Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper

Leaving Thistle Grove was hard but for the current scion of the Harlow family, Emmy, returning is even harder. She left after a painful breakup with another witch, Gareth Blackmoore. She's finally back in town and learns that Gareth has cut quite the swath through town, seducing two of her friends. Well, one is her best friend and one is about to be something more... But can she get back at her ex and also fall in love? Yes, yes she can.

This is an interesting world that Harper built but the ending was a little too much wrapped up in Emmy's ego for me to really enjoy the book. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

Four stars

This book came out October 5, 2021

Followed by From Bad to Cursed

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers

What happens when a doctor suspects murder but has no way to prove it? If he's overheard by Lord Peter Wimsey and his friend Charles Parker, police detective extraordinaire, he might have a chance.  A doctor believes that a niece has killed her aunt but can't prove it. The local village rallies around her and he is forced to leave town. But he still believes that the death was not accidental. Lord Peter helps him prove that the niece is not as innocent as she appears to be but not before a couple more murders.

Love, love, love Ian Carmichael as the narrator. He is simply amazing.

Four stars

Lord Peter Wimsey #3

This book came out in 1927

Follows Clouds of Witness

Followed by Lord Peter Views the Body

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

February Rereads

Everything's Coming up Rosie by Kasey Michaels

Four stars

This book came out September 1, 2006

Opinions are my own

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

Hidden Legacy #1

Followed by White Hot
Audiobook from Overdrive
This book came out October 28th, 2014
Opinions are my own

White Hot by Ilona Andrews

Hidden Legacy #2

Follows Burn for Me
Followed by Wildfire
Audiobook from Libby
This book came out October 28th, 2014
Opinions are my own

Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews

Hidden Legacy #3.5
Four stars
Followed by Sapphire Flames
This novella came out November 6th, 2018
Audiobook from Libby

Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews

Hidden Legacy #4
This book came out August 27th, 2019

Four stars
Followed by Emerald Blaze
Audiobook from Libby

Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews

Hidden Legacy #5

This book came out August 25, 2020
Follows Sapphire Flames

Followed by Ruby Fever

Audiobook from Libby

The Chapel in the Woods by Dolores Gordon-Smith

Jack Haldean, detective story writer, returns in a new mystery that brings a little murder close to home, at least, his cousin's small village. A very rich Canadian and his wife have just bought Birchen Bower. The property has a very interesting history with a family that was descended from pirates. There are also stories about jaguars and ghosts that haunt the area. But the Jagos bring bad luck of their own with stories of Mr. Tom Jago's secretary, Derek Martin (a local boy), running off with twenty thousand dollars worth of diamonds.  

However, they stick around for a bit, even enjoying the village fete. It's just too bad that a body turns up in the chapel on their property. And then there's another.  And another. All appear to have been clawed by a big cat. It will be up to the local constable and Inspector Edward Ashley, with some help from Jack, to figure out what exactly is going on.

Four stars

This book comes out March 1, 2022

Follows Forgotten Murder

ARC provided by Severn House and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers

Lord Peter Wimsey's brother, Gerald, the Duke of Denver, is in a bit of a pickle. He's been arrested for the murder of his sister's fiance. And, while he says he has a witness, he refuses to say who it was that he was with. Now, he's going to trial but the court of public opinion is already swinging against him. Sister Mary isn't saying what she knows, their mother is wildly amused, and Gerald's wife is coldly shutting down. 

Peter will nearly lose his life twice in this book, once in a bog and once on a transatlantic flight but he is able to come through in the end.

Four stars

This book came out in 1926

Follows Whose Body?
Followed by Unnatural Death
Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

It's a simple error that has Robin Blyth in the office when Edwin Courcey comes in. Edwin is confused - where's Reggie? It's this confusion that throws him off enough that he accidentally reveals to Robin the secret magical society that liases with the English government. Robin takes it all in rather easily which shocks Edwin even more. Edwin decides not to wipe Robin's memory and they are suddenly working together to figure out where Reggie went and why a mysterious man has hexed Robin. Along the way, the two fall in love.

I had heard a number of podcasts praising this book and I wonder if I would have liked this book more if I had read it instead of listening to it. There were parts that lagged that were emphasized by the audio narration but the world building was really fun. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out November 2, 2021

Followed by A Restless Truth

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Jesse Pleasant has had to keep the family together and just wants something for himself. Maybe a run for office would be the way to go. But he interrupts his grandmother with her latest boyfriend and throws a fit. The man's daughter is not best pleased and holds nothing back in letting Jesse know. But somehow he's charmed Lily-Grace Leroux. It was worth reading the whole thing but, good lord, the editing. I'm not sure what happened but the spelling and grammar errors kept pulling me out of enjoying the story.

Three stars

This book came out 

Follows If the Boot Fits

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own