ARC Review: Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox

Pretty Death Things
Author: Kelsey Cox
Publication: Minotaur Books (July 7, 2026)

Description: Secrets emerge as a Texas beauty pageant turns dealy in this rich and addictive novel with a jaw-dropping twist from psychological suspense author Kelsey Cox.

2000: Isabelle Whitmore vanishes at Sherman Ranch in Anhalt, Texas, without a trace.

2025: The Lone Star Princess Pageant is about to begin, but this year it’s offering more than an annual dose of rhinestone heels and plunging necklines. Competition is stiffer than ever ―and long standing grudges are about to resurface. Ingrid fled Anhalt in the wake of her sister Isabelle’s disappearance and has now returned, just in time for a construction crew to start digging up Sherman Ranch; the pageant brings up past traumas that Melanie can't forget; Cat, newly sober, starts to feel threatened in ways that bring back old demons; and Sarah Lynn, who comes from a long line of pageant winners, knows that losing is not an option.

When old resentments and new confrontations reach their boiling point, temperatures drop to deadly degrees as a record-setting storm brings down the state’s power grid. With everyone trapped under one roof, scores will be settled, and more than one person will end up dead.

Beauty dies. Secrets never do.

My Thoughts: Secrets are revealed and rivalries rekindled at the 2025 Lone Star Princess Pageant in Anhalt, Texas. 

Ingrid Whitmore is back home in Anhalt after many years in Colorado. Her mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and she wants to help her. Besides, her marriage has fallen apart, and she still has questions about her sister's disappearance when the twins were seventeen.

Her mother's nurse is Melanie who was also one of Ingrid and Isabelle's classmates. One Ingrid and Kennedy Claire and their social set bullied including the time they left her naked on the river as a prank. 

There are four main viewpoint characters in this story. Their viewpoints alternate. The story also has flashbacks to 2000 and 2017 along with the main timeline of 2025. The 2025 timeline is centered around the latest Lone Star Princess Pageant.

Viewpoints include Ingrid's, Melanie's, Sarah Lynn's (Kennedy Claire's daughter and current Lone Star Princess contestant), and Cat's who was another of Ingrid, Isabelle, and Melanie's classmates and whose daughter Olivia is also a pageant contestant as is Melanie's daughter. 

As each chapter unfolds, we learn more about the rivalries and we learn more about Isabelle's disappearance and what it meant to all the characters. At first, the story was a little confusing to me. It improved greatly once I had managed to build a mental timeline and family trees. 

This was a twisty thriller with a number of twists and surprises. 

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

State of the Stack (July 1, 2026)

 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. Dead Men Don't Play Fetch by David Rosenfelt (June 30)
2. The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen (July 1)
3. Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox (July 2)
4. Killer Vibes by Jack Friday (July 7)
5. Unpredictable Magic by Faith Hunter (July 7)
6. The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon (July 8)
7. Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead (July 9)
8. If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle (July 14)
9. Savvy Summers and the Po'boy Perils by Sandra Jackson-Opoku (July 15)
10. Death at King's Cross by Rosanne Limoncelli (July 16)
11. Deadly Does It by Abbi Waxman (July 16)
12. The Seance Garden by Juliet Blackwell (July 21)
13. The Lightning Girl by Sam Ripley (December 3)

DNF

1.  

Read Previously, Posted This Month 

Dates indicate when the review was posted.

1. Beach Thriller by Jamie Day (June 2)
2. A Botanist's Guide to Tradition and Treachery by Kate Khavari (June 3)
3. Murder at the Spirit Lounge by Jess Kidd (June 9)
4. The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn Goldis (June 9)
5. Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson (June 10)
6. Restless Bones by Gillian French (June 11)
7. A Bitter Cut by Anna Lee Huber (June 18)
8. Storm Tide by Paul Doiron (June 23)
9. The Neighbors Are Watching by Aggie Blum Thompson (June 24)
10. Enter the Nightmare by Jane Castle (June 25)

New This Month

Date indicates when the book will be released.

1. If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle (July 21)
2. Homeward for a Spell by Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos (August 18)
3. The Bravest Hour by Anna Lee Huber (August 25)
4. The Chase by Felix Francis (September 8)
5. Until She Dies by Kendra Elliot (September 8)
6. A Deadly Entanglement by Cathy Pegau (September 15)
7. Where There's Smoke by Rachel Louise Adams (October 6)
8. Jay to the World by Donna Andrews (October 13)
9. The Bone Woman by Paige Shelton (October 27)
10. Midnight in the House of Commons by Charles Finch (November 3)
11. You, Me, & the Conspiracy by Emma Barry (November 10)
12. Bad Company by Sara Paretsky (November 10)
    
13. Fall for a Fairytale by Isabelle Taylor (November 10)
14. Murder Unabridged by P. J. Nelson (December 1)
15. Revenge in a Small Town by Delia Pitts (December 1)
16. Meet Me at Midnight by Sophie Sullivan (December 8)
17. Scream City by Hannah Morrissey (January 26, 2027)
18. Tell Me What You See by Samantha Jayne Allen (March 2, 2027)

All TBR Review Books

July

• Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst (July 28)
• Pride Comes Before a Fall by Virginia Heath (July 28)

• Buyer Beware by Catherine Ryan Howard (July 28)
• Fossil Feud by Maggie North (July 28)

August

• Probable Caws by Donna Andrews (August 4)
• A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett (August 4)
• Death on the Books by Victoria Gilbert (August 4)

• Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty (August 4)
• (Mostly) Human Resources by Grace Viall (August 4)

• Murder at Blackfriars by Jennifer Ashley (August 11)
• Death at a Scottish Halloween by Lucy Connelly (August 11)
• The Matchmaker's Cottage by Kat Sloane (August 11)

• Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan (August 11)
• Murder on Charity Lane by Jo Nichols (August 18)

• Homeward for a Spell by Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos (August 18)
• For Services Rendered by Will Thomas (August 18)
• The Bravest Hour by Anna Lee Huber (August 25)

September

• The Oxford Guide to Scandal & Lies by Kate Westbury (September 1)
• Until She Dies by Kate Elliot (September 8)
• The Chase by Felix Francis (September 8)

• Fighting Edge by Margaret Mizushima (September 8)
• Fury in Death by J. D. Robb (September 8)
• The Mystic and the Missing Girl by Vikki VanSickle (September 8)

• Those Who Are Gone by Laurie R. King (September 8)
• A Field Guide to Death & Deceit by Michelle L. Cullen (September 15)
• A Deadly Entanglement by Cathy Pegau (September 15)

• I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas (September 15)
• Murder on the Sacred River by Tasha Alexander (September 22)
• The Pumpkin Vice Cafe by Ellie Alexander (September 29)

• The Dying Light by Ann Cleaves (September 29)
• Cursed City by Kate Golden (September 29)

October

• Where There's Smoke by Rachel Louise Adams (October 6)
• Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong (October 6)
• Jay to the World by Donna Andrews (October 13)

• Please Enjoy Your Stay by Tara Goedjen (October 13)
• Bark Humbug by David Rosenfelt (October 13)
• The Key to a Killer by Olivia Blacke (October 20)

• Joy to the Bones by Carolyn Haines (October 27)
• The Bone Woman by Paige Shelton (October 27)

November

• Midnight in the House of Commons by Charles Finch (November 3)
• A Glimmer of Death by Laurell K. Hamilton (November 3)

• You, Me, & the Conspiracy by Emma Barry (November 10)
• Murder of a Merry Gentleman by Celeste Connally (November 10)
• Bad Company by Sara Paretsky (November 10)

• Fall for a Fairytale by Isabelle Taylor (November 10)
• Infinite Wisdom by Thomas R. Weaver (November 10)

December

• Murder Unabridged by P. J. Nelson (December 1)
• Revenge in a Small Town by Delia Pitts (December 1)
• Meet Me at Midnight by Sophie Sullivan (December 8)

2027

• Scream City by Hannah Morrissey (January 26)
• Tell Me What You See by Samantha Jayne Allen (March 2)

ARC Review: The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen

The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance
Author: Chiara Bullen
Publication: Del Rey (July 7, 2026)

Description: A young aspiring scholar is sent to research the mysteries of an adventurer’s inn—only to uncover a centuries-old secret, while finding true friendship and a new home, in this uplifting cozy fantasy.

Mount Vengeance is legendary. For most, it’s an adventure or a quest to prove themselves worthy of fame and glory. For Ainsworth Gladsly, it’s the perfect thesis material.

Ainsworth is an ambitious research fellow and up-and-coming historian, finally ready to make his mark on the world. When his supervisor learns of the rumored Misnich Inn at the foot of Mount Vengeance, she sends Ainsworth to be the first to document the exploits of the bold adventurers who seek to face the perils of the mountain and the dragon said to inhabit it.

The inn is far from the sophisticated city life he’s grown to love, but even as he grudgingly warms to its rustic charm—and its lovely innkeeper, Honey—the mystery of the mountain refuses to reveal itself. Worse, Ainsworth can’t find evidence that anyone has ever undertaken the climb. Even the bravest warriors who stay at the inn turn away from Mount Vengeance the next day.

With Ainsworth’s reputation on the line, he can’t allow this mystery to remain unsolved—even if he has to push the adventurers up the mountain himself.

My Thoughts: Ainsworth Gladsly is a scholar from the noted Skarrow Library. He is looking for a project to make his reputation and discovers Mount Vengeance. He thinks studying the adventurers who climb it in search of the dragon and its horde would be his breakthrough project.

He travels to the Misnich Inn which is at the foot of the mountain where he meets Honey and her staff which includes a famous chef looking for a more satisfying life. He arrives arrogant and certain that he is better than those who live at the inn and it takes a while for the city veneer to be scraped off to reveal the man he really is. 

Ainsworth was a poor scholarship student who was adopted by the upper snobbish group which made him feel it was necessary for him to adopt their ways. He even had an abusive lover, and it was their breakup that was part of the reason he come to Misnich Inn in the first place.

The story is filled with wonderful worldbuilding and interesting characters. Watching Ainsworth become the man he was supposed to be was a gradual process. I especially enjoyed that he found a home and someone to love who accepted him as he was. 

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

Audiobook Review: Death by Irish Whiskey by Catie Murphy

Death by Irish Whiskey
Author: Catie Murphy
Narrator: Ruth Urquhart
Series: Dublin Driver Mysteries (Book 5)
Publication: Tantor Media (April 9, 2024)
Length: 6 hours and 38 minutes

Description: Featuring the humor and charm of Ireland, a compelling whodunit, and two Jack Russell Terrier puppies, the latest book in the acclaimed Dublin Driver cozy mystery series is perfect for fans of Carlene O'Connor!

The competition for best whiskey in Ireland will be a publicity bonanza for the winner, and that means there are celebrities involved-like boxer Angus McConal and Megan's friend Niamh, an up-and-coming actress who's teamed up with Megan's uncle, the retired Sligo harbormaster. But rivalries and revelries turn out to be a bad blend when McConal dies at a whiskey tasting. Megan promised her girlfriend she'd quit her amateur sleuthing, but with Niamh and her uncle as suspects, she's over a barrel.

With her relationship on the rocks, Megan gets in even deeper when a second entrant in the competition is killed—and her investigation starts zeroing in on a suspect. Now she just needs proof . . .

My Thoughts: The fifth Dublin Driver mystery has Megan attending a whiskey competition. Her uncle has turned to making whiskey after his retirement as Sligo harbormaster and her friend Niamh is the face of the brand since she's an up-and-coming actress. When another of the competitors dies, Megan finds herself involved in the case despite how much her girlfriend Yelana hates it. But Megan can't turn her back on her uncle and friend. Niamh didn't have a past with the murder victim, but Uncle Rory did. He had a relationship with the man's wife many years ago. 

There are lots of other relationships tangled up in the murder too as the whiskey scene seems somewhat incestuous. Then a second contestant dies and a third. Megan finds herself deeply involved even though it is costing her relationship with Yelena who leaves her during this episode. 

Megan is heartbroken but she has a lot of support from family and friends as she investigates and solves the murder. 

I bought this one April 8, 2026. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Dead Men Don't Play Fetch by David Rosenfelt

Dead Men Don't Play Fetch
Author: David Rosenfelt
Series: Andy Carpenter (Book 33)
Publication: Minotaur Books (July 7, 2026)

Description: Bestselling author David Rosenfelt returns with Dead Men Don't Play Fetch as Andy Carpenter investigates a wealthy dog lover's unusual death.

It’s defense lawyer Andy Carpenter’s dream to retire. That goal is once again thwarted when he gets a call from Lou Campanelli, an old friend who he simply cannot refuse, asking for a favor. Lou runs a rehab center, and when one of his patients, a homeless veteran, is charged with first degree murder, he needs Andy's help. And of course, Andy will also be called on to care for the accused’s dog, but that’s okay: What's one more dog?

The man that Jason Maddox is accused of stabbing to death is none other than billionaire Paul Vincent, an eccentric businessman and inventor. Bickert dedicated a great portion of his life to philanthropy, with a soft spot for dog-related causes. This led him to befriend Jason, a physicist and war hero, whose life fell apart to the point where he ended up on the streets with his dog, just trying to survive.

But why would Jason possibly have wanted to kill him? Well, for one thing, he was to receive a fortune in Vincent's will. That, coupled with the fact that Jason was at the scene, his fingerprints were on the knife, and Vincent's wallet was in his jacket, made it a slam dunk arrest.

Once again, Andy is enmeshed in a puzzling, twisty case. But in order to reunite a man and his dog, Andy will have to untangle it all.

My Thoughts: Andy is actively pursuing retirement when he gets a call from old friend Ou Campanelli asking him to defend Jason Maddox who has been accused of murder. Maddox's life fell apart when his son died by shark attack, but he is starting over at Lou's rehab facility.

It looks like a slam dunk for the prosecution. Jason was found standing over Paul Vincent's body with his fingerprint on the knife, Vincent's blood on his hands and clothing, and Paul's wallet in Jason's jacket pocket. Jason claims innocence and Andy has to prove it. 

Vincent was an eccentric billionaire. He and Jason were friends, but Vincent also has a pile of enemies. He was known for suing people who he felt wronged him. He was also a philanthropist who left his billions to many charitable causes. Jason would benefit under the will by inheriting money and Vincent's unused patents which looks like a motive for him to have murdered Vincent.

As Andy and his team begin to look into Vincent's life, they discover that the company he bought himself out of is currently in financial need and taking money from drug overlords. That looks suspicious to Andy and so do the deaths of the company lawyer and another client of Lou's rehab facility. 

Andy is determined to get Jason off by establishing reasonable doubt which runs him afoul of one of those drug lords. One Andy has tangled with previously. 

This was another entertaining mystery. I really like Andy's personality and his relationships with his friends. 

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 29, 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 past week was a nice, quiet one. The weather was pleasant and the reading was good. 

I took advantage of Amazon Prime days and triple reward points to get a couple of books that have been on my wishlist for a while. I have been collecting Michelle Sagara's Chronicles of Elantra books in Kindle and audiobook as they go on sale. Triple points was a good reason to add the latest.

It is unusual for me but I got two print books this week. The publisher sent me a copy of the latest Andy Carpenter mystery, and I bought the latest Anne Bishop in hardcover for my keeper shelf. I've read the Kindle copy and listened to the audiobook of Anne Bishop's latest multiple times already. 

I also added two more review books to my stack. I'm particularly eager to read the latest in the Verity Kent series by Anna Lee Huber. 

I got caught up in listening to books in the Liaden Universe this week. I have been following Theo Waitley's story arc this time. I hear that the upcoming Liaden Universe book, currently in the hands of the editor, will also have a lot of Theo. Of course, that book isn't due until next Spring. 

This coming week should also be quiet. We are supposed to have rain the next couple of days and then Duluth's version of a heatwave later in the week. According to the forecast, we should have temperatures in the low 80s for a few days. It might be time to turn on the central air conditioning for the season. 

I do want to finish my July review copies this week. It would be good, but unlikely, to finish them before I do my July 1 State of the Stack post. Three days for four books should be possible, but those Liaden Universe audiobooks are also loudly calling my name. 

Read Last Week

• Fledgling by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook reread)
• Death at King's Cross by Rosanne Limoncelli (Review, July 21) -- Second Queens of Crime mystery. My review will be posted on July 16.
• Saltation by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread)

• Ghost Ship by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread)
• Deadly Does It by Abbi Waxman (Review, July 21) -- Second Mason and Mann contemporary thriller. My review will be posted on July 16.
• Dragon Ship by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread)

• The Gathering Edge by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook reread)
• The Seance Garden by Juliet Blackwell (Review, July 28) -- Entertaining ghost thriller/murder thriller. My review will be posted on July 21.

Currently

• Neogenesis by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread)
• Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst (Review, July 28)

Next Week

• Pride Comes Before a Fall by Virginia Heath (Review, July 28)
• Buyer Beware by Catherine Ryan Howard (Review, July 28)
• Fossil Feud by Maggie North (Review, July 28)

• Dachshund Through the Snow by David Rosenfelt (Audiobook, mine since June 5)
• Probable Caws by Donna Andrews (Review, August 4)
• A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett (Review, August 4)

Reviews Posted

• Enter the Nightmare by Jayne Castle (Review copy)
• Death in Irish Accents by Catie Murphy (Audiobook)
• Death by the Book by Lucy Connelly (Audiobook)

• Death at Inishmore Castle by Lucy Connelly (Audiobook)
• Storm Tide by Paul Doiron (Review copy)
• The Neighbors Are Watching by Aggie Blum Thompson (Review copy)

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

Review:

• The Bravest Hour by Anna Lee Huber (Review, August 25)
• Where There's Smoke by Rachel Louise Adams (Review, October 6)

Bought:

• Dead Men Don't Play Fetch by David Rosenfelt (Print copy, gift from St. Martin's)
• Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (Print copy for my keeper shelf, $18.30)
• Cast in Blood by Michelle Sagara (Kindle & Audiobook, $12.99 & $7.47)

• Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett (Kindle, $2.99)

What was your week like?

Audiobook Review: Death at Inishmore Castle by Lucy Connelly

Death at Inishmore Castle
Author: Lucy Connelly

Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherall
Series: A Mercy McCarthy Mystery (Book 3)
Publication: Bookouture (April 10, 2025)

Length: 6 hours and 32 minutes

Description: A grand castle, a glass of Irish whiskey, a good book by the fire… and a rather mysterious murder?

Historic Inishmore Castle is opening its doors for the first time, hosting a charming weekend of whiskey tasting and soda bread baking. Sisters Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are badly in need of a break, but their relaxing trip takes a decidedly unrestful turn when Mercy finds fellow guest Father Brennen slumped over the desk in the library… Did he have one glass too many or did someone want him dead?

Even more curiously, Mercy swiftly learns that the priest was no priest at all. So why was he searching through dusty old journals? Can the legend of Inishmore’s lost treasure possibly be true?

Mercy’s suspicions of foul play are confirmed when another of their party is found drowned in the lake at the edge of the manor’s estate. It can’t be a coincidence! Someone in this idyllic Irish castle is up to no good and Mercy is determined to find out who’s behind it, accompanied by her reluctant fellow sleuth and beloved dog Mr. Poe.

With a host of frightened guests and worried staff, and a storm closing in, Mercy soon has more suspects than bedrooms in the castle. Could it be the unconvincing nun, the busybody birdwatcher, or are the owners hiding something sinister? When Mercy realizes there are secret passages in the walls, she thinks she might have cracked the case… but will she track the killer down, or will Inishmore be her resting place forever more?

My Thoughts: The third Mercy McCarthy mystery has Mercy, her sister Lizzie, and lots of their neighbors from the court spending the weekend at Inishmore Castle. The owners of the castle are planning to open it to visitors and also make their whisky brand more popular. 

Among the other guests are a priest and a nun. Mercy is suspicious of them as they don't act like any other priests and nuns she has met. She finds them arguing on a couple of occasions despite their claims that they don't know each other. 

When Mercy discovers the body of the priest in the study, Mercy wants to call Kieran - after she does a bit of investigating herself, but a storm has knocked out cell phone service and flooding has made the bridge to the castle impossible. She discovers identification in the priest's wallet bearing another name and convincing her that something odd is going on. 

A break in the storm allows Kieran and his crew to arrive. The two begin to investigate with Kieran reluctantly allowing Mercy to participate. There are rumors of a lost treasure hidden in the castle which might account for the priest in disguise. 

When the nun, who also turns out to be fake, is also murdered by strangulation and disposal in the pond, the crime gets more complex. Mercy had been looking at her as the prime suspect. There are other things going on and other suspicious guests. The young birdwatcher is not talking about her past. The accountant is most notable to Mercy for his shifty eyes. And the rich couple from Tennessee who are eager to distribute the local whisky includes a kleptomaniac wife. 

Untangling all the characters and finding the treasure keeps Mercy and Kieran busy and the real killer is still to be caught. 

This was another entertaining cozy. Mercy is overly curious and impulsive but has a good heart. Keeping her safe looks to be Kieran's new goal in life. 

I bought this one for my Kindle November 21, 2025, and the audiobook May 25, 2026. You can buy your copy here.