The Botanist's Assistant by Peggy Townsend

Margaret Finch is described in the book as tall and big-boned. Several times. There are also a number of references to her nickname, Big Bird. So, a bit of an oddity. And her personality only helps to set her apart. Her life is ruled by routines with the same outfits on the same day of every week, getting to work on time, etc. She also has a rigid sense of rules and will follow them, even to the point of her own detriment. 

Her entire world is shattered when she finds her boss dead. When thinking back over the scene, she becomes convinced that he was murdered. But, having no friends and few people who even like her, no one wants to listen to what she has to say. 

This was a short book with a lot of beats that repeat, but was overall an enjoyable read.

Three and a half stars

This book came out November 18, 2025

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Summer Knight by Jim Butcher with James Marsters (Narrator)

Harry knows not to mess in the realm of the Fae... now. But he made a promise to his godmother when he was young and she gave that promise to the Winter Queen. The Winter Queen  will release Harry from his promise if he performs three tasks. The first thing is to figure out who killed the Summer night so that the Winter Queen is not blamed.

It's going to be impossible for Harry to do this by himself, but luckily he has made friends and allies (whether he wants to or not.)

Three and a half stars

Dresden Files #4

This book came out September 3, 2002

Follows Grave Peril

Followed by Death Masks

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Accidental Alchemist by Gigi Pandian

Zoe Faust is finally settling down. She's been living out of an RV for years but bought a house in Portland, Oregon. She's hopeful of putting down roots. But that hope is dashed when her contractor dies on her front steps and she makes the mistake of telling the police that it's poison. Of course, they're going to suspect her. At least she had already met the officer before when he came to drag away the young teenager who broke into her house.

All this would be bad enough but it turns out she also has a living gargoyle that she has to deal with. In her centuries of living, she's not had to put up with anything like this. But maybe it's something she can get used to. 

I'm not sure all the bits and bobs of this story hang together particularly well but it was an enjoyable story. 

Three and a half stars

Accidental Alchemist #1

This book came out January 8, 2015

Followed by The Masquerading Magician

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone by Catherine Mack

As the narrator even notes, there are a LOT of people in this book. There were nine people that were going to be integral to the story introduced within the first 11% of the book (might have been 10, 11 is just when I looked.) I had to write them all down just to keep track of how each one was related to the narrator. And I've read the other two books in this series. The ending was a bit complicated but the clues were there if you listened.

Eleanor is going to a writing conference. Just because her last two vacations have contained murder doesn't mean this is going to end badly, right? Sun, sand and writing. It should be a blast.

Except that they walk right into a dead body. The hotel is, of course, wanting to downplay the incident. Eleanor is ready to leave but her boyfriend, Oliver, and her sister/assistant, Harper aren't as enthusiastic. They want to stay. 

Eleanor decides that she has not other option but to stay at a conference that contains not only the people she loves, but her ex-boyfriend Connor, his former partner (who Eleanor included in her books), her own ex-best-friend, and a BookToker who doesn't like ANYONE'S books. Oh, and crazy Kathy (sp?), Eleanor's very own stalker. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out April 28, 2026

The Vacation Mysteries #3

Follows No One Was Supposed to Die at this Wedding

ARC audiobook kindly provided by Minotaur Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer by Bellamy Rose

After the last book, Pomona has been trying to turn her life around. But only a little. You can't expect her to ride the subway, after all. She's starting a foundation to help underprivileged children. There are a lot of nerves surrounding her first gala. She has to prove that she's changed her life. Too bad it's not going well even before a body comes over the balcony. 

She's once again off to the races. And as much as she pretends she's working with Gabe, we get a lot of insight into the fact that she is very much still the pampered party girl that she started out as in the first book. She's growing but, ufda, as much time as has passed, it is slow. 

This ending made a little more sense and I thought the book was fairly clued without being overt about the person behind the death. 

Three stars

Pomona Afton #2
This book comes out April 14, 2026

Follows Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder

ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

Many readers wish they could live within the covers of their favorite books. They don't always consider where they will land. Maggie discovers, to her dismay, that just because she is in her favorite world, it doesn't mean she's going to be the top of the heap. In fact, she's quickly running out of money and resorts to a desperate act to get some more. But once she does, she embarks on a campaign to make sure that the bad guy who takes over the kingdom in the stories isn't going to do so anymore. Using her knowledge of the books, she starts to make deals based on her knowledge of future events. But, even knowing that if she makes changes, it could affect the book's timelines, she is willing to make those choices and try to save the world. 

I have read most of the books the Andrews team has written but this one took me longer than usual. And not just because it clocks in at almost 400 pages. There was so much going on and so many characters with so many names that I had to stop and think about who was whom. Maggie is dropped into the world knowing the books REALLY well. Would I remember everything with such clarity, even a book I have read over and over? Probably not. But I do believe that there are people who can so that wasn't a point I needed to suspend disbelief over. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out March 31, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Macmillan and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

The Late-Night Witches by Auralee Wallace with Robyn Maryke

Cassie Beckett lives on Prince Edward Island in a neighborhood she loves. The book opens with her enjoying the quiet of her neighborhood but she does feel a gentle quiet, like she's supposed to be doing something other than all of the other things she does as a mother with three kids who's husband is away with Doctors Without Borders.  Then, her sister Eliza appears with a story about going to battle with a car. There's a lot going on. This is really not the time to find out she's The Chosen One. Well, the thirteenth witch. There's a Big Bad and, if he kills her, she's the thirteenth witch and he can escape the curse her great-great-whatever-grandmother put him  under. 

There was some character development but not a lot. There was also a lot of time hopping and glossing over parts. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out August 19, 2025

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Fortune Favors the Dead by Stephen Spotswood

Willowjean Parker (not the name she was born with) meets Mrs. Pentecost on a fraughte evening when they both almost die. Willow grew up in a small town then moved around frequently with a circus so she hadn't heard of Mrs. Pentecost, the famous detective. But after that night, Mrs. P sought her out and hired her. Three years later, Willow is still working with Mrs. P. They are approached by the Collins twins and their "uncle." Their father committed suicide then, during a party with a seance, their mother is bludgeoned to death. They want to know what is going on. 

Willow and Mrs. P are on the hunt for a murderer and getting pulled into the world of a medium who, past the time when most were moving into the world of tarot readers, is still working with the richest people (including Mrs. Collins.)

The set up very much reminds me of Wolfe and Goodwin with Parker being the legs, though she is not just the muscle, she is very much being trained to take over the agency some day.   

Three and a half stars

Pentecost and Parker #1

This book came out October 27, 2020

Followed by Murder Under Her Skin

Opinions are my own

I Haven't Been Entirely Honest by Miranda Hart

I knew of Miranda Hart from her show, "Miranda," and didn't look to closely at what this book was before requesting it from the library. I didn't realize how much of this would be talking about her illness. I was newly dealing with my own brush with a scary illness and had to take a break from the book for awhile.

She talks a lot about what worked for her in coming to terms with the life she has versus the life she thought she was supposed to lead. Instead, she had to become very introspective, to go into a metaphorical cave to find the treasures of her life. 

As Hart reads the biography, it becomes apparent that many of the most delightful parts of her fictional character are a part of her own true life. Speckled with poetry and suggested dance breaks, this was an interesting story that I may have enjoyed more if I were in a different place in my own life. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out October 10, 2024

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie

A visit to the dentist doesn't usually but end up with a visit from the police, but it happens to our favorite protagonist. After he sees Dr. Morely for a tooth issue, the man ends up dead. It is possibly a suicide but Japp would like to talk to Poirot anyway. Alistair Blunt had an appointment with the same dentist and there is a possibility that this was an assassination attempt on the banker. 

There is a sprawling cast of characters in this one including an actress who was also at the dentist but who has since disappeared, a political activist, and the people who live with Mr. Blunt. The solution is a bit convoluted but wouldn't be out of place in a story that was written today. 

Three and a half stars

Hercule Poirot #22

This book came out November 11, 1940

Follows Sad Cypress

Followed by Evil Under the Sun

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Murder on a Moon Trek by Diane Vallere

Sylvia Stryker has a Plunian mother and human father. Her family business is ice mining but she longs to be a part of the Intergalatic Cruise Ship Security team. Perhaps sneaking on board a ship and posing as the uniform lieutenant is not the way to do that but it's a way she can get on board ship. She just has to lay low. 

Too bad practically the first thing she does is discover a dead body which brings her right into the focus on the ship's Head of Security. Then she discovers two of the ship's crew passed out. What is going on on this ship? Neptune, the Security Head seems to believe her but still puts her in a cell. 

There is a lot going on in a relatively short book which introduces not only a number of characters, but a whole world. That means the end is a little rushed but I'd like to at least read the next book to see how the series builds. 

Three and a half stars

Sylvia Stryker Space Mystery #1

This book came out December 17, 2017 (reissued February 5, 2026)

Followed by Scandal on a Moon Trek

ARC kindly provided by Polyester Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

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

Murder Wore a Mask; Deadly Cargo; Danger in the Air by by Neil Richards, Matthew Costello, Nathaniel Parker (Narrator)

Follows books 1, 2, 3

Murder Wore a Mask

Aunt Lavinia is throwing a fancy dress ball. Kat and Harry are attending and having fun, but notice that that is not true for everyone. One of the people, Carmody, who was having a hard time (arguing with others) is found dead by the lake. His partner is convinced it is no accident and asks Aunt Lavinia for help.

The suspects include an MP, Palmer, a singer and her fading-star-actor husband, an illegitimate son posing as a footman.

Three stars

Mydworth Mysteries #4

This book came out May 25, 2020

Audible book of mine

Deadly Cargo

We open with the point of view of a lorry driver. He is delivering a dozen radio-phonographs from the Excelsior Radio Company, arguably some of the best radios currently being made in England. The problem is that someone is getting ahold of the delivery routes. Why? To do what exactly happens to this driver, to hold them up and take away their inventory. The problem is that this is the second time it's happened to this particular driver. Luckily, his wife appeals to Kat and Harry for help. 

There was a LOT going on in this little book. Fast, fun, and fluffy if you need a quick read. 

Three stars

Mydworth Mysteries #5

This book came out December 2, 2020

Audible book of mine

Danger in the Air

Airplanes come to Middlebridge when Amelia Earhart, at the beginning of her fame, has come to England. She, and a number of other pilots, are going to have a show. Harry is especially excited as he used to be a pilot, himself.

It is that history that allows him to notice that the plane that Earhart is flying seems to be having more problems than one might expect. 

Three stars

Mydworth Mysteries #8

This book came out July 28, 2020

Audible book of mine

Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent

10 years ago, Martha's sister disappeared. Today, postcards are arriving at the Clarendon English Dictionary office where Martha now works. The postcards hint at the true series of events that happened. Some of Martha's coworkers today were Charlotte's coworkers then, so there are plenty of suspects, especially when previously held secrets start coming to light. 

I heard about this on NPR's A Way with Words and they were enjoying the wordplay. Knowing of Susie Dent from various game shows, I expected no different. I didn't think there was a lot of plot because there was so much built up around the characters. I also felt vaguely like I had read so many similar books but couldn't really pinpoint one. However, the word use exceeded my expectations. 

Three and a half stars

The Clarendon Lexicographers #1

This book came out August 13, 2024

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Shop on Hidden Lane by Jayne Ann Krentz

There has been a Harper-Wells feud for generations. Krentz tells us that quite a bit in this book. But that feud seems to have been broken by Sophy's aunt, Bea, and Luke Well's uncle, Deke. And the two have discovered that because Bea and Deke have disappeared.

Luke is in line to inherit his family's company specifically because he has no psychic talent. At least, that's what everyone thinks. However, he is unusually good at pulling data together and coming to conclusions. Most often, this happens when he dreams. He's come to the conclusion that he needs help because he needs someone who can read crime scenes.

Bea is a librarian. She also reads crime scenes and can clear bad energy from a space. In the recent past, she's also had a series of failed experiments, men who have seen her work and then run away. One even called her a succubus.

Of course, these two are going to fit together and they'll figure that out in the three days this book covers. If you enjoy Krentz, I think you'll like this book. 

Four stars

This book comes out January 6, 2026

Loosely connected to the Fogg Lake books
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

It's Jane and Dan's nineteenth anniversary (he seems to think it's their twentieth.) Dan won a reservation to a very exclusive restaurant that were for that same night so they are off to have an adventure. Well, sort of. This is the night that Jane is going to tell Dan that she wants a divorce. Except that, right after they are let in to the restaurant with the world's most expensive dessert, the restaurant is invaded by a group of masked gunpeople. They are after a specific patron, one who is not there yet. 

As the night unfolds, both Jane and Dan will have to confront some home truths about themselves, about their family, and about the beliefs they have about the lives they are living. And also, why this all seems to be unfolding like the book Jane wrote six years ago that only three hundred people have read. 

An interesting book with a fun twist although the end stretched my belief suspension just a little too much, but overall enjoyable.

Three and a half stars

This book came out March 11, 2025

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Double Fudge by Judy Blume

There are two Farley Drexel Hatchers? That's what Pete and his family discover on a trip to Washington, D. C. There, Pete's father rediscovers his cousin, Howie. Howie also has two girls, Flora and Fauna, who are about Pete's age in addition to the Farley who is a couple years younger than the Fudge we've grown to know and love. 

We also get to see past series favorites like Sheila Tubman and Jimmy Fargo, the latter of whom is moving out of the neighborhood with his father which upends Pete's world to no end.

Everything is changing but many things stay the same. A little more out there than some of the books in this series but still enjoyable. 

Four stars

Fudge #5

This book came out September 30, 2002

Follows Fudge-a-Mania

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

A Waffle Lot of Love! by Ben Clanton

It's time for Narwhal and Jelly to go on an epic friend adventure. If only Jelly can get Narwhale to pay attention for more than two minutes. We get to see a lot of sea life on the floor and how other friends are celebrating each other. I feel pretty bad for Jelly but I guess they end up okay. 

Three and a half stars
This book comes out December 30, 2025

Narwhal & Jelly #10
Follows Narwhal's Sweet Tooth

ARC kindly provided by Tundra Book Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot by Alexis Hall

Though they've been broken up for quite awhile, Audrey Lane still hears the voice her ex-girlfriend berating her for most of her decisions. But she goes on the baking show in Britain anyway. And comes right up against Jennifer Hallett, the producer. It starts when Audrey asks for help for the contestant who is over ninety. She, quite rightly, would prefer that Doris not have to walk up a giant hill to get back to the hotel after a full day of baking. Jennifer just wants her show to work; she's (at least on the outside) more concerned 

I don't remember this from the other books in the series but this book includes some time hopping and a switch to a first person point of view by someone who isn't the main character. And, while that story is kind of lovely and helps Audrey grow, I wish we had seen more of the two characters growing together. 

Three and a half stars

Winner Bakes All #3

This book came out December 9, 2025

Follows Paris Daillencourt is about to Crumble

ARC kindly provided as ebook by Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Experimental Magic by Iris Beaglehole, Lorna Bennett (Narrator)

In the first book of the series, Rosemary and Athena discovered they are witches and are now trying to navigate their new normal. Athena is about to start school and Rosemary is just trying to figure out her powers. And money. For now, she's working in the bakery. 

Athena is trying to figure out how school is going to work. She missed all of the basics and isn't even exactly sure what her power is or if she has power. 

Both Athena and Rosemary have some learning to do in this book. When Athena follows the boy she met in the first book into another realm, it's up to Rosemary and Athena's new friends to help her figure out a way home. Although, Athena does do a lot to help herself (and her father) as well. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out September 5, 2023

Myrtlewood Mysteries #2

Follows Accidental Magic

Followed by Combustible Magic

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own