Speak No Evil Detective Sebastian Clifford #2 Sally Rigby

A young girl is left in the square of Market Harborough with a sign around her neck, "Speak No Evil." A year later, she has been living with Birdie's (Detective Constable Lucinda Bird) aunt. There had been no evidence as to where the little girl, called Lacey, had come from or why she had been left there. But Lacey, on a trip to get ice cream, is suddenly terrified. Birdie decides to reach out to Sebastian for help. 

What they uncover is a story that is just plain weird. It involves a brother and sister who are living off the grid and their relationship is... odd. But is everything as it appears on the surface?

Three stars
This book came out July 14, 2021

Clifford#2

Follows Web of Lies

Followed by Never Too Late

Audible book I own

Opinions are my own

Murder Is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens

I had wanted to read this book since it was in a Goodreads giveaway but it took me awhile to get a copy. And I have to say I am a little disappointed as I found Daisy quite annoying. I'm not sure how other readers will feel but she was a know-it-all and didn't listen to Hazel. We do get some back story in that, not only is Daisy the daughter of a peer, but she is used to being the smartest person in the room. Hazel seems to be the only person who has figured that out though as Daisy tends to pretend that she is vapid and vane. 

I did like that there were a lot of slang words thrown in and we learned a bit of history along with the girls.

Before Hazel even stumbles over the body of one of the teachers, the two girls have the detective club. Most of it seems to be devoted to digging up gossip. But one of their teachers IS dead and no one seems to notice or to believe them.

Three stars

This book came out June 5, 2014

Wells and Wong #1

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Marriage & Masti by Nisha Sharma

Two of Veera Mathur's best friends have married two of Deepak Datta's best friends. And they've been hanging out. Quite a bit. Which is why it's a shock that he's going to be marrying someone else. Someone she didn't even know he was dating. Oh, and their father's are merging their companies. And Veera's unceremoniously out of a job. Plus, her two best friends are married women which means they are part of a community that Veera can't be a part of. What is she supposed to do? Well, she can take off and travel the world with her twin sister for eight months getting ready to build their business. She doesn't expect to end up in a yachtwreck. But that's where the book opens. With both of their purses at the bottom of the sea, Veera only has one option for who can help. 

Deepak is ecstatic to have something to do. His influencer fiancée just broke up with him via TikTok. Why not fly to India?  At least he can catch up with his best friend. And why not get drunk and then demonstrate a marriage ceremony for an elderly couple renewing their vows? Except that the ceremony is real. Even if they're not legally married, Deepak is strangely reluctant to do anything to rectify the situation. Even though Veera keeps calling it a fake marriage, Deepak, while fully realizing this might help him in his bid to become CEO of their parents' company, is actually just as happy to stay married. 

Of the three books in this series, this was my favorite. I was disappointed that we didn't get more with Veera's father but I really did enjoy this story. I think because Deepak and Veera had such a good relationship when the story opens. Also, Deepak is fairly certain from the beginning that this his end game is going to be Veera.

Four and a half stars

If Shakespeare Was an Auntie #3

Follows Tastes Like Shakkar

This book comes out August 27, 2024

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley, and Avon and Harper Voyager

Opinions are my own

Web of Lies by Sally Rigby

Sebastian Clifford is a former police detective and the second son of a viscount. When his cousin's husband, Donald, dies, it appears to be suicide. After all, Donald had been running a Ponzi scheme that was discovered. But Donald's wife, Sarah, isn't so sure. There are some inconsistencies in his supposed suicide note.

As he explores Donald's death, it seems, at first, as straightforward as the police believe. But, as Clifford digs deeper, there is more to it than it first appears. And it may be that Clifford is in mortal danger.

Thank goodness he took on Lucinda "Birdie"Bird, a DC in Market Harborough. She's young and a bit scattered but she strongarms Sebastian into letting her help.

Three and a half stars

This book came out May 7, 2021

Detective Sebastian Clifford #1

Followed by Speak No Evil

Audiobook of mine from Audible

Opinons are my own

A Dreadful Splendor by B.R. Myers

Genevieve Timmons is trying to make a living by faking seances. Until the day that one is invaded and Genevieve is arrested. She's certain she's not going to die by hanging like the constable threatens because a fortune teller long ago told her she would die by drowning. And it turns out to be true. She is taken out of jail by Mr. Lockhart. He is a lawyer for Lord Chadwick (most often referred to as Mr. Pemberton by our narrator). Mr. Pemberton's fiancée died under suspicious circumstances the night before their wedding. Mr. Lockhart believes that a seance will help the house with some healing. So Genevieve goes with him to Somerset House. Also in the house are the obligatory housekeeper with an iron heart as well as a former ward of the previous lord, some assorted servants (including Flora who Genevieve befriends), and the new lord's best friend. 

This was a good book until the very end when it went off the rails a bit. Just a little too much for me. But overall, an enjoyable read.

Three and a half stars

This book came out August 23, 2022

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates

Adrienne is down to her last twenty dollars when she arrives at Ashburn House. She doesn't remember much about her Aunt Eleanor and she's not sure why the house was left to her. What she does have is hazy memories of fleeing the house in the arms of her mother when Adrienne was young. 

But, her mother is now dead and Adrienne is in reduced circumstances so a free place to stay is a godsend. But the house is eerie. Set apart from the rest of the village and old, Adrienne is trepidatious about staying in this place. Especially when she realizes there are no mirrors. And there are words etched into tables, walls, and even her aunt's headboard that, without a context, are confusing.

I really enjoyed this book which was odd because I'm not much for thrillers but this one was a really fast read and I was almost halfway through when I realized this wasn't a straight-up mystery.

Four stars
This book came out July 20, 2016

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Dark Light by Jayne Castle

Sierra McIntyre is an investigative reporter for a tabloid newspaper. In the beginning of the fifth book set in Castle's futuristic/sci-fi Harmony, she is sitting in the office of the local Guild boss, trying to get to the heart of some mysterious disappearances of some former hunters. When the boss, John Fontana, unexpectedly proposes a Marriage of Convenience (two people can dissolve a marriage immediately unless there are children, in which case, the people involved are immediately entered into a Covenant Marriage), Sierra is surprised but agrees to go along for the sake of getting her story.

The two are immediately attracted to each other but need to take some time during the marriage to figure out exactly what the other person is about. Luckily for them, they have some added distractions of finding the lost Hunters, being chased by a Motorcycle Gang and dealing with some near death experiences.

Three and a half stars

This book came out

Ghost Hunters #5

Follows Silver Master

Followed by Obsidian Prey

Hard copy of my own

Opinions are my own