A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari

Saffron Everleigh is a researcher at the University College of London. She is trying to navigate through a world changed by WWI and one that is not generally open to young ladies. This includes navigating overtures and gossip. What it doesn't normally contain is attempted murder.

With the rest of the faculty in her department, Saffron is invited to a dinner party. She is not worried about how to behave (there are some allusions to wealthy grandparents) but she is worried about encountering the department head who tried to attack her. Everyone is gathered to talk about a new expedition that will be taking place shortly. That doesn't mean there isn't some intrigue as various people melt out to balconys or find places for a rendezvous. Saffron almost finds herself in a sticky situation when she accidentally meets Alexander Ashton, a researcher she just met, in a darkened hallway. They are almost discovered by Mrs. Henry: her husband is leading the expedition and she is the person who is poisoned later in the evening. 

Saffron probably wouldn't have gotten involved but the police have arrested her mentor and father figure Dr. Maxwell. She decides to mount an investigation of her own that may or may not end up putting her in a precarious situation. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out June 7, 2022

Followed by A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan

Three friends have had a book club since their college days. Now (cough) somewhat older, all three are finding themselves at a crossroads. Erica has just discovered something about the father who deserted her when she was just days old; Claudia has lost her job and her boyfriend; Anna's twins are about to leave home and she's not sure what she's going to do with them gone. The three decide that they are going to have their book club anyway 

Hattie, the owner of the hotel is also at something of a crossroads. Her husband, the one who was the driving force behind the Maple Sugar Inn, died two years ago. Now, she's just trying to keep up with extravagant customer requests, her temperamental head chef, and the housekeeper who treats her as though Hattie is an idiot. Someone who doesn't treat her like an idiot? Her next-door neighbor. The one who kissed her at Halloween. Could there be something there? Should she even try?

A lot comes out this Christmas season, some of it surprising, but all of it leaving these ladies in a better spot than they were when they arrived at the inn.

Four stars

This book comes out September 19, 2023

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

The Big Kahuna by Peter Evanovich, Janet Evanovich

Nick and Kate have a new partner, by-the-book Cosmo. He's meant to slow down their reign of destruction (starting with blowing up a Ferrari in a four-star hotsl) while not limiting their streak of closing cases. But Kate and Nick dont quite see it that way. There are two dead billionaires and another, Big Kahuna, who has recently gone missing. They need to figure out whether the Kahuna is really dead and who done the deed if he is.

Like other books.in the series, long on action, short on plot. But, if you've enjoyed the other books, this one will hit the spot as well.

Four stars

This book came out May 7, 2019

Follows The Pursuit

Followed by The Bounty

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala

Auntie Aprils niece, Divina, has come to visit but there is something strange going on. Divina is close lipped about parts of her life and April is not trying to hook her up with Marcus (Mae's younger son) which she tries to do with any woman that's available. That includes Teresa, a young woman from the auntie's church who comes to help clean when their new laundromat is vandalized. Everything escalates when Divina is found dead and then one of the aunties is attacked.

This book has Lila being a little more forward and more off the mark than I remember from other books but still an enjoyable read. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out September 19, 2023

Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #4

Follows Blackmail and Bibingka

Followed by Guilt and Ginataan

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Life in Five Senses by Gretchen Rubin

If you are used to listening to Rubin's podcast, listening to her in a longer format is rather odd. A lot of the ideas in this book are discussed on her show. She talks about how she spent time exploring each of her five senses. Is any of it groundbreaking? Maybe not. But it is grounding and a good reminder that we all need to remember not to neglect any of our senses. Instead, we should remember each of these senses and to care for them as well. We can use our senses to indulge in healthy ways. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out April 18, 2023

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

A Tempest at Sea Lady Sherlock by Sherry Thomas

Charlotte Holmes is dead. At least that's where she was presumed to be at the end of the last book. Now, she has the chance to come back under the protection of Lord Remington (not a fail safe but no small measure) if she can help him find a missing dossier. It has been some time but she has hopes that she will be able to get some information from a governess, Frau Schmidt, who will be sailing on the Provence. Coincidentally, Charlotte's sister Livia will be on board as will Charlotte's lover, Lord Ingram and his two children. Also boarding the ship are an old adversary of Charlotte's, Inspector Brighton, and the man who made such a massive failure of Charlotte's attempt to ruin herself, Roger Shrewsbury. 

Shrewsbury once again marks himself inept as he makes an unpleasant remark about a young woman boarding the boat with her brother. Her brother, a wealthy man, takes exception to the remark and punches Shrewsbury. So the trip is off to an interesting start. It gets more interesting when the brother is murdered and Inspector Brighton is asked to look into the mystery. Is he actually solving the crime or is he trying to suss out more information about Holmes?
The mystery is not exactly linear as beats of the story are interspersed with more information about what actually happened the night of the crime. I think regular readers will enjoy the story but there is a lot of information that gets tacked on, especially at the end, that has no bearing on this story.

Lady Sherlock #7

Four stars

This book came out March 14, 2023

Follows Miss Moriarty, I Presume?

Followed by A Ruse of Shadows
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own

The Pursuit by Janet Evanovich, Lee Goldberg

Nick wakes up from a drug induced nap to find that not only is he in a life-like mock-up of a bank, he's no longer in America. He has been kidnapped in order to help the Road Runners, normally a smash-and-grab crew, to make a big heist.

Kate realizes that he's gone and is able to follow but soon finds herself embroiled in a plot to take down a sociopath, Dragan Kovic. She is set up to be Nick's bodyguard.

Once again, her father and his cohort, as well as many of the crew from earlier Fox and O'Hare books make an appearance. It's a fast and easy read.

Four stars
This book came out June 21, 2016

Follows The Scam

Followed by The Big Kahuna

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own