Review: Death Writes by Andrea Carter

Death Writes (Inishowen Mysteries, Book #6)

by Andrea Carter

Release Date: November 19, 2024

2024 Oceanview Publishing

Paperback ARC; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-1608096329

ASIN: B0BPF68RST

Audiobook: B0D1HDW8P6

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

Solicitor Benedicta “ Ben” O' Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben' s parents.

In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest,
The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone' s appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform. Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone' s will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she' s drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man' s estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.

My Thoughts

Death Writes is the next instalment in the engaging Inishowen Mystery series, and I particularly liked this one because of the difficulties involving elderly scams of which Ben's parents became victims.  I think this happens far more than is reported and I was happy to read about something that may give others clues and warnings so it may not happen to their own parents or elderly neighbours. The other murder plot line wove nicely around the issue with Ben's parents and I really liked how the author wove the two together into a cohesive story.

Because this is the sixth book in the series, I don't really feel like Ben's character developed a lot, but she was still dealing with the demands of her job and her insecurities in her relationship.  I never know what to think when I see someone who is so successful professionally be a dolt when it comes to relationship issues, and I definitely roll my eyes when Ben takes things personally when her boyfriend doesn't give her the information she feels she is entitled because she is a lawyer.  I should mention here that the love interest is a police detective, Police Sergeant Tom Molloy, and I always hate it when a person feels entitled to information about an investigation when they have no business knowing anything, professionally or personally.  And to be honest, Ben is a lawyer, she should know better.Their relationship has grown on me and I have enjoyed the development as they try to work out how to manoeuvre their professional and personal lives to make a relationship work.

The author is very good at tying loose ends in her books and despite having several story lines, everything wrapped up nicely at the end.  I actually preferred the one involving Ben's parents over the one involving the writer, but I don't think it had anything to do with poor development or writing skills, simply my preference.  I love the descriptions of the town and the area in which Ben lives as it seems to beautiful; I want to visit the place every time I read one of these books.  The vivid descriptions are one of the highlights of the books.  

Verdict

Death Writes was a slower than normal entry into this series, but the strength of the book always lies in the characters, characters with distinct personalities and lives.  I enjoyed the development of Ben and Tom's relationship and the difficulties they have as they are both workaholics. As I mentioned, the plot was a big slower, and I did prefer one story line over the other, but it was still interesting and entertaining. I am very curious as to what will happen next as the author did throw a big wrench into the story line and I really have no idea what is going to happen in future books.  And while this book could be read as a standalone, I do recommend you read the earlier books in order to get a richer understanding of the character and story development between Ben and Tom.

 

Review: The Other Ancient Civilisations: Decoding Archaeology's Less Celebrated Cultures by Raven Todd DaSilva

The Other Ancient Civilisations: Decoding Archaeoogy's Less Celebrated Cultures

by Raven Todd DaSilva

Release Date: October 29, 2024

2024 Mango

Ebook ARC; 350 Pages

ISBN: 978-1684813230

ASIN: B0DHM9PBNC

Genre: Non-Fiction / Ancient History

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

A more nuanced look at the ancient world. The Other Ancient Civilisations looks outside mainstream ancient civilisations and cultures and delves into astounding finds unearthed at archaeological sites around the world. Discover the archaeology that sheds light on the secret stories of the Nubians, Olmec, Xiongnu, Minoans, Akkadians, and many more. Each chapter delves beyond the rise and fall of each society, highlighting the lives of everyday peoples of the past. Discover who they interacted with and how they lived, and what we can learn from them.

 

 

My Thoughts

The Other Ancient Civilisations is definitely a must-read for both those who are fascinated with ancient civilisations and have an in-depth knowledge and for those who are just starting their journey into ancient historical civilisations.  To be clear, this book is not meant to be an in-depth study of any of the cultures mentioned, but more of an introduction to some of the more obscure civilisations that existed in our past; it can be used as a launching pad into a more in-depth study if one wishes.   

Even with a background in history, I love these kinds of books and have read several this past year. Focusing primarily on ancient cultures that are not discussed a lot in mainstream media, the book highlights around twenty ancient civilisations and includes maps and pictures of artefacts. Because I had the kindle edition, I went online to look up some of the colour photographs so I could study the photos in-depth, but that is just me as the photos were fine in the kindle version.  

Although I was familiar with a lot of the chapters in this book, there were some that I had just heard about so it was nice to learn more about them. I even flagged the sources so I could do further reading in the future. A few that stood out to me were the Olmec, Xiongnu, Dilman, and Lapita civilisations, and I appreciated the knowledge and research that went into those chapters.  

The writing style was clear and concise, and if you are new to reading historical non-fiction, you will find this book easy to read. That doesn't mean the author doesn't display her depth of knowledge and research, she just understands how to relay the information in terms that are easy to understand for people who don't have a deep knowledge of the material.  I also enjoyed the fact the author didn't focus entirely on the royal families, but discussed the daily lives of people and how war interrupted their lives creating chaos and resentment at times.  The focus was very much on the societies and how they all worked together, or did not function so well together, not simply on the elite.  

Verdict

The Other Ancient Civilisations had a nice, easy reading style that flowed very well from chapter to chapter. Even though it didn't go as in-depth as I would have liked, I did manage to flag a lot of things that interested me to do further research and the source material sent me on a hunt to order more books about these civilisations.  And although the book doesn't go into enough depth for me, it was still fascinating reading and would be a great book for those who want to learn more about these cultures without being bogged down in details that can make the reading experience feel more like a textbook.  Of particular interest are the opening vignettes that draw you into the society through the eyes of someone who lived during that time period and made the time period feel more alive.  

 

 

Review: A Merry Little Murder Plot by Jenn McKinlay

A Merry Little Murder Plot (Library Lover's Mystery, Book #15)

by Jenn McKinlay

Release Date: October 8, 2024

2024 Berkley

Ebook ARC; 317 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593639382

ASIN: B0CRTC24ZY

Audiobook: B0D63FDSZF

Genre: Fiction / Cozy Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

3 / 5 Stars

Summary

During the most wonderful time of the year, famous author Helen Monroe arrives in Briar Creek to be the writer in residence, but her “bah humbug” attitude excludes her from the many holiday celebrations the town residents enjoy. Another newcomer, Jackie Lewis, reveals she’s visiting Briar Creek to be near Helen because she believes they are destined to meet. 

When Jackie’s body is later discovered in the town park beneath the holiday-light display with a copy of Helen’s latest manuscript in her hand, the reclusive novelist becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her self-proclaimed mega-fan. 

 

My Thoughts

A Merry Little Murder Plot is the next installment in the Book Lover's Mystery series, and while it was fun to read, it was fairly predictable and focused quite a bit on the librarian's role in the library, almost a hero-worship of librarians through discussions on topics such as book banning and the role authors should play in peoples' lives.  It was a bit preachy in my opinion as even librarians can hold prejudices and have been known to belittle people's reading choices.  Other than that, it was fun to revisit Lindsay and company as they celebrate the festival season.

 

I did think the book started off rather strongly, with a plot that was rather engaging. You had characters who were quite into the festive season and others were reluctant to participate for a variety of reasons. The story focused largely on the writer-in-residence program that featured a popular writer working on a new book, and she was as bit prickly in the beginning. To be honest, I think writing a story in full view of a bunch a patrons frequenting a library would be kind of strange, and I think I would have difficulty writing in such circumstances as well and probably become cranky as a result.  

 

When one of the patrons becomes irritated with the person chose as the writer-in-residence and stirs up trouble, this is where I started to become irritated with the story line. It's not that I didn't like the issue of book banning as it seems to come up more frequently these days, but I think it was the execution for me. The reasons were weak and then the actual plot around it seemed so far-fetched that I was actually rolling my eyes. 

When the actual murder occurs in the book, I didn't really know what to think simply because the book fell into more tropes than Santa has bells on his sleigh, and what was rather interesting in the beginning just didn't seem to work anymore.  I honestly wondered if the author knew what the purpose of the book was, the murder-mystery or a book about book banning and the consequences.  Naturally, Lindsay and company have to help with the murder investigation, and while the author tried to throw in some interesting red herrings, it didn't really work for me and I knew who the culprit was pretty early on.  

Verdict

A Merry Little Murder Plot was fairly predictable, and while the beginning of the book was quite interesting, the middle of the book fell apart and descended into a bit of chaos. The plot was rather weak compared to some of the previous entries in this series, and I thought the twists didn't really deter the reader from realizing who had done the deed. In other words, nothing much went on and there were a few unrealistic things in the plot. 

 

Review: The Solstice by Matt Brolly

The Solstice (Detective Inspector Louise Blackwell, Book #7)

by Matt Brolly

Release Date: September 17, 2024

2024 Thomas & Mercer

Ebook ARC; 296 Pages

ISBN: 978-1662520402

ASIN: B0CTSBD6MR

Audiobook: B0CZ4MFLY9

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

4.5 / 5 Stars  

Summary

In a cave near Weston, potholers discover what they think are human remains. The bones are identified as belonging to Hugo Latchford, a boy who went missing a decade ago, and whose parents belonged to a quasi-religious cult masquerading as environmental activists. It’s not long before rumours that he was sacrificed in a midsummer ritual resurface.

Returning to duty from maternity leave, DI Louise Blackwell finds herself leading the investigation, soon discovering that Hugo’s parents are still alive and the cult very much still active.

As she begins to fathom the ghoulish depths of the group’s pagan beliefs, new mother Louise is profoundly disturbed by the case. And with the Summer Solstice fast approaching, she’s faced with the terrifying prospect that the group might be preparing for their next sacrifice…

 

My Thoughts

The Solstice is the next book in the Detective Inspector Louise Blackwell mystery series, and this series is fast becoming one of my favourite series.  I love how the author blends the difficulties of Louise's daily life, especially now that she is a new mother, with the demands of the job and the toll it takes on her mental and physical health.  Having been off for several months, Louise is torn between her love for the job, the demands of motherhood, dealing with police officers with which she has not worked in the past, and mentoring new officers. Having written a thesis when my son was in diapers and pregnant with my second child, I can definitely empathize with the demands of parenthood and how difficult going back to work was for Louise.

 

Louise is a great character and I love how her character has developed throughout the novels. She is hard-working, dedicated, and tenacious, she now has to grapple with the demands and limits motherhood places on her job. She also is trying to deal with her new emotional state as this case involves the death of a young child (I am not spoiling anything as you learn this in the first chapter) and she is unprepared for the emotional toll this is putting on her mind so she is struggling to detach herself from her own emotions, something she has more difficulty doing now that she is a mother.  It made her much more relatable and I enjoyed this new phase in her life.

 

There was a mix of old and new secondary characters, something I was expecting, and although it took me awhile to get used to the new ones, they did grow on me as the plot went along. It is sometimes hard to let go of old characters, especially when this is book seven, but I did take a liking to the new ones and look forward to learning more about them as the story progresses in further books. Although some of the other favourites took much more of a secondary role than I thought, I do think they will play more prominent roles in future books once the new characters are established. 

The plot itself is quite thought-provoking and sent me into a deep dive into other books featuring cults when I was finished as I grappled with the idea that people would be willing to give up everything they owned for the thought of comfort and new-found family, not realizing the difficulties they would have when they tried to leave.  For me, I had this feeling of tension and dread throughout the story wondering what was going to happen, and although it started off slowly, it built up to quite a tense-filled ending.  There was also a sub-plot involving Louise that wasn't resolved in this book, something that will continue in the next one and I was a little annoyed about that only because I wanted to know what the decision was NOW.  

Verdict

The Solstice had a great, multi-layered plot with characters that were relatable and sympathetic.  I did find the concept quite chilling and I have difficulty grasping how people would be willing to give up everything they own to someone/something else.  While I understand there are some good communes out there, we hear so many negative stories that this story tends to resonate with the difficulty of really knowing how to tell the difference.  The plot was complex and downright eerie. And while the book could be read as a standalone, I do recommend reading the previous books in this series as there are some spoilers in this book for previous books.

 

Review: You Better Watch Out by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

You Better Watch Out

by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

Release Date: October 15, 2024

2024 St. Martin's Press

Ebook ARC; 240 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250286260

ASIN: B0CQHLPMH5

Audiobook: B0CTRZ85NM

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

3 / 5 Stars

Summary

Forty-eight hours until Christmas, Jessica Kane wakes up with blurred vision, ears ringing, and in excruciating pain. A gash in her head and blood running down her face, the last thing she remembers is going for a run and something or someone hitting her in the head. It doesn't take her long to realize she is trapped in an unknown, deserted town with five other strangers who share similar stories of being attacked and stranded there. Unsure why and how they got there, she knows one thing for certain, she has to find a way out. That becomes nearly impossible when someone is meticulously orchestrating their deaths, one by one, and the only thing Jessica can do is watch the life leave their eyes. The fenced-in town is the killer’s very own playground and there's nowhere left to hide... she better watch out because she could be next.

 

My Thoughts

You Better Watch Out had a a really interesting premise which is what drew me to the book, but I did find it pretty easy to figure out so the big 'twist' was not really a surprise. I felt like the authors weren't sure whether to take the themes more seriously and focus on the mental health aspect of this story or whether to leave is a campy, tropy holiday horror book. Either one would have been fine, but unfortunately, going the middle ground didn't quite work for me and the overall story felt rather...cheesy as a result.

 

There was an interesting cast of characters in this book and I was intrigued to find out why they were chosen and why they were there. However, I couldn't develop any sympathy for any of them because they weren't fleshed out very well and what was interesting about them was fluffed over.  Most of them felt quite one-dimensional and other than the fact their names were listed at the beginning of each chapter, I wouldn't have been able to distinguish who was who. Each character should be quite easy to differentiate and have unique points to them, but I didn't feel this was the case. And while I don't mind campy stuff, I become rather disappointed when they make stupid decision after stupid decision and then die in brutal ways because of their decisions.  I mean the first time something serious happens, you would think you would be more cautious when entering a building or touching stuff.  

Plot wise, I was glad to read this because I was looking for a Christmas horror story. The cover page has green and red colouring with a gift-wrapped knife, but for the most part, the Christmas feeling was left out of the book, something in which I was quite disappointed.  I do love locked horror-style books however, and this one did deliver on that end. And while the characters suffered in some pretty gruesome ways, it would have been better if I was connected to them a bit more as it increases the tension in the story. And while I did enjoy the overall story, it did suffer from some plot hole issues and lack of execution.  

Verdict

You Better Watch Out was an okay book overall and I did enjoy the story. The lack of character and plot development did affect my overall enjoyment as I just couldn't connect with the characters and thought some of the plot didn't quite make sense.  However, the book did include some of the things that I love in horror novels; I just wish the author had a clear idea as to what was being portrayed, a more serious look at a mental issue or simply a campy horror story.  Either one would have been really good, but the middle-ground just didn't work.  I did enjoy this enough that I will definitely pick up another book by this author in the future.

 

Review: The Coldest Case by Tessa Wegert

The Coldest Case (Shana Merchant, Book #6)

by Tessa Wegert

Release Date: November 5, 2024

2024 Severn House

Ebook ARC; 306 Pages

ISBN: 978-1448314249

ASIN: B0CT47LP9L

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

It’s February in the Thousand Islands and, cut off from civilization by endless ice, eight people are overwintering on tiny, remote Running Pine. Six year-rounders, used to the hard work, isolation, and freezing temperatures . . . and two newcomers: social-media stars Cary and Sylvie, whose account documenting their year on the island is garnering thousands of followers, and thousands of dollars’ worth of luxury gifts.  So when Cary doesn’t return from ice fishing one morning, his neighbors fear the worst.

With the clock ticking to find the missing influencer, a police team is dispatched to take the perilous journey to the island . . . but Sylvie, his frantic partner, will only talk to one person: newlywed Senior Investigator Shana Merchant.

 

My Thoughts

The Coldest Case has an interesting premise, and I definitely enjoyed the tiny frozen island setting whereby only a handful of people stick it out through the winter as it’s something I can relate to in the area where I live.  I am familiar with the Thousand Islands area, but from the Canadian side so I can definitely appreciate the difficulties of living in that environment during the winter.  In this story, experienced year-round dwellers are joined by a couple who have decided to document their experiences on Instagram, a couple who have little to no experience living in these types of conditions. Honestly, very few people who have experience in these conditions live on an isolated island in the winter, so I was curious as to the motives as there definitely had to be one.

I love locked in murder mysteries, especially the cold weather ones and this one delivered on that count. The descriptions of the hostile environment during the winter months made me cold while sitting in front of my fireplace, and I could appreciate the danger the first responders were under while searching for a missing man.  The author wove these descriptions into the story seamlessly and I loved them.

The plot itself was a quick and easy read, but it didn’t just focus on the current case. Flashbacks to a previous case that almost killed Shana made up a large part of the book and while the author wove the previous case into the story quite well, I feel like it would be beneficial to have read the previous books to really be invested in what happened. There were a lot of themes woven into the narrative as well, one of the principal themes being mental health. Shana is dealing with the fallout of her kidnapping and the fact she has a serial killer in her family and I like how the author shows the consequences and ramifications, not just for Shana, but for everyone involved in the case. The concept of whom to trust is also central to the book and is one of the main storylines woven through both the present and past cases.  Personally, I found the older case more interesting than the one about the instagrammers as it seemed to have more depth while the current one seemed to be more tropy in nature and was easy to figure out.  

Verdict
The Coldest Case had some interesting twists and turns, some of which were predictable, some which caught me off guard.  I did wonder about a seven-month pregnant investigator going into a dangerous situation, but decided just to go along with it as I am not sure of the protocols. I do recommend you read the previous books in the series to get a better idea of Shana’s trauma and her personal growth as well as learn about the development of her relationship, but it’s not absolutely necessary to enjoy this book.   

 

Review: The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

They Grey Wolf (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, Book #19)

by Louise Penny

Release Date: October 29, 2024

2024 Minotaur Books

Ebook ARC; 432 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250328137

ASIN: B0CQHLDW2T

Audiobook: B0CRHYCSQM

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publsiher

3 / 5 Stars

Summary

Relentless phone calls interrupt the peace of a warm August morning in Three Pines.  Reine-Marie watches with increasing unease as her husband refuses to pick up, though he clearly knows who is on the other end. 

 

Armand Gamache, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, his son-in-law and second in command, and Inspector Isabelle Lacoste can only trust each other, as old friends begin to act like enemies, and long-time enemies appear to be friends. Determined to track down the threat before it becomes a reality, their pursuit takes them across Québec and across borders. Their hunt grows increasingly desperate, even frantic, as the enormity of the creature they’re chasing becomes clear. If they fail the devastating consequences would reach into the largest of cities and the smallest of villages.

 

My Thoughts

The Grey Wolf is the next entry in the Armand Gamache mystery series, and I am still unsure exactly what I think about this book. In one sense, I may be an outlier, but I actually enjoyed the narrator to the audiobook. I’m not sure if being francophone myself made a difference, but I liked the sound of his voice as I found the accent familiar and soothing. However, I found the plot to be somewhat disjointed, something I have found to be the case in the past four novels I have read, but this one was for different reasons.

I struggled a bit with character development as I felt most of them were one-dimensional, including Gamache. I always appreciate a visit to Three Pines, but I don’t necessarily need the books to be constantly set in the village. Realistically, how many murders can happen in such a small community, especially ones involving the Chief Inspector? So, having a couple of them set outside the community, with far-reaching consequences makes me quite happy. The little snippets we got of Three Pines actually made me chuckle, and yes, Ruth was involved in most of them!!!!

The plot itself was a mishmash of things as if the author wasn’t sure in which direction to go. We got a jacket that was stolen from Gamache’s house (?), cryptic messages, monks in cloistered communities, travels to different countries, special alcohol, mysterious deaths, and the list goes on.  All of this was jumbled making me feel like I was reading a different book series. With all of this, where are the police investigations? The meticulous research? I don’t necessarily want a book based on intuition, gut feelings, and instincts. I read enough thrillers to get my fill of those.  Despite all of this, there was still a decent amount of intrigue and plot to enjoy and I found myself compelled to listen, wondering what was going to happen. In fact, I found the plot that was uncovered to be fairly uncomfortable as it is more realistic in nature.  Getting to it was the challenge.

Verdict
The Grey Wolf was a decent read, and I did enjoy the new narrator quite a bit.  Although I love the residents of Three Pines, I am quite happy for Gamache to have something bigger to focus on, and the idea behind this one actually scares me.  Unfortunately, the getting there was a bit convoluted and I would have liked more investigation rather than suspension of belief in a police procedural.  This one did end on a cliffhanger, but there was a kind of solution to it as well, something the author has done in the past so it didn’t really bother me.

 

Review: A Divine Fury by D.V. Bishop

A Divine Fury (Cesare Aldo, Book #4)

by D.V. Bishop

Release Date: September 17, 2024

2024 MacMillan

Ebook ARC: 400 Pages

ISBN: 978-1529096538

ASIN: B0CKXN9W6S

Audiobook: B0CLZ16B72

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary

Cesare Aldo was once an officer for the city’s most feared criminal court. Following a period of exile, he is back – but demoted to night patrol, when only the drunk and the dangerous roam the streets.

Chasing a suspect in the rain, Aldo discovers a horrifying scene beneath Michelangelo’s statue of David. Lifeless eyes gaze from the face of a man whose body has been posed as if crucified. It’s clear the killer had religious motives.

When more bodies appear, Aldo believes an unholy murderer is stalking the citizens of Florence. Watching. Hunting. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike again . . .

 

My Thoughts

A Divine Fury is the fourth book in the Cesare Aldo series, and is fast becoming one of my new favourite historical mysteries. The mystery is complex and well-plotted, the descriptions of the time period are detailed and rich, and the character development is top notch. Every book adds a new layer to the complex political system of the 16th century and all the rivalries and intrigues that existed during that time period. This is Florence, just a couple of years after Catherine de Medici left for France to begin her reign, so the aftermath of those political struggles were still affecting Florence.

This one was great at demonstrating the subtle political struggles between the church and state. Cosimo de Medici is firmly establishing his rule, with Aldo caught in the crosshairs of these struggles, finally doing what he is so great at doing, unlocking puzzles. I loved the fine line Aldo had to take while investigating, first to keep himself safe from harm, but most importantly, protecting his comrades from any fallout that might occur. The subtle intrigues going on were fascinating although I couldn’t imagine living my life at the whims of someone else all the time.

Both the character development and the plot were great, and although I did figure out the culprit, it certainly didn’t detract from the tension or the struggles. And there were definitely some surprises along the way. I still think the relationship between Aldo and Strocci remains a highlight of this series, a friendship that is full of struggle, and frustrations, as they navigate the difficult demands of the Otto.  There was also an intriguing subplot in this book that I loved, one that will continue in future books so I don’t want to give anything away, but made me excited for the direction in which future books will go.

Verdict
A Divine Fury was not the strongest book of the series, but still had great character development and I felt the plot was being developed to set up future books for some major changes in Aldo’s fate.  This meant that the plot was somewhat more predictable than usual and I didn’t quite believe in the culprit’s motivations for doing what they did. There was also less tension than usual.  However, the descriptions of the time period were still rich and detailed, and I was happy to submerge myself in Aldo’s world yet again.  I am definitely looking forward to the next book and seeing what happens as Aldo’s path changes yet again.

 

 

Review: The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

The Hitchcock Hotel

by Stephanie Wrobel

Release Date: September 24, 2024

2024 Berkley

Ebook ARC; 352 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593547113

ASIN: B0CV1XY1TB

Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

2.75 / 5 Stars

Summary

Alfred Smettle is not your average Hitchcock fan. He is the founder, owner, and manager of The Hitchcock Hotel, a sprawling Victorian house in the White Mountains dedicated to the Master of Suspense. There, Alfred offers his guests round-the-clock film screenings, movie props and memorabilia in every room, plus an aviary with fifty crows.

To celebrate the hotel’s first anniversary, he invites his former best friends from his college Film Club for a reunion. He hasn’t spoken to any of them in sixteen years, not after what happened.

But who better than them to appreciate Alfred’s creation? And to help him finish it.

My Thoughts

The Hitchcock Hotel definitely had an intriguing premise, and as I love anything to do with Htichcock, I was looking forward to seeing how the author tied in his movies and horror elements into the book. And while I did enjoy the atmosphere, I just could not connect to the characters and I thought the story line was quite predictable.

First of all, for Hitchcock fans, there were quite a few references to his movies, something that added to the overall atmosphere of the book. The mansion is a tribute to Hitchcock and comes complete with movie props, references to his movies, and even a screening for the guests. While I wouldn’t like it to just be focused on Hitchcock, the idea of a hotel focused on horror movie elements does sound quite intriguing to me as I love horror and would definitely take a second look at such a place, especially if the screenings show those difficult to find movies.

Where I struggled was in the plot and character development.  While I don’t mind slow-burn delivery as the payoff can be great, the one-dimensional characters did not help build up the tension in any way.  While I appreciate that we are all flawed, and these characters definitely had their flaws, I should have felt some empathy for their situations, but I didn’t, which meant the constant bickering between them grew a bit annoying and childish.  I don’t mind characters who are annoying, but they need to have redemptive qualities to them; these characters were just self-righteous and felt justified for all their actions, taking no responsibility for anything. This meant the plot didn’t quite work for me and I found it predictable.

Verdict
The Hitchcock Hotel had a cool concept, but both the plot and character development were lacking which affected my overall enjoyment. I felt the author didn’t go deep enough into the relationships to really make me care about them, and there were so many darker elements that were just glossed over as if the author was afraid to go there. Because of this, the story followed a predictable story line with characters that were bland. It’s too bad as all the elements were there for a really great horror novel.

 

Review: Murder at Midwinter Manor by Anita Davison

Murder at Midwinter Manor (Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mystery, Book #3)

by Anita Davidson

Release Date: September 10, 2024

2024 Boldwood Books

Ebook ARC; 283 Pages

ISBN: 978-1785133442

ASIN: B0CVKS7BSW

Audiobook: B0D94NSMLZ

Genre: Fiction / Cozy / Historical / Murder

Source: Review copy from publisher

3.75 / 5 Stars

Summary

1916, Midwinter Manor: Desperate for a Christmas weekend break from war-torn London, Hannah Merrill and her Aunt Violet take Bartleby the cat and themselves off to visit Hannah’s sister, in her beautiful country estate, deep in the English countryside.

But then, when a fellow-guest’s body is found in the library – apparently bludgeoned to death – and a precious ruby is stolen from another guest, it appears that it’s going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

With the house snowed in, and the rural police force completely incapable of finding a single credible suspect, Hannah and Aunt Violet realise that once again it’s going to be down to them to get to the bottom of it.

My Thoughts

Murder at Midwinter Manor is the next entry in this delightful series, and I enjoyed this one quite a bit. Hannah and Violet are visiting family for the Christmas season, the magnificent manor house of Hannah’s sister and her husband.  In the midst of WWI, they just want to have some time to spend with family and maybe get some cherished time away from London and the horrors of the war. Unfortunately, death still finds them as one of the guests is murdered and it is up to Hannah and Violet to investigate.  

This Christmas, 1916, and one of the things I loved about this book was the consequences of the war on its soldiers, in particular the discussion around shell shock, something that was just being discussed and acknowledged although there was still a stigma on those who suffered.  I thought the author did a great job weaving not only the impacts of shell shock on families, but the war in general from food shortages to an interesting discussion around servants and lack of ‘good help’. When you strip away the themes, the actual plot was predictable and it was quite easy to figure out the culprit, but I still had a good time reading about the motives. Despite the predictability, it was still fun to see how Hannah and Violet figured things out.

I enjoyed the interactions between the main characters and was happy to get to know Hannah’s parents a bit better, but realistically, there were a lot of characters in this book and as a result, I didn’t really connect with most of them or feel any empathy for them due to this. When something happens, I want to feel something, and this just didn’t work for me.  I wasn’t confused over the characters, but sometimes, when there is a lot going on, I find the character development becomes more one-dimensional which is what happened in this book.

Verdict
Murder at Midwinter Manor was a fun story, and I definitely like the ambiance. Who doesn’t like a Christmas murder mystery set in the country with a blizzard happening around you? The author took the time to explore some themes integral to the war effort and I was very appreciative of those. And while I found it hard to connect to the character and thought the mystery was easy to figure out and predictable, there was a lot to like in this book.

 

Review: One House Left by Vincent Ralph

One House Left

by Vincent Ralph

Release Date: August 27, 2024

2024 Wednesday Books

Softcover Edition ARC; 320 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250882189

ASIN: B0CQHN5LS2

Audiobook: B0DC173WRL

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

2.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

Sixteen-year-old Nate Campbell grew up in the shadow of Murder Road – a street cursed by the vengeful spirit of the Hiding Boy.

Every few years, for nearly six decades, a different house on that street has been the scene of a tragedy.

Nate and his family move to a new town as they try to outrun the curse once and for all. But, when he is pulled into his new friends’ urban legend club, new ghost stories merge with old until there is nowhere left to run.

 

 

 

My Thoughts

One House Left had an interesting premise and I was definitely captivated by the lore of the story in the first quarter of the book.  Because It was so interesting, I didn’t actually mind that it was slow as I figured it would pick up as the story went along, which is sometimes the case with psychological/horror novels.  Unfortunately, the pace never really picked up, took a wild turn in the middle which was quite jarring, and by this point, I just wasn’t invested.

The character development felt quite flat. It had nothing to do with the slow-burn of the story, but sometimes when an author holds too much back to keep a story ‘’mysterious”, they can lose the reader from a case of not enough information to keep them interested, and this is exactly what happened.  It left the characters feeling flat, unemotional, and I just couldn’t empathise or connect with any of them.  Even the little glimpses into the characters’ backstories don’t really add anything to the story which is really unusual, but I think maybe it was just the way it was done.  Or maybe I just didn’t care at that point?

The plot itself had a lot of potential and I did find it intriguing, but the development and the delivery didn’t quite work for me. It wasn’t that it was uninteresting, but when you have flat characters, I just never got emotionally invested into what was happening which lessened the overall tension.  And it’s the tension in horror books that makes or breaks the story.  And then there’s the twist.  I don’t want to mention anything about it as it came out of nowhere, something I thought was interesting, but it would definitely have had an even bigger impact if I was invested in the characters.  And the following chapters after the twist blew it for me as well. You can’t have such a jarring thing happening in the middle of the book without a good setup if you want your readers to feel any emotion.  I did wonder if the twist would have worked better as the prologue rather than the one that was used.

Verdict
One House Left had a lot of potential, but the delivery and the character development made a good idea turn into a bit of a slog. I did thoroughly enjoy the lore in the first half of the book and the discussions around truth behind the legends and whether one should play around with that stuff, but I wish the story had been tighter and more focused as it seemed to ramble.  There were a couple of interesting themes in this book, about family and how far one would go to protect one’s family, but again, it wasn’t clearly developed, which was a shame.  Because of the potential however, I would definitely try another book by this author in the future.

 

Review: The Secret Truth by Barry Finlay

The Secret Truth (A Jake Scott Mystery, Book #3)

by Barry Finlay

Release Date: September 3, 2024

2024 Keep on Climbing Publishing

Ebook Edition

ISBN: 978-1068837111

ASIN: B0D9WDLJGZ

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from author

 

3.75 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Jake Scott, a retired reporter, is on his way to a peaceful bed and breakfast when his life is suddenly put at risk by a reckless driver. But his journey takes an even more dangerous turn when he approaches the bed and breakfast he is staying at and it explodes, killing all occupants. Homicide detective Dani Perez is determined to uncover the truth, and she enlists Jake's help to investigate the backgrounds of the victims. As Jake delves deeper into the case, he uncovers dark secrets that point to a sinister plot at the bed and breakfast. With the clock ticking and danger lurking at every turn, Jake must use all his investigative skills to solve the mystery before it's too late. 

 

My Thoughts

The Secret Truth is the third book in the Jake Scott mystery series and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I like the fact Jake is a retired investigative reporter who seems to get caught up in things out of his control and is trying hard not to get involved as he wants to enjoy his life and spend time relaxing and enjoying spending time with friends and family. I thought the overall mystery was enjoyable, but having read the previous books in this series, I did feel like something was missing in this one, that bit of tension that really kept me turning the pages in the first two books.

Jake is quite enjoyable as an MC, but I didn’t quite buy into his lack of technology when it came to his phone and other stuff.  He is a retired investigative reporter so this lack of technical ability just didn’t work for me. It would work better if he had retired 10, 20 years ago, but only a couple? And not have the ability to navigate social media? No way.  Otherwise, he is a fun character to follow and I enjoyed his interactions with the other characters in the story. Although his is book 3, I am still waiting for a bit more character development when it comes to Dani however, and this book displayed a bit more depth to her personality, a vulnerability that we didn’t really see before.  

What drew me to this book was the setting, Ottawa. I am very familiar with the city and I currently have family living there, so it was nice to have a book set somewhere I know. And tackles issues related to the city.  There were quite a few themes running through this book, if indirectly, and that is where I had a problem as I think there were too many.  While I did find the overall mystery to be quite interesting, it did become a bit convoluted with other stuff, stuff that could easily be developed into entire novels in their own right.  

Verdict
The Secret Truth had very likeable characters and a story line that was quite interesting. And while Jake’s spontaneous involvement in the case may annoy Dani, I like how she listens to what he has to say and I also like that Jake doesn’t hide anything from her. It drives me crazy when characters hide things from the police when they are investigating (amateur sleuths) and then get annoyed when a police officer won’t tell them what is happening. Jake does have trouble letting things slide, but I think I would too if that was my life career, even if I was retired.  And while I did think some of the tension was missing in this one due to an over-convoluted plot, Jake was definitely the highlight of the book and I am looking forward to his further adventures.  

 

Review: The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna by Erin Palmisano

The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna

by Erin Palmisano

Release Date: May 7, 2024

2024 Grand Central Publishing

Paperback Edition; 352 Pages

ISBN: 978-1538757499

ASIN: B0CH84LNRV

Audiobook: B0CKLTMKWQ

Genre: Fiction / Romance / Magical Realism

Source: Review copy from publisher

3 / 5 Stars

Summary

In a village on Naxos lies a gorgeous guest house and taverna that never opened. Cressida’s husband died suddenly three years ago – the taverna was their dream – but she’s been too lost in grief to keep that dream alive.

Marjory "Jory" St. James, a young traveler who always feels more at home on the move, arrives on Naxos in the middle of the night as if summoned by the island. She quite unexpectedly becomes Cressida’s very first guest.

Jory quickly discovers that this island vacation is more than just a sightseeing adventure as all of the women in town are more than what they seem. But when a hotel group offers to buy Cressida's taverna, it's going to take all of Jory and Cressida's drive and expertise to keep that from happening.

 

My Thoughts

The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna is the type of book that I don't read very often as I am not usually interested in books about romance, but as it was set in Greece I thought, why not? I definitely enjoyed the setting and still want to visit the place, I loved the friendship theme running through the story lines, and I definitely enjoyed Cressida's cooking even if I can't eat most of it due to having Celiac Disease.  But a girl can dream about food, can't she? To be honest, I think it reminded me of those days when I would cook with my mom and my grandmother as I was feeling nostalgic reading those pages.  

The main story revolves around Jory, but I never really thought her character was all that interesting. There were times when she came across as snobbish, judging anyone with money to be the same as her grandparents who had this tendency to look down upon anyone who didn't, including Jory and her mother.  I understand how it was meant to come across, but it made Jory seem very judgmental herself.  To be honest, I actually preferred Cressida and enjoyed the scenes she was in far more. I also thought she had the largest character development arc as she went from this woman who was struggling with her grief to someone who knew what she wanted and went after it.  She didn't do it alone however, and the friendship theme was strong throughout the book.  Because of the number of women involved in this book, I did feel like most of their character arcs were a bit on the shallow side and I would have like to have known a few of them a bit better. 

The setting made me want to pack and go to Greece now as I love these small-town settings. Cressida's guest house sounds like a place I would love to stay as I prefer those over big, showy hotels and driving around on mopeds to explore the island sounds ideal. Once you get past all of that however, you realize the story is lacking, both in sizzle for the relationship as well as in plot development. And I don't mean smut, I mean I just didn't buy the attraction between Jory and Shane as the 'sizzle' didn't really work for me. I did enjoy their story, but overall, there was just something missing.

Verdict

The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna was a fun little diversion, but it didn't really have any depth to it. I enjoyed the setting, but thought the characters and the story line were mediocre.  It's not that I didn't enjoy it, I just would have liked a bit more depth to the romance between Shane and Jory, and maybe more character development on Jory's part to make her more empathetic. However, if the author ever decides to write another book with these characters, I will definitely pick it up.

 

Review: Now You Are Mine by Amanda Brittany

Now You Are Mine

by Amanda Brittany

Release Date: September 9, 2024

2024 Boldwood Books

Ebook ARC; 299 Pages

ISBN: 978-9836171782

ASIN: B0D3P6CCKC

Audiobook: B0D94QPKG4

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

2.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

When Polly signs up to an art retreat in the Lake District, it's an escape from the stress of recent months, when a stalker preyed on her and her friend.

It's also an opportunity to find out more about her family as Polly believes her biological mother once lived here, at Lakeside House. But things quickly turn sinister. The previous owners supposedly took their own lives here, years before – and the glamorous new owners are now receiving disturbing threats. Someone is sabotaging Polly's artwork. The five other guests on the retreat all seem to be hiding something.

Then one of them goes missing.

My Thoughts

Now You Are Mine is one of those books that intrigued me because of the mystery surrounding her mother and her family. Plus, I like stories that revolve around sinister events from the past whereby the net generation has to go hunting for clues about mysterious disappearances and secrets. How I love secrets! This had all the elements that I love in a story. So, where did it go wrong? Well, I actually found a lot of it implausible and although I can suspend some level of belief, there is definitely a limit. And I wasn't a fan of the main character.

The overall character development was one-dimensional which made it really difficult to root for the characters or really care what happened to them. I didn't really care that they were written in both first and third person as I don't think that was the problem, but I am writing this almost two months later from my notes, and if I hadn't written those notes, I would not recall who was who as they were all bland. 

The first part of the book was the most interesting for me as I was intrigued by the mystery and I was interested in the setting and the threatening notes the new owners were receiving.  You have Polly's artwork being tampered with, some of the characters are behaving weirdly, other characters are definitely hiding things from their friends and their significant others, and then one of them just disappears.  Looking at all those things, it should have been a fascinating read, but the execution of it all just didn't work and felt excessive, like the author was trying too hard to create all of these strange scenarios, but couldn't keep track of all the threads.  And because the characters weren't all that engaging, I just couldn't get invested in the story and what was happening, flipping through the pages just to get to the end. 

I did enjoy the atmosphere of this book and thought the setting was intriguing, but then I love tunnels and secrets, so that was the part I enjoyed the most. I was actually grateful for the multiple POV as it gave me a break from Polly's story line as I found her irritating at times, and it was nice to learn what happened in the past and how it affected the future.  

Verdict

Now You Are Mine had a lot of elements that were interesting, but issues with character development and pacing definitely impacted the overall reading experience.  Some of the twists were a bit hard to believe, and overall, I found the book to be a bit forgettable with an average plot and average characters.

Review: A Rough Way to Go by Sam Garonzik

A Rough Way to Go

by Sam Garonzik

Release Date: May 7, 2024

2024 Grand Central Publishing

Hardcover ARC; 384 Pages

ISBN: 978-1538743362

ASIN: B0CH81ZN6F

Audiobook: B0CJCVS5VY

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

2 / 5 Stars

Summary

Peter Greene spends his days taking care of his toddler, Luke; staying on the right side of The Moms in his local beach town; and hanging out with his surf buddy, Frank. Isolated from his former life in finance, and frustrated by his current “out of work” existence, he worries that if he sits around the house for much longer, his workaholic wife might start to lose patience with him. He has few escapes aside from surfing and the love he has for his son.

But when the body of wealthy Wall Street investor Robert Townsend washes up on shore one morning, nothing about the incident makes sense to Pete, and he’s completely bewildered when the death is ruled an accidental drowning.  But when he takes his concerns to the police, they ignore him—so he decides to investigate on his own. Sustained only by the unquestioning devotion of his three-year-old sidekick, Pete starts looking into Townsend’s eccentric relatives and employer, the ruthless and secretive private equity firm GDR. But has Pete deluded himself with this misguided quest for redemption? Or has he uncovered something sinister enough to risk his life, and even his family?

 

My Thoughts

A Rough Way to Go was exactly that, rough. While the title had to do more with the death of the victim, it could aptly refer to the story line itself as it was sometimes rough reading and the dialogue made me wince quite a few times. Peter and his character development however, was one of the the stronger elements of this book, in particular his inner monologue.

So, Peter is a stay at home dad looking after his toddler son, Luke. His character was quite interesting and I was intrigued enough by him to want to know how they ended up in this small town, what happened to his career, and why he and his wife were having some difficulties. He is naturally inquisitive and when one of his buddies is discovered by the beach, he is not satisfied with the answers he gets from people as the time lines and what he knows don’t line up.  And now we have the problems with the other characters in this book. For whatever reason, most of them were antagonistic towards Peter and his investigation, even when he had some good information to relay.  This led to some unfortunate dialogue between characters that almost put me to sleep or made me roll my eyes.  Peter’s inner monologue was quite interesting, and sometimes comical, but as soon as they opened their mouths, things went awry and I found myself rushing through those parts. Why? I don’t know. It just didn’t work, make sense, or fit the character, or something felt off.

The plot moves along at a snail’s pace, which doesn’t always bother me if the content is full of tension and makes sense, neither of which happened here.  At a basic level, I could see where it was going, the author trying to make it seem so much bigger than it was, something that often happens in real life if all the conspiracy theories on social media are to be believed, so I liked what was happening, how it was made to seem more political and bigger as the story progressed, but then got turned on its head. I just didn’t necessarily like the way it was done.  I also think more could have been done with some of the characters, including Pete’s wife Lauren. I’m all about reading between the lines, but sometimes I want something concrete as well. And don’t get me wrong, I love stories where the story is a lot simpler than it looks as so many books are political. I love it when an author sends you in that direction, but then it ends up being something completely different. But when it is tedious getting there, you can also lose a reader which almost happened to me.

Verdict
A Rough Way to Go actually had a lot going for it, with an interesting concept, and there were definitely flashes of good writing. Pete was a great written character and I wish the other characters had been written the same way rather than being used as tools to prevent Peter from investigating.  If conflict was needed in this book, I’m sure what was happening with his wife would have been enough as she was particularly annoying and I was looking for something to happen between them.  While this one was a little rough for me, I will definitely take a look at another book by this author as there was a lot of potential in his writing.

 

Review: The Hardwick Heath Killer by Michelle Kidd

The Hardwick Heath Killer (DI Nicki Hardcastle, Book #3)

by Michelle Kidd

Release Date: July 16, 2024

2024 Joffe Books

Ebook ARC; 331 Pages

ISBN: 978-1835265550

ASIN: B0CTHQJYBW

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

3.75 / 5 Stars

Summary

The call comes at midnight on a stormy March night. A body has been found hanging from a tree on Hardwick Heath. In the dead man’s pocket is a handwritten SORRY. LIFE IS JUST TOO HARD. LOVE TO YOU ALL.

Detective Nicki’s instincts tell her this was no suicide — but someone has gone to a lot of trouble to make it look like one.

Three days later, a second body is found floating in a pond, just a few miles away. But the victim didn’t drown.

The police are treating the deaths as separate cases. Then Nicki uncovers a link between the two dead men — and the case takes a shocking twist.

As she unearths a series of secrets stretching back twenty years, Nicki and her team find themselves in a race against time before more people die.

 

My Thoughts

The Hardwick Heath Killer is the third book in the DI Nicki Hardcastle series, and while it was enjoyable, I did feel it lacked the tension of the first two books, and I wasn’t as engaged in the main story line as I was in the previous stories.  This book does focus quite a bit on the kidnapping of Nicki’s brother all those years ago, and I really enjoyed how that tied into the first two books. 

Nicki is an engaging MC and I really enjoy her character. She is a pretty sharp detective and investigator and is determined to follow through on every lead despite pushback from those around her.  I found her to be quite empathetic; perhaps it’s her personal struggles and the grief over losing her brother all those years ago that make her seem so relatable, it’s hard to say.  And while she has strong supporting characters around her, Nicki’s strength and determination really make her stand out from all the other characters.

I absolutely loved the setting and the atmosphere as I felt it added a depth to the story through a fascinating background and historical richness that only such a setting can provide. I love it when an author intertwines history and uses the setting to add depth to the story line and this author does this very well.  The twists and turns were quite interesting, but I did feel the story was a bit choppier than in previous novels and wasn’t quite satisfied with the main mystery. It felt like it was there to fill in the gaps between Nicki’s search for her lost brother and sometimes lost momentum. It’s not that it wasn’t interesting, it just felt it wasn’t going anywhere and felt rushed so the author could get to the other story, which was the search for the brother.  

Verdict
The Hardwick Heath Killer was a good entry into this series, but I don’t feel the tension was quite as high as in the previous two books. That being said, the author does tie together all the loose ends, maybe not in a way that satisfies everything, and leaves the door open for some interesting plot lines in future books.  While you don’t necessarily have to read the previous books in this series, I do recommend it as you will get some information for this book that is explained in the earlier books.  I am looking forward to the next installment in this series.