A Novel Murder by E. C. Nevin

Though the book follows various characters in third person present omniscient, we mainly stick with Jane Hepburn. She's a mystery author. Or, at least she's trying to be. Neither her agent nor her editor have gotten in touch with her lately. And, of all indignities, Jane's name isn't on the list of authors at the book festival she's attending. She ends up having to buy her own ticket in. 

Once there, she starts talking with Abi Edwards, her agent's assistant. But Abi soon runs off and Jane is left to her own devices. Somewhat out of character, she decides to sneak into the book tent so she can move all of her books into a more prominent position. It hasn't worked in the book stores she's tried so far but maybe this will help. Instead, she gets tossed into a real life murder mystery when she discovers the dead body of her agent.

Thought we never see the agent on page, we are given a lot of information like the fact that she was not well liked by any number of people so it may be hard to narrow down the suspects.

Jane finds herself in an interesting position - working with friends to solve the murder. She, in fact, actively hinders the investigation a couple of times which is not a favorite trope of mine. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out June 17, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor as well as NetGalley

Opinions are your own

Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie

Elinor Carlisle has it all. Or she's going to. She's the apparent heir to her wealthy aunt and she has a fabulous fiance. But, Roddy isn't acting like he used to and Elinor knows why. It's Mary Gerrard. And Elinor's ready to commit murder. But does she?

Yes, her aunt dies suspiciously and then there's another death. Elinor's in the docket and her aunt's doctor is begging Poirot to take on the case. And this is a case that only Poirot can solve. 

Three stars

Hercule Poirot #22

This book came out March 1, 1940

Follows
Hercule Poirot's Christmas

Followed by One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

Hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

People Pleaser by Jinger Duggar Vuolo

I picked up this book because I was generally curious about what life after a cult is like. I didn't realize this was a second book until I was a good way into the book. So I kept going. Vuolo has a pleasing voice and a deft way of weaving together her life stories (in both the near and far past), biblical passages, and lessons learned. She discusses how and why we are people pleasers and when that's a good thing. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 14, 2025

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Bloodied Ivy by Robert Goldsborough with L.J. Ganser (Narrator)

Walter Willis Courtland, a balding man in his 50s, calls the house. His friend, Hale Markham, fell into a gorge. To be fair, it was nighttime and the man was in his 70s. But, by all accounts, he was a hiker and knew the terrain really well. Wolfe isn't interested. But the case piques Archie's interest. Markham was a right-wing author and professor who had a number of devoted fans but just as many enemies. So Archie goes up to investigate, against Wolfe's wishes. 

Another good addition to the Wolfe series by Mr. Goldsborough. 

Four stars

Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe Mysteries #3

This book came out in 1987

Follows Death on Deadline

Followed by The Last Coincidence

Borrowed as audiobook from Blackstone Audio

Opinions are my own

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

 Love, love, love Tommy and Tuppence. This is the first of their adventures together, starting just after WWI, both Tommy and Tuppence are at loose ends and short on cash. Meeting up for lunch, they decide to start a partnership called the Young Adventurers. Even as they leave lunch, a man stops Tuppence and asks her to help out with a project. When he asks for her name, she comes up with the first name she can remember, "Jane Finn." It was a name that Tommy had overheard and mentioned. When she says the name, it sends a bolt of electricity through the man and he accuses Tuppence of playing him. This sets off a chain of events that has them meeting up with an American millionaire in search of his cousin, a woman who has been in hiding for over five years, and a group of men who are trying to overthrow the British government.

Five stars
Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries #1

This book came out in 1922

Followed by Partners in Crime

Audiobook from Audible

Opinions are my own

The Christmas Bell Mystery by Benedict Brown

Christopher has been in the news quite a bit lately. He's solving crimes with his grandfather and has even solved a case of his own. And he's ready for the next one, although, it would have been okay to wait until after Christmas. Because he's met a girl on his way home. They were alone in a train car and she suddenly started weeping; someone is trying to kill her grandfather. Then she ran off the train leaving her charm bracelet behind. It's up to Christopher to track her down with the scant information he was given. 

When he does, he discovers that her grandfather is the type of man who always ends up dead in a mystery novel. Old, rich, and apt to play his grandchildren against each other. It turns out, however, that her grandfather is not the one to die. Instead, it's a series of others.

Three and a half stars

Lord Edgington Investigates #12

This book came out November 13, 2023

Follows A Killer in the Wings

Followed by The Puzzle of Parham House

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Born in Fire by Nora Roberts

Maggie Concannon is a fiery artist who doesn't want to work for anyone, but Rogan Sweeney is determined to bring the glass artist into his fold. 

The snark between these two has not diminished over the years. It is still as endearing and sharp as when this book was first written. Enjoy it every time I read it. The first in the "Born In" trilogy, it is my favorite.

Four stars
This book came out October 1, 1994

Born in Trilogy #1

Followed by Born in Ice

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own