Tag: mystery

REVIEW: Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey

REVIEW: Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Imogene Chively knew her father had invited Ernest Steeple and his brother Ben for a visit. Mr. Chively was eager to set Imogene and Ernest together, and Imogene was willing to give the match a try. But she wasn’t at all prepared for their next meeting to occur right after her dog, Jasper, jumped off a high crumbling wall as Ben dove to save the reckless canine. And almost immediately after that, Jasper was trapped in a dreadful, life threatening situation. Once again, Ben to the rescue! It was good fortune to have him around.

As Imogene and Ernest tested the waters of a possible match, and Imogene’s best friend Emily spent time with Ben, it soon became clear that Ben was in trouble. Either he was the unluckiest man alive, or someone had it out for him!

It’s hard enough to entertain a new suitor and wait for feelings to warm. But it’s doubly hard when his brother’s frequent peril leads Imogene and Ben to spend more time together than they probably should. Her feelings are starting to warm, but maybe for the wrong brother.

Review

I picked this up because I so enjoyed another book by this author, Duels and Deception. This one was a little slow for my taste. Historical fiction is a stretch for me as a reader in the first place. I gravitate more to fantasy and science fiction instead. Readers who enjoy historical fiction (this takes place in 1817) and the customs and intricacies of the times might have a stronger connection to this than I did. The mystery element – who was targeting Ben and why – propelled me to keep reading until the end.  I was thrilled to discover I was right about the mystery elements in the end.

I enjoyed the characters in this, although I didn’t really have a favorite. The four main characters were good, and by the end I had a great appreciation for Emily and her family.

The author works hard to cover the relationship pieces of the story with the four main characters while also spacing out the mystery sections. Early on the spacing lent to questions of whether the incidents were bad luck or deliberate. Then she also filled in details about the supporting cast, a thread about art, and some architecture and travels for the characters. For me, this moved the story slowly along where I tend to prefer a faster pace. Readers who enjoy the time period or a slower pace in their reading material may be a better audience for this than I was.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

 

REVIEW: A Borrowing of Bones by Paula Munier

REVIEW: A Borrowing of Bones by Paula Munier

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Once upon a time there was a guy, a girl and a dog. Sergeant Martinez was the handler and Elvis was the bomb-sniffing Belgian shepherd. Mercy Carr was an MP. Martinez was her fiancé. A fire fight in Afghanistan left her with a bullet in her backside and a dog with PTSD, but without her fiancé.  Mercy and Elvis had to try to put the pieces of their lives back together, so they went “home” to Vermont and Mercy’s old stomping grounds.

Days before the 4th of July, Elvis discovers a baby abandoned in the forest. Mercy and Elvis call it in and take the baby to the hospital. Then, the baby disappears.

Game Warden Troy Warner and his search and rescue dog, Susie Bear, help Mercy and Elvis explore the area for clues to the baby’s identity. Elvis finds hints of explosives. Susie Bear finds the bones.

Soon, the two law enforcement officers – one “retired,” and the other just trying to keep his job in the face of an egotistical State Police detective – and the two dogs are dodging bullets, corralling feral cats, and searching for clues to murder.

Review

This was fantastic! I loved Mercy and Elvis. They’ve lost so much, it’s tempting for them to withdraw and hide away from everything and everyone. But Elvis is ready to work again, and he’s found a partner in Susie Bear. And Mercy has a cop’s mind for clues and a determination to get to the truth no matter how much danger she might find. She’s determined to save the baby; the situation is all too familiar to her. Troy and Megan have a fun history and everyone is trying to match them up. The dogs are adorable together. The characters in this book are a treat! I hope this is the first of many stories with these characters. (The publisher’s website says this will be a series! They show a sequel coming in the fall of 2019.)

The mystery was great! And there were so many layers to it. Where’s the missing baby? Why was she alone? What’s the story with her parents? Why were there explosives in that area? Whose bones did they find? And those questions lead to others and to another dead body. And then another. I didn’t want to put the book down. I was eager to see all the pieces come together.

This will be great for mystery fans and for readers who love books with great dogs – and great humans. I highly recommend this one – it’s a treat!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Lock In by John Scalzi

REVIEW: Lock In by John Scalzi

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When a flu-like pandemic swept the world, a lot of people got sick. One percent of those who contracted it found themselves “locked” inside their immobile bodies. Their bodies continue to live, but their consciousnesses are trapped inside. The condition is called Haden’s syndrome. Those with Haden’s cannot interact with the physical world any more without the assistance of a mechanical suit that serves as a personal transportation device. The other option for those with Haden’s is to work with an “Integrator,” others who had the illness but did not get locked in. Instead, their brains developed the ability to work with hardware installed in their skulls to allow a locked in person to push their consciousness into the Integrator’s brain in order to take over the body for a time.

On Chris Shane’s first day with the FBI, Chris is partnered with a former Integrator named Vann. They stumble into a weird case involving an Integrator and a dead man. While the Integrator seems guilty, if he was hosting someone with Haden’s at the time of the murder, there’s another culprit to find. Things get even weirder with an explosion at a Haden’s research lab and also an assassination attempt. Recent legislation is changing the world for the locked in. There’s been a walk out and a march, and the march organizer seems to be tied into everything that’s happening in Chris’ case. Since Chris is locked in (Chris uses a mechanical suit to get around)and Vann is a former Integrator, they are perfectly positioned to understand some of the intricacies of this case and figure out what is really going on!

Review

This was amazing! The world building with the disease and the technology pieces is exceptional. And behind all of the tech is a fantastic mystery. I loved every bit of this. There’s some terrific humor through the story that I enjoyed, too. It’s hard to give a good summary and explain the differences in the world that are central to the mystery without giving anything important away. Just trust me – this was excellent.

If you love an intricate science fiction world and a just-as-intricate mystery, run right out and pick this up! The sequel, Head On, is just as fantastic – with a football-ish spin to the Haden’s story. There’s also a prequel about Haden’s that I am eager to read. If audiobooks are your style, this one is read by Wil Wheaton, who does a terrific job with audiobooks. Don’t miss this one! I had my husband read it last summer for our family reading challenge, and he loved it, too! (Language, some violence)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

REVIEW: Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Sawyer has learned to take care of herself. She’s 18, she has a job (mechanic), and she passed her GED. Sure, her mom’s around – some of the time – but Sawyer has been taking care of her for years, too. Her mom was 17 when she got pregnant with Sawyer. Her mother kicked her out and the two of them made the best of their life together. Without the need for the Taft family.

Then Lillian Taft, Sawyer’s grandmother, shows up with an offer Sawyer can’t refuse. If she lets Lillian run her through all of the debutante rigmarole and Sawyer keeps out of trouble, Lillian will give Sawyer half a million dollars for college. Lillian also hints that Sawyer would finally have an opportunity to figure out who her father is. Sounds totally worth it!

But Sawyer encounters more secrets and lies than she anticipated. On her journey through debutante activities and her hunt for her father’s identity, she’ll learn – for good or bad – what it’s like to finally have family around. And what wealthy families will do to keep their reputations and power intact.

Review

While Sawyer Tate is no Tess Kendrick, she’s also a terrific protagonist. Sawyer is more subtle than Tess, but she’s just as smart, strong and sassy. She doesn’t put up with anything, whether it is wolf whistles at the garage or mean girl antics from a fellow Deb. I loved her from the first glimpse of her picking the lock of her jail cell in her white gown and gloves. Characters like Sawyer are part of why I love Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ work!

The structure of this includes a time jump. The story starts in the spring with several Debs in a cell. Then it jumps back to the previous fall. Periodic returns to the jail cell kept me guessing about how the story gets there. When it all comes together, it’s completely satisfying!

I was nervous to start this. I love Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ work so much, and I wanted this to be as awesome as her other books that I have loved. My anxiety was unnecessary. This was fantastic! I loved Sawyer. I loved watching her handle her new surroundings without changing who she is at her core. I was fascinated by the story. So many questions and twists – including several revealed at the end that will likely be dealt with in book two. And I need book 2 asap! I can’t wait! As soon as I finished reading the review copy I received, I pre-ordered my own copy of this. I can’t wait to read it again. I highly recommend this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Truth Lies Here by Lindsey Klingele

REVIEW: The Truth Lies Here by Lindsey Klingele

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Penelope heads “home” to Bone Lake, Michigan to stay with her father for the summer while her mom is in Europe on sabbatical. Her goals are to get a job and write a fantastic article to help her get into college. And she’s started one about the impact of an accident at the plastic factory in Bone Lake. The factory closed, and the town has never recovered. Now she wants to find some personal reactions to round out the story.

But no one wants to talk about the accident or the plant. In fact, everyone she talks to utters the same phrase. It’s like a code or something. And there are other weird things going on. Penelope’s dad is missing. He never showed up at the airport to get her. A charred body was found in the woods, and two teens have gone missing, too. Penelope can’t get anyone but her neighbor to take her dad’s absence seriously. But the longer he’s gone, the more suspicious it is for law enforcement. They think maybe her dad has something to hide.

Penny is determined to get at the truth no matter what she discovers – or how dangerous it becomes.

Review

This was a nice surprise. The mystery was great. I was guessing all the way through – were there aliens? Was there something supernatural going on? Was there a reasonable explanation?

I enjoyed Penny and her neighbor, Dex. They made a great team for the investigation. And the town held lots of secrets which kept the story mysterious and kept me turning pages.

I got a kick out of the X-Files references as Dex leaned toward extra-terrestrial explanations and Penny leaned toward realistic ones. The Mulder and Scully references were fun.

I enjoyed this suspenseful story. All of the pieces clicked together into a satisfying ending. (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Hot Pursuit by Rebecca Freeborn

REVIEW: Hot Pursuit by Rebecca Freeborn

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Sarah Burrowes is a former beautician with a degree in journalism looking for her big break. She has a column with a gossip magazine in Melbourne, but she can’t get her boss to give her a real story. If her career woes weren’t bad enough, her boyfriend left her with no explanation and a mortgage she can’t cover alone.

While at a club with friends, Sarah meets a musician who seems as down on his luck as she is. She heads to his hotel with him, but thoughts of her ex get in the way of her one night stand. Then the musician, Chris, gets a phone call that sends him fleeing from the hotel.

“Chris” is actually Chris Ford, the front man for The Fords. And the police think he may have killed the band’s bass player. Sarah manipulates her way into the story of her fledgling career. Soon she is off to Europe with an agency photographer – who’s also her ex’s best friend and a former one night stand. But Nick can be as nasty to her as he wants as long as she gets this story!

Review

This was a wild ride! I enjoyed the story but it got a little slow in the middle. The will-they-or-won’t-they with Nick the photographer was tiring at times. He was hot and cold with Sarah – volatile and cutting one moment and almost tender in another. Maybe if this was told from both perspectives, it would have softened his character into someone more appealing or sympathetic. Instead he was grating.

I enjoyed the mystery and adventure as well as Sarah’s determination to get this story no matter what. Overall this was fine, and I might read another book about Sarah in the future. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Christmas Remedy: An Amish Christmas Romance by Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall

REVIEW: The Christmas Remedy: An Amish Christmas Romance by Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lyle Greene’s pharmacy serves Raysburg and the Amish community in their region. It’s not a typical community when it comes to medical care. But Lyle knows and understands the Amish and works hard to help them.

When Holly’s dad passed away when she was a teen, it might have been prevented if her father – and the Amish community –  had a better understanding of medical care. That prompted Holly’s passion to educate her people and encourage them to show the same care to themselves that they do to their livestock. She gets permission from her bishop to go to school so she can work at the pharmacy. Sadly, her passion for her calling means she can’t ever marry an Amish man. She would have to give up her work and focus on a home and family instead. And she feels too strongly that God has given her this work to do to give it up.

Brandon Greene couldn’t wait to leave Raysburg as a young man. His relationship with his dad has been strained since his mom died, if not before.  And while Brandon’s road to becoming a pharmacist has hit some detours and roadblocks, he knows when he’s licensed, he’ll have his own store and run it the way his father has always discounted.

When Lyle has a health emergency, the future of Greene’s Pharmacy is in jeopardy. And Holly and Brandon may not be able to save it.

Review

This was a great book! The story takes place from October to Christmas, so it’s not quite the Christmas story I was expecting from the cover and the title. But there are some nice Christmas-related moments, and that is when everything finally comes together. If you are looking for a Christmas story to read as the season approaches, now is a perfect time to start this one because this is the time of year when the story kicks off. But really, you could read this at any time of year.

Lyle, Holly, Brandon, and Joshua (Holly’s potential love interest in the book) are delightful! I enjoyed watching Lyle and Holly together in almost a father-daughter relationship – and then watching Brandon’s reaction to that in light of his strained relationship with Lyle. Holly’s passion for her calling was inspiring. And she is willing to give up a lot personally to fill this role for her community. Joshua is a good sport, really hearing and understanding Holly even if it means he can’t pursue the relationship with her he wants.

This is a little bit mystery, and a little bit romance with a lot of solid Amish fiction at the center. And it’s terrific. I don’t usually read a lot of Amish fiction, but there have been some great books released this year in the genre. I highly recommend all of the ones I’ve reviewed this year, including this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Ra the Mighty, Cat Detective by Amy Butler Greenfield

REVIEW: Ra the Mighty, Cat Detective by Amy Butler Greenfield

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Ra is the Pharaoh’s Cat. He lives a pampered life poolside with all the snacks he could want. Cats are revered in Egyptian culture. So Ra is living the good life!

When a stray kitchen cat named Miu asks Ra to help her prove a young servant didn’t steal a priceless amulet, Ra is not interested. He has the pool and snacks! Why would he want to do anything  but nap? Ra’s companion, Khepri the scarab (dung beetle) and Miu convince Ra to help them find the girl who is in hiding in the palace. When they find Tedimut, the servant girl pours her heart out to Miu about what happened (cats are great listeners), and Ra decides, after hearing her story, to help.

Ra and Khepri move about the palace, listening to the human occupants talk about the crime. But the animal occupants – Aar the leopard, Ini and Ibi the turtledoves, and Bebi the baboon – are helpful informants, too. But can a lazy, pampered cat and a dung beetle really  solve a mystery in the palace? And if they do, how will they get the humans to understand what really happened?

Review

I loved this book! It’s marketed to the early chapter book crowd, but I feel like it’s really more of a young middle grade book. I think this will work for any elementary school kiddo who can handle the length of the book. The mystery is solid. There are a few possible suspects, and Ra and Khepri are fun detectives. I love how they figured out the solution AND were able to clue the humans in.

There are some classic detective schemes used in this one, including the clueless “detective” and the clever “assistant” who really does a lot of the mystery solving. Ra and Khepri make a great team, though. Khepri is insightful, smart and observant even if he is obsessed with dung. Ra wants to live up to his title as Pharaoh’s Cat, and he uses his access to the palace and his position to get them into all the places they need to go to solve the case. Miu is devoted to Tedimut, and she’s committed to doing what she can to save her.  And she knows just how to work Ra to help make that happen.

I loved this! I hope there are many more to come. The Egyptian history pieces, including an author’s note, give this great story an added layer of awesome. Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

REVIEW: The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Monica knew it was probably a bad idea to hook up with a guy so much older than her. It didn’t take long to get pregnant. And even less time to end the pregnancy. And that’s what started it all. One time rifling through her step-father’s desk, looking for painkillers for the cramping. That’s when she found the letters. One for each year after her sister’s death. “It wasn’t him. Connect the dots.”

Five years ago, five cheerleaders died within weeks of each other. Two in a horrendous car accident. Two were murdered. And one committed suicide. Monica’s sister, Jen.

But the letters in her step-father’s desk call all of Monica’s assumptions into question. And finding Jen’s old cell phone stashed in the desk, too, raises new questions. Why would her step-father keep the old phone? Are there secrets on it that explain what might have caused five girls from the same squad to die so suddenly? Monica is determined to keep digging, no matter what, until she finds the truth.

Review

Wow! This was stunning. A start-to-finish read in the spirit of We Were Liars or One of Us Is Lying. Tightly plotted and suspenseful with fascinating characters. This is the sort of book that will hang with me, every time I see that cover.

My heart broke for Monica. She and her family are still grieving the loss of her sister – after the losses of four of her friends in tragic circumstances. Monica seems to be going through the motions of her life to the point of sleeping with this adult as maybe a way to shake things up. But her investigation takes over in a similar way, changing her behavior and her relationship with everyone around her. She’s desperate for answers, for the truth, and it’s compelling.

When all the pieces of the story were finally laid out in front of me, I was pleasantly stunned. I put pieces of it together, but the full picture was a satisfying surprise. This is an author I would read again.

(Lots of mature content in this one – suicide, statutory rape, abortion, etc., and some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Hitting the Books by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Hitting the Books by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

It starts out like any other Crafternoon. Beth, the children’s librarian is dressed as the Pigeon. The book club has gathered to make a craft, eat great food, and talk about their book,  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. And they’re passing around Mary’s new baby. Well, Lindsey wasn’t holding the baby. She’s not a big baby person. She focuses on the scene outside the library so no one tries to hand little Josie to her. That’s why Lindsey sees the car speeding down Main Street and notices Theresa Huston start to step off the curb. Lindsey hears the car speed up and watches helplessly as it slams into Theresa and drives away.

It quickly becomes apparent that Theresa, who survives the accident with a badly broken leg, is in someone’s cross-hairs. Lindsey absolutely should NOT look into things on her own. She’s had too many close calls in the past. But when you watch the attack happen right in front of you, it’s hard to ignore the memory of the accident.

Review

Another great mystery from Jenn McKinlay! Lindsey and her boyfriend Sully are caught up in all the action as are police chief, Emma Plewicki and her boyfriend, Robby Vine. The rest of the series regulars play a background role in most of the story. It was nice to spend time with the familiar characters, but the emphasis of the story is really on the mystery, which is terrific.

I love that the emphasis this time was on preventing a murder rather than an increasing body count. I think it’s great when series authors change up the formula. The mystery was delightfully twisty! There was a balance of action and suspense and a reasonable amount of librarian-level detective work from Lindsey. It all comes together in a satisfying story from one of my favorite series.

This is book 9 in the Library Lover’s Mystery series. I’ve enjoyed all the books so far. The author has two other mystery series as well as a set of romances that I loved. You can read some of my reviews at the link above. Jenn McKinlay is one of the authors I buy automatically – and for good reason. She always delivers!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥