Death on a Summer’s Day by Benedict Brown

Christopher and his grandfather are heading to the south of England for a visit to the seashore. They are taking a larger than usual number of servants with them. Included in the group? Alice, Christopher's great crush. Also included? Her new husband. 

On the way down, they meet with one of Grandfather's old friends, a professor. The professor mentions an invitation that Grandfather has sent to their childhood group. The six friends used to gather during the summer at Chandross Groves. Each had a nickname: Grandfather (Reprobus, an early christian known for his size and strength); the professor (Sampson); Elody (Lala - for melody); Philomena (Mimi); and Morwena Fairbright (Star). During one of the summers, Star died. Grandfather cites this as the reason he became a policeman. 

It is this old mystery that Grandfather would like Christopher to help solve. And it's nice because we do get to see Christopher start to grow as a detective in this story.

Four stars

This book came out July 31, 2021

Follows A Body at a Boarding School

Followed by The Mystery of Mistletoe Hall

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Unlikeable Demon Hunter by Deborah Wilde

The book opens with Nava stumbling home after a drunken night of revelry. She accidentally interrupts a ceremony that is meant to initiate her twin brother, one of the Chosen Ones, into the realm of demon hunters. Too bad she gets all the skills instead. Now she's working with a group of men that have only ever been a team of men (since time immemorial) and trying to figure out what to do with herself now that she has some direction.

I had heard about this book from the Smart Podcast, Trashy Books. They made the book sound fun and I guess it was but it was not a series that I think I want to continue. I wanted to see more growth from Nava and just didn't get it.

Three stars

This book came out April 18, 2017

Followed by The Unlikeable Demon Hunter: Sting

Ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

I'm No Philosopher, But I Got Thoughts by Kristin Chenoweth

I love listening to biographies when they are read by their authors. This book is not very in depth but skims over a lot of Chenowith's life with additions of various meditations or prayers that you can use in your own everyday life. 

We do get to learn a little bit about Chenowith's life including the fact that she was adopted and a touch about her relationship and her husband, Josh. She touches lightly on various Broadway and TV shows that she was in though nothing goes into great depth.

Four stars
This book came out January 17, 2023

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Murder at a London Finishing School by Jessica Ellicott

Edwina and Beryl are just getting to settle in and enjoy some down time when a letter comes from their very own finishing school. There have been some mysterious noises and thefts that are causing an already stressed school to lose even more students. Their former headmistress, Miss Dupont, needs help. And they are startled to realize they recognize even more face including a former student who is now a teacher. Also there? The school bully whose younger daughter is about to enter the school. 

Too bad said bully doesn't seem to have improved with age. In fact, she seems to be wielding an even bigger stick. Or at least trying to. So is it any surprise that she's the person who ends up dead? And, of course, leaving behind any number of people who are happy to see her go. 

The ending of this one was rather surprising to me because I remember the other Ellicott books being rather fairly clued but this comes basically out of nowhere. It was fine, just unexpected. 

Beryl and Edwina Mystery #7
Four stars

This book come out July 25, 2023
Follows Murder through the English Post
Followed by 

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Mystery in the Highlands by Lydia Travers

I had not read the other two books in this series and I do feel like I missed out some by not having read them. This was an interesting twist on a familiar wealthy lady and her servant solving mysteries in that Maud and Daisy are actually partners in the detective firm. For this case, they are heading up to visit Daisy's cousin. The members of her local choir have been dying and she's worried they're not all accidental. 

Maud and Daisy join the choir to help round out the numbers so they can still compete in the best choir in Wales. Also joining? Lord Urquhart. It seems that he and Maud have a past that she is not anxious to revisit. When sinister poems start showing up outlining sinister prognostications for more people  from the choir, Maud and Daisy will have to put their heads together to try and prevent more deaths. 

I think this is a series that is better read from the beginning. 

Three stars

This book comes July 26, 2023

Follows Murder in the Scottish Hills

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Bookouture

Opinions are my own

Downward Death by Stella Bixby

I grabbed this book as a part of the Romance Bookworms highlighting various free books. I don't love the cover but it was actually a pretty fun book. 

Told in the first person, we learn about Elle Vanderwick. She doesn't know much about her family but she is ecstatic to learn about her grandmother. Too bad she died right before Elle gets into town. It seems that she might have been able to tell Elle a bit more about herself, including who her father was and why her hair changes with her emotions. She also might have been able to tell Elle more about the man who is dead in her cornfield.

This book follows some familiar beats but I enjoyed the way Bixby subverted the usual love triangle between Elle's ex and the handsome man who used to help her grandmother around the house.

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 19, 2021

Followed by Bowling Blunder

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano

At the end of the last book, Finlay and Vero found themselves in the sights of Feliks Zhirov, Russian mob boss. He wants her to find out who the killer is that goes by the name EasyClean. All she wants to do is clean up her eating habits, stop having bodies in her minivan, and avoid all men. This addition to her list is not helpful. Especially since she and Vero find themselves in the police academy. And who is one of the trainers? Nick? Oh yea. But also there is EasyClean as well as Finlay's noisy neighbor.

How are they ever going to get through this one?
Very funny, just like the other books. The Nick/Finlay relationship is a little drawn out and something needs to happen soon but otherwise an enjoyable read.

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 31, 2023

Follows Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead

Followed by Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own