Audiobook Review: Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey

Fangirl Down
Author: Tessa Bailey

Narrator: Callie Dalton
Series: Big Shots (Book 1)
Publication: Avon (February 13, 2024)

Length: 11 hours and 29 minutes

Description: #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey launches a super sexy sports romance series with a rom-com about a bad boy professional athlete who falls for his biggest fan...

Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life.

Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash…

As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighboring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. This hot man wants to brush her hair, feed her snacks, and take bubble baths together? Is this real life? But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?

My Thoughts: This sports romance stars Wells Whitaker who is a golfer. Once a rising star, he has fallen on hard times. He's drinking too much, fighting too much, and losing too often. It also stars Josephine Doyle who was Wells' biggest fan. She showed up at his tournaments and cheered him on even when is was playing and behaving badly. But when Wells has on final tantrum and walks off the course in the middle of a tournament, Josephine has had enough.

Josephine has enough problems of her own. The latest hurricane has destroyed her family's pro shop after she has let the insurance lapse. It was a choice of paying for the insurance or paying for the insulin she needs for her Type 1 diabetes. She's also let her health insurance lapse and is forced to medicate her diabetes out of pocket. 

At her lowest, Wells comes to her with a crazy idea. He'll hire her to be his caddy. He hopes to turn his game around, but mostly he wants to help out his biggest fan. 

The two fall in love and there are lots of spicy (maybe very spicy) love scenes. But they still have real problems to solve. Josephine needs to be two places at once. She needs to caddy and she needs to be at home working on repairing her pro shop. As a caddy, she is helping Wells with his game, his temper, and his attitude, but she's feeling guilty for what she has left behind since it is her family's legacy. 

Wells needs Josephine with him but recognizes that she has other responsibilities. This creates a lot of tension between them.

This was an entertaining sports romance with quite a bit of depth. Fans of the genre will enjoy the story. 

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

Audiobook Review: The Gift of the Magpie by Donna Andrews

The Gift of the Magpie
Author: Donna Andrews
Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
Series: Meg Langslow Mysteries (Book 28)
Publication: Macmillan Audio (October 20, 2020)
Length: 9 hours and 30 minutes

Description: New York Times best-selling author Donna Andrews returns with another Meg Langslow mystery crafted "firmly in the grand tradition of Agatha Christie's Christmas books" (Toronto Globe and Mail).

The 28th audiobook and the seventh Christmas mystery in the Meg Langslow series, The Gift of the Magpie is yet another wonderfully merry and funny book from New York Times best-selling author Donna Andrews.

Meg’s running Caerphilly’s Helping Hands for the Holidays project, in which neighbors help each other with things they can’t do and can’t afford to have done. Her hopes for a relatively peaceful (if busy) Christmas vanish when someone murders Harvey the Hoarder, whose house the Helping Hands were decluttering. Was there any truth to the rumor that he had something valuable hidden beneath all his junk? Was one of his friends, neighbors, or relatives greedy enough to murder him for the rumored treasure? And what about the magpie that has been bringing her family bits of tinsel and costume jewelry - does the bird’s latest gift hold a clue to solving the crime?

Full of intrigue, this Christmas mystery will take listeners home to Caerphilly, where the suspense falls as thick as the snow.

My Thoughts: Meg Langslow is running the Helping Hands for the Holidays program this Christmas season. Her biggest project is for Harvey the Hoarder who has a house and yard filled with clutter. His neighbors and relatives are threatening to sic Adult Protective Services on him.  

Having convinced Harvey to let them move everything to a closed furniture store so that other workers can do needed repairs on his house and let them have room to spread out his belongings to make it easier to sort them, the packing and moving begins. There are boxes and boxes of papers that range in importance from expired coupons to wills. 

Harvey goes home to spend the night after a day of sorting only to be attacked in his garage and left for dead. In fact, Doctor Langslow and the Chief of Police do announce that Harvey is dead. There are lots of suspects including his avaricious second cousins and the neighbors who have been keeping a very close eye on his house. But before Meg can figure out who wanted Harvey dead, she has to figure out why this shy, reclusive man would be anyone's target. 

This was another engaging episode in the long-running Meg Langslow mystery series. I enjoy the combination of mystery and humor in the series. 

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

Audiobook Review: Don't Open the Door by Allison Brennan

Don't Open the Door
Author: Allison Brennan

Narrator: Amy McFadden
Series: Regan Merritt (Book 2)
Publication: Mira (January 24, 2023); Harlequin Audio (January 24, 2023)

Length: 11 hours and 11 minutes

Description: A family torn apart. A botched investigation. She’ll stop at nothing to get answers.

US Marshal Regan Merritt never bought the FBI’s theory that her ten-year-old son’s murder was tied to her job. Yet as leads went cold, she’d had to walk away from the marshals, the case and her now ex-husband, Grant, who blamed her for Chase’s death.

After Regan receives a chilling voice mail from her former boss, Tommy, claiming new information about Chase’s murder, she can no longer stay away from her pain-filled past. Especially when Tommy’s murdered before she can return his call.

Now more than ever, Regan’s determined to find the truth, but the more she digs, the more evidence points to Grant as the killer’s true target. But Grant isn’t talking. As she tries to pin down her ex, Regan discovers something much bigger and far more sinister is at play—and she’s running out of people she can trust.

My Thoughts: Regan Merritt left her career as a US Marshal after her son was murdered in their home. She and her husband divorced, and he blamed her and her work for their son Chase's death. She left the DC area and returned to her home in Arizona.

Regan's partner Tommy never gave up on investigating Chase's murder. He took a leave of absence around the time of the one-year anniversary of the murder. He left a message on Regan's phone that he had found something and was going to his bosses to lay out the facts. Before he could, a sniper shot and killed him outside his home. They took his files leaving Regan with only his cryptic message.

Regan comes back to Virginia to bury her friend - and continue his investigation. She soon learns that her ex was in communication with Tommy but is very reluctant to meet with Regan to tell her what he knows. It seems his law firm was into something really shady. 

There are lots of clues and lots of suspects in this story which might start with a bank robbery and the murder of a teller. The teller's sister has some information that she didn't know was important until Tommy tracked her down. Now the sister is on the run from fake FBI agents and Regan is trying to find her to learn what she knows.

This was a fast-paced and twisty thriller.

I bought this one May 12, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Collared by David Rosenfelt

Collared
Author: David Rosenfelt
Series: Andy Carpenter (Book 16)
Publication: Minotaur (July 18, 2017)

Description: Collared is the next novel in David Rosenfelt's witty, heartfelt mystery series sees attorney Andy Carpenter suddenly fostering a child and defending a close friend suspected of murder

Lawyer Andy Carpenter’s true passion is the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization he runs with his friend Willie Miller. All kinds of dogs make their way to the foundation, and it isn’t that surprising to find a dog abandoned at the shelter one morning, though it was accompanied by a mysterious anonymous note. But they are quite surprised when they scan the dog’s embedded chip, and discover that they know this dog. He is the “DNA dog.”

Two and a half years ago, Jill Hickman was a single mother of an adopted baby. Her baby and dog were kidnapped in broad daylight in Eastside Park, and they haven’t been seen since. A tip came in that ID’d a former boyfriend of Hickman’s, Keith Wachtel, as the kidnapper. A search of his house showed no sign of the child but did uncover more incriminating evidence, and the clincher that generated Wachtel’s arrest was some dog hair, notable since Wachtel did not have a dog. DNA tests showed conclusively that the hair belonged to Hickman’s dog. Wachtel was convicted of kidnapping, but the dog and baby were never found.

Now, with the reappearance of the dog, the case is brought back to light, and the search for the child renewed. Goaded by his wife’s desire to help a friend and fellow mother and Andy’s desire to make sure the real kidnapper is in jail, Andy and his team enter the case. But what they start to uncover is far more complicated and dangerous than they ever expected.

My Thoughts: Andy's next case begins when a dog is left tied to the front door of the dog rescue he runs with is friend Wilie. The dog is chipped and turns out the be named Cody and owned by Jill Hickman. The dog had disappeared a couple of years ago when Jill's adopted baby son was kidnapped from a local park. Neither the dog nor the baby had been seen since.

In a spectacular trial, Jill's ex-boyfriend Keith Wachtel was convicted of the crime. His chief accuser was the nanny who claimed to recognize him. There was also other evidence including dog hair and fibers. Keith had proclaimed his innocence. 

In order to help out Jill and try to find out what happened to her baby, Andy reluctantly becomes Keith's lawyer so that he can get the trial transcripts and the discovery documents. He also calls his team together to look into the case. They especially want to find the nanny who disappeared after the trial was over. They suspect she's the one who dropped off Cody at the foundation which raises all sorts of suspicions in Andy's mind. Of course, the $750,000 deposit in her bank account shortly after the conviction is suspicious too. 

Andy's investigations take him deep into Jill's company where Keith also worked until he was fired under suspicion of industrial espionage which he also denies. Andy has to look into where the financing came from for Jill to expand her operation and finds the funds came from a noted drug dealer giving him another suspect in the original kidnapping.

This was an engaging and entertaining episode in the Andy Carpenter series. I love Andy's snarky and sarcastic point of view. I also love seeing his relationship with his wife and recently adopted son. 

I bought this one September 29, 2023. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: When All the Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz

When All the Girls Have Gone
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Narrator: Amanda Leigh Cobb
Series: Sons of Anson Salinas (Book 1)
Publication: Recorded Books (November 29, 2016)
Length: 10 hours and 26 minutes

Description: When Charlotte Sawyer is unable to contact her step-sister, Jocelyn, to tell her that one her closest friends was found dead, she discovers that Jocelyn has vanished.

Beautiful, brilliant - and reckless - Jocelyn has gone off the grid before, but never like this. In a desperate effort to find her, Charlotte joins forces with Max Cutler, a struggling PI who recently moved to Seattle after his previous career as a criminal profiler went down in flames - literally. Burned out, divorced and almost broke, Max needs the job.

After surviving a near-fatal attack, Charlotte and Max turn to Jocelyn's closest friends, women in a Seattle-based online investment club, for answers. But what they find is chilling. When her uneasy alliance with Max turns into a full-blown affair, Charlotte has no choice but to trust him with her life. For the shadows of Jocelyn's past are threatening to consume her - and anyone else who gets in their way.

My Thoughts: WHEN ALL THE GIRLS HAVE GONE pairs a struggling PI named Max Cutler and a woman who works in a retirement community. They meet when Charlotte picks up her vacationing stepsister Jocelyn's mail and finds a note from her sister's best friend and fellow member of their investment club. When Charlotte tries to contact the friend, she learns that she has died, the apparent victim of a drug overdose. Charlotte decides to go to the friend's - Louise's - home to pick up some papers that she wanted Jocelyn to have.

Max Cutler has been hired by Louise's cousin who doesn't believe that his cousin was using drugs. Max has relocated to the West Coast after some issues with his previous job as a profiler. He is obsessed with trying to find a villain from his childhood. His mother got involved in a cult and, when the cult fell apart, the leader set off a series of explosions. His mother died but he and eight other children were rescued by a local police officer. Most of the kids were reunited with relatives but Max and two other boys were orphans. They were raised by the cop who became their foster father. The question of what became of the cult leader has haunted Max ever since.

When Charlotte and Max try to contact her sister Jocelyn, they learn that she is not where she said she would be. Max and Charlotte partner up to try to find her. Meanwhile, the other members of their investment club are also receiving threats. Max and Charlotte also find themselves barely surviving an attempted murder.

I enjoyed this story. I liked that both Max and Charlotte had similar characters. Neither is looking for a new relationship but something just clicks when they meet. She has an unwavering faith in him and an innate understanding of him. He also feels comfortable sharing things about his past with her that he hasn't shared before. 

This is a great story with a couple of nice twists along the way.

I bought this one December 3. 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn

A Ghastly Catastrophe
Author: Deanna Raybourn
Series: Veronica Speedwell Mysteries (Book 10)
Publication: Berkley (March 3, 2026)

Description: Veronica and Stoker are practically dying for a new adventure, but when their wish is granted, they find themselves up against a secret society and a darkly seductive duo in this landmark historical mystery from beloved New York Times bestselling and Edgar® Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

When the corpse of an entitled young man is found entirely drained of blood in a carriage next to Highgate Cemetery, Veronica’s interest is piqued. And then a second victim is found, his death made to look like a suicide—and Veronica and her intrepid beau Stoker know the hunt is on. The two men share one link: they were both members of a society so secretive that only a singular mention of it can be found anywhere.

Thirsty for more clues, Veronica and Stoker hear that a young Romany boy may know more about their first victim, and the only way to the boy is through an old acquaintance of Stoker’s, Lady Julia Brisbane. Lady Julia and her dashing husband, Nicholas, occasionally track down murderers and are only too happy to help. But as it becomes clear that e secret society is a dangerous sect looking to entice immortality seekers, Veronica and Stoker find themselves ensnared by a decidedly more sinister couple.

The professed leader of the society claims to be a creature of the night; his partner practices witchcraft and they both fancy themselves emissaries of the otherworldly. Just as Veronica and Stoker get closer to learning the true purpose of the society and unraveling this macabre mystery, another body turns up, and they quickly discover they’ve gone from being the hunters to the hunted. . . .

My Thoughts: The tenth Veronica Speedwell historical mystery begins with both Veronica and her significant other Stoker trying to stave off boredom. It has been a while since their last adventure. But when a corpse appears outside Highgate Cemetery and it is drained of blood, Veronica and Stoker are both intrigued. 

The young man was of the upper class, and his death is quickly covered up by his family. They certainly don't want any hint of scandal. Veronica throws out the theory that the young man was killed by a vampire which raises Stoker's hackles and a bet ensues. 

Then a second young man who happens to the be best friend of the first commits suicide after receiving a note containing dried poisonous plants. Veronica and Stoker soon learn that they were both involved in an exclusive and very secretive club. 

Their investigations take them to a Romany camp in the company of one of Stoker's old friends and her private investigator husband as they try to track down a witness. And they attempt to interview a reclusive American millionaire and his private secretary. 

As they get closer to the solution, they go from hunters to hunted. Veronica and Stoker have drawn the attention of the leaders of the very secret club. 

I enjoyed this historical mystery. I am especially fond of Veronica's unique point of view as she narrates the story. I love the Victorian attitudes and the Victorian 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 23, 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 roller coaster sort of weather week. Monday and Tuesday were nice with high temperatures of 46 and 47. But Tuesday afternoon the skies clouded and the temperatures dropped. By Tuesday night, we had a real official blizzard. Wind gusts hit 60+ miles per hour. Our event started with a rain/snow mix, but it turned to snow by late night. We even had thundersnow and lightning. It snows all night and well into Wednesday and the winds kept blowing. 

We received about 11 inches of snow, but the wind made for some rather spectacular drifts. Our solar panels were clear of snow Wednesday afternoon when my brother was out snowblowing. He had to deal with a drift over five feet tall in the driveway partially caused by the winds and partially by the "help" of a neighbor who used the plow on the front of his pickup truck to clear the end of the driveway for Bill. More snow Wednesday night covered them again since the wind had died down.

The city snowplows came through on Thursday morning after Bill had cleared the driveway and left another ridge of snow that he had to snowblow before he could get to work. He was not scheduled to start work until 11:30 but the city plows made him an hour late. 

Temperatures are still cooler than our highs last week by 15 to 20 degrees, but we haven't had any more snow and the sun is shining. 

I should have had lots of time for reading but a combination of watching the weather, a long audiobook, and review copies that were somewhat less then enthralling kept my numbers down. Also, two trips out of the house for my bi-monthly blood draw, grocery shopping, and a trip to the DMV early in the week slowed me down.

I made some soup last week in the crockpot that will not be a keeper recipe. In fact, I threw the leftovers out after one meal. It sounded good but ended up tasteless and with a weird texture. 

This week baseball begins and so does The Voice. I expect both with cut into my reading time. I don't have any appointments though. I have lots more review books on the stack for this week. Most of them are by authors who are new to me. 

Read Last Week

• A Lie for a Lie by Ren DeStefano (Review, March 10) -- A twisty thriller starring a woman who is an interior decorator by day and a vigilante by night. My review will be posted on March 5.
• Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer (Kindle/Audiobook, mine since January 18, 2026) -- First in a new YA Epic Fantasy series. My review will be posted on March 3.
• The Pie & Mash Detective Agency by J. D. Brinkworth (Review, March 10) -- Fledgling detectives are assigned what should be a simple missing person case but find themselves involved in a long-term conspiracy. My review will be posted on March 5.

• No One Knew by Kendra Elliot (Kindle/Audiobook, mine since January 16, 2026) -- Thriller, second in the Noelle Marshall series. My review will be posted March 12.
• Jolene by Mercedes Lackey (Kindle, mine since November 18, 2025) -- 15th in the Elemental Masters series. Entertaining fantasy with some pacing problems. My review will be posted on March 6.
• Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz (Audiobook, mine since November 20, 2022) -- Second book in the Sons of Anson Salinas trilogy. Entertaining romantic suspense story. My review will be posted on March 17.

• Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz (Audiobook, Mine since January 25, 2026) -- Romantic suspense; finale of the Sons of Anson Salinas trilogy. My review will be posted on March 19.
• You Did Nothing Wrong by CG Drews (Review, March 17) -- Tightly focused (almost claustrophobic) thriller/horror novel. My review will be posted on March 10.

Currently

• Stakeouts and Strollers by Rob Phillips (Review, March 17)
• The Antique Hunter's Murder at the Castle by C. L. Miller (March 17)

Next Week

• The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C. M. Waggoner (Review, March 17)
• Missing by E. A. Jackson (Review, March 17)
• Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict (Review, March 24)

• The Survivor by Andrew Reid (Review, March 24)
• A Deadly Inheritance by Kelley Armstrong (Review, March 24)
• Magelight by Kacey Ezell (Kindle/Audiobook, mine since February 2, 2026)

Reviews Posted

• The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander (Review copy)
• Buried in Shamrocks by Lisa Q. Mathews (Review copy)
• The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly (Review copy)

• The Wolves Are Watching by Victoria Houston (Review copy)
• The Ghost Women by Jennifer Murphy (Review copy)
• How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson (Review copy)

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

Review:

• I, Spy by L. M. Kemp (Review, May 5)
• Archangel's Eternity by Nalini Singh (Review, May 5)
• Man of My Dreams by Olivia Worley (Review, June 2)

• A Botanist's Guide to Tradition and Treachery by Kate Khavari (Review, June 9)
• A Bitter Cut by Anna Lee Huber (Review, June 23)
• Death at King's Cross by Rosanne Limoncelli (Review, July 21)

Bought:

• Carving Shadows into Gold by Brigid Kemmerer (Kindle & Audiobook Add-On) -- I used my gift card for the Kindle and paid $6.10 for the audiobook
• Sparking Fire Out of Fate by Brigid Kemmerer (Kindle & Audiobook Add-On) -- I used my gift card for the Kindle and paid $5.92 for the audiobook

What was your week like?

ARC Review: How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson

How to Get Away with Murder
Author: Rebecca Philipson
Publication: Minotaur Books (February 24, 2026)

Description "If you picked up this book because you truly want to get away with murder, you will not be disappointed. Simply turn the page and we'll get started."

This fresh debut thriller finds a Scotland Yard detective trying to find the author of a self-help book that promises quite literally to teach readers how to get away with murder, which seems to have inspired London's newest murderer.

Detective Inspector Samantha Hansen has been on leave for six months, recovering from a breakdown she suffered at work, but when a fourteen-year-old girl is murdered in a local park, Sam jumps at the chance to return to the job and prove that she's still got what it takes to be the Yard's most successful homicide detective. One of the case's only leads is a copy of a self-help book found in the victim's backpack called How To Get Away With Murder by a man named Denver Brady.

Brady claims to be the most successful serial killer of our time, which is why no one's ever heard of him. Chapter by chapter, he details his methodology and his past victims, and as Sam's investigation progresses and the details of the book go viral, Sam begins to suspect that there’s more to the author than what he’s revealed. But in order to find a killer and get justice for young Charlotte, Sam must learn to trust her instincts once again, before Denver Brady--or someone else--really does get away with murder.

My Thoughts: DI Samantha Hansen has been on medical leave from the Metropolitan Police Force for six months after a breakdown at work. When a fourteen-year-old girl is found murdered in a park, Sam wants to get involved in the case. She goes to her mentor on the force - the man who has been guiding her career since her father's death when she was nineteen - and convinces him to let her back to work.

The only clue to the case is a copy of a book called How to Get Away With Murder by Denver Brady. The book was found in Charlotte's backpack. 

Sam's mentor Harry assigns her to tracking down Brady and gives her a new recruit to be her partner in the investigation. Sam wasn't really ready to come back to work. She has attention problems making it difficult to read Brady's books and her anxiety makes it impossible for her to look at the crime scene photos. But she and her partner begin the search for Brady by trying to track down his supposed victims. 

The more Sam and her partner look into the facts of the books and try to follow the money trail for the book's profits, the more Sam begins to believe that Brady had nothing to do with Charlotte's murder. But Harry wants the quick solution to the case and any possible murderer and puts the pressure on Sam.

This was a twisty story. Told in alternate chapters from Brady's book and Sam's actions, the story was a compelling read. I liked Sam's determination to find the truth about Charlotte's murder. I liked her doggedness in tracking down Denver Brady and his supposed victims. 

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

ARC Review: The Ghost Women by Jennifer Murphy

The Ghost Women
Author: Jennifer Murphy
Publication: Dutton (February 24, 2026)

Description: A mysterious art academy in the woods, a deck of ancient tarot cards, a centuries-old secret

On a hot August morning in 1972, the body of Abel Montague, a student at St. Luke’s Institute of the Arts, is found hanging from a tree in the forest. An ancient Hanged Man tarot card is found in the back pocket of his pants and his body has been positioned into the exact pose illustrated on the card.

When Detective Lola Germany arrives at St. Luke’s—a former monastery that once housed a secret order of monks who carried out witch trials and executions—she believes they are dealing with a ritualistic murder. While interviewing school administrators and Abel’s classmates, Lola discovers Abel’s live-in girlfriend, Pearl, seems shaken but also might be hiding something—along with her group of friends who call themselves witches.

When more students are found dead, each body arranged like a tarot card, Lola realizes she is trapped in a web of power and ambition that spans centuries. Soon the lines between past and present, spiritual and tangible, begin to blur, and the only way to survive is to seek answers from places she never imagined.

My Thoughts: This twisty mystery is filled with ghosts, tarot cards, and murders at a secretive art college on a South Carolina island. 

Detective Lola Germany, with a secret past of her own, is called to St. Luke's when the body of a young student is found hanging from the infamous ghost tree. His body has been posed like that of the Hanged Man from the tarot deck. Frustrated by the lack of cooperation given by the head of the school, Lola tries to investigate and interview the students who know Abel Montgomery. 

Then there are more deaths. Two students jump from a burning tower like the deaths depicted on The Tower tarot card. Hemlock poisoning and accelerants indicate that the deaths were murder, not the accident to school's dean is claiming.

The story is told from multiple points of view. Lola and Pearl who was Abel's live-in and who is a seer carry the bulk of the story. Other characters include Krista who is also a student and a green witch and Esme who is the dean's snitch and a victim.

The story is a twisted tale of murders over centuries, ghosts of wronged women, and young artists with witchy talents. Surrounding all of it is Lola who is back home and working as a police detective after a career as a prima ballerina which ended in tragedy.

I enjoyed the dreamy prose and the mysticism. I also liked the way the past was woven into the story. 

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

ARC Review: Buried in Shamrocks by Lisa Q. Mathews

Buried in Shamrocks
Author: Lisa Q. Mathews
Series: Irish Bed & Breakfast Mysteries (Book 2)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (February 24, 2026)

Description: Kate Buckley returns to her Irish-themed hometown for the summer, but when her ex becomes the prime suspect in his fiancée’s murder, she must clear his name for the sake of their daughters, perfect for fans of Elle Cosimano and Carlene O’Connor.

Kate and her daughters, Maeve and Bliz, are back in Shamrock, Massachusetts, and Kate faces a big decision: Should they move back to their hometown for good? As she contemplates the idea, all the businesses in town, including her family’s B&B, the Buckley House, are busy preparing for the annual Great Shamrock Fair in hopes of luring back tourists after a murder during St. Patrick’s Week.

But when Kate’s ex, Ian, arrives in town from Ireland to perform with his band at the festival and his new fiancée, Fallon, is found dead at the fairgrounds, any chance of a fun and peaceful family summer goes up in green smoke.

Much as she wants nothing to do with her ex, Kate knows Ian is innocent. Amid the swirl of activity in town and her sister Colleen’s determination to keep the annual Miss Shamrock contests alive, Kate enlists her devastated eldest daughter and her father, the former Shamrock police chief, to help her unwind the trail of evidence.

With clues—and danger—piling up, can Kate find Fallon’s true killer and save her ex, before the Great Shamrock Fair and the town’s chances for a summer full of green go bust?

My Thoughts: Kate Buckley and her two daughters have come home for the summer and maybe forever. It is time for the annual Great Shamrock Fair and things aren't going well. The man who usually does the butter sculpture has had an accident and his artist daughter is standing in. Kate's ex and his band are scheduled to play at the festival and stay at her parents' B&B. So is a rival group of elderly Itish musicians who are her father's friends. 

Her ex, Ian, has also brought along a fiancée named Fallon who is the manager of the band. When Fallon is found dead, it is up to Kate to clear her name and Ian's name too. Of course, she also has to deal with her youngest who is a contestant for Little Miss Shamrock and her eldest who resents that Ian hasn't kept in touch with the family. 

This was a fun cozy with an interesting setting and main character. 

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

ARC Review: The Wolves Are Watching by Victoria Houston

The Wolves Are Watching
Author: Victoria Houston
Series: Lew Ferris Mysteries (Book 4)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (February 24, 2026)

Description: Sheriff Lew Ferris has a new partner in crime in the fourth installment in Victoria Houston’s atmospheric mystery series, perfect for fans of Marc Cameron and Nevada Barr.

It’s early September when a competitor in a high school fishing tournament is approached by a stranger who threatens him and his family in an attempt to blackmail him into throwing the first round of the tournament. The boy flees into the woods, where at night he sleeps with wolves watching him from the shadows.

When the boy’s father asks Lew’s deputy, Ray Pradt, for help finding his son as well as the man who threatened him, they’re thrown into a world of illegal betting that’s more dangerous than either could have imagined. Meanwhile, Lew Ferris learns that a couple who went on a wolf-watching trip has disappeared without a trace, right near an old log cabin that Ray remembers from his childhood.

Sheriff Lew Ferris finds herself challenged more than ever before: arms dealing, sports betting, blackmail, and wolves. Is she under threat from predators too?

My Thoughts: The fourth mystery starring Sheriff Lew Ferris takes place in early September. A competitor in a high school fishing tournament is approached by someone who wants him to cheat. A man and woman who are wolf watchers disappear. And an old cabin in a protected area has been fixed up and is being used for illegal arms. 

Lew is assisted by her investigator Ray Pradt who is a coach for the fishing team and an excellent guide and tracker. He's the one who brings Lew to the old cabin and he's the one who discovers the wolf watching couple's bodies buried in a shallow grave. 

The illegal arms have Lew calling in the Feds who set up a sting at the cabin which is blown by a cop who needed to use the outhouse in the early hours. Clues seem to indicate that all three cases are connected and all clues also lead to a family that used to be prominent in the area. 

The story is told from multiple viewpoints which gradually come together as Lew and her cohorts work on solving the case. 

I enjoyed this story which stars a fly-fishing sheriff who is a whole lot smarter than the crooks believe. 

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

ARC Review: The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly

The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor
Author: Lucy Connelly
Publication: Cooked Lane Books (February 24, 2026)

Description: A new job can be killer in this series debut mystery set in Wales, perfect for fans of Sheila Connolly and Paige Shelton.

After crossing the pond, Dr. Gwen Griffith finds herself in the quirky place she fell in love with, Dillynaidd, Wales. A former managing editor for a Texan newspaper, Gwen is ready for the next stage in her life as the head of the journalism department at the local university in town. With her best friend, Carolyn Sparks–who is also the university’s dean–at her side, Dillynaidd feels like a dream, until murder comes knocking at her doorstep.

Gwen had only just met the victim, Dr. Alice Rice, at a faculty party, but that doesn't stop police detective Gareth Jones from suspecting her of foul play–after all, the victim was found on her doorstep. With her journalism background, Gwen decides that it’s up to her to clear her own name. But she’ll need all the help she can get when her idyllic small-town life is turned upside down in order to stay one step ahead of the killer.

This brand-new series by Lucy Connelly, author of the Scottish Isle mysteries, will charm cozy mystery readers everywhere.

My Thoughts: Gwen Griffith, after an early retirement as a newspaper editor, has accepted a new job as a professor in the journalism department at the college where she took her undergraduate degree. Her best friend is the university's dean and put her on to the job. Gwen is eager to get to know the people working for her and gladly accepts her friend's invitation to a gathering to meet them. Dr. Alice Rice is the only one Gwen has trouble with. Alice resents the newcomer Gwen has been given the post she wanted so badly. She makes all sorts of rude remarks at the party.

Later that evening, when Gwen has returned to her new flat, Alice comes to her door, makes a cryptic remark, and falls dead into Gwen's arms. Gwen's curiosity is aroused. She wants to learn more about the woman no one from faculty to students liked. And when the verdict of murder by poison is given, she is even more curious. 

Gwen teams up with her new assistant who is also headed for a career as an investigative journalist to learn more about Alice and about who might want her dead. Somehow, Gwen finds herself on the killer's radar. Anonymous notes, a stalker, and a near miss hit-and-run indicate that someone believes Gwen is getting too near to solving the case. 

I enjoyed this first in a new series title. I liked the setting and characters. I liked Gwen's young assistant and can see the local detective as a possible love interest for Gwen in future stories. 

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

ARC Review: The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander

The Whisking Hour
Author: Ellie Alexander
Series: Bakeshop Mysteries (Book 22)
Publication: Minotaur Books (February 24, 2026)

Description: Another delicious installment in Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mysteries set in Ashland, OR!

Fall is in full flush in the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, and baker Juliet Capshaw is excited to celebrate the season with a night at the theatre. Lance Rousseau, Ashland’s renowned theater director and one of Jules’ closest friends, has put his own spin on a production of the Broadway classic Perfect Crime, drawing the audience into a cozy New York apartment as a nefarious set of suspects pulls off the perfect murder. As the final show approaches, Jules and the team at Torte are eagerly whipping up a murderous feast for the cast party, baking a bevy of treats like panna cotta eyeballs with blood orange coulis, deviled eggs, and savory cheese fingers with pumpkin dipping sauce.

On the day of the soirée, life seems to imitate art when a storm rolls over the Siskiyou Mountains, ushering in gusty winds and unrelenting rain. The audience buzzes with electric energy as the lights flicker and the actors take the stage. After the actors take their final bow, the cast trickles into Carpenter Hall, ready for a night of frivolity. But when an actor is discovered dead in his dressing room, Jules wonders if she’s just witnessed the real perfect murder.

My Thoughts: Jules Capshaw is eagerly awaiting the birth of her twins in this 22nd Bakeshop Mystery. It's fall and the OSF is putting on a murder mystery. Her friend Lance who is the theater director is busy planning his wedding and calls upon a noted New York director to put on this show. 

When the director is murdered and found in the lead actress's dressing room, Lance with Jules very reluctant help begin their own investigation. Jules would be more than happy to leave the investigation to the very competent Ashland Police Force. 

Even a cursory investigation provides lots of suspects. The lead actress has been bullied by the producer. The director's almost ex-wife has her own reasons for wanting him dead. One of the other actors has been pushed by the director into stalking other cast members. The female understudy is trying to gather evidence that the director has a history of hitting on his pretty female cast members. Even the props guy has reasons to want the director dead. 

Besides the various villains and searching for the clues, the food Jules and her staff create all sounds amazing. Unlike many culinary cozies, this one doesn't have selected recipes in the back. 

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 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.