#TheMoonstoneSister #NetGalley

464 pages

Historical fiction-Women’s fiction

Five stars *****

Pub date: 14 January 2027

My thoughts:

The Sea Stone Sisters was a five star book for me and I do not have an overabundance of those. So, when I was invited to read this second in the series (I think that there will be four in all), I was so excited that I wanted to pinch myself. I couldn’t decide whether to read this right away or save it for when I needed a good read during a stressful time. However, there was no way that I could wait until January so I have now read this and will have to wait for the third.

The background in brief is that very long ago, four sisters met a terrible fate. Stones in their memory that were meant to stand were instead knocked down by a selfish owner of a beautiful home (they obstructed his view). In the more recent past, the four sisters who were living there have been dispersed to different places and fates.

The first book in this dual time line series told the story of the oldest sister. With background in places including Scotland, Ceylon and Australia, it made for absorbing reading. Readers also met Roz and learned about how the two women’s history intersected. Those who read the first book will find references to Iris and Roz in this title. They will have that nice feeling of being insiders to a story. A lawyer from that first book also features here.

This time, the story focuses on Lily (in the more distant plot). Like all of the sisters, she has a ring that she inherited from her mother. The ring has some interesting properties. Watch for it.

Lily and Daisy thought that they would always be together, even as Iris and another sister have gone their separate ways. However, this is not to be. Lily finds that she is being sent to the South of France to live with a relative that she did not even know existed. She has both her struggles and joys over the course of the book from this point.

Background for Lily’s story includes her love of photography. This leads her to contact with a well-known photographer and some of the famous writers and artists who were in the area. There are also two men who will be important to Lily.

In the present, readers meet Clara. She has her own romance issues as readers learn. A researcher, she becomes involved in trying to learn more about photographer, LB, whom Clara suspects is Lily.

As in the first book, histories intersect. Readers will hope for some happy endings and will then eagerly await the next book.

I definitely rate this one five stars although I liked the first book just the teenisest bit more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Headline for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Post first published on 12 August 2026.

Description

from the publisher

Wear the ring, take it with you wherever you go. It is your link to Skara and to your sisters and it will keep you strong.’

1931. When Lily Blackmore and her sisters are forced to leave their beautiful Scottish home of Skara, she hopes to at least remain with her younger sister Daisy, but instead finds herself on the Blue Train headed for life on the French Riviera, and an aunt she’s never met.
As she attempts to find her feet in this completely new world, Lily is faced with both the beauty and ugliness of life in Cannes. And, as a shadow starts to fall over Europe, she must learn to forge her own way forward.

Present day. Newly engaged and working on a job she loves, Clara Gibson had thought that everything was falling into place. But when her grandmother dies, and she is faced with an unthinkable betrayal, Clara finds herself desperately trying to escape her life.
When the newly discovered secrets of her grandmother’s life emerge, and demonstrate odd parallels to the mysterious 1932 photographer that haunts Clara’s research, she starts to uncover a long-forgotten story . . .

Four lost sisters. An epic journey home. Will you follow?

From the (American) Publisher

I have read so much historical fiction that takes place during WWII and its aftermath. This makes it easy to think that I could skip reading a new book set in that time period and you may think that as well but DON’T.  Paris Never Leaves You is an extraordinary novel.

From its visceral opening scene in which collaborators are shamed and attacked on a Paris street, and right on through the novel, this is an immersive, engaging and intriguing book. Within its pages readers will spend time with Charlotte and Vivi, a mother-daughter who survived the war and came to New York. The book is told in seamlessly interwoven timelines; there is one in which Charlotte works in a New York publishing house and Vivi is a fourteen year old school girl and a second that takes place during the war in Europe.

The characters in the novel are each brought to life from Horace, in a wheelchair, to Julian to so many more. The settings are also evocative. Readers will feel what it was like to scrounge for food and to reconsider moral stands in the Paris of the war. Book lovers will also enjoy the inside view of the world of publishing in the U.S.  that Ms. Feldman provides.

Early in the book, Charlotte is at a makeup counter where she is told that a certain product “will erase your past.” But, of course, the past cannot be erased. Should it be? Another provocative quote is when Charlotte says that she was not Jewish until Hitler made her so. What does this mean to her? How do we form identities? These are just some of the issues to ponder.

I give this book a solid five stars and highly recommend it. Readers will be drawn in and the novel will resonate with them even after they have read the last lines.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

AND WATCH FOR ELLEN FELDMAN’S NOVEL

I am currently reading an ARC of this title and will be reviewing it soon. It is excellent.

#TheInklingsDetectiveAgency #NetGalley

Anyone who has stepped into Narnia, or traveled with a Hobbit, or read stories by the wonderful Agatha Christie and/or Dorothy Sayers, will, I think, be intrigued by this book’s cast of characters. They are most impressive.

The locations and settings in this historical mystery were also well done. I enjoyed being in the clubs, the pubs, Lewis’s home and more. It was easy to imagine each of these places.

The mystery itself is fine. It is just not what most made me want to read this one. That said, I have hopes that this will be the start of a series.

Also, the cover is gorgeous. I wanted to read this one as soon as I saw it.

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

Pub date: 05 May 2026

Post first published on 24 December 2025

Description:

from the publisher

J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Agatha Christie, and other literary legends join forces to unravel a deadly conspiracy in this gripping mystery that sweeps from the halls of Oxford to the streets of London and the shores of Loch Ness.

In the streets of 1936 Oxford, dark forces are at play and members of a secret society keep turning up dead. After being called upon to help solve these murders, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and their fellow literary enthusiasts known around town as the Inklings trade their pens for magnifying glasses to catch this evasive killer. With time running out, they get a helping hand from mystery writers Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers to help unravel a sinister web of secrets. Can they crack the case before the murderer strikes again?

Packed with historical intrigue, mystery, and a cast of literary giants, this novel is a masterful blend of high-stakes drama. Dive into a world where the creators of fantasy and mystery confront a real-life menace in a race against time.

Pub date: 11 August 2026

Four stars ****

718 pages

My thoughts:

Those who enjoy romance fiction will swoon when they sit down with this free copy of Buzz Books Romance.

There are generous excerpts from twenty-four novels in these pages. I don’t read enough romance to recognize many of the authors but I may well be adding to my reading list after browsing here.

See the covers, read the summary, try the book. It is so easy.

I like that for each title there is a “heat scale.” This ranges from one, which is just a bit of touch (like handholding), to five which is where it becomes quite steamy. The scale allows the reader to choose books with which they are comfortable. In addition, a category is given for each book such as Enemies to Lovers, Dark Romance, Forced Proximity, to name a few.

Pick this one up if you want to explore this genre.

Many thanks to Buzz Books, Publishers Marketplace and NetGalley for this title. All thoughts are my own.

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

For some reason, during the corona virus pandemic, I have been spending a lot of time in virtual Italy reading mysteries that are set there. My guides, until I read this novel, were Donna Leon and her Inspector Brunetti, and Andrea Camilleri and his Detective, Montalbano. Their novels feature an engaging protagonist, beautiful locations and, VERY IMPORTANT, delicious food.
So, I was curious about this book set in Tuscany and happy to receive an ARC. I was not disappointed. This novel, the start of a new series, and its detective, fit right into the sub genre of Italian police stories.
The protagonist of Murder in Chianti is widower and former New York City police detective, Nico. He has moved to Chianti following the death of his wife, Rita. Rita has a cousin in Chianti who owns a restaurant, one source of the delicious sounding food in the novel. Food wise, I would give a lot to get breakfast where Nico does each day. I also would like to sample some of the alcohol mentioned in the book, especially the red wines.
Around Nico are the police officers who want his help in solving a case, Perillo and Daniele. The murder of the story has ties with the past. The victim left Italy a number of years ago and became a successful vintner in California. Why did he return to Italy? How does this visit lead to his death? Who will be hurt as the case is solved?
This was a very readable book and one that I enjoyed. I recommend adding it to your TBR list.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an hoenst review. I look forward to the next novel in this seris.

#MurderinChianti #NetGalley

This was the first book that I read by Ellery Adams and I truly enjoyed it. The protagonist, Nora, is a bookseller who believes that there is a book that is just right for each customer’s particular emotional state; the notion that one could get meaningful suggestions from a bookseller was lovely in this day of internet sales. I enjoyed the many literary references and the back stories of the protagonists. There are also hints of romance. If you like cozies, I would recommend this book highly.

#TheDentist #NetGalley.

The Dentist is the first book in Sullivan’s series featuring Detective George Cross. He is an interesting character who sees the world through the prism of his autism. Sullivan does an excellent job of bringing the reader into George’s perspective and way of working. Readers also get a sense of how challenging autism can be.

In addition to George, I enjoyed spending time with the other members of the squad. They give the book that police procedural quality.

In these pages are murder, suspects and a possible link to an old crime. Will George’s methodical persistence help him to solve the case? (Yes, as this is the first in a series and I think readers will want to pick up some of the others after finishing this one). The fun is in watching what unfurls.

I very much enjoyed this title. Each of the following books also has a profession in the title. Watch out for who the dentist is here and who the others are in the rest of the series. For example, there are the teacher, the politician and the tailor to name a few.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic Atlantic Crime for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 21 October 2025

Post first published on 22 April 2026

About the book:

from the publisher

The first book in Tim Sullivan’s bestselling series starring the brilliant Detective Sergeant George Cross, with over 1,000,000 copies sold, now published for the first time in the US

George Cross is on the autism spectrum. He struggles with simple daily interactions but his single-mindedness, attention to detail and fierce persistence make him the most successful detective in the Bristol station with a 97% conviction rate.

When the body of an elderly homeless man is discovered on the edge of Clifton Downs, George insists on scrutinizing the smallest details, even after his fellow officers dismiss the murder as an act of random violence. As he delves into the dead man’s past, he discovers a connection to a case that has been cold for fifteen years. The same tragedy that led to the victim’s homelessness may have also led to his death. Despite skepticism from his colleagues, including his partner Josie who as usual is both exasperated by and protective of George, he is determined to solve both cases – and finally arrest the murderer who has roamed free.

A “perfect detective for our time and for all time” (Stephen Fry), George Cross has been embraced by authors, booksellers, reviewers, and readers across the UK. The Dentist marks the launch of Tim Sullivan’s brilliant series in the US, where it is certain to find a wide audience.

About the Author:

Tim Sullivan is an acclaimed screenwriter, whose credits include A Handful of Dust, starring Kristen Scott Thomas, Where Angels Fear to Tread, starring Helen Mirren and Helena Bonham Carter, Jack and Sarah (which he also directed) starring Richard E Grant, Judi Dench and Ian McKellen and Letters to Juliet, with Amanda Seyfried. He is also a Television director whose credits include Sherlock Holmes and Cold Feet. He has written extensively in Hollywood in both live action and animation, working with Ron Howard, Scott Rudin and with Jeffrey Katzenberg on the fourth Shrek movie. He has now embarked on a series of crime novels featuring the autistic, and brilliantly persistent DS George Cross. The Dentist is the first in the series. Tim lives in North London with his wife Rachel, the Emmy award-winning producer of The Barefoot Contessa and Pioneer Woman.

Editorial Reviews:

Praise for The Dentist:

One of Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2025

One of Kirkus Reviews Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2025

“Sullivan has created a wholly three-dimensional protagonist, equal parts charming and maddening”—Library Journal (starred review)

“Excellent… Sullivan strikes gold his first time out, injecting investigative scenes with a cinematic flair and firmly establishing Cross as a quirky, lovable lead.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Crime-fiction fans will keep guessing until the very end and thoroughly enjoy Sullivan’s complex plotline and mosaic of characters that propel the story to its thrilling conclusion”— Booklist (starred review)

“A satisfyingly complex police procedural”—Washington Post

“You’ll crave more George Cross once you’ve finished this meticulously wrought police procedural”—Air Mail

“A multifaceted murder puzzle anchored by a compelling pair of sleuths”—Kirkus Reviews

#FromCradletoGrave #NetGalley

About the Book

Lady Georgiana “Georgie” Rannoch is just like any other new mother, balancing responsibilities of being 34th in line for the British throne and solving the shocking deaths of several young men, in this new Royal Spyness novel from the queen of historical mystery, Rhys Bowen.

Georgie may be figuring out what it means to be a new mother but she does know one thing for sure: she absolutely despises the strict nanny who was foisted upon her by her meddlesome sister-in-law. In search of a new nanny, Georgie travels to London to see her old friend ZouZou  only to find her about to depart for a funeral, after the unexpected death of a young man in her social circle. It quickly becomes clear there’s more than one mysterious death around town, when another friend reveals he’s also just returned from the funeral of a school friend, who seemingly died in a boating accident. But when word arrives that the son of family friend has also died tragically and unexpectedly, Georgie is certain it can’t be a coincidence. Yet the victims don’t seem to have any connection to one another.

     ZouZou shares Georgie’s suspicions that the deaths were not an accident and begs Georgie to solve the case. As Georgie delves deeper, she can’t help worrying that her own husband, Darcy, may be next. It seems likely there is a serial killer at work and Darcy fits the bill to be their next victim. Will Georgie solve the murders before it’s too late for Darcy, and manage to find the perfect nanny all at the same time?

About the Author

Rhys Bowen, a New York Times bestselling author, has been nominated for every major award in mystery writing, including the Edgar®, and has won many, including both the Agatha and Anthony awards. She is also the author of the Molly Murphy Mysteries, set in turn-of-the-century New York, and the Constable Evans Mysteries, set in Wales, as well as two international bestselling stand-alone novels. She was born in England and now divides her time between Northern California and Arizona.

How it starts:

From the publisher

Chapter 1

Saturday, February 20, 1937

Eynsleigh Manor, Sussex, England

Dear Diary: It’s been a strange start to this year, watching my cousin David, the former king, sneak away from England to join Mrs. Simpson in France, having renounced his throne for her. I do hope he realizes what he’s given up. I really hope he is happy. I don’t think she will be. This isn’t what she wanted at all. She had set her sights on being queen. How silly. Anyway we have a new king and queen on the throne and I think they’ll do jolly well. They are a really decent couple, and their daughters are dear little girls. I’m really fond of them.

I’ve been lax with keeping up with this diary this year as not too much has happened in my life that is worth writing about. I’ve been at home taking care of my baby son, watching him grow and enjoying his every new move. Darcy has been going up to London to work or seeing to the running of the farm. Sir Hubert is away again. Granddad is back in Essex. All is quiet and peaceful.

10:30 a.m. I should never have written this!

This story began when I looked out of the blue bedroom window at the front of the house on a brisk morning to see an ancient taxicab coming up the driveway. As I watched, it disgorged a tall elderly woman. She looked around with an expression so haughty and disapproving that I concluded she had to be at least a Russian grand duchess, maybe sent to us by my friend Zou Zou, who was more formally known as the Princess Zamanska. I hastily patted my hair into place and smoothed down my skirt, and hurried down the stairs to greet her myself.

I opened the front door just as she was about to knock.

“Hello,” I said.

The expression became even more disapproving. “Are all the servants in this house allowed to be so familiar with arriving guests and to be dressed in such an inappropriate manner?” she asked in a voice that could cut glass. “I wish to speak to Lady Georgiana. Please go and inform her that I have arrived.”

I noticed that she was wearing a gray cape over a gray skirt with a gray pillbox hat on her head, matching her gray hair and gray face. Only the eyes were a darker shade of steel. Golly, I thought. Was I supposed to know she was coming? Had Darcy or one of the servants forgotten to pass along a message that a person of considerable importance was about to land on my doorstep?

“I am Lady Georgiana,” I said. “Please do come in.”

At this she raised an eyebrow. “Your sister-in-law, her grace, the duchess, told me that this was a lax household, but I had no idea that the lady of the house had to open her own front door.”

“I just happened to see the cab draw up from the upstairs window, so I came down to greet you,” I said. “So you know Fig, do you?”

“Her grace, Hilda, Duchess of Rannoch? Yes. I am familiar with her. A wonderful woman. Salt of the earth.”

Anyone who could describe Fig as a wonderful woman was immediately suspect in my view. “And may one know your name?”

The eyebrow arched again. “You mean you were not expecting me? Your sister-in-law, her grace, the duchess, told me she was going to write to you announcing my arrival. Clearly the post office is not what it was, or maybe storms in Scotland have stranded the postal van again. I am your new nanny. Nanny Hardbottle.”

I think my jaw dropped open and somehow I was unable to close it.

She was frowning at me now.

“But there must be some mistake. I didn’t request, I mean, I had not hired . . .”

“Precisely,” she said. “Her grace told me that you had been without a proper nanny since the birth of the child and it was about time you had one. So she took it upon herself to save you the trouble, and as luck would have it, she learned that the last of the Aubrey-Fulton sons has just gone off to a military academy and that I would now be free.”

I still couldn’t make my mouth work to say anything.

My thoughts:

Kudos to Rhys Bowen for her ability to keep the series fresh and entertaining. It is hard to believe that this is the 19th book to feature Georgie and those around her.

This time what I enjoyed most was simply spending time with the characters. It was very entertaining to follow Georgie as she interacted with her sister-in-law Fig and with the (awful) nanny that Fig foisted upon her.

Watching Georgie as a mother was sweet. In a time when women were expected to leave their children in the hands of others, Georgie wanted closeness with her son.

Regular characters are all here from Queenie to ZouZou, to Georgie’s husband and others. Old readers will be delighted to see them again and new readers will quickly know who is who.

They mystery centers on the deaths of a number of young heirs who die too soon and often while doing their favorite activities. What is going on? Are the deaths connected? Will Georgie figure things out? (Readers know the answer but will still enjoy watching what happens).

This book (and series) will appeal to those who enjoy lighthearted, historical, British mysteries. Long may Bowen keep writing about these characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this title and to Berkley for the blog tour opportunity. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 18 November 2025

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsJuly 22, 2019

This is a wonderful historical novel based upon the Book Women who delivered library materials to those in the out of the way sections of Kentucky.  The book women were part of a program started by President Roosevelt under the WPA.

There are many book women in Troublesome Creek, Kentucky but the protagonist of the novel is the unforgettable Cussy.  Cussy speaks in dialect which helps the reader to fully enter into her world.  Cussy faces special challenges because she is the last of the ‘blues.’  There really were blue-skinned people in America as a supplement at the back of the novel attests.  They were objects of curiosity and also of prejudice, just as was the case for the African American population.

Cussy wants to be independent both before and after her disastrous short term marriage.  And yet, what will happen with patron Jackson who is one of the few to call Cussy by name, rather than the derogatory Bluet?

Cussy’s love of books flows through the novel.  There are references to books that were popular at the time, including those by Steinbeck and Rex Stout.  Cussy’s inventiveness in making books and delivering what her patrons need is impressive.

The landscape of rural Kentucky, the small towns, the mines, the mountains are all well described.  Each patron that Cussy visits has a back story and readers will even come to learn more about the mule who transports her.

If you are a reader who enjoys historical fiction set in the U.S., consider this one.  Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Sourcebooks, for this book in exchange for an honest review.