#NetGalley #BookReview ~ The Raven Thief (Secret Staircase Mystery #2) by Gigi Pandian #Mystery #Cozy #LockedRoom

The Raven Thief

(Secret Staircase Mystery #2)

by Gigi Pandian

Release date: March 21st, 2023

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Raven Thief (Secret Staircase Mystery #2) by Gigi Pandian from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…is an utterly unique and extremely fun cozy mystery blended with a slight touch of magic….…

Being a fan of Gigi Pandian, I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to read and review The Raven Thief, the second book of her locked room Secret Staircase Mystery Series.

Picking up after the events of book one, Tempest is living at Fiddler’s Folly with her grandparents and is now working at the Secret Staircase Construction, her family’s company. Busy recreating a new life for herself after moving from Vegas, she is slowly adapting.  

Currently, the family business is focused on their client Lavinia who is going through a tumultuous divorce from her philandering ex-husband the infamous has-been mystery author Corbin Colt. Lavinia has gone to great lengths to reinvent her life, including completely renovating her house, using the Secret Staircase Construction Company to create a magical mystery themed place for her Mystery book club members to meet at. When Lavinia decides to conduct a purging ceremony including the burning of Corbin’s left behind belongings, Tempest’s dear friend Sanjay agrees to perform a fake séance for the divorcee hoping to banish the last bad memories of Corbin. In the middle of the séance the room goes dark and when the lights reappear so does Corbin’s dead body, splayed on top of the séance table surrounded by all the attendees. In a locked room, how did the killer get in or was the killer there all along?  

When family secrets come back to haunt her and suspicion is cast towards Tempest’s grandfather Ash, the clock is ticking for her to get to the bottom of it and save her family.  

The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian is an utterly unique and extremely fun cozy mystery blended with a slight touch of magic. One of my favorite things about all her books is Padian creates diverse, quirky, multi-faceted characters who all feel well-formed and really add to the story. My only complaint would be the series through plot with her mother feels a bit slow and repetitive at times.  

This entry really has it all, a complex, interesting mystery with thrill, chills, and intrigue. I really enjoyed this entry and look forward to hearing more of Tempest Raj’s adventures.

#NetGalley #BookReview Death Comes to the Costa del Sol (Astrid Swift #3) by M.H. Eccleston #Mystery

Review

Death Comes to the Costa del Sol

Astrid Swift #3

by M.H. Eccleston

Release date: March 2nd, 2023

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(3.5 rounded up)

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Death Comes to the Costa del Sol (Astrid Swift #3) by M.H. Eccleston from Net Galley and Head of Zeus Publishing in order to read and give an honest review.

…characters are incredibly quirky and entertaining as is finding out the identity of the troll…

Desperate for some R & R after the events of book two Death on the Isle Astrid decides to visit her estranged father and stepmother Jennifer in Estipona on the coast of Spain. One of her main reasons for visiting Costa del Sol is to mend fences with her father and get to the bottom of a family feud. When her stepmother Jennifer asks for help with an online troll whose been terrorizing both Jennifer and her tight-knit group of ex-pat friends, Astrid feels obligated to help. On twitter, a troll keeps posting the victims’ deepest secrets with threats of more to come. The eclectic group begs Astrid to get to the bottom of it before everyone becomes aware of their deepest darkest and potentially damaging secrets. When it seems that her father is keeping secrets of his own, Astrid needs to solve more than one puzzle. 

Having absolutely loved the previous books, I was looking forward to reading this entry into the series but for me although it still had its usually brilliant and quirky characters, the plot fell somewhat flat for me in comparison. The murder which occurs after the halfway point is answered in the end but more in passing and the ending felt rushed. I would recommend this alone for trolling storyline, the characters are incredibly quirky and entertaining as is finding out the identity of the troll, but the murder mystery was lackluster and felt like an afterthought in my opinion.  

#NetGalley #BookReview A Mischief of Rats (A Nell Ward Mystery #3) by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett #CozyMystery #Crime #Ecology

A Mischief of Rats

(A Nell Ward Mystery #3)

by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett

Release date: February 28th, 2023  

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of A Mischief of Rats (A Nell Ward Mystery #3) by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett from Net Galley and Embla Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…this part cozy mystery meets police procedural is an intelligent, authentic, and quirky read which I would highly recommend…

A Mischief of Rats is the third entry in the Nell Ward Mystery series and much better than the first book a Murder of Crows which I previously reviewed. Having not read the second book I was a bit lost in parts, but it was still good as a standalone. This time around the book had a much more cohesive feel and the prose flowed at a nice pace. Thankfully the dreaded love triangle is gone, and Nell is putting her life together after what appears to be traumatic trials, she endured in book two and starting a new life with her boyfriend Rav.  

We begin with Nell in charge of organizing a race at her family’s estate featuring classic cars that have been converted with electric engines. We meet some of the race staff and participants, especially womanizing and reckless racer Jack Rafferty, his supermodel wife, and entourage.  

With a complicated schedule of not only organizing the race, juggling a romance and the dreaded “meet the parents” weekend, Nell is up early helping her ecologist friend Mai put final changes in place after rehabilitating a woodlands pond for designation when they discover a car in the middle of the pond, and with the driver still at the wheel…. dead. When Nell recognizes the body as none other than Jack Rafferty she wonders if this was an accident or was something more sinister behind it. Knowing his reputation Nell is aware that the suspect pool is huge, and when a lone earring on the car’s dashboard indicates that her boyfriend’s sister might be somehow involved her life becomes more complicated.

This time around I really enjoyed this entry in the series. Author Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, who has created an intelligent likeable protagonist, Dr. Nell Ward who, like the author, is an ecologist, adding a nice angle to the story. Although I’m not fond of cliffhangers, this part cozy mystery meets police procedural is an intelligent, authentic, and quirky read which I would highly recommend.

#NetGalley #BookReview Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes

Murder Your Employer:

The McMasters Guide to Homicide

by Rupert Holmes

Release date: February 21st, 2023 

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes from NetGalley and Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster in order to read and give an honest review.  

…Quirky, clever, inventive, and deliciously dark….…

Cliff Iverson has the boss from hell, Merrill Fiedler is a narcissistic jerk who has not only ruined Cliff’s career, and knowingly put people’s lives in danger but he’s driven Cliff’s dear friend and love interest to suicide.

In the opening of the book, we learn about Cliff’s failed attempt to murder Fiedler, but he is saved in a sense by a sponsored scholarship to The McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts, a private college which teaches one how to “delete” their treacherous employer, however there is one caveat, failure in the program is not an option.

The academy is in a completely unknown location, students are blindfolded and arrive at the academy by multiple means of transportation. A beautiful campus with all amenities, the Conservatory seems like an ivy league experience with classes such as “Remains to be seen” and “Principles of Deletion” students get a well-rounded education in the Art of Murder.

We learn of Cliff’s classes, classmates, and their respective stories, as well as meet students a little too competitive for their own good. The story is mostly told through journal entries, progress reports and correspondence. Upon graduation we follow Cliff and two of his classmates as they plot to delete their employers for reasons that make the reader root for the graduates.

Quirky, clever, inventive, and deliciously dark. I really enjoyed Murder Your Employer. My only complaint would be that at some points the story did drag a bit but overall, a fun read that has you flipping pages, I highly recommend.

#NetGalley #BookReview Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, A Novel by Elle Cosimano #Mystery #Humour

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun

(Finlay Donovan #3)

by Elle Cosimano

Release date: January 31st, 2023 

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, A Novel, by Elle Cosimano from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…This book has it all a thrilling twisted mystery, romance, and a lot of laughter that will keep the reader entertained to the very last page….…

Lucy & Ethel meet Thelma & Louise in this third entry of Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series. Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun picks up where book two leaves off with Finlay and her nanny/accountant, Vero, up to their necks in trouble whilst trying to discover the identity of a person who has been blackmailing an incarcerated Russian mob boss awaiting trial. The blackmailer who goes by the online handle of EasyClean is threatening to produce evidence that will put the mob boss away for good.

Due to events from previous books this mobster has leverage on both Finlay and Vero and threatens to expose them if they do not uncover EasyClean’s real identity. EasyClean is already on Finlay’s radar after he/she attempted to kill Finlay’s ex-husband, but also injured Nick, the police detective in charge of the case and someone Finlay has grown quite fond of. Currently Finlay’s life is a mess, she’s split from her lawyer boyfriend, she has a brutal case of writer’s block despite a looming deadline, her ex-husband is keen to reconcile, and Vero owes money to some bad people who are looking to collect. When offered a chance to do some research for her book at a week-long Citizen’s Police Academy they both jump at the opportunity to have a safe haven until they get to the truth.

Both Finlay and Vero are convinced EasyClean is a current or former police officer so they are sure they can kill two birds with one stone attending the program. The pressure is on to uncover the identity of EasyClean before they are exposed or worse…. killed. When the detective in charge of the academy is none other than Nick the stakes rise even higher. Add in murder, mayhem, a sneaky ex-husband, plenty of suspects as well as a blossoming romance and Finlay’s week gets even more complicated. 

Another fast-paced, action packed, humorous and quirky mystery that we’ve come to enjoy in this series, like the previous two books, this one also ends with a cliffhanger suggesting more adventures in Finlay’s future.

This book has it all a thrilling twisted mystery, romance, and a lot of laughter that will keep the reader entertained to the very last page. My only complaint is sometimes there was too much happening at once that left it feeling somewhat overwhelming at times, but overall, I really enjoyed the book and I definitely recommend it.

#NetGalley #BookReview~The Twyford Code: A Novel by Janice Hallett #Mystery

Review

The Twyford Code

A Novel

by Janice Hallett

Release date: January 24th, 2023

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Twyford Code: A Novel by Janice Hallett from NetGalley and Atria Books in order to read and give an honest review.

… if you are interested in an incredibly unique and engaging, character-driven story I would definitely recommend The Twyford Code…

Remembering back, it all started when Steve found a mysterious children’s book on a bus one day by disgraced author Edith Twyford. Hoping to sell it to get some desperately needed food, he is disappointed when his teacher Miss Iles confiscates it and reads the banned book to the class. Obsessed with it herself, Miss Iles believes that Twyford’s series of six books held secret hidden codes which would lead to hidden treasure. So obsessed that Ms. Iles takes a small group of five students on a trip to Twyford’s residence to search for more clues. When Ms. Iles disappears and the students are mysteriously dropped off at school the next morning, whatever happened traumatized Steve and he cannot remember the events of that night.

In the present, to move on with his life, Steve is convinced he must learn what really happened to his teacher on that day. Talking with his old classmates and with the help of a young local librarian, Lucy, he sets out to solve Twyford’s mysterious code to learn why his beloved teacher disappeared and to finally be able to put the past behind him.

Although confusing at times because of the phonetic approach to the text i.e., “mustard” is “must have” etc. the story itself is incredibly compelling. Through the recordings we learn of the loss of Steve’s parents, the difficulty his older brother Colin had keeping them together and his descent into crime with an organized crime family with whom he found a sense of belonging. Steve, although a criminal, elicits sympathy as he has a sense of loyalty to those he loves even if it is often misplaced.

Through the recordings we learn more about Steve’s tragic past, the Twyford code, WWII espionage, hidden gold and the danger that can arise from those who wish to find it at all costs. When he and Lucy go missing Steve’s son takes over, trying to piece together the transcripts to learn what happened to his estranged father. The more he delves into the story, he learns more than he bargained for about his father.

Although at times frustrating to read it is incredibly engaging, if you are interested in an incredibly unique and engaging, character-driven story I would definitely recommend The Twyford Code!

NetGalley #BookReview of City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita #Crime #Mystery #Alaska

 

 

City Under One Roof

by Iris Yamashita

 

Release date: January 10th, 2023

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita from Net Galley & Berkley Publishing Group in order to read and give an honest review.

… Very atmospheric with a cast of quirky dynamic characters, and a twisty plot, this book, definitely unique …

Local teenager Amy Lin discovers a severed hand and foot washed up on the shore of the small isolated Alaskan town of Point Mettier When the description of the crime scene piques the interest of Anchorage detective Cara Kennedy, she makes the trip to the isolated Point Mettier to investigate. While investigating, along with local police Chief Shipley and his partner officer Joe Barkowski a.k.a. J. B, Cara uncovers the head of the deceased buried in the stall belonging to long-term townie Lonnie and her pet moose, Lonnie becomes a suspect in Cara’s eyes. Lonnie whose bizarre ramblings quickly suggest that she is innocent meaning the killer is still on the loose in Point Mettier.

Point Mettier becomes a character in itself. Eerily similar to the real town of Whittier, Alaska, a former military outpost where all the town residents and shopkeepers live and work under one roof, Port Mettier and the building called Dave-Co. amp up the atmosphere in this book. Dave-co an apartment complex that contains a network of underground tunnels, a B & B, grocery store, post office, Chinese restaurant, church, hospital, and police station (including cells) residents rarely get outside. The town so isolated is perfect for those residents who are hiding from something or someone and the only way in or out of the town is a one lane tunnel that is notorious for closing in inclement weather.

Cara, battling demons of her own after the death of her son and husband is already on shaky ground the best of days but when the tunnel is closed due to a storm, she finds herself stranded in the building, an outsider, along with the rest of the 200+ town residents including a murderer. When a gang from a neighboring town arrives with semi-automatics, another layer is uncovered, one that has residents barricading their doors and Cara on further on the edge.

A decent novel debut from author Iris Yamashita Academy Award nominated writer for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima. Very atmospheric with a cast of quirky dynamic characters, and a twisty plot, this book, definitely unique in itself, might attract fans of movies such as Fargo or Twin Peaks. Although slow to get into and I felt certain things were not really addressed or wrapped up, its ending suggests a sequel is in the works. City Under One Roof is a quirky and atmospheric read that I really enjoyed, and would definitely recommend. Look forward to reading more about Cara Kennedy and the Dave-Co residents’ stories.

#NetGalley #BookReview ~ Write for Life ~ Creative Tools for Every Writer (A 6-Week Artist’s Way Program) by Julia Cameron #Writing #Creativity #Inspiration

Review

Write for Life

Creative Tools for Every Writer (A 6-Week Artist’s Way Program)

by Julia Cameron

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Write for Life ~Creative Tools for Every Writer (A 6-Week Artist’s Way Program) by Julia Cameron from Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press in order to read and give an honest review.

…Inspiring and optimistic to writers or creatives at any stage, Write for Life is a nudge to honor your creative self by flexing your creative muscles daily…

Over three decades ago Julia Cameron first published “The Artists Way,” and I must admit I still find her books a source of inspiration. I was introduced to the author’s work in my late twenties when on a mission to get back that creative passion I once had. Over the decades, my copy has been read and re-read leaving it with dog-eared pages and a rickety spine, but I still turn to it when I find myself drifting from my creative self. Like her many other books since, Write for Life is an updated and perhaps more writing focused book. The author Julia Cameron, now in her seventies, is still a productive, and prolific writer with over fifty years of writing under her belt and has had an incredibly successful career by using the tools she introduced us to in the Artist’s Way.

There is nothing earth shatteringly new in Write for Life but there is a little more wisdom and thought in this book. She has carved out a long-lasting and successful career and as many of us find, with age we learn to weed out what works and what does not, often tweaking our processes until they fit for us and whatever changes our lives bring. Her focus here is more inspirational, she has practiced what she preaches and her discipline in inspiring and it confirms that you need to show up for your creative self every day. This book, although it might feel repetitive to some, I think acts as a gentle reminder when sometimes we forget that like anything worth having in life our creativity needs our attention and dedication.

Inspiring and optimistic to writers or creatives at any stage, Write for Life is a nudge to honor your creative self by flexing your creative muscles daily. In a slump it came at a perfect time for me to re-establish this practice as it has worked for me in the past but this book acted as a reminder. If you are trying to reignite your spark this is the book I would highly recommend.

#NetGalley #BookReview The Game is a Footnote, (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #8) by Vicki Delany #Cozy #Mystery #CrookedLaneBooks

The Game is a Footnote

A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #8

by Vicki Delany 

Release date: January 10th, 2023  

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Game is a Footnote, (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #8) by Vicki Delany from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

… a well-written, cleverly plotted cozy mystery with a quirky cast of suspects, The Game is a Footnote is a fun fast paced read that I would highly recommend …  

In the eighth entry in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, author Vicki Delaney does it again. In The Game is a Footnote we hear about the history of the local historical landmark “Scarlet House” in West London, Massachusetts. Gemma Doyle, Co-owner of The Sherlock Holmes Book store along with her Uncle Arthur is helping her best friend and co-owner of Hudson’s Tea Room Jayne Wilson, plan her wedding while enduring a dreary off-season winter in West London. When Jaynes mother Leslie Wilson a board member of The Historical Society who owns and operates the Scarlet House asks for Gemma’s help, she agrees to attend a special board meeting. At the board meeting, Gemma agrees and is once again dragged into mystery, murder, and intrigue. Asked to investigate and debunk odd happenings which others are convinced are supernatural in nature Gemma agrees to spend the night in the house with a few volunteers, board members and neighbors to track down the source of the disturbances. When an unexplained uproar in both the kitchen and barn wakes up the overnight crew and work the farm animals into a frenzy it is apparent something or someone is working behind the scenes. After the events of that night at an emergency board meeting Gemma tries to convince them that there must be human interference and a logical cause to the commotions, but the board is divided. After the meeting Jayne realizes that she has left her purse at the house and she and Gemma go to retrieve it. Unfortunately, they arrive to find the house is locked for the night but notice the barn door is open and the pigs are making a ruckus. When Gemma investigates, she stumbles across the dead body of board member Dave Chase. Gemma’s boyfriend, WLPD Detective, Ryan Ashburton and Gemma nemesis, his partner Detective Estrada, are on the case. When a former pop star has been suspiciously hanging around the shop along with the sudden unexplained disappearance of Ashleigh, Gemma’s number one employee, occurs all around the same time Gemma begins to wonder what is going on and feels compelled to get to the bottom of it despite warnings from Ryan and his partner Estrada. When Gemma’s spy sister, Pippa unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep on a business trip from England, she cannot help but wonder if there is more going on behind the scenes. Despite a strained relationship Gemma enlists Pippa’s help along with Gemma’s version of the irregulars to solve both the murder and the mysterious disappearance of Ashleigh.

Being a devoted fan of the series, this book did not disappoint me, a well-written, cleverly plotted cozy mystery with a quirky cast of suspects, The Game is a Footnote is a fun fast paced read that I would highly recommend. For fans of the author, I also appreciated her little nod to her other series, the Lighthouse Library Series she writes under the pen name of Eva Gates. Although not my favorite in the series it was still a solid entry filled with twists, turns and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing to the very last chapter! 

#NetGalley #BookReview of River of Fallen Angels (#AVictorianMystery No.7) by Laura Joh Rowland #Historical #Mystery

River of Fallen Angels

A Victorian Mystery #7

by Laura Joh Rowland

 

 

Release date: January 10th, 2023

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of River of Fallen Angels A Victorian Mystery Book No.7 by Laura Joh Rowland from Net Galley & Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.

… Rowland has written a cleverly crafted, compelling, gritty Victorian mystery with dynamic, vivid characters and a fast-paced intriguing plot…

A fan of this series I have been lucky enough to read and review each book and it is definitely one of my favorites. The seventh entry in author Laura Joh Rowland’s Victorian Mystery series, River of Fallen Angels does not disappoint. When crime scene newspaper photographer Sarah Bain Bennett and her rag tag crew stumble across a gruesome find on the banks of the Thames they get more than they bargain for. The discovery of a female torso suggests that the serial killer dubbed “The Torso Killer” has returned. Sarah and her husband DS Thomas Bennett investigate with the help of Rowland’s usual cast of characters Mick, Hugh, and Sarah’s sister and reporter Sally. When conflicting theories emerge ranging from a barber and midwife to the leader of a religious cult, Sarah and Barrett butt heads putting their marriage and happiness on the line. Their nemesis Inspector Reid, as always, is out to ruin them for what he believes is them hiding evidence in his stalled Jack the Ripper case. Convinced that the Torso murderer and Jack the Ripper are one and the same, Reid pursues Sarah and her friends to finally solve the case and get the accolades he feels are long overdue. Only Sarah, Barrett, Hugh, and Mick know the truth about the Ripper (book one), and they have vowed to take it to their graves.  

As usual Rowland has written a cleverly crafted, compelling, gritty Victorian mystery with dynamic, vivid characters and a fast-paced intriguing plot.  Although not my favorite in the series it still had me turning pages and I look forward to reading more in this series. I highly recommend!  It would work as a stand-alone, however I really recommend reading the books in order.