Audiobook Review: Executive Order by Max Allan Collins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ARC Review: A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ARC Review: Murder at Gulls Nest by Julie Kidd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read This Month 

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

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

DNF

1.  

Read Previously, Posted This Month 

Dates indicate when the review was posted.

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

New This Month 

Date indicates when the book will be released.

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

All TBR Review Books

April

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

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

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

May

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

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

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

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

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

June

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

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

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

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

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

July

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

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

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

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

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

August

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

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

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

September

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

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

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

October

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

November

• The Hidden City by Charles Finch (November 4)

ARC Review: The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson

The Wind Weaver
Author: Julie Johnson
Series: Reign of Remnants (Book 1)
Publication: Ace (April 8, 2025)

Description: Magic and adventure swirl through this spellbinding romantasy where a young woman reignites the embers of an ancient prophecy, unleashing a storm that could save her realm or doom them all.

Fear of maegic plagues war-torn Anwyvn. Halflings like Rhya Fleetwood are killed on sight. But Rhya’s execution is interrupted by an unexpected savior—one far more terrifying than her would-be killers. The mysterious and mercenary Commander Scythe. In the clutches of this new enemy, Rhya finds herself fighting for her life in the barren reaches of the Northlands. Yet the farther she gets from home, the more she learns that nothing is as it seems—not her fearsome captor, not the blight that ravages her dying realm, not even herself.

For Rhya is no ordinary halfling. The strange birthmark on her chest and the wind she instinctively calls forth means she is a Remnant, one of four souls scattered across Anwyvn, fated to restore the balance of maegic…or die trying.

But mastering the power inside her is only the beginning. Desire for the Commander—a man she can never trust, a man with plans of his own—burns just as fiercely as the tempests beating against her rib cage for release. Rhya must choose: smother the flames…or let them consume her.

My Thoughts: THE WIND WEAVER begins a new fantasy series. Given that fact, it should also be noted that the book ends on a cliffhanger. 

Rhya Fleetwood is rescued by a man who is named by those around him as Commander Scythe. He shows up at an opportune moment since she has been captured by soldiers and is on the verge of being executed for being half fae. 

Cammander Scythe throws her on the back of his horse like a sack of grain and hauls her off to an unknown destination. He barely speaks to her and doesn't answer any of her questions about where he is taking her or why until they reach their mysterious destination in the Northlands.

Once there, Rhya learns that the strange birthmark on her chest means that she is one of four fated Remnants who are prophesied to be able to cure the ills of the land which began when humans overthrew and massacred all the fae they could find. The human population is still hunting down and killing any fae or half fae that they can find and the land is blighted and getting more blighted every day while the humans divide the lands among more and more ineffective kings. 

Rhya learns that she is the third Remnant to have been found. Water is King Soren of Llyr who has quite a reputation for brutality among the humans. Fire is Prince Pendefyre who has been masquerading as Commander Scythe and who has been traveling the human lands in search of the Air Remnant who happens to by Rhya. 

But before they can search out the Earth Remnant, they need to deal with an enemy who wants to capture Rhya for her maegic and conquer all the fae in the Northlands. And Rhya has to learn to use her Air powers - powers she didn't even know she had.

It doesn't help that Rhya thinks she is falling for Penn who isn't willing to do anything because of his bad experiences with the previous Air Remnant.

This was an entertaining Epic Fantasy that hits a lot of the tropes of the genre. I enjoyed it and will be looking to continue that story as further books are published. 

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? (March 31, 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...

It is hard to believe that it is the end of March already. Waking up to the ground covered with snow makes it even harder. While most of the week was nice and I actually got out of the house and drove to various errands three days this past week, ice and snow made the weekend a challenge. 

My annual wellness visit went well on Monday. Now I just have my annual mammogram on Thursday then I'll be done with most of my annual medical stuff until next March. I have nothing medical scheduled until May.

I had a good reading/listening week which was a good thing since I'm feeling some pressure as my blog cushion is fading away. I don't like having less than three weeks of cushion and I only have two right now. On the other hand, I am enjoying my In Death reread and don't want to stop. 

I am also enjoying the beginning of the baseball season even though my beloved Atlanta Braves haven't won a game yet. Maybe today...

Read Last Week

• Find Me by Anne Frasier (Kindle & Audiobook; Mine since March 7, 2022) -- Excellent thriller/romantic suspense story. My review will be posted on April 8.
• One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman (Review; April 15) -- Engaging, humorous, and suspenseful contemporary mystery starring an odd pairing of amateur sleuths. My review will be posted on April 8.
• The Sea House by Louise Douglas (Mine since January 8, 2025) -- Twisty mystery filled with secrets, but I wasn't a fan of the writing style. My review will be posted on April 9.

• A Superior Death by Nevada Barr (Kindle & Audiobook; Mine since July 9, 2021) -- Second Anna Pigeon mystery set on Isle Royale in Lake Superior. Okay but seemed a little dated. My review will be posted on April 10.
• Friends Indeed by David Weber & Jane Lindskold (Kindle & Audiobook; Mine since March 4, 2025) -- The latest entry into the Stephanie Harrington science fiction series moves this one away from the YA previous episodes and was an engaging science fiction story. My review will be posted on April 12. 
• Wordhunter by Stella Sands (Mine since January 6, 2025) -- Contemporary mystery with an intriguing main character. My review will be posted on April 10.

• Innocent in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread)
• Murder at the Merton Library by Andrea Penrose (Mine since January 31, 2024) -- 7th in the Wrexford and Sloane historical mystery series. Another great entry. My review will be posted on April 15.
• Creation in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread)

Currently

• Blood on the Vine by J. T. Falco (Review; April 22)
• Strangers in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread)

Next Week

• A Lethal Engagement by April J. Skelly (Review; April 22)
• Cheater by Karen Rose (Mine since January 2, 2025)
• Murder at Glenloch Hill by Clara McKenna (Kindle & Audiobook; Mine since November 29, 2024)

• The Surgeon by Tess Gerritson (Mine since January 2, 2025)
• How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin (Review; April 29)
• Bearer of Bad News by Elisabeth Dini (Review; April 29)

Reviews Posted

• Diviner's Bow by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Review copy)
• Born in Shame by Nora Roberts (Audiobook)
• Dead Post Society by Diane Kelly (Review Copy)

• The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chen (Review copy)
• Written in Stone by Paige Shelton (Review copy)
• A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett (Review copy)

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

Review:

• It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle (Review; June 3)
• No Rest for the Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams (Review; September 16)
• You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Sophie Sullivan (Review; September 23)

Bought:

• Tell Me by Anne Frasier (Kindle - $2.99, Audiobook - $1.99)
• A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters (Audiobook; Audible Plus)

• All Eyes on Me by Linsey Lanier (Kindle, Free)
• All Eyes on Me by Linsey Lanier (Chirp Audiobook, $.99)

What was your week like?

ARC Review: Diviner's Bow by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

Diviner's Bow
Author: Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Series: Liaden Universe (Book 27)
Publication: Baen Books; 1st edition (April 1, 2025)

Description: A world divided cannot stand.

A people divided cannot thrive.

The Oracle has Seen the end of Civilization, and the end of the Haosa, too. Reactions to this are—mixed.

On the one hand, foresight is a notoriously erratic Gift. On the other, can Civilization—or the Haosa—afford to assume that the prophecy is an error?

And if the Oracle has Seen truly—is it possible to alter the future?

While well-meaning people struggle to implement change that might, at least, mitigate a disaster, others are looking toward the profit they can make from the end of the world.

In the meantime, the Tree-and-Dragon Trade Team has concluded its whole port inventory, and is about to propose Colemeno as a trade-hub and anchor to a brand-new route. Padi yos’Galan is preparing to step into new roles, personally, and in trade.

And the lives of two small children may be the thread that binds the future—or unravels it.

My Thoughts: The twenty-seventh book in the Liaden Universe is a direct sequel to Trader's Ribbon Dance. Its action is centered on Colemeno. The Oracle had seen that soon there will be no Civilization and no Haosa and then promptly retired. 

Naturally, the Seeing has caused upset. Colemeno is already changing since it was rediscovered by the Dutiful Passage after the retreat of Rostov's Dust. Shan and Padi are two traders who would like to form a new loop with Colemeno at the center. They've done their survey and are waiting for the Council of the Civilized to approve the plan.

However, Colemeno is a fundamentally divided society. The Civilized live under a grid which filters the Ambient so that they can survive. The Haosa live outside the grid and need no protection from the Ambient. The Deaf have no psychic powers and live both under the grid and outside it. 

There are those of the Civilized who want to return to a past when the Deaf needed to be under the supervision of one of the Civilized in order to do business. This same group also wants to destroy the Haosa even though they have been a refuge for any child born to a Civilized family who has wild magic. 

It is only recently that a representative of the Deaf has gained a seat on the Council. And now a representative of the Haosa is also given a seat. 

Besides the politics, this is also a story of romance and relationships. Majel ziaGron is the Deaf representative to the Council and also the liaison between Tree-and-Dragon Trade and the Council. He meets Blays essWorthi who is Counsel to Chaos and Speaker Pro Tem for the Haosa. They form a bond which won't be an easy thing to maintain when he lives under the Grid and she represents a village far Off-Grid. Another relationship growing in this one is the heartbond between Padi and Tekelia who is the Speaker for the Haosa and new Council member. 

This was an engaging and intriguing story. It would be best read after Trader's Leap and Ribbon Dance so that the characters and their backstories are known to the reader. 

I purchased this eArc from Baen Books. I also pre-ordered the hardcover and Kindle copies. You can buy your copy here.