Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

A Novel

by Robert Thorogood

An e book bargain

Soon to be on tv

Readers who devoured Richard Osman’s mysteries are pretty sure to enjoy The Marlow Murder Club. It has many similar good eccentricities while telling its own story.

As in Osman’s novels, our woman on the scene is a pensioner. Eccentric Judith Potts is in her seventies. She may be a little too fond of whisky. She sets crossword puzzles to earn money, lives in an inherited property and observes everything around her. She is also intrepid.

One night Judith hears a shot. Her neighbor Stefan is dead. It is quickly established that Stefan was murdered. His character is less clear; there are those who saw him as a good and kind man and others who did not. What was the nature of his association/relationship with an antiques business and Elliott, its proprietor? How, if at all, is Stefan’s death connected to another victim, a well-liked taxi driver named Iqbal? And, what about the people Judith gets to know along the way? There are a mysterious redhead, a dog walker and a vicar’s wife among others. It all crescendos in a satisfying story.

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

Pub date: 03 May 2022

A Novel

by Allison Pataki

An e book bargain

Allison Pataki tells the story of Marjorie Merriweather Post from her childhood right on through her “many lives.” She was a daughter, wife (multiple times), mother, key part of Post (later known as General) Foods, society woman, charitable worker and donor, ambassador’s wife, builder of multiple estates and more. The pages just flew as I followed Marjorie through her life.

Readers will travel with Marjorie to many locations. Among these are Battle Creek, Washington DC, Manhattan, the Adirondacks, Palm Beach (Mar-a-Lago) and Moscow. Readers see Marjorie’s own experiences in each of these places.

Relationships were a big part of Marjorie’s life. No spoiler so I won’t write about how many times she married or who her husbands or children were.

I so highly recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction. It is one of the best that I have read in this genre.

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

Regular readers of Jodi Picoult’s novels know what to expect…the unexpected, plot twists, a social issue and lots of information on an interesting topic, in this case bees.

Here is a story in which Ms. Picoult partnered with Ms. Boylan, a fortuitous and successful pairing for this novel’s topic and one about which readers will learn a great deal. As I mentioned in a review of a spark of light, I think that a service is done for readers who are hungry for information and may not have easy access to it; in this instance, the subject is being trans.

Well, yes, as noted above, there is always a bit of a didactic turn in this writer’s works but there is also always a terrific story. Here readers get to know Asher and his bee keeping mom, and Lily, a person of great importance to Ash. Around them flow many other characters.

When something really bad happens, Asher is in trouble. Did he do what he was accused of? How will events play out? What will the impact be on the small New Hampshire town where the novel is set?

Around the central plot, are backstories for many characters. There is a good deal about families and parents who are absent, along with the impact of that on children. Is it ever better not to be with a parent is one of many questions.

As this book opens readers meet two moms who are single parents for complex reasons. What happens when this new(ish) ecosystem is messed with? Will it be like it is for the bees when they face disruption?

I, for one, really wanted to know what would happen in this story, not only to Asher, but to many of the people around him. I think readers will feel that way too.

Congrats to the authors. They have written one heck of a book.

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

by Emily March

#TheGetaway #NetGalley

The cover of this novel drew me right in. As I write this, I am about to face a heatwave so this image of two women, their drinks and a lake made me envious. Well, I thought…at least I can visit virtually. So, I did and enjoyed my visit.

Set in a gorgeous location, this is a story of new beginnings, family, renovations (of a lake front property and perhaps of people as well). It offers wonderful escape in a story with good characters, a terrific settings, and an interesting story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

This book was published in 2022.

384 pages

Romance

Note: For those who enjoy this book, it is the first of a series.

Editorial Reviews

I have read two other books by this author and love her imagination and ability to tell a story. Seeing Jurczyk’s name on this title and the beautiful cover drew me right in.

Take a train ticket, hop on, think that things will happen one way only to find how wrong an assumption that is when the train breaks down and there is a murder in this closed environment. Will Agatha, whose husband had purchased a ticket for her for this Canadian rail journey, emerge unscathed? Why was there a murder? What are Agatha’s connections to those on the train? How will the story unfold? Pick this one up to find out. You will be glad that you did.

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

Pub date: 23 September 2025

Mystery & Thriller

352 pages

Also by this author:

Note that I have reposted here and do not know if either of these titles is currently an e book bargain

A Novel

by Ruth Hogan

#TheMoontheStarsandMadameBurova #NetGalley

Pub Date 21 Sep 2021  

I absolutely adored Ruth Hogan’s novel, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes, so I was quite eager to read The Moon, The Stars and Madame Burova.

Around the plot, Ms. Hogan looks at some emotionally resonant issues. These include identity, race, the nature of love, how to treat others and also how to treat one’s self. All is skillfully done and is not too heavy handed.

Madame Burova’s mother, Shunty Mae, was a reader of tarot cards, palms and crystal balls. Her daughter, Imelda (aka Madam B) has taken on her mother’s vardo and profession. She is very good at it and her booth becomes a confessional for many. In the present, Imelda Burova is considering retirement; in the past she led an active life.

Imelda spent time at Larkin’s, a family holiday camp, when she was a young woman. There were many people and acts there. Imelda was close to Jeannie, a talented young singer and to Cillian Burke, a man who was of great importance to her. Readers will find out how Cillian influenced the title of the novel. Also at the camp is Vivienne; she wants Cillian and is used to taking whatever she feels that she needs.

In the present, Billie’s parents have recently died. She finds something out in a note that her father left her. This leads her to connect with Imelda and connect they do! In the present, Imelda offers Billie some answers and all the wonderful aspects of the kind of person she is. Readers will root for both of them.

This book is not a cliffhanger. It is a slow-ish read that I enjoyed and recommend. Not quite as good as Sally but very good nonetheless.

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

The author’s new book is coming soon!

www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/06/16/books/review/adventure-movie-novels.html

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/19/books/fake-dating-romance-books.html

#TheWitchesofCambridge #NetGalley

I am fairly new to reading Sci Fi & Fantasy titles but was very happy to engage with Van Praag’s The Witches of Cambridge. I loved virtually visiting in this part of England, especially at the university. I also very much enjoyed spending time with the many women in these pages. They have qualities that make them unique and that impact how they relate to others.

As happens in the best reads, I found myself engaging with the characters and wanting the best for them whether they were the one who could not help herself from speaking the truth, the one uniquely sensitive to others’ feelings or any number of the others.

After I started this book, I bought several other titles by the author as I want to explore her worlds again and again.

Highly recommended (even if you are not sure about books with magical elements).

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

Pub date: 17 April 2025

320 pages

Women’s Fiction-Sci Fi & Fantasy

From the Publisher

An e book bargain

#ACyclistsGuidetoCrimeCroissants #NetGalley

I was initially drawn to this one by the book’s title and the cover which I found very appealing. Happily, the story inside these pages also offered an enjoyable read with gorgeous locations, some good characters and an interesting plot.

Sadie was the kind of person who lived a predictable life as exemplified by her position as an actuary. Her life changes following the unexpected death of her best friend, Gemma (not too much of a spoiler as this happens very early in the book).

Sadie needs a change and purchases a bike tour company in France (now that sound pretty nice). However, of course, there are problems. These include vandalism and murder. No spoilers so hard to say much more except that this was a fun, cozy read. I hope that it is the start of a series.

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

Pub date: 21 May 2024