Audiobook Review: Dirty Thirty by Janet Evanovich

Dirty Thirty
Author: Janet Evanovich

Narrator: Lorelei King
Series: Stephanie Plum (Book 30)
Publication: Atria Books (October 31, 2023)

Length: 8 hours and 15 minutes

Description: Janet Evanovich, the “most popular mystery writer alive” (The New York Times), is in top form as she sends Stephanie Plum on the trail of a stolen stash of dirty diamonds in this instant #1 New York Times bestseller.

Stephanie Plum, Trenton’s hardest working, most underappreciated bounty hunter, is offered an assignment that seems simple enough. Local jeweler Martin Rabner wants her to locate his former security guard, Andy Manley (a.k.a. Nutsy), who he is convinced stole a fortune in diamonds from his safe. Stephanie is also looking for another troubled man, Duncan Dugan, a fugitive from justice arrested for robbing the same jewelry store on the same day.

With her boyfriend Morelli away in Miami on police business, Stephanie is taking care of Bob, Morelli’s giant orange dog who will devour anything, from Stephanie’s stray donuts to the upholstery in her car. Morelli’s absence also means the inscrutable, irresistible security expert Ranger is front and center in Stephanie’s life when things inevitably go sideways. And he seems determined to stay there.

To complicate matters, her best friend is convinced she is being stalked by a mythological demon hell-bent on relieving her of her wardrobe. An overnight stakeout with Stephanie’s mother and Grandma Mazur reveals three generations of women with nerves of steel and driving skills worthy of NASCAR champions.

As the body count rises and witnesses start to disappear, it won’t be easy for Stephanie to keep herself clean when everyone else is playing dirty. It’s a good thing Stephanie isn’t afraid of getting a little dirty, too in this “uproarious, crazy, laugh-a-minute caper” (Booklist, starred review).

My Thoughts: Stephanie Plum's 30th adventure has her babysitting her boyfriend Morelli's large orange dog while he is away in Miami on police business. Bob will eat anything including Stephanie's couch if she doesn't keep him with her all the time. So Bob comes along as Stephanie attempts to locate bond jumpers who were both involved in a robbery of a jewelry store.

She encounters the first when he attempts to commit suicide by jumping from a four-story building. Save from death by a convenient awning, she thinks he is secure in the hospital until she can bring him in to renew his bail. But he disappears one day despite a broken leg and broken ribs. 

The second fugitive is known to Stephanie. She went to school with Andy Manley (a.k.a. Nutsy) and knows he'll do anything for a dare. She's hired by the jewelry store owner to find him because the owner is sure that he walked away with a tray of diamonds at the time of the robbery. 

Meanwhile, Lula is sure that she is being stalked by Grendel, a mythical monster from a video game. She sees him in her apartment and notices that some of her extensive and eclectic wardrobe has gone missing. 

As the two find and lose their targets numerous times, Stephanie does capture others who have missed their court dates but her two main skips continue to elude her. With Morelli out of town, she is depending on Ranger to help her with her skips. And when her apartment is firebombed shortly after Lula's apartment is firebombed, she finds herself moving in with Ranger despite her commitment to Morelli. 

Stephanie is torn between the two men in her life. She loves them both. She might be ready for marriage, maybe, but she isn't sure either of her men are. Until, that is, that both of them propose to her. Now, what's a girl to do?

I bought this one for $2.99 on July 20, 2026, and added the audiobook August 11. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Raging Storm by Ann Cleaves

The Raging Storm
Author: Ann Cleaves

Narrator: Jack Holden
Series: Detective Matthew Venn (Book 3)
Publication: Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio(September 5, 2023)

Length: 9 hours and 47 minutes

Description Ann Cleeves—New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows—returns with The Raging Storm, the extraordinary third installment in the Matthew Venn series.

Fierce winds, dark secrets, deadly intentions.

When Jem Rosco—sailor, adventurer, and legend—blows into town in the middle of an autumn gale, the residents of Greystone, Devon, are delighted to have a celebrity in their midst. But just as abruptly as he arrived, Rosco disappears again, and soon his lifeless body is discovered in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, a place with legends of its own.

This is an uncomfortable case for Detective Inspector Matthew Venn. Greystone is a place he visited as a child, a community he parted ways with. Superstition and rumor mix with fact as another body is found, and Venn finds his judgment clouded.

As the winds howl, and Venn and his team investigate, he realizes that no one, including himself, is safe from Scully Cove’s storm of dark secrets.

My Thoughts: This story begins when Jem Rosco comes to town. He's a sailor, adventurer, and local legend but not universally loved. When his body is found in the sea Matthew Venn and his team come to this small town to investigate the crime. Greystone is a small insular town that Matthew had visited as a child. It is largely inhabited by members of the cult he left as a teen. 

Venn and his team need to deal with local secrets and superstitions to solve this case which puts him and his sergeant in the direct line of fire from the villains. There are numerous suspects who all have some connection to Jem and who might have wished him dead. 

This was another atmospheric mystery filled with intriguing characters. 

I bought this one May 28. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Murder on the Sacred River by Tasha Alexander

Murder on the Sacred River
Author: Tasha Alexander
Series: Lady Emily Mysteries (Book 20)
Publication: Minotaur Books (September 22, 2026)

Description: In this next enthralling mystery in Tasha Alexander’s bestselling series, Lady Emily chases down a killer in India along the misty banks of the sacred river Narmada.

1908: Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves, along with an eccentric group of English tourists, are vacationing in India at Ahilya Fort, the old home to the Maharaja’s family, when a man is found shot along the Narmada River. Emily and Colin jump into action, but their suspect list is large, including a wonderful spinster and her not-so-wonderful companion; a local doctor; a widow who lives nearby; an English explorer; and an Englishman who now runs a tea plantation near Darjeeling.

1740: Fifteen-year-old Ahilyabai has been married to the son of Malharrao Holkar, the Lord of the Malwa territory, for seven years. Now the time has finally come to produce an heir. But though Ahilya’s in-laws have shown her nothing but kindness, her notoriously-drunken husband remains a mystery to her, having rarely spoken to Ahilya since their wedding as children. Faced with this tortured and distant man, Ahilya’s sense of loyalty is tested as she attempts to balance fulfilling her duty with forging her own destiny. Her decisions will have ripple effects across time―including Lady Emily’s investigation almost two hundred years later.

Lady Emily’s case takes a dramatic turn when a shocking new person arrives at the fort―and when the killer strikes again shortly afterwards, she and Colin must race to uncover the villain’s identity before it’s too late.

My Thoughts: Lady Amelia and her husband Colin Hargreaves are vacationing in India after Colin does a little something for the king. They find themselves invited to Ahilya's Fort on the banks of the Narmada River along with an assortment of other English travelers.

When the body of an Englishman is found in a boat with a gunshot wound to his head, their vacation becomes an investigation because the local police are more than willing to hand the case off to them. Once the man's identity becomes known after an initial misidentification, Amelia and Colin discover that many of their fellow travelers might have had reason to kill him. 

The eccentric lady and her bad-tempered companion, the visiting historian, a man named Mr. Ralston, a local doctor, and a local widowed lady are all suspects in this one. 

Woven into the mystery plot are flashbacks to 1740 and the woman for whom the fort is named. She was married at eight to the future maharajah and educated to be a helpmeet to him. The flashbacks tell of her life from childhood to old age. She did a lot of good as ruler after the deaths of her husband and in-laws and has become a figure of importance in the region. Rumor has it she left a treasure behind her which excites current (1908) day fortune hunters. 

This was an entertaining historical detail filled with wonderful scenes of India at the time period. Amelia greatly enjoys the food and drink and the culture while still investigating and solving the mystery. 

I did rather miss that their boys were left home in England but enjoyed Henry's letters pleading for an elephant.

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? (September 14, 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 another nice, quiet week. My dentist appointment for my new crown went without any excitement. My dentist and I both wanted a boring appointment since the last was so exciting. I did dream all week about swallowing the crown AGAIN but it was a completely trouble-free experience this time. 

Since I was out and about, I stopped at my pharmacy and got both my flu shot and a Covid booster. As usual, my only reactions to the shots were slight soreness at the injection sites. The Covid site is still sensitive to the touch but not really a bother. 

I gave myself a week off to finish my In Death reread and to listen to the audiobook of the latest which I had reviewed earlier. Now, I'm back to reading what is on my calendar. I have five review books on the pile for this week. Well, six if you count the one I have listed as currently reading but which I haven't actually started yet. 

I see that most of my book reviews posted this week have blue covers which I hadn't notice previously since I read on my black & white Kindle. I also see that it will be Christmas time this week as I have four books centered around Christmas on my stack. 

I'm also watching baseball as the season is winding to a close. My Braves would need a disaster to miss the playoffs this season. I hope they do well there this year. 

There has been no change in my review stack. I still have 39 books on the pile. I did lower my 2026 TBR pile to 16 this week. 

This week I'm the designated cook since my brother works all day shifts. I have some plans but not very firm ones beyond a pot of lentil soup for Monday. I've been looking at the remainder of a bag of red lentils in my pantry for a while. So, when I saw a ham hock in the "sell now" bin of meat at the grocery store, a plan was born. I have been saving a lot of recipes from my Facebook feed which will give me some options too. 

Read Last Week

• Passions in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread)
• Bonded in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread)

• Framed in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread)
• Stolen in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread)
• Fury in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread)

• Dragon Blood by Eileen Wilks (Kindle, mine since September 2) -- Urban fantasy. Fourteenth in a series. My review will be posted on September 30.
• The Astral Library by Kate Quinn (Kindle & Audiobook, mine since August 30) -- An excellent love story for books and libraries. My review will be posted on October 1.

DNF

• Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong (Review, October 6) -- I read 20%. I like the author but really don't like horror.
  

Currently

• The Lady Jewel Diviner by Rosalie Oaks (Kindle, mine since July 20)
• Jay to the World by Donna Andrews (Review, October 13)

Next Week

• Written in Starlight by Sloane Brooks (Review, October13)
• Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano & Hannah Morrissey (Review, October 13)
• Please Enjoy Your Stay by Tara Goedjen (Review, October 13)

• Bark Humbug by David Rosenfelt (Review, October 13)
• Don't Look Back by Amanda Quick (Kindle, mine since August 13)
• The Christmas Competition by Zoe Allison (Review, October 20)

Reviews Posted

• Shards of Glass by Michelle Sagara (Audiobook)
• The Case of the Christie Conspiracy by Kelly Oliver (Audiobook)
• Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander by Christian Hurst (Audiobook)

• A Field Guide to Death & Deceit by Michelle L. Cullen (Review copy)
• A Deadly Entanglement by Cathy Pegau (Review copy)
• I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas (Review copy)

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

Review:

Bought:

• Fury in Death by J. D. Robb (Kindle and Audiobook)

What was your week like?

Audiobook Review: Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander by Christian Hurst

Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander

Author: Christian Hurst

Narrator: Aryn Mello Pryor
Series: Lily Starling (Book 1)
Publication: Outpost Books SE (May 6, 2026)

Length: 12 hours and 34 minutes

Description: Lily Starling wakes up in a city she barely recognizes, with no memory of her past—only a metal tag bearing her name and an instinct for survival. When a Union starship crew claims she belongs with them, she's pulled centuries beyond her own time and into a desperate mission against the psionic Krythar.

Aboard the starship Salamander, Lily is drawn into a found family of misfit officers, warriors, and exiles. Together, they uncover mysteries hidden among the stars: an ancient memory seed carrying the voices of the dead, and a weapon capable of unraveling time itself.

But when Lily faces her greatest fear, she must choose—confront the demons of her past, or risk losing everything.

Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander is an award-winning, bestselling YA space opera about identity, connection, and courage at the edge of what's known. Perfect for fans of Becky Chambers, N.K. Jemisin, and Mass Effect, with the heart of found-family adventures like Firefly and Red Rising.

If you love found family, queer identity, time travel twists, and lyrical, fast-paced sci-fi adventures, you'll love joining Lily on her voyage.

My Thoughts: This YA space opera stars Lily Starling who begins the story on the street in the 20th Century. She's homeless, hungry and has lost her memory, but she is still kind and caring especially when she comes across a homeless kid. She is soon rescued by space travelers from the future who tell her that she is an orphan, but also a member of the crew of the Salamander. 

Lily is told that she's a genius with special talents that can defeat the psionic Krythar who want to conquer the galaxy and remake it to their design. She and her companions on the Salamander want to stop that from happening. The crew is a mixed bag of characters from many of the worlds the Krythar want to conquer. 

Even with her memory loss Lily still wants to be of use. She finds herself making friends and having adventures, most of which are solved successfully because of her genius. 

I enjoyed the worldbuilding in this story. The characters from all the different races were interesting. The action scenes were exciting and the suspense kept building. I liked the way Lily manages with her memory loss and the great blow that comes late in the book. She is an interesting character. 

I bought the Kindle copy May 13. The audiobook was available as part of my Audible subscription. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Shards of Glass by Michelle Sagara

Shards of Glass
Author: Michelle Sagara
Narrator: Khristine Kvam
Series: The Academia Chronicles (Book 1)
Publication: Harlequin Audio (November 28, 2023)
Length: 17 hours and 16 minutes

Description: The Academia, once an elite proving ground for the rulers of the world, has been frozen for centuries. Now its strange slumber has ended, and a new Chancellor, an orange-eyed dragon, has reopened its lecture halls and readied its dorms. In order to thrive once more, however, the Academia needs fresh blood—new students with a passion and talent for learning.

One such student, Robin, has the perfect recruit in mind: his friend Raven, an orphan who lives in the dangerous Warrens. Robin grew up in the Warrens, and he wouldn't have made it if not for Raven. He knows she’ll be safe at the Academia, where her unusual gifts can be appreciated.

But when students start turning up dead, the campus threatens to collapse completely. Raven and Robin will not let that happen to their new home…if they can survive long enough to figure out who—or what—is trying to kill them.

My Thoughts: SHARDS OF GLASS is set in the same world as the Chronicles of Elantra series and has some of the same characters. This story takes place at the recently rediscovered Academia which was once a center of learning for the world but was shifted out of its timeline in the battle to defeat Shadow which was set to consume the world. 

Young Robin was kidnapped from the Warrens when it was discovered that Academia needed students to complete its recovery. After the defeat of the people who wanted to use Academia to build their own powers and a new Chancellor was chosen, the quest for new students began. 

Robin proposed the friend who kept him alive in the Warrens when he was a child. Raven was a strange person who knew how to survive and chose to help Robin survive too. Robin is the one who named this child Raven and who acted as her interpreter to the world since she was almost completely nonverbal when they first paired up. 

Robin hoped that bringing Raven to Academia would provide the safety, food, and shelter that were so scarce in the Warrens. He wasn't expecting to drop her in the middle of a campus where random students were being murdered. 

Robin has been making new friends among the students including three of the Cohort of Barrani who were rescued from captivity in an earlier book of the Chronicles of Elantra. Serralyn loved the Academia especially its endless library staffed by Arbiters from three ancient, immortal races. And Terrano was another friend who was most changed by their captivity and now has very non-Barrani abilities. Robin is even friends with Starrante who is one of the librarians and a Wevaran who looks like a giant spider. 

As Robin and Raven work together to solve the murders and preserve this new home they learn more about each other and more about the pasts that are impacting their presents. 

This was an excellent, complex fantasy filled with magic and magical beings. Robin seems to be an ordinary human but one with a potential magical ability. Raven is anything but human which comes as a surprise to Robin. The Chancellor of the Academia is a dragon. The Arbiters are a Wevaran, an Ancient, and a Barrani. There are sentient buildings and human mages.

But beyond the fantastical elements, this is a story of friendship and love and finding a home.

I bought this one May 11. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas

I Am the Monster Under the Bed
Author: Emily Zinnikas
Publication: St. Martin's Press (September 15, 2026)

Description: TIME ONLY MAKES THE NIGHTMARE MORE REAL.

Something lives under Willa’s bed. As an adult, her fondest childhood memories are of the invisible entity under her bed who taught her how to read. Now thirty-two, Willa is a reclusive but successful painter until a bombshell news report exposes her identity as the controversial survivor of the unsolved Rapture Mystery Slayings, a small-town tragedy that splashed across headlines during her senior year of high school. Six teenagers died in the woods while Willa walked free, and everyone thinks she killed them.

When an old classmate calls about a funeral, Willa reluctantly travels to her sleepy hometown, where the possessed forest that stole her friends looms. The trees whistle for her attention, but she knows better than to listen. And the unexplained knocking from the shadows in the basement of her decaying childhood home is honestly the least of her problems.

As her past pulls her back to the place where she swore she’d never return, Willa is drawn toward the monster she left behind―and becoming the villain her hometown has always believed her to be.

My Thoughts: This horror novel tells the story of Willa Renfri Greene. Willa was raised in Rapture, Maine, and was an odd child. She made friends with the nightmare under her bed and refused to ever go to the basement where the people in the basement lived.

But the strangest thing in Willa's life was the time she went into the woods with six friends and was the only one to come back alive. Someone butchered her friends. She has always blamed the forest because she had forgotten to leave it meat the night they all went to party.

The rumors about Willa more or less drummed her out of town. The families of the victims all blamed Willa for the deaths. And the local sheriff also blamed Willa and released inappropriate things to the press. 

What was worst for Willa was that the incident in the woods came after she was groomed and assaulted by her high school soccer coach. She turned him in causing him to lose his job but somehow, she was the one who was blamed. 

Her only refuge was the art room and the art teacher who provided a safe place for her in her last years of high school. Willa left Rapture right after graduation with no intention to ever visit again. She changed her name and became a famous artist. 

But when the art teacher dies of breast cancer, Willa feels she has to go back if only to honor her teacher. Someone doesn't want her there and she suffers all sorts of harassment from notes to bricks through her windows. She's certain that the perpetrator of the harassment is her former soccer coach who has reinvented his life and come back to Rapture. 

But there are other potential sources of the notes and things. TV psychic Nathaniel Lennox has begun a campaign of harassment since Willa has refused to appear on his show and rehash the deaths of her friends. And reporter Joyce Kimura is also digging into Willa's past by showing up on her porch in Pennsylvania and following her to Rapture looking for a big story.

This was a creepy story. I had to keep reading to discover what was going on and whether or not Willa would survive her homecoming to Rapture. 

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