Arsenic and Old Lies by Benedict Brown

The last book was left on a cliffhanger. Marius and Bella he just returned from solving another crime and Marius had discovered the body of someone Bella loved in his living room. Now, he has to figure out what to do next. And that is to apparently ignore the body completely (an amatuer detective who follows police orders? I'm not sure how to process this.) In fact, this particular murder isn't really touched on again until the end of the story. 

Instead, Marious, needing inspiration to get around his writer's block, decides to investigate a cold case. In particular, he chooses the case of Felicity Mortimer who was accused of poisoning her much older, infirm husband. The case interests him because the evidence seemed so thin but the judge was so overly irate in his sentencing.

While Marious does some investigating on his own, Bella does eventually joins his efforts. There will be two more murders before the two can finally figure out what is going on, and what actually happened fifteen years ago.

The ending felt a bit rushed to me but the suspects were certainly a group of characters who, while maybe not fully fleshed out, were entertaining.

Three and a half stars

Marius Quin Mystery #5

This book came out July 11, 2025

Follows A Body at the Grand Hotel

Followed by The Holly Village Murders

ARC kindly provided Storm Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Born in Shame by Nora Roberts

Shannon Bodine has just had some rather upsetting news. While her mother is dying, Shannon is told that the man she grew up with is not her biological father. These days, that's not as big a deal but this book was originally written in '96 when people might have cared. Shannon, however, freaks out and decides that he's not really her father. So when a message  comes from Ireland, her heretofore unknown half-sisters want to meet her, she's cautiously curious. 

When she arrives in Ireland, she meets Maggie (from Born in Fire) and Brianna (Born in Ice) and their husbands. She also meets next-door-neighbor and simple farmer Murphy. Murphy is literally struck dumb. 

The two lead very different lifestyles but there is a spark that can't be denied.

Not as good as the first book, this is my third favorite in the series by only a little bit. Murphy is the least interesting of the three heroes and Shannon is a little bit annoying. This book also ages the worst with the most mentions of things that are jarring to the modern eye (I had a whole list as I was reading and now I can only remember cigarettes and asbestos.)

Three stars

This book came out January 1, 1996

Born in Trilogy #3

Follows Born in Ice

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Murder Kingdom by Fred Van Lente

An interesting storyline. Things are going crazy in a thinly-veiled ripoff of Disney. Characters are going crazy. People are dying. It's going to be up to Tanith to try and survive as well as save her friends.

The artistic style was interesting. I didn't always realize that characters were the same people as the expressions/look wasn't particularly consistent. Interesting premise. 

Three stars

This book came out May 20th, 2025

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Death In Disguise by Caroline Graham

Barnaby and Troy are faced with an interesting case, the murder of a local cult leader. The group has taken over a local manor house and keep themselves to themselves which sets off some of the locals. It's also interesting that there are some outsiders in the manor the night he dies, including the father of one of their members. He's been searching for his daughter, she's about to turn 21 and come into a half a million pounds. 

As is often the case with Graham's book, there is a LOT of character development. We get to know almost all of the characters before the murder actually takes place. I enjoy that quite a bit, even if I didn't enjoy all of the characters themselves.

Three and a half stars

Chief Inspector Barnaby #3

This book came out in 1992

Follows Death of a Hollow Man

Followed by Written in Blood

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own

Born in Ice by Nora Roberts

I have to admit, Born in Fire is my favorite book of this trilogy. The repartee of Maggie and Rogan is too fun to miss. But this one is pretty good too.

In this book, second sister, Brianna Concannon, B&B proprietress, has a Yank customer, famous author Grayson (Gray) Thane. 

Gray isn't interested in settling down, but something about this warm hotelier is warming the cockles of his heart.

Lots of other stuff going on. It's possible to read this book without reading the first one, but it's much better if you know more of the back story.

Three stars

This book came out August 1, 1995

Born in Trilogy #1

Follows Born in Fire

Followed by Born in Shame

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

The setting is familiar. Its an exclusive invite to a private island by a reclusive author. All of the invitees are authors. And the first person narrators are all authors. Of course, they all have secrets. Even the woman who helped plan the event and is now overseeing it.
The first night, a riddle is served. Early the next morning, every camera goes out and one of the authors disappears. And it devolves from there. Who is the mysterious person who invited them all? Who will make it out alive?
Pretty standard thriller, interesting ending.

Three and a half stars

This book came out February 11, 2025

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Let's Make a Scene by Laura Wood

Ugh. I generally liked this story but might not have picked it up if I had known that the book would be switching from past to present. I am not sure that the book needed to be structured that way and it took away from the contemporary story that I really did enjoy. 

Thirteen years ago, Cynthie starred in the film that catapulted her to stardom. It's too bad that her costar was such an unbearable jerk. Jack may have been Hollywood royalty but was also an ass and a half. And now they're starring in a sequel and they need each other. Cynthie has been embroiled in a scandal caused by her last director (who also tore down her self-esteem) and Jack needs to not be killed off the the vampire television show where he is a Giles-type character. 

Once again, sparks fly and the two make the front page. But is this fake romance in danger of turning real (hint: this is a romance novel so... probably.)

Three and a half stars

This book came out July 1, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own