Tag: mystery

The Golden Gate by Amy Chua

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of Publication: September 19th, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Historical, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Adult, World War II, Historical Mystery

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Amy Chua’s debut novel, The Golden Gate, is a sweeping, evocative, and compelling historical thriller that paints a vibrant portrait of a California buffeted by the turbulent crosswinds of a world at war and a society about to undergo massive change.

In Berkeley, California, in 1944, Homicide Detective Al Sullivan has just left the swanky Claremont Hotel after a drink in the bar when a presidential candidate is assassinated in one of the rooms upstairs. A rich industrialist with enemies among the anarchist factions on the far left, Walter Wilkinson could have been targeted by any number of groups. But strangely, Sullivan’s investigation brings up the specter of another tragedy at the Claremont, ten years the death of seven-year-old Iris Stafford, a member of the Bainbridge family, one of the wealthiest in all of San Francisco. Some say she haunts the Claremont still.

The many threads of the case keep leading Sullivan back to the three remaining Bainbridge heiresses, now Iris’s sister, Isabella, and her cousins Cassie and Nicole. Determined not to let anything distract him from the truth―not the powerful influence of Bainbridges’ grandmother, or the political aspirations of Berkeley’s district attorney, or the interest of China’s First Lady Madame Chiang Kai-Shek in his findings―Sullivan follows his investigation to its devastating conclusion.

Chua’s page-turning debut brings to life a historical era rife with turbulent social forces and groundbreaking forensic advances, when race and class defined the very essence of power, sex, and justice, and introduces a fascinating character in Detective Sullivan, a mixed race former Army officer who is still reckoning with his own history.

First Line:

Inside an alabaster palace one January afternoon in 1930, a six year old girl hiding inside a closed armoire felt truly alone for the first time in her life.

The Golden Gate by Amy Chua

Detective Al Sullivan is at the elegant and luxurious Claremont Hotel when one of the staff informs him that one of the guests, a former presidential candidate, Walter Wilkinson, has been the target of an assassination attempt. Moving his room and posting police outside, Al heads home, only to be called back because Wilkinson has been killed. While investigating that murder, Al finds links to another death ten years earlier—Iris Stafford, the granddaughter of the hotel owner. He also finds ties to a local Communist party and an underground railroad hiding Japanese citizens from internment. How does everything fit together? Who killed Walter and why? The answers he uncovers could send a ripple effect across Berkely.

Before I get into the review, I want to let you know there are trigger warnings. They are racism (explicit and on page), bigotry (explicit and on page), poverty (explicit and on page), mental illness (on and off page), and child abandonment (on page).

I love reading good historical fiction. I also like reading mysteries and books in the World War 2 era. So, when St. Martin’s Press sent me the widget, I decided to download the book after I read the blurb. I was curious how the author would meld everything together and keep my attention.

There are two storylines that The Golden Gate is centered around. I liked how the author intertwined these storylines. She did so gradually by letting hints about Iris’s death appear in the investigation of Walter’s murder. By the end of the book, both storylines are entangled together.

The storyline centering around Iris and her death was heartbreaking. From flashbacks to the written testimony of Mrs. Bainbridge, you get to see how Iris’s life was up to her death. The author also showed how Iris’s death affected everyone around her. But the author did something clever. She held off telling exactly how Iris died until the end of the book. And you know, even then, I doubted whether her death was an accident or not. The confession at the end of the book, tied to Walter’s murder, didn’t sit right with me.

The storyline centering around Al and his investigation into Walter’s murder was a ride. The twisty plotline made me guess who could have killed him. Every so often, I forget that this book was set in 1944, so when Al just entered a house to get information or threatened a Hispanic worker with deportation and taking her kids, I was shocked. But, it did go right with how things were in that era. I did like that Al wouldn’t let go of this case and kept looking for a motive. As I mentioned above, this was a very twisty plotline, and the author didn’t give up the murderer until the very end of the book.

I liked Al and felt terrible that he had to hide the fact that he was mixed race (Mexican and white). But, in that era, you couldn’t get ahead in life if you were anything but lily-white. So, he did what he thought was right. That meant changing his last name to his mother’s maiden name and passing himself as white. What I also liked about Al is that he is flawed. He said and did things in the book that he regretted later on (the scene where he told Miriam he wasn’t her father broke my heart). He was also a good detective and determined to solve Walter’s murder and Iris’s death. By the end of the book, I felt that Al had matured. He was steps closer to accepting who he was. He also did something that I didn’t see coming.

The secondary characters truly made this book pop. From accurate historical figures (and the author has a very cool connection to one of them) to fiction, they added depth to this book.

The historical fiction angle was terrific. You could tell that the author did her research. I could picture myself standing among these people and not having an issue believing what she wrote.

The mystery angle was just as good as the historical fiction angle. The author did something that happens next to never: she stumped me on Iris’s death and Walter’s murder. Not only was it not who I thought it was, but it ended up being the last person I would have expected. I loved it. I was a little disappointed that Walter’s murderer wouldn’t face justice.

The end of The Golden Gate was terrific. The author brought together Iris’s death and Walter’s murder (see what I wrote above). I liked how she ended it with something very positive. But how she ended made me wonder if another book might be written in this universe. If so, I would love to read it. Also, the afterword was wonderful and detailed all the research she put into the book.

I would recommend The Golden Gate to anyone over 16. There is language, violence, and very mild sexual situations. Also see my trigger warnings above.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Amy Chua for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Golden Gate. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Golden Gate, then you will enjoy these:

Other books by Amy Chua:

Dreambound by Dan Frey

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: September 12th, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Adult, Science Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Adult Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this thrilling contemporary fantasy novel, a father must uncover the secret magical underbelly of Los Angeles to find his daughter, who has seemingly disappeared into the fictional universe of her favorite fantasy series.

When Byron Kidd’s twelve-year-old daughter vanishes, the only clue left behind is a note claiming she’s taken off to explore the Hidden World, a magical land from a series of popular novels. She is not the only child to seek out this imaginary realm in recent years, and Byron—a cynical and hard-nosed reporter—is determined to discover the whereabouts of dozens of missing kids.

Byron secures a high-profile interview with Annabelle Tobin, the eccentric author of the books, and heads off to her palatial home in the Hollywood Hills. But the truth Byron discovers is more fantastical than he ever could have dreamed.

As he uncovers locations from the books that seem to be bleeding into the real world, he must shed his doubts and dive headfirst into the mystical secrets of Los Angeles if he ever hopes to reunite with his child. Soon Byron finds himself on his own epic journey—but if he’s not careful, he could be the next one to disappear…

Told through journal entries, transcripts, emails, and excerpts from Tobin’s novels, Dreambound is a spellbinding homage to Los Angeles and an immersive

First Line:

Dear Mom and Dad, If you’re reading this, I’ve already left.

Dreambound by Dan Frey

Byron Kidd’s world was turned upside down when his twelve-year-old daughter, Liza, disappeared. But he soon has hope. Then, an Instagram picture of his daughter in Los Angeles surfaces. Using his investigative journalist skills, Byron heads to Los Angeles to find his daughter. When it becomes apparent that the fantasy series his daughter loved has roots in reality, Byron must discard everything he knew about the world to save his daughter. Can he find Liza? Or will he disappear like his daughter?

I was not prepared for how much I enjoyed reading this book. I had seen it on the Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine’s NetGalley page, read the blurb, thought it was exciting, and wished for it. When I got the email that the wish was granted, I was happy but not overly so. Then I read the book, and I was hooked.

Dreambound isn’t written in your standard novel format. The author chose to write it differently. He used interviews, journal entries, text messages, emails, excerpts from Annabelle Tobin’s books (it is a series), and excerpts from a folktale book to tell the story. At first, I admit, I was a little iffy about it. I had read several books in this format (mainly journal entries) and wasn’t impressed with them. But the author made it work and did it in a way that kept me glued to the book.

The main storyline of Dreambound centers around Liza, her disappearance, and Byron’s search for her. It is a fast-paced storyline that has a ton of twists and turns to it. It is also well-written, and I loved the lore the author created.

I didn’t like Byron at first. I sympathized with him, but he was such a dick during the book’s first half (and well into the second). His ego was enormous, and his drinking was out of control. But, even though I didn’t like him, his love for his daughter showed through. He was willing to do whatever it took (faking emails from a publisher/breaking and entering) to find Liza. By the end of the book, my dislike of him did lift a little, but it never went away.

Liza broke my heart because I could see myself (at twelve) in her. She was awkward, loved reading, and loved anything fantasy. Liza used fantasy to cope with her father’s drinking and her parents fighting. So, it wasn’t a stretch for me to believe she could have been groomed by someone she met online and lured to Los Angeles.

The fantasy angle of Dreambound was fantastic. I couldn’t get enough of it. The author used a lot of folklore/myths to create the Hidden World and explain some of what was going on in the real world.

The end of Dreambound seemed almost fever-dreamish. What happened to Byron and what he did was nothing short of heroic for the Hidden World and Earth. I liked that the author had Byron’s story turn out the way it did. After everything that he went through and did, it made sense for what happened. The book section (where Annabelle reads the first chapter of her new book) of the ending was trippy, too. And lastly, what Liza did at the end made me wonder if there will be a book two or another book in this universe.

I would recommend Dreambound for anyone over 16. There is no sex or sexual situations. But there is language and violence.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Dan Frey for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Dreambound. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Dan Frey

Scenes of the Crime by Jilly Gagnon

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, Whodunit

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

An ambitious screenwriter tries to solve her friend’s disappearance by recreating their fateful final girls’ trip in this riveting locked-room mystery from the author of All Dressed Up.
A remote winery. A missing friend. And a bunch of sour grapes.

It should have been the perfect spring break. Five girlfriends. A remote winery on the Oregon coast. An infinite supply of delicious wine at their manicured fingertips. But then their center—beautiful, magnetic Vanessa Morales—vanished without a trace.

Emily Fischer was perhaps the last person to see her alive. But now, years later, Emily spots Vanessa’s doppelganger at a local café. At the end of her rope working a lucrative yet mind-numbing gig on a network sitcom, Emily is inspired to finally tell the story that’s been percolating inside her for so long: Vanessa’s story. But first, she needs to know what really happened on that fateful night. So she puts a brilliant scheme into motion.

She gets the girls together for a reunion weekend at the scene of the crime under the guise of reconnecting. There’s Brittany, Vanessa’s cousin and the inheritor of the winery; Paige, a former athlete, bullish yet easily manipulated; and Lydia, the wallflower of the group.

One of them knows the truth. But what have they each been hiding? And how much can Emily trust anything she learns from them… or even her own memories of Vanessa’s last days?

Suspenseful, propulsive, and interspersed with scenes from Emily’s blockbuster screenplay, Scenes of the Crime is an unforgettable mystery that examines culpability, the shiny rearview mirror of Hollywood storytelling, and the pitfalls of female friendship.

First Line:

I’d made it about thirty precent of the way through the most glaringly insane round of script notes known to man when a ghost walked into the coffee shop.

Scenes of the Crime by Jilly Gagnon

Emily is struck by inspiration after seeing the doppelganger of her missing friend in the cafe where she was revising a television script. She decides that Vanessa’s (her friend) story needs to be told. But to do that, Emily must solve a fifteen-year mystery: What happened to Vanessa the night she went missing? The answers lie with three other people there that night: Brittany, Paige, and Lydia. Emily leans on Brittany to have a girls’ weekend at the vineyard where they last saw Vanessa. But not everyone wants to be there, and everyone has secrets about that night. Will Emily be able to tell Vanessa’s story? Will she solve what happened that night fifteen years ago?

When I read the blurb for Scenes of the Crime, I knew I wanted to read this book. I, along with millions of other people, love reading about cold cases. This book would be just that: the reopening of a cold case. And it was. But it was also a story about secrets, friendships, and how those secrets can destroy lives.

What was interesting about Scenes of the Crime was how the author wrote it. The author told the present-day story from Emily’s POV, with Brittany, Paige, Vanessa, and Lydia having their chapters. But, it was also written as a screenplay to tell the story fifteen years ago, complete with editing notes. I liked it because it gave insight into the girl’s frame of mind the night Vanessa disappeared and the girl’s weekend.

The main storyline was well-written and kept my attention up to the point when the author started to reveal the girls’ secrets. Everything after that, though, I thought was overkill. I had figured out what happened to Vanessa reasonably early in the book. So, to add that extra bit of drama about her grandparents disowning her and the will didn’t do it for me.

The mystery angle of the book was well written, but the author stretched it thin. How? Well, at one point, five different mysterious scenarios were going on. The author did a great job of keeping them separate, but I still got them jumbled up. The primary angle (what happened to Vanessa) was twisty, turny, and often unbelievable. I wasn’t surprised at the considerable twist that occurred almost at the end of the book (see previous paragraph), but I was surprised at who was involved. Then, I was astonished at what happened to that person. It was almost too much.

The end of Scenes of the Crime was almost anticlimactic, and I wasn’t a fan of it. With everything that went on that weekend, this is how it ended up. I was happy for Emily, but dang.

I would recommend Scenes of the Crime to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Jilly Gagnon for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Scenes of the Crime. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Scenes of the Crime, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Jilly Gagnon:

Seams Deadly (Measure Twice Sewing Mystery: Book 1) by Maggie Bailey

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Sewing

Series: Measure Twice Sewing Mystery

Seams Deadly—Book 1

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

When seamstress Lydia Barnes finds a dead body soon after moving to a new town, she will need more than shear luck to find the killer, in this novel perfect for fans of Molly MacRae and Anna Gerard.

Lydia Barnes is excited for a fresh start when she moves to the quaint mountain town of Peridot, Georgia. Her friend, Fran, offers her a job at the Measure Twice fabric store and even sets her up on a date with the handsome Brandon Ivey, who also happens to be Lydia’s new next-door neighbor. Finally, things are looking up. But after a disaster first date that ends with a fist bump instead of a kiss, Lydia doesn’t think her night can get any worse. She’s soon proven wrong when she later stumbles upon Brandon’s dead body.

Considered the prime suspect by the police, Lydia calls on her friends to help her hunt for the truth and prove her innocence. But when another body is soon found inside the Measure Twice store, Lydia knows that the killer must be close by, and that this town has more than its fair share of secrets. Who would want to frame the newest addition to Peridot for these terrible murders—and why?

Lydia may discover that while sewing might have a pattern, killing rarely does. Will she be able to stitch together the clues and clear her own name before the killer strikes again?

First Line:

“Did you at least put your hair with a nice clip?”

Seams Deadly by Maggie Bailey

After finding her husband in bed with his intern, Lydia retreats to the town of Peridot, Georgia, to heal. With the help of her friend, Fran, she works at Measure Twice, a fabric store, and she is going on her first date with Brandon, a clerk at a local bookstore and Lydia’s next-door neighbor. When the date doesn’t go well, Lydia decides to check in on Brandon and stumbles across his body. The police then named her as the prime suspect. Wanting to clear her name, Lydia calls upon her friends to help her solve Brandon and Ava’s murder. Can Lydia clear her name and find out who killed Brandon and Ava? Or will she end up a victim of the real killer?

I know I mentioned this in other reviews, but I am a sucker for a cover with an animal. So, when I saw the cover of Seams Deadly, it caught my attention, and I knew I wanted to read it.

Seams Deadly is the first book in the A Measure Twice Sewing Mystery. Since this is the first book in the series, I won’t put my usual drivel here (read the previous book).

The main storyline of Seams Deadly centers around Lydia, the murders, and Lydia’s investigation into them. The storyline was well written with a twist in the mystery surrounding the murders of Brandon and Ava. But, there was a lot of lag while Lydia and her friends were investigating and I felt my attention wandering while reading.

I didn’t like Lydia. I did feel bad for her because of what happened to her (caught her ex sleeping with his intern). But, as I got deeper into the book, the more she got on my nerves. She lived in her head and often missed when people were talking to her. She was selfish and thought only about herself. By not explaining patterns, she made sewing boring for me (and I was excited to read about sewists). The only thing I liked about her was that she adopted Baby Lobster from the shelter.

I thought the mystery angle was well written, and who the killer was surprised me. The author did a great job of throwing red herrings out. She also did a great job of introducing suspects. I liked that she had Lydia and her friends do round table-type meetings, where they throw out theories. Of course, none of the ideas worked out, but it was still fun to read. The scene where the killer was revealed was surprising, and I did not see it coming. As for the reason for the murders, again, I was surprised by the motives.

The end of Seams Deadly was interesting. The author left enough wiggle room for a book 2. She also left me wondering what was going on with Fran. The author revealed a surprise in the last chapter that I saw coming. As much as I disliked Lydia, I want to read book 2.

I would recommend Seams Deadly to anyone over 16. There is mild language, violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Maggie Bailey for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Seams Deadly. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Maggie Bailey:

Have You Seen My Sister? by Kirsty McKay

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Young Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N

Goodreads Synopsis:

Gaia Gill is the last person in the world anyone would expect to go missing. Beautiful, athletic, and recently accepted to a prestigious college, she has everything to look forward to—but the night of her going-away party at the Moon Mountain ski resort, she disappears.

Gaia’s younger sister Esme is supposed to be flying back to England with her family after the party, but she can’t leave with Gaia missing—especially because nobody remembers Gaia leaving the party. Or if they do, they’re not saying. Everyone at the lodge has their own secrets: the little rich girl, the ex-boyfriend, the ski instructor, the failed reality star.

Esme’s out of her depth searching the dark, dangerous forests and icy slopes of Moon Mountain, until she teams up with a local boy who promises to help her. The clock is ticking, and it’s down to Esme to piece the clues together and work out who—if anybody—is telling the truth.

First Line:

I didn’t realize it at the time, but the first clue in my sister’s disappearance was the shoes.

Have You Seen My Sister by Kirsty McKay

On vacation at a ski resort where her sister works, Esme isn’t thrilled to be going back to England. But, when Gaia goes missing after not returning from her going away party, Esme is on high alert. With little to no leads coming in, Esme decides to strike out on her own and search for Gaia. With the help of a local boy, Bode, Esme slowly starts to piece together what happened that night. Can Esme find Gaia?

When I initially read the blurb for Have You Seen My Sister, I was intrigued by the plotline. A mystery set at a ski resort with a plethora of suspects? I liked it. But I couldn’t request the book on Sourcebooks Fire NetGalley; it was a wish only. So, I took a chance, wished for it, and then forgot it. So, wasn’t I surprised when I got a notification in my email saying Sourcebooks Fire granted my wish. I immediately started reading it. While glad I read it, the book didn’t meet my expectations.

Have You Seen My Sister is a fast-paced book set in the fictional resort town of Moonville, New Hampshire. The storyline, which takes place within a week of Gaia’s disappearance, did suit the book’s pacing. But there was lag, and it did disrupt the flow. Usually, that doesn’t matter to me (and I enjoy the book anyway), but with everything else going on in the book, it was just another mark against it for me.

The main storyline is obvious: Gaia’s disappearance and Esme’s search for her. I did think that it was well-written, and there were some twists in the storyline. But I started to lose interest in the storyline when Esme started to catch feelings for Bode. I didn’t want to read about a romance; I wanted to read about Esme’s search for her sister. The author put the wannabe romance on the back burner but by then, it was almost the end of the book, and Esme had connected some crucial dots.

Esme annoyed me. Not that I didn’t like her, I did, but I felt that she took a lot of risks with Bode while investigating. She didn’t tell her parents or the police what she found until they confronted her. I didn’t particularly appreciate that she was made out to be the only one who could find Gaia.

The mystery angle of Have You Seen My Sister was interesting. I had figured out only half of what was happening (and it was a convoluted mess). I wasn’t surprised at who ultimately was behind Gaia’s disappearance or the reason why. There were apparent hints dropped throughout the book that made sense, looking back.

There was a slight romance angle between Bode and Esme. I wasn’t a fan of having them in any way romantically involved. I felt that it took away from the book. But I did like it at the end. I liked that Esme found someone who accepted her for who she was.

The end of Have You Seen My Sister was interesting. I liked how the author ended Gaia’s disappearance. While the reason seemed a little over the top, it at least made sense. I also liked how the people involved were caught. The one dude who was trussed up like a deer made me laugh. But there was one guy in particular that made me mad. It didn’t seem like he was going to get charged with anything.

I would recommend Have You Seen My Sister to anyone over 16. There are mild sexual situations, mild violence, and mild language.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Fire, NetGalley, and Kirsty McKay for allowing me to read and review Have You Seen My Sister. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Have You Seen My Sister, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Kirsty McKay

Death by a Thousand Sips (Witches’s Brew Mysteries: Book 2) by Gretchen Rue

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Paranormal, Contemporary, Cats, Tea, Witches

Series: Witches Brew Mystery

Steeped to Death—Book 1

Death by a Thousand Sips—Book 2

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Phoebe Winchester is back on the case in Raven Creek when a body is discovered at an estate sale in Gretchen Rue’s second book in the Witches’ Brew mystery series, perfect for fans of Laura Childs and Cleo Coyle.

Ever since she moved to Raven Creek, Washington, Phoebe Winchester knew she would have to grow accustomed to having a lot on her plate. She’s beginning to make the Victorian manor she inherited from her dear and adventurous Aunt Eudora feel more like home, successfully running the bookstore and tea shop, The Earl’s Study, and learning to harness her recently discovered magical powers. But when she discovers a dead body at an estate sale—even Phoebe wonders if this is simply too much.

Rumors of Phoebe’s involvement force her to take action; she needs to find the killer and clear her own name, once again. She enlists Rich Lofting, the handsome private detective and her childhood friend, in her investigation, all while she sorts out her unresolved feelings for him. Is there something more sinister lurking in the shadows of this small tight-knit town? And does Phoebe really want to find out?

With a dash of magic, a pinch of sleuthing skills, and a spoonful of friendly assistance, Phoebe needs to uncover the killer to keep Raven Creek safe once again. But if she doesn’t—will she find herself in even more hot water?

First Line:

“Dead people have the best books.” I looked down at the newspaper that had been placed in front of me, then up at the woman who put it there.

Death by a Thousand Sips by Gretchen Rue

A half year since Phoebe moved to the scenic town of Raven’s Creek to take over running her late aunt’s bookstore and tea shop. Phoebe always looks for new stock and attends an estate sale in a neighboring town. That’s where she finds the body of the person in charge of the sale and auction. Phoebe must clear her name with rumors of her involvement going around town. But, the deeper she digs, the more stranger this case gets. Enlisting the help of her PI friend, Rich, Phoebe hopes to find answers. But will the answers solve the mystery, or will they deepen it?

I am a sucker for cozy mysteries that feature animals, mainly cats, on the cover. I either shelve them as “Want to Read” on Goodreads or buy them outright. So, it wasn’t even a thought when I saw Death by a Thousand Sips on Crooked Lane Books NetGalley page as a Read Now. I am glad I downloaded this book because it was a great read.

Death by a Thousand Sips is the second book in the Witches’ Brew Mystery series. I was on the fence with this book. This book can easily be read as a stand-alone book. But there are enough references to book one that I recommend reading first. So, I leave it up to the reader to make their choice.

Death by a Thousand Sips’ plotline alternates between medium and fast-paced. I liked that the author did that. The plotline slowed down during the major parts of the book (mainly at the end and several critical points during the book) but was fast during the rest of the book.

The plotline of Death by a Thousand Sips centers around Phoebe, the murder of Madeline Morrow, and Phoebe’s investigation into it. This well-written storyline kept me on my toes while reading the book. I liked seeing how Phoebe’s investigation uncovered clues to who was behind Madeline’s killing. But I also loved seeing how her investigation uncovered a bigger mystery, and I also liked seeing how it affected her personal life. It made for a great read.

Several minor storylines centered around Phoebe, Bob the cat, the shop, and Phoebe’s magic. While some of these storylines made no sense to me at the beginning of the book, and I wondered where they were going, I was happy with how they were either absorbed into the main storyline or remained open-ended. The one storyline I am very interested in (and I can’t wait to see what it will be like in book three) is the addition of the cat cafe to the tea/book store.

I liked Phoebe and had an almost instant connection with her. She was a devoted cat mom to Bob (which I can relate to), and she was slowly learning about her magical powers. I also want to add that she was stubborn. Oh man, she was stubborn. She refused to let go of Madeline’s murder. I do think that she got more leads than the police, to be honest.

The mystery angle of Death by a Thousand Sips was well written. The author had so many plot twists and turns that I was sometimes turned around while reading. There were layers to the mystery angle. I figured out one layer of the mystery (who was behind Madeline’s murder), but I wasn’t prepared for what the other layers revealed. The motive was a big twist, which wasn’t what I thought.

The magic angle was barely there. I understand Phoebe is learning about her powers, but I would have loved to see more of her using them. There was a lot of talk about her aunt’s magic powers and how she infused her tea mixtures. There was one scene where Phoebe used her magic power (stopping time) and another where she successfully used a recipe from her aunt and infused it with magical powers.

There was a slight romance angle, but it confused me. The author is setting Phoebe up for a love triangle (between Rich and Leo). But, later in the book, Phoebe seems enamored with Rich. So, it’s all up in the air.

The end of Death by a Thousand Sips was interesting. I loved how the author solved Madeline’s murder and what Phoebe’s investigation stirred up. There was also an exciting twist to the cat cafe, which surprised me. Overall, I can’t wait to read book three.

I recommend Death by a Thousand Sips to anyone over 16. There is mild violence, mild language, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Gretchen Rue for allowing me to read and review Death by a Thousand Sips. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Death by a Thousand Sips, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Gretchen Rue:

The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Date of publication: August 22nd, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, LGBT, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Queer, Contemporary, Canada, Fiction, Gay

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this queer cozy series debut perfect for fans of Ellen Byron and Ellery Adams, Luke Tremblay is about to discover that Crescent Cove has more than its fair share of secrets…and some might be deadlier than others.

Crescent Cove, a small hamlet on Vancouver Island, is the last place out-of-work investigative journalist Luke Tremblay ever wanted to see again. He used to spend summers here, until his family learned that he was gay and rejected him. Now, following his aunt’s sudden death, he’s inherited her entire estate, including her seaside cottage and the antiques shop she ran for forty years in Crescent Cove. Luke plans to sell everything and head back to Toronto as soon as he can…but Crescent Cove isn’t done with him just yet.

When a stranger starts making wild claims about Luke’s aunt, Luke sends him packing. The next morning, though, Luke discovers that the stranger has returned, and now he’s lying dead in the back garden. To make matters worse, the officer leading the investigation is a handsome Mountie with a chip on his shoulder who seems convinced that Luke is the culprit. If he wants to prove his innocence and leave this town once and for all, Luke will have to use all his skills as a journalist to investigate the colorful locals while coming to terms with his own painful past.

There are secrets buried in Crescent Cove, and the more Luke digs, the more he fears they might change the town forever.

First Line:

Look, I’m only going to be there for a couple of days, so can we meet up today?”

The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell

When Luke’s aunt, Marguerite, was killed in a hit-and-run accident, she left a thriving antique business and her cottage to him. Luke was surprised that he was her sole beneficiary because he hadn’t talked to her in over 20 years. Not wanting the business or cottage, Luke plans to visit Crescent Cove, settle his aunt’s estate, sell everything, and head back to Toronto. But that is easier said than done. Luke is assaulted at the cottage by a man who insists that his aunt is holding a box for him. The following day, that man is found dead in the back garden of the cottage. Luke is forced to stay in Crescent Cove while the Mounties investigate the death. But, when the antique shop is broken into and an employee is hurt, Luke decides to look into what is happening. Using his skills as an investigative journalist, Luke soon discovers that Crescent Cove has secrets, and someone doesn’t want their secrets uncovered. What secret is so life-altering that someone is willing to kill for it? And will Luke realize that Crescent Cove might be the perfect place for him to be?

The Body in the Back Garden was one of the last books I downloaded from Crooked Lane Books. I discovered that I needed to improve in the cozy mystery department and decided to download a few Read Now books on their NetGalley page. I got a variety of books, and I enjoyed reading most of them. The Body in the Back Garden was in the category of mysteries I enjoyed.

The Body in the Back Garden is the first book in a queer mystery series (the NetGalley and Goodreads pages didn’t state what the series name is). Because it is the first book, you can ignore what I usually write in this section.

The Body in the Back Garden was a medium to fast-paced book set in Crescent Cove on Vancouver Island. The pacing for this book did suit the storyline (the storyline took place within a week or so of Luke’s arrival). I did not have to go back and reread chapters, which was a massive plus for me (I don’t particularly appreciate doing that).

The main storyline centered around Luke and the murders. This book has a well-written storyline. The author focused on the murders and the investigation (Luke and the Mounties). Sometimes, it slipped, but the author quickly returned the focus to where it belonged (for example, the date with Kieran).

I wasn’t a big fan of Luke when he was first introduced in The Body in the Back Garden. He was rude and wasn’t particularly nice to people. I didn’t get it. But then the author started explaining things (and I wished he had done it earlier in the book). Luke caught his ex cheating on him with an intern at work and threw him out. Shortly after, he finds out that his aunt was killed in an accident, and he inherited everything. Luke also has trauma from his family throwing him out and disowning him when he came out to them as a teenager. Once all of that was shared, I understood why he was so defensive and prickly. Once all that was out in the open, I started to understand him better, and then I started to like Luke. By the end of the book, I loved him.

I also liked that Luke was an investigative journalist. He had contacts and knew how to help (or not help) in an investigation. I liked that he worked with the Mounties (sharing his knowledge) on the case. It was a refreshing read from the cozy mysteries I have read where the people bumble through the investigation and don’t share the information with the police.

The mystery angle of The Body in the Back Garden was terrific! There were three different mysteries in the book: the murder of Joel (the stranger), Marguerite’s accident, and (this was introduced much later in the book) the mystery of the box. I liked how the author connected everything. I also loved the twist at the end of the book. Not only was I not expecting the killer to be who it was, I didn’t expect that person to be involved with Marguerite’s death and the reason why that person did everything. It was a huge shock and left me shaking my head.

The romance angle in The Body in the Back Garden was very subtle but there. The chemistry between Jack and Luke was nonexistent at first (because Jack was salty about something that Luke had no control over as a teenager), but the author started to amp it up. They were sparking by the middle of the book (the scene at the Collingswood manor). I also liked that the author didn’t have sex scenes. But he did have Luke thirsting over Jack in his Mountie uniform (and that did give me a chuckle; who doesn’t like a man in uniform?)

The end of The Body in the Back Garden was your typical cozy mystery ending. I liked how Jack and Luke put two and two together about everything. I did feel bad for Luke when the killer was confessing everything. I also liked what Luke decided at the end of the book and what he said to Jack. It made me very excited to read book 2.

I would recommend The Body in the Back Garden to anyone over 16. There are no sex scenes, but some very mild kissing scenes. There is also violence and some mild language. There are trigger warnings, too. They would be cheating (off page and mentioned), bigotry (off page and explained to Luke about the town at one point), racism (off page and explained to Luke during the same talk with the bigotry in it), and homophobia (off page, Luke gets thrown out of his house as a teenager and his family cuts off contact with him).

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Mark Waddell for allowing me to read and review The Body in the Back Garden. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Body in the Back Garden, then you will enjoy these books:

One Night by Georgina Cross

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of Publication: August 1st, 2023

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

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

One night. That’s all the time a family has to decide what to do with the man they believe murdered their daughter: Do they forgive him, or take justice into their own hands? An electrifying novel by the author of Nanny Needed. . .

The anonymous letters arrive in the mail, one by one: To find out what really happened to Meghan, meet at this location. Don’t tell anyone you’re coming. In one night, you’ll find out everything you need to know.

Ten years after her murder, the letters tell Meghan’s family exactly when and where to meet: a cliffside home on the Oregon coast. But on the night they’re promised answers, the convicted killer–her high school boyfriend, Cal, who spent only ten years in prison for murder–is found unconscious in his car, slammed into a light pole near the house where the family is sitting and waiting. Is he the one who invited them to gather?

As a storm rampages along the Pacific Northwest, the power cuts off and leaves the family with no chance of returning to the main road and finding help. So they drag Cal back to the house for the remainder of the night. How easy it would be to let him die and claim it was an accident. Or do they help him instead? As the hours tick by, it becomes an excruciating choice. Half of the family wants to kill him. The other half wants him to regain consciousness so he can tell them what he knows.

But if Cal wakes up, he might reveal that someone in the family knows more than they’re letting on. And if that’s the case, who is the real killer? And are they already in the house?

First Line:

It was stupid to walk away. You can’t trust anyone in the dark.

One Night by Georgina Cross

The night Meghan was killed was the night that her family shattered. It fractured even more when her alleged killer, Cal, was released from jail after only serving ten years. Her entire family is invited to a beach house on the Oregon shore two years later. As tensions rise inside, a massive storm rampages outside. When Cal is found injured and unconscious in his car, the family moves him inside. Half of the people there want to kill him, and the other half want to keep him alive so he can tell them what he knows. But someone in that group is hiding a secret. A secret so big that it could destroy them and the other family members. Did Cal kill Meghan? If he didn’t, who did? Will Cal survive the night? Will he tell people what he knows?

I have read a lot of mysteries lately. That is a good thing; I enjoy a good mystery, and the mystery angle initially attracted me to this book. I figured that I would like this book. I hate to say it, but I was “meh” about One Night.

One Night is a fast-paced book in the tourist town of Bandon, Oregon. The storyline did suit the pacing, but there was a lag in the middle and end of the book.

There were two main storylines in One Night. The first was Meghan’s murder, who did it, why, and how Cal fit into it. The second storyline centers around Meghan’s family, the house, the storm, and Cal. While both storylines were well written, I was more interested in the first storyline. The second storyline should have held my attention.

The storyline with Meghan, her murder, who did it, why, and how Cal fit into it was very twisty. I didn’t like Meghan. She was dishonest and abusive and had her mother wrapped around her little finger (I will get more into her mother later). The details of her murder, though, weren’t revealed until the very end. While I did have the correct people involved, I didn’t have the timeline right. So, I was surprised when the murderer was revealed.

The storyline with Meghan’s family, the aftermath, the invite to the house, the storm, and how Cal fit into everything was strange and often didn’t make sense. In this storyline, I did figure out who invited everyone to the house (it was very apparent, and the person did make some telling statements with the magazines). The storm was just the backdrop to a surreal and strange situation that started unfolding in the house. When Cal showed up, I wasn’t surprised who wanted to kill him. By the end of the book, I was sick of everyone in this storyline, and I couldn’t wait for it to be done.

I wouldn’t say I liked any of the characters. Except for Sam and Cal, they all got on my one last nerve.

I liked the book’s mystery angle, and it was well-written. As I stated above, I did think I had figured out who killed Meghan, but I was surprised at how it ended. I also did figure out who sent the invites out. But, the reason why surprised me.

The end of One Night was confusing. The author ended the present-day storyline in a way that I did not like. I agreed with Cal’s statement.

I would recommend One Night to anyone over 21. There are no sexual situations, but there is violence and language.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Georgina Cross for allowing me to read and review One Night. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Georgina Cross:

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: August 8th, 2023

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Contemporary, Family, Crime, Action

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

New York Times bestseller Allison Brennan’s latest standalone is an unputdownable race to the dramatic finish.

After five years in hiding from their murderous father, the day Kristen and Ryan McIntyre have been dreading has arrived: Boyd McIntyre, head of a Los Angeles crime family, has at last tracked his kids to a small Montana town and is minutes away from kidnapping them. They barely escape in a small plane, but gunfire hits the fuel line. The pilot, a man who has been raising them as his own, manages to crash land in the middle of the Montana wilderness. The siblings hike deep into the woods, searching desperately for safety—unaware of the severity of the approaching storm.

Boyd’s sister Ruby left Los Angeles for the Army years ago, cutting off contact in order to help keep her niece and nephew safe and free from the horrors of the McIntyre clan. So when she gets an emergency call that the plane has gone down with the kids inside, she drops everything to try save them.

As the storm builds, Ruby isn’t the only person looking for them. Boyd has hired an expert tracker to find and bring them home. And rancher Nick Lorenzo, who knows these mountains better than anyone and doesn’t understand why the kids are running, is on their trail too.

But there is a greater threat to Kristen and Ryan out there. More volatile than the incoming blizzard, more dangerous than the family they ran from or the natural predators they could encounter. Who finds them first could determine if they live or die. . .

First Line:

Tony Reed was alive today because he always listened to his gut.

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan

For five years, Kristen and Ryan lived under an assumed name in the small town of Big Sky, Montana. For five years, Tony had kept them safe from those who should have protected them. But it is all over when Tony notices strangers in town. The children’s father, the head of a crime family, has found them and is coming to take them back. When their escape plan is derailed thanks to someone shooting at the airplane and striking the fuel line and Tony injured, the children strike out on their own, not knowing that a blizzard is about to descend on Big Sky. With their father, aunt, and a local rancher on their trail, it is a matter of time before someone catches up with them. But it isn’t their father, the storm, or the wildlife that the children have to worry about. Something more dangerous than the wildlife and the storm await them back on the ranch. Will the children escape?

I had seen Out of Nowhere floating around the blogosphere for a while. While I was interested, this was a book that I would eventually read in my own time. So, you can imagine my surprise when I got an email from St. Martin’s Press with a widget attached. I was even more surprised when I realized I had requested this book from their influencer program and forgot about it.

North of Nowhere is a fast-paced book set in the state of Montana. The pacing of this book fits the storyline. There was little lag, and the author was able to keep the main focus on the three different storylines.

The main storyline of North of Nowhere centered around the kids (Kristen and Ryan), Boyd, Ruby, and Nick. The story is told through the eyes (3rd person) of Kristen, Boyd, Ruby, and Nick. I am not a fan of multiple storylines or storylines that swap back and forth between characters, but in this case, it worked. The more urgent the storyline became, the more the author switched between the characters.

What I also liked about this book is that the characters were human. Take, for instance, Tony and Boyd. They both were ruthless killers, and they had some psychopathic tendencies. But, and I stress but, they were willing to set those tendencies aside for the kids. Tony did this for five years, and Boyd did it while searching for the kids. Each of the characters, main and otherwise, was well-written and fleshed out.

The storyline of why Tony took the kids and ran was heartbreaking. I did think that the author dragged it out longer than it should have been, but it was all good with me. Kristen did annoy me with her screaming at Boyd, but in her defense, he deserved it. I also was a little irritated with Boyd and how blind he was to everything until it was almost too late. Even I knew who was behind everything.

The storyline with Boyd, his search for the kids, and everything else he did was interesting. I liked how the author first portrayed him as a mob boss going in and getting a job done (getting his kids). But, as that storyline progressed, a different side of Boyd was seen. He genuinely loved his kids and would stay in a blizzard to find them. By the end of the book, I was rooting for Boyd to do the right thing. I wasn’t expecting what happened to him. It took me by surprise.

Ruby’s storyline was complicated. I understood why she helped Tony (she discovered what Frankie was doing to Kristen). I also understood why she shut herself off from the kids (in case a situation like this happened). But, when push came to shove, she was able to face her demons (aka her mother) and help those kids out. Her refusal to do what Frankie wanted at the end of the book was a significant turning point in her storyline.

There were points in the book where I wondered why Nick was involved. But, as soon as he tracked the plane and saw what happened, I understood. Nick was the only one around who could survive the blizzard coming through. Plus, he found Boyd’s story a little fishy and wanted to ensure the kids would be safe. The author put Nick through the wringer in his storyline, but I was happy with his outcome.

The kids’ storyline was complicated and twisty. Kristen witnessed two murders by the time she was eleven. She was damaged because of that. She also knew who was behind the murder of her mother and was terrified of this person. In her five years with Tony, she learned to care for herself. More importantly, she took care of her younger brother, who was deaf.

Let’s talk about Frankie for a minute. The author discusses her quite a bit during the book’s first half. Man, she was cold and was willing to sacrifice/do whatever it took to protect the family and her business. So be it if that meant drugging a ten-year-old to become more cooperative. Frankie becomes essential towards the end of the book. She was scary, manipulative, and just plain evil.

The thriller angle of North of Nowhere kept me on the edge of my seat. The author didn’t let up with it. From the escape to the book’s final scenes, I felt I couldn’t breathe.

The mystery angle of North of Nowhere was well written. There were some things that I figured out early in the book, and there were others that surprised me when the author revealed them. The author kept me on my toes.

The end of North of Nowhere almost seemed anti-climatic. I liked how the author wrapped everything up. I hope that the author writes another book in this universe. There were a couple of surviving people that I would love to read about.

I would recommend North of Nowhere to anyone over 21. There are no sexual situations, but there is graphic violence and language.

Many thanks to Saint Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Allison Brennan for allowing me to read and review North of Nowhere. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to North of Nowhere, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Allison Brennan:

Spin a Black Yarn by Josh Malerman

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: August 15th, 2023

Genre: Horror, Short Stories, Adult Fiction, Anthologies, Short Story Collection, Mystery, Science Fiction, Halloween, Paranormal

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Five harrowing novellas of horror and speculative fiction from the singular mind of the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box

Josh Malerman is a master weaver of stories–and in this spine-chilling collection he spins five twisted tales from the shadows of the human soul:

A sister insists to her little brother that “Half the House Is Haunted” by a strange presence. But is it the house that’s haunted–or their childhoods?

In “Argyle,” a dying man confesses to homicides he never committed, and he reveals long-kept secrets far more sinister than murder.

A tourist takes the ultimate trip to outer space in “The Jupiter Drop,” but the real journey is into his own dark past.

In “Doug and Judy Buy the House Washer(TM),” a trendy married couple buys the latest home gadget only to find themselves trapped by their possessions, their history . . . and each other.

And in “Egorov,” a wealthy old cretin murders a young man, not knowing the victim was a triplet. The two surviving brothers stage a savage faux-haunting–playing the ghost of their slain brother–with the aim of driving the old murderer mad.

First Line:

Half the house is haunted, Robin. Don’t ask me which half!

Spin a Black Yarn (Half the House is Haunted) by Josh Malerman

I am not in the habit of reading and reviewing short stories. I find them hard to review. But I always end up with them on my review list. I may be trying to tell myself something; who knows?

Spin a Black Yarn is the second Josh Malerman book I have read. The first was Inspection a few years ago, and I did enjoy it. So, when I saw that this book of novellas was on Randon House’s NetGalley page as a Wish only, I decided to do just that (wish on it). And imagine my surprise when I got the email saying it was granted. I was thrilled, and I knew I would like this book (based on Inspection). I was right. This book was a fast read that kept me up after I ended it.

Spin a Black Yarn has five novellas in it. I will not do my usual storyline breakdown, angles, characters, etc. It would be too confusing and time-consuming. Instead, I will briefly explain the book and then say what I liked/disliked about it.

Half the House is Haunted: The novella follows two siblings that live in a huge house. The story is sectioned into three parts: 6 and 8, 40 and 42, and 80’s. In 6 and 8, Stephanie torments her younger brother by telling him half the house is haunted, but she isn’t sure what half. In 40 and 42, Robbie visits Stephanie, a recluse, and tries to figure out why she tormented him. In the 80’s, Stephanie dies, leaving Robbie the house and a letter. This storyline took a while to grow on me. I was confused at first by how it was written (Robbie and Stephanie told alternating paragraphs). But, once I figured that out, my confusion disappeared, and I was swept up in the story. I loved the moral behind this one (face your fears). I also liked that I couldn’t figure out whether Stephanie was lying.

Argyle: This novella centers on a dying man, Shawn, who starts to confess to murders that he almost committed on his deathbed. He is confessing to his two children, wife, best friend, and mother. He states that he didn’t kill only because of his best friend, a woman named Argyle, and his sister, Nora. At first, I thought that this story was a little silly, with a dying man confessing to almost murders. But as the story went on, I started to get chills. It was a good look into the human psyche and what makes a killer tick.

Doug and Judy Buy a House Washer: This novella centers around a couple who were the epitome of jerks. They buy a device that guarantees a thorough house wash. But, when they use it, the machine washes the house and brings up everything they have ever done, good and bad. This novella was my least favorite novella. Mainly because Doug and Judy were asshats, and the author did nothing to tone them down. The ending of this story was almost too good for them, and they deserved worse than what they got (they were genuinely vile people).

Jupiter Drop: This novella centers around a wealthy man eaten up by guilt over the death of a neighbor. So, he decides to journey to Jupiter to atone for that death. This novella was the saddest out of the bunch. The man was consumed with guilt over what happened, destroying everything in his life. This drop through Jupiter’s atmosphere (and core) was supposed to be healing. Instead, it went sideways. I would love to have done what he did (dropping through Jupiter’s atmosphere in a glass apartment). What the author wrote was beautiful. Except for the end. That was sad.

Egorov: This was my favorite novella. It centers around the murder of Mikhail, a triplet, and the search for his killer. Once the killer is found, Barat and Pavel (Mikhail’s brother) devise a dastardly plan to exact revenge. This story strongly reminded me of an Edgar Allen Poe story. From the language to how everything was laid out. It was also chilling, and I was kept on edge with what Barat and Pavel were doing.

I would recommend Spin a Black Yarn to anyone over 21. There are no sexual situations, but there is language and violence.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Josh Malerman for allowing me to read and review Spin a Black Yarn. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading similar books to Spin a Black Yarn, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Josh Malerman: