Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

Started: 5/6/2025

Finished: DNF

Year: 2025

Pages: 329

Genre: mystery

Grade: D-

Reason for reading: library book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Things are heating up, and not just because of Blanche’s hot flashes. Rose’s cousin is eloping to Miami, and Rose is playing host. If she can't balance the groom’s family’s snobbery against the traditional St. Olaf wedding week guidelines, her hometown may never accept her cousin again!

"Dorothy quickly realizes she needs a date with whom she can exchange wedding-related wisecracks. Turning to a newfangled VHS dating service, she believes she’s found the ideal conversationalist. Unfortunately, what looks good on TV can actually be a total jerk in real life. It seems she’ll just have to enjoy the company of Sophia, Blanche, and whomever Blanche has targeted for a hookup.

"As the Girls all pitch in, Rose is thrilled that the tea-and-fish-themed kickoff event is perfect, not a herring out of place. That is until Dorothy’s date is found dead—face-planted in an otherwise scrumptious-looking cheesecake. With every guest a suspect (especially Dorothy) and a marriage on the line, the four besties must ID the real killer, get the should-be-happy couple down the aisle, and make sure nobody from St. Olaf gets lost in the wilds of Miami. It’s up to the Golden Girls to sleuth out a way for friendship and love to win the day!"

Opinion: Took too long to get to the mystery. Way too much dealing with the wedding plans. If you remember the show The Golden Girls, the characterization of each lady is pretty much on the mark.

New Tricks by David Rosenfelt

Started: 5/5/2025

Finished: 5/6/2025

Year: 2009

Pages: 309

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Andy Carpenter gains possession of an adorable Bernese puppy whose owner was brutally murdered. Few can rival Andy's affection for dogs, and he will do whatever it takes to insure that this little pup doesn't fall into the wrong hands. However, his playful new friend is valued by several people, many of whom are willing to resort to violence to get what they want. It will take more than Andy's usual courtroom theatrics to save this dog, including a little help from his beloved golden retriever, Tara. Andy soon discovers that anyone around him is in danger, including his long-time girlfriend Laurie, and he will have to muster all of his wits to save those he holds most dear."

Opinion: Interesting twists involving mafia/mob killings, synthetic DNA and of course puppies.

Unsavory Notions by Amy Lillard

Started: 5/4/2025

Finished: 5/5/2025

Year: 2014

Pages: 219

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: TBR, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Emma Cotton and Kelly Grace have followed many strange trails in their search for the murderer of their good friend, Rose Peterson. But they never expected one of those trails to lead them to Amish country in upstate New York. Now they and Emma’s flamboyant aunt, Dottie Faye Sinclair are knee-deep in buggies and bonnets as they search for an elusive suspect in the unwelcoming folds of the Amish community."

Opinion: A decent continuation of the series...not to solve an Amish mystery

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

Started: 5/2/2025

Finished: 5/4/2025

Year: 2025

Pages: 324

Genre: thriller

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "It is June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla’s life is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But, when she wakes, her husband Luke isn’t there, and in his place is a cryptic note.

"Then it starts. Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London. The police arrive, and tell her Luke is involved. But he isn't a hostage. Her husband - doting father, eternal optimist - is the gunman.

"What she does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind that morning says..."

Opinion: Not everything is what it seems. Interesting twist to a what appears to be a typical hostage/escape situation.

Proof of Murder by Lauren Elliott

Started: 4/30/2025

Finished: 5/2/2025

Year: 2020

Pages: 216

Genre: mystery

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "The seaside New England town of Greyborne Harbor is home to many grand estates, including the Queen Anne Victorian Addie inherited from her great aunt. Now one of those mansions is holding an estate sale, which is just what the bookshop owner needs to replenish her supply of rare editions--even if the house is rumored to be haunted. Assisting an overwhelmed insurance appraiser with the inventory, Addie discovers an 1887 magazine containing Arthur Conan Doyle's first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, which she estimates to be worth over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

"But when Addie later finds the appraiser dead in the estate's private library, with the door bolted from the inside, and the priceless edition missing, it's a mystery worthy of the Great Detective himself. She's certain the death and the robbery are connected--but who, other than a ghost who can walk through walls, could have gotten in to do the deed? It's up to Addie to find the key to the crime--before she's the next one cornered by a killer..."

Opinion: Probably my favorite in the series so far. Classic mystery tied in with current cozy style.

It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong

Started: 4/29/2025

Finished: DNF

Year: 2000

Pages: 289

Genre: autobiography

Grade: D

Reason for reading: bookcrossing.com book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "The inspiring journey of world-class hero Lance Armstrong, from the dark night of advanced cancer through his dramatic victory in the 1999 Tour de France, and beyond. In 1996, twenty-four-year-old Lance Armstrong was ranked the number-one cyclist in the world. But that October, "The Golden Boy of American Cycling" was sidelined by excruciating pain. Tests revealed advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain. His chance for recovery was as low as twenty percent. Armstrong embarked on the most aggressive form of chemotherapy available and underwent surgery to remove cancer that the treatments couldn't reach. Five months after his diagnosis, he resumed training under a cloud of uncertainty, and the path back to competition wasn't smooth. It took a ride with friends through the mountains of North Carolina for Armstrong to rediscover his genuine love of the sport, and to rededicate himself to its pursuit. Scarred physically and emotionally, Lance Armstrong considered his cancer "a special wake-up call," one that crystallized for him the blessings of good health, family, friends, and marriage. In October 1999, just months after his astonishing triumph in the Tour, his wife, Kristin, gave birth to their son, Luke David Armstrong. Filled with the nutritional, physical, emotional, and spiritual details of his recovery, It's Not About the Bike traces the wondrous journey of one of America's greatest athletes to a singularly inspiring appreciation of life lived to the fullest."

Opinion: Written well before the performance enhancing drug controversary and his settlement. Arrogance oozed from the pages. I am sorry that he had to go through the cancer treatment.

The Crash by Freida McFadden

Started: 4/27/2025

Finished: 4/29/2025

Year: 2025

Pages: 364

Genre: suspense/thriller

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rearview mirror. So she hits the road, planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out her next move. But she doesn't realize she's heading straight into a blizzard.

"She never arrives at her destination.

"Stranded in rural Maine with a dead car and broken ankle, Tegan worries she's made a terrible mistake. Then a miracle occurs: she is rescued by a couple who offers her a room in their warm cabin until the snow clears.

"But something isn't right. Tegan believed she was waiting out the storm, but as time ticks by, she comes to realize she is in grave danger. This safe haven isn't what she thought it was, and staying here may have been her most deadly mistake yet.  

"And now she must do whatever it takes to save herself―and her unborn child."

Opinion: An interesting twist at the end. Similar storyline to other movies/books but without the little twist.

A Conspiracy of Bones by Kathy Reichs

Started: 4/23/2025

Finished: 4/25/2025

Year: 2020

Pages: 336

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing of series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "It’s sweltering in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Temperance Brennan, still recovering from neurosurgery following an aneurysm, is battling nightmares, migraines, and what she thinks might be hallucinations when she receives a series of mysterious text messages, each containing a new picture of a corpse that is missing its face and hands. Immediately, she’s anxious to know who the dead man is, and why the images were sent to her.

"An identified corpse soon turns up, only partly answering her questions.

"To win answers to the others, including the man’s identity, she must go rogue, working mostly outside the system. That’s because Tempe’s new boss holds a fierce grudge against her and is determined to keep her out of the case. Tempe bulls forward anyway, even as she begins questioning her instincts. But the clues she discovers are disturbing and confusing. Was the faceless man a spy? A trafficker? A target for assassination by the government? And why was he carrying the name of a child missing for almost a decade?

"With help from a number of law enforcement associates including her Montreal beau Andrew Ryan and the always-ready-with-a-smart-quip, ex-homicide investigator Skinny Slidell, and utilizing new cutting-edge forensic methods, Tempe draws closer to the astonishing truth.

"But the more she uncovers, the darker and more twisted the picture becomes..."

Opinion: Different take on solving the mystery since Tempe wasn't in her usual position. Decent mystery.

Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton

Started: 4/18/2025

Finished: 4/23/2025

Year: 2017

Pages: 594

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: TBR pile, bookcrossing.com book, finishing the series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "In 1979, four teenage boys from an elite private school sexually assault a fourteen-year-old classmate—and film the attack. Not long after, the tape goes missing and the suspected thief, a fellow classmate, is murdered. In the investigation that follows, one boy turns state’s evidence and two of his peers are convicted. But the ringleader escapes without a trace.

"Now, it’s 1989 and one of the perpetrators, Fritz McCabe, has been released from prison. Moody, unrepentant, and angry, he is a virtual prisoner of his ever-watchful parents—until a copy of the missing tape arrives with a ransom demand. That’s when the McCabes call Kinsey Millhone for help. As she is drawn into their family drama, she keeps a watchful eye on Fritz. But he’s not the only one being haunted by the past. A vicious sociopath with a grudge against Millhone may be leaving traces of himself for her to find..."

Opinion: Sad to see this being the last book in the series. I wonder what she had planned for Z if she hadn't passed away.

The Fifteen by William Geroux

Started: 4/13/2025

Finished: DNF

Year: 2025

Pages: 291

Genre: non-fiction, WWII

Grade: C

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "The American government was faced with an unprecedented challenge: where to house the nearly 400,000 German prisoners of war plucked from the battlefield and shipped across the Atlantic. On orders from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Department of War hastily built hundreds of POW camps in the United States. Today, traces of those camps—which once dotted the landscape from Maine to California—have all but vanished. Forgotten, too, is the grisly series of killings that took place within them: Nazi power games playing out in the heart of the United States.

"Protected by the Geneva Convention, German POWs were well-fed and housed. Many worked on American farms, and a few would even go on to marry farmers’ daughters. Ardent Nazis in the camps, however, took a dim view of fellow Germans who befriended their captors.

"Soon, the killings began. In camp after camp, Nazis attacked fellow Germans they deemed disloyal. Fifteen were sentenced to death by secret U.S. military tribunals for acts of murder. In response, German authorities condemned fifteen American POWs to the same fate, and, in the waning days of the war, Germany proposed an audacious trade: fifteen German lives for fifteen American lives.

"Drawing on extensive research, journalist and author William Geroux shines a spotlight on this story of murder and high-stakes diplomacy, and on the fifteen American lives that hung in the balance—from a fearless P-51 Mustang fighter pilot to a hot-tempered lieutenant colonel nicknamed “King Kong.”"

Opinion: I couldn't keep my head focused on this history. If I wasn't having to work and do other things, I probably would have finished it with no problem. Definitely not something that I knew about from history classes.

Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke

Started: 4/6/2025

Finished: 4/11/2025

Year: 2002

Pages: 307

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Preparations are underway for Lake Eden, Minnesota's annual Winter Carnival--and Hannah Swensen is set to bake up a storm at her popular shop, The Cookie Jar. Too bad the honor of creating the official Winter Carnival cake went to famous lifestyle maven Connie Mac--a half-baked idea, in Hannah's opinion. She suspects Connie Mac is a lot like the confections she whips up on her cable TV cooking show--sweet, light, and scrumptious-looking, but likely to leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

"Hannah's suspicions are confirmed when Connie Mac's limo rolls into town. Turns out America's "Cooking Sweetheart" is bossy, bad-tempered, and downright domineering. Things finally boil over when Hannah arrives at The Cookie Jar to find the Winter Carnival cake burnt to a crisp--and Connie Mac lying dead in her pantry, struck down while eating one of Hannah's famous blueberry muffins.

"Next thing Hannah knows, the police have declared The Cookie Jar's kitchen crime scene off-limits. She's a baker without an oven--and the Carnival is right around the corner. Hannah's only alternative is to cook up a plan to save her business--by finding the killer herself. . ."

Opinion: Decent mystery. Good continuation of the series. Good sounding cookies.

Stray by A.N. Wilson

Started: 4/6/2025

Finished: DNF

Year: 1987

Pages: 174

Genre: literature

Grade: F

Reason for reading: bookcrossing.com book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "A proud old alley cat tells his life story to his grandson, including his adventures in a convent, in a feline commune, and with his hearer's grandmother."

Opinion: Couldn't barely make it through the first few pages. Didn't like the writing.

Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito

Started: 4/2/2025

Finished: DNF

Year: 2025

Pages: 192

Genre: dark humor

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect governess―she’ll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But long, listless days spent within the estate’s dreary confines come with an intimate knowledge of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family―Mr. Pounds can’t keep his eyes off Winifred’s chest, and Mrs. Pounds takes a sickly pleasure in punishing Winifred for her husband’s wandering gaze. Compounded with her disdain for the entitled Pounds children, Winifred finds herself struggling at every turn to stifle the violent compulsions of her past. French tutoring and needlework are one way to pass the time, as is admiring the ugly portraits in the gallery . . . and creeping across the moonlit lawns. . . .

"Patience. Winifred must have patience, for Christmas is coming, and she has very special gifts planned for the dear souls of Ensor House. Brimming with sardonic wit and culminating in a shocking conclusion, Victorian Psycho plunges readers into the chilling mind of an iconic new literary psychopath."

Opinion: Guess my humor isn't dark enough since I did not enjoy this book. The writing was good but the storyline not so much

Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O'Connor

Started: 3/27/2025

Finished: 4/2/2025

Year: 2016

Pages: 334

Genre: mystery

Grade: C

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "In the small village of Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland, Naomi’s Bistro has always been a warm and welcoming spot to visit with neighbors, enjoy some brown bread and tea, and get the local gossip. Nowadays twenty-two-year-old Siobhán O’Sullivan runs the family bistro named for her mother, along with her five siblings, after the death of their parents in a car crash almost a year ago.

"It’s been a rough year for the O’Sullivans, but it’s about to get rougher. One morning, as they’re opening the bistro, they discover a man seated at a table, dressed in a suit as if for his own funeral, a pair of hot pink barber scissors protruding from his chest.

"With the local garda suspecting the O’Sullivans, and their business in danger of being shunned—murder tends to spoil the appetite—it’s up to feisty redheaded Siobhán to solve the crime and save her beloved brood."

Opinion: The middle kinda dragged. Definitely enough suspects. Decent murder mystery

Play Dead by David Rosenfelt

Started: 3/22/2025

Finished: 3/27/2025

Year: 2007

Pages: 358

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: TBR pile, continuing with the series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Few can rival attorney Andy Carpenter's affection for golden retrievers, especially his own beloved Tara.

"After he astonishes a New Jersey courtroom by successfully appealing another retriever's death sentence, Andy discovers that this gentle dog is a key witness to a murder that took place five years earlier.

"It will take all the tricks Andy's fertile mind can conceive to get to the bottom of a remarkable chain of impersonations and murder -- and hopefully save not only a dog's life but also his own in the process."

Opinion: One of the better books in the series, probably because a found golden retriever was the star of starting a complex murder investigation.

The Crime Brulee Bake Off by Rebecca Connolly

Started: 3/19/2025

Finished: 3/21/2025

Year: 2025

Pages: 309

Genre: mystery mixed with romane

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "When Claire Walker is selected to be a contestant on the immensely popular cooking show, Britian’s Battle of the Bakers, she is thrilled. She can’t wait to spend eight enchanting weeks baking at the picturesque estate of Blackfirth Park. She can almost smell the fresh pastries wafting through the air as she and her fellow contestants use historical equipment to bring pre-1900s recipes to life. If she can win the fifty thousand pounds, she’ll be able to ditch her teaching job and launch her baking career.

"The Viscount of Colburn, Jonathan Ainsley, is the custodian of Blackfirth Park and an eligible bachelor. With his family’s income dwindling, he reluctantly agrees to host the entire production team, but he refuses to participate since he’s had enough of single women who see him as nothing more than a potential conquest. But when a contestant is found dead soon after filming begins, Jonathan is forced to get involved. To make matters worse, the baker’s death is eerily similar to the legendary death of the tenth Viscountess of Colburn two hundred and fifty years earlier, which sends rumors racing through the estate.

"Even as suspicion falls on some of the bakers, a decidedly different kind of heat begins to simmer between Claire and Jonathan. If they are to have any hope of a future romance, they must first solve the mystery before the show gets canceled or someone else falls prey to the Blackfirth Park ghost."

Opinion: If you like the British baking show and mysteries, you'll probably enjoy this. The mystery was decent. The romance was average. Some timeline jumps needed some work.

Murder in the First Edition by Lauren Elliott

Started: 3/17/2025

Finished: 3/19/2025

Year: 2019

Pages: 315

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Addie’s getting into the spirit for the upcoming Charity Auction—especially since she’s got an 1843 copy of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol to donate. Her former colleagues at the Boston Public Library have confirmed that its worth runs toward the high five figures, which should help with the new pediatric wing. Her mood darkens, though, when a visitor from the past appears—Jonathan Hemingway, the father of her late fiancé. His presence stirs up sad memories for Addie, but also has her fuming when Jonathan, true to his womanizing ways, runs off for a lunchtime liaison with Teresa Lang, who’s in charge of the auction.

"Soon after, Addie heads to Teresa’s office at the hospital—and finds the poor woman’s dead body. What she doesn’t find is her valuable first edition. What sort of Scrooge would steal from sick children and commit murder in the process? As a Nor’easter bears down and a mystery emerges about Jonathan’s past, Addie must find out if she can appraise people’s motives and characters as well as she can appraise rare books . . ."

Opinion: Halfway predictable but interesting little twists and turns

Chakras, Food, and You by Cyndi Dale and Dana Childs

Started: 3/17/2025

Finished: 3/17/2025

Year: 2021

Pages: 290

Genre: Dietary self guide

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: Goodsreads.com giveaway

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Chakras, Food, and You is a revolutionary approach that customizes health assessments based on the chakras―the ancient system that modern-day yogis exalt and the ancients across all cultures and periods embraced as the secret to enlightenment. After first taking the Chakra Type Quiz within the pages, you will learn which foods and supplements, exercises, and movements mesh to enable your individual body's peak performance. Then, you'll be equipped to make eating and lifestyle choices that synchronize with your real self.

"If you’re a First Chakra Manifestor, you’ll boost your adrenals by eating plenty of protein and taking extra minerals; you’ll eat when you are hungry and drive down stress by moving around. If you are a Third Chakra Thinker, you have to graze at set times. All twelve chakras―Manifestor, Creator, Thinker, Relator, Communicator, Visualizer, Spiritualist, Mystic, Harmonizer, Naturalist, Commander, as well as a twelfth special chakra, unique to each individual―are thoroughly covered.

"With additional tips and thoughts on meditation and spiritual practices, sleep protocols, stress-busters and relaxation practices, and self-care rituals and activities, Cyndi Dale and Dana Childs's Chakras, Food, and You is an accessible and straightforward health-and-life changer."

Opinion: This takes a different approach to figuring out what is best for your body. It also allows you to focus on your main chakra (based on a quiz in the book) instead of reading about all 12 chakras that they list.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger

Started: 3/13/2025

Finished: DNF

Year: 2025

Pages: 376

Genre: thriller

Grade: D

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be.

"Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves."

Opinion: Dragged. Took too long to get to anything interesting and some sections jumped time. 

Speaking in Bones by Kathy Reichs

Started: 3/11/2025

Finished: 3/13/2025

Year: 2015

Pages: 298

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "No one speaks the language of suspense more brilliantly than Kathy Reichs, author of the acclaimed Temperance Brennan series. In Speaking in Bones, the forensic anthropologist finds herself drawn into a world of dark secrets and dangerous beliefs, where good and evil blur.

"Professionally, Temperance Brennan knows exactly what to do—test, analyze, identify. Her personal life is another story. She’s at a loss, wondering how to answer police detective Andrew Ryan’s marriage proposal. But the matter of matrimony takes a backseat when murder rears its head.

"Hazel “Lucky” Strike—a strident amateur detective who mines the Internet for cold cases—comes to Brennan with a tape recording of an unknown girl being held prisoner and terrorized. Strike is convinced the voice is that of eighteen-year-old Cora Teague, who went missing more than three years earlier. Strike is also certain that the teenager’s remains are gathering dust in Temperance Brennan’s lab.

"Brennan has doubts about working with a self-styled websleuth. But when the evidence seems to add up, Brennan’s next stop is the treacherous backwoods where the chilling recording (and maybe Cora Teague’s bones) were discovered. Her forensic field trip only turns up more disturbing questions—along with gruesome proof of more untimely deaths.

"While local legends of eerie nocturnal phenomena and sinister satanic cults abound, it’s a zealous and secretive religious sect that has Brennan spooked and struggling to separate the saints from the sinners. But there’s nothing, including fire and brimstone, that can distract her from digging up the truth and taking down a killer—even as Brennan finds herself in a place where angels fear to tread, devils demand their due, and she may be damned no matter what."

Opinion: Interesting take on exorcisms.

A Deadly Pattern by Elizabeth Penney

Started: 3/10/2025

Finished: 3/11/2025

Year: 2014

Pages: 218

Genre: mystery

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: TBR, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Travelling to Arizona in the search of the next suspect in the death of their good friend Rose, they find Dakota Longbone, a Native American guide and interpreter from Sedona. Perhaps Dakota is also the culprit who has been trying to thwart the investigation and will stop at nothing to force Emma and Kelly off the trail. Only time will tell."

Opinion: A decent continuation of the series. Whodunit mystery continues. Native American art being stolen was a nice mystery to read about.

In the Woods by Tana French

Started: 3/7/2025

Finished: DNF

Year: 2007

Pages: 429

Genre: mystery

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.

"Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a twelve-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox—his partner and closest friend—find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past."

Opinion: Just couldn't get into it. Felt myself drifting off to do other things. The premise is interesting.

Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Started: 3/5/2025

Finished: 3/6/2025

Year: 2001

Pages: 307

Genre: mystery

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "When the president of Hartland Flour chooses cozy Lake Eden, Minnesota, as the spot for their first annual Dessert Bake-Off, Hannah is thrilled to serve as the head judge. But when a fellow judge, Coach Boyd Watson, is found stone-cold dead, facedown in Hannah's celebrated strawberry shortcake, Lake Eden's sweet ride to fame turns very sour indeed.

"Between perfecting her Cheddar Cheese Apple Pie and Chocolate Crunchies, Hannah's snooping into the coach's private life and not coming up short on suspects. And could Watson's harsh criticism during the judging have given one of the contestants a license to kill? The stakes are rising faster than dough, and Hannah will have to be very careful, because somebody is cooking up a recipe for murder. . .with Hannah landing on the 'necessary ingredients' list."

Opinion: Decent continuation of the series. Murderer was too predictable.

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

Started: 3/3/2025

Finished: 3/4/205

Year: 2022

Pages: 308

Genre: thriller

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway

Type: ARC paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Abigail Baskin never thought she would fall in love with a millionaire. Then she met Bruce Lamb. He’s a good guy, stable, level-headed, kind—a refreshing change from her previous relationships.

"But right before the wedding, Abigail has a drunken one-night stand on her bachelorette weekend. She puts the incident—and the sexy guy who wouldn’t give her his real name—out of her mind, and now believes she wants to be with Bruce for the rest of her life. Their honeymoon on a luxurious, secluded island will be the beginning of their blissful lives together.

"Then the mysterious stranger suddenly appears—and Abigail’s future life and happiness are turned upside down. He insists that their passionate night was the beginning of something much, much more. Something special. Something real—and he’s tracked her down to prove it.

"Does she tell Bruce and ruin their idyllic honeymoon—and possibly their marriage? Or should she handle this psychopathic stalker on her own? To make the situation worse, strange things begin to happen. She sees a terrified woman in the shadows one night, and no one at the resort seems to believe anything is amiss… including her perfect new husband."

Opinion: Interesting take on relationships and scarily fitting for today's society.

Food for Thought by Alton Brown

Started: 2/28/2025

Finished: 3/2/2025

Year: 2025

Pages: 283

Genre: Memoir/essays

Grade; B

Reason for reading: fan of Alton, library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "From cameraman to chef, musician to food scientist, Alton Brown has had a diverse and remarkable career. His work on the Food Network, including creating Good Eats and hosting Iron Chef America and Cutthroat Kitchen, has resonated with countless viewers and home cooks. Now, he shares exactly what’s on his mind, mixing compelling anecdotes from his personal and professional life with in-depth observations on the culinary world, film, personal style, defining meals of his lifetime, and much more.

"With his whip-smart and engaging voice, Brown explores everything from wrestling a dumpster full of dough to culinary cultural appropriation to his ultimate quest for the perfect roast chicken. Deliciously candid and full of behind-the-scenes stories fans will love, Food for Thought is the ultimate reading experience for anyone who appreciates food and the people that prepare it."

Opinion: I've seen Alton live and will be seeing him again soon. Only recognized one of his stories from his live show. A fun and interesting look at some small aspects of his life.

Prologue to Murder by Lauren Elliott

Started: 2/26/2025

Finished: 2/28/2025

Year: 2019

Pages: 318

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Gossip columnists love a bold-faced name—but “Miss Newsy” at Greyborne Harbor’s local paper seems to specialize in bald-faced lies. She’s pointed a finger of suspicion at Addie after librarian June Winslow never makes it home from a book club meeting. And when June’s found at the bottom of a steep flight of stairs, Addie’s not only dealing with a busybody, but a dead body.

"It’s a good thing the guy she’s dating is the police chief. But both the case and her love life get more complicated when a lanky blonde reporter from Los Angeles shows up. She’s trying her hardest to drive a wedge between the couple . . . as if Addie doesn’t have enough problems dealing with angry townspeople. Despite all the rumors, Addie doesn’t know a thing about the murder—but she plans to find out. And the key may lie in a book about pirate legends that June published. Now she just has to hunt down the clues before she becomes a buried treasure herself . . ."

Opinion: A good continuation of this series. Addie finds herself caught in the middle.

X by Sue Grafton

Started: 2/19/2025

Finished: 2/26/2025

Year: 2015

Pages: 492

Genre: mystery

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Perhaps Sue Grafton’s darkest and most chilling novel, X features a remorseless serial killer who leaves no trace of his crimes. Once again breaking the rules and establishing new paths, Grafton wastes little time identifying this deadly sociopath. The test is whether private investigator Kinsey Millhone can prove her case against him—before she becomes his next victim."

Opinion: Some decent snarkiness. A few mysteries in one.

Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan

Started: 2/15/2025

Finished: 2/18/2025

Year: 2025

Pages: 306

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "An ice fisherman is savagely mauled to death in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and an eyewitness claims the man was attacked by a hodag. There's just one problem with that: it's well known that the creature is not real and was created by a local hoaxer. So how could an imaginary creature be chomping on local sportsmen? 

"The suggestion that a hodag killed someone isn’t well received by the townsfolk because of its beloved ties to the town and the money it generates from tourist dollars. Due to this, people begin to suspect the witness is the real killer, especially when it’s discovered he has a tangled past with the victim. 

"The witness to the attack happens to be the nephew of Morgan Carter’s bookstore employee, Rita Bosworth, who convinces the professional cryptozoologist to travel to Wisconsin to prove that a hodag not only exists but killed the victim. 

"Clues may be hard to come by, but one thing's for sure: something killed that man, and that something now has its eyes focused on Morgan."

Opinion: A decent murder mystery. Good continuation of the series.

Bones Never Lie by Kathy Reichs

Started: 2/12/2025

Finished: 2/14/2025

Year: 2014

Pages: 323

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "The gripping new Temperance Brennan novel from the world-class forensic anthropologist and Number 1 bestselling author Kathy Reichs. Tempe is faced with the horrifying possibility that the killer who got away in Monday Mourning is back...For a decade, Temperance Brennan has been haunted by the one who got away.The killer of young women. The monster.And the one who has now come back.Feeding on fear, grief and rage.Killing again. Killing girls.Getting closer.Coming for Tempe."

Opinion: An interesting case that spans states and countries.

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

Started: 2/11/2025

Finished: 2/12/2025

Year: 2024

Pages: 359

Genre: mystery/thriller

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She's seen it all: men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can't shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot.

"Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He's charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet.

"Then the brutal murder of a young woman―the latest in a string of deaths across the coast―confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them. 

"Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams. But she can't shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems. Because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn't get to the truth, she'll be the killer's next victim..."

Opinion: A decent mystery with an interesting twist.

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann

Started: 2/11/2025

Finished: DNF

Year: 2005

Pages: 341

Genre: mystery

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "On a hillside near the cozy Irish village of Glennkill, the members of the flock gather around their shepherd, George, whose body lies pinned to the ground with a spade. George has cared for the sheep, reading them a plethora of books every night. The daily exposure to literature has made them far savvier about the workings of the human mind than your average sheep. Led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world), they set out to find George’s killer. 

"The A-team of investigators includes Othello, the “bad-boy” black ram; Mopple the Whale, a merino who eats a lot and remembers everything; and Zora, a pensive black-faced ewe with a weakness for abysses. Joined by other members of the richly talented flock, they engage in nightlong discussions about the crime and wild metaphysical speculations, and they embark on reconnaissance missions into the village, where they encounter some likely suspects. There’s Ham, the terrifying butcher; Rebecca, a village newcomer with a secret and a scheme; Gabriel, the shady shepherd of a very odd flock; and Father Will, a sinister priest. Along the way, the sheep confront their own all-too-human struggles with guilt, misdeeds, and unrequited love. 

"With sheer wit and spunk, this international bestseller has become a darling to two- and four-legged fans alike. Funny, fresh, and endearing, it introduces a wonderful breed of detectives to American readers."

Opinion: The concept was interesting but too many characters to try to figure out despite a glossary of who was who.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Started: 2/10/2025

Finished: 2/10/2025

Year: 2016

Pages: 400

Genre: mystery/thriller

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: TBR pile

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Travel magazine writer Lo Blacklock has just been given the assignment of a lifetime: one week on a luxury cruise with only a handful of cabins. The sky is clear, the waters calm, and the elite guests jovial as the exclusive cruise ship, the Aurora, begins her voyage in the picturesque North Sea.

"At first, Lo’s voyage is perfect, with a plush cabin, elegant dinner parties, and plenty of relaxation. But as the week wears on, frigid winds whip the deck, gray skies fall, and Lo witnesses what she can only describe as a dark and terrifying nightmare: a woman being thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for—and so, the ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo’s desperate attempts to convey that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong…"

Opinion: A decent thriller mystery. Will I watch the Netflix version? Maybe.

The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin

Started: 2/7/2025

Finished: 2/10/2025

Year: 2024

Pages: 400

Genre: literature

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "In Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job. She and her beloved daughter Olivia have always managed just fine on their own, but with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her with a job.

"When the threat of war in England becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In the wake of being separated from her daughter, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, and a renewed sense of purpose through the recommendations she provides to the library’s quirky regulars. But the job doesn’t come without its difficulties. Books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing and the work at the lending library forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident.

"As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times."

Opinion: A decent novel set during WWII.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Started: 2/4/2025

Finished: 2/6/2025

Year: 2000

Pages: 310

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "No one cooks up a delectable, suspense-filled mystery quite like Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke’s dessert-baking, red-haired heroine whose gingersnaps are as tart as her comebacks, and whose penchant for solving crimes—one delicious clue at a time—has made her a bestselling favorite. And it all began on these pages, with a bakery, a murder, and some suddenly scandalous chocolate-chip crunchies. Featuring a bonus short story and brand new, mouthwatering recipes, this new edition of the very first Hannah Swensen mystery is sure to have readers coming back for seconds…

"Hannah already has her hands full trying to dodge her mother’s attempts to marry her off while running The Cookie Jar, Lake Eden’s most popular bakery. But once Ron LaSalle, the beloved delivery man from the Cozy Cow Dairy, is found murdered behind her bakery with Hannah’s famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, her life just can’t get any worse. Determined not to let her cookies get a bad reputation, she sets out to track down a killer. But if she doesn’t watch her back, Hannah’s sweet life may get burned to a crisp."

Opinion: I've read some of Fluke's books out of order over the years and decided to start from the beginning. Decent start of the series but gotta wonder why a cookie baker would get involved investigating a murder.

Dead Center by David Rosenfelt

Started: 2/3/2025

Finished: 2/4/2025

Year: 2006

Pages: 326

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: TBR, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "DEAD CENTER finds Andy Carpenter reentering the dating scene with comic results. He is surprised at what a hot ticket he seems to be, and this proves to be a mixed blessing at best. His friends are all too eager to provide advice and guidance, but of course they know just as little about the dating world as Andy. Whether the woman he is dating at the moment is terrific or far from it, the spectra of Laurie always hangs over his head. He has strong feelings of bitterness towards her for leaving, but she is, after all, the love of his life. He has had no contact with her at all, and can only assume she is back in Findlay, serving in the number two job on the local police force. Then one day he returns to the office to find Laurie waiting for him. Laurie has arrested a young man for murder and, though the evidence clearly called for his arrest, she believes he is innocent. The accused is the son of Laurie's oldest friend and she believes Andy is the best person to represent him. Andy follows Laurie back to Wisconsin where he must explore a secretive religious community that seems to hold the truth about what really happened to the deceased."

Opinion: The break-up of Andy and Laurie didn't seem to end as readers were left expecting in the last book. Decent murder mystery.

Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber

Started: 1/30/2025

Finished: 2/2/2025

Year: 2018

Pages: 224

Genre: Romance

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Before beginning her dream job as sous chef in one of Seattle’s hottest new restaurants, Josie Avery takes a summer position cooking at a lakeside lodge in the remote Alaskan town of Ponder. Josie falls for the rustic charms of the local community—including Jack Corcoran, the crotchety keeper of Ponder’s famed sourdough starter, and, in particular, the quiet and intense Palmer Saxon, a famed master swordsmith.

"Josie and Palmer become close during the long Alaskan summer days, but Josie knows that, come fall, she’ll be returning to reality and the career she’s worked so hard for. Palmer, on the other hand, would like nothing better than to make Josie his wife and to keep her in Ponder. But Josie can’t imagine abandoning her mother back in the Emerald City and sacrificing her career to stay in this isolated town—not even for a man she’s quickly coming to love.

"Fate has other plans. Josie misses the last boat out of town before winter sets in, stranding her in Ponder and putting her dream job at risk. As the holidays approach, Josie and Palmer must grapple with the complications that arise when dreams confront reality, and the Christmas magic that can happen when they put their faith in love."

Opinion: A sweet romance-partial long distance.