All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great). The links will take you to my full review:
Murder in Rose Hill by Victoria Thompson (Gaslight Mysteries #27) – 4
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?
Since I caught up on the series last year, it’s been a
longer wait than I was used to before I got to return to these characters. It was fabulous spending time with them
again. The series regulars all get
appearances and are their usual charming selves. We even got advancement on a plotline that
had gone backwards in recent books. The
mystery itself could have been a little stronger; same with the suspects. I still enjoyed it, but it’s not the best of
the series. I was expecting a certain
historical event to show up in the series at some point, so I was happy seeing
how the characters reacted to that. Fans
of this long running series will be glad they got to spend more time with
characters they love. I know I was.
Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon – 3
When Los Angeles based real estate mogul Lana Rubicon is diagnosed with cancer, she moves to the central California coast so her daughter, Beth, and granddaughter, Jacqueline (aka Jack) can take care of her, a scary prospect since Lana doesn’t necessarily get along with them. But when a kayak group that Jack is leading discover a dead body, Lana jumps into the case to help her granddaughter. Will this prove to be the distraction and bonding agent that three of them need?
I really wanted to like this book, and there were things I
did. While a bit slow, especially at the
beginning, the mystery did drawn me in.
On the other hand, I figured out the killer pretty early. Lana has some rough edges, and it took quite
a while to warm up to her. Since most
(but not all) of the book is told from her third person point-of-view, that was
an issue. It helped that I liked Beth
and Jack and their relationship. I was
also pretty discouraged by how most of the men in the story were portrayed. The setting came to life, and I enjoyed
spending time there. Overall, the book
has a serious tone and is more a traditional mystery than a cozy. It’s definitely not a thriller. As I said, this was a mixed bag. I’m glad I read it, but I will hesitate
before I pick up anything else from this author.
Murder on Devil’s Pond by Ayla Rose
(Hummingbird Hollow B&B Mysteries #1) – 5
Hannah Solace has returned to her small town in Vermont to help her sister run a B&B. The only person she’s really reconnect with is Ezra Grayson, the town’s eighty-year-old recluse that most people want to see sell the house he’s lived in most of his life. Then Hannah finds his dead body on the pond that borders the B&B. When she finds herself on the suspect list, Hannah begins to investigate. Is his death related to a secret from the past? Or was one of his heirs, who are staying at the B&B, too impatient to inherit?
I’ll admit, it took me a couple of chapters to fully get pulled into this new world, but once it did, I was fully hooked. The mystery is complex with a variety of motives. I figured one thing out early, but the rest, including the killer, kept me guessing. The characters, including the suspects, grew more complex as I read as well. There are some relationships I’m looking forward to seeing explored further as the series goes along. The environmental themes are well done, and the recipe at the end sounds delicious. This book is a little more on the serious side for a cozy mystery, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. If you are looking for a new series you can dig into, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket by Laura Levine
(Jaine Austen Mysteries #20) – 4
Freelance writer Jaine Austen’s latest client is gym owner Chip Miller. Chip has hired Jaine to ghost write a book on exercise, and she’s been invited to join Chip’s family on a train trip to Santa Barbara and back. While on the train, Jaine learns what a bully Chip is, so it is hardly a surprise when someone kills him. Meanwhile, Lance is trying to join a club in West Hollywood, and enlists Jaine. And her father has decided he’s related to Elvis, and is planning an appearance at a costume party to honor his cousin. Where will it all lead?
Fans of the series (and there are plenty after twenty books)
will know what to expect here. And
they’ll love Jaine’s latest adventures.
I did figure out a key part of the mystery early, but there were other
things I wanted to see filled in, and I enjoyed the journey. The characters are more caricature, but they
fit the story. That’s because this is an
over-the-top comedic mystery. I laughed
plenty along the way. When you want a
light mystery, this is a series to pick up.
The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly
(Harry Bosch #19) – 4
Now retired from the LAPD, Harry Bosch is working as an axillary officer from the San Fernando Police Department, helping the small force clear back cases. That’s how he gets involved with a case of man who is serially attack women. Meanwhile, he’s hired as a PI to track down a billionaire’s potential heir. Can he solve both cases?
These cases were both intrigued, and I appreciated how the
stakes kept being raised, explaining why Bosch would focus on one case at any
given moment. While both stories
resolved logically, I did feel like one got short changed, leaving me not
completely satisfied with how that was wrapped up. Even retired, Bosch is still Bosch, mostly
for better, although a couple of subplots are predictable at this point. We do get an update on his daughter, and
Mickey Haller also shows up. The new
characters are well drawn and help pull us in.
Overall, this is a book that Bosch’s many fans will enjoy.
Encyclopedia Brown Shows the Way by Donald J.
Sobol (Encyclopedia Brown #9) – 4
What is Encyclopedia up to this time around? He helps his father prove who stole an electric drill. He helps a kid get his harmonica back from Bugs. When a girl wants to figure out who got her kicked off a baseball team, Encyclopedia Brown takes the case. He figures out who stole a rattlesnake rattle from a display at a museum. And he helps a friend who thinks he saw a ghost.
The ten stories in this book are fairly short, which makes
them easy to breeze through. I still
find I rarely solve the case before Encyclopedia does, but that’s okay. I have fun with them. There isn’t time for much in the way of
twists here, and the characters are fairly thin. I don’t think kids will mind either one. What they might find off putting is the dated
elements of the books. Like, what’s an
encyclopedia? Still, if they are willing
to pick it up, they’ll find these stories fun.
Joshua Tree by Sandy Dengler (Jack Prester #7)
– 5
When a ranger dies while participating in a bull riding event, everyone chalks it up to a tragic accident. Everyone except for the man’s family, who is threatening to sue Joshua Tree National Park, where he works, as well as local law enforcement. So Jack Prester is sent out to poke around a little and back up the official investigation. Basically be window dressing. However, it isn’t long after Jack arrives when he finds a whole lot more going on that could shed new light on the death. Can he figure out what is going on?
Once again, it was great to be spending time with these
characters. The plot drew me in and kept
me turning pages. There were a couple of
things I might not like from another author, but this author pulled them off
while answering all my questions. The
characters, both new and returning, are wonderful. I was surprised at the bit of language in the
book, mainly because most of the time when it showed up, it didn’t feel
appropriate. But that’s a minor
issue. Overall, I continue to love the
author’s use of language. It’s almost
poetic at times, but never gets in the way of the story. This is another great entry in a great
series.
A Very Woodsy Murder by Ellen Byron (Golden
Motel Mysteries #1) – 5
Dee Stern is looking for something new after her career as a sitcom writer declines. When she spots the Golden Motel outside of Majestic National Park, she buys it with her best friend, Jeff Cornetta. Their first guest is Michael Adam Baker, a former co-worker from Dee’s sitcom writing days. She’s less than happy to see him again. But then he’s murdered. With Dee and Jeff both on the suspect list and all reservations cancelling because of the news, Dee has to figure out what happened to save her livelihood. Can she do it?
While the motel and the areas where the action takes place are all fictional, anyone familiar with the Sierra Nevada mountains will pick up on the inspiration for the setting. Between that and the motel itself, I was completely charmed and wanted to go visit in real life. The characters we meet are a bit eccentric even for a cozy but also just as delightful. Dee’s background as a sitcom writer provides some good laughs and adds to how Dee views the events. The mystery sets itself up well so it can really get going once Michael is killed. I was hooked and surprised by the logical conclusion. While not a full-blown culinary cozy, there are a couple of recipes at the end. I was utterly charmed by this debut and am already booking my return visit.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
One Wrong Word by Hank Phillippi Ryan – 3
Ned Bannister, on trial for hitting and killing a man with his car, has been found innocent. But the public isn’t so ready to forgive, which means life is still difficult for him and his family. That’s why his wife, Cordelia, hires PR expert Arden Ward to help. But Arden is having a crisis of her own, with her job on the line after being accused of an affair. When the Bannister’s case takes an unexpected turn, Arden is left wondering who she can trust. Can she figure out a way to help her client and find her future?
This book has an interesting premise, and I was quickly
hooked. But then we hit the middle,
where we had questions asked multiple times with very few answers of any
kind. I would have been happy with lies,
even, to advance the story and set up some twists. We do reach a satisfying climax, but the
pacing could have been better. One
character was whiney, but I found the rest of the characters likeable, and
enjoyed spending time with them. Most of
the story is told from Arden’s third person point-of-view, which helps us get
to know her better, but we get some chapters from other’s view points. I’m wondering if I’m just not having
realistic expectations for phycological thrillers. If you like the genre and this premise sounds
interesting, definitely give this book a chance.
Dream Town by Lee Goldberg (Eve Ronin #5) – 5
Eve Ronin is called out in the middle of the night because someone has killed Kitty Winslow, the oldest of the Winslow kids. The Winslows are the stars of the extremely popular reality show Life with the Winslows, and they live in the exclusive town of Hidden Hills, an enclave of the rich and famous. The video of the killing makes it look like it was a robbery gone wrong. If that’s the case, will Eve ever be able to figure out what happened?
Of course, that’s just one aspect of this book. While this isn’t as much of a ticking clock
thriller as some books in the series, there is still plenty here to keep the
reader engaged and the pages turning.
The twists and dead ends lead up to a logical climax. Meanwhile, I enjoyed the subplot involving
the filming of the TV show based on Eve’s life.
I also like how Eve continues to grow; it’s been fun to watch that as
the series progresses. We get lots of
new characters here who fit right in with the regulars. The foul content pushes the edges for me
personally, but I suspect others won’t be as bothered by it. Still, know that is there. Overall, this is another winner. When you pick it up, you’ll find the pages
fly by all too quickly.
The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning by
P.J. Fitzsimmons (Anty Boisjoly Mysteries #2) – 4
This year, Anty Boisjoly is planning to spend Christmas with his aunt Azalea, who is a bit of a recluse. He hasn’t visited her in years, in fact. When Anty arrives, Azalea informs him that she’s just discovered the body of her next-door neighbor, a man she’d begun to be friendly with. The victim is a local war hero, and everyone in the village is upset by the news. Unfortunately, the footprints in the snow make it look like Azalea is the only person who could have realistically killed the man. Oh, and there’s also the fact that he was seen by many people in the pub hours after Azalea claims she found the body. Can Anty figure out what really happened and prove his aunt innocent?
The book doesn’t hesitate, jumping into the murder in the
first chapter. I found the pacing to be
a little uneven, especially early on.
The further I got into the book, the more impossibility we saw, and the
more I was engaged. By the end,
everything made sense. I also found the
suspects a little shallow. I loved the
first in the series, so maybe my expectations were too high here. The one thing that was definitely the same as
the first book was the dry wit. I
laughed so much reading this book. We get
some nice Christmas cheer over the course of the book as well. Overall, I enjoyed it and recommend it for
anyone looking for a humorous impossible crime mystery.
Sugarplum Dead by Carolyn Hart (Death in
Demand #12) – 4
Annie gets a surprise this Christmas when her father, Pudge, walks into her store. He’s on the island because his ex-sister-in-law has summoned the family together. Annie winds up on hand when she makes an announcement that upsets everyone. The next night, someone dies and Pudge becomes the prime suspect. But Annie doesn’t think he’s the killer. Is she right?
This book seemed to wander a bit with the set up, and I was
wondering when it was going to get to the point. But when it did, it was great
with several twists that surprised me and an ending that wrapped everything up
well. We didn’t see as much of many of the regulars, but Laurel has some
fantastic scenes. We also get to know some of the suspects better than is often
the case. The Christmas element was subdued, but the references to other
mystery authors and books was toned down, which was great. This is another book
that fans of cozy mysteries will love.
Puzzle Me a Murder by Roz Noonan (Alice Pepper
Lonely Hearts and Puzzle Club Mysteries #1) – 2
Alice Pepper enjoys having her friends over to work on puzzles most nights. Among the group is her childhood best friend Ruby Milliner. When Ruby arrives home from a business trip early, she catches her husband with his mistress. The next morning, Ruby’s husband is dead, and the police are looking at Ruby as their prime suspect. Alice jumps in to find the killer. But does she have all the pieces to solve this puzzle?
Despite the fact that I’m not much of a jigsaw puzzle guy, I thought this sounded like a fun premise for a series. Sadly, I was wrong. I didn’t feel like the characters ever went beyond being types, and it felt like they had too many interests or skills in their background. It felt like the author was checking boxes instead of making well rounded characters. There wasn’t attention to detail, so these things bumped me out of the book. The novel could have lost 60 pages without losing anything, the pacing was that off. And the climax, while logical, seemed abrupt to me. I really did want to like it more, but I won’t give this series another chance.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for stopping by. In order to combat spam, I moderate most comments. I'll get to your comment as soon as I can.