The Official Clue Book of Puzzles by Dr. Gareth Moore; Laura Jayne Ayres

I would definitely recommend buying this as a physical book. Trying to work through it as an ebook was not as frustrating as some books I've read, but it definitely made reading the book a lot harder. 

This was a thoughtful upgrade of the clue boardgame making jobs more pertinent to today and giving the characters more back story. Going character-by-character, the book has eight chapters (including one for Mr. Boden "Boddy" Black) filled with puzzles. Although each puzzle doesn't contribute to the overall mystery, every one does add to the story. The variety of puzzles is fantastic including putting things in order, picross, logic, mazes, and more. 

Four and a half stars

This book comes out October 27, 2026

ARC kindly provided by by NetGalley and Cider Mill Press

Opinions are my own

Everyone's a Liar by Alexandra Ivy

Olivia Benoit's mother died at their family house, the Willows, when she was two. After that, she lost her entire family and was often treated as the black sheep. Her grandfather was a martinet who is controlling the family from even beyond the grave. They must all gather at the Willows for two weeks in order to receive the payout from their trust fund. Livia wouldn't go except that she doesn't want her family to get her share of the money. 

This year is going to be especially hard becaus she's just been catfished, her cousin is getting engaged, and she's becoming especially curious about what happened to her mother. Luckily, she meets her old friend Bryce (former FBI, now a sheriff's deputy) and is able to strike up a friendship with her that helps Livia with that last bit. 

We do see some of the story from Bryce's point of view so that we can get more information which helps that it wasn't shoehorned in. Some information is shoehorned later in the story though with another childhood friend and his father. This added to my overall sense that some of the story doesn't roll very smoothly, but it wasn't enough to pull me out of the story, just to flip back a page or two and see if I had missed something. 

Four stars

This book comes out October 27, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Clue at Black Creek Farm Carolyn Keene, narrator: Jorjeana Marie

This one felt a little bit preachy about CSAs and growing food without chemicals and that's from someone who believes in both. I swear the authors of these books just started pulling things out of a hat rather than having an actual outline. Nancy goes to a dinner, someone gets poisoned, could it be the food? Probably not but someone seems to be targeting the farm. 

Two and a half stars

Nancy Drew Diaries #9

Follows The Magician's Secret

Followed by A Script for D
anger

This book came out May 12, 2015

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Murder, I Spy by Lynn Morrison, narrator: Pearl Hewitt

It's early in the Roaring 20s and  Lord Reginald "Rex" Bankes-Fernsby is suspicious about his friend's death. Both Freddie and Rex were having trouble after returning from the war but Freddie had recently seemed like he was on an upswing. He had secrets but at least he had a purpose. And it's that purpose that Rex thinks may have gotten him killed. Someone who might know is the mysterious women known as Dora.

Like many after the war, Dora has secrets. One of them is that she and Rex have actually met before. At least once. But she can't let him know her secret because, underneath all the glitz and glamour, she's still working. And she's worried that her work may be what got Freddie killed. So, when Rex comes to her with questions, she uses him as a cover to keep looking for whatever Freddie had uncovered.

This is sort of a fluffy cozy but I enjoyed it quite a bit. The character building was fun and I'm ready to see where the series goes. 

Four stars

Dora and Rex 1920s Mysteries #1

Followed by The Missing Agent

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

The Alibi Club by Carrie Talick

By the time I read this book, I had completely forgotten the premise. So I was able to sink into the story which is one of alternating third person viewpoints. The prologue starts in chaos and then we jump to weeks prior. 

All of the characters are either part of a Dinner for Six or peripherally connected to Jamie. Dinner for Six is the brainchild of matchmaker Lorna. Her calling is to match people. Sometimes she even does it for free. But not this group. By the time the book is halfway done, she's collected her six  people, including Cliff and Lorna who have already met.  

There were some weird overlaps in the text (Cliff notices Lorna's beauty mark at least twice), and characters repeat information several times. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out on September 29, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Alcove Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff, narrator Eliza Foss

I really enjoyed Foss's narration. Soon after the book started, I texted the friend who had recommended this book and let her know I was enjoying it. She said it took her a bit but she eventually also enjoyed Foss's tone and cadence. 

Schiff goes through the stories of both the accused and the accusers. I think this book most aligns with narrative nonfiction though it is more removed than I often think that genre is. Instead, a third person narrator walks us through the many, many trials of the men, women, and dogs put on trial for witchcraft. She gives us the history and the Venn Diagrams of how these people overlap. She gives the bare facts and steers away from analysis, allowing the reader to come to their own conclusions. I did flag a bit in the 60-90% but perked back up at the end. 

Four stars

This book came out October 27, 2015

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie, narrator: David Suchet

This is one of my favorite Agatha Christie books. The clues are all there, but the solution is diabolical.

Ariadne Oliver calls on her old friend for some help. She is helping to put together a mystery story for a village fete (so like an escape room with hints and clues!) but there is something wrong and she just can't put her finger on it. She knows that Hercule will solve the problem.
When Hercule arrives, it is to find Sir George and Lady Stubbs who have only recently bought the house from Mrs. Ffolliot (sp?). However, that woman still tends to run things as Lady Stubbs is... well, even though she's a grown woman, her mind hasn't fully developed. Then there is the group putting on the fete. There are a number of characters fleshed out fairly well. That includes the young girl who is going to be the dead body. And it is she who ends up dead first. It's up to Hercule to determine why someone would want to kill a teenager and to stop them before they kill again.

Four stars

Hercule Poirot #31

Follows Hickory, Dickory Dock

Followed by Cat Among the Pigeons

This book came out in 1956

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own