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

www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/books/review/golden-age-mysteries-starter-pack.html

#TheCloakandDaggerClub #NetGalley

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

363 pages

Historical fiction-Mystery & Thrillers-Romance

Pub date: 14 July 2026

Four stars ****

Description:

from the publisher

Inspired by Agatha Christie’s real-life Detection Club, a murder among a group of golden age mystery writers meets a second chance romance in this debut novel from author Jackie McMahon.

London, 1930. Lucy Hubbard is on the cusp of achieving her dreams. With her first mystery novel debuting with strong sales and glowing reviews, she’s been invited by Horace Hazelmoor, the king of crime fiction, to join his elite group of writers—the Cloak and Dagger Club.

Thrilled at the opportunity, Lucy finds herself swept up into Horace’s glamorous world at the Ritz hotel. She’s even willing to put up with the inconvenient presence of her former fiancé, Frank Murray, the club’s rising star who is on track to eclipse Horace as Britain’s most popular crime writer.

But when Horace is found with a knife in his back, Frank is the police’s prime suspect. Despite their complicated history, Lucy knows he’s not capable of murder. With suspects galore and the danger rising, these two mystery writers must race to solve the crime—and fight their lingering feelings for each other—before the murderer strikes again.

My thoughts:

Those who enjoy traditional mysteries and/or those who love stories set in the Golden Age of Mystery fiction will, I think, enjoy this debut novel.

The time period is nicely brought to life as readers get to know the members of a club for mystery writers and its organizer. Said organizer, Harold, is not the nicest and manipulates people. Is this one reason that Horace invited new author Lucy to the club? Was he looking to get a reaction from Frank since the two have a history?

Lucy, Frank and the other society members including an Asian writer, a Countess, an American and a former police inspector will be faced with the aftermath of a murder. How will each of them cope?

Will Lucy and Frank solve the case? Whodunnit? What will happen in their relationship by the end of the story? Read this one to find out.

Most readers will hope that this title is the start of a series and will wait (im)patiently for the next book.

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

About the author:

Jackie McMahon writes murder mysteries with history, twists, and perhaps a romance (or two). She currently resides in Florida with her two cats, and in her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and sharing obscure historical facts she has recently learned. You can find her on Instagram and YouTube at @jackiereadsandwrites.

Editorial Reviews:

A wonderfully tricky golden age–style mystery whose clever sleuths are faced with countless motives for murder. Kirkus Reviews

Fans of golden age mysteries will be satisfied. Publishers Weekly

This deliciously witty cozy with a touch of romance introduces a delightful new detecting duo who can easily match wits and trade quips with Agatha Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence Beresford as well as Dorothy L. Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane. Booklist

From the Publisher:

#MakingSenseofLife #NetGalley

194 pages

Self-help

Pub date: 30 June 2026

Four stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Post first published on 11 July 2026

My thoughts:

When I took high school physics, I never for a moment thought that it would help me to understand life. Yet this is where Cai looked for understanding while in school and business. I was intrigued to see how he could get from a science like physics to a self-help book. Somehow he did it. The result is in the pages of this interesting title.

Cai suggests in the introduction that breaking the big concepts and questions into more manageable bites can be helpful. He thinks that one way to do this is to look on the level of one’s own life. This is just one of many interesting and helpful ideas that he puts forward.

In the chapters that follow, Cai looks at life at different stages. Of course, these overlap so readers may find wisdom in places that do not reflect their chronological age.

This book is written in an accessible style. It left me with much to ponder. While there are many self-help books, this may indeed be another to add to readers’ shelves.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forbes Books for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Description:

from the publisher

Why are we here? What makes a life well-lived? And how can we know what matters—truly—for ourselves?

In Making Sense of Life, physics PhD and entrepreneur Dr. Simin Cai presents a rational, structured approach to life’s biggest questions. Drawing from science, philosophy, and personal experience, he helps readers develop their own “theory of life”—a consistent, personal framework for happiness, clarity, and fulfillment.

Instead of offering one-size-fits-all answers, Cai encourages readers to ask better questions: What do I value? What assumptions shape my thinking? How can I define a life worth living for me?

With examples across youth, adulthood, and elderhood, Making Sense of Life is an honest, intelligent alternative to superficial self-help. It’s for readers who want depth over hype, logic over slogans, and a framework that evolves with them. It’s a must-read for anyone who values reason, clarity, and practical insight over feel-good slogans.

From the Publisher:

About the Author

DR. SIMIN CAI is a physics PhD, entrepreneur, and the founder of Go!Foton, a global technology company specializing in optics and photonics. With over thirty years of experience in the field, he has led innovations in commercializing optical communications and medical device technologies while serving leading clients across North America, Asia, and Europe. Prior to launching Go!Foton, he held executive positions at NSG America and contributed to the early formation of Avanex. Dr. Cai had also served in leadership roles at OPTICA (formerly The Optical Society), including on its Board and Finance Council. He holds degrees in Applied Physics, Engineering Optics, and a Ph.D. in Physics from Stevens Institute of Technology.

I have enjoyed other novels by Eliza Knight including The Mayfair Bookshop and The Queen’s Faithful Companion. So, when I see her name on a book cover, I am excited.

This time, Knight explores the world of publishing in the early 1960s. To say that women were not highly valued for their skills is an understatement.

As this story opens, Bernadette is working on editorial tasks but is not respected for this. Rather, she is asked to bring her boss’s dirty laundry to the cleaner. Understandably, Bernadette does not appreciate this and wants more. Will she succeed? Will friends that she makes at the New York Public Library help her? Find out in this enjoyable read that also features a likeable editor who has fallen for Bernadette. I recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Landmark for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Pub date:10 June 2025

From the Publisher

An e book bargain today

#TheDoortoDoorBookstore #NetGalley

Recently I have read a number of books about books, bookstores and readers. This may become one of my favorite sub genres. This novel, The Door-to-Door Bookstore, is a a love song to those who care about books, reading and friendship.

Carl, who is in his early seventies, has worked in a bookshop for many years. In addition to his daily job, Carl delivers beautifully wrapped books to a number of customers. He knows what kind of book each of these customers craves. Carl also thinks of each as a fictional character and book lovers will very much enjoy this aspect of the novel. For example, one is Mr. Darcy.

Carl has led a somewhat solitary life. Watch what happens when a precocious nine year old, inserts herself in his life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own. This book really felt special to me and I highly recommend it.

Pub date: 04 July 2023

348 pages

Historical fiction-Sci Fi & Fantasy-Women’s fiction

Pub date: 07 July 2026

My thoughts:

I have previously read Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere and also the non-fiction title The Astronaut’s Wives Club. I found both of these well worth reading so was intrigued to be offered an early galley of this book.

Kudos to Chanel Cleeton who, in this title, moves away from some of her Cuba influenced fiction to tell this story. It is her own tale with its characters, plot and emotions so well drawn; although it may recall the titles mentioned above, it in no way replicates those books.

This book offers an emotional read in its dual time line story. I am so glad to have spent time with An Infinite Love.

Many thanks to Berkley for the offer of this Spotlight Tour. All thoughts are my own.

From the publisher:

Florida, 1968: When Joe Mitchell launches into space, the world is watching. The country waits for another successful NASA mission as America looks toward the Moon. No one is more invested in Joe’s safe return than his young wife, Vivian… until a knock at the door changes everything.

Joe’s spacecraft has vanished. He and his crew mates are feared to be dead. As the nation mourns, Vivian refuses to accept the official explanation, determined to clear her husband’s name and uncover what truly happened.

In her quiet moments, Vivian relives her life’s greatest love story, unable to accept that this is the end to a fateful love that felt written in the stars. When mysterious messages begin to appear—messages Vivian believes only Joe could send—she starts to wonder whether love might reach beyond the boundaries of Earth itself.

Cleeton masterfully weaves together two different timelines in this novel that’s perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere. Readers be warned: keep a box of tissues nearby, as this intensely passionate story is sure to leave you teary-eyed.

More from the publisher:

This summer, New York Times bestselling author Cleeton delivers her most sweeping and emotionally resonant novel yet, drawing on her origins in romance while offering readers a story rooted in a vivid moment in American history. AN INFINITE LOVE STORY (Berkley Trade Original; on sale July 7, 2026) can be described as Interstellar meets Daisy Jones & the Six: a sweeping dual-timeline novel set against the backdrop of the 1960s Space Race.

At the height of NASA’s Apollo era, the astronaut wives were the most public miliary spouses in America—watched by millions, bound by confidentiality, and carrying the weight of missions that could end in triumph or tragedy.

Cleeton’s personal experience as the wife of a fighter pilot brings emotional depth to AN INFINITE LOVE STORY. Inspired after watching the film The Right Stuff, she set out to write from the perspective of an astronaut’s wife. As she explains in her author’s note: “I was moved by how much I identified with the stories of those early astronaut wives. … Many of the challenges and frustrations they faced are similar to ones military spouses face today. And still, these women did so on the world’s stage, as global celebrities, the pressures and stakes immensely high, distinguishing their experience as something rather singular and extraordinary. I was in awe of their ability to navigate all that they did in the face of the additional pressures they faced.”

In AN INFINITE LOVE STORY, an astronaut has lost contact with ground control, and his distraught wife must unravel what truly happened to him, reliving their epic love story to cope with her grief. Cleeton delivers a poignant, heartfelt, and tear-jerking novel, exploring the strength of love and how far our bonds stretch across time and space.

Description:

from the publisher

NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK FOR SUMMER BY NPR*, WOMAN’S WORLD, PARADE, AND BOOKBUB

“A sweeping romantic drama with a touch of magical realism. …Cleeton’s ability to pull readers in quickly and deeply through her storytelling makes her a go-to author for an immersive reading experience. …Vivian and Joe’s love is unforgettable, and so is Cleeton’s writing.”*

When an astronaut is lost in space, his wife relives their epic love as she attempts to unravel what truly happened to him, in this sweeping love story set against the backdrop of the 1960s Space Race, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes.

When Joe Mitchell launches into space, the world is watching. It’s 1968, and the country waits with anticipation and excitement for another successful mission, another celebration as America sets its sights on the Moon. And then comes the knock at the door.

Joe Mitchell’s spacecraft has lost contact. He and his fellow astronauts onboard are feared to be dead. It’s his wife Vivian’s worst nightmare come to life, her grief suddenly taking center stage as the nation waits and mourns. In her quiet moments, Vivian relives their memorable story, unable to accept that this is the end to a love that felt as though it was written in the stars.

As the investigation surrounding Joe’s lost spacecraft intensifies and the mishap is written off as an operator error, Vivian is determined to clear her husband’s name and uncover the mystery of what happened in space. When someone starts sending Vivian messages—messages she believes only Joe could send—she begins to wonder if their love is stronger than space and time, and she’ll do whatever it takes to bring her husband back to her.

About the Author:

Chanel Cleeton is the Cuban-American New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of many novels including Reese’s Book Club pick Next Year in Havana. Originally from Florida, Chanel studied in London where she earned degrees in International Relations and Global Politics. In law school, Chanel discovered her passion writing novels and embarked on a new adventure following her lifelong love of books.

Editorial Reviews:

“Cleeton’s deft storytelling shows all the tangible and emotional sacrifices the astronauts and their families make….For readers looking for a good romance tested by daunting circumstances, this fits the bill. Historical fiction aficionados will appreciate Cleeton’s exploration of a segment of history that hasn’t yet been mined too often.”—Library Journal

“One of those books that stays in the minds of readers long after the last page. The story itself is a beautiful one to experience. Its reminder to readers that life is unpredictable and terrifying, yet still worth it, is what makes the novel so compelling. An Infinite Love Story is absolutely breathtaking, and most importantly, it’s timeless.”—The Harvard Crimson

“[A] charming exploration of romantic entanglements during the Space Race…richly appealing.”—Booklist

From the Publisher:

#SwimmingforBeginners #NetGalley

Loretta lives a carefully controlled and planned life. She has a fiance with whom she shares a measured relationship. Surprises are not her thing. Loretta works hard, wants a promotion and is trying her best to fit in at work, even if this has her doing things that she does not enjoy. Loretta is traveling abroad to meet with a client when…she meets Phoebe at the airport and her life changes.

Readers get to know Loretta and Phoebe well. Their relationship will change both of them in ways that they were not expecting or prepared for.

Those who enjoy warmhearted stories with quirky protagonists, this novel is for you. The last heroine I enjoyed who reminded me of Loretta was in Lessons in Chemistry. Both of these women have their unique style and ways of living their lives.

I very much enjoyed this book and am delighted to recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 14 September 2023

#MagicElizabeth #NetGalley

224 pages

Children’s Fiction-Sci Fi & Fantasy

Pub date: 22 September 2026

Four stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Description:

from the publisher

A beloved middle-grade fantasy classic returns in a new edition, as eight-year-old Sally steps through an attic mirror into another time to search for a long-lost doll, now featuring beautiful new full-color illustrations.

When Sally is sent to spend the summer in a creaky old house with her elderly Aunt Sarah and a decidedly unfriendly cat, she expects weeks of boredom and loneliness. Everything changes when she discovers a mysterious painting of a little girl holding a doll and learns that the doll vanished long ago. Drawn by curiosity, Sally ventures into the attic, where an old mirror seems to open a doorway into another time and a story waiting to be finished.

First published in 1966, Magic Elizabeth quickly became a treasured favorite, earning a place in The New York Times Parent’s Guide to the Best Books for Children and selling nearly one million copies in its Scholastic edition. Readers have cherished the novel for generations for its gentle magic, emotional warmth, and the way it blends mystery and fantasy with themes of friendship, empathy, and care.

Now available in a beautifully refreshed edition, this classic story is enhanced with exquisite new full-color illustrations, inviting a new generation of readers into its timeless world of wonder. Perfect for independent reading or sharing aloud, Magic Elizabeth remains a moving reminder that imagination, kindness, and love can travel across time.

My thoughts:

It is lovely to see that this children’s classic has been refreshed and reissued. It offers an engaging read.

Young story lovers will be drawn right in with the trope of the “dark and stormy night.” Elizabeth’s adventures begin as she is sent to temporarily live with a relative. What will happen when she discovers an old mirror? Will Sally get along with a certain cat? What will she learn about a doll from long ago?

Readers will encounter magic and adventure in these pages. The color illustrations are evocative and enhance the written words.

I hope that kids will pick this one up. They might initially find it “old fashioned” but I think that given a chance they will be engaged. In some instances, there may be a family member who remembers the original and will enjoy rediscovering it with a child.

Many thanks to NetGalley and The Collective Book Studio for this title. All opinions are my own.

Post first published on 8 July 2026