Audiobook Review: Murder at the Merton Library by Andrea Penrose

Murder at the Merton Library
Author: Andrea Penrose
Narrator: James Cameron Stewart
Series: Wrexford and Sloane (Book 7)
Publication: Tantor Audio (September 26, 2023)
Length: 12 hours and 12 minutes

Description: Responding to an urgent plea from a troubled family friend, the Earl of Wrexford journeys to Oxford only to find the reclusive university librarian has been murdered and a rare manuscript has gone missing. The only clue is that someone overheard an argument in which Wrexford's name was mentioned.

At the same time, Charlotte—working under her pen name, A. J. Quill—must determine whether a laboratory fire was arson and if it's connected to the race between competing consortiums to build a new type of ship—one that can cross the ocean powered by steam rather than sails—with the potential to revolutionize military power and world commerce. That the race involves new innovations in finance and entrepreneurship only adds to the high stakes—especially as their good friend Kit Sheffield may be an investor in one of the competitors.

As they delve deeper into the baffling clues, Wrexford and Charlotte begin to realize that things are not what they seem. An evil conspiracy is lurking in the shadows and threatens all they hold dear—unless they can tie the loose threads together before it's too late . . .

My Thoughts: The seventh Wrexford and Sloane historical mystery has Wrex involved in solving the murder of his brother who died in a battle of the Napoleonic wars and Charlotte looking into the competition to develop a new way of propelling ships across oceans.

Plot complications include a missing manuscript by Leonardo daVinci and a possible investment scheme that may be fraudulent. While it looks like the two investigations are not connected, it soon becomes apparent that the same bad actors are involved in each. After all, a person who sold intelligence to the French which resulted in Wrex's brother's death is not above defrauding English investors for financial gain. 

I enjoyed this story which, among other things, is showing how both Wrex and Charlotte have changed since their marriage. I enjoy watching the Weasels grow up. And I enjoy the expanding group of people who are becoming Wrex and Charlotte's found family. 

Since each episode also deals with some new technology, it was entertaining to learn that this one focused on failures or ideas that were in advance of their time. Steam engines and propellors which could power a ship across the oceans were still about 25 years in the future of the 1814 setting of this story.

I bought this one from Chirp for $2.99 October 24, 2024. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Blood on the Vine by J. T. Falco

Blood on the Vine
Author: A. J. Falco
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (April 22, 2025)

Description: True Detective meets the rolling hills of Napa in this wine-soaked thriller perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Allison Brennan.

Lana Burrell grew up on an idyllic Napa Valley vineyard with her best friend Jess–until Jess mysteriously disappeared and Lana’s father was falsely accused of her murder. Over twenty years later, he’s still serving a life sentence, but Lana knows he’s innocent, just like she knows Jess’s real killer is still out there.

Now, as a seasoned FBI agent in the San Francisco field office, Lana figures she can handle just about anything--until a killer strikes the Valley again and those old wounds come bursting open. Two women are slain in ritualistic fashion near the vineyard she once called home, and Lana has no choice but to revisit the site of the nightmarish past she tried to leave behind.

A past that seems to be repeating itself as the blood and wine continue to spill all over Napa Valley.

With rumors of a dangerous cult embedded at the center of wine country, the most powerful family in the Valley breathing down her neck, and a mysterious stranger stalking her every move, Lana’s quest to solve the murders takes an even darker turn when she soon realizes the awful truth: she might be the next to die.

My Thoughts: Lana Burrell is an FBI Agent. She is sent to the Napa Valley to look into the murder of two young women. Lana is reluctant. She grew up in the Napa Valley and lived there until her best friend disappeared and her father was accused and convicted of her murder. 

Lana soon finds herself deep in the investigation and being reminded of the time she would most like to forget. The murders took place on or near Bancroft land which isn't surprising since they own a lot of the valley. But the Bancrofts had a lot to do with the events she'd like to forget. Her best friend Jess was a Bancroft and the first love she left behind was her best friend's brother Jonah. Jess's mother is now running the vineyard. The current sheriff was a deputy who arrested her father.

The sheriff assigns her a deputy to be her liaison - a 60+ woman who has only been a deputy for four months. But Essie proves to be a lot of help in the investigation despite really wanting the killer to be the Bancroft who sued her and her husband for selling some wine they produced on their land. 

This was a twisty thriller as secrets of the past are revealed, bodies are discovered, cults are outed, and a murderer is found -- but not before Lana finds herself in danger of losing her own life. 

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 14, 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 a quiet week. From an overnight low of 14 degrees on the 8th, we had a high of 62 on the 12th. It does look like Spring is coming even though there is still snow on the ground in shady areas. However, with a 90% chance of rain/snow on Monday, winter isn't going out without a fight. 

I did manage to finish all of my April review copies this week. I'll be starting on the 14 I have with May release dates this week. I set up my May calendar and prepared the draft posts for everything. Of course, it is subject to change if I have a better idea of if my chosen books don't grab me once I actually start reading them. 

I put a couple of nonfiction audiobooks on my May calendar. I set a personal goal of reading twelve nonfiction books in 2025 and have only read 3 so far.

This was a week of leftovers. Today, I'll be making a tuna noodle hotdish before my brother goes to work. This one was inspired by the fact that I have crumbs left in a bag of parmesan-garlic potato chips. We'll be going to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate my brother's birthday on Monday since he had to work last Thursday which was his actual birthday. The rest of the week is undecided. I do have a haircut scheduled for Thursday though. 

Read Last Week

• Hidden in Smoke by Lee Goldberg (Review; April 22) -- Third Sharpe & Walker thriller starring fire investigators in California. My review will be posted on April 22.
• How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin (Review; April 29) -- Dual timeline mystery. My review will be posted on April 22)
• Promises in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook; Mine) -- Reread; 28th in the In Death series

• Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro (Review; April 29) -- This mystery was more about postnatal depression than it was a mystery and had some pacing problems. My review will be posted on April 23.
• Cold Burn by A. J. Landau (Review; April 29) -- Near future thriller packed with adventure. My review will be posted on April 24.
• Kindred in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook, Mine) -- Reread of the 29th in the In Death series.

• Bait and Swiss by Korina Moss (Review; April 29) -- Sixth Cheese Shop mystery. My review will be posted on April 26.
• Bearer of Bad News by Elisabeth Dini (Review; April 29) -- Debut mystery starts as a humorous romp but ends up having surprising depth. My review will be posted on April 24.

Currently

• Shot Through the Book by Eva Gates (Review; May 6)
• Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread_

Next Week

• The Fatal Scroll by Eric Siblin (Review; May 6)
• Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay (Review; May 6)
• Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh (Review; May 6)

• No One Was Supposed to Die at the Wedding by Catherine Mack (Review; May 13)
• Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (Audiobook; Mine since May 23, 2021)
• The Language of the Birds by K. A. Merson (Review; May 13)

Reviews Posted

• Find Me by Anne Frasier (Audiobook, Mine)
• One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman (Review copy)
• The Sea House by Louise Douglas (Mine)
• 
  
  

• A Superior Death by Nevada Barr (Audiobook, Mine)
• Friends Indeed by David Weber and Jane Lindskold (Audiobook, Mine)
• Wordhunter by Stella Sands (Mine)

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

Review:

• Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt (Review; July 1)
• A Lonesome Place for Murder by Nolan Chase (Review; August 26)
• Death on Dickens Island by Allison Brook (Review; October 21)

Bought:

• Murder in the Library by Anita Davison (Chirp, $1,99)
• Shadows in the Water by Kory M. Shrum (Chirp, $.99)
• Hidden Riches by Nora Roberts (Chirp, $4.99)

• A Brush with Death by J. M. Hall (BookPerks, $.99)
• Angel Killer by Andrew Mayne (Kindle Daily Deal, $1.99)
• Solace Island by Meg Tilly (BookBub, $1.99)

• An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly (Kindle, $2.99)
• Death by the Book by Lucy Connelly (BookBub, $.99)

What was your week like?

Audiobook Review: Friends Indeed by David Weber and Jane Lindskold

Friends Indeed
Author: David Weber & Jane Lindskold
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Series: Star Kingdom (Book 5)
Publication: Audible Studios (March 4, 2025)
Length: 15 hours and 59 minutes

Description: A new novel featuring Stephanie Harrington in Honorverse prequel series

What happens after the War of the Gods?

The answer lies in the Heart of the Mountain ...

The trouble with treecats

Stephanie Harrington didn’t discover treecats—they were indigenous to the planet Sphinx, a colony of the tiny Star Kingdom of Manticore. But at age ten she was the first human to bond with one. Now, almost 17, she is the species greatest champion.

To the rest of the human galaxy, if they are known at all, they are recognized as tool using, socially organized, fuzzy little creatures, with no known method of communication—who also happen to be fierce hunters. But are they sapient? Because if they are, that would have all sorts of repercussions for the families who have settled on Sphinx, the Harringtons not the least.

There will be winners, and there will be losers. And Stephanie is there to make sure the treecats don’t lose out.

But Stephanie, the treecats, and Sphinx itself may be caught up in an even greater conspiracy than the one to help the fighting ‘cats survive, one generations in the making ...

My Thoughts: The fifth book in the Stephanie Harrington series has Stephanie and the other members of the Treecat Conspiracy adding more members since it is becoming more and more essential that treecats be recognized as a sentient species. The main stumbling block to the declaration of sentience is that treecats have no spoken or written language. While Stephanie and her cohorts are convinced that treecats are both empathic and telepathic, there are no tests available to prove that. 

Enemies, both overt and covert, have vested interests in proving that the treecats are only animals. The overt ones like the Franchitti's see treecats as obstacles to their using the land given to them as land grants when they settled on Sphinx. Covert enemies also see the treecats as obstacles to their plans for future use of Sphinx. 

And a new enemy is introduced. The Alignment whose goal is to genetically engineer superior humans, even though that is forbidden by the Beowulf Accords, would love it if the treecats were telepathic. They would love to experiment on them to see if telepathy could be added to their new, improved human genome. 

Besides the focus on Stephanie and her new fiancé Karl, the story also stars Nosey Jones, a reporter being courted by the covert anti-treecat faction, and Trudy Fanchitti, who is finally finding a way to free herself from the abuse she has suffered since childhood at the hands of her father and brother. 

While this was an excellent story, it is clearly not the last. The sentience of the treecats becomes much more apparent after a variety of incidents, but the covert enemies are not defeated and are still out there threatening treecats. The books ending, while not completely a cliffhanger, does leave a lot of issues to be resolved. 

Favorite Quote:

"Dad says the problem is that history is full of people who insist on repeating really bad ideas because they sound like they ought to be so good. The fact that they've never worked out that way when people actually tried them only convinces the people who want to repeat them that the folks before them didn't 'do it right'"

I bought this one March 4, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Friends Indeed by David Weber & Jane Lindskold

 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:

"I must say this is...an unexpected surprise," Duncan Harrington said as the well-dressed man stepped into his office. Then he smiled. "On the other hand, I don't suppose it could be a surprise if I'd been expecting it, now could it?"

Friday 56:

"Please call me Nosey," Nosey said, his expression more than a little unhappy. "Do you really think that could happen? I mean, after they've already gotten as much publicity and notice as they have?"

This week I am spotlighting Friends Indeed by David Weber & Jane Lindskold. I got this one on release day because I've really enjoyed earlier books in this prequel to the Honor Harrington Science Fiction series. This one is Young Adult. Here's the description from Amazon:

A new novel featuring Stephanie Harrington in Honorverse prequel series

What happens after the War of the Gods?

The answer lies in the Heart of the Mountain ...

The trouble with treecats

Stephanie Harrington didn’t discover treecats—they were indigenous to the planet Sphinx, a colony of the tiny Star Kingdom of Manticore. But at age ten she was the first human to bond with one. Now, almost 17, she is the species greatest champion.

To the rest of the human galaxy, if they are known at all, they are recognized as tool using, socially organized, fuzzy little creatures, with no known method of communication—who also happen to be fierce hunters. But are they sapient? Because if they are, that would have all sorts of repercussions for the families who have settled on Sphinx, the Harringtons not the least.

There will be winners, and there will be losers. And Stephanie is there to make sure the treecats don’t lose out.

But Stephanie, the treecats, and Sphinx itself may be caught up in an even greater conspiracy than the one to help the fighting ‘cats survive, one generations in the making ...

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.