Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick

How nice to get a Quick novel along the lines of what she wrote before the Arcane series. I love the books but it's nice to get a palate cleanser. It's not exactly like Quick's previous books (lots of modern ideals inserted: solar power, condoms, criminal profiling) but I really did enjoy this book.

Miss Amity Doncaster suffered a heartbreak at age nineteen. She took her pain and became a world traveler, selling articles about her experiences. Her book is just about to come out. If her recent scandals don't scare off her publisher, that is.

On her last adventure before returning to London, Amity stumbles across a man who has been left for dead. Benedict Stanbridge feels incredibly lucky to have encountered a female who is not only not flighty, she is pragmatic enough to get him back to his ship. And even has the skills (learned from her doctor father) to help nurse him back to health. The more he spends time with her, the more interested he becomes. But when they get to New York, he is not going on to London but rather to California.

A month later, there are rumors circulating about just what the two of them got up to while on board. And to make matters worse, she's been kidnapped by the crazed serial murderer dubbed the Bridegroom by the press. Luckily, she has her steel-tipped fan and can get herself away but the story just makes her even more notorious. And of course, just as the story is reaching it's height, Benedict decides to show up. After not sending word for over a month. 

They will have to work together, and with others like Amity's sister and an inspector from Scotland Yard in order to stop not only a crazed madman but also some diabolical Russian spies.

The group melds together rather quickly, the ending does drag on a bit, and there are rather a lot of people to keep track of, but I really enjoyed this story and hope to get more from AQ.

Three stars
This book came out April 22, 2014

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen

Francis X. Kingsbury just wants his "Amazing Kingdom of Thrills" to make as much money as that other theme park in Florida. His PR man, Joe Winder is skeptical of how they are trying to do that, including advertising that the park is advertising that they will be saving the blue-tongued mango voles. Or they would be, if someone hadn't stolen the last mating pair. 

Well, it was two some ones and they immediately lost the little voles. Or threw one out the van window. But who knew it would be at the behest of a little old lady? Yes, she's the leader of a local wildlife group. But who knew she'd shoot both of them?

This book brings the trademark Hiaasen crazy that blends a bit of ecoterrorism. This includes the beloved former governor, Skink.

Three stars

Skink #2

This book came out in 1991

Follows Double Whammy

Followed by Stormy Weather

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Cards on the Table Agatha Christie

Mr. Shaitana is well-known. He looks like Mephistopheles and often dresses like the devil at his much attended parties. But when he invites Hercule Poirot for dinner, there are only seven other people. According to Shaitana, there will be some murderers there. And that turns out to be true enough when Mr. Shaitana is the one to die. 

Then, the four detectives, and one of the suspects, are on the case. It is perhaps, the first story where Ariadne Oliver and Hercule Poirot meet along with Colonel Race and Superintendent Battle from other series. Of the suspects, one is an unassuming young woman, one is an older woman obsessed with Bridge, one is a dentist, and one is an adventurer. All do have some suspicious deaths connected to their pasts but some are definitely more guilty than others.

Four stars

This book came out November 2, 1936

Hercule Poirot #15 

Follows Murder in Mesopotamia

Followed by Murder in the Mews

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen

R. J. Decker is a photographer hired to figure out the cheating in the major bass tournaments in the South. In his quest, he gets beat up, meets Skink (a major character in five of Hiaasen's books) and reunites with the ex-wife with whom he is still in love.
This book is a wild ride but fun to read while still having a moral. 

Three stars

Skink #1
This book came out March 1, 2005

Followed by Native Tongue

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

May 2024 Rereads

As always, opinions are my own

The Escape by Mary Balogh

Four stars

This book came out July 1, 2014

Survivors' Club #3

Follows The Arrangement
Followed by Only Enchanting

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Only Enchanting by Mary Balogh

This book came out October 28, 2014

Survivors' Club #4

Follows The Escape

Followed by Only a Promise

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Only a Promise by Mary Balogh

Four and a half stars

This book came out June 9, 2015

Survivors' Club #5

Follows Only Enchanting

Followed by Only a Kiss

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

When Stars Collide by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Three stars
This book comes out June 29th, 2021

Chicago Stars #9
Follows First Star I See

Followed by Simply the Best

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Hot Zone by Jayne Castle

This book came out August 26th, 2014

Rain Shadow #3, Ghosthunters #11

Follows Deception Cove

Followed by Siren's Call

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Guild Boss by Jayne Castle

Three and a half stars

This book comes out November 16th, 2021

Ghost Hunters #14

Follows Illusion Town

Followed by Sweetwater and the Witch

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Sweetwater& the Witch

Three and a half stars

This book come out September 20, 2022

Ghost Hunters #15

Follows Guild Boss

Followed by People in Glass Houses

Howl for It by Shelly Laurenston; Cynthia Eden

Four stars
This book comes out January 30, 2018

Pride #0.5

Wilde in Love by Eloisa James

Three stars

Wildes of Lindow Castle #1

Follows My Last Duchess

Followed by Too Wilde to Wed
This book came out October 31, 2017

Hard copy of mine

Too Wilde to Wed by Eloisa James

Four stars

Wildes of Lindow Castle #2

Follows Wilde in Love

Followed by Born to be Wilde
This book came out May 29, 2018
ebook on my Kindle

Born to Be Wilde by Eloisa James

Three and a half stars
Wildes of Lindow Castle #3

This book comes out July 31
Hard copy borrowed from library
Follows Too Wilde to Wed
Followed by Say No to the Duke

Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen

I've actually read this book before but hearing it just emphasizes the craziness that is involved. Keyes is a private detective, former newspaperman, whose old co-worker and ex-girlfriend have set off a chain of events, including many murders, that are designed to get the tourists and other interlopers out of Florida. It's a great story which makes no sense but it's certainly a fun ride.

Three and a half stars
This book came out in 1986

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own
 

Murder and a Christmas Gift by Sonia Parin

It's Christmas and the young Earl of Woodridge is back at Halton House. Evie wants to make his holiday special but can she top Tom's gift of a pony? Maybe, with his family's Christmas decorations. So Evie and Tom are off to find them. But, they get caught in a dense fog and are forced to take shelter in a nearby manor house. That normally wouldn't be an issue but someone in the village died recently and the people decide to hold a seance that seems... odd. Could it be that the man was murdered? Why? 

This was a quick read. Mostly about the mystery but an odd number of other little side stories for such a short book.

Three stars

Evie Parker Mystery #7

This book came out December 25, 2019

Follows Murder in the Third Act

Followed by Murder at the Fashion House