ARC Review: Death at a Scottish Halloween by Lucy Connelly

Death at a Scottish Halloween
Author: Lucy Connelly
Series: Scottish Isle Mysteries (Book 5)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (August 11, 2026)

Description: When Dr. Emilia McRoy stumbles upon a dead body in a haunted house, she resolves to find the killer before another body can fall.

Halloween isn’t the only cause for fright in the fifth Scottish Isle mystery, perfect for fans of Paige Shelton and Connie Berry.

It’s the week of Halloween—or as they say in Scotland, All Hallows' Eve—and the town of Sea Isle is full of spooky celebrations. Dr. Emilia McRoy loves being part of her new community and is eager to help out in any way she can. But the festivities are interrupted when she and her assistant, Abigail, find a dead body in a haunted house. A real one. They’re too late to save the victim, but they’ll do whatever it takes to find his killer.

There’s just one problem: There are too many suspects.

Constable Ewan would prefer the good doctor and her friends stay out of the investigations, but that isn’t how Dr. Em rolls. As she and her gang investigate, they realize the killer is searching for something—and has no problem murdering anyone who gets in the way of finding it.

Dr. Em must stay one step ahead if she’s to survive this Halloween season alive—either that or she might just end up the next victim.

My Thoughts: It is Halloween week in Sea Isle and the town goes all out to celebrate. Dr. Em and her friends are all involved in the local haunted house. However, they aren't expecting to find a murdered man in one of the exhibits. And certainly not one killed by the butcher knife that was part of Em's tableau. 

Duncan Craig was an artist who also worked on offshore oil rigs. He was a newcomer to the town. His sister and best friend were working on his tableau with him but went ahead of him to the pub while he rearranged the scene a bit. Em and Abigail discover the body when they are checking that no one was left behind after closing. 

The big surprise comes the next day when a woman with a small child comes to identify Duncan's body. However, neither his sister nor his best friend knows her. She is apparently looking for a different Duncan Craig. This one owns an antiques shop and was off on a buying trip attending estate sales in the area. 

Ewan and his deputies are now on the hunt for the missing Duncan Craig while trying to figure out who stabbed the other Duncan Craig.

Unfortunately, Em discovers a man slumped outside her doctor's office door when returning from another festivity. This one turns out to be the missing Duncan Craig. He appears to have died of being frightened to death. He had undiagnosed diabetes and an enlarged heart which contributed to his death. 

These murders are baffling. Is someone out to rid the world of Duncan Craigs? Do the two men have anything in common? Ewan and Em and her Scooby gang have their work cut out for them in this fifth in the Scottish Isle Mysteries series. And they have to fit their investigations in around a variety of Halloween celebrations. 

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

Audiobook Review: Shattering Dawn by Jayne Ann Krentz

Shattering Dawn
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Narrator: Eva Kaminsky
Series: The Lost Night Files (Book 3)
Publication: Recorded Books (January 7, 2025)
Length: 8 hours and 43 minutes

Description: An unsettling investigation teaches two suspicious people how to trust, in the next thrilling novel of the Lost Night Files trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz.

Amelia Rivers, a member of the Lost Night Files podcast team, hires private investigator Gideon Sweetwater to catch the stalker who has been watching her. Amelia suspects that whoever it is may be connected to the shadowy organization responsible for the night that she and her two friends lost to amnesia—a night that upended their lives and left them with heightened paranormal talents.

Gideon believes that Amelia is either paranoid or an outright con artist, but they have a chemistry he can’t resist. He takes the case despite his skepticism. For her part, Amelia has second thoughts about the wisdom of employing the mysterious Mr. Sweetwater. She is wary of the powerful attraction between them and deeply uneasy about the nightmarish paintings on the walls of his home. She senses these were inspired by his own dreams.

Amelia knows she doesn’t have time to find another investigator, and Gideon is forced to reckon with the truth when he disrupts what was intended to be Amelia’s kidnapping. Now the pair is on the run, with no choice but to return to the haunting ruins of the old hotel where Amelia’s lost night occurred. They are desperate to stop a killer, as well as the people who are conducting illegal experiments with a dangerous drug designed to enhance psychic abilities. If they are to survive, they will have to trust each other and the passion that bonds them.

My Thoughts: The final book in the Lost Night Files trilogy stars Amelia Rivers and Gideon Sweetwater. 

Since her lost night, Amelia has had her psychic gift of aura reading enhanced. She has also developed a phobia about the dark of night and attracted a stalker. She goes to private investigator Gideon Sweetwater for help finding and discouraging her stalker. 

Gideon is still recovering from a previous case when he rescued a young man from a cult. He has a stalker of his own. Fascinated with Amelia, he decides to take her case despite his doubts about her aura reading ability. Gideon has psychic powers of his own which are causing problems in his life. 

They travel to the deserted desert hotel where the events of Amelia's lost night occurred and make some discoveries and learn more about each other. 

This episode brings many of the events of the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion while still leaving the door open for further books. I enjoyed the romance between Gideon and Amelia. The growing relationship between Gideon and Amelia entertaining to watch. I also enjoyed the paranormal aspects of this story.

Fans of the earlier books in this trilogy will also enjoy this concluding story.

I bought this one November 11, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Murder at Blackfriars by Jennifer Ashley

Murder in Blackfriars
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Series: A Below Stairs Mystery
Publication: Berkley (August 11, 2026)

Description: In Victorian London, valiant cook and amateur sleuth Kat Holloway must help the man she loves solve the murder that will finally uncover his mysterious past, from the New York Times bestselling author of A Silence in Belgrave Square.

Kat Holloway’s beau, Daniel McAdam, has always had a past shrouded in mystery. He knows nothing about his origins, only that he was rescued from the streets many years ago. So when someone claiming to know where Daniel came from turns up dead moments before meeting with him, Daniel goes on the hunt for the killer. It soon becomes clear that to see justice served, Daniel will have to figure out who he truly is. When he asks Kat for her assistance, she readily complies, knowing she’ll do whatever she must to protect the man she’s come to love.

The quest takes Kat and Daniel deep into the East End, where they face dangerous foes from Daniel’s rugged past who will stop at nothing to keep Kat and Daniel from uncovering their secrets. As Kat begins to learn things about Daniel’s history, she fears that the darkest secret—his true name and lineage—will tear apart the tender bonds they’ve begun to form.

My Thoughts: This episode of the Below Stairs mysteries is filled with changes for the main characters and two different mysteries to solve. 

Kat Holloway's fiancé Daniel McAdam has received a message from a man who might be able to shed some light on Daniel's past. However, the man is murdered while on his way to a meeting with Daniel and Kat. It is not at all clear if he was killed because of the information he had for Daniel or for some other reason. 

As Kat investigates the man's lodgings, she meets a friend who tells her that the murdered man had a lead to a house that took in abandoned children but was dissolved when the woman who ran it died with the children sent to a workhouse.

Kat calls on her friends and resources to investigate further while Daniel is concentrating his investigation on finding the man's killer. He is reluctant to hope that the mystery of his past can have a solution.

Kat also receives a blow when she learns that the family that has been caring for her daughter since she was born will be moving away for a job opportunity. Her twice weekly visits with her daughter won't be possible because of the distance to the family's new home. She and Daniel need to save up funds before they can marry and provide a home for her daughter. 

Kat has also begun a new business selling baked goods at a local market as a first step in starting her own business when she marries. 

A lot of things happen in this episode. It is certainly one of changes for both Kat and Daniel. I enjoyed the mysteries. I love the Victorian detail that permeates the story. 

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? (August 3, 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 summer week. My brother and I went out to eat on Wednesday evening to use a coupon I had gotten from Texas Roadhouse. I'll finish my steak leftovers for dinner today. Otherwise, I spent a lot of time reading review copies, listening to audiobooks, and watching Braves baseball. 

This coming week will be busier. I have doctor's appointments Monday and Tuesday. Then the week goes quiet again. My appointment Tuesday is with my dentist. I really expect to be sent home unseen since my chronic cough is still very much present which may make cleaning my teeth difficult if not impossible. We are also thinking about going to Olive Garden for dinner this week but haven't made firm plans yet.

It took a couple of days into August, but I have finally gotten my review stack under 40. It is sitting at 39 as I'm writing this. I read five review copies this week and added three. I also added two audiobooks to my stack which join their Kindle copies. One has already been read and the second is on the stack for this week. 

July Report

I read 39 books this month. Twenty were mine and nineteen were review copies. Eighteen of the books I read this month were audiobooks for a total of a bit over 197 hours. This month most of the books I read came from my TBR mountain and my review stack. Only two of the books I read this month were rereads. 

I added 26 books to my LibraryThing account in July. Nine were audiobooks and eleven were review copies. I used five Audible credits. Five of my new additions are still on the TBR pile and are also on my calendar. 

Here is my State of the Stack post which helps me keep track of my review books. I didn't quite make my July goal of getting under 40 review books on my stack. The review stack is sitting at 41 books. I still have twelve September releases to finish even though I have already read four. I have another twelve on the October pile and eleven on the November pile. 

Read Last Week

• Until She Dies by Kendra Elliot (Review, September 8) -- Next in the Noelle Marshall series. My review will be posted on August 27.
• The Long Call by Ann Cleaves (Audiobook, Mine since July 21) -- First in the Matthew Venn mystery series. My review will be posted on August 26.
• The Shattered King by Charlie N. Holmberg (Audiobook, Mine since July 21) -- First in an epic fantasy duology. My review will be posted on August 28.

• The Chase by Felix Francis (Review, September 8) -- Classis Dick Francis mystery. My review will be posted on September 1.
• Back to the Garden by Laurie R. King (Audiobook Reread) -- First in the Raquel Liang series.
• Those Who Are Gone by Laurie R. King (Review, September 8) -- Second book in the Raquel Liang series. My review will be posted on September 1.

• The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleaves (Kindle mine since May 28, Audiobook mine since July 28) -- Second Matthew Venn mystery. My review will be posted on September 4.
• Fighting Edge by Margaret Mizushima (Review, September 8) -- Next in the Timber Creek K-9 mystery series. My review will be posted on September 2.
• Fury in Death by J. D. Robb (Review, September 8) -- Excellent entry in the In Death series. My review will be posted on September 3.

Currently

• The Mystic and the Missing Girl by Vikki VanSickle (Review, September 8)
• Golden in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread)

Next Week

• A Field Guide to Death & Deceit by Michelle L. Cullen (Review, September 15)
• The Case of the Christie Conspiracy by Kelly Oliver (Audiobook, mine since June 14)
• A Deadly Entanglement by Cathy Pegau (Review, September 15)

• I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas (Review, September 15)
• The Case of the Body on the Orient Express by Kelly Oliver (Audiobook, mine since June 14)
• Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander by Christian Hurst (Kindle mine since May 13; Audiobook mine since July 31)

Reviews Posted

• The Night Island by Jayne Ann Krentz (Audiobook)
• Probable Caws by Donna Andrews (Review copy)
• Death on the Books by Victoria Gilbert (Review copy)

• A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett (Review copy)
• Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty (Review copy)
• (Mostly) Human Resources by Grace Viall (Review copy)

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

Review:

• Written in Starlight by Sloane Brooks (Review, October 13)
• Sunflower Season by Danica Nava (Review, November 3)
• Thunderbird Ranch by Laura Griffin (Review, November 10)

Bought:

• Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander by Christian Hurst (Audible Plus)
• The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleaves (Audible Credit)

What was your week like?

State of the Stack (August 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. Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst (July 21)
2. Pride Comes Before a Fall by Virginia Heath (July 22)
3. Fossil Feud by Maggie North (July 23)
4. Probable Caws by Donna Andrews (July 28)
5. A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett (July 28)
6. Death on the Books by Victoria Gilbert (July 29)
7. Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty (July 30)
8. (Mostly) Human Resources by Grace Viall (July 31)
9. Murder in Blackfriars by Jennifer Ashley (August 4)
10. Death at a Scottish Halloween by Lucy Connelly (August 5)
11. The Matchmaker's Cottage by Kat Sloan (August 6)
12. Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan (August 6)
13. Murder on Charity Lane by Jo Nichols (August 11)
14. For Services Rendered by Will Thomas (August 13)
15. The Bravest Hour by Anna Lee Huber (August 18)
16. The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies by Kate Westbury (August 25)
17. Until She Dies by Kendra Elliot (August 27)
18. The Chase by Felix Francis (September 1)
19. Those Who Are Gone by Laurie R. King (September 1)

DNF

1.  Buyer Beware by Catherine Ryan Howard (July 28)

Read Previously, Posted This Month 

Dates indicate when the review was 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)

New This Month 

Date indicates when the book will be released.

1. The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson (September 29)
2. Murder on Threadneedle Street by Andrea Penrose (September 29)
3. Written in Starlight by Sloane Brooks (October 13)
4. Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano & Hannah Morrissey (October 13)
5. Murder at Pellhurst Pond by Clara McKenna (October 27)
6. Murder in the Upper Crust by Mindy Quigley (October 27)
7. Sunflower Season by Danica Nava (November 3)
8. Thunderbird Ranch by Laura Griffin (November 10)
9. The Riddle Maker by Bruce Borgos (November 17)
10. Birth of the Witch by Nora Roberts (November 17)
11. Roundabout by Jeff Rake & Rob Hart (January 19, 2027)

All TBR Review Books

September

• 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)

• 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 Secret River by Tasha Alexander (September 22)
• The Pumpkin Vice Cafe by Ellie Alexander (September 29)
• Cursed City by Kate Golden (September 29)

• The Dying Light by Ann Cleaves (September 29)
• The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson (September 29)
• Murder on Threadneedle Street by Andrea Penrose (September 29)

October

• Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong (October 6)
• Where There's Smoke by Rachel Louise Adams (October 6)
• Please Enjoy Your Stay by Tara Goedjen (October 13)

• Bark Humbug by David Rosenfelt (October 13)
• Jay to the World by Donna Andrews (October 13)
• Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano & Hannah Morrissey (October 13)

• Written in Starlight by Sloane Brooks (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)
• Murder at Pellhurst Pond by Clara McKenna (October 27)
• Murder in the Upper Crust by Mindy Quigley (October 27)

November

• A Glimmer of Death by Laurell K. Hamilton (November 3)
• Midnight at the House of Commons by Charles Finch (November 3)
• Sunflower Season by Danica Nava (November 3)

• Infinite Wisdom by Thomas R. Weaver (November 10)
• Murder of a Merry Gentleman by Celeste Connally (November 10)
• You, Me, & the Conspiracy by Emma Barry (November 10)

• Fall for a Fairytale by Isabelle Taylor (November 10)
• Bad Company by Sara Paretsky (November 10)
• Thunderbird Ranch by Laura Griffin (November 10)

• The Riddle Maker by Bruce Borgos (November 17)
• Birth of a Witch by Nora Roberts (November 17)

December

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

January

• Roundabout by Jeff Rake & Rob Hart (January 19)
• Scream City by Hannah Morrissey (January 36)

March

• Tell Me What You See by Samantha Jayne Allen (March 2)

ARC Review: (Mostly) Human Resources by Grace Viall

(Mostly) Human Resources
Author: Grace Viall
Publication: Alcove Press (August 4, 2026)

Description: A debut slow-burn work-nemesis romance set in a world where cryptids and monsters are a part of life . . . and someone has to do the paperwork.

Working in human resources was not what Alexys had in mind when she joined Entity, the private company that categorizes and manages the world’s cryptids. But after her dad was killed on the job as a Warden in the Appalachian Mountains, she was filled with noble ideas of carrying on his legacy . . . from the safety of a desk. Alexys dreams of climbing the corporate ladder while managing the Appalachian Wardens and sparring with Nic, the frustrating (and annoyingly attractive) Director of Research and Cataloging.

When one of Alexys’s new Wardens goes missing after inquiring about a mysterious and highly dangerous monster, her chances of promotion disappear along with him. Determined to save her career—and to shield the Warden’s family from the trauma she experienced after losing her father on the job—she marches off into the monster-infested wilderness to find him herself.

Meanwhile, Nic, with ambitions of becoming the youngest Entity employee to discover a new monster, follows Alexys on her hunt. But the work nemeses are about to discover why the Appalachian Mountains are the last place you want to find yourself after dark. Among mountains older than bones, the jackalopes and ghouls are the least of their worries . . .

My Thoughts: Alexys Keane works for Entity, a private company that categorizes and manages the world's cryptids, in the Human Resources Department. Her father was a Warden who was killed in the line of duty. She wants to honor his memory by working for the same company, but she doesn't want a file job as a Warden. She prefers managing other Wardens. 

When one of her Wardens goes missing, Alexys is forced into the field to track down what happened to him. He went off chasing a new monster even after she told him not to do so. The monster Elliot went chasing is one that Nic who is in charge of research has been researching for many years. Finding proof of its existence would do great things for his career. So, he heads off to the field to "help" Alexys.

Alexys doesn't want help from her annoying colleague. But she's not a field worker and Nic does have those skills. The two find themselves in the Appalachians and surrounded by more monsters than either of them ever anticipated. Along the way, Alexys discovers that beneath his annoying mannerisms is a man she could fall in love with if they both survive. 

I enjoyed the variety of cryptids in the story and the adventures the characters had. The descriptions of the landscapes and the inclusions of a wide variety of mythological creatures made the story interesting to read. I also liked the way the relationship grew between Alexys and Nic as they were forced to work together if either was to survive.

I did think that the ending of the story was a little abrupt with some pretty major issues left unresolved. However, indications are that this is the first of a series. Also, the description states that this is a romantic fantasy, but it seems rather short on romance for that category. Fantasy, yes. Romantic fantasy, not so much. 

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

Audiobook Review: The Night Island by Jayne Ann Krentz

The Night Island
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Narrator: Eva Kaminsky
Series: The Lost Night Files (Book 2)
Publication: Recorded Books (January 9, 2024)
Length: 8 hours and 23 minutes

Description: The disappearance of a mysterious informant leads two people desperate for answers to an island of deadly deception in this new novel in the Lost Night Files trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz.

Talia March, Pallas Llewellyn, and Amelia Rivers, bonded by a night they all have no memory of, are dedicated to uncovering the mystery of what really happened to them months ago--an experience that brought out innate psychic abilities in each of them. The women suspect they were test subjects years earlier, and that there are more people like them--all they have to do is find the list. When Talia follows up on a lead from Phoebe, a fan of the trio's podcast, she discovers that the informant has vanished.

Talia isn't the only one looking for Phoebe, however. Luke Rand, a hunted and haunted man who is chasing the same list that Talia is after, also shows up at the meeting place. It's clear he has his own agenda, and they are instantly suspicious of each other. But when a killer begins to stalk them, they realize they have to join forces to find Phoebed the list.

The rocky investigation leads Talia and Luke to a rustic, remote retreat on Night Island in the Pacific Northwest. The retreat promises to rejuvenate guests with the Unplugged Experience. Upon their arrival, Talia and Luke discover guests are quite literally cut off from the outside world because none of their high-tech devices work on the island. It soon becomes clear that Phoebe is not the first person to disappear into the strange gardens that surround the Unplugged Experience retreat. And then the first mysterious death occurs...

My Thoughts: Talia March is following up a tip to the list she and her partners at the Lost Night Files podcast are searching for when she discovers that her informant is missing. Luke Rand, who suffered a lost night of his own, is also looking for the informant and the list. The two are immediately suspicious of each other but agree to team up mostly to not let the other get a head start on the investigation.

Clues lead them to an isolated island off the Washington coast where they discover even more mysteries and, unfortunately for Talia, more dead bodies. Finding bodies has been a consequence of having her psychic abilities ramped up during her lost night. 

Luke's ability to read people via their emotions has also ramped up. Now, he is afraid that he has become a psychic assassin who can kill people with his talent. Talia tries to convince him that he's wrong because an ability still requires choice, and she knows he won't choose to become an assassin. Unfortunately, Luke wasn't the only one who had his powers ramped up to become an assassin and the other man who feels his ramp up was more successful is determined to kill Luke.

Not only do Talia and Luke have to deal with the psychic assassin but Night Island was once the site of botanical experiments, and the plant life has gone feral and dangerous. Avoiding an assassin and lethal vegetation give Talia and Luke a strong incentive to work together and learn to trust each other and, finally, to admit that they love each other.

This is the second of a trilogy which means that readers of the first book have more information about the ultimate evil doer who is behind both characters' lost nights and what the ultimate aim is. It was entertaining to watch Luke and Talia gather more pieces of the bigger puzzle as they fell in love.

I bought this one April 6. You can buy your copy here.