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

The cover:

I found the cover of this book to be so inviting that I couldn’t wait to see what was inside.

What it’s about:

Between the two beautiful towns in a stunning mountainous area of Japan rattles the Hankyu Line train. Climb aboard, where THE PASSENGERS ON THE HANKYU LINE takes readers on a journey alongside the unlikeliest but surprisingly relatable group of passengers. Among them is a pair who find themselves in a one-sided rivalry, a melancholy woman dressed in white, a love-smitten student, a toxic couple, two lonely university students, and an old lady traveling with her granddaughter, who insists that they adopt a dog (preferably a dachshund.)

Already a bestseller and beloved classic in Japan, THE PASSENGERS ON THE HANKYU LINE features the authentic and warm storytelling Arikawa is known for and will leave readers feeling that even in the most mundane circumstances, situations, and locations, there is magic in life that’s worth living. 

Perfect for readers of Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida.

The book is by the author of The Travelling Cat Chronicles

My thoughts:

Readers will want to meet the eleven passengers who are traveling on this train. Each has a story and perhaps a decision to make. Will they help one another? Will they help themselves? Find out on two of their commutes.

I have not yet read this title but plan to start it now. I have been saving it to savor.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this title.

From the publisher:

ALSO, if you’d like, we’ve made a fun “find out where the Hankyu Line and its passengers are taking you today!” quiz. Check it out here:  https://x5h4gde8rss.typeform.com/to/uOkif04k

Editorial Review:

From Kirkus Reviews:

A gentle intertwining of small vignettes that evoke smiles in the characters—and the reader.

Pub Date: 03 June 2025

ISBN: 9798217187188

Page Count: 256

Publisher: Berkley

From page-turning thrillers to tales of espionage, find your perfect crime in these mystery novels that will hit shelves soon!
— Read on www.penguinrandomhouse.com/the-read-down/mystery-coming-soon

#ElizabethBarrettBrowning #NetGalley

Whether or not a reader is already aware of EBB’s poetry, here is a book to savor. There are more than 100 poems by her in these pages-a good reminder that she wrote so much more than the very well known “How Do I Love Thee?”

Following the introduction, this title is organized by topics, each of which has its own introduction. These sections include Love; Death and Spirituality; Social Justice; and, Women’s Rights and Feminism. Some of the many poems is followed by a critique for readers who want a deeper understanding of the work.

Here is a book that brings EBB’s poetry to life for readers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Gemini Books Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 17 February 2026

Post first published on 15 January 2026

Description:

A curated collection of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poetry that explores the personal, political and intellectual depth of this pivotal Victorian poet.

From the intense affection of ‘How Do I Love Thee?’ to the powerful social protest in ‘The Cry of the Children’, the lyrical beauty of Barrett Browning’s poetry continues to fascinate modern readers.

In this evocative introduction to Barrett Browning’s work, over 100 poems are organised into thematic sections, allowing the reader to gain a deeper understanding of her perspectives on life, liberty and love.

Perfect for fans of feminist literature and poetry, this collection celebrates the pioneering legacy of Barrett Browning as a talented poet, social reformer and independent woman.

A Novel

by Jamie Brenner

#ANovelSummer #NetGalley

I enjoy stories about women, their friendships and their lives. This is exactly what Jamie Brenner delivers in A Novel Summer.

Readers meet three young women as the story opens in Provincetown on Cape Cod. They include Colleen who has grown up on the Cape. Her parents own a bookstore (and one that I would like to visit). Shelby grew up moving around as her family was a military one. She dreams of being an author. Hunter has grown up in a family (and a wealthy one) that has deep roots in Boson. Despite not having to work, Hunter wants meaning in her life. The three become good friends.

Soon after the book opens, we move forward with these characters. Shelby has written a best seller; a rival bookstore wants to open; Hunter is at loose ends.

What will happen to each of these women? Will they find happiness? Romance? Will their friendship survive? Find out in this read that will speak to those who enjoy women’s fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 16 July 2024

From the Publisher

A Novel

by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

#ChristmaswiththeQueen #NetGalley

Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb have mastered the art of writing together. This book reads seamlessly and I have no absolute idea of where one author’s voice ends and the other begins. This was also true in their earlier collaboration, Meet Me in Monaco, a book that I very much enjoyed. I loved this one too.

Christmas with the Queen was exactly the kind of read that I was looking for, one that would transport me to another time and place. The story opens in 1952 when London was enveloped in a murky fog. Elizabeth was new to the throne. The novel goes on to cover a five year period (with some back history).

The story principally follows two characters, each of whom has an interesting profession and story. Jack is working in the Sandringham kitchens during the festive period. Olive is a trainee reporter with the BBC. When her boss became ill, she travels to Sandringham to write a seasonal story. These two (re) meet and readers follow them over the years.

There is enough detail to bring Sandringham, the Queen, her corgis and the royal experience to life. It is delightful to observe Elizabeth in the novel. There is a charming scene fairly early in the book when Elizabeth strolls into the room where a star struck Olive is sitting. She will reappear.

This is a lovely book. Readers will want the best for these characters.

If a reader wants to get into the Christmas spirit without the frenetic quality of holiday life, come to this book with a cup of tea and relax. I am very glad that I did just that.

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

Pub date: 19 November 2024

From the Publisher

#TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley

The early sixties were a time of nascent change for many, including women. There was restlessness as some felt that being a housewife and mother was not fully satisfying in and of itself. (This may have been true before, of course, but it was at this time that Betty Friedan published a book that spoke to and legitimized these feelings).

In this novel, Marie Bostwick looks at a group of women who are living in a planned, suburban community outside of Washington DC. The group includes Margaret who was a bright, successful college student when she met her husband. Now she is a mother of three. When she gets an opportunity to do a bit more will she take it?

Bitsy married an older man. She loves horses but passed on vet school to marry a vet. Readers will find out why. Bitsy is having trouble with the suburban dream because she hasn’t been able to have a child.

Viv is a mother to many with a husband who seems supportive. But, when she wants more and looks for a job, will she tell Tony?

Then there is artistic, chaotic Charlotte. She challenges Margaret and the others. Will she cross a line too far?

These women meet regularly in a book club with the first book being The Feminine Mystique. Readers follow their lives over the course of this long and satisfying novel that is special to the author (read what she says).

Recommended to those who enjoy (women’s) fiction and would like a look at the 1960s.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 22 April 2025

Historical Fiction-Women’s Fiction

384 pages

From the publisher:

From the Publisher

#PizzaPractice #NetGalley

I think anyone who wants to make pizza and related items in their home kitchen should take a look at this comprehensive and beautifully illustrated title. There is much that will inspire. Even those who do not aspire to making their own pizzas, will enjoy the mouth watering illustrations.

This is a book that pizza makers will, I think, very much enjoy. I like that, before going to recipes, the author sets the cook up for success in the introductory sections. Then, find recipes for so many kinds of pizza (including desserts) as well as focaccia and pita based ones. Seasonal pies, white pies, sauces and so much more are found in these pages.

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

Pub date: 24 March 2026

Post first published on 14 January 2026

Description:

from the publisher

From acclaimed baker Tara Jensen: The definitive primer on baking pizza dough, with brilliant color photos, illustrations, and easy-to-follow recipe layouts.

Pizza dough is a gateway for many home bread bakers, allowing them to experiment with different tools, toppings, ingredients, timings, and shapes. This companion guides you step by step from the simplest doughs to artisanal bakes. Here are 89 recipes any baker can perfect, with simple cook-along layouts and ways to explore different ingredients, techniques, flours, and heat sources for perfecting pizza, pita, and focaccia.

Bright and visually rich, with more than 60 color photographs, this baking book provides expert guidance on how to:

• Set up your baking space with the right ingredients and tools
• Cook over fire or with an outdoor oven, or trick out the oven that came with your apartment to bake an impressive pie
• Learn the perfect ratios of toppings to crust
• Build classics such as Margherita, Clam, and Pepperoni pizzas, as well as a collection of fancifully delicious takes, including Breakfast pizza; Delicata Squash, Shallot, and Gruyere; and a particularly luscious Pancetta and Brown Butter Pineapple pie
• Craft a foolproof focaccia
• Discover all you need to know to make pita with kids
• And much more!

No book on pizza is complete without simple sauces, dips, and drizzles, such as Lemony Roasted Garlic Cream, Hot Honey, and a simple, fresh Uncooked Tomato Sauce. For after your pizza, Jensen offers dessert: homemade ice cream, cobblers, brownies, simple chocolate chip cookies, and a classic yellow birthday cake with chocolate frosting.

The first pizza bible written by a woman and one of the preeminent bread bakers in the US, Pizza Practice offers a new approach and everything you need to bake your best pizzas.

ACCESSIBLE RECIPES FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS: These are baking recipes that meet you where you are, with the equipment in your kitchen. Step-by-step instructions, timelines, and photography for all the phases of the dough-making process, as well as folding, shaping, stretching, and baking, make this pizza cookbook indispensable for all home cooks.

TO YEAST OR NOT TO YEAST: Many baking books are emphatic in their approach to sourdough, resisting the addition of commercial yeast. Jensen’s dough uses both commercial and instant yeast—each alone or in combination—so bakers can experiment and know what makes the dough of their dreams.

EXPERT AUTHOR: Tara Jensen is one of the country’s most acclaimed bread bakers, instructors, and trusted bread baking cookbook authors. Flour Power was named one of the Washington Post’s top 10 cookbooks of 2022. Her breads, pizzas, pies, and pastry have been featured in Bon Appétit and Food & Wine, and she was named one of Southern Living’s chefs of the year in 2021. She runs her first pizzeria, Dough Baby, in Loudon County, Virginia, and posts daily musings on life and baking to her eager followers on Instagram @bakerhands.

From the Publisher:

#MayContainMurder #NetGalley

This title is Murrin’s sophomore effort, following on Knife Skills for Beginners. Both feature an amateur sleuth who is also a chef. This means that there is a lot of delightful information about food and meals in the books.

This time Paul is on a sea cruise. He was invited by a wealthy female friend. She has just married Sir Billy. Will their happiness last? What will become of the very, very expensive necklace that Xera was given by him?

This book is peopled with so many characters. They include the crew of the private yacht and the guests. Not all of them are likeable. And, of course, one of them will be murdered, leaving Paul to figure things out.

I liked many things about this book but did find the plot to require significant suspension of disbelief. Still, I believe that Murrin had great fun while writing his tale. His sense of humor is quite evident. For example, the yacht is named the Maldemer (anyone who has studied French knows that this refers to seasickness!).

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

Pub date: 16 December 2025

Post first published on 11 January2026

Description:

from the publisher

For fans of Nita Prose, Benjamin Stevenson, and Jessa Maxwell, this delightfully witty and tightly-written new locked room culinary mystery from the MasterChef semi-finalist, cookbook writer, and bestselling author of Knife Skills for Beginners features a charming chef, delicious original recipes, and a killer cruise aboard a luxurious superyacht.

“If it weren’t for all the terrible things that have been happening, I’d consider myself the luckiest man alive . . .”

While his flooded house undergoes repairs, chef-turned-writer Paul Delamare has been offered an accommodation upgrade—an all-expenses-paid trip aboard a private superyacht in the company of Xéra, one of his dearest friends. Paul will help Xéra work on her memoirs as Maldemer glides its sumptuous way to the Caribbean. The scenery is stunning, the luxury is unparalleled, and the food…well, at least the dishes that Paul is roped into preparing are delicious. The hired chef, meanwhile, seems completely out of her depth.

She’s not the only one. Much as Paul adores Xéra, a Parisian socialite who he was introduced to by his late lover, Marcus, he has little in common with the other guests, a motley crew consisting of Xéra’s new husband and his grasping family. 

When Xéra’s priceless new necklace goes missing, Paul falls under suspicion. But there’s far worse in store, as one of the passengers is found dead in mysterious and grisly circumstances. The stormy weather matches the threatening mood onboard, and as Maldemer veers off course, every semblance of order goes with it.

Above and below deck there are secrets and dangerous alliances. And as he untangles the truth, it becomes clear that Paul’s sharing close quarters with a killer eager to make this his final voyage . . .

From the Publisher

I read A Darker Domain several years ago and don’t fully remember the plot.  I do remember that I loved this novel, which introduced me to Karen Pirie.   Inspector Pirie solves historical mysteries that often intersect with the present.  After finishing this book, I went on to read every other Karen Pirie novel that I could puts my hands on. These included The Skeleton Room and Out of Bounds, both of which I recommend highly.  I do remember that part of A Darker Domain took place during the Miner’s Strike and I learned a lot about how awful that was.  Val McDermid is truly a talented author of crime fiction!

www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/01/12/books/review/myth-novels-quiz.html