Peter James has written many Roy Grace thrillers. I am among, what I suspect, are the very few not to have read them. I made up for this with The Hawk is Dead, a title that I thoroughly enjoyed. I trust that I will make my way to the author’s backlist post haste.
There was much that I loved in this novel that is based on a killing that took place after a train on which Queen Camilla was traveling was derailed. Who was the intended victim? Whodunnit? Why? Find out while enjoying this lengthy (over 500 pages) title.
The plot was involving, the characters (including the Royals) well drawn, the settings vivid and the detection involving. So much to like here.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this title. All opinions are my own.
About the Author (from the Amazon website)
PETER JAMES is a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author best known for his crime thrillers featuring Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, who Queen Camilla recently named as her favourite fictional detective. Praised by critics and much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern-day policing, he has won more than 40 awards for his work, including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and the Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger.
His books have sold over 23 million copies worldwide, achieved 21 Sunday Times No 1s, and have been translated into 38 languages. His Roy Grace novels are currently filming their 6th season for the hit ITV drama, Grace, starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper and available to view on ITVX and on Britbox.
Seven of his novels have been adapted into hit stage plays, with his most recent, Picture You Dead, now on national tour in the UK. His plays have have been named as “The most successful stage franchise since Agatha Christie.
The Dearly Beloved is the first novel by Cara Wall; I am pretty certain that it will not be her last. It is the story of Charles, Lily, James and Nan. Each is an adult with a unique upbringing. Charles has faced many parental expectations; Lily has suffered much loss; James had a hardscrabble background, while life seemed sweet for Nan. While in college, Charles and Lily meet as do James and Nan.
Both Charles and James are “called” to the church; they have different approaches to God and activism, as demonstrated over the course of the book. Charles and James are appointed as co-ministers of a New York City church on lower Fifth Avenue. Their strengths and weaknesses come to light and are not the same. The reader watches as the two families’ lives unravel and knit over a period of many years.
This book includes discussion about what faith (or lack of it) means to each protagonist. I found these sections enhanced the novel for me.
This is not perhaps a perfect book, just as James, Charles, Nan and Lily are not prefect but it IS mighty good.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e galley in exchange for my honest review.
This book has gotten a tremendous number of good reviews and I was quite excited to receive an early copy of it from NetGalley and William Morrow. Thanks to both.
Here is a story about the difference between how life might be portrayed and what it is/was really like. It is about the difference for two children between their actual early years and their fictional portrayal in their author mother’s books.
Now as adults, one sibling is publishing a memoir while the other is planning an exhibit. Much will be revealed because of these decisions.
While I wanted to love this book and know that many others have, it was not the right book for me at this moment. It was a little too bleak or dark for me. It is described as Gothic so if that appeals to a reader, they will find much to love here.
All opinions here are my own.
Description:
from the publisher
A READ WITH JENNA TODAY SHOW BOOK CLUB PICK
“An extraordinary book. It’s a page-turner, full of mystery, but that’s the least of it. The language is dusted with magic. The Children reminded me of Ray Bradbury at his best.” —Stephen King
The haunting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Melissa Albert, in which the estranged adult children of a legendary author, written into their dead mother’s beloved fantasy series, must contend with the vine-like creep of legacy, memory, and magic.
Guinevere Sharpe has two childhoods.
In one, she and her brother, Ennis, live in the wooded shadow of their family’s isolated Vermont farmhouse; in the other, the pages of their mother’s world-famous Ninth City books, where their magical adventures have made them household names. In reality, Guinevere’s childhood isn’t the enchanted idyll her mother’s readers imagine: she and Ennis are growing up near-feral, unwashed and underfed, escaping each day to the wild woods they’ve made their playland. As Edith Sharpe’s books explode into epic popularity, the threats of a rural childhood give way to the escalating perils of fame—until the night it all goes up in flames, leaving Edith’s series unfinished and her children the sole survivors.
Now an adult coasting on her mother’s name, Guinevere is mid-promotion for a ghostwritten memoir when her estranged brother, an artist who has until now spurned his family’s legacy, announces an upcoming installation titled, simply, Mother. As rumors swirl around a death connected to his last show, unsettling recollections from Guinevere’s childhood begin to surface. Her public facade starts to crack, forcing her to confront the questions she’s spent the last twenty years running from: What really happened the night of the fire? And what dark history lies behind their mother’s fantasy world?
The Children is wise to the mythic weight childhood memories gather over time, and the way our most beloved stories grow up with us. It’s for anyone who’s ever revisited an old favorite and found its pages cast in a darker light, the line separating magic from reality blurring as we discover the books that once comforted us carry shadows of their own.
Editorial reviews:
Recommended by the New York Times • Los Angeles Times • People • New York Magazine • the Chicago Tribune • Forbes • Cosmopolitan • Oprah Daily • New York Post • Goodreads • Literary Hub • Good Housekeeping • Buzzfeed • Red • Page Six • Book Riot • AARP • Publishers Weekly • The Millions • She Reads . . . and more!
From Kirkus Reviews:
Albert balances traditional storytelling, fairy-tale elements, and inventive narrative structures like museum labels to create a novel way of looking at the places where the past and the present—both real and imagined—meet. Once it’s revealed, the truth—of the farmhouse, their mother, and Ennis’ reason for leaving—is darker and stranger than Guin could have imagined. Though the novel effectively maintains a sense of suspense and dread, it sometimes struggles under the weight of multiple nonlinear timelines. Regardless, Albert’s prose is undeniably beautiful as she contemplates memory, family lore, and the ways that art can both save and destroy people.
From Library Journal:
VERDICT- YA author Albert’s (The Bad Ones) adult debut is an atmospheric gothic fantasy that sees an eccentric set of siblings reframing their troubled childhoods, the legacy of their mother’s book series, and their present lives. A great addition to every collection.
The Whispered Word is the second entry in the Secret, Book and Scone Society series. The main characters’ secrets were fully described in the first book but a reader can still enjoy this one as a standalone novel.
What I enjoyed most about this book were the characters and the setting. Yes, belief has to be suspended, but I would love to visit and spend time with Nora and her three closest friends. Nora’s town, Miracle Springs. attracts people in need of saving and second chances. Nora owns the local bookstore and is a very astute and well-versed bookseller. There are many references to both fiction and non-fiction titles throughout the novel. Nora herself is named for the character in Ibsen’s play. Just a few of the titles mentioned in the novel include The Witch of Blackbird Pond, A Doll’s House, Harry Potter, One Snowy Day and a number of books on adoption and tidying up.
But of course, there is more than just books in this book. Abilene comes to town and is a young girl who has had a difficult life and clearly has secrets of her own. Has she committed crimes including murder? There is also a shop, Virtual Genie that is offering to consign goods for people in the town. It looks like a fantastic service but is there more to it? You can probably answer these questions but finding out the answers is still fun.
The Whispered Word is about friendship, relationships, taking risks…and solving mysteries. It is an excellent cozy.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. I enjoyed my second visit with these characters .
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for the invitation to this spotlight tour. I was delighted to have an early copy of this title.
344 pages
Mystery and Thriller
Pub date: 09 June 2026
Four stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟
My thoughts:
The Forty-Year Grudge is the second book to feature the mismatched duo of Aubrey and Olivia. I enjoyed the first in this series which was titled The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant. The characters and their dynamics were brought to life there.
In this new book, Tully taps into a familiar ritual, the school reunion. These events may bring out many feelings and there are different degrees of enjoyment for people. However, most don’t get involved in murder as a result of a decision to spend time with those they knew a number of years ago. Of course, though, Aubrey and Olivia are not the usual attendees.
The story is one with a good plot and challenges for the characters and reader. It was fun to watch the events unfold.
Those who enjoyed the first book will want to read this one as well. Those who have not read book number one can read this on its own, though they may well want to go back for the first title afterwards. These books will be enjoyed by those who like traditional mysteries.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
About the book:
from the publisher
When the World’s Greatest Detective reunites with her college friends, she discovers that time doesn’t heal all wounds.
It’s been four decades since the women of Sigma Delta Tau were last together. The passing years, growing families, and maturing careers may have strained the bonds of sisterhood, but now a reunion at the Western ranch of one member offers an opportunity to renew acquaintances…and at least one long-standing grudge.
Still, this weekend is supposed to be a pleasant diversion for former sorority member and current private investigator Aubrey Merritt. She’s come to New Mexico to reconnect with old friends and she’s brought along her personal assistant, Olivia Blunt—an aspiring detective who is learning more about packing bags on this trip than about solving crimes.
The shocking murder of a sorority sister changes everything. With the local police overmatched, all eyes turn to Merritt and Blunt to crack the case. With a surprising abundance of suspects, it’s going to take both of them to cut through the knot of old hurts and current grievances to find the killer.
More about the book:
from the publisher
The novel, the second in the Merritt & Blunt Mysteries (though it can stand alone), finds world-famous detective Aubrey Merritt in attendance at her sorority’s fortieth reunion only because she believes an old friend to be in danger. However, when someone else is murdered, someone completely unexpected, it’s up to Aubrey and her nondescript young assistant, Olivia Blunt, to parse through old rivalries and piece together the crime.
Editorial reviews:
Kirkus Reviews states, “Looking for a reason to avoid your college reunion? Tully is happy to oblige.”
Publishers Weekly notes, “Readers will enjoy watching Olivia’s investigative skills evolve and appreciate the interplay between her and her imperious mentor. With all the clues cleverly hidden in plain sight, this is a treat for fair-play mystery fans.”
I have read and enjoyed other books by this author, most especially The Mayfair Bookshop, a title which was about Nancy Mitford. Knight has set her fiction in many time periods; here she is at the very exciting end of the 1960s in the U.S. It was a time with movement away from the more conservative era that preceded it.
There is a lot about music in this story. Those familiar with the late 60s will find the names of many musicians that they recognize, making it fun to make a playlist.
Music is important in this story but it is also a novel about three generations of women with questions about how to best live one’s life.
The oldest character is Eleanor (Ellie). She is 69 in the summer of 69. Eleanor has recently received some life changing news. This spurs her on to wanting an adventure, and one that hearkens back to when she was a young and talented musician. So…Eleanor hops on a plane to a California music festival, the first of a number of festivals to be found in these pages. She tells no one where she is going.
Eleanor’s daughter, Leanne is in a marriage in which her husband seems to be moving further and further away from her. Leanne is in the “sandwich generation,” with concerns about both her mother and daughter. How will her life have changed by the end of this story?
Nora is a bright young woman who will be attending Yale in the first class to ever admit women. Her future looks as bright as she is. What will the summer bring to her? (For one thing, a road trip).
Follow these women over a summer in which memories are built that will last them all for a lifetime.
Note that this book is a bit long but those willing to spend the time will, I think, enjoy it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this title. All opinions are my own.
Description:
from the publisher
Three generations of women, an unforgettable summer of music, and the epic cross-country road trip they’ll never forget.
Summer, 1969: Eleanor Bell doesn’t have anything to lose. According to the doctors, she might not remember how to sing or play guitar soon, so why not head west now? Why not join the music festivals sweeping the country and lose herself in the music again, in a swan song of her own?
Except she forgets, maybe on purpose, to tell anyone where she’s going. When her daughter, Leanne, discovers her mother missing, she enlists the help of her own daughter, Nora, to help her find Eleanor. The last thing Nora wants to do before starting as one of Yale’s first female undergrads is hit the road. But then Nora hears something strange on the radio—her grandmother’s voice, singing. Nora and Leanne hop in their Chevy for a cross-country road trip, always one step behind Eleanor, who has been dubbed the Dame of Rock n’ Roll by none other than Johnny Carson.
Full of nostalgia and awash with the warmth of summer, Lost in the Summer of ’69 is an epic celebration of savoring the encore-no matter what the next act may bring.
The American in Paris mysteries are so enjoyable. The sleuths in this three book, post WWII, series are Julia Child and her fictional friend Tabitha. Both enjoy living in Paris with its markets, neighborhoods, foods and more to explore. These settings are delightfully described.
Of course, Julia is learning to cook and makes sublime meals. She also tries to help Tabitha achieve some culinary mastery. Julia cooks for her husband Paul in a marriage that comes across as strong and supportive. Tabitha cooks for her grandfather and uncle; the latter is not her relation but is in a relationship with Tabitha’s grandfather.
This time the murder mystery takes place in the world of haute couture. I loved this setting and learned a lot about French fashion during the time period. Readers may be startled to know that Madame Lannet’s close friend thinks that the murder was committed by Christian Dior. Mon Dieu! And, there will be more than one murder.
Tabitha and Julia are on the case. Readers of the series will be happy to welcome them and the regulars back to print. Some will wonder if Tabitha will finally have her romance with a certain detective. Qui sait?
This book is one that it is easy to recommend. I very much enjoyed it and hope that the series will have a long life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
I look forward to starting my day with this book. Since I received it in June, I began right there with an entry on flip flops that truly evoked summer. I then looked at the beginning of the book and felt the tenderness of January 4th’s entry about when the author got his first library card. Those who adore reading will go a bit pitter-pat when they come to that one.
Each day offers a short reflection. Best of all, there is something to read for the entire year. Enjoy these entries along with the occasional illustrations.
Recommended as a nice way to start one’s day.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ave Maria Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Description:
from the publisher
Wonder Is a Lovely Place to Be gathers 365 essays, poems, and sketches from Brian Doyle, revealing his keen eye for grace and an imagination shaped by his Catholic faith. Drawing from both beloved and previously unpublished works, this collection invites readers to notice holiness woven through ordinary, everyday moments.
With a keen eye for detail—the slap of flip-flops on pavement, a kindergartener released to the playground with arms flung open and untied shoes, a no-look pass in a neighborhood pickup basketball game—Doyle shapes small moments into stories and aims them straight at the human heart. His writing is a summons to live with wide eyes and open hearts in a fragile world: “Do not tire, do not despair, . . . be relentless, be merry, . . . be alert, be attentive—for there is holiness all around us like an ocean.” In Doyle’s vision, holiness lives in pain as much as it does in joy, and “no moment is mundane, every moment is a miracle, every moment is a meal.”
Doyle wrote everywhere—on envelopes, inside book jackets, on the backs of menus—driven by the conviction that we are “here so briefly” and called, each day, to “see clear” and “bring [our] best selves to bear.” Some of these fragments became essays published around the world; many others remained scattered across his desk like driftwood from a life immersed in language. Now his wife, Mary Miller Doyle, gathers his writing—including never-before-seen stories, poems, sketches, and even cartoons—into a daily collection that invites readers into his sacred imagination on all year long.
A born story catcher, Brian Doyle was a master of the brief essay, the tight poem, and the achingly beautiful anecdote. Though the magazine editor, novelist, and author of One Long River of Song and A Book of Uncommon Prayer died of brain cancer at sixty, readers continue to return to his work for the way it reveals the joyful, wild mystery of holiness humming through all things.
Advance Praise
“Daily doses of wonder and inspiration from a brilliant writer who drew and was gone much too soon. I stole so much joy from the pictures and words in this collection, and so will you.” Austin Kleon New York Times bestselling author of Steal Like an Artist
“Wonder Is a Lovely Place to Be peeks inside the life and mind of Brian Doyle, the most curious and creative writer (and amateur artist) whose pen ever danced across the page, leaving a legacy of wit and wisdom in his wake. If you’ve long loved Brian’s poetic, playful, daring, and startling way with words, you will leap at the chance to hold more in your hands. And if you’re new to Brian’s brilliance, what a joy awaits you in these pages! A daily dose of Brian Doyle is a lovely place to be.” Laura Kelly Fanucci Author of Living Easter
“Brian Doyle had a rare gift for catching grace as it flew by and setting it gently on the page. This book is a yearlong invitation to see the world with a sacramental imagination and to discover holiness hiding in plain sight.” Fr. Edwin Obermiller, CSC Special assistant to the vice president for university relations for the University of Portland
Many thanks to Stop You’re Killing Me for these lists!
2026 DAGGER SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED The Dagger Awards are awarded by The Crime Writers’ Association to celebrate the best in crime and thriller writing. The awards will be presented on July 2nd in London. Here are the shortlists:
2026 CRIME WRITERS OF CANADA AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE Crime Writers of Canada present the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence to recognize excellence in Canadian crime writing. The 2026 Award Winners were announced on May 29, 2026. Our congratulations to the winners (listed first in each category) and to all of the nominees.
The Whispered Word is the second entry in the Secret, Book and Scone Society series. The main characters’ secrets were fully described in the first book but a reader can still enjoy this one as a standalone novel.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 