It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (February 16, 2026)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

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

Other Than Reading...

I had a great reading week. I managed to stay on track with what I had planned to read without taking any audiobook detours. I hope to do the same thing this week and rebuild my cushion of scheduled posts. I have decided that, while I really like audiobooks, I don't like romance audiobooks. When I'm reading a print copy, I can skim over the love scenes if they get too long or embarrassing. I can't do that as easily with an audiobook. 

Despite our January thaw coming late this year, I still stayed inside all week. Friday and Saturday the temperatures reached the mid-forties. Melting ensued leaving our driveway clear and dry and grass showing in large bare spots on our lawn. We do have today and Monday when the temperatures should be in the lower 40s and the skies clear and blue too. 

Of course, a winter weather event is also in this week's forecast. There is a chance of snow in the forecast from Tuesday night until Friday. The exact track of the storm isn't known yet. We could get rain or up to 6 inches of snow. Wednesday is supposed to be the day with the bulk of the precipitation. 

I do have a brief doctor's appointment on Monday and want to get 2026 license tabs for my car which means a trip to the DMV. Otherwise, I should be able to stay home and read. 

My brother has Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off this week. I'm planning to make a Marry Me Chicken crockpot soup on Monday. I don't know what he plans to cook on his days off. 

Read Last Week

• Don't Open the Door by Allison Brennan (Audiobook, mine since February 9, 2026) -- Contemporary thriller. The second book starring former US Marshal Regan Merritt. My review will be posted on February 26,
• The Ghost Women by Jennifer Murphy (Review, February 24) -- A mystery set at a reclusive art school. The story has ghosts, murders staged to look like Tarot cards, and a detective with a secret past. My review will be posted on February 19.
• How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson (Review, February 24) -- This twisty thriller has a woman coming back to work after a breakdown and trying to track down the author of a book about being a serial killer. There are alternate chapters from the book. My review will be posted on February 20.

• A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn (Review, March 3) -- Tenth Veronica Speedwell historical mystery. Wonderful main character with a unique voice. My review will be posted on February 24.
• Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (Audiobook, mine since February 8, 2026) -- Spicy sports romance with some depth. My review will be posted on February 27.
• Collared by David Rosenfelt (Kindle, Mine since September 29, 2023) -- Fifteenth in the Andy Carpenter mystery series. My review will be posted on February 25.

• Spellbound by Murder by Stacie Ramey (Review, March 10) -- Fun paranormal mystery with a great setting and intriguing main character. My review will be posted on March 3.
• Magic & Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett (Review, March 10) -- Contemporary romantasy with great worldbuilding and a nice love story. My review will be posted on March 4.

Currently

• Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer (Audiobook, mine since January 18, 2026)
• A Lie for a Lie by Ren DeStefano (Review, March 10)

Next Week

• The Pie & Mash Detective Agency by J. D. Brinkworth (Review, March 10)
• Jolene by Mercedes Lackey (Mine since November 18, 2025)
• You Did Nothing Wrong by CG Drews (Review, March 17)

• The Antique Hunter's Murder at the Castle by C. L. Miller (Review, March 17)
• Stakeouts and Strollers by Rob Phillips (Review, March 17)
• The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C. M. Waggoner (Review, March 17)

Reviews Posted

• The Reckless Bride by Stephanie Laurens (Audiobook)
• Half City by Kate Golden (Review copy)
• Owl Be Home for Christmas by Donna Andrews (Audiobook, mine)

• First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong (Review copy)
• Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove (Review copy)
• The Edge by Dick Francis (Mine)

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

Review:

Bought:

• Stolen in Death by J. D. Robb (Gift Card Kindle & Audiobook)
• Don't Open the Door by Allison Brennan (Audiobook, Audible Credit)
• Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (Audiobook, Gift Card)

What was your week like?

Book Review: The Edge by Dick Francis

The Edge
Author: Dick Francis
Publication: G. P. Putnam (August 2, 2005)

Description: To the Jockey Club, the racing world would be a better place without Julius Apollo Filmer. An expert in corruption with a devastating line in witness intimidation - and proving to be a slippery character to put behind bars. Baffled, they call in undercover security agent Tor Kelsey to keep an unflinching eye on Filmer and his associates. A mission that takes him from the finest of English racecourses to the wild Canadian interior - on a luxury transcontinental train journey to end them all. On board, a troupe of actors are playing out a murder mystery for the amusement of their diamond-studded passengers. Ideal cover for a secret investigator with secrets of his own. And better still for an ice-cool blackmailer for whom murder is just one of many options...

My Thoughts: Tor Kelsey works as an investigator for the Jockey Club. He was raised around horses, left England for about seven years, had his trust funds come due, and was looking for meaningful work. His former trustee introduced him to the head of the Investigations Department who offered him a job. He has been working more or less undercover for three years. 

Julius Apollo Filmer was one of the men he watched. He has found some way to blackmail owners into selling him or giving him their best horses. All of the owners are too frightened to tell the Jockey Club what he's been doing. Before a young groom could confess all, his body was found in a ditch. Filmer was brought to trial but was acquitted. 

Now, Filmer has decided to take part in a Canadian venture that puts a number of horses, owners, grooms, and racegoers on a train that will be traveling across Canada and stopping at various racetracks along the way. Tor has been given a place on the train to keep an eye on Filmer who doubtless has some dastardly plan in place though no one knows what it is. The train is also hosting a bunch of actors who are doing a murder mystery along the journey.

Tor assumes the role of one of the waiters on the train reasoning that no one will look past the uniform. Anonymity has been his friend in his new job, and he doesn't want to lose it. The only ones in country who know his secret identity are the young woman who is organizing the tour, and she only knows part of the truth, and the head of the Investigations department of the Canadian Jockey club. 

This was an engaging mystery filled with lots of action and adventure. Tor was a great character who job means that he is lonely most of the time. He's bright, he's dedicated, and he's very observant. 

I bought this one January 1, 2026. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Owl Be Home for Christmas by Donna Andrews

Owl Be Home for Christmas
Author: Donna Andrews
Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
Series:  Meg Langslow (Book 26)
Publication: Dreamscape Media (October 15, 2019)
Length: 9 hours and 32 minutes

Description: The 26th book and the sixth Christmas mystery in the Meg Langslow series, Owl Be Home for Christmas is yet another wonderfully merry and funny book from New York Times bestselling author Donna Andrews.

It's a few days before Christmas, and Meg's grandfather is hosting a scientific conference on owls at the Caerphilly Inn. Most of the family are there, helping out in one capacity or another, including Meg's grandmother, Cordelia--invited by Grandfather in rare gesture of peace-making, to share her expertise on rehabilitating large birds, including owls. An unexpectedly severe snow storm traps the conference-goers in the hotel, and one of the visiting ornithologists is murdered. Even if Caerphilly is able to clear the roads in time, Chief Burke doesn't want the various suspects to scatter to half a dozen continents before he identifies the killer, so there's a very real possibility that none of them will make it home for Christmas . . . at least not unless Meg comes to the rescue.

Full of intrigue and snow, this Christmas mystery will take readers home to Caerphilly for Christmas.

My Thoughts: A sudden snowstorm maroons the attendees at a scientific conference on owls put on by Meg's grandfather. The attendees and a lot of Meg's family are at the Caerphilly Inn helping with the conference. The snowstorm, coming so close to Christmas, has really put a damper on people's holiday plans. 

The death of an obnoxious attendee puts even more of a damper on the conference and the holidays. Luckily, Horace has found himself stranded at the Inn since he couldn't get home from patrol. And the Chief of Police is available on the other end of the satellite phone. 

The investigation is not easy given that the victim was almost universally despised by the other attendees. The one exception is his assistant who seems to have an unhealthy obsession with the victim. As Meg and Horace try to sort out the timelines and question the suspects, they discover that many of the people at the conference seem to have good reasons for killing the man. 

This was an entertaining episode in this long-running series. I enjoyed Meg's investigations even though they put her in danger. 

I bought this one December 7, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove

Murder Will Out
Author: Jennifer K. Breedlove
Publication: Minotaur Books (February 17, 2026)

Description: Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award winner Jennifer K. Breedlove brings coastal Maine to life in Murder Will Out, a lighter, modern gothic mystery that's as atmospheric as it is heart-warming.

Come for the memories. Stay for the murder...

Little North Island, off the coast of Maine, is so beautiful it could be a postcard. Organist Willow Stone cherishes her memories of childhood summers spent on the island with her godmother Sue... even though her visits ended abruptly, and she hasn't seen or heard from her godmother in over fifteen years. Until a letter from Sue―and word of Sue’s death―brings Willow back to the picturesque island.

The islanders rarely mention Sue without also bringing up Cameron House, and the controversy around Sue’s unexpected inheritance of the sprawling mansion. When Willow overhears someone threatening the next heir to the property, she starts to question whether Sue’s death was really an accident, and can’t help but wonder whether someone on this sleepy island is willing to stop at nothing―even murder―to claim Cameron House for their own.

Through Willow’s eyes, as well as those of others on the island, a mystery unfolds that keeps drawing Willow back to Cameron House and the very real ghosts that walk its corridors.

My Thoughts: Graduate student and organist Willow Stone receives a letter from her godmother Sue which calls her back to Little North Island off the coast in Maine. Willow hasn't seen Sue since her parents took her away when she was thirteen. She never knew why she no longer spent summers on the island. Unfortunately, the letter was delayed, and Willow arrives just in time to play at Sue's memorial. 

She interacts with Sue's friends on the island including her fiancé Rina. Mostly she interacts with Cameron House, a haunted mansion on the island. There have been some suspicious deaths centered around Cameron House including Sue's. Sue's letter indicated that there was something she wanted Willow to find. 

Willow has to discover a bunch of secrets and find out who is killing the heirs to Cameron House. The island is populated with a number of interesting people. Many of Sue's friends came there after living different lives Away.

I liked Willow who was a young woman who was introverted and needed a lot of quiet time. She was curious and brave. She gradually makes a place for herself on the island. And she could see many of the Cameron House ghosts who tried to help her with discovering what she needed to find.

I enjoyed this debut mystery and will be looking for more from the author. 

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

ARC Review: First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong

First Sign of Danger
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Haven's Rock (Book 4)
Publication: Minotaur Books (February 17, 2026)

Description: New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong continues the atmospheric Haven's Rock series as Casey Duncan investigates a threat to their off-the-grid Yukon town.

Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are entering a new chapter of life as parents to their six-month-old baby. Their family is hidden away in the sanctuary town of Haven's Rock where they can live safe and private lives. But when they encounter hikers too close to the borders of Haven's Rock, they realize they're in danger of being exposed.

When they find one of the hikers dead the next day, they realize that their paranoia was justified, but they're no closer to finding out who these people were and what they were doing in the vicinity of Haven's Rock. Only by tracing the hikers' movements, as well as examining the recent behavior of their closest neighbors, the workers of a secretive mining camp, will they be able to figure out where the threat is coming from and shut it down. Otherwise, the lives of everyone in Haven's Rock--and their safe, secure new existence--are at risk.

My Thoughts: The fourth book in the Haven's Rock series begins with a couple of hikers getting too close to their new secret community. Casey and Eric are hiking with their baby Rory when the come upon hikers who are well off the beaten path and hiking at an odd time of the year.

When one of the hikers is killed and carried off by a grizzly, Casey and Eric need to find out who they were and why they were hiking where they were. They suspect that their other neighbors who are supposed to be gold mining might have some association with the deaths. 

Missing hikers, a grizzly, a buried body, and a mysterious mining camp cause Casey to be pulled in lots of directions as she tries to discover what is going on and if their new settlement is safe. This was an enjoyable mystery with lots of twists and turns. 

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

Audiobook Review: The Reckless Bride by Stephanie Laurens

The Reckless Bride
Author: Stephanie Laurens
Narrator: Simon Prebble
Series: The Black Cobra Quartet (Book 4)
Publication: HarperAudio (October 26, 2010)
Length: 14 hours and 54 minutes

Description: The fourth book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Laurens’s sensational Black Cobra Quartet, The Reckless Bride is a brilliant mix of intrigue, danger, and historical romance from one of the very best in the business. A breathtaking adventure set in England’s Regency Era, The Reckless Bride continues the acclaimed romance novelist’s extraordinary chronicle of love and duty, as brave ex-officers of the Crown band together to destroy the traitorous fiend known as The Black Cobra.

My Thoughts: This book is the conclusion of the Black Cobra Quartet. Rafe Carstairs is the one who has the original of the letter that will bring the Black Cobra to justice. He and his companion have decided to travel overland from India to England in the hopes of outwitting the Black Cobra's minions.

In Buda, the come upon Lady Congreve who has been beset by criminals. They rescue her and she invites them to travel with her party as guide and guard as they travel rivers to get back to England. In her party is her grand-niece Miss Loretta Michelmarsh. He takes one look at the beauty and wonders just what he has gotten himself into. 

Meanwhile, Loretta has been dragooned to travel with her aunt after turning down her eighth proposal of marriage. Loretta has been hiding herself behind a meek and mild personality and therefore attracting men who are drawn to that sort of woman. But the men bore her silly. She has a hidden identity of a correspondent for a newspaper and is using her trip to send back vignettes of European travel. She is dismayed and surprised by her attraction to Rafe. 

As they travel along the river and sightsee at the various stops, they are beset by criminals. Rafe immediately assumes that these are hirelings of the Black Cobra despite the fact that they are not Indian and are not wearing the distinctive black headgear of the gang. 

As they travel, Rafe and Loretta become closer despite each's determination to stay away from the other. The fires burn hot and love scenes ensue. I will have to say that I found the lengthy love scenes just a little bit boring and wanted a return to the action of the story. 

They do eventually arrive in England and find their way to the rendezvous point. This time they are really in danger from the Black Cobra's minions. I enjoyed the scenes where the Black Cobra was exposed and captured. I also liked the updates on the other couples from the earlier three books. 

I bought this one December 26, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Half City by Kate Golden

Half City
Author: Kate Golden
Series: Harker Academy (Book 1)
Publication: Ace (February 17, 2026)

Description: Welcome to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. Keep your daggers sharp, and your wits even sharper.

Viv Abbot is an average twenty-one-year-old girl. She lives in an expensive city where the rent is too high, works long hours at a thankless job, and is dating a guy she doesn’t even like in the hopes of winning her prickly mother’s approval.

Ever since her father's murder, she's been forced to hunt deviants alone, meaning everyone, including her family, sees her as an outsider . . . until the day she crosses paths with a dangerously alluring demon, Reid Graveheart. The reformed deviant tells her of a school for people just like her: Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. If she enrolls, she'll learn to hone her craft, work with other hunters, and never be alone again.

But Viv has a deadly secret. One that not even her new friends at Harker can know about, not if the school might hold the answers to untangling the mystery surrounding Viv's father’s death. When strange occurrences begin to plague the students, Viv will have to figure out who she can trust, all while trying to ace her classes, avoid falling for a demon, and make it through her first year at Harker in one piece. How hard could that be?

My Thoughts: Viv Abbott lives in Astera. She's twenty-one and works at a museum for her sister-in-law. She is also an aeon - a specialized and rare sort of demon hunter. She has been hiding that part of her life from everyone since she watched her father - another hunter - lose his life to a band of Brood demons. 

When she is spotted rescuing a young mother and her children from a monster attack, she is recruited to attend the Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. There, she finds friends who understand her. She also finds romance in the person of one of her instructors who also happens to be a Brood demon, but one who has sworn off taking souls. There is also something dangerous and secret going on at Harker. It looks like someone is trying to gather the ingredients for a spell that will give unimaginable power to the Thane - the head demon. 

Viv has to deal with all sorts of stresses. She's still trying to maintain her human life and friends while learning more about her powers and the world the lives alongside the human world. 

This was an engaging start to a series. The was a cliffhanger ending but lots of things were resolved in this episode. I liked Viv. She is smart, impulsive, and carries a deep loneliness inside. Finding friends, even if she is still keeping some secrets from them, expands and enriches her life. I am eager for more in this series. 

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? (February 9, 2026)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

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

Other Than Reading...

I had a nice week even though I didn't meet my goal of finishing my February review copies before my friend arrived on Thursday. I did finish four of the six. Once my friend arrived, we switched to audiobooks which we could listen to together while she made red resistance hats and I played computer games. 

We first listened to The Gift of the Magpie by Donna Andrews which I will be reviewing later in February. Then, since she has started reading books by Anne Bishop, we listened to Turns of Fate. I had listened to it before. It was still good to listen to. Then I began Written in Read. She is eager to come visit again soon because we just finished chapter 15 when she had to leave for home. 

I have a quite week coming. There are no appointments on my calendar. 

Read Last Week

• Kindred in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread)
• The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander (Review, February 24) - The 22nd Bakeshop Mystery has a very pregnant Jules trying to solve the murder of a much-disliked visiting director at the OSF. My review will be posted February 17.
• Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread)

• Buried in Shamrocks by Lisa Q. Mathews (Review, February 24) -- Second Irish Bed & Breakfast mystery. My review will be posted on February 19.
• The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly (Review, February 24) -- First in a new cozy series set in Wales. A retired newspaper editor turned college professor solves the crime. My review will be posted on February 17.
• The Wolves Are Watching by Victoria Houston (Review, February 24) -- 4th Lew Ferris mystery is centered around lost wolf watchers, a cache of illegal weapons, and someone attempting to cheat at a high school fishing tournament. My review will be posted on February 18.

• The Gift of the Magpie by Donna Andrews (Audiobook, mine since December 7, 2025) -- Meg Langslow, book 28. Meg is running Helping Hands for the Holidays and needs to convince Harvey the Hoarder to let people into his house to help him organize and do some house repairs. My review will be posted on my blog February 26.
• Indulgence in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread)
• Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (Audiobook Reread)

Currently

• How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson (Review, February 24)
• The Ghost Women by Jennifer Murphy (Review, February 24)

Next Week

• A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn (Review, March 3)
• Collared by David Rosenfelt (Mine since September 29, 2023)
• Don't Open the Door by Allison Brennan (Mine since May 12, 2025)

• Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (Audiobook, Mine since February 7, 2025)
• Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer (Audiobook, Mine since January 18, 2026)
• Spellbound by Murder by Stacie Ramey (Review, March 10)

Reviews Posted

• Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan (Review copy)
• Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin by Nancy Springer (Review copy)
• Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz (Review copy)

• From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey (Audiobook)
• One Step Too Far by Lisa Garnder (Mine)
• The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera (Review copy)

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

Review:

• A Deadly Inheritance by Kelley Armstrong (Review, March 24)
• Enter the Nightmare by Jayne Castle (Review, June 30)
• Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead (Review, July 14)

Bought:

• Jules Cassidy, PI by Suzanne Brockmann (Kindle, Gift Card)
• Magelight by Kacey Ezell (Kindle, Gift Card)

What was your week like?

Audiobook Review: From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey

From a High Tower
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Narrator: Jennifer Van Dyck
Series: Elemental Masters (Book 10)
Publication: Audible Studios (June 2, 2015)
Length: 11 hours and 47 minutes

Description: The tenth novel in Mercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series reimagines the fairy tale Rapunzel in a richly-detailed alternate Victorian world

Giselle had lived fourteen years of her life in an abandoned tower. Her mother kept Giselle, a young Air Master still growing into her abilities, isolated for the sake of herself and others.

This life left her unprepared when a handsome young man appeared at the base of her tower. But when the young stranger entered her window, he tried to force himself on her. She was saved by Mother, an Earth Master, who hurled the man out the window he had climbed in.

The Foresters of the Black Forest were Earth Masters whose job it was to cleanse the ancient forest of evil elementals, and over the next four years, they shared their fighting expertise to teach Giselle self-defense. By the age of twenty, Giselle was an expert markswoman, and it was this skill that she used to survive when Mother died. Cutting her long hair, she masqueraded as a boy to enter shooting competitions and used the prize money to support herself.

But she could not forget the first man who assaulted her, for when that stranger had fallen from her tower long ago, his body had never been found. In Giselle’s heart, she was certain his magic had helped him to survive the fall. Surely, it was only a matter of time before he found her and sought revenge. Was she prepared to stand against him?

My Thoughts: This is a riff on Rapunzel and is set in Victorian Germany. Giselle was purchased by her mother from a poor family because she recognized Giselle's potential magic. Her mother was an Earth Master and Giselle is a budding Air Master. 

When Giselle was fourteen and while her mother was away gathering supplies, a handsome young man arrives and tricks Giselle into letting her into her tower. He assaults her and Giselle is only rescued by her mother's convenient return. Her mother has the Foresters teach her self-defense skills including marksmanship. Giselle becomes an expert marksman which lets her survive when her mother dies.

At twenty, Giselle is out disguising herself as a man in order to enter shooting contests to earn money. A local army commander sees her and wants her in the Army. Giselle uses her air spirits to get away from him, but he dies in the escape which fills Giselle with guilt. She goes to a local Earth Master for healing, and the Earth Master introduces her to a traveling American Wild West Show where she is treasured for her shooting. 

However, the man who assaulted her is not finished with her. When Giselle brings the Show home with her to winter over at her isolated home, the masters in the company have to fight off the villains who are determined to capture Giselle and her supposed treasure. 

This was an engaging coming of age story with ties to the ninth book in the series. Giselle becomes friends with that story's heroine who assists her with her problems, teaches her about her magic, and provides a course to the future for Giselle. 

I bought this one September 28, 2021. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Midnight Taxi by Yoshi Gunasekera

The Midnight Taxi
Author: Yoshi Gunasekera
Publication: Berkley (February 10, 2026)

Description: When the last fare of the night turns up dead in her backseat, a Sri Lankan American taxi driver works off the clock to clear her name in this mystery novel by debut author Yosha Gunasekera.

Siriwathi Perera doesn’t quite know where she’s going in life. She never expected to be a taxicab driver in New York City, struggling to make ends meet and still living with her parents at twenty-eight. The true-crime podcasts that keep Siri company as she drives don’t do much to make up for the legal career she imagined for herself, or the brother she’s grieving.

When public defender Amaya Fernando gets into her cab, they make a quick connection through their shared Sri Lankan roots. Siri, whose social circle is limited to her grade-school best friend, Alex, thinks things might finally be looking up with this new potential friendship. But she’s suddenly dropped into her own true crime when she discovers her next passenger murdered in the backseat, and she has to call Amaya sooner than she’d expected.

Pinned as the obvious and only suspect, and desperate to clear her name, Siri chases down leads across the boroughs of New York City with Amaya’s help. But with her court date looming, they have just five days to find out who really killed the midnight passenger—or Siri’s life will be over before she can even truly live it.

My Thoughts: Siriwathi Perera is a cab driver in New York City. While she knows the city well, she doesn't know where she is going in her life. She's twenty-eight, lives at home with her parents, and is grieving the death of her older brother and the death of her dreams of law school. 

When one of her fares winds up dead with a knife in his heart when she goes to drop him off at the airport, her life changes dramatically. Luckily, one of her earlier fares is a public defender and fellow Sri Lankan. She's the one Siri calls when she discovers the body.

Siri listens to true crime while driving but never expected to see the justice system from the inside. She's bailed out by her best friend from her days at an exclusive private school. Now she and her attorney have just six days before the grand jury meets to find out who murdered the man in the cab's backseat.

I enjoyed the setting of this one. I liked Siri who is still trying to find herself and build a life after her beloved brother's death. She's smart and observant and very determined to stay out of jail. I liked the glimpse into Sri Lankan culture and also the glimpse into life in New York City. 

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

Book Review: One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner

One Step Too Far
Author: Lisa Gardner
Series: Frankie Elkin (Book 2)
Publication: Dutton (January 18, 2022)

Description: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner, a chilling thriller about a young man gone missing in the wilderness of Wyoming . . . and the secrets uncovered by the desperate effort to find him

Timothy O’Day knew the woods. Yet when he disappeared on the first night of a bachelor party camping trip with his best friends in the world, he didn’t leave a trace. What he did leave behind were two heartbroken parents, a crew of guilt-ridden groomsmen, and a pile of clues that don’t add up.

Frankie Elkin doesn’t know the woods, but she knows how to find people. So when she reads that Timothy’s father is organizing one last search, she heads to Wyoming. Despite the rescue team’s reluctance, she joins them. But as they hike into the mountains, it becomes clear that there’s something dangerous at work in the woods . . . or someone who is willing to do anything to stop them from going any farther.

Running out of time and up against the worst man and nature have to offer, Frankie and the search party will discover what evil awaits those who go one step too far . . .

My Thoughts: Frankie Elkin's second adventure takes her to a wilderness area to search for a young man who disappeared from a camping trip celebrating his upcoming marriage. Three of his groomsmen managed to stumble out of the woods and the fourth was soon located, but Timothy O'Day was never found. 

Despite his father's annual search for Tim or his remains, no trace had ever been found. Frankie comes to town as the fifth and final search is getting started. Despite a lack of experience hiking in the wilderness, Frankie manages to insinuate herself onto the team. She takes the place of the fourth groomsman who is hospitalized as a result of his alcoholism. The other members of the group are the father of the groom, three remaining groomsmen, a local guide, a Bigfoot hunter with lots of wilderness experience, and a woman and her cadaver dog Daisy.

No sooner than they get to their base camp after a harrowing hike than things start to go wrong. One of the groomsmen is lured from his tent and the rest scatter to find him. When they return to the camp, they learn that most of their food is missing with no indication that animals took it. 

The father refuses to give up the search. He has promised his dying wife that he will return her son to her before she dies. When they begin exploring an area with caves and crevices, they are shot at and one of the groomsmen is bashed on the head with a rock. 

The group begins arguing about what to do and ends up splitting up with the ablest hikers heading back to get help. The group is further split up when the father demands that he be allowed to search the cave area again. All the while, Frankie is talking to people and doing what she can to learn more about Tim and about what happened on the first fateful camping trip. 

The story is packed with adventure. The descriptions of the hikes and their flight from a well-armed enemy are chilling. Only my knowledge that there are books three and four in the series, gave me any hope that Frankie would survive both the attacker and the wilderness. 

This was an edge of the seat thriller. I really, really enjoyed it and loved learning more about Frankie and why she lives the life she does. 

I bought this one July 8, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz

Antihero
Author: Gregg Hurwitz
Series: Orphan X (Book 11)
Publication: Minotaur Books (February 10, 2026)

Description: In the next book in this New York Times best-selling series, Evan Smoak takes on his most complex mission yet―one where he not only has to protect but also avenge, and find a way to balance vengeance with mercy.

Once a black ops assassin for the government known as Orphan X, Evan Smoak broke with the program and went deep underground, using his operational rules and skills to help the truly desperate with nowhere else to turn.

When Luke Devine, one of the most powerful men in the world, has a psychological crisis, Evan flies to the East Coast to help him. While there, he learns of a young woman who was kidnapped off the New York City subway, clearly in danger and in need of aid. With no name and few clues, Evan and his team track down the missing woman, who was assaulted and abandoned. Evan offers his help―and sets out finding the young men responsible. But the woman insists that Evan abandon his usual methods―no vengeance and, in particular, no killing. Which will prove no easy feat given the mounting incoming threats from all sides. In a mission that takes Evan from coast to coast, from the poorest corners of society to the richest, Orphan X must figure out a way to protect the innocent, avenge the victimized, and balance justice with a measure of mercy.

My Thoughts: This is the eleventh book in the Orphan X series. Evan finds himself involved in the case of a young woman grabbed from the subway, raped and taped for international consumption. After he locates her, he offers his help. But the young woman has some demands. She demands that he not kill the perpetrators of her abuse. This is counter to Evan's usual way of dealing with problems. 

However, he and his colleagues begin the hunt for the perpetrators using all of his resources and many of the people he has met on earlier adventures. Along the way he deals with his own attitudes and relationships. 

I enjoyed this story despite the fact that I haven't read any of the earlier adventures except the first. The writing style took a little time for me to get into the rhythm of the story. I would imagine that people who were caught up on the series would see lots of nuances that I missed and would recognize characters as they appeared. 

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

ARC Review: Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin by Nancy Springer

Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin
Author: Nancy Springer
Series: The New Adventures of Enola Holmes (Book 4)
Publication: Wednesday Books (February 10. 2026)

Description: Enola Holmes―international bestselling and Netflix streaming sensation―returns when the rescue of a young woman sends her into battle with her brother Sherlock against his most deadly, implacable enemy - Professor Moriarty.

In February 1891, London, Enola Holmes―the much younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes―is attending a burial when she hears the faint sound of a handbell in the graveyard. It is not in Enola’s nature to ignore such oddities, no matter the occasion and when she investigates further, as is the Holmes' family instinct, she discovers something absolutely chilling. The ringing bell is attached to the tombstone erected over a recent gravesite and someone, buried within, is pulling the string to ring the alarm.

Galvanized into action, Enola and her companions swiftly and successfully unearth the coffin within, freeing a still-living young woman, one Trevina Trairom. Enola, by predilection and by trade a Scientific Perditorian, a finder of lost things, finds herself comforting and protecting this young girl. The girl herself is a mystery – she remembers very little, including her identity, and has no idea who has buried her alive, much less why. While protecting this mysterious girl from an enigmatic enemy, she discovers that Sherlock is engaged in a related mystery. Enola joins Sherlock in his battle against the scourge of London, the Napoleon of Crime himself, Professor Moriarty. Facing her most brutal foe ever, determined to protect and unravel the secrets surrounding the mysterious Trevina, Enola takes her place more fully than ever as a proud member of the Holmes family.

My Thoughts: Enola Holmes, the much younger sister of Mycroft and Sherlock, begins her next mystery in a graveyard. She's there to bury her landlady when she hears a ringing bell and discovers that the occupant of the grave is not dead. Enola discovers a young woman whose name is Trevina. 

Trevina doesn't remember much more than her name at first leaving Enola to determine who she is and who buried her alive. Enola's investigations lead her into one of Sherlock's most difficult cases when she learns that her young rescue is the niece of the dreaded Professor Robert Moriarty. 

Enola finds herself up against Moriarty's very dangerous henchmen as she tries to solve her mystery. I enjoyed the Victorian setting and Victorian attitudes in this engaging historical mystery. I liked Enola's first person account of her investigation and adventures. 

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

ARC Review: Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan

Maybe This Once
Author: Sophie Sullivan
Series: Rock Bottom Love (Book 3)
Publication: St. Martin's Griffin (February 10, 2026)

Description: From the “queen of sweet romance” (Falon Ballard) Sophie Sullivan, comes a small-town, opposites-attract romance about two people who end up with more feelings than they bargained for after pursuing a summer fling.

Tired of living in the shadow of her famous parents, Charlotte Ashford gladly left behind a life of glitz and glamour to pursue her true passion: becoming a counselor. However, when a viral video upends Charlie’s plans, she wonders if the real key to discovering herself is through her late father.

Grayson Keller has finally settled in one place, surrounded by family, and secure in his business. By his third summer as owner, Get Lost Lodge is thriving. Whatever happens, Grayson is perfectly content with his quiet life and careful heart. That is, until he meets Charlie, whom he can’t seem to get out of his head.

On the surface, Charlie and Grayson have nothing in common, but they can’t fight their attraction to each other. They’ve both been hurt before, and they’re not looking for anything serious. The solution is easy: they’ll date, have some fun, and walk away unscathed. Right? Or, maybe this once, they can see past the hurt to what, or who, is on the other side waiting for them.

My Thoughts: Charlotte Ashford is on the run from scandal and winds up with her great uncle in Northern Michigan. She's lost her dream job as a play therapist before it has even begun. Grayson Keller has built a new life for himself as the owner of Get Lost Lodge after a bitter divorce. Neither is looking for a new relationship. 

Charlie and Gray's romance is a slow building one. Neither is eager for more heartbreak in their lives. And Charlie is only in the area for a while. She's taken a job as a college professor while she finds out what she wants for the rest of her life. 

This is the third book in a series and the characters from the first two books have major roles in this one. Their romances are sort of settled with marriages coming soon. There is a strong bond between Gray and his brother and sister. They are a welcoming blended family who have taken Charlie's great-uncle in as a family member and are welcoming to Charlie too. 

But Charlie's troubles seem to be following her to the Get Lost Lodge when an ex-boyfriend who wants to use her celebrity to advance his own career and a producer who wants to center a reality TV show around either Charlie and her ex or Get Lost Lodge arrive to plead their cases. 

This was an engaging story about two people who have been battered by events in their lives but who are willing to take another chance at love and the lives they want to have. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. 

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

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (February 2, 2026)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

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

Other Than Reading...

This was a nice quiet end of January week. The temperatures which had been very cold moderated late in the week when we actually had a high temperature of 9 degrees on the 30th. Low temperatures were all below zero with Tuesday's -20 being the lowest. 

This week is supposed to be warmer. It's 17 with light snow right now on Sunday morning. The coming week's forecast shows only one low temperature below zero with the highs ranging from 17 to 33. There isn't any significant snow in the forecast. In fact, the days are supposed to be sunny or partly sunny which will be good for making solar power if today's snow doesn't cover too many of the solar panels. 

I have a friend coming to visit late in the week. She'll be here from Thursday evening until Sunday afternoon. I'm looking forward to seeing her since it has been a while. Keeping up on Facebook is nice, but a real face-to-face visit is better. 

My plan this week is to concentrate on review copies. I would like to finish the February releases before my friend arrives. This should be doable since I'm caught up on the Liaden Universe read along for a while. I'm finding reading the books in the order they were written to be a little jarring. When I read the series which I do pretty often, I always choose to read the books according to internal chronology and usually, if I skip around, I read according to story arcs within the series. Next in line for the read along is Balance of Trade which is the first Jethri book. I may skip that one since I reread the Jethri arc last August. 

Tomorrow is a double points day at Amazon. I have two books on my "Books I'm Waiting For" list that I plan to purchase. I also have enough points to get a $3 discount on one of them. And then there is the Gift Card burning a hole in my pocket. The rest of that list hasn't been published yet. Most of them are auto-buys that I don't want to forget about like the latest J. D. Robb or the latest Kendra Elliot. 

January Report

I read 40 books in January. Twenty-eight of the books were mine. Twelve were review copies. I listened to 24 audiobooks over the course of 302 hours in January. Most of the audiobooks were among the 21 rereads in January. I also read seven books from my TBR mountain. 

I added 35 books to my collection in January. Twenty-six of them were review copies. I also added three Kindle copies and 5 Kindle/Audible Add-Ons copies. Since I have a Gift Card from Christmas, I didn't pay for any of the Kindle copies. I did pay for the Audible Add-Ons, but the highest priced one was $5.60. I spent somewhere around $27 for all five. That might be a low spending record for me.

Only 5 of my new additions are on my TBR mountain and all of them are on my reading calendar. I may not be lowering TBR mountain very much, but I am keeping up with 2026 purchases. TBR mountain totals 2689 on this First of February. 

I published my State of the Stack post today. I read twelve review books but added 26 to my collection. I have 53 unread review copies with release dates from late February to mid-August. Another publisher has been added to those who offer me review copies. Besides Crooked Lane, St. Martin's, and Berkley, Atria now seems to have me on its radar. 

Read Last Week

• First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong (Review, February 17) -- Latest in the Haven's Rock series has Casey and Eric dealing with a variety of problematic neighbors. My review will be posted on February 11. 
• When All the Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz (Audiobook, Mine since December 3, 2025) -- First in the Sons of Anson Salinas romantic suspense trilogy. My review will be posted on February 24.
• Plan B by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread)

• Local Custom by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread)
• Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove (Review, February 17) -- Debut mystery with ghosts. Enjoyable characters and interesting setting. My review will be posted on February 12.
• Scout's Progress by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread)

• I Dare by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread)
• The Edge by Dick Francis (Kindle, mine since January 1, 2026) -- A classic Dick Francis about an investigator for the Jockey Club and a transcontinental Canadian train trip. My review will be posted on February 13.
• Beast Business by Ilona Andrews (Kindle, mine since January 30, 2026) -- Hidden Legacy 6.5 contains novellas and short stories. Most of them feature Arabella who is the youngest Baylor daughter. 

Currently

• Kindred in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread)
• The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander (Review, February 24)

Next Week

• Buried in Shamrocks by Lisa Q. Mathews (February 24)
• The Wolves Are Watching by Victoria Houston (February 24)
• The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly (February 24)

• How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson (February 24)
• The Ghost Women by Jennifer Murphy (February 24)
• A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn (March 3)

Reviews Posted

• Hidden Talents by Jayne Ann Krentz (Audiobook)
• Lost & Found by Jayne Ann Krentz (Audiobook)
• Terns of Endearment by Donna Andrews (Audiobook)

• Stolen in Death by J. D. Robb (Review copy)
• Books & Bewitchment by Isla Jewell (Review copy)
• The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham (Audiobook)

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

Review:

• The Pie & Mash Detective Agency by J. D. Brinkworth (March 10)
• Blood Trail by Matt Query & Harrison Query (April 7)

• Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson (June 16)
• Killer Vibes by Jack Friday (July 14)
• The Lightning Girl by Sam Ripley (July 14)

• Buyer Beware by Catherine Ryan Howard (July 28)
• Pride Comes Before a Fall by Virginia Heath (July 28)

Bought:

• Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz (Audiobook Add-On, $5.45)
• Beast Business by Ilona Andrew (Kindle, Gift Card)

What was your week like?