Death on a Scottish Train

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

The publisher's summary:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Circle of Days

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

The publisher's summary:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

January Armchair Travel Plans

 

This month I will be transported to Stonehenge in the years before the current era with Ken Follett's Circle of Days. My next armchair adventure will be in Sea Isle, Scotland for Lucy Connelly's Death on a Scottish Train. I love this remote village. Later in the month I will be traveling to Taiwan, Lake Geneva,  Wisconsin, South Korea, St. Petersburg, Russia, India, Central Asia and parts everywhere and in-between.

For several months I have been trying to find time to read Lyn Liao Butler's The Fourth Daughter. I intend to read this Taiwanese family saga this month. Asia will still be on my radar for a trip to South Korea with Se-Ah Jang and her A Twist of Fate. Then I will detour north to St. Petersburg, Russia for a story about a ballerina in Juhea Kim's City of Night Birds. Yes, a story set in Russia written by a South Korean author. India and Central Asia complete my international travels. I then stay in the U.S. for several mysteries.

Where are you traveling in January?

Happy New Year!

2026 Books in Translation Reading Challenge

I may have joined too many reading challenges for 2026. However I just can't help myself. I am addicted to reading challenges. The Books in Translation challenge goes hand in hand with the Japanese reading challenge. In the past I read several books published in Spain so I'm looking forward to reading more translated books. I am signing up at the Conversationalist Level which requires me to read between 4 and 6 books. The challenge is hosted by the Introverted Reader Blog.

Rules

1)  You can read a book that’s been translated from any language into the language of your choosing. The challenge is not limited to translations to or from English.

2)  You can read any genre.

3)  You can read books meant for any age group.

4)  Crossovers with other challenges are fine.

5)  Any format that you choose is also acceptable.

6)  The challenge will run from January 1 through December 31, 2026.

7)  A blog is not required for participation; you can also link to reviews on other sites such as GoodReads, Instagram, etc.

8)  Sign up anytime throughout the year at the challenge post. 

Levels

Beginner: Read 1-3 books in translation

Conversationalist: 4-6 books (my personal goal)

Bilingual: 7-9 books

Linguist: 10+ books

Japanese Literature Reading Challenge 19

My love affair with Japan has led me to join another reading challenge.  This challenge takes place only in January and February so I need to choose books ASAP. Asako Yuzuki’s Butter was so good that I feel compelled to read more Japanese stories.  Book choices can range from short stories to classics and contemporary fiction. I am going back to Japan in March so a two month challenge fits perfectly within my schedule.

The challenge is hosted by the Dolce Bellezza blog. The challenge sign up post is here.

Top Ten Book Characters of 2025

Below are my favorite characters of the year.  As I was selecting them, I realized that not all of them were the protagonist. Drayton Connelly is a debonair Southern man who is always dressed well and who loves tradition. Zio Tino is the uncle of the protagonist in The Keeper of Lost Art. His decisions for the family pushed the plot forward. 

Drayton Connelly, High Tea and Misdemeanors by Laura Childs; Drayton is always the voice of reason. However, I most love reading about his daily wardrobe.

Clair Cosi, No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle; Clair owns and operates a coffeehouse with her ex-husband. She always has a keen insight and solves the murders at hand.

Lucie Montgomery, Deeds Left Undone by Ellen Crosby, Lucie has a disability but she still is able to own and operate a vineyard in Virginia. Her mobility impairment does not stop her from pursuing her dream job.

Emilia McRoy, Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly; Emilia is a physician who left her practice in the U S. to move to Scotland. She is also the coroner for her village which helps her solve murders. I wish I could be that brave and move overseas.

Delilah O’Leary, Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley; Delilah owns a pizzeria. She has hired an eclectic and eccentric group of employees who help her solve crimes.

Zio Tino, The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli 

Kaveri Murthy, Into the Leopard's Den by Harini Nagendra; Kaveri is the protagonist of this trilogy. Her knowledge on how humans behave bring twists to the story as well as determining the whodunnit.

Anyu Zhang, The Master Jeweler by Reina Dai Randel; Anyu is long suffering and this trait helps her become a jeweler.

Hubie Schuze, The Pot Thief Who Studied Calvin by J Michael Orenduff; Hubie seems like an old hippie. However, he's not old enough to be one. Each of the books in the series is solved by the use of one of his eccentricities.

Emma Quinn, The Art Collector by Susan Bacon; Emma is a history professor at Columbia University. She has taken up an investigation into the death of photographer Seal Larson, a friend of Andy Warhol.

End of Year Book Memes

I found both of these memes on Librarything. They both were posted approximately 9 years ago but I just found them two years ago during a search. Just fill in the answers with books you've read this year. Here are my answers:

Meme #1

Describe yourself: The Pot Thief Who Studied Calvin (J Michael Orundorf)

Describe how you feel: Entitled (Andrew Lownie)

Describe where you currently live: The Last House on Needless Street (Catriona Ward)

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Shadows of Marrakech (Philip Brebner)

Your favorite form of transportation: The Bard's Trail (Andy Regan)

Your best friend is: Fake (Erica Katz)

What’s the weather like: Rising Sun Falling Rain (Trish Devine)

You fear: The Great British Bump-Off (John Allison)

What is the best advice you have to give:  Kill Your Darlings (Peter Swanson)

Thought for the day: Part of the Solution (Elana Michelson)

How I would like to die: Pain Killers (Rachel Callaghan)

My soul’s present condition: The Holy Roller (Andy Samburg)

Meme #2

Shortest book title? Sliced (Raphael Scavone)

How many re-reads? 0

Most books read by one author this year? 4 books by Gary McAvoy 

Any in translation? Yes, Butter by Asako Yuzuki

How many books were borrowed from the library? 0

Name a book you’ve read this year which was recommended by a blogger? The Baker of Lost Memories (Shirley Wachtel)

My Life in 2025 Meme

Karen from the Booker Talk blog publishes a similar post every year. I first learned about it three years ago and I am going to answer her questions from last year today.

In high school I was: The Secret Keeper (Renita D'Silva)

People might be surprised by: The Intruder (Freida McFadden)

I will never be: The Celestial Guardian (Gary McAvoy)

My life post-lockdown was: The Wife Upstairs (Freida McFadden)

My fantasy job is: The Chaiwallah (Tim Van Es) 

At the end of a long day I need: The Lotus Shoes (Jane Yang)

I hate being: Feral (Fleecs)

I wish I had: Knife Skills for Beginners (Orlando Murrin)

My family reunions are: The Way of the Wicked (Mel Starr)

At a party you’d find me: Feeding Ghosts (Tessa Hulls)

I’ve never been to: Bad Lands (Preston and Child)

A happy day includes: A Death at a Scottish Wedding (Lucy Connelly)

Motto I live by: First Lie Wins (J M Cannon)

On my bucket list is: Six Days in Bombay (Alka Joshi)

In my next life, I want to be:  Dumb (Georgia Webber)

Top Ten Books of 2025

I read 100 books in 2025. 51 were mysteries, 19 were historical fiction and 30 were graphic novels. When I looked back on the  books that I read this year, I automatically knew which books would be in the top five. These books stayed in my mind all year. They were fantastic! It was difficult selecting the order of my top three. Any one of them could have been my number one. So, without further ado, here are my top ten books for 2025. Note that not all of them were published in 2025 but rather were read by me this year.

10)  No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle (cozy mystery)

9).  Bad Lands by Preston and Child (mystery)

8).   The Keeper of Lost Art by Laura Morelli (historical fiction)

7).  Lincoln's Lady Spymaster by Gerri Willis (historical fiction)

6).   The Master Jeweler by Weina Dai Randel (historical fiction)

5).   Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson (graphic novel)

4).   The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry (historical fiction)

3).  The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenburgs (mystery)

2).  Butter by Asako Yuzuki (mystery)

And the number one book of the year is:

1)  The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward (mystery, horror)

Top Ten Book Covers of 2025

2026 Finishing the Series Reading Challenge

It’s back for another year! This challenge is focused on finally finishing those series that you’ve started but not yet completed. It was previously hosted by Bea’s Book Nook, then by Celebrity Readers since 2018. Carla Loves to Read & Blue Mood Café, are the current hosts.  I have chosen the Syndication Level, which requires me to read between 13 and 16 series.

Guidelines

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026. Books must be read during this time frame to count. Sign up is open from now until December 1, 2026 so you may join even just for the last month of the year.
2. Series can be already completed as well as still ongoing. For ongoing series, the goal is to catch up to the most recent book published by the end of 2026.
3. It doesn’t matter if you have only 1 book or 10 books to read in order to finish your series, as long as you’ve started the series before 2026 (i.e., read at least one book in the series), it counts. Rereads are not required.
4. Any format and length of book counts (print, ebook, audio, etc.)
   Series can be any length (even if it’s just a duology).
5. Crossovers from other challenges are totally acceptable!
6. Reviews are not required, but highly encouraged.

How to Play

1. Post your intentions to participate in this challenge (blog, Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.).
2. You do not need to be a blogger to participate but do need to create a challenge record/page (blog post, Goodreads shelf or topic, etc.) with the series you hope to finish or get up to date listed and tracking your progress.
3. Post your progress on social media (Facebook, BlueSky, X, Mastodon, Instagram, etc.). Include the hashtag #FinishingTheSeries2026 on your posts.
4. Include a link to this page so that others may find us and join the fun as well (feel free to download the graphic to use in your posts.
5. Feel free to be creative in developing your series lists and posts! Don’t forget to include the level you’re targeting.
6. Sign up for the challenge by leaving a comment to the challenge post with your link to your challenge page/post. We will update the challenge page to include all participants.
7. Have fun and start reading those series!

The Levels

1. Limited Series: 1 – 4
2. Mini Series: 5 – 8 
3. Recurring Series: 9 – 12 
4. Syndication Series: 13 – 16 (my level of participation)
5. Primetime Series: 17+

This is a fun challenge. You should consider joining it.

Top Ten Books I Want in 2026