August 2023's Reading Summary

 We've reached the end of another month.  Time for another reading summary, right?  There were several books I really enjoyed, and I got caught up on a series I've been working on for years.

I did get the index updated this month as well.  Two months is a row!

All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).  As always, the links take you to my full review.

 

A Sense for Murder by Leslie Karst (Sally Solari Mysteries #6) – 5

When Sally Solari hears about the farm-to-fork fundraiser that the new restaurant in Santa Cruz is hosting, she immediately volunteers to help with the cooking for the event.  As a result, she on hand when someone steals one of the auction items – a signed set of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking – killing a member of the restaurant’s staff as well.  Can Sally figure out what happened?

The book takes a bit of time setting up the suspects, but it isn’t too long before the body is found and things really pick up.  There were several puzzling twists on the way to the satisfying climax.  I was anxious to see how Sally’s relationship with her new boyfriend was going to go.  I appreciated that their storyline didn’t drag their conflict out too much.  The rest of the cast was great; we mostly focus on the suspects, and they kept me guessing.  The book touches on the issue of the homeless, and I felt it did a good job of presenting the concerns fairly, which I appreciated.  We also dabble a little with the sixth sense in this book, but it didn’t go so far that it bothered me or took this book out of the real world.  There are five gourmet recipes at the end to enjoy later.  This series was always intended to be a six book series, and if the author does stick with that, fans will be happy with where Sally winds up here.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

The Body in the Cattails by Catherine Dilts (Rose Creek Mysteries #1) – 5

Drew Brauner has been in Rose Creek, Oklahoma, for a couple of months now but has yet to really make any friends, so she decides to go to the new book club forming.  Before the meeting is over, the women have spotted a dead body floating in the creek behind the story.  As they begin to investigate, they begin to bond.  Will they figure out what happened?

Really, there are four main characters, and we get to see the story from all of their points of view.  They also have their own arcs.  But it is all balanced wonderfully.  It never becomes too much or overwhelming, and I loved every second of it.  This is all juggled with the main mystery, which kept me engaged before becoming a pager turner at the climax.  This is one of those books you don’t want to end because you don’t want to leave the characters behind.  I already can’t wait for book two to come out.  Get this utterly charming series debut today.  You’ll be glad you did.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

 

Murder on Bedford Street by Victoria Thompson (Gaslight Mysteries #26) – 5

Frank Malloy is hired by Hugh Breedlove who is convinced that his niece, Julia, has been sent to an insane asylum because her husband is abusive and evil.  When Frank and his wife Sarah go to visit Julia, she certainly appears sane.  But can they prove it to a judge?

It’s always a pleasure to travel back to New York City in 1901 with this series.  I thought I knew where this story was going early on, but I turned out to be wrong.  Instead, I got a great story that turned into a thriller by the end.  It’s always wonderful to spend time with these characters, we even got to see a couple of the recurring characters and some of the regular characters played a different role than normal. The multiple view points are use perfectly to advance the story.  I get lost in the time period as I read this story, and that happened here again as well.  It’s a little hard to believe I’m caught up on the series, but I’m happy to see the next book in the series will be out in the spring, so I won’t have to wait too long to visit these characters again.

 

Death on the Grand Canal by M. A. Monnin (Intrepid Traveler Mysteries #2) – 4

Stefanie Adams has her first official assignment in her new job recovering stolen art for Interpol.  She and Thomas Burkhardt are trying to recover the Borgia Peacock, a pendant that was stolen over 100 years ago.  Stefanie has gotten an invitation from the countess selling it, but when they show up at the countess’s palazzo in Venice, they discover they have more competition than they originally thought they would.  One of their competition in a notorious fence, but then he is murdered.  Will Stefanie figure out what happened and still get the pendant?

The book took a little bit of time to get going, playing tourist on the way to the mystery.  But once the mystery started, the book was strong with lots of secrets and twists to keep Stefanie and Thomas from their objective.  I did find their personal sub-plot a mixed bag.  At times I felt for Stefanie, and at others I was frustrated by her lack of faith in Thomas.  On the whole, I liked both characters, however, and it was good to spend time with them again.  The rest of the cast come alive as the book progresses and we learn what they are hiding.  I’ve long wanted to visit Venice, and this book made me want to visit even more.  If you want a good mystery with an international flair, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.

 

Claws of Death by Cathy Wiley (Fatal Food Festival Mysteries #1) – 5

After getting out of rehab, Jackie Norwood is looking for any way to rebuild her life, and professionally, she is taking her celebrity chef name on the road, judging food festivals.  Her first one is a crab festival in Texas.  She is horrified to realize that her fellow judge is her nemesis, Heather Curtis.  Then disaster strikes when Heather drops dead after tasting their first dish – a dish prepared by Jackie’s ex-boyfriend.  With the police looking at the two of them as suspects in Heather’s murder, Jackie has to jump in and find out what really happened.  Can she do it?

Author Cathy Wiley has introduced Jackie in some short stories in the Destination Murders series, and I’m thrilled to see Jackie get her own novel finally.  I liked getting to know Jackie better, and the rest of the cast, introduced here, are fantastic.  The story starts quickly and never lags.  I enjoyed how Jackie pieced things together at the end.  Throw in some humor, and this was a book I never wanted to put down.  It was over all too quickly.  Those who enjoy crab will be interested in the recipes at the end.  If you are looking for a fun new series, you’ll be thrilled you got your claws into this debut.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

 

Birder, She Wrote by Donna Andrews (Meg Langslow #33) – 4

The NIMBYs (not in my backyard) are at it again, this time complaining about the bees that the farmer next to their neighborhood is keeping – something he’s had since long before their subdivision was created.  But before Meg Langslow can go over and attempt to play peacemaker, she is going to help her neighbor attempt to find a long abandoned African American cemetery.  Their expedition ends when they find a very modern dead body in the area – that of the NIMBY ringleader.  Since he wasn’t popular even among his neighbors, the suspect list in long.  Will Meg figure out what happened?

It's always a pleasure to drop back into Meg’s world.  Her family and friends make me smile, and this book was no exception.  The plot tries to work a bit too much into the story; it works, but it could have used a trim.  It doesn’t matter because I was along for the ride up until the end.  The suspects fit well into Meg’s world, and I got some laughs along the way.  This is a book that will please fans old and new.

 

Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O’Connor, Liz Ireland, and Carol J. Perry – 4

Kensington is back with another Halloween anthology for us, this time featuring three different authors.  Up first, Carlene O’Connor takes us Home to Ireland as a trip trying to find Halloween decorations for Tara Meehan’s shop leads her to find a dead body.  Our next stop is the North Pole with Liz Ireland’s Mrs. Claus.  It’s the second Halloween in Santaland, and April Claus is dealing with missing candy corn, the themed ingredient for the bakeoff, and a murder in a bakery.  Finally, we travel to Salem to spend time with Carol J. Perry’s Lee Barrett.  The town’s favorite baker is missing, and Lee can’t help but get involved, especially when her visions show her where he might be.

As if often the case with these anthologies, I only read one of the authors.  I love the Mrs. Claus series, and this was easily my favorite in the book.  The other two were good, although they did leave me with some small questions I wish had been answered.  Still, they were good introductions to the characters, as I had no problem following who all the characters are.  All three stories kept me guessing until sleuth figured things out.  While there’s obviously a culinary theme to the collection, we only get one recipe at the end.  If you are looking for some new series, this is a fun way to try three new to you authors.  If you are already a fan of these series, you’ll enjoy these between books check ins.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver (Electra McDonnell #1) – 5

Electra “Ellie” McDonnell and her uncle supplement their income as locksmiths with the occasional burglary.  London in 1940 is ripe with opportunities, but after one late night robbery, they are caught and given a choice – jail or helping Major Ramsey.  Ramsey needs someone to break into a safe to retrieve some sensitive documents.  Ellie reluctantly agrees, but when she and Ramsey arrives, they are surprised by what they find.  As things spiral out of control, can Ellie still help?

When I first heard about this series, I knew I had to give it a try.  I’m so glad I did.  Obviously, there is a lot of set up needed, but the book moves through it quickly, creating characters along the way.  The characters are all sharp from the beginning but become more interesting as the book progresses.  We also get Ellie’s history is small doses, which sets up some storylines I can’t wait to read more about.  I saw a couple twists coming a few pages early, but every time something happened, I was more drawn into the story.  I was expecting a strong romantic sub-plot, but I wasn’t expecting the beginning of a love triangle.  The period came to life, and I appreciated that this really couldn’t have taken place at any other point in history.  I’ll definitely be back for more, and if you enjoy historical mysteries, you’ll be glad you picked this one up as well.

 

Murder in the Wine Country by Janet Finsilver (Kelly Jackson Mysteries #6) – 3

Kelly’s boss is bringing in others to get a vision of what he’s accomplished in Redwood Cove in the hopes of replicating it around the country.  Part of this is a wine tasting, and Eric is supposed to be assisting with it.  However, not too long after Kelly meets him, Eric turns up dead.  Could it have to do with the poachers in the area looking for a rare and expensive plant?

This teaser doesn’t even mention a storyline that starts part way into the book and really takes over.  I get why it does, but it makes the resulting story feel way more rushed than it should have been.  There was enough here for two books.  Plus, there’s a sub-plot that is resolved way too easily (and unrealistically).  But, as always, I loved the characters and watching their relationships grow.  I was smiling as I read about them.  Likewise, I enjoyed revisiting the setting.  If you are new to the series, don’t start here.  Fans will enjoy it even if it is the weakest in the series.

 

Fair Game by Annette Dashofy (Zoe Chambers Mysteries #8) – 5

Zoe Chambers is spending the week at the county fair, showing her horse and working in the ambulance.  However, it’s not the relaxing week she’d hoped for as she keeps seeing people from her past in 4H, people she’d rather forget.  Meanwhile, Pete Adams is investigating the mysterious death of a woman who vanished after a drunken night out.  Except her friends all insist she wouldn’t have gotten drunk.  So what is really going on?

Fans of the series know to expect plenty of twists, and that’s what we get here.  Even though I knew something that was coming later on, I was pulled into the story and enjoyed watching everything unfold.  Zoe and Pete continued to shine as our co-leads, with us spending equal time in their third person points of view.  I was also happy to see Pete behaving in a way I could support in their relationship here.  The rest of the cast are all strong, and that included some supporting characters I was happy to see again.  These are a little darker than the cozies I typically read, but as long as you know that, you’ll be fine.  As I was reading this book, I realized how much I love the sense of community these books have.  If you are looking for a fast-moving plot with characters you’ll love, this is the book, and series, for you.