Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too!

Anyone who has read books by this author will want to read this new title (and if readers have not read her earlier novels, I highly recommend them). Some characters and places from the earlier works are in The Parisian Chapter, especially Lily, Odile and the wonderful American Library in Paris.

This novel tells an involving story through many characters. They include , in addition to Odile and Lily, Lily’s close friend Mary Louise, a young man in whom Lily becomes interested, authors, and the many who work at the library, are on the board, or attend events there.

I recommend this audio book to anyone who enjoys stories set in Paris with believable characters who have dreams.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 05 May 2026

Description:

from the publisher

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library and Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade, a charming and “richly populated” (New York Journal of Books) novel about two small-town girls with big dreams who move to Paris to become artists. But dreams don’t just come true. They require nurturing, as do friendships.

Paris, 1995: It’s been five years since Lily Jacobsen and her best friend Mary Louise arrived in Paris from their small town of Froid, Montana. Determined to establish themselves as artists, they shared a tiny walkup and survived on brie and baguettes. But when Mary Louise abruptly moves out, Lily feels alone in the city of light for the first time and needs a new way to support herself. She lands a job as a programs manager at the American Library in Paris, following in the footsteps of Odile, her beloved French neighbor in Montana who told her stories of heroic World War II librarians when Lily was growing up.

At work, Lily meets an extraordinary cast of characters—including her favorite writer, struggling students, haughty trustees, and devoted volunteers—each with their own stories…and agendas. In the library’s attic, Lily discovers a box of archives that may be a link to Odile’s own Parisian chapter.

This “stirring and rich with detail” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author) story is a love letter to the power of literature, the life of the artist, the importance of friendship, and leaving home only to find it again.

On: The Paris Library

Now in paperback: The Paris Library

On Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade

What they did! Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade (Janet Skeslien Charles)

An e book bargain

#TheLibrarians #NetGalley

The Librarians is the first book that I have read by Thomas who will now become one of my favorite authors. Her earlier books were historical mysteries, I think, while this one is contemporary.

There were many things that I loved about this title. Scenes set in libraries appeal to me most definitely. I also very much enjoyed getting to know the four main characters and their backstories.

Readers meet Astrid, who has hidden something about her identity; Hazel, who has left behind a tricky past involving her husband; Sophie, who did something that she should not have but had reasons for it; and last, Jonathan who has taken time to accept his identity.

When two murders occur, there are complex links and actions binding these four librarians to one another. Who killed a man who ghosted Astrid only to reappear? Why was a woman who came to an evening event at the library found murdered that very night? What is it like for characters when people from their pasts reappear? Finding out will keep readers turning the pages.

Spending time in this book’s worlds (Austin, Singapore, Madeira), with its characters, and in its timeline made for a very fun read.

I am eager to see what Ms. Thomas does next.

Kirkus Reviews states: “This knockout mystery mixes the camaraderie of The Thursday Murder Club with the chic family and romantic drama of Crazy Rich Asians. Thomas’ virtuosity shows in this fast-paced and intricate yet emotionally moving mystery.” True.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 30 September 2025

From the Publisher

A Novel

by Susan Wiggs

#WaywardGirls #NetGalley

Wayward Girls tells the stories of six young women who, for various reasons, were sent to an institution in Buffalo, New York that was much like Ireland’s Magdalen Laundries. These were places were vulnerable young girls, many times the victims of others, were sent when they became pregnant when they were single or otherwise were not conforming to society’s rules. Even worse, one character was sent to this hell, when it was her stepfather who was the offending party. The men often seemed to be able to continue as they had been with little consequence for their mistreatment of their victims.

Anyone who wonders about the historic (lack of) rights for young women will be justifiably appalled by what happened to these girls who were further victimized and judged by those who should have helped them. Readers will very much hope that somehow these six young women will be able to go on to better lives post institution. Their friendships should help.

Disclosure: I have worked with birth mothers from this time and know many of their stories. This made a book, that was excellent, very difficult for me to read.

One note: The story begins with a girl who says that she needs a pre-adoption certificate to get a passport. I have never heard of that requirement.

Kudos to Wiggs for bravely showing readers what life was like for some young women. I believe that she hopes that a time like this will not come again.

This is definitely a worthwhile read. It is not all depressing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 15 July 2025

400 pages

From the Publisher

A Novel

by Lian Dolan

I very much enjoyed this novel and recommend it to those who are looking for a story with a protagonist whom they will enjoy getting to know and, even better, Paris! Some background: Joan is the daughter of an artist and model. She has had a bit of difficulty finding her way but is working in a museum that features some of her father’s work. He was in a plane on 9/11 which, of course, drastically altered life for the family. As if that were not enough, Joan’s husband has kept a secret that has destroyed their marriage. Would you do what Joan does? She goes to Paris (!) to visit an old friend and to deliver some art work to a potential customer. Something goes very wrong though. What will Joan do and what will happen to her? Who was that mysterious man with whom she spent time? Will traveling to Paris help Joan to find what she is looking for, both literally and emotionally? Turn the pages of this one to find out.

An added bonus is that Ms. Dolan knows her art. I enjoyed reading about museums and the real life artists mentioned in the novel.

This was an engaging read. I was always hoping for a few more minutes of time to catch up with Joan. I wanted to travel along with her as she visited well-known Paris locations and grew.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All opinions are mine. This book is published today!

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Dolan spins a story that is both heavy and light, spanning continents and exploring relationships. With a hint of Dan Brown and a splash of Jamie Brenner, this book will appeal to a variety of readers, especially those who enjoy character-driven fiction.” — Booklist

“Dolan’s clever latest…does a fantastic job depicting Joan’s love for her father and heartache over his death. This has a bit more substance than the standard Parisian romp.” — Publishers Weekly

Susan Mallery is a writer that readers of women’s fiction come back to each time a new novel of hers is published. Mallery has a knack for writing stories with characters with whom readers can identify, and relationships that have their ups and downs. Relationships in this new book include those among new and old men for Jax and Ryleigh, the sisters’ own relationship, friendships, those with one’s children and those at the work place. Oh, and don’t forget, Ramon! (I did a little research because I wasn’t sure but, yes, parrots can have some meaningful conversations) So, as can be seen, this title has a broad canvas.

One of the main settings for this story is a bookstore. I always enjoy a book with books. In this bookstore, there is an added twist. There is a wall where people keep diaries. What will happen when, due to renovations, things get mixed up? Find out as you read this one.

This book offered a good escapist read for me. Those who enjoy women’s fiction should take a look.

A note-while I read this as an e-galley, I saw this title in the bookstore and it is very, very pretty.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 03 March 2026

Post first published on 11 March 2026

Four stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Description:

from the publisher

This summer, the town’s juiciest secrets are revealed in New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery’s joyful and sparkling new novel

Jax has a slight issue with control—as in, she needs it. Always. Too bad she has power only over the Painted Lady Bookstore, the Victorian mansion turned bookshop she inherited. No one else listens to a word she says. Her ex gets engaged for questionable reasons. Her beloved sister, Ryleigh, wants to move away to find a husband. And the handsome contractor Jax has chosen to convince Ryleigh to stay is only interested in Jax. 

Still, she’s living the bookworm dream—until an unhappy accident erases the names from the bookshop lockboxes where the town keeps their diaries. Which means the only way to find a diary’s owner is…to read it. 

As secrets spill and scandals surface, life at the Painted Lady Bookstore gets a lot more colorful and chaotic. But for a woman who’s always had to take charge, Jax will see that losing control—especially with the right wrong guy—can set you free.

Don’t miss these other great reads from Susan Mallery: 

• Otherwise Engaged 
• Beach Vibes 
• The Boardwalk Bookshop 
• Once Upon a Holidate 
• One Big Happy Family 

From the Publisher:

Professional Reviews

Library Journal

January 1, 2026

Mallery (Otherwise Engaged) delivers her signature warmth and humor in this engaging tale. Jax owns a cozy bookstore in a small California town. Divorced and coparenting two children with her ex, Jax navigates life with the help of her sister Ryleigh and her precocious African Gray parrot Ramon. Ryleigh wants to marry but fears their small town is devoid of any romantic prospects. Her best friend, a widower with a young son, lends her support as she navigates her best path forward. When the shop needs major renovations, Jax hires a charming young contractor and immediately tries to match him with Ryleigh—only to learn he’s interested in her. Meanwhile, a worker cleans a section of an old brick wall, unaware that the wall conceals secret diaries that townspeople had hidden there. Chaos ensues as customers search for their lost journals. Through unexpected discoveries, heartfelt connections, and a touch of romance, both sisters discover that love can find them when they least expect it. VERDICT Mallery fans and new readers alike will relish this charming read with plenty of fodder for discussion. The book will also appeal to Robin Carr or Brenda Novak fans.—Stacy Alesi

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. (read less)

There are reviews of other Susan Mallery titles on my blog.

Many thanks to Berkley for the invitation to this spotlight tour.

ABOUT THE PIE & MASH DETECTIVE AGENCY

from the publisher

Oddball couple Jane and Simon take a private detective class and must use their (admittedly limited) skills to solve a series of mysterious disappearances in this delightful debut mystery.

Jane Pye and Simon Mash are a millennial couple with a little extra time on their hands. Jane was recently let go from her position as a back-end programmer, having never been quite sure what that meant. And Simon’s career as a corporate collaboration consultant seems to be less collaborating and more scrolling the internet in search of matching velour tracksuits and well-balanced charcuterie boards. When they sign up for a private detective class on a whim, they quickly realize they’ve bitten off more than they can chew. 

Their instructor, having a feeling his two worst students don’t have a chance of solving anything beyond finding the classroom, assigns them the case of Nellie Thorne, a woman recently reported missing. But she’s not the first Nellie Thorne to disappear. In fact, she’s the fifth in fifty years. Jane and Simon set out to solve the case, armed with just a few days of notes, matching trench coats, and a feeling they should have enrolled in a different class. The investigation leads the newly minted Pie and Mash Detective Agency to places they never thought they’d go, including haunted woods, mysterious archives, and, most terrifyingly for Jane, Simon’s mum’s house. 

As clues emerge, more questions than answers begin to pile up. What links the missing Nellies? Why do locals think she’s a ghost? Is their teacher hiding something? So what if they’re heavy on heart but light on experience. Jane and Simon are determined to uncover the truth in time to pass the class and save the day.

“A delicious debut!” —Janice Hallett

“A highly amusing debut.” —Kirkus

A “quirky and witty series starter.” —Booklist

“The main characters are a hoot…this introduction to Jane and Simon is hopefully the start of a long series.” —firstCLUE (Book of the Week)

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Monday, April 8-Present Day

Dev Hooper came home from work to find his front door hanging open.

The hallway lights were on, and Nellie’s handbag was missing from its usual spot on the banister.

“Nellie? Nellie!”

She wasn’t in the kitchen, making one of her herby veggie stews. She wasn’t on the sofa reading, or in the bathroom peeing, or hauling laundry from the dryer in the basement.

Dev strode upstairs in his outdoor shoes, shouting: “Nellie? Are you here?”

Don’t be silly, he thought. Yes, it was unlike Nellie to leave the front door open, but everyone makes mistakes. She must have gone out. Dev established that they hadn’t been burgled, as he’d first suspected. The TV was in its right place, and the thick cookbook on the shelf above still had his stash of cash tucked safely inside. Nellie must have taken her handbag and gone out somewhere. No need to panic. He always panicked over nothing.

In the kitchen, he poured a drink over ice, and his hand began to jitter, spilling gin on the counter. He cursed and moved things out of the way-unopened post, some papers, Nellie’s handbag . . . Nellie’s handbag?


“I will of course make a report, Mr. Hooper, but please try not to worry. Many people who go missing turn up within twenty-four hours, with a reasonable explanation. Have you tried her phone?”

“As I said, her phone’s here. In the handbag.”

“Oh, right. So this isn’t like her, then? To go out without her things?”

“No.” In fact, Dev considered how it wasn’t really like his girlfriend to go out at all.

He’d expected flashing sirens on his driveway to throw red and blue light through the hallway, for police radios to buzz and crackle, for the footsteps of the search and rescue team to pound through the house, sounding the hubbub of the investigation opening. Instead, two uniformed officers stood in the kitchen-PC Boughton, who’d cheerily introduced herself on the doorstep, and a large, silent colleague, who hadn’t introduced himself and showed no desire to. He leaned on the countertop behind her, six foot four and silently solid, like a bouncer or a brick wall.

“I’ll need to take some details,” PC Boughton said. Her police hat and strands of strawberry-blond hair framed her freckled face. She pulled a tiny notebook from her vest pocket. “Age?”

“Twenty-five.”

“Sex: female, and, uh-regular address is here?”

“Yes, 36 Shipwell Drive.”

“Are you worried about the missing person?”

“Yes, very!”

My thoughts:

#ThePieMashDetectiveAgency #NetGalley

I knew that I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the cover and title. These made me feel that this book would have some humor along with the mystery itself.

I enjoyed getting to know Jane Pie and Simon Mash. They are a couple who are opposites in many ways. Together, they are taking a class on becoming a private detective. One of them seems to take this more seriously than the other but they will both use their skills as they try to solve a complex case with tendrils in the present and past.

This title offered an enjoyable read. I hope that it is the first in a series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 10 March 2026

Post first published on 11 February 2026

Nora Ephron was a writer who was beloved by many for her insight, wit and warmth. The world lost a person with a unique point of view when she died.

Here is a chance for those who read her works (and those new to her) to get bite sized pieces of her wisdom. Find what you are looking for within these topics: Reading and Writing; Parents and Children; Marriage and Divorce; New York City; Food; Style, Beauty and Getting Older; and, How to Live, Love, and, When Necessary Get Over It.

This is a book to dip in and out of. It is nicely laid out and has appealing illustrations. It would make a great gift for someone (or one’s self).

Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage & Anchor along with NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the Publisher:

www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/03/09/books/review/giant-novels-quiz.html

There was a time in England when Cambridge grads became traitors; among the most famous of these men were Kim Philby, Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt and Donald Maclean. They hid in plain sight, not suspected for a long time because of their social class and educations. They were idealistic to start with but some devolved into alcoholism and of course, many defected.

This novel takes place within the time frame of these spies in the late 40s and early 50s. One of the spies, Guy Burgess, is even a character in the novel.

Two sisters Iris and Ruth are the book’s protagonists. When the story opens, Ruth is successfully running a modeling agency in New York. She and Iris have not spoken for many years. Readers will find out why when they read the novel.

When the two were still close, they lived in Rome during part of WWII. While there Iris falls madly in love with Sasha Digby. She makes the decision to follow him wherever he goes and, not to spoil anything, they eventually make a big move. Readers will find out why.

One day, Ruth gets a call for help from Iris. She heeds it and this leads to the most exciting events of the novel.

Also in the story is Lyudmilla, a very conforming Russian. Where does she fit in the story and how do her life and the Digbys’ lives intersect? Again, read to find out.

Beatriz Williams has written an absorbing story here with an excellent plot twist. Events unfold; this is not a James Bond like read but it is a good one. The settings and characters shine.

Think about the title as you read. See how close you come to guessing some of the story’s resolutions. Enjoy the novel as you do. It makes for a good read.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Williams has a sure hand in this deceptively quiet novel, told from the perspective of three different women. She expertly shifts between family drama and a suspenseful espionage plot, and makes every word and note count.” — Library Journal (starred review)

An e book bargain today

Shannon Reed offers readers her idiosyncratic answers (and they are many) as to why we read and why she does. Early on Reed shares that, as someone with a hearing impairment, reading books was a comfortable place to be as there was no need to struggle or answer based on imperfect understanding of what was being said. Reed read everywhere and everything, even a car manual when she forgot (never again!) to have a book with her. Bibliophiles will relate to not ever leaving home without something to read; I know that I did.

This is not an academic treatise but more a series of wide ranging personal thoughts and reflections. Throughout it is clear that Reed loves reading and wants her students and everyone, really, to find joy in a book.

Reed begins by talking about getting her first library card and the many libraries that have played a role in her life. I know two of these personally which made the pages come to life for me. 

Whether it is about reading (or not reading) series, signs you may be a character in a popular children’s book, reading to see ourselves across time, for comfort, fun or shock, or more, it is intriguing to see what the author has to say on a variety of topics.

This book would make a fun gift for a reader…even if that reader means giving a gift to one’s self. Take a look at the back of the book for an exhaustive reading list based on the books mentioned in the text. This will give a bibliophile many ideas for what to try next or to fondly remember books that they have read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.