Saturday, April 30, 2022

ARC Review: When She Dreams by Amanda Quick

When She Dreams

Author:
Amanda Quick
Series: Burning Cove, California (Book 6)
Publication: Berkley (May 3, 2022)

Description: Return to 1930s Burning Cove, California, the glamorous seaside playground for Hollywood stars, mobsters, spies, and a host of others who find more than they bargain for in this mysterious town.

Maggie Lodge, assistant to the reclusive advice columnist known only as Dear Aunt Cornelia to her readers, hires down-but-not-quite-out private eye Sam Sage to help track down the person who is blackmailing her employer. Maggie and Sam are a mismatched pair. As far as Sam is concerned, Maggie is reckless and in over her head. She is not what he had in mind for a client, but he can’t afford to be choosy. Maggie, on the other hand, is convinced that Sam is badly in need of guidance and good advice. She does not hesitate to give him both.

In spite of the verbal fireworks between them, they are fiercely attracted to each other, but each is convinced it would be a mistake to let passion take over. They are, after all, keeping secrets from each other. Sam is haunted by his past, which includes a marriage shattered by betrayal and violence. Maggie is troubled by intense and vivid dreams—dreams that she can sometimes control. There are those who want to run experiments on her and use her for their own purposes, while others think she should be committed to an asylum.

When the pair discovers someone is impersonating Aunt Cornelia at a conference on psychic dreaming and a woman dies at the conference, the door is opened to a dangerous web of blackmail and murder. Secrets from the past are revealed, leaving Maggie and Sam in the path of a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to exact vengeance.

My Thoughts: Quick returns to her Burning Cove series with another excellent romantic suspense title. 

Maggie Lodge is a would-be novelist who is currently working as an administrative assistant for a reclusive advice columnist known as Aunt Cordelia. Maggie is a lucid dreamer who has had trouble with a number of people including doctors. One doctor in particular - Dr. Emerson Oxlade - is a particular problem since he has become obsessed with her talent. 

When Maggie's boss, who has taken off on a tour of the South Pacific, receives a blackmail note demanding that she attend a conference for lucid dreaming in Burning Cove, Maggie decides to hire a private detective to help her track down the blackmailer.

Sam Sage is new in the private investigator business. He's a former LA homicide detective who lost his job when he arrested the wrong man (with a powerful family) and was fired. This new case has some positives. At least, he won't be doing divorce work. It also has some negatives. His new client intends to be a full partner in the investigation and she's taking notes for her detective novel. 

The two find themselves in Burning Cove and finding bodies, uncovering secrets, and falling in love.

This story is filled with period detail and the witty banter which is the author's trademark. I really liked the two main characters and enjoyed watching their relationship grow. The mystery was also well done and complex. 

Fans of historical romantic suspense can't go wrong with this story. 

Favorite Quote:
"I couldn't resist. It was for his own good."

"The one reason guaranteed to annoy anyone without fail."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, April 29, 2022

Friday Memes: When She Dreams by Amanda Quick

 Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City ReaderThe Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:
"You poisoned me."
Friday 56:
Raine turned to Sam. "I understand you want to keep our association confidential."

"Yes," Sam said.

"That's normal. How shall I contact you?"
This week I am spotlighting When She Dreams by Amanda Quick. This latest Burning Cove novel is from my review stack. Here's the description from Amazon:
Return to 1930s Burning Cove, California, the glamorous seaside playground for Hollywood stars, mobsters, spies, and a host of others who find more than they bargain for in this mysterious town.

Maggie Lodge, assistant to the reclusive advice columnist known only as Dear Aunt Cornelia to her readers, hires down-but-not-quite-out private eye Sam Sage to help track down the person who is blackmailing her employer. Maggie and Sam are a mismatched pair. As far as Sam is concerned, Maggie is reckless and in over her head. She is not what he had in mind for a client, but he can’t afford to be choosy. Maggie, on the other hand, is convinced that Sam is badly in need of guidance and good advice. She does not hesitate to give him both.

In spite of the verbal fireworks between them, they are fiercely attracted to each other, but each is convinced it would be a mistake to let passion take over. They are, after all, keeping secrets from each other. Sam is haunted by his past, which includes a marriage shattered by betrayal and violence. Maggie is troubled by intense and vivid dreams—dreams that she can sometimes control. There are those who want to run experiments on her and use her for their own purposes, while others think she should be committed to an asylum.

When the pair discovers someone is impersonating Aunt Cornelia at a conference on psychic dreaming and a woman dies at the conference, the door is opened to a dangerous web of blackmail and murder. Secrets from the past are revealed, leaving Maggie and Sam in the path of a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to exact vengeance.

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Book & Audio Review: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

On the Edge

Author:
Ilona Andrews
Narrator: Renee Raudman
Series: A Novel of the Edge (Book 1)
Publication: Ace; Original edition (August 28, 2009); Tantor Audio (January 7, 2010)
Length: 247 p.; 12 hours and 8 minutes

Description: Step into a whole new world in the first Novel of the Edge from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Kate Daniels series.

The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is a fairy tale—and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny...

Rose Drayton thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn’t turn out the way she’d planned, and now she works an off-the-books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have Rose (and her power).

But when a flood of creatures hungry for magic invade the Edge, Declan and Rose must overcome their differences and work together to destroy them—or the beasts will devour the Edge and everyone in it...

My Thoughts: The first book in Andrews' Edge series introduces a land caught between the Broken with Walmart and technology and the Weird with magic. Rose Drayton is also caught between worlds. She works on off-the-books job in the Broken so that she can feed and clothe her two young brothers. Her mother is dead and her father has abandoned the family. 

Rose has magic. In fact, she has such powerful magic that she has become a target for those who want to exploit her. She's been betrayed by the boyfriend who wanted to sell her to the highest bidder and a man from the Weird who courted her but was outed as a slaver who also just wanted to use her. Her trust in men is nonexistent.

When Declan Camarine comes to her from the Weird, her first comment is that she has no intention of marrying her. This intrigues Declan who has come to the Edge for a far different reason. A man from the Weird has goals of conquering the Edge and eating all the magic. Rose and her brothers George and Jack are brimming with magic. Declan decides that he'll find his target if he keeps close to Rose and her family.

Neither is expecting to fall in love with the other. But, as they work together to find and defeat the villain, their emotions get involved. 

I enjoyed the worldbuilding in this story. The characters were also interesting and well-rounded people. I liked that Rose was a strong woman with a deep love for her family and the determination needed to keep them safe. I liked that Declan was an honorable man who had a chance to convince Rose that all men weren't scum. 

This was an entertaining, fast-paced story with lots of action and just enough romance. 

Favorite Quote:
"A young girl is a creature of dreams, my lord. A woman with one foot in the world of fantasy, searching for the face of true love in every handsome boy she sees. Rose has no fantasies. One would expect a woman who has gone through her trials to be bitter and angry, but she isn't. She's kind, sweet, selfless, and generous, and I thank my lucky stars for this every day."

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

ARC Review: The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

The Marlow Murder Club

Author:
Robert Thorogood
Series: Marlow Murder Club (Book 1)
Publication: HQ (January 7, 2021)

Description: To solve an impossible murder, you need an impossible hero…

Judith Potts is seventy-seven years old and blissfully happy. She lives on her own in a faded mansion just outside Marlow, there’s no man in her life to tell her what to do or how much whisky to drink, and to keep herself busy she sets crosswords for The Times newspaper. 

One evening, while out swimming in the Thames, Judith witnesses a brutal murder. The local police don’t believe her story, so she decides to investigate for herself, and is soon joined in her quest by Suzie, a salt-of-the-earth dog-walker, and Becks, the prim and proper wife of the local Vicar.

Together, they are the Marlow Murder Club.

When another body turns up, they realise they have a real-life serial killer on their hands. And the puzzle they set out to solve has become a trap from which they might never escape…

My Thoughts: An unlikely trio of detectives solve three murders in the cozy village of Marlow. Judith Potts is seventy-seven and lives alone in a run-down mansion. She's content with her life, enjoying her whiskey, and setting crossword puzzles to keep her mind sharp. 

When Judith is out swimming nude one evening, she hears a gunshot at her neighbor's house across the river. Unable to get out of the river, she returns home and calls the police. They look around and don't find anything. The next day Judith looks around herself and finds the body of Stefan Dunwoody in the garden. 

Judith becomes interested in trying to solve the murder though she's discouraged by Detective Sergeant Tanika Malik. DS Malik is in over her head since her boss is out sick and their boss isn't quick to assign a more experienced investigator. So Judith begins poking around. 

When a second man, cabdriver Iqbal Kassam is found dead in his bed with the same sort of wound as Dunwoody, dog-walker Suzie Harris gets involved in the investigation along with Judith. And along the way, Becks Starling who is the vicar's perfectionist wife becomes part of the team. When a third murder victim is discovered, the trio spends a lot of time trying to figure out the connections between the victims and trying to prove that various suspects were guilty of the crime. 

I really enjoyed the various personalities of the three amateur detectives. The mystery was enjoyable too with lots of twists and turns, clues and red herrings. This was an engaging cozy mystery.

Favorite Quote:
"Let's go and cut ourselves a couple of slices and I'll explain. Because, between Beck's loaf of bread, some shredded paper, and a charity shop wheelchair, I reckon we'll have a good chance of getting our hands on what we need by the close of play this afternoon."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

ARC Review: The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson

The Agathas

Author:
Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson
Publication: Delacorte Press (May 3, 2022)

Description: Who killed Brooke Donovan? It’s the biggest mystery of the summer, and everyone in Castle Cove thinks it’s the wrong guy. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and Riverdale can’t miss this page-turning who-done-it that’s sure to be the next must read Young Adult thriller!

Last summer, Alice Ogilvie’s basketball-star boyfriend Steve dumped her. Then she disappeared for five days. Where she went and what happened to her is the biggest mystery in Castle Cove, because she’s not talking. Or it was, at least. But now, another one of Steve’s girlfriends has vanished: Brooke Donovan, Alice’s ex–best friend. And it doesn’t look like Brooke will be coming back. . .

Enter Iris Adams, Alice’s tutor. Iris has her own reasons for wanting to disappear, though unlike Alice, she doesn’t have the money or the means. That could be changed by the hefty reward Brooke’s grandmother is offering to anyone who can share information about her granddaughter’s whereabouts. The police are convinced Steve is the culprit, but Alice isn’t so sure, and with Iris on her side, she just might be able to prove her theory.

In order to get the reward and prove Steve’s innocence, they need to figure out who killed Brooke Donovan. And luckily Alice has exactly what they need—the complete works of Agatha Christie. If there’s anyone that can teach the girls how to solve a mystery it’s the master herself. But the town of Castle Cove holds many secrets, and Alice and Iris have no idea how much danger they're about to walk into.

My Thoughts: There are two kinds of people at Castle Cove High School - the Mains who are rich and popular and everyone else. Alice Ogilvie used to be one of the Mains. Then her boyfriend broke up with her and started dating her best friend. Then Alice disappeared for five days causing an all-out manhunt and then quietly reappeared. After a period of house arrest and immersing herself in the works of Agatha Christie, she is back in school and needs a tutor.

Iris Adams is one of the others at CCHS. She's bright but poor and determined to get through school without making waves - or friends. The pay for tutoring Alice would go a long way to building up her getting out of Castle Cove fund - and getting out is what Iris really wants to do.

Alice attends a Halloween party at Levy Castle where she has an argument with her former boyfriend Steve and ex-best friend Brooke. Then Alice storms off for home. Iris, who is out walking, sees Brooke and Steve arguing and Brooke running off. She follows but doesn't find Brooke. 

When Brooke doesn't come home from the party, only Alice seems to be worried. Her adopted father Matt Donovan who coaches basketball and teaches history at CCHS doesn't seem concerned. And Brooke's friends don't seem concerned either. It isn't until Alice calls Brooke's very rich grandmother that things start to happen. 

When Steve is arrested for the murder, Alice recruits Iris to help her prove that he's innocent. At first, Iris is in it for the $50,000 reward. She wasn't close to Brooke or any of the other Mains. But the two girls find lots of secrets as they begin their investigations. They discover all sorts of things from illicit relationships, planted evidence, drugs and bribery. Luckily, Alice has a secret contact who provides her with information and Iris has the rest of her group of friends who are into forensics, because the police are either corrupt or clueless and reluctant to look at anyone but Steve for the crime. 

I enjoyed this story very much. I really liked both Iris and Alice who were both intriguing characters. Alice was a neglected, poor little rich girl whose parents were way too busy and absent to pay any attention to her. She was deeply lonely. Iris had a loving and supportive mother who worked as a bartender, but she also had an abusive father that she was terribly afraid of and who didn't pay enough attention to the restraining order. The side characters from Iris's Zoner friends to Steve's lawyer were also positive characters with the Mains being negative characters. 

Fans of mysteries will enjoy this excellent story.

Favorite Quote:
There are many perks to being invisible.

I don't mean the actual kind of invisible, like the whole vaporous thing in the movies. I mean being the type of person that people simply don't really see, because the type of person you are (the type of person they think you are) is not one that interests them. Because people don't see you, you have free rein to listen in on conversations, observe behavior, and learn patterns. All of these things are essential to surviving life, particularly high school.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Book & Audio Review: To Play the Fool by Laurie R. King

To Play the Fool

Author:
Laurie R. King
Narrator: Alyssa Bresnahan
Series: A Kate Martinelli Mystery (Book 2)
Publication: Minotaur Books (April 1, 2010); Macmillan Audio (January 21, 2014)
Length: 272 p,; 9 hours and 14 minutes

Description: The story unfolds as a band of homeless people cremate a beloved dog in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. When it comes to incidents like this, the authorities are willing to overlook a few broken regulations. But three weeks later, after the dog's owner gets the same fiery send-off, the SFPD knows it has a serious problem on its hands.

Other than the fact that they're dealing with a particularly grisly homicide, Inspector Kate Martinelli and her partner, Al Hawkin, have little else to go on. They have a homeless victim without a positive ID, a group of witnesses who have little love for the cops, and a possible suspect, known only as Brother Erasmus.

Kate learns that Erasmus is well-acquainted with the park's homeless and with the rarefied atmosphere of Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union, yet he remains an enigma to all. It's apparent that he is by no means crazy--but he is a fool. Kate begins the frustrating task of interrogating a man who communicates only through quotations. Trying to learn something of his history leads her along a twisting road to a disbanded cult, long-buried secrets, the thirst for spirituality, and the hunger for bloody vengeance.

My Thoughts: This second Kate Martinelli mystery begins with the cremation of a dog in the park by a group of homeless people. But when the same group attempts the cremation of the dog's owner three weeks later the police are called in. When it is determined that the death was murder, Martinelli and Hawkin are assigned the case. 

They have an unidentified victim known only as John, a bunch of homeless witnesses with varying mental illnesses, and a mysterious character known as Brother Erasmus. Brother Erasmus is a beloved character among the homeless and also well-known across the bay at Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union, and among the entertainers at Fisherman's Wharf. He is a man of mystery who only speaks in quotations.

Interviewing him is an exercise in frustration for Kate and Al. But as they try to uncover his past, they discover information about the defunct Fools' Movement and a tragic past. There was a lot about the religious implications of being a Fool which was intriguing. 

Kate and Lee are still dealing with the aftereffects of Lee's shooting which ended the previous book as Lee is in therapy to overcome her paralysis. Kate had been on leave to help her; this is only her second case since she's been back as an active homicide detective. 

The characters were all intriguing. I loved the setting of the story. It was also an engaging mystery.

Favorite Quote:
No, she did not like cozying up to that old man in order to pry him loose from his secure rest; she was honest enough with herself to admit that she felt dirty using his affection against him. Feeling dirty was, of course, an occupational hazard and so far it had never kept her from doing her job.

But, all in all, she would much rather play bad cop.
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Fair Trade by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

Fair Trade

Author:
Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Series: Liaden Universe (Book 24)
Publication: Baen (May 3, 2022)

Description: Jethri Gobelyn has risen far: from despised youngest on a Terran family Loop ship to second trader on premier Liaden tradeship Elthoria under the guidance of his unlikely foster-mother Norn ven'Deelin Clan Ixin. Master Trader ven'Deelin has taught Jethri much, and she expects great things from him. Indeed, one might say she demands them.

Jethri has inherited a mission from his father, a plan that will allow family Loop ships like the one he grew up on to survive the encroachment of Rostov’s Dust. In this, he’s backed by several prominent Looper families who are scheduled to meet and plan at the South Axis Trade Fair.

In what seems to be a fortunate pairing of missions, Master Trader ven'Deelin sees Jethri become lead trader on his own small ship, which is scheduled to arrive at the South Axis Fair.

Unfortunately, that “fortunate coincidence” may instead be a test of Jethri’s loyalties, as he’s thrust into a tangle of gray-trading, mistaken identity, misinformation, and galactic politics. . . .

My Thoughts: This is the third book starring Jethri Gobelyn ven'Deelin who has come far from being an unwanted extra on his birth ship to becoming a fully trained and competent trader. This story sees Jethri gaining his own ship through the offices of his mother foster Master Trader Norn ven'Deelin Clan Ixin and Master Trader pin'Aker Clan Midys who both expect great things of him. 

They send him to the South Axis Trade Fair which is a gathering of Terran traders. This is an ideal location for him to talk about the Envidaria - a document talking about the future of trade which was first written by Jethri's father Arin who died when Jethri was a child. 

But the Envidaria is not a universally popular document. Members of the Combine and TerraTrade don't want anything to upset their very comfortable current situation. And, after all, the coming of Rostov's Dust won't affect very many worlds. Jethri disagrees and needs to get very political if he is going to be able to save the Loopers, and family ships, and the planets who will be disrupted by the coming Dust. 

Jethri has allies. Freza and Brabham from the Balrog have been working on Arin's plan since long before Jethri even knew about it. And other Loopers are also signing on to make the changes needed to survive the coming of Rostov's Dust. He also has enemies at the Trade Fair including Senior Technical Administrator Bory Borygard of TerraTrade who knew Jethri's father and disliked the Envidaria because it would disrupt his comfortable life.

Jethri has obstacles outside the congress too. While his master and mentor want him to be raised to the rank of Master Trader, the Liaden Trade Guild has enough members who don't want a Terran to be admitted to their ranks to throw a number of obstacles in Jethri's way. 

Outside this main story of Jethri at the Trade Fair, we have the story of Dulcimer and her crew. They used to trade on the dark side with contacts who look like earlier versions of the Juntavas. But with the death of their parents, the new captain wants to shift their focus to the clean, legal side of trade. They also have a pod of norbears onboard which is causing conflict between those who want to keep them there and those who want to space the animals. Squithen Patel is the one who communicates best with the norbears but is otherwise a very low-ranked member of the crew. She was a very interesting character. The hints at the story of how the norbears came to be on Dulcimer is a story I want to know. 

There is also another plot line concerning the Elsavair and her crew who seem to be earlier versions of the Bedel. They trade in Old Tech and have deals with the Uncle who happens to be Jethri's actual uncle being the brother of his father Arin. Jethri is particularly sensitive to Old Tech, a tweak his uncle and father built into his genetics, and ends up buying some disturbing devices from the Elsavair including a device worn like a hood which is a teaching tool that almost overwhelms him. 

My only complaint about this story was that, while progress was made on a number of fronts, nothing was finished. It does make me eager for the fourth book in Jethri's story which is still mainly residing in the authors' brains as I finish this book. 

Favorite Quote:
We are both an opportunity and a curiosity. You are a ship-born Looper who holds a ten-year Terran Combine trade key and a Liaden-trained trader. Who would not wish to meet such a marvel, especially here at the great congress of Terran traders. More, you have liberated a trade document that is likely to change how business is done among the very traders who form this congress.
I bought this eARC at Baen Books. You can buy your copy here.

Monday, April 25, 2022

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (April 25, 2022)

 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.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack? links to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.

Other Than Reading...

I had another quiet week. Rain took the place of our usual mid-week snow event which had the benefit of melting quite a bit of our existing snow. My south-facing front yard is snow free. There are still snow piles and drifts in my more shadowed back yard. It has rained every other day this week which was bad for any solar production. Temperatures have been cooler than normal too and look like they will be staying that way for most of the coming week.
Even though I have been trying to concentrate on May review books, I found myself getting sidetracked by the Elfhome series by Wen Spencer. I read the newest and realized how interconnected all of the stories were. I decided to reread them all to see the connections. Once I've finished the first four, I'll reread Harbinger to catch all the details I missed. 

Since I have another series reread planned, I may try to read all of my May review books before starting the reread of the His Dark Materials series. I feel like I'm falling behind since I'm only a couple of weeks ahead on my calendar. I get nervous when I don't have a month's cushion even though I usually read six books a week.

Read Last Week

If you can't wait until the review shows up on my blog, reviews are posted to LibraryThing and Goodreads as soon as I write them (usually right after I finish reading a book.)
  • Dead Against Her by Melinda Leigh (Review; May 17) -- This is the 5th mystery starring Sheriff Bree Taggert. It was action-packed. My review will be posted on May 12.
  • Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman (Review; May 17) -- This contemporary romance was an entertaining story with some humor and serious social issues. My review will be posted on May 10.
  • Tinker by Wen Spencer (Audiobook Reread) -- This is the first book in the Elfhome series. I reread it last August. Here's my review.
  • Wolf Who Rules by Wen Spencer (Audiobook Reread) -- This is the second book in the Elfhome series. I reread it via audiobook last October. Here's my review.
  • Elfhome by Wen Spencer (Audiobook Reread) -- This is the third book in the Elfhome series. I reread it via audiobook last October. Here's my review
  • Harbinger by Wen Spencer (Mine) -- Latest in her Elfhome series follows lots of characters and ends on a major cliffhanger. My review will be posted on May 28.
  • Project Elfhome by Wen Spencer (Audiobook; Reread) -- Series of interconnected short stories, novellas, and drabbles about characters other than the main characters. I reviewed the eARC in 2016. Here's my review.
Currently
Next Week
Reviews Posted

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

Review:
Bought:
What was your week like?

Saturday, April 23, 2022

Book Review: Mrs. Hudson and the Spirits' Curse by Martin Davies

Mrs. Hudson and the Spirits' Curse

Author:
Martin Davies
Series: A Holmes & Hudson Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Canelo; Digital original edition (July 13, 2015)

Description: What if Baker Street’s most gifted resident wasn’t called Sherlock Holmes?

An evil stalks London, blown in from the tropics. Stories of cursed giant rats and malign spirits haunt the garrets of Limehouse. A group of merchants are, one by one, dying. The elementary choice to investigate these mysterious deaths is, of course, Holmes and Dr Watson.

Yet the unique gifts of their housekeeper, Mrs Hudson, and her orphaned assistant Flotsam, will be needed to solve the case. Can she do it all under the nose of Sherlock himself?

From the coal fire at Baker Street to the smog of Whitechapel and the jungles of Sumatra, from snake bites in grand hotels to midnight carriage chases at the docks, it’s time for Mrs Hudson to step out of the shadows. Playfully breaking with convention, Martin Davies brings a fresh twist to classic Victorian mystery.

My Thoughts: This version of the Sherlock Holmes stories casts housekeeper Mrs. Hudson in a much more prominent role than stories in the canon. It is told by Flotsam, a poor young orphan girl, who is brought in as Mrs. Hudson's apprentice both in housekeeping and detective work.

The case begins when a man comes to Baker Street to try to hire Holmes. He tells a complex tale including a curse laid on him in Sumatra which has followed him home. He is in great fear and begs Holmes' help. 

Mrs. Hudson has some doubts about the man's story and begins her own investigation among her wide variety of acquaintances in London who range from a solicitor to a boy sells vegetables in the market. While Holmes is using his brain and deductive skills, Mrs. Hudson is finding out what is really going on (and giving Holmes hints to guide him to a proper solution.)

Throughout the story are hints that Mrs. Hudson has had a long career solving problems and collecting a lot of favors. She even has a long history with a man named Fogarty who is the reason Flotsam found herself on the street, fleeing villains, before she met Mrs. Hudson. Fogarty has quite a role in this mystery which moves it from curses in Sumatra to murders in London.

I really liked the setting and the historical detail. I enjoyed this new take which gives Mrs. Hudson an enhanced role and an apprentice. It was a fun story.

Favorite Quote:
"You're right, Flottie, it is wrong. But there's all sorts of wrongs in this world and, for all our efforts, you and I won't be able to root up all of it."
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, April 22, 2022

Friday Memes: Mrs. Hudson and the Spirits' Curse by Martin Davies

 Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City ReaderThe Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:
It was Scraggs the grocer's boy, taking pity on my impoverished circumstances and the collapse of my spirits, who made the introduction that was to change my life. 
Friday 56:
'Now, less of that,' he urged. 'What's to be so scared of? I ain't goin' to eat yer. Too skinny, you see.' He laughed, but I was beyond comfort.
This week I am spotlighting Mrs. Hudson and the Spirits' Curse by Martin Davies. This was a Kindle Deal last November. Here is the description from Amazon:
What if Baker Street’s most gifted resident wasn’t called Sherlock Holmes?

An evil stalks London, blown in from the tropics. Stories of cursed giant rats and malign spirits haunt the garrets of Limehouse. A group of merchants are, one by one, dying. The elementary choice to investigate these mysterious deaths is, of course, Holmes and Dr Watson.

Yet the unique gifts of their housekeeper, Mrs Hudson, and her orphaned assistant Flotsam, will be needed to solve the case. Can she do it all under the nose of Sherlock himself?

From the coal fire at Baker Street to the smog of Whitechapel and the jungles of Sumatra, from snake bites in grand hotels to midnight carriage chases at the docks, it’s time for Mrs Hudson to step out of the shadows. Playfully breaking with convention, Martin Davies brings a fresh twist to classic Victorian mystery.

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Book & Audio Review: A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King

A Grave Talent

Author:
Laurie R. King
Narrator: Alyssa Bresnahan
Series: A Kate Martinelli Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Minotaur Books (April 1, 2010); Macmillan Audio (January 27, 2014)
Length: 386 p.; 14 hours and 14 minutes

Description: In Laurie R. King's Grave Talent, the unthinkable has happened in a small community outside of San Francisco. A series of shocking murders has occurred, the victims far too innocent and defenseless. For lesbian Detective Kate Martinelli, just promoted to Homicide and paired with a seasoned cop who's less than thrilled to be handed a green partner, it's a difficult case that just keeps getting harder.

Then the police receive what appears to be a case-breaking lead: it seems that one of the residents of this odd colony is Vaun Adams, arguably the century's greatest woman painter and a notorious felon once convicted of a heinous crime.

But what really happened eighteen years ago? To bring a murderer to justice, Kate must delve into the artist's dark past—even if it means losing everything she holds dear.

My Thoughts: The first Kate Martinelli mystery begins when she is newly promoted to Inspector and assigned to Al Hawkin as his new partner. Al is also new to the SFPD after a successful career in Los Angeles. He isn't pleased with a rookie partner who seems to be assigned to the new case mainly because she's a woman. The case is that of the murder of three children who are left near The Road which is part of a private compound filled with eccentric people near San Francisco. 

As Al and Kate investigate the people who live along the Road to try to find out the connection to the deaths of the little girls from San Francisco, they discover that one of the residents is Vaun Adams who is a famous artist and also a convicted murderer. She was convicted of strangling the six-year-old girl she was babysitting when she was eighteen. She has served her sentence, built a new life, and just wants to be left alone. But the killer isn't finished with her.

The story was a fascinating. I enjoyed learning about Kate's past and how she met her partner Lee and learning how they are building their relationship. Having read later books in the series, I wasn't surprised to learn that Kate's partner Lee was another woman though it wasn't revealed until later in the book. 

This was a good police procedural. I liked the way they tracked the murderer through thorough investigation. I thought the villain was super creepy and was pleased when our heroes were finally able to find evidence to arrest him for his many crimes. 

I liked the way the story was told in sections and covered quite a bit of time. I liked seeing the growth of Al and Kate's partnership and Kate's growth as a person who comes to accept who she is. 

Favorite Quote:
"Geniuses of any kind are always impossibly bloody, single-minded bastards, and women have never had that option, not as a class, not until very recently."
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Murder on Madison Square by Victoria Thompson

Murder on Madison Square

Author:
Victoria Thompson
Series: A Gaslight Mystery (Book 25)
Publication: Berkley (April 26, 2022)

Description: Sarah and Frank Malloy must catch a scheming killer in this latest gripping installment in the USA Today bestselling Gaslight Mysteries.

Former policeman Frank Malloy is frustrated when a woman requests his private detective services to implicate her wealthy husband in adultery, the only legal grounds for divorce in New York state. Although Mrs. Bing seems genuinely distressed about her marriage and desperate to end it, she refuses to tell Frank the reason she absolutely must divorce her husband and admits she has no legal grounds. Frank explains he won't manufacture evidence for her and sends her on her way.

The following week, Frank and Sarah happen to be attending the first ever auto show in Madison Square Garden when they meet the woman's husband, Alfred Bing, who has invested in a company that produces one of the electric motorcars on display. A few days later, the newspapers report that millionaire Alvin Bing has been found dead, pinned beneath one of the wheels of his very own motorcar. But who was driving it? The obvious suspect is Mrs. Bing, but Frank and Sarah find that nothing is as it seems in their puzzling, dangerous search for truth.

My Thoughts: Frank Malloy gets a visit from a potential new client named Mrs. Alvin Bing who wants to divorce her husband. The only grounds for divorce in New York are adultery though which she says is not the problem. But she won't tell Frank what the problem is. 

Then Frank and Sarah attend the first ever auto show in Madison Square Garden and meet Mr. Alvin Bing who is a part-owner of a shop making electric automobiles. Frank is an enthusiast for this new form of transportation and Sarah is intrigued by the ease of operating these electric vehicles. Both are interested in Mr. Bing.

When Mr. Bing is run over by one of his own automobiles, Mrs. Bing hires them to find out who murdered him even though she's a suspect herself because of her desire to divorce him. There are plenty of suspects including the first Mrs. Bing who he had abandoned in the mining camps of Colorado and who has now tracked him down. Other suspects include his daughter Pearl who was taken with him when he abandoned his wife and his stepdaughter Carrie who is the current Mrs. Bing's daughter. 

Will Warren who is Bing's partner in the automobile factory and who is the designer behind the electric vehicle also has reasons to want Bing dead. 

While I had a pretty good idea why the current Mrs. Bing wanted a divorce and what Mr. Bing was like, it took a while, and a few more murders, for me to figure out who the villain was in this story. I enjoyed the historical detail about the early days of the automobile industry. 

Fans of the series won't want to miss this episode. It also worked well for me even though I have only previously read the first book in this series. The characters and setting were interesting and engaging.

Favorite Quote:
"The wheel left a clear mark when it passed over his belly and his chest," Doc mused. "What are those wheels made of anyway?"

"Wood, just like a wagon wheel."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

ARC Review: The Wrong Victim by Allison Brennan

The Wrong Victim

Author:
Allison Brennan
Series: A Quinn & Costa Thriller (Book 3)
Publication: MIRA; Original edition (April 26, 2022)

Description: A bomb explodes on a sunset charter cruise out of Friday Harbor at the height of tourist season and kills everyone on board. Now this fishing and boating community is in shock and asking who would commit such a heinous crime—the largest act of mass murder in the history of the San Juan Islands.

Forensic profilers know there are two types of domestic terrorists: those who use violence to instill fear for political purposes but stop at murder because it detracts from the cause, and those who crave attention and are willing to maim and murder for their own agenda.

Accused of putting profits before people after leaking fuel that caused a massive fish kill, the West End Charter companynmay itself have been the target. But as special agent Matt Costa, detective Kara Quinn and the rest of the FBI team begin their investigation, they discover that plenty of people might have wanted someone dead on that yacht. Now they must track down who is responsible and stop them before they strike again.

My Thoughts: This is the third Quinn & Costa thriller. This time the team is called in when a boat on a sunset cruise in the San Juan Islands explodes killing eight people including retired FBI Agent Neil Devereaux. The first thing they need to do is determine who the target was, and they have lots of possibilities.

West End Charter fleet has drawn a lot of attention from Island Protectors who are convinced that they are deliberately polluting the ocean. Devereaux has been pursuing a cold case since he retired, and he might be getting close to find a murderer. The wife of one of the passengers backed out at the last minute. Perhaps she wanted her wealthy husband dead. There was a last-minute crew change. Maybe either of the crew was the intended victim. 

There are lots of leads to explore and there is also tension on the team. Kara Quinn is a recent addition to the team. After her career as an undercover cop in LA was blown, she needed a place to hide while waiting to testify. Since she had begun a relationship with the team lead Matt Costa, and since she was a great investigator, Matt wanted her on his team. Another team member Dr. Catherine Jones doesn't like her; she thinks she might be a borderline psychopath. She knows their styles of investigating are very different. The friction pulls at Matt who has to mediate between them.

As the investigation proceeds, there is a second bombing and another death which points the finger at IP. Kara begins to wonder if someone close to the investigation is trying to steer it away from the correct path. 

This was an entertaining police procedural filled with complex and interesting characters. It was also packed with action and filled with tension. Fans of thrillers will enjoy this story. 

Favorite Quote:
Kara considered. Cal seemed forthcoming, and the second bombing pointed more fingers at IP, but she still couldn't get Neil's investigation out of her head, or the gas leak at his house.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Mad for a Mate by MaryJanice Davidson

Mad for a Mate

Author:
MaryJanice Davidson
Series: BeWere My Heart (Book 3)
Publication: Sourcebooks Casablanca (April 26, 2022)

Description: Verity Lane might be a Shifter who can't shift (known as a "squib")―but woe betide anyone who tries to tell her who she is or what she's capable of. She's a proud member of a club for squibs out to prove themselves by participating in dangerous stunts. Which is probably how she ended up on this strange island...

Bear shifter Magnus Berne wants two things: to connect with his motherless goddaughter, and to find out who keeps dumping dead bodies on his property. When he discovers Verity on his island, he's determined to get some answers―but it's clear that whoever has been killing squibs is just as resolved to keep it quiet. And now that Verity is in the crosshairs, they'll have to move quickly to stay ahead, stay alive, and stay together.

My Thoughts: MAD FOR A MATE was humorous urban fantasy. Magnus Berne is a bear shifter who is in Minnesota to look after his goddaughter who has recently lost her mother - Magnus's excuse for not having a real relationship. He's living on an island in Lake Minnetonka and is currently wondering who is dropping department store mannequins on his lawn. 

Then, one day, instead of the daily mannequin, he finds Verity Lane. It seems she's ended up there after swimming six miles as part of a challenge from her club of squibs. Verity is out to prove, mostly to herself, that just because she can't shift into a bear form, she is still a powerful and worthy person. 

However, when two of the members of the club die, it becomes apparent that someone is murdering squibs. It is up to Verity and Magnus to find out who the killer is. 

Magnus and Verity are both prickly people and they are both busy denying that they even have a relationship even as they are both falling in love. The dialog is entertaining and witty.

There is a large cast of quirky characters in this story. Many of them were stars of earlier books in the series as noted in footnotes. I enjoyed learning some of their stories and seeing how they fitted into the plot of this story. I also liked the Twin Cities setting for this story and enjoyed seeing places I knew and had visited. 

It did take me a while to get into the flow of this story. The author has a quirky style that reminds me of Shelly Laurenston's urban fantasy stories. 

Favorite Quote:
"This isn't a movie, and I'm not a detective. I'm not gonna find something all the techs missed. I'm not compelled to involve myself because I think the cops aren't doing a good job. And if I come face-to-face with a serial killer, I would scream and scream and run away very, very fast."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Book & Audio Review: Truly Dead by Anne Frasier

Truly Dead

Author:
Anne Frasier
Narrator: Natalie Ross
Series: Elise Sandburg (Book 4)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (May 30. 2017); Thomas & Mercer (May 30. 2017)
Length: 9 hours and 14 minutes; 335 p.

Description: In award-winning author Anne Frasier’s riveting thriller Truly Dead, homicide detective Elise Sandburg returns to Savannah with her partner, profiler David Gould, to track a killer who seems eerily familiar.

When a demolition crew uncovers several bodies inside the walls of a house where serial killer Frank J. Remy once lived, the discovery sends shock waves through the Savannah Police Department.

Homicide partners Elise Sandburg and David Gould were the Savannah PD’s dream team, solving uncrackable crimes and catching killers. But their last case resulted in their termination from the squad, until the coroner calls them back to consult, unofficially, on a body found in the wall of a house once occupied by Remy, a killer Elise’s own father sent to jail—a killer who died in prison. The MO seems uncomfortably similar to that of a serial killer wreaking havoc in Florida.

Does Elise have a copycat on her hands? Is Remy’s influence reaching from beyond the grave? Or is Elise making connections where there are none? When her father warns her to back off the case, Elise’s shadowy family history threatens to swallow her once again. But whatever force is at work, she won’t rest until the killing stops.

Now at odds with everyone she cares about and forced to acknowledge her worsening emotional state, Elise struggles to protect the people she loves as the body count rises.

My Thoughts: The conclusion of the Elise Sandburg quartet was another action-packed and emotionally intense thriller. Elise and David are called back to Savannah when bodies are found entombed in the walls of a house being demolished. They learn that the house was owned by a serial killer who preyed on children and who died in prison before his execution date arrived.

As they look into the case, they find a connection with Elise's father Jackson Sweet, and they also find some questions that lead them to wanting to exhume the body. When the exhumation is crashed by armed invaders who kill the lead homicide detective, wound the mayor, and make off with the casket, Elise and David are pulled back into the Savannah police department and back on the case. 

The casket is recovered, and it is learned that the body inside is not that of the serial killer. They, and Jackson Sweet, believe that the killer is still alive, still preying on children, and consumed with getting revenge on Sweet. The killer is targeting anyone who is close to him including Elise.

The story is engaging. The characters are well-rounded people who are all variously damaged by the things that have happened in their lives. The villain is chilling and elusive. The hunt to find him is thrilling and chilling too. 

This was a great series that should be read in order. I also recommend reading it back-to-back for the full impact of the story.

Favorite Quote:
It was always a surprise to accidentally stumble upon the thoughts that broke you, that wrapped around your heart and squeezed hard. She'd found them.
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl by Julie Kagawa

Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl

Author:
Julie Kagawa
Series: The Society of Explorers and Adventurers (Book 1)
Publication: Disney-Hyperion (April 5, 2022)

Description: Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl combines high-tech wizardry, old-world legends and a little bit of magic from the internationally renowned best-selling author, Julie Kagawa.

Shinji Takahashi is just an ordinary kid. An ordinary homeschooled smart-alecky orphan kid being raised by his globe-trotting aunt Yui. But when a magical guardian decides to use him as a conduit to awaken its power, Shinji’s life takes a turn for the anything-but-ordinary. Captured by the menacing Hightower Corporation, which is bent on using the guardian’s magic for its own nefarious purposes, Shinji must team up with a brilliant young tech whiz named Lucy and her robot mouse, Tinker, in order to escape.

Together the two turn to the venerable Society of Explorers and Adventurers and its ragtag cast of spelunkers, hackers, mapmakers, pilots, and mythology experts (among other things) to return the guardian to its rightful home and release Shinji from its magic―which seems to be draining his life force. Time is ticking, the Hightower Corporation is hot on their tail, and success or failure might depend on one small thing―Shinji finally coming around to the belief that he is anything but ordinary.

Based on the Society of Explorers and Adventurers lore that exist across the Walt Disney Parks, Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl is the first book in an all-new action-adventure series that brings S.E.A. into the twenty-first century through a blend of science and magic, and a focus on two young characters on an epic journey through time and place.

My Thoughts: This was a great middle grade adventure! Shinji Takahashi has been traveling with his aunt since the death of his parents in a fire. She travels to find native arts and crafts for her shop in Miami. Thirteen-year-old Shinji would rather spend his time playing adventure video games.

One day he is given some money and told to find a treasure at a market in Abenge, near the Zambezi River, in Africa. He wanders into a shop he's never seen before and discovers a statuette of the Coatl which seems to be calling to him. He doesn't know that purchase will lead to great adventure.

Pursued by employees of the Hightower Corporation who want the figure, Shinji is kidnapped and threatened when he won't give the statue up. In fact, the statue has become a tattoo on his arm and he doesn't know how to give it up even if he wanted to. Aided by a girl named Lucy who is able to combine magic and technology, the two go off to find the Society of Explorers and Adventurers to help them find a way to get the Hightower Corporation off his back and get the statue back to its correct location.

There are lots of adventures as the explore jungles, almost fall through a swinging bridge over a bottomless canyon, and battle snake warriors and Hightower minions. The story has a strong environmental message about the need to save the Earth and preserve its wonders.

Fans of action and adventure will enjoy this fast-paced story.

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

Monday, April 18, 2022

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (April 18, 2022)

 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.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack? links to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.

Other Than Reading...

Happy Easter to those who celebrate! Here is what the Easter weekend looks like at my house.
I took the picture after some melting since the solar panels are mostly clear. It started to rain on Tuesday which melted a lot of the existing snow piles. The rain continued on Wednesday and then turned into snow again which erased all the melting that had occurred. It snowed all day Thursday and into Friday morning. This picture was taken Saturday afternoon after some melting had started on our south-facing front yard.

As I am writing this on Sunday morning, a lot of the snow has melted away. I can see bare grass on about 50% of my front yard. However, as I'm updating this Sunday evening...
it has been snowing for a couple of hours. The forecast looks like it will do so every other day this week. I have been really longing for Spring! It looks like I'll have to wait another week. 

Otherwise things have been quiet here. Dinner today will be ham, potato casserole and asparagus. My brother is cooking since he has the day off because Target is closed. This is his first Sunday off since last Easter. 

My "baby brother" turned 65 last Sunday. I took him out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse on Monday and we had leftovers for a couple of days since he had a coupon for a birthday sidekick of ribs to bring home in addition to the other leftovers. His main complaint about turning 65 is the need to sign up for Medicare which means that he will be losing his excellent and really inexpensive health insurance. He has three months and I'm sure he'll wait until the deadline before he applies. 

Read Last Week

If you can't wait until the review shows up on my blog, reviews are posted to LibraryThing and Goodreads as soon as I write them (usually right after I finish reading a book.)
  • The Shadow of Memory by Connie Berry (Review; May 10) -- Fourth in a series starring Kate Hamilton who is an antiques dealer. Engaging story. My review will be posted on May 4.
  • The Elf Tangent by Lindsay Buroker (Mine) -- I read this recent urban fantasy addition to my TBR pile when I abandoned Bear Witness. It was a fun story. My review will be posted on May 3.
  • The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn (Mine; Kindle & Audiobook) -- This audiobook was a BookBub deal that helps me complete my collection by the author. It was a classic Gothic romance with and isolated castle in the Carpathians, werewolves, and vampires. My review will be posted on May 17.
  • Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting (Review; May 10) -- Nice contemporary romance that was high on melodrama. My review will be posted on May 7.
  • Guild Boss by Jayne Castle (Audiobook Reread) -- I reread this latest in the Harmony series because I wanted something light and entertaining.
  • Wood Sprites by Wen Spencer (Audiobook/Kindle Reread) -- I read and listened to this one because I wanted to get back up to speed on the series before I read Harbinger.
  • And By Fire by Evie Hawtrey (Review; May 10) -- Excellent dual timeline mystery. My review will be posted on May 5.
DNF
  • Bear Witness by Lark O. Jensen (Review; May 10) -- I read about a third of this one. It was written in the first person by an insipid character with a very limited vocabulary. I got bored!
Currently
Next Week
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Review:
Bought:
What was your week like?