Blue Moon Mystery Saloon

Shooting Star

A Nikki Latrelle Mystery, Book 5, by Sasscer Hill, misterio press, July 2021

* An e-ARC was provided by the author for an honest review.

Shooting Star: A Nikki Latrelle Mystery, Book 5 by Sasscer Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SHOOTING STAR is the fifth story in the NIKKI LATRELLE MYSTERY SERIES by Sasscer Hill. And what a fine addition it is. Nikki is in her element as a jockey extra in “The Final Furlong,” a movie in production at Santa Anita Park in California. As the story begins, Nikki witnesses a murder of a cameraman and soon after becomes the female lead when the woman playing that part is critically injured while shooting a race scene.

With murders and injuries plaguing the production, Nikki is wary of everyone, except for Will Marshall, a former jockey and one-time love. He is also her boss, as she is now a subcontractor for the Thoroughbred Racing Protection Bureau (TRPB). He asks her to remain on the production to give him information and help catch the perpetrators, and he’s angry when Nikki starts lying to him. She does so to protect him, and while her feelings grow for her hot young co-star, Jamie, she tries not to think of her unresolved feelings about Will. No matter what happens in her love life, Nikki’s determined to solve the pieces of the puzzle that will eventually lead her to the murderer.

PROS:
- Characters are so well-written, one could imagine them walking right off the page. My particular favorite is Jamie, the suave male lead in the movie, and how he totally transforms into his on-screen persona, Dillon, a total jerk.
- Smells, sights, and textures draw the reader into the scene, almost as if you’re there.
- One of the things I like about the author’s books is the absence of grammatical errors —things that usually bring me out of the story.
- The story gives the reader a glimpse of how a movie and the sets are made.
- The book has good pacing and is action packed.

CONS:
None.

SUMMARY:
SHOOTING STAR is a fast-paced mystery with lots of action and well-written characters. It’s a great addition to the NIKKI LATRELLE MYSTERY SERIES and is a must read for horse racing fans and readers who like character-driven stories.

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:
Other NIKKI LATRELLE MYSTERIES, FIA MCKEE MYSTERIES, and TRAVELS OF QUINN by Sasscer Hill, DICK FRANCIS NOVELS by Dick Francis, THE DIMITY HORSE MYSTERIES by Leanne Owens, THE SCAR RULE by Heidi Vanderbilt, LARK DAVIS MYSTERIES by Annabelle Hunter


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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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Credible Threat

Ali Reynolds Series, Book 15, by J.A. Jance, Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, June 2020

* An e-galley was provided for an honest review by Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss.

 

Credible Threat by J.A. Jance
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

CREDIBLE THREAT by J.A. Jance is the 15th book in the Ali Reynolds Series. The mystery is well written, with fast pacing, strong backstories, and compelling characters. It's told in third person, past tense, and in several points of view.

Rachel Higgins learns her son's drug addition and subsequent death years before from an overdose may be the direct result of being sexually preyed upon by a trusted priest while in high school. She and her husband have basically become strangers in their own home. She has no friends, no home life, and nothing to do but wallow in her pain. Through her grief, she transfers her need for revenge to the highest Catholic Church priest in her community, Archbishop Francis Gillespie.

Archbishop Gillespie, the 86-year-old head of the Phoenix Archdiocese, has made it a mission to get rid of pedophile priests in his archdiocese. He's trying to come to terms with his mortality, especially after recovering from a two-month illness. He gets tired too easily, is dismayed to use a walker to get around and is slowly getting back into his everyday responsibilities, when he starts receiving threats left in the collection boxes at various local Catholic churches. After a few weeks, he starts to take them seriously and contacts security experts Ali Reynolds and her husband B. Simpson for help.

Ali Reynolds is also struggling with grief. She's found it hard to come out of a deep depression from a friend's death months earlier. She snaps at everyone and has to take on finding Gillespie's possible murderer by herself, since B. is out of the country on another case. The police don't take the threats seriously, so it's up to Ali to follow the tiniest of clues to identify the potential murderer by herself.

The story contains some great scenes full of action and includes lots of interesting mystery-related tidbits. Rachel is really cunning in how she plans the murder so to not get caught. But like all criminals who think they've committed the perfect crime, Rachel makes a couple of little mistakes that result in her identification and eventual downfall.

I was ready to give this book five stars until I got near the end. The ever increasing buildup of tension didn't match the placid ending. It's like rushing to get all your exams and papers finished before the end of a school year, then – POOF! It's over. So I deducted one star to make my rating a full four stars.

All in all, CREDIBLE THREAT is a well-written, fast-paced story, with strong characters and good story arcs, and I recommend to all mystery lovers. This is the first book I've read by this author, and I'm sorry I waited so long to get into this series. Now I intend to go back and start at the beginning.

If You Like This, You Might Like: Books 1-14 of the ALI REYNOLDS SERIES and J.P. BEAUMONT NOVELS by J.A. Jance, EVE DUNCANS SERIES by Iris Johansen, LUCY KINCAID NOVELS by Allison Brennan, FBI THRILLER SERIES and A BRIT IN THE FBI SERIES by Catherine Coulter, V.I. WARSHAWSKI BOOKS by Sara Paretsky, TRACER SERIES, BORDERLINE MYSTERIES, and GLASS SISTERS SERIES by Laura Griffin


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Lady Rights a Wrong

A Manor Cat Mystery-Book 2, by Eliza Casey, Berkley/Penguin Publishing Group, June 2020

* An e-galley was provided by Berkley/Penguin Publishing Group and Edelweiss for an honest review.

Lady Rights a Wrong by Eliza Casey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You know when you start reading a book and you can tell what the overall mood of the story will be? I felt it almost from the first page of LADY RIGHTS A WRONG, by Eliza Casey – an overall sense of sadness. Oh, it was a fairly decent mystery, but I found very little levity or joy in it.

The main protagonist, Lady Cecilia, is a privileged young woman living in 1912 England who wants something more with her life than being a wife to the local cleric (whom her mother keeps promoting), no matter how good looking and kind he is. Thus her interest in solving murders with Jane, her sometimes personal maid and always friend. Being interested in the suffragette movement, they are excited when a proponent of women's voting rights holds a meeting in the nearby village. Unfortunately, the meeting's speaker, Mrs. Price, ends up dead, and Lady Cecilia and Jane begin to solve the murder.

The main characters lack any special characteristics to make them more interesting, and the story is short on tension. However, I like the use of the suffragette movement and one of its leaders as the victim, including the information on how suffragettes were treated poorly and frequently ignored or heckled.

Loads of books are set in the Regency and Victorian periods, but few are set in the early 20th century, in this case 1912. So that's a plus. But the story would be more enriching if the author had included a little more context: descriptions of the cars, what people wore, the picturesque (?) landscape, and more details of the village and its residents. I'm not a huge fan of over description, but a little extra info to help the reader imagine the 1912 setting would be nice.

All in all, the basic writing is good, Lady Cecilia and Jane's sleuthing activities are done fairly well, and it's not too easy to decide who the murderer is. I've not read the first book in the series, but Casey does a good job of referring to that murder and the amateur sleuths role in solving it. But the sad feel of the book, the almost non-existing tension, and the inability of the author to draw me into the era results in a 3.5 rating.

If You Like This, You Might Like:
LADY TAKES THE CASE by Eliza Casey, HIGH SOCIETY LADY DETECTIVE SERIES by Sara Rosett, THE 1920s HISTORICAL COZY MYSTERY SERIES by Sonia Parin, ROYAL SPYNESS MYSTERIES by Rhys Bowen, MILLINER MYSTERIES by Kate Parker, MISS ALICE MURDER MYSTERIES by Blythe Baker

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Soulmates

A Novel by Jessica Grose, William Morrow, September 2016.

* An e-galley was provided by William Morrow and Edelweiss for an honest review.

 

Soulmates by Jessica Grose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SOULMATES, by Jessica Grose, is an unusual book presented through narration, newspaper articles, and different points of view. The book opens as associate lawyer, Dana Morrison, sees a newspaper with her estranged husband's name on the front page. The article tells about the bizarre death of her husband and his girlfriend in a New Mexico cave. Though she's still upset from when Ethan ran off with Amaya to practice yoga and live the lifestyle promoted by a self-proclaimed guru, Lama Yoni, Ethan's mysterious death concerns her. So begins her quest to find out what truly happened to him.

Dana contacts the sheriff's department having jurisdiction over Zuni Retreat, where Ethan and Amaya taught couples yoga. The staff can't give her much information, as Lama Yoni's high-powered lawyers have prevented the sheriff's office from ever visiting the Zuni complex. So Dana decides to sign up for a three-day stay at the retreat to discover whatever she can about the owner and what might have happened to her husband. In the Zuni library, she finds a book written by Ethan describing why he separated from her. Dana acknowledges the problems he saw in her, while also realizing Ethan was a free-loading narcissist. She also believes something's shady about the Zuni Retreat. Once back at work, Dana no longer has any motivation to work the long hours needed to become partner in her firm and takes a six-month sabbatical to delve into a lengthly investigation into Ethan's life at Zuni and his unexplained death in New Mexico.

Pros:
For the most part, the story is funny and not boring at all.
The story is told through several different writing techniques.
The characters are well-developed with unique quirks and relatable flaws.

Cons:
The ending. It didn't mesh with what I thought I knew about Dana's character.

Overall:
SOULMATES is a unique mystery full of quirky characters. I would recommend it to readers who prefer character-driven stories and/or those who enjoy mysteries. It's also a perfect book to take on vacation or for a relaxing weekend at home.

If You Like This, You Might Like: SAD DESK SALAD by Jessica Grose, ALL IS NOT FORGOTTEN and EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker, THE PERFECT STRANGER by Megan Miranda, THE LIGHT WE LOST by Jill Santopolo

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The Eyewitness

A D'Azzo Family mystery, Book One, Crimson Romance, March 2017.

* An e-galley was provided by Adams Media/Crimson Romance for an honest review.

  

The Eyewitness by Nancy C. Weeks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

THE EYEWITNESS is a great start to the new D'Azzo Family suspense series by Nancy C. Weeks. The author skillfully introduces all the main characters one at a time, showing how they contribute to the story, and creates energized scenes vivid enough for the reader to feel a part of the action.

The two main characters in this book are Emersyn D'Azzo, the youngest child of Grace and Joe D'Azzo, and Detective Alec Pearce, Joe's capable and trusted partner. She is a newly graduated forensic scientist, who has a long-standing love/hate relationship with the serious detective. When the story begins, Emersyn is celebrating her graduation with her family and ends up arguing with her father, while Maryland police are trying to identify a sniper who's been randomly shooting people around Maryland. Joe and Alec are part of a statewide law enforcement task force to solve the murders, and it appears Joe has been targeted by the sniper.

Pros: 1. The story is fast paced, action packed and well written. 2. All the more significant characters are well-developed, with their own unique flaws and strengths. 3. Vivid scenes transport the reader into the story. 4. The dialogue and interactions are interesting and realistic. 5. Having lived in Maryland when snipers were terrorizing DC and its neighboring counties in Maryland and Virginia several years ago, I remember the fear of not knowing where the sniper would strike next. That fear is accurately reflected in this story.

Cons: 1. The only sex scene in the story was written well, but I felt it was a little too long at that point in the story. 2. Part of the mystery isn't totally solved in this book but is provided as the link to the next story in the series. Since this is not unusual to a series, and since neither of these negatives take away from the book's overall storyline, they only drop the rating to 4.5 stars.

Overall: THE EYEWITNESS is a smart, fast-paced, and well-written mystery that should appeal to suspense and mystery fans everywhere.

If You Like This, You May Like: SHADOW SERIES by Nancy C. Weeks, TRACERS SERIES by Laura Griffin, MORGANS OF NASHVILLE and TEXAS RANGERS series by Mary Burton, FBI THRILLER BOOKS by Catherine Coulter, LUCY KINCAID NOVELS by Allison Brennan, DARKNESS by Karen Robards, BRIT IN THE FBI THRILLERS by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison, DECKER/LAZARUS NOVELS by Faye Kellerman, BUCHANAN/FBI SERIES by Julie Garwood

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Windswept

A Novel by Sabrina Jeffries (writing as Deborah Martin), Pocket Books, February 2017.

* An e-galley was provided by Pocket Books & Edelweiss for an honest review.

 

Windswept by Deborah Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the book's beginning, Sabrina Jeffries tells readers she wrote WINDSWEPT (originally published in 1996) under the name Deborah Martin near the beginning of her career. With this edition, she revised the story to make it more appealing to today's romance audience. She "heightened the drama, enriched the storyline, tightened the dialogue, and stoked" the sexual tension between the two main characters. And I believe she succeeded. It's an enchanting romance and an absorbing mystery that addresses the themes of abuse, loneliness, and love.

The heroine, Catrin Price, has denied herself a loving relationship after her husband was killed on their wedding day. She believes her family is cursed from a spell cast by an ancestor causing the death of her descendents' husbands within three years of marriage. Catrin refuses to be the instrument of death for anyone else and has resigned herself to a life without another husband or any children. She spends her days studying Welsh myths and legends, overseeing her property, and helping her tenants and friends.

The hero, Evan Newsome, has also denied himself a chance to find love after he almost killed an innocent person in a jealous rage, for which his fiancee broke their engagement. His father, a tenant farmer, emotionally and physically abused his family, and Evan truly believes he follows in his father's footsteps. But he's worked hard to better himself, thanks to the help of Rhys and Juliana Vaughan, the owners of the farm his father tended. They recognized Evan's intellect, took him in and sent him to the best schools, treating him as one of their own. Evan is now a noted scholar and tutor at Cambridge and feels he can never pay back the debt he owes them.

Catrin and Evan meet when he tries to discover who killed his best friend. Evan knows that someone calling herself the Lady of the Mist offered to buy an ancient Druid cup his friend owned, so he's followed that trail. When he discovers the woman is Catrin, he misrepresents himself as needing information on a book he's writing. She knows of the genius Evan Newsome, who speaks multiple languages, has essays published in prestigious journals and has written on the beauty of Welsh verse. So she falls for his lies. As Evan gets to know her, he begins to doubt that she is a murderer. Their attraction is strong, and though Catrin knows she can never remarry, she opens up to him, trusting him more each day.

Pros: 1. Catrin and Evan are extremely likable, believable characters with strong moral beliefs and depth of personality. Like real people, they have faults and issues to overcome, but they are primarily caring and supportive individuals who try to do the right thing. 2. I like that it's a romance based in Wales. Along with Ireland, I think Wales is woefully underrepresented in historical romances today. 3. It's a well-written romantic mystery that is interesting and unique. 4. Vivid descriptions pulled me into the story and kept me enthralled until the very end. 5. Supernatural elements are lightly woven throughout the book with a successful conclusion.

Cons: The story had to end.

Overall: WINDSWEPT is a fast-paced romance with a unique storyline and well-developed main and secondary characters. I truly enjoyed the story and recommend it to anyone who loves their romance with a hint of mystery.

If You Like This, You Might Like: THE SINFUL SUITORS SERIES and THE HELLIONS OF HALSTEAD HALL SERIES by Sabrina Jeffries, SCANDALOUS GENTLEMEN OF ST. JAMES SERIES and HELLIONS OF HAVISHAM SERIES by Lorraine Heath, MAIDEN LANE SERIES by Elizabeth Hoyt, THE HEART OF A DUKE SERIES by Christi Caldwell

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The Dressmaker's Dowry

^{A Novel by Meredith Jaeger, William Morrow/HarpersCollins, February 2017.}

** An e-galley was provided by William Morrow/HarperCollins and Edelweiss for an honest review.

 

The Dressmaker's Dowry by Meredith Jaeger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

THE DRESSMAKER'S DOWRY, by Meredith Jaeger, is an appealing and unique story of love, survival, and secrets. Set in San Francisco, it alternates between modern times and 1876.

The story begins in the present day and is told in first person, past tense. Sarah Havensworth is a grad student trying to write a novel for her MFA thesis. She's stuck with her story about life in the late 19th century's Barbary Coast and hasn't written anything in several weeks. Not only does she feel like a fraud because she can't finish her book, she's reluctant to let her husband Hunter Havensworth know. He's from a wealthy San Francisco family and has been her greatest supporter, both monetarily and emotionally, while she's been writing. They've been drifting apart, and she's afraid he'll think she's a big disappointment.

While researching her novel, Sarah discovers an article in an 1876 local newspaper referring to the disappearance of two dressmakers. The story intrigues Sarah because a serial killer was in the area at the same time, and she wonders if there's any way to tell if the dressmakers were his victims. So she abandons her soulless novel to write the more compelling dressmakers' story. This portion is set in 1876 and told in the third person, past tense by Hannelore "Hanna" Schaeffer. She's an immigrant from Bavaria, speaks German and English fluently, and is the oldest of four children of a fat, alcoholic, and abusive father. He takes the money she makes from her dressmaking job to drink and eat at taverns, while she and the other children barely scrape by. She and her Irish immigrant friend, Margaret O'Brien, spend long hours sewing for an unpleasant woman and her wealthy customers. One night Margaret is supposed to watch Hanna's siblings but never arrives. Hanna vows to find Margaret and enlists her friend, real estate mogul Lucas Havensworth, to help her.

Both Sarah and Hanna are survivors. They've lived through horrible situations and experienced bullying, deprivation and self-doubt. Though they each find love, they feel they don't deserve it and try to distance themselves from their partners. Sarah and Hanna have secrets too. Deep ones, that if discovered, could make their lives miserable.

As a history and preservation professional, I'm drawn to the research Sarah conducts to gather information for her story. The author uses this info to capture the disparity in living conditions between the wealthy citizens of late 19th century San Francisco and the poor immigrant populations living in unsafe and squalid areas of the city. And her portrayal of how the upper classes treated the other levels of society is reflected in both Sara's time and in 1876.

Pros: The story is definitely unique and well thought out. The plot and subplots interweave fairly well, and the characters are multidimensional and extremely interesting.

Cons: The novel could have been shorter--some passages are a little too long without adding to the story. In many places, the length of the sentences are similar, resulting in a somewhat stilted reading rhythm.

Final Thoughts: THE DRESSMAKER'S DOWRY is a good book for readers who like mysteries and character-driven stories and for people who like a bit of history sprinkled through their fiction. Though it's in the contemporary women genre, it's something I would have wanted to read even in the fifth grade (when I read GONE WITH THE WIND), so it's suitable for teenagers too..

If You Like This, You Might Like: THE LIFE SHE WAS GIVEN and WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND by Ellen Marie Wiseman, INTO THE WATER by Paula Hawkins, HER EVERY FEAR by Peter Swanson, THE ISLAND HOUSE by Nancy Thayer, INHERITING EDITH by Zoe Fishman

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At Close Range

A Tracers Novel (Book 11) by Laura Griffin, Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster, January 2017.

An e-galley was provided by Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for an honest review.

 

At Close Range by Laura Griffin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

AT CLOSE RANGE is the eleventh book in the TRACER SERIES by Laura Griffin. A fitting sequel to the previous book in the series, its action-packed suspense is guaranteed to pull you into the story and keep you riveted to the very end. The characters are multidimensional and relatable, and the plot and its parts are believable. Both main characters learn a lot about themselves and each other as they track down and follow clues they hope will lead them to the actual murderer(s).

San Marcos PD Detective Danielle “Dani” Harper is the reluctant lead on a two-person homicide case. It's complicated and definitely political. The District Attorney is up for reelection and needs these murders to be solved as soon as possible, so Dani has a lot of pressure to succeed. She barely survives on gallons of coffee and little sleep as she strives to come up with a motive and a list of suspects. She fears she's not ready to lead a case, especially one where persons of interest begin to die, and she questions if she can solve the murders quickly.

Former Navy Seal Scott Black, a ballistic expert, is the chief firearms examiner for the Delphi Center, the nation's largest private forensics lab. He's also the best friend of one of Dani's older brothers and has known Dani for more than 15 years. Scott is called into the homicide case to find and process any bullets and shells found at the crime scene. He becomes the lead suspect when a 9 mm Glock is discovered fairly close to the murder site, with only his fingerprints found on the gun. Though he's never owned or borrowed a Glock, he doesn't have an air-tight alibi and can't prove he wasn't the killer. He's put on administrative leave and starts investigating the homicide case to find the real murderer(s). Dani's always had a thing for Scott and doesn't want to believe he killed the two victims. So she goes against police department policy and her own ethics to work with him.

Griffin knows how to write heightened tension and heart-pounding action scenes. The prose is never boring or repetitive, and explanation of technical information is well-written and easy to understand. This fast-paced story includes lots of twists and turns, too. So if you're looking for an exciting mystery filled with strong characters and an interesting storyline, the AT CLOSE RANGE is the perfect book for you.

If You Like This, You May Like: Other books in the TRACER SERIES by Laura Griffin, CINCINNATI SERIES by Karen Rose, LUCY KINCAID NOVELS by Allison Brennan, MERCY KILPATRICK SERIES by Kendra Elliot, BOSS, INC. by Kat Martin, BODY ARMOR NOVELS by Lori Foster

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Lock & Mori: Mind Games

A LOCK & MORI MYSTERY (Book 2) by Heather W. Petty, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, December 2016

 * An e-galley was provided by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and Edelweiss for an honest review.

Mind Games by Heather W. Petty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In LOCK & MORI: MIND GAMES, Heather W. Petty has written a tight, intriguing mystery filled with interesting twists and turns and several unique Sherlock Holmes references. Though it ends in a cliffhanger, the path to that point contains such a captivating storyline with well-drawn, compelling characters (and a pinch of small side cases to appeal to young Sherlock Holmes fans), that the story is well worth the time it takes to read it and wait for the next installment.

The story begins shortly after the end of the series' first book, with high school friends Sherlock "Lock" Holmes and James "Mori" Moriarty practicing Bartitsu, a type of martial arts, to add to Mori's self-defense arsenal. Strong, self-sufficient, and intelligent Mori is still recovering from the brutal beating she received as her father, Detective Sargeant Moriarty, tried to kill her, and she needs to be mentally and physically ready to keep her three young brothers safe from their father's cruelty by insuring he remains in jail. But with the help of fellow officers wanting to exonerate one of their own from being charged as a murderer, DS Moriarty strives to have Mori charged as the killer, so he can get out of jail and take the boys where no one can find them.

Mori's worries multiply when she begins receiving threatening letters and the police start believing tips implicating her as the Regent Park murderer. She feels she can only rely on herself to prove her innocence. But her brilliant, frustrating, gorgeous Lock won't be pushed away from helping Mori. She is the one person he cares so much about, and he promises she can trust him. In a race against time, they travel around London following clues to the third player's identity. Through it all Mori realizes what lengths she's willing to go to protect her family and for justice to be served.

Issues of physical and mental abuse, school bullying, and the ethics of right and wrong actions are interwoven with the grief of losing a parent and trusting others. The burgeoning romance between Lock and Mori has just the right amount of teen angst, internal dialogue, and hesitant touches. The book is fast paced and full of action, and Sherlock Holmes fans will enjoy the several scenes of Lock's experiments and examples of his deductive reasoning.

Petty has a definite winner in LOCK & MORI: MIND GAMES. It's a great addition to the series and a smart mystery for both teens and adults. I look forward to the final book in the trilogy, to be released in Fall 2017.

If You Like This, You May Like: LOCK & MORI (Book 1) by Heather W. Petty, CHARLOTTE HOLMES NOVELS by Brittany Cavallaro, STOKERS & HOLMES SERIES by Colleen Gleason, GLASS AND STEELE SERIES by C. J. Archer, THE BASKERVILLE AFFAIR SERIES by Emma Jane Holloway, EMBASSY ROW SERIES and HEIST SOCIETY BOOKS by Ally Carter

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Insidious

An FBI THRILLER (Book 20) by Catherine Coulter, Pocket Books, August 2016

* An e-galley was provided by Gallery Books and Edelweiss for an honest review.

 

Insidious by Catherine Coulter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

INSIDIOUS, the 20th book in Catherine Coulter's FBI THRILLER SERIES, is a decent followup to NEMESIS, the previous book in the series, but didn't knock my socks off. In this book, married FBI Special Agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock investigate the attempted murder of 86-year-old powerful, wealthy society icon Venus Rasmussen in D.C., while Special Agent Cam Wittier flies to L.A. to help catch the Starlet Slasher.

Having known Savich his whole life, as she and his mother were best friends,Venus contacts Savich for help in discovering who is trying to poison her. The only people eating with her the three times Venus got sick were her son and a grandson, but loyal household staff can't be ruled out. Savich and Sherlock don't want to accuse family without hard evidence, but it appears that someone close to Venus wishes her dead. The two FBI agents must work quickly to find the culprit and prevent Venus's murder.

While Savich and Sherlock rush to keep Venus alive, Cam Whittier is in L.A. heading the investigation into the Starlet Slasher serial killings. A multi-municipal task force works around the clock to prevent more Hollywood starlets' deaths. Since the killer takes each woman's cellphone and computer or tablet, primary resources frequently used to help investigations, the task force lacks the immediate info to establish a connection between the murders. Cam has two resources that prove invaluable to get the info they need. Her parents, well-known actors who live down the street from one of the murder sites, know the ins and outs of the Hollywood scene and share their knowledge with the task force. Also, Cam runs into a friend from high school who is pursuing acting and who went to auditions with a few of the victims. The race is on to find the murderer before any more starlets are killed.

I've only read two other books in the author's FBI THRILLER SERIES, and the set up in this book is similar--two concurrent but distinct investigations linked by using staff from the FBI office. In this book, I didn't get a good image of Savich and Sherlock, but I guess after 19 books, fans would know the characters inside and out. Cam's background and motivations were more fully developed, so I felt I knew her better. And her investigation was much more interesting.

Though I enjoyed the plot and end of both investigations, they didn't seem to have much tension or subplots. And I felt as if I was getting two short stories instead of one compelling mystery book. So I give this book 3.5 stars. It's not a bad read, but if you're wanting to read a character-driven, tension-filled thriller, look somewhere else.

If You Like This, You Might Like: TRACERS SERIES by Laura Griffin, FORGOTTEN FILES and THE MORGANS OF NASHVILLE series by Mary Burton, MAX REVERE NOVELS by Allison Brennan, ALL THE MISSING GIRLS by Megan Miranda, GOOD AS GONE by Amy Gentry, WITH MALICE by Eileen Cook

Final Fondue

A Five-Ingredient Mystery (Book 3) by Maya Corrigan, Kensington, June 2016

Final Fondue by Maya Corrigan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

* An ARC was provided by the author for an honest review.

FINAL FONDUE, the third book in Maya Corrigan's Five-Ingredient Mystery series, is a lighthearted mystery involving romance, revenge, and chocolate fondue.

A bride, two bridesmaids, and the best man have rented rooms for the weekend in the Victorian house owned by Val Deniston's grandfather. The group is in Bayport, MD to scope out venues for the upcoming wedding. Their stay coincides with the town's Tricentennial Festival, a full weekend extravaganza of boating demonstrations, parades, fireworks and food booths. Val is involved in all facets of the festival and has little time to help Granddad with his guests. But she agrees to help her grandfather in the kitchen whenever she can.

After the festival's opening night fireworks, Val returns to the house to prepare the next day's breakfast. To take out the garbage, she has to venture through the dark back yard. First she spots fondue leftovers on the back porch. Then she stumbles across the body of a house guest. Once again a killer is on the loose in Bayport, and Val and her grandfather are on the case.

Could it be a spurned suitor? Or an old nemesis? Might it be the result of mistaken identity? Or a spur of the moment killing? These are just a few of the questions that Val and Granddad must answer before the murderer strikes again.

FINAL FONDUE contains interesting characters, feasible situations, and supporting subplots that provide convincing motives for why each suspect could be the killer. Throw in a haunted corn maze, cooking competitions, family dysfunction, and a few red herrings, and you have a tasty mixture that satisfies the mystery palate.

And don't worry if you haven't read the other two books in the series. This book can definitely stand alone. Though to get a better feel of the main characters and the story's location, you might want to read the books in order.

If You Like This, You May Like: BY COOK OR BY CROOK and SCAM CHOWDER by Maya Corrigan, FOOD LOVERS' VILLAGE MYSTERIES by Leslie Budewitz, COOKBOOK NOOK MYSTERIES by Daryl Wood Gerber, FARMERS' MARKET MYSTERIES by Paige Shelton, CHARMED PIE SHOPPE MYSTERIES by Ellery Adams, SOUP LOVER'S MYSTERIES by Connie Archer

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Scam Chowder

A FIVE-INGREDIENT MYSTERY  (Book 2) by Maya Corrigan, Kensington Mystery, July 2015.

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

SCAM CHOWDER, by Maya Corrigan, is the second book in the FIVE-INGREDIENT MYSTERY series and is perfect for fans of good food, small towns and lighthearted mysteries. The story is set in Bayport, a small town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and stars Val Deniston as a 32-year-old former Manhattanite who now lives with her grandfather and manages the Cool Down Cafe at the Bayport Racket and Fitness Club.

The tale opens as Val cooks a chowder dinner for her grandfather and his guests from the Ambleside Active Adult Village. Though Granddad writes a food column in the local paper as the Codger Cook, he's mostly a hazard in the kitchen. So he's going to pass Val's meal off as one he prepared himself. Granddad has planned the dinner to corner a guest who he feels scammed his best friend, Ned, by taking off with his savings. But before Granddad can accuse Scott of any wrongdoing, Scott becomes sick while eating his chowder soup and goes home. Scott eventually dies from his illness, and Granddad becomes a person of interest in the death. Val gets involved in finding the real killer to prove her grandfather's innocence.

The thing I like most about SCAM CHOWDER is it's well-developed characters, who are unique and somewhat humorous. Val is adapting to life in a small town after losing her fiance and cookbook publicist job in Manhattan. She's juggling her attraction to two men, a deputy sheriff she meets during her research into the murder and another man with whom she has a frequently interrupted friendship. Her best friend/coworker at the cafe dresses too young for her age, and her grandfather passes himself off as a great chef when he can barely boil water. The story is peppered with several believable suspects and enough red herrings to keep readers guessing who the real killer is.

If you like cooking but don't want to take forever in the kitchen, try some of the five-ingredient recipes the author includes in the back of SCAM CHOWDER. Recipes include Waterman's Clam Chowder, One Ugly Spread, Crunchy Lime Chicken, No-Crust No-Fuss Spinach Pie, Dummy Rum Cake and Crumby Nut Rounds. And try your hand at answering the trivia questions similar to those posed by Val at  Ambleside Village's Brain Game night. You can find them in the back of the book, too.

Overall, SCAM CHOWDER is a fun mystery and a perfect read for a cold weekend in front of a warm fireplace or a well-deserved beach vacation. Just take time to relax in a cozy club chair or on a soft beach blanket and lose yourself in this lighthearted story by Maya Corrigan.

 If You Like This, You May Also Like: --- FOOD LOVERS' MYSTERIES by Leslie Budewitz, READ EM AND EAT MYSTERIES  by Terrie Farley Moran,  SUPPER CLUB MYSTERIES and CHARMED PIE SHOPPE MYSTERIES by Ellery Adams, MERRY MUFFIN MYSTERIES  by Victoria Hamilton

 

Ghost Image

A Sophie Medina Mystery (Book 2) by Ellen Crosby, Simon & Schuster, April 2015.

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

GHOST IMAGE, by Ellen Crosby, the intriguing and suspenseful second novel in the Sophie Medina Mystery Series, begins in Washington DC and spans the Atlantic Ocean into London and the English countryside. Trying to solve the death of a friend, Franciscan friar and controversial environmentalist Kevin Boyle, leads freelance photographer, Sophie Medina, into a 200-year-old mystery involving a priceless 17^th century encyclopedia of plants. Not only is she trying to locate the rare, original botanical book as quickly as possible, but she needs to identify her friend's murderer before she becomes the next victim.

Important characters are introduced at the start of the story as party attendees at the Austrian ambassador's posh Kalorama neighborhood residence in DC. What could have been a very confusing lead in to the characters and their high political and royal status is handled very smoothly by the author. The main characters are given unique traits and personalities to help the reader identify them throughout the book, and there are plenty of suspects who have plausible motivations for killing Brother Kevin. With the plant of good clues and red herrings, the identity of the murderer is masked until the end of the story.

The author's use of a rare plant encyclopedia as a link to the suspects and sites in GHOST IMAGE is fairly unique, and the hunt for this treasure provides the catalyst for action and suspense in the story. It's a satisfying book for the mystery enthusiast and, as a bonus, lets the reader in on life rarely seen behind the photo ops and human interest stories arranged by politicians and royalty for positive press.

Crosby knows what it's like to be a journalist in media bureaus throughout the world and interjects that knowledge and enthusiasm into Sophie's investigation in Washington, DC and England. One of my favorite things about this story are the parts set in Washington, DC. The author knows the places that she uses in her books and gives the reader an insider's view of life in and around DC. She offers glimpses of life in the halls of Congress and behind the scenes at both the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress and shares information about interesting sights and overlooked gardens in DC.

I've lived in this region for a fairly long time, but I've never seen the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, which offers various tours and has a wealth of information on its website. And though I've walked the Mall between the Smithsonian buildings umpteen times, I've never paid attention to the small sensory garden alongside the second oldest museum building. Now I want to visit the little known places mentioned in this book.

I recommend this five-star mystery for those who like a good whodunit and for readers who prefer a side of history and political intrigue in their books. GHOST IMAGE would be a great book for a beach vacation or even a rainy weekend, and it's suitable for most ages.

 If You Like This, You May Also Like --- WINE COUNTRY MYSTERIES by Ellen Crosby, WHITE HOUSE CHEF MYSTERIES by Julie Hyzy, FBI THRILLER SERIES by Catherine Coulter, A BRIT IN THE FBI MYSTERIES by Catherine Coulter and JT Ellison

The Cat, The Devil, The Last Escape

A Novel by Shirley Rousseau Murphy and Pat J.J. Murphy, HarperCollins/William Morrow, Feb 2015.

* An ARC was provided by HarperCollins/William Morrow and Edelweiss for an honest review.

THE CAT, THE DEVIL, THE LAST ESCAPE is not a light-hearted read, nor is it a hard thriller. It is a good, somewhat serious mystery set after WWII involving small-time crook & former train robber, Lee Fontana, and a young father falsely accused of murder and bank robbery, Morgan Blake. The 60-ish Lee helps Morgan adapt to life in prison. They eventually hatch a plan to find the man who set up Morgan and bring him to justice. Though something dark and twisted follows both of the men, their morality and strength of soul fortify them against the devil and his minions.

Morgan's nine-year-old daughter Sammie is another major character in the book. She sees the future in her dreams and is targeted by the devil for this gift. She and Lee have a strong link through the ghost cat, Misto. Although the two humans live across the country from one another, Misto appears and comforts Lee and Sammie whenever they are sad or worried. They share another crucial link which is revealed as the story progresses.

Scattered throughout the book are wonderful tidbits about life in the mid-1900s: how people traveled the country, what the penal system was like, aspects of the early years of flight, how people coped during and after the war. The authors' use of these historical facts help ground the story in its time and place.

However, there are a few things keeping me from giving the book five stars. The various points of view (sometimes within the same chapter) might be hard for some readers to follow. Usually it is fairly easy to understand whose side of the story is being told, but there are a couple of scenes where I had to reread a passage to determine the correct point of view. Another issue is how the first chapter is written. It's a long narrative where Misto relates his backstory with Lee and brings the reader up to date on Lee's criminal history. It seems like a dump of information that could have served better sprinkled throughout the book.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good Columbo mystery, where it isn't about discovering who did the crime, but about how the real criminal is known, eventually reveals his part in the crime, and is finally brought to justice. It also might appeal to readers who enjoy stories set in the mid-1900s and who like a bit of paranormal mixed in with their mysteries.

If You Like This, You May Also Like: JOE GREY MYSTERIES by Shirley Rousseau Murphy,MIDNIGHT LOUIE MYSTERIESby Carole Nelson Douglas,MRS. MURPHY MYSTERIESby Rita Mae Brown,MAGICAL CATS MYSTERIES by Sofie Kelly,WHALES AND TAILS MYSTERIESby Kathi Daley,CATS IN TROUBLE MYSTERIESby Leann Sweeney,BLACK CAT BOOKSHOP MYSTERIESby Ali Brandon,CATS IN THE STACKS MYSTERIES by Miranda James, CATS AND CURIOS MYSTERIES by Rebecca M. Hale

The Monogram Murders

The New Hercule Poirot Mystery by Sophie Hannah, Wm Morrow/HarperCollins, September 2014.

* A copy was provided by the the publisher and Edelweiss for an honest review.

Sophie Hannah's new novel, THE MONOGRAM MURDERS, follows the famous Belgium detective, Hercule Poirot, as he tries to uncover the mystery surrounding the death of three guests at a London hotel and  the possible death of a young woman he encounters in a coffeehouse. Through various twists and turns, and several red herrings, Poirot sifts through the clues and gleans the truth about what happened.

The author fully captures Poirot's OCD habits and his mode of speech. I can picture David Suchet's Poirot smiling condescendingly at some fool, wincing at a scattered placesetting or a maid dropping his hat, and spelling out the truth of what happened to the gathered group of suspects.

However, the tone of the story seems more current than the original Poirot mysteries by Agatha Christie. This is not necessarily a bad thing, unless the reader is a devoted Christie fan. The story is told from a different point of view than the original stories were. The new narrator, Scotland Yard's Edward Catchpool, is thirty-two and introduces himself as a policeman friend of Poirot's. They meet when Poirot stays in the same London boardinghouse as Catchpool, about six weeks before the events in the book. Catchpool is a touch insecure and feels everyone will soon catch on that he's not the best policeman out there. He is an acceptable narrator, though.

I prefer to base this review on the book itself and not on how it does or does not read like Agatha Christie wrote it. With that in mind, I think this is a fairly entertaining novel that has enough clues and suspects to make it an enjoyable story for people who love mysteries. With the good balance of dialogue and description, the interesting and unusual mystery, and a story that flows along nicely, this novel could bring in some new readers of Agatha Christie's stories.

 

CIty of Mirrors

A Diana Poole Thriller by Melodie Johnson Howe, Pegasus Crime, August 2013.

* A copy was provided by the author for an honest review.

CITY OF MIRRORS, by Melodie Johnson Howe, is a fast-moving, entertaining mystery set in the semi-glamorous world of Hollywood, where who you know and what you know are sometimes more important than talent. The star of this story is 40-year-old Diana Poole, daughter of the recently deceased mega-star Nora Poole and widow of the Oscar-winning screenwriter Colin Hudson. Diana gave up a promising movie career when she married, and eight years later, after the death of her husband, she's back on a movie set in what she hopes will be a boost to her reemergence on the big screen. In the film she plays the mother to starlet Jenny Parson's character. Unfortunately production is frequently delayed because Jenny can't seem to remember her lines. But Diana's big movie break is all but forgotten when the starlet is found dead.

Diana is a strong, resilient and independent protagonist, who discovers that everyone plays a part, even behind the scenes. As more friends' and family secrets come to light in the story, Diana grows as a person. She comes to realize that not everything is as it seems, and that people she considered close friends, she never really knew at all.

Howe infuses realism in all her characters. The love interest is a security consultant who seems to be working for several competing players. The alcoholic next-door neighbor who passes out in the bushes along the side of his house may or may not have been involved with the murdered starlet. The producer of the interrupted movie has a wife and mistress who are longtime friends of the protagonist. And then there's the unscrupulous father of the dead girl.

CITY OF MIRRORS suggests that the glamour and glitz we see surrounding Hollywood movie makers sometimes hides lives full of shame, disappointment and deceit. This is what moves the story and may interest the reader. And Howe, as a former actor in film and TV, knows the world of which she writes.

So if you're looking for a glimpse of how things are done behind the scenes in Tinseltown, this book may be a good selection. If you're looking for a fast-moving, well-planned mystery, you'll definitely want to get this story. It's the perfect book for your vacation, rainy day or a day at the beach.

If You Like This, You May Also Like: PIPER DONOVAN MYSTERIES by Mary Jane Clark, BILLY BLESSING MYSTERIES by Al Roker, MURDER AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS by Joan Rivers (with Jerrilyn Farmer), HOLLYWOOD HEADLINES MYSTERIES by Gemma Halliday

That Old Black Magic

A Piper Donovan Mystery by Mary Jane Clark, William Morrow, January 2014.

* An ARC was provided by Harper Collins/William Morrow and Edelweiss for an honest review. 

Mary Jane Clark's THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC is set around St. Patrick's Day in New Orleans. Wedding cake baker Piper Donovan wins a contest to apprentice with the renowned Bertrand Olivier, a philandering baker with an amazing creative flair. She's starstruck and vows to learn as much as she can from the baker while she's there.  Most of the action takes place on Royal Street in the French Quarter, where during her short stay Piper meets colorful local residents and shopkeepers pivotal to the story. Just after Piper arrives, murders start occurring within the same block as the bakery. A talk radio DJ trying to get higher ratings coins the murderer as the Hoodoo Killer. As usual, Piper winds up in the center of the murder investigation.

The story picks up about one month after the previous book in Clark's series, FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND, and a large plot point revolves around Piper's misadventure from that mystery and her resulting symptoms of possible PTSD. It's not necessary to read the previous book to understand why Piper reacts the way she does, as it's explained in this story. But while in New Orleans, Piper plays a small but significant role in a movie being shot in town in which her PTSD symptoms are amplified.

I don't prefer the author's method of making each scene a separate chapter, as sometimes it's hard to keep up with so many different points of view. However, this is Clark's writing style and probably what her fans expect from her stories.

I give this book four stars because of the complexity of the mystery and how Clark captures the vivacity of New Orleans, almost to the point of making the city a main character in the book. Red herrings abound, and most of the primary characters have motive and opportunity to be the killer. Clark's books aren't too light or dark and are enjoyable stories with just the right balance of action and dialogue, making them perfect to read over a weekend or at the beach.

If You Like This, You May Also Like:  Other PIPER DONOVAN MYSTERIES by Mary Jane Clark, DADDY'S GONE A HUNTING and I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN (Apr '14) by Mary Higgins Clark, REGAN REILLY MYSTERIES by Carol Higgins Clark, KINSEY MILLHONE MYSTERIES by Sue Grafton

Corpse Flower (repost)

A Cornwall and Redfern Mystery, by Gloria Ferris, Dundurn Press, January 2014 (US) 

*An ARC was provided by Dundurn Press and Edelweiss for an honest review.

CORPSE FLOWER is a refreshing entry into a stale, craft-saturated, cozy mystery field. It's protagonist, Bliss Moonbeam Cornwall, is a 32-year-old, divorced and motorcycle-riding resident of Lockport, Ontario. Once a well-dressed, well-connected socialite and married to swarmy attorney, Mike Bains (a.k.a., the Weasel), she now lives in a decrepit trailer next to a 25-year-old hooker, shops at a second hand store, and works a bunch of part-time jobs to make ends meet.

Seeking retribution from her ex is a huge motivating factor in Bliss's day-to-day existence. Bliss wants to save up enough money to force her ex to provide a better settlement than fifty acres of swamp land and the clothes on her back. Her jobs as yoga instructor, library assistant, cleaning lady and cemetery groundskeeper help her eat, pay rent, and fuel up her beloved motorcycle. But If she can sell the seven-acre Barrister estate to the mother and son who've recently seen the property and do a little paying job for her cousin, agoraphobic Dougal, then she might earn just enough money to fight the Weasel in court.

Her Saturday groundskeeping job at the Good Shepherd Cemetery brings her into contact with Julian Barnfeather, a long-time town employee of the cemetery. While Bliss works, he lounges in the cemetery shed reading questionable 'literature' and drinking to his heart's content. Bliss does her best to avoid him, since he can't let a moment in her presence go by without harassing her. So it's not until Sunday morning, when police chief, Neil Redfern, and his constable, Thea Vanderbloom, stop by her trailer to question her that she finds out about Julian's death the day before.

And it's not enough that Julian's killer is on the loose. The Weasel and his wife are doing all they can to force Bliss out of town. Bliss keeps stumbling upon marijuana plants wherever she goes. And there's definitely something weird and most likely illegal going on in her little trailer enclave of Hemp Hollow. At least she and Chief Redfern get along okay, sometimes.

I highly recommend you read CORPSE FLOWER. This Arthur Ellis Award-winning story is the first book in the Cornwall and Redfern Mystery Series and is a well-written tale chock full of action, humor, and quirky characters. Guaranteed to keep you invested in the life of the protagonist from start to satisfying end of the story, it's just the right kind of book to lighten your day or take to the beach. I totally enjoyed CORPSE FLOWER and look forward to the next book in Ms. Ferris's delightful new series.

PROTAGONIST: 32-year-old divorcee working several part-time jobs

ACTION: Three deaths, attempted deaths, a little gore

LOVE INTERESTS: Hunky, blond, chief of police

ROMANCE: Sitting on lap, short kiss

QUIRKINESS: Loads!! An agoraphobic cousin, a puffed-up mayor, a dead skunk 

INTERESTING TIDBIT: Growth and care of the Titan Arum (biggest flowering plant)

FUN FACTOR: Snappy dialogue, funny situations, unusual characters

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU MAY LIKE: The Charlie Davidson Mysteries by Darynda Jones (for mature readers), Witchcraft Mysteries by Juliet Blackwell, Vintage Magic Mysteries by Annette Blair, Mall Cop Mysteries by Laura DiSilverio, White House Gardener Mysteries by Dorothy St. James, Psychic Eye Mysteries by Victoria Laurie

Cut to the Bone

A Body Farm Mystery by Jefferson Bass, William Morrow, September 2013.

*An ARC was provided by Harper Collins/William Morrow and Edelweiss for an honest review.

CUT TO THE BONE  is a suspenseful, entertaining prequel to the successful BODY FARM MYSTERY SERIES written by Dr. Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson. Bass is the real-life forensic anthropologist, Anthropology Department chairman, and Body Farm director upon whom the book's protagonist, Dr. Bill Brockton, is based. CUT TO THE BONE tells a fictional story of the vision and development of the real Body Farm at the University of Tennessee (UT) and parallels a suspenseful serial murder mystery. Though the story is told in several points of views, chapter and segment headings make the story easy to follow and assists in building suspense.

The mystery involves a serial murderer to whom the reader is introduced early in the story. Reading in the killer's point of view gives the reader insight into why he kills, how he picks his murder weapons, and who he chooses as his victims, and the FBI profiler characters help Brockton understand what kind of killer he's facing.

If learning a little about forensic anthropology is a draw, loads of body identification techniques and scene forensics are explained in the story. Brockton describes to local authorities how studying a body's bones can uncover the skeleton's gender, age and possible trauma suffered before death and what to look for in time-of-death and post-death trauma. The story also describes the specific and sometimes boring research needed to build a strong, fact-based database which can be accessed by medical and law officials to help solve crimes.

Humor, a common emotional release for forensic anthropologists and anyone else mired in the business of death, is scattered throughout the book. The bantering and conversations between Brockton and his grad assistant are totally believable, and several of their interactions with local rural county officials are funny and pretty authentic. I particularly enjoy Brockton's phone calls with his new, already beleaguered secretary and with the chatty dispatcher at the Morgan County sheriff's office.

I also like that the settings' details pull the reader right into the scenes and that the authors made sure to include other senses (touch, sound, smell and taste) to enhance the visual descriptions. I have a slight advantage in imagining where the story takes place, as I grew up in Knoxville. I also spent a lot of time in the Anthropology Department as an undergrad and for a short time as a grad student during Bass's tenure as department chair. I remember the room layout in Neyland Stadium and the unpleasant odors that bombarded me when opening the door to the department's hallway. But CUT TO THE BONE 's detailed descriptions also bring up memories of good times in the labs and classrooms there.

All in all, I would recommend CUT TO THE BONE to anyone who enjoys suspenseful murder mysteries, forensic science, anthropology and archaeology, or just good, entertaining storytelling. The book is fine as a stand-alone, but if this is your first time reading a Body Farm Mystery, then CUT TO THE BONE is definitely a good place to start if you want to continue this interesting series. Just make sure to take a big chunk of time to read. If you're like me, you'll want to read this story at one sitting.

If You Like This, You May Also Like ---   Other BODY FARM MYSTERIES by Jefferson Bass,  DEATH'S ACRE and BEYOND THE BODY FARM (both nonfiction, related to the real Body Farm) by Dr. Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson, TEMPERANCE BRENNAN MYSTERIES by Kathy Reichs, SCARPETTA MYSTERIES by Patricia Cornwell, DIANE FALLON FORENSIC MYSTERIES by Beverly Connor

The Clockwork Scarab

A Stoker and Holmes Novel  (Book One) by Colleen Gleason, Chronicle Books, September 2013

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

THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB: A STOKER AND HOLMES NOVEL by Colleen Gleason is a terrific start to a new and unique mystery series set in 1889 London. It's an amalgamation of several popular subgenres, including steampunk, time travel, romance and young adult mystery, and stars Evaline Stoker (Bram's half-sister) and Mina Holmes (Sherlock's niece and Mycroft's daughter) as courageous, self-reliant, 17-year-old sleuths under the tutelage of Irene Adler (Sherlock's admired female opponent).

Told in alternating points of views, the story follows Mina and Evaline as they use their unique skills to identify the person(s) responsible for kidnapping and murdering upper class teenage girls and dumping their bodies around London. The palm-sized mechanical scarabs found beside each body link the murders and are crucial to the investigation. These and other clues lead to a secret Egyptian society to which all the dead girls belonged.

As in all good mysteries, the two young sleuths face a number of obstacles to their investigation. The main one here, though, is the girls mistrust of each other. The ever observant and analytical Mina Holmes thinks Evaline is flighty, weak, not terribly bright, and uncooperative. The incredibly fast and strong Evaline Stoker believes Mina is a haughty know-it-all who is dull and has no sense of adventure. But as the story evolves and they save each other with their set of special skills, they grudgingly begin to admire one another as worthy partners.

Though Mina and Evaline are the main sleuths in the story, they have plenty of help in solving the murders. The girls are glad to have Irene Adler as their mentor and supervisor, but their other assistants aren't as welcomed. Mina has to share her quest with the maddening but intriguing Inspector Ambrose Grayling of Scotland Yard and the handsome time traveler Dylan Eckhart, while Evaline needs help from Pix, a young man of questionable character who knows more about the case than he lets on. The men are just a bit older than the girls and provide the light romantic elements in the story.

Steampunk is a large part of THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB . The variety of steam-powered mechanical devices, such as Night-Illuminators, Steam-Stream guns, and the Deluxe Tome-Selector, adds a bit of humor to the story, and a few are even used to help solve the murders.

Overall, THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB is an intriguing and well-plotted murder mystery that readers from 12 years of age and up will enjoy. If you like adventurous stories with unique characters and strong, confident heroines, then this book is for you. I only hate that I have to wait a whole year for the release of the next book in the series.

If You Like This, You Might Like – THE GARDELLA VAMPIRE CHRONICLES by Colleen Gleason, F.R.E.A.K. SQUAD INVESTIGATION MYSTERIES by Jennifer Harlow, THE STEAMPUNK CHRONICLES by Kady Cross, THE INFERNAL DEVICES SERIES and THE MORTAL INSTRUMENT SERIES by Cassandra Clare

Scythe Does Matter

A Reluctant Reaper story (Book 2) by Gina X. Grant, Simon & Schuster/Pocket Star Books, July 2013.  

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

SCYTHE DOES MATTER  is the second book in Gina X. Grant's RELUCTANT REAPER paranormal series. In this story, twenty-five-year-old Kirsty d'Arc tries to make something of her afterlife while waiting to appeal her denied Wrongful Reaping Appeal. She decides to attend the Reaper Academy, so she can return to the Mortal Coil and bring back the bewitched stapler that started her fall to the Underworld and proves Conrad Iver, her unscrupulous boss, tricked her into literally signing her life away.

I've thoroughly enjoyed this book in the series. Kirsty achieves tremendous growth and discovers an afterlife in which she can provide a useful service that makes her happy. She gains new, quirky friends in reaper school and saves the day when a time sync catastrophe strikes the Underworld.

Kirsty and Dante continue their supporting and sometimes rocky relationship, and Kirsty finds her calling as a reaper. The puns don't overwhelm the story in SCYTHE DOES MATTER  as they did in the first book, and I laughed out loud at the witty banter between Kirsty and her classmates.

Will Kirsty graduate from reaper school? Will she ever get back to her Earthly body and come out of her coma? And will she ever find that elusive, tricky stapler? You'll just have to read SCYTHE DOES MATTER  to find out. It's great for the beach, perfect for a study break, and just lots of fun to read.

* The third book in the series, ESPRIT DE CORPSE, was released in August 2013. 

If You Like This, You May Also Like: --- THE RELUCTANT REAPER  and ESPRIT DE CORPSE  by Gina X. Grant, HOW TO DISCIPLINE YOUR VAMPIRE  by Mina Vaughn, CHARLEY DAVIDSON SERIES  by Darynda Jones, DARKLIGHT SERIES  by Darynda Jones, UNDERWORLD DETECTION AGENCY SERIES  by Hannah Jayne, F.R.E.A.K.S. SQUAD INVESTIGATION SERIES  by Jennifer Harlow

Multiple Exposure

A Sophie Medina novel (Book One) by Ellen Crosby, Simon & Schuster/Scribner, August 2013.

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

MULTIPLE EXPOSURE is a finely crafted suspense mystery set in London and Washington, DC. The story begins when photojournalist Sophia Medina returns from an out-of-town assignment to find her London home trashed. Blood is splattered all over the place and her CIA operative husband, Nick Canning, is missing. Three months pass, and after unsuccessful searches to find her husband, Sophie prepares to move back to the United States. But days before she leaves, US and UK intelligence reps in London question if she knows anything about Nick. They tell her he's been spotted in Moscow and suggest he may have faked his own kidnapping. One high-ranking British official even implies that Nick may be a murderer and selling important and secretive info to the highest bidder. Sophie refuses to believe that Nick would murder or become a traitor.

Once Sophie returns to DC, she gets a job with Focus Photography. Her first gig is a National Gallery of Art exhibit opening of Russian artifacts loaned to the US through Russian oil tycoon Artaky Vasiliev. It's during this event that Sophie becomes part of the mystery surrounding her husband, a possible oil discovery in Abadistan, oil tycoon Vasiliev, and the Russian mafia. Her curiosity and desire to see Nick vindicated then lead her to another mystery involving a US senator and a supporter of Abadistan independence.

Conflicts and tension abound in the story. Outward conflicts are fairly obvious: the ongoing search for Sophie's husband, crumbling relations between Abadistan and Russia, a Russian ambassador arguing with a US Senator, among many others. Sophie's internal conflicts are a little more subtle. She doesn't know who to trust, intelligence officials follow her every move, her safety is constantly threatened, and she argues with her boss, family and friends. On page 146, Sophie's thinking about what she admires in her Jesuit priest friend, Jack, and his ability to "...do the right thing, to be true to your values, to act with integrity and compassion for others." She struggles with these ideals throughout the story, trying to do the right thing with highly skeptical information and personal threats thrown at her and bristling at what she needs to do to uncover the truth.

MULTIPLE EXPOSURE isn't just an exciting suspense novel, it's also a geography and history lesson of Washington, DC. Crosby shares interesting facts and backstories about many well-known and some obscure landmarks and sites around town. In fact, parts of the story occur in an almost hidden memorial on the Potomac River and in less traveled sections of Rock Creek Park. The reader also gets glimpses of what happens behind-the-scenes during museum exhibit openings and events at historic landmarks (i.e., Majorie Merriweather Post's home, Hillwood).

A few British words pop up (i.e., queue" for "line") in the story, but their use is natural for Sophie as she's just returned to the States after living in London for over a decade. Readers who do crossword puzzles may also discover some new Russian terms to help answer tricky clues.

I enjoyed MULTIPLE EXPOSURE and had a hard time putting the book down as I neared the end. Once I got through the backstory overload at the beginning and became familiar with Crosby's style of writing, I flew through the rest of the book. It's full of suspense and conflict, and it contains an interesting array of unique characters. I would highly recommend this book to all mystery fans and to readers who just like a good, solid, entertaining story.

PROTAGONIST/HEROINE: A 38-year-old photojournalist recently returned to N. Virginia

ACTION: Attempted murder, trashed home, arguments, car agression scene

ROMANCE: One sex scene but no details

QUIRKINESS: Sophie tooling around on her Vespa

INTERESTING TIDBITS: History of Library of Congress's design, a re-creation of the 3 Emperors Dinner of 1867, Meridian Hill Park's drum circle every Sunday at 3 pm

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU MAY LIKE: Wine Country Mysteries by Ellen Crosby, Max Tudor Novels by G.M. Malliet, Chief Inspector Gamache Mysteries by Louise Penny

Up in Flames

A stand-alone novel, by Starr Ambrose, Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books, July 2013.

* I received an ARC from Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books and Edelweiss for an honest review.

Sophie's a 27-year-old good girl, fresh out of grad school with a doctorate in entomology, and she's looking for a job. She's from a highly educated commune family, who raised her with lots of love, trust and support. Zane's a 30-year-old bad boy, owns a landscaping company, and comes from the disgraced Thorson family. He grew up surrounded by hatred, mistrust and violence. One summer ten years ago Sophie and Zane were lovers. Though they parted with angry words and misunderstandings, their short time together left a mark on both of them, so much so, that they still feel a strong attraction to one another.

When they meet again ten years later at Sophie's sister's wedding, Sophie says she can't find a job and Zane offers her one at his landscaping company. He sees this as a chance to demean Sophie and let her see how it feels to really work for a living. But what begins as Zane's attempt to denigrate Sophie, ends in Sophie trying to find the killer who's framing Zane for murder.

Though they continually argue with one another, Sophie knows that Zane has worked hard to be a better person than his father and brother. She's seen the sensitive and caring side of Zane that everyone else in town overlooks, and she knows that Zane could never hurt anybody.

Zane's suffered through the town's scorn all of his life due to the cruelty of his family. His father's in jail for murder and his brother's been on the run for several years. When a young woman's body is discovered on Zane's property, the police automatically assume Zane is the killer. Sophie's the only one who comes to his defense, much to the chagrin of her family. It's hard for Zane to accept her help. Not only does he question her motivations, but he's not used to having anyone be nice to him.

UP IN FLAMES is a wonderful story of overcoming prejudices and ignoring rumors to do what's morally right. It also shows us that your past doesn't always have to dictate your future and that honest communication can break down prejudices.

UP IN FLAMES is also a good mystery. It's filled with lots of shady characters and potential suspects, and includes some surprising twists. And Sophie gets to use her entomology knowledge to help with the case. The story kept me guessing until the final reveal. Really. I couldn't figure it out until then.

So if you're looking for a great mystery or an interesting romance, UP IN FLAMES is the right book for you. It's a perfect story to read on the beach or curled up in a warm chair on a rainy day. It has an interesting good girl/bad boy vibe. AND it doesn't end on a cliffhanger. Just make sure you have a lot of time to read. You might find you can't put the book down until you've reached the very last page.

PROTAGONIST/HEROINE: A 27-year-old, unemployed, good girl entomologist

ACTION: Chase scenes, kidnapping, fun with frontloaders

LOVE INTEREST: A 30-year-old, bad boy, landscaping company owner

ROMANCE: A few sex scenes

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU MAY LIKE: Novels by Lori Foster, Lori Wilde, Kathleen Brooks, and Rachel Gibson 

Corpse Flower

A Cornwall and Redfern Mystery, by Gloria Ferris, Dundurn Press, January 2014 (US) 

*An ARC was provided by Dundurn Press and Edelweiss for an honest review.

CORPSE FLOWER is a refreshing entry into a stale, craft-saturated, cozy mystery field. It's protagonist, Bliss Moonbeam Cornwall, is a 32-year-old, divorced and motorcycle-riding resident of Lockport, Ontario. Once a well-dressed, well-connected socialite and married to swarmy attorney, Mike Bains (a.k.a., the Weasel), she now lives in a decrepit trailer next to a 25-year-old hooker, shops at a second hand store, and works a bunch of part-time jobs to make ends meet.

Seeking retribution from her ex is a huge motivating factor in Bliss's day-to-day existence. Bliss wants to save up enough money to force her ex to provide a better settlement than fifty acres of swamp land and the clothes on her back. Her jobs as yoga instructor, library assistant, cleaning lady and cemetery groundskeeper help her eat, pay rent, and fuel up her beloved motorcycle. But If she can sell the seven-acre Barrister estate to the mother and son who've recently seen the property and do a little paying job for her cousin, agoraphobic Dougal, then she might earn just enough money to fight the Weasel in court.

Her Saturday groundskeeping job at the Good Shepherd Cemetery brings her into contact with Julian Barnfeather, a long-time town employee of the cemetery. While Bliss works, he lounges in the cemetery shed reading questionable 'literature' and drinking to his heart's content. Bliss does her best to avoid him, since he can't let a moment in her presence go by without harassing her. So it's not until Sunday morning, when police chief, Neil Redfern, and his constable, Thea Vanderbloom, stop by her trailer to question her that she finds out about Julian's death the day before.

And it's not enough that Julian's killer is on the loose. The Weasel and his wife are doing all they can to force Bliss out of town. Bliss keeps stumbling upon marijuana plants wherever she goes. And there's definitely something weird and most likely illegal going on in her little trailer enclave of Hemp Hollow. At least she and Chief Redfern get along okay, sometimes.

I highly recommend you read CORPSE FLOWER. This Arthur Ellis Award-winning story is the first book in the Cornwall and Redfern Mystery Series and is a well-written tale chock full of action, humor, and quirky characters. Guaranteed to keep you invested in the life of the protagonist from start to satisfying end of the story, it's just the right kind of book to lighten your day or take to the beach. I totally enjoyed CORPSE FLOWER and look forward to the next book in Ms. Ferris's delightful new series.

PROTAGONIST: 32-year-old divorcee working several part-time jobs

ACTION: Three deaths, attempted deaths, a little gore

LOVE INTERESTS: Hunky, blond, chief of police

ROMANCE: Sitting on lap, short kiss

QUIRKINESS: Loads!! An agoraphobic cousin, a puffed-up mayor, a dead skunk 

INTERESTING TIDBIT: Growth and care of the Titan Arum (biggest flowering plant)

FUN FACTOR: Snappy dialogue, funny situations, unusual characters

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU MAY LIKE: The Charlie Davidson Mysteries by Darynda Jones (for mature readers), Witchcraft Mysteries by Juliet Blackwell, Vintage Magic Mysteries by Annette Blair, Mall Cop Mysteries by Laura DiSilverio, White House Gardener Mysteries by Dorothy St. James, Psychic Eye Mysteries by Victoria Laurie