ARC Review: The Neighbors Are Watching by Aggie Blum Thompson

The Neighbors Are Watching
Author: Aggie Blum Thompson
Publication: Minotaur Books (June 30, 2026)

Description: From the "master of suburban scandal" (Samantha M. Bailey) comes a scandalous twisty thriller about obsession, betrayal, and the price of perfection

Just outside Washington, DC, sits Eastbrook, Bethesda―a leafy suburb with top schools, pristine landscapes, and perfect neighbors. It’s not the kind of place where nannies are killed during robberies gone wrong. And in this picture-perfect neighborhood, someone is desperate to plaster over the cracks in that façade.

A year after the unsolved neighborhood murder, Caren, nearing fifty and staring down an empty nest, has one too many drinks at a graduation party and blacks out on her way home. At least, that’s what everyone says happened. Caren suspects she was drugged by someone. But who?

When Caren teams up with a new neighbor who is obsessed with figuring out who murdered his best friend, they start to uncover what Eastbrook has tried to forget. But in a place where appearances are everything, their search for the truth means not only shattering carefully curated perfection ― but putting themselves squarely in the crosshairs of a killer.

My Thoughts: This domestic thriller is told from three viewpoints. 

Caren is nearing fifty, newly unemployed and she fears unemployable, and facing an empty nest. She attends the graduation party of one of her daughter's former friends and has a couple of drinks. On her way home, she is attacked and put in the basement of the house where a young nanny was murdered about a year ago. 

She awakens with a concussion and no memory of her evening beyond leaving the party to go home and walk her dog. She is told by her best friends from the party that she had too much to drink and must have blacked out. Even her husband is casting doubts on what little she does remember. 

Finn in a young man working as a librarian and living in the basement of an elderly neighborhood resident. He was the best friend of the young nanny who was murdered. He's convinced that the killer was one of the neighbors mainly because he was facetiming with her and heard her tell him that a neighbor was at the door.

Tori is a newly divorced woman living in a house chosen and paid for by her ex. She's the mother of a toddler who spends time each week with his father. She a clinical psychologist who went deeply in debt to soothe herself after her divorce. Her best friend seems to be an AI that she confides in for advice and comfort. Being divorced, she isn't well accepted in the neighborhood filled with traditional families. 

The main viewpoint is Caren's who is struggling to remember what happened on her lost night, but who is also discovering things about her neighbors that reveal deep secrets and shady dealings. She becomes friends with Finn as he investigates his friend's death which she comes to believe involves her daughter. 

This was an enjoyable thriller filled with gaslighting and the things upper class families will do to make life better for their children. 

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

Audiobook Review: Death in Irish Accents by Catie Murphy

Death in Irish Accents
Author: Catie Murphy
Narrator: Ruth Urquhart
Series: Dublin Driver Mysteries (Book 4)
Publication: Tantor Media (February 21, 2023)
Length: 6 hours and 54 minutes

Description: After a long streak of avoiding murder investigations, Dublin limo driver Megan Malone thought her life had finally settled . . . but even her Irish luck can't keep her out of trouble forever.

It's been over a year since Megan found herself entangled in a murder—much to everyone's relief, including her girlfriend Jelena and Detective Paul Bourke. So when a body of a young woman quite literally lands in her lap at her favorite Dublin cafe, Megan tries to do the right thing and leave the crime-solving to the police so she can enjoy the St. Patrick's Day weekend. After all, she has no connection to the victim. Or does she?

Megan's latest client, world-renowned romance novelist Claire Woodward, is fascinated by Megan's own history of catching killers. Claire also just happens to be the murder victim's literary mentor. So maybe Megan can just sort of stay on the periphery of the case while trying to help out? Just a wee bit without causing too much fuss? Even Detective Bourke would approve since he has personal reasons not to trust Claire. The investigation leads Megan to the victim's writing group, who think that Claire has plagiarized the poor young lady's work. And when another member of the group is found dead, Megan will have to step up her sleuthing before the killer decides to write her off for good.

My Thoughts: This fourth book in the Dublin Driver Mystery series takes place a year after the previous book. Megan has had herself a murder-free year. She's moved to a cottage with her girlfriend Jelena and her two young dogs and life is going well. 

However, when a body literally falls on her in her favorite cafe, Megan finds herself in the middle of a murder again. She wants to stay out of it and her girlfriend and friend Detective Paul Bourke urge her to stay out of it, but her curiosity won't let her. 

Her boss at Leprechaun Limos is also on her case. She wants Megan to work during the St. Patrick's Day celebrations despite the fact the Megan has been scheduled for the time off for almost a year. American romance author Claire Woodward wants to be driven by Megan and Orla wants to charge her the moon to do so. 

Claire is interested in Megan's reputation as the murder driver. Clare is also a mentor to the young woman who ended up in Megan's lap. Megan finds herself investigating the young woman's writers' group and soon learns that all of them have reasons to dislike Claire. Accusations of plagiarism are thrown around. 

When Claire is also found murdered, with Megan being the last to have seen her alive, Megan's need to solve the crime escalates.

This was another enjoyable episode in this cozy mystery series. I liked the Irish setting. As an audiobook reader though, I missed some of the byplay about the oddities of Irish spelling and pronunciation that were sort of theme running through the story. I liked Megan's curiosity and her inability to stay out of the investigation. 

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

ARC Review: Storm Tide by Paul Doiron

Storm Tide
Author: Paul Doiron
Series: Mike Bowditch Mysteries (Book 16)
Publication: Minotaur Books (June 30, 2026)

Description: Game Warden Mike Bowditch investigates a series of brutal killings during a life-changing year in Storm Tide, the harrowing new thriller from Edgar Award-nominated author Paul Doiron.

When the magnificent home of entrepreneur Brian Malloy mysteriously goes up in flames, Maine game warden Mike Bowditch tries to pull Malloy’s burning body from the fire but is too late. Malloy was suspected of murdering his young, illegitimate son. Now it looks like someone else has delivered a verdict.

Miles away, on a lonely stretch of icy railroad track, the body of Axl Deming, once accused of a brutal rape, is found literally cut in half. Though the two murders seem unrelated, a cryptic text from an unknown number draws Bowditch to the scene―and hints at a chilling connection. He believes someone is orchestrating the executions of criminals who escaped justice, and for reasons he can’t explain, his own name is on the list, but the state police aren’t convinced. His search for the truth takes him through frozen harbors, trackless forests, and remote islands, far from rescue.

Meanwhile, Bowditch is facing a disciplinary hearing that could end his career. His wife Stacey, just weeks from giving birth, is being stalked by a stranger in a white van. And when he realizes someone has also been watching their home, the case turns increasingly personal.

To protect his family, Bowditch must work alone to uncover who’s behind the killings―and stop them before he becomes their next victim.

My Thoughts: The sixteenth book in the Mike Bowditch series spans an event-packed year. The year starts with Mike, currently under investigation, on probation, and busted back to patrol, being the first responder at a house fire. A baby is saved but the man and woman who owned the house die in the fire. Mike learns that they are the Malloys. Husband Brian was accused of the murder of his illegitimate son but not tried because the child hasn't been found. 

A neighbor, who was holding the baby girl when he arrived, claimed to have smelled the smoke and seen the light from the fire. Mike is curious about the fire but is being shut out because he's no longer an investigator. 

Mike and his wife Stacey are awaiting the birth of their first child which is almost keeping him busy enough. He is still curious about the cause of the fire even after the fire investigators claim the cause wasn't suspicious. Then Mike starts to get harassing and threatening phone calls and texts. And he and Stacey both feel like they are being stalked by someone with a white van. 

When another body is found, this one run over by a train, Mike begins to think that someone is out for vigilante justice. Convincing those investigating isn't going well for him especially since he's been suspended with pay for six months and the Ranger services seems to have forgotten about him. 

The story is packed with action. Mike seems to be in danger every other page. Interspersed with all the danger are lovely descriptions of Maine and its wildlife. I enjoyed this one for its action and for its setting. 

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 22, 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 June week. Temperatures were cooler than average which was good for the thousands participating in Grandma's Marathon last Saturday. I felt the need to run the furnace a couple of nights this past week. I also opened doors and windows for fresh air on the nicer days. Looks like we might escape June with no need for our air conditioner this year. 

I had a good reading week. I finally caught up on the Meg Langslow series by Donna Andrews. I do have the next two in the Meg Langslow series on my review stack though. I also have only one book left before I'm caught up on the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt with the newest also waiting on my review stack. 

I ran into a problem when I finished The Lightning Girl by Sam Ripley. I had it on my list as coming out on July 14 only to learn that the release date had been changed to December 8. So, I now have one December review already scheduled. I had a lot of calendar shuffling to do to accommodate this change. 

This issue did have me checking the release dates for all the other books on my review stack which showed that most were still accurate but one had its release date moved up a week. I changed my calendar to reflect the new release date which meant only a slight adjustment of the calendar.

I also added nine more review copies to my stack including two which won't be released until 2027.

This coming week should be a quiet one. I would like to finish all my July review books this week, but I still have seven of them. I might also get to the final backlist audiobook in the Andy Carpenter series. I may choose to listen again to favorites from the Liaden Universe series instead. 

It looks like the temperatures will be in the 60s and low 70s this coming week. Next weekend, both the Rhubarb Festival and the Greek Festival are on the calendar. I hope to get to one or both of them if the weather is good and I feel well. 

Read Last Week

• The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon (Review, July 14) -- Historical murder set in London, 1930. A mystery author joins a club of other mystery authors and then has to solve the murder of the club's president. My review will be posted on July 8.
• Crystal Soldier by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread) -- By internal chronology, the first book in the Liaden Universe.
• Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead (Review, July 14) -- Women's power, revenge and murder mix in this contemporary mystery. My review will be posted on July 9.

• The Lightning Girl by Sam Ripley (Review, December 8) -- Psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator. My review will be posted on December 2.
• Crystal Dragon by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook reread) -- Second book (by internal chronology) of the Liaden Universe series. 
• If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle (Review, July 21) -- A woman makes a wish and finds herself in a story by her favorite romance author. Problem: the author has decided to write a thriller for her new book. My review will be posted on July 14.

• Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt (Audiobook, Mine since June 5) -- 22nd Andy Carpenter mystery takes him to Maine to defend a man accused of murder. Entertaining and humorous mystery. My review will be posted on July 9.
• Savvy Summers and the Po'boy Perils by Sandra Jackson-Opoku (Review, July 21) -- Second Savvy Summers mystery set on the South Side of Chicago. My review will be posted on July 15,
• The Twelve Jays of Christmas by Donna Andrews (Audiobook, Mine since June 5) -- Another humorous Meg Langslow mystery set at Christmas time. My review will be posted on July 17.

Currently

• Death at King's Cross by Rosanne Limoncello (Review, July 21)
• Fledgling by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook reread)

Next Week

• Deadly Does It by Abbi Waxman (Review, July 21)
• The Seance Garden by Juliet Blackwell (Review, July 28)
• Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst (Review, July 28)

• 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)

Reviews Posted

• Death of an Irish Mummy by Catie Murphy (Audiobook)
• A Terrible Fall of Angels by Laurell K. Hamilton (Audiobook)
• An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly (Audiobook)

• A Bitter Cut by Anna Lee Huber (Review copy)
• A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 6 by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Mine)
• The Silver Bullets of Annie Oakley by Mercedes Lackey (Mine)

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

Review:

• If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle (Review, July 21)
• Homeward for a Spell by Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos (Review, August 18)
• Until She Dies by Kendra Elliot (Review, September 8)

• Jay to the World by Donna Andrews (Review, October 13)
• Midnight in the House of Commons by Charles Finch (Review, November 3)
• Bad Company by Sara Paretky (Review, November 10)

• Revenge in a Small Town by Delia Pitts (Review, December 1)
• Scream City by Hannah Morrissey (Review, January 26. 2027)
• Tell Me What You See by Samantha Jayne Allen (Review, March 2, 2027)

Bought:

• Dark Summer by Iris Johansen (Kindle $1.99, Audiobook $4.82)

What was your week like?

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.