Review: A Web of Obsidian by Lydia M. Hawke

A Web of Obsidian (The Obsidian Sisterhood, #1)

by Lydia M. Hawke

Release Date: February 25, 2025

2025 Michem Publishing

Ebook ARC; 231 Pages

ISBN: 978-1989457276

ASIN: B0D2SGJQZJ

Audiobook: B0DV679DV2

Genre: Fiction / Urban Paranormal

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

At 69 years old and with two martial arts black belts to her name, Sister Monica Barrett has never been one to back down from a fight. But the one that just landed on the ragged front lawn of the women’s shelter she runs may be more than she’s equipped to handle.

This attacker has powers—he moves with uncanny speed, strikes with brutal accuracy, and isn’t after the woman at all. Instead, he wants what she has: a flat, black stone with a spider’s web embedded in it.

The instant Monica touches the stone, her world is turned upside down. 

 

My Thoughts

A Web of Obsidian is the first book in a new series by this author and I loved it from the get-go. It was action-packed, funny, and touching, all at the same time. And while I love fast-moving books, I did think the story moved along too quickly and didn't give enough time to really develop the characters. 

 

Sister Monica Barrett is the MC in this book and as an older woman, I could completely relate to what she is going through.  Fairly active myself, I love that she is strong, but also vulnerable in ways that only people who have reached a certain age can fully understand.  That being said however, her courage and internal strength are still strong and I loved how she defended and protected those under her.  She was fierce, but also vulnerable at the same time because she needed to protect those she loved and would do anything for them.  I also liked the fact that she didn't do stupid stuff like some of the characters do in some of the books I have recently read, and this has nothing to do with age, but with common sense. Even in the midst of rage and in the midst of serious stuff, Monica still kept her wits about her.

 

What drew me to this book was the setting, Ontario.  Being from the area, I was very familiar with Toronto and Kingston and could easily picture the settings in my head. The scene regarding Highway 401 was particularly vivid in my head having driven that highway multiple times so I knew how desperate she had to have been to even attempt that crossing. The plot did move along rather quickly, perhaps too quickly as it didn't give the reader a chance to breathe, nor did it give the author time to really develop any of the characters except for Monica. I know there are going to be more books in the series, but I do get invested in the secondary characters as much as the MC and I feel it is important to put effort into developing them as well.  There is also a LOT going on in this book, some of which is obscure and hidden. That's okay as I love secrets and look forward to finding out more about the sisterhood and what is actually happening in future books.  And Monica's fight scenes were a lot of fun and I was right there rooting for her every punch and kick.  

Verdict

A Web of Obsidian was a lot of fun and I was thrilled at the age of the MC as I hate to admit I am closer to her age than the twenty year olds I usually read about.  I love a kick-ass heroine, but one who is also vulnerable and cares deeply for others.  The plot moved along rather quickly, and although there are still a lot of secrets to discover, there was definitely closure in the first book so you were not left feeling disappointed.  I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.  And if you get a chance, pick up this author's The Crone Wars series, you won't be disappointed.

 

Review: A Killer's Code by Isabella Maldonado

A Killer's Code (Daniela Vega, #3)

by Isabella Maldonado

Release Date: January 21, 2025

2025 Thomas & Mercer

Ebook ARC; 344 Pages

ISBN: 978-1662515842

ASIN: B0CYHLLXP5

Audiobook: B0DGB1X7PS

Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Suspense

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

A dead man’s riddles—and secrets—thrust an FBI codebreaker into a deadly cross-country race for justice.

 

During a recent undercover sting gone bad, hit man Gustavo Toro died in the arms of FBI Special Agent Daniela “Dani” Vega. But Toro had secrets he refused to take to the grave.

In the event of his death, Toro left behind a video that promises to expose a mysterious mastermind who has been operating with impunity for decades. But there’s a catch. Dani’s team must follow Toro’s cryptic clues on a cross-country hunt for justice, and piecing together his past is more twisted than Dani could have imagined.

 

My Thoughts

A Killer's Code was a fast-paced thriller, and at its heart, had a trope that I absolutely love, riddles and codes. It may be a throwback to my childhood, but I love it when a killer/killers send police/Jason Bourne/whoever on a hunt through clues they left behind or set up to perplex those doing the hunt.  This one had a nice mix of clues and situations that kept me turning the pages.

 

The continuing character development of Dani and Steve was quite enjoyable and I'm glad the author focused more on developing the MC's instead of focusing so much on the plot.  Dani is as badass as ever, but she definitely showed signs of vulnerability, something I really enjoyed as it showed a softer side to her character, especially when it came to her younger brother and the storyline that is beginning to develop with regards to him.  I also enjoyed the way the author is developing the relationship between Steve and Dani. I am curious to see what it will take to break down the walls both of them have built up through their experiences in the military. 

 

The plot itself moved rather quickly, and you just have a minute to catch your breath before something else happens. Because I read the previous entries in the series, I am familiar with the pacing of these novels, but it does make it difficult to put them down.  Dani and her team are following clues that pretty much lead them around the country, but at the same time, are trying to beat someone else who is also searching for the same thing.  There were some twists and turns that caught me off guard or came out of nowhere and it's one of the reasons I enjoy this series so much.  Plus, they are believable twists and turns, not just thrown in because an author thinks they don't have enough red herrings.  

 

Verdict

A Killer's Code was fast-paced and there was a solid mix between character and plot development, something that was a bit lacking in previous installments. The various story lines wove together quite nicely, and I liked the fact that everything comes together in the end, even if the end isn't quite what you would expect.  If I had any complains, it was about the clues. Even though I found them clever and interesting, there was still a part of me that was skeptical at how easily the team discovered them and deciphered them. However, the team dynamics and banter is one of the reasons why I keep coming back to these books, and I had a hard time putting this book down. Looking forward to the next one. 

 

Review: Rebellious Grace by Jeri Westerson

Rebellious Grace (A King's Fool Mystery, #3)

by Jeri Westerson

Release Date: January 7, 2025

2025 Severn House

Ebook ARC; 224 Pages

ISBN: 978-1448314751

ASIN: B0D9M93LWY

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3. 75 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

1536, London. The gruesome murder of a servant in the king's palace, his throat savagely cut, has brought fear to the court of Henry VIII. When the man's body is then dug up from the churchyard and disembowelled two weeks later, Will Somers, the king's jester, is horrified. What terrible mischief is now afoot under the king's roof?

With Henry VIII distracted by The Pilgrimage of Grace, the religious revolt led by Robert Aske in protest at the king turning his back on the Catholic faith, Will becomes reluctant inquisitor once again. As he attempts to unmask a murderous knave, Will uncovers a chilling link between one of Queen Jane Seymour's precious jewels, the rebellion and the dead man. Is a shocking act of treachery behind a grotesque killing?

 

My Thoughts 

Rebellious Grace is the third entry in A King's Fool Mystery series, a mystery series that revolves around the little-known life of the king's fool, Will Somers.  I enjoy how the author fleshes out the character to fit into King Henry VIII's world, and as someone who had entry into the king's personal chambers, gives the reader insight into how the world worked during this tumultuous time period. 

 

Will himself is an interesting character and I enjoy the precariousness of his position as he balances keeping the court entertained with the seriousness of some of his jests, jests thrown to enlighten people as to what is actually happening and to give warnings. The relationship between Will and another member of the court ramps up, and Will struggles between being faithful to his wife and his longings and desires.  I liked the high emphasis on the relationship between Will and his wife, and the difficulties they have trying to navigate court life as well as their personal relationship. Because I am so familiar with the time period, I had no problem distinguishing between real historical figures and imagined ones, and I like how the author incorporates what is known about their lives into the story. It does make for fascinating reading and I was impressed with the historical detail and amount of research that is included in such a short book.

 

The plot itself focused on the Pilgrimage of Grace, led by Robert Aske, an event that took place over Christmas 1536, in the aftermath of Anne Boleyn's execution. With the intention of reconciling the Catholic Church, the members are convinced they are acting in both the king's and God's interests, but King Henry struggles with what to do as to question the Church is to question him.  And while the events of the Pilgrimage played more of a background role, it did have a profound effect on the mystery and who was involved in the actual murder Will was investigating.  Because this was set during the Christmas season, this allowed the author to portray the characters within many festive moments and includes a lot of great descriptions of what court life was like during this time period.  Will's task to solve the murder was made especially difficult as there were so many additional people at court. But he was one of the few people who could enter pretty much any room in the palace, and investigate quietly, putting himself at risk.

 

Verdict

Rebellious Grace had a believable mystery at its core, reflecting the trauma the execution of Anne Boleyn had on the court as well as the Pilgrimage of Grace. Because of these events, members of the court were trying to figure out the new shift in power and new alliances so I really enjoyed the underlying tension that lay beneath the entire book.  The character of Will Somers gives the reader a perspective that is quite fascinating; one as an observer who attends all the events, but will never be allowed to participate, and the other, as an outsider who sees all and knows quite a bit. And although the mystery never plays the central role in the story, it does rear its ugly head through Will's investigations as well as through his relationships with others in the court. 

 

Review: One by One by Lauren Street

One by One (The Bishop Smoky Mountain Thrillers, #10)

by Lauren Street

Release Date: January 7, 2025

2025 Sterling & Stone

Ebook ARC; 315 Pages

ISBN: 978-1629554266

ASIN: B0DNTZV4Y5

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Rileigh Bishop and Mitch have faced their share of dangers, but nothing could prepare them for the horrors lurking in Shagbark Manor. Sixteen-year-old Hillary Scofield warned of blood-soaked visions, floating violins, and a body surrounded in a puddle of blood. Then she disappeared without a trace.

Determined to find the girl, Rileigh digs into the manor’s grim history, uncovering the chilling tale of Crawford Tillman – a man who returned home nearly a century ago to find his family murdered by an axe-wielding killer. Now, a new killer appears to be imitating the murders, starting with Hillary.

 

My Thoughts

One by One is the next book in the Bishop Smoky Mountain Thrillers and I have to admire how the author can keep writing taught mysteries book after book.  While this one has the appearance of a paranormal aspect, the actual truth is far different and I appreciate how perspective can play a huge role in witness accounts and how difficult it is for a police detective to separate fact from fiction.

The plot wove around the disappearance of a sixteen-year-old girl, but the reader did get to meet her in the first quarter of the book and learn some of her fears. I found this approach more in style of horror novels although this was definitely not a horror novel in the slightest. I did find that approach to be helpful once Mitch and Rileigh started digging into her disappearance as you already knew some of the backstory, but not enough to give anything away.  The manor is actually run by the great-granddaughter of the man who originally built the home, but who was at the center of grisly family murder that has pretty much remained unsolved all these years.  The plot moved along rather quickly and involved multiple POV, but they were clear and easy to follow.  I did have a problem with sentence structure, punctuation and grammar to the point where it actually jolted me out of the story a couple of times. As a proofreader, I tend to let certain mistakes slide, but when actual names of characters are wrong multiple times, it gets harder not to get annoyed.  And I did take a look at a published copy compared to my ARC to see if the mistakes were fixed and they were not.  I only mention this when it is definitely an issue.

 

The author does assume that you have prior knowledge of the relationship between Rileigh and Mitch when reading this book, but I don't think that is actually a big problem.  Personally, I felt like the character development was not a priority in this book and while that may be fine for the main characters whom we have met multiple times, it didn't help with the secondary characters we met for the first time in this book. To be honest, most just kind of faded to the background as the story went on, and while I liked the ending, I did feel like it was incomplete as it focused more on foreshadowing for the next book and what was going to happen to Rileigh rather than concluding the present book.  

 

Verdict

One by One had some great moments, and I definitely enjoyed the overall story even though I did find some of it predictable.  I liked how the author wove the paranormal aspect into the story, but it wasn't what people would expect.  I did think the plot overshadowed character development in this book which affected the ending and left some questions for the reader.  Overall, a decent entry in the series. 

 

Review: The Twilight Queen by Jeri Westerson

The Twilight Queen (King's Fool Mystery, Book #2)

by Jeri Westerson

Release Date: January 2, 2024

2024 Severn House

Hardcover Edition; 224 Pages

ISBN: 978-1448310906

ASIN: B0CBBXMTNK

Audiobook: B0D1D1RFKN

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Tudor / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Greenwich, Palace of Placentia, April 1536. Queen Anne is in peril. In the mid of night, court jester Will Somers is summoned to an urgent assignation when she discovers a body in her chamber. The queen wants Will to find out who the man is and how he ended up there. 

Anne has many enemies at court, and to make matters worse, Henry VIII is lining up his next conquest and suspects her of treason. Has the formidable Oliver Cromwell been whispering vile lies in the king's ears, and could Anne be the target of a Catholic conspiracy? As further attacks plague the court, Will is determined to uncover the truth behind the plotting and devilry, but he will need to keep hold of all his wits to do so!

 

My Thoughts

The Twilight Queen is the second book in the King's Fool Mystery series, and I really enjoy this series as it features a prominent person at court about whom we actually know little so the author can take liberties within the historical context. I thought the mystery was clever, but did feel like the ending was rushed; I would have liked to have read more about the fallout that happened afterwards.

 

I really enjoyed Will Somers as a main character as he is complex with many layers, but is absolutely loyal to King and throne. Manoeuvring the complexities of King Henry's court would have been very difficult during this period and I appreciated reading about the relationships of the various characters, most of whom are people who actually lived during this time period. Will himself struggles with his sexuality and while I have seen comments that suggest his wife would not have condoned this during this time period, if you have a history background you know the opposite is actually true as a wife would not have said much about her husband's proclivities considering women didn't have too many rights. The exploration of Henry's The Buggery Act of 1933 was just another facet of this novel and how men needed to be very careful when dealing with the king and his advisors. The struggles Will and his wife faced were raw and honest and I really enjoyed the scenes in which they were together.  

The plot moved along rather quickly, but the mystery was often shuffled to the background when something else occurred. That was fine, but suddenly Will would start doing his investigation again and I did find the shift somewhat jarring as I had to remind myself I was reading a mystery novel and not simply a historical fiction one.  There were a lot of great ideas in this novel, and I have always enjoyed this author's writing style, but I did think they were somewhat rushed.  

Verdict

The Twilight Queen was an entertaining, interesting book focusing on King Henry's fool as a main character.  Will Somers is very much unconventional, in an unconventional relationship, and has an unconventional relationship with the king, something which allowed the author to give a different perspective to what is happening at court.  I definitely appreciated the research that went into this, but did feel the overall mystery was a bit flat.

 

Review: The Family Inside by Katie Garner

The Family Inside

by Katie Garner

Release Date: January 28, 2025

2025 MIRA

Ebook ARC; 384 Pages

ISBN: 978-0778334460

ASIN: B0D1F7W12N

Audiobook: B0D3RVF8RM

Genre: Fiction / Suspense

Source: Review copy from publisher

2.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

Since her husband’s unsolved murder three years ago, Iris Blodgett’s life has unraveled. Awash in grief and buried in debt, she can’t pay her mortgage.

Facing eviction, Iris turns to her new beau, prominent architect Hugh Smoll, for a shoulder to cry on. But the seemingly perfect Hugh offers her something more in an invitation to move into his mother’s centuries-old mansion while he renovates the property.

With repairs underway, the house gives up its dark secrets one by one. Before long, Iris unearths a chilling family history—and the terrifying reason she and Ellory were invited in the first place…

 

My Thoughts

The Family Inside actually had an intriguing premise and contained a lot of things that I like in a suspense novel. However, the author tried to include way too much and as a result, the overall story was a mishmash of concepts and ideas which didn't flow very well. When you try to throw too many red herrings in a pot, the pot overboils and you end up with a hot mess everywhere.

 

The plot itself moved along rather quickly, but while it had an interesting start, it quickly degenerated into one that was a bit of a mess as the author tried to incorporate too many things.  I really wish the focus had been on one or two themes rather than a bunch of them as this could have been quite fascinating. I also can't stand it when you are in the middle of chapter and realize the POV you thought you were reading was someone completely different and not even from the present time period. This kind of mind f&%$ doesn't sit well with me and I was swearing at the book quite a bit on top of raising my eyebrows. To be honest, I almost DNF it at that point.  I get that it was done on purpose to play with your mind, but it definitely didn't work for me, all it did was piss me off. And while I don't mind a lot of twists and turns, they do need to be believable and I just didn't find a lot of them plausible; personally, I thought a lot of them were just there to have twists and turns in the book. There is a case for fewer twists and more development in a book.

 

With all of those twists and turns, there was little time for character development and it showed. I just couldn't develop empathy for the main characters and wondered how many terrible decisions a person could make in one book.  Apparently, it's a lot.  I don't necessarily have to like a character, but I do have to believe in their motives, in the reasons for what they do. This one didn't convince me at all.  And I don't know about you, but if my kid goes missing, I would tear every wall down I could looking for her. Iris' behaviour just didn't make sense, and it was these types of things that lessened my enjoyment of this book.

Verdict

The Family Inside had a lot of interesting ideas and honestly, with more focus on character development and less focus on shock value through the sheer number of twists and turns, this book would have been so much more intriguing. Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect with the characters and the plot inconsistencies were too much.

 

Review: The Brothers York: A Royal Tragedy by Thomas Penn

The Brothers York: A Royal Tragedy

by Thomas Penn

Release Date: June 16,  2020

2020 Simon Schuster

Hardcover & Ebook Editions; 688 Pages

ISBN: 978-1451694192

ASIN: B07Z44P4KC

Audiobook: B07RWDSJ6W

Genre: Non-Fiction / Historical / Medieval

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

n 15th-century England, two royal families, the House of York and the House of Lancaster, fought a bitter, decades-long civil war for the English throne. As their symbols were a red rose for Lancaster and a white rose for York, the conflict became known as the Wars of the Roses.

During this time, the house of York came to dominate England. At its heart were three charismatic brothers—King Edward IV, and his two younger siblings George and Richard—who became the figureheads of a spectacular ruling dynasty. Together, they looked invincible.

But with Edward’s ascendancy the brothers began to turn on one another, unleashing a catastrophic chain of rebellion, vendetta, fratricide, usurpation, and regicide. 

 

My Thoughts

The Brothers York was a fascinating look at the relationship between the King Edward IV, George, and King Richard III during one of the most bitter wars for the English throne.  And while I thoroughly enjoyed the way the author presented his information, and the descriptions of the battles and other scenes were very well done, I still felt like there was something missing throughout that took me quite a while to figure out.

 

Honestly, the story of Lancaster and York has more treachery, deceit, backstabbing, and secrets than anything you would find in a fiction novel which is why I think the lives of these men have fascinated historians and readers alike for centuries. Even though I have been reading about this time period for years, every new telling still makes me squirm when I read about the horrors that men will do to others all in the quest of a throne and power.  There were a lot of changes happening in Europe during this time period, with the emergence of a rather stronger France, difficulties with Burgundy and Scotland, new technologies in a lot of areas including warfare, and a lot of disputes over trade.  With a weak king in England, the time was ripe for some sort of rebellion to occur.

 

I did think the author wrote about the events concisely and with interesting detail. To be fair, I soak these types of books up as I have a huge interest in this time period and the more I learn, the more I am fascinated.  At the same time, I did feel like there was something lacking and it took a bit of reflection to figure out exactly what it was as the details and descriptions of the time period were quite good.  What was missing was the passion and the drive behind all of these actions. I just felt like the deeper insight into what really drove the people involved was missing and how the actions influenced each other into doing what they did.  While the author did a really great job analyzing the events, there was little to no discussing analyzing people's emotions and the effect they would have had on each other. With such a tightly knit group, all actions would have had consequences on everybody else.  For example, how such men involved actually gained their power and influence was not really discussed, you just had to accept it as it was, but in this world, men didn't just rise to be powerful, they had to have done something, or cemented alliances that would enable this.  These were passionate men who risked everything so a little bit more insight into their motives would have been nice.  I also felt the author didn't do Richard III justice, but focused more on the negative things during his reign rather than on his legacy, most of which was ignored in the book. Although he only reigned for two years, he definitely implemented a lot of changes that were beneficial to the people. Yes, he had his issues, and I don't agree with what he did to Edward V, but I did feel the author was less forthcoming with his part of the story. 

 

Verdict

The Brothers York was definitely gripping and worth the read. Edward, Clarence, and Richard had a complicated relationship bred during difficult times and had known little other than war and stress.  However, the story did lack deeper understanding and analysis of the motivations behind the actions and I would have liked to have seen more development of the relationships between the people and how they influenced each other into making the choices they did.  A bit more depth would have made this book amazing. 

 

Review: What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

What the Woods Took

by Courtney Gould

Release Date: December 10, 2024

2024 Wednesday Books

Ebook ARC; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250340672

ASIN: B0CQHL4YGV

Audiobook: B0CR6R77TJ

Genre: Fiction / YA / Thriller / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

Devin Green wakes in the middle of the night to find two men in her bedroom. No stranger to a fight, she calls to her foster parents for help, but it soon becomes clear this is a planned abduction—one everyone but Devin signed up for. She’s shoved in a van and driven deep into the Idaho woods, where she’s dropped off with a cohort of equally confused teens. Finally, two camp counselors inform them that they've all been enrolled in an experimental therapy program. If the campers can learn to change their self-destructive ways—and survive a fifty-days hike through the wilderness—they’ll come out the other side as better versions of themselves. Or so the counselors say.

 

My Thoughts

What the Woods Took was a wild ride, a book about loyalty, friendship, self-discovery, survival, and dealing with personal issues, but a horror novel? Not really.  I thought the author did a great job at describing the scenes in the wilderness and the difficulties of surviving when left alone as well as the trauma with which these teens were dealing. There were a lot of sensitive topics that were discussed and they were dealt with sensitivity and care. However well done the character development and growth though, I did think the actual horror element wasn't quite as developed.

 

First, the characters. Sheridan was actually my favourite character and I thought her development arc was the strongest of all of them. She grew from this petulant, angry person to someone who cared deeply about others and who was willing to look within herself and understand why she was behaving the way she was. The other characters had similar growth and honestly, I was impressed with the character development. I was personally invested in all their journeys and looked forward to learning more about their lives. I will admit to some frustration as I didn't learn as much as I would have liked about Ollie's relationship with his father or about Aidan's relationship with his mother and why exactly why the two of them were there.  When I discussed this book with a couple of friends who had read it, I was amazed at who we all connected with as everyone thought a different character had better character development. This just shows the scope of the author's skill that she can reach different people with her book.

 

I did enjoy the story and wondered what would happen to the teens when they were left stranded. Honestly, getting lost in forest settings comes second to haunted houses for me in the horror genre as there is so much possibility for awful things to happen. And while we have some monsters, I don't think the author took the story far enough as there was a lot of focus on personal growth and trauma over the monster story line.  Things could have been so much worse, but somehow they were able to read maps, get food, etc... and survive quite well.  This coming from a bunch of teens who have barely set foot in a wilderness setting, well, as someone who has trekked a lot of wilderness, this doesn't come off that well. The author did try to show the teens were out of their league in one sense, but in the other they were splitting up and finding each other, no problem, in dense forest, with little experience. Um, no.

Verdict

What the Woods Took did surprise me with its insightful treatment of trauma and the growth of the characters what really fascinating. I truly appreciated the author's way of handling a lot of the situations that arose and thought they were done very well. I didn't think the horror element of the book was that strong, and I certainly didn't believe that five teens who had no experience with backpacking through rough terrain would survive the way they did in this book. Too many liberties with survival skills that are not learned that easily, from someone who has backpacked many wilderness areas.  I will definitely read another book by this author as I enjoyed the writing style and liked the overall story.

 

Review: The Dead Hand by Judith Cutler

The Dead Hand (The Harriet & Matthew Rowsley Victorian Mysteries, Book #5)

by Judith Cutler

Release Date: November 26, 2024

2024 Severn House

Paperback ARC; 240 Pages

ISBN: 978-1448314607

ASIN: B0C5JW99HC

Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Historical

Source: Review copy from publisher

3 / 5 Stars

Summary

June 1861, Victorian England. A house full of academics should imply calm and quiet, but much to housekeeper Harriet Rowsley's dismay some of the guests seem to have problems with the estate's unconventional practices and aren't afraid of voicing their concerns. Having Harriet and her husband and interim estate manager Matthew as the hosts of Thorncroft House, while his lordship is ill and the trustees are seeking for his heir, is obviously not to everyone's taste!

But Harriet won't let their patronising opinions get in the way of running the household as it was entrusted to her. She and her husband seem to have things under control until a series of unusual accidents occur around them. To make matters worse and more pressing, one of these accidents proves fatal . . .

 

My Thoughts

The Dead Hand is the next entry in the Harriet & Matthew Rowsley Victorian Murder mysteries and I thought it was a solid entry in the series.  Archaeologists have arrived in force to work the Roman ruins found on the grounds of the manor and Harriet & Matthew have their hands full managing all of them as well doing their normal day-to-day jobs. To make matters more interesting, Harriet has lost her full-time housekeeper and must now interview a new one by giving the person a one-month trial to see if she will fit into the household. 

First of all, while I enjoyed the mystery, I do find this author's writing hard to follow. It's not that her writing style is difficult once you are immersed in the chapter, but POV changes from chapter to chapter, all written in first person, and you have no idea from whose perspective you are reading which is quite confusing. You have to really work to understand the characters and the plot at times, and while this type of writing style is meant to confuse the reader so you are not sure what is happening, it actually just made me frustrated. And for the record, it didn't work as I figured out who the culprit was almost from the beginning; I just found it really obvious.  Oh, and using dialogue and inner monologue for rhetorical questions that aren't answered just seems like lazy writing to me.  There are other ways to add twists and turns to a plot without the reader knowing who is actually speaking or in whose head we are in at the moment.  

The plot itself was fairly predictable, despite the use of rhetorical questions and switching POVs to try and confuse the reader. I did enjoy the addition of the archaeological 'experts' in this book and how they actually worked during this time period, some being more exploitive in nature rather than the historical value. The historical details were nicely woven into the story, and I appreciated the research that went into the story. However, some of the actions from some of the characters did not necessarily make sense or ring true to the time period, so I just had to go along with it.  

Verdict

The Dead Hand had many things going for it, and I did enjoy the descriptions of the time period as well as the goings-on of a great house during harvest season. I did think the mystery was fairly predictable, and some actions were not questioned or just ignored which didn't make sense to me as this was a fairly clue-driven story.  As I've mentioned in previous reviews and which continues in this book, I am not crazy about the writing style. However, I will read the next book in this series only to find out what happens due to the ending of this book.

 

Review: Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers that Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe by M. Gabriele & D.M. Perry

Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers that Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe

by Matthew Gabriele & David M. Perry

Release Date: December 10, 2024

2024 Harper

Ebook ARC; 304 Pages

ISBN: 978-0063336674

ASIN: B0CZ798FMJ

Audiobook: B0CYHZTW4W

Genre: Non-Fiction / Historical / Medieval

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

By the early ninth century, the Carolingian empire was at the height of its power. The Franks, led by Charlemagne, had built the largest European domain since Rome in its heyday. Though they jockeyed for power, prestige, and profit, the Frankish elites enjoyed political and cultural consensus. But just two generations later, their world was in shambles. Civil war, once an unthinkable threat, had erupted after Louis the Pious’s sons overthrew him—and then placed their knives at the other’s neck. Families who had once charged into battle together now drew each other’s blood.

The Carolingian Civil War would rage for years as kings fought kings, brother faced off against brother, and sons challenged fathers. Oathbreakers is the dramatic history of this brutal, turbulent time.

My Thoughts

Oathbreakers is the second book I've read by these authors and I enjoyed the intricate writing and detailed descriptions of the time period.  Although I am very familiar with Charlemagne and the havoc his sons and grandsons set in motion after his death, the authors did a great job at bringing a fresh perspective to the details of the time period.  For anyone familiar with the time period, I don't think this book offers anything new, but it does offer a clear insight into the causes and consequences of what happened. I definitely liked the more human perspective; it's always easy to say in hindsight that such and such should have been done, but the authors did a great job to show the humanness of the actions and choices that people made, not realizing until much later the impact those choices would have on future events and people. 

This book is definitely written for those who don't have a lot of knowledge about the time period, so the authors take a different approach in their writing than is usual in non-fiction history books, more of a chatty approach, one meant to feel as if they are talking to you or lecturing you.  For the most part this didn't bother me, but there were times when it drove me crazy, especially during the more serious parts of the book when I felt like the subject material was too serious for this 'chattiness'.  Maybe having a history background kind of affected my feelings about this as I am used to a more serious approach, but there were times when I just wanted the authors to go much more in-depth and talk about how serious the situation actually was as those moments definitely impacted those places for generations to come.  The lighter tone just didn't always match the situation.

That being said however, the authors did do a great job of outlining the Carolingians and the impact they had on the time period. This is definitely not an easy story to tell and outline so I appreciated the cohesiveness of what was done in this book.  And trying to keep all the names straight is no easy feat when half of them are names Louis or Charles or Pepin or something similar.  I also liked how the authors mentioned a bit about the societal structure and the impact the wars would have had on starvation and disease over the years, although little is known about the farmers and other people who did not serve at court. Unless there is  stash of papers hidden somewhere, there is a lot we will never know and the authors constantly mention the sources from which they gain their information as well as the reliability of those sources.  In some instances, we just don't know why some people were at odd with each other and can only speculate based on future actions. 

Verdict

Oathbreakers provided a fascinating look into this medieval time period. I was particularly fascinated by the relationships, especially those of the daughters who spent their entire life at court, had affairs and children out of wedlock, but influenced a lot of wealthy people nonetheless yet paid the consequences for those relationships. And what happened to Judith of Bavaria as well as Dhuoda just made the reader realize how much women sacrificed for their children or were victims of the political struggles. The authors did a great job bringing this time period to life and provided perspective for actions and decisions that were made, but there is no question the idiocy of the nobility were responsible for a lot of death and destruction that very much impacted the development of Europe. I know people like to ascribe certain people as being 'heroes', but I liked how the authors showed a different side to that perception and really make you think about who you venerate. 

Review: Murder's Snare by Paul Doherty

Murder's Snare (A brother Athelstan Mystery, Book #23)

by Paul Doherty

Release Date: December 3, 2024

2024 Severn House

Ebook ARC; 224 Pages

ISBN: 978-1448313105

ASIN: B0D6YYBCHD

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

Normandy, 1358: The Free Company of the 'Via Crucis - the Way of the Cross' sweeps into the peaceful village of Avranches, like the riders from the Apocalypse, leaving nothing but death and hellish destruction in their wake.

London, 1382: Brother Athelstan is summoned to unpick the ugly truth behind a number of killings afflicting the great city. Some carried out like clean, efficient assassinations, all bearing the message 'Justitia Fiat - let there be justice', others inflicting torture and humiliation upon the bodies. But the victims all have one thing in common - they were all once members of Via Crucis.

With every new gruesome discovery, Brother Athelstan, with the help of Coroner Cranston, uncovers more clues which make up a most complicated riddle - but can he put together the last piece before the fate of the whole country is decided?

 

My Thoughts

Murder's Snare is the next book in the long-running Brother Athelstan mystery series and I impressed with the way the author can still come up with a mesmerizing mystery that really embodies the time period.  This is actually a multi-layered story with several solutions to different plots all leading to the main plot at the end of the book, but in which all the plots are interconnected.  Just when you think you have things figured out, the author throws in some twists and turns that make you question your thinking. And even though I did figure out who the culprit was pretty early on, there were times I was questioning my main choice although I did not quite figure out some of the secondary plots. 

Brother Athelstan is the priest of St. Erconwald's, a church located in the more salubrious section of London, and his constituents tend to largely flirt with the law. Brother Athelstan is quite aware of the activities of his flock, but manages to reign in their activities as much as possible and the humour that is exhibited through these tales is quite interesting and the author manages to describe quite a bit of life during this time period through these characters.  Athelstan also works for coroner Sir John Cranston, so when there is a crime to investigate, he is often caught up in those circumstances as well. Because this the twenty-third book of this series, I don't think there is a lot of character development for these characters, so a lot of the attention was on the secondary characters which suited me just fine.  

For a shorter book, the mystery itself was actually quite complex and rather interesting. I had just finished a non-fiction book about this time period, so it was fascinating to follow that book with this one and immerse myself in the time period through the eyes of the characters. To say ti was a brutal time period doesn't go far enough, but there was also warmth and loyalty as well. All the plot threads do interconnect so you have to pay attention to everything that is discussed, and there is even some deeper political intrigue happening below the actual murder mysteries, something I was expecting to happen at some point considering the political climate of the time period.  There is a wide array of characters and the author doesn't waste time reacquainting readers with familiar ones, so I was glad I had read all the previous books in the series.  I did find the mystery itself quite fascinating as I love it when there are consequences for actions that happen in one's past that impact one's present and you can't just brush it off with 'it was war'. 

Verdict

Murder's Snare was a fairly fast-moving mystery that had layers upon layers of mysteries within it.  Part of this could be frustrating, but in a good way, as you had no idea which thread the main characters were following or solving, and the author was great at including twists and turns that made you keep guessing. I loved the descriptions of the time period and often felt like I was walking beside Brother Athelstan as he was walking down the streets and seeing what he was seeing, reminding me of how comfortable we are in this modern world.  I highly recommend this series if you love historical mysteries and want to immerse yourself in world full of strife and political intrigue.

 

Review: The Wild Coast by Lin Anderson

The Wild Coast (Rhona MacLeod, Book #17)

by Lin Anderson

Release Date: December 3, 2024

2024 Pan

Ebook ARC; 464 Pages

ISBN: 978-1529084573

ASIN: B0BTDF5VG8

Audiobook: B0C24MGQNP

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

The height of summer in Scotland. Small west-coast campsites are the go-to for wild campers and campervans. Remote, loch or beach-side, most occupy a field on a highland croft.

Until a lone camper disappears. Then another. It appears that a killer has found the perfect way to operate. Remote, unnoted and lethal.

Meanwhile in Glasgow , Police Scotland is facing allegations of sexual assault by its male officers. In that list is one DS Michael McNab.
Did McNab overstep the mark, or is the accusation against him a way of putting him
out of action forever?

 

 

My Thoughts

The Wild Coast is the next entry in the long-running Rhona MacLeod mystery series, and this one explores the challenges women face while traveling alone as well as how easily someone's reputation an be destroyed through allegations. I absolutely loved the setting of the book as the wild coast of Scotland's northwest seemed to contrast beautifully with the difficult case and subject matter of the book. It made me yearn to get on a bike and do a road trip.

 

Because this is the seventeenth entry in this series, I don't really feel like there was much character development especially if you have read the previous installments.  As a result, I was much more interested in the secondary characters that populated this book, the family members, the ones involved with the victims and the reasons for their choices and actions.  While I wasn't completely satisfied with the characters and didn't emphasize with all of them, I was still invested in what was happening in their lives.  Rhona and Chrissie were quite active in the investigation, but they come across as old acquaintances. I always love when Pike makes an appearance as his psychological insights are always fascinating, and McNab is always three steps away from falling off a cliff, if in a literal sense. I keep waiting for the book when he finally ends up over the edge.

 

The plot moved along rather quickly as the team investigated missing women as well as a couple of bodies that were discovered. The plot focused on women and the difficulties they have when traveling and escaping abusive relationships, and many important issues were discussed including sexual assault and mistreatment of women.  McNab finds himself caught in the middle of a possible sexual assault case due to choices he makes, and the team has to work hard to figure out if he is guilty or innocent. This secondary plot line poses the question about how well you actually know someone even after having worked with them for years and how easily someone's reputation can be ruined.  One of the things I have always liked about this author is the way all the threads are wrapped up in the end, and this one satisfies on all counts as well.  

Verdict

The Wild Coast was an interesting read and I liked how the author contrasted the difficult themes of the book with the beautiful setting. The plot moved rather quickly and while the character development wasn't a focus of the book, for long-time readers, being familiar with the characters and their lives definitely helped. While this could be read as a standalone, I do think it reads better if you have read the previous entries in the series as the author doesn't explain the relationships, assumptions are made that you are already familiar with them.  As a woman, I appreciated the subject matter and the difficulties and dangers of traveling alone. And if you like forensic work, that is a main part of this series as the main character is a forensic scientist.

 

Review: Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson

Under Loch and Key

by Lana Ferguson

Release Date: December 3, 2024

2024 Berkley

Ebook ARC; 416 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593816851

ASIN: B0CW18SRPF

Audiobook: B0CXF7CPKQ

Genre: Fiction / Romance / Paranormal

Source: Review copy from publisher

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

Keyanna “Key” MacKay is used to secrets. Raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it’s only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. 

 

Lachlan Greer is looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. 

When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess.

 

My Thoughts

Under Loch and Key is probably one of the first romance books I have read in approximately two years, but I was looking for something different than the usual epic fantasy, non-fiction, and mystery books I usually tend to read, and thought this would be a good light read.  And that is exactly what this was.  It actually had some of the tropes that I like; solving a curse, riddles, centuries-old secrets, and a romance that wasn't based on the stupid and overused miscommunication trope.  Where it sort of lost me was in the execution.

 

First of all, I enjoyed both of the characters and thought they were fairly mature. The reason I stopped reading romance novels was because of the immaturity and the overuse of the miscommunication trope, but I didn't find it to be true in this book. While the main characters did have their issues, one was guarding a fairly large secret that could destroy him while the other really had no knowledge of her family history, so I found the development of this quite interesting.  Even though both characters struggled to true the other, they were willing to work together without doing stupid things, and that is what kept me going. Key kept fighting to get to know her family despite the rough beginning, and Lachlan was willing to let Key into his world and share some of his knowledge.  

 

Where it struggled at times was with the execution.  The story did comes off as 'cutesy' and I wanted more 'zing'.  To be honest, I didn't always feel the connection between the two characters, other than being friends, but that sizzle, no, not always there.  That doesn't mean to say the romance aspect was boring or anything as it wasn't, but when I read a story, I want to feeeeel that connection between the characters.  The curse and the history of both Key and Lachlan's family were interesting, but then I love fantasy so this is the stuff I really enjoy. I did think the spicy scenes were well-written and I definitely did enjoy the build-up to the characters eventually getting together, and I will admit to some laugh-out-loud moments, but then there were some parts that slowed down the story quite a bit.  

 

Verdict

Under Loch and Key was actually an interesting story and I did enjoy the family dynamics and the way Key found a new home and friends.  I liked the dual POV as it gave me insight into both characters and what they going through personally and it definitely helped with their character development.  I did think the grumpy guy and the bouncy girl was a bit over the top and could have been downplayed a little bit, but overall, the story was fun and not a bad choice for my first foray back into romance in quite a while.  Personally, I really enjoyed the parts where the characters discovered family secrets and went looking for answers; it was the inner monologues that actually slowed it down for me, not the hunt for secrets.  Too much introspection drives me to boredom. 

 

Review: Dungeon Crawl Carl by Matt Dinniman

Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl, Book #1)

by Matt Dinniman

Release Date: August 27, 2024 

2024 Ace

Hardcover ARC; 464 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593820147

ASIN: B08BKGYQXW

Audiobook: B08V8877BY

Genre: Fiction / Fantasy / LITRPG

5 / 5 Stars

Summary

You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.

Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show.

 

My Thoughts

Dungeon Crawler Carl is the first book in the incredibly popular LITRPG series featuring Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut.  It took me awhile before writing this review because I wasn't sure how to describe it.  When I received a hardcopy version of this book, I had already listened to it twice, so it gave me an opportunity to listen to it again as honestly, it is probably one of the best audiobooks around and I would have used any excuse to go back to that world. So I listened and read at the same time. And although this was my third go-through, it was still as funny as the first time I listened/read.

 

This book is such a unique blend of humour, sarcasm, and serious moments that you never know what to expect from one moment to the next. I was literally laughing out loud, then gasping in shock from one scene to the next, realizing that although this book doesn't take itself seriously, there are some serious things going on with the themes and in the background, only some of which is revealed in this book.  

 

Carl and Princess Donut are so much as main characters and feed off each other so well. The dialogue is witty and fun, and there is also the inclusion of other NPC included in the story, something that often throws a wrench into Carl's plans.  Because I have already read the first six books in this series, I paid more attention to what was not said and done this time round, realizing the depth to the story I missed the first time through.  While it appears to be a dungeon-style maze with the requisite stats you would expect in a LITRPG, you quickly realize how much Carl and Donut are being led around by something else entirely.  However, it's well-balanced and quite nuanced, so I didn't really pick up on how much until I read the later books.  

 

I really love the fact that this book makes fun of itself through the inclusion of pop cultures comments and quotes, and considering the world has collapsed around him, it seems fitting for Carl to rely on these quips to keep himself going and keep himself sane in what must be absolute chaos.  Although the first book covers a couple of levels of the maze, you quickly realize there is way more depth and complexity that at first appears, with factions and rivalries that should play a role in future books, something that sounds intriguing and fun.  

 

Verdict

Dungeon Crawler Carl is a breath of fresh air from those grimdark epic fantasy novels I had been reading, and the audiobook is a standout in audiobooks.  It is one of the few I could listen to over and over again, that's how well it is done, and I am not one to re-read books.  If you are looking for something with humour and sarcasm, but still has a lot of depth to it, I highly recommend this series.  

 

Review: A Snake in the Barley by Candace Robb

A Snake in the Barley (Owen Archer, Book #15)

by Candace Robb

Release Date: December 3, 2024

2024 Severn House

Ebook ARC; 325 Pages

ISBN: 978-9448315758

ASIN: B0D6YZ1417

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

York, 1377. Owen Archer is determined to find his friend, taverner Tom Merchet, who has been missing for five days. His wife, Bess, is frantic with worry.

Who is the elusive Widow Cobb that Tom was seen visiting? And who is the man spotted following Tom before he vanished? As Owen hunts for clues, Bess decides to visit the widow’s lodgings and makes a terrifying discovery.

Owen digs up past sins and long-buried secrets that answer some of the questions surrounding Tom’s disappearance. But who is the sly and malevolent figure intent on destroying his friend, and why? A shocking confession will rock Owen to his core . . .

 

My Thoughts

A Snake in the Barley is the next entry in the long-running Owen Archer mystery series, and honestly, I don't know how this author manages to come up with engaging mysteries book after book.  This instalment features Tom and Bess from the York tavern, and I was thrilled to get to know them better and have them feature in their very own mystery. 

 

Being book fifteen in this series, it is hard to keep developing Owen and his family as we have gotten to know them pretty well, so I was glad the focus was on developing the characters around Owen. Although Tom and Bess feature in older books, we don't really know a lot about them so it was nice to have their characters in the foreground and learn more about their history.  I thought the author did a great job weaving the past into the present and how that eventually has consequences if you haven't dealt with major things from your past.  Although the concept of PTSD and other mental illnesses did not really exist during this period, the author managed to include that in that book but from the perspective of the time period which we know doesn't really go well for those who suffer.  

The descriptions of the time period are well done, and I like how the author does not romanticize the past. I personally would not want to live during this time period as it was pretty rough and disease ran rampant through people's lives.  Although it was sad to read about those downtrodden people, it was the reality.  In fact, I think it was probably worse than even the descriptions showed in this book.  Hunger, cold, homelessness, starvation, disease, etc.. all all realities of this time, much worse than in today's world. Although it can be bleak however, the author shows a nice balance of what life is like for those who work hard and are comfortable, and the reliance on each other in order to survive.  

Verdict

A Snake in the Barley has a mystery that was quite fascinating and although it was quite a complex case, with a lot of people involved, I was captivated by the concept of how you can't really run away from your past actions.  It can be hard to keep track of all the players, especially if you are not familiar with the books, and there were quite a few secondary themes running through the story.  However, the author managed to pull them all together in the end in a satisfactory way.  This was definitely another entertaining entry to the series, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.