Murder at a London Finishing School by Jessica Ellicott

Edwina and Beryl are just getting to settle in and enjoy some down time when a letter comes from their very own finishing school. There have been some mysterious noises and thefts that are causing an already stressed school to lose even more students. Their former headmistress, Miss Dupont, needs help. And they are startled to realize they recognize even more face including a former student who is now a teacher. Also there? The school bully whose younger daughter is about to enter the school. 

Too bad said bully doesn't seem to have improved with age. In fact, she seems to be wielding an even bigger stick. Or at least trying to. So is it any surprise that she's the person who ends up dead? And, of course, leaving behind any number of people who are happy to see her go. 

The ending of this one was rather surprising to me because I remember the other Ellicott books being rather fairly clued but this comes basically out of nowhere. It was fine, just unexpected. 

Beryl and Edwina Mystery #7
Four stars

This book come out July 25, 2023
Follows Murder through the English Post
Followed by 

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Mystery in the Highlands by Lydia Travers

I had not read the other two books in this series and I do feel like I missed out some by not having read them. This was an interesting twist on a familiar wealthy lady and her servant solving mysteries in that Maud and Daisy are actually partners in the detective firm. For this case, they are heading up to visit Daisy's cousin. The members of her local choir have been dying and she's worried they're not all accidental. 

Maud and Daisy join the choir to help round out the numbers so they can still compete in the best choir in Wales. Also joining? Lord Urquhart. It seems that he and Maud have a past that she is not anxious to revisit. When sinister poems start showing up outlining sinister prognostications for more people  from the choir, Maud and Daisy will have to put their heads together to try and prevent more deaths. 

I think this is a series that is better read from the beginning. 

Three stars

This book comes July 26, 2023

Follows Murder in the Scottish Hills

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Bookouture

Opinions are my own

Downward Death by Stella Bixby

I grabbed this book as a part of the Romance Bookworms highlighting various free books. I don't love the cover but it was actually a pretty fun book. 

Told in the first person, we learn about Elle Vanderwick. She doesn't know much about her family but she is ecstatic to learn about her grandmother. Too bad she died right before Elle gets into town. It seems that she might have been able to tell Elle a bit more about herself, including who her father was and why her hair changes with her emotions. She also might have been able to tell Elle more about the man who is dead in her cornfield.

This book follows some familiar beats but I enjoyed the way Bixby subverted the usual love triangle between Elle's ex and the handsome man who used to help her grandmother around the house.

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 19, 2021

Followed by Bowling Blunder

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano

At the end of the last book, Finlay and Vero found themselves in the sights of Feliks Zhirov, Russian mob boss. He wants her to find out who the killer is that goes by the name EasyClean. All she wants to do is clean up her eating habits, stop having bodies in her minivan, and avoid all men. This addition to her list is not helpful. Especially since she and Vero find themselves in the police academy. And who is one of the trainers? Nick? Oh yea. But also there is EasyClean as well as Finlay's noisy neighbor.

How are they ever going to get through this one?
Very funny, just like the other books. The Nick/Finlay relationship is a little drawn out and something needs to happen soon but otherwise an enjoyable read.

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 31, 2023

Follows Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead

Followed by Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Leap to Leader by Adam Bryant

This is  a really interesting book, sort of a mix between self help and interviews with people are considered leaders. I liked a lot of the advice that these leaders gave and that is what the author was trying to do, to get down to the X factors to make you a good leader rather than try and explore every possibility. 

Some of my favorite advice included: Merge into leadership (don't try to make your mark on a place before you see how it works.) I also liked that you need to look at your peer relationships as much as anything else. And the advice that being a leader will completely reshape who you are. 

Bryant also asks people to define their values and make sure that you are consistent in your behaviors, to look at how they live those values at work, identify why they are important to your success, what you would say about your leadership approach and philosophy in order to recruit someone to your team, and whether your team members would describe you in the same way. 

Eminently readable, this book does give a lot of good advice that seems to come from a range of people not just those who had leadership handed to them.

Four and a half stars

This book comes out July 11, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Harvard Business Review Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective by Katie Siegel

This book is an absolutely amazing read and I am very much looking forward to reading other books in the series.

What happens when a girl detective grows up? Can they ever actually live up to the potential that they showed when they were younger? That is what Charlotte is wrestling with right now. Everyone else who was in her detecting group has grown up and moved on but she is stuck. What is she supposed to do with her life? It's not like there's much call for a has-been child prodigy. 

This story looks at mental illness, it looks at perception, and it deals with a bit of the grittier things in life. Charlotte has been closing in on herself for the past year and it's affecting her family and friends. She's given another case but is she going to be brave enough to move past her own insecurities?

Four and a half stars

This book came out June 27, 2023

Charlotte Illes #1

Followed by Charlotte Illes is not a Teacher

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Cursed Princess Club Vol. 2 by LambCat

In the first volume we met three sisters. The oldest two are absolutely lovely and accomplished. The third, Gwendolyn, is everyone's favorite. She has a giant heart and is an accomplished cook but she is just not pretty. In fact, she is rather ugly. She never knew until her father wants to make an alliance with the Plaid Kingdom by marrying his daughters off to the other king's sons. That's when Gwendolyn found out how other people see her. Luckily, she also discovered the Cursed Princess Club which was open to all princesses (and a prince, because why discriminate?). 

This time, we're seeing some growing pains. Someone is leaving Gwendolyn notes asking her to meet them in the barn. And it's there that she discovers one of the secrets of the club. She also discovers that there is a club for cursed princes. However, the curses may be more of their own making. 

This book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger with the Argyle Prince seemingly attracted to Gwen and asking her out. But are his motives pure?

An absolutely lovely addition to the series. I cannot wait for book three.

Four and a half stars

This book comes out July 4, 2023

Follows Vol. 1

Followed by Vol. 3

ARC kindly provided WEBTOON Unscrolled and NetGalley

Opinions are my own