La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman

November 7, 2025

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman

Malcolm Polstead is an 11 year old boy living near Oxford with his parents at The Trout, the inn that they own and run. Malcolm is a good kid who helps out wherever he can, including assisting the nuns at the abbey across the river from the inn. But when a baby girl is brought to the abbey to be cared for by the nuns, Malcolm begins to learn about the dark forces at work outside his peaceful village.

Philip Pullman returns to the world of His Dark Materials for another trilogy, The Book of Dust, with the first volume being a prequel set at the time of Lyra's birth. Unlike a lot of sequels written a decade or more after the original, this doesn't just rehash the story from His Dark Materials but serves to fill in the gaps about Lyra's life. It's helpful but not totally necessary to have read HDM. La Belle Sauvage is the name of Malcolm's brave little canoe that keeps them safe. I recommend the audiobook. Looking forward to the second book, The Secret Commonwealth.

Everyone on This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

October 28, 2025

Everyone on This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

When the Australian Mystery Writers Association invites him to speak on a panel at their annual conference, Ernest Cunningham and his girlfriend find themselves on the Ghan, the famous historic train that runs from Darwin to Adelaide. Almost all of the other conference participants appear to hold some sort of grudge against each other. What could possibly go wrong?

Set shortly after the events of the first Ernest Cunningham book, this is another fun and clever mystery. Like the first book, it's a locked-room mystery with a lot of characters. I sort of guessed who the murderer was, if not the why. The writers and publishing people weren't as endearing as Ernest's family in the first book - I would have been okay with a few more of them being killed off. I recommend the audiobook - make sure you listen or read the epilogue. And Juliet says yes the second time.

The opal mines at Cooper Peady that play a part in the last section

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

October 22, 2025

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Ernest Cunningham is reluctantly traveling to a remote mountain resort for a family reunion. He hasn't seen his family for three years, since he testified against his brother in court, sending him to prison for murder. So now they will be reunited for the first time and he's not looking forward to it. But then even before everyone arrives, a body is found in the snow, and Ernest realizes that the killer must be someone in his family.

It's the family reunion from hell. A dysfunctional family trapped at a snowed-in resort, each with their own backstory, a raging blizzard, the body of an unknown person in the snow. The mystery is complicated, and it makes the reader feel dumb that they can't figure any of it out until Ernest explains it all for you, which does spoil some of the enjoyment - after all, half the fun of reading a mystery is trying to figure out what happened and who is the villain. The narrator claims that he is not unreliable, but he is at times, although he defends himself by saying that what he says is what he believed at the time. This worked well as an audiobook. If you enjoyed the Knives Out miniseries, you will most likely enjoy this offbeat mystery.

A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Searles

October 20, 2025

A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Searles

Beatrice Steele, oldest daughter of the impoverished Steele family, and her sisters are invited to the autumn ball, where their parents hope that at least one of the daughters will form an attachment (marriage engagement) with a wealthy man. If not, their greedy cousin Mr. Grub plans to have their father declared incompetent and take over their family home. Beatrice herself has little interest in marriage, being obsessed with true crime. But when the most eligible bachelor dies in the middle of the ball, Beatrice joins forces with a disgraced detective to solve the murder.

A somewhat over the top comedy of manners and murder. There are a lot of characters and locations in the manor house, like a game of Clue. The detective here is rather incompetent/inexperienced. Some of the humor is goofy, more slapstick that sarcasm or witty repartee. At the end of the book, we still don't know what's up with Mary, Beatrice's younger sister, so the author left herself open for a sequel. Jane Austen-ites won't care for this one as it pokes a certain amount of fun at Jane's books and characters.

A Regency era ball

Red City by Marie Liu

October 14, 2025

Red City by Marie Liu

Two young magicians in training, Sam and Ali, are recruited by two rival magic syndicates who control Angel City. The Lumines and Grand Central have maintained a polite balance of powers in Angel City for decades, but their relationship is becoming strained, mostly because of a highly coveted alchemical substance called sand. Sand enhances everything: beauty, intelligence, charisma, desirability, sexual prowess. But now Sam and Ali realize that their organizations are going to pit them against each other.

This was recommended to me by Edelweiss because I have read most of V. E. Schwab's books, and I do love me some V. E. Schwab. It's supposed to be the author's first adult novel, but it reads pretty YA to me. I enjoyed the multiple points of view. The story moves slowly in the first two sections and I really didn't connect at all with the characters. This is the first book of a new series and the ending makes that pretty obvious - not exactly a cliffhanger or sitting on the edge of my chair waiting for the next volume. Possible triggers include graphic sex, murder, explicit violence, organized crime mentality/politics.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Emerald Affair by Janet Macleod Trotter

October 8, 2025

The Emerald Affair by Janet Macleod Trotter

After serving as a nurse at the front in World War I, Esme McBride visits her best friend Lydia at Lydia's wealthy family's estate in Scotland. Esme misses the challenge of wartime nursing and is seeking a new posting somewhere that she will feel needed. While visiting Lydia, Esme meets an army captain and a doctor, both of whom served in India and are going back to live and work there. Esme immediately falls for the captain, but Lydia has already decided that she is going to marry him, no matter how ill suited they may be. 

Set between the two world wars, this is the story of four people who embark on marriage and life in India for a variety of reasons, all of them destined to be disappointed. Plenty of fascinating details about life in India during the British colonial period: the native people, the British ruling class, colonialism, the towns, the bazaars, the food, the political situation. This is a long book that could have been about 100 pages shorter without doing any harm to the story. The ending is a little too neat - I saw it coming. The first book in a trilogy.

The British in India

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

October 2, 2025

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

Martha Ballard is a midwife who also acts as healer and coroner for the small community of Hallowell, Maine. When a body is pulled from the river, Martha is called to examine the corpse and determine the cause of death. She soon discovers that the man was murdered and then thrown in the river. But the case becomes more complicated when she learns that the dead man along with another of the town's prominent citizens had been accused of rape.

Based on the diary of a midwife in 18th century Maine. Martha's diary was at first discounted as not being of any historical importance since most of her entries record the daily life of an 18th century woman, which were wonderfully adapted by the author. But it also contains glimpses of the world around her, particularly where the law in concerned. She refers to her husband's friend Paul, who turns out to be Paul Revere (yes, that Paul Revere). Revere actually borrowed a horse from Martha's husband Ephraim to make his famous ride. I listened to the audiobook of this historical novel, and I can see that it might be a slog to read since story moves as slowly as a frozen river thawing. Possible triggers include descriptions of rape, misogyny, and injustice. Will appeal to readers who enjoy reading about strong yet little known female characters.

Sawmill circa 18th c.

The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton

September 26, 2025

The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton

Margo is a rare collectibles dealer in London, accustomed to sourcing items for wealthy clients. When a new client hires her to locate a rare book, she assumes it will be just another job. But when a friend who is a rare book dealer is murdered, Margo discovers that there are others searching to the book, and they will stop at nothing to find it first.

One of my selections for Hispanic & Latino Heritage Month. Triple timeline with three female main characters: present day London, and Havana in 1900 and 1966. A rare book ties all three storylines together. I kept reading to find out what was so special about the book that someone would kill for it. Some mystery, some intrigue, some romance. Will appeal to readers who enjoy books about books.

Havana in the 1960s - they are still driving those kinds of cars today

Five Decembers by James Kestrel

September 25, 2025

Five Decembers by James Kestrel

In early December 1941, Detective Joe McGrady is new to the Honolulu police department, having been recently discharged from the Army. One rainy night, his captain sends him out to a dairy farm to investigate a wild story told by a drunken farm worker of finding a dead body hanging in a shed. Little does Joe know that the case will take him to China and Japan, far from the woman he loves as he chases down a vicious killer.

Winner of the Edgar award, a traditional noir mystery with the traditional hard-boiled crime cover, beginning in Honolulu in December 1941. Gritty, violent, bloody. There are shocking descriptions of Tokyo after it was fire-bombed by American bombers. It turns out the Americans didn't need the atomic bomb after all - since almost all the buildings in Japan were made of wood, regular fire bombs wreaked just as much destruction as the A-bomb (see picture below). This is a can't-put-down read - I read a third of the book the day that I started it. Readers who enjoy the grit lit fiction of James Ellroy or James McCain or even Don Winslow will enjoy this classic noir.

Tokyo after the fire bombing 

I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney

September 18, 2025

I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney

Bud Stanley is a middle aged man who is having a bad year. He is bored stiff with his job as an obituary writer, his wife left him for what he admits is a far more interesting man, and his attempts at dating backfire. So one night after a particularly disastrous blind date and too many drinks, he writes his own obituary and accidentally uploads it to the newspaper's website. Oops. Suspended from the paper, Bud starts going to the wakes and funerals of strangers to try to reconnect with the living.

A funny rouching novel about life, dealing with grief, middle age, and the lingering effects of trauma, especially for middle aged men (who are taught from childhood that they are not supposed to cry or let their feelings show). Bud has wonderful friends (Tim, Tuan, Howard) which makes him luckier than he realizes. Ultimately, the message here is that life is precious and we never know how long we're going to get. If you enjoy the writing of Richard Russo or Andrew Sean Greer, you'll enjoy the fumblings of Kenney's Everyman.

I had no idea that there is even a template for an obituary

How to be a Saint by Kate Sidley

September 16, 2025

How to be a Saint by Kate Sidley

A tongue in cheek look at the process of sainthood as well as some of the whackier saints, written by Kate Sidley, one of the writers for Stephen Colbert's The Late Show. She notes that the first prerequisite is, you have to die. The cover art is an image of St. Denis, who after he was beheaded, picked up his head and walked for six miles to the spot where he wanted his cathedral built. Not for anyone who is a very devout Catholic but if you enjoy a little heresy with your religion, you will probably enjoy this.

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

September 12, 2025

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

In 1942 Paris, Colette Marceau works with her mother Annabel to steal jewels from Nazis and Nazi sympathizers to help fund the efforts of the resistance to help Jews escape from Hitler. But the Germans catch up with them one night, and Colette and her parents are arrested. But her four year old sister is taken by an unknown man, and Colette never forgives herself for the child's disappearance since she promised her parents she would look out for her sister. Colette survives the war and emigrates to the United States, continuing to steal jewels to fund worthwhile causes. But then a bracelet that belonged to her mother's friend reappears after 75 years, and Colette becomes obsessed with finding the bracelet's owner, believing it will lead her to the truth about her missing sister.

This was a fast read, excellent for the end of summer. The combination of family secrets a with suspense and history kept me turning the pages. I loved the 89 year old protagonist. Themes include loss, grief, guilt, redemption, identity, revenge, and finding hope and love late in life. Possible triggers are racism, antisemitism, child abuse, crime, and violence. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction.

Dear Sister by Michelle Horton

September 7, 2025

Dear Sister by Michelle Horton

After enduring years of domestic abuse, Nikki Addimondo shot and killed her abusive partner. She was arrested and eventually convicted of murder. Her family faced a nightmare that the average middle class family never expects to confront: learning to navigate the legal system, filing for custody of Nikki's children with child protective services, reckoning with the aftereffects of childhood trauma, and the difficulty of proving that Nikki was a victim. It made me wonder what happens to the victims who don't have a sister and a support system to fight for them. Readers should be warned that there are violent descriptions of domestic abuse, including repeated beatings, burnings, rape and sexual abuse, and death threats from Nikki's scum of a partner, Christopher Grover.

Nikki Addimondo, Michelle's sister

Saving Time by Jodi Taylor

September 4, 2025

Saving Time by Jodi Taylor

Following their expose of illegal time travel at Site X, Matthew, Jane and Luke (aka Team Weird) have improbably completed their training and are now fully qualified Time Police officers. Their first assignment is to return to the 20th century and follow up on Henry Plimpton, a mild mannered amateur who only wanted to go back in time in order to win the national lottery. But when they arrive at Henry's house, they are shocked to discover that the whole street had been destroyed by a massive explosion, setting in motion a new threat to the Time Map.

The third book in Jodi Taylor's Time Police series, which brings back familiar characters from the Time Police and St. Mary's, many of whom continue to grow and evolve (who knew that Lt. Grint had a romantic side? His preparation for his first date is hilarious.). You really do need to read the two previous books to understand some of the dynamics here. Pure fire-trucking fun!

The Battersea power station, headquarters of the Time Police

Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

September 1, 2025

Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

When their mother dies from cancer, three adult children reunite for her funeral. Their mother's lawyer has all the information on her last wishes, and the three siblings figure it won't take one to settle her estate. But while going through their mother's belongings, they find a VHS tape that shows their parents disposing of the body of a missing local girl, which reopens old mysteries and raises questions about who their parents really were.

Who would you kill or hide a murder for? That is the ultimate question here. This was a fast read for the Labor Day weekend, the last official weekend of summer. Is Daddy a serial killer? Where is Daddy, since we're talking about him? And why didn't Mom spend more time looking for him after he disappeared? The book is relatively short and it probably could have been even shorter if an editor had cut out some of the unnecessary scenes. BTW, Michael is an entitled asshole, not that either of the sisters is all that likeable. If you enjoy a family drama where you're not sure who (if anyone) is telling the truth, this will appeal to you.

Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan

August 31, 2025

Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan

On the night of June 14, 1838, the boiler on the steamship Pulaski exploded, sinking the ship and killing 128 passengers and crew. Only 59 people survived. In 2018, the wreckage of the Pulaski was found off the coast of North Carolina. History professor Everly Winthrop is enlisted to curate the museum exhibit of artifacts found on the wreck.

DNF at 60%. I just didn't care about any of the characters, but especially not Everly and her mountains of baggage that the author keeps shoving at the reader. Also, Everly had an attitude of "I'm so much better than you are because I live here." I picked up this novel after seeing a program about the Pulaski on the Discovery Channel, where the author was interviewed about the disaster. The ship is called the Titanic of the South and had many of the same characteristics as the Titanic (loads of wealthy passengers, not enough lifeboats, valuing speed more than safety, etc.). I was far more interested in the lives of the people on the ship than I was in the present day characters. Disappointing since I have read and enjoyed other books by this author.

A model of the SS Pulaski

Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldree

August 29, 2025

Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldree

After living most of her life in the seaside town of Murk, Fern the bookseller decides she needs a change. Her orc friend Viv has retired to the city of Thune and opened a successful coffee house (and gotten married), and there is a vacant shop right next door, perfect for a bookstore. So Fern sells her shop and packs up her possessions and her pet gryphet Potroast and sets out for Thune. But even after opening the shop, Fern still feels that something is missing.

Third book in the Legends and Lattes series, which brings together the characters in the first two books and focuses on Fern the bookseller. Viv is not in this book very much, which was disappointing since she's a great character, but there are so many great characters in the series, including a goblin and a breadknife who aspires to be a famous weapon. Looking forward to more books in this cozy fantasy series. Read the previous two books first to get a sense of the characters and their backstories. All of the books have great covers. If you like this series, try The Spellshop series by Sarah Beth Durst.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review. 

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

August 28, 2025

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

Ganymedes is the Fish province heir in the kingdom of Concordia, but unlike the heirs of the other eleven provinces, he is a fraud: he doesn't have any magical powers. So when he is stuck on a twelve day cruise with the other heirs, he does his bests to hide his lack of magic and distract them with a wild stunt. Then the heir to the kingdom is found dead, and Dee realizes he is trapped on a ship with ten other people, one of whom is a murderer.

A locked-room mystery set on a fantasy cruise ship, like Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None in a magical setting. Has a strong YA feeling. I enjoyed the main character's snarky tone, but I can see where some readers were put off by it. The characters were mostly unlikeable, but that didn't bother me either - when the characters are unlikeable, you don't care when they get killed off. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides

August 25, 2025

The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides

Although lauded as a hero in his own time, Captain James Cook has now become a controversial figure and something of a pariah in many circles, particularly Polynesia. One of the best mapmakers of his age, his explorations are blamed for the introduction of colonialism with all its evils, including epidemics, venereal disease, the subjugation of indigenous cultures, theft of relics and artifacts, and disruption of ecological systems. Cook's third and final voyage differed vastly from his earlier voyages. His crew noted that he appeared to be suffering from an unknown illness, either physical or mental, which caused an abrupt change in his behavior and personality. Sensitive readers should be aware that there are descriptions of both human and animal cruelty, as well as brutal violence.

Captain James Cook

The Memory Dress by Jade Beer

August 23, 2025

The Memory Dress by Jade Beer

Jayne is a dog walker in London, and one day, one of her dogs gets away from her and runs into a neighbor's flat. She meets Meredith, an older woman who is suffering from dementia, living in a cluttered apartment and insists that her husband is missing. Even more mysterious, Meredith is in possession of a famous dress once worn by Princess Diana.

This was just okay. I usually love stories about fashion and dressmaking (like The Gown by Jennifer Robson) but the story here was slow moving and I never really got into the characters. I kept reading/skimming because I wanted to know what happened to William, although I was pretty sure right from the start and also where the story was going (I was right on both counts). It was obvious from the first chapter that Meredith was suffering from dementia, although it took most of the book for anyone to acknowledge it. If the topic of dementia, especially untreated dementia, is a trigger for you, you may want to skip this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

One of Princess Diana's beaded gowns

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce

August 20, 205

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce

Vic Kemp's four adult children have always been obsessed with him. A neglectful father, he left them to the care of a series of au pairs while he drank, had affairs, and painted commercially successful but not critically acclaimed paintings. At the age of 76, he shocks his children by marrying a woman 50 years his junior who he met online in a chat room and had known for only four months. Shortly after the marriage, Vic is found dead at the family's Italian vacation house, drowned in the lake. The four siblings rush to Italy to find out what really happened, and more importantly, to find his will and his final painting that was supposed to be his masterpiece.

I really enjoyed the author's first two Harold Frye books as well as Miss Benson's Beetle, but this story was very disappointing. It was billed as a mystery but it's a family drama about four adults in their 30s who are completely emotionally dependent on their artist father, dealing with the fallout from his sudden death. I almost DNF at 35% because the story was so slow moving and there didn't seem to be much more to say about any of them. I did a lot of skimming after that. The story gets a little more interesting at about 65% and is essentially over at 75%, at which point it becomes a different story and goes on for another 100 or so pages before it finally fizzles out. If you like The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, you might like this too. Otherwise, can't get those hours back.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles

August 18, 2025

All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles

Zeb Wyckham is surprised when his cousin invites him to his country house for a visit, but he arrives to find himself at the family reunion from hell. Worse yet, his ex-boyfriend who hates him for ruining his life is now working for his cousin. Could it possibly get worse? Actually, yes.

A locked-room mystery combined with an LGBTQ romance seasoned with an element of horror. There is plenty of suspense and sexual tension, plus a few steamy scenes. I love mysteries set at English country houses. The cover reminds me of the covers on old Victoria Holt romantic suspense novels (consumed those like candy when I was a teen).

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

See what I mean about the Victoria Holt covers?

Wild Thing by Sue Prideaux

August 17, 2025

Wild Thing by Sue Prideaux

A comprehensive biography of the artist Paul Gauguin. Most of us know Gauguin for his paintings from Tahiti and his friendship with Vincent Van Gogh, but his life and work were far wider ranging that that. During his time living in Polynesia, he fought tirelessly for the French to return government rule to the Polynesian peoples, while painting their images in a more natural style than accepted European tradition.

One of Gaugin's self portraits

One of Us by Dan Chaon

August 15, 2025

One of Us by Dan Chaon

After the death of their mother, twins Eleanor and Bolt flee to an orphanage to escape from the clutches of their murderous fake uncle Charlie. They find themselves on an orphan train headed west, and somewhere in Iowa, they are "adopted" by a carnival owner who specializes in circus sideshow acts. They find a new family among the carnival folk, even though they feel they are not special like the others. But Charlie isn't letting go that easily.

Dan Chaon takes us on a creepy journey through a carnival sideshow and the performers who work there. Like carnivals and circuses aren't creepy enough, he had to toss in a serial killer. Will appeal to readers who enjoyed Geek Love or Nightmare Alley, but with a horror slant.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A carnival sideshow

Dear Miss Lake by AJ Pearce

August 9, 2025

Dear Miss Lake by AJ Pearce

Emmy Lake and the other staff at Woman's Friend are still hard at work. But in the summer of 1944, Britain has been at war for five long years. While victory is coming, especially since the Americans joined the fight, between the nightly bombings raids and the ever tightening rationing, everyone on the home front is exhausted from the war. It's a challenge for the magazine staff to remain upbeat and positive while faced with constant worry about their own loved ones.

Fourth and final book in the Emmy Lake series. Pleasant historical fiction that covers life in Britain during the last year of World War II. I would recommend reading the previous books in the series as there are frequent references to events and characters from earlier books. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review. 

A POW camp in Stuttgart, Germany

Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

August 9, 2025

Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

With the dual Victorian fascination with death and Egypt, Mallory and Duncan are invited to a high society mummy unwrapping party. But when the time comes to unwrap the mummy, to their horror, they find not a preserved mummy but a recently murdered corpse. Not only that, the original mummy has vanished, possibly to be sold on the black market for occult medicinal purposes.

Third book in the Rip Through Time series with time traveling detective Mallory Atkinson, this time focusing on the Victorian fascination with death and Egyptology. Even in the 19th century, many scholars felt that artifacts looted from Egypt and other ancient cultures should be returned to their rightful countries. Mummia was an actual trade in Victorian times, based on the belief that medicines made from ground up mummies had magical properties, particularly for male erectile dysfunction (guys have been worrying about their wieners for centuries). Eventually mummia joined the pantheon of medical quackery. You probably want to read the first two books in the series before reading this one. Very enjoyable historical fiction.

A mummy unwrapping party - how weird is this?

Weyward by Emilia Hart

August 4, 2025

Weyward by Emilia Hart

Kate flees from her abusive partner to a cottage she inherited from her great aunt Violet, who lived there from the 1940s until her death. While living there, Kate finds writings from a woman named Altha, an earlier ancestor who was tried as a witch in the 17th century.

This book should come with a warning, several actually. Plenty of sensitive subjects and triggers including domestic abuse, animal abuse, violence against women, rape and sexual assault, obsession, humiliation, pregnancy termination, and violence in general, so reader, be warned. Three interconnected stories set in different times. I was much more interested in Altha and Violet's stories that in Kate. I've read enough variations of Kate's story to be over it. Yeah, men suck and they've been treating women like shit since time began. It was hard to read a whole book where there is one good male characters (Graham, Violet's brother) and only two women characters who haven't been abused by men (Kate's mother and her friend Emily). Also, magical realism is just not my thing. It does have a beautiful cover.

Weyward was the original form of weird, as in the Weird Sisters or witches in Macbeth. The first editions of Macbeth used weyward instead of weird.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

August 3, 2025

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter, working with the rich and famous to craft memoirs that can be marketed as being written by the famous subject. But she is blackballed and her career has tanked after being sued for publicly slandering a fellow ghostwriter. About to lose her home to pay the settlement and legal fees, she is desperate for work and agrees to take on the memoir of a famous horror writer who was accused of murdering his two siblings. Now, 50 years later, he claims he is ready to reveal what really happened. The only problem is, the writer is Olivia's father who she has been estranged from for two decades.

Slow moving. It takes Olivia a looooong time to get to the heart of her father's manuscript. Ultimately unsatisfying, as there is no real resolution to the mystery. A cast of unreliable narrators and unlikeable characters. It does have a cool cover graphic.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Sisters of Fortune by Esther Chehebar

August 1, 2025

Sisters of Fortune by Esther Chehebar

Nina, Fortune, and Lucy Cohen are sisters. They live in an insular community of Syrian Sephardic Jews in Brooklyn. Fortune is engaged to be married and while Saul isn't the man of her dreams, she knows he will provide a stable comfortable life for her. Youngest sister Lucy is a high school senior dating a man in his 30s (which her parents don't think is inappropriate - go figure), while oldest sister Nina, still single at 26 and considered to be past her "sell-by" date, is trying to break out of her restrictive life.

I'm not usually a fan of women's fiction but this was an interesting look at a community I knew nothing about, a group of Sephardic Jews originally from Syria who all settled in the same Brooklyn neighborhood, which is what I enjoyed a lot more than the constant family drama. The ending felt rushed: there is no resolution to Fortune's flirtation with the grocer's son, and Nina does a 180 as soon as a potential husband appears on the horizon, falling back instantly into all the stuff she hated. Plus, Lucy's perfect marriage is already starting to show cracks, as she notices how her much older husband enjoys talking with her college educated sister and her friends, and her high school friends who attend college have already moved past her. Lots of discussion about the importance of food in their culture and traditions. If you like women's fiction, this will probably appeal to you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Pathogenesis: a History of the World in Eight Plagues by Jonathan Kennedy

August 1, 2025

Pathogenesis: a History of the World in Eight Plagues by Jonathan Kennedy

A history of the world and our species based on the evolution of bacteria and viruses. As the author notes, most of what we call history is based on the exploits of a few "great" white men and how they shaped the story, much of which is wrong. The ultimate life form turns out to be microorganisms. Some of the plagues he discusses are not what you expect, like poverty and obesity. Recommended for readers who enjoy science-based nonfiction.

Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich

July 27, 2025

Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich

Julie Tudor is 49 years old and has found the love of her life in Sean, her 25 year old coworker at the large financial services company where they both work. But he doesn't know that. All he knows is that she makes him uncomfortable. Julie knows that she and Sean are star-crossed, meant to be together until a young woman named Xanthe starts work at the company and throws a wrench into Julie's plans. But Julie isn't about to settle for anyone coming between her and Sean, so she decides it's time to take decisive action.

Oh, Julie, you are definitely a psychopath. Julie has a flirtatious relationship with reality at the best of times. Her unique world view and interior monologue kept me turning the pages - I felt like my mouth was hanging open in disbelief half the time. I admit I felt sorry for Julie when her coworkers were making fun of her and she didn't realize it, while at the same time cringing at some of the things she did. It's a fast read that is perfect for vacation or beach reading, dark, disturbing, creepy and funny all at the same time. If there is a more unreliable narrator out there, I don't know who it is. There are hints of animal cruelty, so sensitive readers should be warned. I could see this becoming a miniseries on Netflix. Love the cover art!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

July 26, 2025

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Minerva is a graduate student at a New England university, dependent on scholarships and on-campus jobs to afford staying there. She is originally from Mexico, and there is a history of witchcraft passing down through her family from her great-grandmother Alba. Minerva loves horror fiction and become fascinated by an obscure horror writer who attended the same university. While researching the writer's life and work, Minerva becomes aware of strange forces haunting the campus and the town.

Not your typical story of witches and warlocks. Three main characters: Alba, Beatrice, and Minerva, each with her own timeline, which can be a little confusing. Overall creepy, dark, and atmospheric. I am not a huge horror fan (although I read more horror than I think I do), but I really enjoy Moreno-Garcia's modern gothic fiction. I could not put this one down. Will appeal to readers who enjoy horror mixed with folklore and multigenerational stories. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

July 26, 2025

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

Time traveling detective Mallory Armstrong has been stuck in 19th century Scotland for almost a year, working as the assistant to mortician Dr. Duncan Gray, the mixed race illegitimate son of an upper middle class family. She and Duncan are invited to the wedding of his best friend's sister at her fiance's highland hunting lodge. There is tension among the wedding guests and also with the locals, which only escalates when one of the guests is found murdered on the estate grounds. Instead of being a country holiday with friends, Mallory and Duncan find themselves tying to save the groom from the gallows.

The fourth book in the Rip Through Time series. The author gives enough background that this can be read as a standalone mystery if you haven't read the previous mysteries in the series, or if you're like me and it's been a while since you read the last book. Successfully evokes the customs, attitudes, and class distinctions, as well as police methods of the time. I loved how Mallory almost melted into a puddle when one of the characters finally shows up in a kilt. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Recommended for readers of historical mysteries like the Sebastian St. Cyr or the Lady Julia Grey mysteries, or the Outlander historical series.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Hunting lodge in the Scottish highlands