Little Eve

Little Eve won the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel and also the British Fantasy Award for Best Horror Novel. After reading author Catriona Ward's phenomenal Last House on Needless Street last year, I placed all of her books on my TBR list. Little Eve was published in 2022.

The publisher's summary:

A great day is upon us. He is coming. The world will be washed away.”

On the wind-battered isle of Altnaharra, off the wildest coast of Scotland, a clan prepares to bring about the end of the world and its imminent rebirth.

The Adder is coming and one of their number will inherit its powers. They all want the honor, but young Eve is willing to do anything for the distinction.

A reckoning beyond Eve’s imagination begins when Chief Inspector Black arrives to investigate a brutal murder and their sacred ceremony goes terribly wrong.

And soon all the secrets of Altnaharra will be uncovered.

Oh my goodness. This story is freaky. For the first third of the book I wasn't sure what was happening. I thought that Uncle, an older man "taking care" of six girls, might be a cult leader. He seemed to be promoting a snake god. After several chapters I determined that I was correct but the reasons why were not clear until the story progressed. Where the girls came from was also unclear. I thought he was stealing them from families but the truth is worse. The girls, Alice, Evelyn (Eve), Dinah, Nora, Elizabeth, Rose and a boy named Abel were kept by Uncle in a dilapidated old castle and were not allowed to mingle with other kids. A few of the kids that they knew from school were Sarah Buchanan and Jamie MacRaith. Several of the girls were infatuated with Jamie. He was cute and had a sunny disposition. Sarah taunts the girls one day and she pays a huge price for it. We read in the beginning that all the girls are missing an eye. No information is given on how that came about until the ending. It was scary and very graphic.

Little Eve begins with the discovery of a ritualistic murder on a Scottish isle during WWII. The woman who discovers the bodies and the woman who supposedly murdered them serve as narrators for the rest of the story. Some of the horror elements include the kids becoming used to handling snakes and being thrown into the Wane when they do not follow the rules. That was awful. The police begin investigating the group after a man is killed. Detective Black visits the castle several times but can't get the full story because the girls and Uncle constantly lie to him.

Little Eve is a fascinating read. I loved it and recommend the book. 5 out of 5 stars.

Cleopatra

Saara El-Arifi's Cleopatra is the third historical fiction account of Cleopatra's life that I have read in the past month. Many of the characters were already familiar to me when I opened the pages of this book. While the storylines are similar, all three books are different. In this particular novel Cleopatra is the narrator. Her political skills are focused upon instead of her seductive behaviors. The novel was published in February 2026. 

The publisher's summary:

YOU KNOW MY NAME, BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.

Your historians call me seductress, but I was ever in love's thrall.

Your playwrights speak of witchcraft, but my talents came from the gods themselves.

Your poets sing of my bloodlust, but I was always protecting my children.

How wilfully they refuse to concede that a woman could be powerful, strategic, and divinely blessed to rule.

Death will silence me no longer.

This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived.

The story is a memoir, but told by Cleopatra while she is in the afterlife. She has been dead for over two thousand years and is aware of the lies told about her over the millennia. I thought this was an intriguing perspective for the author to write from. Much of Cleopatra's narration refutes what historians have said about her, that she was a nymphomaniac. Of course, the male historians would say that. Cleopatra instead tells us how she chose her strategies for success. While she slept with Caesar and Marcus Antonius, we see how she used them for political gain. Truth be told, she did nothing that wasn't for her gain. 

The opening scene of the book was on the day that Cleopatra became queen. She was still a teen but immediately knew how to behave as a queen as well as how to remain as queen and pharoah. Her father taught her well but it seemed that she was born for her future role. Perhaps that's more guessing on what she was like but for a woman to succeed at being pharaoh Cleopatra must have had the goods to hold onto power as long as she had. That's impressive. 

The novel included Cleopatra's relationships with her siblings. In this retelling of her life we read that she loved her brothers and sister and thought they loved her in return. She was generous to them. When each of them tried to take the throne away from her she was stunned. Eventually she had them killed. The only problem she had was her sister Arsenoe. Arsenoe made several attempts to dethrone Cleopatra. After each loss Arsenoe kept coming back. Cleopatra never agreed to execute her until after the third attempt. I loved her villainous character. Arsenoe was awesome. The author's creation of the brothers characters showed them to be weak with no political skills and easy to depose. 

The ending gives us a different perspective on how Cleopatra's life could have ended. I must say that the author was imaginative with her plot. The book was a fantastic read. I believe all readers will love it too. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana is a memoir about journalist Gayle Lemmon's trips to Kabul, Afghanistan looking for stories about women living in war torn countries. Lemmon writes articles for the Financial Times. In this book she centers on Kamila Sidiqi who ran her own business during the reign of the Taliban in the mid 1990s. 

After graduating from a two year teaching program at Sayed Jamaluddin Teacher Training Institute, Kamila heard whispers concerning the Taliban being close to Kabul and would most likely overun Kabul by the next day. Kamila hurried to catch a bus for long bus ride that would take her to her family’s home in the neighborhood of Khair Khana, a northern suburb of Kabul. The Taliban did reach Kabul the next day and Kamila's graduation certificate was no longer useful as the Taliban forbid women from leaving their homes. Kamila's father and brother fled the city before they arrived so she was responsible for taking care of her family. Unable to teach and desperate to support her family, Kamila masters the art of dressmaking and passes on the skills to her younger sisters. In order to find work for the budding business, Kamila frequently makes the dangerous trek to the market and meets with the owners of local dress shops. Soon the business is growing, and Kamila sees an opportunity to help other women in her community. With the help of her sisters, she opens a tailoring school in their home to teach women how to sew and to give them work once they completed their training. At a time of almost insurmountable poverty, she is able to employ nearly one hundred of her friends and neighbors, all the while escaping the scrutiny of the Taliban.

Kamila is an inspiring lady. She makes me look lazy. The author hopes that her book will change the tradition of portraying women as victims of war and pitied. Instead Lemmon believes that they are survivors of war whose bravery and determination held their families and communities together. This is a true story and yet it reads like a novel. I had to check twice to see if this book was historical fiction or a memoir. It’s a memoir. Lemmon made many trips to Kabul over a three-year period to interview women. 

I loved this book. It is an uplifting story of the brave women of Afghanistan who eked out a life under the most horrific circumstances. It gives me hope that I can handle anything that life throws my way. 5 out of 5 stars.

Trust No One

James Rollins' Trust No One is a standalone novel separate from his Sigma Force series. In this novel, a group of English university students who have been falsely accused of murder are forced into a treacherous run across Europe in order to get away from the authorities chasing them.

The publisher's summary:  

Knowledge can be magic—until it falls into the wrong hands.

The ritualistic murder of a British professor at the University of Exeter points to a startling cast of suspects: his own students. All are enrolled in a postgraduate program covering the history of witchcraft, folklore, and spiritualism.

All evidence points to Sharyn Karr—an American student. Prior to the professor’s death, he had thrust a centuries-old book upon her. It appears to be the handwritten and encrypted diary of an eighteenth-century mystic and occultist, the Comte de Saint-Germain. The professor begged her to keep the text safe, ending with a warning: Trust no one.

Such a responsibility forces her into cooperation with Duncan Maxwell, a fellow postgrad and the sixteenth in line to the British Crown. Already, Duncan has proven himself a savant with encryptions. Unfortunately, the pair clash at every level, but they both need one another. Especially when they discover the book’s opening words: Herein lies the secret to my immortality. Come find me, if you dare.

As dark forces close upon the pair, she and her friends are forced to flee, pursued by law enforcement and hunted by a powerful cabal. In an explosive chase across Europe—from the Tower of London to Parisian chateaus to a fortress in the Italian Alps—Sharyn must learn the true secret hidden in Saint-Germain’s text. It will send her and the others across history and deep into the heart of one of the world’s greatest mysteries, a secret buried at the roots of Western Civilization, a discovery that could topple empires and change humanity forever.

For what lies at the end of Saint-Germain’s diary is as shocking as its opening words.

The story opened with Sharyn being given a mysterious book at the University of Exeter library. Sharyn was in the library on Halloween researching a paper on medieval illuminated manuscripts. As she was about to leave she saw Professor Wright, the head of a new department at the university that examines occultic practices of the Middle Ages. Professor Wright asked her to hide a book for him. He told Sharyn to show no one the book nor open it. Opening it will start a fire. The book was the personal journal of the Comte de St. Germain. Within it's pages might be a formula to become immortal. 

Sharyn leaves the library, dresses for a party with her roommates and runs across Duncan, a fellow student in the same program under Professor Wright. Along with Duncan's friend Alex they head toward The Forum, a bar that most students visited. Upon arrival they could hear the sirens of the fire department. The library is on fire. Feeling guilty for the fire, Sharyn leads her friends on an escapade through Exeter trying to avoid police officers who seem to be following them. Once safe, Sharyn tells her friends all about the book. So much for secrecy, especially since she just met Duncan and Alex that evening. The group continued to run from the authorities as they travel to London and parts elsewhere and in-between.

All the above was exciting but after awhile it didn't seem plausible that five college students would be responsible for hiding this priceless book. Professor Wright died in the fire but not from the fire. He had been the victim of a ritualistic murder. It would have been interesting to have the details of his murder since occult rituals were described in the journal. With Sharyn being the last person to see Wright alive, law enforcement believed Sharyn murdered Wright and were pursuing her.

Each of Sharon's friends had expertise in a different area of paleography, the study of ancient manuscripts. All of them had been taught by Professor Wright. As the story progressed they were able to assist in unlocking the mysteries of the journal. While these reveals were exciting I had a gnawing feeling that it was unbelievable. These were college students after all. However, I, myself, have an interest in paleography so all this was intellectually stimulating.

I loved the book despite my misgivings mentioned above. It has all of the treasure hunt complexities that are found in Rollins' earlier novels and I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

Aunty Lee's Delights

Aunty Lee's Delights has been on my TBR list for several years. I finally got around to reading this wonderful cozy mystery.  This first installment of the series was published in 2013. The series takes place in Singapore.

The publisher's summary:

"The culture and culinary delights of Singapore come alive in Yu’s novel. Rosie “Aunty” Lee, something of a busybody, has shrugged off widowhood to open her own restaurant. But when she gets drawn into a local murder investigation, it soon becomes clear she has a real talent for sleuthing... Guaranteed to make you hungry!--Sarah Weinman, New York Times Book Review

This delectable and witty mystery introduces Rosie “Aunty” Lee, feisty widow, amateur sleuth and proprietor of Singapore’s best-loved home cooking restaurant.

After losing her husband, Rosie Lee could easily have become one of Singapore’s “tai tai,” an idle rich lady devoted to an aimless life of mah-jongg and luxury shopping. Instead she threw herself into building a culinary empire from her restaurant, Aunty Lee’s Delights, where spicy Singaporean home cooking is graciously served by Rosie Lee herself to locals and tourists alike. But when a body is found in one of Singapore’s beautiful tourist havens, and when one of her wealthy guests fails to show at a dinner party, Aunty Lee knows that the two are likely connected.

The murder and disappearance throws together Aunty Lee’s henpecked stepson Mark, his social-climbing wife Selina, a gay couple whose love is still illegal in Singapore, and an elderly Australian tourist couple whose visit—billed at first as a pleasure cruise—may mask a deeper purpose. Investigating the murder is rookie Police Commissioner Raja, who quickly discovers that the savvy and well-connected Aunty Lee can track down clues even better than local law enforcement.

Wise, witty and unusually charming, Aunty Lee’s Delights is a spicy mystery about love, friendship and home cooking in Singapore, where money flows freely and people of many religions and ethnicities co-exist peacefully, but where tensions lurk just below the surface, sometimes with deadly results.

I was hooked from the first chapter. The setting was prominent here and I loved all the references to the food and slang terminology. I must admit, though, that I had to look them up on Google. Aunty Lee is as charming as I have been told. She is a vibrant, loveable character who loves experimenting with flavors as well as cooking the usual Singapore fare. Aunty Lee is a caterer and an intriguing investigator. She can determine the true character of people from the way they eat her cooking.

The murder occurred in the second chapter. I love it when an author gives the reader an upfront kill so that the rest of the book can be about the investigation of the death. Aunty Lee becomes interested in a news story about an unidentified body found on a beach near a luxury resort. She and her maid, Nina, then scour the news sites for more information.

I adored this novel and definitely will be reading the series. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Storm

The Storm was just published a week or so ago on January 6, 2026. I selected the book as my first entry for this year's Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge. The book is a suspense thriller told in a dual timeline that unravels a decades old murder mystery tied to a hurricane. 

The publisher's summary:  

Simple

St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn’s bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn’t come to St. Medard’s Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she’s returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.

As the summer heats up and another monster storm begins twisting its way towards St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva learns that some people can be just as destructive―and as deadly―as any hurricane, and that the truth of what happened to Landon Fitzroy may not be the only secret Lo is keeping…

 

I stumbled over the first couple of chapters because the story is narrated by the way people talk, not the way they would write. I adjusted though. August was a dull character but Lo more than made up for him. At age 60, Lo is still attractive with a vibrant personality. How she viewed this old hometown of hers was interesting to read about. Her perception of the changes and the things that did not change were what pushed the plot forward. In the beginning I thought Geneva was the main character since she owned the hotel but Lo was the character that was the most prominent. She is the one that all of the other characters responded to. 

The setting was well described. It was a southern Alabama beach where residents are always looking at the sky in fear of another hurricane arriving on their shores. Thunder, lightning and rain made everyone nervous. You can feel the fear and the tension in them. In this respect, I would call the book an atmospheric mystery. I have never enjoyed an atmospheric story before but The Storm pulled me in. The characters spoke southern, yes it's a language, but it made following the mystery more difficult for me. I was looking for the promise in the summary that a hurricane murder mystery would be solved but my reading speed was sidelined by all of the southernisms. 

The history of the prior hurricanes in Alabama were recited by the characters but Hurricane Marie was one that they only discussed in whispers. This hurricane was the worst and the death of the governor's son Landon Fitzroy made it all the more dramatic.

The Storm was an interesting mystery but a very slow read. 3 out of 5 stars.

The Locked Door

Freida McFadden might be the best psychologist thriller author of our times.  You can always expect a good read from her. After reading the first chapter of the book I was hooked. However, I got up to make coffee and grab a snack because I knew once I started reading that I would not stop until the book was finished. That is pretty much what happened. Below are a few details about the plot.

The publisher's summary:

While eleven-year-old Nora Davis was up in her bedroom doing homework, she had no idea her father was killing women in the basement.

Until the day the police arrived at their front door.

Decades later, Nora’s father is spending his life behind bars, and Nora is a successful surgeon with a quiet, solitary existence. Nobody knows her father was a notorious serial killer. And she intends to keep it that way.

Then Nora discovers one of her young female patients has been murdered. In the same unique and horrific manner that her father used to kill his victims.

Somebody knows who Nora is. Somebody wants her to take the fall for this unthinkable crime. But she’s not a killer like her father. The police can’t pin anything on her.

As long as they don’t look in her basement.

 

All I can say is wow! This is a gripping, fast paced thriller with a surprising ending. The short chapters help to maintain the suspense level which starts high, stays high and ends high. It's the perfect psychological thriller, which is what I think I said about McFadden's last novel. The story is told in a dual timeline: the present time and 26 years earlier. When the story begins it is the 26th anniversary of Nora turning in her father to the police. He killed at least 30 women in the basement of their home. The basement door was locked at all times, At the present time, someone begins killing women in the same manner that her father used. The police think that Nora is guilty but there is no evidence. 26 years ago Nora had a childhood friend named Marjorie who was bullied by every other kid at school. Marjorie was a loner with no friends and her character fit this stereotype perfectly. When Nora suggests that they play a game called Hunter and Prey, I thought that she would kill Marjorie. This game was fairly aggressive. 

I liked the characters. Nora is interesting because it seems that she might have desires to kill or at the very least is afraid that she has the same desire to kill that her father had. Her personality has been sorely affected by a childhood with a killer parent. I half expected her to turn out to be a killer too. Nora's college boyfriend Brady was creepy. He was highly educated but was working as a bartender so there is a story there that made Nora nervous. Every conversation that Nora had with him made her think that Brady was dangerous. While she slept with him a few times she was also running away from him. Go figure.

Several secondary characters are possible killers of two of Nora's patients. Brady was my main suspect and until the last chapter I thought that he was. One of Nora's patients, Henry Callahan, was another suspect because Nora believed that he was following her home after work.Toward the end of the story Nora's business partner Philip Corey looked suspicious too. The reveal of the whodunnit was shocking.

When I began reading the book I said "OMG." When I finished the book I said it again. I cannot recommend this book more highly. It is a fantastic story.  5 out of 5 stars.

At Death's Dough

At Death's Dough is the 5th Deep Dish Mystery by Mindy Quigley. I love this series. It takes place in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin which is a resort town that I have visited and am familiar with. The pizzeria scenes make me hungry as pizza is my favorite food group. What's not to like? The book was published in October 2025.

The publisher's summary:  

It’s February in the ritzy lakeside resort town of Geneva Bay, Wisconsin, and love is in the air. Pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is gearing up to celebrate her first Valentine’s Day with hunky police detective Calvin Capone, great-grandson of the infamous Chicago mobster. But their romance is put on ice when a shocking discovery plunges them into a century-old crime with ties to Capone’s notorious forefather.

As old secrets surface, Delilah realizes that nearly everyone in town―from Capone’s cagey cousin to her own quirky customers―has something to hide. With the pressure mounting and the past closing in, Delilah must help Capone follow a trail of clues that could lead them to a priceless treasure... or into a deadly trap. Can Delilah serve up justice before history repeats itself? Or will she and Capone end up sleeping with the anchovies?

I enjoyed getting reacquainted with my favorite characters. Delilah is the main character and she is dating a police officer who is Al Capone’s grandson; Calvin Capone. Her sous chef and best friend Sonya is rather quirky. Sonya is always doing something new and exciting and the something usually ends up being related somehow to the murder. In this installment of the series, the death did not occur until the one third point in the story and we don't know whether it's a murder just yet. Normally I get prickly when the death/murder doesn't happen in the first couple of chapters. That did not happen because I was enjoying the setting and the characters. Another fun character is Delilah’s Aunt Biz. Biz is an octogenarian with a sassy mouth and zest for life. It seems that Delilah is the only character with common sense. She navigates all of these fun folks with aplomb.

The death investigation didn't actually happen. No witnesses were interviewed. I found this unbelievable but remembered that cozies require a suspension of belief. It seems that Capone’s shady cousin Dominic was secretly in town for an unknown reason. Delilah believes that he was searching for a treasure that disappeared after a train robbery 100 years ago because who, in their right mind, would scuba dive under a frozen lake in the winter. When Delilah and company realized that the treasure might be stashed in Geneva, she and friend Daniel dived under the ice to see if it was buried there. The results of the dive could determine whether Dominic was murdered or accidentally drowned under the ice.

I loved this cozy mystery and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Fourth Daughter

The Fourth Daughter is a family saga that takes place in Taiwan. It's an enjoyable book. As you can tell from the summary, life was not easy for women, even in the 1960s when the main story takes place.

The publisher's summary:

In Taiwan, the bond between grandmother and granddaughter opens up a healing world for them both in an inspiring family saga about the comfort of food, untold histories, and indomitable mother love.

Chef Liv Kuo’s star is on the rise…until a traumatic incident leaves her emotionally unable to venture outside her Manhattan apartment. But an unexpected reason to break free comes from Ah-Ma, Liv’s6 beloved grandmother in Taiwan. Ah-Ma needs Liv’s help in finding her fourth daughter, taken from her when the girl was an infant. After all these years, it seems impossible. It’s also a mystery: Ah-Ma’s fourth daughter is an aunt Liv never even knew existed.

After landing in Taiwan, Liv hears the heartbreaking story of her grandmother’s plight in a country once under martial law, of choices made for her, and of the hopeful search for a lost girl that has endured for more than sixty years. Like the enriching food and traditions that bind Liv and Ah-Ma, their journey for answers brings them together.

And it’s a quest that turns up both a precious old cookbook and a tale of fatal betrayal that shakes everything Liv believed about her family—revelations that could also give her the courage to face the trauma she left behind.

This heartwarming story is told in a dual timeline. The chapters alternate from 1960s Taiwan to New York in the current time period. The earlier timeline details how grandmother Yi-ping's fourth daughter, Yili, was stolen, while the present day timeline covers the search for the girl who is now in her 60s. I love dual timelines because they make the pace faster and I like how these storres unfold.

I loved the Taiwan setting. I learned alot about Taiwanese history, which was exciting for me as I am traveling there next year. The descriptions of all of the food Liv ate while in Taiwan were mouthwatering. The spices in each dish were described as the food entered her mouth as well as the aftertaste. If there was anything negative about the setting it was the number of people wandering in the streets. Liv has panic attacks when in crowds. I felt her vertigo as well. The author did a great job describing the setting, which is appropriate since she was born in Taiwan.

The politics of the country was well-described. Liv's family were associated with the KMT who had control of the government during the time period of the story. Liv's grandfather, Wang Po-Wei, was connected with them. The KMT were known to be brutal, killing people or making people disappear on a whim from officials. This association made it difficult to get information about Yili as people refused to help because of anger over relatives who had disappeared. 

SPOILER ALERT!  The story has a happy ending. Everyone lives happily ever after. It's nice to read something that ends well. It's even nicer when all of the characters get along. I don't see this often but I love it when it happens.

5 out of 5 stars.

Death on a Scottish Train

I have anxiously been awaiting the publication of this book. Death in a Scottish Train is the 4th book in Lucy Connelly's Scottish Isles Mystery series. It is a cozy mystery featuring Dr. Emilia McRoy, an American who moved to Scotland for a new start in life. She acts as both a physician and the coroner in the village of Sea Isle. The book was published on October 14, 2025.

The publisher's summary:

Dr. Emilia McRoy, an American in Scotland, has a killer in sight in the fourth installment of the Scottish Isle mystery series, perfect for fans of Paige Shelton and Connie Berry.

Summer is coming to a close on beautiful Sea Isle in Scotland, and Dr. Emilia McRoy is celebrating one year since her big move. With a weeklong festival to end the season, the town gathers for a magical ride on the newly refurbished Storyteller’s Train, but the launch’s success is dampened by an unexpected death.

What appears to be a case of deadly allergies is soon revealed as murder. As Emilia, her assistant Abigail, and the local constable Ewan McGregor unravel the mystery, the killer sets their murderous intentions on them.

If they want to survive, they will need the help of all of their friends—before they become the latest victims.

While the story is a mystery, what I immediately feel when I open any book in this series is the coziness of the Sea Isle village. Everyone gets along and they all look out for each other. Everyone also seems to be happy. If I could move there I would. This is the only cozy mystery that gives me that feeling.

The plot was captivating. It revolved around the investigation of the death of accountant Donald Jacks. Jacks was scheduled to be a storyteller for a vintage train ride. While he was seen at the train station, he didn't board the train. He was later found stuffed in a cupboard at the station. Em and Ewen quickly learn that he invested several residents' retirement funds in risky schemes and they lost everything. The pool of suspects is wide but perhaps Jacks just met his karma. Jacks had an allergy to bees that few people knew about. Since he constantly put lip balm on his lips, the killer decided put bee venom in the lip balm. As Jacks used it he was not aware that he was killing himself with it. There were plenty of suspects and red herrings as Emilia and Ewen investigated the death, The big reveal is in the last chapter.

Emilia has now resided in Sea Isle for one year. There is a hint of her having romantic feelings for Ewen who has been always been a  annoyance to her. I think we are going to see these two characters becoming close in future installments of the series.

Death on a Scottish Train was a fun and relaxing read. Cozy lovers who haven't read the series yet should look into it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Circle of Days

This 670 page novel was published on September 23, 2025. Ken Follett's Circle of Days is similar to his Knightsbridge series but instead it is a saga regarding the building of Stonehenge.

The publisher's summary:

Seft, a talented flint miner, walks the Great Plain in the high summer heat, to witness the rituals that signal the start of a new year. He is there to trade his stone at the Midsummer Fair, and to find Neen, the girl he loves. Her family lives in prosperity and offer Seft an escape from his brutish father and brothers within their herder community.

Joia, Neen’s sister, is a priestess with a vision and an unmatched ability to lead. As a child, she watches the Midsummer ceremony, enthralled, and dreams of a miraculous new monument, raised from the biggest stones in the world. But trouble is brewing among the hills and woodlands of the Great Plain.

Joia’s vision of a great stone circle, assembled by the divided tribes of the Plain, will inspire Seft and become their life’s work. But as drought ravages the earth, mistrust grows between the herders, farmers and woodlanders—and an act of savage violence leads to open warfare . . .

My first impression of this novel is WOW! It’s an incredibly captivating story with intriguing characters. Joia is a born diplomate. This trait helps her to gain consensus from her fellow priestesses and villagers when coming up with new practices for both groups of people. She is a strong female character and she is my favorite. Seft is also a strong character. Because his father and brothers were abusive, Seft left the family and everything he knew about flintmaking to join a herder group. Seft also decided to go against his father in order to marry his love, Neen. He was successful as a herder. Seft's ability to think and find solutions to common problems that the herders faced helped him gain the approval of his new tribe when he wanted to build a new Monument. 

The writing is superb. I have been thinking about how Follett made the chapters exciting enough to force readers to keep reading until the early hours of the day. There was not the suspense that I am used to seeing in my mysteries. I really don't know how Follett did it but I couldn’t stop reading the book. I read it in 2 days with 500 pages read on the first day. This morning I finished the remaining 200 pages of the book. I can't say enough good things about the book. It is fantastic.

The original Stonehenge, or Monument as it's described in the story, was made out of wood. The priestesses were able to tell time by their method of dance around the structures. When the wood monument fell down the need for a permanent structure was discussed between Joia, Seft and a few other villagers. Eventually they decided on a stone monument. Seft then had to find a way to move those big stones to the place the monument had always been located at. His brilliant analysis of the problems the villagers would face to move the stones aided Seft in devising a strategy. 

I relished this story. Rating the book is easy. It's a 5 out of 5 star story and I recommend that readers pick up the book. You won't be disappointed.

2026 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge Author Edition

It's time once again to sign up for the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge Author Edition. The Escape With Dollycas blog is hosting the challenge in 2026. The rules are easy to follow:

1. This challenge will run from January 1, 2026, until December 31, 2026.

2. You can join anytime. You do not have to post a review of the book. Books can come from any genre.

3. Children's Books and Novellas are acceptable, but they need to be over 50 Pages. 

4. You do not need to link up each spoonful.

5. Crossovers to other challenges are allowed and encouraged! 

6. The challenge is to read one book with an author surname that starts with every letter of the alphabet. 

7. There are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z Reading Challenge.

A - Make a list from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the authors you are reading to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.

OR

B - Make a list now of 26 authors, picking one for each letter of the alphabet, and check them off as you read them. 

8. As requested, the 2026 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge has been added to Storygraph as another way to keep track of your books:  https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/2aa6b63b-7c2d-4f14-b5de-9f507cfbd490. 

9. Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – and audio – are acceptable for this challenge!

10. Bloggers can grab the image above and make a post about the challenge to encourage others to join!

11. Non-bloggers you can join too! Just keep track any way you wish. You can even set up a special shelf on Goodreads to help you keep track! 

12. If you post about your books on Social Media, please use this hashtag #AlphabetSoupChallenge

13. Follow Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book, as there may be special announcements made about the challenge.

14. There is also a very active group on Facebook where you can share your books read and converse with others taking part in the challenge. 

15. To sign up, use Google Forms. Sign Up Here.