ARC Review: One Final Turn by Ashley Weaver

One Final Turn
Author: Ashley Weaver
Series: Electra McDonnell Series (Book 5)
Publication: Minotaur Books (June 3, 2025)

Description: The fifth and final installment in the Electra McDonnell series brings safecracker Ellie on a mission across World War II-era Europe to Lisbon, Portugal to rescue a key group of escaped POWs.

Ellie McDonnell is about to embark on her most perilous mission yet: go to Lisbon, Portugal to save her beloved cousin Toby who has reportedly escaped from a German prisoner of war camp. Toby has been missing since the Battle of Dunkirk and Ellie had all but lost hope in ever seeing him again until Major Ramsey, the British military intelligence officer she had been working closely with over the past few months, shared the news he’d intercepted.

Nothing will stop Ellie from finding her cousin, not even the awkward experience of having to travel to an unknown country with Ramsey after he’d dismissed her for being untrustworthy just as she’d realized she had fallen in love with him. Under the supervision of Captain Archie Blandings, a charming intelligence officer based in Lisbon, Ellie meets with undercover operatives to track down where Toby might be hiding from the Nazis and whether they are too late to safely recover him, all the while fighting her feelings for Ramsey and the incessant burden of war looming around her at every turn.

My Thoughts: This book is the finale of the Electra McDonnell series and brings Ellie to Portugal to, hopefully, find her cousin Toby who was taken prisoner by the Germans. 

Ellie has been fired from her post in intelligence by Major Gideon Ramsay for a failure to follow orders, but Captain Archie Blandings thinks she could be useful in Portugal. He's trying to make the escape route from occupied France safe from German intervention and help Ellie find out the fate of her cousin. 

Ellie isn't pleased when she learns the Major Ramsey is also a part of the mission. She has fallen completely in love with him but doesn't see a future for them. But she throws herself into the investigation to learn about this route, meeting all sorts of agents and double agents, and stumbling onto a dead body or two along the way. 

When they can't find a way to talk to a Portuguese official who might have information about the secret route, Archie comes up with a plan the involves getting married to each other. While Ellie is reluctant, she's willing to do anything to find out about her cousin. Through a variety of circumstances, Ellie finds herself married to Major Ramsey instead of Archie.

This was an excellent story. I thought it nicely wrapped up the threads of the previous books in the series and had a wonderful "happily ever after" ending too. Fans of the series will enjoy this satisfying finale. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Lethal Cocktail by Ciar Byrne

A Lethal Cocktail
Author: Ciar Byrne
Series: The Woolf & Byrne Mysteries (Book 2)
Publication: Headline Accent (May 22, 2025)

Description: Tudor Close Hotel, Rottingdean, is the most glamorous venue of the season. And not somewhere Virginia or her sister Vanessa would usually choose to frequent. They're far happier at home with their writing or painting, than brushing shoulders with debutantes or starlets.

But Lady Ottoline has had a difficult year, so - despite her rather outlandish tastes - they let her choose the meeting spot. And when the group bumps into fashion designer Mimi Mason in the hotel bar, they begrudgingly accept an invite to her wedding breakfast the next morning.

No one imagined that, a few cocktails later, Mimi would be dead.

As the sisters are drawn into a new case, it becomes clear that someone meticulously planned this murder. Beneath the glittering exterior, there was a dark side to this beautiful bride - and every wedding guest had a reason to sabotage this happy union.

But which one of them decided it was time to give Mimi a taste of her own poison?

My Thoughts: The second Woolf & Bell mystery begins when Virginia and Vanessa are invited to the Tudor Close Hotel in Rottingdean by their friend Lady Ottoline to hear a proposal from a young man in publishing who is interested in publishing new, illustrated editions of Virginia's work. Besides wanting to do a favor for a friend, a little extra money is always appreciated.

They weren't expecting to be rolled over into the wedding of fashion designer Mimi Mason and Scottish Lord Abernathy. However, they find themselves taking part and finding all sorts of odd things when they realize that the wedding party consists of her three ex-husbands and his two ex-wives. None of whom are happy with the upcoming nuptials. The wedding party also includes Mimi's daughter Vivienne and Mimi's assistant Jean-Paul. Virginia and Vanessa can feel the tensions and manage to overhear a few arguments. 

They attend the Wedding Breakfast the next morning and are present when Mimi takes a sip of her Bloody Mary and dies of arsenic poisoning. They are reluctantly attached to Detective Inspector Gripe's investigation of the crime since both would prefer to go home to their writing and painting. But when one of the ex-husbands is also murdered and Virginia was seen arguing with him, their interest in the investigation is heightened. 

This was an engaging historical mystery filled with interesting characters. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: He's to Die For by Erin Dunn

He's to Die For
Author: Erin Dunn
Publication: Minotaur Books (June 3, 2025)

Description: Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive in this sparkling romantic murder mystery: it's murder cute in the first degree when a detective finds himself falling for the lead suspect in a career-making case.

At 29, Detective Rav Trivedi is the youngest member of the NYPD’s homicide squad, and his future looks bright. He may be a bit of an outsider in the department―an ivy-league educated gay Brit with a weakness for designer suits―but his meteoric rise and solve rate prove he belongs.

So when his CO assigns him lead on the high-profile murder of a record executive, Rav is ready for action. He won’t be distracted by TV crews, tabloids, or what’s trending on social media, nor by the ridiculously hot rock star with a clear motive and no alibi.

This is it, his shot, and he is not going to screw it up―certainly not by falling in love with his number one suspect…

My Thoughts: This romance/murder mystery really worked for me. Detective Rav Trivedi is a 29-year-old gay cop and the youngest member of the NYPD's homicide squad. He's ivy league educated and has a penchant for designer suits. He's also ambitious and brilliant. 

When he meets rock star Jack Vale he is instantly smitten. Unfortunately, Jack is the main suspect in the murder of Richard Vanderford. Vanderford is a music executive who bought the company producing Jack's music and contrary to usual practice isn't willing to sell the rights to the songs back to the group.

As Rav gets involved in the complicated life of rock stars including stalkers and all sorts of publicity, he also has to deal with the FBI taking over the case. He begins investigating on his own because things aren't adding up for him. 

The romance goes through ups and downs as the two try to juggle two very different lives and schedules. I really thought the two of them worked as a couple. Both men were well-rounded people with sympathetic backstories. The mystery was engaging too. It was filled with twists and turns. 

The writing was also excellent. I was pulled right into the story and couldn't put it down until I reached the end. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 26, 2025)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack? links to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.

Other Than Reading...

I had a nice week. It was sunny most days even though the temperatures were chilly. I was out of the house for grocery shopping and my bi-monthly blood draw. Otherwise, I was home reading, listening to audiobooks, and watching Braves baseball. 

My cable provider offers some streaming services as part of my monthly bill, and I managed to figure out how to add Disney+ and Paramount+ to my Amazon Fire device. Now, we have to figure out how to add them to my brother's smart TV as he is much more likely to watch movies than I am. I can't remember the last time I actually watched a movie. I think my hearing loss is substantial enough that I have trouble understanding the dialog on movie soundtracks, but not substantial enough that I feel like I need hearing aids. But since they were already paid for, I felt like I had to add them. 

This week I'll be out of the house a bit more. I have a DEXA scan on Wednesday and am lucky that my brother can be my driver. The test is at the downtown campus of my health provider which is a construction mess since the new hospital was built, and the old one is being demolished. He's a much braver driver than I am. Thursday I have a haircut scheduled which I'll drive to since my stylist is in the Mall. Maybe I'll finally give Chick-fil-a a try if the lines aren't too long. It just opened a couple of months ago and has been very popular. It was built in the Mall parking lot which makes it handy. 

Since it is the final week of May, I'll have my monthly summing up to do. I'll be working on my State of the Stack post, summing things up on my Google spreadsheet Reading Log, and adding a June collection on my LibraryThing. I've given up keeping track of this year's reading on Goodreads but do still post my reviews there. 

My current read - the last releasing on June 10 - is a long, detailed fantasy which I am reading slowly in order to keep track of the worldbuilding and the characters. I'll probably be reading a few chapters, switching to something less demanding, and switching back to the fantasy. 

Last week I tried the same technique with one of my review books that wasn't really grabbing my attention. However, I found that the next review book on my stack was too similar to the one I was struggling with in that both were contemporary, first-person, multi-viewpoint books. I needed something really different and looked through my collection. I found a Meg Langslow mystery that had been sitting in my Chirp collection since 2022 which provided a nice palate cleanser. Please note that both review books were great stories once I really got into them, but they were not working at all well for reading at the same time. 

Read Last Week

• Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King (Review, June 10) -- Mary joins her Uncle Jake in a search for the Irish Crown Jewels. My review will be posted on June 3.
• Captivated by Nora Roberts (Chirp Audiobook, Mine since May 12) -- Classic Nora Roberts paranormal romance. My review will be posted on June 10.
• Devoted in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- 41st book in the In Death series

• A Botanist's Guide to Rituals and Revenge by Kate Khavari (Review, June 10) -- Historical mystery; fourth in the Saffron Everliegh mysteries. My review will be posted on June 4. 
• Brotherhood in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- 42nd in the In Death series.
• Believe Me Now by S. M. Govett (Review, June 10) -- Contemporary psychological thriller told from two viewpoints. My review will be posted on June 5.

• Lord of the Wings by Donna Andrews (Chirp Audiobook, Mine since May 10, 2022) -- 19th in the Meg Langslow series. Humorous Halloween mystery. My review will be posted on June 5.
• Making Friends Can Be Murder by Kathleen West (Review, June 10) -- Contemporary mystery/romance/friendship story told from multiple viewpoints. My review will be posted on June 7.
• Apprentice in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- 43rd in the In Death series

Currently

• The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott (Review, June 10)
• Echoes in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread)

Next Week

• The Journal of a Thousand Years by C. J. Archer (Mine since March 17)
• A Novel Murder by E. C. Nevin (Review, June 17)
• Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis (Mine since April 23)

• Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath (Review, June 24)
• Trixie Belden: The Secret of the Mansion by Julie Campbell (Review, June 24)
• The Secrets We Keep by Amy Lillard (Review, June 24)

Reviews Posted

• Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts (Review copy)
• The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson (Review copy)
• Tell Me by Anne Frasier (Mine, Audiobook)

• Doggone Bones by Carolyn Haines (Review copy)
• Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney (Review copy)
• A Deadly Discovery by Ciar Byrnes (Mine)

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Review:

• Claws Out by Cate Conte (Review, August 26)
• The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong (October 14)
• Midnight in Memphis by Thomas Dann (Review, November 18)

Bought:

• Don't Tell by Karen Rose (BookBub, $.99)
• The Librarian by Judith A. Barrett (BookBub, Free)

• The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey (Kindle, $.99)
• Inspector Alan Grant: The Full Collection by Josephine Tey (Chirp Audiobook, $3.99)

What was your week like?

ARC Review: Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney

Bodies and Battlements
Author: Elizabeth Penney
Series: The Ravensea Castle Series (Book 1)
Publication: Minotaur Books (May 27, 2025)

Description: The first in a new cozy mystery series by Elizabeth Penney investigates a suspicious murder in a haunted British castle-turned-bed and breakfast.

Herbalist Nora Asquith is delighted to welcome Ravensea Castle’s first guests to the picturesque village of Monkwell, Yorkshire. After a thousand years of ownership, her family has decided to convert the castle into a bed and breakfast. But when Hilda Dibble, a self-appointed local luminary, is found dead in the knot garden the next morning, Nora’s business is not only at risk―she’s a prime suspect.

Hilda had opposed the hotel plan every step of the way, and although she didn’t succeed in stopping the venture, her disagreements with Nora seem to only further her motive. One of Ravensea’s guests happens to be Detective Inspector Finlay Cole, who is new to the area and now finds himself with a murder case in his lap.

Nora and her actress sister Tamsyn decide to investigate for themselves. They look into the entangled dealings of their newly arrived guests, while also getting hints from Sir Percival, one of the castle ghosts. As they learn, Sir Percival’s tragic death centuries ago sheds light on present-day crimes. Surely they can get to the bottom of this mystery while keeping their new business afloat . . .

My Thoughts: This is the first in a new cozy mystery series. Nora Asquith has jumped through all sorts of hoops to open the castle her family has occupied since the 1100s to bed-and-breakfast guests. Village newcomer Hilda Dibble had led a campaign to get the village council to forbid Nora's plans. but Nora persevered and the first guests are arriving.

Nora is also an herbalist who grows plants for her tinctures, soaps and other products. The morning after her first guests arrive when she goes out to weed, she finds Hilda dead in her herb garden. Luckily but perhaps not completely coincidentally, one of her guests is Detective Inspector Finlay Cole who is newly transferred to the area. He is right on hand to assist with the investigation. Also, newly arriving is Nora's sister Tamsyn who is an actress in historical drama TV series. 

Nora learns that she is not the only one at the castle who had a previous relationship with Hilda. Her birdwatching guest turns out to be the son Hilda's sister put up for adoption as an infant. And she has some connection to the couple Nora's brother comped to a night's stay in hopes of placing his mead with their chain of liquor stores. Also, there is the entrepreneur on the yacht who wants to add the castle to his chain of hotels made from stately homes who had a connection to Hilda too. 

But Hilda is only the first body that Nora stumbles on. She also finds a local stonemason on the beach when she goes to gather seaweed from some concoction she's trying out for her herb business. 

Nora and her sister begin investigating because Nora fears that having the castle associated with murder is going to ruin her fledgling business before it can even get off the ground. 

I enjoyed this mystery. I look forward to more books in the series. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

Beginning:

We have always lived in this castle, this jumbled, tumbled heap perched above Robin Hood's Bay.

Friday 56:

Where to begin? I didn't quite dare to ask him why he'd come out to Patrick's yacht. Did his visit have anything to do with Hilda or was it another matter?

This week I am spotlighting Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney. This first in a new series is on my Review stack. Here is the description from Amazon:

The first in a new cozy mystery series by Elizabeth Penney investigates a suspicious murder in a haunted British castle-turned-bed and breakfast.

Herbalist Nora Asquith is delighted to welcome Ravensea Castle’s first guests to the picturesque village of Monkwell, Yorkshire. After a thousand years of ownership, her family has decided to convert the castle into a bed and breakfast. But when Hilda Dibble, a self-appointed local luminary, is found dead in the knot garden the next morning, Nora’s business is not only at risk―she’s a prime suspect.

Hilda had opposed the hotel plan every step of the way, and although she didn’t succeed in stopping the venture, her disagreements with Nora seem to only further her motive. One of Ravensea’s guests happens to be Detective Inspector Finlay Cole, who is new to the area and now finds himself with a murder case in his lap.

Nora and her actress sister Tamsyn decide to investigate for themselves. They look into the entangled dealings of their newly arrived guests, while also getting hints from Sir Percival, one of the castle ghosts. As they learn, Sir Percival’s tragic death centuries ago sheds light on present-day crimes. Surely they can get to the bottom of this mystery while keeping their new business afloat . . .

ARC Review: Doggone Bones by Carolyn Haines

Doggone Bones
Author: Carolyn Haines
Series: Sarah Booth Delaney Mysteries (Book 29)
Publication: Minotaur Books (May 27, 2025)

Description: The latest novel in the series that Kirkus Reviews characterizes as "Stephanie Plum meets the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" featuring sassy Southern private investigator Sarah Booth Delaney.

After a dog belonging to local pet activist Tilly Lawson is snatched right out of her backyard in Sunflower County, MS, Sarah Booth and the Delaney Detective Agency are up to their ears in concerned pet owners. Could Tilly's work liberating abused animals have come back to bite her, or was this a random act of dognapping?

Delaney Detective Agency has their work cut out for them, especially as a troublesome online pet detective agency tries nosing their way into the investigation. But as Sarah Booth and Tinkie start to sink their teeth into the mystery, they discover there's much more at play than they thought: neighborhood rivalries, questionable dog breeders, and an illegal dogfighting operation.

As their digging churns up dangerous attention—and with their own beloved dogs, Sweetie Pie and Chablis, possibly next in line to be dognapped—Sarah Booth and Tinkie are in a race against time to track down the thieves and return the missing pets home.

My Thoughts: The Delaney Detective Agency takes on a case of dognapping when the beloved pet of a pet activist is stolen from her yard. Both Sarah Booth and Tinkie are pet lovers too and are going to do their best to get Jezebel back. Then another pet is stolen from another older lady.

The detective duo has lots of suspects including a shady police chief, the mayor, the second lady's ne'er-do-well grandson, and a villain who has plagued Sarah Booth for some time and is on the lam from various law enforcement agencies in Mississippi. Then there is the local boy who made it good in pro wrestling and might be dipping into dog fighting and drugs with maybe a side of gambling. 

Things get even more tense when Sarah Booth's and Tinkie's dogs are dognapped too. 

This was a fun story filled with all sorts of Southern sayings. It also features "assistance" from Sarah Booth's ghost Jitty who makes appearances as famous historical dog lovers. And her boyfriend Coleman has a large role to play too. 

This is the 29th book in this series. I've only read one other, but will be putting the series on my TBR stack. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.