The Cruise Club by Caroline James

Carmen decides to take a chance. She's a writer who is currently blocked. She's also brow-beaten by her mother. But a flier for a cruise gives her a chance at getting out of her humdrum life and meeting her own favorite author, Ruskin Reeves. Her mother finds out and immediately books the cabin next door. Luckily for Carmen though, she meets a group of peope on board (all of whom we get to know through third person omniscence) who help her grow out of her shell. 
I generally enjoyed the book but some of it was a bit more than my suspension of disbelief could bear. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out on July 3, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Avon Books UK and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Puzzle of Parham House by Benedict Brown

Christopher's normally imperturbable mother is... perturbed. A letter from an old friend has come asking for help. Not from Christopher or his grandfather, but from his mother. We've seen in previous books that she is no slouch when it comes to solving mysteries. But it wouldn't be a Lord Edgington book without the man himself. He invites himself along. And brings his servants. And Delilah. Christopher had already offered to help as well. So the whole troupe moves over to an estate not actually that far away. 

It's there that Alicia Pearson and her husband are restoring a Jacobean house. There are strange things happening though like small objects being moved around. It's hard to tell who it might be between all of the workers and the archaeologists. 

It will be up to Christopher to push, prod, and cajole his grandfather into solving the mystery. Until now, we've seen Lord Edgington as an immutable force, almost all knowing. This book brings him, quite suddenly, back to the land of the humans. 

Three and a half  stars

Lord Edgington Investigates #13

This book came out April 21, 2024

Follows The Christmas Bell Mystery

Followed by Death at Silent Pool

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Death of a Hollow Man by Caroline Graham with John Hopkins (Narrator)

Death comes to Chief Inspector Barnaby's own backyard when a very public murder occurs on the stage of the  Causton Amateur Dramatic Society's version of Amadeus. In this case, Barnaby knows the players. His wife is part of the company and he has spent time with all of the actors when he's helped out painting scenery. 

I love books that have strong character development and this one sure does. The murder doesn't even happen until well into the book and isn't the person that you might normally expect.

Four stars

Chief Inspector Barnaby #2

This book came out 

Follows Killings at Badger's Drift

Followed by Death in Disguise

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own

Fudge Frosting Murder by Daniel Carson

Delaney is the owner of the Baking School Bakery, which is just what it sounds like. It sounds like this may be a spin-off of another series because she refers often to helping Honey solve a murder and the sherriff actually asks for her help when a man is murdered in town. 

Since there are a lot of characters, there are a lot of suspects, including a man Delaney can't even believe it of, to the point that she saves information that she doesn't share ewith the sherriff. 

There are.... a lot of characters. I stopped writing names down after 8. And there is a lot of exposition when each character is introduced. 

Three stars

This book came out October 12, 2023

Baking School Mystery #1 

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Isabelle Deavor was killed some months ago, ostensibly by a burglar. She was not supposed to be home that evening and the police were sure she wasn’t the target. This case has been reopened after Sara Bernhardt, the famous actress, got a blackmail note basically accusing her of the murder. She wants the case reopened and that task has fallen to Inspector Cadieux. He, in turn, has come to his friends George and Frances. They are not police so they can turn over stones and go places the inspector would not be able to.

While working through this mystery, we get to see more of Frances's mother and her mellowing. There is also a look into the reasons why women of that age would be married and the reasons that marriage were so very fraught. 

Four stars

Countess of Harleigh #8

Follows An Art Lovers Guide to Paris and Murder

Followed by A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder

This book comes out June 24, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Kensington and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Spirit Moves by Carol J. Perry

Maureen Doherty is trying to find a reason to get tourists to Haven (and thus to her inn). She thinks she might have found a perfect hook. Now she just has to solve that pesky murder so people might actually come. 

Aster Paterson, the bookshop owner, is the one who finds the body of the dead "how to" writer. While nobody is really sad that Terry's gone, they're sort of shocked he's been murdered. And there are even more surprises when Aster's dead husband, Peter, starts appearing around town. 

Of course, Maureen knows from ghosts but none of her dead friends seem to know anything about Peter so she's on guard. As if her life isn't complicated enought with her boyfriend Theo making it very obvious that he's about to propose.

This book didn't come together for me quite as well as previous books in the series. It was a fun romp but didn't feel as tightly written. 

Three stars

This book comes out June 25, 2024

Haunted Haven #4

Follows Haunting License

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Killings at Badger's Drift by Caroline Graham with John Hopkins (narrator)

Chief Inspector Barnaby is called in when a woman in her eighties believes that her lifelong friend has been murdered. The local coroner believes she died of natural circumstances but her friend doesn't believe it for a moment. When Barnaby goes to look, he finds some clues that concern him as well. This one request draws both the Chief Inspector and his sargeant, Troy, into village life which is richer and much more disturbing that people might otherwise assume. 

I love the television series and am impressed with how well they stuck to the general story of the book but being able to adapt it for another medium, one that ended up being much longer than the original eight books. 

Four stars

This book came out November 5, 1987

Chief Inspector Barnaby #1

Followed by Death of a Hollow Man

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own