While dwarves and elves are common in fantasy, I’ve never read a book with shadowy Umbral characters. I had to look up what umbral meant so that I could get a picture in my mind what we were talking about, and trust me, they are creepy characters. Take a look at the cover and you’ll see what I mean.
Continue reading “Umbrate by A.D. Jones”
This is the second book in this fast paced mystery/thriller that can be read as a stand alone. I haven’t read the first book, and while I probably would have enjoyed the book even more had I read it first, I don’t feel like I missed out on anything or had trouble following the story. There was plenty of backstory in the book to fill me in on what happened in book 1.
Continue reading “Village in the Dark (Cara Kennedy #2) by Iris Yamashita”
This is a wonderful historical mystery centered around the death of Alexander Hamilton after his duel with Aaron Burr. His wife Eliza is grieving and being comforted by her sister Angelica. She then learns that her son is accused of murdering a man that witnessed Hamilton’s duel. Stunned by this news, and determined to clear her son’s name, she is told of another man’s death, apparently by suicide. This man also witnessed Hamilton’s duel. Something’s not right, and Eliza is determined to figure it out. Is there be a plot to kill Hamilton and all the witnesses? If so, why? She must also face the fact that Hamilton left her with a pile of debts and almost no money. This leads her to sell her handmade lace, and get connected with a mysterious group of widow lacemakers who have the inside knowledge of what’s going on with high society.
Continue reading “The Lace Widow (An Eliza Hamilton Mystery #1) by Mollie Ann Cox”
This is an exciting psychological thriller set at a liberal arts college in South Carolina. Margot’s best friend Eliza died 3 weeks after graduation and Margo blames Eliza’s boyfriend for her death. Margot goes into a deep funk, but ultimately decides to attend the college she and Eliza planned to attend together. Margo spends her freshman year cloistered with her plain jane roommate, never making other friends or participating in social events. The only thing she does notice is Lucy, who is bold and dangerous – and reminds her so much of Eliza.
Continue reading “Only If You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham”
This is a great sophomore book in the Molly the Maid series. Molly has been promoted to head maid, supervising her former boss. While working an event for a prestigious mystery writer, he drops dead on the tea room floor. It’s believed he was poisoned and everyone is a suspect, including Molly. It doesn’t help that she has a history with the author – he is her grandmother’s former employer. The one that unceremoniously fired her grandmother.
Continue reading “The Mystery Guest (Molly the Maid, #2) by Nita Prose”
This is a great stand-alone dark fantasy involving a witch, a courageous girl, a cursed lord, and a dangerous adventure. Althena lives in a small, idyllic town until winter comes and never leaves. The town blames the nearby magical woods, especially when a stranger arrives and children start to go missing. Blaming herself, Althena enters the woods to rescue the children and save the town. Lord Winter lives in the wood and has been cursed to turn into a wolf every full moon. Believing he can break the curse by capturing 12 innocents and performing a ritual, he didn’t count on Althena.
Continue reading “Curse of the Winter Lord by Susan Shepard”
3 stars
This is a twisty suspenseful mystery set amongst the rich and famous. Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. When she discovers one of her inner circle has betrayed her, she invites them to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island. She’s hoping to call out the betrayal and let the person squirm before she bans them from her life. While on the island a strong wind storm, called a fury, envelopes the island. The storm is the perfect setting for a mystery – and maybe even an unexpected death.
Continue reading “The Fury by Alex Michaelides”
This is book 1 in the Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery series, but the books are set up to be standalone mysteries, so you can read them out of order. I did that when I read Cyanide and Sensibility earlier this month. I enjoyed that book, and I enjoyed this book too, which introduced me to all of the characters.
Continue reading “Pride, Prejudice, and Peril (The Jane Austen Tea Society Mystery #1) by Katie Oliver”
This was a twisty 1930s murder mystery at a house party at an estate in North Northumberland. Lady Merryweather goes the Craigside to get away from London and properly grieve her husband who was murdered. She was initially arrested for the murder, but has just been released and she’s hoping the peace at the estate and the solace of good friends will help sooth her.
Continue reading “Craigside by M. J. Porter”
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