ARC Review: Murder in Mayfair by D. M. Quincy

Murder in Mayfair
Author: D. M. Quincy
Series: An Atlas Catesby Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (July 11, 2017)

Description: In 1810, Atlas Catesby, a brilliant adventurer and youngest son of a baron, is anxious to resume his world travels after a carriage accident left him injured in London. But his plans are derailed when, passing through a country village, he discovers a helpless woman being auctioned off to the highest bidder--by her husband.

In order to save her from being violated by another potential buyer, Atlas purchases the lady, Lilliana, on the spot to set her free. But Lilliana, desperate to be with her young sons and knowing the laws of England give a father all parental rights, refuses to be rescued--until weeks later when her husband is murdered and Atlas is the only one who can help clear her name of the crime.

Fortunately, Atlas is a master at solving complicated puzzles, both with games and the intricacies of human motivation, and finds himself uniquely suited to the task, despite the personal peril it may put him in. But soon Altas learns the dead man had many secrets--and more than a few enemies willing to kill to keep them quiet--in Murder in Mayfair, the first in a new historical mystery series by D. M. Quincy.

My Thoughts: Atlas Catesby is the youngest son of a baron and a world traveler who delights in solving puzzles. A carriage accident and a damaged foot have kept him in England longer than he would like. His stay becomes more interesting when he discovers a young woman being sold to the highest bidder by her husband. Being a gentleman, he steps in and buys the young woman - Lilliana Warwick - and finds himself in the midst of a criminal investigation when her husband is found dead.

There are a number of suspects because Godfrey Warwick was not a nice man. Besides the way he treated his wife, he was jealous of his brother and attempted to blackmail a number of his business acquaintances. Everywhere Atlas looks, more suspects appear. Atlas has to do his own investigation because the runner who has the case thinks Atlas makes the best suspect.

This historical mystery makes good use of the time. In England, in 1810, women had no rights. They and their children were the property of their husbands and had no legal identity beyond him. Lilliana learns this when Godfrey sells her and denies her access to her two young sons.

The story also has the beginning of a romance between Lilliana - who has a big secret she has been keeping - and Atlas but a number of things are conspiring to keep them apart. This was an engaging and entertaining mystery.

Favorite Quote:

They held each other's gaze. It was silent except for the rain that had begun to fall outside, a gentle patter sounding against the window. Her eyes glittered against the smooth porcelain of her complexion. A strange, fierce sensation kindled deep in his belly.

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

Friday Memes: Murder in Mayfair by D. M. Quincy

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

Had his mount not lost its shoe on the return journey to London after taking the waters in Bath, Atlas Cateby would not have been in a position to purchase another man's wife.

Friday 56 (from 56% of the eARC):

"Very good, sir," Jamie said with a smile, recovering his usual youthful cheeriness. Ah, to be young again. At two-and-thirty, Atlas was hardly ancient, but at times his damnable left foot made him feel one hundred years old.

This week I am reading Murder in Mayfair by D. M. Quincy. I got this eARC from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

In 1810, Atlas Catesby, a brilliant adventurer and youngest son of a baron, is anxious to resume his world travels after a carriage accident left him injured in London. But his plans are derailed when, passing through a country village, he discovers a helpless woman being auctioned off to the highest bidder--by her husband.

In order to save her from being violated by another potential buyer, Atlas purchases the lady, Lilliana, on the spot to set her free. But Lilliana, desperate to be with her young sons and knowing the laws of England give a father all parental rights, refuses to be rescued--until weeks later when her husband is murdered and Atlas is the only one who can help clear her name of the crime.

Fortunately, Atlas is a master at solving complicated puzzles, both with games and the intricacies of human motivation, and finds himself uniquely suited to the task, despite the personal peril it may put him in. But soon Altas learns the dead man had many secrets--and more than a few enemies willing to kill to keep them quiet--in Murder in Mayfair, the first in a new historical mystery series by D. M. Quincy.

ARC Review: Some Kind of Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

Some Kind of Hero
Author: Suzanne Brockmann
Series: Troubleshooters (Book 19)
Publication: Ballantine Books (July 11, 2017)

Description: The Troubleshooters return in the latest thriller from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann! Some Kind of Hero showcases Brockmann’s signature white-knuckle suspense, romantic twists, and sexy Navy SEALs.

Navy men don’t come tougher than Lieutenant Peter Greene. Every day he whips hotshot SEAL wannabes into elite fighters. So why can’t he handle one fifteen-year-old girl? His ex’s death left him a single dad overnight, and very unprepared. Though he can’t relate to an angsty teen, he can at least keep Maddie safe—until the day she disappears. Though Pete’s lacking in fatherly intuition, his instinct for detecting danger is razor sharp. Maddie’s in trouble. Now he needs the Troubleshooters team at his back, along with an unconventional ally.

Romance writer Shayla Whitman never expected to be drawn into a real-world thriller—or to meet a hero who makes her pulse pound. Action on the page is one thing. Actually living it is another story. Shay’s not as bold as her heroines, but she’s a mother. She sees the panic in her new neighbor’s usually fearless blue eyes—and knows there’s no greater terror for a parent than having a child at risk. It’s an ordeal Shay won’t let Pete face alone. She’s no highly trained operative, but she’s smart, resourceful, and knows what makes teenagers tick.

Still, working alongside Pete has its own perils—like letting the heat between them rise out of control. Intimate emotions could mean dangerous, even deadly, consequences for their mission. No matter what, they must be on top of their game, and playing for keeps . . . or else Pete’s daughter may be gone for good.

My Thoughts: If you like your romantic suspense with hot SEALs, great suspense, and lots of romantic tension,  Brockmann is for you. This was an excellent story that had me both tearing up and laughing so hard I couldn't see the words on the page. Shayla Whitman had noticed the hot SEAL who moved in across the street with his daughter but hadn't met him until she picked him up on the side of the road and, at his urging, followed the car that he was sure his fifteen-year-old daughter Maddie had taken off in.

Maddie had been missing for a couple of days and Pete Greene - Lieutenant Peter Greene, US Navy SEAL - was determined to find her. Pete and Maddie's relationship was new. He got custody of her when her mother died. Though he had faithfully sent child support, Maddie's mom Lisa had been determined to keep the two of them apart. Now, he's dealing with a grieving child who is convinced that Pete never wanted her and didn't care about her while dealing with becoming a full-time father of a teenager.

Maddie has made only one friend at her new school but Fiona isn't the kind of friend anyone needs. Fiona set up Maddie when she blew town with $10,000 that she owed her drug dealer. Now Maddie is on the run from the drug dealer with her older boyfriend Dingo. We get her viewpoint as she tells about what is going on with her and Dingo.

Meanwhile, Shayla, a writer of romantic suspense herself though suffering through a bout of writer's block, and Pete begin to follow the clues to find his missing daughter. I liked that Shayla has the voice of her main character in her head giving her advice and I liked that she kept trying to fit her and Pete's story into some sort of romance novel trope.

I liked Pete because, besides being very hot, he was concerned, caring, and really listened to Shayla. Starting a romance wasn't what either of them planned for and both threw up barriers that caused a lot of the romantic tension in this story. I liked that we got a chance to reconnect with some characters from earlier books in this series - this being book 19. But even if you have never read another book in the Troubleshooters series, this book will grab you and keep you reading. I was up well past my bedtime because I couldn't sleep until I knew how the story would work out for Pete and Shayla.

Favorite Quote:

She was always thinking. "You'd make a great SEAL," he told her.

Shayla snorted. "Yeah, except for the part where I can't run very fast, my swimming is limited to the dog paddle, I hate the cold, and oh, yeah, I'm afraid of literally everything."

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

ARC Review: Bannerless by Carrie Vaughn

Bannerless
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Series: The Bannerless Saga (Book 1)
Publication: John Joseph Adams/Mariner Books (July 11, 2017)

Description: A mysterious murder in a dystopian future leads a novice investigator to question what she’s learned about the foundation of her population-controlled society.

Decades after economic and environmental collapse destroys much of civilization in the United States, the Coast Road region isn’t just surviving but thriving by some accounts, building something new on the ruins of what came before. A culture of population control has developed in which people, organized into households, must earn the children they bear by proving they can take care of them and are awarded symbolic banners to demonstrate this privilege. In the meantime, birth control is mandatory.

Enid of Haven is an Investigator, called on to mediate disputes and examine transgressions against the community. She’s young for the job and hasn't yet handled a serious case. Now, though, a suspicious death requires her attention. The victim was an outcast, but might someone have taken dislike a step further and murdered him?

In a world defined by the disasters that happened a century before, the past is always present. But this investigation may reveal the cracks in Enid’s world and make her question what she really stands for.

My Thoughts: BANNERLESS is a dystopian mystery set about 100 years after the collapse of civilization in the United States. The Coast Road section of the United States is doing pretty well because they have adopted strict population control. Birth control is mandatory. People have to prove that the can support a child before they can earn a banner and have the right to have one. Everyone has to pull their weight and work in their communities. Most people have grouped together in households within small towns.

Policing this society are Investigators. The heroine of this novel is Enid of Haven. She is a relatively new Investigator whose mentor is Tomas. She is the lead investigator on a case of suspicious death, or maybe murder, in the town of Pasadan. When she and Tomas arrive she finds a divided governing committee. Ariana, one of the committee members, called her in but there is friction between her and committee chair Philos who wants the Investigators gone.

The citizens of Pasadan are very reluctant to assist the investigators in any way, claiming that the victim Sero was an outsider that no one knew very well. Rumor has it that he was bannerless - illegitimate. Enid's investigation is complicated by the presence of Dak, Enid's first love. She and Dak, a traveling musician, had taken off from her home in Haven to follow the Coast Road ten years earlier. Chapters of flashback tell the story of Enid and Dak's relationship and also how Enid came to be an Investigator.

Enid's investigation leads to other discoveries about the seemingly perfect town of Pasadan and eventually lead her to discover what happened toe Sero. Along the way we see what it is like in the Coast Road through some excellently interwoven world building.

Fans of dystopias and mysteries will enjoy Enid's first adventure and be looking forward to more stories set in this world.

Favorite Quote:

The worst storms were the ones that changed you. The ones you remembered not for how bad they objectively were, but for how much damage they did to your own world. Banners, planted in memory.

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

Teaser Tuesday: Some Kind of Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser (from 10% of the eARC):

"It's okay, Mads," Dingo said in his lilting accent as he took her havy backpack off her shoulder. She tried to hold onto it, but he gently pried her fingers free. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

This week I am reading Some Kind of Hero by Suzanne Brockmann. I got this eARC from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

The Troubleshooters return in the latest thriller from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann! Some Kind of Hero showcases Brockmann’s signature white-knuckle suspense, romantic twists, and sexy Navy SEALs.

Navy men don’t come tougher than Lieutenant Peter Greene. Every day he whips hotshot SEAL wannabes into elite fighters. So why can’t he handle one fifteen-year-old girl? His ex’s death left him a single dad overnight, and very unprepared. Though he can’t relate to an angsty teen, he can at least keep Maddie safe—until the day she disappears. Though Pete’s lacking in fatherly intuition, his instinct for detecting danger is razor sharp. Maddie’s in trouble. Now he needs the Troubleshooters team at his back, along with an unconventional ally.

Romance writer Shayla Whitman never expected to be drawn into a real-world thriller—or to meet a hero who makes her pulse pound. Action on the page is one thing. Actually living it is another story. Shay’s not as bold as her heroines, but she’s a mother. She sees the panic in her new neighbor’s usually fearless blue eyes—and knows there’s no greater terror for a parent than having a child at risk. It’s an ordeal Shay won’t let Pete face alone. She’s no highly trained operative, but she’s smart, resourceful, and knows what makes teenagers tick.

Still, working alongside Pete has its own perils—like letting the heat between them rise out of control. Intimate emotions could mean dangerous, even deadly, consequences for their mission. No matter what, they must be on top of their game, and playing for keeps . . . or else Pete’s daughter may be gone for good.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 3, 2017)

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

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

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup. YA and middle grade reviews will still be posted on  Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Other Than Reading... 

This was another week filled with details before the Locust Street house goes on the market. I had an estimate from a company to replace the cracked windows in the screen house and scheduled the job and scheduled it again and scheduled it again. We have had a rainy week and they don't want to remove windows in the rain. They will be trying again on Monday.

I met with a landscaper on Friday to get an estimate to repair the damage the guys who repaired the basement did and to add some much needed curb appeal to the front of the house. I hope to hear from him over the weekend or on Monday too.

We met with the realtor and signed the papers authorizing her to put the house on the market. We are still waiting for my brother's contractor friend to do some repairs in the basement also brought about by repairing the wall. My realtor is bringing in an electrician to do some work in the basement too. The realtor is hoping to put the house on the market on Wednesday and still feels confident that it will sell quickly.

At the new house, my brother and I set up the bookshelves in his man cave so that he can start unpacking his boxes. The room already looks much better. I can't wait to see it when it isn't cluttered with boxes.

I'm still following my plan and concentrating on reading review books that are on my July calendar. Somehow all my August books are releasing August 1 or August 8 and I like posting reviews just before the release date if I can. I had planned to read some books from TBR mountain for my July calendar but I doubt I'll get to them in July. I want to rebuild my cushion and have reviews scheduled at least three weeks before they post. Right now I'm twelve days ahead but I have four or five reviews books scheduled each week counting both blogs.

Read Last Week

Some Kind of Hero by Suzanne Brockmann is a return to her Troubleshooters series and was an excellent military romantic suspense title. My review will be posted July 6.

Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine was excellent and filled with adventure right up to its cliffhanger ending. This is the third book in the Great Library series. My review will be posted on July 6.

Murder in Mayfair by D. M. Quincy was an engaging mystery set in the Regency period. My review will be posted on July 8.

What Goes Up by Katie Kennedy was a great science fiction YA. My review will be posted on July 8.

Shallow Grave by Brian Thiem was a fast-paced and entertaining police procedural. It is the third book starring Sergeant Matt Sinclair of the Oakland Police Department. My review will be posted on July 13.

Currently

• Amid Stars and Darkness by Chani Lynn Feener (July 18)
• The Emperor of Mars by Patrick Samphire (July 18)

Next Week

I'm still reading all review books

• The Hunting Grounds by Katee Robert (July 25)
• Blood Gamble by Melissa F. Olson (July 25)
• A Wedding Tail by Casey Griffin (August 1)

• The Countdown Conspiracy by Katie Slivensky (August 1)
• Just Friends by Tiffany Pitcock (August 1)
• The Danger Gang and the Pirates of Borneo! by Stephen Bramucci (August 1)

Reviews Posted

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

The Reluctant Queen by Sarah Beth Durst

A Panicked Premonition by Victoria Laurie

A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel by Hope Larson

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

Lots and lots of review books followed me home... (Actually, I spent too much time at Edelweiss and NetGalley this week.)

Adult in order of publication date with the most recent first.

Blood Gamble by Melissa F. Olson (July 25)

The Bronze Skies by Catherine Asaro (Sept. 5)

A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas (Sept. 5)

All the Secret Places by Anna Carlisle (Sept. 12)

Body on Baker Street by Vicki Delany (Sept. 12)

The Hunt by Chloe Neill (Sept. 26)

 Death Overdue by Allison Brook (Oct. 10)

A Cajun Christmas Killing by Ellen Byron (Oct. 10)

Unholy City by Carrie Smith (Nov. 7)

 Much Ado About Murder by Elizabeth J. Duncan (Nov. 7)

City of Lies by Victoria Thompson (Nov. 7)

Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley (Jan. 2)

A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn (Jan. 14)

YA also in order by publication date

Midnight Jewel by Richelle Mead was the only book I bought this week. I chose a Kindle copy.

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller (Aug. 29)

Devils & Thieves by Jennifer Rush (Oct. 3)

What was your week like?

ARC Review: A Panicked Premonition by Victoria Laurie

A Panicked Premonition
Author: Victoria Laurie
Series: Psychic Eye Mystery (Book 15)
Publication: Berkley (July 4, 2017)

Description: The New York Times bestselling Psychic Eye Mystery series continues with P.I. Abby Cooper facing the ultimate locked room murder...

Professional psychic and FBI consultant Abby Cooper has used her inner visions to get her out of many a scrape—and solve many a crime—but she’s about to face a murder scene that will put all her powers to the test. Abby’s husband Dutch has a side business providing security and building panic rooms for wealthy clients. One morning, one of Dutch’s partners, Dave, goes missing on his way to meet a client. Abby’s intuition tells her something terrible has happened to him.

Then two of Dutch’s clients are found brutally murdered...inside their brand new panic room, and most of the evidence points to Dave as the killer.  With the authorities racing to find and arrest him, Abby's got to use all her intuitive prowess to get to Dave first, discover the real killer, and save her husband's business. This is one case where Abby is positive there’s far more to this mystery than meets her inner eye…

My Thoughts: This is the fifteenth book in the Psychic Eye series and the first one that I have read. After some initial fear that I wouldn't know enough, I began reading this and was quickly drawn into the story. Abby Cooper is a professional psychic married to an FBI Special Agent named Dutch who has a side business providing security and panic rooms to the very wealthy. She works with her friend Private Investigator Candice who is married to Dutch's partner Brice.

After one of Dutch's partners, Dave, goes missing seemingly between clients, Abby feels that something is very wrong. Things get even worse when two of Dutch's clients are brutally murdered in their panic room. Dave is the prime suspect. Then Dave's wife Gwen goes missing.

Abby, Candice, Dutch and Brice have to find their friends Dave and Gwen and solve the murders to keep Dutch and Brice's business from being sued into extinction. There are lots of wonderful suspects from the rich barracuda who has been hitting of Dutch and once had an affair with one of the murder victims to the same victim's sister who resented her sister's success to the other murder victim's business partner who is scrambling to find a computer program the victim wrote that will keep their company from going under.

I loved the relationships between the characters. It is nice to see strong marriages in stories where the partners both love and support each other. Abby also has a unique, quirky way of look at the world and we see this clearly as she is the narrator of this story.

I'm eager to backtrack and read more books in this story which was an engaging mystery with touches of humor.

Favorite Quote:

Brice rubbed his eyes. "It's four in the morning, Cooper," he said, annoyed.

"Four-schmore!" I said loudly. I maaaaaaaaaaay have stopped for a quick cup of coffee from the gas station on the corner on my way here. It maaaaaaaaaaay have been supercharged with caffeine. And I'm pretty sure the Red Bull chaser hadn't helped to chilllax either. Shooing them both toward the bedroom, I said, "Go! Now! Get dressed!"

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