Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg

Dropped right into the heart of a mysterious place in a historical time, the first named person is murdered by the end of the first chapter. And thus starts a new series.
The killing took place in the heart of the Inquirers, a place that is impenetrable. Marion is only an first year but she feels the oppressive atmosphere of suspicion as much as anyone. And then someone close to her is fingered for the murder but he leaves her a last clue. So it's up to Marion, her friend Bill, and the mysterious new Inquirer to figure out what is going on. But when anyone might be a friend or a foe, it is tough going. And then the grandmother who begrudgingly raised her sells their house and moves to Ohio while Marion is left behind. 

I didn't connect with the entire story but the author is certainly skilled and the world building is top shelf.

Three and a half stars

Followed by Marion Lane and the Inquirers

This book came out December 29th, 2020
Opinions are my own

The Camelot Caper by Elizabeth Peters

When the book opens, Jessica Tregarth is on the run. From whom? She doesn't know. But her bag was almost stolen (thank goodness for that policeman) and someone has searched it. Now there's someone following her. Luck provides her with the amenable people on the bus she stumbles on to. They drop her at the Blue Boar where she is supposed to meet up with a local, but instead is picked up by David Randall, gothic novelist. While he doesn't believe her story at first, being roughed up by two gentlemen soon changes his mind. Suddenly the two of them are on the run together, being chased (and chasing) the men who seem bent on getting the familial ring away from Jess.
I've read a couple of Peters's books lately and I am enjoying the fact that she mocks the very types of books that she is writing. She does it so well, having her heroine deride the characters in Gothic novels right before they themselves are kidnapped and tossed into a trunk or some other popular plot.

This book is loosely connected to the Vicky Bliss series introducing her eventual love interest to readers as "Cousin John." 

Three and a half stars

Followed by Borrower of the Night

This book came out in 1969

Borrowed as an audiobook from Audible Premium Plus

Opinions are my own

M.Y.O.B. (Paperback) by Christophe Cazenove

 I had originally requested this book from NetGalley but didn't realize that the archive date was so soon so I missed the window to read it. But it intrigued me enough that I looked for it later and am glad I did. While older sister Wendy is getting ready to go to her first big dance with her boyfriend, younger sister Maureen is bouncing around... pretty much everyplace.
This whole series really focuses on the love between sisters, even when one is much older than the other. They annoy each other, try to outsmart each other, enjoy each other, and ultimately have each other's backs in a tight spot.

Four stars

This book came out December 29th, 2019

eBook borrowed from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Will Work for Shoes by Susan J. Ashbrook

I had originally requested this book from NetGalley but didn't download it before it expired. I later bought the book on Kindle and it was interesting. Especially since I was reading it almost ten years after it came out and during a global pandemic so the red carpets have more or less disappeared. It is an interesting look behind the scenes of how much getting people dressed just to go to an awards show could become a big business. On the other hand, it actually could have been a little bit shorter with a lot of the padding coming from some name dropping and the author's actual experience in dealing with celebrities and tracing how particular trends were started by their red carpet wears.
Three stars
This book came out September 1st, 2011
Ebook from Kindle
Opinions are my own

Getting Lucky by A.R. Casella

Was this the greatest love story of all time? Maybe not. But I enjoyed reading about how Maisie (who we know from previous books is in love with one of our previous heroes) and Jack (burned by the relationships (existent or not) with his mother and father) finally figured out that they could be good for each other. For much of the book, Maisie wonders if Jack is just a stand-in for her previous love. He has similar coloring and his background is similarly tragic. Just as she's figuring out that he's not, he starts to wonder the same thing. 

And Jack has other things to worry about. He's finally wrested his sister, Iris, away from their mother but Iris seems continually pissed off that he's moved her from Chicago to Asheville. He's relieved when she finally starts engaging with Maisie at the dog rescue Maisie runs.

Casella has sort of been telegraphing that Maisie's friend Blue and Jack's half-brother Lee would be in the last book and it should be interesting to see since their first meeting involved Lee puking drunkenly on Blue's shoes.

Three and a half stars

Follows Better Luck Next Time

Followed by Bad Luck Club

This book came out January 12th, 2021

Ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Manhunting by Jennifer Crusie

This is a great book that really holds up! (published in '93) I just have to point out that Crusie actually addressed the use of protection. It doesn't bother me when it's skipped over (I can suspend disbelief) but it really bothers me when the characters discuss and then dismiss it. 

Kate Svenson is a high-powered business woman who discovers true love while on vacation in Kentucky. This is not one of those "oh she changes her whole life to suit the hero. Kate is already not loving her high-powered job. She doesn't like the rat race and she thinks that getting married might help. She has a plan.

Jake Templeton doesn't fit that plan. He was a high powered accountant who moved back home and helped save the town. But he doesn't want any acknowledgement. Nor does he particularly want to do any work. He sees Kate as a danger. Not only does she take out several men who take her out on dates, she reminds him way too much of his ex-wife. Besides, they're buddies. 

Fun story. Fast read. Loved.

I apparently read this in 2012 and only have the vaguest memories of it in 2021 but I still agree with my assessment.

Four stars

This book came out January 1st, 1993

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

Off the Record by Dolores Gordon-Smith

The mystery in this one felt very much rooted in character development which was fairly interesting. There was a lot going on in showing the many facets of each of the characters. The solution ended up being fairly complex and I didn't really understand one of the character's motivations and there were other loose ends but it was a good story and a nice addition to the series. I really liked and appreciated Gordon-Smith's note at the beginning explaining the history. 

Jack Haldean is at the center of a new mystery where a man whose invention could revolutionize the way music is played. But why would the professor seemingly murder the man who could make his ambition even bigger? Could it be that the entrepreneur had secrets of his own.

Three stars
This book came out March 1, 2011
Follows A Hundred Thousand Dragons
Followed by Trouble Brewing
Hard copy borrowed from Library
Opinions are my own