17 April 2024
Summer guests are eager to sink their teeth into the tantalizing desserts Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White serve at their bakeshop in the island village of Eastport, Maine. But attracting the wrong kind of attention can be deadly. . . .With the August heat strong enough to melt solid chocolate into syrup, Jake and Ellie crave a break from the bakery ovens, despite tourist season promising a sweet payday. But they never envisioned spending the last weeks of summer drifting around Passamaquoddy Bay searching for pirate’s treasure—and a dead body.
Sally Coates believes her husband was murdered off the coast, and begs Ellie, a trusted childhood friend, to locate his remains. It’s unusual that a skilled fisherman would vanish along with the gold doubloon he inherited from his grandfather. And Sally isn’t the only one coveting the valuable heirloom for her own.
As Jake and Ellie island-hop for answers, they find themselves caught between hungry sharks and hungrier suspects. Can the duo tempt fate and dodge danger before there’s blood in the water—or are they destined to fall into the jaws of a killer’s trap? [from the publisher]
Main character Jake is a bit snarky—my kind of gal. I actually snorted and chuckled several times during the book.
Relationships abound, including Jake's business partner in a bakery called The Chocolate Moose/bestie/ride-or-die/partner-in-crime Ellie, four generations of Jake's family living in one household, a local witch, at least one dog, and a new police chief (a woman who might have appeared in a previous installment and in a different role?).
I predicted two major plot points well before their reveal in the last less than a quarter of the book. No points were deducted, though—I was plenty entertained. In fact, I'm planning to go back and start reading the series from the beginning! [*A deeper dive reveals that this series is a spin-off of the Home Repair Is Homicide series, started in 1998, of which I read installment six in the first week of 2007. I'm not sure I'll go that far into the backlist. Stay tuned!]
Content warnings include peril to a child and an animal. SPOILER ALERT—click to reveal
Neither was prolonged or fatal.
The titular recipe is included at the end.
This unbiased review is based on an audio ARC supplied by the publisher—Dreamscape Media. Publication is expected April 23.
10 April 2024
A treasure so priceless, it's worth killing for. . . .When Mark Hawkins is found dead in a seedy motel, police deem it an accidental overdose. But billionaire computer genius Avery Turner suspects there might be more to the story. Her old friend was on the trail of the legendary General's Gold, and now Avery is determined to pick up where he left off. . . .
Teaming up with Carter Mosley, a deep-sea shipwreck diver and adrenaline junkie turned social media sensation, Avery embarks on a dangerous quest for the treasure—and the truth. From Florida to Maine, and from the mountains of Virginia to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, they face treacherous gangs, man-eating sharks, and a world of deception and double-crosses.
As they navigate hidden clues and uncertain allies, Avery and Carter must outwit their deadly adversaries and unravel the mystery surrounding the General's Gold. But in this high-stakes game, losing the treasure could cost them their lives. [from the publisher]
Several times as I was reading, I felt the need to yell at one or another character as they were about to do something stupid, much like one might do when watching television or film.
Narration by Alan Carlson was excellent for most male characters; less so for some female characters.
As much as possible, I like to read without preconceived notions. Therefore, I limit how much I learn about a book before reading. In this case, that habit led to a few surprises. Contrary to the publisher's blurb, Mark's quest for the General's Gold isn't revealed until almost a third of the way through the book. Too, after I finished reading and considered the summary more carefully, I realized that Harrison/Harry isn't considered one of the main adventurers. I thought Carter was the add-on or third wheel—not Harry. I'll be interested to see how the characters develop as the series progresses. If I had checked the book's Goodreads entry before starting, I would have known that this is the first installment in a planned series. Instead, the epilogue tipped me off. I'm there for at least the second installment.
This unbiased review is based on an audio ARC supplied by the publisher—Dreamscape Select/Severn River Publishing. Publication is expected April 16.
5 April 2024
Los Angeles, August 1965. Anger and pent-up frustrations boil over in the Watts neighborhood after a traffic stop of two Black motorists. As the Watts riots explode, crime photographer Harry Ingram snaps photos at the scene, including images of the police as they unleash batons, dogs, and water hoses on civilians. When he captures the image of an unarmed activist being shot down by the cops, he winds up in the hospital, beaten, his camera missing. Proof of the unjust killing seems lost—until Ingram’s girlfriend, Anita Claire, retrieves the hidden film in a daring rescue. The photo makes front-page news.A recuperating Ingram is approached by Betty Payton, a comrade of Anita’s mother, who wants Ingram’s help tracking down her business associate Moses “Mose” Tolbert, last seen during the riots. Ingram follows the investigation down a rabbit hole of burglary rings, bank robberies, looted cash, and clandestine agendas—all the while grappling with his newfound fame, which puts him in the sightlines of LAPD’s secretive intelligence division. [from the publisher]
What I liked: Right out of the gate, I was engaged by the Black photographer/occasional amateur private eye main character. Using the historical setting of the Watts riots allowed the author to create a lot of action, suspense, and grit. The police brutality Harry Ingram captured on film during the riots was a great set-up. Ingram using his observational skills to solve a mystery is a plausible extension. I was even amused and relatively engaged by Ingram's girlfriend Anita's “family business.” Leon Nixon is an excellent narrator.
What I didn't like: Phillips' delivery of the history was sometimes awkward. While sex and seduction are often used in noir as plot advancers, I believe it's usually used as a means to the desired ends on the part of someone involved in the mystery. For example, a femme fatale uses sex to coerce someone into killing her husband. Here, explicit sex is described even among an established couple (on the same side of the mystery), and even in public spaces. It seemed gratuitous to me—I don't think it advanced the plot. As the book went on, the story fell apart, and I lost interest.
This is the second installment in a series of which I did not read the first book. I think the second works fine as a standalone read.
This unbiased review is based on an audio ARC supplied by the publisher—RB Media. It was published earlier this week—April 2.
3 April 2024
Alma Cruz, the celebrated writer at the heart of The Cemetery of Untold Stories, doesn’t want to end up like her friend, a novelist who fought so long and hard to finish a book that it threatened her sanity. So when Alma inherits a small plot of land in the Dominican Republic, her homeland, she has the beautiful idea of turning it into a place to bury her untold stories—literally. She creates a graveyard for the manuscript drafts and revisions, and the characters whose lives she tried and failed to bring to life and who still haunt her.Alma wants her characters to rest in peace. But they have other ideas, and the cemetery becomes a mysterious sanctuary for their true narratives. Filomena, a local woman hired as the groundskeeper, becomes a sympathetic listener as Alma’s characters unspool their secret tales. Among them: Bienvenida, the abandoned second wife of dictator Rafael Trujillo, consigned to oblivion by history, and Manuel Cruz, a doctor who fought in the Dominican underground and escaped to the United States.
The characters defy their author: they talk back to her and talk to one another behind her back, rewriting and revising themselves. The Cemetery of Untold Stories asks: Whose stories get to be told, and whose buried? Finally, Alma finds the meaning she and her characters yearn for in the everlasting vitality of stories. [from the publisher]
What I got/perhaps needed: a trauma-heavy historical fiction/magical realism mash-up.
Admittedly, I really shouldn't have expected the former. The historical fiction aspect is the substance, focusing on the incredible challenges of a people—including but not limited to corrupt government, persecution, toxic masculinity and patriarchy, and the plight of women.
I wish that Alma had been a greater part of the story. Beyond the fact that it's her writings coming to new life in the cemetery, she doesn't play much of a part in the story. There are interactions with her sisters involving the distribution of their father's estate, but these, too, are minor in the grand scheme of things. I may just be looking at this too superficially: of course Alma is a major player—these words, these stories are borne from her, though they take on a life of their own (the magical realism aspect of the novel).
The novel repeatedly talks about the historical and cultural importance of oral tradition, while placing additional importance on committing stories to writing. It's so interesting that Alma understands the critical nature of the written word, and yet buries such a large portion of her work, ensuring that the stories will die with her.
Ultimately, I appreciated Alma's father's story the most, followed by the story of Bienvenida Ricardo—ex-wife of Dominican military commander and dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina (“El Jefe”).
While I didn't get what I wanted (because of my unrealistic expectations) out of The Cemetery of Untold Stories, I have—for the second time this week—read a deep and impressive work that I wouldn't have chosen based on current mood alone. Good for me!
This unbiased review is based on an audio ARC supplied by the publisher—RB Media. It was published earlier this week—April 2.
2 April 2024
Set in a not-too-distant America, I Cheerfully Refuse is the tale of a bereaved and pursued musician embarking under sail on a sentient Lake Superior in search of his departed, deeply beloved, bookselling wife. Rainy, an endearing bear of an Orphean narrator, seeks refuge in the harbors, fogs and remote islands of the inland sea. Encountering lunatic storms and rising corpses from the warming depths, Rainy finds on land an increasingly desperate and illiterate people, a malignant billionaire ruling class, crumbled infrastructure and a lawless society. Amidst the Gulliver-like challenges of life at sea and no safe landings, Rainy is lifted by physical beauty, surprising humor, generous strangers, and an unexpected companion in a young girl who comes aboard. And as his innate guileless nature begins to make an inadvertent rebel of him, Rainy’s private quest for the love of his life grows into something wider and wilder, sweeping up friends and foes alike in his strengthening wake. [from the publisher]
As in real life, the desperate conditions of the novel are largely due to climate change and a tiny group of rich folks manipulating the masses for their own political and financial gain, including employing tactics like demonizing reading and education to reduce the masses' power and distributing a pharmaceutical that causes people to commit suicide. Main character Rainy—a bass guitar player with a bookseller wife—is accompanied on a great portion of his travels by an uneducated but seemingly bright nine-year-old girl, Sol, who has lost almost her entire family and is escaping physical and emotional abuse by an unrelated adult male.
Having just recently read Percival Everett's James, similarities between Jim and Huck and Rainy and Sol did cross my mind. Both books tell hard stories with a lot of intelligence, grace, and humor.
This unbiased review is based on an audio ARC supplied by the publisher—RB Media. It was published today—April 2.
29 March 2024
For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects? [from the publisher]
I can see why early reviewers, in general, are rating Darling Girls highly. If consistently tense mysteries/psychological thrillers are your jam, I definitely can recommend this one for you. On the other hand, because the subject matter is especially sensitive (largely involving children), I advise special reader caution. Content warnings include abuses within the foster system, kidnapping, child abuse, sexual blackmail, drug abuse, murder, and gaslighting, at least.
Throughout the story, which is set in Australia, psychiatrist Dr. Warren seems to get his jollies from his patient's description of the abuse they endured. Besides being wildly unprofessional (not to mention unhelpful), it's a gross kink. The vague treatment of the timing of the psychiatric visits seems a bit underhanded. However, I take no exception at the location being kept secret—it's in service to the plot tension.
The foster sisters stick together and support each other throughout their lives, including after bones are discovered under their childhood home.
The combination of my early (and almost complete) anticipation of the twists—along with the repetition of certain descriptions and the prolonged trauma of so many characters—dampens my enthusiasm a bit. As you can see, though, I still rated the book above average. It kept me hooked—I had to see how it would all end.
This unbiased review is based on an audio ARC supplied by the publisher—Macmillan Audio. Publication is expected April 23.
21 March 2024
Being a typewriter is not as easy as it looks. Surrounded by books (notorious attention hogs) and recently replaced by a computer, Olivetti has been forgotten by the Brindle family—the humans he’s lived with for years. The Brindles are busy: Dad and Mom work constantly, three of their children put the extra in extra-curriculars, and Ernest, their shy twelve-year-old, goes off alone to read.When Olivetti learns Mom has mysteriously gone missing, he believes he can help find her. He breaks the only rule of his ‘kind’ and types back to Ernest, who must face what he and his family have been running from, The Everything That Happened. Only by working together will they find the parts of themselves they’ve lost. [from the publisher]
With reasonable expectations established now, Olivetti the typewriter revealing the family's history and memories from Beatrice/Mom's past use of him is an interesting way to share a story. Sadly, the protracted reveal of Mom's situation and location was not written in a way that built excitement: there's just repeated mention of a Bad Thing That Happened to the Family In the Past.
In addition to main human character Ernest (age 12) and his family, several characters play parts in finding Mom: Ernest's age peer/new friend of sorts, Quinn the pawn shop owner's daughter; an enthusiastic public librarian; a doctor; and an apartment building maintenance worker.
Ernest's introversion is portrayed in relatable ways, including other characters not appreciating his traits or respecting his needs and boundaries.
The narration—especially Simon Vance as Olivetti—was top-notch. Christopher Gebauer also narrated. The cover art is attractive and enticing.
Fun fact: The manuscript was written on the author's own antique typewriter.
This unbiased review is based on an audio ARC supplied by the publisher—RB Media. Publication is expected March 26.
17 March 2024
Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with . . . normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny—Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.
But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi—the original vampire—are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.
As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried. [from the publisher]
I felt like the story was somewhat repetitive, though some of that might be due to multiple points of view. The author tried to string us along too long, with the result being tedium, rather than excitement. I predicted the “bad guy” well ahead of the characters. I don't generally ding a book's rating for that if I'm suitably entertained, which I was in this case. It took me a while to figure out and keep track of the generations of women, as well as the supporting characters. Now that I “know” the players, I'm anxious for the next installment. Yes, this moderately gory vampire story has enough humor, sassy women, and mystery that I want more!
This unbiased review is based on an audio ARC supplied by the publisher—Macmillan Audio. Publication is expected April 9.
8 February 2024
Who gets to leave a legacy?1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten—certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret.
But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist.
Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite. [from the publisher]
The feminist themes especially shone. The sexism, racism, and misogyny endured by both Anita and Raquel is so incredibly present to this day, decades later. I appreciated Anita's persistence and Raquel's growth into standing up for herself and demanding appropriate treatment of herself and Anita, in memoriam. Raquel eventually finds her power . . . and wields it.
The audiobook is narrated by Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg, and Stacy Gonzalez. Whomever voiced Anita was particularly brash—it's in keeping with personality and context, but quite jarring.
This unbiased review is based on an ARC supplied by the publisher—Macmillan Audio. Publication is expected March 5.
28 January 2024
Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls’ weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are—seeing as it’s actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car—it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride.Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi’s kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi’s life. But that’s not all—he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back.
But when they sneak into the loan shark’s suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for—Marco's already dead. They don’t have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike—and after Finlay's night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he’s a little too eager to keep her close to his side.
If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother’s marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero’s missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she’s done, or be forced to double down? [from the publisher]
The story picks up immediately following the events of Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, and the relationships continue to develop. Throughout the series, Cosimano has adeptly set a foundation, added details to the history, and prepared for future twists. Because of this, I do recommend reading the series in order.
As I neared the end, I worried that things were getting too perfectly tied up with a bow—that there might not be another Finlay book. Then, at the very last moment, the hope of another installment presented itself. Whew!
This humorous, cozy mystery/thriller series might appeal to you if you like strong female main characters, intergenerational relationship–heavy stories, mystery, action, and a degree of silliness. You shouldn't take things too seriously—be willing to suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride. If you are fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series or Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune series, this may be another series to add to your rotation.
This unbiased review is based on an ARC supplied by the publisher—St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books. Publication is expected March 5.
19 January 2024
“Not all stories of adoption are stories of pain and regret. Not even most of them. Why don’t we ever get that movie?”India Allwood grew up wanting to be an actor. Armed with a stack of index cards (for research/line memorization/make-shift confetti), she goes from awkward sixteen-year-old to Broadway ingenue to TV superhero.
Her new movie is a prestige picture about adoption, but its spin is the same old tired story of tragedy. India is an adoptive mom in real life though. She wants everyone to know there’s more to her family than pain and regret. So she does something you should never do—she tells a journalist the truth: it’s a bad movie.
Soon she’s at the center of a media storm, battling accusations from the press and the paparazzi, from protesters on the right and advocates on the left. Her twin ten-year-olds know they need help—and who better to call than family? But that’s where it gets really messy because India’s not just an adoptive mother. . . .
The one thing she knows for sure is what makes a family isn’t blood. And it isn’t love. No matter how they’re formed, the truth about family is this: it's complicated. [from the publisher]
Family Family also rates an extraordinary 4.5 stars from me for its wonderful surprises, huge doses of humor, adorably quirky and precocious kids, and depiction of different types of families. Friendships are also important to the story, especially India's relationship with her college roommate, Dakota. The story is told in multiple timelines.
The audiobook is stupendously narrated by actor Patti Murin. If you choose to read with your ears, don't stop at the end of the book—listen to the author/narrator discussion, too.
Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. Publication is expected January 23.
18 January 2024
The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List—a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away—will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future.Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young―except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart. [from the publisher]
In addition to Riley and her long-distance best friend/budding romantic interest Tom, several other late-teenagers join the Getaway List (bucket list) team. Jesse is a childhood friend of Riley and Tom's who has relocated to New York City to try to make it big with his band. Mariella is a newer friend of Tom's—they met in high school. Riley and Tom meet Luca at a writing class as soon as Riley arrives, and he grows on them. The various relationships that bloom within this group add significantly to the story.
I didn't want to stop reading—real world be damned! Throughout, I was rooting for the teens in their quest. It's easy reading: not too much angst, danger, or stress; plenty of adventure, growth, mystery, and humor. The teens are caring to—and generous with—each other, and they work cooperatively for the good of individuals and the group. Each has talents, skills, or connections to contribute.
I will definitely seek out more of Lord's work. I put her YA rom-com debut on my Overdrive wish list. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for her upcoming book targeted at adults, which I hope will be every bit as delightful as her two YA books I've read.
Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. Publication is expected January 23.
8 January 2024
Presley Ayers is not the woman you bring on a camping trip. An accomplished concierge at an exclusive hotel in Great Falls, MI, she knows more about the top ten places for champagne and caviar than she does about the best hiking boots to go stomping around near Lake Michigan. But when she surprises her boyfriend of eight months with a vacation to the Get Lost Lodge and he dumps her instead, Presley decides to rough it solo and take the trip herself.When Beckett Keller helps the gorgeous woman off the rickety boat and onto Lodge territory, it’s clear to him she's made a mistake. She doesn’t like hiking, fishing, or nature in general, so why did she go on this trip? He’s got other things on his mind though—a crumbling lodge, and his own plans and dreams that are forever deferred—so he doesn’t have time for Ms. Fish-Out-of-Water. Even so, neither Beckett nor Presley can help that inexplicable draw they feel towards each other. He’s all rough stubble and plaid shirts, while she’s all high heels and brand-name athleisurewear.
But you know what they say about opposites. [from the publisher]
I especially enjoyed the way Presley wanted to help the siblings grow their business and Beckett's relationship with his neighbor, Adam. There is a lot of warmth between the townspeople and between the lodge owners and their guests.
There's a recurring theme of Presley settling for less than she deserves, both romantically and professionally. A minimal amount of mild profanity is used (e.g. “sucked” and “figure shit out”). I thought the story started to drag a bit before or around the halfway mark; but, overall, I was invested in the story and glad for the happily-ever-after.
Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. Publication is expected January 16.
6 January 2024
When a psychic fair arrives in West London, Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, wants nothing to do with it. But somehow, at the urging of Donald Morris, an enthusiastic Sherlockian, she finds herself talked into attending a séance, along with baker and best friend Jayne Wilson, store assistant, Ashleigh, and former pop star Bunny Leigh.But to her surprise, Gemma finds herself banned from the séance and shown the door. Curious, she listens in from outside the room. The medium informs a disappointed Donald that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will not be able to make it tonight. Then, Gemma hears a voice cut off, a cry for help, a scream. Gemma bursts into the library to see that someone has collapsed on the table—dead. The windows are all locked, and Gemma was guarding the only door. Someone in this room is a murderer. But who?
The game is once again afoot for Gemma Doyle as she hunts a killer. But, this time, is the killer of flesh and blood, or had the medium summoned doom from beyond the veil? [from the publisher]
A British expat on Cape Cod, Gemma Doyle owns the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium (which she previously managed for her great uncle Arthur while he was away, which, I gather, was most of the time). Gemma's relationship with Jayne—best friend and business neighbor (Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room, adjoining the bookstore)—is good. However, Gemma does not come off as particularly likeable in her treatment of most other characters. She is practically a sweetheart in comparison to a few of the guests in this story.
The psychic fair/séance aspect of the story was mildly interesting and fun. I might read back or future installments when I'm in a very cozy mystery mood.
Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. Publication is expected January 9.
4 January 2024
For Alice and her partner Joe, moving to the sleepy village of Penton is a chance to embrace country life and prepare for the birth of their first child. He can take up woodwork; maybe she’ll learn to make jam? But the rural idyll they’d hoped for doesn’t quite pan out when a dead body is discovered at their local prenatal class, and they find themselves suspects in a murder investigation.With a cloud of suspicion hanging over the heads of the whole group, Alice and her new-found pregnant friends set out to solve the mystery and clear their names, with the help of her troublesome dog, Helen. However, there are more secrets and tensions in the heart of Penton than first meet the eye. Between the discovery of a shady commune up in the woods, the unearthing of a mysterious death years earlier, and the near-tragic poisoning of Helen, Alice is soon in way over her head. [from the publisher]
The publisher blurb can't begin to describe the hilarity or difficulty of the prenatal class moms—from different socioeconomic and philosophical backgrounds—becoming friends. There's a running gag around the presence of Helen the dog.
Hot-button topics include politics, multiple sexual partners, LGBTQ rights, alternative treatments, and homeschooling.
I'd definitely consider reading another book by this author.
Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur Books, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. Publication is expected January 9.
About
I got my first library card at age 4, at the Blackstone Branch of the Chicago Public Library, and have been a regular user of public and university libraries ever since. I am a trustee of the Palatine [Illinois] Public Library District in my second term, currently serving as board president.
I read books for all age groups, from all time periods, and from practically all genres, though my all-time favorite genre is mystery. I love to talk about books with others, so please join me in conversation about a book we both read or tell me about a book you think I'd like.
I'm never not reading.
