The Hidden City

Title: The Hidden City
Author: Charles Finch
Published: September 6, 2025, by Minotaur Books
Format: Kindle, 288 pages
Genre: Historical Mystery
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Charles Lenox Mysteries #12

Blurb: It's 1879, and Lenox is convalescing from the violent events of his last investigation. But a desperate letter from an old servant forces him to pick up the trail of a cold case: the murder of an apothecary seven years before, whose only clue is an odd emblem carved into the doorway of the building where the man was killed. When Lenox finds a similar mark at the site of another murder, he begins to piece together a hidden pattern which leads him into the corridors of Parliament, the slums of East London, and ultimately the very heart of the British upper class.

At the same time, Lenox must contend with the complexities of his personal life: a surprising tension with his steadfast wife, Lady Jane, over her public support of the early movement for women's suffrage; the arrival of Angela Lenox, a mysterious young cousin from India, with an unexpected companion; the dizzying ascent of his brother, Sir Edmund Lenox, to one of the highest political posts in the land; the growing family of his young partners in detection, Polly and Dallington; and the return of the problems that have long bedeviled one of his closest friends, the dashing Scottish physician Thomas McConnell.

My Opinion: One of the things that I enjoy about a Charles Lenox novel is how it teaches the reader something while telling a good story. Every book offers a bit of history, a touch of vocabulary, a lot of mystery, and a handful of plot threads that resolve at their own pace. This novel may be short in page count, but it does not skimp on the details.

Because there’s been a long gap since the previous book, it takes a moment to settle back in. Once you do, the familiar rhythm returns, and the promise of another installment later this year makes the adjustment easier. The series has never bored me, and with Jane protesting for the right to vote and two new charges now in Lennox’s care, the emotional stakes feel richer than before.

What surprised me most was finding myself sympathizing with a villain. I can’t recall another Lenox novel that pulled that off quite this strongly. The middle section may feel slow for some readers, but the story regains its footing with its well drawn cast and engaging dialogue.

Where Finch will take us next is anyone’s guess, but that uncertainty is part of the fun.

Imposter Syndrome

Title: Imposter Syndrome
Author: Andrew Mayne
Published: October 21, 2025 by Thomas & Mercer
Format: Kindle, 288 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: The Specialists #2

Blurb: The FBI calls on former agent Jessica Blackwood to look at a puzzling crime. A wildlife officer has found the body of a popular YouTuber encased in an obelisk made of salt in a remote refuge. When the agency is tipped off to a second body, that of a TikTok star chained to the bottom of Nevada’s Pyramid Lake—her hands clasped in prayer—Jessica recruits a trusted colleague of her Floridian underwater investigator Sloan McPherson.

It appears to be the work of a ritualistic serial killer preying on influencers. That tracks when a third victim—a fantasy-game live streamer—barely survives a pipe bomb attack. But in navigating the social media world of instafame, manipulation, and deception, Jessica and Sloan know how illusory appearances can be. As the threats multiply across the country, they fear they’re playing with something more extreme than they a killer’s endgame that could be nothing less than apocalyptic.

My Opinion: I’ve realized that when it comes to Andrew Mayne’s ensemble, I gravitate far more toward Theo Cray and Brad Trasker than Jessica Blackwood and Sloan McPherson. His male characters consistently feel sharper, with richer depth and banter that sparks. The women, unfortunately, don’t get the same treatment; Jessica and Sloan’s interactions often read like a mother lecturing a teenage daughter, bogged down in repetitive exchanges that sap the energy from the page. That said, if Mayne ever spun off a series around Trasker’s mother, I’d be first in line.

This book sits as a companion to his other series, pulling together familiar faces from across his backlist. It’s the kind of convergence that works best if you’ve already read the individual series in order. With that foundation, you know who each character is, what they bring to the table, and the crossover feels like a reward rather than a puzzle. Readers new to Mayne might miss some of the nuance, but for those invested, the interplay adds texture.

The plot itself is a cocktail of modern intrigue: AI technology, social media influencers, and secretive Mormon fundamentalists. It’s eclectic enough that nearly every reader will find a hook. At times, though, the narrative gets convoluted, leaving gaps that aren’t fully explained. Still, Jessica’s magician upbringing and the literal tunnels she navigates lend an additional depth to the confusion.

What really landed was the final twist. I didn’t see it coming, and it was one of the rare moments that made me stop, reread, and appreciate the cleverness. That spark reminded me why I keep picking up Mayne’s books, even when some installments don’t hit the same high notes.

No author can deliver edge-of-your-seat suspense every single time, and this doesn’t quite reach the intensity of Mayne’s best. But it sets the stage for what’s next: Chaos Man, arriving soon, with the full band—Cray, Blackwood, Trasker, and McPherson—back together. And that reunion alone is enough to keep me curious.

Murder in Miniature

Title: Murder in Miniature
Author: Katie Tietjen
Published: September 23, 2025, by Crooked Lane Books
Format: Kindle, 288 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Maple Bishop #2

Blurb: Maple Bishop has a thriving dollhouse business and a new career as a crime scene consultant for the local sheriff's office. On the surface, she seems to be doing well, but deep down Maple is still reeling from the death of her husband. When the body of an aspiring firefighter–who was close childhood friends with Kenny, the sheriff’s deputy and Maple’s confidante–is discovered in the charred remains of a burned cabin, Maple is called in to help determine whether the fire was an accident or a case of murder by arson.

Realizing there’s more to the crime than meets the eye, she sets out to unearth the discrepancies from the scene by re-creating the cabin in miniature. The investigation leads them to Maple’s old Boston neighborhood, forcing her to confront the past she’s desperately trying to forget.

As Maple and Kenny sift through clues, they uncover dark secrets that hit close to home, unravelling in unexpected ways–and putting their lives in danger.

My Opinion: When the world feels like it’s spinning off its axis, I sometimes reach for a story that promises a gentler pace. This novel seemed like it might offer that: a small town with a late 1940s Mayberry vibe, a quirky cast, and a heroine who builds dollhouses for a living. But opening on a partially burned body wasn’t exactly the soft landing I had in mind.

Maple Bishop herself is an appealing anchor: a talented miniaturist who’s somehow added “crime scene consultant” to her résumé. The setup has charm, and the premise of early forensic work in a down-to-earth community could have been a fun contrast. However, the execution leans heavily on aw-shucks dialogue and a tone that feels more cutesy than cozy. After a while, the “gosh darn golly” pace wore thin.

The mystery has potential, yet some readers will likely piece things together early. The challenge is keeping track of the many names and moving parts, which sometimes muddle the motive rather than sharpen it. Add in frequent recaps of the first book, which are far more than a quick refresher, and the story starts to feel padded.

I wanted a comforting escape, and while the setting tries to deliver that, the pacing and repetition kept pulling me out. There’s a good idea here, but it gets a bit lost along the way.

Magic Uncorked

Title: Magic Uncorked
Author: Annabel Chase
Expected Publication: January 21, 2026 by Storm Publishing
Format: Kindle, 214 Pages
Genre: Paranormal
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Midlife Magic Cocktail Club #1

Blurb: For Libbie Stark, Friday night cocktail club is a lifeline. Whatever her problems, whether her stubborn boss, unruly teens or deadbeat boyfriend, time with the women of Lake Cloverleaf always feels like a tonic.

But when tragedy strikes on the Fourth of July, Libbie discovers a magical secret. Witches are real. Only they aren’t born – they’re created. When a witch dies, her powers pass from one generation to the next. And a local witch has chosen to pass her powers onto the ladies of the cocktail club.

With the help of a magical recipe book, Libbie must harness her new powers and use them to shake up the comfortable life she settled for. As Libbie learns to finally live on her own terms, sparks fly with handsome local lawyer Ethan Townsend, and she discovers it’s never too late to restore a little magic to your life.

My Opinion: I picked up this novel on a whim, drawn in by the cover without knowing much else. I expected witchy vibes, sure, but what I didn’t realize was that this is a reissue; the first book in the author’s Midlife Magic Cocktail Club series. And honestly, it caught me off guard in the best way.

The story has a kind of charm that sneaks up on you. The characters are warm and inviting, the kind of women you want to sit down with over a drink and hear more about. The writing style is subtle, but it works here, adding a playful energy to the narrative. The catering details are glossed over, but that’s not really the point of the book. What matters is the atmosphere, the friendships, and the sense of possibility that Inga brings to the ladies of Lake Cloverleaf.

Another pleasant surprise is that the romance thread doesn’t dominate the story. The “love interest” is present but not overwhelming, which makes space for the women’s lives and choices to take center stage. It’s not exactly quaint, but there’s something deeply appealing about watching these characters navigate midlife, magic, and new beginnings.

And then came the kicker. I glanced at Chase’s backlist and realized it’s prolific. I had never heard of her before, but now I suspect I’ve opened the door to a whole new reading adventure.