Audiobook Review: The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham

The Crime at Black Dudley
Author: Margery Allingham

Narrator: Paul Panting
Series: Albert Campion (Book 1)
Publication: SNR Audio (February 27, 2025)
Length: 7 hours and 38 minutes

Description: First published in 1929, now public domain in the US and Canada. A house party is under way at the remote Black Dudley, and among the guests are some very shady characters. As they merrily recreate the ritual of the Black Dudley Dagger, Colonel Coombe dies. Pathologist George Abbershaw suspects foul play, and when a vital item is mislaid, a gang of crooks hold the guests hostage. Will they escape the house – what did happen to the Colonel – and just who is the mysterious Mr Campion?

My Thoughts: This classic mystery introduces Allingham's major character Albert Campion. Although he isn't the main character in the country house mystery, his presence is felt.

A group of people have been invited to a country house named Black Dudley for a weekend. The viewpoint character is George Abbershaw who is a pathologist who has sometimes worked with the police. He is there mainly because a young woman he is pursuing is also invited to the party. 

When a parlor game involving the historic Black Dudley Dagger ends with the death of the host of the weekend, Abbershaw finds himself trying to solve the mystery. Things get even more complicated when he and some of the other guests realize that a number of the guests are criminals. They find themselves held hostage by the criminals until a missing item is returned to them.

Abbershaw had found the missing papers and burned them for some mysterious reason making the return impossible. The criminals aren't willing to believe that the papers are gone and threaten the guests. 

I found this an interesting story but with some problems. First of all, there was such a large cast of characters that I couldn't keep the villains and victims clear in my mind. Second, some things happened that didn't really make sense like Abbershaw burning the papers for no apparent reason. 

I did enjoy Campion's appearances and his character which reminded me of the character of the Scarlet Pimpernel though set in modern times. I also had some problems with the racial prejudice running rampant through the story which automatically classified the Germans as villains. I could set that aside considering that the book was published in 1929, but I still found it jarring. 

I was intrigued enough by Albert Campion that I'll be looking for more books in the series. 

I bought the Kindle copy January 18, 2025, and the audiobook December 24, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham

 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. 

Beginning:

The view from the narrow window was dreary and inexpressible lonely.

Friday 56:

'How thrilling!' she said. 'It sounds just like a play! I've got just the right costume too, haven't I? I shall break into song at any moment. What is it?'

This week I am spotlighting a classic mystery. The Crime at Black Dudley is the first in the Albert Campion mysteries by Margery Allingham. Here is the description from Amazon:

First published in 1929, now public domain in the US and Canada. A house party is under way at the remote Black Dudley, and among the guests are some very shady characters. As they merrily recreate the ritual of the Black Dudley Dagger, Colonel Coombe dies. Pathologist George Abbershaw suspects foul play, and when a vital item is mislaid, a gang of crooks hold the guests hostage. Will they escape the house – what did happen to the Colonel – and just who is the mysterious Mr Campion?

Audiobook Review: Hidden Talents by Jayne Ann Krentz

Hidden Talents
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Narrator: Amy McFadden
Publication: Tantor Audio (May 20, 2017)
Length: 11 hours and 35 minutes

Description: Witt's End is in trouble. The small town of artists is at risk of disappearing from the map if Serenity Makepeace can't expand her small grocery store into a mail order enterprise to sell her neighbors' handcrafted goods. High-priced start-up advisor Caleb Ventress was intrigued by Serenity's impassioned letter. A small town grocer wasn't high profile enough for him, but her request earned her a meeting. And Calebs' attraction to her earned her a few more. But when someone tries to blackmail Serenity, her future, and possibly even her life, is at risk.

My Thoughts: HIDDEN TALENTS is a romance with some suspense. Serenity Makepeace is determined to save her town of Witt's End. She was born there. In fact, she is the only one who was born into that enclave of eccentrics and misfits in the town's history. She is determined to turn her small town grocery into the center of a mail order operation to revitalize her town. 

Serenity appeals to Caleb Ventress who is a big time venture capitalist. He was intrigued by Serenity's plan even though it was much smaller than any other project he's undertaken. He's equally intrigued by Serenity herself. 

Their partnership almost founders when Serenity comes to him to tell him that she's being blackmailed for some nude pictures she sat for to help out the local art photographer. This hits Caleb in a really sensitive spot. He's always been held accountable by his family for the mistakes of his parents. His father had an affair with a woman who made her living as actress who also posed for some nude photos. When his grandfather refused to pay the blackmail, the photos were sent to and published by the local newspaper. When his parents died shortly thereafter, he was raised by his grandfather and guilted almost every day. 

Caleb and Serenity are determined to discover where this latest blackmail scheme began. Their attempt to check out the photographer leads to discovering his body. His death appears accidental and looks like a roadblock to their investigation. 

But the blackmail threats don't end with the photographer's death. As Serenity and Caleb investigate, they uncover other secrets in the small town. And the two fall deeply in love. 

This was an engaging romance between main characters with very different background and characters who learn that they have more in common with each other than they thought. I enjoyed this story. 

I bought this one on Kindle and with an audiobook add-on. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Terns of Endearment by Donna Andrews

Terns of Endearment
Author: Donna Andrews
Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
Series: Meg Langslow Mysteries (Book 25)
Publication: Dreamscape Media (August 6, 2019)
Length: 10 hours and 45 minutes

Description: Meg's grandfather has been booked to give lectures on a cruise as part of the education/entertainment itinerary, and he's arranged for a passel of family members to join him. The passengers’ vacation quickly becomes a nightmare when they wake up to find themselves broken down and in need of repairs. Things get even worse when a crew member announces to all that a woman has jumped overboard, leaving behind her shoes, shawl, and a note. The note reveals she's a disliked member of a writers' group onboard for a retreat, and the group is split on whether this is in-character for her.

The captain decides not to investigate, saying he'll notify American authorities when they reach their destination. But Meg's father decides they need to look into whether there was possible foul play while the prime suspects are all stuck on board. It'll be a race against the clock to solve this mystery before they make the necessary repairs and return to shore.

My Thoughts: TERNS OF ENDEARMENT is the 25th book in the Meg Langslow mystery series. This time Meg, her family, and other relatives are on a cruise to the Bahamas. Her grandfather had been hired to give a series of lectures on natural history and was offered generous discounts so that his family could go along. 

Meg meets a group of authors who have taken the cruise in memory of one of their number who had committed suicide a year before. Also on the cruise is an author - a diva - that they all dislike. Meg is surprised to discover that the ship is becalmed - in the Bermuda Triangle - and the disliked author is missing and presumed to be a suicide. She apparently jumped overboard leaving her shawl and her Louboutin heels behind.

Meg is surprised that the captain isn't going to investigate the death. She and her family including her father who has experience as a doctor and coroner begin their own investigation. Meanwhile, the ship is in need of repair and conditions deteriorate quickly with no electricity, running water or air conditioning. It doesn't help that the understaffed ship is crewed by people suffering from food poisoning. 

This was another engaging episode in this long-running series. 

I bought this one for my Kindle November 21, 2024, and as an audiobook December 5, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Books & Bewitchment by Isla Jewell

Books & Bewitchment
Author: Isla Jewell
Series: Arcadia Falls (Book 1)
Publication: Del Rey (February 6, 2026)

Description: In this cozy, witchy romcom, a young woman works to turn a run-down small-town video store into the bookshop of her dreams, only to discover a powerful magic that’s been lying dormant—and a forbidden love she can’t resist.

Dutiful and hard-working, Rhea Wolfe lives a simple, if mundane, life with her pet parrot in small-town Alabama. Sure, she may not love her desk job working for an insurance agency. And her on-again-off-again relationship with the local mechanic may not have the fiery passion she’s read about in her favorite books. Still, things are stable, which is more than she can say about the two hopelessly immature younger sisters who rely on her.

But when Rhea’s estranged grandmother dies, leaving her everything—including a magical heritage Rhea never knew she carried—she finds herself in Arcadia Falls, the quaint mountain town her mother made her swear to avoid at all costs. While the defunct video store she’s also inherited needs a serious upgrade, Rhea’s lucky that resident handyman Hunter Blakely is more than happy to help—and more than easy on the eyes. If only he wasn’t the grandson of her grandmother’s sworn enemy in witchcraft.

Yet as Rhea makes plans for the bookstore of her dreams, she learns that her grandmother made a terrible choice, one that could ruin her own chance at happiness. As she gets ever closer to solving the mystery of what exactly is happening, each clue points to Arcadia Falls’s magic hanging in the balance. To keep her new home safe, Rhea must step into her enchanted birthright and harness her newfound powers . . . before it’s too late.

My Thoughts: This story was a cozy paranormal romance. Rhea Wolfe finds her life changed when she inherits from the grandmother she never met. The inheritance comes at a good time. Rhea has just lost her clerical job. She also wants to get away from her off-again-on-again boyfriend and the small town where she lives. Rhea packs us her belongings including a cockatoo and heads off to a new, hopefully better, life.

Rhea finds herself in Arcadia Falls, Georgia, where her first task as the inheritor of her grandmother's property is to pour her ashes into the local waterfall. Things don't go particularly well. She finds herself covered in her grandmother's cremains and soaking wet with a cockatoo who has apparently been taken over by her grandmother's ghost.

Her grandmother isn't happy about this nor is Rhea. The two try to learn to live with each other but the two butt heads since both are very stubborn. Rhea needs to learn about her family's magic and the secrets her grandmother is keeping. 

There's also a guy who just happens to be the grandson of her grandmother's greatest enemy. Rhea and the guy are attracted and spend a lot of time together since he is the contractor hired to change Rhea's grandmother's failing video store into the bookstore of Rhea's dreams. They need to get rid of a poltergeist first though. 

This was a cute romance with a lot of heart. Rhea is a woman with lots of weight on her shoulders. She has two younger sisters that she loves but who are both conditioned to lean on her for emotional and financial support. 

I enjoyed the hopefulness of this story. It was good to see Rhea grow and change. 

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

Audiobook Review: Lost and Found by Jayne Ann Krentz

Lost and Found
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Narrator: Dara Rosenberg
Publication: Tantor Audio (June 20, 2023)
Length: 9 hours and 55 minutes

Description: The author of Smoke in Mirrors and Soft Focus presents a sexy, irresistible story of two people searching for secrets—and finding each other . . .

Cady Briggs is useful to Mack Easton. Her expertise in art and antiques helps his low-profile company, Lost and Found, find missing treasures for high-paying clients. But Cady knows that being useful to a client is one thing—and being used is another. So no matter how alluring she finds Mack, she plans to keep business and pleasure entirely separate.

But then a sudden tragedy puts Cady in charge of Chatelaine's, her family's prestigious art and antiques gallery. Suddenly the roles are reversed, as strange developments at Chatelaine's lead Cady to ask for help from none other than Mack Easton. And instead of tracking down missing masterpieces together, they'll be hunting for a killer . . .

My Thoughts: This contemporary romantic suspense title was published in 2001 and displays some of the characteristics of Krentz's more recent novels. Cady Briggs is an appraiser who grew up in the world of antiques and antiquities. She was interested in joining her great-aunt's company Chatelaine. She preferred more independence.

Cady has recently taken on some jobs for Mack Easton who runs Lost and Found which is a company dedicated to find and restoring missing treasures for wealthy clients. Her independent spirit almost gets the best of her when she goes off to find a missing 16th Century helm and runs into robbers who also want it. Mack had been trailing her because he wondered if she might be planning to sell the helm to someone else. Trust is a hard-won thing for him. He didn't know Cady well enough to know if her could trust her. 

After a big argument, Cady quits working for Mack. But, when her great-aunt is found drowned, she wants to hire Mack to help her determine whether or not her aunt was murdered. The two do a lot of investigating because there might be problems with an upcoming merger and they know there have been some fraudulent antiquities passing through the company they had planned to merge with. It becomes more and more likely that Cady's aunt was murdered, and the murderer might not be finished clearing his way to his ultimate goal.

As Cady and Mack investigate, their relationship gets closer and closer and the misunderstandings between them gradually get cleared up leading to a "happy ever after" ending. This story lacked some of the sparkling dialog and strong characterization that are keys to the author's later work but was still an entertaining story.

I bought this one when Audible had a sale in early December. You can buy your copy here.

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

Stolen in Death
Author: J. D. Robb
Series: In Death (Book 62)
Publication: St. Martin's Press (February 6, 2026)

Description: A violent death and a vault of stolen treasures has Eve Dallas struggling to solve crimes old and new in the next thriller in the #1 New York Times-bestselling series.

A blow to the head with a block of amethyst has left multibillionaire Nathan Barrister dead—while nearby, a vault, its door ajar, sits filled with priceless paintings, jewelry, and other treasures. Lieutenant Eve Dallas’s husband, Roarke—who misspent his youth in Ireland as a scrappy thief—recognizes at least two stolen pieces among the hoard. The crime scene suggests a burglar caught in the act. But only one item seems to be missing.

Then it’s revealed that the vault had actually belonged to the victim’s late father—and no one in the household knew it was there until a recent remodeling project exposed it. To protect the family name and business, they explain to Eve, they’d been looking for a way to return the ill-gotten gains anonymously and avoid the police. But now the police are all over their elegant house, and have a bigger, bloodier mystery to solve.

By all accounts, Nathan Barrister was a good man, a generous employer, a devoted husband and father. As for his father—he clearly had secrets. Now it’s up to Eve and her team to find out if those secrets got Nathan killed—and if it was a crime of passion or revenge.

My Thoughts: Eve's next case takes her to the scene of the murder of the owner of Zip transport. Nathan Barrister has recently inherited the business from his father and he and his family have moved into his father's home. The family has discovered a vault filled with stolen paintings, jewelry and other objects d'art. They were in the process of trying to figure out how to return these priceless objects without ruining the family name and especially the elder Mr. Barrister's reputation.

The only things missing are the diamond and emerald set known as the Royal Suite which was stolen from the Tate Museum in London about 20 years earlier. Eve is dismayed when she learns that Roarke is the one who stole the set when he was contracted through a broker and offered an excellent fee. 

While finding out who murdered Nathan and finding the missing Royal Suite, Eve also has to find a way to keep the suspicions of Interpol in the person of Inspector Abernathy away from Roarke. Roarke knows that he's covered his tracks, but Eve still worries. 

At first the thief is also thought to be the murderer, but Roarke finds that unlikely. Most thieves are not willing to murder and are far more likely to run away if discovered. But the timing based on when the alarms were cut is awfully tight for it to be anyone else. 

So, as Eve investigates to discover who murdered Nathan and her team watches for signs of an auction to dispose of the extremely valuable and recognizable jewelry, an old enemy from Roarke's past makes an appearance indicating that her fingerprints are all over the plans, theft and murder. 

This was another excellent episode in this long-running series. Although there were only brief cameos by the recurring characters who make up Eve's friends at the beginning charity gala, the story was filled with Eve and Roarke working together to solve the crime. It is nice to see the way their relationship is growing with each book. 

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? (January 26, 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...

We spent the week in the deep freeze here in Minnesota. Low temperatures ranged from -3 to -29. Add in the windchills and one day got to -51. That low was early in the morning and didn't affect me at all. It was cold when I went to the eye doctor, but I wasn't outside long. 

My eye doctor said that I could have cataract surgery on my left eye if I wanted it since she can no longer correct my vision to 20/20. I'm willing to wait another year and she said that would be okay. I had my right eye done a number of years ago now. I'm a little concerned about my ability to read after the surgery, but she reassured me. I'll still have to wear glasses after the surgery since I need prisms in my lenses, but my vision will be much better. She's talking about correcting the vision to -1.5 from the -8.75 it is now.

Minnesota has been an interesting place to live since Donald J. Trump decided to invade it with 3000 ICE and Border Patrol Agents. There have been three shootings of peaceful protestors with two of them dying. Videos show that both were deliberate murders despite what the Federal Government is saying. There have also been massive protests and strikes. Friday was a No Work, No School, No Shopping protest. Since most of Minnesota schools were already closed because of the bitter cold temperatures, the No School part was pretty easy. Thousands gathered in downtown Minneapolis in the bitter cold to march. 

There have been few ICE sightings here in Duluth so far. Hopefully, ICE will leave before they get here in any significant numbers.

This week I have only one out-of-the-house errand. It's not until Friday. I plan to read and listen a lot this week. 

Read Last Week

• Agent of Change by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread) -- Author read along.
• Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread) -- Author read along.
• Carpe Diem by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Audiobook Reread) -- Author read along.

• One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner (Mine since July 8, 2025) -- Second book in the Frankie Elkin mystery series has her traveling into the wilderness to find a man missing for five years. My review will be posted on February 5.
• The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera (Review, February 10) -- A young female cab driver from Sri Lanka finds a body in the back of her cab when she goes to drop him off at the airport. She needs to find the murder with the help of a Sri Lankan public defender before she's tried for the murder. My review will be posted on February 5.
• The Reckless Bride by Stephanie Laurens (Audiobook, mine since December 26, 2025) -- Finale of the Black Cobra Quartet. My review will be posted on February 10.

• Half City by Kate Golden (Review, February 17) -- First in a new urban fantasy series. Viv is a hunter; Reis is a demon. Interesting worldbuilding. My review will be posted on February 10.
• Owl Be Home for Christmas by Donna Andrews (Audiobook, mine since December 7, 2025) -- A convention about owls, a sudden blizzard, and a murder of a hated ornithologist are the keys to this 26th in the Meg Langlow series. My review will be posted on February 12.

Currently

• When All the Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz (Audiobook, mine since December 3, 2025)
• First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong (Review, February 17)

Next Week

• Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove (Review, February 17)
• The Edge by Dick Francis (Mine since January 1, 2026)
• Buried in Shamrocks by Lisa Q. Mathews (Review, February 24)

• How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson (Review, February 24)
• The Wolves Are Watching by Victoria Houston (Review, February 24)
• The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly (Review, February 24)

Reviews Posted

• Bone of Contention by Kristi Rose (Chirp Audiobook)
• Bone to Pick by Kristi Rose (Chirp Audiobook)
• A Field Guide to Murder by Michelle L. Cullen (Review copy)

• Tell-Tale Treats by Jennifer J. Chow (Review copy)
• Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh (Review copy)
• Midnight Serenade by Dusty Rose (mine)

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

Review:

• Family Lies by Karen Rose (Review, March 31)
• Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto (Review, April 28)
• The Final Target by Nora Roberts (Review, May 26)

• The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn Goldis (Review, June 16)
• The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen (Review, July 7)
• Fossil Feud by Maggie North (Review, July 28)

Bought:

• Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold (Kindle & Audiobook)
• Blue Dahlia by Nora Roberts (Kindle & Audiobook)

What was your week like?

Book Review: Midnight Serenade by Dusty Rose

Midnight Serenade
Author: Dusty Rose
Series: Moonhaven World Romance
Publication: Self-Published (October 29, 2024)

Description: She never thought she’d trust anyone enough to fall in love—until she meets a protective vampire who can’t imagine eternity without his mate.

I’m thirty-eight and should be in my prime. Instead, I’m dodging men who fixate on me like heat-seeking missiles and avoiding the outside world like the plague.

There’s something wrong with me. People don’t just notice me—they become obsessed. The kind of obsessed that has me hiding out at police stations until it’s safe to go home. Their blank stares, their eerie devotion… it’s like something in my DNA overrides their rational thoughts. And I’m tired of it.

I want a normal life—Saturday barbecues, toddlers causing chaos, a spouse who adores me. That’s not too much to ask, right?

Desperate for answers, I scour the internet and stumble upon Solace Cruise Line’s flagship, the Kamaria. Rumors swirl about its enigmatic owner, Sebastian Solace, and his so-called "pet," Kazi. Turns out, Kazi is a lion. And Sebastian? He’s a suave, dangerously handsome vampire.

Oh, and the ship? It’s packed with paranormals.

Now, I just have to figure out what I am, avoid the humans and creatures falling under my spell, and—most importantly—not fall for Sebastian.

Yeah… that last one isn’t happening.

Maybe life at sea isn’t such a bad idea after all.

My Thoughts: This cozy romance takes place on the Kamaria, a cruise ship owned by Sebastian Solace. Grace Liora is looking for answers about what she is. What she knows is that she seems unusually attractive to some people. She has found herself housebound to get away from unwanted attention. Luckily, her career as a writer of paranormal romances lets her stay at home. She finally finds the Solace Cruise lines trip and hopes that, since it is rumored to be owned by paranormals, she will be able to find some answers about herself.

Sebastian Solace is a 400+ year old vampire who owns Solace Lines. When he first meets Grace, his is also drawn to her. He soon comes to believe that she is the mate who has been fated to be his. But Grace wants to take things slow. She isn't used to dating and romance.

The two have some lovely adventures on tropical islands and with the ocean wildlife interspersed by times of great danger since it seems Grace has attracted a stalker who wants her dead. 

This was a sweet and engaging story. 

I bought this one with last year's Amazon gift card on January 11, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Midnight Serenade by Dusty Rose

 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. 

Beginning:

I stood beside my luggage outside my stateroom on the Kamaria, one of Solace Cruise Line's most elegant cruise ships, wondering if I was dreaming.

Friday 56:

Later that evening, I decided to be brave and eat at one of the fancier restaurants on board - Polaris.

This week I am spotlighting Midnight Serenade by Dusty Rose. This one has been on my Kindle since January 11, 2025. I don't read much paranormal romance anymore, but this one caught my eye. Here's the description from Amazon:

She never thought she’d trust anyone enough to fall in love—until she meets a protective vampire who can’t imagine eternity without his mate.

I’m thirty-eight and should be in my prime. Instead, I’m dodging men who fixate on me like heat-seeking missiles and avoiding the outside world like the plague.

There’s something wrong with me. People don’t just notice me—they become obsessed. The kind of obsessed that has me hiding out at police stations until it’s safe to go home. Their blank stares, their eerie devotion… it’s like something in my DNA overrides their rational thoughts. And I’m tired of it.

I want a normal life—Saturday barbecues, toddlers causing chaos, a spouse who adores me. That’s not too much to ask, right?

Desperate for answers, I scour the internet and stumble upon Solace Cruise Line’s flagship, the Kamaria. Rumors swirl about its enigmatic owner, Sebastian Solace, and his so-called "pet," Kazi. Turns out, Kazi is a lion. And Sebastian? He’s a suave, dangerously handsome vampire.

Oh, and the ship? It’s packed with paranormals.

Now, I just have to figure out what I am, avoid the humans and creatures falling under my spell, and—most importantly—not fall for Sebastian.

Yeah… that last one isn’t happening.

Maybe life at sea isn’t such a bad idea after all.

Audiobook Review: Bone to Pick by Kristi Rose

Bone to Pick
Author: Kristi Rose
Narrator: Jennifer Stoneking
Series: A Cold Case Mystery (Book 2)
Publication: Vintage Housewife Books (January 7, 2025)
Length: 7 hours and 12 minutes

Description: A missing husband.
A frantic wife.
A long-forgotten killer.

When US Marshal Mallory Bodine’s brother-in-law disappears, she learns her sister’s life isn’t as idyllic as it appears. Natalie and Doug’s marriage is on the rocks but so is Doug’s job. Rumors of infidelity and corporate espionage muddy the investigation.

As Mallory digs deeper, she uncovers a disturbing pattern of missing men, cold cases that are suddenly very personal. Has a killer resurfaced?

Mallory is running out of options and time. Every hour Doug is missing means the trail grows colder. The marshal's office wants her back to work. And a hurricane is bearing down on them that will destroy any evidence.

It’s do or die. Literally.

My Thoughts: The second mystery starring US Marshall Mallory Bodine begins when her brother-in-law goes missing. She drops everything in Seattle and heads back home to Central Florida to support her sister and search for her missing brother-in-law.

Unfortunately for Mallory, her boss in Seattle keeps calling demanding that she come back to work to continue to look for a fugitive the office is tracking, and a hurricane is bearing down on Central Florida. Racing both the weather and her boss's demands, Mallory tries to track down her missing brother-in-law.

Her brother-in-law Doug had been having problems. He was passed over for a promotion at work and was worried about the family finances. Some rumors say that he just took off leaving his wife and three kids. No one in his family believes that he would do that. 

As Mallory searches, she learns that he is not the first to disappear in this way. Her searches lead to a few other men who seemingly just left everything behind and were never seen again. 

I enjoyed this fast-paced story. I liked the flashbacks to some of the other missing men. I liked Mallory's decision at the end of this story. 

I bought this audiobook from Chirp February 11, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh

Such a Perfect Family
Author: Nalini Singh
Publication: Berkley (January 27, 2026)

Description: A man with a deadly past marries into the perfect, most respectable family in this riveting thriller from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh. . . .

A woman buried.
A woman broken.
A woman crashed.
A woman burned.
And the man who knew them all.

Love at first sight, a whirlwind Vegas wedding, a fairy-tale romance.

For forty-three days, Tavish Advani has been the happiest man in the world—until his new life turns to ash, his wealthy in-laws’ house going up in a fiery explosion. His badly injured wife lies in a coma, her family all but annihilated.

Tavish thought he'd left the sins of his Los Angeles life behind, but it’s not so easy to leave behind an investigation into the deaths of several high-profile women—all of whom he'd professed to love. Tragedy and death follow him no matter where he goes . . . but this time, he knows he’s truly innocent.

Desperately trying to clear his name as the authorities zero in, Tavish begins his own investigation into the fire—and learns that his wife’s picture-perfect family may have been nothing but a meticulously constructed mirage. The truth is much darker than anything Tavish could’ve imagined. . . .

My Thoughts: SUCH A PERFECT FAMILY was an engaging and twisty psychological thriller. Told by Tavish Advani, it is the story of love in all its variations. Tavish is the son of a noted Hollywood actress and a famed Hollywood lawyer. He is the second son and is unwanted. He was raised by a woman who not only didn't love him but didn't like him either. He was often protected by his father but only when his father felt it wouldn't go against his mother whom he loved.

Falling in love with a young woman named Diya. Their whirlwind romance led to a Vegas wedding and then a move to her family home in New Zealand. There he encounters a lifestyle that is different than his own and parents who want to maintain face as Indian parents. He and Diya pretend not to be married so that they can be married again in a blow-out Indian wedding. 

Before that event can happen, there is a fire at Diya's parent's home that kills them and probably kills her older brother Bobby. The only survivors are Diya and her sister-in-law Shumi. both were gravely injured are in intensive care at the hospital.  

Tavish wants to find out about a cryptic comment Diya speaks as he is rescuing her. His investigation leads to finding out an awful lot about what is behind the image of a perfect family and how it shaped his wife. He needs to find out fast, because the local police aren't convinced that he didn't set the fire and attempt to murder his wife. 

Tavish had a troubled past in Los Angeles. He was a suspect in the deaths of three other older women that he was involved with. There are notes from a police officer in LA who is certain that Tavish killed the women and is working to prove it to the point of obsession. 

I enjoyed this thriller and had trouble putting it down even to sleep.

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

ARC Review: Tell-Tale Treats by Jennifer J. Chow

Tell-Tale Treats
Author: Jennifer J. Chow
Series: Magical Fortune Cookies (Book 3)
Publication: Minotaur Books (January 27, 2026)

Description: Is Felicity to blame when a hotel guest drowns after eating her enchanted cookies? Felicity Jin returns in the third installment of the Magical Fortune Cookie series.

A group of high school alumnae reunite years later and reserve rooms at Pixie Inn for an extended retreat. As part of their pampering package, Felicity delivers a scrumptious assortment of enchanted pastries, including her new almond cookies.

But the queen bee of the group is soon found dead in her bathroom, drowned in the tub, and she recently sampled the delicious baked goods. Could Felicity’s almond cookies have set off a fatal nut allergy? The enchanted pastries are supposed to bring joy, not sorrow―and certainly not death.

Boyfriend, Kelvin Love, is eager to assist, although odd things have been happening to his senses ever since he baked with Felicity. Will his extra sensitivity help or hinder the investigation? Plus, special bunny Whiskers lends a magical paw to the detecting since Felicity can’t and won’t relax until she restores both order and magic to her world.

My Thoughts: The third book in the Magical Fortune Cookie series has Felicity providing her magical treats to a group of women gathering for a reunion at a local bed and breakfast. She also agrees to give them a tour of her small town and discovers that the four seem to have little in common and have lots of tension showing in their relationships.

When the leader of the group is found drowned in her bath, Felicity fears that she had an allergic reaction to one of the treats she provided. At first, she is under suspicion from the local police detective but tests show that the cause of death was not an allergic reaction to Felicity's cookies.

Nonetheless, Felicity and her boyfriend Kelvin are determined to find out who murdered Ashley. The tensions among the group give her a lot of suspects to investigate. One more is added when the husband of one of the women also appears. 

This was a nice cozy mystery with touches of magic. Besides Felicity's ability to make fortune cookies that do see the recipient's future, Kelvin is discovering a magic talent of his own. He is a florist who sometimes smells flowers not in his arrangements when he presents them to their recipients. The language of flowers gives him and Felicity clues in their investigation.

Fans of the series will enjoy this new case. 

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

Audiobook Review: Bone of Contention by Kristi Rose

Bone of Contention
Author: Kristi Rose
Narrator: Jennifer Stoneking
Series: A Cold Case Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Vintage Housewife Books (November 8, 2023)
Length: 4 hours and 3 minutes

Description: From the USA Today best-selling author comes an action-packed, roller-coaster ride, new cold case mystery series that will have your pulse racing. For fans of Kendra Elliott and Debra Webb.

US Marshall Mallory Bodine’s short visit back to her central Florida hometown quickly turns into work when a skeleton is unearthed in her mom’s backyard. Mallory is caught up in the middle of a cold-case murder investigation as she searches for answers.

Four local hoodlums are a convenient fit as the killers—for the lazy, complacent sheriff, that is—but the local detective and Mallory want the truth. Was it an act of vandalism that got out of hand? Or something more sinister?

Digging through 14 years of lies won’t be easy. Murder never is.

Meet Mallory Bodine, fugitive hunter. No case has been cold for too long, and for Mallory, the dead are not forgotten.

My Thoughts: US Marshall Mallory Bodine comes home to spend a week's time off after a case goes a little awry. She doesn't get the quiet rest she was looking for because a body was found in her mother's backyard. 

The body was quickly discovered to be that of Tabby Cartwright, a young English teacher from the local high school, who had been missing since 2002. Mallory didn't know her but her younger sister Natalie had her as a math teacher and looked upon her as a mentor. 

Tabby had been having some trouble with people vandalizing her classroom since she was dating Kamil Burkhari, the son of Pakistani immigrants. In these days right after Nine Eleven, she was called a terrorist because of the man she was dating. 

Mallory agrees to help local detective and childhood friend Deputy Bo Pickett look into the crime because the local sheriff Dev Shook is too lazy and too used to looking for easy answers to do the work. He's spending time on his reelection campaign rather than doing his job. 

When they notify Tabby's parents, they find that her father has kept an extensive file about the case including reports from a private investigator he hired. He gives Mallory and Bo a copy which includes a detailed timeline. 

Since the sheriff pulls Bo off the case, Mallory is on her own to reinterview those who might have had something to do with Tabby's death. 

This was an engaging story. I enjoyed getting to know Mallory, her sister and her mother, and Bo. I liked the way the case was presented, and I liked the flashbacks from Tabby's point of view.

I bought this one from Chirp February 11, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Field Guide to Murder by Michelle L. Cullen

A Field Guide to Murder
Author: Michelle L. Cullen
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (January 27, 2026)

Description: A cranky widower and his spirited caregiver team up to solve his neighbor’s murder in this charming and original mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

Once a globe-trotting anthropologist, Harry Lancaster is now certain that all his grand adventures are behind him. Recently widowed and suffering from a fractured hip, Harry spends his days and nights behind a pair of binoculars, nose-deep in his neighbors’ affairs. His millennial caregiver, Emma, is determined to get him out of his armchair and back into the world.

Fate intervenes when Harry’s mysterious neighbor, Sue, phones, pleading for help. But instead of rescuing her, Harry and Emma find Sue dead: poisoned, days after a break-in at Sue’s house. Harry resolves to find out what happened, and Emma insists on going along for the ride. Together, they discover motives and suspects abound in Harry’s quaint condominium community—putting them both in the crosshairs of a cold-blooded killer.

My Thoughts: Harry Lancaster is recently widowed and broke his hip. He fears that his days as an adventuring anthropologist are behind him. Emma is his carer as he recovers. She is a former critical care nurse who burned out on that career and isn't sure what comes next. She is engaged to a childhood friend and is having second thoughts. However, she is also being pushed into the marriage by her mother who is sure Blake is the perfect man for her. 

When Harry receives a distress call from a nearby neighbor in the close condominium community where he lives, he and Emma rush to Sue's aid. However, they arrive too late. Harry and Emma suspect that Sue's death was not an accident, but the police have written it off.

Harry and Emma begin their own investigation of the people in the condo community and discover that quite a few of them are keeping secrets. They also learn that Sue was also aware of the secrets and blackmailing some of the residents. 

As Harry and Emma investigate, they not only learn about the community but learn a lot about themselves and what they want for their futures. 

This was an engaging story filled with interesting characters. I enjoyed it. 

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

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (January 19, 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 winter week. We hit a high temperature of 38F on the 12th and 37 on the 13th. We also got 7 inches on new snow over the course of the week. However, our warm days are ending. High temperatures next week are going to be staying below zero. Naturally, this is the week when I need to get out for my annual eye exam. 

The eye exam is the only thing on my schedule for the week. I am looking forward to staying in and reading and listening. My brother's schedule for the week means no new recipes until possibly the weekend. Last week's recipes both went over well. The No Peek Beef reminded me of stew without the vegetables. The Italian Sausage soup was so good that my brother demanded I write down the recipe so that he has the option of making it again. I found that recipe on Facebook. The website where it resides makes me jump through too many hoops before being able to print. I just went to the site and followed the recipe there. 

Since there was an Amazon Double Points day this week, I broke my book buying ban to get a couple of books I had on my "Books I'm Waiting For" collection at Amazon. I added them to my reading calendar for March. I don't have any books from 2026 yet that are adding to the "I have no idea when I'll read them" TBR. I also added nine more review copies which have release dates spanning from March to August. 

With my first DNF Review book of the year, I slotted in a thriller from my 2025 TBR stack which leaves "only" 221 books to read someday. 

Read Last Week

• Innocent in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- In Death Book 24
• Creation in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- In Death Book 25
• Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan (Review, February 10) -- Contemporary romance set in Northern Michigan. My review will be posted on February 3.

• Strangers in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- In Death Book 26
• Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin by Nancy Springer (Review, February 10) -- Young Enola Holmes finds her next case when she rescues a young woman who has been buried alive. My review will be posted on February 3.
• Salvation in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- In Death Book 27

• Promises in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread) -- In Death Book 28
• Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz (Review, February 10) -- Newest in the Orphan X thriller series. My review will be posted on February 4.
• From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey (Audiobook, Mine since September 28, 2021) -- Tenth book in the Elemental Masters series. Riff on Rapunzel set in Victorian Times. My review will be posted on February 6.

DNF

• Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson (Review, February 10) -- First DNF of 2026. I abandoned this one at 21%. The writing style and subject matter weren't catching my attention. 

Currently

• One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner (Kindle, Mine since July 8, 2025) -- Calendar spot replacement for DNF review copy
• The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera (Review, February 10)
• Agent of Change by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Author read along) -- No progress this week since the author was ill and is finishing the draft of her newest book.

Next Week

• Half City by Kate Golden (Review, February 17)
• The Reckless Bride by Stephanie Laurens (Audiobook, Mine since December 267, 2025)
• First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong (Review, February 17)

• Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove (Review, February 17)
• The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook, Mine since October 14, 2025)
• Jolene by Mercedes Lackey (Kindle, Mine since November 18, 2025)

Reviews Posted

• Toucan Keep a Secret by Donna Andrews (Audiobook, Mine)
• The River Knows by Amanda Quick (Audiobook, Mine)
• Enchanted by Nora Roberts (Audiobook, Mine)

• Outfoxed by David Rosenfelt (Mine)
• The Brazen Bride by Stephanie Laurens (Audiobook, Mine)
• Ember Eternal by Chloe Neill (Audiobook, Mine)

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

Review:

• Missing by E. A. Jackson (Review, March 17)
• The Antique Hunter's Murder at the Castle by C. L. Miller (Review, March 17)
• The Barn Identity by Diane Kelly (Review, March 31)

• How to Cheat Your Own Death by Kristen Perrin (Review, April 28)
• A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray (Review, June 23)
• Whisper Creek by Allison Brennan (Review, June 23)

• Dead Men Don't Play Fetch by David Rosenfelt (Review, July 7)
• Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan (Review, August 11)
• For Services Rendered by Will Thomas (Review, August 18)

Bought:

• No One Knew by Kendra Elliot (Kindle and Audiobook Add-On, Gift Cards and $5.18)
• Fire Must Burn by Allison Montclair (Kindle, Kindle Rewards, Gift Card)
• Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer (Kindle & Audiobook, Gift Card and $5.33)

What was your week like?