Murder in the Maze by J.J. Connington

Roger and Neville are twins. Roger has money acquired through methods that may not have been particularly legal. Neville is a lawyer with a big case. They are both at Roger's estate and have decided to find some alone time in the two centers of the maze. Two visitors to the house decide to go into the maze around the same time and discover both twins dead. 

There are many suspects including the twins' brother Ernest who seems to be something of a leech, their nephew Arthur who hasn't been quite the same after a bout of encephalitis, their niece Sylvian, and Roger's secretary, Stenness who has some secrets of his own.

Into this place come Sir Clinton Driffield, the Chief Constable, and Wendover who solve the mystery which was probably fairly clued when it was written, but some of the nuance may be missed by modern readers. I picked this book up based on the review from the Classic Mysteries Podcast and did not regret it. 

Three stars

This book came out in 1927

Sir Clinton Driffield #1

Borrowed as ebookf from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

You're So Bad by Angela Casella

Shauna is dealing with some stuff. Her ex-boyfriend and her ex-best friend are getting married. If that's not bad enough, they've asked her to be a bridesmaid. For the wedding that's going to be on her birthday. But she's totally fine. Totally. 

Her grandmother isn't so sure and has been spreading rumors that Shauna's dating a pediatrician. Well, she's not so her grandmother has also found a stand in. And Leo is all in. Shauna's cute and her grandmother is a trip so he's willing to help out.

There's a secondary story of them helping out a runaway teen. 

I never really connected to either Shauna or Leanard. The story was... fine and moved the friend group along. But I didn't see how Shauna or Leo connected really outside of the fake dating.

Three stars

This book came out August 31, 2023

Finding You #2

Follows
You're So Extra

Followed by You're So Basic

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean, Julia Whelan (Narrator)

Alice Storm is the third child of a billionaire tech family. She is the only one who walked away. So when her father dies and she's summoned back to the family manse. Well, their private island (coincidentally called Storm Island.) 
On the way there, she meets an attractive man and has a one night stand. It's just too bad that Jack Dean ends up being the man who's going to make sure that Alice, her mom, and all three siblings fulfill the tasks that their father left behind. And they are some odd tasks. Her mom has to say one nice thing about her father every day. Her older sister has to break off the years long affair she's been having with her father's employee, her brother has to do manual labor and can't talk on odd hours, and Alice... Alice has to stay. 
Most of the story is third-person omniscient from Alice's point of view, but we do get some of the other characters as well. Because of that, it was easy to feel so frustrated for Alice that no one else seems to see her point of view. 

Four stars

This book came out July 8, 2025

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Dragon Bound Elder by Thea Harrison, Sophie Eastlake (Narrator)

Dragos Cuelebre is bemused. Not only did someone steal from him, a dragon, they had the temerity to leave a note. His displeasure literally shakes the city.

Pia Giovanni knows that what she did was incredibly stupid and life-threatening but her ex-boyfriend is threatening to reveal her secrets to the world if she doesn't do this for him. Apparently, he needs to wipe out some gambling debts. She runs as fast as she can but Dragos finds her quickly. Unexpectedly, he doesn't immediately rend her limb from limb. Instead, over the course of a very fast week, the two fall in love. And deal with the enmity of a fey king, several kidnappings, and opening their hearts to each other.

What a great start to a series. I don't love one of the tropes used but though Harrison did it about as well as it can be done and the romance was a little too whirlwind but I am excited to listen to the next book in the series.

Three and a half stars

This book came out 

Elder Races #1

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Rattle His Bones by Carola Dunn, Lucy Rayner (Narrator )

Daisy is putting together an article about the Kensington’s Natural History Museum. When she goes, she meets an assortment of characters including curators, security, and guests. She comes for a return visit,
joined by her nephew and her fiancé’s daughter. They’re fascinated by the dinosaurs and butterflies. Of course, this would be the visit that a curator is murdered.  Surprising no one (as this is a fiction book), it is Detective Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher who is called in to solve the case. 

Throw in a displaced Royal Duke and some missing jewels, and it’s a romp to the end. 

Three stars

This book came out in 2000

Daisy Dalrymple #8

Follows Styx and Stones

Followed by To Davy Jones Below

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Murder Most Puzzling Peril at Quandary Park A Mysterious Case to Solve by Stephanie von Reiswitz

Adelaide Hatchett has died. A heart attack. At a summer party. In her own greenhouse with all of the doors and windows locked. That's probably not a surprise as she was an older woman. However, Betrand Hellebore thinks there's something more to it. He and Adelaide weren't on great terms as he had been hired to make possets and potions specifically for her from the plants in her greenhouse. He left the house with hard feelings but doesn't believe he could have been disinherited. Adelaide must have been murdered. 

The reader normally wouldn't take on a case like this but in a Wolfe-esque manner, we have to work in order to keep ourselves in the style to which we've become accustomed. 

We are introduced to the people who were at her last party and given reasons why they might have wanted to kill her. There are puzzles on almost every page and they vary in easiness from medium to hard. Of the books that I've read like this lately, this was the best executed. Highly recommend getting in hard copy as it can be difficult to read and enjoy on an e-reader and would be very hard on a phone. 

Four stars

This book comes out September 30, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Chronicle Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The House of My Mother by Shari Franke

Shari Franke’s face was known to millions of people as her mother’s vlogging channel took off on YouTube. For a lot of her life, Shari’s most humiliating moments were taped and then broadcast to the world. But behind the scenes, there was a lot of turmoil. She and her five siblings were physically and emotionally abused, especially once her parents (whom she refers to as Ruby and Kevin), fell under the spell of a con artist. 

The book skims the surface of what happened to Shari. She only tells her stories and a few of her brother Chad’s, not wanting to be yet another adult who makes money off her younger siblings. The writing was pretty good although the editing was not great (a lot of spelling mistakes that took me out of the story.) 

Four stars

This book came out January 7, 2025

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

The Haunting at Morsley Manor by George Morris De'Ath

Eric Thompson, paranormal researcher, has the gift. He can sense the paranormal and even see the past. He has made a name for himself making online videos investigating haunted places. Well, he and Michael made a name for themselves. But Michael took off and now Eric works alone. Not by his choice. He keeps trying out new assistants or apprentices, but they don't last long (for one reason or another.) 

The book opens with Eric encountering a rather nasty spirit. We also get to see him during an interview and get some third person omniscient thoughts about how uncomfortable he is, though he's there for the fans. He's not sure where he's going next until he's approached to go to Morsley Manor. An old director is trying to start a new series and Eric could be involved. From there, we see others from his past as well as meet new people, but not everyone will make it out of the manor alive. 

The book description was gory campy horror.  I was not expecting such graphic descriptions of said horror that took up so much of the book. If you are looking for a book with great character development, this book was not that. Other than Eric, it seemed like characters were introduced just to move his life along. 

Two and a half stars

This book came out September 23, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Rising Action Publishing Co. and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Killer Question by Janice Hallett

I have really enjoyed Hallett's bookI have really enjoyed Hallett's books in the past, especially the updating of the epistolary style. This book was a little bit heavier on texting which made for a bit of a slog.

This is, once again, a story within a story. The conceit is that the nephew of two people killed five years ago is shopping the idea of a short true crime series based around the events. We are reading the information that the nephw is sending to the producer's assistant, all of it over text messaging.

The main story is around his aunt and uncle who run a pub which includes a trivia night. They are part of a group chat of other pubs in the area who also run trivia nights so we get to know a bit about the owners, but even more about the dedicated players who go to the different pub nights. Everything is upended by the discovery of a body as well as a new group that starts sweeping the quizzes. 

While I liked the overall story, I kept having to stop and come back since reading text messages got a bit tedious. Later in the book, we got some longer paragraphs but by then we're getting in to the twists so it's a little bit of whiplash from a number of directions. 

Three stars

This book comes out September 23, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Faithful Unto Death by Caroline Graham

Alan and Simone Hollingsworth are new to town. He works long hours in the city while she is left to fill her time. However, it seems like Alan may be raather possessive as he tends to call her often to see where she is in the day. One day, her neighbor stops by but Simone isn't home. And that is the start of a myster. Where did Simone go? And why are others in the neighborhood disappearing as well? Like the rather ugly girl from next door, Brenda. 

Troy moves further away from his television portrayal. He is so rude to the local cop, Parrot, that they miss valuable information.

All sorts of sordid secrets will be revealed before the end of this story. It's not quite as bad as the previous story but still quite a lot going on in a little village. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out  in 1996

Chief Inspector Barnaby #5

Follows Written in Blood

Followed by A Place of Safety

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own

Face the Fire by Nora Roberts

Four stars

This book came out 

Three Sisters Island, #3

Follows by Heaven and Earth

Hard copy I own

Opinions are my own

Written In Blood by Caroline Graham

The Midsomer Worthy Writers’ Circle club has invited a prominent writer to visit them. And, of all the shocks, he actually shows up. One member is not excited to see him. He actually request of another member that the two not be left alone. When they are, the member ends up dead. 

Inspector Barnaby and Sergeant Troy are in Midsomer Worthy to try and solve the murder though the investigation will uncover any number of the secrets the villagers would prefer to have hidden.

Three stars

This book came out  in 1994

Chief Inspector Barnaby #4

Follows Death of a Hollow Man

Followed by Faithful Unto Death

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, Will Patton (Narrator)

T

he long-anticipated follow-up to "The Shining" has a now grown-up Danny Torrance fighting demons, both literal and physical. Still struggling with the events from the first book as well as his "Shining," we find out that Danny has inherited his father's alcoholism and upped the ante with a drug problem.

He's finally landed in a place where he can get clean when a message appears in his brain, "Abra." There's no follow-up for a long time. Until Abra, a child whose talent is even greater than Danny's own, reaches out to him for help. There is a group, the True Knot, that has extended their own lives by feeding off the "steam" of children like Abra. And now that they know that she exists, a child with more shining than they've ever seen, they're coming after her full bore.
I quite enjoyed this book. It was a little light (not much depth) but it's a book for fun, did it really need to be very deep? I wish we could have seen more about the former lives of The True Knot folks (especially Rose) but since the book was so long already, I can see why that didn't happen.

Three and a half stars

This book came out September 24, 2013

The Shining #2

Follows The Shining

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Heaven and Earth by Nora Roberts

Ripley Todd has an okay life. Yeah, she's living with her brother and his new wife and, sure, she's having sort of a dry spell with her own sexual escapades and, well, she's a witch which she's not really enjoying but life is still okay. Then MacAllister Brooke comes to Three Sisters Island. Dr. Brooke is there to study the legend of the Three Sisters. He's very interested in mystical forces and UFOs and then becomes
very interested in Ripley Todd. 

She's not indifferent to him but they have two very different attitudes toward her powers. Of course, Ripley's going to have to learn to trust both Mac and her own powers in order to save her own life as well as those of her "sisters."

Four stars

This book came out 

Three Sisters Island, #2

Follows Dance Upon the Air

Followed by Face the Fire

Hard copy I own

Opinions are my own

The Dos and Donuts of Love Adiba Jaigirdar

The Great British Bakeoff has been popular for over a decade. In this story, it’s the teen Irish version and Shireen Malik has made the cut. So, however, has her ex-girlfriend (and daughter of the rival doughnut shop owners), Chris. Shireen wants to win so that her own parents shop, Drive Me Glazy, will get more exposure. No one is buying many doughnuts in their town these days.

The other contestants are interesting.There’s one boy who seems determined to start fights. And then there’s Niamh. Could she be a new friend… or more?

I read about his in the NPRs best book of 2023 list. I didn’t find quite as much delight in the book that the article writer did but agree that it was a cute book.

Three stars

This book came out June 6, 2023

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Love At First Fright by Nadia El-Fassi

Rosemary Shaw is a horror author whose book has been optioned into a movie. Too bad the actor they've picked as the lead is a) not what she imagined for that character and b) a total jerk. She's not sure how she's going to make it through this shoot. 

Ellis Finch is a certified Hollywood hunk. He normally does action movies but he's decided that this horror film would make for an exciting change. Too bad the writer thinks that he's all wrong for the part. 

Add in the fact that Rosemary can see ghosts and there's a love spat to figure out on locaiton and there's a lot going on in this book. I generally liked Rosemary and Ellis's story but I was not expecting the dom/sub portion of this book. Nor the age gap (not one of my favorite tropes though El-Fassi does more than most to balance the relationship.)

Three and a half stars

This book came out September 16, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Ballantine and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Dead Sea Cipher by Elizabeth Peters

One of Peters' fiction books. Dinah van der Lyn is on a trip in Jerusalem (on her way to singing in the Opera in German) when she hears an argument in the room next door. This sends her off on an incredible adventures through ruins and deserts. There are spies and treasure and a new set of Dead Sea scrolls. Definitely not my favorite Peters romance but a good story.

Two and a half stars

This book came out in 1970

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts

Nell Channing is on the run. She's come to Three Sisters Island hoping that she can stay hidden in this small community. What she finds is more than safety. While in Mia Devlin's cafe, Nell notices the cook quitting. She harnesses up all of her courage and offers to try out for the job. Soon, she's part of the community, even to the point of seeing one of the locals, Sheriff Todd. Luckily, Zack grew up on the island, so when it turns out Nell is a descendant of one of the sisters and has to help break the cycle started hundreds of years ago. She'll have to harness her destiny to defeat evil. Yep, I said it.

Four stars

This book came out June 5, 2001

Three Sisters Island, #1

Followed by Heaven and Earth

Hard copy I own

Opinions are my own

The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich by P.J. Fitzsimmons, Tim Bruce (Narrator)

There are two whiskey distilleries in Glen Glennegie and every so often, there is a tasting to determine which one will be the Glen Glenngie label. This is the year and Anty is in the village as one of the three tasters. The other two are a childhood friend that he could almost fall in love with and the golf-mad widow of the colonel who used to be the third chair. She doesn’t seem to know much about tasting whiskey but she does know a lot about golf. 

Before the tasting can even happen, one of the patriarchs of the two feuding families is killed. Then the other. It seems obvious that the two murders are related. Inspector [] is brought in to help. A foe (of sorts) to Anty, he is determined to solve the case. But Anty has some help this time in the form of Fiona. 

Did the mystery make a lot of sense? Eh. Was it a thoroughly delightful romp along the way? Oh yes. 

Three and a half stars

Anty Boisjoly #6

This book came out May 5, 2023

Follows Reckoning at the Riviera Royale

Followed by Foreboding Foretelling at Ficklehouse Felling

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood, Evie Hargreaves (Narrator)

Belladonna (Bella) Blackthorn works in a bookstore. She used to love her job but the owner’s son has come in  and is trying to stamp out all of the charm of the place. She does living with her best friend and she is about to turn thirty. To her surprise, turning thirty is going to be a bigger deal than she thought. 
Apparently, when witches turn thirty, they have to go in front of a tribunal and there is a full review of the way they’ve used their magic since it was granted when they turned fifteen. If they’ve used it for good, they get to keep their magic. If they’ve used it for evil, it gets taken away. Bella… hasn’t really used it. So she is going to have the month of October to try and push the needle either one way or the other. And she’s getting a tutor. It’s the last of the magic people who had their magic taken away. 
I’m not sure why I finished this story except that I had paid for the audiobook so it seemed like I should listen to it. I really, really did not like Bella. Throughout the whole book, she was naïve and passive. More like a new adult than someone turning thirty. And the twists and turns ended up being a bit too much for me. There was a LOT of story in one little book. 

Two and a half stars
This book came out September 19, 2024

Audible book I own

Opinions are my own

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

A friend of mine REALLY enjoyed this as an audiobook. I am a little more lukewarm. McConaughey is definitely an actor, not an audiobook narrator. His reading often sounds almost like he is singing with the cadence that he gives his stories. That being said, I do often enjoy the authors reading their own books, especially when it's a biography so I tried to immerse myself in it. 

It is very raw, honest, and real, based off the journals McConaughey has been keeping his whole life. There are definitely interesting stories here (including the infamous bongo incident) and his voice definitely lines up with the experiences my friends had when he visited our town. 

Three stars

This book came out October 20, 2020

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Shane and the Hitwoman by Bob Mayer

I love Agnes and the Hitman (definitely read, don't listen) so I thought I'd try this series. Agnes is not in this book and a few of the couples at the end of the last book are no longer couples in this book so a lot of that book is undone. If you are looking for a continuation of that book this book is ... fine. If you aren't expecting it to be a sequel, it's going to ge more enjoyable. 

Agnes is on trip even though she's set up the wedding of leaders from another country. A very small country. And, of course, there are going to be dramatics that play into Shane's strengths. And those of the scrappy new comer to The Organization, Phoebe.

Three stars

The Organization #1

Followed by Phoebe and the Traitor

This book came out November 16, 2021

Opinions are my own

Same Time Next Year by Tessa Bailey

I picked up this novella because it looked cute. I finished this book because it was short. 

Britta is a server whose brother is on a minor league hockey team. For her, they're all off-limits. Mostly because she's not interested. Except Sumner. Dude's hot. But he's about to be deported, just as he's about to make it into the big leagues. At leas his teammates are convinced that it's about to happen. So they make a deal. A year of marriage for a green card while she gets money to buy into the bar. 

In alternating viewpoints, we watch the months turn over as Britta and Sumner fall more in love. 

The story was... fine. But it was hard to see how Britta would change her mind about marriage. 

Three stars

This book came out December 1, 2023

Same Time Next Year #1 

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinons are my own

Deception Cove by Jayne Castle

I quite enjoyed this addition to the Castle canon. The story falls close on the heels of The Lost Night with Harry's brother Drake becoming the hero.
Three years ago, Drake was in an explosion that made him unable to see in the daylight. In fact, any strong light causes pain. But he can see quite well in the dark and even people who are trying to make themselves invisible.
Alice North is an unusual woman. In a society that focuses on family, she was raised an orphan. Also, she is a strong enough light talent that she can literally shift light enough to make it appear as though objects disappear.
Drake and Alice meet one night when (like many of the Castle books) Alice's latest place of employment has been shut down and she is now in the midst of being attacked by two street thugs. Alice handles it herself and Drake is duly impressed (and attracted, this is a romance after all). He then propositions her. A Marriage of Convenience that will help keep her ex-mother-in-law off her back and let Alice earn some money. In exchange, Alice has to travel with him to Rainshadow and help take down the paranormal storm that is raging out of control.

What does Alice have to lose? A chance at enough money to keep her going for awhile, even some fabulous riches, get her mother off her back and all she has to do is honeymoon at the same place her last new husband tried to kill her. Piece of cake. 

Three stars

This book came out August 27, 2013

Rain Shadow #2, Ghosthunters #10

Follows The Lost Night

Followed by The Hot Zone

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

Miss Morton and the Missing Heir by Catherine Lloyd

Someone has stepped up to claim Miss Morton’s family title. The Scuttons from Epping in Essex have applied to the earldom. Except, of the three there, Mrs. Scutton, the claimant’s mother, seems like the only one who is pushing the information. Thomas seems somewhat indifferent while his sister Mary downright doesn’t believe it. 

But, before Caroline can pull out the information that Mary knows, the woman is killed. Mrs. Scutton is there and sees Mary's newly-freed-from-prison husband and his brother running away. We don't get to see the husband much, but everyone seems inclined to beleive Mrs. Scutton. Why would she lie?

If you've read the Miss Morton stories before, you can probably guess some of the twists. Still fairly light and I really wish we had gotten to see more of the husband, but a quick, mostly enjoyable read. 

Three stars

This book comes out September 30, 2025

Miss Morton #4

Follows Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own 

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

I picked this book up based on the description of it being a thriller/comedy. It was both but there was more comedy than thriller. I very much made sure to read this during the day but it wasn't as gory as I thought it was going to be. There were some bits toward the end but it was so far past the suspension of disbelief it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. 

Vesper Wright is estranged from her family. She has been for 6 years. But now an invitation has shown up on her front door. One for her cousin's wedding... to the boy Vesper had thought she was going to marry. So Vesper goes back home. And things unravel from there.

A fun romp but not very deep. There were definitely some gore aspects but not as many as I was expecting from other reviews. The whole story wasn't very deep, neither was the character development but it was fun. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out September 19, 2023

Book I borrowed from the library

Opinions are my own

The 5 Resets by Aditi Nerurkar

I've read any number of books that are self-help or related to yoga or about how to decrease your stress. This one isn't necessarily groundbreaking, but it is put together really well and I like the suggestions. The one that comes up the most is don't start All The Things at once when you're trying to make a change; choose one or two and start with them. Once they are part of your normal routine, you can add more things. 

There are 5 resets but then each one has techniques of how to implement each. Different topics will appeal to different readers but it can also be a little overwhelming with all of the options. 

Four stars

This book came out January 16, 2024

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel

I enjoy Bogel's podcast and figured I'd listen to her book before it left Audible Plus. Is there brand new research or anything particularly startling? No. But there are many good reminders that are all gathered into one book. None of which I can remember a day later but it was nice to listen to it. The three main sections were How We Spend Our Time, Take Charge, and Let the Sun Shine In. It was a nice companion to listen two right after I finished The 5 Resets. 

Three stars

This book came out March 3, 2020

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

The Love Fix by Jill Shalvis

I really didn't like any of the people in this book. Heath was sort of blandly perfect, Lexi was passive, and Ashley was not much more than young and short. It's loosely part of a series but I don't remember any of the other characters from other books. 

Lexi has returned to a home she didn't really grow up in to a sister she didn't really grow up with. I've seen a lot about siblings in the same household having different childhood experiences and that is true for Lexi and her stepsister. While Ashley's childhood with Daisy was more idyllic, Lexie's experience was more of a mother who promised many thing but never came through. And I'm fairly annoyed that Ashley and Heath kept getting after Lexie to forgive her mother. I've experienced that in my life and it's really annoying. I know that your experience with that person was more positive than mine but that doesn't mean I HAVE to see them the same way. I think they both chilled out a bit by the end but I was already so annoyed it was hard to see it.

Two stars

Sunrise Cove #8

This book came out June 24, 2025

Follows Better Than Friends

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

One Poison Pie by Lynn Cahoon with narrator Angie Hickman

Mia Malone is a kitchen witch. Her magic is geared toward healing and world peace, nothing flashy. She recently broke up with the fiancee who was using her but kept his younger sister, Cleo. Mia has bought the old school house in the small town in Idaho where her grandmother lives. The plan is that she will start a catering and food takeaway business. Her first big catering job is for her grandmother's best friend and one of the least-liked women in town. 

SInce this woman is not well liked, it's not a surprise that she ends up dead. It's just too bad that it's before Mia actually gets to cater her birthday and showcase her talents. It's equally bad that Mia seems to be on the suspect list.

There seemed to be some back story that might have been included in the prequel to this series and that threw me off a few times.

Three stars
This book came out June 26, 2021

Kitchen Witch Mysteries #1 

Follows Chili Cauldron Curse

Followed by Murder 101

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley with Thomas Judd (Narrator), Heather Long (Narrator)

I listened to this as an audiobook and it took some time to get into the worldbuilding. There was a glossary to start off with but I didn't really retain that information. However, as the story kept moving along I was able to pick up more of the language and understand the world that Osric and Aurienne inhabited. 

Going in, I knew this was a duology so I was expecting a cliffhanger... but there wasn't one which was so refreshing. Also refreshing? The banter between the two main characters. 

Then general set up is that Osric is a bad guy. But he's a bad guy whose life force is failing him and soon he won't be able to do "bad guy stuff" any more. When that happens, his crew will kill him. So he needs a way out. Unfortunately, the only person who can help him is a certified do-gooder meaning she will in no way want to help him. So, he decides to bribe her. It doesn't work on her, but it works on her mentor. The children in their area have a pox that they've been unable to create a vaccine for. He has the money, she has the talent. Together, nothing will be resolvedin this book but it's a wonderful start. 

Four stars

Dearly Beloathed #1

This book came out July 8, 2025

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinons are my own

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

When she was young, Sera Swan used most of her fabulous amount of magic to bring her great aunt, her only parental figure, back from the dead. Since that day, her magic (described as stars like the univerese) has been more like the stars at twilight. Right now, she is managing her inn which, due to a spell that she cast before she lost her magic, only allows for visitiors who really need a place to stay but aren't going to be assholes. There are currently two more or less permanent visitors who are fabulous characters in and of themselves. 

Fate (and an old mentor of Sera's) bring back into her life Luke Larson who is just the person to be able to help her magic return to what it used to be. But doing so will bring her back under the eye of Albert Grey who is the only other magician currently living who has as much magic as Sera used to.

Four books

This book came out July 15, 2025

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Last Coincidence by Robert Goldsborough with L.J. Ganser (Narrator)

It becomes a family affair when Lily, Archie's sometimes enamorata, comes to him for help. She needs someone to threaten a young man who has been making advances (and more) toward her niece. Archie does help with that but then becomes a suspect when the young man turns up dead. As do Lily's niece and nephew. 

Goldsborough builds out Lily's character a bit more in this book as well as her sister's but otherwise this wasn't a book I enjoyed a lot. I can't really put my finger on why but I think it's because it took so long to get to the mystery and I just wasn't expecting so much exposition. 

Three stars

Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe Mysteries #4

This book came out in 1989

Follows The Bloodied Ivy

Followed by Fade to Black

Borrowed as audiobook from Blackstone Audio

Opinions are my own

Head Witch in Charge by Avery Flynn

Leona Sherwood is her family’s heir. This comes with great responsibility and she needs to blow off just a little steam. A poker night in Vegas is just the thing. And the handsome man she meets? Bonus.
Erik Svensen is his family’s heir, but not if his father can help it. The man has machinations coming out of his ears. Erik just wants to keep his siblings safe; they’re not the usual type of Svensen. They’re not conniving, scheming, or overall evil. Not like him. Just look at how he's worming his way into Leona's life. And not because he likes or even loves her. No. That's definitely not it.
The two are working to hide the super powerful item from the evil witch group and having epic adventures along the way. 
There are a number of times where there's a wink to the reader when Leona says that we should hear from her sisters (i.e. read their books). While this story was fine, I'm not sure we see why these two end up together and it seemed like a lot of sales tactics to get us to buy/read other books in the series. 

Three and a half stars
This book comes out September 2, 2025
Witchington #2
Follows Witcha Gonna Do?
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own