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

The best crime fiction of 2025 — a new Robert Crais thriller and more

https://www.thetimes.com/article/a6c1b701-c3bb-4754-89bb-8853ceec05e5?shareToken=48de8ca5971a8c4bc5c712c3b0ca01e6

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/books/review/alafair-burke-crime-fiction-books.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

My earlier review:

I have absolutely adored Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway mystery series and hope that she will continue to write many more book about Ruth, her family, colleagues and friends. Ms. Griffiths has also penned the post-war Max Mephisto series. Now, she has written her first standalone novel. I will start by saying that this atmospheric, character driven story does not disappoint.

Plot: Clare is a teacher at the school where her daughter, Georgia, is a student. Harbinder is a Detective Sergeant whose alma mater is this school. When Clare’s colleagues begin to die, Harbinder is assigned the investigation. The school also has close ties to the author of a very scary story. These threads intertwine to produce a suspenseful, somewhat Gothic tale.

Most interesting to me in the book were the many characters and their interrelationships. There are Clare and her ex-husband, Clare and her daughter, Clare and her colleagues, Clare and Harbinder. Then there are Georgie and her parents, Georgie and her teachers, Georgie and her boyfriend, Georgie and her writing group, etc.

Another feature of the novel is the offering of different points of view. The reader sees events through the eyes of Clare, Georgie and Harbinder.

As in all good mysteries there are some twists. This is a novel that I definitely recommend. My favorite novels by this author are still the Ruth novels but this is worth a read for suspense lovers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read by one of my favorite authors!

#CalmYourRoarLikeaDinosaur #NetGalley

This book teaches the youngest children (think toddlers and pre-schoolers) how to self-regulate. They may not know that is the book’s purpose but they will benefit.

With its appealing bright illustrations and rhyming text, this book may just entice a struggling child. It can be picked up again and again when the need to calm down presents itself.

Note that there is a helpful section for adults at the end of this title. It will enhance their reading of this book with a little one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Magination Press-the American Psychological Society for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 04 February 2025

A Murder Unmentioned is the newest novel in the Rowland Sinclair series that is published by the Poisoned Pen Press, a great source for mystery novels.

The cover reflects the period of the novel. It shows some characters in the book including Rowly’s dog, Lenin and his aircraft Rule Britannia. Rowly and one of his friends are inside. As you read the book, this beautiful illustration, is worth going back to for references from the story.

For those who don’t know, this series takes place prior to WWII when Hitler is in the ascendant and Rowly would like to do all he can to show the world the disaster that is coming. This is always a part of the novels. As has been true in other books in the series, some real life characters make an appearance; in this one thet include politician Bob Menzies and garden designer Edna Walling.

The delight of these novels lies in spending time with Rowly and his friends. There is the unconventional artist Edna, the poet Milton and another artist friend. They have communist leanings and are definitely anti-Fascist.

Other prominent characters are Rowly’s conservative brother, Wil, his wife Kate and their two young sons. Master Ernest is featured in this one as a pivotal character. At only age six, he seems destined to follow in his uncle’s footsteps.

In this novel, the reader learns a lot about Rowly’s early life and his relationship with his sadistic father. You will feel for the young Rowly. This part of the book was not easy reading.

When the novel opens, Rowly’s father has been dead for thirteen years. The murderer was not found and the central mystery of this one is finding who killed him.

This is a good entry in a good series. Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this chance to read the e-galley. The opinions are my own.

This is the first, but will not be the last, book that I read by this author. Her novels are now being published by the wonderful Poisoned Pen Press, a great place to find new authors and series.

#AmurderUnmentioned #NetGalley

My review of an earlier entry in the series:

The Rowland Sinclair mysteries take place in the 30s and Rowly reminds me of that great thirties sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey. He is an artist who is surrounded by his communist leading friends including the lovely Edna, a sculptress. This novel picks up where the prior one ended with the group escaping from Germany at a time when the Nazis were rising and brutal. They come to England where they try to alert the government to upcoming perils and to solve the mystery of an upper class man who is found dead. Subsidiary figures abound including H.G. Wells and Evelyn Waugh.
I truly enjoyed this novel and recommend it to fans of historical mysteries. I look forward to reading more. Thanks for this one, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley.

#MidnightattheChristmasBookshop #NetGalley

Jenny Colgan is a mistress of her craft. She writes the kinds of books that readers hope for, especially when they are feeling stressed. This new book offers so much to enjoy. There is a wonderful Scottish setting, good characters and a bookshop! Of course, there is also romance and the holiday season. What more could possibly be needed?

Make this book a gift to yourself as the nights get longer. It will offer you the perfect escape.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon-Harper Voyager for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 10 October 2023

Jenny Colgan’s many fans will be delighted by her newest, standalone book. They will literally be in the skies as they spend time with pilot Morag. The descriptions of flights and landscape are a lovely part of the novel.

When the book opens, Morag has had a crisis. There was a most unfortunate incident while she was flying. Although Morag puts up a brave front, she is reeling and a bit frightened of returning to her job. One upside though was the potential for romance with Hayden, a man from HR whom she met in her follow up to the incident noted above. Is he the one or will someone else be?

As Morag is struggling so is her grandfather. He is one of a line of pilots in Morag’s family and he needs Morag’s help. As a result, Morag returns to northern Scotland where he has offered a wonderful flying service to the folks of the islands. The story picks up from there with a big event being an unexpected landing and time spent with a scientist on a very small island. Here is the potential someone else as noted above.

Ms. Colgan offers her readers a lovely story as is her habit. Recommended for summer reading lists and those who enjoy romance/women’s fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for this title. All opinions are my own.

FOUR STARS ****

A Kid’s Guide to Accepting Imperfection

by Jacqueline B. Toner, PhD; Claire A. B. Freeland, PhD

This book could be just the right one for an adult to share with a child as the new year begins. Learning how to cope with making mistakes is a life skill that will give back so much to kids. The need to be perfect can really hold a child back.

Spending some time with this book will, I think, be helpful to those worried kids. It may just be helpful to some adults as well.

This book is organized as a workbook. There are cartoon like illustrations that make the chapters feel accessible.

Learning that it is okay to make mistakes and that they can even be important to learning is vitally important. I hope that this book will help some kids to not only accept but embrace the ways in which mistakes can lead to growth rather than shame.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Magination Press-the American Psychological Association for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 7 January 2025

#CaminoGhosts #NetGalley

This latest novel by John Grisham is part of the Camino Island series. Earlier titles included Camino Island and Camino Winds. Bruce Cable , bookshop owner, and novelist Mercer Mann are again involved in the events that unfold in this new book.

This is the story of Lovely Jackson and her ancestors. They lived on an island that, at the time of the novel, is full of deep historical connection and meaning to her. When developers want to take over and claim this land, the stage is set.

Will the island be preserved? Will deep pocketed developers succeed? Is the island haunted? Readers will want to know. I think even more, however, readers will want to follow the story of Lovely and her ancestors.

This is one of the better books to have been written by Grisham in recent years. I recommend it.

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

Pub date: 26 May 2024

In my opinion, Val McDermid is one of the very best authors of mystery/police procedurals/suspense who is writing today. Her stand alone novel, A Place of Execution is extraordinary. She has another great one in The Vanishing Point. Then, of course, there are Ms. McDermid’s many series. The oldest are the Lindsay Gordon and Kate Brannigans and then there are the Tony Hill and Carol Jordans. However, my favorite series is the one featuring Karen Pirie.

Karen Pirie is a DCI who is in charge of historical cases that generally have a connection in the present. She is based in Scotland although in this book she travels afield, including a trip to Paris. Each novel in the series has several story lines that come together. There is a lot going on in this one.

The books are perhaps read in order although that is not strictly necessary. That said, long term readers will feel for Karen as the killer of her significant other Phil is released from prison. How will this change both her life and that of the killer? Followers of the series will also enjoy being updated on Karen’s relationship with Hamish and the work of her sidekick Jason.

There are several plots. There is the presumed murder of a Scottish political figure in the past and the fate of his brother in the present. There is a body found in a camper vab that may belong to the artist girlfriend of a road accident victim. There are clues like OUDS, 12N, art works, the fate of a conceptual artist and more.

In less talented hands, plates could get dropped but Ms. McDermid is in fine command of her craft. My only criticism is that now I will have to wait at least a year to spend time with Karen again.

I highly recommend this one!