Can't Wait Wednesday #29

This meme is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings. Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme that spotlights the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. 

This week I am happy to report that Laura Childs has another new novel to be published this year. Peach Tea Smash is expected to be published on August 8, 2024.  In this installment of the Tea Shop Mystery Series our heroine Theodosia Browning is hosting the Mad Hatter Masquerade, a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Opera on the grounds of the old Pendleton Grist Mill. Duri g the event Harlan Sadler, husband of Cricket Sadler, the chairwoman, is killed. He’s been hit in the head with a croquet mallet, and his body hung on the chains and paddles of the grist mill. Nobody can figure out why since Harlan was much beloved by everyone. It’s only after Cricket and Delaine beg Theodosia to investigate that she realizes the killer might have mistaken Harlan for his crazy son, Duke. After all, Duke is a slum landlord and recently injured a woman in a boating accident. 

It sounds like another good yarn from Ms. Childs.

Can't Wait Wednesday #28

The Can't Wait Wednesday meme is hosted by the Wishful Endings blog. While I am having a difficult time this month concentrating on books, I am still interested in adding books to my TBR list. Go figure. This morning I discovered that Susan Witting Albert will be publishing the 29th China Bayles cozy mystery novel on June 4, 2024. This is something to celebrate. When she did not publish a book for the series last year, I was afraid that the series was over. I am thrilled to hear about this new novel, Forget Me Never.

In this installment of the series, Pecan Springs resident Olivia Andrews has a blog and podcast, “Forget Me Not: A Crime Victim’s Storyboard,” that is dedicated to telling the stories of victims of crime. She has a stunning story to tell about a decades-old murder mystery involving a prominent citizen of Pecan Springs, someone who isn’t the man everybody thinks he is. Olivia is killed by a hit-and-run driver while she’s out jogging early one morning. Was it an accident—or something else? Her sister and China Bayles want to know.

Who is the prominent citizen Olivia was about to expose? How did he manage to get away with murder twenty years ago? Did he kill Olivia to keep her from revealing his secret? What is local lawyer Charlie Lipman trying to hide? Then there’s another murder. With a cousin's scrapbook that was compiled to honor the memory of one of the victims, China wants to determine whose face was scissored out of the photos. The answer to that question may solve the murder investigations.

I love that a scrapbook is part of the story and cannot wait to read more about it.

Can't Wait Wednesday #27

The Can't Wait Wednesday meme is hosted by the Wishful Endings blog. While my reading time has plummeted this month because of collage work and planning a trip to Japan, that doesn't mean I won't keep picking up books.  am currently interested in Tom King's Animal Pound comic series. 

When animals grow tired of being caged, killed, and sold off, an uprising puts them in control of the pound. The animals quickly find themselves as comrades, united against everything that walks on two legs. However, with this newfound power comes the challenge of determining how best to lay the groundwork for their new democracy as they write their first constitution.

I know that I am going to love this lighthearted story. The first three releases have already been published but they will be followed up with another three. Also, I can't wait for them all to be published in one book which happens alot with comic book series.

Can't Wait Wednesday #26

I am anxiously awaiting the publication of Ariel Lawhon's The Frozen River.  It will be released on December 5, 2023.  I have not read the author's earlier two novels and, frankly, never heard of her. The attractive book cover made me read the synopsis of the story and I ended up pre-ordering a copy.  The book is a historical fiction account of a real-life midwife by the name of Martha Ballard.

The publisher's summary:  Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is  record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.  Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

The plot sounds pretty interesting. I like that the story is based on a woman from history.   My December is heavily booked with holiday parties and concerts so I may not get a chance to read the book until January. I am excited about the read though.

Can't Wait Wednesday #25

I have been anxiously waiting for the publication of the next book in the Harriet Gordon historical cozy mystery series by A. M. Stuart. Terror in Topaz will be published on October 18, 2023. Unfortunately, it is the fourth and final book of the series. This one has a new publisher and Alison Stuart remarked on her website that she hit a stumbling block while writing the story and with administrative issues to deal with it took her some time to get it done.

In this installment of the series Harriet and her brother Julian leave Singapore for a few days and travel to Kuala Lumpur. Julian had been invited to visit a prestigious school (he is a teacher). While the two of them were there, another visitor was murdered on the front steps of the headmaster’s bungalow. Inspector Curran joins them after he is ordered to investigate the Topaz Club, which is the center of corruption in the Malaysian government. Harriet and Curran then work together to shut down the club but they come across a devious criminal who tries to stop them.

The plot sounds magnificent but I think Stuart was tired of writing the series. Changing the venue in just the fourth book of a series is telling.

Can't Wait Wednesday #24

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This week I would like to highlight a book that I have been anxiously awaiting to be published. The Deserter's Tale is the newest installment of Nathan Dylan Goodwin's geneological mystery series. It will be published on September 15th. The series features Morton Farrier as the sleuth. 

When forensic genealogist Morton Farrier accepted an invitation to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, to speak at the RootsTech genealogy conference, he had been unaware that one of his co-panelists was to be none other than his former girlfriend, Madison Scott-Barnhart. While he prepares anxiously to meet her for what will be the first time in twenty-six years, and hopefully to discover the unresolved truth behind her abrupt ending of their relationship, he takes on the case of researching his wife’s mysterious great-grandfather: a man who deserted his Sussex family shortly after the First World War. In the course of his investigations and time in the States, Morton uncovers some shocking truths, some of which are uncomfortably close to home.

I have read about half of the books in the series. This series is my favorite among geneological stories. Check it out.

Can't Wait Wednesday #23

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

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I am looking forward to the April 25 release of Colleen Cambridge's Mastering the Art of French Murder. It the first book in a new series, An American in Paris Murders. The book features Julia Child's fictional best friend Tabitha Knight. Upon arrival in Paris for an extended stay with her French grandfather, she meets his neighbor Julia Child and learns how to cook. Tabitha also tutors Americans in the French language, visits the markets and samples Julia's homework from the Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. One awful December day the two of them find a body in the cellar of Julia's building. The murder weapon is a knife that was taken from Julia's kitchen. I think that this is going to be a fantastic series and I am excited about reading Mastering the Art of French Murder.

Can't Wait Wednesday #22

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The book I am anxiously waiting to read is Ken Follett's The Armor of Light.  It is book number 4 in the Kingsbridge Series. Unfortunately, I have to wait until September 26, 2023 to get a copy of it. The Armor of Light is the sequel to A Column of Fire and heralds a new daw for Kingsbridge, England, where progress clashes with tradition, class struggles push into every part of society, and war in Europe engulfs the entire continent and beyond.

Per the publisher:  

The Spinning Jenny was invented in 1770, and with that, a new era of manufacturing and industry changed lives everywhere within a generation. A world filled with unrest wrestles for control over this new world order: A mother’s husband is killed in a work accident due to negligence; a young woman fights to fund her school for impoverished children; a well-intentioned young man unexpectedly inherits a failing business; one man ruthlessly protects his wealth no matter the cost, all the while war cries are heard from France, as Napoleon sets forth a violent master plan to become emperor of the world. As institutions are challenged and toppled in unprecedented fashion, ripples of change ricochet through our characters’ lives as they are left to reckon with the future and a world they must rebuild from the ashes of war.

I believe that The Pillars of the Earth, the first book in this series, will be required reading 100+ years from now for students taking American Lit classes. This 4th book will most likely become extra credit. Given its 928 pages, you will want extra credit for reading it. For me, I just want a relaxing read and I am certain that it will be a great read.

Can't Wait Wednesday #18

I am anxiously awaiting the April 4, 2023 publication of Harini Nagendra's Murder over a Red Moon.  It is her second novel in the Bangalore Detective Club Series. 

In this installment of the series, new bride and amateur sleuth Kaveri Murthy agrees to investigate a financial crime for her mother-in-law. Her husband's cousin is facing financial ruin while there is talk in his company that someone embezzled funds. All of this occurred under the blood moon eclipse. Soon thereafter, Kaveri's life is threatened. The story takes place in 1921 colonial India. Anti-British sentiment is rising and women's suffrage is being debated giving the book some political flair.

Can't Wait Wednesday #17

The Can't Wait Wednesday meme has been hosted by the Wishful Endings blog for awhile. Here, we discuss the books that we haven't read yet. 

I have tried to purchase Christine DeMelo's newest book The Apprentice. It was published two months ago but my Kindle purchase will not go through. DeMelo writes historical fiction stories set in Italy during the Renaissance and I have loved every one of her previous 13 novels. All of them have been standalones as is The Apprentice. This novel is a tale of forbidden love and danger that revolves around historical facts from 1600 Naples, Italy. A man named Carlo convinces Florentine Maestro Giovanni Balducci that he should be hired as an apprentice. The two travel south to complete important commissions such as the adornment of the San Gaudioso catacombs. Here, Carlo meets and falls in love with a local monk. Later he meets a famous nun, Sister Giulia de Marco and her confessor, Father Aniello Arcieri, while restoring an altarpiece in a church. Sister Giulia and Father Arcieri draw Carlo into their Confraternity of Carnal Charity, whose wealthy noble acolytes believe divine glory can be achieved through sexual ecstasy. Unable to continue living a lie, Carlo confesses his secret to Sister Giulia and she assigns him a prominent role within the cult. The problem? Carlo captures the attention of the Holy Inquisition.

So, what's up Amazon? Why can't I buy my book?

Can't Wait Wednesday #16

This is my first Can't Wait Wednesday post of 2023. There are two books which I want to showcase that I discovered last month from the Nonfiction Reader Challenge. The Bright Ages and The Light Ages are histories of the medieval era which is my favorite era in history. I am awaiting their arrival from Amazon.

The Light Ages is a history of medieval science. Author Seb Falk gives us this history through the eyes of a fourteenth century crusading astronomer monk, John of Westwyk. Westwyk was born in a rural manor, educated in a grand monastery and then exited to a clifftop priory. He navigated by the stars, cured diseases, and told time with an ancient astrolabe. During Westwyk's travels he encounters an English abbot with leprosy, a French craftsman and spy and a Persian polymath who founded the world's most advanced observatory.  The book kind of sounds similar to the travels of Marco Polo but with a scientific bent.

The Bright Ages is a new history of the medieval era.  I am not sure what is "new" but will soon find out. Advertised as a magisterial history, The Bright Ages captures this era from Europe to the Mediterranean, Asia and Africa. The publisher's summary of the book states that it will give the reader a fresh look on the Fall of Rome, Charlemagne, the Vikings, the Crusades, and the Black Death, but also to the multi-religious experience of Iberia, the rise of Byzantium, and the genius of Hildegard and the power of queens. The burning of heretics is also covered and I am interested in this because I have 6 direct ancestors who were burned at the stake for their religious beliefs. 2 of them were Roman Catholic and the others were Protestants.

Can't Wait Wednesday #15

My selection for this month's Calendar of Crime Challenge is The Butcher and the Wren.  It will be published next week on September 13, 2022. Butcher is the debut novel of Alaina Urquhart and it is a psychic thriller. 

The novel has an alternating point of view of a serial killer and the medical examiner following his trail. Dr. Wren has always been able to solve the cases that she has encountered except for this one. It seems that the serial killer is taunting her by the clues that have been left at the crime scenes. As the cases pile up in her office, Dr. Wren is sucked into a cat and mouse chase with the killer. 

The publisher's summary mentions that there are details written in the book that only a autopsy tech can provide. From this I assume that the details may be grisly but I am still looking forward to reading this novel.

Can't Wait Wednesday #14

I am excited about the publication of Laura Childs' newest Indigo Teashop novel. A Dark and Stormy Tea will be published next week on August 9, 2022. It is the 23rd book in the series. Number 24, Lemon Curd Killer, is scheduled for publication in March 2023.  

The author writes 3 other series and I have always thought that her writing suffers from putting out 3 books every year. Her last book in this series was good though and Kirkus Reviews has given this novel a good review. In A Dark and Stormy Tea we see main character Theodosia Browning noticing two figures who are locked in a strange embrace at St. Phillip's Graveyard. She quickly realizes that she has witnessed a brutal murder and recognizes the victim, the daughter of a friend. After calling the local police, Theodosia begins her own investigation. 

The series takes place in Charleston and Childs has always made the setting prominent. It is one of the endearing features of the series. With a nice review from Kirkus, I am looking forward to reading A Dark and Stormy Tea.

Can't Wait Wednesday #13

Yesterday I discovered that Fabrice Moireau has finished another watercolor sketchbook. The Normandie Sketchbook is for sale in his native France. Unfortunately, it is in French. Usually his books are also published in English a year later but the publisher issued a statement that there were no plans to reprint the book in English.

I am in a quandary. Should I buy the French book or not? I spend more time looking at the drawings than reading the descriptions of the subjects and learn so much about perspective from them. I am inclined to just buy the book now. However, I don't want to end up with 2 copies later on. What do you all think?

Can't Wait Wednesday #12

I am so excited for the publication of Dan Silva's newest spy thriller in 13 days!  Silva writes the Israeli spy Gabriel Allon series and there are currently 22 books in the series to date.  The time of year when his books are published coincide with two of my other favorite authors, Steve Berry and Brad Thor. The month that these three release their latests is always a good reading month.  This month is it! 

In Portrait of an Unknown Woman our legendary spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon has finally severed ties with Israeli intelligence and settled quietly in Venice. His wife Chiara has taken over the day-to-day management of the Tiepolo Restoration Company,and their two young children are discreetly enrolled in a neighborhood scuola elementare. For his part, Gabriel spends his days wandering the streets and canals of the watery city, bidding farewell to the demons of his tragic, violent past. However, when longtime friend and art dealer Julian Isherwood asks Gabriel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the rediscovery and lucrative sale of a centuries-old painting, he soon discovers that the work in question, a portrait of an unidentified woman attributed to Sir Anthony van Dyck, is almost certainly a fiendishly clever fake.  

It's gonna be great!

Can't Wait Wednesday #11

This week I found out that graphic novelist Nick Drnaso's newest novel Acting Class will be published on August 16, 2022. I am anxiously awaiting its publication. Drnaso is a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where I studied and within a year of graduating he had huge success with the publication of his graphic novel Beverly. He followed up in 2018 with Sabrina. 

Acting Class follows ten strangers who meet at a free acting class in a community center. The teacher, John Smith, is a mysterious and morally questionable figure. This group of social misfits and restless searchers have one thing in common: they are out of step with their surroundings and desperate for change.  The group includes a husband and wife, four years into their marriage and simmering in boredom, a single mother, her young son showing disturbing signs of mental instability, a peculiar woman with few if any friends and only her menial job keeping her grounded, a figure model, comfortable in his body and ready for a creative challenge, a worried grandmother and her adult granddaughter, a hulking laborer and gym nut, a physical therapist and an ex-con. The class sinks deeper into their lessons as the process demands increasing devotion. When the line between real life and imagination begins to blur, the group’s deepest fears and desires are laid bare. 

The wide variety of characters alone gives the author many interesting ways to approach the plot. I look forward to finding out where he takes the story.

Can't Wait Wednesday #10

It's been awhile since I participated in this meme. It is hosted by the Wishful Endings blog and was begun to spotlight the books that we are excited about but have yet to read.  For me, that book is Among the Innocent by Mary Alford.  I received an advanced review (ARC) copy of it about a month ago but have not started it yet. It is a crime thriller that takes place in an Amish community in Montana.

The story is about a murder investigation conducted by Leah Miller. Her Amish family was murdered in their barn ten years prior. She was taken in by the local sheriff and his wife who raised her as an Englisher.  Leah became a police officer because she loved her adopted father. She works in her home town, St. Ignatius, Montana, where a murder occurred that had similarities to the murder of her family. While the setting is an Amish community the story is not the traditional Amish fiction novel. Instead, it is a murder mystery and I cannot wait to finally begin reading this ARC.

Can't Wait Wednesday #9

I have been anxiously waiting for the publication of Melissa Yu's Peach Blossom Spring and cannot wait to get my hands on it. The book is on hold for me at my local library and I should be notified soon that it is ready to be picked up.

Peach Blossom Spring has the moost beautiful book cover that I have ever seen. It's red and pink color scheme mixes my two favorite colors. The story takes place in 1938 China. The main character, Meilin, must flee her home with her four year old son Renshu as the Japanese army approaches her town. She travels throughout a ravaged country seeking a safe place and brings with her a beautifully illustrated scroll that offers her some solace. An alternating plot concerns Renshu. He has settled in the U. S. and changed his name to Henry Dao. Henry has a daughter who wants to know about her Chinese heritage but Henry refuses to discuss it with her. He feels that the weight of history will drag his family down. 

This is a family saga that spans several generations. If you like these sagas, join me in reading Peach Blossom Spring.

Can't Wait Wednesday #8

This week's Can't Wait Wednesday is about Ruth Heald's newest novel The New Girl. It was published last month on January 20, 2022 and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of it. Heald is one of my newest favorite authors. I read The Wedding and I Know Your Secret and both were fantastic. She writes psychological thrillers that end with a bang.

In The New Girl Sophia moves to a new city in order to escape her past. She brings with her only a small bag of possessions. Soon after arriving she lands her dream job, a beautiful home and a fantastic boyfriend. Sophia begins to think that she can finally trust people again and feels safe for the first time in a long while. However, she starts hearing odd noises during the night and has a nagging feeling that someone is near her door. Sophia then finds a dress hidden behind her wardrobe. After she wears it to work the atmosphere around her chills instantly.

You can feel the tension in the story just from the publisher's summary. I already feel a little scared and plan on reading this one during daylight. 

Can't Wait Wednesday #7

I can't wait for Ellen Crosby's latest cozy mystery to be published. Bitter Roots is the 12th wine country mystery featuring vineyard owner Lucy Montgomery and her wine maker Quinn Santori. Bitter Roots is scheduled for publication on March 1, 2022 and I have already purchased a pre-sale copy of it. 

In this installment of the series Lucy will soon be married to Quinn Santori. However, two problems arise before the wedding. A devastating storm is approaching that could ruin her vines and a vineyard expert is found brutally murdered. Quinn was the last person known to be with the murdered woman. When the storm hits, Lucie's vineyard is destroyed which was where she was planning to get married. All the phones are out and there is no power in the area to deal with these two problems.

It's about time that Lucie and Quinn got married.  They have been slowly building their relationship through the 10 earlier novels and I feel that their union could have been expected from the beginning of the series. I wonder how the wedding will proceed but know that in a cozy it will go forward come hell or high water.