Book Review: Booked to Die by John Dunning

Booked to Die
Author: John Dunning
Series: Cliff Janeway Novels (Book 1)
Publication: Scribner; Reissue edition (August 14, 2012)

Description: Booked to Die, the first book in John Dunning’s bestselling, award-winning Cliff Janeway series, is “a joy to read for its wealth of inside knowledge about the antiquarian book business and its eccentric traders” (The New York Times Book Review).

Denver homicide detective Cliff Janeway may not always play by the book, but he’s an avid collector of rare and first editions. Bobby Westfall is a local bookscout, a gentle and quiet man who has sold enough valuable books to keep himself and his cats fed and housed. When Bobby is murdered, Janeway would like nothing better than to rearrange the suspect’s spine. But the suspect, local lowlife Jackie Newton, is a master at eluding the law, and Janeway’s wrathful brand of off-duty justice costs him his badge.

Turning to his lifelong passion, Janeway opens a small bookshop—all the while searching for evidence to put Newton away. When prized volumes in a highly sought-after collection begin to appear, so do dead bodies. Now Janeway’s life is about to change in profound and shocking ways as he attempts to find out who’s dealing death along with vintage Chandlers and Twains.

My Thoughts: This book is the first in the Cliff Janeway series. It was first published in 1992. It tells the story of a homicide cop in Denver who becomes an antiquarian bookseller. 

Janeway has always been a book collector and been a peripheral member of the book trade in Denver. When a book scout named Bobby Westall is murdered, Janeway is sure that his nemesis local lowlife Jackie Newton has had his hand in it somewhere. Janeway has been trying to catch Newton at some chargeable wrong doing for years, but his high-priced lawyers have always been able to get him out of trouble. 

When he catches Newton abusing a woman, Janeway finally loses his cool and takes Newton out into the country and has a fight with him. This causes Janeway to lose his job with the Denver police and to be sued by Newton for millions. 

Janeway decides to open his own bookstore and hires a smart-talking Scottish immigrant to help him run it. Rumors of a particularly good collection have Janeway interacting with feuding siblings, a reclusive bookseller, and other book scouts. 

When there is another couple of murders, Janeway is determined to solve them and solve the mystery of the missing book collection. 

I enjoyed the information about the rate book trade. Janeway is an interesting character too being both hard-nosed and liberal in many of his social opinions. He's also a real book snob. This is the first book in a five-book series. 

Favorite Quote:

There's something seriously wrong with a society when its best-selling writer of all time is Janet Dailey.

I bought this one June 14, 2021. The audiobook was included with my Audible membership. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Booked to Die by John Dunning

 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:

Bobby the bookscout was killed at midnight on June 13, 1986. This was the first strange fact, leading to the question, What was he doing out that late at night? To Bobby, midnight was the witching hour and Friday the thirteenth was a day to be spent in bed.

Friday 56:

I didn't think it would be hard to find them. Barbara had run without any money, it seemed -- her handbag was still on the table beside the radio. 

This week I am spotlighting Booked to Die by John Dunning. It is the first in the Cliff Janeway novels. I bought it June 14, 2021. Here is the description from Amazon:

Booked to Die, the first book in John Dunning’s bestselling, award-winning Cliff Janeway series, is “a joy to read for its wealth of inside knowledge about the antiquarian book business and its eccentric traders” (The New York Times Book Review).

Denver homicide detective Cliff Janeway may not always play by the book, but he’s an avid collector of rare and first editions. Bobby Westfall is a local bookscout, a gentle and quiet man who has sold enough valuable books to keep himself and his cats fed and housed. When Bobby is murdered, Janeway would like nothing better than to rearrange the suspect’s spine. But the suspect, local lowlife Jackie Newton, is a master at eluding the law, and Janeway’s wrathful brand of off-duty justice costs him his badge.

Turning to his lifelong passion, Janeway opens a small bookshop—all the while searching for evidence to put Newton away. When prized volumes in a highly sought-after collection begin to appear, so do dead bodies. Now Janeway’s life is about to change in profound and shocking ways as he attempts to find out who’s dealing death along with vintage Chandlers and Twains.

ARC Review: French Quarter Fright Night by Ellen Byron

French Quarter Fright Night
Author: Ellen Byron
Series: Vintage Cookbook Series (Book 3)
Publication: Severn House; Main edition (September 3, 2024)

Description: The third in the fabulous cozy mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron.

Welcome to the Bon Veeevil Festival of Fear! Prepare for the spookiest night of your life . . .

It's Halloween in New Orleans, and the staff of Bon Vee Culinary House Museum is setting up a fantastic haunted house tour for their visitors. But when flashy movie star Blaine Taggart and his entourage move into the mansion next door, gift shop proprietor Ricki James-Diaz gets a fright of her own.

While Ricki is excited about the potential business the tours will bring to her vintage cookbook shop, she's less thrilled by former friend Blaine's arrival in town. Then Bon Vee's prop tomb becomes a real tomb for Blaine's nasty assistant, and suddenly everyone at Bon Vee is a murder suspect. There isn't a ghost of a chance one of them committed the crime, but with NOPD busy tackling the mischief and mayhem generated by the spooky holiday, it falls on Ricki and her friends to catch the killer.

As the Big Easy gears up for the Big Scary, it seems everyone has skeletons in their closets. Can Ricki reveal the shadowy killer before someone else becomes part of the Halloween horror show?

My Thoughts: Ricki and the others at the Bon Vee Culinary Museum are busy getting ready for the Halloween festivities and planning a haunted house. However, the new owners of the mansion nest door are causing problems. Miranda Fine, who is the assistant to the mystery owner, is barraging them with complaints. 

All of the residents have various acrimonious confrontations with Miranda. When it is learned that she is the assistant for Blaine Taggart, A-list movie star and best friend of Ricki's late husband, the situation gets even more complex for Ricki. And when Miranda's body is found as a centerpiece in one of Bon Vee's Halloween displays, it is up to Ricki to help the police solve the crime since she and her friends are in the suspects' pool. 

Meanwhile, Ricki is also looking into her family tree. Adopted as an infant in New Orleans, she wants to find any possible remaining relatives. Having tracked down part of her family and finding that she's related to the founder of Bon Vee, she's been trying to find out about the male line. She is quite surprised to find that the murder Victim is a distant relative, but it does give her another thread to tug to find out about her history.

This was another fun episode in the Vintage Cookbook series. I liked that some recipes from vintage cookbooks were included.

Favorite Quote:

Nina lifted a corner of her mouth in a half-smile. "We know what we say: In Louisiana, we only follow the rules we like."

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

ARC Review: The Reaping by Jess Lourey

The Reaping
Author: Jess Lourey
Series: Steinbeck and Reed (Book 2)
Publication: Thomas & Mercer (September 3, 2024)

Description: By-the-book forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck and rogue BCA agent Van Reed must catch a cold-case killer who’s returned to abduct a small town’s children one by one in this heart-stopping novel from the Edgar Award–nominated author of Unspeakable Things.

In 1998 an Alku, Minnesota, family of five was brutally murdered in their sleep. The event shook the insulated community but, without any solid leads, was relegated to the cold case files, where it moldered for twenty-five years. Until today.

Agent Harry Steinbeck hoped never to return to the northland, a place that holds terrible memories of his sister’s abduction. But when a recent homicide is connected to Alku’s unsolved mass murder, he and cold case agent Evangeline Reed have no choice but to investigate.

The case grows impossibly darker as, one by one, the children of Alku begin disappearing. And Harry and Van can’t shake the sensation that someone is watching every move they make.

As an elusive killer’s trail leads to a truth more sinister than either imagined, Harry knows there’s only one way to crack this case: he must finally face the secrets of his own past―even if doing so will cost him everything.

My Thoughts: When BCA agents Harry Steinbeck and Van Reed are called to Northern Minnesota to look into a case that mirrors a cold case from twenty-five years earlier, Harry feats that he will have to reopen terrible events from the past. 

A gruesome murder has taken place in the small, isolated town of Alku. It mirrors the deaths of a man, woman, and their three children which took place in Alku twenty-five years earlier. First the victims are shot with a shotgun and then their heads are crushed.

Alku is not a welcoming place. Settled by Finns who escaped Finland ahead of a mob who wanted them dead, the town is insular in the extreme. Their only source of income is the nursing home for felons that they run in a school/sanitorium that has had many purposes over the years. Since one of the inmates was convicted of similar crimes, he becomes Harry and Van's first suspect. However, his physical disabilities make it impossible to be the perpetrator. 

As Van and Harry look into the cold case, they find that there were a series of other suspicious events that happened at the same time. Two hikers attacked by bears and the disappearance of a local resident all happened within days of the murder. 

Now, children are disappearing and Van and Harry wonder if it connects somehow with those old murders. 

This was an interesting mystery. I especially like that both of the main characters have issues from their pasts that need dealing with. Harry's guilt over the disappearance of his younger sister - also twenty-five years ago - has driven his life choices ever since that day. Now, he has to confront them and the mother he blames for his sister's disappearance.

I liked the setting which is my hometown - Duluth, Minnesota - even though the author takes some liberties with the geography. 

Favorite Quote:

"My mom can be...overbearing. She's always been that way. Don't take it personally. Oh, and the estate she lives in is huge."

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

ARC Review: Passions in Death by J. D. Robb

Passions in Death
Author: J. D. Robb
Series: In Death (Book 59)
Publication: St. Martin's Press (September 3, 2024)

Description: Homicide Detective Eve Dallas hunts a killer who turns a wedding party into a murder scene in the next novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author, J.D. Robb, Passions in Death.

On a hot August night, Lt. Eve Dallas and her husband, Roarke, speed through the streets of Manhattan to the Down and Dirty club, where a joyful, boisterous pre-wedding girls’ night out has turned into a murder scene. One of the brides lies in a pool of blood, garroted in a private room where she was preparing a surprise for her fiancée―two scrimped and saved-for tickets to Hawaii.

Despite the dozens of people present, useful witnesses are hard to come by. It all brings back some bad memories for Eve who once suffered an assault in the very same room―but she’d been able to fight back and survive. She’d gotten justice. And now she needs to provide some for poor young Erin.

Eve knows that the level of violence and the apparent premeditation involved suggest a volatile mix of hidden, heated passion and ice-cold calculation. This is a crime that can be countered only by hard detective work and relentless dedication―and Eve will not stop until she finds the killer who destroyed this couple’s dreams before the honeymoon even began…

My Thoughts: The 59th Eve Dallas story is more of a police procedural than many of the earlier books in the series. It begins when Eve is called to the Down & Dirty because one of the brides at a pre-wedding girls' party has been found garroted in one of the privacy rooms. It so happens to be the same room in which Eve was attacked the night before her wedding to Roarke. 

As Eve sorts through all the friends of both Erin and Shauna who have formed a tight tribe since the two women met and fell in love, Eve believes that the killer was either one of the circle of friends or connected to it. As she sorts through alibis, she finds most of the guests are alibied but soon narrows the suspects to one of Erin's former lovers or Shauna's high school boyfriend. 

Both suspects seem to have the personality to have committed the crime, but neither stands out as a clear-cut favorite suspect. It takes lots of looking into the suspects pasts to find the favorite and then it is equally difficult to find a way to prove it. 

I like seeing how Eve and Roarke's marriage is growing as they grow to know each other better. Roarke doesn't have a big role in solving this case since money isn't really the motive. But he is always there for Eve and Eve has a chance to be there for him too when he has a problem at work. 

Fans of the series will enjoy spending time with Eve, Roarke, Peabody and the other long-time characters in this episode. However, this is a tighter story and most of the side characters remain firmly off to the side. 

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

Audiobook Review: The Hen of the Baskervilles by Donna Andrews

The Hen of the Baskervilles
Author: Donna Andrews
Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
Series: Meg Langslow Mystery (Book 15)
Publication: Dreamscape Media (July 16, 2013)
Length: 8 hours

Description: Meg Langslow is helping organize the Virginia Un-Fair, Caerphilly's entry in the race to replace the old state fair. While patrolling the fairgrounds, Meg runs into her friend Molly. Molly is terrified that she may lose her farm because her idle husband has left her for a rich hobby winemaker and is demanding his half of the land. Meg enlists Mother's help to find Molly a divorce lawyer, which Mother is all the more willing to do because the unfaithful husband's new girlfriend is the bete noire of the wine pavilion. She is so universally disliked that Meg begins to worry about her safety. But it's the unfaithful husband whose murdered body she and Michael find that night.

My Thoughts: Meg is in the middle of organizing the Un-Fair - Caerphilly's answer to the State Fair - which has been hit with all sorts of vandalism. From stealing rare bantam chickens, to damaging a potentially prize-winning quilt, to smashing a record-breaking pumpkin, Meg is busy smoothing feathers and looking for vandals. 

Then a man is murdered which raises the stakes quite a bit. He is the soon-to-be ex of Meg's friend Molly who makes artisan cheese. He had taken up with a rich winemaker who was universally disliked among the other winemakers. Besides alienating all the other winemakers, she had a habit of being pushy about getting others to sell her heritage animals and isn't willing to take no for an answer. 

The murder takes place on the line between Caerphilly and Clay County and there is a dispute about jurisdiction of the murder investigation. The police chief negotiates with the Clay County Sheriff and winds up having to let a Clay County deputy "help" with the investigation. The deputy seems to specialize in contaminating evidence and causing problems. 

And while all this is going on, Meg is still determined to spend time with Michael and her twin sons as they show their llamas in various events. 

This was another fun episode in a long-running series. 

I bought this one from Chirp March 22, 2023. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Moving Is Murder by Sara Rosett

Moving Is Murder
Author: Sara Rosett
Series: An Ellie Avery Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Kensington Cozies; Reissue edition (March 1, 2007)

Description: Meet military spouse, soccer mom, professional organizer, and savvy sleuth, Ellie Avery!

Moving four times in five years has honed Air Force wife Ellie Avery's packing and unpacking skills. But moving with a newborn daughter and husband Mitch in tow, during a heat wave, is enough to make her turn to chocolate for comfort. And when Ellie finds a local environmentalist dead on the side of the road, her instincts tell her this was no accident …

Ellie snoops into the activist's suspicious demise, only to realize she's getting closer to the killer . . . maybe too close! This first Ellie Avery mystery launched a series that continues to win readers' hearts.

My Thoughts: This is the first in the ten-book Ellie Avery series. Ellie is an Air Force wife who has just moved to a new city with her pilot husband Mitch and her infant daughter Livie. Before the boxes are even unpacked, Ellie comes upon the body of another Air Force wife. Cass was a life-of-the-party environmentalist who was the first to welcome Ellie to the new neighborhood.

When Ellie finds Cass dead on the side of the road from anaphylactic shock, she is suspicious of the death. Where were her two EpiPens? And who put a paper cup filled with wasps in her van? And why was she seen arguing with one of the other pilots?

As Ellie investigates, she finds herself the victim of some dangerous pranks and is sure that someone has been in her house snooping around for something. She slowly manages to uncover the conspiracy as the story progresses.

The story is entertaining and suspenseful. It is also filled with tips for moving and packing from this woman who wants to become a professional organizer.

Favorite Quote:

I'd taken after my dad. I liked things lined up and in order. Nothing was in order with Cass's death. Everything was jumbled and didn't fit. I couldn't help poking and prodding, trying to make it make sense. 

I bought this one June 10, 2021. You can buy your copy here.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (August 26, 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...

It was a quiet week with seasonable temperatures. We are on the northern edge of a heat wave for the next couple of days. We're only expecting high 80s. Our neighbors to the south could be looking at 100. I'm glad the air conditioning is working!

I listened to a lot of audiobooks this week while reading a very dense and somewhat confusing review copy. It went a lot faster after I decided to stop trying to remember who was on which side of the conflict that was central to the story.

There were lots of good book sales this week. Besides four new review copies including one I'd requested a couple of months ago, I got five new audiobooks including three from Chirp and an Audible Daily deal and six Kindle Daily Deals or BookBub deals. 

It is hard to believe that it is almost the end of August which means writing my State of the Stack post and closing out the books on my month's reading. I do hope to finish my remaining September review copies before I need to do those reports. 

I'm on tap to make dinner today. Spaghetti and meatballs was requested. I'm digging out my mom's old recipe from her Weight Watchers days which has become a family favorite. I should head to the grocery store but don't want to. The lettuce we have will make a good enough side salad even if we have run out of romaine. 

Read Last Week

• The Vampire of Kings Street by Asha Greyling (Review; September 17) -- A book that tries to do a little too much. Historical Fantasy, Vampires, Mystery, Women's Rights. My review will be posted on September 12.
• The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard (Review; September 24) -- San Francisco tour guide wants to clear her convicted serial killer grandfather's name but finds herself involved in a couple of copycat murders. My review will be posted on September 17.
• The Cold Light of Day by Anna Lee Huber (Review; September 24) -- Seventh Verity Kent historical mystery finds her and her husband in Dublin in 1920. Political chaos and war make it hard for her to find her friend and some missing gas canisters. My review will be posted on September 17)

• Command Decision by Elizabeth Moon (Audiobook) -- Fourth in the Vatta's War series. My review will be posted on October 3)
• Victory Conditions by Elizabeth Moon (Audiobook) -- Finale of the Vatta's War series. My review will be posted on October 10.
• The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen (Audiobook) -- Ninth in the Rizzoli and Isles series. My review will be posted on September 24.

• Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook Reread)
• A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook Reread)

Currently

• A Killer Clue by Victoria Gilbert (Review; September 24)

Next Week

• Ashes Never Lie by Lee Goldberg (Review; September 24)
• Death by Misadventure by Tasha Alexander (Review; September 24)
• Candle & Crow by Kevin Hearne (Review; October 1)

• I'll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong (Review; October 1)
• Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly (Review; October 1)
• Old Detectives Home by Mike Befeler (Mine since April 24)

Reviews Posted

All of these books are from my collections. 

• The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews (Audiobook)
• Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey (Audiobook)
• Echo Road by Kendra Elliot & Melinda Leigh

• Unleashed by David Rosenfelt
• Fortune and Glory by Janet Evanovich
• Bloody Mary by J. A. Konrath

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

Review:

• Rockin' Around the Chickadee by Donna Andrews (Review; October 15)
• Feuds edited by Mercedes Lackey (Review; November 26)

• A Killer's Code by Isabella Maldonado (Review; January 21)
• The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen (Review; March 18)

Bought:

Kindle:

• Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong (Kindle Daily Deal; $3.99)
• Good Neighbors by Stephanie Burgis (Kindle Daily Deal; $1.99)
• Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline (BookBub; $1.99)

• Flight by Laura Griffin (BookBub; $1.99)
• Trouble with the Cursed by Kim Harrison (BookBub; $1.99)
• Infinite Stars edited by David Weber (BookBub; $1.99)

Audiobooks:

• The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen (Kinde $4.99; Audiobook Add-on $1.99)
• Podkayne of Mars by Robert A. Heinlein (Chirp; $2.99)
• Light in Shadow by Jayne Anne Krentz (Chirp; $2.99)

• She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica (Audible Daily Deal; $2.99)
• Sacred Ground by Mercedes Lackey (Chirp; $3.99)

What was your week like?

Book Review: Fortune and Glory by Janet Evanovich

Fortune and Glory
Author: Janet Evanovich
Series: Stephanie Plum (Book 27)
Publication: Atria Books (November 3, 2020)

Description: From “the most popular mystery writer alive” (The New York Times), the twenty-seventh thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series isn’t just the biggest case of Stephanie Plum’s career. It’s the adventure of a lifetime.

When Stephanie’s beloved Grandma Mazur’s new husband died on their wedding night, the only thing he left her was a beat-up old easy chair…and the keys to a life-changing fortune.

But as Stephanie and Grandma Mazur search for Jimmy Rosolli’s treasure, they discover that they’re not the only ones on the hunt. Two dangerous enemies from the past stand in their way—along with a new adversary who’s even more formidable: Gabriela Rose, a dark-eyed beauty from Little Havana with a taste for designer clothes. She’s also a soldier of fortune, a gourmet cook, an expert in firearms and mixed martial arts—and someone who’s about to give Stephanie a real run for her money.

Stephanie may be in over her head, but she’s got two things that Gabriela doesn’t: an unbreakable bond with her family and a stubborn streak that will never let her quit.

She’ll need both to survive because this search for “fortune and glory” will turn into a desperate race against time with more on the line than ever before. Because even as she searches for the treasure and fights to protect her Grandma Mazur, her own deepest feelings will be tested—as Stephanie could finally be forced to choose between Joe Morelli and Ranger.

My Thoughts: The 27th Stephanie Plum novel is filled with exploding cars and humor. Stephanie is on a treasure hunt with her Grandma Mazur. Grandma's 45-minute husband Jimmy Rossoli left her the keys to a treasure but lots of other villains don't want her to have it. 

Stephanie has to hunt down clues while still doing her job as fugitive apprehension agent in Trenton, New Jersey. She has three men to find and bring back to jail if she wants to make her rent: George Potts was arrested for streaking down Hamilton Avenue and using the sidewalk in front of Tasty Pastry Bakery as a bathroom. Arnold Rugalowski was caught on camera putting fried roaches in his wife's bucket of chicken, and Rodney Trotter was arrested for giving silicone butt implants out of the back of his van. 

Naturally, none of the men she's after want to go back to jail and hijinks occur as she and Lula try to find them and get them back to the jail. However, Potts is the most clueless and does go back to jail. He's so pathetic that Stephanie posts his bail and earns the life-long devotion of a clueless nerd who is determined to be her bodyguard. 

This was another fun episode in the Stephanie Plum series. I like her ability to just go with the flow when she is confronted by absurdities and gangsters who want her dead. I love her love life as she can't decide between Joe Morelli and Ranger. And Lula and Grandma Mazur always bring humor to the story. 

Favorite Quote:

Cultural appropriation is a good thing here. Polish housewives share recipes with their Italian neighbors. Kielbasa, macaroni and red sauce, Cozido a Portuguesa, enchiladas, burgers, goulash, pot roast, pirogis, pad thai. We eat it all. The American melting pot is alive and healthy in Burg kitchens.

I bought this one October 2, 2021. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Fortune and Glory by Janet Evanovich

 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:

My name is Stephanie Plym and I'm a fugitive apprehension agent in Trenton, New Jersey.

Friday 56:

"Inside job?"

"Probably. They took cash. Knew where to find it. I suspect they also took drugs, but the homeowner isn't going to report a drug theft."

This week I am spotlighting Fortune and Glory by Janet Evanovich. I bought this one on October 2, 2021, when it was on sale for $2.99. I like the Stephanie Plum series but I need space between each episode. Maybe not 3 years, but space...

Here is the description from Amazon:

From “the most popular mystery writer alive” (The New York Times), the twenty-seventh thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series isn’t just the biggest case of Stephanie Plum’s career. It’s the adventure of a lifetime.

When Stephanie’s beloved Grandma Mazur’s new husband died on their wedding night, the only thing he left her was a beat-up old easy chair…and the keys to a life-changing fortune.

But as Stephanie and Grandma Mazur search for Jimmy Rosolli’s treasure, they discover that they’re not the only ones on the hunt. Two dangerous enemies from the past stand in their way—along with a new adversary who’s even more formidable: Gabriela Rose, a dark-eyed beauty from Little Havana with a taste for designer clothes. She’s also a soldier of fortune, a gourmet cook, an expert in firearms and mixed martial arts—and someone who’s about to give Stephanie a real run for her money.

Stephanie may be in over her head, but she’s got two things that Gabriela doesn’t: an unbreakable bond with her family and a stubborn streak that will never let her quit.

She’ll need both to survive because this search for “fortune and glory” will turn into a desperate race against time with more on the line than ever before. Because even as she searches for the treasure and fights to protect her Grandma Mazur, her own deepest feelings will be tested—as Stephanie could finally be forced to choose between Joe Morelli and Ranger.

Audiobook Review: Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey

Arrow's Flight
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Narrator: Christa Lewis
Series: Heralds of Valdemar (Book 2)
Publication: Tantor Audio (May 8, 2018)
Length: 9 hours and 52 minutes

Description: Talia could scarcely believe that she had finally earned the rank of full Herald. Though this seemed like the fulfillment of all her dreams, it also meant she would face trials far greater than those she had previously survived.

For now, Talia must ride forth to patrol the kingdom of Valdemar, dispensing Herald's justice throughout the land.

But in this realm beset by dangerous unrest, enforcing her rulings will require all the courage and skill Talia could command - for if she misuses her own special powers, both she and Valdemar will pay the price.

My Thoughts: Talia has one more step to conquer on her way to being a full Herald. She has to complete her internship while riding a circuit. Her mentor for this journey is Kris. Talia has an unusual psychic gift: she's a mind healer and a very powerful one. Because this is an unusual gift which appears most often in healers, her mentors among the Heralds don't know how to help her get control of her gift. And it doesn't help that rumors are circulating through Court that she is prone to misuse her gift.

Kris has been briefed by his uncle Lord Orthalan about the rumors which make it difficult for him to trust her. Talia senses his distrust which makes her own doubts even more powerful. When her shields fail, she becomes a danger to herself and to Kris too. 

It is while the pair are snowed in at a Herald's shelter that Kris realizes that Talia lacks the basics of controlling any gift and determines to bring her back to the beginning and teach her the correct way to use her gift. During their period of isolation, Kris and Talia become lovers which makes Talia fear that she's used her gift to influence his behavior and Kris to feat that his noted attraction to women has caused Talia's reaction to him. Both know that Talia really is falling in love with Kris's partner Dirk.

There are a number of opportunities for Talia to practice the skills needed by Haralds from border disputes, to deranged servant girls, to murders, and to plague. Kris tells her that her practice on the circuit will stand her in good stead as she deals with the politics of the Court in her role as Queen's Own. 

This was an excellent middle book in the Heralds of Valdemar trilogy.

I bought this one from Chirp April 23, 2022. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Bloody Mary by J. A. Konrath

Bloody Mary
Author: J. A. Konrath
Series: Jack Daniels (Book 2)
Publication: J. A. Konrath (February 4, 2013)

Description: THE TWIST YOU WON'T SEE COMING...

Start with a tough but vulnerable Chicago cop. Add a hyperactive cat, an ailing mother, a jealous boyfriend, a high-maintenance ex-husband, and a partner in the throes of a mid-life crisis.

Stir in a psychopath littering the city with body parts. Mix with equal parts humor and suspense, and enjoy Bloody Mary--the second novel in the funny, frightening world of Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels.

Join Jack as she struggles to repair her train wreck of a personal life while tracking down and convicting one of the scariest serial killers in recent memory.

My Thoughts: The second Jack Daniels mystery pits Chicago Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels against a serial killer whose mad rages lead to many violent deaths. But Jack has other things on her mind too: her partner is going through a mid-life crisis, her independent Mom is in need of her care, her ex-husband is hanging around, and her new boyfriend is being way too accommodating for her liking. 

This story mixes gruesome killing (mostly off the pages) with humor as Jack deals with the many crises in her life which lead to battles with insomnia and stress. The killer was a truly evil villain. 

However, the villain's reveal which was supposed to be an unexpected twist wasn't all that much of a twist for me. I saw it coming. What was surprising was the way the villain managed to keep his evil under the radar for as long as he did. 

This is the second in a series. I will be reading on because I enjoy Jack's character and want to know more. 

Favorite Quote:

I took a large swig of Sam Adams and frowned. 

"No one else would ride with Harry, so I got stuck with him."

"That's true. It's because I was reckless."

"It's because you're obnoxious. Every partner Harry ever had put in for a transfer."

I bought this one January 2, 2016. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Unleashed by David Rosenfelt

Unleashed
Author: David Rosenfelt
Series: Andy Carpenter (Book 11)
Publication: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (July 23, 2013)

Description: Andy Carpenter's accountant, Sam Willis, is stunned to receive a phone call out of the blue from Barry Price, a high school friend he hasn't spoken to in years, pleading for help with something too frightening to discuss on the phone. Barry needs Sam's financial acumen and lawyer Andy Carpenter's legal expertise—and he needs them immediately. But when Sam almost runs over an injured dog lying in the road on the way to Barry's house, he can't drive off without waiting for help to arrive. By the time Sam makes it, Barry's already taken off on a private airplane headed who-knows-where.

Assuming their help is no longer needed, Sam and Andy turn their full attention to helping the dog Sam found recover from his injuries. Then they learn that Barry's plane has crashed, and they come to the terrifying realization that Sam was also supposed to have been killed on that plane. Barry was in far more serious trouble than either of them knew, and for Sam and Andy, the trouble is only beginning.

Unleashed, David Rosenfelt's next Andy Carpenter mystery, is a thrilling read, full of Rosenfelt's trademark clever plotting, humor, and engaging prose.

My Thoughts: In the eleventh Andy Carpenter mystery, it is his friend Sam Willis who is in need of Andy's professional skills. 

After a call for help from an old friend, Sam heads to Barry Price's house. His arrival is delayed when he hits a dog and needs to wait until help can arrive for the dog. His late arrival means missing Barry who dies in a plane crash - a plane Sam was supposed to be on with him. 

When Barry's wife - Sam's high school girlfriend - is arrested, Sam asks Andy to defend her. But there is a twist. She claims that she's been having an affair with Sam and Sam is the one who killed Barry. Now, Sam's on trial until Andy can figure out the whole thing which happens to lead to plans for mass terrorism on Memorial Day.

I like Andy who is snarky and work-averse but who will do anything for his friends. Sam's new dog whom he names Crash was also a nice companion for Andy's Tara. 

Favorite Quote:

"Well, I think I may have a new client for you."

Sam says this with an expression and tone in his voice that indicate he thinks he is giving me good news. "Yippee skippee," I say.

I bought this one November 2, 2022. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews

The Real Macaw
Author: Donna Andrews
Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
Series: Meg Langslow Mysteries (Book 13)
Publication: Dreamscape Media (June 15, 2008)
Length: 8 hours and 39 minutes

Description: During an early morning feeding for her four-month-old twins, Meg Langslow hears an odd noise and goes downstairs to find her living room filled with dozens of animals - cats, dogs, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, guinea pigs, and a stunningly foul-mouthed macaw. She soon learns that financial woes have caused the local animal shelter to repeal its no-kill policy. Her kind-hearted father, her zoologist grandfather, and other like-minded citizens have stolen all the shelter animals, both as a gesture of protest and to protect them until the hated policy can be repealed.

But the volunteer who was transporting animals to new homes has been murdered. Was it the victim's tangled love life that drove someone to murder? Or the dark secrets behind local politics? And will Meg ever succeed in finding homes for all the animals that have landed in her life?

My Thoughts: In the thirteenth Meg Langslow mystery, Meg and Michael are coping with 4-month-old twins who have opposing sleep schedules. One night, while Meg is up feeding one, she hears noises downstairs and discovers that her grandfather, father and brother have burgled the local animal shelter and have brought the animals to her living room. New county policy and financial problems are changing the shelter from a no-kill shelter. 

The animals from hamsters to a monster Irish Wolfhound and a foul-mothed macaw were supposed to be moved elsewhere, but no one contact the man who was supposed to drive the truck to relocate the animals. But then the sheriff arrives and tells them that the driver had been murdered. 

Now, between taking care of her babies and dealing with the menagerie, she has to help solve the mystery. But that isn't enough. Soon Meg finds surveyors on her land and learns that the mayor is planning to use eminent domain to take her land and her father's land for development into a golf course and condos. 

Needless to say, the residents starting with those helping with the critter heist and expanding to most of the county, are all outraged but even calling in Mom's cousin Festus and his legal expertise doesn't stop foreclosure on the buildings the mayor put up as collateral for his town improvement plans which mostly improved the property of his family and cronies. 

Meg has to search for a killer while all the public buildings - including the police department - are packing up and moving before the foreclosure happens.

This was another fun episode in an engaging and humorous series. While engaging as print books, these really shine as audiobooks. Bernadette Dunne does an excellent job with all the characters. 

I bought this one at Chirp August 25, 2022. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Echo Road by Kendra Elliot & Melinda Leigh

Echo Road
Author: Kendra Elliot & Melinda Leigh
Publication: Montlake (July 2, 2024)

Description: When two cross-country cases collide, Bree Taggert and Mercy Kilpatrick join forces to catch a serial killer in an addictive novel of suspense by bestselling authors Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot.

During a vicious heat wave, a county maintenance worker stumbles upon two suspicious suitcases abandoned by the side of the road. Sheriff Bree Taggert responds to find two bodies stuffed inside the luggage. The press demands action. The community is on edge. Suddenly, Bree is at the center of a media firestorm.

In Oregon, a senator’s daughter goes missing. FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick agrees to keep the politically sensitive case on the down-low. When she finds a link between the disappearance and a double homicide three thousand miles away, Mercy takes the next plane out—and lands right in the middle of Bree’s double homicide investigation.

To save the missing girl, Bree and Mercy must work together to stop a killer who’s playing deadly games with the press and stirring up public rage. Hungry for notoriety, he dares Bree and Mercy to catch him before he kills again.

My Thoughts: Out West, FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is called when a Senator's seventeen-year-old daughter Paige goes missing. Meanwhile in New York State, Sheriff Bree Taggert is called to a scene when two suitcases are found in the ditch of a rural road. The contain the dead bodies of two women bound with ball gags in their mouths. 

Mercy's case leads her to New York State when it is determined that Paige had met a man online at a BDSM site and likely left to go with him. Evidence shows that she had been texting with a burner phone located in Bree's jurisdiction. 

Mercy and Bree team up to find the missing girl and discover who killed the other two women. They discover that they have a lot in common and soon learn to trust each other. Their investigation is complicated by Bree's City Manager deciding to call public meeting and generally make the investigation more difficult. There is also a local reporter who seems to know more than he should who is letting out information Bree and Mercy had planned to keep quiet. 

The story is told from multiple viewpoints. The villain has chapters labeled Him, Bree has her chapters, and so does Mercy. There are even a few chapters from Paige's point of view. 

The story was exciting and packed with danger. Since I've read all the Mercy Kilpatirck stories and all the Bree Taggert stories, I would be glad to read more stories where they find reasons to work together. 

Favorite Quote:

"The case is politically sensitive?" Bree asked.

Agent Kirpatrick's poker face didn't budge, nor did she comment.

So Bree guessded the answer was yes.

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

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (August 19, 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...

A cool and rainy week gave me lots of time for reading and listening. I'm bingeing on the Vatta's War space opera series which is a reread of a series I first read sometime before 2008. Most of the audiobooks were available through Audible Plus. However, the second was not. I used one of my Audible credits for it. 

I also started reading a review book that is a historical fantasy/mystery. It has been a bit of a slog partly because of the formatting of the eARC. It is hard to get lost in the story when the title of the book and the page number is randomly inserted in the middle of a sentence. Line breaks are wonky too. I took frequent breaks from this one to listen to my audiobook and even started the next review book on my stack.

I didn't do much this week. But I did go out to lunch with about 25 of my high school classmates. It was nice to have a chance to catch up and chat. Lunch was good too.

This week I should finish the first five Vatta space operas. There are two more that I own but don't think that I've ever read. Only one of them is available as an audiobook. Of course, I have a whole bunch of review books on my calendar too. 

Read Last Week

• When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill (Mine since July 24) -- Contemporary fantasy/alternate history. Entertaining and thought provoking. My review will be posted on September 7.
• Tell No Lies by Allison Brennan (Mine since May 24) -- Romantic Suspense/Thriller that reunites Quinn and Costa as the deal with the murder of a college student, illegal dumping and trafficking. My review will be posted on September 10.

• Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon (Audible Plus) -- The first book in the Vatta's War series is Ky Vatta's coming of age story. Excellent space opera. My review will be posted on September 12.
• The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst (Mine since July 16) -- This cozy fantasy was like a warm hug and a cup of hot chocolate. My review will be posted on September 11.
• Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon (Audible Credit) -- The second book in the Vatta's War series has Ky dealing with the deaths of most of her relatives in a sneak attack by an unknown enemy. My review will be posted on September 19.

• Sanctuary for Seers by Kathleen Baldwin (Mine since July 25, 2023) --The fifth Stranje House historical fantasy is Sera's story. My review will be posted on September 14.
• Engaging the Enemy by Elizabeth Moon (Audible Plus) -- The third in the Vatta's War series is packed with space battles. My review will be posted on September 26.

Currently

• The Vampire of Kings Street by Asha Greyling (Review; September 17)
• The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard (Review; September 24)
• Command Decision (Vatta's War 4) by Elizabeth Moon (Audible Plus)

Next Week

• Victory Conditions (Vatta's War 5) by Elizabeth Moon (Audible Plus)
• The Cold Light of Day by Anna Lee Huber (Review; September 24)
• A Killer Clue by Victoria Gilbert (Review; September 24)

• Ashes Never Lie by Lee Goldberg (Review; September 24)
• Death by Misadventure by Tasha Alexander (Review; September 24)
• Candle & Crow by Kevin Hearne (Review; October 1)

Reviews Posted

• The Jig Is Up by Lisa Q. Mathews (Review Copy)
• A Scandal in Mayfair by Katharine Schellman (Review Copy)
• Shock and Paw by Cate Conte (Review Copy)

• In the Event of Murder by Cynthia Kuhn (Review Copy)
• How to Fall for a Scoundrel by Kate Bateman (Review Copy)
• City of Secrets by P. J. Tracy (Review Copy)

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

Review:

Bought:

• Marque and Reprisal (Vatta's War 2) by Elizabeth Moon (Audible Credit)
• Engaging the Enemy (Vatta's War 3) by Elizabeth Moon (Audible Plus)

• Command Decision (Vatta's War 4) by Elizabeth Moon (Audible Plus)
• Victory Conditions (Vatta's War 5) by Elizabeth Moon (Audible Plus)

What was your week like?