Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts

Monday, August 24, 2026

Once Upon a Thriller by Carolyn Keene, narrator: Jorjeana Marie

Nancy, Bess, and George are on a "camping" trip, staying in a cabin. They get to the location, take a quicky hike around the lake, then decide to visit the nearby town. Once there, they discover that the local bookstore, Paige's Pages has burned down. Outside are a number of fans who had been getting ready for a book signing by a reclusive author who only ever signs books at that particular store. 
That's not the only odd thing to happen in town and many of the strange happenings seem to mirror the plot of the author's first book.
An interesting story that is fluffier than the others so far in this series but it is aimed at the middle grade so that is something to consider.   

Four stars
Nancy Drew Diaries #4
Followed by Sabotage at Willow Woods
This book came out May 7, 2013
Opinions are my own

Sunday, August 23, 2026

The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene, narrator: Laura Linney

I didn't remember this book from reading it before. It's nice to find new titles even in a series I thought I had completed. Granted, this is a children's series, but there was a lot of coincidence and some fairly unbelievable aspects to this story. It was certainly interesting to think of Nancy in scuba gear. 
She's helping her friend Emily who is having some problems while converting a family house to an inn. She is also engaged to be married. There are any number of things going wrong including her jewelry inheritance being stolen from a room that a whole group is in.
There is also a sub-but-related-plot of someone impersonating Nancy.  

Three and a half stars
Nancy Drew #4
This book came out in 1930

Saturday, August 22, 2026

Mystery of the Midnight Rider by Carolyn Keene, narrator: Jorjeana Marie

Nancy and Ned are at the horse show. Nancy never misses it and Ned has a family friend, Payton Evans, who is competing. Rumors are that Payton is being considered for the Olympic team. That would definitely cause a lot of jealousy and may be part of the reason that someone seems to be trying to sabotage her efforts. 
A really fast read but, like chips, still enjoyable. And the ending made sense which was nice. 

Four stars
Nancy Drew Diaries #3
Follows Strangers on a Train
This book came out May 7, 2013
Opinions are my own

Friday, August 21, 2026

The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett

The Fairway Players are back. Once again, something has happened that requires lawyers to go through the correspondence of the acting group. We even get the same people looking over the papers (this is specifically because of the work they did on the previous case.)
Like the other books, this is an epistolary encompassing texts, emails, and even one player's personal journal. There are a LOT of people and, while I would say it helps to read the first book, I only have dim memories of all of the players from that one so you may not need it. 
The players are just as dysfunctional as they were in the first book with feuds that are both obvious and somewhat less so. They are putting on Agatha Christie's The Hollow which has some obvious echoes to characters both old and new. Like the last book, this one will have at least one murder. Is the ending just as weird? Yes. Did I generally enjoy it? Yes. 

Three and a half stars
This book come out August 25, 2026
ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Thursday, August 20, 2026

Miss Morton Takes the Waters by Catherine Lloyd

Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton are on their way to Bath. Caroline's mysterious "inheritance," still hasn't come through and Mrs. Frogerton is in the doldrums so it seems like the best idea. Once there, they start meeting people. Of course, many of the people look down on Mrs. Frogerton for coming from trade. But she doesn't mind any of them, even the eternally grumpy Lady Brompton. She is not the one who is murdered, however. 
Even so, there are a number of suspects in the murder. The ending came a little bit out of nowhere and was a little more chaotic than I remember the Miss Morton series being. 
We have two famaciliar characters but in a new setting and a new supporting cast, including another inspector who is very much intrigued by Caroline. I am generally enjoying this series but hope that Caroline's personal arc gets some movement soon. 

Three and a half stars
This book comes out August 25, 2026
Miss Morton #6
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own 

Monday, August 17, 2026

Murder on the Rocks by T.E. Kinsey

Flo and Lady Hardcastle are in a locked room mystery. Locked island mystery? It starts with a train trip though that doesn't serve much purpose other than to introduce a character who doesn't show up again until the end of the story. 
But the ladies are going to the island at the behest of an old friend, J. B. McIntyre. They're relatively excited because he is a millionaire who always shows them a good time. 
When they get to the island, everything seems wonderful... at first. Yes, the married couple running the place are a little rough around the edges and at least one of the couples seems to be in a bit of a feud, but that is par for the course at any house party. Not so par for the course? A dead body. Although Flo and Lady Hardcastle do seem to encounter more bodies than normal.


Four stars
Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #13
This book came out May 26, 2026
Borrowed as audiobook from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

The Charity Shop Detective Agency by Peter Boland, narrator: Zara Ramm

The book starts when Fiona Sharp, one of the volunteers at a local charity shop,  Dogs Need Nice Homes, notices a rival charity shop volunter dropping off a box from the dump pile in front of her shop to Fiona's. While going through the box, she finds a blood-covered knife. This catpults her, as well as the other volunteers, Sue and Daisy, into a promising adventure. After all, all of them have read any number of mystery novels and they can do things the police can't. Like, interfering with police work. 

Three stars
Followed by
This book came out December 13, 2022
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Curse of the Arctic Star by Carolyn Keene, Jorjeana Marie (Narrator)

Nancy, along with Bess and George, starts what seems to be a series of somewhat interconnected mysteries. There have been some rumors surrounding the opening of a new cruise ship. People are thinking it might be cursed. So the granddaughter of the owner asks Nancy for help. In return, they will get to stay in one of the fanciest suites on the boat which includes four rooms. And Bess decides to invite her boyfriend du jour so the mystery is complicated by the fact that Nancy doesn't want him to know that she's doing detective work. 
There were some things that irked me about this story but might not occur to a middle schooler. I'm definitey going to keep reading. 

Three and a half stars
Nancy Drew Diaries #1
Followed by Strangers on a Train
This book came out February 5, 2013
Opinions are my own

Murder in an Italian Castle by Benedict Brown, narrator: George Blagden

Lord Edgington is leaving the shores of England and taking Christopher with him. First stop, Italy to visit and old acquaintance of the lord. They travel all the way there only to see the man killed in front of them. He was definitely a bit of a rotter, okay, a lot of a rotter which leaves any number of suspects including his three heirs. 
An interesting book for a new series though it suffers a bit from a bit of world re-building (if that's a thing). 

Three stars
Lord Edgington Investigates Abroad #1
This book came out May 18
, 2025
Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla
Opinions are my own

Death on the Night Train to Verona by Benedict Brown, narrator: George Blagden

Christopher and Lord Edgington are heading to their next step on their European tour. But the train they are taking to Verona is running late. It seems it has been delayed for one person. And what a person! It's the famous film actress. There are several people on the train who are connected to the actress in various ways, which makes it difficult to discern who might have wanted to kill her. Christopher and his grandfather will have few hours to solve the mystery.
There is a thread through the series of the girl that Christipher saw in the first book now being on the train. He is able to speak to her only briefly before they are interrupted by an older man who may be her father.

Four stars
Lord Edgington Investigates Abroad #2
Followed by The Alpine Christmas Mystery
This book came out September 30, 2025
Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla
Opinions are my own

Monday, August 10, 2026

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop by Darci Hannah, Amy Melissa Bentley (Narrator)

I heard about this book from The Cozy Mystery Bookclub. They were so enjoying the story that I decided to pick it up before I heard the ending. I'm glad I read it first but I was a little disappointed in who the murderer ended up being, it didn't feel fairly clued. 
There are definitely some beats which don't read quite cozy. I know that it generally means murder happens off-page but there was also a little more "on page" in this romance than you usual see. 

Three stars
Beacon Bakeshop #1
This book came out February 23, 2021
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Saturday, August 1, 2026

Probable Caws by Donna Andrews

The book is off to a galloping (pun, har) start when Meg gets a phone call from her father. A local horse rescue has been pushed off their land and are being moved to Ragnar's property. All hands are needed. 
There are a few prickly characters in this book including Abel, the man whose land the horses were on, his brother George, who thinks he inherited half the property and wants the horses off, and Helen, the woman who runs the Hoof and Hearth nonprofit. There is a death but it was not anyone I expected at first. 
A lot of our favorite returning characters are away for this book which was fine. The mystery was a bit thin and the solution a bit improbable but I still enjoyed the reading. 

Four stars
Meg Langslow #39
Followed by Jay to the World
ARC of ebook kindly provided by MacMillan and Edelweiss

Thursday, July 30, 2026

The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene, Mildred Benson (Ghostwriter)

Nancy is meeting Bess and George at their aunt and uncle's ranch. There's a phantom horse causing issues across the ranch and they are close to having to abandon the ranch altogether. But is there really a phantom? And does it have anything to do with the notorious outlaw Dirk Valentine who is reported to have hidden a treasure somewhere on the ranch?
Nancy gets knocked out in this book. This seems to happen to the poor girl so many times. This book is definitely dated - fascination with the old west, some of the clues wouldn't be as well known today, bit it is a fun book with a glimpse into the time the book was written.

Three and a half stars
Followed by The Secret of Red Gate Farm
This book came out in 1931
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Monday, July 27, 2026

Murder at First Slice by Valerie Burns

Michael and Madison are getting married. But not until after  Baby and Daisy. Madison has recovered from that and from the hangover left after her bachelorette party when she gets another shock. One of the invited guests is someone that her favorite baker (and Micahel's aunt), Miss Hannah, absolutely hates. And this is one one of her good days from the dementia that is ravaging her mind. 
As they get to know Dorothy Wilson, it soon becomes clear that she is probably one of the family members that should not have been invited. She is not only rude, she manages to piss off almost everyone she meets. So, it's no surprise that she's the one to die in this book. The larger surpise is who is standing over her with a wedding gift that was given to Madison just the day before.
There was a lot crammed into a small number of days in this book which made it somewhat hard to follow but was still a fun book to read. 

Four stars
This book comes out July 28, 2026
Baker Street #5
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Sunday, July 26, 2026

Echoes in Death by J.D. Robb

Eve and Roarke are just back from vacation and are attending a super-fancy party. Eve isn't supposed to go back to work until Monday but (as is no surprise to regular readers) gets pulled back in early when she and Roarke see a naked, bloodied woman almost get hit by a car. They manage to get her to the hospital in time to save her life but her husband is already dead. 
After a dinner party, Daphne and Anthony Strazza were attacked and then, while he was tied up, she was beaten and raped by a man dressed as a devil. As usual with the "In Death" series, there are layers to the story. Daphne is twenty-four and married to a man nearly twice her age. She doesn't seem to be able to make decisions for herself and her husband, though known as a brilliant surgeon, is also known as something of a... well, he's an asshole. So was this attack tied to Daphne and her husband? Or is it tied to two similar attacks?
A nice addition to the In Death series

Four stars
In Death #44
Followed by Dark in Death
This book came out February 7, 2017
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Saturday, July 25, 2026

The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories by Agatha Christie with Hugh Fraser (Narrator), Christopher Lee (Narrator)

Witness for the Prosecution
The story on which this story is based was turned into a really good play. Leonard Vole is a suspect in the murder of the elderly Emily French. His solicitor isn't sure that the man will be found innocent, even with the evidence given by Leonard's adoring wife, Romaine. But there is a shocking turn of events when it starts to appear that Romaine might not be so loving after all.

The Red Signal
A talk between friends brings up premonitions of danger. One character brings up the idea of a "red signal" and a "green signal." One warns of danger. Suddenly, Dermott feels that signal rear its head again. But he's among friends. Yes, he loves his friend's wife, but that shouldn't cause danger, no one knows about it and he's certainly not going to act on it.


Fourth Man
Three men sit in a train carriage. One is Canon Parfitt who actually knows one of the other men, Sir George Durand who is a famous lawyer. The third man is Dr. Campbell Clark who is an eminent psychiatrist. But the title is about the fourth man, the one who appears, at first, to be asleep.
They begin discussing the case of Felicie Bault who apparently had more than one personality. They discuss her story, but are surprised when the fourth man actually has the story behind the story.

S.O.S.
Mortimer Cleveland has had two flat tires and considers himself lucky to find himself in the Dinsmead's family's home with their two daughters and son. But there is an odd air in the house. The two girls go upstairs to make up his bed and on the table next to it is written, "SOS."

Wireless
An elderly worman is told not to excite herself. But the new radio her nephew bought for her seems to be channeling her dead husband...

The Mystery of the Blue Jar
A young man hears a woman screaming about murder at the same time every day. Is it a hallucination or could it be something more fantastic?

Sing a Song of Sixpence
When people promise that they'll do anything to help someone, they rarely actually mean it. Which is what Sir Edward Palliser meant when he said it to Magdalen Vaughn ten years ago (when she was, ew, seventeen and he was in his fifties and he was flirting with her.) Now, she's OLD (ew) and he doesn't really want to help but he promised.
Magdalen's aunt was killed and everyone is a suspect. She would like some help.

Mr. Eastwood's Adventure
Mr. Eastwood has writer's block. He has started writing the mystery of the second cucumber but none of his usual writing methods are working. But then he gets a call. It's obviously not for him, but the code word is "cucumber." What a coincidence! Suddenly he's buying a drink set, meeting a gorgeous woman, and very nearly being arrested. But what is actually happening in this story?

Philomel Cottage
Alix Martin has been having dreams that her old friend/crush has killed her husband. So, when he's in the area, she puts him off. But then, she starts to discover that he may not be the man he presented himself as. Newspaper clippings of a man who has killed his wives make her even more concerned. Then comes the twist ending...

Accident
Now retired Inspector Evans is surprised to recognize a woman in a small village. She was acquitted of poison nine years ago. She said her husband was an arsenic eater and accidentally poisoned himself. The jury let her go. But now she's married again and the Inspector is worried that history might repeat herself.

The Second Gong
Is dinner being served late? Why else would the dinner go off late? Or twice, as one character believes. It seems dinner was pushed back for a visitor. And that visitor is Hercule Poirot. So, you know something has happened. 

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

The Cherkley Court Conundrum by Benedict Brown

Marcus is just about to declare himself to Bella when a face from his past appears. His romantic past. Which I was frankly surprised about since I had the impression that he was not very good with women. Well, Nerea needs help. A maid in the house she works for was attacked and nearly killed. She has read that Marius and Bella solve mysteries and hopes that they can come help her. 
There are strange things happening at Lord and Lady Sheridan's house. He is mostly absent, the children are beyond spoiled, and she is hosting a number of artists. Not everyone is who they seem to be and suspicion has settled on an absent gardener, Nerea's new love. 
I really liked this mystery because it moved several storylines along while still focusing on the mystery in front of them. I also liked that Valentine is once again part of the group. 

Four stars
Marius Quin Mystery #7
This book came out July 17, 2026
ARC kindly provided Storm Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own


Sunday, July 19, 2026

Our Marriage Is Murder by Carol Goodman

After twenty years and as many co-written mystery novels, Thea is ready to get out. Both out of her marriage and out of writing. The convention they're traveling to will be their last. But that doesn't mean she wants their lives to end. And there are an awful lot of people dying at the beautiful Casstelarosa. Suspiciously dying in the ways and order that Thea and her husband put in their first mystery. 
The local inspector seems inordinately suspicious of Thea so she's going to have to some sleuthing on her own to try and figure out what is going on.
I appreciated that Thea didn't immediately become a super sleuth just because she was a mystery writer. Parts of the plot were a little heavy handed for my tastes and Thea was a little too self-righteous. Overall, I finished the book and enjoyed the ties to Agatha Christie. I also really enjoyed Goodman's characterizations of fervent book fans and laughed out loud over a line about not crossing book club ladies. 

Three and a half stars
This book comes out July 21, 2026
ARC kindly provided as ebook by William Morrow and NetGalley
Opinions are my own


Saturday, July 18, 2026

The Lady Jewel Diviner by Rosalie Oaks

Lady Elinor Avely has a gift. Unfortunately, that gift has made it appear that she is a jewel thief. While she would have preferred to stay in London and brave the gossip, her mother thought it best that they retire to the country to let the rumors die down. Fortunately, Elinor had one friend left who was willing to ask her father to loan them a cottage. Unfortunately, it is just a stone's throw from Lord Beresford's family estate; he had stepped up and offered to sae her name by prettending to be engaged, but Elinor had quickly dismissed that claim. 
In the country, she's thinking she might be safe to use her gift to look for a cache of jewels. And she might learn even more about her Discernment from the little vampiri, Miss Andreda Zooth who just fluttered into her window. 
I had read some books in the series that followed this one. They are fast, fun, and fluffy with a world that is fairly well-developed, even in this first book. 

Four stars
Lady Diviner #1
Followed by 
This book was re-released July 11, 2026
Opinions are my own

Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb

Oh noes! Eve's best friend Mavis has been found standing over a dead body. The body just happens to be that of the woman who threatened Mavis' current luvr. The woman was supposed to model Leonardo's clothes but she threw a tantrum when he started dating Mavis.
Eve has to not only work on clearing Mavis and Leonardo but also getting prepped for her marriage to the gorgeous and mysterious Roarke.
Peabody gets her first love interest in Illegals cop, Castro.
Fun read.

Four stars
In Death #3
Follows Glory in Death
Followed by Rapture in Death
This book comes out September 8, 2026
Ebook ARC kindly provided by St. Martin's Press and Edelweiss
Opinions are my own