I Am Cleopatra

I was intrigued by the title of this book when I first saw it. However, it was the stunning cover that convinced me to get it and I was not disappointed. The story of Cleopatra is always shrouded in mystery and the writing style of author Natasha Solomons continues in this vein. I Am Cleopatra is a fantastic historical fiction account of this most intriguing woman.

The publisher's summary: 

The favored daughter of the Pharaoh, Egyptian Princess Cleopatra spent her childhood hiding amid the scrolls in the great library of Alexandria, dreaming of one day writing her own story.

When her father dies, naming both Cleopatra and her selfish brother Ptolemy as his successors to the throne, danger arises. While the young Queen sails the Nile to greet her people, her brother plots to eliminate her and rule the empire alone. But while Ptolemy has the power of the kingdom behind him, Cleopatra has her cunning wits. When the great Caesar arrives from Rome, she realizes he could be the key to her salvation—though courting this powerful man could cost her everything.

Can Cleopatra save her life, her throne, and her beloved Egypt and finally write her own history?

Told from the dueling perspectives of Cleopatra and Caesar’s mistress Servilia, I Am Cleopatra is a powerful, addictively readable reimagining of the alluring queen’s life. A modern retelling that goes beyond previous caricatures, I Am Cleopatra is a fascinating portrait of the flesh-and blood-woman behind the great legend. Natasha Solomons’ spellbinding story of female power and fragility, love and loss, fierce friendship and terrible betrayal introduces at last the real Cleopatra in all her glory and vulnerability.

Throughout the book Cleopatra maintained a mysterious persona. Even the narration, almost always from her perspective, was mysterious. After 100 pages or so I wished that she was more relaxed but it never happened. Perhaps it'a because there were many people hoping for her death. That would make anyone standoffish. Toward the midway point in the story we read chapters from the perspective of Servilia. Servilia was also one of Caesar’s mistresses but this relationship lasted for decades. No matter who Caesar had dalliances with, he always returned to Servilia. The mysterious trait of Cleopatra became old after awhile. I did adjust to her narration but it bothered me that she was distant in her relationships.

Cleopatra's slave Charmian was her best friend. Cleopatra and Charmian were paired together from a young age and they grew up together. Charmian was the only person that she accepted advice from. Charmian was 100% devoted to her. Cleopatra's first husband was her stepbrother. They despised each other. Their father, Auletes, arranged the marriage and was pleased to keep the dynasty in the family. After his death Cleopatra's father had already arranged another marriage for her. This time the groom was her three year old brother Ptolemy. Cleopatra and Ptolemy were going to reign as co-pharoahs.  Ptolemy was a child and uninterested in the affairs of state. However, Cleopatra was born to rule. She was a fantastic political strategist who advised her father from an early age. 

The Egyptian setting was glorious. I loved the food descriptions and could feel the usually fresh air on the Nile. If Cleopatra sailed too close to the shore the smell of excrement was overpowering. Cruising the Nile to Memphis and Thebes made Cleopatra relaxed. There were always citizens waving to her. The images from the royal palace were also alluring with its marble floors and unique flora and fauna. The section of the story that took place in Rome described an inferior setting. It was hot but without the cool breezes from the Nile. During winter Cleopatra froze. She hated Rome.

The story covered Cleopatra's life from age thirteen until she left Rome pregnant with her second child from Caesar. History tells us much more about Cleopatra's life but this is where the story ended in I Am Cleopatra. Much of the book concerns threats from her stepbrother Ptolemy as well as her intimate relationship with Caesar. Ptolemy was constantly outmaneuvered but never gave up on his attempts to kill her. He wanted to be the sole Pharoah of Egypt but he also had a misogynistic attitude towards women in general. 

I enjoyed the story but reading the narrative was awkward in some places. I must say, though, that the author showed us the real Cleopatra which basically was her job. She did that well. 4 out of 5 stars.

Buried Secrets

I was in alot of pain a few days ago and I thought an Amish fiction novel would be beneficial. This genre is my go-to place for comfort. It always works. Buried Secrets is the first novel in the author's Amish Book Club Mystery series. She states that it is a cozy Amish mystery, not Amish fiction. I guess that it qualifies as a cozy mystery. Tracy Fredrychowski is a new to me author and I loved her take for the series. The book was just published on April 1, 2026.

The publisher's summary:

A grave opened in the night. An empty coffin. And a group of elderly Amish sleuths must confront the secrets Sweet Briar tried to bury. Rosie Weaver treasures her simple, steady life — tending her garden, sharing tea with her monthly book club, and keeping danger safely tucked inside her books. Still, widowhood has left her the time to be watchful, even when she pretends otherwise.

When a young man’s coffin is discovered empty in the cemetery, Sweet Briar’s calm fractures overnight. The discovery unsettles Rosie and her group with a mystery they cannot ignore, prompting them to wonder what else lies buried beneath their small town.

As whispers about Josiah Miller’s rough past and bad crowd grow louder, Rosie, Irma Gingerich, and Lovina Frey realize they can no longer stand aside. Teaming up and cautiously sparring with English Sheriff Johnathan Carr, the three friends begin to untangle a story far more complicated than anyone expected. What kind of man is worth stealing from the grave, and who’s trying to protect his sins?

I must say right away that the book is written as a cozy mystery. The fact that most of the characters are Amish is coincidental. The cozy formula was used to write the story. 

The story opened with Clara Miller tidying up her fabric shop and complaining to herself about her son Josiah. Josiah was hanging out with Englishers, staying out late and, shock of all shocks, purchased fabrics for the shop that had modern designs. As an Amish woman Clara was fuming about the waste of money on these awful fabrics. She was also upset that she couldn't control Josiah. She thought he might leave the Amish community. By the end of the day Josiah had a buggy accident and died. 

Owen Kurtz is a gruff Amish man who saw the accident. He is a carpenter who just happened to have a pine coffin on his trailer. Owen kept passersby from seeing the body. He immediately put Josiah's body in the coffin, covered him with a horse blanket and drove the coffin to Bishop Zook's home. No one other than Owen saw the body. He maneuvered to keep folks away from the body and Josiah was buried the next day. Suspicious huh? As the summary above states, someone dug up the coffin and found that it contained bricks. No Josiah though. Later the body was found in Owen's barn.

Rosie Weaver hosts a weekly book club meeting with two other ladies in her cafe where a chapter is discussed each week. The plot of the book they were reading was eerily similar to an ongoing death investigation in their Sweet Briar community. After discussing their book they couldn't help but talk about the mystery surrounding the death of Josiah Miller. These three ladies, Rosie, Irma and Lovina, decided to do a little sleuthing of their own which irritated the Sheriff.

The Sheriff mentioned to Rosie that the death was a homicide. The way Owen described the body was very different from the way it actually appeared. There were witnesses to the buggy crash whose testimony differed from that of Owen.  The trio managed to identify the whodunnit and there was a big reveal at the end of the story.

Rosie Weaver is the main character. Her sleuthing abilities are extraordinary and she will make a fantastic amateur sleuth for future installments of the series. The mystery was perfectly plotted with a fast pace. I adored this story and am looking forward to reading more cozy Amish mysteries from the author. 

5 out of 5 stars.

Daughter of Egypt

Daughter of Egypt explores the lives of two powerful women separated by thousands of years. Hatshepsut lived in 1486 BCE in Thebes, Egypt. Evelyn Herbert lived in the 1920s in Hampshire, England. She grew up in Highclere Castle and went with her father Lord Carnarvon and his friend Howard Carter to Egypt every summer. They were excavating the royal tombs for treasure. The book was published on March 24, 2026

The publisher's summary:

In the 1920s, archeologist Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle made headlines around the world with the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of the boy Pharaoh Tutankhamun. But behind it all stood Lady Evelyn Herbert―daughter of Lord Carnarvon―whose daring spirit and relentless curiosity made the momentous find possible.

Nearly 3,000 years earlier, another woman defied the expectations of her time: Hatshepsut, Egypt’s lost pharaoh. Her reign was bold, visionary―and nearly erased from history.

When Evelyn becomes obsessed with finding Hatshepsut’s secret tomb, she risks everything to uncover the truth about her reign and keep valued artifacts in Egypt, their rightful home. But as danger closes in and political tensions rise, she must make an impossible choice: protect her father’s legacy―or forge her own.

Propelled by high adventure and deadly intrigue, Daughter of Egypt is the story of two ambitious women who lived centuries apart. Both were forced to hide who they were during their lifetimes, yet ultimately changed history forever.

The story was told in an alternating format. Four or five chapters were devoted to Hatshepsut and then four or five to Lady Evelyn. I quickly became interested in Hatshepsut. She was a pharoah in her own right and this impressed me. Her political strategies helped elevate her to Queen, Regent and then Pharoah. I don't know if her machinations were true to life or imagined by the author. Lady Evelyn or Eve didn't excite me until her parents allowed her to travel with them to Thebes for archaeological digs. Her story then picked up. Her mother was trying to marry her off so Eve had to attend balls in both England and Cairo. She wasn't interested in marriage yet but never really met anyone who wanted a smart wife and she intended to continue her educational pursuits. Eve was fascinated with Hatshepsut. Howard Carter shared this fascination and they would select places to dig based on where they thought her tomb was located. Lord Carnarvon was none the wiser.

The politics of 1920s Egypt was a part of the story. There were Egyptian insurgents who were fighting for Egypt’s independence. In the story it took about ten years. Before the insurgents became successful, the laws allowed Carter and Carnarvon to keep whatever artifacts they dug up. They got rich by selling a few pieces but both men had huge private collections of Egyptian art. After the first elections on Egypt those laws were changed. The nation then owned everything found in the tombs. We know from history that this archeological team discovered King Tutankhamun's tomb. 

I enjoyed reading about both women's passion to be more than society allowed. Both achieved their wishes and the book had a feminist feel good vibe that I am always attracted to. I have read other accounts of Hatshepsut’s life and it never gets too old for me. She is such a captivating character from history. There is much more to the story though. Alot of pages are devoted to the archeological excavations and the banter between Carter and Lord Carnarvon.

I loved the book. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars. 

Fatal Foliage

I received a free copy of this book from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. Amy Prescott's Fatal Foliage was published on March 22, 2026. It is the first book in a new cozy mystery series Ridgeway Springs Inn Mysteries. 

The publisher's summary:

A dead guest. A missing page. And a secret thirty-seven years in the making.

When foliage tour organizer Phillip Swanson is found dead in the Ridgeway Inn's beloved library annex, the town of Ridgeway Springs is ready to call it a tragic heart attack. But former archivist Eloise Stevens knows something doesn't add up. A rare first-edition book appears out of nowhere. A page has been torn from a decades-old guest ledger. And buried in her late father's private records is a notation that suggests Swanson's visit was no coincidence.

Newly returned to Vermont to run her family's historic inn, Eloise never planned to become an amateur sleuth. But as she pieces together old land disputes, forgotten easements, and the quiet connections between longtime residents, she realizes this mystery began long before the autumn leaves turned crimson.

With a retired judge guarding his composure, an antique dealer collecting more than antiques, and a small town where everyone knows everyone else's history, Eloise must untangle the past to protect the inn's future.

Because in Ridgeway Springs, some secrets aren't dead. They're just pending.

There are a few problems with the book. 95% of the writing is narration. More dialogue between the characters would bring both the plot and the characters to life. The characters were flat. We read about their backgrounds but without listening to them talk with the other characters we don't know who they really are. We don't know what makes them tick. In a cozy mystery, especially the first in a series, meeting the characters is important. It’s also important to see how they react to events in the story. I don't believe the author has done a good enough job for readers to want to continue to read the series. 

The mystery itself was plotted well and the pace was fast. I liked that the death occurred in the first chapter so the remainder of the book could be about solving the crime. The development of events was written well. The planting of clues and the twists were perfectly timed.

Concerning Eloise's amateur sleuth skills, she is a fantastic researcher. While the police were interviewing all of her customers, Eloise began to read her father’s notebooks and ledgers. She eventually finds a page about Phillip Swanson, the man who was killed in her library in the first chapter. In order to solve the crime Eloise had to run a title examination. It turns out Swanson did not come to Ridgeway Springs as a tourist but as a man who had come to finish something that he had started in 1987. At that time Swanson and two others filed papers questioning an easement to Eloise's property. I was impressed with the author's knowledge of land records. Running a title search on a piece of property is not a skill most legal professionals have. Eloise's knowledge here is amazing.

As I mentioned above, there was too much narration. This is why the story suffers. Rating the book takes some consideration because the mystery itself was plotted well. I am going to rate the book 2.7 stars out of 5 stars.

Death at a Firefly Tea

It is always exciting when a favorite author publishes a new novel. I have been anxiously awaiting the publication of Death at a Firefly Tea. It's the 30th installment of the Indigo Teashop cozy mystery series by Laura Childs. The series protagonist is tea shop owner Theodosia Browning. She is an amateur sleuth who investigates murders in Charleston, South Carolina where she lives and works. Death at a Firefly Tea is my selection for March's Calendar of Crime Challenge. I got behind in my reading last month.

The publishers summary:

As fireflies dazzle like tiny glowing lanterns, tea maven Theodosia hosts an elegant evening tea on the patio of the Tangled Rose B and B. But in this gentle darkness an intruder has made their way in and slipped deadly drugs into the baked Alaska of Mrs. Van Courtland, one of Charleston's local grande dames. Shocked by this brazen act, urged on by Mrs. V's grieving son, Theodosia begins her own shadow investigation. Soon, she finds herself at odds with a greedy developer, the questionable residents of Honey Badger House, a vengeful ex- daughter-in-law, ne'er do well relatives, and a housekeeper who knows all the secrets. As Theodosia hosts a Moulin Rouge Tea and a Queen Victoria Tea, her tea sommelier Drayton is assaulted by a masked stranger and the fiancae of Mrs. V's son is kidnapped. It's only at the Starry Starry Night black tie ball that Theodosia stumbles upon the killer and gets pulled into a dramatic life and death chase.

This book is another great entry into the Indigo Teashop series. It is a perfectly plotted mystery with several unexpected twists. I was trying to read slow in order to savor the story because I know I have to wait another year for the next book. However, that proved to be impossible. I read the book in one sitting. Author Laura Childs' last couple of books were perfectly written and this one fits into that category. Initially I didn't understand what a firefly tea was supposed to be. It all made sense in the first chapter as a group of folks had an afternoon tea of sorts after dark. The fireflies were lit up. I can remember looking at them when I was young but I certainly did not get tea. As usual, several relatives of the deceased asked Theodosia  to investigate and find the murderer. Police detective Burt Tidwell told her to not interfere but throughout the story he keeps asking for her opinion on the investigation. Tidwell is usually gruff and rough around the edges but he was different in this novel. He did not appear in the past few books so I am glad to see him again. 

The teas and food served at the Indigo Tea Shop are described so well that I began looking for restaurants in my area that serve afternoon tea.  There was afternoon tea hosted by Theo in this novel. There was a Victorian Tea. The Indigo Teashop was lavishly decorated for the event and the food served fit the Victorian era. The food descriptions made me hungry and I felt like I was there in person at the Indigo Teashop. It's the best part of this cozy mystery series. Drayton Connelley is Theo's tea sommelier and Haley is the baker. I love Drayton. He is my favorite character in the series. Drayton is always well dressed and has a debonair attitude around him. He helps Theo investigate the murders and the two of them always end up in a precarious situation. Haley basically stays in the background. Another nice feature in these books are the recipes. For every food and dessert concocted by Haley, there will be recipes at the end of the book. I am going to have to make Drayton's Shrimp Chowder.

Death at a Firefly Tea is a superb cozy mystery. Cozy fans will want to read it. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Lightbearer #1

Son of Light is the first book in the Lightbearer comic series. In just 21 pages the reader is introduced to Tomiwa. Tomiwa is  just a 13-year-old student trying to survive school, family expectations, and everyday life in the city of Lagos. However, he  sees things that no one else can see. Strange moments begin to happen. Shadows that move when they shouldn't, silence that falls when everything should be loud, and a feeling that he is being watched. Then one day, everything changes. A mysterious figure rescued him from a car accident. This figure is always calm and radiant. He has been watching Tomiwa for a long time.

I am not sure who or what the figure is. He is most likely an angel but I also wondered if he was Jesus. The story seems to show that there is a hidden battle happening around us every day. The battle is between light and darkness that most people cannot see. Tomiwa can see it though. I believe Tomiwa is a lightbearer. Lightbearers are people who embody and share goodness, virtue, and positive impact, regardless of religious affiliation. They are people who step in to help others, act with integrity, and stand up for what's right, even in small ways.

I am definitely interested in reading more of the series. We rarely see a comic that embodies goodness. Written by Samson Awobusuyi, the comic offers us a new kind of African superhero. According to the publisher the series has African storytelling, a superhero origin drama, a spiritual mystery and a faith-inspired themes of light overcoming darkness. It was published on March 7, 2026. I cannot wait to read the next release of this series. 

5 out of 5 stars.

Cold Zero

Cold Zero is Brad Thor's newest novel. It is not part of Thor's popular Scot Harvath spy series though. Cold Zero is a spy thriller but with new characters. It is also the first collaboration Thor has had with Ward Larsen. 

The publisher's summary:

A vanished plane. An earth-shattering secret. A countdown to World War III. Hemisphere Airlines Flight 777—the most advanced jetliner ever built—disappears without a trace over the North Pole. Crippled by sabotage, it crash-lands on the ice, stranding the surviving passengers in a wasteland of frigid cold and chaos.

The real storm, however, is still coming. Hidden inside the wreckage is the prototype for a revolutionary piece of technology that could upend the balance of world power. Now Washington, Moscow, and Beijing are racing to be the first on scene to retrieve it—at any cost.

Trapped in the middle of the world’s most dangerous flash point are CIA operative Kasey Sheridan and former fighter pilot turned first officer, Brett Sharpe. Hunted by enemy forces, they must spirit both the device and its creator across the ice to safety—before rival superpowers turn the Arctic into a war zone.

With the clock ticking and the temperature dropping, the fate of the free world is about to be decided at the top of the globe.

This exciting novel opened with an autonomous taxi causing mayhem in Hong Kong streets. Chinese scientist Chen Li and CIA officer Kasey Sheridan are escaping from China along with Chen's briefcase and the Sky Fire technology. Chen is not in this taxi though. The Chinese, however, believe he is and are chasing it. During the chase Chen and Sheridan board a private plane in Macau heading towards New York City where Chen plans to defect. It is soon determined that the two boarded a plane set for the U.S. A plan is quickly devised to force the plane to crash, which it did.

The novel has a swift pace. Once I began reading I knew I would have to finish it in one sitting, regardless of earlier plans for the day. I rarely find a thriller as exhilarating as Cold Zero. The authors delivered as promised. The collaboration between them works, which isn't always true of other famous authors and their cohorts. I hope that this novel is the start of a new series. Sheridan, Chen and Sharpe make a great team. While Sharpe was the plane's pilot, his military experience helped in the development of a plan to deal with the crash. I can see Sheridan as the main character in a new series.

The action between the U.S, China and Russia operatives continued to build tension throughout the story. Several times in the plot each of these nations seemed to be winning. The ending, though, was a firefight between China and the U S. For a major part of the story, the chapters alternated between the three nations' activities.  Another factor regarding the tension was the description of the Arctic setting. The cold weather always gave each side problems to solve. 

Cold Zero is one of Brad Thor's best books. I highly recommend it to  thriller fans. 5 out of 5 stars.

Don't Forget Your Briefcase

I received an advanced review copy of Eliot Rahal's Don't Forget Your Briefcase from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This 125 page edition of the political satire collects releases 1 through 5 and will be published on March 17, 2026. It's hilarious.

Elmo, a ten-year-old kid, carries his dead father's briefcase with him to his elementary school every day. After hurting a bully, he is suspended and his mother, a Russian spy working in the White House, takes him to work with her. It is Inauguration Day and as the new president walks toward the Oval Office, he is assassinated. In the commotion Elmo picks up the wrong briefcase. It's the nuclear football with the codes to launch a nuclear strike. The Marines end up with his father's briefcase. Oops. A plan is set in action for the military to get the nuclear football returned back to them. Elmo unwittingly thwarts them over and over. His mother calls her contact at the Kremlin requesting guidance but from here things get worse. . . for both countries.

The comic is a fast read because of both the seriousness of the issue and the incompetence of those who work for both countries. It's told in traditional comic book panels. The drawings are gorgeous and the color palette contains every color in the rainbow. The pictoral depiction of every US president since the 1970s was cute. The story began with Jimmy Carter in the Oval Office instructing a Marine on his duties as the handler of the football. Initially, I thought this would be about Carter but nine other presidents are shown and I guess it's to show readers that someone always carries the football for whoever is president. It's our tradition.

This story is just plain funny. There is some foul language but no sexy drawings. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars and predict it will be in my top ten books for 2026.

The Star From Calcutta

The newest Perveen Mistry cozy historical mystery was recently published on March 3, 2026. The Star From Calcutta is the fifth installment of the series and takes place in 1922 India. In this story there was a movie censor  murdered at a movie premiere. The  leading lady disappeared at the same time. 

The publisher's summary:

India, 1922: Perveen Mistry, the only female lawyer in Bombay, has secured her biggest client yet: Champa Films, a movie studio run by director Subhas Ghoshal and his wife, Rochana, the biggest name in Indian cinema. In the public eye, Rochana is notorious for her beauty and her daring stunts—behind the scenes, she has recently left the studio in Calcutta that made her famous, and the studio owner is enraged by what he claims is a breach of contract. Rochana needs Perveen’s legal help to extricate Champa Films from the impending controversy.

To study Rochana’s glamorous world, Perveen attends a special screening and brings her film fanatic best friend, Alice Hobson-Jones. But in the aftermath of the event, one of the guests is found dead, and to make matters worse, Rochana has disappeared.

To protect her clients, Perveen begins to investigate the developing murder case, peeling back the glitz to reveal a salacious web of blackmail, deceit, and romantic affairs. For the first time in their friendship, Alice seems to be keeping a secret from Perveen. Is she hiding key information about the night of the murder? Will Perveen be able to detangle the truth from lies while protecting herself—and her closest friend?

This installment of the series was somewhat different than the earlier novels. In the past Perveen was investigating murders as a defense of her clients. In Star, Perveen was a witness because she attended the film preview and because she found the body. It was a nice twist that keeps the series fresh. However, she was still able to gather information for her investigation, although she had to ensure that the police did not know what she was up to. As a potential witness in a trial, or even the defendant, Perveen had to lay low. She hired a retired detective to help her with research into the movie companies, the censors and even her clients. 

While I have always enjoyed the Indian setting, this particular novel sheds light on the beginnings of Bollywood. Up until the time of the story, 1922, the movies that were shown in India were primarily made in Britain and had British storylines. None of the movie companies were creating stories about the lives of the Indian people nor were the actors Indian. If a character was ethnic, a mixed race actor was hired and, in all cases, the names of the actors were changed to Indian names. Around 1922 several Indian owned movie companies sprang up. They told Indian stories and used Indian actors. 

The pace was pretty quick, although the murder didn't occur until page 100 (out of 415). Perveen is a brilliant amateur sleuth. She relies on her law school education and work experience to help her create lists, in her mind that is, on how to approach each investigation in a rational manner. She pretty much knows what information she needs to obtain, in what order to obtain it and the names of those people who might have the information. Perveen thinks analytically as a lawyer would think. When she gets into trouble her father is a great resource. With twenty five years experience as a lawyer himself, he has the gravitas to know how best to handle unexpected challenges.

Perveen has a romantic interest in another character. The romance cannot go anywhere because she is still married to Cyrus Sodawilla and is not eligible for a divorce. Perveen is skating on thin ice in her liaisons with him but as a twenty-six year old woman she cannot turn her passion off. To make matters worse, her best friend's parents, the Hobson-Jones, are trying to marry him off to their daughter Alice. Of course, Alice isn't interested in him because she prefers women.

To say anything more about the book would be a spoiler. Suffice it to say that The Star of Calcutta is a perfect cozy mystery. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Fourth Princess

Author Janie Chang writes historical fiction. Many of her novels incorporate stories drawn from her family history and often include elements of fantasy. The Fourth Princess is her sixth book and it is set in 1911 China. The story is Chang's first gothic historical fiction novel and it's about two young women living in a crumbling, once-grand Shanghai mansion. Both face danger as secrets from their pasts come to light, even as the mansion’s own secret threatens the present. It was published on February 10, 2026.

The publisher's summary:

Shanghai, 1911. Lisan Liu is elated when she is hired as secretary to wealthy American Caroline Stanton, the new mistress of Lennox Manor on the outskirts of Shanghai’s International Settlement. However, the Manor has a dark past due to a previous owner’s suicide, and soon Lisan’s childhood nightmares resurface with more intensity and meld with haunted visions of a woman in red. Adding to her unease is the young gardener, Yao, who both entices and disturbs her.

Newly married Caroline looks forward to life in China with her husband, Thomas, away from the shadows of another earlier tragedy. But an unwelcome guest, Andrew Grey, attends her party and claims to know secrets she can’t afford to have exposed. At the same party, the notorious princess Masako Kyo approaches Lisan with questions about the young woman’s family that the orphaned Lisan can’t answer.

As Caroline struggles with Grey’s extortion and Thomas’s mysterious illness, Lisan’s future is upended when she learns the truth about her past, and why her identity has been hidden all these years. All the while, strange incidents accelerate, driving Lisan to doubt her sanity as Lennox Manor seems unwilling to release her until she fulfills demands from beyond the grave. 

This was a riveting novel. The story opens with Lisan traveling to her job interview with Caroline Stanton. She is immediately hired and leaves the home of her benefactor Master Liu to live with the Stantons. She will be working as Caroline Stanton's secretary. Lisan and Caroline hit it off right away and Lisan soon becomes indispensable to the running of the household. 

I'm not gonna lie. I had to Google gothic historical fiction for a definition. Gothic historical fiction blends suspense, atmosphere, and often supernatural elements with rich settings, commonly featuring crumbling old houses, isolated estates, secrets, strong female characters and intense emotional journeys. Lennox Manor fits the bill. It's falling apart after decades of neglect and it is located several miles from the nearest buildings in Shanghai. There is some mental illness in the Stanton family with two prior suicides. The Chinese house staff supplies the story with tales of superstition and fantasy. They frequently post words and pictures near doorways in order to keep ghosts away and there are definitely strong women characters. 

Lisan Liu is the main character and the story is told from her viewpoint. She is liked by everyone who has ever met her. I won't go into detail regarding her family background because it would be a spoiler. Caroline Stanton is also a strong female character, which surprises her husband Thomas and his uncle Mason who is always trying to get his hands on Caroline's fortune to facilitate their entry into a railroad scheme. Mason has told Thomas and Caroline that he is leaving them the house in his will. However, he doesn't actually own the house, a fact Caroline learns from reviewing land records. Master Liu owns it and leases it to Mason. Mason is the cause of all the treachery in the novel. He moves from one scheme to another to force Thomas to take away Caroline's money. Caroline also is guilty of some treachery but to describe it would be a spoiler.

The Fourth Princess is a dynamite novel. Historical fiction fans simply must read it. It's too good to pass up. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Devil's Bible

This twentieth Cotton Malone spy thriller was just published last month. It takes place in the modern era and concerns a codex called the Devil's Bible. The Devil’s Bible contains the complete Bible as well all the knowledge in the world. A formula for immortality might be found in its pages. In this installment of the series we see retired spy Cotton Malone coming out of retirement to help his former employer with a job. The Devil's Bible is a tale of mystery and intrigue stretching back over four centuries.

Steve Berry's plots are so complex that it is impossible for me to summarize them. Here is the summary from the publisher:

Former Justice Department operative, Cotton Malone, is called to Sweden when the younger sister of King Wilhelm I is kidnapped. The ransom demand? Hand over an 800-year-old book, the Codex Gigas—the largest illuminated medieval manuscript in the world. Claimed as war loot from Bohemia in 1648, it’s been kept in Stockholm for nearly 400 years. Along the way it also acquired another more mysterious moniker ... The Devil’s Bible.

Now the Czech Republic wants the codex back, and Sweden has agreed to return it, but forces are at work to stop that deal from happening. The likely instigator? Russia. Who is also top of the list for possible kidnappers. It’s up to Cotton and Cassiopeia Vitt to locate the king’s sister, secure the codex, and thwart the Russians. Yet nothing is as it seems.

Trusted allies become hostile enemies. Long-standing enemies suddenly shift into partners. Making matters worse, an array of conflicting personalities re-emerge from Cotton’s past, transforming an already chaotic international situation into something far more personal and deadly.

From the cobbled streets of Stockholm with its placid waterways and picturesque islands, to the hostile skies over the Baltic Sea, and finally onto a fabled 16th century Swedish warship, Cotton and Cassiopeia come face-to-face with the unthinkable—changing both of their lives forever.

As is usual with a Steve Berry thriller it is part history, part mystery and part political. There are only two settings in the book. Normally there are more but here we see action in Stockholm and Prague. I was expecting to read more about the codex in the story. All we read about it is that Sweden took possession of it from the Czech Republic as war bounty hundreds of years ago. I was hoping to get more background info about it but the story was only about Sweden trying to regain the codex after a loan to the Czech Republic.

The characters were divided into two groups. One group worked on locating Swedish Princess Lysa. The other group worked to remove the codex as well as find the treasure hinted at in the manuscript. The chapters alternated between the actions of each group. Another feature of Berry's writing is the use of current events in the story to further his plot. It made the story that much more compelling and exciting to read.

So why is the codex called the Devil's Bible? The book contains the complete Christian Bible as well as other manuscripts that contain all of the knowledge about the world. On one of it's pages there is a drawing of the devil. From this drawing the codex gets its name. The book was a fast read and enjoyable. Mystery fans will want to read it.

4 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.

The House of Lies

As soon as I heard about this book I immediately pre-ordered a copy. The author's Alardyce House series was incredibly good. The prospect of reading another story about this family was too good to be true. The book was published on February 6, 2026.

The publisher's summary:  

For generations, the Alardyce family have lived under the shadow of a curse. Some say it died with Robert Alardyce - the ruthless patriarch whose name was whispered in fear - but others know darkness like his never truly fades.

Decades later, Alardyce House stands empty, its secrets lost behind its walls. Until Kate Alardyce - Robert’s sharp and ambitious great-granddaughter - decides it’s time to reclaim her family’s legacy. And Kate always gets what she wants...

As the family gathers, old secrets resurface, loyalties fracture and the air thickens with menace. When Kate's cousin, Cameron Alardyce walks through the door, his resemblance to Robert sends a chill through them all…and it isn’t long before history begins to repeat itself.

But is the infamous curse really to blame… or is someone alive, watching, and ready to make the Alardyces pay in blood?

I enjoyed the first half of the story but it lacked the suspense and tension of the previous Alardyce novels. Kate wants to make a movie about the family, which is why she invited her cousins to the house. Lucy, Cameron, Simon, Harry and Jenna became reacquainted with each other and with Kate during this weekend. There were special family dinners, tours of the house as well as tours of the local village. The first third of the book was devoted to introducing the idea of the film to the cousins and convincing them to not only agree to the film but also to be a part of it. Kate wanted Cameron to play the role of the evil Robert Alardyce. Cameron looks exactly like a painting of Robert which hangs in the dining room. Robert’s eyes are dark, like evil lurking within them. With some prompting by Kate, Cameron easily becomes angry and impulsive like his doppelganger. Kate obviously inherited a dark side too. She knows how to manipulate people and events in order to get her way. 

At the halfway point I realized there wouldn't be any action. The book is solely about the reunion of the cousins. Most of the book is dialogue between them on mundane topics. There is alot of discussion concerning the Alardyce curse. It really is the Alardyce mental illness that seems to always skip a generation. 

I am not sure whether attempting to replay family events is sufficient to make a good psychological thriller. Kate's idea that the Robert painting can come to real life is loony. It's not plausible. It might work in a cozy mystery but not a psychological thriller. Another thing, Alardyce House seems to be haunted. Sightings of serial killer Edward Alardyce have been seen in the house. It would have been interesting if the ghost was also a serial killer as Edward was. I am not sure whether this fifth installment of the Alardyce House series was meant to merely bridge the gap from Victorian England to the present for future installments or to present a new mystery for us to resolve. Either way, The House of Lies falls short.

2.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Want to Know a Secret

I was lucky to receive an advanced review copy of Freida McFadden's newest novel from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. The book was self-published in 2021 but will be re-released by Poison Pen Press in March 2026. It's unclear if any changes were made to the manuscript but the copyright page indicates it is the final manuscript approved for pre-publication by Poison Pen Press. I requested the book because I knew it would be riveting. Freida McFadden has never written a book that wasn't engrossing. Want to Know a Secret fit the bill. 

The story opened spectacularly.  YouTuber April Masterson received a threatening text message from an anonymous person, someone close enough to see what's happening in her backyard and that her son Bobby was not where she thought he was at. April was distracted while filming an episode of her baking channel and wasn't watching him. A frantic search by April and husband Elliott only ended when April knocked on a new neighbor's door. She was about to ask neighbor Maria if she had seen her son when April eyes him playing with Maria's son Owen in their living room. April continued to receive anonymous texts but then began receiving negative comments on her You Tube videos. Some intimated knowledge of April's personal affairs and stated she was a fraud. April's private musings admitted that they were factual. She continued receiving texts about her flirting and about something buried in her backyard.

April appears to the outside world as the perfect woman. I fell for it in the beginning of the story but after awhile it seemed that something was off. No one is that perfect. April's new neighbor Maria definitely gives off bad vibes and we are led to believe that Maria might be the villain who is sending the text messages. I fell for that too. Initially it appeared that Maria had more secrets than April but then came Part 2. And Part 3.

This story is a perfect psychological thriller. It was hard to tell who all the psychopaths were. The plot twists began early but the ending was so surprising I read the last chapters twice. All this leaves me to wonder how the author comes up with her story ideas. 

5 out of 5 stars.

The Beginner's Quilt

I received an advanced review copy of The Beginner's Quilt from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. The book will be released next month. I love Wanda Brunstetter's novels. She writes Amish fiction and has 147 books under her belt. The Beginner's Quilt is a prequel to Brunstetter's Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club series. This installment of the series focuses on Emma Bontrager's lack of interest in  performing household tasks such as cooking, sewing, and cleaning. Her mother hasn't been able to teach her daughter these skills because Emma is always busy with the outdoors. The story shows her transition to domesticity. Emma's mother hopes that she will learn how to be an Amish wife.

Emma is a tomboy who loves fishing, baseball and any outdoors activity. Her mother sends her to her grandmother’s house in Arthur, IL for the summer in order to learn to cook and sew. Emma's grandmother is a great cook and seamstress. She soon meets grandma's friend Ida Mae Yoder who is an accomplished quilter. After admiring one of Ida Mae's Quilts she is offered lessons. Emma accepts immediately and begins making a quilt from the tree of life quilt block. Her new interest blossoms into a passion and after a few successes in the kitchen, Emma concentrates more and more on learning new recipes.

Emma is shy and has many inhibitions. When she meets Ida Mae's son Ivan, Emma feels an attraction but isn't cognizant of it. She only knows that she is tongue tied around him. Ivan, on the other hand, is bold in speaking and asserting his desires. They are complete opposites. After finding their footing as a couple something awful occurs that ends up separating them. Both are learning how to practice forgiveness while they journey through their time together.

This story is strictly romance. There are no modern problems involved in the plot which we have seen from earlier Brunstetter novels. It is a relaxing story to read. 4 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.

2026 New Release Reading Challenge

I will be rejoining the New Release Reading Challenge in 2026. Sign-ups opened today at the Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog. Since most of the books I read in any given year are new releases this should be an easy challenge to complete. My participation level is New Release Veteran which requires me to read 61 - 100 books. 

Challenge Rules 

1) The challenge runs the calendar year from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.

2) Books must be published in 2026.

3) Books can count towards more than one challenge, meme, book-tag, or book-list.

4) The minimum length for a book to qualify is 100 pages and can be in any format such as physical, e-book, ARC or audiobook, in any genre (including graphic novels and comics), set in any era (past, present, or future), and written for any reading age group.

5) You don’t have to be a book blogger to participate, you can link to your review on Goodreads or Booklikes or anywhere that you post a review of a newly released book.

6) If you want to spread the love, please use #2026NewReleaseChallenge on any and all social media sites where you promote your reviews.

7) There is a Facebook Group for the New Release Challenge, to have a place where we can keep up with each other, cheer each other on, and get to know each other better. It is also a place where we can help each other find even more new releases. For those of you who have already participated, it’s the same group as before.

8) You can also link to your review on Goodreads or Booklikes or anywhere that you post a review of a newly released book.

9) There are five levels in the New Release Challenge:

1-30 books per year – New Release Newbie

31-60 books per year – New Release Pro

61-100 books per year – New Release Veteran (my personal goal)

101-200 books per year – New Release Enthusiast

200+ books per year – New Release Obsessed

Please consider joining the challenge with me. It's a fun way to find new books that interest you. You can sign up for the challenge here.