Blue Moon Mystery Saloon

The Well of Ice

By Andrea Carter, Book 3, Inishowen Mystery Series, Oceanview Publishing, November 2020

*An ARC was provided for an honest review by Oceanview Publishing and Edelweiss Plus. 

 

The Well of Ice by Andrea Carter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

THE WELL OF ICE by Andrea Carter is the third in the interesting and well-written Inishowen Mystery series. The story takes place in County Donegal, Ireland on the Inishowen Peninsula and stars local solicitor, Benedicta “Ben” O'Keeffe.

It's a few days before Christmas, and Ben's sometime lover, local sergeant Tom Molloy, tells her that the man who killed her sister has been released from jail. He goes on to assure her that the killer, Luke Kirby, is unlikely to bother her as he's now living in the UK. But on a quick trip to Dublin to handle some business and see her parents, she runs into Kirby, who says something that frightens her. The day after returning home, she drives into the slightly bigger town of Glendara to tell Molloy about her run in with her sister's murderer, but she never makes it further than the outskirts of town due to a road closure. Ben walks toward the crowd of town residents spilling over the town green and sees that everyone's watching firefighters at the burning shell of a popular bar. She finds out that the fire was set and starts to wonder if Kirby is connected and in the Inishowen area after all. Thus begins Ben's quest to find the pub arsonist and help solve the murder of one of the bar's wait staff.

THEMES: Facing your past, falling for the wrong person, retribution for a murder, moving on after a loved one has died, believing in yourself

PROS: Setting well laid out and becoming like a character in the story, interesting side characters, fast-paced with good dialogue, character growth throughout, surprising twists, serious issues sprinkled throughout with believable resolution

CONS: None

THE WELL OF ICE is the third book in the Inishowen Mysteries series by Andrea Carter. The story flows seamlessly from one scene to the next, the plot is well thought out, and the side stories are neatly woven to a satisfying ending. If you like your books character-driven with a twist of amateur sleuthing and a hint of Christmas, then you'll definitely want to spend some time with THE WELL OF ICE .

If You Like This, You May Like: DEATH AT WHITEWATER CHURCH and TREACHEROUS STRAND by Andrea Carter, MAX TUDOR NOVELS by G.M. Malliet, THE BANBURY CROSS MURDER SERIES by Ben Westerham, THE CHARLES LENOX MYSTERIES by Charles Finch, RUTH GALLOWAY MYSTERIES by Elly Griffiths, VERA STANHOPE NOVELS , SHETLAND ISLAND MYSTERIES , and THE TWO RIVERS SERIES by Ann Cleeves, KATE SHACKLETON MYSTERIES by Frances Brody

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I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day

A novel by Milly Johnson, Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, November 2020

* An ARC was provided by Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for an honest review.

 

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day by Milly Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I WISH IT COULD BE CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY by Milly Johnson is a delightful and magical story of six travelers stranded over Christmas in a tiny Yorkshire village. Though on their way to various luxury locales to spend the holidays, a heavy snowstorm forces each of them to take refuge in the only shelter nearby, with no other occupants or village residents in sight.

Bridge, a successful real estate agent, and Luke, a millionaire veggie burger empire owner, are there to finalize their divorce. They've only come to sign the papers and then go back to their respective partners, Bridget to Ben and Luke to Carmen. Wealthy businessman Jack and his assistant Mary, who has unrequited love for Jack, are trying to meet up with an elusive potential customer from Japan, but the meeting is canceled, once again, to Jack's frustration. Charlie and Robin have been a loving couple for 32 years and married for the last three of them. Retired jeweler Charlie is around 80 years old and ill, and professional chauffeur Robin, 24 years his junior, takes care of Charlie in hopes of squeezing out a little more time together. As the six of them ride out the unusually heavy snowstorm, they settle in at the well-stocked inn, sharing stories, growing close, and having unexpected insights while they celebrate their unusual, uplifting Christmas.

PROS: Cast of well-developed, compelling characters, unique plot, growth of all characters, great pacing, believable dialogue, satisfying ending

CONS: Point of view skips around from character to character making it a tad bit confusing with who's thinking what

SUMMARY: I WISH IT COULD BE CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY is an endearing story that will warm your heart. With its interesting, flawed characters, a unique plot, a bit of the unexpected, and a lovely epilogue, it will be a holiday story I will go to every year.

If You Like This, You May Like:
MY ONE TRUE NORTH and THE MAGNIFICIENT MRS MAYHEW and other books by Milly Johnson, CUPCAKES FOR CHRISTMAS and CHRISTMAS AT WILLOUGHBY CLOSE by Kate Hewitt, ONE FAMILY CHRISTMAS by Bella Osborne, CHRISTMAS AT AUNT ELSIE'S by Emily Harvale, CHRISTMAS AT THE CORNISH CONFETTI AGENCY by Daisy James, IF EVERY DAY WAS CHRISTMAS by Donna Ashcroft

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Always the Last to Know

A Novel by Kristan Higgins, Berkley Books, June 2020.

* An ARC was provided by Berkley Books and Edelweiss for an honest review.

Always the Last to Know by Kristan Higgins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kristin Higgins' books are always thought provoking, and ALWAYS THE LAST TO KNOW is no exception. It's the story of a family falling apart from miscommunication, unrealized expectations, and various levels of guilt and how they begin to heal after the patriarch has a stroke. Told from several points of view, the story includes free-spirited Sadie, perfect Juliet, poised Barb, and muddled John.

Higgins is very good at creating complex characters, interweaving their stories to a satisfactory end, and she has done so here. Barb has tried to be the envied wife, mother and homemaker for John, who's slowly drifted away from their marriage, both emotionally and physically. Barb and Juliet created a bond that left little room for John, and he developed a close connection with Sadie when she was born. All the main characters are richly complicated and feel as if they have been friends of yours for years.

John's stroke brings the women in the family back together, raising old issues of how they feel about each other. Barb is seen as the cold mother saving all her love for her older child. Juliet is the perfect wife and Barb's favorite. Sadie is seen as selfish and irresponsible. But little by little they start making small concessions with each other and finally realize how they missed important times together because of long-held beliefs. They start taking small steps to understand and help each other, and they reconnect with the special people who they've cherished along the way, with an HEA for each of them.

THEMES: How long-held beliefs may be wrong, self doubt, letting go, betrayal, second chances, being true to yourself, accepting friends and family for who they really are.

SUMMARY: ALWAYS THE LAST TO KNOW is another well-written book by Higgins. It has all the gamut of emotions, making you laugh, cry, smile and sigh. I thoroughly recommend this story for anyone who enjoys character-driven stories and other books by this author.

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU MAY LIKE: Recent books like LIFE AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES and GOOD LUCK WITH THAT and other stories from Kristan Higgins, THE FRIENDSHIP LIST and SISTERS BY CHOICE by Susan Mallery, RETURN TO VIRGIN RIVER and THE COUNTRY GUESTHOUSE by Robyn Carr, DUNE DRIVE and THE GOODBYE CAFE by Mariah Stewart, FEELS LIKE FALLING and THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF PARADISE by Kristy Woodson Harvey


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