Disco for the Departed is the third in Colin Cotterill’s Dr Siri Paiboun series. It’s on sale for $1.99 right now in the US. Books in this series don’t go on sale very often, and are pretty expensive (mostly $9.99) when not on sale, so I’d grab this now if you want it. Buy at […]
Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill is on sale in the US right now Read More »
More Judge Dee is always a good thing! Qiu Xialong has now written a couple of continuation books to Robert Van Gulik’s 1950s – 1960s Judge Dee stories. The Conspiracies of the Empire is the second of these, and in it, Judge Dee, who is a real historical figure, is now older and more politically
A review of The Conspiracies of the Empire by Qiu Xialong – just published Read More »
A nice series start… A year or so ago, I had a review copy of Olivia Blacke’s A Fatal Groove, which is the first in her Record Shop mystery series. I liked that book, which is practically the epitome of a cozy. So when I was offered a review copy of A New Lease on
A review of A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke – out tomorrow Read More »
A fun full-length space opera with a few serious moments… Only Cold Depths is the fourth in Jennifer Estep’s Galactic Bonds series, and it follows close on the heels of the previous novella, Only Hard Problems – both in “real time” (only a few months separate their publication dates) and in “book time”. And Cold
A review of Only Cold Depths by Jennifer Estep – coming Tuesday Read More »
Great mystery ✔ Great fantasy ✔ You don’t have to choose! As you might guess from the second word in the name of this blog, Mostly Mysteries, I love reading murder mysteries. But the first part of the name is there for a reason as well: “mostly” implies that I also sometimes review other
A fun read, especially if you’re an Elvis fan… I had read and really enjoyed a lot of the early Sarah Booth Delaney books, especially since my mother was from the South. But I lost track of the series in recent years. So I was happy to have a chance to read a review copy
A review of Blue Christmas Bones by Carolyn Haines – coming tomorrow Read More »
One of my absolute favorite books of the year… As you can tell from the title of my blog, I mostly read mysteries. But I do dabble a bit in other genres, and when the publisher offered me a review copy of Ann Liang’s A Song to Drown Rivers, it looked intriguing. So I grabbed
A review of A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang – coming soon Read More »
A few moments of awkwardness, but overall these stories have aged pretty well… As I mentioned in my earlier review of a recently re-issued Agatha Christie book, it feels presumptuous for me to be reviewing anything Christie wrote. But at the same time, receiving a review copy of Dover’s new e-edition of Poirot Investigates did
A review of Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie – recently reissued Read More »
The Ellie and Clifford show continues…. I had read and enjoyed a couple of the early books in Verity Bright’s Lady Eleanor Swift series (see here and here), set in 1920s England, but somehow I hadn’t kept track of the series since then. Until, that is, the title of the latest book, Murder on the
A review of Murder on the Nile by Verity Bright – coming soon Read More »
A classic and thoroughly enjoyable Bruno book… I was happy to see that the latest book in Martin Walker’s Bruno series, A Grave in the Woods, was on sale at Kindle UK for a very nice price while I was on a business trip there a few days ago. And what’s even more amusing and
A review of A Grave in the Woods by Martin Walker – coming soon in the US Read More »
A fun thriller in the classic Francis style… I’ve long liked Dick Francis’ books, which always had some sort of tie-in to horses and horse racing. And that made for good, usually somewhat thriller-ish, mysteries. But I liked his books even more for their amazingly detailed backgrounds in a variety of businesses – and most
A review of Syndicate by Felix Francis – out yesterday Read More »
I’m still in love with Murderbot… I started the Murderbot Diaries series with Fugitive Telemetry, which was, back then, the latest book in the series. But I fell in love with Murderbot anyway, even though starting at the end can be problematic. However, having started with Fugitive Telemetry, which really WAS a murder mystery set
A review of System Collapse by Martha Wells Read More »
This e-book reissue of a 36-year-old mystery is still fun to read…. I had read the eight books in this series in paperback, back when they were written, in the 1980s and 1990s, and liked them all. Now, I am happy to have received a review copy of a new e-book version of the first
A review of the J Alfred Prufrock Murders by Corinne Holt Sawyer – e-book coming soon Read More »
A classic Golden Age mystery – with all that entails… I had never realized that AA Milne, of Winnie-the-Pooh fame, had written a murder mystery. And, to be fair, he only wrote one, way back in 1922. But it’s pretty good one: a classic Golden Age mystery, complete with a death in a locked room
A review of The Red House Mystery by AA Milne – coming soon Read More »
A gaslighting masterpiece from before gaslighting was even a thing… When I got the chance for a review copy of The Lady Vanishes, by Ethel Lina White, I was not quite sure I really wanted to read it. I’m not that much of a movie person, and not much of a psychological suspense/thriller person either.
A review of The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White – a new e-book version is coming soon Read More »
The first eight books in Qiu Xiaolong’s Inspector Chen series have dropped to £2.99 each in the UK. And the tenth is also £2.99, only at Kindle UK. And there is also an omnibus of the first three titles available for £3.99. These books are brutally expensive in the US, and almost never go on
A bunch of Inspector Chen books by Qiu Xiaolong are on sale in the UK Read More »
It’s nice to have a chance to catch up with John Dee again… Having read and really liked the first book in Oliver Clements’ Agents of the Crown series, The Eyes of the Queen, I was happy to receive a review copy of the latest book in the series, The Queen’s Lies, which just recently
A review of The Queen’s Lies by Oliver Clements – recently published Read More »
Make sure you read the footnotes at the end… It feels a bit odd to be saying “make sure you read the footnotes” when talking about a space opera, since I, at least, tend to think of footnotes as dull comments, usually in print that is too small to read, found at the end of
Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis is coming August 6 – a review Read More »
Just buy it and read it – you’ll love it… Sanctuary opens humorously, with mysteriously missing Christmas cookies and eggnog. Although the protagonist, Roman, explains to us in detail why Santa can’t exist, perhaps he really does, and has made an unexpected visit? (Sadly for St. Nick fans, the explanation is more prosaic…) Things escalate
A review of Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews – coming soon Read More »
Don’t read this LOL-inducing book around other people… When I was offered a review copy of Dead Tired, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But what I found was a nicely plotted mystery with a lot of enjoyable moments of snark. I missed the first book in the series, during which, apparently, Alice’s group
A review of Dead Tired by Kat Ailes – recently published Read More »
Another Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis book that’s a real treat… I came late to Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware books, based on a bad assumption on my part: that books featuring a psychologist as a protagonist would necessarily be psychological thrillers, which I’m generally not fond of. However, a few years ago, I was lucky enough to
A review of The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman – recently published Read More »
Flavia Albia can be just as snarky as Falco… Sometimes I feel as if I’ve been hitting life’s milestones right along with Lindsey Davis’ original “informer”, Marcus Didius Falco, who seemed to be about the same age as I was when I first started reading that series. And now Falco has a daughter, Flavia Albia,
Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis is out next Tuesday – a review Read More »
A great second book in the series… As you can see from my review of the first book in Bruce Borgos’ Porter Beck series, The Bitter Past, I really (really) liked it, and that set an insanely high standard for the second book, Shades of Mercy. And Shades of Mercy came very close, and the
A review of Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos – coming tomorrow Read More »
A wild and enjoyable trip… I loved Elizabeth Hunter’s Cambio Springs series, and have now started reading and enjoying some of her Elemental Universe books. So when I got a chance to skip to the most recent Elemental book, via a review copy of Tin God, I jumped on it. Tin God is described as
Tin God by Elizabeth Hunter is out tomorrow – a review Read More »
Brunetti books always feel like coming home, even though I don’t live in Venice… In a series with thirty-three books (!!!), one could be forgiven for thinking that it would be hard to keep producing engaging books that draw readers in, while also making them think. But Donna Leon consistently pulls this off (see here
A Refiner’s Fire by Donna Leon is coming Tuesday – a review Read More »
A fun airplane or beach book… I tend to think of Jeri Westerson as an author of historical mysteries set in medieval England, since I’ve read and enjoyed many books in her Crispin Guest and Will Somers series. But I’m aware that she writes in other genres too, and was interested to learn that she
A review of The Mummy of Mayfair by Jeri Westerson – just published Read More »
Lots of fun, but the ending is way too abrupt… Only Hard Problems is the third “book” in Jennifer Estep’s Galactic Bonds series, written from the point of view of one of the previous apparent villains, Zane Zimmer. And it is a lot of fun to get into Zane’s head, and find out he’s much
A review of Only Hard Problems by Jennifer Estep – out earlier this year Read More »
Still an awesome series… When a series has been going for more than 20 years and more than 20 books, I imagine it might be hard for the author to keep coming up with intriguing plots; to keep the characters feeling real while still allowing them to develop and grow; and to keep the backgrounds
A review of To Seize a Queen by Fiona Buckley – recently published Read More »
A sharp mystery, although maybe a few too many historical personages… I am a big fan of mysteries that use real historical figures as protagonists and/or supporting characters, and I also like mysteries set in the US Southwest, where my dad’s family mostly lives. So I was intrigued by the possibilities for Kathryn Lasky’s new
A review of Mortal Radiance by Kathryn Lasky – coming tomorrow Read More »
Back to Posadas County… I’ve been a fan of Steven F Havill’s Posadas County mysteries for years, and Perfect Opportunity is the newest in the series. And it’s just as enjoyable as all the previous books. To start with, there’s an off-beat plot that originates with a series of seemingly unconnected incidents – but in
A review of Perfect Opportunity by Steven F Havill – recently published Read More »
A classic middle book… Like many folks who read Nora Roberts’ Inheritance, which is the first in the Lost Brides trilogy, I liked that book a lot, until it ended on what was, to me, a totally unacceptable cliff-hanger. So I’ve been waiting for the next book to come out, in an somewhat annoyed, but
A review of The Mirror by Nora Roberts – coming 19 Nov 2024 Read More »
Over the past year or so, Jessie Mihalik made her readers happy by offering a couple of short fantasy/romance stories for free on her website: Books & Broadswords in early 2023, and then later, in early 2024, Rocks & Rapiers. These were web-serials, both set in the same world, but not really linked other than
A review of Books & Broadswords by Jessie Mihalik Read More »
More suspense with romance than romance with suspense… Mind Games, by Nora Roberts, is only the second “official” Nora Roberts book that I’ve read, although I’ve read many of the Eve Dallas/In Death mysteries that she has published using her pen name, JD Robb. So I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but whatever I
Mind Games by Nora Roberts – a review Read More »
And now for something a little different… A while back I ended up with a review copy of one of Julie Mathison’s mysteries, The Starlet Letter, and really liked it, even though I hadn’t realized until I was part way along that it was “officially” a YA mystery. After all, who says adults can’t enjoy
A review of Elena the Brave by Julie Mathison – thoroughly enjoyable Read More »
Read this one alone, because you’ll laugh out loud… Simon Brett’s Mrs Pargeter series is my second favorite of his many series. Although sometimes it’s actually my favorite – it all kind of depends on what I’m in the mood for at the moment. But in any case, I was thrilled when Brett picked the
A Review of Mrs Pargeter’s Patio by Simon Brett Read More »
A classic and fun British mystery… I had read a few Michael Innes/Inspector Appleby books many (many) years ago in paperback, and remember them favorably, but without much detail. And I usually have a soft spot for British mysteries anyway, so I was happy to receive a review copy of The Long Farewell from the
A review of The Long Farewell by Michael Innes Read More »
If you like the Elemental Assassin books, you’ll like this short story collection… I’ve been a fan of Jennifer Estep’s books for a while, although I came rather late to her writing. (I started with Kill The Queen, from the late 2010s.) So I missed out at first on her Elemental Assassin series, but over
A review of Stings and Stones by Jennifer Estep Read More »
Michael McGarrity wrote the first twelve books in his Kevin Kerney series quite some time ago, in the 1990s and 2000s, and has only recently returned with two new titles. Head Wounds is the second of these. I was a little surprised to find that Kerney’s late-found son, Clayton Istee, who appears part way through
A review of Head Wounds by Michael McGarrity Read More »
I’ve long been quite fond of the four humorous/ghostly mysteries by Manning Coles – a pen name for Cyril Henry Coles and A.K.O. (Adelaide Frances Oke) Manning. Three of them are the books in the too-short James and Charles Latimer series, and one is a stand-alone. They’ve been on my “wish they were e-books” list
Two fun Manning Coles books are now available as ebooks Read More »
A welcome new addition to the Cambio Springs series After a looooong eight-year gap, Elizabeth Hunter has written another Cambio Springs book, and I, for one, am quite happy she has. Like the other books in the series, Dust Born is a smooth-reading blend of mystery, romance, and urban fantasy. Although, if we’re honest, the
Dust Born by Elizabeth Hunter is out tomorrow – a review Read More »
I never thought I’d read an Ilona Andrews horror story, but here you go… Apparently many years ago, IA wrote a slasher-style short story for a nameless magazine’s Horror/Halloween issue, but it didn’t get published. And they resurrected it just now as a treat for their blog readers. There are a few spoilers in the
Free Ilona Andrews short story for Halloween Read More »
Tor.com’s Summer 2023 Short Fiction Bundle is free right now via their website. You can choose ePub, PDF or Mobi formats. It includes: They ask you to sign up for their email/newsletter – I’m not sure if this is mandatory, since I’m already signed up. But even if it is, they don’t flood your email
Tor.com’s Summer 2023 Short Fiction Bundle is free right now Read More »
A collection of the eight current titles in the Mrs Pargeter series by Simon Brett is on sale for $0.99/£0.99 at Kindle US/UK right now. This includes: A Nice Class of Corpse, Mrs, Presumed Dead, Mrs Pargeter’s Package, Mrs Pargeter’s Pound of Flesh, Mrs Pargeter’s Plot, Mrs Pargeter’s Point of Honour, Mrs Pargeter’s Principle, and
Read it by yourself because you’ll laugh out loud… Some mysteries draw you in with the depth of their plot, and others with the intensity of their action. Books in Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow series, on the other hand, have good plots and plenty of action, but mostly pull you along because you can’t wait
A review of Birder, She Wrote by Donna Andrews – out today Read More »
A great sequel in the Galactic Bonds series… I’ve enjoyed many of Jennifer Estep’s books (see here and here), including Only Bad Options, which is the first book in her current Galactic Bonds series. So I was happy to receive an advance review copy of the second book in the series, Only Good Enemies, and
Only Good Enemies by Jennifer Estep is coming soon – a review Read More »
A compelling mix of spy thriller and mystery… Long ago, on a pre-pandemic trip to Las Vegas, my husband and I visited the National Atomic Testing Museum, which showcases the history of the dawn of the nuclear age and the bomb tests that occurred at the nearby Nevada Test Site. Although going to a museum
A review of The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos, coming on July 18 Read More »
Trouble will always find Kate – or maybe the other way around… Magic Claims is the second book in the Wilmington Years series spin-off from Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels books. And it’s another rip-roaring adventure, but with some moments of seriousness as well. In the first book in the series, Magic Tides, readers learned that
A review of Magic Claims by Ilona Andrews – coming June 13 Read More »
A fun finale to the Starlight’s Shadow series… Capture the Sun is the third, and presumably the last, in Jessie Mihalik’s Starlight’s Shadow series. And it’s a very nice finale, wrapping up the overarching Federated Human Planets (FHP)/Valovian Empire storyline, while somehow also managing a happy ending for a “new couple”, Lexi Bowen and Nilo
A review of Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik – coming soon Read More »
The Physicists’ Daughter was one of my four or five most favorite mysteries of 2022, so I’ve been eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series, The Traitor Beside Her. And it doesn’t disappoint! All of the same elements that I loved in the first book are still there in this one, however
A review of The Traitor Beside Her by Mary Anna Evans – published today Read More »
A fun YA mystery that’s good for adults too… I hadn’t realized that The Starlet Letter was a young adult mystery when I requested a review copy. But that didn’t really matter too much – it was still a fun mystery with an engaging pair of protagonists, and a really nicely developed historical background. Vivian
Review of The Starlet Letter by Julie Mathison – out tomorrow Read More »
An engrossing story and a complex world… Although I mostly read murder mysteries, I also dabble in a bit of sci-fi and fantasy – which steered me some time ago towards Martha Well’s Murderbot series, which I’ve loved. So I was excited to have a chance to try Wells’ new stand-alone fantasy, the eponymously-titled Witch
A review of Witch King by Martha Wells – out tomorrow Read More »
Our History Has Always Been Contraband: In Defense of Black Studies is free right now at Haymarket Books, in advance of its July 4, 2023 release on normal e-tailers like Amazon and Kobo. And if you prefer to buy via one of those e-tailers, it’s only $0.99/£0.99 in pre-order. This is a collection of essays
A promising debut novel that kept me up late… Liquid Shades of Blue is a promising first book from author James Polkinghorn. It’s a bit rough in places, but kept me reading much later into the night than I should have – not so much trying to figure out what happened (the outlines of which
Liquid Shades of Blue by James Polkinghorn is coming soon – a review Read More »
It’s hard to believe that The Net of Steel is Fiona Buckley’s twenty-second Ursula Blanchard (now Ursula Stannard) mystery, and the series is still going strong. And in fact, it might even be getting better… As The Net of Steel opens, Ursula faces a number of life’s milestones: her son, Harry, has gotten engaged;
A review of The Net of Steel by Fiona Buckley – coming soon Read More »
Whose mummy was it, and what was inside??? Heart of the Nile is the second book I’ve read in the Cyrus Barker/Thomas Llewelyn series by Will Thomas, and I liked this one a lot too. (See my earlier review of Lethal Pursuit here.) As Heart opens, Barker and Llewelyn are approached by the wife of Phillip
Heart of the Nile by Will Thomas is out today – a review Read More »
Nice plot and stylish writing, but I couldn’t get into the characters… It’s unusual to find a murder mystery that is so obviously set during World War II that was also written during the war, rather than after the fighting was over. And Christianna Brand’s Green for Danger is one of those books. It was
A review of Green for Danger by Christianna Brand – coming soon Read More »
Now starring Libertus’ son, Junio… Rosemary Rowe’s The Rewards of Treachery is another excellent entry in her Libertus series – although in Treachery, the focus shifts from Libertus, who fled Glevum at the end of the previous book, to Libertus’ adopted son, Junio, who has taken up his father’s mosaic business, and also more-or-less inherited
A review of The Rewards of Treachery by Rosemary Rowe – coming soon Read More »
A fun, not-quite-cozy, mystery… David Rosenfelt’s Good Dog, Bad Cop is the fourth in his K-Team mystery series, which is itself a spin-off from his Andy Carpenter series, And somehow I’ve never read any of them. But I was recently offered an advance review copy of Good Dog, and, even without having any background from
Good Dog, Bad Cop by David Rosenfelt – a review Read More »
Another solid police procedural set in Kuala Lumpur… It had been a while since I’d read one of Rozlan Mohd Noor’s Inspector Mislan books, so I was pleased to receive a review copy of the latest in the series from the publishers. Philanthropists: Inspector Mislan and the Executioners is, like the earlier books, a tightly
A classic psychological mystery… I’m not usually a big fan of psychological thrillers, but even I can recognize that A Gentle Murderer is a classic of the genre. Although it’s actually not clear whether it’s a psychological thriller as much as it’s a psychological mystery, with two different “detectives” on the trail of the man
Back to the awesome Kate Shugak mysteries of old… As Not the Ones Dead opens, a nasty incident involving Kate’s friend, Bobby Clark, one of the few Black men in the Park, makes it obvious that the outside world is tentacle-ing into the Park again in unpleasant ways. And the unpleasantness seems to be spreading.
Not the Ones Dead by Dana Stabenow is coming in April – a review Read More »
Who’s really the victim, and who’s just “collateral damage”? I had somehow missed out on the last few Ali Reynolds books, so I was happy to receive a review copy of the newest book in the series, Collateral Damage. And I found that all of the elements that I like in JA Jance’s books are
A review of Collateral Damage by JA Jance – coming soon Read More »
Not quite as enjoyable as the previous couple of books… Unnatural History is the 38th in Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis series. But it’s only the third that I’ve read, after Serpentine and City of the Dead, since I picked the series up only recently. And, although many of the same enjoyable elements (wonderfully detailed
Unnatural History by Jonathan Kellerman coming soon – a review Read More »
Some people probably won’t ever relax, even if they think they want to… Author duo Ilona Andrews have written a follow-on novella featuring Kate Daniels, set about eight years after Magic Triumphs, which is the last formal book in Kate’s series. The new story, Magic Tides, takes place in Wilmington, NC, where Kate has moved
Magic Tides by Ilona Andrews coming January 17 – a review Read More »
An enjoyable sequel to the first in the series… Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame is a follow-on to Meg Long’s previous book, Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, and several key characters appear in both books, including Sena and Iska (the protagonists of the first book), and Remy, who is the main focus of
A review of Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame by Meg Long – coming soon Read More »
The book that started the Kate Shugak series… Dana Stabenow’s A Cold Day for Murder is the first book in her Kate Shugak series, which now runs to more than 20 titles. And it’s quite a series-starter! Stabenow’s love for her home state shows in her almost lyrical descriptions of Alaska: its vistas, its geology,
A review of A Cold Day for Murder by Dana Stabenow Read More »
A fun collection of period short mysteries… Way back in the early twentieth century, Gelett Burgess wrote a series of short mysteries featuring “Astro the Seer”. Astro ostensibly uses his metaphysical and extrasensory talents, such as reading palms, calculating astrological profiles, and feeling magnetic vibrations, to help his clients. But he doesn’t really rely on
A review of The Master of Mysteries by Gelett Burgess – recently published Read More »
Chris Behrsin’s A Cat’s Guide to Bonding with Dragons was free a while back, and it looked kind of fun, and I’m not above reading a YA title now and then, and so I grabbed it and read it and enjoyed it. I then got distracted by some other books in my TBR pile, so
A fun outing in the Innkeepers world, with a bit of seriousness… Sometimes the books that are almost, but not quite, at the end of a series can be a bit slow – acting more-or-less as set-ups for the grand finale. But Sweep of the Heart, whose authors have hinted on their blog that there
Review of Sweep of the Heart by Ilona Andrews – coming Dec 13 Read More »
A great start to a new series… Fans of Jeri Westerson’s Crispin Guest “Medieval Noir” series will also enjoy the first book in her new King’s Fool series, Courting Dragons. This series features Will Somers, Henry VIII’s court jester, as the protagonist, and to be sure, there’s less noir, but all the key elements are
A review of Courting Dragons by Jeri Westerson, coming in January 2023 Read More »
A fun combination of alt-history, science fiction, and thriller… I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I was offered a review copy of Alan Smale’s Hot Moon. But what I found was a fun combination of alternative-history and science fiction, with a good bit of thriller thrown in for good measure. And there’s a
A review of Hot Moon by Alan Smale – not a mystery, but still a lot of fun Read More »
Brunetti is still as awesome as ever… It’s hard to believe that Donna Leon has been writing her Guido Brunetti series since the early 1990s, and although there’s a little bit of variability from title to title (some stand out a little more than others), I’ve read each and every one, and all are excellent.
A review of So Shall You Reap by Donna Leon – coming in March 2023 Read More »
A nice start to a spin-off series! I’ve been a fan of Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher series for a couple of decades, but I watch almost no TV. So I barely knew that there was a TV series for the original books, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, and was completely unaware that there was also a
A review of Just Murdered by Katherine Kovacic – coming in Jan 2023 Read More »
An unusual mix of legal thriller and Golden Age atmosphere… I hadn’t read any books by Phillip Margolin before receiving a review copy of Murder at Black Oaks, and I was surprised to find that he is the author of several mystery series, including this one, which features Robin Lockwood as the protagonist. But my
Review of Murder at Black Oaks by Phillip Margolin – coming soon Read More »
A fun and slightly different Regency romance… Although I mostly read murder mysteries, I am a fan of a good Regency romance from time to time, and Kasey Michaels has written a really fun one in Shall We Dance? Most Regencies just take place during that early 1800s time period and refer to the future
Shall We Dance? by Kasey Michaels – a review Read More »
It deserves all its accolades… I feel a bit brash reviewing Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. After all, it’s considered one of her masterpieces, and shows up on multiple “best mysteries” and “books to read before you die” lists. The acclaim is totally deserved, in my opinion, and I’m not quite sure what
A review of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie – new edition coming out soon Read More »
Egyptian historical mysteries tend to be great, whether relatively recent or truly ancient… I’m a huge fan of mysteries set in Egypt, whether they are modern-ish, like Parker Bilal’s Makana books; or somewhat recent historicals, like Michael Pearce’s Mamur Zapt series; or even set in truly ancient times, like Agatha Christie’s Death Comes as the
Review of Secrets of the Nile by Tasha Alexander – recently published Read More »
A great series starter… I’ve been hooked by Jennifer Estep’s books since I read the first two lines of her first Crown of Shards book, Kill the Queen: “The day of the royal massacre started out like any other. With me doing something completely, utterly useless.” How can you not keep reading a book after
Review of Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep – recently published Read More »
The case that doesn’t stop metastasizing… One of the things I love about police procedurals is the way that the detectives typically don’t get to concentrate on one case at a time. This seems to me to be a lot like real life. After all, who among us is lucky enough to get to think
Review of Fall Guy by Archer Mayor – coming soon Read More »
Peacocks and weddings and some not-so-cold crime… The Meg Langslow series is one of a very few series that I have to read by myself, because I end up unexpectedly laughing out loud at least a couple of times in every book – and often more than a couple! And in Round Up the Usual
Review of Round Up the Usual Peacocks by Donna Andrews – recently published Read More »
A great finish, but hopefully not the end… The husband-and-wife authors who make up Ilona Andrews have written a satisfying and very enjoyable finish to the second storyline in their Hidden Legacy world. And although by this point, readers are pretty sure that the middle Baylor sister, Catalina, is going to end up with her
A review of Ruby Fever by Ilona Andrews – coming soon Read More »
Ursula Blanchard is still at the top of her game… In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve been a fan of Fiona Buckley’s Ursula Blanchard series for years – and years – and years. And Golden Cargoes exemplifies what I like most about the series: Buckley’s ability to craft an engaging tale in a detailed
A review of Golden Cargoes by Fiona Buckley – recently published Read More »
A not-so-cozy mystery in a wonderfully cozy setting… In his fifteenth full-length Bruno mystery, coming out tomorrow, Martin Walker has created a wonderful mix of crime investigation, scrumptious food, Périgordian history, Bruno’s friends and colleagues, and of course, Bruno himself. And readers also get a healthy dose of Bruno’s basset hound, Balzac, and Balzac’s adorable
Review of To Kill a Troubadour by Martin Walker – out tomorrow Read More »
Delphi are offering eleven free books for the US 4th of July holiday. The freebies are: McTeague by Frank NorrisWalden by Henry David ThoreauAn American Tragedy by Theodore DreiserEthan Frome by Edith WhartonThe Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Stories by Bret HarteThe Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore CooperThe Magnificent Ambersons by Booth
Eleven free American classic books for free from Delphi Press Read More »
Just what were they up to in that not-so-secret secret society? Rotten to the Core is the second book I’ve read in TE Kinsey’s Lady Hardcastle series, and I enjoyed it quite as much as I did the previous one. (See my review of The Fatal Flying Affair here.) At first, I was a little
Review of Rotten to the Core by TE Kinsey – just published Read More »
A solid and enjoyable investigative procedural – except for the ever-present chapter cliff-hangers… I am a late-comer to the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs, having read only this book, and the book preceding this one in the series. (See my review of The Bone Code here.) Like the previous book, Cold Cold Bones was
A review of Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs, coming in early July Read More »
Christopher Huang has written a thoroughly enjoyable, slightly gothic, Golden-Age style mystery, set in an appropriately spooky Norman-era manor on the edge of the North Yorkshire moors. Readers are introduced to the three main characters (Sir Lawrence Linwood’s children) while they are young, in a prologue set a decade or so before World War I,
Review of Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang – coming in January 2023 Read More »
There’s a new multi-use discount code for Kobo right now that gives 40% off on “discountable” books, just like the “partners” code from last year, except now it’s “partners22”. Coupon codes at Kobo can be frustrating because only some books are discountable. In general, books from the big publishers, like Harper Collins or Simon &
Coupon code “partners22” gives 40% off on discountable books at Kobo Read More »
Excellent, but don’t try to read them all in a hurry… Reviewing an anthology of short stories, and especially short stories by different authors, can be difficult, since it’s likely that there will be some stories that will work for some readers, and some stories that won’t. And it probably won’t be the same ones
Review of Someone in Time – just out Read More »
Light and fluffy and fun, although with zero nutritional value… Castle in the Air, first published in 1980, is one of Donald E Westlake’s caper books – a light-hearted and over-the-top adventure that may remind readers of the movie version of The Pink Panther, or maybe the movie version of Hopscotch. And, given that it
A review of Castle in the Air by Donald E Westlake Read More »
A bit of a departure from a traditional Francis horse-thriller… Felix Francis has done a very nice job continuing his father’s horse-themed mysteries, and if you only read the blurb on its webpage, Iced seems to be just another one of these. Iced is actually a bit more than that, though, as it bounces back
Review of Iced from Felix Francis – coming soon in the US Read More »
Simply fun… It’s hard to say which is more enjoyable – Kerry Greenwood’s note at the beginning of this collection of short stories, letting readers in on how she “discovered” The Honourable Phryne Fisher, or the short stories themselves. Both are delightful. And I was amused to find that the author thinks of Phryne as
review of The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions by Kerry Greenwood – coming soon Read More »
Set in Morocco… I’m always interested in mysteries set in unusual (to me, at least) locations, and Morocco certainly is that. So I was excited to receive a review copy of The Butcher of Casablanca, and I enjoyed it, although it had some issues. To start with the good, author Abdelilah Hamdouchi does a very
Review of The Butcher of Casablanca by Abdelilah Hamdouchi Read More »
A quick fun read for Parker fans to enjoy… In addition to his own mysteries, Mike Lupica has written follow-on books in two of Robert B Parker’s sometimes-linked series: the Sunny Randall series and the Jesse Stone series. Right now, however, Jesse and Sunny are taking a “time-out”, and so Lupica’s latest book, Revenge Tour,
Review of Robert B Parker’s Revenge Tour by Mike Lupica – coming soon Read More »
Author Simon Scarrow has written a taut and enjoyable mystery, set in Berlin during the ice-cold winter of 1939-40. Although much better known for his Eagles of the Empire series, which takes place during the first-century AD, Scarrow moves to “recent past history” with no apparent effort or problems. And he also transitions smoothly to
Review of Blackout by Simon Scarrow – recently published Read More »
Another breakneck-paced space opera/romance from Jessie Mihalik… I’m not an author, but it has always struck me that writing the middle book in a pre-planned trilogy must be pretty hard. An author gets to introduce the characters and the setting in the first book, and tee up the over-arching storyline. So everything is shiny and
Review of Eclipse the Moon from Jessie Mihalik – coming in July Read More »
A wonderful historical mystery in an unusual setting… Mary Anna Evans has written a wonderful historical mystery, set in an intriguing time and place. Most World War II books are set in Europe, or the Pacific Islands, or Asia, where the active fighting took place. Evans, however, has chosen to tell her tale in the
Review of The Physicists’ Daughter by Mary Anna Evans – coming in early June Read More »
I’d have enjoyed it more if it weren’t trying to be Marlowe… Even though they are not my typical thing (my personal preferences tend to lean more towards historical mysteries and police procedurals), I’ve really enjoyed Joe Ide’s IQ books. So I was excited to receive a review copy of Ide’s new book, The Goodbye
Review of The Goodbye Coast by Joe Ide – recently published Read More »
A fun historical cozy, with a few serious moments… I’m a big fan of historical mysteries, so I was happy to have a chance to read a review copy of Murder at Westminster. And, even though reading the second book in a series first can sometimes be a bit problematic, I really enjoyed it. Murder
Review of Murder at Westminster by Magda Alexander – recently published Read More »
Another fun Daisy Gumm Majesty mystery, with just a bit of bite… Wedded Spirits is the seventeenth in the Daisy Gumm Majesty series, which I’ve been quite fond of over the years. And Wedded Spirits, which will be coming out on April 5, is a fun addition to the series, albeit with occasional serious moments.
Review of Wedded Spirits by Alice Duncan – coming soon Read More »
Another wonderful police procedural from Steven Havill, but with a few location issues… Without sounding too much like a fangirl, I feel I need to disclose that I’ve been in love with Steven F Havill’s Posadas County mysteries for a couple of decades, having binge read all the titles that existed when I discovered the
Review of No Accident by Steven F Havill – recently published Read More »
I’m predisposed to be a big fan of historical mysteries set in unusual places or times, and The Texas Job qualifies on both counts – I’m definitely unaware of any other mysteries set in the 1930-ish early days of the East Texas oil boom! Reavis Z Wortham’s prequel (of sorts) to his Red River series
Review of The Texas Job by Reavis Z Wortham – coming soon Read More »
Forensics on a famous hiking trail… The Bone Track is the third in Sara E Johnson’s Alexa Glock series, set in New Zealand. Although I haven’t read the first two books, I was interested in The Bone Track both because of Alexa’s forensic science background, and because I have a bit of a thing for
Review of The Bone Track by Sara E Johnson – coming in February Read More »
The subject line pretty much says it all – a new serial, Sweep of the Heart, is up on the IA blog, with new chapters every Friday: https://ilona-andrews.com/sweep-of-the-heart/ The intro says it’s a novella, and there are two chapters up so far…
Ilona Andrews have started another free Innkeepers serial on their blog Read More »
Another wonderful historical novel from Fiona Buckley… Shadow of Spain is the twentieth in Fiona Buckley’s wonderful Ursula Blanchard series, which is (full disclosure) one of my favorite mystery series. So I was very happy to receive an advance copy of this soon-to-be-published title to review. And Shadow is a great addition to the series.
Review of Shadow of Spain by Fiona Buckley – coming soon Read More »
Today’s Big Deal at Kindle UK is 20 books (almost the whole series) in the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters for £0.99 each. I adore this series, as do, I think, a lot of other folks. link to the Big Deal webpage
Most of the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters is on sale today in the UK Read More »
I’ve been a big fan of Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti series for years, ever since picking up some of the early series titles in paperback on a business trip to the UK – and then binge-reading three of them, one after the other, on the two airplane flights home. And in the first couple of
Review of Give Unto Others by Donna Leon – coming in March 2022 Read More »
Michael Pearce’s Mamur Zapt series is one of my top five favorite mystery series. I love Pearce’s dry humor, and I’m a huge Egyptophile, so I enjoy the settings in Cairo and its environs. And Pearce, who was born in the early 1930s and raised in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, nails the historical background, complete with the
Review of the Mamur Zapt series by Michael Pearce Read More »
SJ Rozan’s latest Lydia Chin/Bill Smith title, Family Business, is a wonderful look at New York’s Chinatown, full of atmosphere and a strong sense of place. But it also addresses some complicated topics, starting on a small scale with Lydia’s own family dynamics, including her unstated “don’t ask/don’t tell” bargain with her very Chinese mother
Review of Family Business by SJ Rozan – recently published Read More »
Holmes and Watson in Egypt – what a treat… Nicholas Meyer has been “editing” the posthumous memoirs of John H Watson, MD, for decades, albeit rather sporadically, starting with The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, which came out in 1974, and won a Gold Dagger Award. Now he’s come out with a fifth rip-roaring Holmes and Watson tale,
Review of The Return of the Pharaoh by Nicholas Meyer – coming soon Read More »
What a fun, fun book… The Sherlock Holmes stories were some of the first mysteries I graduated to after Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew, and I loved them. But I’ve always felt that a lot of Holmes pastiches (Laurie R King’s Mary Russell series aside) fall a little flat. So I was very pleasantly surprised
Review of Mrs Hudson and the Blue Daisy Affair by Martin Davies – coming soon Read More »
A welcome return to the Kinsmen series… Author duo Ilona Andrews have returned to their Kinsmen universe after a decade or so, and it’s a shame they stayed away so long. Fated Blades is a long novella – or is it a short book? You pick! But either way, it’s a fast-paced and fun tale
Review of Fated Blades by Ilona Andrews – coming 23 November 2021 Read More »
If I hadn’t already known I was reading an English translation of a French murder mystery, I would have figured it out anyway by the fourth paragraph of The Sleeping Car Murders. That’s the paragraph where Pierre, the railroad employee whose job it is to check over the just-arrived Phocéen train, and thus the man
Review of The Sleeping Car Murders by Sébastien Japrisot – coming soon Read More »
Another enjoyable outing for Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis… I only recently started reading Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis series and I’ve really liked the books I’ve read so far. (You can read my review of Kellerman’s currently-most-recent title, Serpentine, here.) And I definitely enjoyed Kellerman’s upcoming series title, City of the Dead, as well.
Review of City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman – coming in February, 2022 Read More »
A wonderful book from start to finish…. For some reason, Nala’s World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride around the Globe by Dean Nicholson popped up in my recommendation feed at Kindle US a few weeks ago. I have no idea why, since this is pretty far from anything I normally read.
A review of Nala’s World by Dean Nicholson Read More »
Elena visits Washington DC… A Darker Reality is the third book in Anne Perry’s still young Elena Standish series, and I hope there are many more to come. Elena is the child of a British diplomat and his American wife, whose parents, Wyatt and Dorothy Baylor, are a wealthy and connected couple with a large
A review of A Darker Reality by Anne Perry – out today Read More »
The fire seems like the main character… I had never read anything by Jesse Kellerman, so I was happy to receive an advance review copy of the latest title in his Clay Edison series, The Burning, written in partnership with his father, Jonathan Kellerman. And I’m glad I got the chance to read it. As
Review of The Burning by Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman – coming soon Read More »
I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason is the first in the Cece Caruso series by Susan Kandel. This book is up there in the great title category IMO, along with The Cannibal Who Overate, I Still Miss My Man (but My Aim Is Getting Better), and, although not a mystery, I Could Pee on This:
I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason by Susan Kandel is $1.99 in the US right now Read More »
Nice to get back in touch with Perry Mason and crew… Erle Stanley Gardner was one of the first mystery authors whose books I read after I realized there WERE mystery authors other than Agatha Christie. And way back then, while I was in graduate school, Gardner’s books were perfect for the limited leisure reading
Review of The Case of the Borrowed Brunette by Erle Stanley Gardner – e-book coming soon Read More »
A nice continuation of the Jesse Stone series… I’m often not a fan of continuations of popular series after the original author passes away. But whoever is in control of the estate of Robert B Parker has done a pretty good job, IMO, of selecting authors to continue his Spenser, Jesse Stone, and Sunny Randall
Stone’s Throw (Jesse Stone series) by Mike Lupica – coming soon Read More »
Billy Boyle is still doing well… James R Benn has one of the best premises for a mystery series that I’ve seen in a long time. Billy Boyle is an Irish-American cop from South Boston who’s not exactly thrilled at the idea of fighting on behalf of England. His family isn’t thrilled either, so his
Review of Road of Bones by James R Benn – coming soon Read More »
Not your average librarians… I have never read any books by the writing duo behind Kit Rocha, but I’ve read lots of good things about them on an e-book forum I belong to, and in a couple of other authors’ blogs. So I was pleased to receive an advance review copy of The Devil You
Review of The Devil You Know – coming soon from Kit Rocha Read More »
My favorite Erle Stanley Gardner series… Erle Stanley Gardner is the super-famous author of more than 80 Perry Mason mysteries, which, in addition to being best-selling books in their own right, were also spun off into a long-running TV series and several movies. Few people, however, are aware that he also wrote almost 30 titles
Review of Shills Can’t Cash Chips by Erle Stanley Gardner Read More »
A great Golden Age-style series starter… Patricia Moyes has long been one of my favorite mystery authors, from back in the days when paperbacks of her books were crowded onto my shelves. Somewhere along the way, though, most of those books got loaned out or lost, and so I was really happy to be offered
Review of Dead Men Don’t Ski by Patricia Moyes Read More »
A multi-dimensional noir protagonist… I am not usually a huge fan of books that strike me as thiller- or noir-ish, but I very much enjoyed Killer Instinct, which is the first in the Charlie Fox series by Zoë Sharp. I think this was largely due to Sharp’s development of Charlie as a real person, complete
Review of Killer Instinct by Zoë Sharp Read More »
Light and fun… In my last review of a Henrietta Hamilton book, I expressed hope that Agora Books would continue re-issuing her books. And not only have they done so, they’ve even managed to acquire the rights to some of her previously unpublished books, including this one, The Man Who Wasn’t There, which is part
Review of The Man Who Wasn’t There by Henrietta Hamilton – just published Read More »
An enjoyable classic British mystery… Agora Books makes a business of re-issuing older British mysteries, such as Answer in the Negative, which was originally published in 1959. Although I had never heard of Henrietta Hamilton before being offered an ARC of this title, I tend to like the sort of mysteries where the detectives, whether
Review of Answer in the Negative by Henrietta Hamilton – recently republished Read More »
A fun introduction to the John J Malone series… I had read a few of the John J Malone books by Craig Rice, a long time ago, in tattered paperbacks from the used bookstore, and liked them. So I was pleased to have a chance to review an advance proof of a new version of
Review of Eight Faces at Three by Craig Rice Read More »
More Jazz Age mayhem in the UK… A Baffling Murder at the Midsummer Ball is the second in TE Kinsey’s historical mystery series featuring the Dizzy Heights, an eight-piece jazz band based in London. In the first book, the band’s founders, Skins Maloney and Barty Dunn, together with Skins’ American wife, Ellie, tracked down a
A review of A Baffling Murder at the Midsummer Ball by TE Kinsey – coming soon Read More »
High-placed shenanigans during World War II Burying the Crown is the second in TP Fielden’s historical mystery series featuring Guy Harford as a courtier at Buckingham Palace, serving King George VI and the royal family during World War II. Harford, who would rather be a painter in Tangier, where he lived before the war, is
A review of Burying the Crown by TP Fielden, just out Read More »
Crime and mayhem in post-Civil-War Chicago… I have read and enjoyed most (all?) of the books in Jeanne Matthews’ Dinah Pelerin series, but haven’t seen a new title in that series for several years. So I was a little surprised to see that Matthews had a brand-new book in a brand-new series coming out in
Review of Devil by the Tail by Jeanne Matthews – just out Read More »
A solid mystery with some food for thought… Give Place to Wrath is the first in the short two-book (for now, at least) Roger Viceroy series by Steven C Harms. Wrath was a finalist for a couple of awards when it first came out in 2018, and it has recently been re-issued thanks to a
A review of Give Place to Wrath by Steven C Harms Read More »
A wonderful mystery that I never knew existed… I wasn’t aware of the short Daniel Valentine/Clarisse Lovelace series back when the four books first came out in “real paper” editions, back in the 1980s. At that time, I couldn’t buy many books (graduate students tend to have limited funds) and I never saw any of
A review of Vermilion by Nathan Aldyne Read More »
In UTube – Inspector Mislan and the Emancipatist Conspiracy, Rozlan Mohd Noor has written another excellent police procedural, enjoyable both for the mechanics of the investigation (forensics, leg work, computer savvy – and a bit of luck) and for its detailed background in Kuala Lumpur. And, of course, for its food. It seems there is
London at the turn of the (last) century… I had never heard of Kenneth Cameron’s Denton series, which was a little surprising to me, since I am a big fan of historical mysteries. But I am fond of several other Felony & Mayhem Press authors, so I was happy to receive a review copy of
A review of The Frightened Man by Kenneth Cameron Read More »
LOL funny all the way through… I have been quite fond of Simon Brett’s earlier books, especially the Mrs. Pargeter series. So I was intrigued by his Blotto & Twinks series, which looked to be a little different in style – and it was – a lot. The first book in the series, Blotto, Twinks,
Blotto, Twinks, and the Ex-Kings Daughter by Simon Brett – a review Read More »
Somehow, in spite of the fact that I’m a huge mystery reader, I’ve missed out until now on reading any books from the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs. This is probably because they’ve always looked kind of thriller-ish to me, and I’m just not usually all that thrilled with thrillers. However, I was recently
Coming soon: The Bone Code by Kathy Reichs – a review Read More »
A real dead body amongst the wax ones… I am a huge fan of historical mysteries, but somehow had never heard of Jim Eldridge’s Museum Detectives series, set in the late 1800s, and featuring ex-Scotland Yard detective Daniel Wilson and his partner, archeologist Abigail Fenton. So I was happy to receive a review copy of
Review of Murder at Madame Tussauds by Jim Eldridge – recently published Read More »
Wildside Press and its affiliate/subsidiary/imprint/brand (???) Black Cat Mysteries are offering some Father’s Day deals, including a free copy of It’s Her Fault by Tony Gleeson, and a couple of nice coupons. Details on those below. I’m quite fond of Wildside Press/Black Cat because they e-publish one of my favorite, but rather obscure, series, the
Smooth and easy to read… I had read and really enjoyed the previous book in this series, The Last Scoop, and so I was happy to also receive an advance review copy of Beyond the Headlines. And I wasn’t disappointed – the things I had enjoyed in the earlier book were all also present in
Review of Beyond the Headlines by RG Belsky – recently published Read More »
Arc Manor is a small press that publishes mostly science fiction/fantasy, and also some romance. Their imprints include: Phoenix Pick, Caezik SF&F, Galaxy’s Edge magazine, and Caezik Romance. They have a periodic free book offer through Publisher’s Pick, and this month it’s a Robert A. Heinlein title, The Number of the Beast. The way it
Arc Manor/Phoenix Pick free book of the month Read More »
Ruth is back in the Saltmarsh… I’m a big fan of mysteries with archeology/anthropology involved, so I was happy (and honored) to receive an advance review copy of Elly Griffiths’ latest book, The Night Hawks, featuring forensic archeologist, Dr. Ruth Galloway. As the story opens, we find out that Ruth and her daughter, Kate, are
The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths – A Review Read More »
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara won, per SYKM, the 2021 Edgar Award for Best Mystery. This appears to be Anappara’s first mystery, but it didn’t just win “Best First Mystery”, but straight-out “Best Mystery”. I haven’t read this yet, but now I’m going to get to (!!!), because it has dropped
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara is on sale in the US today Read More »
As I’ve mentioned before a time or two, I’m a huge fan of the Great Game period of history, and now here is Mapping the Great Game: Explorers, Spies and Maps in 19th-Century Asia, by Riaz Dean, on sale at Kindle US for $2.99, as part of today’s Daily Deal. I’m not sure how well
I’ve very much enjoyed Laurie R King’s Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series over the years, so I was happy to receive an advance review copy of the latest title in the series, Castle Shade. It’s set in Roumania (modern Romania) in the 1920s, while political and territorial currents are still swirling in the aftermath
Coming soon: Castle Shade by Laurie R. King – a review Read More »
A nice mix of mystery and science fiction… I’m a big fan of mysteries, and I like to read mysteries set in places that are new to me – or in this case, imaginary places that are new to me! Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells fills that bill quite nicely. Our protagonist, Murderbot, is a
Review of Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells – recently published Read More »
Robert Kroese’s Mercury series features a journalist, Christine Temetri, whose job it is to report on various purported End Times. She gets very complacent, because all of the supposed End Times turn out to be fake…until one day one turns out to be the real thing. And the real one comes complete with a very
Mini review of Robert Kroese’s Mercury series – and some price drops! Read More »
I am a huge fan of the Daisy Gumm Majesty series by Alice Duncan. It’s a cozy series, featuring Daisy as a medium, who, even though she isn’t really connecting with the afterlife (or is she?), still somehow manages to give comfort to the rich Pasadena folks who pay her to hold séances. And, of
Series review: Daisy Gumm Majesty series by Alice Duncan Read More »
A bit slow to start, but very enjoyable once it does…. I’ve read and really enjoyed all of the books in Emma Jameson’s Lord and Lady Hetheridge series. So I was happy to receive an advance review copy of the first title in Jameson’s new series featuring Jemima (Jem) Jago and set in the Isles
A Death at Seascape House by Emma Jameson is out today – a review Read More »
A really nice historical mystery… I am a huge fan of historical mysteries, and so I was really happy to receive an advance review copy of Skelton’s Guide to Suitcase Murders, which is set in England in 1929-1930. Suitcase Murders (as I’m going to call it, because the title is too long to type all
Review of Skelton’s Guide to Suitcase Murders – just published Read More »
A wonderfully funny “isolated mansion” mystery… In Farewell My Herring, author LC Tyler has created a thoroughly enjoyable novel that is a wonderful example of the understated British humor that I like so much. And the humor comes writ large via Tyler’s spot-on send-up of the classic “isolated mansion in a snowstorm” trope – nicely
Review of Farewell My Herring by LC Tyler, out today Read More »
A really enjoyable then-and-now tale… I’m not normally a big fan of romantic suspense, but I do usually like the “parallel stories in different times” theme. So I was happy to receive an advance review copy of Kerry Barrett’s The Smuggler’s Daughter, which has two intertwined storylines – separated in time, but both revolving around
The Smuggler’s Daughter by Kerry Barrett – review Read More »
A bit more than just a historical mystery… In Death with a Double Edge, author Anne Perry has created a really nice pre-WWI historical mystery featuring Daniel Pitt, the son of the protagonists (Charlotte and Thomas Pitt) in her earlier “main” series. Daniel has become a lawyer, and after the gruesomely murdered body of one
Review of Death with a Double Edge by Anne Perry Read More »
A thought-provoking and enjoyable historical mystery… I had read and enjoyed a few of the early Sebastian St. Cyr books, back in the days when “book” pretty much meant “paper”. But somehow in my transition to reading almost exclusively e-books, I lost track of the series – until recently, that is, when I became aware
What the Devil Knows by CS Harris – Coming April 6, 2021 (review) Read More »
I can’t figure out how I missed the first book in this series, because this series is so exactly my sort of thing – a well-written historical mystery in a slightly unusual (to me, at least) setting: Cracow in the waning years of the 19th century. In the 1890s, Cracow was a part of the
Review of Karolina and the Torn Curtain by Maryla Szymiczkowa Read More »
An investigative journalist goes back to her roots…. I have read and enjoyed a few other books by RL Belsky, so I was happy to be offered a review copy of The Last Scoop, which is the most recent in his newest Clare Carlson series. (The most recent at least until May, when the next
Review of The Last Scoop by RL Belsky Read More »
Sarah Hawkswood has written a thoroughly engaging historical mystery, set in England in the 1100s. Lord Osbern de Lench has been found dead, and it’s obvious from the knife wounds that he has been murdered. But who did it? A number of possibilities present themselves, both close-at-hand, among his family, and farther away, in neighboring
Review of Blood Runs Thicker by Sarah Hawkswood – out today Read More »
Red Storm Rising is a bit of an odd-ball among Tom Clancy’s books, not just because it was co-written with Larry Bond and isn’t part of the Jack Ryan series. It’s a stand-alone that details what World War III, between the US and Soviet Union, might have looked like, IF (and it’s a big if),
Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy and Larry Bond – a short review Read More »
A fun new spin-off series… Author TE Kinsey has created an enjoyable spin-off series with The Deadly Mystery of the Missing Diamonds – the first of what will hopefully be several Dizzy Heights books. Unlike the supposedly quiet country setting for the “parent” Lady Hardcastle books, this new series is unabashedly set in busy Jazz
Review of The Deadly Mystery of the Missing Diamonds by TE Kinsey Read More »
The Hot Country is the first in the too-short Christopher Marlowe Cobb series by Robert Olen Butler. I read this shortly after it came out in 2012 and loved it. The setting and timing (Mexican civil war, during the US invasion of Vera Cruz, in the run-up to WWI) were unusual to me, and were
review of The Hot Country by Robert Olen Butler Read More »
Don’t need to say much more than Florence…aah, Florence… Readers who like their historical mysteries with even more history than usual will enjoy Tasha Alexander’s latest Lady Emily mystery, The Dark Heart of Florence, set in the years leading up to World War I. Britain and Germany are starting to bump elbows, and as an
Review of The Dark Heart of Florence by Tasha Alexander, coming soon Read More »
A very enjoyable police procedural set in Kuala Lumpur… Having read and really enjoyed the first book in Rozland Mohd Noor’s Inspector Mislan series, I was happy to receive an advance review copy of the second book in the series, DUKE: Inspector Mislan and the Expressway Murders. And I was even happier to find that
A nice series starter – at least I hope it’s a series starter… The Revolutionary War has been going on for a while, and things are getting really tough. Families have been split, American soldiers are being paid in worthless paper currency, food is scarce, disease is not scarce, and it’s hard to tell where
The Turncoat’s Widow by Mally Becker (review) Read More »
I would have loved to have seen more of Peggy… The Postscript Murders is the second in Elly Griffiths’ new series with Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur as the protagonist – although in this enjoyable read, the focus is actually just as much on an unlikely trio of amateur sleuths as it is on DS Kaur.
review of The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths (coming in the US on March 2, 2021) Read More »
An enjoyable Golden Age mystery with some uncomfortable parallels to today… Readers who are familiar with (and like) the Sir John Appleby series by Michael Innes will be happy to see Hare Sitting Up come out in ebook, courtesy of Agora Books. For others, it may a little harder to figure out just quite how
review: Hare Sitting Up by Michael Innes Read More »
A wonderful WWII historical mystery…. Ed Ruggero has written a thoroughly enjoyable historical mystery in Comes the War, the second in his Eddie Harkins series. Ruggero is a West Point graduate, Army infantry officer, and, later, West Point instructor; his expertise shows in this tightly written book that will engage readers from the first chapter
Coming Feb 9, 2021: Comes the War by Ed Ruggero (review) Read More »
Another excellent Commissario Brunetti mystery… As usual, Donna Leon has given readers a wonderful mystery in Transient Desires, the thirtieth title in her Commissario Guido Brunetti series. On the face of it, the story starts out as a simple investigation: Who were the two men who sped away in a boat after dropping two badly
coming soon: Transient Desires by Donna Leon (review) Read More »
A smooth as silk mystery that kept me reading late into the night… I am not fond of psychological thrillers. And so, having read somewhere that Jonathan Kellerman’s main character in his main series is a psychologist, Alex Delaware, I just sort of wrote the series off, assuming that these were psychological thrillers. And you
Review of Serpentine by Jonathan Kellerman (coming Feb 2, 2021) Read More »
Noir in Buenos Aires… I am always happy to discover a new author writing in a setting far removed from my own, and Sergio Olguin’s The Fragility of Bodies, set in Buenos Aires, filled the bill for me. Translated by Miranda France, this is a decidedly noir-ish mystery that also has a lot of solid
Review: The Fragility of Bodies, by Sergio Olguin Read More »
Although I think of Kasey Michaels primarily as a romance writer, she did write a couple of semi-mystery series – mysteries enough to be listed in SYKM, which is itself a website for all things mystery. But Michaels’ Maggie Kelly series, about a romance writer who gets dumped by her publisher and starts writing mysteries, still
Three Joffe mystery/thriller freebies right now… Blood Stained is the first in the Detective Claudia Nunn series by Rebecca Bradley Free at Kindle US | Kindle UK Dirty Weekend is the first in the Macrae and Silver series by Alan Scholefield Free at Kindle US | Kindle UK A Nice Class of Corpse is the
Joffe free books for November 2024 Read More »
I read and very much liked Susanne Alleyn’s short four-book Aristide Ravel series many years ago, in paperback book days, when they were expensive and hard to find. Granted, I love historical mysteries, and I also tend to like mysteries set in France, so these hit on two dimensions, but they are also pretty well
Susanne Alleyn’s Aristide Ravel books are on sale or free in the US and UK Read More »
I’ve read and enjoyed a few of Genevieve Cogman’s Invisible Library books, which are hard to characterize. But if I had to pick a genre, I would call them fantasy mysteries or fantasy spy novels. But I haven’t read any of her newer Scarlet Revolution series, which is, per its blurb, a re-telling of The
Scarlet, by Genevieve Cogman, is free right now in the UK Read More »
One of the few types of mystery I’m not usually fond of is the psychological thriller. So, as a result, I’m not a huge Mary Roberts Rinehart fan. But a lot of people are, and here’s one of her non-series books on sale: The Swimming Pool, apa simply The Pool, is $1.99 at Kindle US
The Swimming Pool by Mary Roberts Rinehart is on sale at Kindle US today Read More »
Two books in the Jack Colby, Car Detective series are $0.75 each right now in the US, which is a pretty good price, since most e-books don’t usually go below $0.99. (Unless they go free, of course…) Sadly, the sale is only at Kindle US, not at Kobo US… Buy Classic Mistake, #4 at Kindle
Two Jack Colby books by Amy Myers are on sale in the US right now Read More »
