Water Grave

Detective Abbey Rhodes Mysteries, #1

by

Mitchell S. Karnes

Great debut for this new police detective mystery series!

Water Grave is the first book in author Mitchell S. Karnes's new mystery series featuring Detective Abbey Rhodes of the Nashville, Tennessee, Homicide Division. When the body of a dynamic young pastor is discovered in the church's baptistery, rookie Detective Abbey Rhodes and her senior partner, Detective Sam Tidwell, are assigned to determine the killer. However, their early disagreement over the direction the case should take makes for an uneasy pairing and heated conflict. Abbey must decide between disobeying orders, following her instincts, and pursuing additional leads, or going along with what she feels is a hastily identified perpetrator who she believes is innocent. 

I really liked Abbey, the main character with a complicated past and conflicted conscience. The child of missionary parents, a tragic childhood has pushed her away from her family and her faith, in fact, all vestiges of organized religion. However, it is the events of the past that have shaped her future and initiated her deep need to seek out the truth and justice for others. As the fresh, green detective, she shares the attitude of others new to their careers, believing that their more recent training outstrips the knowledge of their older coworkers. Still, she quickly recognized that she had more to learn from her older partner. Her relationship with her mentor/partner, Sam, is complicated; she thinks he's coasting and taking the easiest way to case closure, and he thinks she's too young and inexperienced. But the truth of what's coloring Sam's attitude toward Abbey is a surprising twist. 

The plot progresses quickly, with the murder occurring right away and a suspect identified, arrested, and charged soon after – all on circumstantial evidence. The investigation is a steady police procedural even after Abbey is ordered off further inquiry into the case. The story's perspective alternates between Abbey's first-person narrative and third-person viewpoints, giving the reader a more complete picture of what is happening. Abbey's past is slowly revealed in bits and pieces, and it kept me wondering for quite a while. There are a number of suspects in the murder to start with, but alibis and subsequent plot twists help eliminate some and put forward others, which kept me guessing until almost the final resolution. 

I recommend WATER GRAVE to mystery readers who enjoy police procedural-style stories and strong female protagonists. 

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

A Pantomime of Peril

Cotswold Antique Mystery, #3)

by

Victoria Tait

A villain onstage and in real life meets his end during the village pantomime!

A Pantomime of Peril is the third book in author Victoria Tait’s cozy Cotswold Antique Mystery series, featuring friends Dotty Sayers and Keya Varma, who have both been recruited into helping with Dr. Peter Wimsey’s production of a traditional holiday pantomime. When the obnoxious newcomer to the village of Colm Akeman, Wickham Vane, collapses onstage during the first performance of Jack and the Beanstalk, everyone immediately believes it’s the combination of his exertion, the heat from the stage lights, and underlying medical conditions that’s to blame. But when Keya, the local Crime Scene Manager, discovers differently, there’s almost an unlimited number of people who had reason to wish the man ill. 

Dotty, Keya, and all the friends and neighbors from their small village are back, and as the holidays close in, it’s up to the ladies to figure out who is actually behind the man’s murder. Dr. Peter Wimsey had launched the pantomime as a means to get their elderly residents out of their houses for some seasonal socializing. Wickham Vane, a well-known but overbearing professional actor and director, who had recently relocated to the village, barges his way into the production, grabs the reins of the show, the role of the giant, and runs off many of the local volunteers. Dotty, busy with a large winter auction at work, has no intention of participating in the theatrical but steps up to fill in where she can. Keya, while engaged in her own business and looking forward to the holidays and a much-deserved escape with her partner, Sujin, volunteers as well, so she is in the wings when the actor utters his final “Fee Fi Fo Fum.” Between her experience and Dotty’s keen observations, there are plenty of folk who had the means and motives to stop the dead man in his tracks. 

The holiday season and the victim’s renown all increase the number of suspects on hand, and there are some good red herrings to distract armchair detectives from guessing the perpetrator too quickly. Twists and turns in the plot make for a clever holiday-themed homicide from start to finish. 

Although this is the third book in the series, readers new to it will easily be able to read and enjoy this latest installment. I recommend A PANTOMIME OF PERIL to cozy mystery fans.

For this and other book reviews, visit my blog, BOYS' MOM READS!

The Misremembered Lighthouse

Hayley Hunter Mystery, #2

by

p.m. terrell

Spooky, intense paranormal mystery!

The Misremembered Lighthouse may be the second riveting Hayley Hunter Mystery by author p.m. terrell, but readers new to the series can easily dive right in and enjoy a great story. In this book, renowned historical fiction author Hayley Hunter returns to the U.S. after a year’s sojourn in Ireland, where she went to research her Irish roots for a book but stayed to pursue a new love and a slower, more rural lifestyle. Due to visa restrictions, she must leave Ireland for 1 year. She rents a secluded, long-decommissioned lighthouse near Raleigh, North Carolina, where she plans to research her Revolutionary War-era ancestors and their involvement during the conflict for her next novel. She soon discovers she may not be alone on the remote property as she glimpses ghostly, disappearing figures and the original lighthouse lamp that lights with a will of its own. 

Hayley is a gutsy gal, sticking around when she feels the ice-cold presence of spirits, hears disembodied voices, and inexplicably moved objects, as well as things that go bump in the night. She initially clings to logical explanations and excuses for what she sees, but when Shay MacGregor, her love from Ireland, arrives for an extended visit and corroborates her experiences, it becomes all too real. 

The book is two stories in one, as Hayley uncovers the journal of the original lighthouse keeper, Jonathan Corbyn. Jon is a tragic figure, coming from Scotland to the British colony of North Carolina after participating in the Battle of Culloden, only to end up on the losing side and deemed a traitor. He builds the lighthouse himself with the goal of a quiet, solitary, and peaceful future, but is caught between family and friends and the oath of royalty he swore to the Crown when he was granted his property in the new territory. 

The story is well-paced, with the ghostly activity beginning immediately. Hayley’s initial encounters are a little disconcerting but still deliciously creepy, and immediately evoked The Ghost and Mrs. Muir vibes. However, as the action progresses, the situation becomes more tragic and dangerous, and, while there is a romance, it is between the main character and her very much alive love interest. Unfortunately, the lighthouse keeper is not alone, and he has a story he’s determined for Hayley to uncover. I enjoyed the dual-timeline structure, with Hayley’s story unfolding in the present and Jon’s in early 1776, presented as journal entries. Hayley and Shay’s relationship is loving and strong, and it is a wonderful storyline that continues through the series. This book was a definite page-turner for me. 

I recommend THE MISREMEMBERED LIGHTHOUSE to readers of paranormal suspense. 

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

Final Exam

(Blame It on the Moon, #0)

by

Lou Pugliese

An intriguing peek into Don Weston’s past in this riveting tale of missing persons, sexual liaisons, and murder in the prequel to Blame It On the Moon.

Final Exam is author Lou Pugliese’s riveting prequel to his earlier cold-case historical mystery, Blame It On the Moon, and reveals some of his main character’s backstory from when he was the Chief of Police at a small liberal arts school, Churchville University. Typically a quiet member of the Churchville, Pennsylvania community, the university soon headlines the news when a well-liked university provost goes missing during a massive school restructuring, which includes sudden and extensive system-wide faculty layoffs. Rumors run rampant regarding the missing woman’s relationship with the university president and his wife, but there are few actual clues for Chief Don Weston to pursue. Calling on his connections at the county and state levels in order to leverage their more robust resources, Weston gathers a small team to investigate. However, the case barely gets off the ground when another faculty member goes missing during a fire at his home, and that won’t be the last. 

While Don Weston is the university chief of police and the most experienced on the case, the investigations are truly an ensemble performance. Weston earned his law enforcement chops over the years he spent working his way up through the ranks at the Philadelphia Police Department. He is joined by Detective Rick Walker from York County and Lt. Shane Mitchell representing the state, both of whom bring a hint of hero worship to the table, having heard Don’s praises sung by their respective supervisors before their assignments. 

The three conduct a steady and comprehensive investigation, the story unfolding in the style of a police procedural. Told mostly from Weston’s point of view, the reader gets a good idea of how he came to his position at Churchville and a feel for his prior successes in Philadelphia. Until the incidents of the story, he was experiencing a growing discontent with the unending sameness of his current job. He misses his wife, Helen, lost to cancer some years earlier, but uses her memory as a sounding board for his decision-making. All of this prepares the reader for Don’s eventual move to a new home and career at the opening of Blame It On the Moon. 

The plot is well-paced, and the action is tight. However, the names of the characters changed at times over the course of the story and need to be reviewed. The murders are vividly described and graphically detailed, their means and methods horrifically matched to the killer’s opinion of his victim’s guilt and misdeeds. The acts are shocking and hard to read. The killer’s actions are measured and meticulous in their execution and performed with the perpetrator’s knowledge that he will never have to answer for what he has done, adding to the difficulty of the three investigators’ job. 

I recommend FINAL EXAM to readers of grittier mysteries and suspense and fans of the previous novel who want to know more about the main character’s backstory.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

Stellar Heir

Stellar Heir, #1

by

Scott Killian

Outstanding beginning for this fresh, action-packed space opera.

Steller Heir is the first novel in author Scott Killian’s new science fiction adventure series of the same name, and it was absolutely a thrill-a-minute, hit-the-ground-running debut! Great characters, witty dialogue, amazing alien beings, a compelling mission to save ALL, and vivid imagery that made me feel I was there all combined to deliver an exciting epic of a space opera. 

Jael Ked’Korhva is the main character and the young captain of the scavenger ship, Zigzagunda. Along with his humanoid simian sidekick, Goni Tinge, they scour space for items of value. However, a mysterious bracelet, an artifact from the ancient past, once clasped around Jael’s wrist, changes everything. Not only is every pirate, mercenary, and alien death squad on their trail to get the power of the artifact for themselves, but it has shown Jael the future fate of the galaxy should he fail to stop what’s coming. 

I enjoyed Jael’s narrative so much. He’s witty, smart, and relatable, and Goni is entertaining with his banter, enthusiasm, and single-mindedness on a couple of issues, such as food. I loved their interaction, camaraderie, and relationship with the Zigzagunda, especially the banter and rivalry with Goni. The action sequences are tense and easy to follow because they are so well choreographed. Descriptions are fluid and easy to visualize. The author’s alien beings are diverse, imaginative, and often horrifying in their extreme physical strangeness and interactions. 

The plot goes from 0 to 60 from the very first chapter, and there’s little downtime; the tension just keeps building. Told from multiple points of view, readers follow the action from the different angles of the story. The good guys, on occasion, stray left and right of what’s moral but who you can’t help rooting for from the start. Then, there are the bad guys, the VERY bad guys. And yet, there are those you won’t be able to categorize yet – are they going to fall on the side of good or evil? Thankfully, the second book in the series is shown to be scheduled for publication in March of 2025 because there’s so much more story left to unfold. 

I recommend STELLAR HEIR for science fiction readers who enjoy space opera action and adventure.

For this and other reviews, visit my blog, Guatemala Paula Loves to Read.