Tag: family

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: July 16th, 2024

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, Adult Fiction, Family, Contemporary

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The newest, riveting summer suspense by the author of The Block Party, Jamie Day.

The Precipice is a legendary, family-owned hotel on the rocky coast of Maine. With the recent passing of their father, the Bishop sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—have come for the weekend to claim it. But with a hurricane looming and each of the Bishop sisters harboring dangerous secrets, there’s murder in the air—and not everyone who checks into the Precipice will be checking out.

Each sister wants what is rightfully hers, and in the mix is the Precipe’s nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley Kelley: smart, resilient, older than her years, and in desperate straits.

The arrival of the Bishop sisters could spell disaster for Charley. Will they close the hotel? Fire her? Discover her habit of pilfering from guests? Or even worse, learn that she’s using a guest room to hide a woman on the run.

With razor-sharp wit, heart, thrills, and twists, Jamie Day delivers a unique brand of SUMMERTIME SUSPENSE.

First Line:

The power flickers on and off, as if the hotel is taking a dying gasp.

Important details about One Big Happy Family

Pace: Fast

POV: 1st person (Charley), 3rd person (Iris, Vicki, Faith, Bree)

Content/Trigger Guidance: One Big Happy Family contains themes containing murder, drug abuse, drug use*, addiction, sexual assault, sexual harassment, mental illness, car accident, eating disorder, gun violence, infertility, infidelity, violence, dementia, death of a parent, cancer*, pregnancy, classism, dubious consent scenarios*, adoption, cheating, child abuse, foster care, anxiety & anxiety attacks, substance addiction, involuntary pregnancy, blood, dead bodies, death from falling, grief & loss depiction, blackmail, attempted murder, poisoning, and hurricane. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Drug Use—Charley’s mother and Iris were both drug addicts. Charley’s mother died from an overdose, and Iris talked about how hard it was to stay sober.
  • Cancer—Bree’s mother died from cancer caused by HPV.
  • Dubious Consent Scenarios—Bree’s mother was pressured into having a sexual relationship with George. It is later explained that he did that to numerous maids.

Language: One Big Happy Family contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is mild sexual content in One Big Happy Familly. The nonconsensual sexual content was not graphic, but enough was left unsaid to paint a picture of what happened.

Setting: One Big Happy Family is set in Jonesport, Maine.

My Review:

I was very excited when I saw that Jamie Day was publishing a new book. I had read her debut novel, Block Party, and liked it. I couldn’t wait to jump right in and read it. After reading it, I liked the book but was disappointed by it.

My disappointment was with how flat this book felt to me. I was expecting a more fleshed-out book that had layers to it. Don’t get me wrong, this book had layers. But unraveling one layer and going to the next became exhausting to read.

Other than Charley, the other characters in the book weren’t as fleshed out as they should have been. The dynamic between the sisters seemed forced and a little over the top at times. They were also flat. The author attempted to give them depth (and of the three, Faith had the most depth, in my eyes), but it wasn’t enough. Even Oliver, who was on the spectrum or neurodivergent and spoke in rhymes, was flat.

Don’t get me wrong—the book wasn’t that bad, and I will discuss the good parts after this paragraph. However, the lack of depth in the storyline and characters did bring it down in my eyes. Also, remember that this is her second book, and I haven’t met an author yet whose second book does as well as their debut novels.

So, with that said, let’s move on to the good.

I enjoyed the storyline and the secondary storylines that supported it. I felt they were well written, and some details gave additional insight into how the Bishop sisters’ relationship evolved. Significant trauma in their home life influenced how they turned out as adults. I’m not making excuses for them, but I didn’t see anyone walking away from their home life and being an emotionally healthy, stable adult.

Charley’s backstory was awful. She lived through so much in her life. She was devoted to her Nana and worked herself to the bone to cover the nursing home’s rent. The scenes with Nana broke my heart. Dementia is not an easy thing to happen to your loved one, and the author did hit the nail on the head. There is a twist to her storyline that made me so upset and so angry for her. All I have to say is thank goodness for Bree. If Bree hadn’t done what she did (to repay Charley’s kindness), what was happening would still be going on, with Charley none the wiser.

The mystery angle of the book was terrific. The author had me all twisted in knots trying to figure out who killed Todd and Ms. Black. The author brings in a paranormal angle to the mystery with Holly and Oliver. But I found that a bit distracting. The author also layered the mysteries. It also added to the overall suspense and tension of the situation (stuck at the hotel due to a hurricane). Believe me when I say that all the secrets are revealed. I was surprised at the twist with Todd’s murder, but, at the same time, it made sense (considering what was revealed later on). But the biggest reveal happens at the end of the book. Not only did the author reveal who Ms. Black’s killer was, but she also revealed another colossal surprise that, honestly, I should have seen coming.

The end of One Big Happy Family was anticlimactic. I can’t tell you what happened (spoilers), but everything made me a little let down.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Jamie Day for allowing me to read and review this ARC of One Big Happy Family. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to One Big Happy Family, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Jamie Day

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: June 11th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Chick-Lit, Adult, Adult Fiction, Family

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

She’s rewriting his love story. But can she rewrite her own?

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies―good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates―The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!―it’s a break too big to pass up.

Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone―much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script―it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.

But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter―even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules―and comes true?

First Line

Logan Scott called just as I was making dinner, and I almost didn’t answer because my dad and I were singing along to ABBA’s greatest hits.

Important details about The Rom-Commers

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Emma)

Content/Trigger Guidance: The Rom-Commers contains themes that include the death of a parent, cancer, grief, injury, injury detail, medical content, death, medical trauma, panic attacks, chronic illness, car accident, terminal illness, misogyny, blood, alcohol, vomit, toxic friendship, animal death, infertility, and toxic relationship. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: The Rom-Commers contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is semi-graphic sexual content in The Rom-Commers.

Setting: The Rom-Commers is set in Los Angeles, California, but the beginning and ending chapters are in Texas.

My Review:

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors. I have read every book she has published in the last four or five years and enjoyed each. As soon as I see that she has a book coming out, I stalk it and pray that I get to read the ARC. When the publisher decides to send me the widget, I get super excited, and I can’t download the book fast enough. That is how it played out with The Rom-Commers. I did get a little worried, though. Books I have built up in my mind have a habit of not living up to the hype. That wasn’t the case with The Rom-Commers, thankfully. 

The Rom-Commer’s main storyline is centered around Emma. Emma is a socially awkward, slightly obnoxious, but sweet wanna-be screenwriter. When her father was seriously hurt and her mother was killed in a freak rock-climbing accident, Emma had to put her dreams on hold to take care of her father and sister. When her best friend offers her a job to rewrite a script for a famous screenwriter, she accepts. With her sister and father urging her, Emma sets out to LA. Once there, she is surprised that her best friend has forced her onto Charlie without warning. But when Charlie reads her revisions, he reluctantly agrees to the rewrite. The longer Emma stays with Charlie, the more she falls for him. But Charlie is a cynic. He does not believe in love. It isn’t until Emma leaves that he is forced to face his feelings.

I enjoyed The Rom-Commers. I don’t know anything about what goes into being a screenwriter, but the author did a great job of explaining it. She only went into great depth with some things, but she explained enough so I understood the basics.

I liked Emma. As I said above, she was a socially awkward, slightly obnoxious, but sweet girl. She had a whole lot of stuff dumped on her at an early age (she was in her mid-to-late teens when the accident happened). Plus, she had to almost single-handedly raise her younger sister while her father relearned to live with his disabilities. I liked that she was good at what she did and knew it.

I wasn’t a massive fan of Charlie for most of the book. He was surprised when Emma showed up with his manager out of the blue. I also get that he suffered from writer’s block, which contributed to his writing such a bad rom-com. But, everything after that, Charlie was being a jerk. The things he said about Emma were horrible (he didn’t know she overheard), and how he treated her was awful. But Charlie did redeem himself in my eyes. I’m not going into what he did, but let’s say that I was bawling my eyes out when Emma confronted him about everything.

The romance angle was slow. I felt that it was a one-step-forward/three-step-back progression. It didn’t help that Charlie didn’t believe in love and thought Emma (a rom-com addict) was ridiculous in her beliefs. There was a point in the book where I wanted to slap Charlie upside the head and shake some sense into him. But once Charlie’s Grinch heart grew three sizes too big, he realized what he had given up.

The end of The Rom-Commers felt rushed. It wasn’t my favorite ending, but it worked. I wish more attention had been paid to Charlie and Emma’s HEA. While I liked reading about everyone else, I didn’t think it was needed. It was that extra that made the ending rushed.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Katherine Center for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Rom-Commers. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Rom-Commers, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Katherine Center

Rhythm and Clues (Record Shop Mystery: Book 3) by Olivia Blacke

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: March 26th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Music, Amateur Sleuth, Fiction, Family, Adult Fiction

Series: Record Shop Mystery

Vinyl Resting Place—Book 1

A Fatal Grove–Book 2

Rhythm and Clues—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The rhythm is gonna get you.

It’s been five whole months since the last murder in Cedar River, Texas, and Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie have been humming along when disaster strikes again.

Their struggling vinyl records shop/coffee nook, Sip & Spin Records, is under pressure from predatory investors, though the Jessup sisters aren’t ready to face the music and admit defeat. But the night after their
meeting, the sketchy financier is killed outside their shop during a torrential Texas thunderstorm that washes out all the roads in and out of town. Now the sisters find themselves trapped in Cedar River with a killer, and Juni is determined to solve the case.

When the river spits out an unexpected surprise, Detective Beau Russell asks for Juni’s help, never predicting her investigation will spin her into danger. Up until now, the Jessup sisters have been playing it by ear, but with
the whole town watching, can they catch a killer before he strikes again?

First Line:

I’ve never witnessed a murder before.

Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke

Important details about Rhythm and Clues

Pace: Fast

POV: 1st person (Juni)

Content/Trigger: Rhythm and Clues contains themes of alcohol consumption, dead bodies, grief & loss depiction, car accident, murder & attempted murder, physical assault, and flooding. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: Rhythm and Clues contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Series: This is the 3rd book in The Record Shop Mysteries and can be read as a standalone.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Rhythm and Clues.

Setting: Rythm and Clues is set in Cedar River, Texas. 

My Review:

Over the past few months, I have read cozy mysteries that take place in various places. But a vinyl record shop/coffee nook wasn’t even on my radar for cozy mystery settings. I can check it off because Rhythm and Clues is set in such a place. That was one of the main reasons I decided to review the book. Not because of the mystery or because it was in Texas (which weirdly is a huge deciding factor in some of the books I read) but because it features a vinyl record store.

Rhythm and Clues is the third book in The Record Shop Mysteries series. It can be read as a standalone, but I strongly suggest reading the first two books to gain an understanding of the different relationships in the book. I wish I had because I needed clarification on the love triangle presented.

The main storyline of Rhythm and Clues centers around the murder of a financier in front of Juni and her sisters’ shop. The story also focuses on Juni’s relationships (love and otherwise) and her investigation into the death. I found the storyline engaging, often funny, and a little twisty (the murderer did surprise me).

I liked Juni, but she managed to get into trouble. As I read the book, I realized there was no holding her back when investigating the murder. She was going to find out who killed Zack, even if it meant putting herself up as bait and possibly getting hurt.

I found the mystery angle of Rhythm and Clues to be a little twisty, which surprised me. In my experience, cozy mysteries are usually written with a particular character in mind, and twists are not the norm. But, in this case, I was genuinely surprised by not only who the murderer was but also the motives behind the murder (minor spoiler: it was an accident). A smaller side mystery about handles mannequins also started about the mid-book. I did figure out where that one was going, but how it tied into the main mystery was revealed at the end of the book.

Juni’s relationships were a huge part of the Rhythm and Clues storyline. Her relationships were the bedrock of the storyline. Those personal relationships helped her with investigating Zack’s murder. She got information out of people that the police would have had to fight for.

Juni’s love life was also a significant part of the storyline. For a good part of the book, she was in a love triangle. Since I hadn’t read the previous two books, I was confused. There is a resolution to the love triangle, but I was a little disappointed with who she picked.

The end of Rhythm and Clues was perfect for the book. I liked how the author revealed who Zack’s murderer was and the reasons behind it. The author also showed the fallout from the murder. The author also left some room open for book four.

Many thanks to Saint Martin’s Press, Saint Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Olivia Blacke for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Rhythm and Clues. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Rhythm and Clues, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Olivia Blacke

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: March 26th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Women’s Fiction, Adventure, Chick Lit, Family

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Tracey Garvis Graves takes readers on a life affirming journey, where two lost souls find the unexpected courage to love again.

Thirty-four-year-old Wren Waters believes that if you pay attention, the universe will send you exactly what you need. But her worldview shatters when the universe delivers two life-altering blows she didn’t see coming, and all she wants to do is put the whole heartbreaking mess behind her. No one is more surprised than Wren when she discovers that geocaching―the outdoor activity of using GPS to look for hidden objects―is the only thing getting her out of bed and out of her head. She decides that a weeklong solo quest geocaching in Oregon is exactly what she needs to take back control of her life.

Enter Marshall Hendricks, a psychologist searching for distraction as he struggles with a life-altering blow of his own. Though Wren initially rebuffs Marshall’s attempt at hiker small talk, she’s beyond grateful when he rescues her from a horrifying encounter farther down the trail. In the interest of safety, Marshall suggests partnering up to look for additional caches. Wren’s no longer quite so trusting of the universe―or men in general―but her inner circle might argue that a smart, charismatic psychologist isn’t the worst thing the universe could place in her path.

What begins as a platonic road trip gradually blossoms into something deeper, and the more Wren learns about Marshall, the more she wants to know. Now all she can do is hope that the universe gets it right this time.

First Line:

It rains a lot in the Pacific Northwest.

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves

Important details about The Trail of Lost Hearts

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Wren)

Trigger Warnings: The Trail of Lost Hearts contains themes of death, infidelity, pregnancy, grief, car accident, gun violence, sexual assault, physical abuse, toxic relationship, medical content, depression, alcohol consumption, childbirth, pregnancy complications, death of a partner, and the death of a sibling. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: The Trail of Lost Hearts contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is nonexplicit sexual content in The Trail of Lost Hearts.

Setting: The Trail of Lost Hearts is set in various Oregon, Ohio, and New York locations.

My Review:

After the last couple of books I read (which tired my brain), I due to read an easy book. That means a book where I don’t have to take notes every 5 minutes and googling words/phrases I need help understanding. And I was expecting The Trail of Lost Hearts to be a book similar to what I just finished. So, imagine my surprise when it was the complete opposite. Now, I am not saying that this book is an easy read (it deals with loss and grief), but it didn’t give me a headache reading it. Plus, I like the author, having read her previous books.

The Trail of Lost Hearts’ storyline follows Wren’s recovery after her fiancee’s death. I found the storyline to be well-written. It was also fascinating that Wren and Marshall’s hobby, geocaching, was featured. Geocaching is something that I need to become more familiar with, and the author opened a whole new world for me.

Wren’s story was heartbreaking. She was dealt two considerable blows in one night, and I didn’t blame her for crawling into bed and staying there. I liked seeing Wren’s healing as she got deeper into her geocaching journey. What she experienced on the trail helped her accept what happened, and her experiences toughened her for the next twist in her storyline.

I liked Marshall, but I wish the author had revealed his backstory to Wren sooner. What he went through significantly damaged him. Marshall’s healing was as well documented as Wren’s, but you could see it in his emails, texts, and phone calls with Wren. By the end of the book, Marshall seemed to be at peace.

I know this book was billed as a romance, but it was more about healing than romance. I enjoyed seeing both Wren and Marshall heal from their individual trauma. Wren’s journey to healing was incredible. She went from being angry, bitter, and grief-stricken to one who was at peace with what happened. While Marshall’s experience wasn’t as in-depth as Wren’s, I got the same sense of peace from him.

The romance angle of The Trail of Lost Hearts was sweet. I liked that both Wren and Marshall had to fight to keep their relationship going. Their relationship was one of the more true-to-life ones that I have read. They are also some of my favorite fictional couples.

The end of The Trail of Lost Hearts was bittersweet. I liked that Wren got closure (I can’t say with who or why because it is a huge spoiler). I also liked that Marshall made the right choice. And the epilogue was fantastic!!!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Travey Garvis Graves for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Trail of Lost Hearts. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Trail of Lost Hearts, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Tracey Garvis Graves

A Smoking Bun (A Bakeshop Mystery: Book 18) by Ellie Alexander

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: February 20th, 2024

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Food, Family, Fiction, Adult

Series: A Bakeshop Mystery

Meet Your Baker—Book 1

A Batter of Life and Death—Book 2

On Thin Icing—Book 3

Caught Bread Handed—Book 4

Fudge and Jury—Book 5

A Crime of Passion Fruit—Book 6

Trouble is Brewing—Book 6.5

Another One Bites the Crust—Book 7

Till Death Do Us Tart—Book 8

Live and Let Pie—Book 9

A Cup of Holiday Fear—Book 10

Nothing Bundt Trouble—Book 11

Chilled to the Cone—Book 12

Mocha, She Wrote—Book 13

A Brunch with Death—Book 13.5

Bake, Borrow, and Steal—Book 14

Donut Disturb—Book 15

Muffin But the Truth—Book 16

Catch Me If You Candy—Book 17

A Smoking Bun—Book 18

Sticks and Scones—Book 19

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Another delicious installment in the Bakeshop Series set in Ashland, OR!

The mountains are calling in Ashland, Oregon, where pastry chef turned amateur sleuth, Jules Capshaw, is baking up a bevy of spiced curry buns and chai cookies for a moonlit snowshoe tour. Ramiro’s family is visiting from Spain and Jules can’t wait to take them up to her beloved Mount A with its charming and rustic lodge, backcountry trails, and star-filled skies that stretch for miles. Their winter wonderland adventure is nothing short of magical and the merry party opts to return to the slope the next day for the Downhill Dummy.

The annual competition is a favorite amongst snow lovers. Contestants strap makeshift dummies to skis and send them hurling down a death-defying ski jump in hopes of catching big air. The team at Torte is in the mix this year with their own replica of a tiered cake and a baker who closely resembles their fearless leader. It’s a fun and festive atmosphere as dummies sail past the crowd to huge cheers and applause. Until one of the dummies takes a deadly detour and lands atop Fitz Baskin.

Fitz is a guide on the mountain and his icy dealings have made for frosty relationships with everyone he encounters. Suddenly there are more suspects than snowdrifts as Jules dives into the investigation. She unearths a web of secrets and motives that threaten to shake the rustic mountain lodge to its core. Can she catch the killer before they strike again, or will the truth be buried forever under fluffy layers of fresh snow?

First Line:

They say you should embrace the seasons of life.

A Smoking Bun by Ellie Alexander

Important details about A Smoking Bun

Pace:  Medium

POV: 1st person (Jules)

Series: A Bakeshop Mystery. It can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the previous books to understand backstories and relationships.

Trigger Warnings: A Smoking Bun contains themes that include alcohol consumption, blood, dead bodies, fire & arson, explosions, and murder & attempted murder.

Language: There is mild swearing in A Smoking Bun. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in A Smoking Bun.

Setting: A Smoking Bun is set in Ashland, Oregon.

My Review

After several weeks of reading books that were often difficult to read (because of the content), I was ready to read something lighter. When I saw that A Smoking Bun was next on my TBR, I initially had an “Oh no” reaction. I had thought this would be another book with heavy subject matter. But, since I have a weekly reading schedule, I started reading. I was pleasantly surprised! A Smoking Bun was a perfect balm to a mind that previous books had overloaded.

A Smoking Bun is the eighteenth book (yes, I had the same reaction you did when I saw the number) in the A Bakeshop Mystery series. Because I hadn’t read the previous books, I was expecting some confusion over the characters, their backstories, and how they related to the storyline I was reading. Again, I was pleasantly surprised. There was minor confusion, but the author quickly explained the characters’ relationships to Jules. The explanations occurred within the two to three chapters, and the author moved on after the explanations were given. The focus was solely given to the mystery.

The storyline of A Smoking Bun centers on Jules and her investigation into the murder of Fitz Baskin. Fitz was horrible, with many people who didn’t want him around. The author hones the focus on four main suspects: two former clients of Fitz who he left on the side of the mountain, off the trail and in subzero temperatures, on purpose, an outspoken member of the ski rescue team, and the owner of the ski chalet/resort. All four suspects had the motive and opportunity to kill Fitz. Jules started looking into the case when one of her employees begged her to (plus, she was there, along with most of the town, when the body fell off the sled during the dummy run). His best friend was one of the four, and her employee was sure he had nothing to do with it.

I am fond of mysteries set in restaurants, bakeries, and other food stores. I enjoy reading about the delicious food that these fictional places make. I also appreciate the recipes usually included at the end of the book. I don’t know if this is because I got an ARC copy; none was included here. There were some recipes included that I would have loved to copy down.

The mystery angle of A Smoking Bun was well written. It was predictable, but overall, I enjoyed it. Jules had a unique way of looking into the case. She also had a connection with the suspects and used that to ferret out clues. Now, I was surprised at who the killer was and why that person killed Fitz. The killer was on my list of suspects, but there wasn’t enough for me to go, “Yes, it is that person.” So, when everything was revealed (and it was revealed dramatically), I was astonished.

The end of A Smoking Bun was your typical mystery ending. The author wrapped up that storyline in a way I liked but left an opening for book 19.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Ellie Alexander for allowing me to read and review this ARC of A Smoking Bun. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to A Smoking Bun, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Ellie Alexander

The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffian

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Random House, One World

Date of publication: February 27th, 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Civil War, Race, 19th Century, Adult, Adult Fiction, African American, Family

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A gripping historical novel about a spirited young girl who joins a sisterhood of Black women working together to undermine the Confederates—from the award-winning author of We Cast a Shadow

The American Daughters follows Ady, a curious, sharp-witted girl who is enslaved alongside her mother, Sanite to a businessman in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Sanite and her mother Ady are an inseparable duo—taking walks along the river, working together in the fields and spending nights looking up at the stars, dreaming. Ady’s favorite pastime is listening to Sanite’s stories of her families’ origins, their fierce and rebellious nature, and the everlasting love that strengthens their bond.

When mother and daughter are separated, Ady is left hopeless and unmoored, until she stumbles into the Mockingbird Inn and meets Lenore, a free Black woman with whom she becomes fast friends. Lenore invites Ady to join a clandestine society of spies called The Daughters. With the courage instilled in her by Sanite—and help from these strong women—Ady learns how to choose herself. So begins her journey toward liberation and imagining a new future. The American Daughters is a novel of hope and triumph that reminds us what is possible when a community bands together to fight for their right to live free.

First Line:

Of all the tiresome habits of men, what drove Ady, known here as Antoinette Marianne du Marche, to her wit’s end was their impulse to expand the pettiest of their lives’ moments to epic proportions.

The American Daughters by Maurice Carols Ruffin

Important details about The American Daughters

Pace: Medium. It goes to a fast pace at the end of the book (during certain events) but returns to medium after those events are over.

POV: 3rd person (Ady), 2nd person (excerpts of Ady’s journal), and 1st person (passages of people interviewed over the years about Ady’s journal).

Trigger Warnings: The American Daughters contains themes that include slavery, racism, racial slurs, rape, sexual violence, violence, murder, colourism, classism, sexism & misogyny, white supremacy, dissociation & dissociative episodes, involuntary pregnancy, and war themes.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The American Daughters. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is minor consensual sexual content in The American Daughters. The nonconsensual content is alluded to.

Setting: The American Daughters is set in New Orleans, Louisiana.

My Review

The main storyline of The American Daughters centers around Ady. It is a well-written storyline that does make it uncomfortable to read. The author doesn’t try to sugarcoat or explain away what happened to slaves. I guarantee this content will make people uncomfortable, but it needs to be read.

I liked Ady. I wasn’t sure if I liked that she wanted to join The Daughters (with her owner being one of the prominent people they were gunning for), but once she did join, she was invaluable. The most valuable thing about her was that she could read and write (English and French). Her owner decided to pass her off as his daughter and educated her. Those skills gave information to The Daughters to do what they saw fit.

Besides the main storyline (which intrigued me), I also enjoyed the excerpts the author included. The author was able to fill in some blanks when it came to Ady and her life after the Civil War while also keeping it a mystery.

There is also a thread of romance intertwined in the book. I did think that Ady met her soulmate in this person. I was also sure that this person didn’t feel the same way. It wasn’t until almost the end of the book that the author discussed that.

The Civil War also takes up a considerable chunk of the book. The author doesn’t get into detail about the battles, but he does go into detail about how the city prepped for war and its effect on New Orleans. Even when the war came to New Orleans, the author kept it to a few paragraphs at the book’s end. Of course, there were descriptions of what Ady and The Daughters did to help the Union army. The chains were mainly mentioned (and yes, it is true).

I did enjoy reading about The Daughters and their work. While fictional, I have no issue imagining something similar existed. In a city where free blacks and slaves coexisted, I find it hard not to believe that a spy ring made up of free black women and slaves existed. The Daughters did a lot of damage, but they also took hits to their numbers. Towards the end of the war, only a few were left (including Ady), which led to what happened at her owner’s house (which was poetic justice in my eyes).

The ending kept me from giving this book a 5-star review (if you can make sense of my rambling above). I was happy with how Ady’s storyline ended. But then the author posted an interview with a twist I should have seen coming. This twist was so shocking, but it made sense. I was mad that I didn’t see it coming.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Random House, One World, NetGalley, and Maurice Carlos Ruffin for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The American Daughters. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The American Daughters, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Maurice Carlos Ruffin

Acts of Forgiveness by Maura Cheeks

Publisher: Random House Publishing Book – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: February 13th, 2024

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Adult Fiction, Race, Family, Adult, Historical Fiction, Literature

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this stirring, tender-hearted debut about ambition and inheritance, a family grapples with how much of their lineage they’re willing to unearth in order to participate in the nation’s first federal reparations program.

Every American waits with bated breath to see whether or not the country’s first female president will pass the Forgiveness Act. The bill would allow Black families to claim up to $175,000 if they can prove they are the descendants of slaves and for ambitious single mother Willie Revel the bill could be a long-awaited form of redemption. A decade ago, Willie gave up her burgeoning journalism career to help run her father’s struggling construction company in Philadelphia and she has reluctantly put family first without being able to forget who she might have become. Now, she’s back living with her parents and her young daughter while trying to keep her family from going into bankruptcy. Could the Forgiveness Act uncover her forgotten roots while also helping save their beloved home and her father’s life work?

In order to qualify, she must first prove that the Revels are descended from slaves, but the rest of the family isn’t as eager to dig up the past. Her mother is adopted; her father doesn’t trust the government and believes working with a morally corrupt employer is the better way to save their business; and her daughter is just trying to make it through the fifth grade at her elite private school without attracting unwanted attention. It’s up to Willie to verify their ancestry and save her family—but as she delves into their history, Willie begins to learn just how complicated family and forgiveness can be.

With powerful insight and moving prose, Acts of Forgiveness asks how history shapes who we become and to consider the weight of success when it is achieved despite incredible odds—and ultimately what leaving behind a legacy truly means.

First Line:

Marcus Revel was willing to trade the illusion of his sanity to keep his home.

Acts of Forgiveness by Maura Cheeks

Important things you need to know about Acts of Forgiveness:

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Willie and Paloma).

Trigger Warnings: Acts of Forgiveness contains racism, medical content, classism, alcoholism, infidelity, rape, slavery, abandonment, and violence. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is moderate swearing in Acts of Forgiveness. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: Acts of Forgiveness is set in Philadelphia and New York City. A few chapters are set in Mississippi when Willie researches her family’s past.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Struggling to keep her family’s business afloat and to keep her father from doing business with a morally corrupt company, Willie Revel is looking for a miracle. And she might have found it with the Forgiveness Act. This bill will allow African American families, who can prove they are descended from enslaved people, to claim up to $175,000 per household. Willie could use that money to keep the business from going under. Using the skills she honed in journalism college, Willie starts researching her history.

Meanwhile, her daughter, Paloma, struggles to stay under the radar at her elite private school. As one of the only African American children there, she is singled out by students and teachers alike. Can Willie trace her heritage back to slavery? Can Paloma keep herself under the radar? Will the backlash from the Forgiveness Act die down?

My review:

Acts of Forgiveness was one of the most challenging books I have read this year. I wasn’t surprised by what I read; I had expected the content from the blurb. But it still packed a punch. I found myself tearing up in parts and, in other parts, being unbelievably angry over what Willie found out and what she had to endure growing up. The casual racism shown throughout the book sickened me, but it was true. People still act like this (especially in the South, where I live).

Acts of Forgiveness’s main storyline centers around Willie, Paloma, and the Forgiveness Act. Willie wasn’t likable, but I stress she was shaped that way. The shaping began when her parents moved into an all-white neighborhood. So, I didn’t let her grouchiness get to me or affect my enjoyment of the book. On the other hand, Paloma was the sweetest thing. Reading what happened with the Forgiveness Act and its backlash from a child’s POV was interesting.

The main storyline itself was well-written. It was jumpy (going from past to present), but considering how unstable everything was, it fit in with the book. The backlash to the Forgiveness Act was what I expected, unfortunately. It was something I could see happening in real-time (not that the bill would be passed with the current people serving in both the Senate and the House).

Willie’s backstory and her search into her family’s background were a considerable part of the main storyline. The author detailed Willie’s life from when her family moved into that neighborhood to today. Willie did spend most of the book pining for what she once had. But, her research into her history and what she learned about her roots made her rethink how she lived her life. The Willie at the end of the book is different from Willie at the beginning of the book. It showed how much she grew throughout the book.

Several secondary storylines were exciting, and they did bolster the main storyline. I was happy to see Paloma finally getting the praise she deserved and needed (that play was terrific). I was also pleased that Willie came to terms with several things in her life.

Secondary characters also added to the storyline and strengthened it. All of Willie’s family (her mother, brother, and father), her best friend, her mentor, and even Paloma’s father added depth.

I loved the end of Acts of Forgiveness. I won’t get too much into it, but it was what Willie and Paloma deserved. I was happy that Paloma grew up to do what she loved. I also liked that Willie finally got some peace with everything.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Maura Cheeks for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Acts of Forgiveness. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Acts of Forgiveness, then you will enjoy these books:

Northwoods by Amy Pease

Publisher: Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Date of publication: January 9th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Family,. Suspense, Adult Fiction, Mental Health, Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The dark underbelly of an idyllic Midwestern resort town is revealed in the aftermath of a murder with ties to America’s opioid epidemic in this unputdownable and thrilling debut. William Kent Krueger, and Mindy Mejia.

Eli North is not okay.

His drinking is getting worse by the day, his emotional wounds after a deployment to Afghanistan are as raw as ever, his marriage and career are over, and the only job he can hold down is with the local sheriff’s department. And that’s only because the sheriff is his mother—and she’s overwhelmed with small town Shaky Lake’s dwindling budget and the fallout from the opioid epidemic. The Northwoods of Wisconsin may be a vacationer’s paradise, but amidst the fishing trips and campfires and Paul Bunyan festivals, something sinister is taking shape.

When the body of a teenage boy is found in the lake, it sets in motion an investigation that leads Eli to a wealthy enclave with a violent past, a pharmaceutical salesman, and a missing teenage girl. Soon, Eli and his mother, along with a young FBI agent, are on the hunt for more than just a killer.

If Eli solves the case, could he finally get the shot at redemption he so desperately needs? Or will answers to this dark case elude him and continue to bring destruction to the Northwoods?

First Line:

Eli North stripped off his clothes and waded into the water.

Northwoods by Amy Pease

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Northwoods‘ pace is medium.

POV: Northwoods is told mainly from Eli’s 3rd person POV. But, there are also 3rd person POVs from Marge, Alyssa, and Cal. There is one heartbreaking scene from Ben and Caitlin’s POV (the day of Ben’s murder).

Trigger/Content Warning: Northwoods have trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Gun Violence
  • Alcoholism
  • War
  • Addiction
  • Drug Abuse
  • Mental Illness
  • Panic attacks/Disorders
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Suicidal Thoughts
  • Blood
  • Kidnapping
  • Grief
  • Death of a parent
  • Murder
  • Alcohol
  • Injury/Injury Detail
  • Classism
  • Domestic Abuse (not on page but mentioned to Eli by his mother)
  • Death
  • Drug Use
  • Toxic Relationship
  • Medical Content
  • Medical Trauma
  • Suicide Attempt
  • Amnesia & Memory Disorders (Eli cannot remember what happened after he entered the hallway of a house he entered in Afghanistan)
  • Depression
  • Hospitalization
  • Car Accident
  • Knife Violence

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Northwoods.

Language: There is moderate to explicit swearing in Northwoods. The language used could also be considered offensive to readers who are triggered easily.

Setting: Northwoods is set in Shaky Lake, Wisconsin.

Age Range: I recommend Northwoods to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Eli North is battling his demons. His drinking is out of control, and his marriage is over. The only job he can hold down is a deputy under his mother, the sheriff of Shaky Lake. And even then, he is skating on thin ice because of his drinking. So, he thinks it is no big deal when he responds late to a noise complaint at a local campground. Instead of finding tourists partying, Eli finds the dead body of a teenage boy. The resulting investigation leads to a missing teenager, the boy’s girlfriend. The resulting investigation takes Eli from the mansions that line Shaky Lake to the people with an addiction who buy opioids to a pharmaceutical salesperson who is going to blow the whistle on a miracle drug that is killing people. While Eli follows the clues, his life is imploding. Can he hold it together long enough to solve the case? Or will Eli succumb to his demons?

Main Characters:

Eli North is the main character in Northwoods. His well-written, well-researched character made my heart bleed for him. What I liked the most about him was that he was very self-aware of his faults. There were times when I didn’t think he would be able to finish the case and one time when I thought he was going to end his life. If I had to label him, I would say that he was more of a morally gray character and only because he was so tortured by what happened overseas.

There were a lot of secondary characters, and they each added depth to the storyline (and to what Eli was going through).

My review:

Northwoods is Amy Pease’s first book; I can’t wait to read more from her. Northwoods is well-written and well-researched. I was captivated right from the beginning (when Eli was swimming) to the end, which offered so much hope for Eli. I will be on the lookout for more books by this author.

The main storyline centers around Eli. It follows him during the investigation into Ben’s murder. But it also shows a very realistic look into what it is like living with PTSD. To say Eli wasn’t coping well was an understatement. He turned to alcohol to numb himself and to deal with the severe panic attacks that he got (which could be triggered by anything). Everyone knew something was up, but no one wanted to say anything, including his mother. But he did manage to investigate Ben’s murder (and Caitlin’s kidnapping) while battling those demons.

There were a few secondary storylines (centered on Ben’s mother, her drug use, Caitlin’s father, and his work). I was curious how the author was going to tie everything in with Ben’s murder and Caitlin’s disappearance. Well, I wasn’t surprised with how everything was connected. It made sense in a weird, roundabout way. It also paved the way for the end of the book.

The mystery and thriller angles were both well-written. I was kept in suspense over what would happen next during the investigation. I was also shocked at not only who the murderer/kidnapper was but why that person did what they did.

The end of Northwoods was a little bittersweet. I can’t get much into it, but it was good. There was a twist with who the kidnapper/murderer was, and it took me by surprise. I found it interesting that the author didn’t end some of the storylines. Instead, the people behind the killers were still out there. I wondered if there was going to be another book.

Many thanks to Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, NetGalley, and Amy Pease for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Northwoods. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Northwoods, then you will enjoy these books:

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: January 2nd, 2024

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Greece, Literary Fiction, Family, Drama, Cultural, Adult Fiction, Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In present-day Greece, deep in an ancient forest, lives a family: Irini, a musician, who teaches children to read and play music; her husband, Tasso, who paints pictures of the forest, his greatest muse; and Chara, their young daughter, whose name means joy. On the fateful day that will forever alter the trajectory of their lives, flames chase fleeing birds across the sky. The wildfire that will consume their home, and their lives as they know it, races toward them.

Months later, as the village tries to rebuild, Irini stumbles upon the man who started the fire, a land speculator who had intended only a small, controlled burn to clear forestland to build on but instead ignited a catastrophe. He is dying, although the cause is unclear, and in her anger at all he took from them, Irini makes a split-second decision that will haunt her.

As the local police investigate the suspicious death, Tasso mourns his father, who has not been seen since before the fire. Tasso’s hands were burnt in the flames, leaving him unable to paint, and he struggles to cope with the overwhelming loss of his artistic voice and his beloved forest. Only his young daughter, who wants to repair the damage that’s been done, gives him hope for the future.

Gorgeously written, sweeping in scope and intimate in tone, The Book of Fire is a masterful work about the search for meaning in the wake of tragedy, as well as the universal ties that bind people together, and to the land that they call home.

First Line

This morning, I met the man who started the fire.

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The Book of Fire had a medium-slow pace.

POV: The Book of Fire is told through Irini’s 1st person POV. The fire section of the book is told in 2nd person (it is told as a story and is broken up throughout the book).

Trigger/Content Warning: The Book of Fire has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Fire/Fire Injury
  • Death
  • Suicide (not the actual act but after it happened. There is also a scene where someone recounts encouraging someone to kill themself by handing them a rope)
  • Grief
  • Death of a parent
  • Injury/Injury Detail
  • Xenophobia
  • War (was told as part of Irini and Tasso’s story; it was Irini’s great-grandfather recounting a war he had lived through as a child)
  • Depression
  • Anxiety/Anxiety Disorders
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Body Horror
  • Hospitalization
  • Medical Treatment & Procedures
  • Scars
  • Death from Exposure
  • Animal Injury

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in The Book of Fire.

Language: There is mild to moderate swearing in The Book of Fire. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: The Book of Fire is set in Greece.

Age Range: I recommend The Book of Fire to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Irini and Tasso are living their dream in Greece. Tasso is a talented artist, and Irini is a music teacher. They live in an ancient forest with their daughter. The dream was shattered when a forest fire decimated their village and the forest their house bordered. Now, Irini is struggling with the aftereffects of the fire. So, when she finds the man responsible for so much death and destruction by an old tree, she walks away. While the police investigate, Irini must summon the inner strength and courage to get her life back on track. And that means coming to terms with what happened and trying to forgive the man who started the fire and destroyed her life. Can she do it?

Main Characters:

The main character in The Book of Fire is Irini. The book is told from her POV. Her actions (or inactions) in this book have far-reaching implications. Her character growth consisted of her growing past her anger at the man who started the fire and starting down the path to forgiveness.

My review:

This is the first book I have read by Christy Lefteri, and I can confidently say it won’t be my last. After I finished The Book of Fire, I added all her books to my TBR on Goodreads.

The Book of Fire’s storyline centers around Irini, her family, their healing (emotional and physical) from the fire, and Irini’s book that she wrote called….The Book of Fire (which recounts the fire and the days after). The storyline was well-written, and I could connect emotionally to the characters. More than once, I broke down into tears because of what happened and what Irini was going through in the book.

What got me the most was The Book of Fire segments. I was horrified by what Irini, Chara, and Rosalie (the dog) went through and how close to death they all came. Chara’s injury was horrific. I also admired Irini’s outward calmness. If she hadn’t been calm and given into the turmoil in her mind (over her husband and father-in-law), I think the outcome would have been different.

This book gave what I thought was a realistic look into the trauma after an event like that. Irini and her family didn’t get off scot-free and only had a house burnt down. No, Tasso’s career as an artist was threatened by the severe burns to his fingers. And Chara’s burn on her back was horrific (as I stated above). Tasso’s father is presumed dead, one of the hundred killed when the fire ripped through the village. The trauma ran deep in this book, and there were times that I wondered if they would be able to start the healing process.

When Irini found the man who started the fire, she went through his belongings and walked away. She did feel guilty and called the police, but still. The path to forgiveness and understanding it was a tragic accident was laid during her interviews with the police. But, there is a twist in this storyline that, even though I saw it coming, still surprised and unnerved me.

The end of The Book of Fire signified hope for me. I won’t go into it because of spoilers, but I did like how the author got Irini to that point. I believe the start was the healing of the jackal pup, and it just went from there.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Christy Lefteri for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Book of Fire. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Book of Fire, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Christy Lefteri:

Last Word to the Wise (Christie Bookshop: Book 2) by Ann Claire

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication: October 3rd, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Adult, Family, Books about Books

Series: Christie Bookshop

Dead and Gondola—Book 1 (review here)

Last Word to the Wise—Book 2

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Christie sisters and their bookshop cat, Agatha, flirt with cold-hearted crime when bookish matchmaking turns into a date with death.

Sisters Ellie and Meg Christie share a love of books, reading, and their new roles as co-caretakers of the Book Chalet, their family’s historic bookshop tucked midway up a scenic Colorado mountain. But romance? That’s another story. Ellie and Meg joke they’re in sisterly competition for worst relationships. So, when their cousin signs them up for her newest business endeavor, matchmaking based on bookish tastes, the sisters approach their blind double dates with foot-dragging dread.

While Ellie’s date meets her low expectations, Meg’s match, a book-loving romantic straight out of classic literature, charms her over a lovely dinner. The next morning, Meg is giddy with anticipation of a second date—until she’s stood up without a word. She fumes that she should have known better. However, her date had a good reason for ghosting her. He’s dead. Murdered, the police later confirm.

As the last known person to see the victim alive, Meg becomes a prime suspect in his death. She grimly quips that at least her dating record can’t get any worse. But it does. A thorn from Meg’s romantic past returns to little Last Word, espousing motives too sweet to believe.

To sleuth out the truth, the sisters must sift through secrets deeper than the February snowfall. Clues accumulate, but so do suspects, crimes, and betrayals. Ellie and Meg can’t afford to leave any page unturned. Romance may not be their forte, but hearts and lives are on the line, and the Christies know how to solve a mystery—especially when murder is involved.

First Line:

Never had I so dreaded a trip to the library.

Last Word to the Wise by Ann Claire

Things you need to know before reading the review:

Last Word to the Wise is the second book in the Christie Bookshop series. Last Word to the Wise can be read as a stand-alone book. But I suggest reading the previous book to understand the characters and their backstories.

Last Word to the Wise is a medium to fast-paced book. The pacing of the book suited it. The author was able to speed up and slow down the plotline without losing my attention or creating too much lag. There was some lag towards the middle of the book. But, it wasn’t enough to distract me or make me lose any enjoyment in reading the book.

There are no trigger warnings in Last Word to the Wise.

Sexual Content: There is no on-page sexual content in Last Word to the Wise.

Language:  There is no graphic or offensive language in Last Word to the Wise.

Setting: Last Word to the Wise occurs entirely in the fictional city of Last Word, Colorado.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Ellie and Meg Christie are doing great as co-caretakers of their family’s bookstore in Last Word, Colorado. But, in the romance department, they could be doing better. Ellie hasn’t been in a relationship since before she moved back to Last Word, and Meg, well, she hasn’t been in one since she was stood up at the altar by her daughter’s father fourteen years previously. So, they reluctantly agree when their cousin asks them to test the water of her new business, matching people together due to their reading habits and tastes.

For Ellie, her date was a disaster, but she had been expecting that. But Meg, on the other hand, her date was excellent and a perfect match. But, when her date doesn’t show up for brunch like he promised, Meg figures he either forgot or ditched her. Well, as it turns out, it was neither. Her date had been murdered. Since Meg was the last person to see him alive, she is the prime suspect.

Determined to prove her sister’s innocence, Ellie digs into the victim’s background. What she uncovers shocks her and gives her a list of scorned lovers. Can Ellie prove her sister’s innocence? Can she figure out not only who killed the victim but why?

Main Characters:

Ellie Christie: I liked Ellie and how she supported Meg, even when all the evidence was pointing to her. Ellie was the main person who chased down leads. She was a great sister, aunt, and granddaughter. Ellie is also the main person who puts everything together (well, with the help of her cat at the end of the book). She did bumble through most of the investigation, but she also made some surprising connections between Joe’s murder and other townspeople.

Meg Christie: I like Meg. But man, did she have it coming from all sides. First, with Joe’s murder, then being told she was a prime suspect, and her ex (her daughter’s father) showed up. I was shocked that she didn’t have a breakdown. I also felt terrible that the first date she went on in years ended like it did.

Joe Darcy: While Joe was only alive for the first chapter or so of the book, his murder had a vast (and negative) impact on the Christie sisters’ lives. He was not a good guy. That’s all I can say about him without giving away major spoilers.

Secondary Characters: As with other books, the secondary characters supported and enriched the storyline. The characters that stood out the most to me were Lorna, Dr. Waldon, Rosie, Gram, Detective Sam Iberra, Sheriff Sunny, and Cameron.

Review

I enjoyed reading Last Word to the Wise. I enjoy reading cozy mysteries and have been drawn to them in the past year. There is something about reading a book about a closed-room mystery and figuring out who did it and why. And Last Word to the Wise pushed those buttons for me.

The main storyline is centered around Meg, Ellie, Joe Darcy’s murder, the police investigation, and Ellie’s investigation/quest to clear her sister’s name. It was well-written and easy to track, even when Ellie’s investigation went haywire. I was very surprised by who the murderer was, but I wasn’t surprised once I read that person’s confession. I was a little sad, to be honest.

The mystery angle was well-written and kept me on my toes while reading it. I went to the end of the book thinking it was one person and was surprised when it was another. It is challenging to get one over on me, mysterywise, and Last Word to the Wise did that. As I said above, I was surprised and then sad by who the murderer ended up being.

The end of Last Word to the Wise was interesting. The author wrapped up the main storyline in a way that I liked. She also left enough there for me to hope for another book.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Ann Claire for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Last Word to the Wise. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to A Traitor in Whitehall, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Ann Claire: