#WhatHappensatNightfall #NetGalley

380 pages

Fiction

Pub date: 06 October 2026

Four stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts:

Lauren Willig has written many excellent novels. Here, she creates a contemporary romance with a number of supernatural elements. Parts of the story take place at the well known Green-Wood Cemetery which is located in Brooklyn, New York. Many famous people are buried there, similar to Pere Lachaise in Paris. In addition to the many burials, Green-Wood is known for its beautiful grounds. I would say that the cemetery is a character in its own right in this story.

Readers meet Jess, who was recently laid off (lost?) her job. She is a bit at loose ends. When a close friend, Kimmy, invites her to a nighttime tour at Green-Wood, Jess goes along. She gets separated from her group and the spookiness immediately kicks in.

Jess meets a young boy and escorts him home. It turns out that his father, Adam, is the arborist at the cemetery. Adam has this son and also a daughter. His wife died not long ago. Her family has a large crypt/mausoleum on Green-Woods grounds.

What is happening at the cemetery? Why? Will things end in tragedy? Those who enjoy a spooky story will be eager to find out.

Note: I have never read supernatural, scary stories so that aspect of the book was not a favorite for me. What I did love were the characters. They are sparky, at times funny, and enjoyable to be with. I also was happy to follow the relationship between Jess and Adam, rooting for then all the way.

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

Post first published on 11 October 2026.

Description:

from the publisher

New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig returns with What Happens at Nightfall, a delightfully Gothic romantic adventure, complete with a little bit of demon-hunting.
In the sprawling Gothic expanse of Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, some secrets refuse to stay buried.
Recently laid off and searching for purpose, Jess reluctantly joins her best friend on a supposedly fun nighttime cemetery tour. Separated from her group by accident, she discovers a bunch of terrified boys and a strange, ancient key. Both lead to Green-Wood’s surprisingly handsome resident arborist, Adam Chervinsky.
Recently widowed, Adam has more to protect than the leafy residents of Green-Wood. His children, still dealing with the loss of their mother, are acting strangely. A haunting is afoot, and Jess seems to know more than she’s letting on. Sparks fly between Jess and Adam—and the unquiet spirits of Green-Wood rise from their century-long slumber.
As Jess and Adam delve deeper into the cemetery’s haunted history, they uncover a Gilded Age curse, a ghostly socialite, and a demonic pact that stretches across generations. What lies hidden in the Green-Wood’s splendid Vanderwilt mausoleum? As the line between the living and the dead blurs, and the shadows of Green-Wood begin to stir with malevolent intent, Jess must confront not only the supernatural forces but a shocking connection to the past if she and Adam truly want to live happily ever after.

Editorial reviews:

A great read for those who like paranormal, second-chance romance, historical details, and humorous moments. It could be the most entertainingly romantic walk in a cemetery readers will ever take.-Library Journal

Rich with historical detail, Willig’s rendering of Green-Wood brims with secrets, spookiness, and sparks. It’s an undeniably fun ride.-Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher:

#HasAnyoneSeenCharlotteSalter #NetGalley

French, actually a husband and wife team who write together, has penned a long (544 pages), suspenseful and immersive read in this novel. It definitely kept me coming back on a regular basis to find out what happened.

Here is a domestic drama that is filled with suspense in its portrait of two families and the impact that Charlotte’s disappearance had in the past and also in the present day. What happened to Charlotte? Each of her four children has a take on her. Husband Alec, whose decade birthday she missed, initially seemed dismissive of her absence while Elizabeth/Etty (a daughter) was very worried.

Around the same time that Charlotte is missing in the past storyline, a body is found in a river. Is this death related to the disappearance of Charlotte? Readers will want to know.

The story moves forward thirty years when A LOT happens. There are secrets, murder, podcasts and a case that will challenge Detective Inspector Maud O’Connor. She is a terrific character and readers will hope that she gets a sequel.

Recommended for fans of domestic drama and crime stories.

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

Pub date: 19 March 2024

#EveryoneonThisTrainIsaSuspect #NetGalley

I did not read Stevenson’s first novel though I think that I may now do so. That was, however, in no way a handicap to enjoying this title with recurring narrator Ernie.

This book strikes me as an, at times, humorous homage to the classic mysteries of authors like Agatha Christie. As in Murder On the Orient Express (though Ernie says it should be Murder IN the Orient Express), a group is assembled and isolated, there is mayhem and much to solve. As an added twist/bonus, many of the story’s characters are mystery authors and that adds to the fun.

There is much to enjoy in this entertaining story. Many thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

This book was published in January 2024

From the Publisher

And coming in October 2024

#CozyEscapesCreatebyNumberthe #NetGalley

104 pages

Pub date 01 December 2026

Four stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts:

Looking for a bit of seasonal relaxation? Want to try sticker art by the numbers? Enjoy winter scenes? If yes, this title is definitely worth a look.

Find the picture that you want to create, find the correct stickers, press them in, see what is created.

This is the kind of activity that I enjoy when I feel stressed. It requires little yet creates something enjoyable. I will definitely look for this title when it is published.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Description:

from the publisher

Create a calm, cozy, peaceful winter escape—one sticker at a time.

Cozy & Calm Winter Escapes: Sticker-by-Number invites you into a serene world of soft snowfall, warm light, and mindful creativity—no artistic skill required. Blending the soothing satisfaction of paint-by-number with the ease of stickers, this relaxing art book lets you create beautiful winter scenes simply by matching stickers to the page.

From candlelit cottage windows and frosted forest paths to steaming mugs of cocoa tucked into knit blankets, each project unfolds slowly and calmly, encouraging you to pause, focus, and unwind. There’s no pressure to be perfect—just the quiet joy of watching a peaceful scene come together piece by piece.

Perfect for mindful evenings, screen-free self-care, or cozy moments shared with loved ones, Cozy & Calm Winter Escapes offers a gentle creative retreat that feels as comforting as winter itself.

Inside you’ll find:

• 28 beautifully cozy winter scenes created with sticker-by-number mosaics
• Calming, meditative designs that encourage relaxation and focus
• Numbered stickers and easy-to-follow layouts—no drawing or artistic experience needed
• A screen-free creative ritual perfect for quiet evenings and seasonal self-care

I liked the first book that I read by Tessa Bickers so was delighted to receive an early copy of this title. Once again, this author has written a book that was easy to read and enjoy.

Not everyone may feel that getting up before dawn is something to be lauded. However both Daisy and Tom are generally out on the bus before daylight, and each finds this time before London fully awakens for the day to be special.

Daisy is on her way to her job as an entertainment reporter. Tom is trying to get over his heartbreak and wants to be out of his flat. There he is on the bus, always reading Orlando by Virginia Woolf while Daisy is generally scrolling on her phone. When they get off the bus one day, and Daisy is threatened, Tom comes to her rescue and the two talk as Tom walks Daisy to her job.

From this beginning, Daisy and Tom find things to offer one another. Daisy will scour Orlando to try to figure out why the book was so important to Tom’s ex and if this book led to their breakup. For his part, Tom offers to photograph Daisy’s upcoming wedding.

There is a problem however, as it is possible that neither should really be with the one that they were with. How will things play out? Will Daisy and Tom find their way to one another? Find out in these pages.

Tessa Bickers offers a good read here.

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

Pub date: 19 May 2026

Post first published on 10 April 2026

Description:

from the publisher

One book. Two strangers. An unforgettable journey as they rewrite the ending.

Daisy Douglas has spent her life behind the scenes: at work, in her relationships, and now, in planning a wedding she isn’t sure she even wants. As an entertainment journalist, she can spot the start of a story a mile away. So when her routine 4 a.m. bus ride to the newsroom takes a surprising turn, she notices.

For months, the same man has boarded at the same stop, reading the same tattered copy of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando over and over as if his life depends on it. When a broken-down bus and a shared walk through the quiet early-morning London streets finally throws them together, Tom reveals the heartbreaking truth as to why he can’t be without his novel.

Determined to help him find the answer to the riddle hidden in its pages, Daisy joins Tom on his strange literary quest—one that leads them to places neither of them ever expected. But as their friendship deepens, she starts to wonder if what they’re both looking for might not be in the book after all.

From the Publisher:

#TheMinotaurSamplerVolume23 #NetGalley

Pub date: 06 October 2026

Five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts:

I always look forward to the new editions of this FREE compendium of forthcoming mysteries and thrillers. Here is information on 12 titles and their authors, along with generous samples of the titles. There are definitely books here that I will want to read. To name one, I am excited to see that Susan Elia Macneal has a new book coming out. This sampler is most definitely worth a look!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Description:

from the publisher

Looking for a new book that will make your heart race? The twenty-third edition of The Minotaur Sampler — our largest sampler yet! — compiles the beginnings of 12 can’t-miss novels publishing Winter 2027 for free and easy sampling.

Speechless is a twisty, inventive thriller that follows a communication facilitator whose coma patient begins to share chilling messages about what really caused the accident that led to his vegetative state. Chasing Demons is a horror-thriller following a young man who survived a terrible massacre and must confront the demons of his past when years later, his former therapist is murdered in the same grotesque manner. Last Mission to Paris follows three women, decades after they served as secret agents during World War II, who reunite to uncover the truth behind the murder of their fellow agent in Nazi-occupied Paris. Scream City is an electrifying thriller where a former police officer and the granddaughter of a notorious serial killer must work together to clear both of their names when a new string of copycat murders emerges. On the Ice is a chilling mystery where a screenwriter’s desperate search for her missing brother on an Antarctic research station leads her into a tangled web of secrets, love, and wilderness. The House at Hanger Hill is a searing debut about three generations of women and their family home, which has been haunted by chilling deaths and a terrible, hidden truth.

Famous Last Lies introduces a pop music golden girl in the heart of Hollywood whose cost to her success threatens to be revealed when her producer’s remains are found in the California desert. Tell Me What You See follows a woman who must confront the pain of her past when a teenager goes missing, and the case feels strangely tied to the death of her psychic late mother. Mother Dearest is a pulse-pounding thriller that follows a woman writing letters to her estranged mother about the man she wants to marry, except he already has a wife and family. Gone at First Light follows a detective who is assigned to uncover the murder of a beloved Laguna Beach therapist—except she isn’t just a victim, but a woman woven into his own past, and the killer may be closer than anyone dares to believe. The Haunting of Rosa Sinclair is a supernatural thriller where a therapist must question her past after she receives a new client who is nearly identical to her long deceased daughter. The Spring is an alluring thriller about a young woman who must navigate the mystery of a cult-like community in order to find and save her adoptive sister.

#TheLittleItalianHotel #NetGalley

Phaedra Patrick has become one of my favorite authors. I very much enjoyed both The Messy Lives of Book People and The Secrets of Love Story Bridge, so was very excited to read this forthcoming book.

Patrick’s talent for creating wonderful settings and people with whom readers will enjoy spending time are very present here. Much of the story takes place at a small, Italian, old fashioned hotel. This spot contrasts with a much more modern hotel that is nearby. Readers can decide where they might rather be as they read the story.

Protagonist Ginny has, for many years, had a radio show in which she offered help to others as a kind of agony aunt. To her surprise, Ginny learns that there are issues in her own life when her husband says that he wants to separate. This occurs just as Ginny had been planning a romantic getaway for them.

Needless to say, Ginny is distraught. When she finds that she cannot get a refund, the plot leads her to invite some of her listeners on her trip to Italy. They then stay at the hotel mentioned above.

The travelers include an elderly widow grieving her special needs daughter, a teacher whose mother is unwell, a man who has lost his best friend (a dog), and a property developer. Readers also get to know the hotel owner and his daughter.

One of the plot threads has to do with what happens when Ginny, posing as Jenny, and Aidan (her husband) start to communicate without Aidan knowing that he already intimately knows “Jenny.” Will they want to try again? What will happen to the other characters, all of whom become quite close to one another as they visit museums, hike, quilt, eat and do other activities together? Readers will enjoy finding out.

This book is recommended to those who enjoy women’s fiction. Those who know the author will be delighted to read another one of her books. Those new to Patrick are in for a treat.

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

#AFoundingMother #NetGalley

The U.S. just noted 250 years as a country. I imagine that this means that there will be many new books published that look back at the country’s early years. I was intrigued to read this one, in particular, because I very much enjoyed an earlier book by Dray (Becoming Madam Secretary).

Here Dray and her co-author look at the U.S., beginning before the Revolution, through the eyes of Abigail Adams. She is portrayed as forthright, intelligent, an able manager of her family, a woman willing to move out of her small community for the sake of the country (of course, she enjoyed some of these travels), a wife, a daughter, a sister, a mother (one who faced losses), both the wife and mother of a president. Her roles were many and varied. All come to life in these pages.

One thing that readers might look out for as they read is the ways in which Abigail’s past and our present resonate with each other. To give one example, Abigail lived during the time of smallpox and decided to inoculate her family and herself. More recently many faced Covid and decisions about that vaccine, and others are again arousing some controversy. Another to ponder is how Boston was treated in terms of issues that seem similar to some with ICE in the present. For example, soldiers entering homes without permission. These connections made reading this book feel immediate even though the time was many years past.

The authors of this title tell their story well. Even those who have read other books about Abigail Adams will, I think, enjoy this title.

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

Pub date: 05 May 2026

Post first published on 23 February 2026

Description:

from the publisher

In time for the 250th Anniversary of the birth of the United States comes a sweeping, intimate portrayal of Abigail Adams—wife of one president and mother to another—whose wit, willpower, and wisdom helped shape the fledgling republic. A stunning historical novel with modern-day implications from the New York Times bestselling authors of America’s First Daughter and My Dear Hamilton.

In the heart of revolutionary Boston, Abigail Adams raises her children amid riots, blockades, and the outbreak of war. While her husband, John Adams, rises from country lawyer to nation-builder, often away for years at a time, Abigail builds her own independence—managing their farm, making lucrative investments, amassing savings, battling plague and loss, and defending their home. Unafraid to speak her mind, she famously offers fearless political counsel, urging John to “remember the ladies” in the new government. Through it all, she becomes his most trusted confidante and indispensable ally.

When peace is secured, Abigail steps onto the world stage—exchanging ideas with Thomas Jefferson in the French countryside, navigating court life as the wife of the Minister to Great Britain, and presiding over the parlor politics of the early American republic in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. Even after her husband’s presidential administration, she continues battling political foes and working behind the scenes to advance her family, secure independence for the women in her life, and ensure a better life for the next generation of Americans.

From war-torn streets to the chandeliered halls of power, A Founding Mother is the unforgettable story of a woman ahead of her time—one whose voice, vision, and valor still resonate powerfully today.

#ChaoticCats #NetGalley

64 pages

Pub date: 03 November 2026

Five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts:

This book of cat stickers is absolutely adorable! I will most definitely buying the hard copy when it is released.

Here are cute cats, holiday cats, mischievous cats…all sorts of cats.

Sticker fans and cat lovers, definitely (!) take a look at this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Description:

from the publisher

Warning: Contains cats.

Side effects may include sudden urges to adopt more cats.

This sticker book is packed with 500 adorably unhinged stickers celebrating the delightful disaster that is cat ownership.

If you’ve ever owned a cat, you already know: they’re equal parts adorable companion and tiny agent of chaos. One moment they’re purring sweetly on your lap, the next they’re knocking over your favorite mug just to assert dominance. Chaotic Cats recognizes that beautiful, hilarious contradiction with vibrant, playful stickers dedicated to the unpredictable world of cats. From cuddly cuties with murder in their eyes to mastermind loafs plotting world domination, these stickers perfectly capture the daily drama of life as a cat owner.

Inside you’ll find:

• Over 500 premium-quality stickers featuring chaotic, cute, and utterly relatable cats
• Evil geniuses knocking things off tables (on purpose, obviously)
• Sleepy angels turned 3 a.m. parkour champions
• Grumpy loafs, zoomie demons, and affectionate headbutters
• Stickers perfect for decorating laptops, water bottles, journals, planners, and anywhere else that needs a dose of feline mischief

Whether you’re a proud cat parent, a sticker hoarder, or anyone in-between, this book is your ultimate tribute to the furry chaos that rules our homes (and hearts).

Transient Desires

A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery

by Donna Leon

Transient Desires is Donna Leon’s thirtieth (!) book about Guido Brunetti. What an accomplishment to have kept a series fresh over so many novels..

In thinking about this title, I concluded that it is a story of place and character, as compared to a classic mystery. There are people good and bad, those with and without morals, those who get caught up in situations with difficult consequences, vicims, various types of love and more. Venice is also critical part of this story. Areas of the city that were new to me were in this book as were the canals, cafes and tourist sites along, of course, with Brunetti’s home.

My favorite of all of the people in this novel is Brunetti. His desire to do right, his willingness to apologize when wrong, his trying to help others and his love of lunch and Paola (his wife) all play their part.

The plot is not dense. Two young girls are injured and left at a hospital. The story goes from there as it impacts a number of others.

If you are going to be a new reader of Brunetti, start at the beginning with Death at La Fenice. All other Leon fans welcome our Commissario back!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.