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Tartan, Treasures and Troubles

Dotty Sayers Antiques Mystery, #12

by

Victoria Tait

 

Dotty’s return to the Cotswolds is marred by murder!

 

Tartan, Treasures and Troubles is the 12th book in veteran author Victoria Tait’s awesome cozy Dotty Sayers Antiques Mystery series and picks up with Dotty’s return to the Cotswolds and her home at Meadowbank Farm and job at Akeman’s antiques business. She and her best friend, Sergeant Keya Varma, have teamed up to host a traditional Burns night dinner at the Waterwheel Café at the auction house, but the sudden death of one of the attendees was very much NOT on the menu. 

Dotty has become a serious and settled young woman, and she’s dealing with some very big issues during this story. Her father’s cancer has progressed, and the doctors have judged it to be inoperable, so every time she visits with him may be her last. The anguish when she learns of his prognosis is palpable. Dotty is also still uncertain about her relationship with Zach, and he is having a difficult time grappling with his findings of this family’s history. Still, there is a treasure to be found. 

The plot is well-paced, incorporating multiple storylines with Dotty’s and Keya’s plans for their Burns night celebration, which is fast approaching. As Dotty picks up her life in the Cotswolds again, the story blooms with the names and appearances of many characters from the previous books in the series. It promises to become quite a reunion with people coming out for the Burns night dinner. Having read the earlier books may make sorting all these characters out somewhat easier. hen a character close to those central to the series dies suspiciously in front of everyone at the dinner, other familiar faces make their way onto the suspects’ list, so there are plenty of red herrings to cross off on the way to a surprising resolution. Sharp-eyed armchair detectives may be able to settle on the correct perpetrator in advance as the clues are there. 

I recommend TARTAN, TREASURES AND TROUBLE to cozy mystery readers, especially those who have enjoyed the previous books in the series.

For this and other reviews as well as giveaway opportunities, go to Boys' Mom Reads!

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Deadly When Disturbed

by

D.M. Barr

 

Fantastically twisty domestic thriller!

 

Desperate for help, super-realtor Dara Banks impulsively hires Merry Rafter to fill the position of her assistant, even though there’s just something “off” about the woman and her slim resume. What with her disabled husband sinking deeper and deeper into depression since his accident, a teenage stepson withdrawing from the family and leaning more toward undesirable companions, and a young stepdaughter with autism, Dara has her hands full; she’s stressed and certainly doesn’t have time to vet the woman’s past. But happily, Merry proves to be a quick study, a willing worker, and amazingly resourceful, even if she tends to sing her own praises a little too much. As she becomes indispensable at the office, her helpfulness begins to extend to the Banks’s household, with her winning over each one of the family members with elaborate and studied measures. When Merry copies Dara’s hairstyle and color and always seems to be taking her place at events or with clients, Dara realizes Merry’s real goal may be to take over her entire life. 

Deadly When Disturbed is a twisty new domestic thriller by author D.M. Barr, and it kept me on the edge of my seat from its shocking opening to its surprising, gasp-inducing resolution. With its clever characters and cunning, complex plot, this is one heck of a page-turner! 

The story unfolds from two points of view, Dara’s and, eventually, Merry’s, so readers get the inside track on what both of these women are thinking. From the start, Dara refers to “Celeste,” who is her psychological inner voice, guardian, and protector, and, at times, the one who is actually calling the shots. However, Dara was such a sympathetic character that I tended to forget about “Celeste” until Dara brought her up. Dara stepped into her marriage with Jason to help him after a work accident damaged his hands beyond use. She’s also the guiding light for a successful children’s autism non-profit in honor of her stepdaughter and devotes any free time she has to fundraising and volunteer work. She’s the top-producing realtor in her area for a good reason, though, as she’s absolutely ruthless in her dealings with buyers and sellers alike, with “Celeste” often pulling the strings. 

Merry Rafter is an odd character, and Dara is right when she senses something is “off” with her. She wears designer clothes, but they’re all either too tight, too short, or too low-cut, and she chooses to accessorize with gaudy or inappropriate baubles. Merry takes on any task, nothing is too menial, as she ingratiates her way into Dara’s life. But her background is a little murky until Dara starts looking into it, already regretful she didn’t do her due diligence. 

The plot is fast-paced and complex, with Merry always several moves ahead of Dara as she manipulates Dara’s and her family’s perception of what she’s up to. When Dara begins to question Merry’s motives and actions, her research into the other woman’s background reveals surprise after surprise. However, the women have a lot in common, and it is the way they choose to deal with their pasts that differentiates the two. The story becomes a race between the two to see who will come out on top. 

I recommend DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED to readers of domestic or psychological thrillers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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The Doll from Dunedin

Genealogy Mystery, #2*

by

M.L. Condike

 

A fantastic new adventure in this fascinating genealogical mystery series.

 

The Doll from Dunedin is the second book in M.L. Condike’s wonderful Genealogy Mystery series featuring forensic genealogist RaeJean Hunter and the search for the missing heir of a wealthy New York woman she’s met while working on a previous assignment. Jill Harriet Hamilton had died earlier in the year. Per her will and the trust guiding her fortune, her attorneys had one year to locate her sole blood relation, purportedly living in New Zealand, before her considerable assets were bequeathed to Columbia University. With six months gone and no closer to locating the man, the firm turns to RaeJean for answers. 

RaeJean is back, and this puzzling new case has a startling personal connection for her; she met the deceased client shortly before her death and subsequently rescued her beloved corgi, Eli, from an uncertain future. I love that her corgis have such a fun place in this series. Sam and RaeJean are anxious to start a family, and the timing of the case is a deciding factor on whether or not she even takes it on, especially considering the dangers she encountered on her last one. 

The plot is intriguing, with secrecy and litigation-prone members of the deceased extended (and adoptive family) making RaeJean’s work tougher. Still, the high-risk case does offer an incredible payday should she find success. Besides the search into the adopted woman’s bloodline, another cold case from the distant past is wound throughout, and the questions about her runaway father are a recurring factor in the series. As in the series debut, an unusual antique with a mysterious effect on RaeJean embellishes the story. 

I recommend THE DOLL FROM DUNEDIN to readers of historical mysteries, especially those with an interest in genealogical research and enjoy a touch of the paranormal in their stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through a Lone Star Literary Life Book Campaign.

*Read my review for Book One of the series, The Desk from Hoboken, HERE!

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The Desk from Hoboken

Genealogy Mystery, #1

by

M.L. Condike

 

Try NOT being surprised when delving into family history!

 

The Desk from Hoboken is the debut novel in M.L. Condike's riveting new Genealogy Mystery series, in which long-buried family secrets threaten the present. Who knew research into family history could be so fascinating … or so dangerous? 

The main character, RaeJean O'Leary Hunter, is an accomplished and skilled forensic genealogist with numerous successes to her credit. She accepts what she thinks will be a straightforward case of research to provide primary source documentation of the identity of the 180-year-old remains of an unknown female: her first commission after a tragic personal loss. Despite the red flags that indicate someone doesn't want old secrets uncovered, she's dogged in her pursuit of the historical records that may contain the proof she needs. I liked that, for the most part, she plays things safe and narrows the windows of opportunity the villains have to cause her harm. However, they had a lot of luck on their side, and she still gets in trouble. She also calls on contacts to provide backup to help lessen her risks. Her struggle with her recent loss was affecting, and I really felt for her and Sam. 

The plot is complex and intriguing, expanding as the scope of RaeJean's research hits one brick wall after another, only to open up another avenue of inquiry. I enjoyed her travels to locations that played a pivotal role in her subject's life, the story she was trying to build, and reading about her research methods. 

I enjoyed the desk's connection to the investigation into Mary Rogers's identity and fate. The supernatural aspect was appealing, and I wanted more every time this came up. I look forward to further books in the series to see how the spirits associated with the desk fit in. 

You would think that this story would be all about sitting in various library basements squinting at fragile, crumbling, hard-to-read records, and there is some of that, but for the most part, you would be wrong. This well-paced story includes a lot of face-to-face investigation and questioning of descendants interspersed with edge-of-your-seat, heart-pounding action. I recommend THE DESK FROM HOBOKEN to mystery readers who enjoy a historical cold case theme, genealogical research, and a touch of the paranormal.

*Read my review for Book Two of the series, The Doll from Dunedin, HERE!

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Will’s Race for Home

by

Jewell Parker Rhodes

 

An exciting and inspirational historical middle-grade adventure story.

 

Will’s Race for Home is a new historical middle-grade adventure story from author Jewell Parker Rhodes centered around the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889. Twelve-year-old William Samuels and his father, George, set out for Oklahoma from their home in Texas, where they are sharecroppers on another man’s cotton farm, to participate in the upcoming land rush. At stake is a 160-acre piece of farmland they can call their own. Along the way, they face danger from many directions: rattlesnakes, a treacherous river crossing, and, worst of all, from their fellow man. However, Will also comes to know and understand his emotionally distant father, a man of few words and agonizing secrets buried in his past. 

I absolutely fell in love with this book and its young protagonist from the first page. Will Samuels easily mirrors the thoughts and feelings of any boy, as does his yearning to gain his father’s approval and love. Not only does the journey allow him to connect with his reserved father, but it also opens his eyes to a world from which he’s been mostly sheltered his entire life, living in deeply rural southwest Texas. Young readers will identify with Will, his hopes and dreams, and his love for his family and the mule, Belle. 

The author features the historic Oklahoma Land Rush, which occurred on April 22, 1889, and the descriptions of the Samuels’s journey, the time, and settings are vivid and evocative, putting the reader smack on the trail with Will, George, and their new friend and former Union soldier, Caesar. The story gives readers an idea of what it meant to be a sharecropper and the difficulty of ever getting ahead under the system. 

Occurring a little over 20 years after the end of the Civil War, the story relates the tensions still in existence between those who supported opposite sides of the conflict: for many, the war was never over. Will’s mother, Anna, his father, George, and their friend, Caesar, put names and faces to the men and women who had been enslaved from birth, only gaining freedom after the start of the war, and illustrates realistically what that meant for them going forward. 

This is not the first book I’ve read from this author, and her stories and writing continue to be an immersive experience, no matter the topic. Her writing style is warm and easy to read, and the chapter lengths are perfect for younger readers. With its exciting and suspenseful story and engaging, relatable characters, I recommend WILL’S RACE FOR HOME to middle-grade readers and for use as a read-aloud book in the classroom, in an afterschool program, or at home. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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Paradise on Fire

by

Jewell Parker Rhodes

 

Exciting and immediately absorbing; I loved it!

 

Six inner-city teens from the East Coast are flown to California to participate in a summer Wilderness Adventure. The main character, Addy, has never been out of the Bronx and, much like the other city kids, is anxious about the whole trip. Addy is an orphan; her parents died years earlier when she was a little girl, and her grandmother, Bibi, came from Nigeria to take care of her. Addy still has nightmares of losing her mother and father, of the fire, and of needing to know how to escape. Bibi had signed her up for this summer Wilderness Adventure; Addy just wanted to stay home. 

Arriving at the Wilderness camp, Addy and the others quickly fall into the routine for the summer program. From the very beginning, Addy realizes that the wilderness, the forest, and the outdoors call to her very soul, and Leo, the camp owner, instinctively sees her as a kindred spirit. Along with Ryder, Leo's dog, the three bond as they begin to systematically explore and map their wild surroundings and record the environmental changes they find - changes to land and animals resulting from never-ending climate change. Leo teaches Addy about maps, topography, and other wilderness skills, and they talk about her returning to continue her studies and work there in the summers to come. 

But with the end of summer, the Wilderness Adventure comes to a close, and the teens and their two college-age camp counselors head out for one final challenge, a 3-day hike with overnight tent camping. They've prepared well for this all summer long; however, nothing could prepare them for what they encounter on their first night out. 

I loved this book! With interesting young leading characters, all with their own issues and fears, the story evolves, and the tension steadily increases until you find yourself smack in the middle of some honest-to-goodness pulse-pounding action. I almost thought I was breathing the fresh air and, later, choking on ash and embers. The characters were so very engaging that I was much affected as things unfolded. The story easily and totally absorbed me from start to finish. 

In addition to the exciting story, the very serious themes of climate change, ecological degradation, and the need for environmental protection came through the action. These concepts with consequences are presented simply and straightforwardly so the youngest readers will understand, and older ones will not feel it's too preachy. 

Paradise on Fire is an unforgettable adventure story that is perfect for middle grades, high school, and readers who enjoyed Gary Paulsen's Hatchet. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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He.

by

Gregory Pakis

 

This waking nightmare of erotic horror delivers as promised!

 

He. is a short erotic horror novel by Gregory Pakis featuring married couple Val and Lester, who have recently moved into a new apartment building and begun attending a series of swingers parties held in a private home nearby. Although they have yet to join in the “play” there, they are intrigued but just not comfortable or titillated enough to participate yet. But then, Val receives a cryptic cellphone text directing her to a particular spot in their apartment’s garden, where she discovers a note with a single-word command on it: “Initiate.” 

The narrative is mostly from Val’s perspective. It allows the reader access to her intimate thoughts of curiosity, confusion, and desire as she follows later messages and experiences several dream-like sexual experiences at the hands of the seductive mystery man who sent them. As she leans into the pleasures he provides, she yearns for his approval of her reactions to his ministrations, all with the support of her husband Lester, who is slowly edged out of the action and into a spectator’s role. Adding to the mystery is a detective looking into the disappearance of a young man, who is somehow linked to a local underground sex club called “Stealth X,” which Val believes has relocated to the apartment next door to her and Lester. 

The story is definitely adult material (NSFW), the action is vividly and graphically portrayed, and the demarcation line separating Val’s reality and dream life quickly disintegrates. The denouement is tense, and it is immediately followed by an ending that left much unexplained. I was left needing to understand better. Trigger warnings for all of the sexual situations and body horror.

 I recommend HE. to readers of erotic horror.  

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

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A Perilous Premiere

Stone & Steele, #1

by

Gail Meath

 

Fun and frothy and a solid murder mystery to boot!

 

A Perilous Premiere is the first book in author Gail Meath’s fun and frothy yet seriously solid mystery series, Stone & Steele Mysteries, and this name-dropper of a murder mystery sets a delightful tone for what’s to come. After fashion designer Vivian Steele’s husband, George Ramsey, is gunned down before her very eyes in an assumed robbery gone wrong, she naturally looks to the police for answers. However, they show no interest in trying to find the murderer after an initial, lame attempt, so she decides to call in old favors from people in her past to reignite the investigation. While her actions yield results, they don’t supply the answers she was looking for nor the revenge she craves, and before she can regroup, another murder occurs with evidence planted to make her look like the killer. 

Vivian is a sweet and talented woman with a smart mind and an even smarter mouth. She berates herself emotionally for having been blissfully unaware when her husband’s true nature comes to light. Still, she’s compelled to bring his murderer to justice. She is joined by wealthy playboy Preston Stone who is investigating the case of an unbelievably valuable coin collection, and Vivian’s husband is one of the small number of possible suspects. 

The plot is fast-paced as the pair, first separated and eventually as an unwilling team, follow up on the few clues they uncover during their investigation, some of which are lifted straight out of the crime scene before the police make an appearance. The case of theft and then murder is full of twists sprinkled with the sightings of celebrities from the early Golden Age of Hollywood. (Viv’s best friend is Carole Lombard!) The author packs in historical figures and events with those of a more fictional vintage, and the fun mingling of fact and fiction really makes the book a lot of fun. But along with the fun and froth, there is one heck of a good, complex tale of murder, mayhem, and misdirection. 

I recommend A PERILOUS PREMIERE to readers of historical cozy mysteries, especially those who enjoy old movies and Hollywood history.

 

For this and more of my book reviews, visit Boys' Mom Reads!

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The Last Bookstore on Earth

by

Lily Braun-Arnold

 

YA dystopian tale with a twist!

 

The Last Bookstore on Earth is a new YA dystopian/speculative fiction novel from Lily Braun-Arnold, and it offers a fresh twist on the plethora of end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it tales. While Liz, the main character, has suffered the loss of her family, friends, and the life she knew (like everyone else in the story), she retreats to the only place of safety she knows left standing (the local bookstore where she had an afterschool part-time job). She creates a little beacon of “normal” for others as she continues to open the store daily, offering book recommendations and a place to leave messages. However, as a repeat of The Storm looms on the horizon, the bookstore faces a much more imminent threat. A small group of organized survivors are out for revenge against her new partner, and they’ve tracked their prey to the bookstore’s doorstep. 

Liz Flannery is the unusual protagonist of the story. She and her twin, Thea, were only a few weeks away from heading off for their first year of college when The Storm arrived, changing everything. Liz was the only one in her small family to live through it and suffered the burden of survivor’s guilt and more. When circumstances allowed, she fled to the familiar safety of her workplace and the comfort and companionship of another coworker who apparently had the same idea. 

Liz, escaping her grief and guilt, is content with the setup and begins to feel a responsibility to maintain the facsimile of normal operations for the occasional survivor who happens upon the open store. Eva, though, chafes to escape the claustrophobia of the routine and her feelings of responsibility for Liz, and she abruptly abandons her. Locals and transients alike express their gratitude and appreciation for the continued existence of the story and their ability to leave messages there for friends and loved ones and trade supplies for what they need, which keeps Liz from ever having to forage through the rubble and death of her New Jersey hometown. Their generous offerings, though, isolate her further and keep her from understanding just how much the world outside the bookstore has changed for the desperate. 

The plot just gets established when rumors that another storm is headed their way. Customers leave messages for those coming behind them and urge Liz to evacuate; the store was greatly damaged in the first storm and is unlikely to withstand another. But Liz sees a solution to leaving her safe place in the appearance of Maeve, a drifter about her age, who breaks in one night looking for shelter and salvage and claiming to be able to make the necessary repairs to the building. Maeve, having started her journey in New York City, knows how much life has devolved and has had her run-ins with some of the more organized survivors. She’s tougher and more aggressive than the passive, polite Liz, but they eventually form an attachment and help each other work through the past year of trauma and scramble to prepare for the coming storm. 

The author can certainly tell a mesmerizing tale! I read this in one enjoyable evening with no regrets after staying up way past what was prudent in order to reach the finish. The story’s pacing kept me engaged, and I needed to see what happened next. The vivid descriptions of the settings created strong visuals, placing me in the scenes firsthand. Characters are well-developed, and I felt sympathy for even those I didn’t particularly care for or agreed with their actions. I was delighted by the premise, a bookstore all to oneself, but in a Twilight Zone-style twist, staying open for business as usual as the society around it collapses, creating a little island of “normal” and a haven of familiarity, comfort, and even, safety for those left behind. Liz’s collecting the stories of the survivors willing to share them with her was an absolute bonus. 

I recommend THE LAST BOOKSTORE ON EARTH to readers of young adult post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction, especially those who enjoy a positive LGBT, however low-key, representation. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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River of Lies

Detective Emily Hunter Mystery, #2

by

James L’Etoile

 

Intriguing murder mystery full of surprising twists and turns!

 

River of Lies is the second book in James L’Etoile’s Detective Emily Hunter Mystery series, and it is a compelling story of abuse of power, fraud, and murder. Sacramento, California, like many large communities, is struggling with how best to help a growing homeless population with a limited budget and residents who are swiftly running out of patience and compassion. However, as one by one, large riverside encampments go up in flames, it appears someone may have decided to solve the problem in their own way. When the body of an unidentified murder victim is found among the ruins of one of the camps, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Detective Javier Medina, are assigned to the case. 

In this second outing for the detective team, the pair quickly realizes there’s more to the arson and murder than meets the eye. The body proves to be that of the disgraced and ousted former mayor John Stone, the mover and shaker behind ridding the city of its homeless problem and revitalizing their impromptu campsites into a high-profile and high-dollar linear riverside development of retail, residential, and exclusive commercial occupancies. There is considerable money at stake and considerable pressure from the new mayor’s office to wrap up their investigation. There is also some uncharacteristically prompt and suspicious cleanup of the homeless camp crime scenes by perpetually overburdened city departments, tasks that would normally take weeks to implement but effectively make them available for the lucrative redevelopment project. 

Emily is one sharp cookie and is deep into the investigation while worrying about her mother, who is quickly succumbing to Alzheimer’s. Consequently, she’s struggling with the accompanying guilt over having to relocate her mother to a memory care facility from her current failed assisted living situation. She’s found strong support in the form of love interest Officer Brian Conner as well as her work partner’s mother, Lucinda Medina, a former caregiver herself. The relationship between Emily and Javier is still a thing of beauty. They make an effective working team, are got-your-back friends, and their banter is a delight. 

The plot moves quickly with the detectives hot on the trail of those involved in torching the homeless camps and figuring out who murdered the former mayor. However, the closer they get to the answers they need, suspects go missing. A witness to one of the camp attacks and possibly Stone’s murder remains hospitalized and unconscious while her eight-year-old daughter, with secrets of her own, waits in a children’s group home, yearning to be reunited with her mom. There are plenty of clues and suspects, and the twists in the plot are absolutely unexpected. I was mesmerized by this increasingly complex tale all the way to its surprising resolution. 

I recommend RIVER OF LIES to readers of mysteries and thrillers, especially those who enjoy excellent police procedurals. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.