Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly

Started: 12/26/2024

Finished: 12/30/2024

Year: 2024

Pages: 310

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with the series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Freshly graduated from a rigorous training program in all things spy craft, former typist Evelyne Redfern is eager for her first assignment as a field agent helping Britain win the war. However, when she learns her first task is performing a simple security test at Blackthorn Park, a requisitioned manor house in the sleepy Sussex countryside, she can’t help her initial disappointment. Making matters worse, her handler is to be David Poole, a fellow agent who manages to be both strait-laced and dashing in annoyingly equal measure. However, Evelyne soon realizes that Blackthorn Park is more than meets the eye, and an upcoming visit from Winston Churchill means that security at the secret weapons research and development facility is of the utmost importance.

"When Evelyne discovers Blackthorn Park’s chief engineer dead in his office, her simple assignment becomes more complicated. Evelyne must use all of her―and David’s―detection skills to root out who is responsible and uncover layers of deception that could change the course of the war."

Opinion: A pretty good mystery. Good continuation of the series. I continue to like how strong this main female character is especially given the time that the books take place.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Started: 12/10/2024

Finished: 12/26/2024

Year: 2022

Pages: 355

Genre: literature

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

"Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

"Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late."

Opinion: Predictable but enjoyable. Not worth the hype but any book that can get people reading is a good thing. The book is easily readable for most but I don't think that it lives up to the hype that it got-but then again, I don't think that most of the more popular books are good or my cup of tea.

The Bone Collection by Kathy Reichs

Started: 12/18/2024

Finished: 12/23/2024

Year: 2016

Pages: 379

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "In First Bones, a prequel to Reichs’s first novel, Déjà Dead, she at last reveals the tale of how Tempe became a forensic anthropologist. In this never-before-published story, Tempe recalls the case that lured her from a promising career in academia into the grim but addictive world of criminal investigation. (It all began with a visit from a pair of detectives—and a John Doe recovered from an arson scene in a trailer.) The collection is rounded out with three more stories that take Tempe from the low country of the Florida Everglades, where she makes a grisly discovery in the stomach of an eighteen-foot Burmese python, to the heights of Mount Everest, where a frozen corpse is unearthed. No matter where she goes, Tempe’s cases make for the most gripping reading."

Opinion: Unlike most collections, I enjoyed all of the stories. It was interesting to see how Tempe got into becoming a forensic anthropologist. There was some reference to stuff that hasn't happened in the main books but nothing that takes away from Tempe's story.

Does the Noise in my Head Bother You? by Steven Tyler

Started: 12/16/2024

Finished: DNF

Year: 2011

Pages: 376

Genre: memoir

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library book, fan of Aerosmith

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? is the rock memoir to end all rock memoirs — the straight-up, no-holds-barred story of Grammy Award-winning, Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and all around superstar legend Steven Tyler, lead singer of Aerosmith (and celebrity judge on American Idol).

"The rock and roll epic that is Tyler’s life begins with Tyler’s youth in the Bronx, tracing his early music career and influences, his legendary partnership with Joe Perry, the meteoric rise, fall, and rise of Aerosmith over the last three decades, their music, Tyler’s battles with substance abuse, his epic romantic life, his relationship with his four children (including actress Liv Tyler), life on the road and in the spotlight, the economics of the rock star business --and all the sex, drugs, and rock and roll that anyone could ask for.

"In Tyler’s own words: 'I’ve been mythicized, Mick-icized, eulogized and fooligized, I’ve been Cole-Portered and farmer’s-daughtered, I’ve been Led Zepped and 12-stepped. I’m a rhyming fool and so cool that me, Fritz the Cat, and Mohair Sam are the baddest cats that am. I have so many outrageous stories, too many, and I’m gonna tell ’em all. All the unexpurgated, brain-jangling tales of debauchery, sex & drugs, transcendence & chemical dependence you will ever want to hear. And this is not just my take, this is the unbridled truth, the in-your-face, up-close and prodigious tale of Steven Tyler straight from the horse’s lips.'"

Opinion: I knew that Tyler had a drug history-never realized it was to the extent that it was. There was just too much and hard to tell what was true and what wasn't, given his mindset at the time. 

Body over Troubled Waters by Denise Swanson

Started: 12/13/2024

Finished: 12/16/2024

Year: 2021

Pages: 283

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Stupid Cupid is making School psychologist Skye Denison-Boyd regret returning to work after her maternity leave. It starts with an emergency school lockdown, continues with her godfather's arrest by the state police, and ends with a dead body!

"It's every teacher and administrator's worst nightmare―a school shooter lockdown. And even worse for Skye because she's trapped in a tiny room with the district's creepy superintendent, Dr. Wraige while they wait for the all-clear.

"When Dr. Wraige turns up dead in his home just a short time later, is it a coincidence, or something more?

"Skye joins her police chief husband, Wally, in an investigation that becomes more complicated by the minute. With a dead boss and a mysterious killer on the loose, Skye is caught between a rock and a heart place―but she won't give up until Scumble River is safe once again."

Opinion: Predictable mystery within a murder mystery. Decent continuation of Skye and Wally's personal lives.

Bury the Lead by David Rosenfelt

Started: 12/6/2024

Finished: 12/10/2024

Year: 2004

Pages: it261

Genre: mystery

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Asked to help safeguard the innocence of a reporter who has been selected as the mouthpiece for a serial killer, defense attorney Andy Carpenter finds his job proving more difficult than anticipated when the reporter is arrested for the murders."

Opinion: A decent next addition to the series. The ending was dragged instead of just ending it. It felt like the author was trying to meet a page or word goal instead of the ending being concise. 

A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly

Started: 12/2/2024

Finished: 12/5/2024

Year: 2023

Pages: 291

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "1940, England: Evelyne Redfern, known as “The Parisian Orphan” as a child, is working on the line at a munitions factory in wartime London. When Mr. Fletcher, one of her father’s old friends, spots Evelyne on a night out, Evelyne finds herself plunged into the world of Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s cabinet war rooms.

"However, shortly after she settles into her new role as a secretary, one of the girls at work is murdered, and Evelyne must use all of her amateur sleuthing expertise to find the killer. But doing so puts her right in the path of David Poole, a cagey minister’s aide who seems determined to thwart her investigations. That is, until Evelyne finds out David’s real mission is to root out a mole selling government secrets to Britain’s enemies, and the pair begrudgingly team up.

"With her quick wit, sharp eyes, and determination, will Evelyne be able to find out who’s been selling England’s secrets and catch a killer, all while battling her growing attraction to David?:

Opinion: A decent mystery that takes place in early WWII England.

Now or Never by Janet Evanovich

Started: 11/26/2024

Finished: 12/2/2024

Year: 2024

Pages: 312

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "She said yes to Morelli. She said yes to Ranger. Now Stephanie Plum has two fiancés and no idea what to do about it. But the way things are going, she might not live long enough to marry anyone.

"While Stephanie stalls for time, she buries herself in her work as a bounty hunter, tracking down an unusually varied assortment of fugitives from justice. There’s Eugene Fleck, a seemingly sweet online influencer who might also be YouTube star Robin Hoodie, masked hero to the homeless, who hijacks delivery trucks and distributes their contents to the needy. She’s also on the trail of Bruno Jug, a wealthy and connected man in the wholesale produce business who is rumored to traffic young girls alongside lettuce and tomatoes. Most terrifying of all is Zoran—a laundromat manager by day and self-proclaimed vampire by night with a taste for the blood of pretty girls. When he shows up on Stephanie’s doorstep, it’s not for the meatloaf dinner.

"With timely assists from her stalwart supporters Lula, Connie, and Grandma Mazur, Stephanie uses every trick in the book to reel in these men. But only she can decide what to do about the two men she actually loves. She can’t hold Ranger and Morelli at bay for long, and she’s keeping a secret from them that is the biggest bombshell of all. Now or never, she’s got to make the decision of a lifetime."

Opinion: A good continuation of Stephanie's story and a wedding has finally happened. Decent but predictable mystery.

Gathering Mist by Margaret by Mizushima

Started: 11/22/2024

Finished: 11/25/2024

Year: 2024

Pages: 245

Genre: mystery

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with the series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Deputy Mattie Wray, formerly Mattie Cobb, is summoned to Washington’s Olympic peninsula for an urgent search and rescue mission to find a celebrity’s missing child. With only a week left before her wedding, Mattie is hesitant to leave Timber Creek, but her K-9 partner Robo’s tracking skills are needed.

"Dense forest, chilling rain, and unfriendly locals hamper their efforts, and soon Mattie suspects something more sinister than a lost child is at play. When one of the SAR dogs becomes ill, her fiancé, Cole Walker, suspects poison. Fearing for Mattie’s and Robo’s safety, Cole joins the search and rescue team as veterinary support.

"Secrets that have lain hidden within the rugged terrain come to light, and when it is uncovered that the missing child was kidnapped, the search becomes a full-blown crime scene investigation, forcing Mattie, Robo, and Cole into a desperate search to find the missing child before it's too late."

Opinion: A great continuation of the series. Totally picked the wrong suspect. Good mystery...fantastic ending

Second-Chance Dogs edited by Callie Smith Grant

Started: 11/19/2024

Finished: 11/21/2024

Year: 2018

Pages: 199

Genre: animals

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Everyone loves an underdog, and nothing gives us warmer feelings than seeing someone get a second chance in life. A problem pup who flourishes under the right kind of training. The struggling veteran who finds unconditional love wiggling around at the end of a leash. The lonely child who finds comfort in the steady breathing of the warm, furry friend at her side. Each of us needs to be rescued from something--and each of us has the capacity to rescue someone, or something, else.

"This collection of more than thirty contemporary, true, feel-good stories spotlights the beauty of being rescued--dogs rescued by people, people rescued by dogs, and even dogs who rescue other animals. It's the perfect companion--well, besides the four-legged, tail-wagging kind--for your morning cup of coffee or an evening curled up on the couch. Contributors include Susy Flory, Dusty Rainbolt, Lauraine Snelling, Melody Carlson, Wanda Dyson, Suzanne Woods Fisher, and many more."

Opinion: Some hearttouching stories. Some better than others like with all collections of short stories.

Bones are Forever by Kathy Reichs

Started: 11/15/2024

Finished: 11/19/2024

Year: 2012

Pages: 283

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "A woman calling herself Amy Roberts checks into a Montreal hospital complaining of uncontrolled bleeding. Doctors see evidence of a recent birth, but before they can act, Roberts disappears. Dispatched to the address she gave at the hospital, police discover bloody towels outside in a Dumpster. Fearing the worst, they call Temperance Brennan to investigate.

"In a run-down apartment Tempe makes a ghastly discovery: the decomposing bodies of three infants. According to the landlord, a woman named Alma Rogers lives there. Then a man shows up looking for Alva Rodriguez. Are Amy Roberts, Alma Rogers, and Alva Rodriguez the same person? Did she kill her own babies? And where is she now?

"Heading up the investigation is Tempe’s old flame, homicide detective Andrew Ryan. His counterpart from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is sergeant Ollie Hasty, who happens to have a little history with Tempe himself, which she regrets. This unlikely trio follows the woman’s trail, first to Edmonton and then to Yellowknife, a remote diamond-mining city deep in the Northwest Territories. What they find in Yellowknife is more sinister than they ever could have imagined."

Opinion: Interesting story considering what a recent headline has been.

Lone Wolf by Diana Palmer, Kate Pearce, Rebecca Zanetti

Started: 11/13/2024

Finished: 11/14/2024

Year: 2021

Pages: 388

Genre: Romance

Grade: D

Reason for reading: TBR pile

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "COLORADO COWBOY by DIANA PALMER

"Fleeing her mother's killer, Esther Marist ends up at a rugged stranger's cabin. A wildlife rehabilitator with a menagerie that includes an elderly wolf, Matthews isn't the type to turn any creature away. As Esther heals, she realizes how much danger she's brought to his door--and how far he'll go to protect her.

"THE WOLF ON HER DOORSTEP by KATE PEARCE

"Beth Baker senses her grumpy summer tenant must be in trouble when his pet wolf shows up at her door, demanding she follow. Conner O'Neil, solitary and stubborn, doesn't want Beth's help--but only he can show her how to trust again.

"RESCUE: COWBOY STYLE by REBECCA ZANETTI

"Trent Logan has his ranch, his friends, and his wolf, and that's more than enough--until a shivering city girl runs into the Cattle Club to escape a Wyoming storm. Her eyes hold a world of secrets, and he'll have to face the demons of his own past in order to save them both.?

Opinion: Only one novella was worth reading IMO. The other two were not. Pearce was the only decent story. The other two had naive main women characters which just irk me. Writing was fine.

Framed by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey

Started: 11/9/2024

Finished: 11/13/2024

Year: 2024

Pages: 330

Genre: True Crime

Grade: A

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "John Grisham is known worldwide for his bestselling novels, but it’s his real-life passion for justice that led to his work with Jim McCloskey of Centurion Ministries, the first organization dedicated to exonerating innocent people who have been wrongly convicted. Together they offer an inside look at the many injustices in our criminal justice system.

"A fundamental principle of our legal system is a presumption of innocence, but once someone has been found guilty, there is very little room to prove doubt. These ten true stories shed light on Americans who were innocent but found guilty and forced to sacrifice friends, families, and decades of their lives to prison while the guilty parties remained free. In each of the stories, John Grisham and Jim McCloskey recount the dramatic hard-fought battles for exoneration. They take a close look at what leads to wrongful convictions in the first place and the racism, misconduct, flawed testimony, and corruption in the court system that can make them so hard to reverse."

Opinion: Most of us are aware of some sort of injustice when it has come to innocent people being wrongly convicted; some even executed. This book will make you shake your head at the level of injustice.

Come Homicide or High Waters by Denise Swanson

Started: 11/7/2024

Finised: 11/8/2024

Year: 2020

Pages: 337

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Welcome back to Scumble River! Skye Denison-Boyd is getting ready to return to work from her maternity leave and hoping for a peaceful year in her job as a school psychologist. But when an elderly woman disappears on her first day back and a disgruntled parent threatens to sue the school, Skye realizes that her return will be anything but quiet.

"When the parent suing Skye's school is found dead and with the missing woman's case is still unsolved, Skye suspects the crimes are somehow linked. With her chief of police husband, Wally, at her side, Skye dives into the investigations. Now she and Wally barely have enough time for date night once the babies are asleep! But as tensions rise and Skye and Wally's suspect list lengthens, they start to wonder whether they'll be able to catch the guilty ones before tragedy strikes again."

Opinion: A good continuation of Skye's life and murder mystery

Innocent Until Proven Quilty by Donna Kelly

Started: 11/5/2024

Finished: 11/7/2024

Year: 2014

Pages: 203

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: continuing with series, TBR

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Beantown is the backdrop when Emma Cotton and Kelly Grace, the owners of Cotton & Grace quilt design shop in Mystic Harbor, Mass., take on the next suspect who may have been involved in the death of their friend Rose. Vanessa Nelson, now an assistant curator at a prestigious Boston art museum, was one of the last to see Rose alive. Now Vanessa is in trouble with the museum, accused of stealing an exquisite painting and dismissed from her position. She seems like the kind of person accustomed to living on the wrong side of the law. Could she be both a thief and a murderer? Emma and Kelly must go undercover at the museum, hoping to find a link between the theft of a priceless work of art and an unsolved death fifteen years ago. Meanwhile, Emma finds herself in the crosshairs of a conspiracy between her aunt, Dottie Faye Sinclair, and Kelly's mother, Maeve Quigley, who want to "help" Emma gain the attention of Eric Hart, the handsome doctor Dottie Faye believes is Emma's soul mate. Thanks to Vanessa Nelson's underhanded scheming, Emma and Kelly must get to the bottom of the museum heist before they can move forward in their quest to discover the true identity of Rose's killer. Will that journey once again throw their lives into mortal peril?"

Opinion: A mystery within a mystery. Predictable but still enjoyable

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay

Started: 11/1/2024

Finished: 11/5/2024

Year: 2021

Pages: 369

Genre: psychological mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "“They found the bodies on a Tuesday.” So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat and move you to tears.

"After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family―his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister―have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain―and they won’t tell Matt why.

"The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother, Danny―currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte―was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he’s never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

"When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he’s faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, a frenzied media, and memories he’d hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny’s case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison―putting his own life in peril―and forcing him to confront his every last fear."

Opinion: Decent murder mystery with twists and turns

First Degree by David Rosenfelt

Started: 10/30/2024

Finished: 10/31/2024

Year: 2004

Pages: 273

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "No one can separate defense attorney Andy Carpenter from his golden retriever, Tara, who stands loyally beside him through every investigation, no matter how dangerous or puzzling-and he is about to be confronted with one of his most difficult cases yet.

"When a cop's body is found burned and decapitated, the last thing Andy expects is for a stranger to waltz into his office and confess to the crime. For the wisecracking millionaire attorney suffering from "lawyer's block," the case looks like a no-brainer, that is until the cops pick up another suspect: Andy's lead P.I., Laurie Collins, who happens to be the love of his life. Soon Laurie's case is looking bleak and Andy is becoming increasingly desperate. All he had wanted was a case to sink his teeth into. Now he gets one that's a kick in the head . . . and the heart."

Opinion: Better than the first book of the series. Decent mystery.

V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

Started: 10/23/2024

Finished: 10/29/2024

Year: 2011

Pages: 529

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: continuing with the series, bookcrossing.com

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Private detective Kinsey Millhone feels a bit out of place in any department store's lingerie section, but she's entirely in her element when she puts a stop to a brazen shoplifting spree. For her trouble she nearly gets run over in the parking lot by one of the fleeing thieves—and later learns that the one who didn't get away has been found dead in an apparent suicide. But Audrey Vance's grieving fiance suspects murder and hires Kinsey to investigate a case that will reveal a big story behind a small crime and lead her into a web that connects a shadowy “private banker,” an angry trophy wife, a spoiled kid with a spiraling addiction, and a brutal killer without a conscience..."

Opinion: Grafton was back on track when she wrote this. Gangsters, shoplifting, corruption

Forever Nerdy by Brian Posehn

Started: 10/21/2024

Finished: DNF

Year: 2018

Pages: 278

Genre: memoir

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Brian Posehn is a successful and instantly recognizable comedian, actor, and writer. He also happens to be a giant nerd. That's partly because he's been obsessed with such things as Dungeons & Dragons, comic books, and heavy metal since he was a child; the other part is because he fills out every bit of his 6'7'' frame. Brian's always felt awkward and like a perpetual outsider, but he found his way through the difficulties of growing up by escaping into the worlds of Star Wars, D&D, and comics, and by rocking his face off. He was a nerd long before it was cool (and that didn't help his situation much), but his passions proved time and again to be the safe haven he needed to persevere and thrive in a world in which he was far from comfortable.

"Brian, now balls deep in middle age with a wife, child, and thriving career, still feels like an outsider and is as big a nerd as ever. But that's okay, because in his five decades of nerdom he's discovered that the key to happiness is not growing up. You can be a nerd forever and find success that way. because somehow along the way the nerds won.

"Forever Nerdy is a celebration of growing up nerdy and different. This isn't Brian's life story, just some bizarre and hilarious stories from his life, along with a captivating look back at nearly fifty years of nerd culture. Being a nerd hasn't always been easy, but somehow this self-hating nerd who suffered from depression was able to land his dream job, get the girl, and learn to fit in. Kind of. See how he did it while managing to remain forever nerdy."

Opinion: If this is how Brian truly is, then this book nailed it. For me, it just went back and forth way too much. My brain doesn't like trying to figure things out when things jump back and forth and has squirrel moments (no offense to anyone who has ADHD and this is how your brain works). I've enjoyed seeing Brian on certain TV shows and wanted to know more about him.

Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs

Started: 10/19/2024

Finished: 10/21/2024

Year: 2011

Pages: 271

Genre: mystery

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Just as 200,000 fans are pouring into town for Race Week, a body is found in a barrel of asphalt next to the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The next day, a NASCAR crew member comes to Temperance Brennan’s office at the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner to share a devastating story. Twelve years earlier, Wayne Gamble’s sister, Cindi, then a high school senior and aspiring racer, disappeared along with her boyfriend, Cale Lovette. Lovette kept company with a group of right-wing extremists known as the Patriot Posse. Could the body be Cindi’s? Or Cale’s?

"At the time of their disappearance, the FBI joined the investigation, only to terminate it weeks later. Was there a cover-up? As Tempe juggles multiple theories, the discovery of a strange, deadly substance in the barrel alongside the body throws everything into question. Then an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention goes missing during Race Week. Tempe can’t overlook the coincidence. Was this man using his lab chemicals for murder? Or is the explanation even more sinister? What other secrets lurk behind the festive veneer of Race Week?"

Opinion: Decent continuation of Tempe's story.