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

#MahjongIllustrated #NetGalley

When I was growing up, my mother played Mahjong. The game moved swiftly and no-one took the time to explain what was happening. As an adult, I have only played Mahjong once. The other players were experienced and I was lost. Still, I have remained curious about this popular pastime.

This book was very helpful for me. It is a boon to a beginning player or anyone who needs a review of the game. This title is amply illustrated with diagrams as well as other illustrations. The tile pieces and goals of the game are succinctly listed in easy to understand text.

Anyone looking for a book on the basics of Mahjong should give this one a look.

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

Pub date: 19 May 2026

Description:

from the publisher

The clickety-clack of mahjong tiles being mixed by a group of friends is one of the most soothing and distinctive sounds found across East Asia and, increasingly, North America. First developed in southern China in the early 19th century, mahjong – meaning ‘sparrow’ – is a fun and popular game that tasks you with solving a tile-matching puzzle before you run out of moves. Played by four people using 144 tiles, mahjong is not just a game of luck; it requires strategy, pattern recognition, and an understanding of the other players’ tactics. Mahjong Illustrated introduces this highly engaging and competitive game, which helps develop concentration and mental agility while at the same time building relationships and a sense of community. The book is divided into chapters designed for the beginner, offering a brief background history, with introductions to the tiles, rules, playing the game, and popular variants and competitions. Find out how to shuffle and stack tiles to start the game; learn the difference between a kong and a pong and how this can win you points; understand the significance of the honour tiles, including the four winds and the three dragons; and find out what ‘winning from the wall’ means to complete a ‘legal hand’.

An e book bargain today

When readers who have heard of Dorothy Parker think of her, they often imagine her at the Algonquin Hotel issuing bon mots. Sarcastic and seemingly in possession of herself, many envied her. However, this historical novel about Dorothy and some of her friends and acquaintances reveals that she had many reasons to feel unsettled and unhappy. The support of three friends helped her to get through.

Early in this novel readers learn that Dorothy is having trouble finding work. She is also having many difficulties in her marriage; her husband came back from WWI a changed (and unpleasant) man. Dorothy’s friends include Jane, a newspaper reporter; Winifred who is an actress and, Peggy who works at a magazine. They form a bridge group where they not only learn to play cards but reflect on life.

These characters are surrounded by many men. They include those who spent time at the Algonquin. All are men of their time and their treatment of women is often condescending.

Will these friends find their happy/happier endings? Find out in this well written work of historical fiction.

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

This title was published in August 2022.

From the Publisher

Sloane faced an unthinkable loss when her sister died (not a spoiler as readers learn this early in the story). She is engaged to a somewhat pompous fiance who has an over involved family and often make Sloane feel inferior. On top of all this, Sloane’s parents are not the easiest people.

Sloane escapes into her work as a librarian although that also has it challenges. One of these is an older gentleman who enjoys mentally fencing with Sloane. Will these two change each other? Will others also be drawn in? Readers may know the answer but will still, I think, enjoy this book. It gives voice to some of what is important in life.

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

This book was published in March 2023

From the Publisher

#murderrunsinthefamily #NetGalley

an e book bargain

Expect the unexpected in this fun debut to, what I hope, is a new series by Tamara Berry. It offers some eccentricity, a good story line and some unexpected events, all within the traditional(ish) mystery genre.

Amber must be feeling pretty desperate. She leaves home in the middle of the night and, although well below age, escapes to a community for older adults. Probably desperate to go here and to meet up with a relative she doesn’t even know. And, what about that tortoise? Add murder to the mix and the story is on its way. Lucky Amber has had some PI training.

This title is definitely worth a look and seems perfect for these lazy summer days.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Kirkus Reviews says: A knockout series debut from a veteran author with street cred in both mystery and romance…Despite Berry’s breezy tone and drop-dead-funny japes at Seven Ponds and its eccentric residents and staff, she tells a heartrending tale of how complicated families can be.” ― Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

256 pages

Pub date: 29 April 2025

I have read so much historical fiction that takes place during WWII and its aftermath. This makes it easy to think that I could skip reading a new book set in that time period and you may think that as well but DON’T.  Paris Never Leaves You is an extraordinary novel.

From its visceral opening scene in which collaborators are shamed and attacked on a Paris street, and right on through the novel, this is an immersive, engaging and intriguing book. Within its pages readers will spend time with Charlotte and Vivi, a mother-daughter who survived the war and came to New York. The book is told in seamlessly interwoven timelines; there is one in which Charlotte works in a New York publishing house and Vivi is a fourteen year old school girl and a second that takes place during the war in Europe.

The characters in the novel are each brought to life from Horace, in a wheelchair, to Julian to so many more. The settings are also evocative. Readers will feel what it was like to scrounge for food and to reconsider moral stands in the Paris of the war. Book lovers will also enjoy the inside view of the world of publishing in the U.S.  that Ms. Feldman provides.

Early in the book, Charlotte is at a makeup counter where she is told that a certain product “will erase your past.” But, of course, the past cannot be erased. Should it be? Another provocative quote is when Charlotte says that she was not Jewish until Hitler made her so. What does this mean to her? How do we form identities? These are just some of the issues to ponder.

I give this book a solid five stars and highly recommend it. Readers will be drawn in and the novel will resonate with them even after they have read the last lines.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

#HotChocolateonThursday #NetGalley

Short novels by Japanese (and other) authors are quite popular now. I think that they speak to our collective uncertainty about the time we are living in and our need to feel nourished and calm. Books like Hot Chocolate on Thursday are genuine comfort reads and I enjoyed this title very much.

In a series of interconnected stories, readers will find characters whom they will like, relationships, and some life lessons, all of which are delivered in a non-preachy way that resonated for me. For example, there is a story of a kindergarten teacher who does not follow the custom and comes to school with a pale pink nail polish. Something is discovered at the end of this vignette about the impacts that people have upon one another. A different story is about a woman who excels at work but feels that she is not a good mother. What does she learn about herself that she is able to carry forward?

I note again the connections among the entries in the novel. For instance, the kindergarten teacher shows up in a story about a young woman who is getting married. It was fun to read and wonder who would reappear.

I highly recommend this title. It brightened the days on which I read it.

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

Pub date: 17 February 2026

Post first published on 26 February 2026

Description

Across a bridge in a quiet neighborhood in Tokyo, a seasonal cherry blossom sits on the river. Nearby is the Marble Cafe, where a woman writes in a notebook and a young waiter prepares her favorite hot drink. Both wonder about each other and about the other lives of the clientele who frequent this charming little cafe behind the trees…

Without even realizing it, we may touch and change someone else’s life.

Taking a walk along the river, cooking the best tamagoyaki, ordering hot chocolate, forgetting to remove our nail polish… The small, everyday acts that we do can lead to unexpected encounters, reverberate far beyond our own circle, and ultimately make a difference in the world around us.

Hot Chocolate on Thursday is a tapestry of slice-of-life moments that each open and close with a woman ordering her regular hot chocolate at the mysterious Marble Cafe. What happens in between will touch and swell your heart, as we connect with a community of untold unfolding lives.

From the Publisher

Also by this author:

: What You are Looking for is in the Library

#WinniethePoohTheGraphicNovel #NetGalley

From the opening map to the very last page, here is a delightful rendition of Winnie the Pooh in graphic form. The essence of the stories is here and the illustrations truly bring the characters to life.

I think that both children and their adults will enjoy this version of the Pooh stories. I highly recommend this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter-Ten Speed Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 13 October 2026

Description:

from the publisher

Experience the idyllic magic of the Hundred Acre Wood like never before through this charming graphic novelization of A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard’s beloved classic, Winnie-the-Pooh.

Adapted by Kevan Chandler and Eisner Award-winning artist Joe Sutphin, this enchanting adaptation brings all ten original Winnie-the-Pooh stories to life with soft, captivating colors and sprawling scenes that are faithful to the heartwarming spirit of Pooh and friends. Follow along for an adventurous romp through the Wood as Pooh helps Eeyore find his tail, gets stuck in a tight space after eating far too much honey, tries to catch a Heffalump with Piglet, joins Christopher Robin on an Expotition, and more.

Perfect for both new readers and lifelong fans of all ages, this beautiful graphic edition is a treasure to be cherished for generations to come.

Anyone who has read a book by Elly Griffiths and who then sees a new title by her will immediately snatch it up (as I did). Those who have never read books by her are missing out. Griffiths’ series featuring Ruth Galloway is one of my favorite ever. I have also enjoyed her stories featuring Harbinder and the ones set in Brighton.

So…I was very excited to see that Griffiths had a first book out in what will be a new series. I loved it.

This title does require some suspension of disbelief as it includes time travel (a much more common trope these days). However, I enjoyed spending time in each of the time periods while waiting to see how the stories would come together.

Much like Ruth, Ali is an idiosyncratic and highly likeable protagonist who solves murders. Griffiths has many characters surrounding her in both the Victorian and modern eras.

I think that the author researched the historical period well. Many details bring that time to life.

This atmospheric read is highly recommended to mystery lovers. I will be reading the next book soon.

By the way, the top cover is for the U.S. edition. I prefer the second which is the British one and that is the one that I purchased.

Post first published on 8 May 2026

Description:

from the publisher

“A pleasure from finish to start.” —Anthony Horowitz

“Fresh and exciting, with both humor and thrills, Griffiths’ first book in her new series knocks it out of the park!” —Shari Lapena

Some murders can’t be solved in just one lifetime.

Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old, they’re frozen—or so their inside joke goes. Nobody knows that her team has a secret: they can travel back in time to look for evidence.

The latest assignment sees Ali venture back farther than they have dared before: to 1850s London to clear the name of Cain Templeton, an eccentric patron of the arts. Rumor has it that Cain is part of a sinister group called The Collectors. Ali arrives in the Victorian era to another dead woman at her feet and far too many unanswered questions.

As the clock counts down, Ali becomes more entangled in the mystery, yet danger lurks around every corner. She soon finds herself trapped, unable to make her way back to her beloved son, Finn, who is battling his own accusations in the present day.

Could the two cases be connected? In a race through and against time, Ali must find out before it’s too late.

Next in the series:

This book has been published in the U.K. and releases later this year in the U.S.

When I was young, there was one museum near my home.  I periodically visited there with either my family or school.  The highlight of these visits for me was the small collection of Egyptian artifacts.  Eventually, I grew up and moved to a very large city with an incredible array of art and artifacts from  several of the Egyptian dynasties. I have visited often and  I have stood in the Temple of Dendur many times.  I’ve read some on the gods and goddesses but I have never read a book like this one.

Charlotte Booth puts the reader right into ancient Egypt, as a person who was living there at the time.  This readable book is packed with information.  There is a section on history followed by many sections on every day life.  For example, these include food and diet, getting a job, beliefs and rituals,staying healthy, stepping out in style, passing time in the capital an obeying the laws.  The book also includes maps, illustrations, timelines and more.

I loved this book with its deeply engaging take on history.  Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#TheGlassKey #NetGalley

I had never read a title by this author but was quite interested in The Glass Key, based on both the book description and the cover. It was a terrific read and I have already purchased Geard’s two earlier novels.

This is a bit of a tough review to write because I don’t want to give too much away. There is just so much for the reader to discover.

Here is an over 400 page book with a plot that is complex, twisty and involving. There are also many characters and relationships to track in two timelines, one during WWII (Norway) and the other in the 2000s (Ireland). Readers will want to know how these come together. In addition, pay attention to the title of the book and learn about the significance of The Glass Key.

This is a book that will appeal to readers who enjoy The Seven Sisters series and the recent Sea Stone Sisters. As is true of the books just cited, The Glass Key offers a most immersive read. I highly recommend it.

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

Pub date: 18 June 2026

Description:

from the publisher

The breathtaking new novel from the bestselling author of the Richard and Judy Book Club pick The Midnight House.

‘I just loved this sweeping and deeply moving book of dark secrets’ SANTA MONTEFIORE
‘A page-turning mystery, richly layered and irresistible’ CARMEL HARRINGTON
‘A gorgeous novel. Beautifully written and twisty. I loved it’ EVE CHASE

In Ireland, Maggie has grown up hearing her mother tell her the bedtime story of The Glass Key. It’s a Nordic fairytale passed down by Maggie’s grandmother Anna Swan, who mysteriously left her home one stormy night years ago, never to return. Now Maggie’s grandfather has died and going through his things, Maggie is shocked to discover a faded wartime letter, asking him to take in a baby. In that moment she realises that Anna Swan was a woman of many secrets.

Only by travelling to Norway and discovering the story of four brave young women whose lives were forever changed by the occupation of their tiny islands, can Maggie uncover the shocking truth about her family – and finally unlock the mystery of the glass key…

‘You can taste the salt air and bathe in the glow of the Northern Lights’ KATE QUINN
‘A captivating story that unlocks an emotional doorway to the past’ EVIE WOODS
‘Epic, emotional and immersive. One of those books I wanted to savour’LOUISE DOUGLAS
‘Brimming with mystery, family secrets and heart’ MADELINE MARTIN
‘An old school epic that will have readers turning the pages long into the night’ SINÉAD CROWLEY