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.