Review: Murder 101 by Faye Kellerman

Murder 101 (Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus, Book #22)
by Faye Kellerman
Release Date: September 2, 2014
2014 William Morrow
Ebook Edition; 374 Pages
ISBN: 978-0062270184
ASIN: B00FVW5GBK
Genre: Fiction / Murder / Mystery
Source: Review copy from publisher

3 / 5 Stars

Summary
As a detective lieutenant with the LAPD, Peter Decker witnessed enough ugliness and chaos for a lifetime. Now, he and his devoted wife Rena Lazarus are ready to enjoy the quiet beauty of upstate New York, where they can be closer to their four adult children and their foster son.

But working for the Greenbury Police department isn’t as fulfilling as Decker hoped.  While Rina has adapted beautifully to their new surroundings, Decker is underwhelmed and frustrated by his new partner, Tyler McAdams, a former Harvard student and young buck with a bad ‘tude. Just when he thinks he’s made a mistake, Decker is called to his first real crime here—a possible break-in at the local cemetery.

At first, it seems like a false alarm until it’s discovered that a mausoleum’s stunning Tiffany panels have been replaced by forgeries. Then, a coed at one of the exclusive local colleges is brutally murdered. Poking into the hallowed halls of academia to find a killer, Decker and McAdams are drawn deep into a web of dark secrets, cold case crimes, international intrigue, and ruthless people who kill for sport.

My Thoughts
Murder 101 showed a lot of promise as Peter Decker finally did what he threatened to do for over three books now, and that was retire, and moved across the country to Greenbury, a much smaller town than LA.  I was looking forward to a return to a simpler detective story, one of those small town stories where a murderer lived in the midst of everyone for years and no one actually knew about it.  However, that was not to be, and I was somewhat disappointed in that.

Decker's new partner is a Harvard graduate named Tyler who really has no formal training in law enforcement, but happens to have "connections."  It doesn't take long for Tyler to get under Decker's skin and aggravate him by his lack of knowledge and some of the bantering and conversations between them were actually quite interesting and fun, maybe the better moments of the book.  Tyler is whiny, and really doesn't like to do work, but we eventually learn that the major problem is his relationship with his father who is rather well-known in New York.  One of the things I enjoyed in this novel was Tyler's development as a character and I've developed a fondness for him I did not have at the beginning of the novel.  I am curious to see what the author will do with his character as he is supposed to be heading to law school as his assignment with Decker was only temporary.  

The other good surprise was seeing more of Rina, Decker's wife, but it still wasn't enough for me.  An extremely intelligent woman, she made some rather good suggestions on how to proceed with the case, and I rather liked seeing her more involved in Decker's work.  I did think that someone with Decker's experience could have figured out some of the things for himself, and it was just a tool to introduce Rina more into the book and show us that she would be more involved in the future, but I overlooked it as I have missed her these past few novels.  

Despite all of this, even though the new setting kind of brought Decker back to life, I did feel like the plot was a bit...boring.  The art information was interesting, and I always like that kind of thing, but the continuous driving back and forth to Boston and then New York, which I am sure would take longer than 1 1/2 hours (but I'll leave that up to people who actually live there, and not to my more faulty memory of only one trip there), got kind of tedious and sort of made you lose track of the reasons for going to these places.  I'm also not sure why everything has to be this big international thing all of the time; what happened to those old-fashioned mysteries that take place in small towns and it was the sweet little old lady who did it by putting arsenic in someone's tea cup?  Sometimes simple is better.

Verdict
Murder 101 was a fast, okay read that I did enjoy as I have always looked forward to a Peter Decker novel.  The past three or four novels were not my favourites in the series, but this one seems to have brought a little life back to Decker with new characters and new places and new targets.  I do wish the plot didn't always have to be this big international thing in nature as a lot of motives for crime that are interesting do happen at home and are not big international crimes, you know?  I did like how the author was able to balance family time with the actual crime scene components as I think it is good to see Decker able to relax and enjoy his semi-retirement somewhat.  I will probably read the next one in the series to see what happens, and after that, we'll see.

Review: The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski

The Death Relic (Jonathon Payne & David Jones, Book #7)
by Chris Kuzneski
Release Date: January 10, 2013 (first published 2011)
2013 Putnam Adult
Hardcover Edition; 464 Pages
ISBN: 978-0399158995
ASIN: B008ON40E2 (Berkley)
Genre: Fiction / Suspense
Source: Review copy from publisher

2.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Little remains of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations after being vanquished by the Spanish Empire. From the ashes of their cities emerged a unified legend: their conquerors possessed a mysterious artifact so powerful—so deadly—that it was known as the Death Relic. Despite its infamy, little else is known about the object, which was lost long ago.

When archaeologist Maria Pelati’s research team disappears in the Yucatán Peninsula, she enlists Jonathon Payne and David Jones to find them. As they embark on their perilous mission, they realize that Maria’s research could be the key to solving one of the darkest mysteries of the New World and unearthing the secret of the Death Relic.

My Thoughts
The Death Relic is the seventh entry into the Jonathon Payne and David Jones series, and so far it is my least favourite entry of the series.  Usually, I adore Payne & Jones and look forward to their adventures and their bantering, but this one got on my nerves as the banter sounded awkward and was, at times, just downright annoying.

Those of us who have already read the books in this series are already familiar with Maria Pelati, but I will admit I liked her a lot better in Sign of the Cross.  While I understand why she is so prickly towards Jonathon as I have read Sign of the Cross, it just came across as whiny and immature rather than for reasons that were legitimate and real.  And the author also assumes that the reader is familiar with the reasons for her aloofness and her coldness; and even though I was familiar, it didn't make me sympathetic towards her character whatsoever, rather it made me dislike her.  She constantly interfered when Payne told her not to, putting what he was doing jeopardy, even if he made light of it afterwards, something that made me grit my teeth quite often.  

Sign of the Cross and The Plantation were fast-paced and more original and I enjoyed them very much.  While this novel had the same fast-paced format, it wasn't very original in nature, and was a bit formulaic.  It's not that I didn't enjoy any aspect of this novel as I did enjoy the trips to Chichen Itza and Tulum, both places I have visited so it was easy to picture the action scenes in my head.  Having just recently been there however, some of the descriptions were a bit vague and a bit off, but I can overlook that.  And I thought the plot was actually okay; it was all of the incidental little things that were bothersome.  It's just one of those books you read without thinking, just because you can.

Verdict
The Death Relic is one of those novels that is good mindless fun.  It's one of those books where you hold suspension of belief, and just go along for the ride, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.  I enjoyed it when I read it from that aspect.  If you look at it more seriously, then the plot is predictable and formulaic, and the bantering definitely gets on one's nerves.  To be honest though, I find lately that a lot of these types of novels are pretty formulaic so that doesn't bother me too much.  What bothered me more was the way it was written as it seemed forced and tried too hard to add the action and the humour, which fell flat for me.  Will that stop me from reading another novel by this author?  No, definitely not.  The Forbidden Tomb is next on my list.

Review: Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn

Things Half in Shadow
by Alan Finn
Release Date: December 30th, 2014
2014 Gallery Books
Ebook Edition; 448 Pages
ISBN: 978-1476761725
ASIN: B00JYDKX38
Genre: Fiction / Historical
Source: Review copy from publisher

5 / 5 Stars

Summary
The year is 1869, and the Civil War haunts the city of Philadelphia like a stubborn ghost. Mothers in black continue to mourn their lost sons. Photographs of the dead adorn dim sitting rooms. Maimed and broken men roam the streets. One of those men is Edward Clark, who is still tormented by what he saw during the war. Also constantly in his thoughts is another, more distant tragedy--the murder of his mother at the hands of his father, the famed magician Magellan Holmes...a crime that Edward witnessed when he was only ten. 

Now a crime reporter for one of the city's largest newspapers, Edward is asked to use his knowledge of illusions and visual trickery to expose the influx of mediums that descended on Philadelphia in the wake of the war. His first target is Mrs. Lucy Collins, a young widow who uses old-fashioned sleight of hand to prey on grieving families. Soon, Edward and Lucy become entwined in the murder of Lenora Grimes Pastor, the city's most highly regarded--and by all accounts, legitimate--medium, who dies mid-seance. With their reputations and livelihoods at risk, Edward and Lucy set out to find the real killer, and in the process unearth a terrifying hive of secrets that reaches well beyond Mrs. Pastor. 

My Thoughts
Things Half in Shadow was a captivating tale, taking place in Philadelphia several years after the American Civil War.  I mention the Civil War because so much of it permeated the atmosphere of this novel, and drove the growth of mediums who were often accused of using sleight of hand and illusions to rob families that were grieving.  There was a real development in the interest of the supernatural and whether it was real or not, occupying a large part of many discussions during social visits.  

When we first meet Edward Clark, it is from the future, as he is enticed by his granddaughter to write down his ghostly tales and adventures from his youth, so you already know that he survived, and married, and had children.  All this did was entice and intrigue me as well and I was pretty much captivated from that point; I had a pretty hard time putting down this novel.  Written in the first person, I found myself empathizing with Edward and really felt like I was there.  I was able to share in all of his emotions as well as view Philadelphia from his viewpoint and I liked that a lot.  The author is very skilful as I found myself liking what Edward liked and disliking what Edward disliked; once I realized what was happening, I had to distance myself a little bit in order to take stock of what was really happening, and think about the suspects, and it was only when stepped back that I was able to figure out who the murderer was.  Like I said, it was very skilfully done, and I was very appreciative of the author's writing ability.  

I really enjoyed the character of Edward, but I will truthfully admit that it was Lucy Collins I adored.  Edward was everything I could wish in a character; he was brave, funny, awkward, dashing (when warranted), nice, and conflicted.  He is one of those wealthy men who prefers comfort over show, likes to work rather than be idle (he works as a crime-reporter), and associates with people others (as in a future father-in-law) would deem unacceptable.  Lucy, however, is one of those characters whom I despised at the beginning, but absolutely adored towards the end.  She has this way of growing on you, despite her sharp edges, and I found myself rooting for her and hoping things would turn out the way I wished.  Because of her, the author was able to slide in some issues and themes during this time period such as spousal and child abuse and women's rights which made me compare our societies quite a bit.  There was also some discussion around education and a woman's dependance on her husband, both socially and financially, especially when things go wrong.  

Verdict
Things Half in Shadow was much more than I expected, and the only disappointment I had (which is not really a disappointment, only for the waiting period) is discovering I have to wait for a sequel to discover more about the adventures of Edward and Lucy.  This novel had everything I could want: intrigue, secrets, murder, mystery, and so on.  There was even a bit of the paranormal for those of you who enjoy that aspect.  Mr. Finn has a writing style that grabs you and makes you feel part of the story, makes you feel like you are in 1869, with excellent research and the inclusion of historical figures such as P.T. Barnum.  Definitely an author I am looking forward to reading more from in the future.

Happy New Year and First Book of the Year!!

Happy new year everyone!  I wish all of you the best in the upcoming year, and to all book bloggers out there, many happy reading days to come!!

I was planning to get some serious reading done today, but things haven't quite worked out that way as there was the tree and decorations to take down (if I didn't, the possibility of them still being up in June would be pretty high LOL), as well as other small, menial tasks that needed to get done.  I haven't been blogging very much the past several months because life sort of got in the way, and unfortunately, blogging had to take a back seat.  I didn't make any resolutions with regards to blogging as I don't know how much things will change in the near future, but that's just life.  I would like to explore a bit more into the science fiction / fantasy world this year as I feel like I've really neglected that aspect of my reading and I miss it very much.  I always participate in reading challenges because I like them, they're fun, and they keep me focused on what I am doing. 

My first book of the year is Golden Son by Pierce Brown, hosted by Book Journey.  I have been waiting to read this for a very long time, and I promised myself I wouldn't touch it until the new year.  Red Rising was one of my favourite books last year.

Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within.


What is your first book of 2015 going to be??

Review: The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen

The Secret of Pembrooke Park
by Julie Klassen
Release Date: December 2, 2014
2014 Bethany House Publishers
Ebook Edition; 465 Pages
ISBN: 978-0764210716
ASIN: B00KDN89SE
Genre: Fiction / Historical / Romance
Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary
Abigail Foster fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry to improve her charms and the one man she thought might marry her--a longtime friend--has fallen for her younger, prettier sister. 

When financial problems force her family to sell their London home, a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . .

Hoping to improve her family's financial situation, Abigail surreptitiously searches for the hidden room, but the arrival of anonymous letters addressed to her, with clues about the room and the past, bring discoveries even more startling. As secrets come to light, will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?

My Thoughts
The Secret of Pembrooke Park was an enjoyable historical inspirational regency romance.  It is exactly what I would expect from a Julie Klassen novel: enjoyable characters, some romance, secrets from the past, and definitely some twists and turns intriguing enough to develop a mystery.  But for me, the true charm of a Klassen novel is always the relationships between the characters.

Abigail Foster, eldest Foster daughter, got herself into a bit of financial trouble after one of her investment suggestions to her father got the whole family into financial difficulties.  Forced to sell their family London home, the family is startled when a strange man offers them a manor house for their use for one year, at a low fee.  This is exactly the kind of thing I adore reading about as the house had been abandoned for eighteen years, and no one knew what happened to the family who abandoned it.  Intrigue.  Mystery.  Love it!!  Abigail walked in on this situation, and with so many secrets around her, her curiosity grew and she wanted to find out what happened in her home.  And as she came out of her shell to discover what had happened, she definitely developed and grew as a personality and I really grew to like her very much, where at first I thought she was kind of mousy.  I liked her spunk and her vivaciousness, and I liked her nosiness, particularly as I wanted to know the answers to her questions myself.  And suddenly, she had lots of friends and activities, and being courted by two men didn't hurt either.  Being always outdone by her beautiful younger sister though, she was constantly worried by her sister's return from her London Season, feeling that once these men see her sister again, they would no longer pay attention to her, especially as one of them had already tried to court her sister.  

And this is where I find Ms. Klassen's writing to be intriguing as I found Abigail's viewpoint often clouded by her feelings for her sister and thinking of herself as a wallflower.  And her perceptions of events and people's reactions were clouded because of how she thought about herself, often reading others' reactions incorrectly because of her own beliefs or insecurities.  It made me think how often we, as humans, tend to do this, and how much grief we could avoid if we didn't put our own judgements and insecurities into what we see, if we could always look at things objectively.  To give you an example from the novel, when William, the curator, sees Abigail's sister for the first time, his mouth drops open and Abigail's heart drops knowing that she has lost him forever for she thinks he is astounded by her beauty.  However, what we discover is that he had actually met her previously and this meeting was not a productive one.  It definitely makes you think and re-evaluate your own reactions and that of others, does it not?

The only thing I had a problem with, and it wasn't a really big problem, just a bit of an annoying one, was Abigail's behaviour.  The Fosters were apparently gentry and Abigail's dad acted as if he was lord of this or lord of that and their house in London was in a very respectable area, yet Abigail definitely did some things that were quite out of character for a young lady who has definitely experienced a Season or two.  While Abigail's behaviours make sense to us modern women, they don't make sense to a woman of the wealthy class two hundred years ago so I was a bit confused. 

I definitely love the whole setting of the manor house and how it was presented to the readers.  There are many secrets within its walls and these are revealed bit by bit without overwhelming the reader or taking over the development of the characters or the romance that is found here.  I thought it all balanced rather nicely, while keeping that element of mystery and suspense that was necessary.  

Verdict
The Secret of Pembrooke Park was a fun and intriguing story that I enjoyed.  I liked the characters and enjoyed watching them develop and grow, and develop meaningful relationships.  Having read every singly one of Julie Klassen's novels, it is easy to sense a bit of a pattern and to discover the 'mystery', but that didn't take away from the enjoyment of reading this one.  I am always attracted to the words 'secret' and 'manor' in the same sentence.  I developed a bit of a liking for one of the characters I don't think I was supposed to and was a bit sad at the end as I hoped to read more about him in the future, but that will not happen now.  I am looking forward to reading Lady Maybe when it is released in July.

Review: The Tudor Vendetta by C.W. Gortner

The Tudor Vendetta (The Spymaster Chronicles, Book #3)
by C.W. Gortner
Release Date: October 21, 2014
2014 St. Martin's Griffin
Ebook Edition; 304 Pages
ISBN: 978-0312658588
ASIN: B00IQOJC9M
Genre: Fiction / Historical
Source: Review copy from publisher

4 / 5 Stars

Summary
London, 1558. Queen Mary is dead, and 25-year old Elizabeth ascends the throne. Summoned to court from exile abroad, Elizabeth’s intimate spy, Brendan Prescott, is reunited with the young queen, as well as his beloved Kate, scheming William Cecil, and arch-rival, Robert Dudley. A poison attempt on Elizabeth soon overshadows her coronation, but before Brendan can investigate, Elizabeth summons him in private to dispatch him on a far more confidential mission: to find her favored lady in waiting, Lady Parry, who has disappeared during a visit to her family manor in Yorkshire.

Upon his arrival at the desolate sea-side manor where Lady Parry was last seen, he encounters a strange, impoverished family beset by grief, as well as mounting evidence that they hide a secret from him. The mystery surrounding Lady Parry deepens as Brendan begins to realize there is far more going on at the manor than meets the eye, but the closer he gets to the heart of the mystery in Vaughn Hall, the more he learns that in his zeal to uncover the truth, he could be precipitating Elizabeth’s destruction.

My Thoughts
The Tudor Vendetta is the third novel in the Spymaster Chronicles and the is the one I thought was the most interesting.  Finally summoned from exile, Brendan returns to court, but this time it is the court of Queen Elizabeth I and her coronation.  Nearly upon his arrival, there is a poison attempt on Elizabeth and soon he is sent off on an urgent errand to discover what has happened to a lady in waiting, Lady Parry in Yorkshire.  Needless to say, Brendan is confused by what is happening around him, and would like to stay and investigate the poison attempt on Elizabeth personally and doesn't understand the urgency of the events occurring in Yorkshire.  On top of that, he has had to deal with Lord Dudley, a figure from his own past, as well as personal issues with the woman he loves, Kate.

Even though this novel was a bit slow at the beginning, I've read enough of this author to know that events would soon pick up and leave you wondering what is going on, and what in the world you could have possibly missed in early pages that would have given you a clue as to what is currently happening.  And that is exactly what happened.  Once Brendan hit court, everything happened at once, and you really had to pay attention to the nuances or you could miss some important points of the story. And I was thrilled to finally reach the point where we are at the court of Elizabeth I as I couldn't wait for that storyline began.  I did feel at times that Brendan still had some growth to do in the development of his character, as he made some mistakes that I don't feel that someone trained by Walsingham would make.  However, he is young, and perhaps allowances could be made for that.  Overall though, the development in all of the characters from the beginning of the series until now has been wonderful and I like seeing how they all mature and learn from their actions. 

I thought the detail and research that went into this book was quite good; I was able to picture the scenes rather vividly, the clothing, the foods, everything, and it definitely made the reading experience quite enjoyable.  You definitely get a feel for how people lived during this time period, and a good understanding of how it was for those who didn't have the luxuries or the money to live comfortably.  

Verdict
The Tudor Vendetta was an intriguing mystery with some romance thrown into it for good measure.  I think it is very difficult to write about Elizabethan times because so much has been written beforehand, but Gortner manages to create an intriguing premise that will make readers wonder 'what-if'.  I am curious as to what Gortner will do with the storyline in later books, or if he will just let it lie, but I know speculation has abounded before on this topic.  I'm not sure when the next book in this series will be released, but I am looking forward to Mademoiselle Chanel which will release in the new year.

Review: Blood on the Water by Anne Perry

Blood on the Water (William Monk, Book #20)
by Anne Perry
Release Date: September 9th, 2014
2014 Ballantine Books
Hardcover Edition; 320 Pages
ISBN: 978-0345548436
ASIN: B00J1IOAXU
Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery
Source: Review copy from publisher

3 / 5 Stars

Summary
One summer afternoon, Monk witnesses the horrifying explosion of the pleasure boat Princess Mary, which takes nearly two hundred of the merrymakers on board to their deaths.

The tragedy is no accident. As commander of the River Police, Monk should handle the case, but the investigation is turned over to the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. An Egyptian man is swiftly caught, tried, and sentenced to die. But almost as quickly, Monk presents evidence that Habib Beshara, though a nasty piece of work, was elsewhere at the time of the blast. The investigation, now in complete disarray, is hastily turned over to Monk.

Is the crime connected with the soon-to-be-opened Suez Canal, which will enormously benefit wealthy British shipping companies? Or did all of those innocent people drown to ensure the murder of only one of them? How did the bomber board the ship, and how did he manage to escape? Is he an anarchist or a madman?

My Thoughts
Blood on the Water is the twentieth novel in the William Monk series, and while it is not my favourite one of the series, Perry still manages to give her readers quite a bit to think about and ponder throughout this somewhat intriguing mystery.   

First of all, I was thrilled to note that Oliver Rathbone returned in this novel.  I was quite devastated when I learned what happened to him, and I was afraid that perhaps he would not play a prominent role in future novels for quite a while; luckily, this was not the case.  What would be a court case without the knowledge and expertise of Rathbone?  I just had to get used to the different roles he had to undertake in this novel, but it wasn't as challenging as I expected; I was just so happy to have him back.  

What I always find fascinating about an Anne Perry novel is the convoluted politics and human emotions that are always front and central to the plot, and pretty much drives any plot she has written.  Humans are flawed and make mistakes, sometimes big ones, and Perry doesn't gloss any of that over with excuses; she just lays it on the line, and often her characters have a huge price to pay because of the mistakes they have made.  I really like that about these novels, and it always gives me something rather deep over which to ponder.  In this case, the questions asked revolved around the innocence and guilt of a man going to trial and how do we know for sure that eye-witness accounts are actually accurate?  I thought the whole set-up for this scenario was quite intriguing and interesting, and it did make me think quite a bit as to what we actually see compared to what we think we see, and how easily it is to manipulate that with the right manipulator.  And this is what this book was about:  Did the eyewitnesses actually see what they thought they did, or were they being led to see what certain people wanted them to believe they saw?  Complicated, yes?  And I thought Perry handled it very well.  Unfortunately, the plot itself was a bit loose and I think all of the convoluted manipulated to the eyewitnesses made the reader lose empathy for the killer which decreased the overall impact to the novel.  If you are not emotionally invested in who actually did it, and why, you've kind of lost the whole sense of the murder-mystery novel, and that edge of suspense that is needed for such a genre, and it definitely lost itself in this one.  And to be honest, I kind of wish Perry would leave the big conspiracies to Thomas and Charlotte and leave well enough alone with these novels.  Not every novel has to be about a big huge conspiracy, or give the appearance of being about a big conspiracy.  

Verdict
Blood on the Water is one of those novels where the writing is compelling enough to keep me reading, although I was a big disappointed over the actual plot line, and the over-focus on the characters and whether they were telling the truth or not became a bit too much.  I just felt like the real meat of the story was missing this time, the more compelling aspects of a usual Anne Perry novel.  While I didn't have a problem with the slower pace of the investigation as this gave Perry a chance to set up some characters and plot lines, I just felt like something was missing this time, although I can't really explain it.  Will I read another one of her novels?  Oh, yes, because I know how good they can be, and I would be afraid to miss that really good one.

2015 Challenges

Library Challenge (28+)
1. A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd
2. Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
3. The Book of Stolen Tales by D.J. McIntosh
4. The Sound of Glass by Karen White
5. Last One Home by Debbie Macomber
6. The Angel Court Affair by Anne Perry
7. Rock with Wings by Anne Hillerman
8. Half Bad by Sally Green
9. A Fright to the Death by Dawn Eastman
10. Some Like it Witchy by Heather Blake
11. Ripped from the Pages by Kate Carlisle
12. Grace Cries Uncle by Julie Hyzy
13. The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss by Krista Davis

DAC (12+)
1. When by Victoria Laurie
2. Grey by Christi J. Whitney
3. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
4. The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
5. Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things by Martine McAtee
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

War Through the Generations (20+)
1. No Known Grave by Maureen Jennings
2. A Pattern of Lies by Charles Todd
3. Avelynn by Marissa Campbell
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

 New Author Challenge (25)
1. Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn
2. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
3. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
4. Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella
5. Grey by Christi J. Whitney
6. Half Bad by Sally Green
7. Miss Emily by Nuala O'Connor
8. Bone Box by Jay Amberg
9. Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
10. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
11. The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
12. Avelynn by Marissa Campbell
13. The Search for the Stone of Excalibur by Fiona Ingram
14. The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom
15. 84 Ribbons by Paddy Eger
16. Dark Turns by Cate Holahan

European Reading Challenge (10+)
1. No Known Grave by Maureen Jennings
2. Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King
3.The Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie
4. Lone Star by Paullina Simons
5. Medicis Daughter by Sophie Perinot
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Cruising Thru the Cozies (15+)
1. A Killer Retreat by Tracy Weber
2. Death of a Liar by M.C. Beaton
3. A Fright to the Death by Dawn Eastman
4. Some Like it Witchy by Heather Blake
5. Grace Cries Uncle by Julie Hyzy
6. Ripped From the Pages by Kate Carlisle
7. The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss by Krista Davis
8. Thread and Gone by Lea Wait
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

British History Reading Challenge (10+)
1. No Known Grave by Maureen Jennings
2. The Tapestry by Nancy Bilyeau
3. A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd
4. The Angel Court Affair by Anne Perry
5. Lamentation by C.J. Sansom
6. A Pattern of Lies by Charles Todd
7. Avelynn by Marissa Campbell
8.
9.
10.

Historical Fiction (50+)
1. Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn
2. No Known Grave by Maureen Jennings
3. Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King
4. The Tapestry by Nancy Bilyeau
5. A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd
6. Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella
7. The Angel Court Affair by Anne Perry
8. Miss Emily by Nuala O'Connor
9. Lamentation by C.J. Sansom
10. A Pattern of Lies by Charles Todd
11. Avelynn by Marissa Campbell
12. Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie
13. The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom
14. 84 Ribbons by Paddy Eger
15. The Lake House by Kate Morton
16. Medicis Daughter by Sophie Perinot

Alphabet Soup Challenge (26)
A - Avelynn by Marissa Campbell
B - Bone Box by Jay Amberg
C - Cold Cold Heart by Tami Hoag
D - Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King
E - Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
F -
G - Grey by Christi J. Whitney
H - Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella
I - It's Not About Perfect by Shannon Miller
J - Journey into the Flame by T.R. Williams
K -
L - Last One Home by Debbie Macomber
M - Murder 101 by Faye Kellerman
N - No Known Grave by Maureen Jennings
O - Overcoming Anxiety by David Berndt
P - Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
Q -
R - Red Rising by Pierce Brown
S - Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
T - Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn
U -
V -
W - When by Victoria Laurie
X -
Y -
Z -

Flights of Fantasy (30)
1. Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell
2. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
3. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
4. Grey by Christi J. Whitney
5. Journey into the Flame by T.R. Williams
6. Push by Eve Silver
7. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
8. The Search for the Stone of Excalibur by Fiona Ingram
9.
10.
11.
12.

My Kind of Mystery (80)
1. Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn
2. The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski
3. Murder 101 by Faye Kellerman
4. No Known Grave by Maureen Jennings
5. When by Victoria Laurie
6. Cold Cold Heart by Tami Hoag
7. A Killer Retreat by Tracy Weber
8. Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King
9. A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd
10. Death of a Liar by M.C. Beaton
11. The Dead Play On by Heather Graham
12. The Stranger by Harlan Coben
13. The Book of Stolen Tales by D.J. McIntosh
14. Razing the Dead by Sheila Connolly
15. The Angel Court Affair by Anne Perry
16. Rock with Wings by Anne Hillerman
17. The Forgotten Room by Lincoln Room
18. Disclaimer by Renee Knight
19. The Shadow Cartel by Layton Green
20. A Fright to the Death by Dawn Eastman
21. Some Like it Witchy by Heather Blake
22. The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths
23. Woman with a Secret by Sophie Hannah
24. A Dark and Twisted Tide by Sharon Bolton
25. In the Dark Places by Peter Robinson
26. Ripped From the Pages by Kate Carlisle
27. Grace Cries Uncle by Julie Hyzy
28. The Fixer by Joseph Finder
29. The Forgotten by Heather Graham
30. A Pattern of Lies by Charles Todd
31. Time of Death by Mark Billingham
32. The Girl in the Glass by James Hayman
33. The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss by Krista Davis
34. Blood Red by Wendy Corsi Staub
35. The Lake House by Kate Morton
36. Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell
37. Dark Turns by Cate Holahan
38. Thread and Gone by Lea Wait
39. Splinter the Silence by Val McDermid

Outdo Yourself (150+)
1. Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn
2. The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski
3. Murder 101 by Faye Kellerman
4. No Known Grave by Maureen Jennings
5. When by Victoria Laurie
6. Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell
7. Cold Cold Heart by Tami Hoag
8. A Killer Retreat by Tracy Weber
9. The Brothers Keepers by NLB Horton
10. Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King
11. The Tapestry by Nancy Bilyeau
12. A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd
13. Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
14. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
15. Death of a Liar by M.C. Beaton
16. The Patriot Threat by Steve Berry
17. Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella
18. Dissonance by Erica O'Rourke
19. The Dead Play On by Heather Graham
20. Dancing Though It by Jenifer Ringer
21. The Stranger by Harlan Coben
22. The Book of Stolen Tales by D.J. McIntosh
23. The Sound of Glass by Karen White
24. Razing the Dead by Sheila Connolly
25. Last One Home by Debbie Macomber
26. The Angel Court Affair by Anne Perry
27. Grey by Christi J. Whitney
28. Rock with Wings by Anne Hillerman
29. It's Not About Perfect by Shannon Miller
30. The Forgotten Room by Lincoln Child
31. Disclaimer by Renee Knight
32. Journey into the Flame by T.R. Williams
33. Half Bad by Sally Green
34. The Shadow Cartel by Layton Green
35. Miss Emily by Nuala O'Connor
36. Bone Box by Jay Amberg
37. A Fright to the Death by Dawn Eastman
38. Some Like it Witchy by Heather Blake
39. Lamentation by C.J. Sansom
40. The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths
41. That Chesapeake Summer by Mariah Stewart
42. Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
43. Overcoming Anxiety by David Berndt
44. Push by Eve Silver
45. Woman with a Secret by Sophie Hannah
46. A Dark and Twisted Tide by Sharon Bolton
47. In the Dark Places by Peter Robinson
48. Ripped From the Pages by Kate Carlisle
49. Grace Cries Uncle by Julie Hyzy
50. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
51. The Fixer by Joseph Finder
52. The Forgotten by Heather Graham
53. A Pattern of Lies by Charles Todd
54. The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
55. Time of Death by Mark Billingham
56. The Girl in the Glass by James Hayman
57. Avelynn by Marissa Campbell
58. Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
59. The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss by Krista Davis
60. The Search for the Stone of Excalibur by Fiona Ingram
61. Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie
62. Everything She Forgot by Lisa Ballantyne
63. The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom
64. Blood Red by Wendy Corsi Staub
65. 84 Ribbons by Paddy Eger
66. The Lake House by Kate Morton
67. Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell
68. Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things by Martina McAtee
69. The Lost Codex by Alan Jacobson
70. Lone Star by Paullina Simons
71. Dark Turns by Cate Holahan
72. Medicis Daughter by Sophie Perinot
73. Thread and Gone by Lea Wait
74. Splinter the Silence by Val McDermid

Netgalley and Edelweiss (50+)
1. Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn
2. Murder 101 by Faye Kellerman
3. When by Victoria Laurie
4. Cold Cold Heart by Tami Hoag
5. Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King
6. The Tapestry by Nancy Bilyeau
7. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
8. Death of a Liar by M.C. Beaton
9. The Patriot Threat by Steve Berry
10. Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella
11. The Dead Play On by Heather Graham
12. The Sound of Glass by Karen White
13. Grey by Christi J. Whitney
14. It's Not About Perfect by Shannon Miller
15. The Forgotten Room by Lincoln Child
16. Disclaimer by Renee Knight
17. Journey into the Flame by T.R. Williams
18. The Shadow Cartel by Layton Green
19. Miss Emily by Nuala O'Connor
20. Bone Box by Jay Amberg
21. Lamentation by C.J. Sansom
22. The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths
23. That Chesapeake Summer by Mariah Stewart
24. Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
25. Overcoming Anxiety by David Berndt
26. Push by Eve Silver
27. Woman with a Secret by Sophie Hannah
28. In the Dark Places by Peter Robinson
29. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
30. The Fixer by Joseph Finder
31. The Forgotten by Heather Graham
32. The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
33. Time of Death by Mark Billingham
34. The Girl in the Glass by James Hayman
35. Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
36. Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie
37. Everything She Forgot by Lisa Ballantyne
38. Blood Red by Wendy Corsi Staub
39. The Lake House by Kate Morton
40. The Lost Codex by Alan Jacobson
41. Lone Star by Paullina Simons
42. Dark Turns by Cate Holahan
43. Thread and Gone by Lea Wait
44. Splinter the Silence by Val McDermid

Mount TBR (15+)
1. The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski
2. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
3. Push by Eve Silver
4. 84 Ribbons by Paddy Eger
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.