Hot Chocolate on Thursday

The second book in Michiko Aoyama's healing series was published on February 17, 2026. Hot Chocolate on Thursday is a collection of short stories translated into English from Japanese. In each story the characters reappear, usually as a third tier character. Many of the characters were part of the author's Matcha on Monday collection of short stories with the Marble Café also reappearing as a setting.

Synopsis 

Across a bridge in a quiet neighborhood in Tokyo, a seasonal cherry blossom sits on the river. Nearby is the Marble Cafe, where a woman writes in a notebook and a young waiter prepares her favorite hot drink. Both wonder about each other and about the other lies of the clientele who frequent this charming little cafe behind the trees...

Without even realizing it, we may touch and change someone else's life.

Taking a walk along the river, cooking the best tamagoyaki, ordering hot chocolate, forgetting to remove our nail polish... The small, everyday acts that we do can lead to unexpected encounters and reverberate far beyond your own circle and ultimately make a difference in the world.

Hot Chocolate on Thursday is a tapestry of slice-of-life moments that each open and close with a woman ordering her regular hot chocolate at the mysterious Marble Cafe. What happens in between will touch and swell your heart, as we connect with a community of untold unfolding lives.

My Thoughts 

Hot Chocolate on Thursday is a light hearted book that is one of the author's healing fiction novels. In these stories the main character learns how to improve his or her self. Each chapter is a new short story. My favorite one is A Saint's Righteous Path. In this story two friends meet for tea at the Marble Café. Risa can't wait to tell her unnamed friend that she is getting married. She confesses that her fiancé is still married but is getting a divorce. Knowing how these relationships never work out the friend cautions Risa. A year or so later she receives a wedding invitation from Risa. The story title is strange. Risa states during their conversation that she has always tried to walk a straight path in her life. I guess Risa is the saint. However, walking straight means not dating married men.

I like that the chapters are short. It is easy to read a chapter before falling asleep at night without having to stay up late to finish. It seemed that the chapters were shorter than those in Matcha on Monday. I noticed that the stories do not give details of the character's internal processing of an event in their lives. In Matcha we read about the character's internal musings concerning something that occurred to them and helped them grow as a person. Both Hot Chocolate and Matcha have twelve stories so I'm not sure why I feel the stories were shorter in Hot Chocolate.

Each story has a title page with a color written on it. I couldn't figure out why the author did this. In an interview in Seattle she explained:

Writing a book is mysterious to me,” she said. “The first and last line come first, so I had the first line of chapter 1 and the last line of chapter 12, connected with 12 colors. I really wanted to finish chapter 12 when I started writing.” 

I was into drawing with pastels when writing this book. The challenge with drawing this way is that when you use different types of material to color on, there are different ways it can come out. One color I used was called “skin color,” though it’s closer to beige. I didn’t use that name for the color because all skin colors are different.

The publisher asked me to do some drawings for the book, so I started drawing something quickly with pastels, but it wasn’t used.

What is healing fiction? I had to google it to find a definition. Healing fiction is a cozy, low stakes literary genre featuring quiet, emotional stories about ordinary people dealing with grief, loneliness  and burnout. The genre originated in Japan and Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. It always has a humble setting, a little whimsy and low conflict.

I loved the book and highly recommend it! 5 out of 5 stars.

Olive: Lost in Inner Space

Olive is a coming of age story in a graphic novel format. Olive is autistic and frequently escapes to her inner world where she meets an astronaut. Olive then embarks on a real world journey to save him. Of course, no one believes her. Olive was originally published in 2024 in French. The story was translated into English and published in 2026 by Abrams ComicArts. 

Synopsis  

A fantastical coming-of-age graphic novel involving love, loss, and found family, centered around a determined autistic heroine who refuses to make herself fit neatly into other peoples’ space

Wherever she is, Olive has never quite fit in, and living in a dorm room for the first time is no exception. To get away from the bullies, annoying teachers, and her parents, Olive escapes alone into her own vast world of vivid landscapes and fantastical inventions—until she gets an unexpected visit from a mysterious astronaut.

Could the astronaut in her inner world be the same astronaut who recently crash-landed on earth without a trace? Night by night, Olive watches his health fade and becomes more and more certain that she has to take action.

When no one believes that she knows how to save him, she joins forces with her plucky new roommate to unpack the clues from her inner world and venture on a journey to real-life countries she’s never been to before—all to save an astronaut who, as far as she can recall, she’s never met.

My Thoughts 

I enjoyed reading this story. It captivated my imagination and kept me reading until I finished it in just one sitting. I didn't quite understand that Olive was autistic though. It makes alot of sense now that I have finished reading the book. Olive's character was presented as a loner which I readily accepted. My thoughts were that Olive was introverted with a severe social phobia. I should have realized that she was autistic given her inability to be around other people. 

Olive felt the need to escape the pressures of school bullies and daily life so she frequently retreated into her head, which she populated with a rubber duck named Noel and a transparent whale named Rose. I am not autistic but believe that the story realistically shows an autistic person's lived experience. We see Olive retreating daily into herself. When reality overwhelms her, she goes to her safe space, the world she created in her mind. The school Olive attends is located in Paris. The school accommodated her disability by allowing her to live in a room by herself. When Olive’s grades plummet the school forces her to have a roommate. Charlie is the roommate's name. 

The outer space setting was beautiful. It was colored in dreamy bright blues which is not what space actually looks like. The school setting was similarly nice, however, the dorms were untidy. Students tried to fit all the comforts of home into their dorm rooms and consequently they were cluttered. I liked this setting because it was cozy. I can remember my own college dorm looking the same way. 

Parents, there are no sexy drawings or scenes so I can recommend the book for kids as well as adults. It's simply a great story. 5 out of 5 stars.

As I Dream of You

As I Dream of You was recently published on May 5,2026. The graphic novel is somewhat dark as it deals with grief and finding the strength to let go in order to keep on living. I would call it a romantic tragedy.

Synopsis 

Franny and Sam are each other’s entire world. So what do you do when your world ends? Frozen’s Jennifer Lee and Lunar New Year Love Story’s LeUyen Pham deliver a tour de force young adult romance with a supernatural twist.

Falling in love is supposed to hurt. That’s what Franny and Sam, two cynical teenagers raised on tales of heartbreak and loss, have come to understand. Yet when they fall for each other, they find the reality of love is something else entirely: it’s electrifying, all-encompassing, and easy. Theirs is a love that can conquer anything…perhaps even death.

But Franny and Sam’s quest to stay together—no matter the cost—soon blurs the line between reality and fantasy, and their shared dream threatens to turn into a nightmare.

My Thoughts 

My initial thought concerning the book is for parents. There are many sexy scenes and drawings that they may not want their kids exposed to.

Franny and Sam had a romance for the ages. They are high school juniors. Halfway through the story Franny dies in an accident. Sam cannot handle his grief and he descends into darkness where he believes he is meeting Franny in person. He also wants to kill himself so that they can be together again. A new friend talks him through his feelings.

The drawings match the grief Sam feels. I thought they were dark, not pretty at all, but this seems to be a minority opinion among book reviewers. 

While the book has received high praise I did not care for it. The storyline was written well though. It just wasn't my cup of tea. 3 out of 5 stars.

Until We Meet Again

Until We Meet Again by Lily Kim Qian is her debut graphic memoir about a young woman's search for identity and belonging as her family moves between Canada and China. The book was recently published on April 21, 2026 and is geared toward kids aged 14 - 18.

Synopsis 

Lily isn't sure where home is anymore. Her family is constantly on the move, resettling in different towns across Canada and, eventually, in Shanghai, China. Her father plays the role of primary caregiver while her mother is absent for long periods of time. When she reappears, her strange behavior turns Lily's life upside down. As Lily enters her college years, she strives to better understand her family and her place in the world. But can she escape the inherited trauma passed down by her immigrant parents?

My Thoughts

Lily did not like living with her mother who had schizophrenia. Her mother was always screaming and created a hostile home environment. After her father filed for divorce there was a custody battle which he won. Lily was thrilled not to have to live with her mom but there still wasn't much stability. Her father was constantly moving them to new cities in Canada. It is easy to see why Lily became accustomed to making friends easily but not really feeling like she belonged anywhere.

Both parents had immigrated to Canada from China. Eventually Lily moved with her father to Shanghai where her mother was living with her parents. She was in the eighth grade at this time. Throughout all of this upheaval Lily found a way to express her thoughts about her life via drawing. She decided to pursue illustration as a career.  Lily eventually created this graphic memoir to confront the trauma and parental abandonment that she experienced.

Lily seemed to adjust well to all of the situations that she was thrown into. She made a stable life for herself but I am sure that she suffered in some way from her childhood. When her grandparents passed Lily wished that she knew them better. She felt a loss here.

Until We Meet Again is a lovely memoir of the author's life. It has beautiful drawings colored with bright colors. The pages contain more drawings than narrative. Most pages just have one sentence. Parents, note that there are no sexy scenes or drawings. I enjoyed reading this graphic memoir and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Eat, Drink and Get Buried

The coffeehouse mysteries by Cleo Coyle is my favorite cozy mystery series. Eat, Drink and Get Buried is the 22nd book in the series and it's a winner. In this installment of the series the Village Blend coffeehouse caters a rooftop party where, of course, a murder occurs when someone is thrown off of the roof.

Synopsis 

Years ago, when master roaster Clare Cosi was a newly divorced mom raising her daughter, Joy, Ava Welsh became Joy's best friend. Now the painfully shy girl next door has grown into a successful New York businesswoman, and Clare is delighted to be catering Ava's coffee-themed party, especially when her boyfriend, Ryan, confides his plan to propose that very night. 

Then a scream shatters the celebration. A woman is thrown off the balcony to her death, and Ryan—who abruptly flees the party—is accused of murder. Clare vows to help Ava clear his name.

Her digging uncovers suspicious connections to a deadly event from which a teenaged Joy and Ava barely escaped with their lives. The stakes rise ever higher as a ruthless killer attempts to keep the ugly truth buried—even if it means sending Clare and her caffeinated crew six feet under. 

My Thoughts

I loved this story. It has all of the elements of a satisfying mystery. There were plenty of twists for Clare to look into. The murder occurred early in the story so that most of the story could be spent investigating the crime.

The characters who helped Clare find the killer were her baristas. Clare's fiance Mike Quinn made a brief appearance as did her daughter Joy and ex-husband Matt. It's unusual for these characters not to be heavily involved in tbe story. Aside from the secondary characters who were killed or were suspects, baristas Esther and Tucker aided Clare in clearing musician Ryan Riggs from the murder charge. Esther has a big personality. She is a colorful woman who loves poetry. Tucker is an actor wannabe who always has a friend who can assist in resolving one clue or another for the group of sleuths. Together with Clare, this circle of friends use all of their resources to find the real killer. All of them believe that Ryan was set up and their method of uncovering the identity of the whodunnit was by asking questions of their acquaintances.

The New York City setting is always prominent in this series. In Eat, Drink and Get Buried the cold misty evenings prevent Clare, Ryan, Esther and Tucker from being able to see details of the vehicles that were trying to run Ryan over or the person driving. The reason Clare is convinced of Ryan's innocence is because she saw a car trying to run him over. In the kerfuffle Ryan's prosthetic leg becomes unattached from his body. I didn't catch why this was so important to the story.

Cozy mystery lovers will enjoy this book. I highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Christmas at the Convent

Christmas at the Convent is a Harriet Gordon mystery. It takes place in Singapore in 1911 and its a novella. It was recently published on September 10, 2026

Synopsis 

Harriet Gordon and her husband are eagerly anticipating their first Christmas together—until a newborn baby is discovered nestled in the nativity scene of the Convent chapel. The infant is unharmed, but the mother is nowhere to be found. What begins as a desperate search to reunite mother and child quickly spirals into something far more sinister.

As Curran delves deeper into the mystery, he uncovers a dark secret buried in the past—one that threatens not only the young mother's life, but her baby's as well. With time running out and danger closing in, Harriet and Curran must untangle a web of lies and long-hidden truths before tragedy strikes. But some secrets were meant to stay buried, and this Christmas may prove deadly for those who dare to uncover them.

My Thoughts

I think this is the first story in the series where Harriet and Curran are married. I expected more domestic background but the mystery to solve began on page one and continued at a fast pace until the end. While the book has only 161 pages, the mystery formula was followed well.

The Singapore setting was less prominent in this novella. There weren't any narratives on the food or weather. Each page propelled forward the resolution of the mystery. It was tightly woven but there isn't much suspense. In fact, it reads more like a police procedural than a historical cozy mystery. 

The author has stated that Christmas at the Convent is the final Harriet Gordon book. However, she has also stated that she is not ready to stop writing about the series protagonists. I love this series and would hate to see it end. This is not the first time Ms. Stuart has said that the series was over. After the 4th book was published she said the series was complete. There are seven books to date. 

5 out of 5 stars.

Taipei Story

I have been anxiously awaiting the publication of this book. It was finally released on September 8, 2026. It is a coming-of-age novel that takes place in Taipei during the summer.

Synopsis 

College freshman Lily Chen is off to spend the summer in Taipei at an intensive language program like so many Chinese American students before her, hoping to connect with the culture she inherited but never fully understood. But a promising start quickly unravels. Her classes are grueling, her roommate is driving her insane, and a reckless trip to the hot springs with a guy she barely knows soon has her classmates viciously gossiping. She feels adrift, a foreigner in a country she thought would feel like home.

Then shocking news arrives: Lily’s grandfather has passed away. The loss forces her to grapple with now-unanswerable questions about her family history. As Lily grieves, she’s drawn into a journey of self-discovery—piecing together memories, stories, and silences over a series of hilarious and devastating attempts at connection.

Taipei Story asks: What if the diaspora fantasy of homecoming never comes true? What if learning a language can’t bring you any closer to the people you’re trying to reach? What if you search for your family’s history, but your family doesn’t want to share? What if you wait too long to ask the right questions? As Lily struggles for answers, her summer becomes a poignant search for understanding—of herself, her family, and the meaning of home.

My Thoughts

I loved this novel but note that it reads like a travelogue. Many people might not be interested in this type of novel. I gained alot of knowledge about the best food experiences, the number of steps to a famous statue and what the malls offer for shoppers. There is even a six story book shop that is open 24/7. This information willl be helpful to me for an upcoming visit to Taiwan.

Lily expected to feel at home upon her arrival in Taipei. She believed that she was more Chinese than American. I was perplexed by this because she grew up in America. Lily is culturally American. She was used to knowing all the Chinese people who lived in her area and was confused when she waved at the Chinese in Taipei and did not receive a wave back. Lily expected them to recognize her.

Lily and her fellow students were warned not to talk about sensitive political issues. However, she becomes involved in a conversation about Taiwan not being safe anymore because the current American president doesn't care about the situation with Mainland China. Everyone taking part of the conversation felt that Taiwan would be invaded China. I have a different viewpoint though and am surprised that the kids didn't know how much commerce there is between Taiwan and China. I believe China is planning on assimilating the Taiwanese people into China through financial deals. When the finances of Taiwan are 100% linked to Mainland China they will have no fear about reunification. Going back to political subjects, Lily had a class called Thought and Society where the class discussed political issues every day.

The descriptions of the classes that Lily took will be of interest to students looking to expand their skills in Chinese. The author described the classes in detail as well showing how the professors teach their subjects. In one class Lily had to read an article on the 2015 Toilet Revolution in China. Xi Jinping led a campaign to upgrade public toilets. I googled toilet revolution and discovered that there was, in fact, a toilet revolution.

I enjoyed the book. Note, though, that I love Asian countries and love to read books written by authors all over Asia. I found the setting fascinating and cannot wait until I can travel to Taipei myself. 4 out of 5 stars.

The Enigmas

Emilia Hart has written a new novel titled The Enigmas. It will be published on April 6, 2027. Hart wrote the award winning Weyward a few years ago. I loved that novel but did not like her second book The Sirens. Net Galley gave me an advanced review copy of The Enigmas in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis 

London 1940: Sandbags line London’s streets, but for Beatrice Bone, WWII feels distant and dull. It doesn’t help that she’s stuck at home while her younger sister Clemmie is away doing secret war work at a mysterious place called The Park.

Everything changes when Clemmie is killed in a fire. Plunged into grief, Beatrice treasures her sister’s last gift: an antique pocket watch, inscribed with the words memento mori: remember death. She soon realizes the watch is more than a memento when it transports her back in time, giving her the chance to save Clemmie. But changing the past causes a ripple effect, and Beatrice is faced with a devastating choice: her sister’s life, or her country’s future?

London, 1915: While her husband is off fighting in the Great War, Alice is breaking new ground as she treats wounded soldiers at Endell Street Hospital, London’s first medical center staffed entirely by female doctors. But the horrors she witnesses awaken long-buried memories of her mother's death―along with strange visions she has spent years trying to forget. Visions which now seem to afflict her eldest daughter, Beatrice . . .

My Thoughts 

The author is back on track. The Enigmas is a fantastic account of two world wars from the perspectives of a mother and daughter. The dual timeline offers the stories of Alice Bone who was a pioneering female surgeon during WWI and Beatrice Bone who worked at Bletchley Park during WWII. Both women appeared to have a brain disorder. Alice's mother had schizophrenia and Alice fears that she inherited the disease. Beatrice had encephalitis when she was young. It's a brain disease that causes high fevers, seizures and psychosis. Alice feared that she gave Bea the disease or even the female hysteria that we now call schizophrenia. Frank and Clemmie Bone round out the family. Frank came home from war with just one leg and  Clemmie is a free spirited lesbian. The reader doesn't know this, though, until at least halfway through the story.

The memories of Alice and Bea are retold several times with different outcomes. Alice is haunted by the birth of Clemmie (Clementine). During her birth Clemmie was delivered breech with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. Since Alice had attended medical school she knew how to save Clemmie and barked orders to the midwife. Alice knows inwardly that Clemmie was able to cheat death because of her medical knowledge. Alice also knows that Clemmie will die young because she should have died at birth. Bea is haunted by memories she had during psychotic episodes and has an unusual affinity for death. Bea loves gothic novels, gothic clothing and jewelry. The mental illnesses of both ladies offers the reader a reason for time travel. Ingenious!

The last forty pages offers the denouement. If it hadn't been drawn out I would not have believed the ending. It was a shocker and resulted in re-reading the entire novel. Surely I missed a lot of clues. I didn't. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Amalfi Curse

I have had The Amalfi Curse in my TBR list since the day it was published in April 2025. The story is fantastic so I shouldn't have waited to read it. The story is told in a dual format between 1821 and the modern day.

The publisher's summary:  

Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse…

Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven’s arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work?

As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano’s latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever…

Against the dazzling backdrop of the Amalfi Coast, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea.

OMG! This was such an engaging novel. I was hooked from the first chapter. Both Mari and Haven’s lives were fascinating. They both were at the top of their game. Mari was the top sea witch, that all of the other streghe looked up to. She was also a good mentor to the young girls with the necessary lineage to be a streghe del mare, sea witch. The girls were not allowed to join the group of ladies until they reached the age of seventeen. Even the men in her village respected her. The men knew that their village was never pillaged by pirates because of Mari's incantations. She was responsible for keeping everyone in Positano safe and she did this job well. Mari has a secret though. She is planning to run away with a man named Holmes who she had fallen in live with. Their romance was prominent to the story but there were not any sexy scenes.

Haven is a nautical archaeologist with a plan to search for treasure that her father had found somewhere in the Li Galli area. Li Galli is an archepelago of three tiny islands. Unfortunately, he died of a stroke and never got the chance to return to the area and get the jewels that he found. His last words to Haven encouraged her to find that treasure. Haven was a daddy's girl and took all this to heart. A few months after his death Haven obtains funding to do research in the Li Galli area. She is going to search for the jewels but hasn't told anyone. 

I thought the writing was magnificent. Each chapter ended with suspense, which kept me up all night reading until I finished the book. The chapters alternated between Mari's story and Haven’s story. Both stories are captivating and I hated to have to switch back and forth between their perspectives.

The Amalfi Coast setting was enchanting, although my back hurt every time a character walked up and down the many steps from the sea to the main roads. The beauty of the area was evident throughout the story but especially when Mari and Haven looked out to the sea from a terrace high up in the village. The coast has many caves that were entered by the streghe when they performed their incantations. The incantations were not stated but the physical actions that the streghe used were described. In fact, I didn't know what the incantations were supposed to do until after I finished the book and noticed a description of them at the beginning of the book.

I loved this historical fiction novel and highly recommend it. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Tokyo Express

Points and Lines was written in 1958 by Seicho  Matsumoto and it was originally translated into English in 1970. A new translation by Jesse Kirkwood was released in 2022 with the title Tokyo Express. This novel is celebrated around the world as Seichō Matsumoto’s masterpiece. 

The publisher's summary:

In a rocky cove at Hakata Bay, the bodies of a young and beautiful couple are discovered. Standing on the cold beach, the police see nothing to investigate: The flush of the couple’s cheeks and the empty juice bottle speak clearly of cyanide, of a lovers’ suicide. But in the eyes of two men, senior detective Torigai Jutaro and Kiichi Mihara, a young gun from Tokyo, something is not quite right. Together, they begin to pick at the knot of a unique and calculated crime.

For a novel written almost 70 years ago it's amazing that it reads like a modern day mystery. I loved it. The key to this mystery are the timetables for the trains that traverse Japan. I didn't understand the clues related to the timetables until the very end. The times that trains left and arrived at various stations were reviewed extensively by the investigators. There is alot of internal musings by Mihara that show us his train of thought. I believe the story would have been better if there was less of that and more action. 

It was odd that Torigae Jutaro and Kiichi Mihara's boss allowed them to continue investigating the so-called suicide of a man and woman after he closed the case. The deceased are waitress Toki and Sayama, a possible witness in a corruption scandal. A businessman by the name of Tatsuo Yasuda becomes an early suspect by the police but they do not have any evidence against him. Jutaro and Mihara do not consider anyone else as a possible suspect. A key piece of the evidence, though, is that Yasuda brought two waitresses with him to a platform at Tokyo Station so that they could see their co-worker Toki traveling with an unknown man. Yasuda knew these waitresses well. They served him at a restaurant that he frequented. The next morning both Toki and Sayama's bodies are found lying together on Kashii Beach.

We don't know much about the characters. The author does not delve into their lives nor does he use forensics. The book was written in 1958 before forensics became popular. The book is an intellectual mystery that focuses on the timetables and train stations. It was frustrating at times because I couldn't figure out any of the clues. The ending, though, was satisfying 

4 out of 5 stars.

Decaf Deceit

Decaf Deceit is the sixth Brown's Grounds Mystery. This cozy mystery was released on July 14, 2026. The series features Monica Brown as the amateur sleuth. Monica owns a popular coffee truck in Millpond.

The publisher's summary:

In Millpond, Monica Brown's mornings run on a simple recipe: a hot cup, a friendly smile through the order window, and a sheriff who flirts in $5.80 increments. The recipe does not include a swollen jaw, a stolen prescription, and a dead woman holding a slip of paper with Monica's name on it.

When Tawny Clifford, owner of Cliff's Boutique and one of Millpond's least-loved residents, turns up dead in her office, the rumor mill points everywhere at once. Tawny had enemies. She also, apparently, had hydrocodone in her system. The same hydrocodone Monica was prescribed after her wisdom teeth came out. The same hydrocodone that's mysteriously short two pills.

Sheriff Nathan Thomas wants to believe her. The Edgewater Community Council does not. And as Monica digs through a snobby tennis club, a boutique full of secrets, and a regular customer who knows a little too much, she realizes the most dangerous person in Millpond might be the one who looks the most harmless.

Because the strongest brew isn't always the one that gets you. It's the one you'd never see coming.

While the book is only 144 pages the author has written a crisp story that follows the mystery format perfectly. The death occurs early and there are several twists and one amazing red herring. I liked the characters. Monica is a tough lady who always says what she means. She doesn't have much of a filter. Monica is romantically involved with the sheriff. Sheriff Nathan is a pushover but he's a good friend to have especially when people suspect you of killing someone. The deceased was an obnoxious wealthy woman who loved throwing her weight around.

Monica decided to be proactive in her investigation. It was better to solve the crime than let the police drag their heels. She took big risks to learn everything she could about the deceased. She felt that this was the best approach to begin gathering information. Her observation skills were prominent, especially in the beginning with the details she remembered about each of her customers.

If there is anything unbelievable about the book its Monica's ability to return to work the day after having all four wisdom teeth removed in one surgery. I was a mess for several weeks after having one removed many years ago. This was a suspension of belief too far for me to go.

Decaf Deceit was a fun, relaxing read. Cozy lovers will enjoy it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Death at a Scottish Halloween

This is the fifth Scottish Isle Mystery by Lucy Connelly. It was just published on August 11, 2026 and features Dr. Emilia McRoy as the "amateur" sleuth. Amateur is in quotes because Em is a physician who also functions as the town coroner. These jobs give her access to alot of information she normally wouldn't have, making her sleuthing much easier. In this Halloween themed story, Em finds a dead body in a haunted house.

The publisher's summary:

It’s the week of Halloween—or as they say in Scotland, All Hallows' Eve—and the town of Sea Isle is full of spooky celebrations. Dr. Emilia McRoy loves being part of her new community and is eager to help out in any way she can. But the festivities are interrupted when she and her assistant, Abigail, find a dead body in a haunted house. A real one. They’re too late to save the victim, but they’ll do whatever it takes to find his killer. 

There’s just one problem: There are too many suspects. Constable Ewan would prefer the good doctor and her friends stay out of the investigations, but that isn’t how Dr. Em rolls. As she and her gang investigate, they realize the killer is searching for something—and has no problem murdering anyone who gets in the way of finding it. 

Dr. Em must stay one step ahead if she’s to survive this Halloween season alive—either that or she might just end up the next victim.

The story opened with the Haunted House Festival in full swing. Em and Abigail created a spooky autopsy room with a knife stuck in a fake dead body. Em used a knife from her kitchen and when the event was over for the day she looked for her knife. It was gone. By the end of the night a dead body was discovered; the body of Duncan Craig. The festival continued the next day but when Em arrived back home she found another dead body propped up against her door. His name was also Duncan Craig. 

The investigation began with the autopsies that Em performed. She also was able to obtain information at the local pub where the residents of Sea Isle imbibe most days and evenings. Nothing is a secret in this small village. Her first priority was to determine whether the deaths were connected. Usually Constable Ewen is a source of at least some information but in this installment of the series he primarily provided security at the public events as well as at Em's house. The locals continued to inquire whether the two of them were in a romance.

The story moved along at a nice pace with all of the twists and turns that I have come to expect from this author. It was a fun read. 5 out of 5 stars.

Dog Days

Dog Days is a love story between a Korean couple and their dogs. Told in graphic novel format, the memoir details the author's own adoption of dogs beginning with Carrot. Potato arrives a year later and later Choco joined the family. 

Synopsis

Yuna never wanted to adopt a dog. But with her partner in mourning–and in desperate need of a boost in morale–she gives in to his humble request. And in the grand tradition of reluctant pet owners, she and their puppy soon become inseparable. The young couple even goes so far as to relocate to soothe their new canine pal’s anxiety. After all, there’s nothing like a move to the country to set yourself right. Right?

The idyll of a quiet life soon gives way to a surprising degree of antagonism, including clashes with long-time local residents of a different generation. The culture shock is palpable for all three urban transplants as the isolation of their new environs starts to sink in. They eventually adopt another dog, and still another–all while reckoning with the ups and downs of middle-age and childlessness in an unforgivingly traditional milieu.

My Thoughts 

I loved the story as would any animal lover. The Korean setting adds depth for us westerners. The way Koreans view pets differs in the countryside in a way I never imagined. In Seoul, pet owners are just like their western counterparts. However, residents in the rural areas view dogs as something to kill and eat. If a dog runs wild it is possible that it could be picked up by anyone and killed. Also, some folks put wild dogs in crates waiting for the village dog butcher to come for them or leave them chained up outside in inclement weather. Hun and Yuna were shocked when they found this out. Their move out of Seoul was for the benefit of Carrot. They wanted him to be able to get lots of exercise but soon realized that Carrot would need to stay on a leash for his protection.

I enjoyed seeing the couple learn to be good pet owners as well as interact with other dogs they came across on their walks with Carrot. Potato was left in a box on their doorstep and they decided to keep him. Both Hun and Yuna tried to read the dogs' behaviors in order to figure out what the dogs wanted from them. A few years later Choco was another rescue they took care of. In the end, Choco was adopted by a relative.

Dog Days is a cute animal story. 5 out of 5 stars.

Landing in Place

Landing in Place is a coming of age story in graphic novel format. Anisa is the main character. She is an Egyptian American teen trying to excel just like her older sister Reem, a medical doctor. The book was published on May 19, 2026 and was written for kids over the age of twelve.

Synopsis 

Anisa is the American child of two Egyptian immigrants. Her father is a pilot and is gentle. Her mother criticizes Anisa constantly. Anisa graduates high school one year early and is lucky to be admitted to Reem’s alma mater. Her parents insist that she take the same pre-med track that Reem passed with flying colors. Anisa wants to study art but her parents don't believe art is a good career choice. After flunking out of her first college semester Anisa joins Reem in Egypt where Reem is undergoing an internship in kidney medicine. Here Anisa's eyes are opened to the social and religious expectations of her as a Muslim woman.

My Thoughts 

The book tells a compelling story about second generation immigrants. While Anisa's father has religious beliefs that he keeps to himself, her mother smokes, cusses and abhors politics and religion. None of her mother’s pronouncements bother Anisa until she returns home after a several months in Egypt. Anisa has been changed by living there and has begun to wear the hijab and attend prayers in the mosque. However, it is not explained why Anisa has had this transformation. Perhaps she just followed the Egyptian lifestyle but if that was the reason then Anisa should have given it all up when she returned to the U.S. This omission is a mistake in my opinion.

I did not understand the Islamic lifestyle. I am not a Muslim. After her transformation Anisa feels that kissing her Sikh boyfriend is a mistake because she wears the hijab. She feels that it gives Muslims a bad reputation in the eyes of the rest of the world. There is an unspoken theory that non-Muslims expect all Muslim women to be 100% chaste. Anisa's mother challenges her on this particular issue. I feel that the author should have expounded on this issue too. The book also contains commentary on the Islamic lifestyle from both practicing and non practicing Muslims. There is also alot of quotes from the Quran. They are translated into English  but I did not understand the meaning.

The book is a fast read. I felt it was lighthearted even though serious issues are portrayed. I enjoyed reading it and would like to see a sequel.  4 out of 5 stars.

Salvage

Salvage is a graphic romance. The plot follows two young artists whose paths intertwine as they navigate the complexities of love. It was published on July 21, 2026 and was written for those over the age of 14. 

The publisher's summary:

Paolo lives in the Flats, a dangerous, water-logged community where families survive by salvaging materials from skyscrapers hidden just beneath the ocean’s surface—remnants of a world before sea levels rose. Scavenging the depths comes with its risks, but when Paolo discovers a suitcase of designer clothes, he decides to fulfill his dream: To spend one night in the Uplands, a place of privilege, excess, and freedom. There he meets Jules and her friends, and what begins as a single night of reckless adventure turns into a secret double life—and a seemingly impossible romance that forces Paolo to reckon with who he is, where he belongs, and the importance of being true to himself.

My first impression of the story was that it was a little slow. I liked the beginning where we saw Paolo diving to find junk he can sell at the Vintage Market. The drawings show him entering waterlogged highrises that were buried after sea levels rose. Paolo looks for treasures people left in their homes. He always comes back with cool memorabilia that he and his parents can sell. The drawings from the Flats where Paolo lived reminded me of Thailand and Vietnam. It seemed like a nice place to live but, seriously, who wants to be poor? Only refugees from the climate crisis live in the Flats.

The story then moves to the Uplands where the rich reside. Paolo began taking a train to this area to see what it was really like. There were too many pages devoted to his visits. Eventually Paolo interacts with kids his age who all happen to be artists. The story picked up here but, again, there were too many pages with these interactions before Paolo finally meets Jules. They begin a relationship. Parents, there are only drawings of them kissing, nothing else. 

My favorite character was Kappa. He is Paolo’s best friend. I liked Paolo’s parents too. Unfortunately, Paolo was my third favorite character. When the main character is not likable, the story crumbles. The characters from the Uplands were extremely wealthy, spoiled and jaded teens. I did not like any of them and don't know why Paolo wanted to be like them. It’s interesting that these wealthy elite of the Uplands continued the behaviors of extraction and overconsumption that resulted in the sea levels rising.

Salvage is a visual masterpiece. The story is rendered in vibrant watercolor illustrations that the author painted. She used different colors for each neighborhood. The Flats are colored with a cool toned teal, red and orange palette. In contrast, the Uplands are presented in bright neon colors. The author did an amazing job with her illustrations.

Salvage is the classic social divide love story. It is a pleasant read but it should have been 100 pages shorter than its 246 pages. 3 out of 5 stars.

Silent Witness

Silent Witness is the third book in the Amish Book Club Mystery series. This cozy mystery was published this past Spring on May 26, 2026 and features Rosie Weaver as the amateur sleuth. Rosie is just one of several strong women in the series. She will solve crimes while remaining faithful to her church, which doesn't always like her poking her nose into other people's affairs.

The publisher's summary: 

Rosie Weaver has always relied on logic, discipline, and a strong cup of peppermint tea. But when her neighbor’s barn burns down, and a body is discovered inside, something about the scene feels wrong. The fire is ruled an accident, but the victim had more enemies than friends, and Rosie knows someone is hiding the truth.

The only witness? A kindhearted but non-verbal man whom the entire town has overlooked. And Rosie refuses to let his silence bury what he saw.

Pushed by instinct and the latest book club mystery, Rosie and her book club friends start asking questions no one else will. As resistance builds from her neighbors, outsiders, and even the sheriff, Rose realizes this fire may not be the last.

Can Rosie stop what’s smoldering beneath the silence before it ignites something far worse?

There is much to love about clean Amish mysteries. A writer does not need to use profanity or graphic violence to create a compelling story. Tracy Fredrychowski is one such author. Her use of a mystery book club among Amish women is a fun hook for her series. Amish traditionally don't join book clubs or read "Englischer" novels. Another aspect of this series that I like is the large number of strong female characters. Still, the flavor of an Amish story remains.

While Rosie is the main character, she relies on the other members of her book club to come up with evidence that the group then discusses at their meetings. In this installment of the series the ladies are reading Ashes of Magnolia Manor. In Ashes the detective  picked up on small details such as an old handkerchief and a hidden recipe to solve the crime. Rosie, Lovina and Irma decide to look for similar small details. As usual, the ladies solve the crime, not the sheriff.

 

The story opened with a fire that destroyed the Hostetler barn. There had been fires on the Mullet and Gingerich properties. The setting in Sweet Briar is important. More specifically the farms of the Mullet, Hostetler and Gingerich families are connected and well described. It's easy to see how someone can traverse each property. The past of these three, once close families brings us to the crux of the mystery.

I loved this story and highly recommend it to cozy mystery readers and fans of Amish fiction. 5 out of 5 stars.

Secrets Buried in the Ice

Secrets Buried in the Ice is the second book in the Snowy Alaskan Murder Mystery series. This cozy mystery series takes place in Frosthaven, Alaska and features Maggie Calloway as the amateur sleuth. Maggie moved to Alaska after retiring from her teaching career in Ohio.

In this installment of the series sled dog trainer Sully Sullivan is found dead along a frozen racing trail. Most of the residents of Frosthaven assumed that their brutal winters claimed another soul. However, Maggie noticed that Sully’s perfectly packed gear was unusual. Sully never packed anything very neatly. Also, she feels that the snow near his body had been brushed aside to erase someone's tracks. Maggie believes Sully was murdered.

Maggie has a twenty pound cat named Kodiak who travels everywhere she goes. Kodiak is by Maggie's side as she begins to ask questions around town. She is led into the dog mushing world where there are rivalries between the racers. There is an oncoming blizzard that will erase all the clues unless Maggie can solve this crime ASAP. I think these blizzards will be a part of every book in the series. It just seems natural. The whispers of a deed prohibiting any development near the track in Frosthaven in book 1 becomes clear in book 2. Sully held the deed. 

Maggie's former career as a schoolteacher helped her deal with adversary characters. On almost every page Maggie is thinking back to her classroom and how she dealt with students, other teachers and school administration. She instinctively knew how to handle difficult people. It was fascinating to see how she was able to use her skills in a different setting. There are 2 other smart women in the series. Harriet Miller works at the historical society and she helps Maggie with research. Harriet's help wasn't needed much in book 2. Sarah Jenkins is the new deputy sheriff. Between these three women, they can solve just about any mystery.

The writing is superb. The murder occurs in the first chapter. A villain is introduced in the second. Two motives are revealed in chapters 3 and 4 respectively and the sleuthing begins in chapter five. While the novel is a mere 146 pages, the author has written a crisp, fast paced mystery with eccentric characters that you would probably only find in Alaska. 

Secrets Buried in the Ice is a fun, fast read. Cozy lovers will want to read it. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Heiress of Northanger Abbey

I have read and loved every novel Nancy Bilyeau has written. She is one of my favorite historical fiction authors. In The Heiress of Northanger Abbey Bilyeau has written something a little different. She has written a sequel to Jane Austen’s classic novel Northanger Abbey. The book was published on September 1, 2026.

The publisher's blurb:

Gloucestershire, 1820: Twenty-two years after the close of Northanger Abbey, Catherine Tilney seems to be living a happily ever after. But her busy life as a clergyman’s wife is shattered by a letter that resurrects her darkest fears. Her daughter Phoebe has fallen under the influence of the unscrupulous Thorpe family—the very figures who once nearly destroyed Catherine’s happiness.

Determined to protect her child from dangerous fortune hunters, Catherine follows Phoebe to an isolated manor on Dartmoor. There, she finds a landscape of reckless passions, family secrets, and a dangerously charming aristocratic neighbor. It all feels eerily like the plot of the latest Gothic sensation, The Vampyre — but is Catherine once again letting her imagination run wild?

In this psychologically charged sequel to Jane Austen’s classic, award-winning historical novelist Nancy Bilyeau transforms Catherine’s youthful adventures into a mystery with the highest of stakes. The Heiress of Northanger Abbey is a story of mothers and daughters, deception and desire—and of a woman who must learn to trust her power of perception before it’s too late.

 

I LOVED this novel!  It is an excellent sequel to Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. When the book ends, Catherine Morland has just escaped from the clutches of Isabella Thorpe, a former close friend. Catherine is now Catherine Tilney, having married clergyman Henry Tilney. Henry's family owns Northanger Abbey and Henry's family is entitled to live there. However, Henry decides to reside in Woodston where his parish is located. His brother and sister in law have no children and want his daughter Phoebe to inherit the Abbey.

In this sequel Catherine's seventeen year old daughter Phoebe is the subject of a plot by John and Isabella Thorpe. They hope to marry Phoebe off to Lord Pomeroy who is having an affair with Isabella. If the marriage goes forth, Pomeroy will own Northanger Abbey and put Phoebe away. He will then install Isabella as the lady of the Abbey. Catherine believes that Isabella is up to no good and does not allow Phoebe to visit Isabella's daughter Charlotte without Catherine being present. It was interesting that Phoebe and Charlotte like to discuss gothic novels just as Isabella and Catherine used to. I enjoyed their dialogue concerning their favorite books.

The suspenseful gothic atmosphere helped me to continue reading the novel until I finished it in one sitting. It is mostly a fast paced story. The tension in the story was created by having a character who is a beautiful heiress along with several characters who are mysterious villains and who might try to trick her into marrying them. The unexplained screams that Catherine heard late at night also contributed to the atmosphere as did the gloomy weather.

Catherine is the main character. She is likable and intuitive in nature. However, she questions whether her imagination has gone wild with her suspicions about Isabella. Everyone in her orbit is telling her this but Catherine follows her gut instinct and continues to investigate her. She is positive that there are secrets held by Isabella that Isabella will use to hurt Catherine’s family. The reader doesn't know either whether Catherine is right to have these suspicions.

So, was Phoebe really in danger of being manipulated into marriage? Was someone attempting to marry her because of the fortune she will inherit? Was Catherine allowing her imagination to run amok. Who knows! Read the book to find out. 

As I said above, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars. 

Klara and the Sun

There has been alot of excitement recently about Kazuo Ishiguro's newest novel Klara and the Sun. It received rave reviews and has been adapted into a movie. Sony Pictures will release the film on October 23, 2026. I always prefer to read a book before seeing the movie so I picked up a copy of it. The novel is fantastic.

The publisher's summary:

Here is the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change forever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans. 

The story takes place in a future, dystopian U.S where children are genetically altered for academic advantages. Klara is a robot that runs on solar power as do all Artificial Friend (AF) creatures. Klara's manager placed her in the store's window for two weeks. Klara was able to recharge quicker as she was exposed to more of the sun. More importantly, a young girl saw her in the window. Josie visited Klara a few times while she was with her mother. Her mother wasn't sure how well Klara would fit in inside their home. A few weeks passed before Josie was able to return and buy Klara.

Klara and Josie got along well. However, Melania Housekeeper was curt towards Klara. Klara soon learns that Josie has an illness and when she feels bad Josie can also treat Klara poorly. I was amused that the housekeeper's name was Melania. 

I enjoyed reading the story from Klara's perspective. The author did a good job of interpreting how a robot adds information into its memory. Klara's method of reasoning was also fascinating. It all happened fast for Klara and she was able to change her responses to Josie according to Josie's moods. 

The novel is not really about artificial intelligence though. I think the author is comparing the abilities of humans versus robots to add information to their memory and also to show emotion. Note that Klara behaves better than any of the human characters in this novel. 

I loved this compelling story. Before reading the book friends told me that I would cry at the ending. I didn't cry but certainly felt some emotion. Klara and the Sun is simply an outstanding read. 5 out of 5 stars.

Ransom

Ransom is the 26th installment of Dan Silva's Gabriel Allon spy series. I have read every book in the series and always eagerly await the arrival of a new book. July 14, 2026 was the date! As with all spy thrillers there is a theme of greed and corruption in Ransom. However, this story is about the kidnapping of a billionaire's wife.

The publisher's summary:

Alice Winter, one of Britain’s most dazzling socialites, seemingly has the perfect life—a lavish home in posh Knightsbridge, a grand estate in Devon, millions of followers on social media who eagerly await her next post. But when she disappears without a trace while on holiday with three old friends from Cambridge, her desperate husband, the real estate baron Edward Knight, turns to none other than Gabriel Allon to find her.

He soon discovers that Alice Winter is not the woman she appears to be, that she has a reckless side, that she has secrets. But Edward Knight has a secret too, a secret so dangerous that Gabriel will have no choice but to return to the life he thought he had left behind. An old enemy lurks there, waiting for him to make one misstep, waiting for the perfect moment to exact vengeance.

From its irresistible opening chapters to its heart-pounding climax and shocking final twist, Ransom is a riveting, page-turning tour de force that proves yet again why Daniel Silva is the reigning master of international intrigue and suspense.

 

The title of the story gives us the plot line. The wife of a British billionaire is kidnapped while she is vacationing with three friends from her college days in Cambridge. The ladies are on the Spanish island of Ibiza. One of them, Phoebe, has a huge argument with Alice and leaves the island the next morning. Alice disappeared at 2 a.m. that morning but the kidnappers didn't contact her husband until six days later demanding a one billion euro ransom. Gabriel is hd by Alice's husband Edward Knight to find her. Gabriel solicits the help of a former associate Sarah Bancroft, an ex-CIA operative-turned-art , and international thief Ingrid Johansson. Both ladies appeared in earlier books of the series. The first half of the book dealt exclusively with the negotiation of the ransom and its subsequent payment. Then the backround on the kidnapping was turned upside down. 

International intrigue abounds in this novel. Gabriel learns that Russian intelligence officers and oligarchs are involved with Edward Knight. He has to sift through all of the clues concerning their possible involvement with the kidnapping. However, instead of the usual nonstop gun fighting between Gabriel and his adversaries the reader sees a slow build up of suspense as Gabriel deciphers who is involved and who isn't.

While Ransom isn't the typical Gabriel Allon novel I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. The author created a magnificent plot with clever twists. It is superb.

4 out of of sars.