A Killer Guest List by Sarah Bonner

A mysterious invitation appears, a party is being hosted at the Holne House and Cassie is ready to go. She's not sure why she and her wife were invited but figures it may be down to a previous coworker she recommended to the venue. When they arrive, they are paired up with a brother-sister team who have also played the game before. 

On the other hand, Sadie has been going to the murder mystery weekends for almost fifty years. And every year she's taken care of somebody who... needed to be taken care of. This year, she's bringing her twenty-five-year-old goddaughter, her best friend's granddaughter. They are paired up with twins, young men for whom this is their first time playing.

There is a LOT going on in this book and we keep seeing the situations as they flip back and forth between Cassie and Sadie. I knew that this was going to be a book to REALLY suspend my disbelief but the ending was a little too much, even based on what we had read so far. An interesting read for most of the book. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out February 10, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Boldwood Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Christmas Murder by Mary Grand

For winter mysteries, nothing says "locked room" quite like a blizzard. And that is what happens here as well, in a fancy manor on an island. The third book in a series, I didn't feel like I was missing anything by not having read the first two. 

Susan doesn't have her daughter this Christmas and is anticipating something very quiet. But then her friend (NOT her boyfriend) asks if she can com e help while a super rich man brings his family (his wife, his two kids, their significant others, and his business partner) back to the island to celebrate in a place where they spent so many pleasant summers. Well, at least until his first wife died.

There is some good character development in this book but I didn't love the end. And our protagonist is put into too much danger for my liking. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out September 5, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Boldwood Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Old Girls Behaving Badly by Kate Galley

Told in alternating viewpoints by Gina and Dorothy, we get to see these two women becoming friends. Gina is seventy-one and has just been told by her husband that he no longer wants to be married. No real reason other than the fact that he's bored with his life and thinks she's boring as well. So, while she's trying to figure out what her next steps are (with little help from her daughter who seems to blame Gina though her son is somewhat more sympathetic,) she sees an ad for a companion. 

Dorothy's granddaughter is getting married and, though she is generally just fine on her own, her family want someone to keep an eye on her; she just had a fall and she is older. 

Dorothy does her best to run off all of the potential caregivers but she clicks with Gina. But she doesn't want Gina as just a companion, she wants help getting back a painting that was stolen from her husband. The person who she believes took the painting is the same person hosting the wedding at his estate, Leonard. So the opportunity has presented itself. 

But there may be more than just a stolen painting that Leonard has that includes shady dealings. And it's those dealings that may be leading to the many "accidents" happening to Leonard. Before the book is over, will there also be someone dead?

Three and a half stars

This book comes out May 23, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Boldwood Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own