ARC Review: The Dying Light by Ann Cleaves

The Dying Light
Author: Ann Cleaves
Series: Detective Matthew Venn (Book 4)
Publication: Minotaur Books (September 29, 2026)

Description: DI Matthew Venn peels back layer upon layer to discover the dark secrets one family is keeping in this searing new novel, brimming with energy and taut with claustrophobic tension.

A scorching heatwave marks the start of the summer in Devon. Detective Matthew Venn is called in to investigate a puzzling death, when the body of a young woman, Lottie, is found in the swimming pool of a luxurious holiday home. The girl’s best friend, Hannah, whose family owns the house, is missing. The girls had arrived a few days earlier to celebrate the end of their school exams, quickly stirring unrest in the small community with incendiary social media videos mocking the place as parochial.

When further tragedy strikes, Venn and his team begin questioning a community filled with secrets. The fact that Hannah’s father, Paul Armstrong, is a rising political star with powerful enemies draws intense media scrutiny to the case.

With the summer heat come holidaymakers, and it emerges that some of them may have stronger connections with the Armstrong family than first thought. Venn knows all too well that the real answers lie not in what people say, but in the silences that they keep.

Taut, atmospheric, and brimming with suspense, this searing new novel finds DI Matthew Venn caught between a powerful family’s secrets and a powder keg of local tensions.

My Thoughts: The fourth Matthew Venn mystery begins on a hot summer day when he's called to investigate a murder or perhaps an accidental drowning at the vacation home of a rising political figure. Lottie is dead and the politician's daughter Hannah is missing. The two seventeen-year-olds had come down ahead of Hannah's parents to celebrate the end of the school year. 

Lottie's body is discovered when the Armstrongs arrive to meet the girls. Hoping to be able to save her, they manage to really mess up the crime scene. A search begins for Hannah, and her dead body is also soon discovered. 

Now, Venn and his team have to discover what happened to Lottie and Hannah while facing pressure from Armstrong's political superiors. It also doesn't help that both Hannah and Lottie's families are keeping some sort of secret that may have something to do with the couple glamping at the farm next door.

The farm is the home of Hannah's boyfriend and also the site of a local music festival that Lottie had posted unkind videos of during the weekend. And the girls had had a run-in with the proprietors of the local gastropub who refused to serve alcohol to the underage girls. 

While Matthew is trying to unravel all the complicated relationships, he is also dealing with his husband Jonathan's up-coming visit with his birth mother. Matthew is trying to be supportive but his own insecurities about their relationship is leaving him with feelings of jealousy. 

I enjoyed this twisty mystery. I like Matthew's investigative style and the way he interacts with his subordinates Jen and Ross who are also intriguing characters. 

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

Audiobook Review: The Raging Storm by Ann Cleaves

The Raging Storm
Author: Ann Cleaves

Narrator: Jack Holden
Series: Detective Matthew Venn (Book 3)
Publication: Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio(September 5, 2023)

Length: 9 hours and 47 minutes

Description Ann Cleeves—New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows—returns with The Raging Storm, the extraordinary third installment in the Matthew Venn series.

Fierce winds, dark secrets, deadly intentions.

When Jem Rosco—sailor, adventurer, and legend—blows into town in the middle of an autumn gale, the residents of Greystone, Devon, are delighted to have a celebrity in their midst. But just as abruptly as he arrived, Rosco disappears again, and soon his lifeless body is discovered in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, a place with legends of its own.

This is an uncomfortable case for Detective Inspector Matthew Venn. Greystone is a place he visited as a child, a community he parted ways with. Superstition and rumor mix with fact as another body is found, and Venn finds his judgment clouded.

As the winds howl, and Venn and his team investigate, he realizes that no one, including himself, is safe from Scully Cove’s storm of dark secrets.

My Thoughts: This story begins when Jem Rosco comes to town. He's a sailor, adventurer, and local legend but not universally loved. When his body is found in the sea Matthew Venn and his team come to this small town to investigate the crime. Greystone is a small insular town that Matthew had visited as a child. It is largely inhabited by members of the cult he left as a teen. 

Venn and his team need to deal with local secrets and superstitions to solve this case which puts him and his sergeant in the direct line of fire from the villains. There are numerous suspects who all have some connection to Jem and who might have wished him dead. 

This was another atmospheric mystery filled with intriguing characters. 

I bought this one May 28. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleaves

The Heron's Cry
Author: Ann Cleaves

Narrator: Jack Holden
Series: Detective Matthew Venn (Book 2)
Publication: Minotaur (September 7, 2021)

Length: 10 hours and 16 minutes

Description: North Devon is enjoying a rare hot summer with tourists flocking to its coastline. Detective Matthew Venn is called out to a rural crime scene at the home of a group of artists. What he finds is an elaborately staged murder--Dr Nigel Yeo has been fatally stabbed with a shard of one of his glassblower daughter's broken vases.

Dr. Yeo seems an unlikely murder victim. He's a good man, a public servant, beloved by his daughter. Matthew is unnerved, though, to find that she is a close friend of Jonathan, his husband.

Then another body is found--killed in a similar way. Matthew soon finds himself treading carefully through the lies that fester at the heart of his community and a case that is dangerously close to home.

DI Matthew Venn returns in The Heron's Cry, in Ann Cleeves powerful next novel, proving once again that she is a master of her craft.

My Thoughts: The second Matthew Venn mystery begins with the death of a retired doctor now working as an investigator associated with National Health. Dr. Yeo is stabbed with a piece of glass from his daughter's studio at the art colony where his daughter lives. 

Dr. Yeo is connected to Venn's team in a couple of ways. Venn's sergeant Jen had met him at a party the night before he died. He wanted to speak with her about a problem he was having but she had had too much to drink to talk to him them. Also, Venn's husband Jonathan is a friend of the glassblowing daughter. 

As the team investigate to discover what Dr. Yeo had stumbled into, another resident of the art colony is also murdered in the same way and a third person associated with the art colony commits suicide. Suicide is the central theme around which this story revolves. Dr. Yeo was investigating the National Health's culpability in releasing a suicidal young man from hospital only to have him take his own life. They also discover a website which encourages people to commit suicide and wonder if their suicides are related. 

This was another engaging and twisty mystery. I liked learning more about Jen and more about some other members of Venn's team. I liked the way Matthew is rebuilding his relationship with his long-estranged mother. 

I bought this one May 28. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Chase by Felix Francis

The Chase
Author: Felix Francis
Series: A Dick Francis Novel
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (September 8, 2026)

Description: When an art dealer's misfortunes start to look premeditated, he uncovers a conspiracy that he'll stop at nothing to expose in the next Dick Francis novel—perfect for fans of Harlan Coben.

Forty-nine-year-old Fabian Tulley is only trying to run his own art gallery in London’s Mayfair in peace. But someone seems determined to ruin his life. Accused of selling a fake Alfred Munnings painting, he is unable to prove his innocence because the police are holding the piece as evidence. While running a retail sale at Cheltenham Racecourse, some of his other paintings are vandalized. Then a couple of men try to run him down in the racecourse parking lot.

To make matters even worse, his clients are being threatened to stay away from his gallery, and his landlords are trying to cancel his lease. Everything is against him, but with someone threatening his life’s work, Fabian is determined to fight back.

And what a fight it turns out to be.

My Thoughts: Fabian Tulley is an art dealer who specializes in pictures of horses. When he is accused of selling a forgery of an Alfred Munning painting, he needs to prove it is not a fake to clear his reputation. But being accused of selling forgeries is just the beginning of Fabian's problems. 

Jack Lofthouse, the man who bought the painting he is now claiming is a fake, is a bully determined to ruin Fabian. The reason isn't at all clear as to why he has set this as a goal. But he is very persistent. He arranges for Fabian's display of art at a horse racing event to be vandalized. He arranges not one but two different attempts at killing Fabian by use of a motor vehicle and he sets men to attack Fabian.

And while all this is going on, his landlords have given him notice to vacate his business address so that the site can be redeveloped. They are offering a pittance which isn't enough for Fabian to pay his workers or relocate his business. And to make things worse, someone has hijacked his email customer list and sent a message telling everyone to avoid his gallery or else. 

As Fabian tries to unravel what is going on he does have some allies. A client who happens to be a retired lawyer wants to look over his lease and an old friend and potential new girlfriend provides shelter and other assistance.

This is a throwback to an old Dick Francis style story. An ordinary man through intelligence, stubbornness and decency manages to figure things out and triumph over evil. It was a very enjoyable story.

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

Audiobook Review: The Long Call by Ann Cleaves

The Long Call
Author: Ann Cleaves

Narrator: Ben Aldridge
Series: Detective Matthew Venn (Book 1)
Publication: Minotaur Books (September 3, 2019); Macmillan Audio (April 8, 2021)

Length: 11 hours and 36 minutes

Description: In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his estranged father’s funeral takes place. On the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family too.

Now, as he turns and walks away again, he receives a call from one of his team. A body has been found on the beach nearby: a man with a tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.

The case calls Matthew back to the people and places of his past, as deadly secrets hidden at their hearts are revealed, and his new life is forced into a collision course with the world he thought he’d left behind.

My Thoughts: This story begins with Detective Matthew Venn standing outside the church where his father's funeral is being held. He's been estranged for years since he no longer believed in the evangelical faith of his family.

He's called to the beach nearby where a man has been found dead. He has no identification on him and only a tattoo of an albatross on his neck to possibly identify him. Venn and his team soon learn that the man was a former drifter with mental health challenges who is currently cooking at the Woodyard - a local community center and adult day care. 

Simon Walden had been living with Caroline Preece and Gaby Henry. Caroline is a social worker who has the Woodyard in her territory and Gaby is an artist in residence there. Matthew is thinking that he'll have to step aside from the case since his husband Jonathan is in charge of the Woodyard and there might be a conflict of interest. 

While they are busy investigating Simon's murder, a woman with Down's Syndrome who also spent time at the Woodyard goes missing. Venn and his team are searching everywhere for this missing vulnerable adult. Lucy has known Simon who had befriended her on her daily bus ride home. 

Venn soon comes to believe that there is something shady going on at the Woodyard. This feeling is confirmed when a second woman with Down's Syndrome is kidnapped from the center too. Venn and his team find himself investigating anyone connected with the center including the board of directors which includes the pastor from the church that threw him out as a teenager. 

I enjoyed this mystery and liked getting to know the various police officers who are part of Venn's team. His subordinate Jen was one of the viewpoint characters in the story as was the father of the kidnapped Lucy. 

Nice start to a series. 

I bought the Kindle copy May 28 and the audiobook July 21, 2026. 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: The Bravest Hour by Anna Lee Huber

The Bravest Hour
Author: Anna Lee Huber
Series: Verity Kent (Book 9)
Publication: Kensington (August 25, 2026)

Description: British Intelligence Agent Verity Kent managed to survive four years of The Great War, slipping in and out of German-occupied Belgium and northeastern France, dodging serious consequences or capture. But as she faces her most dangerous—and devastating—challenge yet, her luck may have run out. Hopefully, her resilience has not . . .

November 1920. Dublin, Ireland. Verity’s efforts to foil a contemptible plot by the traitorous Lord Ardmore and save countless lives—as well as the British government’s reputation—has exposed her to detrimental scrutiny, bringing her contact with the Irish rebels to light. Crushingly, she finds herself incarcerated in Dublin Castle, the “Dread Bastille,” where she must withstand interrogation from her own countrymen.

Despite her circumstances, Verity knows better than to talk—though decrying Ardmore to his face would be more than satisfying. For once again he has escaped culpability, scapegoating his associates. Her only hope is intervention from her shadowy superior. And yet, when rescue finally comes, Verity finds herself changed by what she has endured, perhaps for the worst.

Still, there’s no time for respite or healing. Ardmore’s latest nefarious objectives go beyond mere treason. Allegiances are shifting as the war between the Irish Republican

But just when victory seems assured, one shocking and vicious turn of events changes everything. Now Verity must decide where her loyalty lies. And it may not be on the same side as the man she’s loved to the grave and back.

My Thoughts: This is the third book in the Dublin story arc and begins with Verity arrested by the British who think she is working with the rebels. While she is being questioned and tortured, Sidney is pulling every string he can to get her released. Since Verity doesn't trust any of the British government in Ireland, she is determined not to tell them anything. And then there is the Official Secrets Act she signed while she was an intelligence agent during World War 1.

Sidney does manage to get Verity out of the clutches of those in Dublin Castle, but concessions have been made. She and Sidney need to help them find Michael Collins who is leading the Irish revolt against the British government, and they can't leave Dublin until they do. 

Meanwhile, their enemy Lord Ardmore is still hatching his nefarious plots and generally causing discord in Ireland. Sidney and Verity are determined to find the evidence to bring him to justice. The more Sidney and Verity get involved with finding proof of Ardmore's treason and the more they become invested in the Irish cause, Verity especially wonders if her loyalty to Britain has been misplaced. She suffers a real crisis on conscience in this story. 

I enjoyed the historical detail about events in Dublin during 1920. It was packed with intriguing detail and included of a cast of actual historical figures along with other characters to suit the needs of the story. 

I thought this one brought the three-book arc to a satisfying conclusion and left Verity and Sidney is a good place. Fans of the series will breathe a sigh of relief at the end. 

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

ARC Review: Death at a Scottish Halloween by Lucy Connelly

Death at a Scottish Halloween
Author: Lucy Connelly
Series: Scottish Isle Mysteries (Book 5)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (August 11, 2026)

Description: When Dr. Emilia McRoy stumbles upon a dead body in a haunted house, she resolves to find the killer before another body can fall.

Halloween isn’t the only cause for fright in the fifth Scottish Isle mystery, perfect for fans of Paige Shelton and Connie Berry.

It’s the week of Halloween—or as they say in Scotland, All Hallows' Eve—and the town of Sea Isle is full of spooky celebrations. Dr. Emilia McRoy loves being part of her new community and is eager to help out in any way she can. But the festivities are interrupted when she and her assistant, Abigail, find a dead body in a haunted house. A real one. They’re too late to save the victim, but they’ll do whatever it takes to find his killer.

There’s just one problem: There are too many suspects.

Constable Ewan would prefer the good doctor and her friends stay out of the investigations, but that isn’t how Dr. Em rolls. As she and her gang investigate, they realize the killer is searching for something—and has no problem murdering anyone who gets in the way of finding it.

Dr. Em must stay one step ahead if she’s to survive this Halloween season alive—either that or she might just end up the next victim.

My Thoughts: It is Halloween week in Sea Isle and the town goes all out to celebrate. Dr. Em and her friends are all involved in the local haunted house. However, they aren't expecting to find a murdered man in one of the exhibits. And certainly not one killed by the butcher knife that was part of Em's tableau. 

Duncan Craig was an artist who also worked on offshore oil rigs. He was a newcomer to the town. His sister and best friend were working on his tableau with him but went ahead of him to the pub while he rearranged the scene a bit. Em and Abigail discover the body when they are checking that no one was left behind after closing. 

The big surprise comes the next day when a woman with a small child comes to identify Duncan's body. However, neither his sister nor his best friend knows her. She is apparently looking for a different Duncan Craig. This one owns an antiques shop and was off on a buying trip attending estate sales in the area. 

Ewan and his deputies are now on the hunt for the missing Duncan Craig while trying to figure out who stabbed the other Duncan Craig.

Unfortunately, Em discovers a man slumped outside her doctor's office door when returning from another festivity. This one turns out to be the missing Duncan Craig. He appears to have died of being frightened to death. He had undiagnosed diabetes and an enlarged heart which contributed to his death. 

These murders are baffling. Is someone out to rid the world of Duncan Craigs? Do the two men have anything in common? Ewan and Em and her Scooby gang have their work cut out for them in this fifth in the Scottish Isle Mysteries series. And they have to fit their investigations in around a variety of Halloween celebrations. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. 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 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: Death of an Irish Mummy by Catie Murphy

Death of an Irish Mummy
Author: Catie Murphy
Narrator: Ruth Urquhart
Series: Dublin Driver Mysteries (Book 3)
Publication: Tantor Media (August 17, 2021)
Length: 7 hours and 3 minutes

Description: Squiring a self-proclaimed heiress around Dublin has got limo driver Megan Malone's Irish up until she finds the woman dead....

American-born Cherise Williams believes herself to be heir to an old Irish earldom, and she's come to Dublin to claim her heritage. Under the circumstances, Megan's boss Olga at Leprechaun Limos has no qualms about overcharging the brash Texas transplant for their services. Megan chauffeurs Cherise to the ancient St. Michan's Church, where the woman intends to get a wee little DNA sample from the mummified earls - much to the horror of the priest.

But before she can desecrate the dead, Cherise Williams is murdered - just as her three daughters arrive to also claim their birthright. With rumors of famine-era treasure on the lands owned by the old Williams family and the promise of riches for the heirs, greed seems a likely motive. But when Olga surprisingly becomes the Garda's prime suspect, Megan attempts to steer the investigation away from her boss and solve the murder with the help of the dashing Detective Bourke. With a killer who's not wrapped too tight, she'll need to proceed with caution - or she could go from driving a limo to riding in a hearse....

My Thoughts: The third Dublin Driver mystery has Megan Malone driving a self-proclaimed heiress to an earldom named Cherise Williams around Ireland as she tries to get a DNA sample from the deceased earl to prove her right to the inheritance. When Megan finds her client dead, her boss Orla's first thought is to fire Megan and kick her out of her apartment. 

Orla had been content to overcharge the brash Texan but doesn't want the bad publicity Megan's finding of her third corpse will bring to Leprechaun Limos. When the deceased's three bickering daughters arrive from Texas and demand Megan as a chauffeur, Orla has to retreat from her position at least temporarily.

Megan and the three Williams girls are determined to fulfill their mother's last wishes. Someone killed Cherise apparently to keep her from inheriting what looks like an empty title. They all want to know why and who.

I enjoyed this mystery. I like Megan who's an ex-pat from Texas making a new life for herself after twenty years in the military. She's settling into Ireland and happy in her job except when bodies keep turning up. 

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.

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.

Audiobook Review: Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge

Murder at Mallowan Hall
Author: Colleen Cambridge
Narrator: Jennifer M. Dixon
Series: Phyllida Bright Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Highbridge (October 26, 2021)
Length: 9 hours and 29 minutes

Description: Tucked away among Devon's rolling green hills, Mallowan Hall combines the best of English tradition with the modern conveniences of 1930. Housekeeper Phyllida Bright, as efficient as she is personable, manages the large household with an iron fist in her very elegant glove. In one respect, however, Mallowan Hall stands far apart from other picturesque country houses....

The manor is home to archaeologist Max Mallowan and his famous wife, Agatha Christie. Phyllida is both loyal to and protective of the crime writer, who is as much friend as employer. An aficionado of detective fiction, Phyllida has yet to find a gentleman in real life half as fascinating as Mrs. Agatha's Belgian hero, Hercule Poirot. But though accustomed to murder and its methods as frequent topics of conversation, Phyllida is unprepared for the sight of a very real, very dead body on the library floor....

It soon becomes clear that the victim arrived at Mallowan Hall under false pretenses during a weekend party. Now, Phyllida not only has a houseful of demanding guests on her hands - along with a distracted, anxious staff - but hordes of reporters camping outside. When another dead body is discovered - this time, one of her housemaids - Phyllida decides to follow in M. Poirot's footsteps to determine which of the Mallowans' guests is the killer.

My Thoughts: This historical mystery stars Phyllida Bright who is the housekeeper at Mallowan Hall. Her employers are Max Mallowan and Agatha Christie. Phyllida is a woman with secrets. She didn't come to the position of housekeeper by rising through the ranks of the servant class which irritates the very correct butler. 

Phyllida is also a mystery fan and has a crush on Hercule Poirot. No man has measured up to Poirot yet in her opinion. Phyllida gets a chance to become a detective herself when she discovers a body in the library during one of the Mallowan's house parties. 

The victim is a man who claimed to be a reporter there to interview Mrs. Christie for an article in the Times. Investigation indicates that this was a lie. His reasons for being present are not known until Phyllida investigates. 

But his was only the first death. When a young maid is also murdered, the case gets more complex. Phyllida soon learns that there is a connection to another event that the house guests and the maid attended. 

I enjoyed the setting of this mystery. I also liked Phyllida who was an entertaining investigator. I liked her rivalry with the new chauffeur. I am eager to read more in this series to learn more about the mysterious Mrs. Bright. 

I bought this one November 1, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths

Bleeding Heart Yard
Author: Ellie Griffiths
Series: Harbinder Kaur (Book 3)
Publication: Mariner Books (November 15, 2022)

Description: A murderer strikes at a school reunion—but the students are no strangers to death— in this propulsive, twisty thriller from the internationally bestselling author of the Ruth Galloway Mysteries

Is it possible to forget that you’ve committed a murder?

When Cassie Fitzgerald was at school in the late 90s, she and her friends killed a fellow student. Almost twenty years later, Cassie is a happily married mother who loves her job—as a police officer. She closely guards the secret she has all but erased from her memory.

One day her husband finally persuades her to go to a school reunion. Cassie catches up with her high-achieving old friends from the Manor Park School—among them two politicians, a rock star, and a famous actress. But then, shockingly, one of them, Garfield Rice, is found dead in the school bathroom, supposedly from a drug overdose. As Garfield was an eminent—and controversial—MP and the investigation is high profile, it’s headed by Cassie’s new boss, DI Harbinder Kaur, freshly promoted and newly arrived in London. The trouble is, Cassie can’t shake the feeling that one of them has killed again.

Is Cassie right, or was Garfield murdered by one of his political cronies? It’s in Cassie’s interest to skew the investigation so that it looks like it has nothing to do with Manor Park and she seems to be succeeding.

Until someone else from the reunion is found dead in Bleeding Heart Yard…

My Thoughts: When a controversial politician is murdered at a high school reunion, newly promoted and transferred Harbinder Kaur gets a high profile first case. The class at Manor Park included two politicians, a rock star, a famous actress and one of Kaur's subordinates Cassie Fitzgerald. They along with their friend Anna called themselves The Group.

Cassie is convinced that she and the other members of The Group killed one of their classmates just after they completed their A-levels. Cassie has managed to bury the memory and built herself a new life with a husband, two children, and a career as a police officer. 

The murder brings back some of her repressed memories leaving her not knowing what to do. Things get even more tense when the second politician in the group is also murdered. It is uncertain if the cause of the murders relates to the death of their fellow student or if it has something to do with their present political stances. 

The story is told from multiple viewpoints including Kaur and Cassie. It was a very twisty sort of thriller.

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

Friday Memes: Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths

 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:

Is it possible to forget that you've committed a murder? Well, I'm here to tell you that it is.

Friday 56:

There's never a good reason why a doctor is needed urgently.

This week I am spotlighting Bleeding Heart Yard by Ellie Griffiths. This is the third in the Harbinder Kaur series. I've had it on my TBR pile for a while. Here's the description from Amazon:

A murderer strikes at a school reunion—but the students are no strangers to death— in this propulsive, twisty thriller from the internationally bestselling author of the Ruth Galloway Mysteries

Is it possible to forget that you’ve committed a murder?

When Cassie Fitzgerald was at school in the late 90s, she and her friends killed a fellow student. Almost twenty years later, Cassie is a happily married mother who loves her job—as a police officer. She closely guards the secret she has all but erased from her memory.

One day her husband finally persuades her to go to a school reunion. Cassie catches up with her high-achieving old friends from the Manor Park School—among them two politicians, a rock star, and a famous actress. But then, shockingly, one of them, Garfield Rice, is found dead in the school bathroom, supposedly from a drug overdose. As Garfield was an eminent—and controversial—MP and the investigation is high profile, it’s headed by Cassie’s new boss, DI Harbinder Kaur, freshly promoted and newly arrived in London. The trouble is, Cassie can’t shake the feeling that one of them has killed again.

Is Cassie right, or was Garfield murdered by one of his political cronies? It’s in Cassie’s interest to skew the investigation so that it looks like it has nothing to do with Manor Park and she seems to be succeeding.

Until someone else from the reunion is found dead in Bleeding Heart Yard…

ARC Review: A Grave Deception by Connie Berry

A Grave Deception
Author: Connie Berry
Series: A Kate Hamilton Mystery (Book 6)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (December 9, 2025)

Description: Antiques expert Kate Hamilton dives into the past to solve a fourteenth-century mystery with disturbing similarities to a modern-day murder in the sixth installment of the Kate Hamilton mystery series.

Kate Hamilton and her husband, Detective Inspector Tom Mallory, have settled into married life in Long Barston. When archaeologists excavating the ruins of a nearby plague village discover the miraculously preserved body of a fourteenth-century woman, Kate and her colleague, Ivor Tweedy, are asked to appraise the grave goods, including a valuable pearl. When tests reveal the woman was pregnant and murdered, the owner of the estate on which the body was found, an amateur historian, asks Kate to identify her and, if possible, her killer. Surprised, Kate agrees to try.

Meanwhile, tensions within the archaeological team erupt when the body of the lead archaeologist turns up at the dig site with fake pearls in his mouth and stomach. Then a third body is found in the excavations. Meanwhile, Kate’s husband Tom is tracking the movements of a killer of his own.

With the help of 700-year-old documents and the unpublished research of a deceased historian, Kate must piece together the past before the grave count reaches four.

My Thoughts: The sixth Kate Hamilton mystery begins when she and her partner Ivor are invited to appraise some grave goods found at an archaeological site. A miraculously preserved body of a fourteenth century woman has been found. Investigations reveal that she was pregnant and she was murdered. Her sealed and lead lined coffin yields a variety of goods including a large pearl. 

The millionaire who owns the land where the dig is happening wants to hire Kate to see if she can discover who the woman was. She also learns that his young wife, a fashion model and amateur archaeologist, disappeared nine years earlier. He was suspected of murdering her, but lack of evidence and a body meant the case was stalled. Now, he is hoping that the grave goods will be the centerpiece of a museum he is creating at his estate in his wife's honor. 

When rivalry among the team currently exploring the site results in the death of the lead archaeologist, there is also a current murder to solve. Meanwhile, Kate's husband Tom, now a chief inspector, is trying to find a murderer on the run. 

This was an engaging mystery. I liked the setting and the historical details. I enjoyed the way Kate and Tom worked together. I liked the way the murders in the 1400s and the one nine years earlier have so many parallels. I was surprised by the identity of the villain even though the clues were there in the story. 

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

ARC Review: Vows and Villainy by Elizabeth Penney

Vows and Villainy
Author: Elizabeth Penney
Series: The Cambridge Bookshop Series (Book 5)
Publication: Minotaur Books (November 25, 2025)

Description: Vows and Villainy is the fifth book in Elizabeth Penney's delightful Cambridge Bookshop series set in Cambridge, England, where celebrations are about to commence.

It’s wedding season in Cambridge, and Molly Kimball is thrilled that it's almost time for her best friend's special day. With the help of her boyfriend Kieran Scott, she is determined to be the best maid of honor for Daisy and Tim. Daisy’s heart is set upon a Shakespeare-themed wedding to be held at Hazelhurst House, Kieran’s family’s home. The Scotts are also hosting a Shakespeare troupe for the summer, and the actors have kindly agreed to be part of the festivities.

But all goes awry with the discovery of Sir Nigel Peck, a famous actor with a checkered past and present-day misdeeds, floating dead in the moat with flowers strewn around him, à la Ophelia. When Kieran’s brother Alan becomes a top suspect, Molly and company must investigate to uncover the ugly truth behind this picturesque scene . . . before more bodies pile up.

Can Molly solve the murder before Daisy and Tim say “I do”?

My Thoughts: The fifth Cambridge Bookshop mystery is filled with weddings. Molly is helping her friend Daisy as her wedding date nears. Daisy has her heart set on a Shakespearean wedding set at Hazelhurst House which is Molly's boyfriend Kieran's family home. Molly has been working on organizing the library and pulling out some books by and about Shakespeare to make a display at the wedding. 

Hazelhurst House is also hosting an acting troupe who will take part in the festivities. Molly is distressed when she finds the lead actor Sir Nigel Peck floating in the moat surrounded by flowers. She is even more distressed when it looks like Kieran's older brother is the prime suspect. Molly has to clear Alan and solve the murder before Daisy's wedding day.

There are lots of suspects since it turns out the Sir Nigel wasn't a very nice guy. He is being sued for causing so much emotional distress at the acting school where he taught that one of his students committed suicide. 

Meanwhile, Molly's beloved great-aunt Violet is also soon to be married to Sir Jon, a man she has loved since they met in college. However, Sir Jon's 90-something year old mother isn't at all pleased with the upcoming wedding which is distressing Violet. 

And among all the detecting and romances, it seems like Kieran is trying to ask Molly something but something always seems to be getting in his way. 

This was an engaging cozy with a wonderful Cambridge setting. 

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

ARC Review: Death on a Scottish Train by Lucy Connelly

Death on a Scottish Train
Author: Lucy Connelly
Series: A Scottish Isle Mystery (Book 4)
Publication: Crooked Lane (October 14, 2025)

Description: Dr. Emilia McRoy, an American in Scotland, has a killer in sight in the fourth installment of the Scottish Isle mystery series, perfect for fans of Paige Shelton and Connie Berry.

Summer is coming to a close on beautiful Sea Isle in Scotland, and Dr. Emilia McRoy is celebrating one year since her big move. With a weeklong festival to end the season, the town gathers for a magical ride on the newly refurbished Storyteller’s Train, but the launch’s success is dampened by an unexpected death.

What appears to be a case of deadly allergies is soon revealed as murder. As Emilia, her assistant Abigail, and the local constable Ewan McGregor unravel the mystery, the killer sets their murderous intentions on them.

If they want to survive, they will need the help of all of their friends—before they become the latest victims.

My Thoughts: The fourth Dr. Emilia McRoy mystery takes place at the end of summer and marks her one-year anniversary in Scotland. Her anniversary coincides with a weeklong festival. One of the highlights is the debut of the Storyteller's Train. However, the festivities are marred by the death of one of the storytellers.

Emilia finds Donald Jacks stuffed into a closet in the train depot's office. It looks like he died of an allergic reaction but that doesn't explain how he got into the closet. As Emilia investigates in company with Ewan McGregor and her other friends, she learns that Jacks had a number of people unhappy with him. His business partner and clients were unhappy that his investment advice had caused many of them to lose money. His fellow workers on the train project resented his perfectionist tendencies. 

It is up to Emilia and her friends to find out who wanted Jacks dead before one of them becomes a victim of the killer. 

This was an entertaining story marred by too much repetition. It was often repeated that Emilia loved her new life as a doctor in rural Scotland and loved the wonderful collection of friends that she had gathered in her year's sojourn. I did enjoy her budding romance with Ewan though as they have been fencing with each other through the first three books in this series. 

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