Here is the first entry in a promising new cozy series. The protagonist, is Rick who goes by the nickname Chase; he is a retired detective whose partner died not long ago. Chase continues to miss him.
Chase has made plans to go on a walking tour in England. Also on the tour is his very good friend Billie, a retired librarian. They are two in a group of travelers. The most obnoxious of these has been threatened and indeed is murdered.
This is not a locked room but there is the concept of a contained group of people who come together. Who had the strongest motive? Will Chase be drawn in the solve the murder? Of course! The fun is in watching how things go.
I enjoyed getting to know Chase and Billie. I did indeed find the victim to be obnoxious and I enjoyed my virtual trip to England. Recommended for cozy fans who like their mysteries with some armchair travel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
Nine Miniature Puzzles to Confuse, Enthrall, and Delight
by Sara Gran
#LITTLEMYSTERIES #NetGalley
I first got to know this author through her Claire DeWitt mysteries. Claire felt like an original, something one does not always find in crime fiction. Knowing of the DeWitt stories, I was interested in taking a look at Little Mysteries. I am glad that I did.
Here is a quirky collection. For example the book opens with an entry entitled “Make Your Own Tool of Psychospiritual Divination. The illustration looks a lot like those old paper fortune tellers that kids make but with Gran’s own take.
In the first story, a sheriff has trouble detecting due to a hangover. This leads to calling in “the best teen detective in the world.” She arrives in a canary-yellow Cadillac and solves the case in a story that is just a few pages long.
The above gives a flavor of the author’s nimble mind and her original ways of thinking. Her work may not be for everyone but those looking for an original read may want to pick this one up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamland Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
Susan Wittig Albert is one of my favorite traditional mystery authors. I have read and enjoyed every title in her China Bayles series. The first of these was published in 1995 and Wittig Albert still treats readers to new books about her. I highly recommend them.
The Darling Dahlias books are set in the past, unlike the contemporary China Bayles stories. The DDs are a garden club group in the 1930’s south. The Poinsettia novel was the 8th in the series. These can definitely be read out of order in my opinion.
This time the amateur sleuth (busybodies?) are in the Christmas season. Below is the publisher’s description of the novel.
Description
It’s Christmas, 1934, and the citizens of Darling, Alabama, are unwrapping a big package of Christmas puzzles.
Mildred Kilgore and Earlynne Biddle are planning to open a bakery on the square—if they can come up with the right recipes. Charlie Dickens faces two of the biggest puzzles of his career as an investigative reporter, and one of them involves his wife. Cute little Cupcake’s talent as a singer and dancer makes her a tempting target for an unscrupulous exploiter; Lizzy must enlist the Dahlias to protect her, while she herself is confronted by a romantic puzzle. And Sheriff Norris is forced to reopen a puzzling mystery that the town thought was solved and follow a string of clues that lead to a deadly situation at the nearby prison farm.
Once again, NYT best-selling author Susan Wittig Albert takes us to a place where real people have courage, respect their neighbors, and dream of doing their best, even when they’re not sure what that is. She reminds us that Christmas is a celebration of friendship, community, and what’s right with the world. There’s nothing puzzling about that.
As can be seen, there is a lot going on here. This is a fun read and I think that readers will enjoy spending time with these characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Persevero Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
When Ruth Handler walks into the boardroom of the toy company she co-founded and pitches her idea for a doll unlike any other, she knows what she’s setting in motion. It might just take the world a moment to catch up. In 1956, the only dolls on the market for little girls let them pretend to be mothers. Ruth’s vision for a doll shaped like a grown woman and outfitted in an enviable wardrobe will let them dream they can be anything.
As Ruth assembles her team of creative rebels—head engineer Jack Ryan who hides his deepest secrets behind his genius and designers Charlotte Johnson and Stevie Klein, whose hopes and dreams rest on the success of Barbie’s fashion—she knows they’re working against a ticking clock to get this wild idea off the ground.
In the decades to come—through soaring heights and devastating personal lows, public scandals and private tensions— each of them will have to decide how tightly to hold on to their creation. Because Barbie has never been just a doll—she’s a legacy.
About the author:
Renée Rosen is the USA Today bestselling author of Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, The Social Graces, Park Avenue Summer, Windy City Blues, White Collar Girl, What the Lady Wants, and Dollface. Renée lives in Chicago.
My review:
#LetsCallHerBarbie #NetGalley
Barbie…just the name is enough to form the picture of this her in the reader’s mind. She is a doll that has both been embraced and vilified, perhaps even both at the same time for some. Now, she is so much a part of popular culture, it is difficult to remember that once there was no Barbie.
Author Renee Rosen has written a detailed, intriguing and complex story about Barbie and her creators. She has brought the historical people to life, especially Ruth and Jack (more below), Elliot and Charlotte, to name a few. She also has created fictional characters including Stevie who interacts with all of the historical figures.
I learned so much about the toy industry, how toys go from plans to reality and how this applied specifically to Barbie, in these pages. Ruth had a vision and it took her and engineer Jack much work and many years before Barbie was brought to the market. It is intriguing that Ruth saw Barbie as a source of freedom for girls. She wanted them to have a doll that offered more to them than imagining becoming a mother and wife.
It was intriguing to think of the real fashion designers who made the clothes and why Barbie has her dimensions. It was fascinating to find out how many tries it took to get Barbie just right.
Both Ruth and Jack were quite complex individuals. Readers learn that Ruth’s mother did not want to raise her. They find why work was so critical for Ruth and the ways in which this impacted her children and husband. Jack, also was complicated. Readers learn that he had some mental health issues with which to struggle.
Over the course of the novel, readers learn about both the triumphs and lows of these characters so that is there is no fairy tale. All of this is part of the characters’ life stories.
In her afterword, Rosen notes that she had wanted to write this novel before the Barbie movie was released. The movie will undoubtedly bring readers to this novel but, in my opinion, this excellent book stands very well on its own.
Highly recommended to readers of historical and women’s fiction. Of course, those who are already interested in Barbie will flock to this but, even if a reader is not a Barbie aficionado, there is much in these pages.
I was so delighted to be asked to read and review this title. Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 21 January 2024
Editorial Reviews
Review
“What a fresh and fun take on Barbie lore! Let’s Call Her Barbie pulls off a feat: while digging deep into the history behind America’s favorite doll, it’s also a clever and satisfying exploration of creativity, feminism, and what it truly means to make art. And although the movie and the book are unrelated in this case, and the movie was fantastic… you know what they always say about the book being better.” —Shelby Van Pelt, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures
“Think you know Barbie? Think again, in this delightful, fast-paced, compassionate, and well-researched story, Renee Rosen skillfully takes everything you think you know and turns it on its head, telling us the real story of the feisty, strong, original woman who created America’s most loved and most hated doll. Choose this one for your book club if you want the conversation to flow. I promise you everyone will want to talk about this excellent and fascinating book.” —Elizabeth Letts, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Ride of Her Life
“The story of how Barbie came to be is as iconic as the doll herself. Renee Rosen’s research and deft writing bring Barbie – and those who brought her into the world – to vivid pink life and make Let’s Call Her Barbie a riveting read for anyone who loves historical fiction, strong women (real and otherwise), Barbie the doll, Barbie the movie, or stories about the American dream. As an avid lover and collector of Barbies – at a time when society often looked as harshly at me as it once did the doll – this story spoke to my heart and spirit and made me love my beloved Barbies even more. The first must-read of 2025! It’s DOLL-ing!” —Viola Shipman, USA Today bestselling author of The Page Turner
“Bold. Tenacious. Resolute. Renee Rosen’s Let’s Call Her Barbie vividly brings to life the incredible journey of Ruth Handler, the woman behind the iconic doll. Through impeccable research and masterful storytelling, Rosen captures Handler’s fierce determination and the challenges she faced as a woman breaking barriers in a male-dominated world. Impossible to put down, this is a riveting portrayal of a flawed yet awe-inspiring visionary. I thought I knew Barbie’s story, but Rosen’s unflinching portrayal of the doll’s meteoric rise, and the players behind it, proves there’s much more to this tale. An absolute must-read.” —Karma Brown, #1 international bestselling author of What Wild Women Do
“Renée Rosen’s novel about the creators of the Barbie doll is inspired and brilliant. This is a tale of driven personalities who won’t take no for an answer, of the obstacles that faced women in business in the mid-20th century, and of the complex relationships between creatives working in a team. As a former Barbie girl myself, I was riveted!” —Gill Paul, international bestselling author of Scandalous Women
“Rosen vividly portrays her characters and deftly balances covering both the highs and lows of their personal lives and the professional challenges that arise along the way, from designing the first Dreamhouse to responding to criticism…With cultural interest in Barbie still sky high, this novel is a great choice for historical fiction readers interested in strong, complex women, both in and out of the toy aisle.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“A fictional retelling of Barbie’s origin story, from Ruth’s first brainstorm until she leaves Mattel in the 1970s, Rosen’s novel is infused with pathos and wit.” —Kirkus
Ink and Shadows is the fourth entry in Ellery Adams’s Secret, Book, and Scone Society series. I have enjoyed all of the books and recommend them. They are, perhaps, best read in order although the author gives enough back story for a new reader to quickly catch up.
Two things that I love about the series:
The main characters. Each of them has struggled in life and moved forward. Each has a particular love or talent that is given its due in the books. My favorite is Nora. She owns the bookstore of my fantasies; there are amazing themed displays, a full array of titles, good coffee and knowledgeable staff. There are nooks to sit in and children’s story hours. Plus, Nora is a bibliotherapist. This means that the novel is filled with good reading suggestions. Nora has her past struggles and guilts; she has a new relationship which is in trouble in this title.
Nora’s friends are all women with their own stories and talents. They include a baker, a woman skilled in massage and comfort and two other close friends. Each has a gift for friendship.
The setting. The small town is lovingly portrayed. It is cozy with farmer’s markets, festivals, artisan shops, good foods and the outdoors close by.
There are murders sullying the town. Both a daughter and her mother are dead. Is the cause their interest in a grimoire or is there another reason? Are their deaths tied to the commune that they lived on prior to coming to Miracle Springs?
The author takes on some social issues as well. There is a group of women who believe in censorship and want Nora’s Halloween store windows taken down. There are also comments on CBD.
Readers who want a slightly less than cozy, cozy take a look at this series. I am already looking forward to the next book!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
When I think about what makes me engage with a book, the answer is generally the characters. Setting, plot and other elements of novels are also important but what I most seek is to spend time with the people and to care about them. Sarah Morgan gave me exactly what i wanted in The Summer Swap, a book that I recommend for an engaging spring/summer read.
Who is in the novel? Here are some of the people.
Cameron is an artist who is no longer alive but whose reputation and reach continue following his death.
Cecilia generally became known as Cameron’s wife but she was/is her own person. It was not always easy to be subsumed by her husband and their marriage was complicated. She is now trying to figure out what she wants (as are all the characters).
Kristen and Winston are Cameron and Cecilia’s middle aged children. Kristen is rather controlling, married to a surgeon and flirting with a possible dalliance as the book opens. Winston has a more laidback personality than the tense Kristen. Both Winston and Kristen have young adult children who also feature in the story.
Lily has had the hopes of her family placed on her shoulders. It is difficult when she realizes that she needs to find her own path in life, not do only what is expected. She has connections with Kristen’s daughter and has been in love with Winston’s son.
Watch out too for the journalist who flirts with Kristen. He may have ulterion motives.
As the story opens, readers learn that Lily is finding her way on the Cape. The Cape is also a place to which Cecilia travels when she escapes from the family party she did not want to attend. It is a place with some painful memories. Readers can expect that Lily and Cecilia will meet.
What happens to each of these characters makes up the essence of this very readable story. I enjoyed it so much and now will keep an eye out for a new book by this author. (I also liked her last novel The Book Club a great deal.)
Those who enjoy women’s fiction will, I am certain want to read The Summer Swap. Mark the calendar for its release date.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
Robyn Carr wrote her first Virgin River novel back in 2007. Many books followed before Ms. Carr moved to other series including Thunder Point and Sullivan’s Crossings. Perhaps the author was inspired to return to Virgin Riven because of the TV series that is now on Netflix. Whatever the motivation, long term readers of the Virgin River novels will undoubtedly be happy to return. They know that they can count on good people, a nice community and a love story.
This novel is about Kaylee and Landry. Kaylee is an author of suspense novels who is experiencing writer’s block following the death of her mother. Through family friends, she chooses to travel to Virgin River in the hope that she will finish her novel. No spoiler to say that she does and even that she moves into a new genre, that she falls in love and that some unexpected things happen to her. That is the Virgin River formula.
Kaylee’s romantic foil is Landry, an artist and dog trainer. He helps Kaylee to overcome her fear of dogs and to move forward even as she recognizes that she will always miss her mom.
The relationship that Kaylee had with her mom is lovingly described and maybe even idealized a bit. I suspect that many readers will wish for the same closeness, acceptance and encouragement that Kaylee’s mom gave her.
There are other characters in Kaylee’s orbit but readers will perhaps most enjoy that the names of all the characters from the earlier novels are called out here. While many make an appearance, it is Jack and Mel who are most featured.
As an extra treat, the story is seasonal. Readers will enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas in this most perfect of towns. I especially enjoyed the description of the tree lighting.
This is a sweet novel. I don’t know if Robyn Carr will write about Virgin River again. Regardless, this novel is a gift to her fans.
An additional bonus in the novel is a section describing the making of the TV series and Ms. Carr’s visit to the set. There is also a long excerpt from one of her other novels.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.
I was first drawn to this title by its cover. Key elements of the story are here including the city of Paris, a young woman and some diamonds. I was curious as to how everything would unfold.
This book establishes its espionage theme from the beginning. There is a literal bang early on when Mia shoots someone. How did she get to this moment? The novel goes back and shows readers in this Cold War set story.
Mia was working in a bakery in New York and coping with the loss of her father. Her life was pretty quiet. One day, a man named Theo, engaged her in conversation. Theo invited Mia to come to Paris where she would train to be a model at the House of Rousseau. Mia who idolized Jackie Kennedy, and knew of her time in Paris, was intrigued. She did not hesitate for long before finding herself flying to France.
Mia interacts with many people in the pages that follow. She has two roommates, a woman in her building who is “of a certain age,” the woman who tutored and mentored her when she arrived and, a CIA agent, among others.
How did Mia’s life get so out of control? Why has she been recruited? Will she survive? Will Mia find happiness? Read this one to find out.
Recommended to those who like historical fiction from the not so distant past, those who are intrigued by the Cold War, and those who love Paris and fashion. I enjoyed this one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Landmark for this title. All opinions are my own.
366 Days of Wisdom for Happiness, Inner Freedom, and Mindful Living
#TheDailyBuddhist #NetGalley
This book rewards the careful reader who is willing to reflect on each day’s entry. There are reminders of important values that a person might sometimes forget. For example, readers are asked to consider what is ephemeral in life (for example possessions) and are encouraged to think to what truly matters.
With an entry for every day of the year, there is much to contemplate. There are sections in this book with the referenced topics including Life and Death; Looking Inward, Extending Outward, and Practice. Readers who spend time with the introduction, sections at the end of the book, and the messages for each day will feel that they have been offered much wisdom.
Recommended for those who are interested in Buddhism and those who want to try to live a responsible and satisfying life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow-Harvest for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 27 May 2025
READERS NOTE: I WILL REMIND YOU ABOUT THIS TITLE WHEN IT IS PUBLISHED.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 