an author, I enjoy his work and think people who read crime fiction will find that this book touches all the parts that make this genre enjoyable.