September 2026's Reading Summary

Time again for a reading summary since we've reached the end of September 2026.  Had more firsts in new series than I've had in quite a while this month.  And some old favorite series as well.

I've updated the index.

All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

 

Murders in the Marquee by Dana Mentink (Murder Most Fowl Mysteries #1) – 5

It’s 1905, and Saul has just landed a new job at the Grand Mallard Marquee.  But, on his first day, he thinks he sees someone fall from an upper floor.  When his new friends, Kitty and Henry, convince him to investigate, they are left with more questions.  There’s also the question of what happened to the man that Saul replaced.  Can the trio figure out what is going on?

I’ll admit, this book took a couple of chapters for me to full get into, but once I did, I loved it.  The main characters came to life, and I loved them and their growing friendship.  The rest of the cast is strong as well.  The mystery had quite a few different things going on.  I figured a thing or two out early, but there were plenty of things I didn’t.  Yet it all made sense at the end.  I also enjoyed the time and place, and I’m already curious to see how a certain famous event that takes place the next year will be handled.  This is a great debut, and I’ve already booked my room for a return visit.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

Probable Caws by Donna Andrews (Meg Langslow #39) – 4

When Meg gets a phone call from her dad, she learns that a horse rescue organization in a neighboring county has to move their horses, and Meg’s neighbor and friend Ragnar has agreed to take the horses in.  But they need people to help settle the horses, so she goes over to help.  As the day progresses, Meg begins to learn about the fight between the owner of the farm the horses came from and his brother, who has just inherited half of the farm.  That night, Meg finds a dead body in one of the barns.  Can she figure out who the killer is?

Series like this walk a fine line between giving us information on the hook of the series, in this case animals, and focusing on the mystery.  This one errs on the side of animal talk, which did slow things down.  Don’t get me wrong, there was a good mystery here, with some twists I enjoyed and a logical climax, but it could have been stronger.  The suspects are interesting.  We don’t have the full cast of regulars in town, but those who are in town are their usual charming selves.  The humor didn’t seem as strong either, but there were some laughs and grins.  While not the strongest in the series, it will entertain Meg’s many fans.

 

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly (Bosch #23 and Ballard #4) – 4

As 2020 wraps up, Renee Ballard is hoping to get a lead on the two men who are attacking women in their homes.  But then she catches a murder case.  Someone died of a gunshot just minutes after midnight, but it doesn’t look like it was a random gunshot.  In fact, the bullet matches a cold case that Harry Bosch worked on but never solved.  Can the two team up to figure out what happened?

Given the setting of this book, the pandemic is still in the background, and other events from that time period are mentioned but not dwelt upon.  While Bosch plays a part, Ballard is the only character we follow here.  While I do like both of them, I do wish they would accept the consequences of their actions when they don’t follow the rules.  Instead, they come across as arrogant, which happens here.  Both cases kept me hooked.  I thought I had one figured out early on, but it turned out I was wrong, and the solutions were logical.  As always, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to the characters next.

 

Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Heather Day Gilbert (Exotic Pet-Sitter Mysteries #2) – 3

Belinda’s a little leery when the owner of a wolf preserve just outside of town contacts her looking for someone to help with chores for 10 days.  But Belinda needs the money, so she agrees.  Her orientation goes fine, but on her first official day, she finds the body of a tour guide inside one of the enclosures.  Did the pack attack the victim?  Or is there a more sinister motive?

After starting this three-book series earlier this year, I decided to try to read the other two books before the end of the year.  Sadly, this one wasn’t as good as I had hoped.  It took the characters quite a while to learn what we knew early on – that they are dealing with a murderer.  We do get a couple of enjoyable twists and a logical climax.  I enjoyed spending more time with Belinda and the other returning characters, but the suspects could have been better developed.  I’m hoping book three will prove to be stronger than this book was.

 

The Pie & Mash Detective Agency by J. D. Brinkworth (Pie & Mash Detective Agency #1) – 3

Jane Pye and Simon Mash are taking an introduction to private investigation class.  Simon might not be taking it seriously, but Jane is determined to solve the practice case their instructor gives them.  It involves a woman named Nellie Thorne who has recently vanished from an area in England.  Over the last few decades, several women with that name have all disappeared without a trace.  Can Jane and Simon solve this urban legend?

The premise sounded fun, so I decided to give it a try.  Overall, I did like Jane and Simon, although they can be a bit immature at times.  Fortunately, they did grow over the course of the book.  Likewise, we met some interesting characters along the way.  But the mystery has too many fits and starts, and I got frustrated.  Having said that, the book does lead to a logical, exciting, and satisfying climax.  While this wasn’t as strong as I would have liked, I am glad I picked it up.  Still, I probably won’t be back for the sequel.

 

Home Sweet Homicide by Rosalie Spielman (Hometown Mysteries #5) – 5

Tessa Treslow had agreed to be a bridesmaid in the wedding of her first love, Joe Ericksson, and her former frenemy Jessie St. John.  With two weeks to go, Tessa thinks things are falling into place until a friend of Jessie’s arrives in town threatening to undo all the planning they’ve done.  But that’s before the body of Jessie’s first ex-husband shows up.  With Jessie and Joe logical suspects, can Tessa figure out what is going on in time to save the wedding?

I didn’t intend to let so long go before returning to this series.  But I am glad I got to revisit the characters since I enjoyed finding out what is going on in their lives.  They are a fun group.  The suspects were strong, and the mystery kept me guessing.  There were some subplots to help draw us further in to the story.  Fans old and new will enjoy this entry in the series.

 

Thicker Than Water by Liz Milliron (Laurel Highlands Mystery #6) – 4

When a college student walks into Sally’s office asking for protection from a man, Sally is willing to help.  But the young woman doesn’t give many details before she disappears.  Two days later, Jim is pulled into the hunt for a missing autistic young man.  While the man is found, he is talking about a “sleeping blue lady” he saw in a nearby shack.  Sure enough, there is a dead young woman there.  And it’s the woman that came to Sally for help.  Sally just can’t let it go, so she starts investigating on her own.  Will the two be able to figure out what happened to the victim?

The plot quickly pulled me in.  I appreciated that, as always, we got just the detail we needed on certain things to bring the story to life without going too far.  There were a good number of twists, but the climax was a little messier than I would have liked.  Still, it did tie everything up.  I loved watching Sally and Jim take another step forward in their relationship while learning from what has come before.  I’m as invested in their relationship as the mysteries in each book.  As always, reading this book is time well spent.

 

Holmes Away from Home by Samantha Larsen (Althea Adler Mysteries #1) – 5

Althea Adler has a complicated relationship with her mother, Irene, but when she gets a postcard from Irene, she thinks it is asking her to break into Sherlock Holmes’s safe.  What she finds there sends her on a quest that lands her at a weekend party in an English estate.  That first night, the earl is murdered.  With the help of William, one of the other guests, can Althea figure out what happened?

This book sets up some storylines I’m sure we will follow over the course of the series while focusing on the murdered earl.  That story includes plenty of twists on the way to the logical climax.  Althea and William share viewpoint character duties, and I really do love them both, even if the chemistry between them was a bit much a couple of times.  The suspects are also well drawn and really kept me guessing as I read.  I’m already anxious to find out what happens to Althea and William next.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

Old Habits Die Hard by Melissa Westemeier with Mariana Damon (Nun the Wiser Mysteries #1) – 2

Sister Bernadette retired from teaching and her life as a nun, but she’s found herself living in The Abbey: Senior Living, the sight of the school where she taught for years now renovated into senior apartments. The residents are becoming a close-knit community, which is why, when the body of one of the residents is found, it upsets everyone. Especially since it doesn’t appear to be the obvious natural causes. The detective assigned to the case is AJ Lewis, one of Bernadette’s former students. Can the pair crack the case and figure out what really happened?

This series sounded promising, and the book started well. But then it stalled. The revelations and twists were few and far between. Part of that is that Sister Bernadette, while a viewpoint character, doesn’t add much to the story. Some, but not enough. Detective AJ is better at advancing the story, but even then, it’s slow. Which is a shame because they were both good characters. Also be away there is some foul language, something I wasn’t expecting for a series featuring a retired nun. This debut just didn’t work for me. 

 

Mrs. Claus and the Fatal Figgy Pudding by Liz Ireland (Mrs. Claus Mysteries #7) – 4

December is always busy for April Claus, wife of Santa.  But this year, a baby elf is left at the castle with a note asking April to take care of the baby.  While she tries to track down the baby’s family, she is also involved in the current stage production of A Christmas Carol, and one of the actors is poisoned during a rehearsal.  Can April solve both mysteries?

I am always thrilled when a new entry in this series finds its way to me.  The pacing was off in this book, but both storylines did reach satisfying conclusions.  The characters continue to charm, and I loved catching up with them again.  The new cast are just as strong.  And I couldn’t help but laugh and smile as I read.  Whether new to the series or a fan from the beginning, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Book Review: Mrs. Claus and the Fatal Figgy Pudding by Liz Ireland (Mrs. Claus Mysteries #7)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Charming characters and a good mystery

Cons: Pacing was off, but book was still entertaining

The Bottom Line:

Mystery baby

Plus poisoning on the stage

Series still charming

Unexpected Complications at Christmas

It is always a pleasure when the next Mrs. Claus Mystery lands at the top of my to be read pile.  The world author Liz Ireland has created is magical.  And I smiled my way through Mrs. Claus and the Fatal Figgy Pudding, book seven in the series.

This series features the real Mrs. Claus.  And this version of the North Pole is exactly what you would imagine.  We’ve got elves, snowmen, and reindeer.  Everything you’d expect for life with Santa.  Of course, we also have murder and mayhem.  This is a cozy mystery series, after all.

While we have visited April Claus and the rest of the cast for various other holidays, for this book it is once again Christmas, and April has a full schedule as always.  That’s before someone leaves a baby elf on the doorstep of Castle Kringle asking April to care for her.  April is willing to take that on, but she also sets out to find out how the baby came to be left on her doorstep.

Meanwhile, April has also added being stage manager for this season’s production of A Christmas Carol to her already busy schedule.  But things take an unexpected turn when one of the elves in the cast dies after eating the figgy pudding April prepared for the rehearsal.  Can she figure out what happened to her pudding and why?

The dualling plots didn’t quite work here.  While I was invested in the mystery of the baby elf, it took a lot of time at the beginning of the book and that made the mystery surrounding the play take longer than it should have to really get cooking.  The stories do come to a logical climax, and I set the book down satisfied.

Of course, the characters are still charming as always, and they kept me engaged the entire time.  We’ve gotten to know quite a few supporting players over the course of the series, and they are all here and in fine form.  I enjoyed getting to see what’s new with them as their characters and lives continue to grow.  And the new characters were just as entertaining.

Plus there’s the humor.  I couldn’t help but laugh as I was reading the book, and when I wasn’t laughing, I was smiling.  Yes, this series is hyper cozy, so expect that when you pick it up, but it’s so warm and charming, it’s hard not to fall under the spell.

If you aren’t already enjoying these delightful mysteries, do yourself a favor and fix that right away.  Fans will be charmed once again with this latest entry in the series.

Check out the rest of the Mrs. Claus Mysteries.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Ornament Review: Belle V. Holliday - Snowtop Lodge #22 - 2026 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Cute ornament with added bell fun

Cons: Stands out a little because of the difference scene style

The Bottom Line:

A new artist’s style

Means slight changes for series

Fans will still enjoy

New Artist Brings a New Feeling to the Snowtop Lodge

I’ve been collecting the Snowtop Lodge series for quite a few years now, and I continue to enjoy each entry.  Original artist Joanne Eschrich Wright retired recently, so 2026 say a new artist take over the series.  There are some differences with Belle V. Holliday, but I do still like her.

This series always features a snowperson with a wintry theme.  Okay, so most are Christmas related, but we’ve had a few that weren’t.  And each ornament features a related scene on the bottom of the snowman.

Belle is wearing a red Santa hat, and she’s got a string of five bells in her hand.  The Santa hat has a slightly larger bell on it.  And yes, all these bells are real bells, jingling if you move or shake the ornament.  It’s fun to hear the differences in how they sound.

Where I really noticed the difference is the scene at the bottom.  We’ve got Santa (a snowman Santa, or course) flying over a town with his reindeer.  The colors on this scene are more vibrant than usual.  It’s not bad, but I think I prefer the more washed-out colors we’ve had in the past.  I’ll probably adjust in a year or two, but it definitely stands out now.  Also, the disc that is supposed to represent the moon is a little odd.  It sticks out off to the side, and it took me a minute to figure out what it was.  I think it would have been better painted on instead of trying to pop it out.

But overall, I really do like Belle.  The bells are a fun touch.  And the scene at the bottom is fun.

As always, the ornament is mostly porcelain, with some fabric touches.  So keep that in mind – it’s more delicate than the usual Hallmark ornament.

Being a snowwoman, Belle has a nice flat base, so you can set her out to be displayed.  You’ll also find the 22 in a Christmas tree series marker painted on the bottom.

The ornament comes with a ribbon to hang her on your tree.  When you do, you’ll find the ornament leans forward just a bit.  But that’s pretty standard for this series, and it still looks good.

Differences can be good, but they also take a little time to adjust to.  Belle V. Holliday might take a bit for fans of Snowtop Lodge to adjust to, but I’m sure they will still enjoy having her in their collection.

Enjoy the rest of the Snowtop Lodge series.

September 27th's Weekend Catchup

Time once again for a weekend catchup.  I'll be linking up to:

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

The big excitement here was Friday night.  I went to the Matthew West (Christian singer) concert that was semi-near me.  An hour and a half without traffic.  There was lots of traffic when I was trying to get there, but I got there with about 10 minutes to spare.  Closer than I would have liked, but I made it before it started.  It was a great concert.  His newest CD just came out that day, so he did several songs from it in the second half.  My preorder copy had arrived Friday, so I had gotten to listen to it once before the concert.  There are some great songs on it.

Other than that, it's been the usual - work.  I went paddle boarding Saturday morning.  It was pretty calm most of the time I was there, which was wonderful, but was picking up a bit when I was done.  There was a mud run going on while I was there - a women's mud run.  I was happy when I found that out since, if I'd missed one that close to me I could have participated in, I would have been upset.  But I really need to do some more research to see what is out there mud run wise these days since I hadn't heard anything about it.

Joke of the Week:

What did one plate whisper to the other plate?

Dinner is on me.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Weekend Catchup

Monday - Movie Review: Garage Sale Mysteries - Murder Takes the Stage

Tuesday - Book Review: Holmes Away from Home by Samantha Larsen

Wednesday - TV Show Review: Private Eyes - Season 1

Thursday - Book Review: Old Habits Die Hard by Melissa Westemeier

Friday - Friday Fun featuring Mrs. Claus and the Fatal Figgy Pudding

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Weekend Catchup

Monday - Ornament Review: Belle V. Holliday

Tuesday - Book Review: Mrs. Claus and the Fatal Figgy Pudding by Liz Ireland

Wednesday - September Reading Summary

Thursday - Book Review: Essentials of Homicide by Kim Davis

Friday - Friday Fun featuring The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

It's a four book week for me this week.

Let's start with the ebook sale.  And it's non-fiction.  I know, I know, I'm shocked, too.  The book is The Deconstruction of Christianity by Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett.  I've started listening to Alisa's apologetics podcast over the summer, and she's mentioned that this book is on sale throughout September.  I just now remember to buy it.  Not sure if/when I will read it, but it sounds interesting.

The rest of the list will be in more familiar territory.

I got another ARC for 2027 this week.  I'm glad I looked because Rocket Girl by Diane Vallere is getting archived on NetGalley soon.  Considering it comes out the end of February, that surprised me.  She's another favorite author, and this is the first in a new series - a historical series set around the space program of the 1960's.  I'm looking forward to it.

I also got two August releases from the publisher this week.  (Meanwhile, I still don't have the ARCs from them for books that come out in a month....)  One I had requested; one I hadn't.  I'm thinking I might try to work one into my reading plans in the next couple of weeks, but we'll see.  Either way, the books are Apple Pies and Poisoned Lies at the Cider Falls Festival by Traci Hall and The Quilt Whisperer Investigates by Peggy Ehrhart.

What I'm Currently Reading:

As I'm typing this, I'm a third of the way into The Cambodian Curse and Other Stories by Gigi Pandian.  Yes, it's a short story collection featuring the characters in her Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mysteries.  I'm enjoying visiting these characters for shorter locked room mysteries.  I'm hoping to finish the story I'm in the middle of today.  Overall, I should finish the book up on Monday.

Have a great week!

September 26th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Wow.  Lots of shows this week, and I had some thoughts.  This is longer than it's been in quite a while.

Marlow Murder Club – I’m very intrigued by this new story.  I very much want to know who did it and what else they are hiding.  I feel for Becks.  She’s in a no win situation being caught between her old friend and the police/her new friends.  I’m also very anxious to find out who has been in the video room.

Marble Hall Murders – I really thought the episode was going to end with Elliot’s murder, so that wasn’t a cliffhanger for me.  Why is he going around making all these public accusations (of sorts).  Even in real life I wouldn’t be stupid enough to do that, and I know it’s fatal for fictional characters.  And why is Susan getting all the blame?  Don’t feel like the historical mystery made too much progress.

Weakest Link – I’ve got to admit, most of those villains I only knew from House of Villains.  And even then, I didn’t know a few of them.  I was hoping for Tom and Richard in the finals.  Oh well.  And Tiffany was just as annoying here as everywhere else.

Dancing with the Stars – Welp, I think we’ve found the non-dancer who is going to keep going further than he should.  Not that I am criticizing him for lack of effort.  I doubt I’d be doing much better.  And, it’s hard to argue with this week’s elimination.  There are several stars who seem to be struggling.  As Bruno said, everyone is trying, but I think the next few weeks will be fairly obvious eliminations.

RJ Decker – The case of the week was pretty week.  Okay, so I wasn’t just watching the show, but how did they find the ring?  I really missed something there.  Overall, it just felt very rushed.  But the cliffhanger at the end?  I really want to know what is going on there.

The Challenge – So bummed about Chris.  I was really rooting for him to make it to the end, and I’ve been rooting for him all season.  And I’m not liking team gray’s chances.  What will they do when it is a guy’s week again?  Although, I’m hearing we might have a shorter season, so we might be almost to the finals.  Still, I expect things to be pretty one sided when we get there.

Survivor – When they say unpredictable, they mean unpredictable.  Those first 20 minutes were wild.  Jumping off the ship.  No tribe right away.  The poor guy heading to exile.  It will be interesting to see two teams this season.  I’m hoping it means that there isn’t one tribe that dominates, because that’s been boring.  The fact that the team is coming back form tribal with some supplies is good.  And, Jeff (because I know you read my blog), some idols and twists are good.  But too many is bad.  There is a fine line.  Also, the coin flip?  It was great once, but it needs to go away now.  I always like it when an arrogant person is voted out, so the fact that this four strong alliance from before the teams were formed is already down a player, and someone who felt she was in control, makes me happy.  I hope Jenna gets a chance to fit in.  And I’m very curious to see how the season it going to unfold.

Totally 90’s House – Sorry, but the wrong team won.  First time I’ve felt that way, but I really thought the other team did a better job.  It was close, and maybe seeing it in person would make it more obvious to me why the judging went the way it did.  I will say, the one team is relying too much on the flooring for their nod to the 90’s.  It doesn’t look bad, but using it for everything?  And what was up with that pizza?  I get it was a retaliation prank, but a couple of seconds set up, and then all the time showing the delivery only to turn around and leave us dangling.  No word on how they paid for it or what they did with all those pizzas?  Bad storytelling.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe – That was a pretty fun season finale.  Loved all the nods to Big Bang Theory without having any cameos.  If I didn’t know season two was coming, I don’t think I would have liked the ending.  But I’m very curious to see where they are going to go next.

The Traitors: New Blood – Xavier was the right one to cut since he was trying to get Katie banished.  Going after a traitor is wrong.  But, now Katie definitely had a target on her back, and I don’t know how she gets it off.  Especially since they killed Logan.  Why would you do that?  If someone has named one of you, you don’t kill them?  Just makes you more suspicious.  And, you can assume there are three traitors because they usually have three.  That’s not a slip up.  Oh, and Instagram has started showing me Sherry’s videos on social media.  I thought I recognized her last week, but I wasn’t sure until she got more screen time tonight.  I’m ready for Jay to go.  I hope he gets banished.

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test – Yeah, I said I wouldn’t be back to watch this show again, but when I saw Candance Cameron Bure was on it, I had to watch.  Plus, I was curious how Ruby Rose would do.  And I’m remembering why I gave up the show after the first season.  It is rough.  I get it.  That’s what training for special forces is really like, and it makes me appreciate those who volunteer to go through the training and succeed all the more.  But it’s not me, and it’s painful to watch.  And scary.  I would have been out at the helicopter drop.

September 25th's Friday Fun

I'm working on rebranding my posts on Sunday, so I thought it was time to think about rebranding my Friday posts as well.  I'm going with Friday Fun this week.  But we'll see what I'm thinking next week.

No matter what I call it, I'll still be linking up to:

First Line Friday
Friday Book Snippets
Book Blogger Hop

For the first two, I'll be pulling snippets from Mrs. Claus and the Fatal Figgy Pudding by Liz Ireland.

If you've been around my blog for very long, you know how much I adore this series.  If you are new, you need to know that, yes, this is the real Mrs. Claus up at the North Pole we are talking about.

This is book seven in the series, and here's how it begins:

If you've never experienced it, beginning your day with the castle's principal footman bringing you a tray of coffee and a bit of fresh pastry is an incredible luxury.

I'm not a coffee drinker, but switch in hot chocolate, and I'd agree.  Sounds absolutely wonderful.

This second teaser is coming from 50-60% of the book.  I read a physical ARC and I don't remember which page number it was on since I copied it over to a note file.  When I read it, I knew I had to use this quote:

For days, apparently, I'd been at the center of a soap opera. I was the Susan Lucci of Santaland and I didn't even know it.

What's that all about?  You're going to have to read the book to find out.  It comes out on Tuesday, and my review will be up then.

Now, let's move over to this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

What’s the best investment you’ve made for your blog?

Since this is a free blog thanks to Blogger/Google, I haven't invested much money.  It's mainly been time.  Lots and lots of time.  I'm only partially joking when I refer to my blog as a second full time unpaid job.

Having said that, I am still really happy with the graphic I made for my Weekly TV Thoughts posts that I put up every Saturday.  If you haven't seen it, I hope you'll stop by tomorrow.  Or scroll down to last week's Saturday post.

Have a great weekend!

Book Review: Old Habits Die Hard by Melissa Westemeier with Mariana Damon (Nun the Wiser Mysteries #1)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: The two leads are nice

Cons: Pacing was way off

The Bottom Line:

Nun finds a body

I did like characters but

Pacing is way off

Sadly, I Don’t Think This Series Will Become a Habit

There are those series that sound promising, and Melissa Westemier’s Nun the Wiser was one of them. I couldn’t pass up the premise. But, sadly, I found the execution of the first book, Old Habits Die Hard, to be less than I’d hoped for. 

Sister Bernadette retired from teaching and her life as a nun, but she’s found herself living in The Abbey: Senior Living, the sight of the school where she taught for years now renovated into senior apartments. The residents are becoming a close-knit community, which is why, when the body of one of the residents is found, it upsets everyone. Especially since it doesn’t appear to be the obvious natural causes. The detective assigned to the case is AJ Lewis, one of Bernadette’s former students. Can the pair crack the case and figure out what really happened?

This book started out well. The body was found quickly and we got our first twist just as quickly. I settled in for a promising debut. 

And waited for the next big twist or revelation. 

Don’t get me wrong, we did still have a few things for the detectives to figure out along the way. But the clues and connections were slow in coming. The solution became obvious pretty early as well. Things made sense, but the plot needed some work. 

I was expecting Sister Bernadette to play a bigger role in the story. She shares viewpoint character duties with Detective AJ, but many of her scenes didn’t really advance the story. I liked her, but she didn’t contribute as much as I expected. She does provide a couple of pieces of the puzzle, but it was a small amount. 

Meanwhile, I also liked AJ. His scenes do add more to the story, which is good. I felt like he should have been the main character, which would have made the book stronger. 

There’s a bit of foul language in the book. It’s not excessive, but it’s certainly more than I expected for a book featuring a retired nun as one of the main characters. 

Plenty of people seem to enjoy this series, but Old Habits Die Hard just didn’t work for me. 

TV Show Review: Private Eyes - Season 1

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Charming characters and solid mysteries

Cons: Low-budget production

The Bottom Line:

Ten short episodes

But finds charm by the last one

Look forward to more

“You Know This Isn’t a Competition, Right?  But I Totally Nailed It.”

Somewhere over the last couple of years, I learned about the show Private Eyes.  Talk about coming to a show years late.  In my defense, when the show premiered in 2016, it was only airing on Canadian stations.  It aired here in the states on Ion, a station I don’t follow too closely.  Anyway, I was curious about it, especially with a spin-off coming this fall.  So when I got a free year of Hallmark+, which currently has it streaming, I decided to give it a chance.

The show introduces us to Matt Shade (Jason Priestley), a former professional hockey player now trying to manage promising new hockey players.  When one of his clients falls sick during try outs under suspicious circumstances, Matt takes his father’s advice and teams up with private investigator Angie Everett (Cindy Sampson) to find out what happened.  Matt is so taken with Angie that he decides to become a private investigator as well, with Angie as his new partner.  It takes a little convincing, but eventually, Angie begins to come around.  Rounding out the main cast are Matt’s dad, Don (Barry Flatman) and Matt’s daughter, Jules (Jordyn Negri).  Oh, and Jules just happens to be blind.  In most episodes, we also have a couple of regular police officers, Derek Nolan (Clé Bennett) and Kurtis Mazhari (Ennis Esmer).

This season was only ten episodes.  As Matt begins to grasp his new job, the duo takes on a murder in the local restaurant scene.  They search for a missing prized race horse.  They try to help Angie’s friend who was robbed after attending a speed dating event.  They try to find a magician who vanished from police custody.  And Angie works to find a jewel thief who hit her cousin’s wedding.

I mentioned earlier that this is a Canadian production.  It is filmed in Toronto, and set there as well.  I find that fun while watching since it’s so rare something is set where it is filmed.

The show is fairly low budget, and that comes across as you watch.  That’s not to say it is bad, but it isn’t quite as polished as most shows you’d watch.

The mysteries themselves are solid.  They keep me entertained as I watch even if I happen to pick up on something early.  Things make sense when we reach the end.

They are obviously setting things up to have a romantic relationship between Angie and Matt, although we haven’t gotten there yet.  Honestly, I’m not picking up too much on “undeniable” chemistry between the two of them, but I often don’t early on in a series.  Still, I am enjoying watching their friendship grow, and I also enjoy the banter between them.

Angie doesn’t have a lot of supporting characters in her life outside of the two cops we interact with.  She has just lost her father, which explains part of that.  I do like Don and Jules as they help flesh out Matt.  We even get to meet Matt’s ex-wife, Becca (Nicole de Boer).

The cast is also good.  Yes, a few of the guest stars are a little weak, but the main cast brings their characters to life well.

Having said all of this, it did take me a few episodes to fully mesh with the characters and the world they live in.  But by the end of these ten episodes, I was really looking forward to visiting them again.

The show may be a little low budget, but the charm of the characters draws you in.  I’m glad I gave season 1 a chance and am looking forward to continuing on with Private Eyes.

Book Review: Holmes Away from Home by Samantha Larsen (Althea Adler Mysteries #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong series debut that left me wanting more

Cons: A couple of minor things

The Bottom Line:

New series starts well

Entertaining mystery

And strong characters

Miss Adler Solves a Murder

For a mystery lover, I am sadly ignorant about Sherlock Holmes.  But that doesn’t stop me from enjoying books that play on the Holmes mythology.  Since I’d enjoyed earlier books from Samantha Larsen, I was intrigued by Holmes Away from Home, the first in the new Althea Adler Mysteries.  I’m glad I picked it up.

The book takes us to London in the spring of 1911.  Althea Adler is the daughter of Irene Adler, and she’s been raised by her mother to become a thief.  She’s trying to create a life for herself as a law-abiding citizen, but when she gets a mysterious post card telling her to break into Sherlock Holmes’s safe, she doesn’t resist.  What she finds inside makes her wonder what her connection to the famed detective might be.

In order to find out more, she gets herself invited to a weekend at Twickenham Towers with a couple of her friends from college, including the daughter of Dr. Watson.  But when the earl is found murdered her first morning there, Althea realizes she is going to have to solve the crime herself if she ever wants to leave.  Among the other guests is William, Marquess of Sheffield.  He seems to have his own agenda.  Can Althea trust him?  Who killed the earl?

In many ways, this book reads like the pilot of a current TV show.  We have the mystery of the murdered earl, and that is resolved in this book.  But several other things that are introduced here are set up but left unresolved.  I’m sure they are threads we will be following as the series unfolds, and I’m here for it.  In fact, I already can’t wait for the next book.

After some initial set up, the book focuses in on the murder of the earl, and it is a well-done mystery.  I was kept guessing as to who was involved and what exactly happened until Althea pieced it together at the end.  There were plenty of twists along the way, but things made sense when we reached the end.

It helps that the characters are strong.  We really got to know Althea and William here, and I really like both of them.  The rest of the cast, aka the suspects, are also strong, and they made it hard to guess exactly what was going on as a result.

William is a very important part of the book.  He’s a second viewpoint character.  While Althea does most of the solving, William contributes as well, and I appreciated how his character developed over the course of the book.  I did feel like the chemistry between the two of them was played up a bit too much, but that’s a minor complaint.

As I said, I’m already looking forward to seeing just what happens to Althea and William in the next book.  If you are looking for a fun Holmes adjacent book, you’ll be glad you picked up Holmes Away from Home.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

I'm reviewing this book as part of a blog tour.  To visit the other hosts, stop by here.

And enter the tour wide giveaway below.

Movie Review: Murder Takes the Stage - A Garage Sale Mystery

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Jennifer and crew are back in a decent mystery

Cons: Set up not well thought out; usual cheese

The Bottom Line:

Reenactment death

Jennifer steps up to solve

The franchise is back

“This Feels Like Old Times.”  “We’re Back!”

I never thought I’d be doing this, but I’m sitting down to review another Garage Sale Mystery.  The long running Hallmark mystery franchise had been canceled when star Lori Loughlin got caught up in the college admission scandal.  In fact, one of the movies was stopped mid-production and the finished one that hadn’t aired yet quietly debuted without too much fanfare a year later.  So I did a double take when I saw a new movie in the franchise, Murder Takes the Stage, was premiering this past weekend.  It was good to be back with the characters again.

Almost everyone is back for this movie, too.  The only character/actor missing is Jay Brazeau who played the pun loving coroner Dr. Tramell.  Okay, so Eva Bourne’s Hannah is essentially given a cameo, but I’ll take it.  After all, it’s been a few years, and that is reflected in both of the kids’ lives.  Hannah is off studying for the bar exam, having finished law school.  Younger brother Logan (Connor Stanhope) is in college, but locally, so he still gets involved in mom Jennifer’s sleuthing.

In the years since we’ve last seen her, Jennifer Shannon (Lori Loughlin) joined a murder mystery book club.   The club also puts on reenactments of famous crimes to raise money for the local food bank.  Their latest reenactment is of the Lizzie Borden story, and the debate between those who think she was guilty vs. those who think she was innocent is threatening to unravel the entire production.

But when Jennifer finds one of the actors in the production dead, things take an unexpected turn.  She’s sure it is someone else in the cast, but can she figure out which one it is?

As much as I was happy to see the characters again, I’ll also admit this was never a favorite franchise of mine.  Oh, I’ve watched them all, but I usually struggle with some aspects.  Like in this one – why are they putting on this play in a house?  And a bed and breakfast at that.  It means the various scenes are taking place in other rooms.  And why is a mystery book club putting on true crime stories?  Heck, for that matter, is this a fictional book club or a true crime book club?  Given Jennifer’s knack for solving mysteries, I could see it going either way.

Despite my issues with the setup, I did feel the mystery was well done.  We had several motives and red herrings that kept me guessing until Jennifer pieced everything together.  You’ve got to ignore how much Detective Frank Lynwood (Kevin O'Grady) defers to Jennifer.  It’s not remotely realistic.  Just go with it and enjoy.

Something else that hasn’t changed in this franchise is the liberal dose of low-budget cheese.  You can’t escape it here.  But if you are watching a Hallmark movie, you’re probably expecting it, right?

This was a very popular Hallmark mystery franchise, so I’m sure I’m not the only one who was happy to see it revived.  If you are a fan of the Garage Sale Mysteries, you’ll enjoy Murder Takes the Stage.

September 20th's Weekend Catchup

Welcome to this week's Weekend Catchup.  I'll be linking up to:

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

I'm trying a bit of rebranding for this post.  I just came up with it in the last five minutes without giving it any previous thought.  So we'll see what I think when I have some more time to sit with it.

I went into the office this week.  My director had everyone who reports to her come in on Tuesday.  The company was providing lunch, but she took us out for ice cream.  It was nice for a change of pace, but I'm certainly not ready to be in the office on a regular basis again.

Sadly, the calendar says that autumn is starting this coming week, and our weather reflected that.  It was cool when I went for a run before work during the week, and the temps have been a bit more all over the place.  But it was nice when I went out paddle boarding Saturday morning.  Still a bit windier than I would have liked, but nothing too bad.

Pun-Official Holiday of the Week:

September 26 – Save the Koala Day is fantastic for koala-ty time!

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Movie Review: Coyote Vs. Acme

Tuesday - Book Review: Home Sweet Homicide by Rosalie Spielman

Wednesday - Ornament Review: Belle V. Holiday

Wednesday - Ornament Review: Cookie Cutter Christmas #15

Thursday - Book Review: Thicker Than Water by Liz Milliron

Friday - Friday Post featuring Holmes Away from Home

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Weekend Catchup

Monday - Movie Review: Garage Sale Mysteries - Murder Takes the Stage

Tuesday - Book Review: Holmes Away from Home by Samantha Larsen

Wednesday - TV Show Review: Private Eyes - Season 1

Thursday - Book Review: Old Habits Die Hard by Melissa Westemeier

Friday - Friday Fun featuring Mrs. Claus and the Fatal Figgy Pudding

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

October is going to be busy with lots of new releases I've preordered.  But things were quiet this week.  Just one book, and it's an ARC.

That book?  RV Dead Yet by Penny Warner.  I've been a fan of Penny's books for a long time, and I keep saying I want to read more RV/camping/travel cozies.  Naturally, I jumped at this book.  It comes out January 5th, so I'll be reading it in a few months.

And yes, I've accepted my first ARC for 2027.  How crazy is that?

What I'm Currently Reading:

When I got back from the lake, I finished up Essentials of Homicide by Kim Davis.  Yep, I just got it last week, and I've already read it.  I enjoyed it, but you can read more of my thoughts on October 1st, when I post my review.  (Now, to find the time to write the review.)

I'm thinking next is going to be the other new book I got last week - Art Attack by James Ponti.  I want to read it soon, and I think right now will work out the best.

Have a great week!

September 19th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Marlow Murder Club – They really buried the motive.  I didn’t remember any mention of it until the climax.  Must have been a couple of lines in the first half, which I’ll admit I didn’t remember that much of.  They needed to give us a recap.  (Or I missed it when I was fast forwarding through the beginning.)  Left a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth, but I mostly enjoyed the episode.

Marble Hall Murders – Some very fun transitions between the two realities in this one, more than I remember in the past.  I feel like the book story got the most forward movement here, but that may just be my perception at the moment.  Other stuff might prove to be important later.

Dancing with the Stars (9/15) – Interesting way they are doing the premier with two nights and two eliminations.  Whitney has a challenge this season after the win last season.  I’m a little surprised they are through to the next week, in fact.  I’m coming into this season without anyone I’m already rooting for, but several of the guys impressed me this week.  I’m a little surprised at who went home considering who his wife is and that Adele just won next pro.  I figured they’d stick around another week or two at least.  Sorry to see them leave already.

RJ Decker – That opening scene.  I mean, I get the synergy they were going for, but it was weird.  They really should have done something else.  I did like the main story, however.  And the way the relationships are growing is nice, too.  I’m really glad the show is back for season two.

The Challenge – I wonder why they didn’t go into what the three guys did to get themselves booted.  Yes, I read about it, but still, seems like they could have done a bit more to address it.  But I find it ironic that Nelson and Josh both got DQ’d together since they’d been feuding so much.  Nice that Orange took another hit.  Although, with what they’ve got left, this could get very interesting.  I feel like they need to adjust the teams to even out the sexes, but I’m sure they have a plan.  Although, with two teams, how are they going to have two people in eliminations.  I’m very curious about that.

Dancing with the Stars (9/16) – Lots more great dancers tonight.  Not that I’m surprised.  Yes, some of them have room to grow, but there are some that should make it far.  We’ve still got 14 pairs.  That’s insanely high, or at least it feels that way.  Interesting that both of the new pros left in the first week of the competition.  I know new pros don’t tend to go far, but this seems quick even for them.  Also, I do like that Maura and Mark are paired.  It will be interesting to see how far they go.

Totally 90’s House – I wasn’t completely in love with either house, but I think I liked the master bathroom in the house that lost a little better.  Was it more, or was the tub in the willing house way too small?  Nice that Melissa got a cameo.  I wonder if she will wind up coming back or if that is all she gets for the season.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe – That one was fun again.  Really enjoyed all the superhero lore and appearances, and I was surprised by the cameo.  I’m anxious to see how they are going to wrap things up next week.  Or at least the first season.

The Traitors: New Blood – So, Kim.  You say “everyone thinks lawyers are liars, so I’m going to lie so people don’t know I’m a lawyer.”  I’m sorry, what?  You are kind of proving their point.  I was actually rooting for her to be the first one gone.  This accomplish twist is interesting.  I’m very curious to see who joins the traitors and who is the second murder victim.  That first banishment was interesting.  We’ve already got the supposed slip up.  I couldn’t quite tell what happened there.  Guess I should have paid more attention.

Anna Pigeon – I actually was intrigued by the mystery, but I found the solution a letdown.  Completely logical, but somehow less than they were setting things up to be.  And the romantic storyline?  Predictable and frustrating.  Can’t someone be smart just once?  Instead, we get the soap opera. 

September 18th's Friday Post

Welcome to this week's Friday Post, where I will be linking up to:

First Line Friday
Friday Book Snippets
Book Blogger Hop

My teasers for the first two will come from Holmes Away from Home by Samantha Larsen.

This is the first in a new series featuring Althea Adler, the daughter of Irene Adler, a legendary character in the Sherlock Holmes cannon.  And yes, this series is Holmes adjacent.  As the first sentence shows:

Stealing from the famous Sherlock Holmes was rather simple, really, Althea Adler thought as she cracked open the safe behind the portrait in his study.

That definitely made me want to read more.

My second teaser comes from 56% into the book.  I think.  I don't remember for sure where it came from, but I had to use this exchange.

“I want the postcard back,” Althea said between clenched teeth, pressing her dagger harder against him. “It’s mine.”
William found himself staring at her plump, red lips. “I’m having a devil of a time trying to figure out if you’re attempting to kiss me or kill me.”

I'll let you figure out what that is all about.

The book came out this week, but I'll be reviewing it on Tuesday as part of a blog tour.  For now, just know I enjoyed it, and come back on Tuesday for my full review.

Let's move on to this week's Book Blogger Hop, shall we?  This week's question is:

If you could recommend one overlooked book, what would it be and why?

I feel like we just answered this question two weeks ago.  So, I'll link to that post for your reference.

For a new book, I'm going to create a theme here.  I've got quotes from a Holmes adjacent book above.  I'm going to recommend Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith.  This is the first book in a series that features two cowboy brothers in the 1890's who, inspired by the stories about Sherlock Holmes, start solving mysteries in the old west.  It's a very fun book with laughs and a good mystery.

Have a great weekend!

Book Review: Thicker Than Water by Liz Milliron (Laurel Highlands Mystery #6)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Sally, Jim, and another good mystery

Cons: Climax tried to do too much

The Bottom Line:

A dead young woman

Sally, Jim both work to solve

Nice series entry

The Young Woman in the Shack

The advantage of falling behind in a series is that you can read books closer together.  Admittedly, I still try to space books out instead of doing a true binge read, but I’m looking forward to my every other month visits with Jim and Sally as I continue Liz Milliron’s Laurel Highlands Mysteries.  And Thicker Than Water was another good book.

For those new to the series, it features Pennsylvania State Trooper Jim Duncan and defense attorney Sally Castle.  When the series started, they had just met, but at this point in the series, they are dating and getting pretty serious.  Along with navigating their relationship, they also have to figure out how to keep their jobs from impacting their relationship when the cases they are working on cross.

When a college student walks into Sally’s office asking for protection from a man, Sally is willing to help.  But the young woman doesn’t give many details before she disappears.

Two days later, Jim is pulled into the hunt for a missing autistic young man.  While the man is found, he is talking about a “sleeping blue lady” he saw in a nearby shack.  Sure enough, there is a dead young woman there.  And it’s the woman that came to Sally for help.  Sally just can’t let it go, so she starts investigating on her own.  Will the two be able to figure out what happened to the victim?

Given the main characters, I’m sure it’s no surprise that the books are more serious in tone than the cozy I often read.  They also tackle some darker subjects.  However, even when a book tackles a more serious subject, it does it with sensitivity and includes only as little detail as needed.

It isn’t long before Jim and Sally start to piece together several motives for the victim’s murder.  I was pulled in and always had a hard time putting the book down.  With both of them sharing viewpoint character duties, we got plenty of twists and plot advancement.  Unfortunately, the climax was a little messy.  All the questions were answered, but the way it came together was a bit more complex than we needed.

On the other hand, I continue to love Jim and Sally.  Their relationship takes another step forward here, and I loved watching those moments.  I’m just as invested in that story arc as I am the mystery they are facing in the current book.  I also appreciated how they both handled this case in regards to their relationship given some of what’s happened before.

I’m glad I’m finally make the time to catch up on this series.  With the great characters and the engaging mysteries, time spent reading these books is always well spent.  Thicker Than Water is no exception.

Check out the rest of the Laurel Highlands Mysteries.

Ornament Review: Cookie Cutter Christmas #15 - Making Stockings - 2026 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Another cute scene in a fun frame

Cons: Scenes isn’t obvious at first

The Bottom Line:

Getting stockings set

Creates charming Christmas scene

Does need second look

The Stocking Were Made by the Chimney with Care

It’s fun to see what Hallmark’s artists come up with each year for the series I track.  While I don’t always buy them, I do enjoy seeing the creativity.  One of the most creative is the Cookie Cutter Christmas series, and this year’s entry is another fun one.

Each ornament in the series features a Christmas scene starring a mouse inside a cookie cutter shape.  This year, the shape is a Christmas tree.  The mouse inside?  He’s working on a stocking.  We can already see the red stocking hung by the fireplace, and he’s now working on a green stocking.  It looks like he’s putting the white bow on top.  We can see the fire in the background, and gingerbread walls.  And the mouse has a blue blanket on his lap.  The arms of his chair?  Candy canes, of course.

I’ll admit, I had to look closely at this one to figure out what was going on.  The candy canes looked a bit like the posts on a bed, and the blanket made me think this was a bed scene at first.  But that’s my only complaint.  Once you look closely, you can see the cute scene unfolding.  We’ve only ever seen this mouse by himself, so the idea that he has someone else makes me smile.

While the Christmas tree shape does have a bit sticking out at the bottom, the base is still nice a sturdy.  You can set this out to be displayed if you want.

The loop for hanging the ornament is at the top of the star.  No surprise that it hangs straight.

As always, the back of the ornament features the series marker.  And, in a detail I love, it also includes a handle for the cookie cutter part of the design.

While the scene took a second look, overall, this addition to the Cookie Cutter Christmas series is fun.

Enjoy more of the Cookie Cutter Christmas ornaments.

Book Review: Home Sweet Homicide by Rosalie Spielman (Hometown Mysteries #5)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Compelling mystery with great characters

Cons: Part of Tessa’s character arc didn’t quite work for me.

The Bottom Line:

Wedding meets murder

Plus other complications

In this fun entry

Wedding Complicated by a Dead Ex

Last year, I really delved into Rosalie Spielman’s Hometown Mysteries, enjoying the first four.  Somehow, this year, I’ve let the series get away from me, and I suddenly found myself getting behind again.  So, I picked up Home Sweet Homicide, book five.  I was so glad to be visiting the characters again.

If you haven’t started the series, it features retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Tessa Treslow who has returned to her hometown of New Oslo, Idaho, after getting out of the army.  It means she is able to reconnect with family, but it has also meant seeing more of her ex-boyfriend and some others from her growing up years that she wasn’t so anxious to see again.  And that’s not even to talk about the murders that have happened since she returned home.

Speaking of that ex-boyfriend, Joe Eriksson is getting married to Jessie St. John.  Much to her surprise, Tessa and Jessie have become friends since Tessa returned home, and somehow, she finds herself agreeing to be a bridesmaid.  Everything is looking good two weeks out from the wedding until Jessie’s best friend from high school shows up and starts trying to change all the wedding plans.

But that’s nothing compared to the chaos that happens when Jessie’s first ex-husband is killed, and Jessie just happens to be first at the scene.  Joe, the sheriff, is sidelined in the investigation since he could be another suspect.  While Tessa is warned away by the state detective that comes in to investigate, can she help it if she keeps finding pertinent information?  Will she learn enough to solve the case before the wedding gets canceled?

As I said earlier, it was wonderful to be visiting the characters again.  New Oslo is filled with an assortment of friends and family, and they are an entertaining bunch.  Of course, Tessa is a fantastic main character, and I enjoyed seeing what is going on in her life.  I did have an issue with some of her personal growth here, but maybe I’m just being a guy, and a single guy at that, when it comes to first love.

The mystery was great with plenty going on to keep us guessing.  Yet things made sense when we reached the end.  And there is enough other drama with the wedding and another subplot that my interest never lagged.

I need to make returning to this series a priority.  Fans old and new will enjoy Home Sweet Homicide.

Plan more visits home with the rest of the Hometown Mysteries.