A Camping Conundrum

Liz Adams Mystery, #5

by

Stacy Wilder

A camping trip turns deadly!

A Camping Conundrum is the fifth book in author Stacy Wilder’s excellent Liz Adams Mystery series, which features the private investigator and her husband, Brad, attempting to enjoy a weekend camping trip to one of his much-loved childhood destinations. Brad, the last living member of his nuclear family, wanted to recapture some of the highlights of his childhood by visiting a campground that was the scene of many happy memories with his parents and younger sister, now all gone. But unbeknownst to Brad, Liz was traumatized as a child on her only camping experience, but she agrees to attend without divulging her past. While at the campground, they discover that guests have been plagued by thefts from their campsites, a factor that reminds Liz of her traumatic childhood trip, making her all the more anxious about their plans. But nature and the otherwise tranquil setting work their magic on Liz until Brad discovers the body of a local woman in the lake, and her death is no accident. 

Liz and Brad are a lovely couple, and each is super responsive to the other’s emotional needs, as is their perceptive canine companion, Duke. Both husband and wife are willing to bend to accommodate the special circumstances they encounter during their trip, such as Brad’s need to re-live happier times versus Liz’s unfortunate memories from her one and only attempt at camping when she was a young Girl Scout. I enjoyed all of Liz’s shopping throughout the story, and even Brad gets some new gear; this inevitably led to her crossing paths with the unpleasant commercial landlord in Sumter. 

The plot is well-paced, with the discovery of the victim occurring early in the story and unfortunately mirroring the death of Brad’s younger sister, deeply affecting him in the process. The victim was a real piece of work, so it was easy to see the writing on the wall that she was not long for this world. Her nasty attitude and interactions with her business tenants during her life created a wide pool of suspects for her murderer. Liz searches for answers in a methodical and practical manner, and even with some surprising twists, the final resolution is quickly at hand. 

I recommend A CAMPING CONUNDRUM to cozy mystery readers, especially those with an interest in camping and shopping while on vacation. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

The Lost Concerto

Maggie O’Shea Romantic Suspense, #1

by

Helaine Mario

Thrilling mystery and romantic suspense novel featuring a missing child and a classical music theme!

The Lost Concerto is the first book in author Helaine Mario’s thrilling Maggie O’Shea Romantic Suspense series and features a grieving classical pianist searching for her godson, the child of her best friend, who went missing at the time of her murder. With its compelling plot, immersive settings, and well-drawn characters, I couldn’t put this book down. 

Life has often dealt Maggie O’Shea a tough hand, but the past year has been devastating with the murder of her best friend, former US diplomat Sofia Orsini on a remote island off the coast of France and the disappearance of Sofia’s young son, followed by the accidental death of her husband in a boating accident as he searched for clues to the child’s location. But when Special Agent Simon Sugarman approaches her with a clue to the child’s whereabouts out of Maggie’s own past, she knows she must go to France and follow it up herself even if it means reuniting with her first love and the father of her only son who’s been MIA/Presumed Dead for over 30 years. 

Maggie is an engaging and sympathetic heroine who, as the story opens, is barely keeping it together after the events of the previous year. She’s sunk deeply into her depression over her beloved husband’s death, steeped in guilt for having involved Jimmy, an experienced investigative reporter, in the search for the missing Tommy and Sofia’s murderer. Due to her grief, Maggie, an acclaimed concert pianist, no longer has the will to play, but she’s determined to do anything she can to find Tommy, including traveling to France under the guise of performing at their upcoming musical events. She’s convinced the boy’s father, a man suspected of heading up and financing a deadly international terror organization, is responsible for his mother’s death. Sugarman teams her up with a retired government operative who’s facing his own demons, and their initial meeting is anything but positive. I loved watching their relationship turn into something completely different. 

Told from multiple points of view as our protagonists follow their meager clues and travel across the pond to France. The descriptions of the various settings are vivid and authentic, making you feel you are viewing the action from inside the scenes themselves. Throughout the book, the questions of who they can trust and what clues will bring them the answers they need to rescue the missing boy from his own father remain key to their success. 

I recommend THE LOST CONCERTO to readers of mysteries, thrillers, and romantic suspense, especially those with an interest in classical music. 

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

Shadowed Skies

by

Haley Cavanagh

Exciting YA dystopian tale with a sweet romance.

Shadowed Skies by Haley Cavanagh is an exciting young adult dystopian tale of a horrifying future, where the human population has been decimated by deadly viruses while leaving an enhanced, winged human hybrid race untouched. The surviving humans hunt the Evol-humans almost to extinction for their blood, whose properties can reverse the virus, saving its victims. 

Told from the alternating points of view of the last two Evol-humans, River and Delene, the story grabbed my attention from the start, with both protagonists in dire situations. As they struggle to escape their human captors, the author deftly inserts the backstories of the two and how the world came to its current state. 

The romantic subplot develops slowly and sweetly, making it suitable for most ages. I was relieved that there were at least two of their kind left and rooted for this sweet relationship from the beginning. The harsh settings and evil characters are well-drawn, providing real struggles for the characters to overcome. The compelling yet easy-to-read story made this one of my favorites in this genre. 

I recommend SHADOWED SKIES to readers of young adult dystopian stories. 

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

Strike the Death Note

Octavia Fields Mystery, #2

by

Rebecca McKinnon

A summer violin shop owner looking to revitalize her slowing business finds a dead body instead.

Pursuing a possible answer to the continuing future of her summer music camp violin shop, Octavia Fields is strolling near the grounds of the university’s administration building, killing time before she meets with the director when she comes across a man kneeling over the body of a dead woman with a conductor’s baton sticking out of her chest. Immediately calling in the police, she is reunited with the same team who investigated an earlier death at the music camp, including Detective Jack Price. Although determined to avoid getting involved in the investigation, Octavia is nevertheless drawn in as people seek her out for information and to share their thoughts. Strike the Death Note is the second book in author Rebecca McKinnon’s fresh and fun Octavia Fields Mystery series. With its quirky main character, fun music-themed setting, and slow-burn romance, I was all in for this well-paced, cozy mystery. 

The heart of this series is the main character, Octavia Fields, a woman who definitely marches to the sound of a different drummer. Sans shoes and cellphone, she’s a woman more in tune with simpler living and the natural world. Since their last meeting, she and Jack have drifted apart, but there is still a spark between the two, and it is a joy to watch it slowly gain in intensity as they are, once again, thrown together. 

The plot gets underway immediately with Octavia’s accountant’s concerns about her violin shop’s financial future. With more going out than coming in this summer. He suggests that Octavia will need to make some cuts and hard choices to remain viable next summer. Soon after, she discovers the body of the dead cellist, and the case is immediately opened. Throughout the book, I enjoyed Octavia’s relationships with her friends involved in the orchestra or camp, as well as her staff members who took complete charge of the store despite her well-meaning ideas for displays. The musical theme is delightful, and I enjoyed the many musical references and activities. With a number of people to cross off the list of suspects and red herrings to eliminate, there is a lot of interesting detecting to follow on the way to a plausible resolution to the case. 

I recommend STRIKE THE DEATH NOTE to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy stories with a musical theme, a Rocky Mountains setting, or a free-spirited protagonist. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Time Traveler's Playlist: A Classic Rock Time Travel Adventure by David Homick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An exciting, suspenseful, and, ultimately, heartwarming story of finding one’s self and one’s soulmate.

Time Traveler’s Playlist by David Homick is an exciting, suspenseful, and, ultimately, heartwarming story of a young man’s pursuit of his one true love (and classic 70s rock and roll music.) I was honestly captivated by this tale from start to finish.

The hunt for legendary Aztec gold on his family’s farm leads 22-year-old Angus Walker to a hidden cave with a mysterious portal to the past. Mustering his courage, he passes through the portal and finds himself in Denver, Colorado, in the year 1978, where the muscle cars and land yachts of his dreams proudly cruise the city streets, and the classic rock music that he collected in his time period are new releases here. He also falls head over heels for the dynamic female lead vocalist and bass player of a rising local band, who knows more than she’s letting on about Angus’s unconventional mode of transportation to the 70s.

Angus is the wonderful protagonist of the story, a sad-sack, self-prophesying loser in his own time of 2024; he seems to fit in with life in 1978, coming close to being one of the cool kids. In his time, he has a good ‘ride or die’ friend in Walter ‘Waldo’ Hastings, a fellow misfit in high school due to his high IQ and dedication to academics, and Ozzy, a lovable stray black lab named after the infamous, original frontman for Black Sabbath. Both Waldo and Ozzy are endearing, and each time Angus returned home to 2024, I worried whether his actions in the past would negatively affect either of these characters – because changes occurred!

While Angus may have succumbed to the negative talk and bullying in his formative years, he regularly shows perseverance and courage throughout the story. He stands up to the bullies. He confronts Lars and Sam head-on when necessary. He talked himself into entering the portal. He pursued his soulmate and then sacrificed everything for love.

The plot is fast-paced, and the transitions between time periods are clear and easy to follow. The descriptions of the rugged and remote Utah farm and 1978 Denver are vivid, creating the perfect backdrops for the ensuing action. I thoroughly enjoyed the song title chapter headings, which not only foreshadowed the coming direction of the story but were tunes contemporary to the time. The selections were so perfect that I compiled them, along with additional songs mentioned in the narrative, into a fun, nostalgic new playlist.

I recommend TIME TRAVELER’S PLAYLIST to fiction readers who enjoy time travel tales of romance.

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