Tag: mystery

BONUS REVIEW: Trouble on the Books by Essie Lang

BONUS REVIEW: Trouble on the Books by Essie Lang

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Shelby Cox is helping run her aunt’s book store branch at Blye Castle while her aunt recovers from surgery. It’s a nice change of pace from her job in publishing. And now that she’s back in the town where she was born, she hopes she can learn some things about her mother who died when Shelby was three.

Shelby’s run in with Loreena Swan was pretty mild. Loreena, curator of the exhibits at the castle, seemed to think she should be in charge of everything. When Loreena tried to get heavy handed about the book store, Shelby firmly put her in her place. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t spooked when she finds Loreena dead.

Shelby is eager to see the crime solved, especially since she found the body. The local police chief has a history with her aunt Edie and seems to have Edie’s friend Matthew in her sights as her main suspect. Edie begs Shelby to look into things to protect Matthew. But the more questions Shelby asks, the more she seems to be the one who will need protecting.

Review

I have mixed feelings on this one. In general I liked Shelby and the other characters, and the mystery is solid. The castle setting is fun and different, and I like the book store angle.

My first struggle was to believe that any of the mystery was urgent. Loreena’s death happens early on and no ones seems to have very strong feelings about her or reactions to the death. Sure, it’s a crime so it needs to be solved, but there’s no urgency. I know Shelby wants to help her aunt’s “friend,” but that motivation still didn’t have any emotional punch to it. Even the police chief’s history with Aunt Edie, while described as contentious, was not really shown to be that way.

Then I was frustrated with Shelby’s search for information on her mom. Everyone, especially Edie, stonewalls Shelby at every turn. And the questions she is asking are really no big deal on the surface. Why wouldn’t anyone just answer? And Shelby was passive and understanding every time that happened. She has every right to ask her questions, and she should have been furious that simple questions were dodged at every turn. Obviously people were hiding something, but Shelby didn’t seem to put that together and wasn’t nearly upset enough about that. This was another plot point that seemed to be missing the emotional stakes I expected.

Finally, there were several places in the story where I saw what I considered to be continuity errors like a character not mentioned in a scene or discussion, but mentioned in a list of suspects to question right after, as if connected to the discussion even though his name never came up. At another time, Shelby knows information that doesn’t actually come up until several chapters later. I know I was reading an early, uncorrected review copy, but usually continuity pieces like that have already been sorted out before the ARC is released. I trust the publisher has addressed these issues in the final copy of the book. Hopefully this is just a quirk of being an early reader.

There are a couple threads started in this book that would make for interesting stories later in the series. I’ll probably give this series another try when a second book is released to see how things develop both in the story and in the writing.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

REVIEW: Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Amy and her choreographer boyfriend, Richard, have been as close as ever. But when he goes away for a weekend to a family event, things get strained. And Amy wonders if their relationship perhaps wasn’t all she thought it was.

When one of Richard’s dance students goes missing that same weekend, the police are very interested to hear Richard’s take on his relationship with the girl. The rumor is that she was seeing an older man. Amy just wants everything to go back to normal.

But that’s not likely. Amy’s ex, Charles, is back in town. He moved into a mountain home with his girlfriend – the woman he was seeing on the side when he was dating Amy. The girlfriend was recently killed in a hit-and-run. While Amy sympathizes for him in the loss, she wants no part of him in her life.

The missing student’s project supervisor, a local folklorist, is convinced some folks in town are up to no good, and she’s determined to expose their secrets unless she gets what she wants. Nothing good can come from that approach.

Review

This was an uneven story for me. And I really enjoyed the first two books in the series. I felt like there were too many story threads at work – especially in the early chapters – for me to have a good hook into the story to propel me forward.

I generally like the characters in this series, but Richard wasn’t very likeable early on. And I didn’t see a lot of reasons for Amy to be so forgiving after the way he treated her. I softened to him a little after reading what his parents were like, though. Ugh.

The mystery felt a little scattered to me, too. There was the missing student right away, but a murder didn’t happen until almost a third of the way through the book. It left me questioning where things were going for a lot longer than I generally prefer at the start of a mystery.

The ending, though, was satisfying. Lots of suspense for the wrap up of the mystery. Then there were several more chapters to wrap up the rest of the story threads – several more in addition to what I included in my summary.

If you already enjoy this series, give this one a whirl and see what you think. You may enjoy the various plot threads woven throughout the book. If you haven’t tried this series before, I’d suggest you go back to book one first and see if the characters and setting are a good fit for you. The character development in the series makes reading the books in order important.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus

REVIEW: Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Twins, Ellery and Ezra, are living in Echo Ridge, Vermont, while their mother is in rehab. While it was their mother’s home town, and their grandmother still lives there, the twins had never been there before.

Twenty-three years earlier, their mother Sadie’s twin sister, Sarah, had gone missing. She was never heard from again, and Sadie left town as soon as she could to try to escape the memories and grief.

Echo Ridge has a tough reputation for dead and missing girls. Five years before Ellery and Ezra arrived, another high school girl, Lacey, was found dead at the local amusement park. While no one was ever arrested, Lacey’s boyfriend was the prime suspect. Declan also left Echo Ridge, but for him it was to avoid the whispers and suspicious looks everywhere he went.

Ellery is a true crime fanatic. While she’s in Echo Ridge, she’d love to piece together what happened to Lacey and whatever happened with her Aunt Sarah. But before she can really get settled in her new home, Ellery and two other girls are targeted by a vandal whose actions indicate that another girl could suffer a similar fate as Lacey and Sarah.

Review

This was a terrific, twisty mystery! I loved the author’s first book, One of Us is Lying. This is just as good – clever, and meticulously plotted. There are several mysteries spanning the entire book – not just the two girls from the past and the current threats. Add to the actual cases Ellery’s many theories of what could have happened, and it feels like there’s a new wrinkle to consider every couple pages. I loved it! I never wanted to set the book down for very long because I had to find out what happened.

The main characters are Ellery, Ezra, Mia and Malcolm. They’re a great core group. Mia and Malcolm have the Echo Ridge background that Ellery and Ezra don’t, and they both have connections to Lacey who died 5 years before. Those connections layer really well on top of the deaths and disappearances.

I am writing this about an hour or so after I finished the book, and the solution keeps rolling around in my head. I can’t shake it. And I had the same reaction to the ending of One of Us Is Lying. Karen McManus is now a must-read author for me. If you love a good, twisty mystery, check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: The Murder Book by Lissa Marie Redmond

BONUS REVIEW: The Murder Book by Lissa Marie Redmond

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Midnight Ink in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book releases on February 8, 2019.]

Summary

Lauren and Reese were wrapping up a long day at the police station where they worked on cold cases. Lauren had a couple things to finish before leaving, but she told Reese he could turn off the light as he left since she’d only be a few more minutes. Her attacker probably thought the dark office meant everyone was gone. Finding Lauren there, with her back to the door, her assailant first stabbed her. Then he stomped on her head and left her for dead bleeding on the floor, taking the Murder Book from the office. Before passing out, Lauren noticed the guy was dressed like a cop.

Thankfully, Reese came back to the office and found Lauren and got her the help she needed. While she recovered, they worked on who would have attacked her. Why did the attacker take the Murder Book, a hard copy binder of the department’s cold cases? Why had he been trying to get into the records room? What would have scared someone into making a move like that – attacking a police officer in the police station – over a cold case? And why would a cop be involved at all?

Review

This is book 2 in this suspense series, but this was the first book I had read with these characters. There are many references to the events of book one, but I had no trouble following things without having read it.

The “mystery” in the story was fascinating. I loved how they were able to piece things together and then execute a plan to catch the culprits. I felt this was more of a suspense story than a straight up mystery as they had the who and the why figured out at least half way through the book.

This is a grittier story than the mysteries I usually read – more language and bloody descriptions/violence than a cozy mystery. There’s a little more distance with the characters than in a cozy, too. The characters were interesting, but there weren’t any except maybe the dog whom I especially liked.

If you like a darker mystery, one with police officers instead of amateur sleuths, and city settings rather than quaint towns, check this series out. I would start with book one as there are some characters who carry over and who may be players in a future book.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Playing Catch Up!

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Playing Catch Up!

Posted on by Jaymie

When I got to the end of 2018 and started looking ahead to the books I had read but hadn’t reviewed as well as the new books I wanted to read, I felt overwhelmed. I realized I have some reviews prepared that I am never going to get to. So, today I’m going to do a quick review of some of these books so I can feel caught up once again. So, here are some of the books I read in 2018 (and one from this January), but didn’t get to review until now.

Crunch the Shy Dinosaur – An adorable picture book where the dinosaur “reacts” to the reader. Simple text and a lot of fun. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

 

 

 

The Dinosaur Expert – I love this whole series of books about a teacher, Mr. Tiffin, and his class. In this book, one of the girls is a dinosaur expert, but one of the boys laughs and questions if girls can even be paleontologists. Kimmy’s reaction to the comment is immediate withdrawal, but Mr. Tiffin, in his firm but quiet way, saves the day. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

 

 

Princess Pulverizer: Grilled Cheese and Dragons – Princess Serena is nothing like her name, and she’d rather be training with the knights than the princesses. The King assigns her eight acts of service to complete before she can go to knight school. I didn’t find this one as funny as the author’s Magic Bone series, and Serena was a little abrasive for me in this first book, but I’m eager to see how she develops as she completes her Quest for Kindness. Rating: ♥♥♥

 

 

Monsters Beware! – The third graphic novel in the Chronicles of Claudette series about Claudette as she seeks out adventure and monsters and her friends just try to survive their encounters. I got a kick out of all of the books in this series. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

Mr. Gedrick and Me – A family suffering through grief is in desperate need of some intervention. Stanley fills out a web ad for a nanny, and his family gets more than they bargained for – and exactly what they need.  This was absolutely delightful! I adored Stanley. This Mary Poppins-esque story is just light enough for a middle grade audience (3rd to 5th grade) while still introducing the topic of grief. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

Crime Rib – Book 2 in the Food Lovers’ Village mystery series. A TV show is in town for the Annual Summer Food and Art Fair including the main event, a Grill Off. But the festivities take a dark turn after a hit-and-run and then a murder. I love the setting for this series and the characters. It’s been awhile since I read the first one, but I fell right back into things easily.  This is a series I want to stick with in 2019. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

Elementary, She Read – Book one in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. Gemma runs the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in West London Cape Cod, and her best friend runs Mrs. Hudson’s Team Room next door. When a woman stashes something in the bookshop during a busy day and then dies, Gemma is on the case. I really enjoyed this one – Gemma is like Sherlock with a eidetic memory, which is handy for a sleuth but can be annoying in other settings. After reading two of these in a row, I did need a Gemma break. She can be a little abrasive, not unlike Sherlock. But the mysteries have been great fun, and I know I will get back to this series. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

Snowspelled – I requested this book from the library as the author is a “friend” of mine on Goodreads, and we enjoy similar books. I loved this alternate fantasy world full of magic, but even more I loved the political shifts. In this world, the women are the politicians and decision makers and the men have magic. Add to that a strong main character who once had magic (a shake up in her culture) and then lost it, and an elf looking for trouble, and I was hooked. Frankly, the mystery/elf portion of the story was the weakest part for me, but the characters and the world and the relationships sucked me in completely. Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 

 

Spellswept – After Snowspelled, I read the prequel, Spellswept, and it was even better! This story focuses on the sister-in-law from the first book who is dealing with the fall out of her attachment to this “unnatural” family. This book tells that story, and it was excellent! Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

 

Split Second – Book 1 in the King and Maxwell series. My husband and I watched – and enjoyed – the short-lived TV show based on this book series, so when he challenged me to read the first book, I was looking forward to it.  This is longer than a lot of the books I read, but that just meant there was time for a TON of twists and turns in this mystery. I really enjoyed the characters, so I will be coming back to this series, too. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

 

 

Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden’s Syndrome – This reads like a non-fiction book – and it is stellar. I had to keep reminding myself that this is “nonfiction” backstory on a FICTIONAL series. I have already enjoyed the two books in the series – Lock In and Head On (4.5 stars – so good!); I didn’t need this backstory to understand and enjoy the world Scalzi developed for the series. But I’m so glad I have that backstory. It really added some things to the experience. And it made me want to re-read the books again. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

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: ♥♥♥♥