ARC Review: A Field Guide to Death and Deceit by Michelle L. Cullen

A Field Guide to Death and Deceit
Author: Michelle L. Cullen
Series: Harry & Emma Mystery (Book 2)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (September 15, 2026)

Description: Widower and anthropologist Harry Lancaster and his Gen Z colleague Emma are back for more murder and mayhem when they stumble upon a dead farmer.

This delightful sequel to A Field Guide to Murder is perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

When an odd request leads Harry Lancaster to agree to meet his former sweetheart Willow at a farm on the outskirts of town, Emma’s suspicions run high, and she insists on joining him. Instead of Willow greeting them when they arrive, they discover the farm's owner dead, with a corn rake embedded in his back.

After being interrogated by the police, Harry and Emma return to his home to find a bereft Willow, who admits she lost her life savings in a real estate scam involving the farm. Worried Willow will become the main murder suspect, Harry decides to help her, despite Emma’s concerns.

To bring the swindlers—and murderer—to justice, Harry recruits his potentially shady, financial-whiz brother and a neighborhood teenage hacker. Then Willow’s realtor is declared missing, and Harry’s brother is caught up in the fray.

As the team unearths clues, they increasingly dodge danger in their race to save Willow and Harry’s brother before anyone else turns up dead.

My Thoughts: Harry and Emma are back home and working on their final report when Harry gets a call from an old girlfriend. Willow has become the victim of a scam that has stolen all of the assets she and her husband had accrued for their retirement. She's hoping Harry can help her get them back.

However, the first thing that Harry and Emma discover when they go to meet Willow is the death of an old farmer who owned the property Willow thought she was buying. Harry and Emma find themselves not only trying to solve the murder but trying to recover Willow's lost retirement fund.

Harry makes a call to his brother Eddie for some help since Eddy was an accountant. He and Harry are not close. As a matter of fact, Harry has always thought that his brother might be dealing less than legally. 

Eddie arrives promptly and the trio work together to try to unravel all the plots and plans in motion. Harry is surprised that his brother has been leading a secret life and that he is intimately involved in the scam. Now, saving his brother has been added to the things he and Emma need to accomplish.

This was an engaging and entertaining story filled with interesting characters. I like the father-daughter relationship that has grown between Harry and Emma since she was first hired as his carer after he broke his hip. 

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

ARC Review: Fighting Edge by Margaret Mizushima

Fighting Edge
Author: Margaret Mizushima
Series: Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries (Book 11)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (September 8, 2026)

Description: Major crimes intersect in this nail-biting installment of the Timber Creek K-9 mysteries by award-winning author Margaret Mizushima.

A routine welfare check becomes a nightmare when Deputy Mattie Walker finds a young mother dead and a hysterical toddler, possibly the only witness to a brutal crime. Before the investigative team can start piecing together what happened, Mattie discovers another criminal act in Timber Creek.

During a traffic stop for speeding, Mattie observes a nervous driver and a teenage passenger frozen with fear. A quick sweep of the car with her K-9 partner, Robo, reveals a dangerous mix of drugs and suspected human trafficking, providing Mattie with grounds to arrest the driver. After she places the teenager in protective custody, the sheriff’s department hands the case over to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

As the team gathers evidence and information, Mattie’s husband, veterinarian Cole Walker, notices suspicious activity during ambulatory calls at dog kennels, indicating yet a third crime lurking in the shadows. What begins as isolated incidents quickly reveals a chilling truth: Organized crime has infiltrated their rural mountain community.

Every clue leads to more questions, and each answer brings them closer to greater danger. Do Mattie and her law enforcement partners have what it takes to shut down this criminal ring before it claims more victims? And could its next victim be someone Mattie loves?

My Thoughts: Deputy Mattie Walker and her dog Robo are called to do a welfare check and find a young mother dead on her couch with her two-year-old Emma crying in her crib. With drug paraphernalia left in the house the cause of death looks clear but still suspicious. And it seems Emma saw her mother's death but can't speak clearly enough to tell the police what happened. 

Meanwhile, veterinarian Cole Walker is seeing a new patient at his clinic. He's doing a pre-purchase check of a rottweiler that Bret Beaty is interested in purchasing for breeding. He and his family are still getting over an attack in which he and his teenage daughter were held at gunpoint in his clinic.

Then Mattie makes a routine traffic stop and encounters what looks like a trafficking situation to her. Robo uncovers a cache of drugs in the car's spare tire which gives her a reason to arrest the driver and retain the scared teen who is with him. 

The young mother had been a victim of trafficking until she managed to escape and start a new life in Colorado. Now, it looks like her past has caught up with her and trafficking is finding its way to small town Colorado.

This was another exciting episode in the Timber Creek K-9 mysteries. I love the relationship between Mattie and her K-9 Robo. I also like her growing closeness with her new husband Cole and Cole's two daughters. 

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

Audiobook Review: Death of an Irish Druid by Catie Murphy

Death of an Irish Druid
Author: Catie Murphy
Narrator: Ruth Urquhart
Series: The Dublin Driver Mysteries (Book 6)
Publication: Tantor Media (January 21, 2025)
Length: 6 hours and 43 minutes

Description: Featuring the humor and charm of Ireland, a compelling whodunit, a sleuthing American expat, and Jack Russell Terrier puppies, the latest book in the Dublin Driver cozy mystery series is perfect for fans of Carlene O'Connor!

Megan is excited to show her visiting American friends the best of Ireland. A dead body in a holy well, however, was not on her list. The victim is Seamus Nolan, nicknamed "the Irish Druid" for his controversial efforts to rewild his country estate. The local police seem all-too-willing to write off his death as an accident. But Megan's instincts say not so fast.

Megan knows that sleuthing cost her her last girlfriend. Maybe solving another murder will help her make peace with that. And she's even more determined to figure out whodunnit when she learns that an antiquated law may pass the estate on to Nolan's land-grabbing, sell-out uncle instead of his beloved daughter.

But then, with Nolan out of the picture, a rival conservationist's bid for a major grant is uncontested. And as more suspects crop up, so does a toxic surprise on the estate, throwing everyone's plans, and Nolan's reputation, into jeopardy. Now Megan will have to unearth a killer with a dirty secret.

My Thoughts: Megan Malone has taken a couple weeks off as a limousine driver in order to show her friends Rafe and his wife around Ireland. Her first stop for them is Bridget's Well which is a site known for helping women get pregnant. The pair wants to have a baby and hasn't been able to get pregnant.

Megan discovers the body of a man in the well. It turns out to be Seamus Nolan who has been nicknamed the Irish Druid. He's a large landowner who is determined to rewild his country estate. Naturally, she calls the police but is unable to call her favorite policeman since he's off with his girlfriend as she shoots a movie in the Middle East. 

The local policeman is too quick, in Megan's opinion, to call the death an accident despite the fact that his bicycle has gone missing. Megan gets involved in the mystery when she befriends Nolan's teenaged daughter who needs help coping with everything surrounding the death. 

From a great-uncle who wants to sell off the land immediately to a mother who is wondering what's in the will for her and problems with just who is the one who stands to inherit the estate, the young woman has a lot of problems to solve. She's also like to know if her father's death was murder or the accident the police claim.

All the while, Megan is also still dealing with the loss of the girlfriend who just couldn't take being involved in one more murder investigation. 

This was another entertaining mystery filled with interesting characters. 

I bought this one April 8. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Murder on Charity Lane by Jo Nichols

Murder on Charity Lane
Author: Jo Nichols
Series: Marigold Cottages Mysteries
Publication: Minotaur (August 18, 2026)

Description: Months after the shocking murders at Marigold Cottages, eccentric landlady Mrs. B finds the peace and quiet a little too peaceful. That’s why she invites her young friend CJ Moore to move into a now-vacant cottage: CJ is a suspect in the death of her employer, a wealthy Santa Barbara philanthropist who tumbled down the stairs of his mansion during a dinner party. The dead man’s much-younger widow claims she saw CJ push him, but Mrs. B is certain that she’s innocent. Why? Oh, just a feeling.

That’s enough for her to summon the Marigold Cottages Murder Collective. Lily-Ann will marshal the facts, Hamilton will dig around online, Sophie and Nicholas will offer eyewitness testimony, and everyone will hope that Ocean keeps Mrs. B out of trouble.

Just as the tenants begin to suspect that Elsa is in fact the perpetrator, there’s a second murder. A bloodier one. And with their tight-knit community in the crosshairs, they must prove her innocence - or accept her guilt.

My Thoughts: The eccentric characters who live in Marigold Cottages in Santa Barbara have a new mystery to solve when Ocean's new girlfriend CJ is accused of killing her elderly employer. Mrs. B is all in on reassembling the Marigold Cottages Murder Collective to solve the crime. In fact, she is so all in as to put the cottages at risk to secure CJ's freedom from jail.

This story is told from multiple viewpoints. Lily-Ann is the one who puts all the facts together in her spreadsheets and with her unique viewpoint. Sophie, a fund raiser, and Nicholas who works for the city have met the victim and his wife at a party at his home where Sophie was invited to make contacts with rich Santa Barbarans. They were present when Frank fell from the top of a stairway and broke his neck. 

CJ has worked for the retired music producer since she finished college and has a father-daughter relationship with him. Unfortunately, his wife Karina is not CJ's biggest fan. She resents CJ's closeness with her much older husband. Therefore, when he falls, she immediately tells the police that CJ pushed him. 

Other viewpoints include Vernon who is the police detective assigned to the case and who has had previous encounters with the Marigold Cottage residents, Hamilton who is the computer guy who is phobic about leaving his house, Ocean who is the artist in residence and the most likely to ride herd on Mrs. B. Mrs. B is also a viewpoint character and the most eccentric of the crew. 

This was a fun mystery filled with widely disparate characters who have nonetheless formed a found family to envy. 

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

ARC Review: Death on the Books by Victoria Gilbert

Death on the Books
Author: Victoria Gilbert
Series: Blue Ridge Library Mysteries (Book 10)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (August 4, 2026)

Description: A sleuthing library director is on the case when a patron drops dead in the tenth installment of Victoria Gilbert’s critically acclaimed Blue Ridge Library mysteries.

When a stranger falls over dead in the Taylorsford Public Library, clutching a crumpled piece of paper inscribed only with the words hen and sapphire, Library Director Amy Muir must once again investigate. She soon learns that the man is the personal assistant to Warren Sanderson, an art collector and dealer who just so happens to be visiting Kurt Kendrick, the godfather of Amy’s twins.

When the autopsy reveals that the library patron was poisoned, suspicion falls on those who knew him—mainly Sanderson, his granddaughter Heather, and Kurt. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, Amy digs into the contentious relationships between Kurt and the Sandersons. But as it turns out, suspects abound, and when Amy’s best friend’s boyfriend is implicated, the case becomes even more complicated.

Amy’s research ties the dead man’s note to a lost treasure of the Romanov empire. Then another person falls victim. With the bodies piling up, Amy knows better than anyone that killers often keep killing until they’re caught, and she’ll stop at nothing to get to the bottom of this tangled mystery.

My Thoughts: Amy's next case comes to her when a man wanders into the Taylorsford Public Library one evening and dies right in front of her. She soon learns that he was an assistant to Warren Sanderson who is an art collector and dealer who is visiting Amy's friend Kurt Kendrick. Amy notices a rather cryptic note that the man dropped. 

Amy wants to stay out of the murder investigation. She is perfectly content to just do a little research for the sheriff. But things don't work out quite the way Amy would wish. The note leads to a missing Faberge egg and a clue to the egg's whereabouts might be hidden in one of her aunt's deceased husband's paintings which Sanderson would really like to buy. 

That's just one of the twists in this 10th Blue Ridge Library Mystery. I enjoyed catching up with Amy and her growing family in this one. Many characters from earlier books in the series also have large roles to play in this one. 

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

ARC Review: Probable Caws by Donna Andrews

Probable Caws
Author: Donna Andrews
Series: Meg Langslow Mysteries (Book 39)
Publication: Minotaur Books (August 4, 2026)

Description: Readers will flock to New York Times bestselling author Donna Andrews's next installment in the award-winning Meg Langslow series.

Meg has finally found time to get some blacksmithing done when a call from her dad interrupts her--can she come out to Ragnar’s right away to help with the horses? Their friend Ragnar Ragnarsen, who is gradually turning the enormous house on his nearby estate into an authentic moated castle, has agreed to shelter nearly fifty horses for Hoof and Hearth, an equine rescue organization that has lost access to the farm where the horses have been living. The owner of the farm recently died without leaving a will, and while his older son Abel would be happy to let the horses stay, younger brother George wants to sell to a developer . . . and is suspected of sending a thug to harm the horses as part of his efforts to evict Hoof and Hearth.

That night, while Meg and her family are camping at one of Ragnar’s barns, to keep an eye on the horses, they discover that the thug has been murdered. Unfortunately George is alibied . . . but his horse-loving brother Abel is not. Neither are the hot-tempered founder of Hoof and Hearth or the passionately protective ex-jockey who serves as its stablemaster. Meg juggles helping keep the horses safe and doing what she can to help the chief solve the thug’s murder . . . all the while hoping that the killer won’t turn out to be one of the dedicated horse rescuers she has come to like and respect.

My Thoughts: The 39th Meg Langslow mystery begins with a phone call. Meg's father calls her to come to Ragnar's to help with the horses. When she arrives, she learns that Ragnar has volunteered to help Hoof and Hearth house their rescue horses. Abel Abernathy has been hosting them on his farm but his father recently passed away without a will and now the farm belongs to both Abel and his brother George. George wants the horses gone and the farm sold to developers. 

Abel fears that his brother might do harm to the horses and wants them safe until the inheritance can be settled. The founder of the rescue is upset and testy because of it. She's more likely to be alienating donors than finding new ones. 

When a man is found dead in one of the horse barns, at first it looks like it is George. It turns out the be George's chief henchman instead. It would be good if the killer turned out to be George, but he's alibied. Unfortunately, neither Abel nor the rescue founder have alibis. 

This was another excellent episode in the series. There are lots of humorous moments including Meg's grandfather deciding to paint patterns on some of the wildlife to see if the patterns discourage flies. Meg's twins get into decorating the animals. Then there is the horse who is excellent at opening gates and untying knots. There are some heartbreaking moments too as the abused horses are described. 

Fans of the series will enjoy this latest episode. 

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

Audiobook Review: The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews

The Falcon Always Wings Twice
Author: Donna Andrews

Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
Series: Meg Langslow (Book 27)
Publication: Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio (August 4, 2020)

Length: 10 hours and 30 minutes

Description: A new side-splitting Meg Langslow mystery from award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Terns of Endearment.

When Meg's grandmother Cordelia hosts a Renaissance Faire at her craft center, the whole family is put to work: Meg handles the blacksmithing, Michael and the boys will be performing, and no one misses the opportunity to dress up in full regalia.

More exciting to Grandfather is the pair of rare falcons he discovers breeding at the fairgrounds. Concerned for their well-being amid all the activity, he appoints himself their protector.

When one of the actors performing at the fair is found dead—an actor suspected of mistreating one of the falcons, among other sins—Grandfather is a prime suspect.

Donna Andrews’s long-running Meg Langslow series continues to be beloved by its fans, who loyally read every new installment.

The Falcon Always Wings Twice is a perfect new addition, full of laughter, adventure, and Andrews's wonderful cast of wacky characters.

My Thoughts: Meg, Michael and their twins are spending the summer helping her grandmother Caroline run a Renaissance Faire at her crafts center. Michael is in charge of the various actors who roam the faire doing scenes while Meg does blacksmithing demonstrations and helps Caroline manage the faire. 

Things are going pretty well except for an actor named Terence who delights in causing trouble including sometimes dangerous pranks and sexual harassment of one of the young actresses. Caroline has been documenting all the times she has needed to talk to him about his antics, and his next prank will be his last. But before he can stray again someone decides that a dagger in the chest would solve the problem. 

So many people wanted Terence dead that Meg doesn't know where to start in her investigation. Even her fellow blacksmith and good friend has a motive. One of Terence's pranks caused her friend's husband to lose his job which means no health insurance to cover her friend's much needed heart surgery. 

Other suspects include a stage director who had cast Terence into a role in his production of Hamlet in Washington, DC. He comes and begins throwing his weight around and wandering where he shouldn't be. Michael had worked with him before and resolved never to work with him again. He is angry with the director who had promised the same role in his production to two of the actors working with Michael at the faire. 

This was another engaging and humorous mystery. Meg's family is always good for comic relief. This time her grandfather stars as he throws himself into the role of a wizard while spending most of his time with the falcons and their keeper. 

Fans of the series will enjoy this episode. 

I bought the Kindle copy November 21, 2024, and the audiobook June 5, 2026. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Murder on the Clock by Lucy Connelly

Murder on the Clock
Author: Lucy Connelly
Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherell
Series: Mercy McCarthy Mystery (Book 4)
Publication: Bookouture (November 14, 2025)
Length: 6 hours and 42 minutes

Description: The town of Shamrock Cove is gearing up for a grand summer festival… but the fête turns fatal when a clockmaker is killed. Can amateur sleuth Mercy McCarthy crack the case?

When Mercy McCarthy takes her beloved mother’s watch to be fixed, she’s completely charmed by the little repair store and the father-and-son duo who run it. Little does she know that the clock is ticking… when she returns, she finds the father lying unconscious amid broken glass, and her mother’s watch is missing.

The police think Mr. Flynn was attacked in a burglary gone wrong but soon suspects closer to home start coming out of the clockwork. Mercy, her sister, and their canine sidekick, master body sniffer-outer Mr. Poe, set out to gather clues and help the local detective find the killer.

Could it be the family next door to the Flynns who’ve been feuding for decades? His fiercest rival, who’s long dreamed of shutting him down? Or was his son less devoted than he seemed? As the hours tick away, another murder and the discovery of a long-buried secret changes everything…

The summer festival is fast approaching. Can Mercy solve the mystery in the nick of time, or will someone stop her clock?

My Thoughts: Mercy begins this story by taking a watch inherited from her mother to the local watch repair shop to see if she can get it working to gift her sister on their upcoming birthday. She likes Mr. Flynn and his son and is therefore distressed when she learns that his shop has been broken into and he has been gravely injured. She is even more distressed to learn that her mother's watch was stolen during the event.

Local police Detective Inspector Kieran has recruited Mercy to help him investigate since most of his officers are down with the flu. Also, he figures that he can keep Mercy out of trouble if he enlists her help. 

When the son is also injured and dies on Mercy's back doorstep, Mercy is even more involved. There are a number of possible perpetrators including the family who lives next to the Flynn's farm who are convinced that he has cheated them out of some of their land. Also, the local jeweler is convinced that the Flynn's are stealing business from him by repairing jewelry in addition to watches. 

Lots of secrets are uncovered as Mercy and Kieran investigate including secret romances and a mother who isn't nearly as dead as Mr. Flynn had said.

This was another entertaining cozy mystery. I like the way Mercy and Kieran's relationship is progressing. There is even a hint that Mercy's sister Lizzie might be finding a new love interest after her earlier tragic losses. 

One thread that began in the first book concerns a potential stalker who just might be the women's unknown father. This thread is still in need of resolution. 

I bought this one April 8. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Death by Irish Whiskey by Catie Murphy

Death by Irish Whiskey
Author: Catie Murphy
Narrator: Ruth Urquhart
Series: Dublin Driver Mysteries (Book 5)
Publication: Tantor Media (April 9, 2024)
Length: 6 hours and 38 minutes

Description: Featuring the humor and charm of Ireland, a compelling whodunit, and two Jack Russell Terrier puppies, the latest book in the acclaimed Dublin Driver cozy mystery series is perfect for fans of Carlene O'Connor!

The competition for best whiskey in Ireland will be a publicity bonanza for the winner, and that means there are celebrities involved-like boxer Angus McConal and Megan's friend Niamh, an up-and-coming actress who's teamed up with Megan's uncle, the retired Sligo harbormaster. But rivalries and revelries turn out to be a bad blend when McConal dies at a whiskey tasting. Megan promised her girlfriend she'd quit her amateur sleuthing, but with Niamh and her uncle as suspects, she's over a barrel.

With her relationship on the rocks, Megan gets in even deeper when a second entrant in the competition is killed—and her investigation starts zeroing in on a suspect. Now she just needs proof . . .

My Thoughts: The fifth Dublin Driver mystery has Megan attending a whiskey competition. Her uncle has turned to making whiskey after his retirement as Sligo harbormaster and her friend Niamh is the face of the brand since she's an up-and-coming actress. When another of the competitors dies, Megan finds herself involved in the case despite how much her girlfriend Yelana hates it. But Megan can't turn her back on her uncle and friend. Niamh didn't have a past with the murder victim, but Uncle Rory did. He had a relationship with the man's wife many years ago. 

There are lots of other relationships tangled up in the murder too as the whiskey scene seems somewhat incestuous. Then a second contestant dies and a third. Megan finds herself deeply involved even though it is costing her relationship with Yelena who leaves her during this episode. 

Megan is heartbroken but she has a lot of support from family and friends as she investigates and solves the murder. 

I bought this one April 8, 2026. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Death at Inishmore Castle by Lucy Connelly

Death at Inishmore Castle
Author: Lucy Connelly

Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherall
Series: A Mercy McCarthy Mystery (Book 3)
Publication: Bookouture (April 10, 2025)

Length: 6 hours and 32 minutes

Description: A grand castle, a glass of Irish whiskey, a good book by the fire… and a rather mysterious murder?

Historic Inishmore Castle is opening its doors for the first time, hosting a charming weekend of whiskey tasting and soda bread baking. Sisters Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are badly in need of a break, but their relaxing trip takes a decidedly unrestful turn when Mercy finds fellow guest Father Brennen slumped over the desk in the library… Did he have one glass too many or did someone want him dead?

Even more curiously, Mercy swiftly learns that the priest was no priest at all. So why was he searching through dusty old journals? Can the legend of Inishmore’s lost treasure possibly be true?

Mercy’s suspicions of foul play are confirmed when another of their party is found drowned in the lake at the edge of the manor’s estate. It can’t be a coincidence! Someone in this idyllic Irish castle is up to no good and Mercy is determined to find out who’s behind it, accompanied by her reluctant fellow sleuth and beloved dog Mr. Poe.

With a host of frightened guests and worried staff, and a storm closing in, Mercy soon has more suspects than bedrooms in the castle. Could it be the unconvincing nun, the busybody birdwatcher, or are the owners hiding something sinister? When Mercy realizes there are secret passages in the walls, she thinks she might have cracked the case… but will she track the killer down, or will Inishmore be her resting place forever more?

My Thoughts: The third Mercy McCarthy mystery has Mercy, her sister Lizzie, and lots of their neighbors from the court spending the weekend at Inishmore Castle. The owners of the castle are planning to open it to visitors and also make their whisky brand more popular. 

Among the other guests are a priest and a nun. Mercy is suspicious of them as they don't act like any other priests and nuns she has met. She finds them arguing on a couple of occasions despite their claims that they don't know each other. 

When Mercy discovers the body of the priest in the study, Mercy wants to call Kieran - after she does a bit of investigating herself, but a storm has knocked out cell phone service and flooding has made the bridge to the castle impossible. She discovers identification in the priest's wallet bearing another name and convincing her that something odd is going on. 

A break in the storm allows Kieran and his crew to arrive. The two begin to investigate with Kieran reluctantly allowing Mercy to participate. There are rumors of a lost treasure hidden in the castle which might account for the priest in disguise. 

When the nun, who also turns out to be fake, is also murdered by strangulation and disposal in the pond, the crime gets more complex. Mercy had been looking at her as the prime suspect. There are other things going on and other suspicious guests. The young birdwatcher is not talking about her past. The accountant is most notable to Mercy for his shifty eyes. And the rich couple from Tennessee who are eager to distribute the local whisky includes a kleptomaniac wife. 

Untangling all the characters and finding the treasure keeps Mercy and Kieran busy and the real killer is still to be caught. 

This was another entertaining cozy. Mercy is overly curious and impulsive but has a good heart. Keeping her safe looks to be Kieran's new goal in life. 

I bought this one for my Kindle November 21, 2025, and the audiobook May 25, 2026. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Death by the Book by Lucy Connelly

Death by the Book
Author: Lucy Connelly
Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherell
Series: Mercy McCarthy (Book 2)
Publication: Bookouture (November 12, 2024)
Length: 6 hours and 57 minutes

Description: Irish scones, shamrock shortbread, a local literary festival… and a rather dead author? Join Mercy McCarthy on her next case!

Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are settling in to the charming seaside village of Shamrock Cove on the west coast of Ireland. Lizzie throws herself into organizing a book festival and mystery writer Mercy even agrees to come out of her bookish hidey-hole to get involved. But then the event’s star author is found dead. James Brandt was killed by a falling bookshelf in his own cottage...

The local detective is not convinced by Mercy’s suspicion of murder but when someone else turns up dead, the police cannot ignore it. There’s just one problem: Mercy and Lizzie’s beloved dog Mr. Poe sniffs out the second body in the storeroom of their own bookstore. And now all the gossips seem determined to pin the murder on Mercy!

Convinced the police are focusing on a red herring in this real-life case, Mercy needs to act fast to clear her name. A meddling mayor, a cheerful chef and a bashful botanist make her suspect list, but it’s not until Mercy discovers a tatty old photograph in the local library archive that she is onto the killer’s trail.

With the police keen to shut her out of the murder investigation, can Mercy play this case by the book, or will she be the next to fall off the shelf…?

My Thoughts: The second Mercy McCarthy cozy mystery takes place during a book festival. Lizzie is busy organizing it and Mercy helps with the organization and is involved with panels and book signings.

Mercy is really irritated at one signing because author James Brandt dominates the discussion and throws in some negative comments about Mercy's books. The next day Mercy and Lizzie go to James' cottage to remind him of his book signing only to find him dead on the floor under a toppled bookshelf.

Mercy and Detective Inspector Kieran are not convinced that it was an accident and the tox screen proves them both right. Someone has poisoned the annoying author. His agent is wandering around throwing her weight around. She has to speak at the wake and make a long, drawn-out speech as she accepts an award he won at the banquet. She's also threatening Lizzie about not sending back the large number of books she ordered for Brandt's signing all the while trying to poach Mercy from her current agent. 

However, finding her dead in the bookshop's storeroom wasn't at all expected. Now there are two murders to solve and a villain from Brandt's past to discover. 

This was another cozy mystery where the writer amateur detective blames her writer's brain for her inability to stay out of the investigation. At least this time Kieran is encouraging her help because he says it will be easier to keep her safe if he knows what she is investigating.

I liked the setting and I like the relationships in the story. Mercy and Lizzie are very compatible sisters. Mercy's relationship with Kieran is also interesting.

I bought this one April 8. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Death in Irish Accents by Catie Murphy

Death in Irish Accents
Author: Catie Murphy
Narrator: Ruth Urquhart
Series: Dublin Driver Mysteries (Book 4)
Publication: Tantor Media (February 21, 2023)
Length: 6 hours and 54 minutes

Description: After a long streak of avoiding murder investigations, Dublin limo driver Megan Malone thought her life had finally settled . . . but even her Irish luck can't keep her out of trouble forever.

It's been over a year since Megan found herself entangled in a murder—much to everyone's relief, including her girlfriend Jelena and Detective Paul Bourke. So when a body of a young woman quite literally lands in her lap at her favorite Dublin cafe, Megan tries to do the right thing and leave the crime-solving to the police so she can enjoy the St. Patrick's Day weekend. After all, she has no connection to the victim. Or does she?

Megan's latest client, world-renowned romance novelist Claire Woodward, is fascinated by Megan's own history of catching killers. Claire also just happens to be the murder victim's literary mentor. So maybe Megan can just sort of stay on the periphery of the case while trying to help out? Just a wee bit without causing too much fuss? Even Detective Bourke would approve since he has personal reasons not to trust Claire. The investigation leads Megan to the victim's writing group, who think that Claire has plagiarized the poor young lady's work. And when another member of the group is found dead, Megan will have to step up her sleuthing before the killer decides to write her off for good.

My Thoughts: This fourth book in the Dublin Driver Mystery series takes place a year after the previous book. Megan has had herself a murder-free year. She's moved to a cottage with her girlfriend Jelena and her two young dogs and life is going well. 

However, when a body literally falls on her in her favorite cafe, Megan finds herself in the middle of a murder again. She wants to stay out of it and her girlfriend and friend Detective Paul Bourke urge her to stay out of it, but her curiosity won't let her. 

Her boss at Leprechaun Limos is also on her case. She wants Megan to work during the St. Patrick's Day celebrations despite the fact the Megan has been scheduled for the time off for almost a year. American romance author Claire Woodward wants to be driven by Megan and Orla wants to charge her the moon to do so. 

Claire is interested in Megan's reputation as the murder driver. Clare is also a mentor to the young woman who ended up in Megan's lap. Megan finds herself investigating the young woman's writers' group and soon learns that all of them have reasons to dislike Claire. Accusations of plagiarism are thrown around. 

When Claire is also found murdered, with Megan being the last to have seen her alive, Megan's need to solve the crime escalates.

This was another enjoyable episode in this cozy mystery series. I liked the Irish setting. As an audiobook reader though, I missed some of the byplay about the oddities of Irish spelling and pronunciation that were sort of theme running through the story. I liked Megan's curiosity and her inability to stay out of the investigation. 

I bought this one April 8. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly

An Irish Bookshop Murder
Author: Lucy Connelly
Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherell
Series: Mercy McCarthy (Book 1)
Publication: Bookouture (August 22, 2024)
Length: 8 hours and 25 minutes

Description: Meet Ireland’s newest daring detective: she’s a bookstore owner, a coffee lover, and a crime writer. Now Mercy McCarthy needs a little Irish luck as she takes on her first case!

After receiving unexpected inheritance from her grandfather, Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie are now the proud owners of a charming antique bookshop in the tiny Irish village of Shamrock Cove But before they can take in the beautiful view of the sea, one of their neighbors drops dead!

Mercy finds the Judge, a well-respected man who lives next door, dying on his own doorstep. She rushes to help, but with his final words, he accuses Mercy of murder! Most of their new neighbors hear his words and, with suspicion pointing at Mercy, she decides to investigate the case to clear her name.

Searching amongst the Judge’s old books, Mercy uncovers letters proving several of the townsfolk had reason to dislike the judge—but was it the local pub landlord, the kindly cook or neighborly knitter who killed him?

Then Mercy’s chief suspect turns up dead and she receives a threatening note, typed on paper from her own bookstore… Ireland was supposed to be a fresh start for Mercy and Lizzie, but dead bodies keep turning up.

Does Mercy have what it takes to nail the culprit or will the killer close the book on her time in this charming Irish village?

My Thoughts: The first Mercy McCarthy mystery has the famous author moving to Ireland with her twin sister when they inherit a home and bookshop from a grandfather they never knew existed. 

Mercy and Lizzie are ready for a new start. Mercy has been dealing with a stalker and the loss of her mother to cancer. Lizzie is also dealing with her mother's death and the deaths of her fiance and her soon-to-be stepdaughter in a car accident. Lizzie's losses had her hospitalized and her twin determined to help her. 

A new start in Ireland is eagerly anticipated by both of them, but discovering the body of one of their neighbors is not the start they were hoping for. The Judge dies after a gathering to meet Mercy and Lizzie and, while Mercy tries CPR, she is unsuccessful. Even more strange is that the Judge seems to indicate that he suspects Mercy of his murder before he dies. 

The local police detective Kieran is the grandson of another of the residents of the exclusive court where Mercy and Lizzie have inherited a home. He is suspicious of Mercy who decides that she has to find out who murdered the Judge before she can continue writing her book which is a little schedule.

Since the Court, where their houses are, is a gated community, Mercy is certain that one of the other residents has to be the murderer. As she investigates, she gets to know the gay couple, the shop owner who butted heads with the Judge and her husband the accountant, the photographer who could be a model herself, and Kieran's grandmother. 

Mercy's career as a successful mystery author with a penchant for research gives her a leg up in investigating which Kieran is not very happy about. The two butt heads a lot, but he does take advantage of her talents. 

This was a cute cozy mystery that starts a series. I liked the characters and look forward to more of their adventures. 

I bought this one April 8. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Dungeons and Danger by Elizabeth Penney

Dungeons and Danger
Author: Elizabeth Penney
Series: The Ravensea Castle (Book 2)
Publication: Minotaur Books (May 26, 2026)

Description: The second in Elizabeth Penney's Ravensea Castle cozy mystery series, set in a haunted castle-turned-B&B in Yorkshire, UK.

As Halloween approaches, Ravensea Castle is bustling with excitement as Nora Asquith welcomes the fall season guests to her family's newly converted bed and breakfast. A historian studying the movements of the Vikings has traced their exploits to Ravensea. A certain Viking woman, known as the Red Maiden, landed here and the historian believes she buried a treasure hoard before the castle was built. He is hopeful he can find the hoard now. Nora can't help but wonder if the enigmatic castle ghost she's always referred to as the woman in red could be this very Viking?

Meanwhile, a team of four ghost hunters is coming to stay at Ravensea for the filming of Britain's Got Ghosts. Former students of the historian, the group arrives with their own rivalries and baggage. They try to see who can make the most paranormal contacts and end up getting more than they bargained for.

When the historian is murdered during a Viking festival on castle grounds and his notes go missing, Nora can't help but wonder if the treasure was why he was killed . . . and could it be connected to the visiting ghost hunters? Additional "accidents" befalling the hunters raise the stakes as Nora races to find the killer―and the treasure―before another death occurs.

My Thoughts: Nora Asquith and her family are trying to turn the castle the family has owned for 1000 years into a bed & breakfast. In this episode, they are hosting four twenty-somethings who are trying to film the castle ghosts for an episode of Britain's Got Ghosts and her father has signed a contract with a college professor who is convinced that he can find the Viking horde left by the Red Maiden who is another of the castle's ghosts. 

Unfortunately, the two groups of guests know each other and don't at all like each other. Brady, who is the young filmmaker, has accused the professor of stealing his research into the Red Maiden. Despite being warned of their safety, Nora keeps finding all of them wandering in parts of the castle that could be dangerous from the dungeons to the battlements. It seems that all of them are treasure hunters searching for the Red Maiden's horde. 

Nora and her family would also like to find the horde because keeping up a 1000-year-old castle isn't cheap. Nora would like to restore more rooms so they can have more guests. So, they are willing to put up with some unauthorized exploration. But when one of the young crew appears to have been poisoned with local mushrooms, Nora wants them out. Then the professor is found dead in his room during the first annual Viking Fest hosted by Nora's brother. Now it's murder and Nora's police inspector boyfriend has to turn over the investigation to "By the book" Hook who isn't eager for Nora's help and is suspicious of all - guests and family. 

This was a fun cozy. 

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

Audiobook Review: Five Golden Wings by Donna Andrews

Five Golden Wings
Author: Donna Andrews
Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
Series: Meg Langslow (Book 38)
Publication: Macmillan Audio (October 14, 2025)
Length: 9 hours and 26 minutes

Description: Two of Meg’s cousins, members of Mother’s vast Hollingsworth clan, are getting married, and both have chosen Caerphilly for their Christmas destination wedding . . on the same day, in the same venues. But while they’re cousins they’re also lifelong enemies. Mother’s efforts to keep the peace are wearing her down, and the battling brides (and their mothers) are making the holiday season miserable for everyone. So Meg steps in to keep the peace. And it was going badly even before she stumbles over the murdered body of the wedding photographer.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of suspects. The photographer has been hitting on many of the guests, bridesmaids . . . possibly even one or both of the brides. He’s also been slinking about and taking candid shots that are unflattering, embarrassing . . . occasionally even incriminating.

Can Meg help the local police nab the killer in time for the weddings to go on as planned? Unless, of course, the killer was one of the brides or grooms, in which case she needs to identify the killer in time to reveal their identity when she hears those fateful words, “If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now; or else forever hold your peace.”

My Thoughts: The 38th Meg Langslow mystery takes place near Christmas time. Two of her cousins from the large Hollingsworth clans have planned Christmas weddings in Caerphilly. Unfortunately, the girls are lifelong enemies. Running interference between the two battling bride's is Meg's mother. Tensions are high and threaten to ruin Christmas for everyone. 

When the wedding photographer is found dead - by Meg. His murder must be solved before the brides walk down the aisle. Unfortunately, there are a number of candidates for killer since the photographer was definitely not a good guy. His assistant hates him since he ruined her changes of establishing a career as a wedding photographer herself. His former clients hate him because of the deceptive contracts he forced them to sign. Many women hate him because of his inappropriate actions and the compromising, or at least embarrassing, pictures he's taken of them. Meg has to sort it all out. 

But other things are going on too. Meg's friend Carolyn has some rehabbing eagles in the lobby of the inn to impress a donor, but they are being really stressed by the actions of the guests. Jamie and Josh are co-directing the children's Christmas pageant and have conflicts about the direction for the production. And that nice older couple staying at the inn may have a hidden agenda of their own.

This was another excellent humorous mystery in this long-running series. I enjoy catching up with all the various characters.

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

ARC Review: The Barn Identity by Diane Kelly

The Barn Identity
Author: Diane Kelly
Series: House-Flipper Mysteries (Book 8)
Publication: Minotaur Books (March 31, 2026)

Description: The eighth in the House-Flipper mystery series set in Nashville, where the real estate market is to die for.

In Nashville, carpenter Whitney Whitaker is ecstatic when she discovers an abandoned barn perfect for her next project. However, since the surrounding former farmland has now developed into a shiny new shopping center, it seems the decrepit antebellum barn that once served as a livery stable should be torn down to make way for something more modern. Even so, Whitney can’t help but think the barn should be preserved. While unproven, it’s rumored the building once served as a hiding place for escaped slaves as part of the Underground Railroad. She convinces her cousin to take a chance on the old property. After all, the barn would make a unique retail space or, with its high ceilings and wide walls, could be turned into an arthouse cinema.

When a local print journalist reporting on the renovation is found dead on the property, investigators suspect he might have been murdered for any one of several exposés he’d published about local politicians, movers, and shakers. Whitney suspects there’s more to the story, and that the journalist’s fate might be tied directly to the stable renovation. Can she solve the murder and bring a killer to justice? Or might this goal be too lofty?

My Thoughts: Whitney Whitaker Flynn and her cousin find themselves renovating an old barn outside of Nashville that was once a stop on the Underground Railroad and a monument to enslaved persons. When a podcaster/journalist is murdered on the site, Whitney is on the case. After all, she was napping in the hayloft while waiting for a meeting with the barn's owner when the man was murdered. 

The suspects could be anyone on the journalists list of articles and podcasts, so Whitney finds herself investigating a megachurch, a vegetarian restaurant, and a rival land developer on her hunt for the killer. All the while, she is nursing her pregnancy and looking forward to her baby's birth.

This was an entertaining cozy mystery. It is the 8th in the House-Flipper series which makes it nice for fans to catch up on the lives of characters from earlier books. 

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

ARC Review: Stakeouts and Strollers by Rob Phillips

Stakeouts and Strollers
Author: Rob Phillips
Publication: Minotaur Books (March 17, 2026)

Description: Amateur private investigator and new dad Charlie Shaw gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to track down a young girl’s missing father in Rob Phillips' 2024 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Mystery Novel award-winning debut.

Charlie Shaw is low on sleep. And cash. Otherwise, life is going pretty well for the ex-crime reporter: he’s happily married to his college sweetheart, he’s a first-time dad to the most adorable baby girl in existence, and he’s making ends meet as a rookie PI. But when Charlie meets Friday Finley, a frightened sixteen-year-old runaway on a stakeout-gone-wrong, his world gets a little more complicated.

Friday is looking for her estranged father Shawn, an unreliable alcoholic who left when she was young―and who also happens to be her only shot at avoiding the foster care system since her mother’s death a few weeks earlier. At first, Charlie believes the man is simply hiding out somewhere, avoiding his responsibilities as usual, but the more he investigates, the more unsettling―and dangerous―Shawn’s disappearance becomes. When his own family is threatened, Charlie realizes he’s in over his head, but can he back out now that he’s begun to care for Friday as his own?

A perfect page-turning blend of humor and high stakes, Stakeouts and Strollers is a heartwarming story of fatherhood, family, and what it really means to be a “Girl Dad.”

My Thoughts: Charlie Shaw, former newspaper crime writer, it working as a rookie private investigator. Despite a lack of cash, things are pretty good for Charlie. He's married to his high school sweetheart and is the father of a six-month old daughter. While tailing a woman whose husband suspects her of cheating, he sees the other man attacked and beaten by someone unknown. He also notices that he isn't the only one watching. 

Friday Finlay is sixteen and looking for her father. Her mother has just died, and she hasn't seen her father for a number of years. He did communicate with her occasionally but has dropped off the radar. Charlie agrees to help her find her father not knowing what a can of worms he's opening for himself. Friday's father was working for a couple of local mobsters when he dropped out of sight. They want to find him too since he didn't leave empty handed. 

As Charlie and Friday search them find themselves involved in illegal gambling, drug dealing and murder. 

I really enjoyed this story. Charlie was a great character filled with a reporter's curiosity and a girl dads caring not only for his own daughter but for Friday too. I liked Charlie's point of view and his snark. 

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

Audiobook Review: Owl Be Home for Christmas by Donna Andrews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?