Friday Memes: Always Time to Die by Elizabeth Lowell

Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 was hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

The cutting edge of a winter storm made the old house sigh and moan as if someone was dying.

Someone is. Soon.

Friday 56:

She ignored him and peered through reading glasses at the photograph Carly was holding out. Normally Winifred wouldn't have needed -- or admitted she needed -- glasses, but she was too tired to struggle tonight. 

This week I am spotlighting Always Time to Die by Elizabeth Lowell. This thriller was a BookBub deal nearly a year ago. I feel sure that I read the story when it was released in 2005, but I don't recall anything about it. Here's the description from Amazon:

The sensational New York Times bestselling author of The Color of Death is back with an exhilarating novel of danger, romance, and suspense

Carolina May—Carly to her friends—never knew her biological family. Ironic, considering she a successful family historian. Recently hired by the eccentric aunt of New Mexico’s multi-millionaire governor Quintrell, the future looks bright. Until things start going wrong . . . and Carly begins to learn the true meaning of fear.

Daniel Duran made a career out fighting for other people’s beliefs—principles they’d given their lives for. But now he wants some meaning of his own. Yearning for a reason to live, he’s come back to Taos, the town where he grew up.

Soon, the lawyer(?) and the historian’s paths cross. While Carly’s investigation into the Quintrell family amuses Dan it also chills him, because he knows a dark truth Carly doesn’t: in New Mexico, tracing bloodlines is a deadly sport. . . .

Audiobook Review: Supreme Justice by Max Allan Collins

Supreme Justice
Author: Max Allan Collins
Narrator: Dan John Miller
Series: Reeder and Rogers Thriller (Book 1)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (July 1, 2014)
Length: 7 hours and 18 minutes

Description: After taking a bullet for his commander-in-chief, Secret Service agent Joseph Reeder is a hero. But his outspoken criticism of the president he saved—who had stacked the Supreme Court with hard-right justices to overturn Roe v. Wade, amp up the Patriot Act, and shred the First Amendment—put Reeder at odds with the Service’s apolitical nature, making him an outcast.

FBI agent Patti Rogers finds herself paired with the unpopular former agent on a task force investigating the killing of Supreme Court Justice Henry Venter. Reeder—nicknamed “Peep” for his unparalleled skills at reading body language—makes a startling discovery while reviewing a security tape: the shooting was premeditated, not a botched robbery. Even more chilling, the controversial Venter may not be the only justice targeted for death...

Is a mastermind mounting an unprecedented judicial coup aimed at replacing ultra-conservative justices with a new liberal majority? To crack the conspiracy and save the lives of not just the justices but also Reeder’s own family, rising star Rogers and legendary investigator Reeder must push their skills—and themselves—to the limit.

My Thoughts: This excellent thriller introduces former Secret Service agent Joe Reeder who took a bullet for his President but then lost his job when he made his negative opinions about that President to apparent. Now he runs his own investigations agency. 

Joe is called in to work on a taskforce by the leader who is an FBI Agent and his best friend when a Supreme Court Justice is murdered. This is the first time in US History that a Justice was targeted. At first, the death looks like a botched robbery. But when a second Justice is murdered, it soon becomes apparent that someone wants to change the composition of the Court. These two murdered Justices were both strongly Conservative, and the President who will appoint their successors is a Liberal Democrat. 

Joe works with FBI Agent Patti Reeder who is the partner of the best friend who appointed Joe to the taskforce. She isn't sure what to think of Joe who has an unparalleled ability to read people and crime scenes. 

The story was fast-paced and filled with tension. I especially enjoyed the quotations by various famous people who are buried at Arlington National Cemetary which is a place Joe frequents when he needs to think. 

Dan Jon Miller did an excellent job of the narration. His characters all had distinctive voices and he handled the pacing well.

I bought this one June 3, 2023. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Murder at the White Palace by Allison Montclair

Murder at the White Palace
Author: Allison Montclair
Series: Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery (Book 6)
Publication: Minotaur Books (July 30, 2024)

Description: In post-WWII London, the matchmakers of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau are involved in yet another murder.

In the immediate post-war days of London, two unlikely partners have undertaken an even more unlikely, if necessary, business venture―The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. The two partners are Miss Iris Sparks, a woman with a dangerous―and never discussed―past in British intelligence and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a genteel war widow with a young son entangled in a complicated aristocratic family. Looking to throw a New Year’s Eve soiree for their clients, Sparks and Bainbridge scout an empty building―only to find a body contained in the walls. What they initially assume is a victim of the recent Blitz is uncovered instead to be a murder victim―stabbed several times.

To make matters worse, the owner of the building is Sparks’ beau, Archie Spelling, who has ties to a variety of enterprises on the right and wrong sides of the law, and the main investigator for the police is her ex-fiancée. Gwen, too, is dealing with her own complicated love life, as she tentatively steps back into the dating pool for the first time since her husband’s death. Murder is not something they want to add to their plates, but the murderer may be closer to home than is comfortable, and they must do all they can to protect their clients, their business and themselves.

My Thoughts: Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge are the owners of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau operating in London in 1946. Since the new year is approaching, they decide to host a New Year's Eve party for all of their clients. However, finding a venue isn't easy until Iris's beau Archie Spelling tells them that he has purchased and is renovating a club. 

Archie and Iris's relationship is deepening. He has asked her to his nephew's wedding which will entail meeting his family. And she has asked him to dinner with her mother who is an MP and with whom Iris has a difficult relationship. Archie's criminal past - and present - makes the relationship that is growing between them a bit problematic. 

When they inspect the club to see if it will be suitable for the party, Gwen encounters a man she met and was attracted to on an earlier case. Then, she didn't feel that she had enough control of her life to begin dating again. Now, he's the one who's engaged. Just as they are exchanging some words, a wall Des is demolishing falls and reveals a body. Unfortunately, the body was not a victim of the Blitz but was stabbed to death and walled up more than twenty years earlier. And Iris's ex from Scotland Yard is on the case which creates a lot of tension for Iris. 

Meanwhile, Gwen, who has regained control of her financial life but not yet custody of her young son, is house hunting and dipping her toes back into the dating pool. She has dated their friend Sally a few times, but nothing has clicked for her. The man who was her Friend in her court battle for her competence wants to date her. And she meets a pool shark at Archie's who looks to be someone she can have fun with except for his hidden agenda.

When Archie is shot at his nephew's wedding and almost dies, Iris and Gwen are determined to find out who wants him dead and why they do. They both believe that the shooting is because of the discovered body and the secrets around it, though Iris's ex and the detective assigned to Archie's shooting aren't so sure. Their investigations find a long-hidden enemy deep in Archie's organization.

I really enjoyed this story. Gwen's surprising talent for Snooker was a revelation. Her ability to read truth from lies when she is meeting with people had a number of uses in this episode. I also liked Iris's relationship with Archie which really tested Iris's limits.

The ending makes me really want to read the next book in this series which I hope is coming soon.

Favorite Quote:

Archie got up, then helped Iris to her feet.

"Thought it was a gun for a second there," he said.

"Not a gun," said Iris. "Something worse. A camera."

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

ARC Review: Havoc by Deborah J. Ledford

Havoc
Author: Deborah J. Ledford
Series: Eva "Lightning Dance" Duran (Book 2)
Publication: Thomas & Mercer (July 30, 2024)

Description: In this tightly paced sequel to Redemption, Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran joins the Taos Pueblo tribal police department to uncover a member of her community’s murder…and the conspiracy behind it.

It’s been over a year since the case that almost broke her, but when Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran is called back to duty, she doesn’t hesitate to answer. A bank robbery has left an officer down and a suspect on the run. Law enforcement is in hot pursuit, and residents are on the lookout―but before anyone can catch the criminal, tragedy strikes.

A member of the Taos Pueblo tribe has been shot and killed. The culprit? An untraceable 3D printed gun. With the support of fellow tribal cops, Eva breaks the news to the victim’s family and swears to find justice.

More violence follows, feeding the rising racial tensions between the Taos Pueblo people and the Hispanic community. New evidence forces Eva to consider the possibility that the bank robbery and 3D guns are related, but until she figures out how, there’s no telling how deep this crime ring goes…or how far its evasive ringleader will go to protect it.

My Thoughts: The second Eva "Lightning Dance" Durand thriller deals with a bank robbery, 3D printed guns, and the death of a child who had one of those fake guns. 

The story is told from multiple viewpoints and includes chapters from various characters in the book. The bank robber's point of view illustrates his complete lack of humanity. Other viewpoints include both Eva and her boyfriend/fellow police officer Cruz and young Kai Arrio who is a biology student training a Belgian Malinois. We hear from Tomas Salas who was Kai's favorite teacher in high school and who has big dreams for the Pueblo reservation but a horrible way of realizing them. We hear many other viewpoints too. 

The viewpoints are all woven together into a fast-paced suspenseful story. It is also a story about grief and loss and life on the Pueblo reservation near Taos. I enjoyed it very much. 

Favorite Quote:

"Nothing new. You ready for this?" Cruz asked when they reached the long black vehicle. 

"Nope," she said. "Let's go."

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

Audiobook Review: The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair

The Lady from Burma
Author: Allison Montclair
Narrator: Polly Lee
Series: Sparks & Bainbridge Mysteries (Book 5)
Publication: Tantor Audio (July 25, 2023)
Length: 10 hours and 27 minutes

Description: In Allison Montclair's The Lady from Burma, murder once again stalks the proprietors of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau in the surprisingly dangerous landscape of post-World War II London…

In the immediate post-war days of London, two unlikely partners have undertaken an even more unlikely, if necessary, business venture - The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. The two partners are Miss Iris Sparks, a woman with a dangerous - and never discussed - past in British intelligence and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a war widow with a young son entangled in a complicated aristocratic family. Mostly their clients are people trying to start (or restart) their lives in this much-changed world, but their new client is something different. A happily married woman has come to them to find a new wife for her husband. Dying of cancer, she wants the two to make sure her entomologist, academic husband finds someone new once she passes.

Shortly thereafter, she's found dead in Epping Forest, in what appears to be a suicide. But that doesn't make sense to either Sparks or Bainbridge. At the same time, Bainbridge is attempting to regain legal control of her life, opposed by the conservator who has been managing her assets - perhaps not always in her best interest. When that conservator is found dead, Bainbridge herself is one of the prime suspects. Attempting to make sense of two deaths at once, to protect themselves and their clients, the redoubtable owners of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau are once again on the case.

My Thoughts: The women of the Right Sort Marriage Agency have matched a number of lonely people in their brief history as a business. This time they might have their greatest challenge. Their newest client is a woman looking for a wife for her husband. She's dying of cancer and wants to provide for the future happiness of a man she loves very much. He's a shy entomologist, much happier with bugs than with people. Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge agree to take the contract to be fulfilled at some future date, and Gwen secures a promise that the woman will not commit suicide.

The time for Gwen's case in the courts of Lunacy is approaching. She is being introduced to the company where she owns 40% since the death of her husband. She is invited to attend her first board meeting by the current chairman which is usually attended by the lawyer who was appointed by the court to manage her financial interests until she is proved sane and competent. Unfortunately, she foils that lawyer's plot to take over Bainbridge which further alienates the lawyer who hasn't been forthright with her from the beginning of their legal relationship.

Then the deaths start to happen. First of all, the cancer-stricken client is found dead in Epping Wood of an apparent suicide. Then the shady lawyer is found beaten to death in Soho at a time when Gwen, devasted by the results of the court hearing which didn't free her to manage her own affairs, doesn't have an alibi since she was wandering the streets in despair. 

A local constable is on the case of the so-called suicide which he isn't willing to accept. Nor are the women at the Right Sort. Iris and Gwen begin to look into that case to discover who had reason to murder her. They are also looking into the murder of the lawyer since Gwen is one of the main suspects for the crime. 

There is a lot of investigating and connections between the two cases are discovered. Also discovered in a bit of financial fraud committed by the lawyer who has been skimming from Gwen's accounts. Unfortunately, that fact gives Gwen even more reason to want him dead. 

This was another excellent episode in the Sparks & Bainbridge series. I loved the way both women's relationships are growing, and I love the way Gwen is finally getting the right to manage her own life. 

There was a change of narrator with this episode and, at first, I wasn't happy with the portrayals of the characters. Iris seemed too young, and Gwen seemed to have dropped down a couple of social classes if her accent was any guide. I also had difficulty distinguishing between Iris and Gwen until I got used to the new accents. Ultimately, I did enjoy this audio presentation. 

I bought this one in Kindle and audiobook. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus

Such Charming Liars
Author: Karen M. McManus
Publication: Delacorte Press (July 30, 2024)

Description: The newest mystery from the author One of Us Is Lying, the Queen of thrillers, Karen M. McManus! When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final job, the heist gets deadly and dangerously personal.

For all of Kat’s life, it’s just been her and her mother, Jamie—except for the forty-eight hours when Jamie was married and Kat had a stepbrother, Liam. That all ended in an epic divorce, and Kat and Liam haven’t spoken since.

Now Jamie is a jewel thief trying to go straight, but she has one last job—at billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party. And Kat has figured out a way to tag along. What Kat doesn’t know, though, is that there are two surprise guests at the dazzling Sutherland compound that weekend. The last two people she wants to run into. Liam and his father—a serial scammer who has his sights set on Ross Sutherland’s youngest daughter.

Kat and Liam are on a collision course to disaster, and when a Sutherland dies, they realize they might actually be in the killer’s crosshairs themselves. Somehow Kat and Liam are the new targets, and they can’t trust anyone—except each other

Or can they? Because if there’s one thing both Kat and Liam know, it’s how to lie. They learned from the best.

My Thoughts: This twisty YA thriller is told in alternate viewpoints from Kat and Liam. She's sixteen; he's seventeen. They were stepbrother and stepsister for forty-eight hours when his scammer father married her mother. They separated when the two children got lost in Las Vegas when they were supposed to be under Liam's father's care. They haven't seen each other for the twelve years that passed since those events in Las Vegas.

Now, they are meeting again as Kat's mother Jamie is doing one last heist for her employer Gem before she retires to a legitimate life. Liam's father Luke has scammed his way into a relationship with Annalise Sutherland, youngest daughter of a billionaire. Jamie is at the estate to steal a priceless necklace as her ticket out of her life of crime. 

Liam has only lived with his scamming father for some months, since his mother died in a car accident. He's determined to ruin any scam his father has in the works, but he isn't sure what to do about Annalise. He's even less sure when he reencounters Jamie and Kat because his actions could cause problems for the girl he thought of as his sister for a short time. 

The story is full of twists including the death of one of the other Sutherland children. He's shot to death and found with a copy of the necklace Jamie was supposed to switch for a flawless duplicate. Kat witnesses the shooting but can't identify the shooter. But he's seen her and makes two attempts on her mother's life since he believes she was the witness. 

Liam, Kat and Liam's new boyfriend Augustus Sutherland are all working to figure out what is going on. There seem to be too many necklaces and too many villains and nothing is clear about who killed Parker Sutherland. 

I enjoyed this story and really liked the young characters. 

Favorite Quote:

Because the thing about breaking points is, you don't realize you've hit yours until you're well past it. 

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? (July 22, 2024)

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...

I had an excellent week last week. A friend came to visit and spent from Monday until Friday at my house. We had a chance to catch up on all her remodeling woes which are many and varied and other life events. We listened to three of the Meg Langslow mysteries (books 13 -15) that I had in my collection from Chirp while we chatted, played computers games and crocheted (well, she crocheted). 

We took my brother and went out to eat at a restaurant that was new to us where we had excellent Southern food. I also did some cooking while she was here and made a new recipe for Chicken Parmesan that will be in my keeper file of recipes. Carry-out Chinese also fit into the week's plans and so did Reuben sandwiches which she often ordered at restaurants but had never made at home. 

We also went furniture shopping since she gave away all her living room furniture before she began her remodeling project. I had long been thinking about replacing my living room couch which has never been very comfortable and is now getting quite shabby. It was a seldom-used hand-me-down from our parents' house that came to our new house when we moved here in 2017. And I had promised (for Christmas 2022) that I would buy my brother more comfortable seating for his man cave since he had been using a loveseat I brought home when I moved back to Duluth in 2017. She didn't buy anything but was glad to try out some pieces she had seen online. I did get a new leather couch and ottoman, and my brother picked out a loveseat recliner for his man cave. 

This coming week would be quieter except Trailer Trash is coming on Wednesday to remove the old couch, loveseat and a worn-out swivel rocker before Ashley Furniture comes on Thursday to deliver and set up the new couch and loveseat. I was a little concerned that we wouldn't be able to get rid of the old furniture before the new arrived, but we got things worked out as long as people keep their schedules. 

Amazon Prime Days and a triple Reward points deal meant that I bought a lot of books this week that were sitting in a "Books I'm Waiting For" list at Amazon. Now I just have to figure out when I will actually have time to read them. 

As far as reading, I should finish all my August review copies this week if the furniture projects aren't too disruptive. And there is baseball to watch...

Read Last Week

• Buried Too Deep by Karen Rose (Review; August 13) -- Third in the New Orleans series. Excellent romantic suspense. My review will be posted on August 8.
• Immortal in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread)

• The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews (Chirp Audiobook; Mine since August 25, 2022) -- An excellent addition to the Meg Langslow mystery series. My review will be posted on August 20.
• Some Like It Hawk by Donna Andrews (Chirp Audiobook; Reread)
• The Hen of the Baskervilles by Donna Andrews (Chirp Audiobook; Mine since March 22, 2023) -- An excellent and laugh-out-loud funny episode in the Meg Langslow mystery series. My review will be posted on August 27.

• The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman (Mine since January 7) -- Another excellent episode in the Thursday Murder Club series. My review will be posted on August 10.
• In the Event of Murder by Cynthia Kuhn (Review; August 20) -- Second in the Starlit Bookshop mystery series. Great setting and characters. My review will be posted on August 13.

• Rapture in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread)
• How to Fall for a Scoundrel by Kate Bateman (Review; August 20) -- Entertaining Regency Romance. My review will be posted on August 15.
• City of Secrets by P. J. Tracy (Review; August 20) -- Gritty contemporary thriller set in LA. My review will be posted on August 13. 

Currently

• The Jig Is Up by Lisa Q. Mathews (Review; August 20)

Next Week

• A Scandal in Mayfair by Katharine Schellman (Review; August 20)
• Shock and Paw by Cate Conte (Review; August 20)
• Marked by Magic by Lindsay Buroker (Mine since November 9, 2023)

• Unleashed by David Rosenfelt (Mine since November 2, 2022)
• Red River Road by Anna Downes (Review; August 27)
• Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey (Chirp Audiobook; Reread)

Reviews Posted

• The Unkept Woman by Allison Montclair (Audiobook)
• There's No Murder Like Show Murder by M. S. Greene (Review Copy)
• Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh (Review Copy)

• The Last Line by Scott Lyerly (Review copy)
• Wait Until Midnight by Amanda Quick (Audiobook)
• Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst (Mine)

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

Review:

• Track Her Down by Melinda Leigh (Review; January 14)

Bought:

• Slay Bells Ring by Nancy Robards Thompson (Kindle, BookBub, Free)
• The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer (Kindle)
• The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst (Kindle)

• Familiars edited by Patricia Bray & Joshua Palmatier (Kindle)
• Alone in the Dark by Karen Rose (Kindle)
• Innocent as Sin by Elizabeth Lowell (Kindle)

• The Wrong Hostage by Elizabeth Lowell (Kindle)
• Blue Smoke and Murder by Elizabeth Lowell (Kindle)
• The Body in the Gravel by Judi Lynn (Kindle)

• The Rhyme of the Magpie by Marty Wingate (Kindle, BookBub, Free)
• Demons of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison (Kindle, BookBub, $1.99)

What was your week like?

Book Review: Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst

Fire & Heist
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Publication: Crown Books for Young Readers (December 4, 2018)

Description: Fans of Cassandra Clare and Julie Kagawa will devour this contemporary fantasy about a teen were-dragon who must steal her first treasure. But a dark discovery during her heist could put her family in incredible danger.

In Sky Hawkins's family, leading your first heist is a major milestone--even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It's a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you're a wyvern--a human capable of turning into a dragon.

Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family's wealth and rank in their community.

With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society--a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be.

My Thoughts: Sky Hawkins in a wyvern and the youngest child in her family. After her mother disappears after attempting a heist - something that is part of the wyvern culture, Sky's family faces problems. The failed heist costs them half their fortune and they are shunned by the rest of wyvern society. Worst of all, the one who led the shunning was Sky's boyfriend Ryan. 

Sky is determined to find out what happened to her mother. To do so, she plans that her first heist - the one that will prover her adulthood - will be a duplicate of the heist her mother failed. Sky can't work alone. She needs her ex-boyfriend, a local wyvern wizard, and her human friend Gabriella is the heist is to be successful.

This was a fun heist story. I liked the characters, and I liked the way they all worked together to plan and execute the heist. I liked the surprise that happens when their plans are discovered and the way good triumphs over evil. 

Favorite Quote:

"So you love him and he loves you, but your families won't let you be together. Is this a Romeo and Juliet kind of situation? Because that ended badly."

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

Friday Memes: Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

Gold.

Symbol Au.

Atomic number 79.

Dictionary definition: "a yellow malleable ductile metallic element."

You could say my family is obsessed with it.

Friday 56:

I couldn't think of a single lie that would explain our presence. We couldn't have looked guiltier if there were neon lights over our heads blinking the work "THIEVES!" My only consolation was that since I had on the face mask, he didn't know who I was. 

This week I'm spotlighting Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst. This book is by one of my favorite authors but somehow got lost on my TBR stack since I got it August 3, 2023. Here is the description from Amazon:

Fans of Cassandra Clare and Julie Kagawa will devour this contemporary fantasy about a teen were-dragon who must steal her first treasure. But a dark discovery during her heist could put her family in incredible danger.

In Sky Hawkins's family, leading your first heist is a major milestone--even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It's a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you're a wyvern--a human capable of turning into a dragon.

Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family's wealth and rank in their community.

With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society--a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be.

Audiobook Review: The Unkept Woman by Allison Montclair

The Unkept Woman
Author: Allison Montclair
Narrator: Sarah Nichols
Series: Sparks & Bainbridge Mysteries (Book 4)
Publication: Blackstone Publishing (July 26, 2022)
Length: 8 hours and 58 minutes

Description: In London, 1946, Miss Iris Sparks—co-proprietor of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau—has to deal with aspects of her past exploits during the recent war that have come back around to haunt her.

The Right Sort Marriage Bureau was founded in 1946 by two disparate individuals: Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, whose husband was killed in the recent World War, and Miss Iris Sparks, who worked as an intelligence agent during the recent conflict, although this is not discussed. While the agency flourishes in the post-war climate, both founders have to deal with some of the fallout that that conflict created in their personal lives.

Miss Sparks finds herself followed, then approached, by a young woman who has a very personal connection to a former paramour of Sparks. But something is amiss, and it seems that Iris’s past may well cause something far more deadly than mere disruption in her personal life.

Meanwhile, Gwendolyn is struggling to regain full legal control of her life, her finances, and her son—a legal path strewn with traps and pitfalls.

Together these indomitable two are determined and capable and not just of making the perfect marriage match.

My Thoughts: The fourth Sparks & Bainbridge mystery centers on Iris. The ex-lover she threw out recently is back trailing trouble behind him. Andrew, like Iris, was an operative during World War II, but unlike Iris he still is. He has come back to their shared flat hiding from his bosses, his wife, and maybe foreign intelligence agents too. 

Meanwhile, at the Right Sort Marriage Agency, Gwen and Iris turn down a young Polish widow who is looking for a new husband because she's pregnant. Gwen has the feeling she's lying about something else. When both Iris and Gwen are followed, they are trying to figure out why. 

Then the body of the young widow is found murdered in Iris's apartment and Iris is the prime suspect. And Andrew has disappeared. Iris needs to clear her name but she's on her own. Her old bosses in the intelligence game won't take her phone calls. Her current boyfriend who is a gangster keeps his distance. And Gwen can't help because she has a court appointment soon to resolve the issue of her competence and her lawyer has demanded that she not get involved in any crime solving. 

But Gwen can't keep out of it. Friendship, and the fact that she's being drawn into the investigation because she is also being followed and pumped for information, means that she'll have to take her chances with the court.

This was another engaging episode in the Sparks & Bainbridge series. I really like the way the narrator distinguishes the characters. 

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

ARC Review: The Last Line by Scott Lyerly

The Last Line
Author: Scott Lyerly
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (July 23, 2024)

Description: Featuring a neurodiverse lead living with Tourette's syndrome, Ellie Marlowe is ready for a curtain call as her latest production sells out, but when the starring male lead drops dead, and everyone in the cast is a potential suspect or the next victim, she must catch a killer before they pull another show-stopping murder.

The new production at Ellie Marlowe’s community theater could save her from financial ruin, but her overbearing lead, Reginald Thornton IV, is determined to antagonize every cast member. Nervous and with her Tourette’s syndrome flaring, Ellie is relieved when opening night seems to be going well. But then Reginald’s death scene at the end of the play turns out to be all too real.

The state police write the death off as a heart attack, but several things don't add up, and Ellie and her childhood friend, Bill Starlin, the local chief of police, begin investigating. When another person linked to the theater is attacked, they’re convinced a killer is on the loose.

As Ellie and Bill reveal connections between cast members, they uncover dark secrets and must race to find the killer before it’s curtains for someone else.

My Thoughts: Ellie Marlowe has given up her high stress job and returned to the town where she grew up to open a theater. She lives with Tourette's syndrome. Her new theater is in danger of going under if she doesn't have some financially successful performances soon. 

When the star of her latest production dies in the final act, she fears that will be the end for her theater. No one liked the leading man, but Ellie needs to find out who of a host of possibilities murdered him. She is assisted by her childhood friend Bill who is now the Chief of Police. They are pretty much on their own because Bill left the State Police after exposing a scam and many of the investigators there are holding a grudge.

As Ellie and Bill look into Reginald Thornton IV's life, they find that he had many enemies and a lot of them are working on the theater's current production Murder in a Teacup. The director, who is dying of cancer, was being blackmailed by Thornton. The lead actress had been assaulted by him and was being harassed by him. Thornton had argued and belittled most of the cast and crew of the production. 

Meanwhile, Ellie and Bill are dealing with other problems too. Bill's wife is jealous of his relationship with Ellie who was his sister's best friend. And Ellie and her husband are having some marital problems relating to their desire to have a child which adds more pressure to Ellie.

This was an entertaining story with interesting characters. I don't think I've ever read a story where the main character had Tourette's and appreciated the way the author included details of that syndrome.  

Favorite Quote:

She thought of it like a bread trail, with herself and Bill a Hansel and Gretel. The found a crumb and chewed on it for a bit, wondering if there were more, then suddenly spied another crumb off in the distance. All the while, they went deeper into the forest and got more lost while each crumb tasted the same--bitter. 

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

Audiobook Review: Wait Until Midnight by Amanda Quick

Wait Until Midnight
Author: Amanda Quick
Narrator: Louisa Jane Underwood
Publication: Recorded Books (July 9, 2015)
Length: 10 hours and 33 minutes

Description: The sins of Adam Hardesty’s past have been discovered. And if he does not hunt down his blackmailer quickly, his secrets will be revealed to all. But there is an obstacle in his way: sensation novelist Caroline Fordyce. She knows that Adam’s quest for justice could shatter her own reputation—and mire her family in lethal scandal. And she fears what he may find....

Together, they will navigate the shadow side of London, venturing into an underworld of cutthroats, connivers, and illusionists. And as the mystery grows ever deeper and the danger circles ever closer, they must guard not only their secrets but their lives and hearts as well.

My Thoughts: This historical romance, written in 2004, introduces sensation novelist Caroline Fordyce and Adam Hardesty, a man with a talent for secrets. Adam is searching for a diary which would expose secrets of his past and potentially destroy the reputations of his three siblings. Caroline is researching her next novel by learning about psychical research and spiritualists. 

When the medium who conducted a seance attended by Caroline and her aunts is brutally murdered, Adam comes to her to find out what she knows since the murdered medium was blackmailing him about the missing diary. 

With Caroline's guidance, she and Adam begin to explore the world of psychical research and find themselves targets for a villain or two from that world. And along the way, they fall in love.

This was an engaging story with strong, independent characters. The dialog was witty. The romance built slowly. I enjoyed it and enjoyed Louisa Jane Underwood's narration.

I bought the ebook for this one. The Audible version was available as a part of my subscription. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh

Primal Mirror
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling Trilogy (Book 8)
Publication: Berkley (July 23, 2024)

Description: New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh takes us into a family dark with shadowy secrets, as the world of the Psy teeters on the edge of a final catastrophic collapse. . . .

Daughter of two ruthless high-Gradient telepaths, Auden Scott is not the child her Psy parents wanted or expected, even before her brain injury. Her thoughts are scattered, her memories fuzzy—or just terrifyingly blank. The only thing she knows for certain is that she must protect her unborn baby . . . a baby she has no recollection of conceiving and who draws an unnerving depth of interest from her dead mother’s closest associates.

Leopard alpha Remi Denier is a man driven by the primal instinct to protect. Protect his pack, protect his allies . . . and protect the mysterious woman who has become a most unlikely neighbor. With eerie eyes that see too much and a scent that alters in ways disturbing and impossible, Auden Scott is the enemy . . . but nothing about this strange Psy is what it seems, and Remi’s feline heart is as fascinated by her as his human half.

Then Auden asks Remi to help her shatter the wall of secrets that is the Scott bloodline. What they unearth will reveal a nightmare beyond imagination. This time, the battle is to the death. . . .

My Thoughts: This was another excellent entry into the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. Auden Scott is the daughter of Shoshanna and Henry Scott - both evil doers and former members of the Psy Council. She was a disappoint to both of them because, while she inherited a powerful psy gift, it wasn't one either parent wanted. Therefore, her mother experimented on her and broke her mind. 

Now, her parents are dead and she's pregnant but still under the control of her mother's aide. She is gradually healing her brain but still has trouble staying lucid. It is in one of her lucid periods that she meets Remi Denier who is the alpha of a small changeling pack near Auden's wilderness retreat. Remi determines to care for her and her baby because caring for people is what he does to make up for a childhood when he wasn't cared for. 

Meanwhile, the PsyNet is on its last days. And when it fails millions of psy will die for lack of a network to sustain them. Everyone on the planet is trying to find a way to either preserve the network or provided another network for the psy to join but with no success. However, Auden's baby may inadvertently provide at least a temporary solution to the problem if Auden can find a way to defeat the powerful Scott family who has other plans for the baby.

Auden's upbringing which tried to make her as ruthless as her parents may be all that can save her and her child. Her love for her baby will prove to be the one thing the Scott family didn't plan for. And Remi is determined to be there to support her in every way since she is his mate. He'll do anything to protect his mate and her child. 

Favorite Quote:

When she swung around with the gun pointed, he held up his own hands. "I mean, you have a one percent chance of actually hitting me, but don't shoot."

A glare.

Yes, a definite glare, before she smoothed it over with the ice-coated exterior of Silen perfection she'd shown him yesterday. His heart kicked anyway, his leopard on the hunt...

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

ARC Review: There's No Murder Like Show Murder by M. S. Greene

There's No Murder Like Show Murder
Author: M. S. Greene
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (July 23, 2024)

Description: Tasha Weaver has seen her fair share of divas come and go while working as the costume shop head at the Eastbrook Playhouse, but her beloved theater is put at risk when the star of the show is killed in this fun but deadly debut, perfect for fans of Ellery Adams and Kellye Garrett

Tasha Weaver is most at home in the cozy backstage world of the Eastbrook Playhouse. As the costume shop head at the charming regional theater, she’s used to watching dramatic acts of love and revenge from the shadows. But when Kurt Mozer—the insufferable Broadway reject who stars in their production of Annie Get Your Gun—is shot center stage, the spotlight turns to her.

Everyone knows Kurt was difficult to work with, and after he got into a fight with both director Marnie Mason and artistic leader Arthur Winston, he promptly decided to quit the show. In deep financial trouble, the Eastbrook Playhouse depended on a big name like Kurt to keep afloat. With reporters coming in from the Big Apple to Tasha’s little corner of Connecticut, she realizes it's up to her to save their local theater and keep her community safe. After all, the show must go on…but what do you do when the killer could very well be one of your loved ones?

With the help of her friends, her long-time crush Bruno Machado, and her feline colleague Hilly, Tasha must catch a murderer before the shining lights of the playhouse go out forever.

My Thoughts: Since the death of her mother ten years earlier, Tasha Weaver has made the Eastbrook Playhouse the center of her life. She runs the costume shop. The playhouse has been hitting some hard times, but it is hoped that the current production of Annie Get Your Gun with some Broadway names will turn things around. 

But there is a lot of tension. Most of it is centered around has-been Kurt Mozer who is throwing his weight around. Both the artistic director Arthur Winston and the director Marnie Mason are at odds with him. When he threatens to quit with only a week or two until the production debuts, Tasha manages to appeal to his love of theater and talk him down. Unfortunately, Kurt's trip to the dark playhouse results in his murder by gunshot. 

Feeling guilty for her part in getting Kurt to his place of death and worried for the future of her beloved playhouse, Tasha begins her own investigation into the murder. She's an insider which lets her share information she finds with the police detective assigned to the case. 

Tasha has lots of suspects from the directors of the playhouse to a local property developer who has had his eyes on the land where the playhouse sits and who almost convinced the City Council to sell him the property. 

This was an engaging story with interesting characters and a nicely twisty plot. 

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? (July 15, 2024)

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 second week in July was a nice summery one. I finally broke down and turned on the air conditioner on Friday when the temperature hit 85 and the nighttime temperatures were too warm to really cool down the house. I suppose it will be on now well into September. 

I've been chipping away at my review stack and will soon get to those being released on August 20. I also listened to quite a few audiobooks this week. I am up-to=date on my rereading of the Liaden Universe stories. The latest one doesn't have an audiobook available and won't unless it can be sold to a publisher other than Audible. 

I did listen to a new story from a Chirp audiobook I bought at the end of 2023. I enjoyed The Body in the Attic and, when I was notified that some of my Kindle Rewards points were expiring August 1, bought the second in the Jazzi Zanders series for my Kindle. I have lots of Audible credits right now and may decide to get the Audible copy of that book when it finally fits into my calendar. 

I also started listening to another Chirp audiobook but abandoned it when I decided that the main character was too spoiled and whiny to listen to for even one more minute. I substituted Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey which I had also purchased from Chirp back in 2022. This is a first listen but also a reread of this 1987 fantasy that is the first Valdemar book. I have the rest of that trilogy and slotted the next two books into my September reading calendar.

Then just needing something to listen to and being part of the J. D. Robb Facebook group, I decided to listen to Naked in Death which is the first in the series. I've read it multiple times and listened to it a few but it is always nice to revisit old friends. After that, I listened to Glory in Death - the second in the series - before going on to different audiobooks. 

This week I have a friend coming to visit. We usually manage to get together once or twice a year to catch up on each other's lives. I'm looking forward to the visit for the chatting and for the eating out which we usually manage to do a couple of times.

Read Last Week

• Strange Folk by Alli Dyer (Review; August 6) -- After a divorce, a woman takes her two kids with her back to the Appalachians where she grew up and finds herself reluctantly getting back into the magic she ran away from and solving a couple of murders. My review will be posted on July 31.
• Salvage Right by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook reread)
• The In Crowd by Charlotte Vassell (Review; August 6) -- The second DI Caius Beauchamp mystery has him working on two cold cases that have some connections not only with each other but with Caius too. My review will be posted on August 3.

• The Body in the Attic by Judi Lynn (Chirp Audiobook) -- The first in the houseflipper Jazzi Zanders cozy mystery series. My review will be posted on August 6.
• I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell (Review; August 13) -- A young woman who has been hiding from her abusive past gets a job replacing a murdered advice columnist in this thriller. My review will be posted on August 7.
• Naked in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- First in the In Death series. 

• The Single Twin by Sean Patrick Little (Mine) -- The first Abe and Duff mystery has the pair looking for a woman's lost twin and finding a political coverup. My review will be posted on August 6.
• Glory in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook reread) -- The second In Death book. 
• Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey (Chirp audiobook) -- The first Valdemar book introduces Talia who went from Halderkin to Herald in this epic fantasy. My review will be posted on August 8.

Currently

• Buried Too Deep by Karen Rose (Review; August 13)

Next Week

• The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman (Mine since January 7)
• In the Event of Murder by Cynthia Kuhn (Review; August 20)
• City of Secrets by P. J. Tracy (Review; August 20)

• The Jig Is Up by Lisa Q. Mathews (Review; August 20)
• A Scandal in Mayfair by Katharine Schellman (Review; August 20)
• How to Fall for a Scoundrel by Kate Bateman (Review; August 20)

Reviews Posted

• A Rogue's Company by Allison Montclair (Audiobook)
• One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day (Review copy)
• Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos (Review copy)

• Trouble in Queenstown by Delia Pitts (Review copy)
• The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer (Review copy)
• The Down Deep by Catherine Asaro 

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

Review:

• French Quarter Fright Night by Ellen Byron (Review; September 3)
• The Author's Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, & Karen White (Review; November 5)
• Get Lost with You by Sophie Sullivan (Review; February 11)

Bought:

• Death Echo by Elizabeth Lowell (Kindle; $.99)
• Sisters of Fortune by Anna Lee Huber (Kindle; $2.99)
• The Body in the Wetlands by Judi Lynn (Kindle, Kindle Rewards)

What was your week like?