October 2024's Reading Summary

 It's that time of the month again, time to wrap up the previous month.  Despite my vacation last week, I even got the index updated this month. Which is good since I probably won't get a chance in November.

Anyway, here is what I read in October.  Links will take you to my full review.  All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

 

Crime and Parchment by Daphne Silver (Rare Books Cozy Mysteries #1) – 5

Rare books librarian Juniper Blume is surprised when she gets a message from her ex-brother-in-law claiming he has found a clue to where the covers for the Book of Kells might be.  She’s even more surprised to see he thinks they are in the small Maryland town of Rose Mallow.  But Juniper is also intrigued, so she returns, even if it means dealing with some complicated family relationships.  But when she goes to the meeting, she finds a dead body.  Can she figure out what is going on?

This book received lots of praise when it came out, and I can see why.  There’s a lot packed into the beginning, but I was able to follow it, and it pulled me into the story.  It did make the book feel a little slower later, but maybe that was just my expectations.  I was definitely intrigued the entire way through, and the ending answered my questions.  I also appreciated that the author did a good job of making us believe that the treasure hunt Juniper found herself on was believable.  The characters were good, and the subplot involving Juniper and her family felt realistic.  I liked how that played out.  I’m looking forward to seeing what is next for these characters soon.

 

A Merry Little Murder Plot by Jenn McKinlay (Library Lover’s Mysteries #15) – 4

This winter, the Briar Creek Library is hosting a writer in residence, and they are honored to have thriller writer Helen Monroe as she works on something new.  But Lindsey Norris’s radar goes off when she meets an obsessive fan of Helen’s.  Sure enough, the sparks fly when the two meet at a public event.  And then Lindsey finds a dead body in the city’s park – electrocuted by the town’s Christmas lights.  Can she figure out what is going on?

I always enjoy visiting these characters, and that was no exception.  Having said that, I didn’t appreciate the subplot about book banning, mainly because it was just knee jerk storytelling and didn’t have any of the nuance that should be involved in the topic.  Still, that was a minor part of a book I enjoyed overall.  The plot was great and kept me guessing even about who the victim would be (I went in without reading anything about the plot).  The twists kept coming after the murder, but everything made sense at the end.  The characters, both old and new, were fun.  I laughed quite a few times as I went along.  And the festive setting added a nice touch to the book.  There are some Christmassy extras at the end.  Fans will love this book.  Anyone looking for a fun Christmas mystery will be glad they picked this book up.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

The Sherlock Society by James Ponti (The Sherlock Society #1) – 4

Alex Sherlock, his sister, Zoe, and his friends are trying to find a summer job when Zoe finds the perfect solution - become detectives. While the idea doesn’t quite go as they had envisioned, they are soon on an interesting case looking for a treasure. What will they find?

The book had some issues with the plot, at least to me, including an exciting beginning followed by a flashback to how the characters got there. On the whole, however, it was entertaining, and I’m sure the intended target audience will love it. I definitely loved the characters, the growth we got in one of them, and the bond they formed. I also appreciated the realistic family dynamic. There’s some great laughs along the way as well. I’m sure middle schoolers will rush through this book. Despite my reservations, I enjoyed the book overall and I’ll be back for more. 

 

Pretty Lentil Liars by Cathy Wiley (Fatal Food Festival Mysteries #3) – 5

Jackie Norwood has landed in Holland, Washington, for their lentil festival. It quickly becomes evident that the organizer has exaggerated how big the crowds will be, but Jackie wonders what else the organizer is hiding after she receives a note claiming the organizer is a constant liar. Then she hears about the teen who vanished on prom night twelve years ago. Can Jackie find the truth about what happened that night?

I was thrilled to be back in Jackie’s presence for this book. The set up was fun, and I quickly got caught up in the story. I thought I had the villain pegged early on, but I turned out to be wrong. Still, everything made sense when I was done. The characters are great, new and old alike. One of the supporting characters gets a chance to shine, and I liked the growth we saw for Jackie. We also get some humor, including puns, which I enjoyed. There are 10 recipes at the end featuring lentils, from the traditional soups to the more creative. If you are looking for a great book that is a fast read, you’ll be glad you picked up this book. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

 

Send in the Clowns by Julie Mulhern (Country Club Murders #4) – 4

Being at the local haunted house wasn’t Ellison’s choice for a Sunday night activity.  But as she finds herself navigating the various rooms, she finds a room with two clowns.  Ellison already isn’t a fan of clowns, but she quickly realizes that one of the clowns was just stabbed, and he dies in her arms after asking for Ellison’s help by name.  When Ellison returns with help, she finds the room completely empty.  Who was the victim?  More importantly, who was the other clown?

I’d let too long go between visits with Ellison, but it was great to be back in her presence.  The returning characters are fun, and I’m not minding the love triangle yet.  The plot started out quickly and the pace never lagged.  The ending was weaker than I would have liked, but it did answer all our questions.  I didn’t enjoy a couple of the elements rooting in the changing times of the 70’s.  One of them definitely takes the book outside of cozy territory.  On the other hand, I loved the little details that put us in that decade.  And the humor continues to entertain.  This is a great book to read in October for the seasonal feels, but you’ll enjoy it any time of the year you pick it up.

 

Comedy Can Be Deadly by Ryan Rivers (Bucket List Mysteries #3) – 5

Levi has landed the role of Puck in the local theater’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Sho is happy with his role as stage manager until an accident forces him to take on the role of Lysander. Things are anything but smooth sailing with all the personalities in the cast and crew. But then some dies after falling from the upper platform of the theater. Was it an accident or murder?

I love this series, so I was so happy to get the latest entry. The plot is lots of fun with plenty of secrets on the way to the climax, which is the best version of this kind of climax I’ve read. The comedy was a little toned down, but that was a good thing, and there was plenty of laughs. I love how the main characters were developed here again, and the suspects helped pull us into the story. The last chapter sets up the next book, as always, but it’s a bit surprising given some of what happens here. There are some references to past stories, so I recommend you read them in order. You’ll appreciate the character growth more as well. But when you want to laugh while solving a mystery, this is a series you’ll love. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

 

Til Death by Annette Dashofy (Zoe Chambers #10) – 5

With two weeks until their wedding, Zoe Chambers and Pete Adams are trying to juggle final prep with some puzzling cases. In Zoe’s case, it’s a friend from high school who died under mysterious circumstances with no clues after the autopsy. Meanwhile, Pete is reopening a case he solved nine years ago. A man was convicted of killing his wife, but the conviction has been overturned. Pete got it right the first time, didn’t he?

If you are new to the series, I don’t recommend you start here. Aside from the spoilers for the previous book (and they can’t be avoided), you also get some conclusions for several ongoing story arcs. However, fans will be hooked from the beginning. Zoe, Pete, and the gang are as fantastic as always, and I appreciated the growth we got. There is a lot going on here, so I never wanted to put the book down, but the mystery is always front and center and comes to a logical conclusion. Since these are police procedural, there’s a little more language and violence than in a cozy, but they are kept to a minimum. A couple of threads are left for the next book, so I can’t wait to see where things go for our characters next. Fans will delight with this book. If that isn’t you yet, fix that today. 

 

The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper by Sally Carpenter (Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mysteries #1) – 5

It’s 1993, and Sandy Fairfax has fallen from his glory days as a music and TV star in the late 1970’s.  He’s hoping to get some of that back, but for now, he’s taking any job he can get, including appearing at a Beatles fan convention in a small Indiana town.  He’s just supposed to be there for one panel about the time that Ringo appeared on his show, but when he finds a member of the Beatle’s tribute band dead, Sandy finds himself the prime suspect.  Can he clear his name?

I’ve long had this author’s books on my radar, and I wish I’d read her sooner.  Sandy is trying to put his life back together, but that made me care for him more, and I didn’t feel like it fell into cliches.  The rest of the cast were good for the amount of page time they had.  The mystery was strong, and I enjoyed how Beatles trivia was used in the plot.  Don’t worry – if, like me, you aren’t that familiar with the Fab Four, everything you need to know is explained to you.  I also enjoyed the laughs all the way through the book.  I will definitely be back for more in this delightful series.

 

Death Checked Out by Leah Dobrinska (Larkspur Library #1) – 3

Greta Plank has moved to Larkspur, Wisconsin, for a fresh start. She’s loving her job as the director of the local library, and she’s become close friends with her fellow librarians. She’s even become friends with her neighbor, the town recluse. Unfortunately, she finds his dead body after work one day. But what she thinks is an accident the police label murder. Even worse, they think she is the prime suspect. Can she clear her name? 

I thought this book sounded good, so I was looking forward to reading it. The initial set up was good, and I was getting cozy vibes from the characters and the setting. Sadly, that didn’t continue as the book progressed. I did like Greta’s arc, but the rest of the characters stayed pretty flat. The mystery did have some surprises, but I had things figured out very early. It’s not that the book is bad, but it’s not good either. This is one to pick up only is something in particular about the premise appeals to you. 

 

The General’s Gold by LynDee Walker & Bruce Robert Coffin (Turner & Mosley Files #1) – 4

This book introduces us to Avery Turner, a new tech billionaire, and Carter Mosley, an internet famous adventure junkie.  The two met when Carter taught Avery to scuba dive.  But things really kick off when Avery learns of her friend, fellow tech billionaire, Mark Hawkins’s death.  The police are ruling it an accidental drug overdose.  There’s just one problem with that – Avery has never seen Mark take anything stronger than an aspirin.  She goes to investigate herself, and she finds a few puzzling things that Mark left behind.  Soon, she’s is on the trail of a rumored treasure that dates back to the 1700’s, pulling Carter in along the way.  Can they find it?

I’ve heard good things about both of these authors but hadn’t had a chance to read them before I picked up this book.  I’m glad I did give their collaboration a try.  While I did find the series setup a bit slow, I was still entertained.  Once the plot really kicked off, I was completely hooked and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.  I appreciated the logic behind things when I reached the climax.  I also enjoyed the main trio of characters (Avery, her assistant, and Carter).  I can’t wait to spend more time with them.  The violence and language was kept to a minimum, which I appreciated.  A couple of things felt like they got glossed over, but that’s a minor complaint.  I’m looking forward to reading more.  If you are looking for an action, adventure series, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.

 

Saguaro by Sandy Dengler (Jack Prester #8) – 5

Jack Prester is already in the area before the trouble begins this time. He’s in Tucson for Rangerfest, an annual gathering of those who work in the parks. When two grad students’ bodies are found in one part of Saguaro, his boss asks him to look into it. Jack quickly finds that there are multiple local agencies trying to get in on the investigation, which makes things more complicated. But the greatest complication is the attack on Jack. If he survives, can he figure out what is going on?

It was great as always to be back visiting a National Park with Jack and the rest of the cast. Yes, all the supporting characters are here again and I love watching them all work together to solve things. I thought the opening scene might have given away a little too much, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. Instead, we got plenty of twists along the way to the climax. Some strong subplots definitely helped. There is a scattering of foul language, but it was kept to a minimum. As always, the writing is poetic without getting in the way of the story, which is something I love. I’m hoping this isn’t our last visit with Jack (after all, there are still plenty of parks to visit), but if it is, this is one fans will love. And if you haven’t started this series yet, you really should.