Review: There Will be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

There Will Be Bodies (Flavia Albia, #13)

by Lindsey Davis

Release Date: July 22, 2025

2025 Minotaur Books

Ebook ARC; 368 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250906731

ASIN: B0DH4FJ4DJ

Audiobook: B0DSQ71DZ8

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars 

 

Summary

Ten years after the eruption of Vesuvius, the surrounding countryside lies buried and barren. But the destroyed cities and luxury villas on the Bay of Naples are not utterly lost.

Flavia Albia and her husband Tiberius Manlius are tasked with restoring one villa and identifying any surviving remains.

What they unearth is beyond disturbing. When the volcano erupted some people were left to their fate here, unable to escape. They included the previous owner, Publius Primus - laid out carefully and covered by falling ash.

 

 

 

My Thoughts

There Will be Bodies is the next book in the Flavia Albia series, and while I found this one interesting due to the descriptions of the aftereffects of the Vesuvius eruption, I did find the actual mystery to be somewhat less compelling than in previous books and that there really wasn't much to the 'investigation'. 

 

One of the things I truly do like about this series, and the concept does continue in this book, is the very layered discussions around women and their roles within the Roman Empire. A lot of this is done through Flavia's voice and I enjoy her sarcastic inner monologue with regards to what she sees and her interpretation of events compared to how the men are dealing with things. It is always interesting to see how she manipulates those around her to get what she wants; women have certainly developed some skilled negotiation/manipulation techniques over the years and the men don't even know what hit them. I have definitely become more cynical and sarcastic as I've grown older so I empathize with Flavia and the women during this time period who didn't have as much freedom as people would think and had to rely on men to make decisions for them, decisions they didn't necessarily agree with. The author uses Flavia's voice to discuss the problematic nature of women and other people who were struggling and this is definitely a strength to these novels.  

 

While the descriptions of the aftermath of the eruption were wonderful and personally, I don't think I've read too many of those, the investigation itself was fairly predictable, and somewhat mundane. A lot of the actual investigative work got lost within the work Flavia and her husband were doing at the villa and if I hadn't read the previous entries to this series, I wouldn't have realized how shallow the investigation was compared to previous books. There were really no twists and turns and few attempts to try to deter the reader from figuring out the culprit and I was left feeling disappointed in how everything turned out.  

 

Verdict

There Will be Bodies is the first Flavia Albia book to have its setting outside Rome and I am still not sure how I feel about that although I was fascinated with the descriptions of the area around Vesuvius after the eruption. And while I enjoyed the descriptions of what Flavia and her husband were doing to restore the villa, the mystery itself was a disappointment as it was predictable and frankly, this was probably my least favourite of the series so far. If you are a new reader to this series, you could read this as a standalone, but I do recommend starting from the beginning to get a richer experience of the characters and their life. Even better, start with the Marcus Didius Falco series, the series about Flavia's father, to get the full immersive experience.   

 

Veil: A novel by Jell Clulow

Veil: A novel

by Jeff Clulow

Release Date: August 1st, 2025

2025 Third Eye Press

Ebook ARC; 263 Pages

ISBN: 978-1764139700

ASIN: B0FJF4TL7D

Genre: Fiction / Gothic

Source: Review copy from author

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

An old house filled with riddles.
A young woman unable to laugh, unable to cry.
Now, through her dead mother’s wedding veil she will see the house not as it is, but as it once was.
She will glimpse the events of a day nearly thirty years before.
A day of obsession and cruelty.
A day of hope too, where a lost lover hides in the shadows.
Through the veil, she may come face-to-face with her family’s darkest secret.
She might learn the reason for her mother’s insanity.
She may even find a way back to her lost emotions.
And solve the mystery of her own past.

 

 

My Thoughts

Veil was not a traditional ghost story in the same way of other traditional ghost stories, but it was still haunting and atmospheric. It was more of a generational haunting story and how what happens to family members can have a huge effect on those in the current generation, almost floating on the boundaries of generational trauma. I really enjoyed the Gothic atmosphere of this story as well as the setting; the themes running through this book would make some great discussion points.

 

Suze discovers she has inherited a house from her mother, a woman she had never met nor known anything about. As someone who was floundering through life trying to find a purpose, this came as a shock as she had spent years trying to find out anything about her mother who gave her up for adoption, but she was determined to discover whatever she could. And that is one of the things I loved about Suze as a MC, her determination. Growing up in the foster care system, she had learned to hide her feelings and emotions at a very young age, so Suze's character development was immense as she learned to feel and to sympathize with what happened to her mother as she discovered secrets about her family she was not expecting. I thoroughly loved her determination and her willingness to give things a shot even when it was extremely difficult to do so. She had a lot to learn, but was willing to put in the work and do so.

 

The story itself wasn't overly unique, and it was a bit predictable, but I definitely enjoyed the journey. The addition of the veil to the story was fun and I wish the author had done a bit more with that aspect of the story as I felt it was underutilized. What ended up happening was more of a showing us what happened to Suze's mother rather than allowing the reader to discover it and I felt a bit let down by how that happened. I do want to make it clear though, the writing was still strong and I still enjoyed it, but a part of me was a bit disappointed to just be along for the journey rather than trying to figure it out as Suze discovered it. And it was not hard to figure out what was going on although it was still quite tragic.   

 

Verdict

Veil had an interesting mix of gothic tropes in the story, but the inclusion of the veil was unique and I enjoyed that aspect quite a bit. There was also another aspect that I thought was clever as it mirrored Suze's mother's trauma and would make a great discussion point, but I don't want to give spoilers in this review.  I liked the oppressive nature of the house, but have to say I loved the conclusion and what will happen even more.  While the delivery didn't quite work all of the time, and I wished the Gothic aspects had been used a bit more to push the level of tension (which was quite lacking for me), this was still an enjoyable read and I do recommend it to anyone who likes these types of books. 

 

Review: The Mudflats Murder Club by Brian Thiem

The Mudflats Murder Club (Mudflats Murder Club Mysteries, #1)

by Brian Thiem

Release Date: July 29, 2025

2025 Severn River Publishing

Ebook ARC; 354 Pages

ISBN: 978-1648756283

ASIN:  ‎ B0DBRJB1L8

Audiobook: B0FFM3XZ8D

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Former homicide detective and recently widowed Sean Tanner has settled into Spartina Island's private retirement community, hoping to find solace after his wife's death in their chosen paradise. He soon finds himself drawn into the Mudflats Murder Club, an enthusiastic group of retired detectives, prosecutors, and forensic experts who are engrossed in solving the 38-year-old unsolved murder of Theresa Goldberg.

But the quiet of the community is shattered when Sean’s neighbor, Nancy Russo, is found dead in her home. Ignited by the crime, the club jumps into the fray, much to the annoyance of Sergeant Charlotte “Charlie” Nash, the lead detective spearheading the murder investigation. When Sean and his cohorts uncover a shocking connection between Nancy’s murder and their long-standing cold case, everything they thought they knew goes up in flames.

My Thoughts

The Mudflats Murder Club is one of those books to which I was drawn because the main characters were retired and lived in a retirement community, and as someone was had just recently retired, I was drawn to the older characters and to lives that were similar to mine.  However, this was much more than that and I found this to be a well-plotted, very enjoyable mystery. 

 

The MC was a retired homicide detective who inadvertently became involved in the murder investigation of his neighbour. While he's reluctant to give his advice, his natural curiosity and his years as a detective are hard to put aside and he is asked to help which does not endear himself to the local detective. I enjoyed Sean's character development as I understand how hard it would be to not want to get involved even if you are retired as those years you spent on the job just don't go away because you are retired. At first he clashes with Charlie Nash, the lead detective on the case, although in all fairness, the annoyance was all on her side as she felt she didn't need the help. I wasn't a huge fan of Charlie at the beginning of the novel as her uppity attitude got on my nerves, but she did grow on me as the story developed.  The ego trips are sometimes hard to deal with and the book just barely touched on the political nature of the police force in the area, something I think will be incorporated in future books. 

 

The plot itself moved along fairly comfortably and there were enough twists and turns to keep me turning the pages.  There were a lot of characters that were introduced, but it was not overwhelming, and many of them will probably feature in future books so I look forward to learning more about them as there are some intriguing characters, with some interesting backstories. What I especially liked is that the secondary characters are not just relegated to background noise, but the author took the time to develop a couple of them so they feel more fleshed out. The setting plays a huge role in the story and I enjoyed the descriptions of both the retirement community as well as the larger community in general.  I have visited the general area, so I was able to picture it in my mind.  

 

Verdict

The Mudflats Murder Club was an excellent introduction to a new series, and one I enjoyed tremendously. While there were a few problems with pace, I did like the attention to character development and setting, and thought the twists and turns were rather good. While I did figure out who was the culprit, I didn't understand the motive until the end, so that was fun.  I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series, A Killer in the Cordgrass, when it releases February 2026.  

 

Review: Codebreaker by Jay Martel

Codebreaker

by Jay Martel

Release Date: July 22, 2025

2025 Wednesday Books

Softcover ARC: 384 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250355546

ASIN:  ‎ B0D19JY8MV

Audiobook: B0FKK7G3BT

Genre: Fiction / Thriller / YA

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Mia Hayes has peaceful plans for the summer—find a part-time job at a coffee shop and work on her application for Harvard. Those plans are shattered one night when government agents arrive unannounced at her home seeking something they believe her father has taken. When the dust settles, her mother is dead and her father is gone, a fugitive on the run.

Three weeks later, and still reeling from her father’s betrayal, Mia spends her seventeenth birthday at a protest in the heart of D.C., where she meets Logan, a rebellious and charming hacker. Just as she’s enjoying her first happy moment since the night her world exploded, a voicemail from her father arrives to upend everything she believed about her family, her past, and what really happened that night three weeks ago. Even more, the voicemail hides another encoded message inside which, once Mia solves it, sets her and Logan off on a mission from her sleepy suburb straight into the heart of the federal government.

 

My Thoughts

Codebreaker was a fun YA novel about a girl who discovers her family has secrets, ones in which others are willing to kill over. One night, Mia comes home and her peaceful and innocent existence was shattered, sending her on a birthday hunt that she wasn't expecting, one that could shape the future of her world. I loved the fact I could try to solve the clues with Mia and learn more about some of the codes and the code breakers who created them.

 

Mia was a smart and determined character, but she was also vulnerable having seen her mother die in front of her and knowing her father was on the run for something she wasn't sure he committed. With her world falling apart, she had to try to figure out who she was, but also figure out who her parents actually were. I really liked this aspect of the story as it is always a shock when a child discovers there is so much more to their parents than they thought and Mia's parents were hiding quite a bit; Mia had to rethink everything she knew about her relationship with them. I empathized with her struggle to try to fit this new reality into her current world and to re-discover the love she still had for them despite knowing their flaws and what they were doing as this would not have been easy to do. She would no longer be that innocent young girl she was before this happened, that's for sure.

 

The story took place over a short period of time, but moved along rather quickly. It actually reminded me a bit of the movie National Treasure where the main characters moved from one clue to the next with people trying to kill them every step of the way. I thought the story interwove the historical elements, the code breaking, and the current story quite seamlessly and yes, there were plenty of twists and turns, one of which actually caught me off guard as I wasn't thinking that way at all. However, the twist worked really well and I liked it a lot; it would also make a great discussion question about how well we really know about the people in our lives. Mia's sidekick Logan was a good addition to the story and I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop, but there were secrets there as well, something I enjoyed quite a bit.  

 

Verdict

Codebreaker drew me because of the codes and the idea that I could also be immersed in breaking them, but it was so much more than that. The plot moved along quickly, full of twists and turns, and I enjoyed the historical details that were included throughout the story. Both Logan and Mia were fun characters to follow, but I didn't really feel like the concept of the 'enemies' thoughts and ideals was fully fleshed out and I did think more could have been done with that. However, this was still a fun story and I do recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read and is also fascinated with the concept of code breaking and puzzles. 

 

Review: The Paxton's Tower Murders by Stephen Puleston

The Paxton's Tower Murders (A Detective Caren Waits Mystery, #1)

by Stephen Puleston

Release Date: June 16, 2025

2025 Independently Published

Ebook ARC; 315 Pages

ISBN: 979-8284500903

ASIN: B0FDJ71QB6

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from author

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Detective Inspector Caren Waits was ready to prove herself on her first day in a new job—but she wasn’t expecting a murder. When a small-time drug dealer is found dead near The Paxton’s Tower, Caren is thrown into a case that demands her full attention.

Leading an unfamiliar team, she must prove she has what it takes to command respect and catch a killer.

But when a second body turns up at the same location, Caren knows she’s dealing with someone calculated and ruthless. As the investigation deepens, she finds herself chasing a murderer who always seems one step ahead.

 

My Thoughts

The Paxton's Tower Murders is the first book in a new series by this author and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Having read most of the Inspector Drake series, I was happy to read a new series featuring a character who appeared in the Drake series. Caren was starting her new job in a new town and had barely settled in when she was called out on her first case. I would be quite nervous as well if I were in her shoes and hadn't even had an opportunity to check in, to figure out the layout of where I was working, or to even have met my team, so to say she was a bit uptight and nervous was understandable. 

 

Personally, I liked Caren better in this book than in the Inspector Drake series, but it's only because I got to learn more about her. Because the book is about her, reading her inner thoughts as she juggled motherhood and a demanding job was interesting, and I could relate to her struggles to provide a normal childhood for her son while being exhausted. The fact she was a bit cool to her colleagues did not bother me as she is the boss and understands the importance of a functional team. Considering the mystery surrounding her predecessor, her more distant behaviour was understandable, but she definitely opened up as the book progressed. She was determined, fair, and was able to see the strengths and weaknesses in her team members and use them appropriately. My only question mark with regards to Caren is her behaviour towards her underlings and it is something to which I rolled my eyes constantly: a 'please' and 'thank you' would not be remiss once in a while, and if you want a cup of coffee, get off your tuff and go make it yourself. In many offices, the way that was demanded would land you in a behaviour, aka manners and DEI training, course. To me, that speaks of a lack of confidence in yourself to be a leader; there's a way to do without being a jerk.

 

The plot itself had many twists and turns and was quite interesting. The murder investigation itself was done in such a way as to introduce people who lived in the community, people we will probably see in future books, so I liked that a lot. There was also a secondary story woven through the narrative, that of Karen's husband who died in an accident a year ago. That one did not resolve itself in this book, but it definitely made me curious as to know what happened. The investigation did allow Caren to grow as a character and to connect better with her team, something I definitely enjoyed. While the ending was rushed, it was still satisfactory.

 

Verdict

The Paxton's Tower Murders was a strong start to a new series and I enjoyed both the character and the plot development. It is well written and I liked the descriptions of the Welsh landscape and some of the background information the author provided. And as a I mentioned above, while I enjoyed Caren's character development, there were some things that did not sit well with me with regards to how she treated her team so hopefully that is all part of her future character development and now displaying how a leader should behave towards one's team. All in all, the mystery and investigation were fun, and I will be reading the next book in this series. 

 

Review: Difficult Girls by Veronica Bane

Difficult Girls

by Veronica Bane

Release Date: July 8, 2025

2025 Delacorte Press

Ebook ARC; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593903988

ASIN:  ‎ B0DJQBYC7F

Audiobook: B0DJWJJWCT

Genre: Fiction / YA / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

After the incident last year, Greta Riley Green is looking for reinvention, a fresh start, a chance to run away from the many secrets she’s suddenly hiding. When fate pulls Greta into the orbit of Mercy Goodwin, star of the park’s most popular show, it feels like things are looking up. Beautiful and confident, Mercy dazzles audiences daily. And Mercy has a secret to share, if Greta will just meet her at lunch the next day. 

Only, when the time comes, Mercy is a no-show—as she is every day after that. She just stops coming to work. Greta knows something is wrong. She can’t help thinking back to the night of the party. Did Mercy seem upset? Terrified, even? Could she be in trouble? It wouldn’t be the first time a talented young performer came to a sinister end at Hyper Kid. . . .

 

My Thoughts

Difficult Girls is one of those books where I enjoyed the second half of the book far more than I enjoyed the first half, and I will be honest, I almost DNF the book halfway through. I'm glad I did persevere though, as I was curious to know what happened to Mercy and how everything would tie together at the end. I do have to say however, that Greta is probably one of the most annoying FMC that I have come across in quite a while and is the main reason why I almost put this book aside.

 

This story is set in an amusement park and I always like a setting like this as there is so much scope for imagination and for something to go terribly wrong. The mystery itself was rather intriguing and I did enjoy how it unfolded and how the unsolved murder from the past tied into the present-day one. There were lots of twists and turns, even if some of them were quite predictable, and I liked how it all unfolded. Naturally, there were a lot of things that were coincidences and where you just had to accept that they happened even if they were not quite believable, but I chose to go with them and just enjoyed the ride. Yes, there was a general tendency to over-explain concepts and it could, at times, be repetitive, but the writing style was clear and it did flow very well.

 

Now we come to an area with which I had problems, the character development. First of all, I really did not like the main character, Greta. Sorry, but no wonder she got herself into so much trouble in the past as her judgment skills are so incredibly poor I just wanted to shake her through most of the book. Let me explain. So, here's this guy she met , no SAW, maybe twice, and she had already convinced herself how great he was, how perfect he was, how he would never treat anyone poorly like she had been treated in the past, how he was just so, so, so NICE, and he was going to be hers. And it just goes on and on. For a guy she said maybe three words to and maybe had seen twice.  And then there's this other guy who she judges harshly because someone has a nickname for him that she misinterprets, and it becomes so repetitive in her thoughts it's what almost made me DNF. Honestly, I've seen this technique used in writing in other books to use as red herrings and it simply does not work; in fact, it seems like a sloppy way of trying to throw off a reader and create an unreliable narrator. Because of this, there was not a lot of room left to develop any of the secondary characters which affects any empathy shown for their situations. The character development was a bit of a mess. It also created a situation where I was rolling my eyes every time Greta had any space for inner monologues. So juvenile!! 

 

Verdict

Difficult Girls actually had a strong mystery behind it so there was no need to create an unreliable narrator, one whose judgment skills were so poor it became cringeworthy. The clues were interesting and I enjoyed how the mystery unfolded as well as how it tied to the one from the past, and it was believable. The character development was lacking however, and the FMC was in dire need of help. I don't mind flawed and vulnerable characters at all, but she was silly. Did she redeem herself in the last quarter of the book? Yes, a bit, as she realized she was putting her own wishes into people, but it was not enough to really make her likable. With that being said though, I would read another book by this author as I thought the mystery was strong and I did like some of the other characters.  

 

Review: House of Ash and Bone by Joel A. Sutherland

House of Ash and Bone

by Joel A. Sutherland

Release Date: July 1st, 2025 (First published September 2023)

2025 Tundra Books

Softcover ARC; 344 Pages

ISBN: 978-1774881002

ASIN: B0BP6P5VKY

Audiobook: B0BPMZSPX6

Genre: Fiction / YA / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher 

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Seventeen-year-old Josephine Jagger is a talented writer with special abilities she doesn't fully understand. Over the years she has developed methods to cope with the voices she hears in her head, but the old house her family has inherited in Vermont makes Josephine question what's real and what's not more than anything she's ever encountered before. It's filled with shadows, and whispers, and the unshakable feeling of being watched. Josephine then catches her first glimpse of a shadowy woman with long hair, pale skin, and impossibly wide smile and hollow pits for eyes. Her name is Dorcas, the ghost of a witch who died three hundred years ago. She has summoned the family to Vermont to ensnare them — then consume them — in order to rise from the grave and live again . . .

 

My Thoughts

House of Ash and Bone was an entertaining read, but I think it really misses the mark when it comes to horror as well as intentions. There were quite a few themes running through it, ones that were rather interesting, but when you have too many of them, none of them get explored into any depth so the overall story seems rather superficial. I also really wished that Josephine didn't have any 'magical' powers as I think it would have made this much more compelling as it wouldn't have relied so much on her abilities and it would have been a spookier setting for her and her family. Relying on 'magic' kind of downplays the horror element for me.

 

So let's talk about Josephine. How do you like the reference to Little Women, something I think was done on purpose. I think this author is a fan so I kind of like that idea. Maybe someone should write a horror novel based on those women, but I digress.  I rather liked Josephine as a main character. She was determined, smart, sincere, and loyal to her sisters.  Because of her ability to hear the thoughts of others and see things when she is dreaming, she is the only one to realize something was not right in the house. The pantry is always stocked with food, their personal bedrooms are stocked with everything they personally desire, and all their needs are met without them remembering a thing about how it happened, except for Jo. Josephine is the clearest character as the other ones seemed to move in a more dreamlike state, something that was done deliberately to show the reader something clearly was wrong. While I didn't necessarily mind the way this was done, it did make character development for the rest of the characters to be rather difficult and honestly, I couldn't tell you their names if my life depended on it at this point.

 

The story itself is well-paced and the haunting atmosphere is definitely there in the setting as you have this old decrepit house with a forest that has a reputation for being haunted surrounding it. There are ghostly apparitions and things that go bump in the night. The family constantly forgets what they were doing and why. So, all the elements are definitely there. However, the execution felt stilted and while there were some nice twists and turns, something else would destroy the tension that was being built up, either some dialogue that didn't quite match what was happening or something else. In fact, the dialogue pulled me out of the story a few times and I had to re-immerse myself into it to get a feel for the haunting atmosphere again and again. I do think the author likes the classics as well as fairy tales though, as I was definitely getting vibes of Hansel and Gretel from this book. In fact, lots of Grimm's fairy tale references were peppered throughout the book and I had fun looking for them.

 

Verdict

House of Ash and Bone was a story that kept me entertained even if there were issues with execution and character development. I've already mentioned that I liked the main character, but I did think her behaviour was inconsistent for a seventeen-year-old girl and it didn't help that the character development for the other characters was almost non-existent. The twists and turns were fun, if predictable, but I have to say though, that I really liked that ending as it was the highlight of the book for me.  If you like stories set in eerie locales with an atmosphere, then I suggest giving this one a go. 

 

 

Review: Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall

Death at the White Hart

by Chris Chibnall

Release Date: June 10, 2025

2025 Pamela Dorman Books

Hardcover ARC; 340 Pages

ISBN: 978-1593831571

ASIN: B0D3C3JDMT

Audiobook: B0DJH8VWLT

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Nothing keeps a village together like secrets.

A man is found dead, tied to a chair in the middle of the road, with a stag’s antler’s on his head. The gruesome scene stuns the town, especially when they learn that it is Jim Tiernan, owner of the White Hart pub, who has been found murdered. Is it a personal vendetta, or something more macabre? Tierney’s pub is at the center of village life and he knew everyone’s secrets.

Detective Nicola Bridge grew up in Fleetcombe, and has been craving a juicy case ever since she moved back from the big city. DC Harry Ward is ten years younger, and their partnership is somehow stronger, and more satisfying even than her marriage. Together, they are determined to crack the storybook façade to find out just what the people of Fleetcombe have to hide.

 

My Thoughts

Death at the White Hart definitely had a lot going for it with an intriguing mystery, interesting and quirky characters, a setting that was picturesque, and it was fairly easy to read. I don't typically read something based off recommendations of 'he wrote this...' and 'she penned this...', but fell into this trap just by that one word 'Broadchurch'. I should really know better as I think it set my expectations a bit too high. So, while all the elements of a really good story were there, the execution did not work for me.

 

In a mystery like this, I usually tend to prefer the investigative side of the narrative so while I had my quibbles with Nicola and crew, I did find this part more interesting. Nicola had some personal issues to deal with as she negotiated the case and I liked her first officer, even if his theories got a bit wild and funny. Seeing his enthusiasm was a breath of fresh air and as he worked hard to impress Nicola, and she took the time to push him back to facts and figures, focusing on the reality of the investigation and away from the fantastical, something which could be easy to do if one were not careful. It was a good way to introduce the reader to local legends and I do enjoy this kind of thing. I didn't particularly like Nicola at the beginning of the book, but she did grow on me as the story unfolded. However, I will say this over and over again, stop using personal issues to excuse bad behaviour on the job. Having issues at home does not give one license to treat your subordinates like s&**. 

 

But while I did enjoy the dialogue and the back-and-forth between the characters, I don't think the multiple POV worked very well in this book as it gave too much information away to the reader. I don't know about other readers, but I pretty much figured out the culprit within the first POV chapter and I had to grind my teeth through some of these other similar chapters that felt like filler; when a reader is led along by the nose like a good little puppy to the water bowl with all the answers in it, more than once in case you missed it the first time, you know you have a problem. Let us figure it out ourselves. Don't tell us, but show us through your writing and dialogue what happened.  

 

Verdict

Death at the White Hart had some positive elements to the story and I definitely like the setting. However, I did think the multiple POV destroyed the tension of the story and gave away too much information, to the point where it was easy to figure out the culprit. While it was an okay read, it was kind of tropey and relied a lot on misunderstanding to proper the story forward, including many repetitive actions.  Overall, this was an average murder mystery. 

 

Review: The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor

The One and Only Vivian Stone

by Melissa O'Connor

Release Date: July 22, 2025

2025 Gallery Books

Ebook ARC; 368 Pages

ISBN; 978-1668074831

ASIN: B0DHV4MQJS

Audiobook: B0DYQDZGXD

Genre: Fiction / Historical 

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

After her grandmother’s death, thirty-something Margot DuBois prepares to sell the house quickly so she can go back to her predictable life in Santa Barbara. But while cleaning out the attic, she comes across eight unlabeled cassette tapes. Unable to use the damaged tape player, she calls in a favor from Leo—her first love and first epic heartbreak—and they strike a deal: he’ll fix the player if he can hear what’s on the tapes. When they manage to listen, the two are shocked to hear the voice of comedic legend Vivian Stone. Why did she record these tapes and how did Margot’s grandmother get them?

Between listening to Vivian recount everything from her forbidden love for Hollywood’s leading actor, to working under a misogynistic exec, to her chemistry with her costar-turned-husband on TV, Margot and Leo fall down a memory lane of their own. Margot is inspired by Vivian’s tenacity and courage to keep fighting for the life she wants, but everything changes when Vivian reveals a secret from her past in this moving exploration of how it’s never too late to start over. 

 

My Thoughts

The One and Only Vivian Stone is one of those books that surprised me by the emotional impact it had on me while I was reading. I wasn't expecting to become as involved in Vivian's life as I did and I really rooted for her as her story unfolded. I'm still not a fan of the dual-timelines and I personally did not like Margot's story in the present, but I thoroughly enjoyed Vivian's story and wanted to know more after the tapes concluded.  

 

The strength of this book for me was definitely Vivian's character development. She went from a naive ingenue to someone who realized her worth in comedic acting, but needed to learn her strengths and weaknesses as she took on more demanding acting roles. I loved how she really wanted to be a dramatic actress and went through the withdrawal of realizing she just wasn't capable of pulling off roles like that only to realize her worth as a comedic actress and how those roles were just as important. 

 

Vivian was a remarkably complex person who struggled with the ambitious side to her personality with the woman who wanted love and a family. Like I've mentioned, she was ambitious and strong-willed, but she was also vulnerable and quite loyal to her friends and family. I don't even think I realized how skillfully the author created a more polished mature version of Vivian as she became successful in Hollywood from the naive woman in her earlier years.  I was also impressed with the way Vivian's romantic relationships were developed as we saw one that was more shallow in nature and one that was more in-depth. Both relationships were well-done and I appreciated how a person can love two people in a different way, one from a place of healing and one from a place of friendship.  When one became toxic, it was still done with respect and understanding, coming from a traumatic place in Vivian's past. 

 

I wasn't overly impressed with Margot's character arc, but it could simply be there was not enough time given to her to really develop her character the way Vivian's was developed. I just did not emphasize with her situation and I found her defensive all of the time.  

 

The plot wound itself around the characters and their development, but it was quite deceptive in nature. It dealt with a lot of serious themes such as sexual harassment in Hollywood, the misogyny that existed, and the control over actors' lives. The meticulous research that went into this book highlighted the difficulty of actors when they were bound to contracts with studios and literally had no personal rights and were told who to date and if they could even have children. It even delves into the topic of the drug abuse and how the actors were forced to take uppers/downers, diet pills, etc...Women's lack of control as well as lack of contribution to screen writing and directing was also a big theme running through the book. 

 

Verdict

The One and Only Vivian Stone was a very surprising and fascinating book. I think the author tried to honour the glamour of Hollywood, but also wanted to highlight the difficulties of being a star during the 1950s and how much the glamour actually hid. Actors didn't have freedom to do their own thing and were always afraid of losing their contracts, and the complexities of navigating the harassment during this time period for women were done delicately, but didn't downplay the seriousness of what was happening.  I did think the end of the story was a bit disappointing however, and didn't quite fit with the rest of the story. I also thought Margot's story felt more like something the author threw in as a way to tell Vivian's story; therefore, I do feel like this book didn't really need the dual timeline. 

 

Review: The House at Devil's Neck by Tom Mead

The House at Devil's Neck (A Spector Locked-Room Mystery, #4)

by Tom Mead

Release Date: July 15, 2025

2025 Mysterious Press

Ebook ARC; 320 Pages

ISBN: 978-1613166505

ASIN: B0DL3N8PFL

Audiobook: B0FFWXJN4C

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

An apparent suicide in a London townhouse uncannily mirrors a similar incident from twenty-five years ago, prompting Scotland Yard's George Flint to delve deep into the past in search of the solution to a long-forgotten mystery.

Meanwhile, Joseph Spector travels with a coach party through the rainy English countryside to visit an allegedly haunted house on a lonely island called Devil’s Neck. The house, first built by a notorious alchemist and occultist, was later used as a field hospital in the First World War before falling into disrepair. The visitors hold a seance to conjure the spirit of a long-dead soldier. But when a storm floods the narrow causeway connecting Devil’s Neck to the mainland, they find themselves stranded in the haunted house. Before long, the guests begin to die one by one, and it seems that the only possible culprit is the phantom soldier.

 

My Thoughts

The House at Devil's Neck naturally caught my attention as it's a locked-room mystery at an atmospheric home with a history of hauntings and other to-dos. We've also go all of the usual things happening with secrets, mysterious connections between characters, seances, haunting, more secrets, locked-room mysteries, bad weather, and a house with atmosphere. What could you not love about it?

 

Well, as it turns out, a plot that becomes too convoluted can actually make you roll your eyes and rethink how much you are enjoying a book. To be fair, I really enjoyed the first half of the book and enjoyed trying to keep up with twists and turns as they occurred. For someone who has read a lot of these things, there were some things that I just expected to happen, and they did, but those things didn't lower my pleasure when the characters discovered these things. It's hard to explain without actually giving away important plot points to the story, so I'll just say that some of the plot points were actually predictable, expected, but didn't remove you from the story. However, when things get too complicated to try to throw off a reader, then you have a problem. And it's too bad as most of the story was interesting. However, when things just start getting too fanciful for me, I start rolling my eyes, and this is what happened. Too many ridiculous explanations for x, y, and z. 

 

Spector is definitely an intriguing character though, and I really enjoyed how he picked apart the theories the others had regarding the murders.  Because the author tries really hard to capture the atmosphere of an Agatha Christie novel, something that is definitely not easy to do, I do have to commend him for reminding me of those novels quite often. And I like the fact the author states that the reader has all the facts they need to solve the puzzle on their own if they can. And I did, even if I didn't quite have all the facts down pat. So that was fun. The other characters were unique in their own ways and I enjoyed their quirks and foibles very much. 

 

Verdict

The House at Devil's Neck was really enjoyable for the first half of the book, but sabotaged itself in the second half by becoming too convoluted with some ridiculous explanations. And I love convoluted story lines. The quirky characters were fun and I enjoyed how they interacted with each other and how they all eventually interconnected. I did think the ending was a bit unsatisfying, but overall I enjoyed this book.  

 

Review: How They Were Taken by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

How They Were Taken (Jenna Wyatt, #1)

by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

Release Date: July 8, 2025

2025 Severn River Publishing

Ebook ARC; 292 Pages

ISBN: 978-1648756320

ASIN: B0DFHNFGDH

Audiobook:  B0FCGCQ4C1

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Jenna Wyatt thought she'd left her demons behind when she traded her GBI badge for a private detective's license. But when a desperate mother's plea echoes the unsolved mystery of Jenna's own missing sister, she's pulled into a labyrinth of deceit spanning decades.

Reluctantly partnering with Jack Parks, a magnetic ex-NCIS investigator, Jenna probes into Atlanta's underbelly, uncovering a chilling pattern of abductions and murders. As they peel back layers of lies, Jenna and Jack find themselves trapped in a deadly game where every revelation brings them closer to danger—and to the ghosts Jenna has spent a lifetime trying to outrun.

With lives hanging in the balance, Jenna must confront her darkest fears and how much is she willing to sacrifice for the truth?

 

My Thoughts

How They Were Taken is the first book in a planned series featuring ex-GBI Jenna Wyatt. The reasons she left the force and turned to private investigation were interesting and definitely kept me intrigued throughout the book.  And while I found the plot to be fascinating, it was really Jenna's trauma that was the highlight of the book as the author wrote about it so well and how it affected her throughout her life. But not only throughout the years, but how it was also shaping her thoughts and decisions today, including her relationships and how she formed bonds with people. 

 

Jenna was a complicated person who definitely had a lot of character development throughout the book. She could be annoying at times as she often made decisions based on emotions rather than on hard core facts, but the author didn't excuse her behaviour nor her poor choices and blame them on the trauma, she just highlighted how the trauma could make a person make choices that are not always solid ones.  Jenna definitely had to suck it up a few times and apologize which is something I liked. What I also really liked about this book was how the author didn't make Jenna out to be a superhero, running all over town looking up leads on only 3 hours of sleep in 72 hours. Okay, I am exaggerating, but not by much. Jenna was often exhausted, dealing with the emotional complications of the case, and I really liked that about her. It made her feel approachable and I could empathize with her situation.

 

The plot itself was also rather good. Dealing with the kidnapping of her younger sister all those years ago, investigating the kidnapping of another young girl was bringing back all of those emotions and feelings all over again. The plot did move along quickly and the twists and turns kept you guessing as to who was the culprit. 

 

Verdict

How They Were Taken was quite good, and if you are a fan of main characters who are suffering from traumatic events, then this one is for you. The plot moved along quickly and the author was rather adept at intertwining the story and the character development. While this book focused more on Jenna's story, I am looking forward to learning more about the other characters in future books. I did feel that the ending was rushed however, something that left me feeling a bit disappointed considering the high level of tension in the rest of the book. I am looking forward to reading the following books in this series when they is released in November 2025 and April 2026. 

Review: Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson

Not Quite Dead Yet

by Holly Jackson

Release Date: July 22, 2025

2025 Bantam

Softcover ARC; 400 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593977057

ASIN: B0DJQBXWTS

Audiobook: B0DK4B42SM

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

In seven days Jet Mason will be dead.

Jet is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont. Twenty-seven years old, she’s still waiting for her life to begin. I’ll do it later, she always says. She has time.

Until Halloween night, when Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder. She suffers a catastrophic head injury. The doctor is certain that within a week, the injury will trigger a deadly aneurysm.

Jet has never thought of herself as having enemies. But now she looks at everyone in a new light: her family, her former best friend turned sister-in-law, her ex-boyfriend. She has at most seven days, and as her condition deteriorates she has only her childhood friend Billy for help. But nevertheless, she’s absolutely determined to finally finish something: Jet is going to solve her own murder.

 

My Thoughts

Not Quite Dead Yet definitely had an interesting premise, and one of the things I liked about this book was Jet and everything she was going through with her head injury and the trauma of having to make life-altering decisions after her attack. While the mystery was interesting, it was Jet's character development and how she reacted to what was happening to her that was the driving force of this book for me.

 

So, let's talk about Jet. When Jet wakes up in the hospital after surviving the attack, she has to deal with the pressure from her family regarding BIG decisions and this is one of the first times she actually stands her ground and makes a BIG decision that is for herself and not for her family, and definitely not to please her mother whom she has been trying to please for years due to another traumatic even in their life. Her character development during those seven days was phenomenal and I enjoyed every step as she realized what was actually important to her and the destructive path she had been on for long.  The injury made her take chances she would not normally have taken, both with the investigation and with her personal relationships, and I have to say I was drawn more to those relationships than to the mystery. And I could definitely relation to her constant sass and sarcasm!!

 

When you look closely, the plot itself was fairly standard and predictable, nothing that really hasn't been done before. But when you combine that with everything that Jet was going through and what the family had to be dealing with as they dealt with Jet's attack, the tension definitely ratcheted up a notch as you knew there wasn't that much time left to figure out what was happening. And as Jet was investigating, the inclusion of her growing symptoms just made the tension that much stronger as you worried about the when and where and how it was finally going to happen. I enjoyed seeing the childhood relationship Jet had with Billy intertwine around the mystery and grow into something more adult as they both realized they needed to mature in order to appreciate the other. However, there was one aspect to the mystery that was not quite fully explained, something that did bother me and it lingered after I finished the book. While the book focused on Jet's injury, it was also a murder-mystery and you can't leave threads hanging as readers will notice.

 

Verdict

Not Quite Dead Yet was an enjoyable read and I definitely thought Jet's character development was a highlight of this book as well as the relationship between Jet and Billy. However, it was a mystery as well and although interesting, it was predictable and not everything was tied up in the end. But, as someone who did not finish one of this author's other series, I am happy that I enjoyed this so much. Highly recommend. 

 

 

Review: Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds by Allison Brennan

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds

by Allison Brennan

Release Date: June 17, 2025

2025 MIRA

Ebook ARC; 390 Pages

ISBN: 978-0778387251

ASIN:  ‎ B0DFGM1CPX

Audiobook: B0DLHKFS45

Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Romance

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Mia Crawford is responsible to a fault. Between her high-demand job and taking care of her grandmother and her cats, she has little time for anything else. What time she does have, she pours into reading. Mysteries, romances, thrillers…books filled with women who are far more impulsive than she would ever dream of being. Now, forced into taking a long-overdue vacation, she finds herself on a luxurious private island where she just might have a chance to reinvent herself—for a little while, anyway. She can explore the island. Flirt shamelessly with a cute bartender. Have a vacation fling. Live like a heroine in one of her favorite novels.
 

But when gossipy notes written in the margins of an old book turn out to be clues to the disappearance of another guest, Mia finds herself diving headfirst into a dangerous adventure. With everyone at the resort hiding secrets of their own, she’ll have to solve this real-life mystery before she becomes the next target. 

 

My Thoughts

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds had a lot of potential, and I really enjoyed the setting as it made me want to hop on a plane and head somewhere warm and tropical, but honestly, what ruined this book for me was the heroine. She was insufferable. For a book that was supposed to empower women, she had probably the worst personality for this as all she did was compare herself to other women and constantly critique and criticize and put them all down. And I mean EVERYONE. And the number of times she refers to herself by name, just give it a rest already. 

 

So, let's start with Miss Mia Crawford. From the first page we meet this woman, I couldn't stand her. We see her on a ferry heading to tropical paradise and all we hear are her criticisms with regards to other women. I almost DNF this book within the first two chapters because of her attitude, and honestly, I should have.  And unfortunately, she didn't grow on me like other characters have because she didn't actually develop and change throughout the book. When the big 'reveal' happened, and only anyone blind couldn't see that one coming, she acted like a petulant child, had a big fit, and went running. I would have dumped her sorry ass in the sea at that point.  

 

What did keep me reading were the other characters as I found them so much more likable than Mia. They were such an eclectic group with such interesting backgrounds, I really wished the author had focused more on their stories.  

 

This author is quite well know for her mysteries and I really love her Costa & Quinn mystery series, so it's no surprise the actual mystery was actually intriguing and was the most interesting part of this book. The mystery did have its twists and turns and I did rather enjoy it which is what kept me going. But, I just couldn't get past Mia and her attitude, something that threw me out of the story quite a bit.  It's unfortunate as the other guests do a lot of shady things and the tension was quite high when it came to the mystery elements, so it's too bad Mia's obnoxious attitude destroyed all of that for me. And don't even get me started on the 'romance'. I just can't go there.  Ugh!

 

Verdict

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds had a lot of potential, but the main character and her obnoxious attitude was such a huge flaw that it ruined a lot of the story for me.  I did think the mystery was intriguing and I absolutely loved the setting as it reminded me of my own beach trips, but Mia's snobbishness and her way of making everything about her destroyed so much of the story.  Luckily, I have read enough of this author's work to know how good her thrillers can be, so I think I will stick with those in the future. 

Review: The Secrets of Thorndale Manor by Syrie James

The Secrets of Thorndale Manor (The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire, Book 2)

by Syrie James 

Release Date: June 28, 2025

2025 Independently Published 

Ebook ARC; 382 Pages

ISBN: 979- 8288628207

ASIN: B0DWHMYCVY

Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Historical

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

When Athena Taylor opens the Darkmoor Bridge School for Girls at the grand and storied Thorndale Manor, she hopes for a new beginning. But the estate’s dark past quickly resurfaces when a maid is found dead under suspicious circumstances—and whispers stir of a murder committed nine years earlier, a crime for which Ian Vernon’s sister was convicted.

Athena believes the two cases are connected. Ian Vernon, Thorndale’s brooding former heir, insists she’s wrong—and warns her to leave the past buried. But Athena is as fearless as she is determined, and her investigation brings her into close quarters with the man who should be her adversary… yet soon proves to be something much more.

As secrets unravel and a killer grows desperate, Athena finds herself in terrifying danger, caught between the pursuit of justice and a powerful attraction that threatens to derail everything.

 

My Thoughts

The Secrets of Thorndale Manor is the second book in this series, and I very much enjoyed the continuing story of the Taylor sisters. The book has a great gothic vibe to it, something that drew me to it in the first place, set on an estate with abundant mysteries and secrets from the past, and also comes with former brooding owner who naturally takes center stage in Athena's life.  The current mystery connects with the older one in an intriguing manner, and the twists and turns were quite interesting. 

 

Athena and Selena have opened up a school for girls, but naturally things are difficult from the beginning due to the rumours surrounding the estate from it past history as well as the currently murder being investigated. The focus on this book is Athena and I quite enjoyed getting to know her better. Athena is a determined and relentless woman who decides to take matters into her own hands when the current investigation starts affecting enrollment at her school.  And while she could be a bit reckless at times and perhaps a bit too bold, I liked her character. However, being bold and asking too many questions also landed her in a heap of trouble.  But, the situations were believable, not contrived just to push along the story, something that I liked. 

 

The secondary characters, including Selena, were quite diverse and many had secrets of their own of which only some have come to light in this book so I am looking forward to the next book to see what is revealed. This doesn't affect this story in any way however, just makes you understand the depth to a village and how much a little one can hide.  The closed door romance between Athena and Ian was delightful and didn't impact the overall story at all. Sometimes the romance can overpower the mystery, but I thought the author did a great job balancing the two, keeping the tension of the mystery going even with the little personal touches and day-to-day goings on. I did figure out the culprit very early on in the story, but still enjoyed the way the author tried to confuse the reader through the twists and turns. The plot moved rather quickly and the overall setting was quite atmospheric with hints of ghosts and other happenings all leading to a very satisfying conclusion.

 

Verdict

The Secrets of Thorndale Manor was a delight to read and I enjoyed it quite a bit. The plot moved rather quickly and I enjoyed the way the author incorporated the gothic tones into the story which added to the tension and the atmosphere.  You don't have to have read the first book in the series to enjoy this one, but it does add to the sister dynamic if you do. I am definitely looking forward to Selena's story in the next book.  

 

 

 

Review: One Final Turn by Ashley Weaver

One Final Turn (Electra McDonnell, #5)

by Ashley Weaver

Release Date: June 3, 2025

2025 Minotaur Books

Ebook Edition; 304 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250350930

ASIN: B0D82XB6PF

Audiobook: B0DT7JX6LP

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2.75 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Ellie McDonnell is about to embark on her most perilous mission go to Lisbon, Portugal to save her beloved cousin Toby who has reportedly escaped from a German prisoner of war camp. Toby has been missing since the Battle of Dunkirk and Ellie had all but lost hope in ever seeing him again until Major Ramsey, the British military intelligence officer she had been working closely with over the past few months, shared the news he’d intercepted.

Nothing will stop Ellie from finding her cousin, not even the awkward experience of having to travel to an unknown country with Ramsey after he’d dismissed her for being untrustworthy just as she’d realized she had fallen in love with him. Under the supervision of Captain Archie Blandings, a charming intelligence officer based in Lisbon, Ellie meets with undercover operatives to track down where Toby might be hiding from the Nazis and whether they are too late to safely recover him, all the while fighting her feelings for Ramsey and the incessant burden of war looming around her at every turn.

 

My Thoughts

One Final Turn is the final book in the Electra McDonnell mystery books and is one that I was really looking forward to reading. Unfortunately, it was the weakest book in the series for me, and aside from some really nice sight-seeing while they were in Lisbon, there was little to no mystery all wrapped up in the ongoing relationship issues she had with Ramsey.  

 

So, let's start with Electra. I may be against consensus here, but I actually thought she was in the wrong with the way she behaved in the previous book and needed to take responsibility for her actions. I was hoping for a more mature Electra, one that would realize she put people in danger, one that would understand she was fired due to her own actions.  But, no. I think the author wants us to feel sorry for Electra, to feel bad for how she was treated and I just can't do that. They are in the middle of a war and people's lives hang in the balance through choices made by others and it is hard to just let that go. Personally, I am pro-Ramsey all the way and would have just walked away as well.  When they do get together in Lisbon, Electra acts all indignant and hurt around Ramsey, very rarely acknowledging her role in what happened. And even with all that happens next, she never really acknowledges her part in what happened. 

 

The plot itself was rather weak, but then most of it seemed to revolved around Electra's issues with Ramsey anyways. I got tired of the repetitiveness and the sight-seeing and wanted to see some action. It was why they were there after all. But nope, it just kept going and going. And when something did happen, the plot holes were a mile wide. And don't even get me started on the whole relationship contrivance thing with regards to marriage and Archie and Ramsey.  And in the end, when things finally started moving, it all was rather too pat, but I did get closure in the end even if it didn't get there smoothly or elegantly.

 

Verdict

One Final Turn was not my favourite book in the series as I had issues with the lack of character development as well as plot development.  There were just too many coincidences used as plot devices for my liking, and I was really starting to dislike Electra as she was getting on my nerves with her immaturity. Overall, this book leans way too much into the romance which seriously affects the mystery and the tension. And while a lot of things wrap up nicely, it was due to contrivance and not good plot flow that it happened, something of which I am not a fan. And an aside, the big mystery to her past had only a brief mention, something in which I was disappointed as I was waiting four books to find out what happened.