A Batter of Life and Death by Ellie Alexander

Started: 5/12/2026

Finished: 5/17/2026

Year: 2015

Pages: 269

Genre: cozy mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "It's autumn in Ashland, Oregon-'tis the season for a spiced hot apple cider with a serving (or two) of Torte's famous peach cobbler. It's also the perfect time for Jules Capshaw to promote her family's beloved bake shop by competing in The Pastry Channel's reality show, Take the Cake. The prize is $25,000. But as Jules quickly learns, some people would kill for that kind of dough. Literally.

"Then, just as Jules dusts off her Bavarian Chocolate Cake recipe and cinches up her apron, the corpse of a fellow contestant is discovered-death by buttercream. What began as a fun, tasteful televised adventure has morphed into something of a true-crime detective show for Jules and everybody else on set. Who could have killed Chef Marco, and why? Can Jules sift out the killer before someone else gets burned?"

Opinion: Good mysterythat had just enough suspects to not be easily solved.

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Started: 5/6/2026

Finished: 5/12/2026

Year: 2020

Pages: 447

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.

"Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show."

Opinion: Fans of D&D should enjoy this-or at least can relate when playing a low level character trying to go through a DMs adventure.

The Tell-Tale Tarte by Maya Corrigan

Started: 5/3/2026

Finished: 5/6/2026

Year: 2017

Pages: 301

Genre: cozy mystery

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "The last thing Val needs in her life is an unsolved murder, especially when the victim, an actor famed for impersonating Edgar Allan Poe, happens to be dressed exactly like her Granddad. To keep an eye on Granddad, whose latest job takes him to the home of Rick Usher, a local author inspired by Poe, Val gets herself hired as a cook in Rick’s House of Usher. When she discovers the actor wasn’t the only one doing an impersonation, separating the innocent from the murderous becomes a real-life horror story. But Val must decipher a killer’s M.O. sooner rather than later . . . or she can forget about finding poetic justice."

Opinion: Not as enjoyable as others in the series but still a decent mystery overall. 

Carrie by Stephen King

Started: 4/30/2026

Finished: 5/3/2026

Year: 1974

Pages: 290

Genre: horror/thriller

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, reading King's books in order of published

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Unpopular at school and subjected to her mother's religious fanaticism at home, Carrie White does not have it easy. But while she may be picked on by her classmates, she has a gift she's kept secret since she was a little girl: she can move things with her mind. Doors lock. Candles fall. Her ability has been both a power and a problem. And when she finds herself the recipient of a sudden act of kindness, Carrie feels like she's finally been given a chance to be normal. She hopes that the nightmare of her classmates' vicious taunts is over . . . but an unexpected and cruel prank turns her gift into a weapon of horror so destructive that the town may never recover."

Opinion: I had seen the movie years ago but never read the book. From what I remembered, the movie followed the book. Don't ever piss off the quiet, strange kid in school

Cause of Death by Patricia Cornwell

Started: 4/26/2026

Finished: 4/29/2026

Year: 1996

Pages: 340

Genre: mystery/thriller

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "On New Year’s Eve, the last day of Virginia’s bloodiest year since the Civil War, Dr. Kay Scarpetta plunges into the murky depths of the Elizabeth River to recover the very human remains of Ted Eddings, an investigative reporter. Was Eddings probing the Inactive Shipyard for a story, or simply diving for sunken trinkets? And why did Scarpetta receive a phone call from someone reporting the death before the police were notified?

"With the advent of a second murder—this one closer to home—the case envelops Scarpetta, her niece Lucy, and police captain Pete Marino in a world where both cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned detective work are critical offensive weapons. Together they follow the trail of death to a well of violence as dark and forbidding as the water that swirled over Ted Eddings."

Opinion: Thriller at the very end. Interesting case overall

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

Started: 4/22/2026

Finished: 4/26/2026

Year: 2025

Pages: 355

Genre: mystery

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with the series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Ten heists. Ten suspects. A murder mystery only Ernest Cunningham can solve in this delightfully clever and twisty new novel in Benjamin Stevenson’s bestselling series—perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz.

"I’ve spent the last few years solving murders. But a bank heist is a new one, even for me. I’ve never been a hostage before.

"The doors are chained shut. No one in or out. Which means that when someone in the bank is murdered, everyone is a suspect.

"THE BANK ROBBER

"THE MANAGER

"THE SECURITY GUARD

"THE KID

"THE FILM PRODUCER

"THE PRIEST

"THE RECEPTIONIST

"THE PATIENT

"THE CAREGIVER

"ME

"Turns out, more than one person planned to rob the bank today. You can steal more from a bank than just money.

"Who is stealing what? Are they willing to kill for it? And can I solve the crime before the police kick down the door and rescue us?"

Opinion: This fits along with the rest of the books in the series. Little twists and turns.

Certain Prey by John Sandford

Started: 4/15/2026

Finised: 4/21/2026

Year: 1999

Pages: 375

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: TBR pile, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Clara Rinker is twenty-eight, beautiful, charmingly southern—and the best hit woman in the business. She just goes about her business, collects her money, and goes home. Her latest hit sounds simple: a defense attorney wants a rival eliminated. No problem—until a witness survives. Clara usually knows how to deal with loose ends: cut them off, one by one, until they're all gone. This time, there’s one loose end that’s hard to shake.

"Lucas Davenport has no idea of the toll this case is about to take on him. Clara knows his weak spots. She knows how to penetrate them, and how to use them. And when a woman like Clara has the advantage, no one is safe."

Opinion: Very cat and mouse type of plot. No real mystery since readers know who has done what. More about how they are tracked down.