The Christmas Dinner Murder by Sarah Dunnakey

Audrey Peppertree has invited her family and some friends for Christmas. Her family is old, wealthy, and not a little obsessed with puzzles. Her family estate is even called Puzzle House and the invitation is an acrostic. So is one of the replies, insinuating that Audry is going to die. So that's fun. And that's why Eloise is invited to the party. She's a bodyguard. Admittedly her last client did almost get blown up, but that has been Eloise's profession for a very long time, even if she is currently pretending to be a school teacher. 

 There's quite a bit going on in this book with more death threats disguised as puzzles, family tensions, and people dropping dead. I really enjoyed it as we got to solve along with the characters as well as putting together puzzles that led to the (fairly clued - I guessed most of the answer without solving all of the puzzles) solution. the puzzles included things like cryptic clues, something that I am still working on understanding but they were overall fairly fun. It did take me awhile to get into the story and there were some plot points that seemed extraneous, even as red herrings, but I mostly enjoyed this book. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out November 5, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Avon Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own 

October 2026 rereads

Opinions, as always, are my own

Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters

Amelia Peabody #1

Followed by The Curse of the Pharoahs

This book came out in 1975

Audiobook from Audible

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie

Three and a half stars

This book came out November 1, 1969

Follows Third Girl

Followed by Elephants Can Remember

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

We Solve Murders #1

Followed by We Chase Shadows

This book came out September 17, 2024

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

To Davy Jones Below by Carola Dunn, narrator: Lucy Rayner

Daisy and Alec are heading out on their honeymoon. They're heading to America where Alec *definitely* isn't going to have to do any work. Except that he's going to be consulting with the newly formed FBI. But they have to cross the Atlantic Ocean first. And they're going to be traveling with Daisy's childhood friend, Philip Petrie, his wife Gloria, her father Caleb Arbuckle and his friend Jethro Gotobed. Startlingly, the lifelong bachelor Gotobed has suddendly married. To a showgirl no less. And, since Gotobed is a millionaire, it's sort of presumed that the woman is a gold digger. The seven of them are sat at a dinner table with a herbalist, though they all call her a witch. 

The trip is unfortunately, not eventful. First, many of the passengers are beset by seasickness. Then, a man falls overboard. But did he fall or was he pushed? And what do the subsequent deaths mean?

Three stars

Daisy Dalrymple #9

Follows Rattle His Bones

Followed by The Case of the Murdered Muckraker

This book came out July 3, 2001

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Christmas Confidential Lily Chu, narrator: Phillipa Soo

I listened to this novella and enjoyed the narrator throroughly.
Hana Choi's ex-roommate and current best friend is marrying Hana's cousin, a super-famous K-pop star. But, as romance stories are wont to do, the wedding is getting out of hand. Papparazzi are everywhere, they've had to book three different luxury hotels to try and throw Jihoon's fans off their track.
What's making all of this so complicated for Hana is that it's happening right after Jihoon's former bandmate (Hana's big crush), Kit, has just announced his feelings for her. But what if them getting together destroys what they already have? They agree to do some trial dating. But the wedding, combined with Kit's new television show and fake dati
ng with his costar take a little bit away from the development of Hana and Kit's relationship.

Four stars

Connected to: The Comeback

This book came out October 15, 2026

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

The Comeback by Lily Chu, narrator: Phillipa Soo

Ariadne Hui defines herself by her job. She's a lawyer. A darn good one, even if her heart isn't completely in it. But, this is what her dad has planned for her and she is nothing, if not a dutiful daughter. But her job is stressful and she's not excited to come home and find a stranger in her living room. Just... peachy. 

Choi Jihoon has just gone through a breakup according to his cousin Hana, Ariadne's roommate. He's going to hang out at their apartment while Hana is traveling. While Ariadne isn't particularly keen on the idea at first, she discovers that Jihoon is actually a really good listener. She's just starting to fall for the man when his secret is revealed and Ari is pushed into a realm she never thought she would have to join. 

I didn't love the third act miscommunication, especially since everyone seemed shocked at what I thought was a perfectly reasonable reaction from Ari. But a cute story and I hope the rest of the band members find love. 

Four stars

Connected to: Christmas Confidential

This book came out July 14, 2022

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

Joy to the Bones by Carolyn Haines

At the end of the last book, Sarah Booth was cutting ties with almost all of her friends, with Coleman, and certainly with Jitty. She had learned some startling news about her parents death and was reacting blindly in the moment. And it takes her awhile to come around. Luckily, we're coming back after she's hit her cool down/remorseful time. 

Mr. Thompson creates a good "in" for her when he hires her to 

stars

Sarah Booth Delaney #31

This book comes out October 27, 2026

Follows Ode to the Bones

ARC kindly provided by St. Martin's Press and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

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