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.