Shamed by Linda Castillo (Kate Burkholder, Book 11)

Shamed by Linda Castillo is the 11th book in the Kate Burkholder series. Kate Burkholder is Chief of Police in the town of Painter’s Mill, Ohio. Chief Burkholder was raised Amish but left the life when she was 18. Her early years serve her well as she bridges the differences between the large local Amish community and the non-Amish. In this latest installment, Chief Burkholder and her team race against the clock to find a missing Amish girl.

During a routine patrol of the area, Chief Burkholder comes across an unoccupied buggy at an abandoned farmhouse. As she makes her way onto the property, a young girl covered in blood and obviously traumatized runs toward her screaming that her grandmother has been killed. Kate soon discovers that the girl’s sister is missing and she fears the worst – that the person who killed the girl’s grandmother abducted her sister.

Knowing that the longer the child is missing, the more likely she will be harmed, Kate begins by interrogating those closest to the missing girl. Although family and friends cooperate and are obviously hoping for the child’s safe return, Kate can’t help but notice that almost everyone seems to be holding back. Soon, she discovers that there are long-held secrets spanning many years that must be uncovered in order to bring the girl home…but can she do it in time?

The suspense in the story is strong as each chapter opens with a notation as to the hours the girl has been missing. The reader can feel Kate’s anxiety increase with each passing hour and dead-end lead. Then, when she discovers what has been withheld, it leads her to question the Amish faith and way of life she thought she knew as well as her own feelings in the matter.

Rating: 4 stars

Pawsitively Poisonous by Melissa Erin Jackson (Witch of Edgehill, Book 1)

Pawsitively Poisonous by Melissa Erin Jackson is the first book in the Witch of Edgehill cozy series – a series that is definitely off to a good start! This first book is interesting and fun, filled with cats of all types, has engaging characters and definitely keeps the reader guessing throughout. I enjoy a good cozy but am often frustrated by the overly-silly/naive main characters or the nature of the crimes but this was a solid mystery set in a quirky small town in Oregon.

Amber Blackwood, a lifelong resident of Edgehill, Oregon – and its resident witch – runs The Quirky Whisker, a shop full of novelties, “animated” toys and herbal teas and tinctures. Amber generally maintains a low profile in order to keep her witchcraft secret but, despite the care she’s taken, the Chief of Police has been suspicious of her since he arrived in the town 3 years ago. This all comes to a head when Amber’s best friend, Melanie, is found dead…with a bottle headache tonic from Amber’s shop in her hand. With his suspicions regarding Amber and the goings-on in her shop, Amber has just become the chief’s number one suspect.

When word gets out that Melanie was poisoned, the whole town begins to look at Amber with suspicion. Needing to clear her name, as well as find out who really murdered her friend, Amber begins an investigation using her unique gifts to guide her. Along the way, Amber discovers secrets about people that she thought she knew well and takes risks that threaten to reveal her biggest secret.

Thank you to Ringtail Press, NetGalley and Melissa Erin Jackson for providing this thoroughly enjoyable story in exchange for my review. I will be watching for more in this series and plan to check out Ms. Jackson’s other series as well.

Rating: 4 stars

Fatal Flowers by Miranda Rijks (Dr. Pippa Durrant, Book 2)

The 2^nd installment in the Dr. Pippa Durrant series has the “human lie detector” once more working with the police to solve a murder.

A murdered man has been found at a popular garden center but no one seems to know who he is or why he was at the center after hours.  As the police and Pippa investigate the murder, another body is found – complete with a sinister flower calling card.  The Gowers, the family that owns the garden center, have deadly secrets that someone wants to make sure stay buried.

The story had enough characters and misdirection to keep the reader guessing until the end and the plot moved along at a fast pace.  Unfortunately, none of the characters were likable, resulting in little suspense as the reader doesn’t care if one is killed.  If Ms. Rijks had given me a character or two to care about, my rating would have improved as the story was well-written and included interesting information regarding detecting lies through micro expressions and about floriography, the language of flowers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Miranda Rijks and Inkubator Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

Rating:  3 stars

The Hangman's Secret by Laura Joh Rowland (Victorian Mystery, Book 3)

The Hangman’s Secret is the 3rd book in Laura Joh Rowland’s Victorian Mystery series.  Sarah Bain and her friends, Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick O’Reilly are private detectives, currently working for Sir Gerald Mariner, the owner of The Daily World newspaper, photographing crime scenes.

While at one of their goriest crime scenes yet, the trio realizes that this is, in fact, the site of a murder and not the “suicide” that it appears.  The victim, bar owner Harry Warbrick, moonlights as England’s top hangman and he has just met his fate in the same manner as the hundreds of criminals he has executed.

When Sir Gerald is informed of the staged scene and the very real possibility that this was a murder, he announces that The Daily World will solve the crime before the police can.  This puts Sarah in direct competition with the man she loves, Constable Barrett, as they each race to solve the crime before the other.

During the course of their investigation, Sarah and her friends find connections between Harry Warbrick and his most famous execution, Amelia Carlisle, the “Baby-Butcher” who was sentenced for the murders of hundreds of infants placed in her care.  Something happened at this execution but due to the Official Secrets Act, those present are unable to discuss the event.  The cover-up extends much higher than originally thought and Sarah and her friends find themselves fighting for their lives and their freedom.

This book was well-written with interesting characters.  The storyline kept the reader guessing ‘til the end.  I recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Laura Joh Rowland who gave me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating:  4 stars

One Grave Too Many by Beverly Connor (Diane Fallon, Book 1)

A new series and a new author for me. One Grave Too Many is the first book in the Diane Fallon series by Beverly Connor. In the tradition of Kay Scarpetta and Tempe Brennan, Diane Fallon is a Forensic Anthropologist who becomes involved in solving a murder.

Diane has just returned to the US after overseeing the excavation of mass graves in South America. She's seen too much death and dealt with too much political intrigue as a result and now wants to settle in to a nice, calm position as Director of the RiverTrail Museum of Natural History. Unfortunately, what she wants and what she gets are two different things.

Before the museum is even open to the public, the board of directors is pressuring Diane to sell the property and move the museum to another location. In addition, strange things seem to be happening at the museum and they all have her name attached.

If that wasn't enough to keep her busy, her former lover, Frank shows up with a bone and asks her to confirm whether it's human or animal and potentially where it may have come from. The investigation into the bone, leads to multiple murders, break-ins and abductions.

The writing was good and the storyline was interesting. Unfortunately, many of the characters were not very likable - especially Diane. A few exceptions were Andi, Diane's assistant, and Linc, one of Frank's brothers. The story was a bit convoluted with all the shenanigans at the museum and the murder mystery but it was a good read and worth checking out.

Rating: 3 stars

Sacred Stone by Clive Cussler and Craig Dirgo (The Oregon Files, Book 2)

I was a bit concerned when I started this as many of the reviews commented on it being disjointed and hard to follow due to the large number of characters but I actually found that it worked well. The storyline was structured with multiple discrete episodes that each was pulled into the main storyline as needed.

The story itself was a fun, easy read with spy action and thriller components. I am looking forward to getting to know the crew of The Oregon better as I definitely see the people, and their various talents/personalities, as a major strength of the series.

The only significant issue I've had so far -with both books - is the the endings are a bit anticlimactic as the mission is completed.

Rating:  3.5 Stars

Golden Buddha by Clive Cussler and Craig Dirgo (The Oregon Files, Book 1)

A new Clive Cussler series for me. Different from the Dirk Pitt books I'm most familiar with, this has an ensemble cast. Yes, it still has the classic cars and the detailed technical descriptions, but you don't get the same character building. I am guessing that will happen as I get to know the members of the team better in later books. In any case, it was an interesting, enjoyable read that I would recommend to readers who enjoy action adventure (or as my favorite used bookstore labels it, Men's Fiction...lol)

Book Description: Juan Cabrillo's first adventure with the Oregon-a state of the art spy ship disguised as a nondescript lumber hauler-takes him and his crew into dangerous waters, as they try to put Tibet back in the hands of the Dalai Lama by striking a deal with the Russians and the Chinese.

Rating:  3.5 Stars

No Second Chance by Harlan Coben

This is the first Harlan Coben book I've read. His writing style was interesting and well-paced. The story generally unfolded naturally and didn't need the author to hurry it along or insert clues that the characters would have been unable to discover on their own. The storyline was good and kept me reading - not so many red herrings as to become frustrated. I will read more Harlan Coben.

The book desciption from Amazon:  Dr. Marc Seidman has been shot twice, his wife has been murdered, and his six-month-old daughter has been kidnapped. When he gets the ransom note - he knows he has only one chance to get this right. But there is nowhere he can turn and no one he can trust.

Rating:  3 Stars

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

The story line was interesting initially but I was actually really unhappy with the ending...

The interaction between the Humans and the Overlords was the best part of the story. The control they exerted without violence -- just the threat (or the show of what they COULD do if they chose to) was enough to make the humans fall into line. Even the "rebellious humans" were tame in what they tried to do.

The book and writing were good enough for me to rate it a 3 but that's the highest I could go. The book was a little over 300 pages and it still took me 15 days to read it.

Rating:  3 stars

Polanksi Brothers: Home of Eternal Rest by Dakota Cassidy

I've been reading Dakota Cassidy's Accidental Friends Series and the Hell Series and decided to check this book out when I saw it come up as a recommendation. It was a quick easy read - one where you saw the bad guy coming from a mile off and knew the ending by mid-way but still read to the end because it was light and cheesy and you wanted to make sure you were right. The sex scenes seemed a bit more explicit than usual but, in general, it was the typical witty paranormal fun that you can expect from a Dakota Cassidy book.

A bit of the book description from Amazon:  Take a walk on the wide side with USA Today bestselling author Dakota Cassidy’s Polanski Brothers: Home of Eternal Rest. Vampires, a funeral home, and a sleepy little town set the stage for murder with a whole lot of laugh-out-loud fun to keep you turning the pages. Detective McBride has his hands full as he tries to catch a murderer while dealing with the voice in his head…a deliciously sexy voice that has his libido working overtime. The voice of a vampire and maybe a murderer!

Rating:  2 Stars

Monster Island by David Wellington (Monster Island, Book 1)

I read Frostbite - the first of David Wellington's werewolf trilogy - and really liked it. I did not enjoy this one nearly as much. The addition of a more supernatural aspect to the Zombie premise was a bit too much. I would have preferred to stick with the straight-up zombie story rather than adding in Mael and his band of mummies.

The characters, other than Ayaan, are not really very likable and don't make you anxious for everything to turn out okay for them.

I will read others by Wellington -- and may even finish this trilogy as I think it was his earliest one and that may account for the issues in the first book. Unfortunately, it will be later as there are others in the queue that have been more interesting/enjoyable lately.

Rating:  2 Stars

The Female Man by Joanna Russ

This book was absolutely awful. The writing style was difficult to read; the characters were both uninteresting and unlikable; and there was too much of a "feminist" slant to the story. If I hadn't had to read it for a challenge, I would have given up after the first 25 pages.

Rating: 1 Star

Impulse by Frederick Ramsay

Frank Smith, famed writer of murder mysteries, is attending his 50th class reunion at Scott Academy. Twenty-five years ago at Scott, a group of young boys walked from the campus into the woods -- and disappeared. Frank is asked to look into the now long cold mystery. While Frank is in Baltimore investigating the disappearance of the boys, Detective Ledezma is in Arizona investigating the highly suspicious disappearance of Frank's wife into apparent thin air four years ago. Officer Ledezma is convinced that Smith has killed her and buried the body.

Ultimately, the story proved to be interesting but it took me the first third of the book to actually get into it. The main character, Frank, is not very likable early in the book. He has confrontations with his daughter who, though suspicious as to Frank's involvement in her mother's disappearance, wants a large favor from Frank. He also has run-ins with the school and his former classmates over their treatment of his brother and his own history at the school. The school administration is scheming to get Frank to leave a large "gift" to the school. Detective Ledezma is running a lazy - almost inept - investigation into Frank's wife's disappearance. Once Frank's investigation into the boys' disappearance begins, the story gets much better and I warmed up to Frank a bit more.

Rating: 3.75

Corsair by Clive Cussler and Jack du Brul (The Oregon Files, Book 6)

Corsair is the sixth book in the Oregon Files series by Clive Cussler and Jack du Brul. The Oregon Files follows the adventures of the Oregon, a seemingly dilapidated ship packed with sophisticated equipment and a wide array of weaponry, which is crewed by the best and brightest – all overseen by Juan Cabrillo, an ex-CIA officer with a flair for the dramatic.

The US Secretary of State’s plane has crashed on the way to a peace summit in Libya. It is initially assumed that she has died in the crash but there are indications that she may still be alive. The CIA hires Juan Cabrillo and his crew for an “off book” mission to locate and retrieve the Secretary.

This was not the strongest book in the series but it was an enjoyable read and delivered the usual mix of adventure, scheming and derring-do. I will definitely be continuing with the series, following the Oregon on its many adventures.

3.75 Stars

The Dry by Jane Harper (Aaron Falk, Book 1)

“Luke lied. You lied. Be at the funeral.”

Aaron Falk has returned to Kiewarra, his hometown that he hasn’t seen in 20 years. His best childhood friend, Luke, has apparently killed himself and his family in a murder-suicide and Falk has come to the funeral to pay his respects….as well as to find out what Luke’s father meant by that note he sent insisting that Aaron attend the funeral.

Twenty years ago, teenage Aaron and his father fled the small town of Kiewarra to get away from the threats and small-mindedness of the people who thought Aaron had killed a teenage girl. Now living in Melbourne, working as a Federal Agent investigating fiscal crimes, Aaron has left Kiewarra behind – or at least he thought he did. As soon as he showed up at the church for the funeral, the tongues started wagging and the sidelong glances were quickly cut away when Aaron met their eyes.

Luke’s mother is convinced that her son did not murder his family and has asked Aaron to stay around for a few days to look into it. Aaron reluctantly agrees.

The Dry takes place in Kiewarra a small town that has been ravaged by drought. The landscape is dry as tinder and livestock is slaughtered rather than wait for them to die of starvation and thirst. There is a sense of hopelessness and desperation in the people of the town as one after another, local farms are lost, small businesses are shuttered and there is no relief in sight. The author, Jane Harper, did an amazing job of setting the location of the story as I could envision the dead and dying fields, the haunted eyes of the people.

This is a great debut novel and is set to be the first in a series featuring Aaron Falk. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Rating: 4.5 stars

The Girl In The Ice by Robert Bryndza (DCI Erika Foster, Book 1)

A young woman is found frozen in the ice of a pond. Erika Foster is brought in to handle the investigation. Unfortunately for Erika, the young woman is the daughter of a well-connected English lord, making this a politically charged and high profile investigation.

As Erika begins to dig deeper into the life of the young woman and the circumstances of her death, she starts to connect the murder to that of 3 prostitutes - causing embarrassment for the socialite's family and consternation for her superiors in the police force. In addition, as Erika is chasing leads and hunting for the killer, the killer is stalking Erika.

Rating: 4 Stars

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock

Sydney Batson, a 1st year law associate, is juggling her career and taking care of her ailing grandmother, Callie. When her grandmother’s doctor’s appointment is scheduled for the same time Sydney has to be court, she arranges for a cab to take her grandmother to her appointment.

Cab driver, Finn Parrish needs to make the last of his rent money and hopes to catch some decent fares at the airport. However, his dispatcher sends him to pick up Callie for her appointment. When he arrives, he realizes that this fare may require more work than usual as the wheelchair bound woman appears confused and is prone to falling asleep at the drop of a hat.

Callie reminds Finn of his mother who he let down in the last days of her life and finds himself unable to say no when Callie keeps calling him for rides. Although Callie appears to need rides to run errands to finish her Christmas shopping, he soon realizes that her “errand” is to find her granddaughter a date for Christmas.

Catching Christmas is a cute story with interesting and lovable characters. Miss Callie is amazing and soon has Finn wrapped around her little finger doing things that he never would have thought to do. It definitely makes you remember what Christmas is all about.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

The Last Hours by Minette Walters (Black Death, Book 1)

It’s 1348 and the Black Death is moving across England. The people of Develish in Dorsetshire must band together to avoid the disease as well as to protect each other and the demesne from marauders.

Lady Anne’s husband, Sir Richard, has travelled to Bradmayne to broker a betrothal between its Lord and their daughter, Eleanor. While at Bradmayne, the residents and many of Sir Richard’s guard begin to fall ill. Fearing the worst, Sir Richard leaves for Develish. Upon his return, he finds that his wife has moved all of the serfs into the manor and has barred the door to any and all currently outside the walls. This turns out to be a wise choice on Lady Anne’s part as Sir Richard and his guards are soon taken by the plague.

Lady Anne, her daughter and their 200 serfs are safe behind the walls of the manor and surrounded by a moat. But are they really? Tensions rise as Lady Anne alienates her daughter and her steward with her decision to protect the serfs; the serfs become ill-tempered due to the enforced inactivity; and soon it is determined that the food supplies will be depleted within the month. However, the worse is yet to come when the body of a young serf is discovered.

The Last Hours is the first book in the Black Death series and while it could be read as a standalone, it definitely leaves the reader waiting for the next installment. That’s okay with me as I enjoyed the book and definitely plan to read the next when it is available.

I would like to thank Net Galley, Minette Walters and Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4 Stars

Why Mermaids Sing by C. S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr, Book 3)

Why Mermaids Sing is the third book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series by C. S. Harris. Sebastian St. Cyr is the Viscount Devlin and heir to the Earl of Hendon. Despite his aristocratic lineage, Sebastian finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation.

He is asked to assist by his friend, Magistrate Henry Lovejoy, after a body is found in a public location in London. This is the second body in as many months that has been “butchered” after death. The body is that of a nobleman’s son which is why Lovejoy has prevailed upon Sebastian to assist. With his title, Sebastian is able to gain access to members of London’s Ton where Lovejoy cannot.

As Sebastian and Lovejoy investigate the murders, there are shocking rumors and revelations that are exposed. The possible motive behind the murders is so unthinkable that it is outside the bounds of civilized society. The investigation puts at risk the reputation of powerful men who will do anything to keep the secret hidden.

This series is very well done setting the tone for the time and place – letting the reader into the world of the London elite during the Regency period. You have access to the struggles both within and between the classes. A victim of that struggle is the relationship Sebastian has with his longtime love, Kat Boleyn, a renowned London actress. Though Sebastian is ready to give up everything to have her as his wife, Kat refuses to let him sacrifice so much.

This entry in the series is the best yet. Each successive book has been better than the last – and that’s saying a lot since I’ve enjoyed each book so far. The secondary characters such Sebastian’s tiger, Tom, and his good friend Paul Gibson, a surgeon, are entertaining but also contribute significantly to the stories. This is definitely a series that I will continue. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I have a serious book crush on Sebastian… ❤ ❤ ❤

Rating: 4.5

Witch Slapped by Dakota Cassidy (Witchless in Seattle, Book 1)

Witch Slapped is the first book in the Witchless in Seattle series by Dakota Cassidy. This book is a cozy mystery with the addition of familiars, mediums, witches and more. I don’t usually read cozies but this one was by an author whose books I’d read before – the Accidental Friends and the Kiss and Hell series – and I was interested to see what she did with this one. I was not disappointed –the story had an interesting mystery, likable characters and snappy dialogue.

Stevie Cartwright is a former witch who often worked with departed souls, helping them to move on. She was stripped of her magical powers and shunned by her coven forcing her to flee to her hometown of Ebenezer Falls, WA, a small town outside of Seattle. When Stevie left her coven, she was joined by Belfry, a cotton ball bat (checkout the online photos of this very cute and tiny animal!) and her familiar.

Though Stevie has no powers, Belfry is still attached to the afterlife and is contacted by a spirit, named Winterbottom. Belfry is able to connect Stevie and Win so that Stevie is able to hear him. What she discovers is that he needs her assistance in solving a murder. Madame Zoltar, the town’s fake medium, has been killed and Win wants to catch the killer.

This is definitely a series to check out if you enjoy Dakota Cassidy’s other series, or even if you just enjoy cozy mysteries. It’s a fun, easy read and I will be reading others in the series. This is a spin-off of the A Paris, Texas Romance series which I also plan to check out.

Rating: 4 stars