ARC Review: Death at a Firefly Tea by Laura Childs

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

In this latest Laura Childs’ book, Theodosia and her wonderful tea shop employees throw a Firefly Tea. But when someone is poisoned at the tea, Theodosia and her friends begin their own investigation. 

I love these books. They are absolutely the epitome of cozy mystery books. Theodosia is a strong female lead, and every member of the town are unique and compelling characters (even the very few who drive me crazy). The town is its own unique character, full of lovely small shops and creative events. 

The mystery is a good one too, with twists and turns, and a lot of plausible suspects. I did predict the killer, but not until I was pretty far in, and even then it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. I would recommend this book. 

Review: Let’s Not Go Overboard Here

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book, or my review itself. 

Reality tv loving, pop culture obsessed, Melanie Hoffman has lost her best friend. When work forces her to take a vacation, she sails to Greece with her friend Vish on a yacht. But when someone disappears, and nobody else seems to care, Melanie takes it upon herself to solve the mystery.

The pop culture aspect of Melanie is so fun. I love the way it was weaved in, and it kept the story lighter. The parts about the best friend were painful to read, and got me teary. The author does a good job of balancing that lightness and darkness. 

The mystery is a good one with a surprising ending. I really enjoy when a book can still surprise me. The romance was fun and well woven in as well. I would recommend this book. 

The Summer Fun Massacre (ARC Review)

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion or the review itself.

This is the book version of a slasher film, and it is good.

In the 1980s, there was a horrible massacre at a summer camp. Now that summer camp is reopening, and something horrible appears to have happened there again. A cop, whose girlfriend was the only one left alive at the site of the 80s tragedy, is determined to figure out what exactly is going on. But he may be up against forces he does not understand. 

This is not a book for the faint of heart. I watch horror movies through my fingers or just close my eyes when the gory parts happen. There were times in this book I wished I could do just that. The descriptions are very gory, but fit with the book instead of just being for shock value.

This book was scary too. It really read like a slasher story. The overarching mystery and reveal are very good, and the characters are really compelling due to all they have gone through. I would recommend this book. 

ARC Review: Cross and Sampson

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

I love the characters of Alex Cross and John Sampson. I have since the first book they were in together. I will read anything they are in. And this book did not disappoint.

While Cross and Sampson are involved in different plot lines in different states, their connection as best friends remains pivotal. Both plots are strong-one Alex’s missing son, one a serial bomber case-and both have so many excellent twists and turns. 

While both plots are compelling, I think Alex’s had me most invested, because we have watched his son grow up in the books. But John’s was so harrowing and felt so immediate that I couldn’t stop flipping pages. I haven’t really been a fan of two of the most recent Patterson’s I’ve read, but this book felt like Patterson was back. I would recommend this book. 

ARC Reviews Roundup 2

 I received copies of these books from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for honest reviews. This did not affect my opinions of the books or my reviews themselves.

Final Cut by Olivia Worley

Hazel just graduated high school, and has already landed a starring role in a slasher film. What she doesn’t let her new costars know is that she is the daughter of the Pine Springs Slasher. When new murders begin to occur on the movie set, Hazel must come to grips with the idea that maybe her father was innocent after all.

I love slasher film books, particularly when they are compared to the movie Scream (one of my all-time favorite scary movies). This was a scary read with a lot of twists and turns, and a bunch of deaths. I was hooked trying to figure out who was doing all this, and who was going to survive. I also thought the romance was integrated well and was one I was rooting for. 

I would recommend this book.

All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles

Zeb is essentially ordered by his wealthy relative to go to his Gothic home. When he gets there, he finds he has been tricked into a competition to marry his relative’s ward. Wanting no part of this, Zeb tries to leave, but discovers he is trapped there. Now Zeb must rely on his ex, Gideon, to escape with his life.

I was immediately rooting for Zeb and Gideon, who have great chemistry with a complicated backstory. They really are the backbone of this story. Add in a mystery plus lots of the components of a great Gothic story, and I was fully in. I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it. 

Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards

Six people have been offered the chance to play a game put on by the Midwinter Trust. They need to solve a fictional murder, and the winner gets a prize that will turn their life around. Then they all get snowed in, and terrible things start happening. Will this stay a fictional murder?

This book was right up my alley. I love a snowed-in, one of us mystery, and combined with a fictional murder to solve as well, I was hooked just from the summary. The multiple mysteries are well plotted with plenty of twists, and a surprise ending. The characters are well-developed and mysterious. I would recommend this book. 

Made You Look by Tanya Grant 

A group of influencers get trapped by a blizzard at a retreat, completely cut off from the outside world. Then someone dies, and suddenly the stakes are even higher.

I love trapped with an unknown killer stories, so this definitely worked for me. There are so many secrets spilling out. This is also a book with an elevated sense of dread, when something can happen anywhere in the deserted buildings and acreage. The ending was a real surprise!

I would recommend this book.

The Bridesmaid by Cate Quinn

Holly Stone isn’t your typical forensic attorney. So when she has to go undercover as a bridesmaid for the incredibly wealthy Adrianna Kensington, she’s concerned about sticking out. One of her fellow bridesmaids is a murderer, and Holly has just a short time in an isolated location to solve the case. 

I really liked Holly. She’s her own person, with a fascinating job. The opening murder will certainly grab your attention and keep it. Secrets from the past are always interesting, and this book has plenty of those.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. 

ARCs Review Roundup 1

 I received ARCs of these books from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for honest reviews. This did not affect my opinion of the books or my reviews themselves.

How to Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson

When a girl is found murdered, that’s bad enough. But with her is found a copy of a book purported to be written by a murderer, teaching others how to murder. The police must solve the girl’s murder and find the author of the book. But will the results of these investigations land on the same person?

The characters in this are really compelling, particularly the main character, who is a police officer returning to work after suffering a breakdown. The “excerpts” from the book-within-a-book are eerie and keep the plot of the actual book moving well. The mystery is a good one with a lot of twists, and there’s even a hint of romance in there. I would recommend this book.

Haven’t Killed in Years by Amy K. Green

Gwen Tanner was once known as the daughter of a serial killer. But under her new name, living her new life, she is simply alone. But when someone starts sending her body parts, she fears her identity has been revealed, and she begins to investigate. 

I loved this book, and could not put it down. Gwen is a really compelling character, and I really enjoyed seeing her find herself and begin to let people in. The mystery is twisty and kept me wanting to know more, and the supporting characters are well-drawn and unique. I would recommend this book.

With Friends Like These by Alissa Lee

“The Circus” is the name of the game for the five remaining friends from Harvard. It’s a game much like assassin, and was originated with a sixth player, Claudine, who died their senior year. Now the group is playing for one last time, and their secrets are starting to come out. 

This is a very suspenseful book that really kept me guessing. While Sara is our main character, the other characters are unique and interesting too, including the deceased (or is she?) Claudine. Needing to know who would win the game kept me coming back for more, and the mystery full of secrets was an excellent bonus. I would recommend this book.

Death and Dinuguan by Mia P. Manansala 

Lila loves where she lives, and all the beautiful women-owned businesses to be found there. But when the owner of the newly-opened chocolate shop is killed, and her chocolatier put into a coma, Lila must face that someone may be out to get the women of her town.

This is the final book in this series that I’ve absolutely loved, and I’m so sad to see it go. The characters are wonderful and so well-developed, and the relationships (platonic, familial, and romantic) are really well written. In fact, every book in this series is well written and so good. The setting is practically its own character, and everything about it comes alive. The mysteries are always fun to read. I would recommend this whole series. 

ARC Review: Friends and Liars

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Claire died five years ago in Italy, and her friends have blamed themselves ever since. Now they’ve been invited back by Claire’s family, and know they will have to face what they did back then.

I tend to love secrets from the past stories, and this was a good one. It can be a bit of a slow burn, but there is still a lot going on. The characters are complex, and come with a lot of compelling baggage. The central mystery is interesting and twisty, with a reveal that is surprising and works.

I would recommend this book. 

ARC Review: A Box Full of Darkness

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Violet, Vale and Dodie Esmie lived in an eerie town. They haven’t been home in a long time. Most importantly, they had a little brother named Ben, who disappeared during a game of hide and seek years ago. 

But now Ben is calling them back, to find out the truth about him, their family, their home, and their town. 

This was a good book, though not my favorite of hers. The supernatural/paranormal element works well, as always in her books. But for some reason I found this instance a little far-fetched, just a little. It did work within the context of the book though. 

I really enjoyed the blossoming romances. They’re unexpected and I found myself rooting for their success. The mystery behind Ben’s disappearance is a compelling and surprising one, and the ending is very suspenseful and scary.

Though this wasn’t my favorite of St. James’ books, I did enjoy it and would recommend it. 

ARC Review: The Invisible Woman

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Elinor is (according to the book) “invisible” because she is normal looking and middle aged. So she is sent undercover as a nanny, and promised a chance at getting her super spy job back if she finds out the wanted information. 

If you can’t tell from my sarcasm in the description, this was not my favorite Patterson book. This story pretty much lost me in the beginning when the decision was made to shove the “invisible woman” into what they referred to as a fat suit to make her more invisible. The thriller/suspense worked, but it didn’t make up for the premise and how slowly the book moved. 

I love Patterson’s books normally, they are normally 4 star reads for me, but not this time. I would not recommend this book. 

ARC Review: Definitely Maybe Not a Detective

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Emersyn is struggling. She’s been fired, and hasn’t found a new job yet. Her ex-boyfriend stole all her life savings. The only thing she doesn’t struggle with is the decision to raise her young niece after her brother dies.

Then her best friend suggests a plan. She makes fake business cards for a fake detective agency in an attempt to scare Emersyn’s ex into returning the money he stole. But instead Emersyn runs into Wyatt, a gorgeous and mysterious man whose name just happens to be the same as the one on those business cards. 

When her landlord is murdered, Emersyn and Wyatt are drawn to the mystery. Along with a couple of unexpected friends, they race to solve the crime to help the neighbors-and stop anyone else from being killed. 

This was a fun, cozy read. The part I liked the most was Wyatt and Emersyn’s relationship. I’m invested enough to want to read the next book in the series to see where they go. The mystery was also intriguing, with enough red herrings to keep me guessing. I did figure out who the murderer was before the reveal, but that was only because I figured out what (or who) was needed to advance the plot. 

I would recommend this book. 

ARC Review: The Murder at World’s End

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Halley’s Comet is approaching, and the Viscount of Tithe Hall has concerns-concerns that center around the apocalypse he is sure is coming. Instead, he is found dead in a sealed room the next morning, everyone else having been sealed in to their rooms as well. 

This is such a great, fun mystery. The characters are all so unique, especially the under-butler Stephen Pike, and his partner-in-crime-solving, the eighty year old tough as nails Miss Decima Stockingham. They are both extremely compelling characters. The world building is excellent as well. 

The mystery being a locked room mystery means it’s already one of my favorite types of mysteries, but than in Ross Montgomery’s more than capable hands, it becomes a really great read. The ending completely shocked me. 

I would absolutely recommend this book. 

ARC Review: The Storm

 I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Lo Bailey was known as the murderous mistress, a nineteen year old who killed her wealthy boyfriend from a legacy family during a hurricane. But did she really do it? Now she’s suddenly back in the small town she grew up in, author in tow, staying in the Rosalie Inn. 

Geneva is the owner of the Rosalie Inn, which has survived many generations of her family and many hurricanes. As she gets tangled in Lo’s story, Geneva learns Lo may be hiding more than anyone ever knew. 

There’s a lot going on in this book, but Hawkins manages to make it all work. These are really complex characters, each with their own emotional backstory, that all weave together in a way that both surprises and makes sense. The storms feel like characters themselves, monstrous and ever looming. The ending packs a punch. I would recommend this book. 

ARC Review: The Locked Ward

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Amanda has just found out she has a twin sister-and that her twin sister Georgia may be a murderer.

Georgia, accused of murdering her adoptive parents’ biological daughter, is now locked away in a psychiatric ward (hence the title). When Amanda comes to visit her, Georgia insists that she is innocent. Amanda must balance her twin’s wealthy family and the uncertainty she feels regarding Georgia’s innocence in an attempt to discover the truth. 

I always like Pekkanen’s books, and this was an enjoyable read. Mix in wealth, power, a previously unknown twin, uncertainty about innocence, and compelling characters, plus Pekkanen’s writing style, and it’s going to be a good book. It’s not my favorite of Pekkanen’s, but I would recommend it. 

ARC Review: The Wasp Trap

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

The death of their professor/former boss brings a group of friends back together for a dinner party. But they realize that they have really been brought back together by someone living, someone who has it out for them due to the program they were working on-a dating site that was also useful for identifying psychopaths. The group must reveal their deepest, darkest secrets to everyone present, or else they will have to vote on which one of them dies next.

The tension in this book, as one can imagine from the premise, is almost unbearable. I love the secrets being revealed from the past trope, and this book certainly delivers. The flashbacks flesh out the characters and secrets, and the ending packs a twisted punch. I would recommend this book. 

ARC Review: Smile for the Camera

 I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Ella was the Final Girl in a slasher movie that has become beloved by fans. But something happened on set, something that caused Ella to quit acting and retreat from the spotlight. Now Ella has returned for a documentary about the movie, back on the set with her castmates. But people are suddenly dying in real life like they died in the movie, and no one knows what is truly going on. 

This was a good read with a lot of suspense and scares. I’ve watched a lot of slasher movies, and this book felt like one, with the same dramatic deaths and horror-filled moments. I absolutely did not see the multiple twists near the end coming, and the twists were highly satisfying and creepy. I would recommend this book. 

ARC Review: The Killer Question

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review.

I love Janice Hallett books, and have from the very first one. I buy them, re read them, and always enjoy them. I have my favorite (The Appeal), and my least favorite (The Twyford Code), but no matter which book of hers I am reading, they are always enjoyable. 

This book comes a very close second to being my favorite Hallett book. 

The Killer Question has a brilliant setup. What happens when, at a pub, one team suddenly appears at Quiz Night, and starts getting perfect scores every time? How could this possibly lead to murder and mayhem?

But it does, shown through text messages, emails, trivia, and the like. There are so many great twists and turns, and because of the format of the book, readers feel like they are discovering the twists right along with the characters. I would absolutely recommend this book. 

ARC Review: The Carpool Detectives

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

This is an absolutely fascinating true crime book. A group of moms came together during the pandemic, linked together by a common cause-a cold case over a decade old. They weee determined to solve the case, unknowingly putting themselves in danger along the way, but never giving up.

This true story is a very unique one. I had never heard of the cold case, but it was a particularly twisty one with lots of surprises. These moms are amazing, continuing to live their lives full of responsibilities while still putting their absolute all into finding justice for two people gone too soon. I would recommend this book. 

ARC Review: A Particularly Nasty Case

 I received a copy of this book from Novel Suspects and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Eitan Rose, a doctor struggling with his own mental health plus a troubled past, is convinced the medical director did not die of natural causes. He launches his own investigation, which only seems to land him in more trouble. At least he’s got his new relationship with Cole, a porter at the hospital, to keep his spirits up as he continues his search for the truth. 

I wanted to love this book, but for some reason, I just didn’t. I didn’t dislike it, I liked it fine, but I had trouble getting into it. I was actually reluctant to write this review because I really can’t put my finger on what kept me from really enjoying this story. Even though I called the twist, I did really enjoy the way it played out. I would give this book three stars. 

ARC Review: Ink Ribbon Red

 I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review.

So here’s the thing. I absolutely adore Alex Pavesi’s first book, The Eighth Detective. As in, I’ve re read it, recommended it, and just generally loved every word of it. 

I was so excited to see this second book was coming out. I even thought about preordering it, but was thrilled to discover I’d been selected on NetGalley to receive an ARC. I saw some negative reviews, but held out hope.

Unfortunately, Ink Ribbon Red did not live up to all my hopes and dreams. 

The plot sounds fantastic. Writers gather together and create stories where one of the writers murders the others. Lines start to blur and secrets are revealed.

The problem was that the lines were so blurred, I couldn’t keep everything straight. Who was murdered? Were they murdered at all? Was it all just a collection of stories by the writers, meta fiction maybe? Or did characters actually die? 

This may just be a personal preference, but I think not, as Pavesi’s first book also played around with stories within a story and mysterious mysteries, but I loved that book. I think this second book just may be an instance of a great story idea being taken too far into left field. 

But the writing style was brilliant. 

While I can’t recommend this second book, definitely check out the first book. 

ARC Review: Parent’s Weekend

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

A group of college students just graduated, and are supposed to meet their parents for a celebration dinner. But when their children never show, the group of parents can’t help but worry something is terribly wrong. Secrets and a mysterious death all come into play in this mysterious and suspenseful story.

While this book was mysterious and suspenseful, it is not my favorite Alex Finlay. The story was a little slow moving, and while I appreciated the twists, they weren’t the best Finlay has produced. Finlay is definitely talented though, and so this book rises above the masses to still be a good read.