Category: Adult Fiction Reviews

REVIEW: Her New Story by Laura Bradford

REVIEW: Her New Story by Laura Bradford

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

It’s been a year, and Tess is still reeling from finding her new husband and her “best friend” together. In fact, her distraction is starting to impact her work. She missed a huge, newsworthy story that happened right in front of her. And now she’s dealing with the fall out – in Amish country.

Tess was supposed to get a fun, exotic assignment for her job at In Depth magazine. Her peers are going to dogsled in Alaska, hunt poachers in South Africa, and shadow Special Forces in Afghanistan. She was supposed to go to Belize. It feels so unfair.

But Tess is determined to find her story – something attention-grabbing, something to get her back in her boss’s good graces – and then she can get her career back on the right trajectory.

Review

While the four books in this “series” stand alone, there are threads of connection from Portrait of a Sister to A Daughter’s Truth (♥♥♥♥) to Piece by Piece and finally to Her New Story. And I have adored the previous three books so much, reading this was essential. I loved getting to spend some time with these characters again.

That said, Tess made it really hard for me to enjoy this. Her bitterness and feelings of betrayal are completely understandable. And I sympathized with her. But she let her experience turn her hard and prickly. And she was that way through most of the book.

Then, she let her prickliness drive her work. She wanted to find a flashy story in Amish country that fit – and reinforced  – her broken and bitter worldview that no one can be trusted but yourself.

I can’t fault the author here. She does an excellent job of telling Tess’ story. I just didn’t like her. Thankfully she was offset by the women around her (from the earlier books) as well as a flirty newcomer. Those other characters, plus Tess’s mentor who tried to be a mirror for Tess to see herself, kept me engaged and curious to see how things turned out.

The resolution felt abrupt to me, especially after enduring brittle, angry Tess for 80% of the book. But it was satisfying, and it left me feeling content about the whole in the end. Readers don’t have to have read the other books – or to have read them in any particular order – to read this. But I personally would recommend the other three first to give better context for this one.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Good/solid/fine

REVIEW: Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt

REVIEW: Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book now releases next week on October 19.]

Summary

It was bad enough that Andy’s dog, Tara, found a dead body in the snow. Finding out it’s the body of Paterson mayor, Alex Oliva, puts the whole town on edge, including Andy’s friend, Vince Sanders.

Vince is the editor of the local paper. And one of his reporters, Bobby Nash, lost his job over an article he wrote about the mayor. The police are looking for Bobby. And Vince wants Andy to defend him.

Things look bad for Bobby, especially when there’s a second murder tied to his article. Andy and his team will have their hands full trying to prove Bobby’s innocence – and trying to keep him alive.

Review

Another fun Andy Carpenter mystery to keep you guessing until the end. There are some fun twists to the case that kept it from feeling like it’s following a pattern. (This is the 24th book in the series – freshness is important.) I read this immediately after Dog Eat Dog, and I enjoyed how Rosenfelt changed things up with his cast, too. While the K-Team was involved with both books, this one relies more on electronic evidence, bringing in a different part of Andy’s team. This was a fun addition to the story.

Series fans will want to pick this up just to stay on top of what Andy and his team are up to. Newcomers can probably jump in here without a lot of issues. You’ll have missed how the team came together and a lot of the history and maybe a few inside jokes. But that just makes it more fun to go back and pick up the stories you’ve missed.

This is a must-read series for me. I always enjoy Andy’s humor – sarcastic and snarky – and court room antics. And the mysteries are usually intricate enough to keep me guessing until the end. Mystery fans should check this out. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Mrs. Claus and the Halloween Homicide by Liz Ireland

REVIEW: Mrs. Claus and the Halloween Homicide by Liz Ireland

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

April Claus has brought Halloween to Christmastown. The kids are thrilled about the costumes and candy of course. And many of the business people are making the best of the holiday novelty. But not everyone is a fan. Someone vandalizes the greenhouse that was growing pumpkins for the holiday festivities. There have also been threats on social media. And then someone tries to kill April. When a body is found, and the killer seems to be an unlikely snow monster, April starts to feel like the Halloween celebration may be overshadowed by a killer.

Review

This was another fun mystery starring April Claus in Santaland/Christmastown. I got such a kick out of the first book, Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings, that this was a must-read for me. And I was not disappointed.

I love the setting for this series – the North Pole, populated by elves and reindeer. Right from the start, this series has a different feel from the majority of cozy mysteries. And the author has done a great job with her world-building. The towns and businesses as well as the Claus family castle are well established while still giving space for future developments and sites. And the core cast of characters are a fun collection of humans and elves, not too unlike the core of any cozy – but with some reindeer and snowmen thrown in.

The mystery in this book veers off in several directions, which I enjoyed. It kept me guessing all the way to the end.

There seemed to be some hints at a future story where maybe April’s “real world” life will clash with her Christmastown one when a friend comes to visit. I can’t wait to see how that goes if that is the next story in this series.

Yes, this is a Halloween story in a Christmas setting. It seems like it wouldn’t work, but it absolutely does, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Don’t miss this fun cozy series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might-re-read.

REVIEW: Seven-Year Witch by Angela M. Sanders

REVIEW: Seven-Year Witch by Angela M. Sanders

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Josie notices Sam is back in town, it makes her heart race a little. But finding he’s come back with his not-so-ex wife, Fiona, and a baby, is a crushing discovery. Then Fiona goes missing. And the police suspect foul play. They also suspect Sam. So Josie agrees to help him find the truth.

Josie is hoping her developing magic could help with the case. But her grandmother’s letter to train Josie about curses doesn’t paint an optimistic picture for resolving the troubles she senses at the site of the old mill. But “trouble” is the right word. A body is found – but it isn’t Fiona’s.

Review

I loved book 1 in this Witch Way Librarian series, Bait and Witch. I loved how the books in the library spoke to Josie about the mysteries she faced and how they were central to her magic. But in this second book, the magical system has expanded to include land spirits, curses, and Josie taking over the body of her cat. That took things a few steps too far for me as a reader. I loved the bookish pieces, but the rest of this one didn’t click.

I didn’t enjoy Josie’s pining over Sam. And there really weren’t many fun character moments in this at all – well, except for the elderly woman who loved sweets. She was great. But characters are crucial for my enjoyment of a book.

The mystery is well-plotted and twisty, but I struggled to connect with it since I wasn’t clicking with the characters. Readers who enjoy their paranormal cozies with a broader magical system might have better luck with this one than I did. Fans of the first book, your mileage may vary on this, depending on what you enjoyed with the story.

Rating: ♥♥½*

*♥♥½ = Mostly solid to solid. Not a great fit for me, though.

 

REVIEW: Fatal Family Ties by S. C. Perkins

REVIEW: Fatal Family Ties by S. C. Perkins

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Lucy Lancaster worked for a university library, Camilla Braithwaite was among her least favorite co-workers. Alone, Camilla was fine, but she was a follower. And when her cronies were unkind or manipulative to Lucy, Camilla always went along with them.

Out from under the expectations of that job, Lucy doesn’t have to put up with any of Camilla’s antics any more. But Camilla comes to Lucy for help. A national publication has published an article maligning Camilla’s family and her famous ancestor who fought in the Civil War.  Someone is claiming Camilla’s ancestor ruined their family. Camilla wants Lucy to find the truth and clear her family’s name.

As Lucy digs into the family history, one of Camilla’s relatives is killed. And a prized family painting is stolen. So Lucy and her FBI boyfriend, Ben, start hunting for a killer.

Review

This is such a great series! I enjoy Lucy and all of the fascinating things she knows about history and about family relationships. She and Ben get to team up in this one, which I loved.

The history and the art angles in this story were fascinating. And there are some great twists. The mysteries in this series are always well-plotted, and this one kept me guessing until the end.

Series fans should not miss this. Newcomers shouldn’t struggle if they start here. Some of Lucy’s relationships might not feel well-developed for those who start with this book. But the foundational work with Ben and with Lucy’s friends/officemates was done in the earlier books, Murder Once Removed and Lineage Most Lethal. Mystery fans and genealogy fans should not miss the Ancestry Detective series!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Murder Always Barks Twice by Jennifer Hawkins

REVIEW: Murder Always Barks Twice by Jennifer Hawkins

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Emma’s new business, Reed’s Tea and Cakes, is finding some traction. The teas she hosts at the King’s Rest have become quite popular. So when another caterer backs out at the last minute, Emma and her friends at the King’s Rest Bed and Breakfast are called in to cater the Daphne du Maurier Literary Festival.

Emma and Angelique are excited about the opportunity, but at the same time, something seems off about the whole thing. There’s obviously some drama in the planning group. And something is up with the finances which caused the other caterer to back out. Then, when someone dies, there’s almost no end to the questions about what is going on with the festival and the festival site.

When a family member of the deceased hears how Emma helped solve a murder, they ask her to look into this suspicious death. So Emma and her talking corgi, Oliver, are on the case again.

Review

This was terrific! Another delightful mystery in the Chatty Corgi series. Oliver is adorable as always, Emma is a clever sleuth, and the mystery was perfectly twisty.

I think Emma and Oliver are what make this series special. Oliver has a fantastic “voice” in the series. He even gets his own point-of-view chapters, which are so fun to read. But all of his antics and detective work still fall into what would be “appropriate” for a canine character. The fact that Emma understands him is the only “magical” piece of the series.

I love the relationship between Emma and Oliver, as well as the author’s excellent descriptions for their interactions. It’s truly a delightful relationship. And that relationship makes this a must-read series for me.

If the great characters and fun hook of a talking dog wasn’t enough, the mystery is excellently paced and plotted. I was guessing all the way through to the end, and my curiosity over the case never waned.

Cozy fans and dog lovers should not miss this series. You can read my full review of book one, To Fetch a Felon, here. In fact, when you pick up Murder Always Barks Twice, check out the Praise for To Fetch a Felon page at the front for a quote from my review. (You can even see it on the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon.) Book 3 in the series, A Cold Nose for Murder, is scheduled to release in Spring, 2022.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Isn't It Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams

REVIEW: Isn’t It Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Vlad has been part of the Bromance Book Club for years. The men in the group are his closest friends. But watching them with their wives and girlfriends is tearing him apart. He longs for that sort of love with his wife, Elena. But no one else knows theirs has always been a marriage of convenience. And now Elena wants to end it and go back to Russia. Alone.

But when Vlad is seriously injured in a hockey game, Elena is the only family close enough to help him with his recovery. But being in close quarters with him makes everything more difficult. Each of them is longing for something they think is out of reach. Thankfully, Vlad has the guys in his book club to help him fight for his marriage before it’s too late.

Review

I enjoy any book where these guys are together. I love the men of the Bromance Book Club – the ways they harass each other, the ways they call each other out, and the ways they drop everything to help one another.

The romance didn’t quite click for me in this one like some of the other books in the series. (The Bromance Book Club (♥♥♥♥♥) and Undercover Bromance are my favorites!) It’s a bit of the fake relationship trope, but it’s even more complicated. Vlad and Elena each want to be together. But they make bad assumptions and don’t communicate which causes a lot of trouble.

Vlad’s writing was a nice piece of the plot. I enjoyed the guys weighing in on his story and how Vlad’s book tied into his personal life. Elena’s work – the investigating, the danger – took me by surprise at the end. I would have liked it if this was more concretely explored throughout the book, given just a bit bigger presence so it felt earned when it came to the forefront towards the end of the story. That said, though, I always enjoy a Bromance story, and I hope there are many more to come in the future. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

 

REVIEW: Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews

REVIEW: Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Meg and her family are playing host once again, this time to a group  of actors putting on a production of Macbeth. Thanks to an interdepartmental war at the college, Michael and his actors are using the farm and an amphitheater at Meg’s grandfather’s zoo to practice their play. There’s also a group of historical reenactors staying on Meg’s parents’ property. And the warring English and history professors are dropping in regularly.

In the midst of that chaos, trouble is stirring. A vandal is striking at the farm. The reenactors’ antics are putting them at risk for arrest. Someone seems to be concocting a potion over a risky open fire in the woods. And then there’s the murder.

Review

Another fun mystery with Meg and her friends and family! (This is book 29 in the Meg Langslow Mystery series.)

I have been a fan of this series since the first few books released over 20 years ago. Meg, with her notebook-that-tells-her-when-to-breathe is one of my favorite protagonists. She’s such a great character, and her extended family and the community folks are characters I look forward to spending time with when each new book releases.

There’s a TON going on here with the actors and the reenactors and all of the college folks. There’s the Macbeth-related events and the criminal and mischievous behaviors. Evil spells. Vandals. Murder. Puppies. This book has it all.

I loved watching the various mysteries play out. I didn’t really even try to sort out the villain for myself. Instead, I just watched it all unfold. And it was supremely satisfying.

Like the Andy Carpenter series, which I have reviewed recently, the Meg Langslow books are probably easy enough to follow story-wise for someone to start with this book or another one of the latter books in the series. But the cast in this series is VAST and could be hard to track without the history of what – and who – has come before.  Personally, I’d love to go back to the beginning of the series – Murder with Peacocks, Murder with Puffins, Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos – sometime and experience the early days of this great series all over again. I highly recommend cozy fans dig into this meaty series. Book 30 – The Twelve Jays of Christmas – releases in October.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ – I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman

REVIEW: A Fiancée’s Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Frances is already in mixed moods. She’s happy to send her mother away for a few days’ break while she visits Paris. But her mother is taking Frances’ daughter, Rose, and she will be missed. But it turns out for the best when an inspector arrives with a French woman who insists she is married to Frances’ fiancé, George.

Irena Teskey is the illegitimate cousin of the Grand Duke of Russia. She was detained when she tried to get the man’s attention by throwing a rock at him. She insists someone is threatening her, but her stories circle around and go nowhere. She seems wholly unbelievable. But George is called on by the prince himself to check out her story.

George insists the dramatic Irena is prone to extremes, but he is definitely not married to her. Yet he is required to look into her claims while she stays with Frances. Unfortunately, a murder makes it quite clear that Irena was not imagining that she was in danger.

Review

Another fun Countess of Harleigh mystery! I love Frances and George together – as a couple and also as investigators. It’s not often in cozies that the love interest/law enforcement character encourages the sleuth. I think it’s especially unusual for this time period. But it’s refreshing, and I enjoy that aspect of this series.

The case here was stressful. Irena’s claims caused a lot of trouble for Frances and George. And her penchant for drama was getting on my nerves. I enjoyed the ending which caught me by surprise in all the best ways.

Fans and series readers should not miss this one. If you’re not familiar with the series, I think you *could* start here but maybe shouldn’t. There’s some history between Frances and one of the characters that gives their relationship some extra nuance that newcomers might miss. But I don’t think you HAVE to know that history to enjoy the main characters and the mystery here. As I was reading this, it brought to mind the Rosalind Thorne series – fans of those books should check these out, too.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt

REVIEW: Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

While out walking their dogs, Andy and Laurie see a man yelling at and kicking his pug. As they move toward the scene, another man comes up and punches the abuser until he is down. When the police arrive, the hero and the abuser get arrested.

The dog’s hero is Matt Jantzen. And Matt is wanted for a double murder in Maine. Andy wants to help the guy, but he can’t find a Maine lawyer willing to take on the case. So Andy, Laurie, and the rest of their investigative team head to the land of lobster rolls for the trial.

Review

This is a great mystery in this fantastic series. I love the humor and snark in this series. The mystery in this one keeps you guessing all the way to the end. I loved the change of setting for this. It introduced a few new characters in addition to Andy’s usual team, including a new dog, which is always fun.

Mystery lovers, dog lovers, and readers who enjoy courtroom dramas should not miss this series. The court case starts a little later than usual in this book which made for another nice change of pace. I enjoyed the ways Rosenfelt changed things up for this novel.

I find this to be a series you can start in the middle without much issue. My first Andy Carpenter book was The Twelve Dogs of Christmas (♥♥♥♥♥), which is the 15th book in the series. (This is #23.) I loved the book, but I was intrigued by the team and had to go back to the beginning to see how it all came together. I think newcomers could easily start with this book and then go back and pick up some of the earlier titles as well as checking out the spin-off series, The K-Team. Some of my Andy Carpenter favorites are The Twelve Dogs of Christmas as well as  Bury the Lead (♥♥♥♥♥), and Play Dead (♥♥♥♥♥). The second K-Team book, Animal Instinct, is also terrific. Check them out! Book 24 in the Andy Carpenter series, Best in Snow, will be out this October, and I’ll be reviewing it then.  (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might-re-read