Book Review: The Silver Bullets of Annie Oakley by Mercedes Lackey

The Silver Bullets of Annie Oakley
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: Elemental Masters (Book 16)
Publication: DAW (January 11, 2022)

Description: The sixteenth novel in the magical alternate history Elemental Masters series follows sharpshooter Annie Oakley as she tours Europe and discovers untapped powers.

Annie Oakley has always suspected there is something "uncanny" about herself, but has never been able to put a name to it. But when Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show goes on tour through Germany, Bill temporarily hires a new sharpshooter to be part of his "World Wide Congress of Rough Riders": a woman named Frida, who also happens to be an Elemental Master of Air. Alongside this new performer, Annie discovers that she and her husband, Frank, are not simply master marksman, but also magicians of rare ability.

As they travel and perform, Annie must use her newfound knowledge and rare skill to combat creatures of the night scattered across the countryside, who threaten both the performers and the locals. Annie's got her gun, and it's filled with silver bullets.

My Thoughts: This Elemental Masters story takes place in Europe - mostly Germany - and follows the adventures of Annie Oakley. Annie is the star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. She and her husband Frank are hard-working performers. 

A new performer comes to the troupe with her husband especially to meet with Annie.  Frida and her husband are elemental masters who have recognized Annie's talents as being more than just a very skilled shootist. Frida is an Air Master who is convinced that Annie is one too. She convinces Annie to take training to use her gifts. Annie is skeptical, not because she doesn't believe she has gifts but, because she doesn't want to spend her life hunting and killing monsters.

However, the monsters don't feel the same way. Annie had an encounter with a werewolf when she was a child who cursed her and who has never forgotten about her. Now, he has followed her to Europe and is trying to claim her for his pack. Annie, Frank, Frida and her husband also confront other monsters during the winter season in Germany. Sometimes they have to kill them. Other times, Annie is able to use persuasion to make them stop their evil ways.

This was an entertaining episode in the Elemental Masters series. I liked the setting. I liked the mythology. I liked the worldbuilding. 

I bought this one November 18, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly

An Irish Bookshop Murder
Author: Lucy Connelly
Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherell
Series: Mercy McCarthy (Book 1)
Publication: Bookouture (August 22, 2024)
Length: 8 hours and 25 minutes

Description: Meet Ireland’s newest daring detective: she’s a bookstore owner, a coffee lover, and a crime writer. Now Mercy McCarthy needs a little Irish luck as she takes on her first case!

After receiving unexpected inheritance from her grandfather, Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie are now the proud owners of a charming antique bookshop in the tiny Irish village of Shamrock Cove But before they can take in the beautiful view of the sea, one of their neighbors drops dead!

Mercy finds the Judge, a well-respected man who lives next door, dying on his own doorstep. She rushes to help, but with his final words, he accuses Mercy of murder! Most of their new neighbors hear his words and, with suspicion pointing at Mercy, she decides to investigate the case to clear her name.

Searching amongst the Judge’s old books, Mercy uncovers letters proving several of the townsfolk had reason to dislike the judge—but was it the local pub landlord, the kindly cook or neighborly knitter who killed him?

Then Mercy’s chief suspect turns up dead and she receives a threatening note, typed on paper from her own bookstore… Ireland was supposed to be a fresh start for Mercy and Lizzie, but dead bodies keep turning up.

Does Mercy have what it takes to nail the culprit or will the killer close the book on her time in this charming Irish village?

My Thoughts: The first Mercy McCarthy mystery has the famous author moving to Ireland with her twin sister when they inherit a home and bookshop from a grandfather they never knew existed. 

Mercy and Lizzie are ready for a new start. Mercy has been dealing with a stalker and the loss of her mother to cancer. Lizzie is also dealing with her mother's death and the deaths of her fiance and her soon-to-be stepdaughter in a car accident. Lizzie's losses had her hospitalized and her twin determined to help her. 

A new start in Ireland is eagerly anticipated by both of them, but discovering the body of one of their neighbors is not the start they were hoping for. The Judge dies after a gathering to meet Mercy and Lizzie and, while Mercy tries CPR, she is unsuccessful. Even more strange is that the Judge seems to indicate that he suspects Mercy of his murder before he dies. 

The local police detective Kieran is the grandson of another of the residents of the exclusive court where Mercy and Lizzie have inherited a home. He is suspicious of Mercy who decides that she has to find out who murdered the Judge before she can continue writing her book which is a little schedule.

Since the Court, where their houses are, is a gated community, Mercy is certain that one of the other residents has to be the murderer. As she investigates, she gets to know the gay couple, the shop owner who butted heads with the Judge and her husband the accountant, the photographer who could be a model herself, and Kieran's grandmother. 

Mercy's career as a successful mystery author with a penchant for research gives her a leg up in investigating which Kieran is not very happy about. The two butt heads a lot, but he does take advantage of her talents. 

This was a cute cozy mystery that starts a series. I liked the characters and look forward to more of their adventures. 

I bought this one April 8. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Bitter Cut by Anna Lee Huber

A Bitter Cut
Author: Anna Lee Huber
Series: A Lady Darby Mystery (Book 14)
Publication: Berkley (June 23, 2026)

Description: Lady Kiera Darby plans to spend the summer reconnecting with friends and family in anticipation of the betrothal of her beloved brother. But when a future in-law is implicated in a murder, the party takes a deadly turn. . . 

July 1833. Lady Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, are settling into their newly renovated home at Bevington Park in Warkwickshire with their young daughter. With the breach between them and Sebastian’s father recently healed, they've agreed to help host a country house party for friends and family to share in their joy. Kiera is also anxious to help promote a match between her brother, Trevor, and the woman he’s fallen in love with, inviting her family to join them. However, Kiera swiftly discovers that the would-be bride’s family is not without their detractions. Her brother is unpleasant. Her mother is abrasive. And her father—the prosperous industrialist Jeremiah Birnam—is brusque, discourteous, and, at times, downright rude.

So when Mr. Birnam’s secretary is found murdered with Birnam standing over her body, many are content to allow him to take the blame. But neither Kiera nor Sebastian believes he did it, and in spite of his bluster and boorish behavior, they can’t let an innocent man be hung for another’s crime. Unfortunately, Birnam had his fair share of enemies at the house party, and any one of them might have struck out at his secretary in order to get to him. It's up to Kiera and Sebastian to uncover the truth and salvage Birnam’s reputation. As the couple slowly inches their way closer to the truth and threats emerge against their loved ones, Kiera begins to fear that the price of solving the crime may mean sacrificing her brother’s future happiness.

My Thoughts: It's 1833. Keira and Gage have recently reconciled with Gage's father and have renovated the dower house on his estate for their country home. They are hosting a house party. Keira has invited the family of the young woman her brother Trevor is courting. Except for the young lady Trevor is courting, the family has a number of problems. The brother is unpleasant. The mother rude and abrasive and the father - industrialist Jermiah Birnam is discourteous and downright rude. 

Mr. Birnam has also brought his secretary who is, most unusually, a young woman. Keira fears that she might be a mistress snuck into the company when Birnam demands that she be invited to dine with the company. The dinner is already difficult for Keira to manage since Birnam is determined to convince Lord Gage's political guests against supporting a bill which would allow inspectors into mills and factories. 

When the young secretary is found murdered with Oil of Vitriol, Keira and Gage have a murder to solve before the rest of the large house party assembles. However, they are getting no cooperation from the Birnams who should know the young woman the best. 

I enjoyed this historical mystery. It is the 14th book in the series. I like seeing how Keira has grown to accept her differences with the love and support of her husband and family. I like the way Keira and Gage work together along with their personal attendants and Lord Gage to solve the crime. I also like the setting and time period of the mystery. 

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

Book Review: A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 6 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 6
Author: Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Series: Liaden Universe Constellation
Publication: Baen Books (May 5, 2026)

Description: A constellation of shining stories set in the vastly diverse space opera world of the Liaden series

The sixth Constellation collects eleven stories set in Sharon Lee and Steve Miller’s vast, versatile, and beloved Liaden Universe®. Themes range from military to western to found family, and include discovery stories and novel outtakes. All showcase Lee and Miller’s deft touch with characterization and their acclaimed world-building skill. Also included in this volume is the text of Sharon Lee’s speech accepting the Robert A. Heinlein Award for outstanding published works in science fiction literature, which was presented at the 59th Baltimore Science Fiction Convention.

Stories included in this collection are: “Standing Orders,” “Gadreel’s Folly,” “The Last Train to Clarkesville,” “Wise Child,” “Songs of the Fathers,” “From Every Storm a Rainbow,” “Our Lady of Benevolence,” “Chimera,” “Neutral Ground,” “Mother’s Love,” and “Core Values,” plus a foreword from the author, original to this volume.

My Thoughts: This sixth collection of Liaden stories includes mostly stories written in 2025. However, Chimera was published on Baen.com in 2015 and then just slipped through the cracks. Wise Child and Standing Orders were published in 2016 and 2021 but never collected in earlier constellations.

These stores all fit into the Liaden Universe though some like The Last Train to Clarksville are really out there and nowhere close to the main lines of the novels. Clarksville is the authors' take on a Western complete with animals that are the equivalent of buffalo and beef cattle. It even includes a posse chasing after the hero who manages to rescue two sweet young things when their vehicle is stuck on a train track with the train coming. 

A number of the stories are what is known as origin stories. One is Tollance Berik-Jones's story as he manages to escape from the Lyre Institute one more time. His job is to mentor self-aware machine intelligences. He appears in a few of the later mainline novels. A second origin story is that of Geritsi slentAlin who is one of the Haosa on Colemeno. 

Two of the stories give different takes on Torin and Vaiza Xinrood who are orphans sent from Civilization to the Haosa to get them out of the way. Neither story is canon since there is still a third telling of Torin and Viaza's story in one of the Colemeno books. 

Perhaps the story I enjoyed the most was the one that told what happened to Lomar Fasholt and her family after they were forced to flee from their home world. We first met her in one of the very earliest Liaden books because she was a trade partner with Shan yos'Galan before the Department of the Interior totally disrupted things for Clan Korval.

All in all, the stories were engaging and good at filling in some blank spots or exploring new settings within the Liaden Universe. 

I bought this one May 10. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Death of an Irish Mummy by Catie Murphy

Death of an Irish Mummy
Author: Catie Murphy
Narrator: Ruth Urquhart
Series: Dublin Driver Mysteries (Book 3)
Publication: Tantor Media (August 17, 2021)
Length: 7 hours and 3 minutes

Description: Squiring a self-proclaimed heiress around Dublin has got limo driver Megan Malone's Irish up until she finds the woman dead....

American-born Cherise Williams believes herself to be heir to an old Irish earldom, and she's come to Dublin to claim her heritage. Under the circumstances, Megan's boss Olga at Leprechaun Limos has no qualms about overcharging the brash Texas transplant for their services. Megan chauffeurs Cherise to the ancient St. Michan's Church, where the woman intends to get a wee little DNA sample from the mummified earls - much to the horror of the priest.

But before she can desecrate the dead, Cherise Williams is murdered - just as her three daughters arrive to also claim their birthright. With rumors of famine-era treasure on the lands owned by the old Williams family and the promise of riches for the heirs, greed seems a likely motive. But when Olga surprisingly becomes the Garda's prime suspect, Megan attempts to steer the investigation away from her boss and solve the murder with the help of the dashing Detective Bourke. With a killer who's not wrapped too tight, she'll need to proceed with caution - or she could go from driving a limo to riding in a hearse....

My Thoughts: The third Dublin Driver mystery has Megan Malone driving a self-proclaimed heiress to an earldom named Cherise Williams around Ireland as she tries to get a DNA sample from the deceased earl to prove her right to the inheritance. When Megan finds her client dead, her boss Orla's first thought is to fire Megan and kick her out of her apartment. 

Orla had been content to overcharge the brash Texan but doesn't want the bad publicity Megan's finding of her third corpse will bring to Leprechaun Limos. When the deceased's three bickering daughters arrive from Texas and demand Megan as a chauffeur, Orla has to retreat from her position at least temporarily.

Megan and the three Williams girls are determined to fulfill their mother's last wishes. Someone killed Cherise apparently to keep her from inheriting what looks like an empty title. They all want to know why and who.

I enjoyed this mystery. I like Megan who's an ex-pat from Texas making a new life for herself after twenty years in the military. She's settling into Ireland and happy in her job except when bodies keep turning up. 

I bought this one April 8. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: A Terrible Fall of Angels by Laurell K. Hamilton

A Terrible Fall of Angels
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton

Narrator: Holter Graham
Series: Zaniel Havelock (Book 1)
Publication: Berkley (August 17, 2021); Penguin Audio (August 17, 2021)

Length: 12 hours and 9 minutes

Description: Angels walk among us, but so do other unearthly beings in this brand new series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton.

Meet Detective Zaniel Havelock, a man with the special ability to communicate directly with angels. A former trained Angel speaker, he devoted his life to serving both the celestial beings and his fellow humans with his gift, but a terrible betrayal compelled him to leave that life behind. Now he’s a cop who is still working on the side of angels. But where there are angels, there are also demons. There’s no question that there’s evil at work when he’s called in to examine the murder scene of a college student—but is it just the evil that one human being can do to another, or is it something more? When demonic possession is a possibility, even angelic protection can only go so far. The race is on to stop a killer before he finds his next victim, as Zaniel is forced to confront his own very personal demons, and the past he never truly left behind.

The first in a new series from the author of the Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series.

My Thoughts: Zaniel Havelock is a police detective who works in the magical crimes division. He's a former angel speaker. His current case takes him to the scene of a brutal rape/murder of a college coed. It is soon clear that the case is about a demon possession, but it is unclear at first whether the young man possessed was willing or unwilling. 

As Zaniel, called Havoc by his colleagues, investigates, he is also dealing with a failing marriage that he really does not want to fail. He wants to fix things up with his schoolteacher wife so that he can return to his home and three-year-old son. He's trying to fit marriage counseling into a life that is already full of this current case. 

I enjoyed meeting Zaniel and wandering in his world. His psychic gifts caused his parents to give him to the College of Angels at the age of seven for his education. He spent time there with his friends Levaniel and Siriel until Levaniel was thrown out of the organization when his mind broke from his interactions with angels. Then Zaniel left, joined the Army and then the police force. 

The world is one in which angels and other beings also live. The College of Angels is very much a Christian organization with a close relationship with angels. It disdains other creeds. Zaniel's life experiences and work colleagues show him that witches and shamans and their guardian spirits are also valid ways of interacting with the supernatural. 

The worldbuilding was intriguing.

I bought this one as a Kindle book March 17, 2026, and as an audiobook May 16, 2026. You can buy your copy here.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (June 15, 2026)

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...

Last week included cold and rainy weather and a visit from a friend. Kept indoors by the weather, we had lots of time to chat and continue are listening to Anne Bishop's The Others series. We finished Written in Red, listened to all of Murder of Crows and Vision in Silver, and began Marked in Flesh which will encourage her to come again soon in order to finish the series. 

I finished listening to Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop which I had begun before my friend arrived and also listened to The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews. Now I have only one of the Meg Langslow series to read before I am caught up on the series. The next in the series - Probable Caws - is on my August review stack. 

I did read two more of the July 14 releases from my review stack. Apparently feeling confident about reading review books, I added six more to the stack when they were offered to me this week. I did turn down a couple that didn't appeal or didn't comfortably fit onto my reviewing calendar. 

I realized that I didn't have Kindle copies of two of the Liaden Universe books and added them to my collection. I am rereading that whole series in what started to be chronological order by date written but which has turned out to be a much more random pattern since I've been reading them by internal arcs instead of strictly chronological order. These two very early in the internal chronology stories are ones that I seldom reread. I did read and review the two stories in 2020 when I got the audiobooks. 

I also added the first three books in a historical mystery series centered around Agatha Christie. I had a Kindle copy of the first that I bought in 2025 but added the audiobook and then both Kindle and Audiobook copies for the next two books in the series. I need to stop opening the Chirp daily newsletters or this this series likely wouldn't have come to my mind at all, but the third audiobook was on sale there and sounded like a book I would enjoy. 

Next week I hope to stay closer to what is on my calendar and finish my July 14 review books and start the July 21 releases. For audiobooks, I hope to finish Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon in my quest to reread all the Liaden Universe books. I also have the last backlist Meg Langslow mystery to read and will be doing my own Christmas in June thing. 

Read Last Week

• Written in Red by Anne Bishop (Audiobook reread)
• Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop (Audiobook reread)
• Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop (Audiobook reread)

• Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (Audiobook reread) -- First in the Island of Wyrd series.
• The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews (Audiobook, mine since June 5) -- 27th book in the Meg Langslow humorous mystery series. My review will be posted on July 10.

• Killer Vibes by Jack Friday (Review, July 14) -- First in a new series about a unique detective set in Austin, Texas. My review will be posted on July 7.
• Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter (Review, July 14) -- Traditional urban fantasy set in the Jane Yellowrock universe. My review will be posted on July 7.

Currently

• Crystal Soldier by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Next in my Liaden Universe reread)
• The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon (Review, July 14)

Next Week

• The Lightning Girl by Sam Ripley (Review, July 14)
• Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead (Review, July 14)
• Savvy Summers and the Po'boy Perils by Sandra Jackson-Opoku (Review, July 21)

• Death at King's Cross by Rosanne Limoncelli (Review, July 21)
• Deadly Does It by Abbi Waxman (Review, July 21)
• The Twelve Jays of Christmas by Donna Andrews (Audiobook, Mine since June 5)

Reviews Posted

• Summer in Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz (Audiobook)
• Miss Amelia's List by Mercedes Lackey (Audiobook)
• Murder at the Spirit Lounge by Jess Kidd (Review copy)

• Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson (Review copy)
• The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn Goldis (Review copy)
• Restless Bones by Gillian French (Review copy)

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

Review:

• The Chase by Felix Francis (Review, September 8)
• A Deadly Entanglement by Cathy Pegau (Review, September 15)
• The Bone Woman by Paige Shelton (Review, October 27)

• You, Me, & the Conspiracy by Emma Barry (Review, November 10)
• Fall for a Fairytale by Isabelle Taylor (Review, November 10)
• Meet Me at Midnight by Sophie Sullivan (Review, December 8)

Bought:

• Crystal Soldier by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Kindle, $3.99 after Kindle Rewards)
• Crystal Dragon by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Kindle, $6.99)

• The Case of the Christie Conspiracy by Kelly Oliver (Audiobook, $4.93)
• The Case of the Body on the Orient Express by Kelly Oliver (Kindle $4.99 & Audiobook $4.93)
• The Case of the Christie Curse by Kelly Oliver (Kindle $4.99 & Audiobook $4.93)

• And the Crowd Went Wild by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Kindle, $1.99)
• Make It Out Alive by Allison Brennan (Kindle, $2.99)

What was your week like?

Audiobook Review: Miss Amelia's List by Mercedes Lackey

Miss Amelia's List
Author: Mercedes Lackey

Narrator: Zura Johnson
Series: Elemental Masters (Book 17)
Publication: DAW (December 24, 2024), Tantor Media (February 18, 2025)

Length: 13 hours and 7 minutes

Description: The seventeenth novel in the magical alternate history Elemental Masters series follows Amelia Stonehold and Serena Meleva as they navigate property acquisition, marriage proposals, and other ancient horrors in Regency England, but with the help of elemental magic

The year is 1815, and an American, Miss Amelia Stonehold, has arrived in the Devon town of Axminster, accompanied by her "cousin" Serena Meleva. She’s brought with her a list to tick off: find a property, investigate the neighbors, bargain for and purchase the property, staff the property and...possibly...find a husband. But Amelia soon finds herself contending with some decidedly off-list trouble, including the Honorable Captain Harold Roughtower, whose eyes are fixed on her fortune. Little does Amelia know that his plans for her wealth extend far beyond refurbishing his own crumbing estate — they include the hidden Roman temple of Glykon, where something very old, very angry, and very dangerous still lurks.

But Roughtower isn’t prepared to reckon with the fact that neither Amelia nor Serena are pushovers. And he certainly isn’t ready for the revelation that he has an Earth Master and a Fire Mage on his hands — or that one of them is a shapeshifter.

My Thoughts: This seventeenth Elemental Masters fantasy takes place in 1815 and stars Amelia Stoneheld and Serena Meleva. They are young Americans from South Carolina who have come to England with a list. They are eager to connect with other elemental masters, find a property for their brother to extend the family business of textiles and dies, and maybe find spouses. 

Amelia is an Earth Master and a channel while Serena is a fire mage and a shapeshifter whose second form is a leopard. They are welcomed by the same family already hosting Amelia's brother James. The are also elemental mages and eager to introduce the two young women into society. 

The girls are rather between classes. While Amelia's father owns substantial land in South Carolina, he is also in trade. This means that they aren't acceptable to the haut ton but there is a large society of tradesmen and another of elemental mages for the girls to enjoy. There are typical young women who enjoy parties and fashion.

They have arrived in England at a very difficult time. Napoleon has escaped and is causing panic in England while running roughshod over Europe. But, even worse, a huge volcanic exposition in the south seas has caused dangerous weather changes. It is the year without a summer and with a very hard winter in the future. A lot of the story has to do with preparing for the upcoming weather changes by gathering supplies and stockpiling winter clothing. 

The girls have been befriended by Lord Alderscroft who is the head of the hunt in England. His patronage should make fulfilling their goals, and checking things off Amelia's list, easier. He's found them a rental property in Axminster to be their base as they try to check off the rest of things on their list. The only bad thing about the move to Axminster is that they will be in close proximity to fortune hunter the Honorable Captain Harold Roughtower and his friend Mr. Phillip Nightsmith whom Amelia overheard making very rude comments about her.

This was an engaging story, but the pacing was odd. All the danger and action seemed to have been packed into the last chapter. After a story that had almost no action, things ramped up very quickly. I like the worldbuilding in this series. I like the way Regency manners combine with hidden magicians and magical creatures. 

I bought this one on Kindle June 16, 2025, and audio on May 12, 2026. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Summer in Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz

Summer in Eclipse Bay
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Narrator: Gail Shalan
Series: Eclipse Bay (Book 3)
Publication: Tantor Media (September 5, 2023)
Length: 8 hours and 40 minutes

Description: Summer has arrived in Eclipse Bay and things are definitely heating up between the Hartes and the Madisons. It seems that the mysterious new gallery owner, Octavia Brightwell, is thinking about having a scandalous fling with that rogue Nick Harte before she leaves town. As far as Nick is concerned, a short-term affair sounds perfect. But it isn't going to be easy.

One big obstacle is Mitchell Madison. For reasons of his own, Mitchell has taken it upon himself to play guardian to Octavia. He's made it clear that if Nick fools around with her, there will be a price to pay. And then there's Nick's young son, Carson, who has his own agenda where Octavia is concerned. He doesn't want his father messing up his plans.

Summer in Eclipse Bay is going to be eventful this year. Some long-buried secrets from the infamous Harte-Madison feud are about to surface. The past and the present are on a collision course.

My Thoughts: Nick Harte has come back to Eclipse Bay with his almost six-year-old son Carson. Nick is a successful novelist. In fact, a running joke through the story is that no one in Eclipse Bay admits to reading his books. 

Octavia Brightwell is a newcomer to Eclipse Bay. She has opened a successful art gallery. She also has a hidden agenda. She wants to help resolve the feud between the Madisons and the Hartes. Only she's too late. The Hartes and Madison have found their own resolutions in the romances between the grandchildren. Octavia is planning to sell the gallery and move on.

When she meets Nick, she's intrigued but he has a reputation for having only short-term affairs since his wife's death. Nick is also intrigued by her and more than willing to have an affair although he isn't the one who wants a short-term affair. Rather than giving her "the talk," it is Octavia who sets the ground rules. 

The conflict in the story revolves around a newly discovered and very valuable painting discovered in the estate of a local recluse. It is stolen from Octavia's gallery and the locals are spreading the rumor that she is the one who has stolen it. 

At Octavia's request, Nick channels his fictional detective to find the painting and the source of the local rumors. 

This was a nice romance and a nice conclusion to the Eclipse Bay trilogy. 

I bought this one December 3, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Restless Bones by Gillian French

Restless Bones
Author: Gillian French
Series: A Shaw Connolly Mystery (Book 2)
Publication: Minotaur Books (June 16, 2026)

Description: Fingerprint analyst Shaw Connolly grapples with both a new case and the lingering presence of her sister's killer in Gillian French's second compelling Maine thriller.

When a missing woman’s body is discovered in a submerged car one year after her disappearance, Shaw Connolly is called to process the scene. She finds a single print belonging to a long-dead female ex-con; could it be the key to identifying the murderer? As usual, Shaw won't stop looking until she’s dredged up more than a few hidden crimes.

All the while, Shaw’s past won’t let her go. Just as the Connolly family begins to find some peace after the arrest of Shaw’s sister’s killer, Anders Jansen, Shaw receives a request from her state police contact. Anders, in prison awaiting trial, has claimed responsibility for the murders of two other young women whose cases have grown cold over the past decade. But he refuses to help the police unless Shaw agrees to act as a special consultant in the search.

Despite her misgivings―Anders’s love of malicious mind games is as toxic as ever―Shaw could never prolong another family’s suffering. Her agreement to assist jeopardizes not only the fragile healing of her own family’s wounds, but the rebuilding of her marriage and her relationship with her youngest son, who’s colliding with some hard truths of how cruel people can be. It seems, for Shaw, closure is a long way off . . . but danger may be closer than she thinks.

My Thoughts: The second Shaw Connelly mystery begins with her being called in to fingerprint a car that had been submerged. Along with the body of a long-missing woman, Shaw finds fingerprints for a woman who supposedly died before the car went into the water. 

Since Shaw has finally solved the mystery of her long-missing sister and is now dealing with the grief that goes with finally knowing the truth, she is the best one to help the new victim's parents deal with their loss. 

Shaw is also called in when the body of an elderly woman is discovered at her isolated home. She has been wrapped in her bed coverlet and left out in the yard. The first thing Shaw notices is that a spare room was apparently used and then thoroughly cleaned before the crime scene was discovered. She does find some partial prints, but most belong to that victim. Other prints seem to have been deliberately distorted in an attempt to foil identification. 

While she is busy with her day-to-day jobs, she is also dealing with an eleven-year-old son who is being bullied at school. Also, she is uncertain about her relationship with her husband who moved out because he could no longer take her obsession with finding her missing sister.

Shaw would like to be left in peace to deal with her grief, but the man who killed her sister and is sitting in prison wants to tell her about other women he's killed. Shaw hates the idea of spending any time with him, but she also can't stand the idea of not listening if it could help families know what happened to their missing. 

Shaw is a complex character. She's smart-mouthed and has a quick temper. She's dealing with grief as she best knows how and she's dealing with her relationships within her family also as she best knows how. 

I enjoyed getting to know Shaw. She was an intriguing person. I also liked the Maine setting.

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

ARC Review: Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson

Wildflower
Author: Becky Jenkinson
Publication: Del Rey (June 16, 2026)

Description: A magical florist journeys from the kingdom’s capital to its wild woods to fulfill an unusual request, and stumbles upon friendship, conspiracy, and the buds of new love in this debut cozy fantasy.

“Wildflower is a lovely respite from reality, featuring a charming cast of characters, snappy dialogue, and so much heart. Prepare to be enchanted.”—Brigitte Knightley, author of The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy

The book contains hand-drawn floral sketches inside!

Cursed from birth to always tell the truth, magical florist Felicity “Fliss” Farrow chooses her words carefully to avoid trouble. But when she receives an anonymous request for a mysterious flower, her search leads her directly into trouble’s path: to Willoh Vane.

Fliss knows the outcast—yet teasingly handsome—sorcerer is rumored to have used dark magic to corrupt the northern forest five years ago. She’s witnessed the resulting feud with Prince Bastion, whom her best friend, Card, is soon to marry. Despite her divided loyalty, Fliss reluctantly accepts Will’s help with gathering rare flowers and finds herself increasingly drawn to him.

As the royal wedding approaches, Fliss fears the flowers she’s delivered are intended for a sinister purpose. But when her warnings are ignored, can she and Will save the kingdom from disaster, and ultimately discover what Fliss has sought for so long—the truth.

My Thoughts: Felicity Farrow has been cursed from birth to always tell the truth. This has made it difficult to make friends, and it makes her a tool for the increasingly paranoid queen. Fliss's one and only friend Card is soon to marry Prince Bastion who is the heir to the throne. She is to be his Maid of Honor. 

Fliss is a floral mage who is well-versed in the lore of flowers. She has a way of using flowers to sooth, comfort, or discomfit as she feels the need. She has lately been commissioned to locate some unusual flowers for an anonymous buyer. 

In order to find the unusual flowers, she needs the help of sorcerer Willoh Vane who is in the middle of a feud with Prince Bastion. Will has taken the blame for a magical spell gone really wrong in order to protect the prince. The spell has blighted much of the north of the kingdom and caused the people there to rebel.

As Will and Fliss search for the flowers, they fall in love and Fliss begins to wonder at the purpose for the flowers. They also uncover a number of secrets from the past. Some of the secrets include their own mothers.

This was a cozy fantasy. It was also a sweet romance. LGBTQ+ themes may limit this one for younger readers. 

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

ARC Review: Murder at the Spirit Lounge by Jess Kidd

Murder at the Spirit Lounge
Author: Jess Kidd
Series: Nora Breen Investigates (Book 2)
Publication: Atria Books (June 16, 2026)

Description: In the second installment of the Nora Breen Investigates series—“perfect for cozy mystery lovers” (Book Riot)—beloved former nun Nora Breen returns, this time to track down a ghostly killer before it’s too late.

When Dolores Chimes, a famous medium, arrives in Gore-on-Sea, even surly Detective Inspector Rideout is lured in by her promises of messages for the afterlife.

But after a reading goes disastrously wrong, Dolores loses her life—and the six sitters at the séance with her fall victim to supernatural deaths themselves in the days following the nightmare of a reading.

Determined to unveil the truth, Nora finds herself chasing a ghostly serial killer she believes to be responsible, before the sixth victim—Detective Rideout himself—perishes along with the others.

My Thoughts: Nora Breen, former Carmelite nun, is back again solving crimes in Gore-on-Sea in the years shortly after World War II. 

A famous medium arrives in Gore-on-Sea and hosts a seance with a select group of patrons. A gangster, an upcoming young actress, a retired army officer, a Lady and her downtrodden daughter, and Detective Inspector Rideout all arrive by invitation to hear messages from the dead. 

Nora is called in when the medium dies suspiciously during the seance. After all, she spent many years as a nurse at her monastery. When other attendees at the seance also begin dying in unexpected ways, Nora and Rideout have to find the killer before Rideout becomes the last victim. 

I enjoyed this historical mystery. I like that Nora is trying to find a place for herself in the world after leaving the Carmelites. In this one, she begins working for the local newspaper which fits her personality excellently. I enjoyed all the post-WWII details.

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

ARC Review: The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn Goldis

The Last Time We Saw Her
Author: Jaclyn Goldis
Publication: Atria/Emily Bestler Books (June 16, 2026)

Description: Ten years ago, a teenage summer camper disappeared while searching for a rumored treasure on a remote island. Now, the long-buried truth of what happened to her and the long-lost gold threatens the lives of her friends in this thriller from the critically acclaimed author of The Chateau.

Ten years ago, a group of American teenage summer campers went to a lush and isolated Azores island for a hiking and heritage trip. But when a clue to a local legend of buried treasure emerged, the summer devolved into a frenzied hunt and culminated in the disappearance—and rumored murder—of “it girl” camper, Sydney. She was never seen again and the treasure never found.

Now, a decade later, Sydney’s closest circle returns to honor her memory: Sydney’s sister and fellow camper, Olivia; a group of childhood camp friends; and their beloved counselors. They’ve all agreed to participate in a documentary probing what really happened to Sydney.

The group reunites in paradise and retraces their old haunts, hiking along crater lakes and submerging in thermal hot springs. But not everyone has innocent motives for returning to the island. And when the documentary filming reveals explosive truths and fresh hints resurrect the tantalizing treasure hunt, the group begins to implode. Old feuds reignite—and then one of them turns up dead.

Which means that a murderer has surfaced...again.

My Thoughts: This mystery takes place on the Azores. Ten years after Sydney disappeared, her fellow campers and their counselors gather the remember her and, maybe, finally learn what happened to her. 

Olivia was Sydney's sister. She was accused, at the time, of killing her sister but there wasn't enough evidence to try her. She's spent the past ten years becoming a bestselling author who writes mysteries loosely based on that summer trip. She also suffers from anxiety and sometimes has blackouts which means she doesn't know what she knows about Sydney's death. 

Lexa was Sydney's best friend. Over the past ten years, she's married Olivia's rich former boyfriend and built a life for herself. 

Eli is the rich boyfriend. He's an easy-going type and what his wife refers to as a Happy Baby.

Reuben was another scholarship kid at the camp. He is a failed businessman keeping up appearances.

Jules was one of the counselors. Now, she's trying to secure her financial future by making a documentary about the events of the past ten years and her efforts to find out what happened.

Aiden was the other counselor on the trip. He's a marine biologist now who is studying sharks,

Cass was Reuben's little sister who tagged along with the older teens when she could. Now, she is a medaled Olympic gymnast training for the next Olympics.

Ten years earlier, the camping trip turned into a treasure hunt when one of the campers found a clue that had them all running all over the island and dreaming of being rich. The treasure was never found but that doesn't mean that some of them are still looking.

This is a story of tangled relationships and secrets. It is told from multiple viewpoints and includes sections of the documentary. This was a twisty story. I enjoyed the setting and the information about a Jewish presence on the Azores. 

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? (June 8, 2026)

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 nice summer week. It has been too warm for the furnace but not warm enough for the air conditioner. It has been nice to have the windows open for the fresh air. We're making and banking a lot of solar power. 

I'm looking forward to a friend coming to visit for a couple of days starting this afternoon. Unfortunately, it looks like she'll be bringing the rain with her which might limit any outdoor activities. 

I was looking at Facebook yesterday and this post from Jayne Ann Krentz surprised me.

I don't think I've ever had an excerpt from any of my reviews picked up and publicized by the author or publisher before. 

I added one review book to my stack this week which continues a series that I've been reading. It is also my first December review copy. I also bought five audiobooks. Looking ahead at my July calendar shows me a lot of review book reading like five next week, three the week after that, five the week after that, and ending July with four more. Since I enjoy audiobooks, I decided to buy the audiobooks for the books that I had already slotted into the calendar to join the Kindle copies I already have. Four of them cost less than I pay for an Audible credit, so I bought them. I did use an Audible credit for the fifth.

With company coming, I don't know how much progress I'll make on reading books on my calendar this week. Luckily, I am at least three weeks ahead and can visit without feeling guilty. She left last visit in the middle of the first book in Anne Bishop's The Others series. I think she'll want to keep listening to those which I don't mind at all since I usually listen to them a couple of times a year anyway.

Read Last Week

• Ribbon Dance by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread) -- Here's my review from June 4, 2024.
• Diviner's Bow by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread) -- Here's my review from March 29, 2025.
• Death by Irish Whiskey by Catie Murphy (Audiobook, Mine since April 8) -- This is the fifth Dublin Driver mystery. My review will be posted on June 30.

• Dead Men Don't Play Fetch by David Rosenfelt (Review, July 7) -- The latest Andy Carpenter mystery. My review will be posted on June 30.
• Murder on the Clock by Lucy Connelly (Audiobook, Mine since April 8) -- Fourth Mercy McCarthy cozy mystery. My review will be posted on July 2.
• Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz (Audiobook, Mine since April 26) -- First in the Lost Night Files trilogy. My review will be posted on July 14.

• The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen (Review, July 7) -- Cozy romantasy with interesting characters and world building. My review will be posted on July 1.
• Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox (Review, July 7) -- Contemporary Thriller told from multiple viewpoints about revenge and an old mystery set around a beauty pageant in Texas. My review will be posted on July 2.
• See How They Hide by Allison Brennan (Audiobook, Mine since June 4) -- A Quinn & Costa thriller. My review will be posted on July 3.

Currently

• Killer Vibes by Jack Friday (Review, July 14)
• Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (Audiobook reread)

Next Week

• Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter (Review, July 14)
• The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon (Review, July 14)
• The Lightning Girl by Sam Ripley (Review, July 14)

• Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead (Review, July 14)
• The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews (Audiobook, Mine since June 5)
• Savvy Summers and the Po'boy Perils by Sandra Jackson-Opoku (Review, July 21)

Reviews Posted

• Apprentice in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook, Mine)
• Stolen in Death by J. D. Robb (Kindle & Audiobook, Mine)
• Scream for Me by Karen Rose (Audiobook, Mine)

• Beach Thriller by Jamie Day (Review copy)
• A Botanist's Guide to Tradition and Treachery by Kate Khavari (Review copy)
• Blood on the Sand by Kacey Ezell (Mine)

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

Review:

• Murder Unabridged by P. J. Nelson (Review, December 1)

Bought:

• The Twelve Jays of Christmas by Donna Andrews (Audiobook Add-On, $9.92)
• The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews (Audiobook, Audible Credit)
• See How They Hide by Allison Brennan (Audiobook Add-On, $7.99)

• Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt (Audiobook Add-On, $11.50)
• Dachshund Through the Snow by David Rosenfelt (Audiobook Add-On, $11.50)

What was your week like?