A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn

December 21, 2025

A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn

It's been several months since Veronica and Stoker have had a mystery to solve, and they are both bored and dying for a new adventure. When two aristocratic young men die under mysterious circumstances, Inspector Mornaday of Scotland Yard enlists their help to investigate rumors that the the two young men were involved in a secret cult devoted to vampirism.

Another enjoyable outing with Veronica and her inamorata Revelstoke Templeton-Vane, aka Stoker, #10 in the series. There is a brief appearance of Lady Julia Grey and Nicholas Brisbane, the main characters in the author’s other historical mystery series. If you haven’t read that series, I highly recommend it. The first book is Silent in the Grave, which has one of the best opening lines I’ve read.

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

Highgate Cemetery in London, about as creepy a cemetery as you can find

I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig

December 29, 2025

I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig

Carol Quinn is a convicted murderer who server her time and has been released from prison. Now she is moving to a posh retirement community in north London to live out her remaining years. But shortly after she moves in, another resident is found dead and suspicion immediately falls on Carol. To avoid being sent back to prison, Carol has to find the real killer.

This cozy mystery reads like the love child of The Thursday Murder Club and Only Murders in the Building, but with a very likeable former serial killer as the protagonist. The main character only killed people who really needed killing. A light enjoyable read, perfect for the post-Christmas weekend when I am shopped-out, fooded-out, holidayed-out, familied-out, and peopled-out. These characters aren't your grandpa or your great-aunt.

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

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan

December 8, 2025

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan

In the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio, a brief affair and a lapse in judgment changes the lives of several of the town's residents forever. 

This was just okay. I was interested enough in the characters to keep reading but didn't love it as much as other readers did. A novel with a lot of secrets and not a lot of joy.

Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory

December 1, 2025

Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory

Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, served at the court of King Henry VIII. Sister-in-law to Queen Anne Boleyn, Jane grew up at court and earned to play the many roles of a courtier: attendant, confidante, wife, spy, entertainer. Serving five of Henry's queens, Jane walked a fine line where a wrong move or remark could cost you your head.

Historians usually describe Jane Boleyn as a mean-spirited jealous self-serving woman, interested only in advancing herself (much in the same way they describe Anne of Cleves as fat, ugly, ill-mannered and disgusting, which is completely false - courtiers kept up the fiction as a way to flatter Henry). Gregory portrays Jane as a real person, well-educated, quick-witted, and attractive, sent to court as a child by her ambitious family and caught up in the machinations of her unloving husband George Boleyn and his devotion to his sister Anne. The author gives a detailed portrait of the life of a courtier as well as the realities of living as the widow of a convicted traitor, with the loss of her husband's properties and income, and dependent on her salary as a lady-in-waiting to survive (even Jane's not unkind father points this out to her). Jane was no dummy, coming to the notice of Thomas Cromwell and surviving to serve five of Henry's queens before being caught up in a final intrigue. Recommended to readers of historical fiction, especially those interested in the politics of the Tudor dynasty. One of the best books I've read recently. Really interesting cover art.

This is believed to be a drawing of Jane Boleyn, nee Parker, as a young woman - portraits from this time period were somewhat stylized and were frequently mislabeled, for example, there is a painting that has been identified as both Anne Boleyn and Jane Boleyn.

Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

November 18, 2025

Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Evie Sage, assistant to the Villain, has been promoted to apprentice. She has her own little office and is the Villain's right-hand woman when it comes to things like magic and torture. But a prophecy is causing the kingdom to unravel and Evie has to figure out how to stop that from happening while falling head over heels for her boss.

The third book in the Assistant to the Villain romantasy series. Buckle up, buttercup, because everything gets turned upside down in this one, yet at times it felt like a bridge between books that are more relevant to the story. The ending provided a few answers (some of which I had guessed) but opened up more questions. There are some characters and locations introduced that really didn't advance the story and seemed unnecessary. There is a lot of conflict about parents here - parents who lied to their children, parents who cared only about their own interests, parents who abandoned their families. There is also a lot of romance among a lot of the characters - I mean, everyone is hooking up. Spoiler alert: Evie and Trystan finally find a convenient bed and get it over with. I guess there is going to be at least one more book. Kingsley is still my favorite character. Not the best book in the series, but the cover art is great. Recommended for fantasy/romance readers who like a slow burn romance spiced with humor.

The Murder of Viscount Montcrief by Karen Baugh Menuhin

November 16, 2025

The Murder of Viscount Montcrief by Karen Baugh Menuhin

Heathcliff Lennox is working on his Bentley when he gets a call from the local doctor about a dead body. A wealthy but reclusive viscount from a nearby estate has been found dead in his bed, with no obvious cause of death. Although reluctant to have his pleasant morning interrupted, Heathcliff collects his friend, former Scotland Yard inspector Jonathan Swift, his butler Greggs, and his golden spaniel Mr. Fogg, and they set off on another adventure.

Another clever country house murder mystery featuring Major Heathcliff Lennox and his regular companions, off to investigate a mystery among the British upper class, set between the two world wars. I did not suspect the solution to the mystery. Overall a satisfying historical mystery. Looking foward to the next installment early next year, when Heathcliff and Persi's child should have been born.

The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver

November 12, 2025

The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver

Colter Shaw is a reward seeker; not exactly a private eye, not exactly a bounty hunter. He makes his living by finding missing persons and collecting the reward offered by family, friends, or employer. He was raised by survivalists and has expert tracking skills, home-schooled and taught to observe the world around him and calculate the probability of events. For example, if a young woman goes missing, he figures the odds of an accident, a voluntary disappearance, or if her boyfriend or another predator is involved, then searches for her based on those probabilities. But when a second person goes missing, Colter finds himself deep in the sometimes cutthroat billion dollar world of video gaming, and he starts to wonder if he is in the middle of some video game brought to life.

This is the first book in the series that has been adapted for the television show Tracker. Not surprisingly, the book is better than the TV show. I was captivated by Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme series with its unique protagonist, and here he creates another unusual MC. The look into the multi-billion dollar gaming industry as well as fake news and political manipulation (think: Fox News) was fascinating, especially since almost everyone plays some kind of online game. There are enough hints about family secrets and about Colter's own secrets (like the source of his income which isn't from reward collecting at all, his family, and who are all of his well-connected mysterious friends) to hook the reader in for the next book. I believe there are four books in the series now. Recommended for readers who enjoy a thoughtful thriller.

A geek festival, also known as a gaming convention

Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle

November 12, 2025

Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle

Vera Norrie has just been hired as the youngest professor of statistics and probability at the University of Chicago. To celebrate, she and her girlfriend have invited their closest friends along with Vera's mother to brunch at their favorite cafe. But Vera and her mother quarrel, and her mother runs of the restaurant with Vera chasing her. Outside, they find a scene of unexplainable chaos.

I worry about what goes on in Chuck Tingle's mind, I really do. His brand of horror is so original and out there, I can't think of anyone to compare him to. There are overtones of The X-Files as well as Lost. I don't know if this is a fugue state or a fever dream. Possible triggers include violence, death, suicide, animal death, depression, and annihilation. I love the cover art.

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

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