Book Review: Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Story pulls you in

Cons: Mystery could have been stronger overall; misandry

The Bottom Line:

Murder distraction

Three generations bonding

Could have been stronger

I Enjoyed the Book, but I Wanted to Like It More

When I figure heard about Mother-Daughter Murder Night, I knew I had to get a copy and read it.  The story behind the book was compelling, and the premise sounded like fun.  Sadly, it wasn’t as good as I’d hoped it would be.

The backstory of this book really is part of the story.  Nina Simon started working on the manuscript when her mother was diagnosed with cancer.  The story became the distraction that pulled both of them through the surgery and the treatments.  I love that the two of them found something like this to help them cope with the dark days.  And it does shed some light on the set up for this book.

You see, when we first meet Lana Rubicon, the Los Angeles based real estate mogul has just been diagnosed with cancer.  And so, she reaches out to her daughter, Beth, who is a nurse at a rehabilitation center in a town in the central coast of California.  Soon, Lana is living with Beth and Beth’s daughter, Jacqueline, aka Jack.

Lana and Beth have a strained relationship, and all of this isn’t helping them.  But things change when Jack finds a dead body.  Jack, while only fifteen, is a guide for a local kayak company, and her Sunday morning tour ends when a member of a group finds a body floating on the slough where they’ve been paddling.  The police seem to think that Jack knows more than she is telling, and Lana jumps in to solve the case.  Is this the distraction they need?  Can they solve the case?

I know we say we shouldn’t judge a book from the cover or title, but the fact is, we do.  And, in this case, I was expecting something a little on the comedic side.  It quickly became apparent that this wasn’t going to be the case.  Instead, we get a serious look at family relationships combined with a murder mystery.  Oh yeah, and there’s cancer, too.

In fact, the murder was a little late to get going as we saw Lana’s initial diagnosis and then caught up a few months later.  Once the murder is introduced, I felt the plot is pretty well balanced.  We have several different things going on, but I never felt the murder took a back seat to the other storylines.  It just took us a bit longer to get there than in the books I typically read.  I did pick out the killer pretty early, but I was still entertained as I read, and I had to see if I was right and what the motive was.

I already said the book was pretty serious tonally.  Overall, I would describe it mostly as traditional.  It’s a little hard around the edges to be a cozy.  It’s definitely more laid back than a thriller.  Keep that in mind as you read.

Over the course of the series, we get scenes in the third person point of view of all three of the women in the Rubicon family.  However, we spend most of our time in Lana’s point of view, which makes sense.  She is the one driving the story the most, no matter which storyline we are talking about.  That was a problem for me since she has a lot of hard edges on her.  Eventually, I did grow to like her, but it took a while.  I actually sympathized with Beth quite a lot as a result.  And I really did like Jack.

Now hear me out on what I am going to say next.  I felt the book had a misandrist bent to it.  Very few of the male characters come off in a positive manner.  Now, I get that this is a mystery and we are supposed to distrust the characters.  This goes beyond that.  Part of it is definitely Lana’s edge toward anyone who stands in her way and her dismissive attitude toward others.  But some of the men in this book are just awful.  That turned my stomach as well.

And yet, there was something about the book that kept drawing me in.  I would get caught up in the world and the story that was being spun.

So, I’m not sorry I read Mother-Daughter Murder Night.  I do wish it had been a stronger debut, however, and I will be hesitant to read any more books by this author.

Book Review: Murder in Rose Hill by Victoria Thompson (Gaslight Mysteries #27)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Great time with characters we love

Cons: Mystery could be a little stronger

The Bottom Line:

Death of reporter

Time spent with great characters

Plot a little weak

Death of a Muckraker

Since I caught up on Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight Mysteries last year, it’s been longer than usual since I caught up with Frank, Sarah, and the rest of the characters.  I’ve definitely missed them, so I was happy to see them again in Murder in Rose Hill.

For those new to the series, this is book 27 in the series.  At this point, it is 1901.  Frank Malloy retired from the New York City police department when he came into money, and he married Sarah.  Together, they continue to solve any cases they come across including those for clients to come by Frank’s private investigation business.

This book opens on September 6, 1901, when Sarah meets a young woman named Louisa who is researching an article she is writing for a magazine on patent medicine.  A few days later, Louisa’s father hires Frank.  Someone has killed Louisa, and he wants to know who did it.  As Frank and Sarah begin their investigation, they learn that little of what Louisa told Sarah was true.  But did those lies lead to her death?

It was fabulous to be back with these characters again.  Yes, Gino and Maeve are helping out as always, and we even get to see Sarah’s parents.  I always like it when all the supporting players are part of the book.  We finally got back to an ongoing storyline that I felt had backtracked in the last few books, and I enjoyed that.  I continue to love the bits of humor as the characters interact as well.

The mystery itself isn’t the strongest in the series.  Don’t misunderstand, it was still very entertaining.  But it didn’t have quite the twists and turns I expected.  Or maybe that was because I honed in on the killer early on and had to wait for the characters to catch up.  The suspects didn’t seem quite as sharp as normal, either.  Again, none of it was bad, but I know the series can be better than this.

Even though this is a historical fiction series, the books are sometimes a little vague on the exact year and date.  That’s not the case here since the book opens on the same day as a very specific historical event.  I’ve known this would have to be featured at some point if the series ever got to this date.  Long term readers will know why.  I’ll be interested to see if this impacts any future books in the series.

This series has many loyal readers after all these years, and they will be happy to lose themselves in Murder in Rose Hill.  I know I was.

Travel back in time with the rest of the Gaslight Mysteries.

June 2024's Reading Summary

 We are officially in the second half of 2024.  How is that even possible?  It's just crazy to think about, isn't it?  But before we get too far into July, it's take a look back at what I read in June.

Lots of ARCs.  Lots and lots of ARCs.

I did get the index updated this month.  All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).  The links take you to the full review.

 

Villains’ Realm by Ridley Pearson (Kingdom Keepers Inheritance #2) – 3

Disney’s CEO has completely changed his mind about opening a Villains’ Realm in each park.  The man was opposing it because it was a clear threat, giving the villains a foothold.  But now, he’s greenlit them, and constructions has started immediately.  In order to stop them from being completed, Eli and his friend Blair are going to have to team up with Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother.  Can they stop it in time?

If you haven’t been following this saga, you’ll probably be lost trying to follow what is happening.  Fans will want to read this book since it sets up the next book.  Unfortunately, it falls into middle book trap.  We don’t get any real battles with the villains, just stand offs.  The climax is abrupt and the story just kind of stops.  As usual in the series, the characters are thin as well.  Plus some editing left me confused a couple of times.  On the positive side, it’s always fun to watch the Kingdom Keepers interacting with Disney characters, and I enjoyed seeing a lot of the action taking place at the California parks.  I’m curious to see where things are going, so I’ll be back for the conclusion.

 

Murder in the Air by Various Authors (Destination Murders #4) – 5

This year, the Destination Murders authors are taking to the air.  Yes, we get some murders on planes, but we also have a zipline, hot air balloon, blimp, and a couple of fun ones I’m going to let you discover for yourself.  We travel to Costa Rica, Las Vegas, Vermont, and Tennessee in these stories that find murder an unwelcomed traveling companion.

As always with these collections, the author lineup has changed slightly.  For the authors who are returning, I look forward to catching up with their sleuths whether I’ve read books with these characters or not.  I do have to remind myself these are short stories, so the stories aren’t quite as complex.  They’re still fun, overall (one ended abruptly), and I’m glad I took the time to read them.  These eight stories combine for the equivalent of a full novel, so you are getting your money’s worth.  Pack this for your next vacation, but maybe read it when you are on the ground.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

Murder on the Med by Nancy Cole Silverman (Kat Lawson Mysteries #3) – 5

Kat’s latest assignment for the travel magazine she works for is supposed to be a quiet, relaxing week on a luxury ship that caters to seniors who live on board full time.  She’s supposed to spend a week experiencing everything the ship has to offer as it cruises on the Amalfi Coast of Italy.  But then, Kat hears that the woman whose unit she is subleasing might not have left the ship willingly.  Kat isn’t quite willing to take it seriously until she finds the woman’s purse in the cabin.  Then she finds a rare coin.  What is really going on?

While we don’t really see any of the other characters we’ve met in this series, that gives Kat plenty of time to shine.  It’s also great if you’ve missed the earlier books.  It was a little work to keep all the people we met straight, but I did by the end, and it was worth it since the plot is wonderful.  Just as I was wondering where things might go next, we got a great twist that kept me turning pages as quickly as I could.  I did think there were some timeline issues, but nothing that impacted the plot.  On the other hand, I really want to visit the Amalfi Coast now and see these areas for myself.  If you are looking for a great armchair travel book, you’ll be glad you booked passage on this deadly Mediterranean cruise.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

A Feast Most Foul by Sarah E. Burr (Court of Mysteries #2) – 5

Duchess Jacqueline is making her first official trip after becoming ruler of her kingdom.  She’s attending a two-week tournament hosted by her grandfather, a duke in a neighboring kingdom.  They have a strained relationship (at best), so she isn’t looking forward to it.  But the first night, a knight is killed and the evidence points of Jax’s intended.  Can she find more evidence to clear his name?

I enjoyed the first book in the series, so I was really looking forward to this one.  I wasn’t disappointed.   We are still in the novellas that started this series, so it is a fast read, but it doesn’t skimp on plot with plenty of twists that kept me engaged.  I enjoyed watching the relationships grow for the returning characters, and the new cast are just as engaging.  If you haven’t read the first book, be aware there are some hints as to what happened in that book.  I also am really enjoying the light fantasy setting of the series.  I’m looking forward to catching up with Jax again soon.

 

Fondant Fumble by Jenn McKinlay (Cupcake Bakery Mysteries #16) – 4

Two players for the Arizona Scorpions NFL team have opened the newest franchise of Mel’s bakery across town. While she is enjoying teaching them about what it takes to run the business, others don’t seem so happy about it. In fact, the team’s owner makes a scene at the bakery’s opening. The next morning, he’s found dead in the new bakery. Can Mel find the killer?

I love the characters in this series, and it was great to check on them again. The new characters are just as charming. The mystery could have used a few other suspects and another couple of twists. What we have is good, but it could have been stronger. On the other hand, I thought I knew where a subplot was going early on, but I was delighted to be surprised. It became one of my favorite parts of the book. The humor is great as always, and we get more cupcake recipes as well. Fans of this series will gobble it up as quickly as I did. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

 

A Collection of Lies by Connie Berry (Kate Hamilton #5) – 4

Kate Hamilton and her new husband, DI Tom Mallory, are on their honeymoon in Devon, but they’ve been asked to see if they can prove the providence of a dress that has been recently donated to a local museum.  The dress is supposed to belong to a woman who was suspected of murder back in 1885, but nothing was ever proved.  They’ve hardly started when someone shoots a gun at a fundraiser for the museum.  A couple days later, a dead body turns up.  Are these events related?

This book is a tale of two halves.  The first half is uneven, with too much time spent on antiques and history for my tastes.  However, the second half really picks up, with a nail-biting scene and plenty of twists.  The solution is logical, although it felt a bit rushed to me.  I did miss the rest of the regulars, but I enjoyed seeing more of Tom, and the new characters are good.  Fans will be happy to hear it appears we’ve found a solution for an ongoing storyline as well.  If you are new to the series, I recommend starting with an earlier book.  Fans will find their patience rewarded with this one.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman (Leaphorn and Chee #2) – 4

It’s early December on the Navajo reservation.  Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, who works for the Navajo Tribal Police, has been called to work on a case involving two missing boys.  There is a huge pool of blood at the last place they were scene.  One of them, a Navajo, was seen the next morning and is wanted as a witness, although some suspect he might be the killer.  The other is a Zuni youth, and that just complicates the case for Leaphorn since that tribe has their own police department.  As Leaphorn investigates further, he finds many things that just don’t add up for him.  Can he make sense of it, find the missing boys, and catch a killer before the killer strikes again?

Leaphorn is much more of the main character this time around, but we still haven’t met Chee.  It’s interesting to see how this series evolves over time.  The mystery is strong here, especially since there is a thriller element to it that kept me engrossed.  I did feel the discussion of Navajo culture slowed things down at times; those passages can be a double-edged sword.  Still, this is a book that fans old and new will find entertaining.

 

Warped on a Moon Trek by Diane Vallere (Sylvia Stryker #5) – 4

Sylvia Stryker and her mentor, Neptune, are on a shake down cruise for the latest Moon Trek ship when a computer chip malfunctions.  The best way to fix it is to talk to the original scientist who created it, so Neptune takes off.  However, when Sylvia figured out the who and the when of Neptune’s mission, she takes off after him.  Will she be able to fix the chip without destroying her life?

You’ll notice I didn’t say much about the mystery.  That’s because, honestly, it was a little lost in everything else going on in this book.  But that’s okay because I was having a grand time.  The science fiction element of the plot did fall into a couple of the plot holes these type of stories often have (or I just missed something), but I didn’t mind too much.  The story gives Sylvia several chances for some major growth, and those scenes are top notch.  And there were plenty of laughs and fun along the way.  If you are a fan of these books, you owe it to yourself to pick it up today.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

Murder at an English Séance by Jessica Ellicott (Beryl and Edwina #8) – 5

The biggest news in the village of Walmsley Parva (well, aside from Beryl’s latest stunt) is the arrival of the Dinsdales.    Miss Dinsdale is a psychic, or so she claims.  Beryl has had previous experiences with so called psychics, and she has her doubts right from the start.  So she is fully on board when the two friends are hired to prove Miss Dinsdale is a fake.

Naturally, that means attending a séance or two to see Miss Dinsdale in action.  What no one expects is for them to find a dead body at one of the sittings.  Edwina and Beryl quickly change the focus of their investigation.  Will they solve their latest case?

Since the last book took place mainly outside the village, I was thrilled to be back for this book.  I enjoyed seeing the residents again, and see how Edwina and Beryl’s relationships with them continue to grow.  The new characters are good, although there was one that seemed a little young for the age he had to be.  I also enjoyed seeing how Edwina and Beryl continue to grow.  The story was good with a couple of subplots that kept me engaged as I was reading.  The time period came alive as I was reading as well.  If you haven’t started this series, you are in for a treat.  And if you are already a fan, you’ll be happy with the latest entry.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

Requiem for a Mouse by Miranda James (Cat in the Stacks Mysteries #16) – 3

After the Athena College receives a large collection of rare books, Charlie Harris hires an assistant to help him catalogue them in a timely manner.  Tara Martin keeps to herself; in fact, she’s almost antisocial.  Charlie begins to think there is something more to it after she ducks out of a party with hardly any excuse.  Then someone runs her down.  Can Charlie figure out what is going on?

The plot of this book is fine.  Charlie’s investigation makes since given his job at the college archives, and he keeps encountering the suspects and gaining more insight from them.  One thing was left dangling from an otherwise logical climax.  However, there are several things that needed a good edit to resolve, including timeline issues among others.  The saving grace is the characters.  All the regulars, both human and animal, are present and their normal charming shelves.  I do enjoy spending time with them.  Fans will feel the same way, but if you are new to the series, don’t jump in here.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

Three Strikes – You're Dead! by Various Authors – 5

This is a collection of 14 crime fiction short stories with a sports theme.  And there are plenty of unique sports here.  The collection starts out with one of three baseball stories as the hero of a playoff game winds up dead moments after scoring the winning run. We’ve got a bounty hunter who is trying to bring in an ultimate Frisbee player. A college swimming coach is found dead at practice one morning. A woman plans to avenge her brother’s death in the bull riding ring. A biathlete is kidnapped. And a tennis coach finds himself in grave danger. 

With all the stories, this is definitely long enough to be a full-length book, so you are getting your money's worth.  The twists on a couple of the stories didn't quite work for me, but most of the stories held together very well.  Likewise, the characters are all real.  Considering the shorter space that the writers had to work with, I am always impressed when they can pull both of those things off.  I'm not the biggest sports fan in the world, but I still found myself being pulled into these stories.  Whether you are a diehard sports fanatic or have a casual interest at best, you'll enjoy this collection.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.