Bad Lands

I selected this book for the Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge. It was published on June 3, 2025 and is the 5th Nora Kelly mystery by the authors.When I began reading the book this afternoon, I was planning on reading just 3 or 4 chapters. That plan became impossible. I couldn’t stop reading until I finished the story. It's a gripping thriller with plenty of setting references to the climate of New Mexico and Indian artifacts. 

The publisher's summary:

In the New Mexico badlands, the skeleton of a woman is found—and the case is assigned to FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. The victim walked into the desert, shedding clothes as she went, and died in agony of heatstroke and thirst. Two rare artifacts are found clutched in her bony hands—lightning stones used by the ancient Chaco people to summon the gods. 

Is it suicide or… sacrifice? 

Agent Swanson brings in archaeologist Nora Kelly to investigate. When a second body is found—exactly like the other—the two realize the case runs deeper than they imagined. As Corrie and Nora pursue their investigation into remote canyons, haunted ruins, and long-lost rituals, they find themselves confronting a dark power that, disturbed from its long slumber, threatens to exact an unspeakable price. 

I didn't have huge expectations for the novel as I felt earlier books in the Nora Kelly series were OK, not great. Badlands is the exception. The plot doesn't just center on the Nora character but significantly includes her younger brother Skip and his newfound buddy Edison Nash, FBI Agent Corrie Swanson, University of New Mexico professor Carlos Oskarbi and his adoring female students. A few secondary characters added salt to this brew. Emma Bluebird was my favorite. She is a gun-toting, elderly Navajo Indian woman who distrusts white people. When Nora and Corrie knock on her door, they are greeted with a shotgun. She doesn't speak much English but is able to give them a clue for their investigation. They are looking into the deaths of two women, both doctors in archeology. Both women had been walking through a wilderness area, took of all their clothes, and collapsed into the hot sands of the Gallina Canyon to die. Emma is always in control of the conversation and uses that shotgun to tell the ladies when their meeting is over.

The artifacts that are used in the plot are called lightening stones. When they are rubbed together, a soft light emerges. The stones are rare. Only two pair of them are known to exist but it is presumed that there are many in the wilderness areas of the state. As the story progresses, we learn more and more about them. The Gallina people, who existed up to 1200 BC, used them in religious rituals. 

The plot was complex. While the story opened with the death of an unknown woman in the wilderness, it quickly moves to identify her and another body as well as what connected them. Both were professors at the University of New Mexico and while still studying were known to be groupies of Dr. Carlos Oskarbi. Here the plot takes off in several different arcs.

Badlands may be my favorite Preston and Childs novel. It's the most thrilling tale I've read from them to date and I am happy to give it high marks. 5 out of 5 stars.

Save Her Life

Save Her Life is my choice for the Key Word Reading Challenge for June. Hostage negotiator Sandra Vos is the protagonist of a new police procedural series with Save Her Life being the first installment of the series. Sandra chose law enforcement as a career because her brother was murdered when they were young. When her teenage daughter disappears, Sandra feels like life is repeating itself. The book was published on May 27, 2025.

The publisher's summary:

The tears fall down the girl’s pale face as she desperately tries to struggle free from the ties around her wrists. The only sound in the room other than her muffled cries is the ticking of a clock. Her mother has less than one hour to find her alive.

It’s been more than thirty years since Special Agent Sandra Vos’s twin brother was shot dead, an innocent victim caught in a kidnap gone wrong. It devastated Sandra’s family, but it made her who she is today, one of the FBI’s most successful negotiators.

After dropping her teenage daughter, Olivia, at school, Sandra is alerted to a potential hostage situation at her local grocery store and races to the scene. A man has pulled out a gun and is refusing to talk or let anyone out of the building until his demands are met. The fate of dozens of lives rests in Sandra’s hands.

But as Sandra starts to make a breakthrough with the hostage taker, she receives a call that makes her blood run cold. Someone has taken Olivia, and their demand will push Sandra to her absolute limit. If it’s not met within twenty-four hours, she will never see her daughter again.

Sandra knows she should step aside, letting her team take over, but she doesn’t trust anyone else to bring Olivia home alive. Breaking every rule in the book, Sandra is ready to go into her most personal negotiation yet. But how much will she have to sacrifice to save her daughter?

The story opened with Sandra attending a parole hearing for the man who killed her brother over thirty years ago. The man was denied parole. The story then moved to a hostage negotiation that Sandra lead. I don’t think I needed to read 80 pages of Sandra negotiating with a hostage taker to understand her job. It was overkill. Also, her daughter wasn't kidnapped until 40% of the way into the story. Since saving daughter Olivia's life is what the book is supposed to be about, I think the kidnapping should have occurred early on in the story.  

The book concentrates more on procedure than relationships and I was somewhat bored. I did not connect with Sandra as a character. I felt more for the criminals instead. After reading other reviews of the book I am aware that my opinion is a minority opinion. Given that these criminals are not going to be involved in future stories, I don’t see much to entice me to continue to read the series. There aren't any secondary characters that were drawn upon either. We basically only read what their names are.

The plot was interesting but I had a few issues with the writing. I am rating the book 3 out of 5 stars.

The Doctor's Secret

The Doctor's Secret was published last year. It's a psychological thriller featuring city coroner Stacy Lewis as the protagonist. Her fiance, emergency physician Dr. Henry Goldberg, is the prime suspect in a serial murder case wherein three women who look like Stacy are killed. The killer always leaves the bodies naked in an alleyway. Stacy does not believe that Henry is the killer. However, her ex-boyfriend Matt Ensor does. Matt is the detective on the cases. Stacy is convinced that Matt’s judgment is skewed by his hatred of Henry and desire to get Stacy back. She is willing to do anything to clear Henry's name, even abuse her position as city coroner. After getting Henry out of jail on bail, women begin disappearing again.

Stacy was an annoying character. I could not stand to hear her acquiesce to everything Henry desired. Henry disagreed with all her plans for dinner, wedding planning, and even the books Stacy was allowed to read at home. He was a bully. I thought she was a weak character. Because she grew up in an abusive home, Stacy was trained to cater to bullies. I cannot imagine how she obtained a medical degree or was able to perform autopsies without a mental breakdown. As the coroner, Stacy autopsied the victims of the serial killer. Some of her findings she shared with her husband but he refused to listen because it was macabre.

While Stacy was annoying, Henry was the typical mama's boy. He felt he was the king of his household because his mother held him up on a pedestal. Whenever Stacy was speaking he cut her off. He dictated their dinners, the TV shows they watched and Stacy's reading material. I am astonished that Stacy would accept this behavior. She was highly educated and I expected more from her.

I figured out the identity of the whodunnit early on. The whydunnit was hard to determine and it wasn't revealed until the end of the story. It was an OK ending but I wish that it had been more complex. 

3 out of 5 stars.

The Retirement Plan

I chose The Retirement Plan as my selection for the Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge this month. It was published a few days ago. The story is a funny cozy mystery that anyone whoever has been married, yes everyone, will enjoy.

The publisher's summary:

Three best friends turn to murder to collect on their husbands’ life insurance policies… But the husbands have a plan of their own in this darkly funny debut that will delight readers from the first laugh to the final twist.

After thirty years of friendship, Pam dreams of her perfect retirement with Nancy, Shalisa, Marlene, and their husbands—until their husbands pool their funds for an investment that goes terribly wrong. Suddenly, their golden years are looking as dreary as their marriages.

But when the women discover their husbands have seven-figure life insurance policies, a new dream forms. And this time, they need a hitman.

Meanwhile, their husbands are working on their own secret retirement scheme and when things begin to go sideways, they fear it’s backfired. The husbands scramble to stay alive…but soon realize they may not be quick enough to outmaneuver their wives.

I feel that the first few chapters were slow while the author set up her plot. There were alot of characters introduced as well as the backstory on the two retirement plans. This plot is the most ingenious plot I ever heard. I knew the book would be entertaining so while it began slow I kept reading and soon was hooked. 

The characters are hilarious. The three wives and the three husbands behaved ridiculously. None of them could successfully carry out a plan and they all bumbled their actions. The person in the middle of it all is the barber, Hector, who just happens to be an organized crime killer from Central America. The story was revealed through four alternating points of view. The wives had one viewpoint, the husbands had theirs, the new manager of the casino where the husbands worked, Padma, had hers  and then we have Hector's. The novel switches points of view frequently. And while I enjoyed the antics of the husbands and wives tremendously, I think my favorite chapters were probably from the perspective of Padma, the frazzled casino boss of two of the husbands with an overbearing mother. Hector is also a cool character to follow.

Humor exudes throughout the story because of the zany plot. You can't help but chuckle at everyone's antics. The Retirement Plan is the type of yarn that all will enjoy. I highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Lost Girls

The Lost Girls was published in February 2025. It was previously published in 2023 with the title The Flash Girls. I don't know the reason for changing the title, especially since several flash girls were killed in the story. Perhaps the story was revised. I don't know. As usual, though, J. M. Cannon has written another outstanding novel. He is the king of psychological thrillers.

The publisher's summary:

Charleston, South Carolina. Four years ago. Three girls disappear into the night. One by one they go missing, never to be seen again. No witnesses, no leads, nothing. The only thing they had in common? An uneasy sense of being watched in the days before they vanished. Noises in the night, and boot prints in the flower beds outside their bedroom windows . . .

Today. One of the lost girls was Anna Klein's best friend. With no body, the case went cold. But Anna never stopped looking for Sylvie - or whoever took her. Now, four years later, Anna finally has a lead when a body turns up in an abandoned mansion. She has to know: is it Sylvie? But time is running out. As the storm of the century threatens the whole East Coast, the clock is ticking to find the answers before this trail goes cold.

Can Anna find Sylvie and the other girls before they're lost forever?

I was mesmerized by this story from the first page:  

"Marble eyes. That's the rumor. A woman's corpse has been found with eyes like a doll. Anna thinks it sounds just strange enough to be what's she's after. The location is right. So is the body's estimated age."  

I had alot of questions already about the plot from this first paragraph. It was so intriguing that I couldn't stop reading until I finished the book in one sitting. The pace was fast but the last quarter of the story was super fast.  

Anna's job as a newspaper journalist was perfect for an amateur sleuth. She was assigned to covering a fast approaching hurricane but she felt that was beneath her. The murder story should have been assigned to her, not the newby reporter on staff. She was always ahead of the police but they didn't always know it. There are subtle hints throughout the book of Anna having intimate knowledge of the missing girls. While I was reading I was not sure whether this was a clue or red herring.

The secondary characters were all important to the plot. Anna worked with Justin at the newspaper and her favorite teacher Geller helped her with unscrambling the meaning behind the killer's poem. Her mother was awful. She was an unrepentant alcoholic but her importance is revealed toward the end. Anna's school friends Hannah, Tess and Sylvie have been missing for four years. They are the flash girls. The meaning behind "flash" was part of the killer's modus operandi and it was an intriguing part of the story.

The Charleston setting wasn't prominent until the latter half of the book as the hurricane approached. Here we read about famous buildings being ripped apart from the waves. The ending was a surprise I did not expect  ur it was a satisfying feeling to finish the book.

I loved this book and mystery fans will want to read it, especially if they like psychological thrillers. 5 out of 5 stars.

An Irish Bookshop Murder

Last year I read three books from Lucy Connelly's Scottish Isles series and loved them. When I found out about this new Mercy McCarthy mystery I had to get it. This series takes place in Shamrock Cove, Ireland and I love the setting. 

The publisher's summary:

Meet Ireland’s newest daring detective: she’s a bookstore owner, a coffee lover, and a crime writer. Now Mercy McCarthy needs a little Irish luck as she takes on her first case!  After receiving an unexpected inheritance from her grandfather, Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie are now the proud owners of a charming antique bookshop in the tiny Irish village of Shamrock Cove. But before they can take in the beautiful view of the sea, one of their neighbors drops dead!

Mercy finds the Judge, a well-respected man who lives next door, dying on his own doorstep. She rushes to help, but with his final words, he accuses Mercy of murder! Most of their new neighbors hear his words and, with suspicion pointing at Mercy, she decides to investigate the case to clear her name.  Searching amongst the Judge’s old books, Mercy uncovers letters proving several of the townsfolk had reason to dislike the older man—but was it the local pub landlord, the kindly cook or neighborly knitter who killed him?

Then Mercy’s chief suspect turns up dead and she receives a threatening note, typed on paper from her own bookstore… Ireland was supposed to be a fresh start for Mercy and Lizzie, but dead bodies keep turning up.  Does Mercy have what it takes to nail the culprit or will the killer close the book on her time in this charming Irish village?

Connelly has recently become one of my favorite authors. I am thrilled to have discovered her. An Irish Bookshop Murder is a great start for the series. Many times first novels have too much backstory and character information to the detriment of the actual mystery. Here, however, we have a rich mystery to solve and it has many twists. The pace is fast and with quirky characters it is an engaging story. I can see future installments of the series having a wide variety of plotlines with all of these eccentric characters. 

If there is anything negative to say about the book, it is the suspension of belief required to accept Mercy’s  investigation of the Judge’s murder. It seemed bizarre that she would investigate when she had only lived in the community for one week. Who does that? Most people would be busy unpacking and arranging their new home to their taste. Most people wouldn't be able to remember all the names of their new neighbors yet alone consider whether they are guilty of murder.

The story is a fast read. Cozy mystery lovers will enjoy it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Knife Skills For Beginners

Knife Skills for the Beginner is the first book in a new cozy culinary mystery series. It's fantastic! The plot is about a chef who is talked into substituting for a famous chef/friend who teaches a week long residential cookery course. 

The publisher's summary:

The Chester Square Cookery School in the heart of London offers students a refined setting in which to master the fine art of choux pastry and hone their hollandaise. True, the ornate mansion doesn’t quite sparkle the way it used to—a feeling chef Paul Delamare is familiar with these days. Worn out and newly broke, he’d be tempted to turn down the request to fill in as teacher for a week-long residential course, if anyone other than Christian Wagner were asking.

Christian is one of Paul’s oldest friends, as well as the former recipient of two Michelin stars and host of Pass the Gravy! Thanks to a broken arm, he’s unable to teach the upcoming session himself, and recruits Paul as stand-in. The students are a motley crew, most of whom seem more interested in ogling the surroundings (including handsome Christian) than learning the best ways to temper chocolate.

Yet despite his misgivings, Paul starts to enjoy imparting his extensive knowledge to the recruits—until someone turns up dead, murdered with a cleaver Paul used earlier that day to prep a pair of squabs. Did one of his students take the lesson on knife techniques too much to heart, or was this the result of a long-simmering grudge? In between clearing his own name and teaching his class how to perfectly poach a chicken, he’ll have to figure out who’s the killer, and avoid being the next one to get butchered.

 

Knife Skills is an entertaining story. I loved everything about it. The plot was good and the characters were remarkable. All of them were a little eccentric which made them seem suspicious. This is the first book I have ever read where every character could have been the killer, except Christian, the deceased. When the killer was revealed I was shocked. I wondered what clues I could have missed. How many of these characters return in the next book is questionable and I am wondering if Paul will be teaching classes in future books or if his setting is going to be a restaurant.

This is the author’s debut fiction novel. Orlando Murrin is a former editor of BBC Good Food, founder of Olive Magazine, a semi-finalist on Masterchef and has written seven cookbooks. I guess he knows how to write! Not every one can write fiction though but he has begun the series well. I look forward to reading more from him in the future. 

The Celestial Guardian

I started this book last night and was only going to read a few chapters. The next thing I knew I had read 150 pages. Again, I thought I would finish the chapter and go to bed. I didn't get to sleep until I finished the book. The Celestial Guardian is that good! 

The publisher's summary:  

Dive into the heart of Vatican intrigue with The Celestial Guardian, an adrenaline-pumping thriller that masterfully intertwines the shadowy corridors of religious power with the luminous frontiers of scientific discovery. This captivating narrative follows Father Michael Dominic, the esteemed Prefect of the Vatican’s Secret Archives, as he uncovers a remarkable artifact lost to time—Leonardo da Vinci’s most ingenious invention, the Celestial Guardian. Initially heralded as a divine instrument capable of forecasting a catastrophic asteroid bound for Earth, Father Dominic's discovery soon unravels a more ominous reality: the Guardian’s ability to not just predict, but alter celestial events.

As the revelation of its true potential threatens to shake the foundations of faith and science, the narrative propels readers into a high-stakes race against time. Father Dominic finds himself ensnared in a dangerous web of ambition and power, with factions including a power-hungry Vatican cardinal, vying for control of the Guardian’s world-altering abilities. Set against the backdrop of a Church grappling with transformative doctrines and the scrutiny of the world, Father Dominic must navigate his own inner turmoil while thwarting a global catastrophe.

The Celestial Guardian is a riveting exploration of the delicate balance between belief and science, power and morality. It’s a story that delves deep into the heart of human vulnerability, ambition, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. With a narrative rich in historical enigma, scientific wonder, and human drama, this novel promises to keep readers on the edge of their seats, questioning where the boundary between miraculous and scientific truly lies. Prepare for a journey that spans the secretive vaults of the Vatican to the cutting edge of astronomy, all woven into a suspense-filled saga that guarantees to captivate from the first page to the last.

I loved the story but I felt it was a little different from other books on the series. The others were thrillers but this one I would categorize as a mystery. There's nothing wrong with that. There was no urgency in the resolution of the plot, at least I didn't see any. There was no murder to resolve. Instead, there is a race between one group who want to control the Guardian for good and another group wanting to use it to gain power. I had a disconnect with the idea that there was an urgency among these two groups within the Vatican. That said, I was eager to know how this would all play out.

As usual, the author created an amazing plot premise. He took one of DaVinci device drawings and decided to have his characters build it. Lo and behold the machine can predict celestial events and even change those events. The villain is a Cardinal who plans to use the machine to create the face of Jesus in the sky. He hopes it will result in people returning to the church and strictly following his instructions. Father Dominic prefers to only use the Guardian to change the path of an asteroid tumbling toward earth.

The Celestial Guardian is an easy reading and I'm rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Wife Upstairs

I selected this book for the Key Word Reading Challenge. Upstairs is one of the words allowed this month. When I selected it I knew it was going to be great because Freida McFadden is the author. She is a stellar writer.

The publisher's summary:

Victoria Barnett has it all.

A great career as a nurse practitioner. A handsome and loving husband. A beautiful home in the suburbs and a plan to fill it with children. Life is perfect—or so it seems.

Then she’s in a terrible accident… and her life is forever changed.

Sylvia Robinson is hired as a caregiver for Victoria. Sylvia moves into a spare room, feeds Victoria, and takes her on long walks. The two women become friends.

But as it turns out, this simple nursing job is more than what it seems. As Sylvia and Victoria's friendship grows, Sylvia realizes that Victoria is desperately trying to tell her something.

If only she could speak.

My first reaction to this book is WOW!  Talk about being on a wild ride. This story started off fast and the pace kept increasing. When negative things happened, the rural setting made them seem worse. There were no neighbors for a mile, no nearby stores or police protection. The city was 2 or 3 hours away.

The characters are what made the book successful. Victoria's husband Adam is the main villain but there are other characters that acted just as bad. Victoria's friend Maggie had ulterior motives, all while giving the appearance of protecting her. Her betrayal of Victoria isn't shown until the end. She was jealous of Victoria because Adam seemed like a great guy. He was rich, brought her flowers and took her to dinner at high priced restaurants. Adam also bought her a house, without telling her, but it was obvious to me that he was a possessive man and the relationship would deteriorate. On the surface Adam was an attentive husband, catering to his wife's every whim. Privately, he was a tyrant who frequently cheated on Victoria.

When Sylvia is hired she is overwhelmed at the opportunity to live in their mansion. Sylvia couldn't believe how lucky she was to sleep in a huge bed made up with luxury linens. Adam gave her Victoria's Honda Civic to use when she wanted to go out. All she saw was the riches she was given by Adam and Sylvia ignored all the signs of his misconduct. She didn't ask questions because she wanted to continue living the high life. Her downfall, though,  was her loyalty to her patient.

How Victoria sustained her injuries is unknown. Everyone believes whatever Adam tells them. I think they only believed him because he was rich and they wanted him for themselves. Why the wealthy get away with so much has always felt wrong but it happens in real life all the time. I still don't understand why.

The Wife Upstairs shows us the age old story of domestic violence committed by men. Freida McFadden writes it exquisitely and it's an engrossing read. 5 out of 5 stars.

This Blood Runs

This Blood Runs is the sequel to J. M. Cannon's This Family Lies. It is a psychological thriller at its best and mystery fans will love it. Note that parts of the novel are gruesome but it matches the storyline. However, if you are squeamish you might want to pass on reading the book. The story involves the Mexican cartel and descriptions of human trafficking are prominent.

The publisher's summary:

Iris is being hunted.

Through the burning sugarcane fields she must flee Sweet Blood and the country.

But in the blue hills of Mexico awaits a new set of horrors. Blood trails and missing girls tell a story: what Iris was told about her past might not be true.

The game is on for her to stay alive and find the person she loves. The challenge is the truth because that's the thing about lies, Iris has learned...

They multiply.

This Blood Burns picks up with the intensity, twists and the shock that left readers of This Family Lies enthralled. Coming late summer.

 

It took me a few chapters to become familiar with the action that occurred in the first book. In a perfect world I would have read these novels consecutively. I felt awful that Iris experienced so many tramatic events while she was on the lam. She believed that law enforcement was searching for her in order to charge her with killing her husband so she put up with alot. SPOILER ALERT We find out later that this was false. Every person who helped her run was actually an enemy of her but she didn't know it. These reveals were all shocking but part of the many twists and turns in this story. Iris's run covers most of the pages but at one point she agrees to help the FBI catch the leaders of the cartel. This is where the story becomes gruesome. As Iris uncovers information about the trafficking trade, it's ugliness is shown. 

I recommend beginning with This Family Lies before reading this book. There are clues that eminate from the earlier novel and these clues are not explained. The reader really needs to have read This Family Lies in order to understand what the clues refer to.

I loved reading the novel and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Everything Bundt the Truth

I received a free copy of this cozy mystery from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review.  It is a Dinner Club cozy mystery that was published in 2016. I thought it was OK but it didn't do much for me.

The publisher's summary:

She cheated on dessert. A murderer killed before dinner. If she doesn't dish up the solution, she'll be banned from the club. A recent widow, Jane Marsh, is determined to recapture a rich, full life. She strives for youthful fun by riding a bicycle downtown on her lunch hour in a suit and heels, smoking cigars, eating at hipster restaurants, and re-entering the dating scene, even if her dates prove to be peculiar. Her most fervent desire, though, is to join an exclusive dinner club. She auditions but is barred when her housekeeper is found murdered, and she and her guest list become the suspect list. Her, a killer? So what if her two late husbands died under suspicious circumstances. It doesn't make her a killer. Having passed off a store-bought Bundt cake as her own creation, she may have committed a culinary crime, but never murder! This first in the dinner club murder mystery series is similar to cozies written by authors Jessica Beck, Joanne Fluke, and Leslie Meier. If you like cozy mysteries, tight friendships, and gripping who-done-its, you'll love Whalen's Everything Bundt the Truth. Buy the book now to join the dinner club craze today.

My initial attraction to the book was the inviting red book cover with the bundt cake pan. The cover is gorgeous. However, the writing style was simple and didn't entertain me. There are a few positives though. I thought that the murder occurring in the first chapter was a good idea as then the rest of the book is about the investigation. The plot premise was also good. Murdering the housekeeper was a great idea but being denied entry into a dinner club because she was killed didn't make sense to me. It was a stretch too far. 

Jane was an obvious suspect since the death occurred in her home. The police were also interested in her because both of her husbands died in similar accidents. The author focused alot of attention on Jane's interactions with family and friends. I prefer a storyline that spends most of the pages on the murder investigation. . 

Many cozy lovers will enjoy this traditional cozy but it wasn't my cup of tea. 3 out of 5 stars.

No Roast for the Weary

This coffeehouse mystery series by husband and wife writing team Cleo Coyle is my favorite cozy mystery series. In No Roast for the Weary the tables are turned on protagonist Clare Cosi and her Village Blend staff after opening a Writer's Block Lounge on the second floor of the 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. ~ Includes a knockout menu of recipes.

No Roast for the Weary is cozy mystery perfection! I was hooked from the first chapter and loved that she incorporated current events into the story. The Village Blend is suffering financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic shut-down. Customer traffic hasn’t recovered from the pandemic. In order to increase business, the coffeehouse team brainstorms and decides to reopen the Writer’s Block Lounge, a second floor lounge that the coffeehouse hosted a few decades ago. With ads on social media sites, the crowds return.

There is an incident, though, with a regular customer who begins shouting and fighting against someone who is invisible to everyone but him. The staff call him Mr. Scrib because he spends hours every day drinking coffee and writing in a notebook. Scrib tells barrista Esther that he is writing a true crime book that will upset all the politicians and cops in New York City. The mystery to be solved concerns Mr. Scrib whose real name is Jensen Van Dyne. There is a murder to solve in the current time period but the one that happened years ago in the Writer's  Block Lounge is the main mystery.

This is another fun, fast-paced contemporary mystery. I love that this story delved into a mystery that occurred decades ago in the coffeehouse. It keeps the series fresh when the authors write about both current and former murders that happened at the Village Blend.

5 out of 5 stars. 

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 

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.

The Guests

I selected this book for the Key Word Reading Challenge this month. The plot is interesting. Six guests are invited to the private Stonecliffe Island in Lake Michigan for the reading of a will and some of them are going to die.

The story opens with Ryleigh, a struggling artist whose been invited by her best friend, Kerrigan, to spend a week on Kerrigan's family’s private island on Lake Michigan. Kerrigan is a housewife with a perfect life. She has a seemingly loving husband, Kip, and a glamorous downtown Chicago apartment. However, her husband hates her. Their marriage is a sham. Cole is the caretaker of the estate and his job is to make sure the guests of the estate have everything they want but he has private aspirations that he needs to accomplish before the summer is over. Also in attendance are newlyweds Stavros and Mika.

On the estate each guest has their own villa. There are staff on-call twenty-four hours a day, including a masseuse, chefs to make dinner every night, and waiters pouring endless champagne. Their stay is expected to be perfect. However, a violent storm arrives and there is no way off of the island. Then one of the guests disappears.

The story started off well but for half of the book there was mainly bickering among the characters. The first disappearance didn't happen until halfway through the story so I tired of this dialogue. The story took off though and the pace kept ratcheting up until the final pages. The guests pointed fingers at each other, accusing everyone of commandeering the disappearance of Mika and later the disappearance of Kerrigan. This back and forth continued to the end of the story which had me reeling from the frequent twists and turns.

Despite the slow start this was an exciting novel and I am glad that I stuck with it. 4 out of 5 stars.

Shadows of Marrakech

Shadows of Marrakech was published in 2014. It is the first book of Philip Brebner's Ramzi Murder Mystery series. There are 4 installments of the series to date. I received a free copy of the book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I must say I loved it!

The publisher's summary:

Running a bed and breakfast in Riad Waqi, an old courtyard house in exotic Marrakech, is not the escape it seems for Ramzi, a disillusioned Scottish scientist. He cannot decide who are more exasperating, staff or guests, especially when one of the clients, a young Frenchman Paul Gallisot, is murdered in the city.

Up for a challenge, Ramzi turns detective and makes his own investigations into the killing, at a time when Morocco prepares for the festival of Eid and the ritual slaughter of sheep in the nation’s homes.

Paul Gallisot’s childhood links to North Africa, his enigmatic wife Nicole, and their relationship with Tahar, who is suspected of being involved in the Casablanca terrorist attacks, lead Ramzi down a path as challenging as the maze of Marrakech’s historic medina.

As Ramzi makes headway, he meets the unorthodox Dr Rashida, is bewildered by Inspector Karim, endures the prejudice of Paul’s sister, is confided a mystery by an American Bob Spasoff, and in his role as hotelier, plays havoc with Riad Waqi’s guests.

The search for motive and murderer progresses from a traditional exorcism to a journey across the Atlas to the ominous Blue Rocks near the oasis of Tafraoute. There comedy turns to tragedy as he uncovers the facts and realizes that life defies scientific logic.

The setting is the most prominent feature of the book. The sights and sounds of Marrakech are on every page. The author obviously knows Morocco and the city of Marrakech very well. I found myself excitedly perusing online maps during my read to see where all the mentioned towns and sights were located. Brebner easily describes the atmosphere and culture of this exotic setting. 

Most of the story centers round a riad, owned by our amateur sleuth Ramzi. His riad is located inside the ancient Marrakech medina. I have always wanted to stay at a riad so it was lovely to read about their decor and placement in a community. So what is a riad?  The Marrakech Riads website states that a riad is a traditional Moroccan house or palace with an indoor garden and courtyard. They are located within the old city walls of Medina. Generally, they are fully enclosed inside with an open-ceiling structure. Usually, the indoor courtyard of these buildings are decorated with colored traditional mosaics called “ Zellij” and have marble fountains in the center with plants, trees and flowers all around. The bedrooms are often located on the second floor, while the common areas and dining rooms are located on the ground floor. 

The writing style is light and humorous making the book a fast read. The murder investigation centered on Ramzi's conversations with all of the characters. He doesn't allow his sleuthing to be noticed during the conversations so it seems to the other parties that Ramzi is just visiting with them.  No one is aware that he is investigating the murder. The ending was a surprise and, again, the setting is the main clue.

I enjoyed reading this novel and look forward to reading the additional books in the series. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Medici Return

The Medici Return is the newest and 19th installment of Steve Berry's Cotton Malone spy thriller series. The story is currently in development as a streaming series. In The Medici Return, Cotton travels to Italy in order to solve a five hundred year-old mystery.  

It is always hard to summarize a book with a complex plot so I will let the publisher summarize it for me:

Cotton Malone is on the hunt for a forgotten 16th century Pledge of Christ—a sworn promise made by Pope Julius II that evidences a monetary debt owed by the Vatican, still valid after five centuries—now worth in the trillions of dollars. But collecting that debt centers around what happened to the famed Medici of Florence—a family that history says died out, without heirs, centuries ago. 

Who will become the next prime minister of Italy, and who will be the next pope? Finding answers proves difficult until Cotton realizes that everything hinges on when, and if, the Medici return.

Former Justice Department operative, Cotton Malone, has been asked to assist the Swiss guard with determining whether Cardinal Jason Richter has engaged in bribery and theft. It’s a favor for Stephanie Nelle, once his boss at the Magellan Billet, who is doing a favor for the Vatican. But nothing is as it seems. Four hundred thousand euros are found, a Swiss Guardsman is murdered, and a killer sets his sights on both Cotton and the cardinal.

Together they are thrust into a search for a forgotten document, a 16th century Pledge of Christ executed by Pope Julius II that reveals a debt owed by the Vatican, still valid after five centuries, now worth in the trillions of dollars. But when the trail to collecting that debt leads Cotton to the famed Medici of Florence—a family that history says died out, without heirs, centuries ago—he realizes that two more things also hang in the balance. Who will be the next prime minister of Italy, and who will become the next pope.

From a quiet hilltop village in central Germany, to the ancient city of Siena with its famed Palio horse race, and finally to the historic piazzas, churches, and crypts of Florence, Cotton Malone uncovers the answers, one by one, everything hinging on when, and if, the Medici return.

I have read all of the Cotton Malone books all of them have been good. The Medici Return is one of the best though. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the history of the Medici and Pazzi clans. The Pignus Christi, the Pledge of Christ, referred to in the plot is not real however. While I was still reading, I researched the pledge online and found nothing. "Pignus" is a Latin word that means "pledge" so a pignus christi is translated as the pledge of christ. In Roman law, pignus referred to a pledge given to a creditor to secure an obligation. In this story Pope Julius gave this such pledge to Giuliano de Medici in exchange for ten million flori. The Author's Note at the end of the story cleared up my question whether the Pignus Christi was real. It isn't. Berry made it up. This was creative! By the time Malone is searching for this IOU, the Medici family has died out and a man who believes he is a lawful Medici heir is also searching for it. Others who are looking for it include two powerful Cardinals, one who is striving to be the next Pope.

The pace was pleasant, neither fast nor slow. With so much history written into the novel, a slower than normal pace for a Steve Berry book was appropriate. If there was anything that bothered me it was the part where Cotton participated in a horse race in Siena called the Palio. It did not advance the plot so I am puzzled why it was inserted. Steve Berry stated that he saw this race during one of his visits to Italy and that he was fascinated by it. Maybe that is the answer to my question.

I loved The Medici Return and highly recommend it to mystery fans. 4 out of 5 stars.

The Petrus Prophecy

The Petrus Prophecy is the 3rd book in Gary McAvoy's Vatican Secret Archives Mystery series. There are 7 books in the series to date and its the best one I have read.  It was published in April 2022.

The publisher's summary:

Father Jonah Barlow is dead. The respected Jesuit scholar of apocalyptic studies might have died from a fall in his apartment . . . or was he pushed? All that is known for sure is that the provocative manuscript he was working on—a book that promised to reveal the upcoming fulfillment of ancient and recent prophecies, including the ghastly and shocking Third Secret of Fatima—is missing.

Two female detectives—one from Chicago, the other from Rome—take on the investigation as a possible homicide, turning to Vatican archivist Father Michael Dominic for his help, since Barlow sent the young priest the only other copy of the manuscript.

Newly elected Pope Ignatius, Enrico Petrini, intent on verifying the content of the manuscript against the original handwritten version of the Third Secret—which has been kept sequestered in the Pope’s personal vault for decades—discovers that the keys have been stolen. The search is on for the only other set, kept safely in the hands of a trusted monk in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, a sinister ancient order known as the Knights of the Apocalypse seem to be using the predictions of the manuscript to create fear and chaos as the prophecies appear to be coming fulfilled. Is the end of the world imminent?

From Chicago to Jerusalem to Scotland, from Rome to the ancient island nation of Malta, join Father Dominic, journalist Hana Sinclair, their trusted team of Swiss Guards, a French commando, and the two detectives as they solve the bewildering puzzles of the Petrus Prophecy.

This book was an exhilarating read. From the first chapter to the last I could not stop reading until I finished it. The death to resolve was that of Father John Barlow. Was it an accident or a homicide? The gut instinct of detective Rebecca Lancaster of the Chicago Police Department tells her that a murder was probably committed. She believes that the research Father Barlow was conducting was important enough to kill for and that she needs to know more about it in order to resolve this death investigation. After obtaining approval from her boss to travel to Italy, Rebecca contacts a friend who is a member of Rome's police force. With Sabrina Felici's assistance, Rebecca begins her investigation. 

Barlow's book was about the third secret prophecy of Our Lady of Fatima, an historical event, St. Malachy's prophecy of the last pope, Petrus Romano, and the Miracle of the Sun which occurred in Fatima in 1917 several months before three children were visited by the Virgin Mary and given a three part prophecy. The first secret was a vision of hell and the second secret was the identity of the pope during WWII. Both were publicly disclosed in the 1940s but the third secret was disclosed in May 2000 by Pope John Paul II. The Pope stated that the third message was the Virgin Mary’s vision of the May 13, 1981, assassination attempt on himself. John Paul II publicly credited Our Lady of Fátima for saving his life. The premise of this novel is that John Paul II only told part of the third secret. Barlow's involvement in the plot disappears halfway into the story. The real mystery is whether the priests who are using Barlow's ideas to force the end of the world will succeed.

There were lots of twists and turns in the story. Each twist takes the reader to a different location. The reader travels to the U. S., Rome, Scotland, Jerusalem and Malta. Knowing how to read symbols is essential to solving the mystery. The story is similar to Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series. Father Dominic and his journalist friend Hana Sinclair are both experts in this field. Hana has joined him on all of his earlier exploits. While they are searching for the keys the new pope needs, the Knights of the Apocalypse (KOTA) are making media releases concerning the end of the world. Hoarding of food and other goods  begins happening world wide and the stock markets are tumbling. 

The Petrus Prophecy is a wonderful book. Mystery lovers will want to read it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Lava Cakes and Lies

Lava Cakes and Lies is the first book in a new cozy mystery series by Nova Walsh. It was published in December 2024 and features ex-lawyer Ginny as a bakery owner and amateur sleuth. I received a free copy of this book from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review.

The publisher's summary: 

High-powered criminal attorney Ginny Malone never expected to swap her designer suits for flour-dusted aprons, but a twist of fate sends her fleeing to the quaint coastal town of Moonstone Bay, California. With her spirited—and mischievous—cat Shortcake by her side, Ginny sets her sights on starting a bakery on the boardwalk, armed only with her grandmother's secret recipes and a dash of determination.

But Ginny's dream of sweet success crumbles when a dead body is discovered during renovations, and her gruff yet oh-so-intriguing landlord, P.I. Vince Rinaldi, becomes the prime suspect. The ovens are cold, the drywall is crumbling, and now danger is lurking behind every display case.

With the help of her hammer-wielding new BFF Lois, a sprinkle of legal know-how, and a heaping spoonful of wit, Ginny sets out to fix more than just ovens and drywall. As she digs into the case, the quirky townsfolk begin to look less neighborly and more suspect—and Vince might need as much rescuing as her broken heater.

Between perfecting her luscious lava cakes and untangling lies, Ginny must race to clear Vince's name before her fresh start becomes a recipe for disaster. Can she serve up justice and save a budding romance before the real killer strikes again?

Lava Cake and Lies is a charming and witty cozy mystery filled with heartwarming friendships, banter-filled clean romance, cat antics, and recipes you'll be dying to try. Perfect for fans of Ellie Alexander and Joanne Fluke, this book is a culinary cozy mystery that promises to be a real treat.

Usually a new cozy mystery series opens with a long description of the setting and introduces the characters. We read about their backstories from long narratives. Not so with Lava Cakes and Lies. The story opened with Ginny signing a lease for her bakery. The next morning she meets with her general contactor Lois and they find a dead body in the space. The mystery began quickly which is how I like my mysteries.

The investigation of the murder consisted of Ginny reading old newspapers and talking with her new friends. There wasn't any big build up to the reveal of the identity of the whodunnit. It just happened haphazardly when someone confessed while Ginny and Vince visited them. Romance was a large part of the story. Ginny and her landlord Vince hit it off from the start and were soon hugging and kissing.

The book lacks twists and turns and the investigation was lackluster. However, I didn't mind. The story read well. Maybe I have the genre wrong. It might not be a cozy mystery but just a cozy. I think cozy is the right description but the book is advertised as a cozy culinary mystery.

While I found some issues with the writing I loved this novel. I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars and have pre-ordered the second book in the series which will be published on February 25, 2025.