Audiobook Review: A Superior Death by Nevada Barr

A Superior Death
Author: Nevada Barr
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblatt
Series: Anna Pigeon (Book 2)
Publication: Recorded Books (July 29, 2004)
Length: 11 hours and 43 minutes

Description: Nevada Barr quickly attracted the attention of mystery fans when her first Anna Pigeon mystery, Track of the Cat, appeared. Now she immerses the intrepid park ranger in a perilous search that will take her far below the waters of Lake Superior. As Anna spends her days patrolling its shores, the surface of Lake Superior fills with tourists. In the depths below lie an ancient ship and the bones of its sailors. But when two tourists dive down to see the wreck, they discover that a new body has joined the skeletal crew. As Anna tries to discover how and why, she encounters secrets darker and more deadly than the waters surrounding the corpse. Filled with suspense, A Superior Death is also laced with Anna Pigeon's self-deprecating humor. With Barbara Rosenblat's spirited narration, you'll immediately be scanning the splendid setting and looking for clues through the eyes of the savvy naturalist.

My Thoughts: The second Ranger Anna Pigeon mystery moves Anna from the desert Southwest to the Isle Royale in Lake Superior. She's changed desert heat to the cold depths of Superior. One of her tasks is issuing permits for divers who want to explore many of the wrecks on Superior's bottom. One of the deepest is the Kamloops. It is a challenging dive, and the ship contains the bodies of some of the men who went down with her.

Anna is surprised to learn from the divers that they counted six bodies. The only problem is that there are only supposed to be five. It is soon discovered that the new body belongs to Denny Castle who is a local diver who runs tours. Anna begins her investigations to determine who left Denny there and what he was doing there. 

There are lots of quirky suspects running the gamut from Rangers to volunteer tour guides to the people who run the local concessions. And Denny's death isn't the only mystery. Two of the other people who are volunteering as guides are certain that one of the other Rangers has murdered and eaten his wife. Either that or it could be the Wendigo. Anna adds locating her to her to-do list too since she's pretty certain that she hasn't been eaten.

I enjoyed the setting of this mystery since I too live on Lake Superior. I liked Anna who is an intriguing character who is still dealing with her own grief at the loss of her husband. Written in 1994, this one has turned into a historical mystery.

I bought this one July 9, 2021. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Wordhunter by Stella Sands

Wordhunter
Author: Stella Sands
Publication: Harper Paperbacks (August 6, 2024)

Description: An utterly original and compulsively readable detective story about a woman who uses her uncanny ability to analyze words and speech patterns to help solve crimes.

Tattooed, pierced, and a bit of a mess, Maggie Moore is a surprising genius when it comes to words, a savant able to solve any linguistic puzzle. The top student in her forensic linguistics class, she’s tapped by local police to use her skills to decipher harrowing notes left by a stalker-turned-rapist—and succeeds brilliantly.

But when the daughter of a local mayor is abducted, Maggie isn’t sure she’s the right person to help the police solve the crime. Given what happened to her best childhood friend, Maggie just might be too close to this one.

Yet she knows the authorities in this rural south-Central Florida town cannot crack the case without her special skill. Along with her new best friend, a detective Jackson, Maggie begins to analyze the texts, emails, and verbal tics of various suspects . . . and comes to a disturbing conclusion that will rock this small community.

My Thoughts: Maggie Moore is a graduate student in linguistics. She is also tattooed, pierced, and drinks too much. She is also something a genius with words. Her stress release is diagramming sentences from favorite works of literature. 

Maggie is brought to the attention of the police by one of her professors who thinks she can help find a stalker turned rapist. Maggie is given the text messages that he sent to the victim which she manages to interpret to lead the police to the stalker. The chief of police who is just days from retirement is pleased. However, Deputy Jackson is much more skeptical. 

Then a child is kidnapped, and the chief of police wants to call her in again. Maggie is most reluctant because the case brings up the disappearance of the best friend she has never stopped looking for. 

Meanwhile, Maggie is trying to get through her final semester of college. She's been handpicked by a popular professor to be his teaching assistant and finds herself polishing his grant proposals and book proposals and even writing papers for him. When her success begins to outshine his, he turns on her, rapes her, and accuses her of plagiarism. His accusations though false can derail Maggie's potential career with the FBI and prevent her acceptance into any doctoral program. 

This was an engaging mystery with a unique and intriguing main character. 

Favorite Quote:

Anyone whose middle name is part of his identity is either a serial killer or planning to become one. For sure, that included most of the men in Florida.

I bought this one January 6, 2025, when it was a BookBub deal for $1.99. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: The Sea House by Louise Douglas

The Sea House
Author: Louise Douglas
Publication: Boldwood Books (November 5, 2024)

Description: A mysterious bequest and the legacy of a tragic love – only one person can unravel the hidden secrets of the past before it’s too late…

When Elisabeth Quemener dies she leaves a small parcel with the instructions that it must only be opened by Astrid Oake. The trouble is, no one knows who Astrid Oake is…

Elisabeth’s family turn to Touissants detective agency for help but, when Mila Shepherd and Carter Jackson try to track Astrid down, their frustration soon mounts. Their only clue is a photo of two young women holding the hands of a tiny child. The women are smiling but Mila is haunted by the sadness in their eyes. Is this Astrid and Elisabeth and if so, who is the child? And why are there signs everywhere in Elisabeth’s home that the old woman was frightened despite her living a quiet life with no known enemies?

As Elisabeth and Astrid’s story slowly unfolds, Mila feels the walls of her home The Sea House closing in. And as the secrets finally begin to reveal themselves, she is ever more determined to carry out Elisabeth’s final wishes. Because what is inside that unprepossessing parcel might just save a life…

My Thoughts: THE SEA HOUSE was an interesting mystery. Mila Shepherd works for the Touissants detective agency. It is run by a former stepmother of hers since her father is prone to marriage. She was mostly raised in England by her very bitter mother who revels in holding on to the bitterness of a long-ago marriage. She lived for the six weeks she spent every summer in Brittany with her stepmother and stepsister Sophie who became her best friend.

Two years before this story begins, Sophie and her husband Charlie were lost at sea in a storm leaving a fourteen-year-old daughter Ani. Mila drops everything in England including her police detective fiance to move to France to take care of Ani. While Sophie's body was found after the accident, Charlie's was not until the events of the current time period.

While dealing with her own and Ani's uncertainty and grief, the detective agency is hired to find a woman who was mentioned in the will of Elisabeth Quemener. She left a sealed package to be delivered to Astrid Oake. The only problem is that no one knows who Astrid Oake is or where she might be found. The only clue is a photo likely taken in the 1980s that shows Elisabeth, Astrid, and a small child presumed to be Elisabeth's daughter Manon. 

The investigation starts on Facebook as Mila tries to find someone who might know Astrid and proceeds through newspaper clippings to a family tragedy. A trip to England's midlands brings Mila to more secrets at Astrid's family home. 

This was an entertaining story with complex characters and situations. I enjoyed the mysteries. Astrid's story is complete. However, Charlie's and Sophie's are left unresolved in a cliffhanger ending and a rather abrupt ending to the book. 

I bought this one for $.99 January 8, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Find Me by Anne Frasier

Find Me
Author: Anne Frasier
Narrator: Erin Bennett
Series: Inland Empire (Book 1)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (July 1, 2020)
Length: 9 hours and 16 minutes

Description: A bone-chilling family history is unearthed in a heart-stopping thriller by New York Times best-selling author Anne Frasier.

Convicted serial killer Benjamin Fisher has finally offered to lead San Bernardino detective Daniel Ellis to the isolated graves of his victims. One catch: He'll only do it if FBI profiler Reni Fisher, his estranged daughter, accompanies them. As hard as it is to exhume her traumatic childhood, Reni can’t say no. She still feels complicit in her father’s crimes.

Perfect to play a lost little girl, Reni was the bait to lure unsuspecting women to their deaths. It's time for closure. For her. For the families. And for Daniel. He shares Reni's obsession with the past. Ever since he was a boy, he's been convinced that his mother was one of Fisher's victims.

Thirty years of bad memories are flooding back. A master manipulator has gained their trust. For Reni and Daniel, this isn't the end of a nightmare. It's only the beginning.

My Thoughts: The daughter of a serial killer and a man who believes that the killer murdered his mother team up in this excellent thriller. 

Reni Fisher hasn't had anything to do with her father since he was arrested when she was a child. She had her own career as an FBI agent until she suffered a mental breakdown. She's been rebuilding her life as a pottery artist in the Mojave Desert. 

Daniel Ellis is a San Bernardino detective who is convinced that Benjamin Fisher was the one who killed his mother when Daniel was a boy. She went out on a date and was never seen again. He's been trying to find her for thirty years. 

Benjamin Fisher has finally offered to lead Daniel to the bodies, but he demands that Reni go along. Reni feels complicit in the crimes since her father convinced her to play a game and act as bait for his victims. That trauma has haunted her. Now Fisher wants to bring it all back. She agrees only because she wants closure for the victims' families. 

When Fisher commits suicide by leaping off a cliff while he is supposedly directing the crew to his victims, both Reni and Daniel are disappointed. But a cryptic clue left by Benjamin along with flashbacks to both Daniel's past and Reni's give the two more possibilities to investigate. 

This was an excellent audiobook which kept up the suspense of the story from beginning to end. I enjoyed the story enough to listen to it in one sitting which kept me up well into the night. 

I bought this one March 7, 2022. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman

One Death at a Time
Author: Abbi Waxman
Publication: Berkley (April 15, 2025)

Description: A cranky former actress teams up with her Gen Z sobriety sponsor to solve the murder that threatens to send her back to prison in this dazzling new mystery novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it’s anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it). Mason is eager to clear Julia’s name and help keep her sober, but all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.

As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon? Trying to keep it simple and take it easy is one thing—trying to find a murderer before they kill again is a whole other program.

My Thoughts: ONE DEATH AT A TIME is an engaging mystery filled with intriguing characters. The centerpiece is Julia Mann who is a former Oscar-winning actress, convicted murderer who spent fifteen years in prison, and lawyer determined to fight for the underdog.

Natasha Mason is a Gen Z drifting through life. She's smart-mouthed and has poor impulse control. 

The two women meet at an AA meeting. Mason decides that she will be Julia's sponsor despite Julia's interest in having a sponsor. Mason has been sober for about three years, Julia for only a few days. And the police are looking at Julia again as a suspected murderer since the shot body of one of the people she worked with back when she was acting has been found dead in her swimming pool with only Julia's fingerprints on the gun. Julia was drunk and doesn't remember what happened when Tony Eckenridge showed up at her home. 

Julia and Mason along with some others in Julia's entourage begin investigating to find out who murdered Tony and why. Julia has also taken a young woman named Becky as a client. She's the daughter of one of Julia's prison mates who died in prison. Becky is convinced that someone murdered her girlfriend. The police are more invested in the idea that it was a murder/suicide with Becky as the failed suicide. 

Their investigations of both crimes take that all over Los Angeles and even to Palm Springs. Julia knows everyone and frequently sends Mason to talk to people at strip clubs and movie studios and many placed in between. 

I loved the dynamic between Julia and Mason. I also enjoyed the side characters from Julia's housekeeper to Julia's research assistant to the lawyer who is substituting for Julia's agent after his heart attack. 

This was a fun story. I look forward to more adventures. 

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? (April 7, 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...

This was an interesting week. We had a snowstorm from Tuesday night through Wednesday night. We got about 8 inches of snow which at times was falling sideways due to strong winds. The aftermath caused me to reschedule my mammogram for mid-May since the roads still weren't good on Thursday when the appointment was originally scheduled. We still have snow on the ground as I'm writing this Sunday morning, but the roads and our driveway are clear and dry. 

It's currently 43F and sunny which should melt more of the snow. The rest of the week is supposed to be sunny although tomorrow's high is only supposed to be 33F. We should hit 50F by the end of the week if the forecasters are correct. 

I didn't do too much this week. I spent a lot of time watching the weather forecast and the weather. I baked challah bread, and my brother made a big pan of lasagna. I also made hamburger gravy to serve over mashed potatoes as a favorite comfort food meal on Wednesday. Bill also made a chicken stir fry on one of his days off this week. 

Some time was spent this week preparing my March State of the Stack report, looking back at my March reading, and preparing LibraryThing and my calendars for April. 

I got five new review copies from NetGalley this week. I also got my Keeper copies of Diviner's Bow by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. I got the hardcover, Kindle copy, and audiobook. Lee and Miller is the only author I still automatically buy in hardcover. I also bought four other Kindle books mostly from email newsletters. 

March Report

I read 35 books in March. Twenty-four were from my personal collection. Eleven were review copies. Of the 24, 8 were from my TBR pile and 16 were rereads. Also of the 24, 19 were audiobooks. 

January through March, I read 92 books including 44 audiobooks. 

I added 36 books to my collection in March. Eighteen of my new books were review copies. One of my review copies was a print ARC. I added eleven new audiobooks including two from Audible Plus. I also used one of my Audible credits. Five of the new audiobooks came from Chirp. Six of my new books came through BookBub or Early Bird newsletters. Five of my new additions are rereads mostly audiobooks or Kindle copies of books I reviewed. 

My total TBR collection now totals 2600 books. This doesn't include the 66 books currently on my review stack. 

Read Last Week

• Blood on the Vine by J. T. Falco (Review; April 22) -- Contemporary mystery set in the Napa Valley. My review will be posted on April 15.
• Murder at Glenloch Hill by Clara McKenna (Mine since November 29, 2024) -- Sixth book in the Stella and Lyndy historical mystery series. Takes place in Scotland at the British Open golf tournament. My review will be posted on April 17.
• Diviner's Bow by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Mine since April 1, 2025) -- Finale of Padi's arc. First listen to a book I read first as an ARC in January. Great characters and great worldbuilding.

• A Lethal Engagement by April J. Skelly (Review; April 22) -- Alternate History mystery set on an airship between New York and England in 1890. My review will be posted on April 16.
• Strangers in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- 26th in the In Death series
• Cheater by Karen Rose (Mine since January 2, 2025) -- Romantic suspense; second in a trilogy. Engaging characters and twisty plot. My review will be posted on April 17.

• The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen (Mine since January 2, 2025) -- First in the Rizzoli and Isles series. Introduces Jane Rizzoli. My review will be posted on April 19.
• Salvation in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread) -- Book 27 in the In Death series

Currently

• How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin (Review; April 29)
• Hidden in Smoke by Lee Goldberg (Review; April 22)

Next Week

• Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro (Review; April 29)
• Cold Burn by A. J. Landau (Review; April 29)
• Bearer of Bad News by Elisabeth Dini (Review; April 29)

• Bait and Swiss by Korina Moss (Review; April 29)
• Shot Through the Book by Eva Gates (Review; May 6)
• The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen (Audiobook; Mine since May 2, 2021)

Reviews Posted

• Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd (Review Copy)
• Executive Order by Max Allan Collins (Audiobook)
• A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper (Review Copy)

• The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson (Review Copy)
• Undone by Blake Pierce (Mine)

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

Review:

• Hidden in Smoke by Lee Goldberg (April 22)
• Road Trip with a Rogue by Kate Bateman (July 19)
• The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson (August 5)

• Murder by the Book by Amie Schaumberg (August 19)
• Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg (October 14)

Bought:

• Diviner's Bow by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Hardcover, Kindle, & Audiobook)

• Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis (Kindle, Kindle Rewards, $9.99)
• A Crime of Fashion by Nancy Robards Thompson (BookBub, Free)

• False Claims by Katherine Nichols (BookBub, Free)
• Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (Kindle Daily Deal, $2.99)

What was your week like?

Book Review: Undone by Blake Pierce

Undone
Author: Blake Pierce
Series: A Cora Shields Suspense Thriller (Book 1)
Publication: Self-Published (October 11, 2022)

Description: In this action-packed mystery thriller by #1 bestselling author Blake Pierce, Cora Shields, 30, former Navy Seal turned FBI Special Agent, will stop at nothing to catch a killer— but she is stunned, after bending one rule too many, to find herself fired. When a former military friend needs her to help find her missing daughter, Cora must work outside the law, hunting down diabolical killers on her own—even if it means vigilante justice.

Will Cora save the victim in time and give her life a new purpose? Or will she end up descending into a deeper hole than she ever imagined?

UNDONE (A Cora Shields Suspense Thriller—Book 1) is the debut novel in a new series by #1 bestselling mystery and suspense author Blake Pierce.

On the outside, Cora Shields is a total badass. A Navy SEAL veteran and a top agent in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, Cora has a reputation for doing whatever it takes to catch a killer. What no one knows, though, is that she’s a wreck on the inside, addicted to painkillers and deeply depressed. When Cora is fired, she is at loose ends—until she learns that an old friend’s daughter has disappeared.

Hesitant at first, Cora decides to take the case on as a vigilante—and her world soon explodes into action.

The conspiracy she uncovers goes deeper than anyone could have imagined, leading her on a wild cross-state chase to save the missing girl before time runs out.

Can Cora handle all this alone, all while keeping her own demons at bay?

Can she catch a killer, and save the girl before it’s too late?

A page-turning and harrowing crime thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured vigilante, the CORA SHIELDS series is a riveting mystery, packed with non-stop action, suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night.

My Thoughts: Cora Shields, former Navy SEAL and after just a couple of pages former FBI Agent, looks like a badass but inside she's addicted to painkillers and drinks too much. When she gets a call that a former colleague and one of the few women in the SEALs has committed suicide, Cora travels from West Virginia to Colorado to pay her respects. 

But her friend Addie's sister comes to her with a problem. Addie's daughter Caitlin has disappeared, and the local cops are calling her a runaway. Addie's sister Jamie asks Cora to give her just one day to look into the disappearance. 

Since Cora didn't have any other life plans, she gives Jamie that day which leads to a corrupt local police force and a trafficking ring. Caught up in the hunt for Caitlin, Cora calls on an old friend and former boyfriend for help as she is determined to find Caitlin.

Cora is James Bond on steroids - a crack shot and an uber SEAL, but without that pesky government oversite. If you are looking for realistic action, you'll have to look elsewhere. If you want fast-paced, bloody adventure you are in the right place. 

I bought this one December 16, 2022. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Undone by Blake Pierce

 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:

Cora nearly fell--her arm flinging out threatened to yank her shoulder from its socket. She hissed in pain as her fingers desperately gripped the concrete windowsill of the old, abandoned industrial building. 

Friday 56:

"You're doing great," Cora said, unsure what else to add. She wasn't sure why she said it; it didn't feel as if it was her place. 

This week I am spotlighting Undone by Blake Pierce. This is the first in her Cora Shields thriller series. I got it when it as offered through BookBub when it was free. Here is the description from Amazon:

In this action-packed mystery thriller by number one best-selling author Blake Pierce, Cora Shields, 30, former Navy Seal turned FBI Special Agent, will stop at nothing to catch a killer—but she is stunned, after bending one rule too many, to find herself fired. When a former military friend needs her to help find her missing daughter, Cora must work outside the law, hunting down diabolical killers on her own—even if it means vigilante justice.

Will Cora save the victim in time and give her life a new purpose? Or will she end up descending into a deeper hole than she ever imagined?

Undone (A Cora Shields Suspense Thriller, Book 1) is the debut novel in a new series by number one best-selling mystery and suspense author Blake Pierce.

On the outside, Cora Shields is a total badass. A Navy SEAL veteran and a top agent in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, Cora has a reputation for doing whatever it takes to catch a killer. What no one knows, though, is that she’s a wreck on the inside, addicted to painkillers and deeply depressed. When Cora is fired, she is at loose ends—until she learns that an old friend’s daughter has disappeared.

Hesitant at first, Cora decides to take the case on as a vigilante—and her world soon explodes into action.

The conspiracy she uncovers goes deeper than anyone could have imagined, leading her on a wild cross-state chase to save the missing girl before time runs out.

Can Cora handle all this alone, all while keeping her own demons at bay?

Can she catch a killer, and save the girl before it’s too late?

A compelling and harrowing crime thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured vigilante, the Cora Shields series is a riveting mystery, packed with nonstop action, suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you reading late into the night.

Audiobook Review: Executive Order by Max Allan Collins

Executive Order
Author: Max Allan Collins & Matthew V. Clemens
Narrator: Dan John Miller
Series: Reeder and Rogers Thriller (Book 3)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (April 11, 2017)
Length: 8 hours and 21 minutes

Description: A riveting novel by MWA Grand Master Award winner Max Allan Collins.

In Eastern Europe four CIA agents are dead - geopolitical pawns caught in border dispute cross fire. Why were they there? Who sent them? Not even the President knows.

Back in Washington, the Secretary of the Interior dies from an apparent allergic shock. As details emerge, so do suspicions that she was murdered.

Investigating their respective cases, ex - Secret Service agent Joe Reeder and FBI Special Situations Task Force leader Patti Rogers recognize a dangerous conspiracy is in play. When suspects and government contacts are killed off with expert precision, their worst fears are confirmed. As the country edges closer and closer to war, Reeder and Rogers must protect the President - and each other - from an unseen enemy who's somehow always one step ahead.

The stakes have never been higher, against killers who might be anywhere, and Reeder and Rogers have no one to trust but each other.

My Thoughts: The third thriller starring Joe Reeder and Patti Rogers begins with four CIA operatives dying in Azbekistan as the Russians invade. The President calls upon Joe to find out who gave the orders sending the agents into Azbekistan since he had ordered that no agents be in that country. The deaths have brought the US and Russia almost to the brink of war with hawks in the Administration agitating for a declaration of war. 

Meanwhile, Joe is concerned about the death of the head of the Department of the Interior due to an allergic reaction. He had dated her and finds the death suspicious. He calls on his friend Patti to have her and her FBI team look into the death which quickly becomes a murder investigation. 

At first, the two cases don't look to be related but it doesn't take long for Reeder and Rogers to discovers ties to a huge conspiracy to take over the government. The conspiracy has reached deep into all branches of the government leaving them no knowing who to trust.

This was an intense, engaging thriller set in a near future USA. The characters are intriguing and the plot twisty. As narrator, Dan John Miller did an excellent job both illuminating the characters and ramping up the tension of the story. 

I bought this one June 28, 2024. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper

A Proposal to Die For
Author: Molly Harper
Publication: Berkley (April 8, 2025)

Description: A fast-paced, witty, and delightful new mystery about a marriage proposal planner whose biggest job yet is threatened by a dead body (or two).

Jessamine Bricker loves a plan. Contingency plans and pros-and-cons lists are her love language, and because of that, her proposal planning business is thriving. But with rent costs rising at her office building, Jess jumps at the chance to plan a proposal between her snobby high school classmate, Diana, and her very wealthy boyfriend, Trenton Tillard…the Fourth.

Roped into joining Diana’s ”pre-bridal” retreat at the exclusive Golden Ash resort, Jess hopes to fade into the background, get some work done, and maybe find some time to unwind. Their first day is anything but relaxing: Diana is furious about the mountain spa’s lack of cell phone reception, the couple next door argues constantly, and Jess swears she just saw a drug deal go down. To top it all off, she’s warned to stay out of the woods by the gruff and sexy chef, Dean Osbourne. Is this a retreat or a horror movie?

As Jess tries to do her job while placating the bride-to-be and her increasingly over-the-top demands, she spends more and more time with the resort owners, finding herself much more in tune with the laid-back Osbourne family than her social climbing “boss.” Between a meditation garden-related drowning and Jess’s discovery of a body in a sauna, it's clear that deadly secrets abound at the Golden Ash. Now it’s up to Jess to unravel the mysteries here in the mountains—before all her plans are cancelled…permanently.

My Thoughts: Jess Bricker is a proposal planner. She helps people find just the right place, time, accessories, etc. to create a memorable proposal of marriage. However, planning for her latest client could be the death of her. 

She is approached by a former schoolmate who is disappointed by the way her boyfriend Trenton Tillard the Fourth proposed. Diana sees herself as a social media influencer and didn't find his sincere proposal acceptable to her brand. Diana was not a friend of Jess's when they were in school, and she hasn't heard from her in years. But with the building where she lives and has her business is in danger of being sold out from under her, a lucrative contract - and she can charge Trenton through the nose - is just what Jess is looking for.

Jess finds herself hauled to an exclusive spa retreat in the mountains of Tennessee for what is supposed to be a planning session. Diana has also brought along her wedding planner and an add-on cousin named Kiki who is supposed to be one of her bridesmaids.

Jess finds herself trying to stay sane and calm among the bride-to-be's outrageous demands and the wedding planner's sniping and finds refuge with the Osbournes who own and run the spa. She needs her new friends because almost the first thing she does upon arrival is find the body of another guest drowned in a meditation pool.

More chaos is added when Trenton and his two best buddies arrive at the spa too. And soon Jess is discovering another body - that of Clay who is Trenton's best friend and who was going to be Trenton's best man. 

There is also a romance with Dean Osbourne who is the spa's executive chef and a total curmudgeon. He suffered a loss as an early adult which has made him the man he is. His cousins are really pleased that he seems to be developing a relationship with Jess.

This was quite an enjoyable mystery/romance. I liked Jess's snark and her attitude. The bridezilla also added some humor to the story.  

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

ARC Review: Murder at Gulls Nest by Julie Kidd

Murder at Gulls Nest
Author: Julie Kidd
Publication: Atria Books (April 8, 2025)

Description: From Jess Kidd, the bestselling author of Things in Jars who “is so good it isn’t fair” (Erika Swyler, nationally bestselling author), the first in a cozy mystery series about a former nun who searches for answers in a small seaside town after her pen pal mysteriously disappears.

I believe every one of us at Gulls Nest is concealing some kind of secret.

1954: When her former novice’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent.

A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.

My Thoughts: Nora Breen, formerly Sister Agnes of Christ, comes to the seaside town of Gore-on-Sea in 1954 when a former postulant and her friend stops writing letters. She is certain that something has happened to her friend. She finds a place at Gulls Nest, a boarding house, which was also the last residence of her friend and finds herself immersed in the secrets to the residents. 

Nora is a nosy woman who has lost her faith in her god. She is struggling for answers not only for her friend's disappearance but for what she wants for herself for the rest of her life. Frieda's disappearance is only the first mystery to be solved. 

Another resident is found dead of what is apparently a suicide leaving behind a grieving and possibly pregnant widow. Nora explores his life and past because she can't believe the setup for the death. Then still another resident disappears leaving suspicions that he killed the other man. 

Nora horns her way into the investigation being led by Detective Inspector Rideout and the two soon find that they work well together. 

The story is filled with intriguing characters among the residents of Gulls Nest. I enjoyed the way Nora uncovered all of their secrets. I liked the setting and the time period of this mystery. I especially enjoyed Nora.

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

State of the Stack #163 (April 1, 2025)

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 

Dates indicate the date the review was/will be posted.

1. The Big Fix by Holly James (March 18)
2. The Lady Sparks a Flame by Elizabeth Everett (March 19)
3. Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewel (March 20)
4. The Dead Post Society by Diane Kelly (March 25)
5. The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien (March 25)
6. A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett (March 26)
7. Written in Stone by Paige Shelton (March 27)
8. The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson (April 1)
9. Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd (April 2)
10. A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper (April 3)
11. One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman (April 8)

DNF

1.  

Read Previously, Posted This Month 

Dates indicate when the review was posted.

1. The Four Queens of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli (March 4)
2. Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn (March 5)
3. White King by Juan Gomez-Jurado (March 6)
4. Code Word Romance by Callie Walker (March 8)
5. The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen (March 11)
6. The Library Game by Gigi Pandian (March 11)
7. Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite (March 12)
8. A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner (March 13)
9. Twice as Dead by Harry Turtledove (March 13)
10. Diviner's Bow by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (March 29)

New This Month 

Date indicates when the book will be released.

1. Bearer of Bad News by Elisabeth Dini (April 29)
2. Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews (May 20)
3. It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle (June 3)
4. Making Friends Can Be Murder by Kathleen West (June 10)
5. The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos (July 8)
6. Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell (July 22)
7. Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku (July 29)
8. Knife in the Back by Karen Rose (August 12)
9. The Story that Wouldn't Die by Christina Estes (August 19)
10. The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols (August 19(
11. Death at an Irish Village by Ellie Brannigan (August 26)
12. The Deepest Cut by P. J. Tracy (September 9)
13. Beyond Her Reach by Melinda Leigh (September 16)
14. No Rest for the Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams (September 16)
15. Murder at Blackwood Inn by Penny Warner (September 23)
16. You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Sophie Sullivan (September 23)
17. Dying Cry by Margaret Mizushima (October 14)
18. Murder on a Scottish Train by Lucy Connelly (October 14)
19. The Hidden City by Charles Finch (November 4)

All TBR Review Books

April

• Blood on the Vine by J. T. Falco (April 22)
• A Lethal Engagement by April J. Skelly (April 22)

• Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro (April 29)
• How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin (April 29)
• Cold Burn by A. J. Landau (April 29)

• Bait and Swiss by Korina Moss (April 29)
• Bearer of Bad News by Elisabeth Dini (April 29)

May

• Shot Through the Book by Eva Gates (May 6)
• The Fatal Scroll by Eric Siblin (May 6)
• Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay (May 6)

• Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh (May 6)
• The Language of the Birds by K. A. Merson (May 13)
• Death in the Cards by Mia P. Manansala (May 13)

• No One Was Supposed to Die at the Wedding by Catherine Mack (May 13)
• Skin and Bones by Paul Doiron (May 13)
• Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong (May 20)

• Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews (May 20)
• The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson (May 27)
• Doggone Bones by Carolyn Haines (May 27)

• Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts (May 27)
• Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney (May 27)

June

• One Final Turn by Ashley Weaver (June 3)
• He's to Die For by Erin Dunn (June 3)
• It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle (June 3)

• Grave Words by Gerri Lewis (June 10)
• A Botanist's Guide to Rituals and Revenge by Kare Khavari (June 10)

• Believe Me Now by S. M. Govett (June 10)
• Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King (June 10)
• Making Friends Can Be Murder by Kathleen West (June 10)

• The Secret of the Mansion by Julie Campbell (June 24)
• The Red Trailer Mystery by Julie Campbell (June 24)

• The Secrets We Keep by Amy Lillard (June 24)
• Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath (June 24)
• Them Bones by David Housewright (June 24)

July

• Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox (July 1)
• Tricks of Fortune by Lina Chern (July 1)
• Death and the Librarian by Victoria Gilbert (July 8)

• The Myth Maker by Alie Dumas Heidt (July 8)
• The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths (July 8)

• The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos (July 8)
• Fateless by Julie Kagawa (July 15)
• Death of an Ex by Delia Pitts (July 15)

• Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods (July 15)
• The Last Wizard's Ball by Charlaine Harris (July 22)

• Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell (July 22)
• Give Me a Reason by Jayci Lee (July 29)
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku (July 29)

August

• Picking Up the Pieces by J. B. Abbott (August 12)
• The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan (August 12)

• Knife in the Back by Karen Rose (August 12)
• The Story that Wouldn't Die by Christina Estes (August 19)
• The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols (August 19)

• A Lethal Cocktail by Ciar Byrne (August 26)
• Death at an Irish Village by Ellie Brannigan (August 26)

September

• The Deepest Cut by P. J. Tracy (September 9)
• A Murderous Business by Cathy Pegau (September 16)

• Beyond Her Reach by Melinda Leigh (September 16)
• No Rest for the Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams (September 16)
• Murder in Miniature by Katie Tietjen (September 23)

• Murder at Blackwood Inn by Penny Warner (September 23)
• You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Sophie Sullivan (September 23)

October

• Dying Cry by Margaret Mizushima (October 14)
• Death on a Scottish Train by Lucy Connelly (October 14)

November

• The Hidden City by Charles Finch (November 4)