Sarah Morgan has a knack for writing involving stories with good characters. In her latest book, I enjoyed getting to know Imogen (even if she exhausted me) and Dorothy. Their lives change over the course of the novel and readers will always be hoping that these changes are for the better. Readers will also hope that each is able to be honest about their backstories.
Imogen works hard, really hard, like all the time hard. She is very good at the event planning that she does until…
Dorothy has experienced sadness with the death of her husband. She feels fortunate to have a daughter and granddaughters even if her daughter feels that Dorothy is too close to Imogen.
What brings these women together? How do their stories intersect? Find out in a book that kept me wanting to read more. Now, I will wait impatiently for what this author writes next.
Recommended to readers who like holiday stories and women’s fiction.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
Imagine a world where the collection of souls is secretly part of the corporate machine and even grim reapers get vacation time, and you have the concept behind Maxie Dara’s feel-good SCYTHE mystery series that KirkusReviews calls “one to watch.” In this lively second installment, a risk-averse Grim Reaper becomes her adrenaline-fueled twin brother’s reluctant keeper when a file outlining his impending death lands on her desk.
In A GRIM REAPER’S GUIDE TO CHEATING DEATH (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; on sale December 2, 2025), ever since the death of her parents, modern day Grim Reaper Nora Bird has been obsessed with avoiding risk, and what better place to learn how to stay safe than the company whose business it is to collect the souls of the deceased?
When Nora stumbles upon the file of her twin brother Charlie, who she hasn’t spoken to in over six months, she goes against her cautious nature and races to her brother with the stolen file in tow. Despite his skepticism, Nora convinces him (along with his chatty parrot Jessica) to join her on an impromptu road trip to evade Charlie’s determined killer and S.C.Y.T.H.E, whose mission of collecting souls has been disrupted by Charlie’s continued existence. The only problem? Every time Nora manages to save her brother from his mysterious killer, another cause of death appears on his file.
But when their journey leads them to the small town of Virgo Bay, home to their late father’s estranged family, they uncover an even greater mystery that will have them questioning everything they thought they knew about life, death, and the newfound family they have discovered. Nora will have to use everything she’s ever learned to keep her brother safe and unmask the killer, but as she connects with her larger-than-life brother and the family she never knew, Nora realizes her desire to cheat death could be keeping her from enjoying the best parts of life.
With this latest installment, Maxie Dara masterfully delivers a heartfelt story that celebrates sibling bonds and how life’s greatest adventures are worth a little risk.
The author:
Maxie Dara is a writer and actor from Ontario, Canada. She has been a freelance journalist focusing on the local arts and culture scene for more than five years, with bylines in publications such as Hamilton Magazine and Beyond James, among others. She is also a two-time award-winning playwright, taking home the Best of Fringe award at the 2017 Hamilton Fringe Festival for the musical comedy This Is Not a Musical: The Musical! and the 2020 Torpedo Prize for her play Alone Together, a pandemic drama. Maxie knew she wanted to be a writer at the age of seven, when she first fell in love with the written word. She also wanted to be a mermaid but has mostly focused on the writing side of things.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Witty…A long list of suspects, a dark sense of humor, and surprisingly weighty meditations on mortality carry the day. It’s a killer good time.” –Publishers Weekly
“A funny and charming exploration of growth, overcoming fears, and the lengths family will go to protect loved ones.” — Library Journal
“Continues exploring this imagining of death’s bureaucracy with a wry tone and will appeal to readers who like a bitter bite with their sweetness.” — Booklist
Praise for A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer-First in the series
“I’d follow this grim reaper anywhere. Wildly creative and impossible to put down, sure to induce both belly laughs and tears, A Grim Reaper’s Guide To Catching A Killer is full of heart and soul(s).”—Laura Hankin, author of One-Star Romance
“Witty, moving, and with a mystery that’ll keep you turning pages late into the night, Dara’s debut is a creative, laugh-out-loud novel about the business of death, and what it can teach us about family, love, and the best parts of being alive.”—Claudia Lux, author of Sign Here
“I was hooked right away by the inventive premise of Maxie Dara’s A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer, but it was the relationships that really did me in. I loved watching Kathy bond with Conner, a dead teenager, and work through her relationship with recent-almost-ex-husband Simon, all set against the backdrop of a surprisingly corporate job in human soul logistics. Funny and warm and full of little moments that kept me guessing, A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer is a delightfully fresh mystery!”—Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers
“Fun and lighthearted despite the presence of death, the characters are relatable and funny, and the paranormal aspects are balanced with the ordinariness of Kathy’s messy life. The ending fleshes out this creative premise and sets the book up for the next in a heartwarming series.”–Booklist
“This debut paranormal mystery offers humor, love, and a strong cast of characters who form a found family.”–Library Journal (starred review)
My comments:
This book is the second in a series. It feels like a less traditional mystery title but may well appeal to those who are looking for a more quirky read.
Many thanks to Berkley for the opportunity to be a part of this blog tour.
The book, not the audio, is an e book bargain I love this book! I did not want it to end as I did not want to bid farewell to Gamache and the other characters for at least another year.
I’ll start by commenting on the audio. The book was extremely well and engagingly narrated. I was constantly stealing time to listen to just a bit more. The narrator’s tone is just right and he captures each character’s voice in a unique way.
The story itself will be very welcomed by series readers although new readers could also enjoy it. Readers learn so much backstory about Armand Gamache including SPOILER? the loss of his parents and the roles of his grandmother and godfather in his life.
The setting for this title is a fully realized Paris where the Gamaches are visiting their son, daughter and their spouses and children, all of whom now live there. Armand also spends time with his godfather. I loved the opening scene at the Rodin Museum. Having visited there, I enjoyed my virtual return.
Just who is Stephen Horowitz? What has he done? Who wanted to harm him? What does it mean to be in a family? What are the responsibilities of corporations? What does loyalty mean? Can we protect those we love? These questions and more are raised in this thoughtful, deeply moving mystery.
I recommend this title most highly. I now plan to go back and read or listen to all of the books again.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
Exceptional new cookbooks, with fresh takes on easy baking, Thai cooking in America and seasonal pasta, as tested by New York Times Cooking and the Food desk.
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/dining/best-cookbooks.html
Robyn Carr has written many novels over several series; fans of hers will know that she has written the Virgin River, Thunder Point and Grace Valley books. Her latest series takes place in Sullivan’s Crossing. The Best of Us is novel number four. Old characters reappear but, if you have not read the other titles, this can be read as a stand alone.
Love grows across three generations in this story. The teen pair are challenged by a threatening medical diagnosis; the couple in their thirties face an unplanned pregnancy and the couple in their sixties show that love can happen at any age.
Place is also important in this novel. Sullivan’s Crossing is that small town that people think of when they imagine small town life as idyllic. There is a beautiful setting near the mountains, kind people and a strong sense of community.
Long term fans of Roby Carr will most definitely welcome her latest book.
I love this book! I did not want it to end as I did not want to bid farewell to Gamache and the other characters for at least another year.
Robyn Carr has written many novels over several series; fans of hers will know that she has written the Virgin River, Thunder Point and Grace Valley books. Her latest series takes place in Sullivan’s Crossing. The Best of Us is novel number four. Old characters reappear but, if you have not read the other titles, this can be read as a stand alone.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 