The Versailles Formula

This is the third book in Nancy Bilyeau's 18th-century Genevieve Planché series. While it probably can be read as a standalone novel, I recommend beginning with the first book in the trilogy The Blue and then The Fugitive Colours. There is too much backstory that a reader needs to know in order to understand the current story. Please note that I received an advanced review copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. The book will be published on April 17, 2025.

The publisher's summary:

Genevieve Sturbridge was never meant for a quiet life in the English countryside. Once an artist in the heart of London, she now spends her days in restless solitude. But when a familiar figure from her past arrives with an urgent request, she is thrust into a perilous world of spies and a formula that could shift the balance of power between France and England.

The thrill of the chase is intoxicating—the cryptic clues hidden in plain sight, the challenge of ferreting secrets from dangerous opponents, the undeniable rush of being needed again. But with every step deeper into the mystery, the danger grows. Someone is watching. Someone is hunting. And the more she uncovers, the more she wonders: Has she walked willingly into a trap?

The story started out well but as I reached Part 2, I wondered when art and pigments would enter the plot. Almost simultaneously with my thoughts, Genevieve is asked to return to France to investigate who is using the forbidden blue color that her husband created. While there, Genevieve will do a little spying for her country. 

I was disappointed with the book. It is advertised as a historical thriller but it isn't a thriller. I would categorize it as a historical mystery; a good one. A big part of my disappointment was the extremely high expectations that I held. Each of the author’s earlier eight novels were spectacular. Another blockbuster was expected. That said, it is a fairly good mystery. I would not want this installment of the series to be the end though. I believe that the series is only three books and, if so, The Versailles Formula is not the best ending. Another problem I have is that the story wasn't about the chemical formula for blue but rather the possibility that it is being misused. It took alot of pages before the identity of this mystery was given. 

Approximately one third of the book gave background information from the first two books. It was done well with equal amounts of dialogue and narrative but unless you've read those books, the level of drama from the backstory is missing. Also, Genevieve's career as an artist is not part of the plot. That's a departure from the earlier two books in the series. 

Enough with the negatives. What is positive about the book? Genevieve and Captain Howard's mission in France was fraught with plenty of twists and I was often afraid for both of them. It didn't appear that they would succeed in their quest to determine who was using the forbidden blue color. Almost daily they were accosted by enemies of England but the two were not always aware of the identity of these enemies. Part of the mission was to figure out who was who. If they could return to England with the name of the forger of blue then they were successful. Along the way these two met interesting Frenchmen who added "color" to the story. Pun intended. 

The book reads like a historical spy story. However, my impression of the series was something else. If this was a standalone novel I would rate it highly. It is part of a series, though, so I can only rate it based upon this fact. 3.7 stars out of 5 stars.

High Tea and Misdemeanors

The Indigo Teashop mysteries are one of my top three cozy mystery series. High Tea and Misdemeanors is the 29th installment of the series and it is one of the best to date. If you haven't yet read the series, you simply must. It's magnificent and has the fastest pace of all 29 books.

The publisher's summary: 

When a wedding is tragically averted by the death of the bridesmaid, Theodosia is determined to prove that it was murder in the latest entry in this New York Times bestselling series.

Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are tapped to cater the elegant wedding of Bettina and Jamie. Theodosia and Drayton are setting up when they hear a crash from the greenhouse. Shockingly, they discover that part of the roof has collapsed trapping a bridesmaid and the groom. He will pull through but the bridesmaid is no more. Theodosia is convinced it was murder.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

I always have a good laugh at some of the rhyming two word adjectives that author Laura Childs uses; eg, a florist shop in Charleston is called Flora Dora and a sound was thump-thumpering. What I particularly noticed in this novel was that tea sommelier Drayton Conneley was described as being sixtysomething. He has been this age for 29 years! I must acknowledge, though, that if the characters aged throughout the series, none of them would still be alive and there would be no books anymore. We can't have that.

The murder occurred in the first chapter which I always appreciate because the rest of the story can be about the investigation. I noticed how well written the first chapter was compared to earlier books in the series. The story opens with the killer doing his thing. I don't believe Childs has written this chapter with a hook before. Usually we see setting descriptions and introductions to the main characters. The hook is the reason the chapter was so fast paced. 

The pace was maintained throughout the story. Theodosia didn't think about investigating, she just started to do so. While cozies require a suspension of belief, I thought it was bizarre that Theo's boyfriend, police detective Pete Riley, followed her ideas on how to investigate the murder. He did what he was told. Then again, with a long series it becomes dry reading about the amateur sleuth always scratching for leads from the police. I guess in this case the suspension of belief is appropriate.

High Tea and Misdemeanors is a wonderful entry into the Indigo Teashop series. 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Cover of the Month: March

Andrew Fielding is a freelance illustrator based in Edinburgh. He designed this book cover for Philip Brebner's Shadows of Marrakech.What I love about the cover is the bright colors but also the scene depicted. It is the interior of a souk where one can find find all types of items to buy. It  certainly gives a proper backdrop for the story.

In the book Ramzi, a disillusioned Scottish scientist, is running a riad in Marrakech. After a customer, Frenchman Paul Gallisot, is murdered in the city, Ramzi decides to play detective and investigates the death. The setting is most prominent feature of the story so this scene on the cover is most appropriate.

Andrew Fielding is highly creative. In addition to illustration he has also worked on character creation, scriptwriting and animation for a UK TV station. He studied at BBC Scotland CBeebies & Scottish Book Trust Lab in 2010.

Book of the Month: March

The Confessions of Pope Joan is by far my best book of the month. In this installment of the Vatican Secret Archives series, author Gary McAvoy marries theological arguments with historical objects and adventure. He is an expert at it. In this installment of the series McAvoy addresses married priests and women’s roles in the Church.

The story follows Father Michael Dominic, the main character, and his friend Hana Sinclair as they travel to England to see an ancient Bible.From there they are led to a diary written by Joan Anglicus. Joan is believed by some to be the only female pope in church history. Others believe that she is a myth. From the diary the two are led to an ancient gospel of Salome. 

This was an exciting novel and mystery lovers should read the series if they haven't done so yet.

The Confessions of Pope Joan

The Confessions of Pope Joan is the 7th book in the Vatican Secret Archives Mystery series. I have read every other book in this series and can honestly that all of them were fantastic. In this installment of the series Father Michael Dominic comes across the diary of Pope Joan, proving the existence of this female Pope.

The publisher's summary:

In the heart of the English countryside, a discovery is made that threatens to overturn centuries of Church history. When Father Michael Dominic uncovers a cryptic diary leading to a lost 1st century Gospel, he is thrust into a labyrinth of deceit, murder, and controversy. Alongside Hana Sinclair, a savvy journalist, Michael sets out to unravel a mystery buried deep within the Church's past. The Confessions of Pope Joan is a gripping tale of courage and faith, charting their quest against a powerful adversary seeking to keep the truth hidden.

Their journey reveals the existence of Pope Joan, the first and only female Pope whose reign has been obscured by time and conspiracy. As they traverse the intricate tapestry of deceit and power, they must confront a society unwilling to relinquish its patriarchal hold. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Grace Dempsey, assigned to a seemingly unrelated murder case in England, stumbles upon a thread that binds her to the historic revelation. Their paths converge, creating a thrilling narrative that intertwines past and present, fact and fiction.

As the Vatican's secrets unfold, Pope Ignatius, Michael's ailing father, battles his own legacy. Torn between preserving the Church's past and shaping its future, his decisions become paramount in the struggle for truth. The Pope’s radical stand for change, embodied in two Apostolic Constitutions, sets the stage for a new era in the Church while challenging long-standing beliefs and traditions.

The Confessions of Pope Joan is an intriguing blend of historical revelation, suspenseful mystery, and human resilience. It delves deep into the heart of the Catholic Church, unearthing secrets hidden for centuries. Through engaging characters, intertwined plotlines, and poignant insights, this novel offers readers an engrossing journey through a world where the past bleeds into the present, reshaping the future. With every turn of the page, The Confessions of Pope Joan forces readers to question the known and grapple with the unimagined, making it a must-read for fans of historical thrillers.

McAvoy presents a good case for the existence of a female Pope. It was exciting to read about regardless of whether Pope Joan existed or not. His extensive research into this subject is apparent. I love how McAvoy marries theological arguments with historical objects and adventure. He is an expert at it. In this installment of the series McAvoy addresses married priests and women’s roles in the Church

As usual, the story follows Father Michael Dominic and his friend Hana Sinclair as they travel to England to see an ancient Bible. A sheet of paper falls out. It is a poem that has clues to the location of a  diary written by Joan Anglicus. Joan is believed by some to be the only female pope in church history.  Others believe that she is a myth. Within this diary, Dominic and Sinclair find another document that leads them to the ancient gospel of Salome. Salome is believed to be Jesus's aunt who was at both the crucifuxion and resurrection. These two documents show that there were influential women who shaped the Catholic Church’s history. We then see Dominic and Sinclair travel to ancient religious sites and museums in order to protect these ancient documents and solve a murder along the way.

The author’s note at the back of the book explains what is fact in the story and what is fiction. I have always found these notes to be just as exciting as the novels. If you haven't read McAvoy yet, you simply must. 

5 out of 5 stars.

This Family Lies

J.M. Cannon is one of my favorite authors. In 2023 he published Blood Oranges which was one of my top 5 books for that year. He expertly writes suspense novels so I know that I need to read the two books that he published last year.

The publisher's summary:

Iris Adler was supposed to be killed.

In their home in Southern Louisiana, Iris and her husband Joseph are both shot point-blank in the head by an unknown assailant.

While her husband is killed, Iris survives, but only by a ricochet.

She wakes with her memory fractured. She doesn’t remember her husband’s family, eager as they are to take her into their world of marble, maids and prim Southern manners.

Not long after Iris goes to heal at the family’s historic plantation, a girl is found dead in the sugarcane stalks nearby. And of these wealthy, strange people Iris is surrounded by, she realizes one of them might still be trying to kill her.

The only thing certain is not everyone is getting out of this alive.

I LOVED this novel. I was hooked from the first chapter and had to read it all at once. This Family Lies is a psychological thriller on steroids. The pacing is fast and there are so many twists that I was spinning. The constant back and forth between the possible identity of the villain was exhilarating. Every chapter or two showed a dark side of a character and it was difficult to determine who the real villain was. In fact, you don't know until the final chapter.

Iris is main character and, as such, she is very sympathetic. I was rooting for her. However, several of the twists point to her being the one who killed her husband and wounded herself. Other probable villains were mother-in-law Augusta and sister-in-law Annabelle. These two ladies make great adversaries. Both are ambitious and aggressive in reaching their goals so their actions are always suspicious. Iris, on the other hand, is physically unstable and fragile and is at their mercy. Every once in a while Iris attempts to be independent but is shut down quickly by her in laws.

Mystery fans simply must read this book. I am looking forward to reading the sequel This Blood Runs. 5 out of 5 stars 

Bad Mother

Bad Mother is a 2021 comic series featuring April Walters and her teenaged daughter Taylor. The story opens with April grocery shopping when armed robbers appear. All the staff and shoppers are on the floor hoping not to get shot when the police arrive. A shootout ensues in favor of the cops. When April gets home she realizes that Taylor is not home. She reviews her text messages from Taylor and sees Taylor's response to leave her alone. The next morning Taylor is still not home so April tries to make a missing persons report at the police station. She is told to wait 48 hours but instead April embarks on a harrowing mission to find her. April's journey that takes her through the underworld of her suburban community and sets her on a collision course with a massive crime syndicate and its lethal matriarch. Tested to her limits and beyond, April discovers that hell hath no fury like a mother scorned.

I loved this story! I read it in one sitting because it was so intriguing. April is not your ordinary soccer mom. She will go to any extreme to keep her kids safe. She also is one hell of a fighter who gets in rumbles with crime figures but manages to come out on top. The pacing was fast and with the colorful comic book panels this book is fantastic. The plot was very well thought out with plenty of twists and turns and the characters were realistic. This book is a winner.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Bard's Trail

I received a free copy of this book from Librarything's Early Reviewer's Club in exchange for an honest review. It is a UK political thriller from Andy Regan. Regan is well qualified to write this genre as his day job dealt with international affairs research in the House of Commons. He also  managed high profile elections in the UK. The book was published in February 2025.

The main character is Shay Mason. Shay presumed that he had left military bureaucracy far behind after his retirement. However, he is unexpectedly recalled to Whitehall and assigned to investigate the death of leading microbiologist Stewart Tyler. Shay teams up with his former girlfriend, Siobhan Andersson, which only adds to his pressure. The question to be resolved is whether Tyler's death was accidental or the result of past indiscretions. In the story we read about the drama and ambition that is normal in international politics and which forms the backdrop for dangerous alliances and the emergence of career-ending secrets. Some overseas governments have a stake in the outcome of the investigation. The setting is in several international and UK locations. 

The book started slowly. I had a hard time putting together the opening scene with what Shay was investigating, rather supposed to be investigating. After 100 pages the investigation had still not begun. There were long narratives and later lengthy dialogues. It should have been a nice mix. Shay is supposed to be a top notch spy but we don't see him in action. Instead, the reader is told he was good at his old job in intelligence. Remember the old adage, show don't tell. As far as being stressed out from getting reacquainted with Siobhan, I did not see him feeling any pressure. In fact, the two of them exchanged pleasantries for several chapters. 

The book has many problems which is why I was bored reading it. I am sorry to say that I just didn't like it.

2 out of 5 stars.

Adora and the Distance

Adora and the Distance is a 2021 Comixology Original YA fantasy graphic novel following the epic adventures of Adora, a brave young woman of color who lives in a fantastical world with underground pirates, ghosts, and a mysterious force called "The Distance" which threatens to destroy it all.

Adora's adventures were magical as advertised. She is a nine-year-old adopted princess who left home to avoid being obliterated by the Distance. Her father Raphael assigns several of his employees to protect her throughout her travels. Her maid Esperanza, of course, travels with her as does Gregoire, Antonio from Roma, Jaffar from Arabia, Mur Rey from Turkey and El Moor. Along the way the group encounters bandits, puzzles and the walking dead whose homeland was destroyed by the Distance. The ending had a surprise twist that I did not see coming. I have debated whether I should explain the ending, which was quite profound. It's impossible to write a decent review without delving into the weighty issue the author gives us. Some reviewers have done so but I will not.

This comic is a must read. You will not be disappointed. There is no foul language, sex or violence so it is appropriate for young readers. 5 out of 5 stars.

Can't Wait Wednesday #40

My favorite cozy mystery author has a new book coming out on April 1, 2025. Cleo Coyle's No Roast for the Weary is the 21st installment of her coffeehouse mystery series. Coyle is the pen name of husband and wife writing team of Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini. The main character is Clare Cosi. Along with her ex-husband Clare operates her mother-in-law's Village Blend coffeehouse.

The publisher's summary: When the Village Blend opens a Writer's Block Lounge, a cold case crime turns up the heat on Clare and her crew in this gripping new entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

As much as master roaster Clare Cosi adores coffee, the landmark shop she manages won't survive if she doesn't sell enough of it. So when the Village Blend's customer traffic grinds to a halt, she turns to her staff for creative ideas, and the Writer's Block Lounge is born. Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the shop, is upset by this news. Years ago, a group of accomplished writers used the shop's second-floor lounge to inspire each other, but the group disbanded when something dark occurred. Though that history is shrouded in mystery, Clare presses forward...

Soon the Village Blend tables are filled with aspiring novelists, playwrights, and poets, all happy to be coaxed, cajoled, and caffeinated by her coffeehouse crew. Clare admires the stamina of these scribes, many of them toiling at night jobs—driving taxis, tending bar, ushering for Broadway—while penning projects during the day. Then one of their fictions turns fatal when a shocking secret leads to a deadly end. Unless Clare can untangle this mystery, uncover the truth, and stop a desperate killer, she fears more of these weary writers may be marked for eternal rest. 

I pre-ordered a copy of the book awhile ago and cannot wait to start reading.

The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits

The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits was published on New Year's Day 2025. The novel is co-authored by Wanda Brunstetter and Martha Bolton. It’s interesting that the cover states the book is "a cozy Amish mystery." Is the book classified as within the cozy genre or does the reader just have the feel of being cozy while they are reading it? I have wondered for awhile whether Amish fiction can be considered to be a cozy sub-genre and am still befuddled by it. Brunstetter has written 78 books to date and Bolton has written 88 inspirational books. 

The story opens with Fannie Miller deciding to enter the Tuscarawas County Baking Contest. After making the finals of the competition some of the contestants begin disappearing. Fannie calls on her old friend Foster Bates, a retired cop and part-time private investigator, to determine who is responsible. They wonder whether other finalists are responsible for these disappearances in order to thin out the competition. Possible whodunnits include the couple on verge of divorce who need the prize money or the three Beiler sisters who are always in a huddle whispering. We don't get the names of the missing folks until 70% into the story. One person is named but she returns to watch the baking finals competition after a multiple personality blackout.

 

The story moved slowly and I got bored. I didn't like the characters at all. Fannie is a bossy woman who no one wants to be with, including me. It’s hard to believe that she is Amish because she behaves like an Englisher from the inner city. Foster Bates is just plain dull. I can't believe that he got involved in the investigation based merely on a bossy woman demanding his participation. He was not interested in joining Fannie's investigation and always tries to avoid her so his decision to help her isn’t realistic. Foster is a low energy guy who doesn't really want to work. In addition, I did not believe their interpretation of events. The missing contestants didn't make the finals so why wouldn't they just go home? Halfway through the story Foster even wondered whether anyone was really missing and the reader isn't given the names of the so-called missing people. Another problem I had was the huge amount of narrative. There wasn't much dialogue, mainly narrative. It's impossible to know each character's motives without dialogue. Also, the Amish bishop was quite accommodating to Foster. He answered every question and also offered more information. This just isn't realistic and the suspension of belief went too far. 

I wonder whether Wanda Brunstetter contributed anything to this book other than her name. The writing was not in her style. With most of the characters being Amish, I expected an Amish setting. There was nothing Amish about the book or the characters dialogue or behavior. Likewise, I expected to read about the characters as they baked their goods. None of that was in the book.

This book was a disappointment. 2 out of 5 stars. 

Delicious

Delicious, the Life and Art of Wayne Thiebaud was published in 2007. When I purchased it I was expecting the 9 x 12 official art history book of the same title. The book I received is approximately 8 x 8 with 108 pages. It contains a short biography of artist Wayne Thiebaud as well as his development as an artist from age 8 until his death in 2021 at the age of 101. I was not aware that this book is a children's book for kids aged 9 to 14. However, I still learned alot about the artist. Thiebaud is known for his paintings of cakes, pies, cupcakes,  hamburgers and hot dogs. He is one of my favorite artists of the 20th century.

The book has full page copies of Thiebaud's art along with some history concerning the methods used to make the painting. Thiebaud was a contemporary and friend of Willem de Kooning. He utilized Kooning's technique of making brushstrokes in his dessert paintings and painted many layers in each painting. He also copied the methods of the Old Masters. Thiebaud was a skilled cartoonist who could draw Popeye simultaneously with both hands. While he married twice and had a family, he went to college and earned a MS degree in art history. Thiebaud's day job was a professionor of art at Sacramento Junior College. 

During the 1960s he was thought to be a Pop Artist like Andy Warhol. However, Thiebaud used different ways of painting that were more complex than Warhol’s. He began each painting with a thumbnail sketch and then drew triangles or squares that he later drew into the pies, cakes, etc... Although Thiebaud is famous for his desserts, he also drew cityscapes and landscapes. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I will be thumbing through it alot in the future just to view those gorgeous paintings. 5 out of 5 stars.

40 Seconds

40 Seconds is a 2022 Comixology Original comic. This 120 page edition collects releases 1 through 5 of the comic. The book is a science fiction story about a team of science explorers. They are traveling in space through a series of alien gateways using Forge Gate Technology in order to answer a distress call from a galaxy away. The scientists jump across the universe through strange and beautiful landscapes only to be hunted by a vast inexplicably unstoppable horde. They can only learn the truth surrounding the distress call if they make it through the final gate in time.

While the story was gripping and fast paced, the first thing I noticed was the color palette of the comic strip panels. They are gorgeous. The first gateway has a beautiful pink landscape. The second was done in browns but the buildings were Asian inspired. I couldn’t tell if they were Japanese or Chinese. Colorist Brett Weldele did a fabulous job here. The next gateway was pink, lavender, green, blue, teal, orange and brown. The drawings of these worlds included ruins, jungle, urban areas along with strange creatures and enemies. The artwork made this story a fun one to read.

What does the title reveal about the story? The explorers have forty seconds to jump through the gates before they close and they are lost forever. I loved this comic and immediately re-read it. It's a fun story suitable for kids as there is no foul language, sex or violence. 5 out of 5 stars.