Wednesday, June 30, 2021

State of the Stack #109 (June 30, 2021)

Posted by Kathy Martin at 12:00 PM

 This is my monthly post which details progress made on review books. I want to thank the authors and publishers who have contributed their books. 

Read This Month 
  1. Death at the Crystal Palace by Jennifer Ashley (June 29)
  2. A Thin Disguise by Catherine Bybee (June 30)
  3. Fallen by Linda Castillo (July 1)
  4. Back from the Brink by Emery Hayes (July 7)
  5. Silence in the Library by Katharine Schellman (July 8)
  6. Fatal Family Ties by S. C. Perkins (July 14)
  7. Last Guard by Nalini Singh (July 15)
  8. A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones (July 22)
  9. Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews (July 28)
  10. Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond (July 29)
  11. Cajun Kiss of Death by Ellen Byron (August 3)
  12. Paper & Blood by Kevin Hearne (August 4)
  13. Gone By Morning by Michele Weinstat Miller (August 5)
  14. Miss Lattimore's Letter by Suzanne Allain (August 7)
DNF
  1. Bad Scene by Max Tomlinson
Read Previously But Posted This Month 
  1. Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert (June 1)
  2. Bones of Hilo by Eric Redman (June 2)
  3. The Art of Betrayal by Connie Berry (June 3)
  4. Ruby Red Herring by Tracy Gardner (June 8)
  5. Castle Shade by Laurie R. King (June 9)
  6. The Abduction of Pretty Penny by Leonard Goldberg (June 10)
  7. Beyond the Headlines by R. G. Belsky (June 12)
  8. Love Scenes by Bridget Morrissey (June 17)
  9. The Keepers by Jeffrey B. Burton (June 22)
  10. Murder at Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan (June 23)
New This Month 
  1. Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond (August 3)
  2. Down a Dark River by Karen Odden (November 9)
  3. Death on the Shelf by Allison Brook (November 9)
  4. Vanishing Edge by Claire Kells (November 9)
  5. Guild Boss by Jayne Castle (November 16)
  6. A Murder Like No Author by Amy Lillard (November 30)
  7. Renewed for Murder by Victoria Gilbert (December 7)
  8. Cold Brew Corpse by Tara Lush (December 7)
  9. Garden of Sins by Laura Joh Rowland (January 11, 2022)
  10. A Three Book Problem by Vicki Delany (January 11, 2022)
All TBR Review Books

August
September
October
November
December 
January




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ARC Review: A Thin Disguise by Catherine Bybee

Posted by Kathy Martin at 6:30 AM
A Thin Disguise
Author: Catherine Bybee
Series: Richter, Book 2
Publication: Montlake (July 6, 2021)

Description: A former gun for hire and a federal agent find themselves on the right side of love but the wrong end of a bullet in this Richter installment from New York Times bestselling author Catherine Bybee.

On a fateful night in Las Vegas, FBI agent Leo Grant is working on a critical detail in a high-profile child prostitution trial when a beautiful woman jumps into the path of a bullet meant for him. Little does Leo know that the woman is Olivia, an ex-assassin who is seeking redemption one good deed at a time.

One minute, Olivia is lunging in front of Leo on the Vegas Strip. The next, she’s waking up in the hospital in a haze of pain with no memory of her past, her enemies, or even her own name.

With Olivia suffering from memory loss and completely unaware of the danger she is in, it’s up to Leo and Neil MacBain’s team of operatives to keep her safe. With Olivia and Leo both unaware of her past crimes, the two have little reason to avoid their growing attraction. Slowly her past seeps in through the cracks as she struggles to find the answers of who she is. When the veil is lifted and her dark past is staring her down, Olivia must turn her back on Leo and the love she can never allow herself to have, and race to find her would-be killer.

My Thoughts: This second Richter novel begins at a trial for a former child prostitute that the Russian mob wants dead. FBI Agent Leo Grant is protecting her with the help of the FBI. McBain Security and Solutions is also on the case. So is Olivia who is known to McBain and his people.

Like a number of McBain operatives, Olivia is also a graduate of Richter. But Olivia didn't work on the side of law and order. She was groomed to be a spy and assassin doing missions for whomever her boss chose. She got out of that life but it wasn't easy and the ending wasn't clear cut. She's still a target.

When she leaps in front of Leo on a Las Vegas street and is shot, it isn't clear if the shooter was after Leo or her. McBain puts them both in a safe house in order to determine which was under threat and who wanted one of them dead. McBain is also hoping to add Olivia to his team if he can just convince her.

While they are in the safe house, Leo and Olivia fall in love but only Leo admits it. Olivia doesn't feel herself worthy of being loved and she certainly doesn't want to put anyone close to her in danger.

This was a fast-paced and romantic thriller. It was nice to see some of the characters from the first Richter book again. I loved the byplay between them all. I loved watching Leo and Olivia's slow-burn romance grow. The suspense part of the story was also very well done. 

Favorite Quote:
"The family you choose is often more important than the family you were born to. There's no judgment here. Everyone has a say. If you have a problem, air it. If you have a need, ask for it. It took a long time for me to admit I had a family. This family. We can be that for you."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
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Tuesday, June 29, 2021

ARC Review: Death at the Crystal Palace by Jennifer Ashley

Posted by Kathy Martin at 6:30 AM
Death at the Crystal Palace
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Series: A Below Stairs Mystery (Book 5)
Publication: Berkley (July 6, 2021)

Description: Intrepid cook Kat Holloway puts aside her apron to delve into Victorian London’s high society and catch a killer in this thrilling new mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Murder in the East End.

While attending an exhibition at the Crystal Palace, young cook Kat Holloway is approached by a woman in distress. Lady Covington is a wealthy widow convinced that her entire family is trying to kill her. Kat feels compelled to help. So, she escorts the lady home to discover whether she is delusional or in true danger.

When it quickly becomes apparent that the threat is all too real, Kat promises aid. Her charming confidant Daniel McAdam is busy infiltrating a plot against the Crown, and she worries he will not have time to lend his sleuthing expertise. This might be for the best, as Kat fears her growing emotional entanglement with Daniel can only lead to disaster. But soon, Kat faces a more serious threat when her involvement in both investigations plunges her into peril.

My Thoughts: Cook Kat Holloway is developing a reputation for problem solving among a certain set in 1882 London. Still, she is surprised when Lady Covington approaches her while she is at the Crystal Palace with her daughter and some friends. Lady Covington believes that she is being poisoned.

Lady Covington asks for Kat's assistance in finding out who wants her dead. Kat uses the excuse of providing a recipe for a lemon cake to Lady Covington's cook to visit and find out more. It turns out the Lady Covington is a wealthy woman who has financial control over her stepson and stepdaughter and her own son and daughter. She inherited money and shares in a railroad company both from her husband who died in a railroad accident and her second husband. 

Kat asks her friend Daniel McAdam for some advice but he is currently undercover investigating an English Duke who might be giving money to Irish nationalists. Those nationalists have committed some brutal murders and Daniel's boss wants answers.

As Kat investigates, she learns that all of Lady Covington's children and stepchildren could have reasons to want her out of the way. They also all have secrets. Then Lady Covington's stepdaughter eats some of a basket prepared for Lady Covington and dies. Kat briefly wonders if the stepdaughter was the intended victim.

Meanwhile, Daniel asks Kat to help with his investigation too. And Kat's friend Lady Cynthia's parents have come to London to take her back to the country with them or to marry her off. Lady Cynthia's father who is something of a confidence man gets involved in Daniel's investigation when he tries to scam the Duke Daniel is investigating.

The story was interesting and fast-paced. The mystery was also intriguing and played to Kat's strengths as a cook. I liked the period detail and Kat's awareness of the class differences that pervade the society where she lives. I like that Kat is proud of her abilities as a cook and confident in herself. 

Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy Kat's latest adventure.

Favorite Quote:
I was the same person, and yet in this dress and hat with a young man to handle the tickets for me, I suddenly deserved the conductor's politeness. It made me think. 
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
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Monday, June 28, 2021

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (June 28, 2021)

Posted by Kathy Martin at 6:30 AM

 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.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup.

Other Than Reading...
This was a pretty good week for solar production. Today started out cloudy but warm. 

I went to the Rhubarb Festival briefly today. The festival is an annual event put on by CHUM (CHurches United in Ministry) which advertises itself as "people of faith working together to provide basic necessities, foster stable lives, and organize for a just and compassionate community." I wanted a rhubarb pie but they didn't have any this year since church kitchens are apparently still closed here in Minnesota. I was disappointed but did get my walking in since I had to park several blocks from the festival.

Otherwise, it was a quiet week. I got outside to walk most days, watched a lot of baseball, and read and listened to lots of books. 

Read Last Week

If you can't wait until the review shows up on my blog, reviews are posted to LibraryThing and Goodreads as soon as I write them (usually right after I finish reading a book.)
  • The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters (Mine; Audiobook) -- This is the second in the Amelia Peabody historical mystery series. My review will be posted on August 17.
  • Beyond by Mercedes Lackey (Mine) -- Lackey writes about the beginning of Valdemar when the Baron is trying to find a way to escape from the Empire and take his people with him. My review will be posted on September 9.
  • The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson (Mine) -- The characters from the Truly Devious trilogy are given a new mystery to solve about unexplained murders at a summer camp. My review will be posted on September 4.
  • Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond (Review; August 3) -- Contemporary cozy mystery starring an actress who has taken a role in a mystery dinner theater held in a castle outside of Chicago and finds one of her coworkers dead in the chapel. My review will be posted on July 29.
  • Cursed Luck by Kelley Armstrong (Mine) -- Armstrong begins a new urban fantasy series where curse workers and luck workers are descended from Greek gods who are actually gifted immortals. My review will be posted on July 31.
  • Night Shift Dragons by Rachel Aaron (Mine; Audiobook) -- The is the finale of the DFZ trilogy. Great worldbuilding, fast-paced action, and intriguing characters. My review will be posted on September 14.
  • Cajun Kiss of Death by Ellen Byron (Review; August 10) -- The final book in the Cajun Country Mysteries is filled with the quirky characters and tasty recipes the fill the earlier episodes. My review will be posted on August 3.
  • Gone By Morning by Michele Weinstat Miller (Review; August 10) -- A contemporary thriller told in multiple voices about how a subway bombing leads to revelations of secrets from the past. My review will be posted on August 5.
  • Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh (Mine; Audiobook) -- This is the first in the Guild Hunter series and introduces a world controlled by angels. It was a reread but first listen for me. My review will be posted on September 21.
  • Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick (Mine; Audiobook)  -- This is a paranormal romantic suspense title which is also a historical. Filled with Quick's usual interesting characters and banter. My review will be posted on September 11.
  • Miss Lattimore's Letter by Suzanne Allain (Review: August 10) -- Historical romance with a number of interesting characters and situations that all starts with an anonymous letter and ends with multiple "Happily Ever Afters." My review will be posted on August 7.
Currently
Next Week
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Review:
Kindle:
Kindle and Audiobook:
  • Evil Dark by Justin Gustainis (I've had the print book since 2012)
  • The Will and the Wilds by Charlie N. Holmberg (Kindle and Audiobook cost about $5.50. $1.99 each and tax.)
Audiobook:
  • Known Devil by Justin Gustainis (bought the Kindle copy July 17, 2014)
  • The Liar by Nora Roberts (bought the Kindle copy April 14, 2015)
  • Penric's Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold (bought the Kindle copy July 7, 2015)
What was your week like?
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Saturday, June 26, 2021

Book Review: Get a Clue by Jill Shalvis

Posted by Kathy Martin at 6:30 AM
Get a Clue
Author: Jill Shalvis
Publication: Kensington Books; Reprint edition (April 28, 2015)

Description: Two snowed-in travelers. One hotel room. And one dead body…

When Breanne Mooreland gets left at the altar, she decides the best thing to do is to go on her honeymoon alone. Of course, she loses her luggage along the way and ends up snowed in at a Sierra mountains lodge run by a noticeably quirky staff. And before she can order room service, she finds a naked—and gorgeous—man taking a shower in her suite who refuses to leave . . .

Vice cop Cooper Scott is in serious need of a vacation. He’s not about to give up the only available room to a stranger because of a mix-up. They’ll just have to make the best of it by sharing the bed. They’re mature adults after all. But when Cooper wakes up kissing the long, leggy Breanne, he wants to show her exactly what the honeymoon suite is intended for. That will have to wait, though, because a screaming Breanne has just stumbled over one very dead body…

In this wonderful mystery-romance romp, New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis “skillfully mixes the bizarre with the poignant and the hilarious” (Booklist).

My Thoughts: This was a cute romance with a touch of mystery. Breanne Mooreland is off on her honeymoon alone since her groom left her standing at the altar. This is her third broken engagement and she's decided to give up men forever.

However, when Breanne arrives at her honeymoon destination in the middle of the snowstorm or the century, she finds Cooper Scott already in the honeymoon suite. Things get worse from there. The power goes out, the staff is weird, and Breanne discovers a dead body in the wine cellar.

Cooper is a cop who had quit his job after burning out, but he is still investigating this crime. Only everyone except Breanne and himself are very suspicious characters. Between falling in love with Breanne and dealing with the crime, his time is full.

Breanne is falling for him too but is in major denial about any possibility that this is more than a vacation fling. The sex scenes are hot and frequent but convincing Breanne that they are more than a fling is an ongoing problem.

I liked Breanne's quotes from her Palm Pilot that began each chapter. The Palm Pilot being the only indication that the book was written in 2005. The romance was interesting. The mystery was also interesting and kept the plot moving. 

Favorite Quote:
And she sure as hell wished she would stop falling for "I love you" when what a guy really meant was "Do me, and also my laundry, while you're at it."
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.
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Friday, June 25, 2021

Friday Memes: Get a Clue by Jill Shalvis

Posted by Kathy Martin at 6:30 AM

 Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:
It took her a while, but eventually Breanne Mooreland realized she had a naked man in her shower. Normally that would be the icing on a double-fudge chocolate cake, but in today's case, where she'd already had more failures than she could face, it felt like the last straw.
Friday 56:
He knew what she wanted him to say, that tomorrow there wouldn't be two guests, because he was leaving. Instead, he just smiled. He wasn't going anywhere.
This week I'm spotlighting a recent Kindle Daily Deal. Get a Clue by Jill Shalvis is by an author I enjoy. Here is the description from Amazon:
Two snowed-in travelers. One hotel room. And one dead body…

When Breanne Mooreland gets left at the altar, she decides the best thing to do is to go on her honeymoon alone. Of course, she loses her luggage along the way and ends up snowed in at a Sierra mountains lodge run by a noticeably quirky staff. And before she can order room service, she finds a naked—and gorgeous—man taking a shower in her suite who refuses to leave . . .

Vice cop Cooper Scott is in serious need of a vacation. He’s not about to give up the only available room to a stranger because of a mix-up. They’ll just have to make the best of it by sharing the bed. They’re mature adults after all. But when Cooper wakes up kissing the long, leggy Breanne, he wants to show her exactly what the honeymoon suite is intended for. That will have to wait, though, because a screaming Breanne has just stumbled over one very dead body…

In this wonderful mystery-romance romp, New York Times-bestselling author Jill Shalvis “skillfully mixes the bizarre with the poignant and the hilarious” (Booklist).
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Thursday, June 24, 2021

Book and Audio Review: Illusion Town by Jayne Castle

Posted by Kathy Martin at 6:30 AM
Illusion Town
Author: Jayne Castle
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: An Illusion Town Novel (Book 1)
Publication: Berkley (July 26, 2016); Recorded Books (July 26, 2016)
Length: 351 p.; 8 hours and 19 minutes

Description: A new adventure begins on Harmony… 

With its opulent casinos and hotels, the desert city of Illusion Town is totally unique—and will take you on a thrill ride you’ll never forget.

Hannah West isn’t the first woman to wake up in Illusion Town married to a man she barely knows, but she has no memory of the ceremony at all. For that matter, neither does Elias Coppersmith, her new husband. All either can remember is that they were on the run…

With Hannah’s dubious background and shaky para-psych profile, she could have done much worse. The cooly competent mining heir arouses her curiosity—as well as other parts of her mind and body. And even her dust bunny likes him.

But a honeymoon spent retracing their footsteps leads Hannah and Elias into the twisting underground catacombs, where secrets from both their pasts will come to light—and where the energy of their clashing auras will grow hot enough to burn…

My Thoughts: Hannah West is an orphan with a unique paranormal talent. She is a finder who recently found a family heirloom for Elias Coppersmith. They began an email relationship and Hannah finally agreed to meet him in person for a dinner date.

Neither expected to wake up the next morning in a hot sheets motel, missing memories, and evidence that they had undertaken a Marriage of Convenience. They knew that they were on the run from something but weren't sure what. Elias wanted her to use her skills to rescue some people who were trapped by an illusion spell in Ghost Town. So he thought they were being chased by people who didn't want his crew rescued.

But Hannah had recently completed a necklace which was her only inheritance from her mother and learned it was a psy map which led her to the long-missing Midnight Carnival which was built to house Arcane Society secrets and then lost. Hannah immediately filed her claim and believes her discovery is still a secret.

Unfortunately, Hannah's secret is known to one obsessed collector who will do anything to exploit the treasures of the Midnight Carnival. 

After Hannah and Elias rescue his missing people and discover that there is a conspiracy to steal from the Coppersmiths, they are sidetracked into Elias's problems. Hannah believes that once his problems are solved, he will end their Marriage of Convenience. But Elias is in no hurry to end the marriage and jumps into helping Hannah solve her problem. 

I enjoyed the way the romance built in this episode. I also enjoyed the way orphan Hannah had built her own family in the dark zone of Illusion Town. I liked her dust bunny Virgil who is a great companion. I also liked the references back to earlier books about the Arcane Society that make up attractions in the Midnight Carnival and include Virgil's toy Arizona Snow doll which becomes his constant companion. 

This was another fun episode of Castle's futuristic paranormal romances set on the planet Harmony.

Favorite Quote:
"Look, I'm an engineer, so I'm not always real intuitive or insightful when it comes to conversations of a personal nature, but I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and guess that we're talking about you."
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.
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Wednesday, June 23, 2021

ARC Review: Murder at Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan

Posted by Kathy Martin at 6:30 AM
Murder at Sunrise Lake
Author: Christine Feehan
Publication: Berkley; 1st edition (June 29, 2021)

Description: #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan reaches new heights of passion and suspense in this thrilling novel that takes readers deep into the California backcountry, where a woman is tormented by visions of a killer.

It starts in her dreams. Hideous flashes from a nightmare only she can stop. Images of a murderer stalking the ones she cares about most…

Stella Harrison thought she got away from the traumas of her past. Running the Sunrise Lake resort high in the Sierra Nevada mountains has brought her peace, even though she doesn’t truly share her quiet life with anyone. Not even Sam, the hired handyman that notices everything and always seems to know exactly what she needs.

Stella doesn’t know anything about Sam’s past, but somehow over the last two years his slow, steady presence has slipped past her defenses. Still, she knows she can’t tell him about her recent premonitions. So far there’s been no murder. No body. No way to prove what’s about to happen without destroying the life she’s built for herself.

But a killer is out there. And Stella knows that this time she’ll do whatever it takes to stop him.

My Thoughts: Christine Feehan has written a thriller but not totally abandoned her paranormal roots. Stella Harrison is building her life anew in the Sierra Nevada mountains as the owner of a resort when she starts having nightmares about a serial killer who is staging his murders to look like accidents.

Unfortunately, this is not a new thing for Stella. When she was four, five and six she had the same kind of dreams showing that her father was a serial killer. Her mother denied it and forced Stella to go along with her. When he was caught, her mother committed suicide and threw Stella into the foster care system where a good placement gave her a new mother-figure and therapy. 

When she was fourteen or fifteen she began having nightmares of serial killings again. Only this time her foster mother believed her even when the police did not. When this killer was caught, Stella was glad to be able to go to college and run to the Sierras to build a new life. 

But now the nightmares are back...,

She believes that no one knows about her past. She has formed a new group of friends who all want a new start in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains. She even has the beginnings of a romantic relationship with Sam Rossi who is her quiet, but extremely competent, handyman at the resort. Sam is also a man with a hidden past. 

In fact, all of her circle of friends have hidden pasts in addition to being extremely competent, wealthy, and physically attractive. From Raine who does some secret work for the government to Zehra who fled an arranged marriage in Azerbaijan, Vienna who is a surgical nurse and world class poker player to Harlow who is a Senator's daughter who has nothing to do with her father and Shabina who runs the Sunrise Café and is the daughter of a man who's called in to fight oil well fires all over the world. 

Along with Sam and her circle of friends, she determines to find and stop the serial killer who seems to be obsessed with her. I liked the way her nightmares gave her more and more clues about the crimes. I liked the way her relationship with Sam developed. I liked gradually learning more about Sam's secret past. I liked that most of the characters had dogs including Stella's Airedale Bailey. 

The story did have some problem for me. First of all, the story seemed bogged down by repetition and over-abundant description. The story would be moving along and then it would come to a dead halt by paragraph long descriptions of each of Stella's posse. Then it would get going again and stop for very detailed descriptions of the scenery and how much Stella loves the security of her new home. There would be descriptions and repetitions of the descriptions of some of the problems Stella had with the people who came to her resort. At least three times, she muses on how alcohol and water don't go together when she is thinking about the dangers around her.

It was a readable and exciting story. I would have liked it a little better if the characters would have been more realistic. It seems like everyone in town was beautiful, brilliant, and rich - and had secret pasts. 

Favorite Quote:
"Do you think any of us comes from normal? I mean anybody alive? Do we even know what normal is, or do we just make it up in our heads because the movies and television convinced us there is a normal?"
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
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Tuesday, June 22, 2021

ARC Review: The Keepers by Jeffrey B. Burton

Posted by Kathy Martin at 6:30 AM
The Keepers
Author: Jeffrey B. Burton
Series: Mace Reid K-9 Mystery, Book 2
Publication: Minotaur Books (June 29, 2021)

Description: Jeffrey B. Burton's The Keepers is the next installment of the Mace Reid K-9 series, featuring golden retriever cadaver dog Vira and her handler, Mason Reid.

Mason “Mace” Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection―that is, he trains dogs to hunt for dead bodies. He calls his pack of cadaver dogs The Finders, and his prize pupil is a golden retriever named Vira.

When Mace Reid and Vira are called in to search Washington Park at three o'clock in the morning, what they find has them running for their very lives. The trail of murder and mayhem Mace and CPD Officer Kippy Gimm have been following leads them to uncover treachery and corruption at the highest level, and their discoveries do not bode well for them . . . nor for the Windy City itself.

The Keepersis an exciting, fast-paced mystery filled with courageous dogs you'll want to root for.

My Thoughts: Mace Reid is a twenty-something who trains cadaver dogs and is frequently hired by the Chicago Police Force. One of his dogs - golden retriever Vira - is something special. Besides being able to find dead bodies, she can also find the scent of the person who made them dead which has come in handy on some occasions. 

Mace is recently divorced but is beginning a new relationship with Officer Kippy Gimm who is determined to become a detective. She calls Mace in when one of his idols, one-hit-wonder Jonny Whiting, is found beaten to death in his condo. Mace and Vira manage to get in under the guise of Vira being a drug sniffing dog when she catches the scent of Jonny's killer. Kippy, her partner Wabs, and Mace begin an investigation to discover the murderer and Vira comes through.

Meanwhile, another series of murders are taking place in Chicago which include an investor in from Minneapolis and the head of a Police group dealing with organized crime. Mace in called in to try to locate the cop and does manage to find him. Vira also gets a scent of the killer and alerts when the Police Commissioner and his driver arrive at the scene. But finding evidence to convict a Police Commissioner without becoming a casualty themselves really tests the ability of Kippy, Wabs, and Mace and his dogs.

This was a real page turner that I really enjoyed. It was fast-paced and action-packed. I like Mace who isn't the smartest or the bravest guy in the room but who is completely devoted to his dogs and their welfare. I liked his growing relationship with Kippy. I liked that, while most of the story is from Mace's point-of-view, Kippy does get some point-of-view time too. 

Favorite Quote:
Wabiszewski went on, "Listen, I love Vira. If she were taller and brunette, I'd ask for her paw in marriage. And I know what she can do, but describing what Vira can do will make us sound like a bunch of fucking nutjobs and we'll get matching bunks in Lakeshore."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
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Monday, June 21, 2021

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (June 21, 2021)

Posted by Kathy Martin at 6:30 AM

 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.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup.

Other Than Reading...

This was a nice week for producing solar energy. Today is cloudy but a nice day for Grandma's Marathon which resumes after taking a year off because of the Covid-19 pandemic. I'm staying away from the marathon route and downtown because I'm not a fan of crowds or traffic jams.

While trying to decide which audiobook I wanted to listen to next, I discovered that the next few books in the Amelia Peabody historical mystery series were free to me with my Audible membership. That made my decision for me. I'll be listening to them but probably not back-to-back. I have quite a few other audiobooks in my collection that I also want to hear. 

I also tried, unsuccessfully, to lower my TBR pile by choosing a book which had been on it since 2015. After reading it, I decided that I wanted to read the rest of that series and bought three of the five books for my Kindle. The other one - the fourth book in the series - is already on my TBR pile. I believe that I read the first two books years ago but no longer had them in my collection. Taking one book off and adding three isn't a really good way to lower the TBR pile!

I spent some of the week watching baseball games and hoping that my Atlanta Braves would get their act together and start winning games. Right now, they have won two in a row (after losing four in a row). I'm looking forward to tonight's game but am told that rain is threatening in Atlanta.

Read Last Week

If you can't wait until the review shows up on my blog, reviews are posted to LibraryThing and Goodreads as soon as I write them (usually right after I finish reading a book.)
  • Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop (Audiobook reread) -- 3rd in The Others series
  • The Bookman's Promise by John Dunning (Mine; on TBR mountain since September 29, 2015) -- The rare book world is full of dangers but Cliff Janeway, former cop and current rare book dealer, is up to the task of finding both the books and the murderer. My review will be posted on July 24.
  • Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop (Audiobook reread) -- 4th in The Others series.
  • The Assassins of Thasalon by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine) -- The latest Penric and Desdemona adventure is novel length and tells about a trip to Thasalon. After an assassin in thwarted in Vilnoc, Pen and Desdemona are sent to Thasalon on the order of Pen's god to bring the one who sent the assassin to divine justice. My review will be posted on July 27.
  • Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop (Audiobook reread) -- 5th in The Others series
  • Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews (Review; August 3) -- Meg Langslow is having a busy summer what with hosting the cast and crew of a play her husband is directing, vandals attacking her house, historic reenactors causing all kinds of problems on her parents' property and a documentary filmmaker determined to cause trouble -- until someone murder him. My review will be posted on July 28.
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