April 2026's Monthly Reading Summary

We've reached the end of the month again!  Time to look back at what I read in April.

I didn't get the index updated this month.

All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).  The links will take you to my full reviews.

 

The Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorothy Gilman – 4

This book follows Colin, who has recently lost his parents. He’s struggling, as you would expect for any sixteen-year-old who was in that situation. So when a family friend tells him that there is a castle on Rheembeck Mountain that might hold the answer for him, he sets out. When Colin arrives, he learns he will have to journey through a maze in the castle to find what he is looking for. Will he find it?

After reading The Tightrope Walker, I decided I had to track this book down. It is episodic in nature, and that works here, with each complication keeping me engaged. Colin is really the only character we see the entire way through, and we get to see him really grow. The story is an allegory for grieving, and it mostly works. I just felt like it stumbled at the end. Even so, I’m really glad I picked up the book. 

 

Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst (Orchid Isle Mysteries #3) – 4

In an attempt to make some new friends, Valerie Corbin decides to follow her interest in orchids and join the orchid society. Since so many of the members are in her neighborhood, it will be a big boost to her social life. Valerie’s first meeting is right before a fundraiser for the society, and she gets roped into helping prepare the food. But, no good deed goes unpunished, and the morning after the event, it appears that a bout of food poisoning has hit many of the attendees. Then the society’s president dies from an especially bad case of the food poisoning, and the police get involved. Could it be murder?

I enjoy getting to visit Hawai’i fictionally, and this was no exception. The location came to life and made me want to visit. I do wish that the characters were a little stronger, but that’s a minor point. The mystery was good with multiple suspects and twists and kept me guessing until we reached the logical climax. We get recipes at the end inspired by local favorites. This mystery tinged with local flavor will keep you entertained. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

 

Fair Warning by Michael Connelly (Jack McEvoy #3) – 5

Jack McEvoy is now reporting for a consumer protection website, far from the crime beat he’s covered for most of his career. However, his crime instincts kick in when two detectives come to question him about the death of a woman he had a one-night stand with. Even though murder isn’t what his employer covers, Jack begins investigating. He finds some other deaths that sound similar from other parts of the country. But what potentially connects the victims might make this a story his website would cover. Can he convince his editor? If so, can he find another serial killer?

When this book first came out, I remember being intrigued by the premise, and I liked finally getting to see it play out even if I wasn’t sure I completely bought it a time or two. Still, I was on board for every twist and turn on the way to the climax. The occasional view point changes increased the suspense. We only have a couple of returning characters, but the entire cast came to life. Jack’s protection of his story got a little old, but that’s probably because I’m not a reporter. Likewise, his lamenting the state of journalism bugged me since it didn’t look at the entire picture. Still, these were minor issues in a book that kept me engaged the entire way through. Buckle up and hold on when you pick this one up. 

 

Big F@!king Deal by Lawrence Allan (Jimmy Cooper Mysteries #2) – 4

This book picks up exactly where the previous one ended. Jimmy has just made headlines for the right reason - successfully solving a case. The headlines bring someone from his past back into his life - his father, who just vanished over a decade ago. But Jimmy has no time to worry about what his father wants since one of the wealthiest families in LA has hired him to find their college age son who has been kidnapped. The kidnappers have given them until Friday to put the ransom together. Can Jimmy find the young man before time runs out?

I loved the first book in the series, and I enjoyed this one, too. The plot wasn’t quite as strong, but it kept me turning the pages the entire way through. The cast is good, but Jimmy really shines. I loved the humor, especially Jimmy’s observations in the first-person narration. As the title implies, this isn’t a cozy, but the language and violence are used well and aren’t excessive. I’m hoping to get to the third soon. 

 

Sovereign Sieged by Sarah E. Burr (Court of Mystery #8) – 3

Jax has been traveling for the last couple of books, so she is looking forward to returning to her country of Saphire as she prepares for the upcoming war council. But she has only been home a few hours before something happens that makes her think she isn’t safe even in her own castle. Fleeing to a fortress in her kingdom, she surrounds herself with people she can trust. But when a murder happens, Jax has to figure out who among those present is a killer. 

As always, this series needs to be read in order to properly understand the events here and avoid spoilers. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the strongest entry in the series. The pacing was off, with the murder coming late. I also pieced much of it together early. A subplot carried over from the previous book, and I didn’t enjoy it at all. Still, I do enjoy spending time with these characters and am anxious to see what happens to them next. 

 

A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman (Leaphorn and Chee #8) – 4

Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is dealing with the loss of his wife. He’s been on leave and plans to retire when his leave is over. But when a colleague invites him along to execute a search warrant in an area Joe knows well, he agrees to go along. Only, when they arrive, they learn the woman they are supposed to serve the warrant on has been missing for two weeks. Meanwhile, Officer Jim Chee is trying to find a piece of heavy equipment that vanished on his watch. The trail leads him to dead bodies. How are these cases connected?

The title of this book caught my attention years ago, so I was glad to finally get to it. I enjoyed the slow yet natural progression of Leaphorn and Chee’s working relationship. I did find Chee’s personal subplot a bit repetitive. The pacing of the plot slowed down a couple of times, but by the time we reached the end, I was completely hooked. Overall, this book makes it easy to see why the author has so many fans. 

 

The Ninja’s Illusion by Gigi Pandian (Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mysteries #5) – 4

Jaya has a week off for Thanksgiving break, and she is heading to Kyoto, Japan, where her best friend, Sanjay, is appearing in a televised magic event along with a Japanese star. And Jaya is hoping to connect with a local professor who has just reached out for her help about a trading ship lost to history. Jaya has only been there for a few hours when she realizes a mysterious Ninja is following her. The magician that Sanjay is working with is keeping a secret close to his vest. Then, Sanjay and Jaya find a body at the bottom on an embankment. Can Jaya figure out what is going on in time to keep Sanjay safe?

This book emphasized magic a bit more than treasure hunts, but that element was still here. Either way, outside the pacing once or twice, I enjoyed this book. That included the bit of history we learned along the way. Sanjay annoyed me a little at times, but I understood where he was coming from most of the time. The rest of the cast were great, and I enjoyed the updates we got on the characters. If you haven’t picked up this book yet, you’ll enjoy it. 

 

The Bush Tea Murder by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier (Caribbean Island Mystery #1) – 3

Naomi Sinclair is a culinary journalist living her dream with her job at EAT TV hosting a show where she gets to interview chefs. When a potential new show investigating culinary related cold cases is presented to her, she immediately thinks of a famous case on her native St. Thomas. Four decades ago, the owner of a tea company on the island was killed while locked in her office. It’s the perfect case for her potential pilot. But will she be able to solve it? 

The premise and setting appealed to me, so I decided to give this one a try. Sadly, the structure let it down. We get a series of short stories that tie in to the overall mystery only slightly. They feel like side quests. We also have a framing story of Naomi talking about all of this to executives of her TV network. When I realized how different the structure would be, I tried to give it a fair shot, but it truly didn’t work for me. On the other hand, I loved the characters and the setting, and the writing brought them both to life wonderfully. Also, keep in mind that there’s a bit of foul language for what I would have otherwise considered a cozy. If the next in the series has a more traditional structure, I would definitely read it. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

 

Blues in the Dark by J.R. Sanders (Nate Ross #5) – 5

It’s 1939, and Nate Ross’s latest client is Audrey Chase, one of the biggest movie stars.  Her sister has been kidnapped, and the ransom demand is small.  Audrey paid it, but her sister wasn’t returned as promised, and now she wants Nate to find her sister and return her safely.  Given that this is Hollywood, Nate is wondering if this is more of a publicity stunt than a real crime, but the pay is good, so he takes the case.  He quickly finds that, if he gets it wrong, this case will have deadly consequences.  Can he figure out what is really going on?

This is another fun book in a series I always enjoy.  It hues close to my impression of PI novels from the 1930’s.  Nate and the few series regulars are fun, and the new characters did a good job of keeping me engaged.  The plot included plenty of surprises, and I could not wait to get to the logical climax.  While not focused on the studios of the era, I still felt like I was back in 1930’s Los Angeles.  Now comes the wait for Nate’s next case.

 

In the Spirit of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge (An American in Paris Mystery #4) – 3

One March afternoon, Tabitha Knight is returning home from Julia Child’s when she sees a strange woman leaving the house where Tabitha lives. It turns out that she is a medium, and her warning to Grand-pere has left him shaken. But the next night, when Tabitha’s messieurs are hosting a dinner for the seven other members of their old resistance network, the evening ends with a murder. Should Tabitha be taking the warning seriously?

I tend to avoid the paranormal in the books I read, and I was disappointed to see it was a major part of this book. Worse yet, it really slowed down the beginning of the mystery. Fortunately, we did get a decent mystery with some good twists and a nice climax. And the book, at least the ARC I read, could never decide which part of March the story was set in. However, I was interested to see what happened to the characters next. And I appreciated the look at what life was like in the resistance in Paris during World War II. All told, this was a mixed bag that fans of the series will still appreciate. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

 

Death on Cozumel Island by Cindy Quayle (Claire O'Keefe #1) – 3

Claire O’Keefe is planning a destination bachelorette party of her best friend to Cozumel, hoping to get some diving in around the pre-wedding festivities.  But her diving is less than ideal thanks to an obnoxious fellow diver.  When someone kills him after a dive, Claire is surprised to learn a dive guide she really likes is the suspect.  Can she find evidence to clear his name?

Being a lover of all things aquatic, this book attracted my attention when I first heard about it several years ago.  But I just got a chance to read it.  Sadly, it needed another couple of drafts to polish things up.  The pacing was way off until we reached the final third of the book.  Claire was pretty selfish at times, and her actions didn’t always make sense.  The writing was rough at times as well.  However, the descriptions of the diving were enough to make me want to plan a trip myself.  Hopefully, the series gets better as it goes along.