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

297 pages

Pub date: 15 September 2026

Children’s-Middle Grade fiction

Four stars ****

Description:

from the publisehr

Join world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his ever-loyal sidekick Dr. Watson as they embark on daring adventures and foil master criminals. 

The six thrilling tales inside have been adapted for younger readers by award-winning children’s fiction author Alex Woolf and feature original artworks by Eve O’Brien. This anthology for younger readers retells these stories:

A Study in Scarlet

The Speckled Band

A Scandal in Bohemia

The Sign of Four

The Hound of the Baskervilles

The Dancing Men

Suitable for readers aged 7+.

My thoughts:

I like that this title starts with an introduction to Conan Doyle. It places his career in context.

The six stories in this title are all short chapter books. They are illustrated with engaging cartoon-like drawings.

I think that this book will be enjoyed by young readers, maybe those in third or fourth grade or a bit higher. The stories are engaging with their action and plots.

One reviewer noted the difficult content in some of the stories. For example, the poisoning of a dog. Others may feel differently but I think that the stories will not represent Holmes if the difficult bits are removed. Rather, I think that adults can decide if this title is suitable for a child they know. They can also decide to discuss the “hard” parts either before or after.

I think that this book will be enjoyed by young readers, maybe those in third or fourth grade or a bit higher. The stories are engaging with their action and plots. Six of the best known stories are included as, for example, The Hounds of the Baskervilles.

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

An e book bargain

I think that this long (over 500 pages) book is going to be one of the big novels of its fall. It tells an involving story of a young girl called Red, as the story opens, and later called Rachel. She travels about with her father who is a man of unique talents. Red does not know anything about her mother as the book opens and she is curious.

Red has learned to tell fortunes using the square of sevens. Apparently this takes some talent. This cartomancy is important to the story.

SPOILER BUT EARLY IN THE BOOK: Red’s father dies.

Red later lives with a guardian who introduces her to a much more luxurious lifestyle than she and her father had; they were close to destitute. Red becomes Rachel and moves to Bath from Cornwall.

I don’t want to give anything away as the plot is important in this novel. There are adventures, secrets, lives lost, charlatans and better people, will and inheritance issues, mysterious documents, the cards and so much more.I will say that this story, which takes places in Georgian England is Dickensian in scope. This is true both of characters and the story itself as can be seen from the summary above.

Will Red learn who her mother was? If yes, will she be welcomed by her family? Will Red find happiness? How much will the Square of Sevens be part of her life?

For readers who want to settle down with a long and involving (if a bit slow at times) read, you may just have found your next book.

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

Pub date: 05 September 2023

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The Square of Sevens captured me from the opening lines to the breathtaking ending. With a mysterious heroine who is a sheer delight to follow through Georgian England, this is a story that will sweep you away. Secrets reveal themselves in a Gothic and suspenseful tale that will keep you guessing until the very end. Intricate, haunting and magical by turns, Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s tale is an absolute immersive read you won’t soon forget.”
—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea

“A reminder that Laura Shepherd-Robinson is riding high in the historical crime stakes….a sprawling epic novel.”
—Financial Times

An e book bargain

#TheWhiteLady #NetGalley

I am a huge fan of this author and have read every title in her Maisie Dobbs series. Here she has written a standalone about Elinor White, a character who has had a life of loss, service, action and contemplation.

Winspear’s authorial voice comes through and felt very familiar to me from having read her other works. That said, it took a little while for me to become fully immersed in this title. Once that happened, however, I loved the book and rate it most highly (as does Publishers Weekly which gave this one a starred review.)

The novel covers a wide time period; it starts before WWI and extends to the post WWII period. As the book opens, young Linni lives with her parents and sister in Belgium. The war brings enormous changes to the family. Linni and her sister become saboteurs and they and their mother must subsequently leave the country quickly.

The book then moves to England and follows Linni’s life there. She has many experiences before being recruited to the SOE in WWII. In the post war period, for complex reasons, our protagonist becomes involved in trying to extricate a couple and their daughter from the clutch of their criminal family. Throughout the book, the time moves back and forth as readers experience Linni’s actions and feelings about the things that she has done.

Readers will be interested to see how Linni fares in each of her tasks and time frames. They will also enjoy getting to know the many characters in this story, some of whom, they really should keep an eye on.

All in all, I highly recommend this novel. Bravo Ms. Winspear.

Many thanks to Allison & Busby for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 21 March 2023

www.nytimes.com/quiz/2026/09/08/bookreview/classic-book-adaptations.html

#TheLightYears #NetGalley

528 pages

Fiction-Women’s fiction

Pub date: 01 December 2026

Five stars*****

My thoughts:

I found the cover of this book to be very appealing. In fact, it was appealing enough to get me to give this title another try. I had started it years ago but did not get very far. This time, I loved this novel and hope that all of the books that comprise The Cazalet Chronicles will be released with these new covers and introductions.

The Light Years takes place in the period between the wars, starting in 1937, and follows several families who are closely related. Readers get to know them and those who make their life style possible in these pages.

Characters are nicely individualized. There are husbands, wives, children, mistresses, an unmarried sibling and more. The relationships come to life beautifully. Note the stories of some, like the private tutor or the other servants who have inner lives, not just the stories of the main characters, wonderful though those are.

I also loved the details in the story. For example, the clothes. I could feel the scratchiness of the governess/tutor’s outfit. I could feel the beautiful silks and see the dresses that another character bought early in the story.

Years ago, I read (and have reread) The Forsyte Saga. As was true with that series, the good news is that there are many books to read about this family. There is even a recently published one (by another author) that updates the stories.

I highly recommend this novel to both those who will be new to it, as well as those who would like to again spend time with this family.

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

Description

In this modern classic of twentieth-century English life, the first in the beloved Cazalet Chronicles, a family gathers for the summer of 1937 at their country manor house, setting in motion events that will reverberate through generations.

Every summer, the Cazalet brothers—Hugh, Edward and Rupert—return to the family home in the heart of the English countryside with their wives and children. There, they join their formidable parents and unmarried sister Rachel to enjoy two glorious months of picnics, games, and sun-drenched excursions to the coast. But not even this idyllic setting can soothe each family member’s heartache, fears, and loneliness.

Hugh, haunted by memories of the Great War, is terrified at the looming prospect of more violence in Europe. Edward, charming and handsome, is torn between his wife, Villy, and his latest infidelity, while Villy dreads the tedium of domestic life after her former career as a dancer. Rupert, a talented painter, is in turmoil over his inability to please his demanding new wife, Zoe, while staying true to his artistic dreams. Meanwhile, Rachel’s unflinching loyalty to the family means risking her one chance at happiness, with the woman she feels so passionately about…

An extraordinary saga, both intimate and sweeping in scope, The Light Years introduces an unforgettable cast of characters.

poisonedpen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BN-Sep-26.pdf

#5MinuteAesopsFables #NetGalley

Children’s Fiction

176 pages

Five stars *****

Pub date: 22 September 2026

My thoughts:

I still remember the book of Aesop’s Fables that I was given as a child and can even see the cover in my mind. These timeless stories were something that I read over and over.

Here is a new edition of these classics with the stories updated. Each is told in a short accessible style, perfect for younger children.

Here are twenty-eight stories. To name just a few, readers will find The Tortoise and the Hare, The Fox and the Grapes, and The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. Each contains the traditional moral at the end of the tale.

I love the inviting illustrations that are found throughout the text. They are lively and colorful, just a perfect accompaniment to the story.

I highly recommend this book for its intended audience. It will make for good quiet time reading with an adult.

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

Description:

from the publisher

Help little ones drift off to sleep with timeless tales that calm busy minds, build strong character, and create cherished bedtime memories.

5-Minute Aesop’s Fables: Bedtime Stories for Kids features beautifully adapted classic fables that each take about five minutes to read, making them the perfect addition to any bedtime routine for children ages 3 to 8.

Inside this beautifully illustrated hardcover collection, children will discover beloved stories like The Tortoise and the Hare, The Lion and the Mouse, and other enduring Aesop’s Fables that have inspired young readers for generations. Every story delivers gentle lessons about kindness, honesty, courage, patience, empathy, perseverance, and friendship while helping children relax before sleep.

Perfect for families looking for:

• Exactly 5-minute bedtime stories that fit even the busiest evenings
• Classic children’s fables filled with positive life lessons and moral values
• Calming bedtime stories that encourage peaceful sleep and screen-free family time
• Beautiful illustrations that spark imagination and encourage a love of reading
• Character-building stories that support emotional intelligence and social-emotional learning

---

From the Publisher

CALM

Five-minute pacing prevents overstimulation and eases children into sleep.

CONNECTION

Screen-free family bonding through the ritual of nightly storytelling.

CHARACTER

Over 2,000 years of moral wisdom: kindness, courage, empathy, friendship.

An e book bargain

#HowtoFindALostLove #NetGalley

We all know that life does not always go to plan. What we choose to do next can make all the difference. This is the situation that Jess is experiencing as this lovely novel opens.

Jess has recently faced some hard times that have made it difficult for her to trust and believe in others. She has been couch surfing at her best friend’s and needs a place to live. This is how she comes to meet Joan who is looking for a lodger.

This device puts one younger and one older person together as Jess rents a room in Joan’s house. Joan is doing this in order to liven up her life. Indeed many things will happen for both of these women over the course of the story. One of the entertaining ones for me was to watch Joan and Jess switch with Jess swearing off her mobile for old fashioned communications just as Joan learns about the internet and more.

Will Jess and her close friends be able to save a vintage theater? What role (for good or bad) will Joan’s son play in this? Will someone from her past get in touch with “Joany?” Will these characters find some happiness? Read this one to find out. It is just delightful.

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

Pub date: 23 May 2024

#ThePresidentsWife #NetGalley

I am a great fan of historical fiction. I find it intriguing to look into the lives of people who lived before us.

Ms. Wood previously wrote a novel where she told readers about the woman who was responsible for the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge. Now, she has turned her attention to Edith Bolling Galt Wilson.

The story is a fascinating and involving one that gives readers insight into the United States and President Wilson. Nowadays, Wilson has been called to task for some of his views. Here readers get to meet him, being introduced to him when he was a fifty-something year old widower and the head of the nation. All this, as WWI was looming.

As the novel opens, time has moved forward. Edith is revisiting the hotel where she spent her honeymoon. It is now the 1940s. She wonders if she could have done more, been more influential and altered history in a better way. Readers will watch as she made her decisions.

SPOILER (though many know this): Edith is well known for having been very influential in Wilson’s presidency, especially when he became ill. She took over decision making in many ways at that point.

I became very involved with the time and people in this novel. I started looking up photos, Wilson and Edith’s wedding coverage and more. Clearly, the author was able to intrigue me.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction. Anyone who read The First Ladies will most likely enjoy this one as well.

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

Pub date: 15 August 2023

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.