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

An e book bargain today

#TheFellowshipofPuzzlemakers #NetGalley

Samuel Burr has written a lovely book and one that I very much enjoyed. Here is a story about friendship, community, figuring out one’s life and the ways in which life might puzzle us.

The premise is that Pippa, a superb cruciverbalist, wants to form a group for those who love puzzles in all their guises. This leads to the collection of characters and eccentricities that fill these pages.

When Pippa was well past child bearing age, a child was left on her doorstep. He was in a hatbox (pay attention to this). Pippa took on parenting him as did the other fellowship members (each of which has a special talent). The time comes when Clayton, now grown, goes on a quest to learn more about his origins. Readers and he learn much in the process.

Readers will hope for Clayton’s happiness. They may be surprised by some of the details of the story. For example, Pippa adored Danielle Steel and had all of her novels. Her friend Nancy frequently reread them as well. Will this be significant? What other clues will Clayton find as he tries to solve what might be his biggest puzzle?

Anyone who enjoys a touching story should reach for this one. Those who loved The Wishing Game as much as I did will find much to enjoy here as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Vintage Anchor-Doubleday for this title. All opinions are my own.

I do note that in the beginning it was a bit difficult to keep the characters straight. Readers can trust that it will all come together and don’t need to worry about this.

This title was published in April 2024.

From the publisher:

READERS GUIDE

Teeming with heart, humor, and lovably eccentric characters, The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is a moving, wildly clever, and life-affirming triumph about finding one’s place in the world.

Right up until her death at age ninety-two, life was a fabulous puzzle for crossword doyenne Pippa Allsbrook. The missing piece was Clayton. He’s the infant she found tucked in a hatbox twenty-five years earlier and raised among the brainiest, quirkiest extended family a boy could imagine: the riddlers, jigsaw artists, maze designers, and codebreakers in Pippa’s collective, the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers.

It’s so like Pippa to leave Clayton with one last puzzle: that of his own personal history and the fates that led him to the Fellowship. For Clayton, this is his chance to figure out where in the world he belongs. Clue by clue, he’s also discovering more about Pippa’s past and where his future lies. Like all great puzzles, it won’t be simple. But nothing worth solving ever is. The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is a poignant and exuberant debut novel about finding human connections at the crosswords of life.

The following questions are designed to enrich your book club’s discussion of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers and illuminate its themes of family, secrets, and coming of age—no matter how late that might be.

Questions and Topics for Discussion

1. In Pippa’s Fellowship, she found her people. In what ways does the Fellowship mirror the communal experience and commonalities of your own reading group?
 
2. One of the first challenges for the Fellowship (and for readers) is the cryptogram on page 40. How many of you tried to solve it before reading on? And in what ways does the solution—In the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take—reflect the journeys of the characters?
 
3. On page 5, Pippa describes finding the infant Clayton as “miraculous” and a “solution she’d spent a lifetime searching for.” To what problem in Pippa’s life is his appearance a solution?
 
4. At first, Clayton bristles at the idea of Pippa’s game “from the beyond the grave” (on page 9) Why does Pippa think Clayton still needs to be challenged?
 
5. The motto of Pippa, the cryptic queen, is Veni, Vidi, Solvi—I Came, I Saw, I Solved (on page 23). That certainly sums up the Fellowship, but how does it also apply to life?
 
6. Though brilliantly skilled, Pippa says that in her younger years she always felt invisible. In what ways does establishing the Fellowship finally make her feel seen?
 
7. The puzzles, mazes, and brain games of the Fellowship aren’t just for enjoyment’s sake; they help, as Pippa says on page 31, to make “sense of the world around us.” How is that true of the word games you yourself indulge in for fun?  

8. On the one hand, Clayton is intrigued about following his mother’s clues toward the discovery of his past. That’s understandable. But do you also understand his apprehension?
 
9. Clayton, having been raised among people considerably older than him, dresses, feels, and acts older than he is. In what ways does he still have growing up to do? Other than his biological parenthood, what aspects of life has he yet to learn and discover?
 
10. Operating in a man’s world, Pippa took joy in confounding people’s expectations of her. When was the last time you confounded someone else’s expectations? How did it play out for you?
 
11. One of the reasons for the Fellowship partaking in puzzles is the pleasure of routine. What routines do you have in your life? What are the ones you’re unconscious of? Aware of? And those you can’t imagine living without?
 
12. Why do you think Clayton has difficulty in making human connections? In your own life, even in this reading group, are you eager to make new connections? Or do you tend to wait for someone else to do the connecting?

13. Clue words during Clayton’s quest include adventures, appearance, dared, anger, remorse, and anew. How did they apply to Clayton in his quest?

14. Ultimately, Pippa just wanted Clayton to find a zest for life. Why did she think he’d lost it? How did she help? In what ways did Clayton help himself on his journey of self-discovery?

15. In the end, Pippa wonders if there is one clear path to happiness or, as Earl the mazemaker puts it on page 321, it’s a matter of “moving forwards or backwards, sideways even.” How true is that of Pippa’s and Clayton’s journeys?

16. Before reading the novel, were you already a “gamer”? Or were the cryptograms, word games, crosswords, mazes, and brain teasers something new for you?

Suggested Reading

Other Recommended Novels
Miss Benson’s Beetle, Rachel Joyce
The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman
River Sing Me Home, Eleanor Shearer
A Single Thread, Tracy Chevalier
Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
The Book of Secrets, Elizabeth Joy Arnold
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Nonfiction for Further Reading
Why We Remember, Charan Ranganath, PhD
Attached, Amir Levine, M.D., and Rachel S. F. Heller, M.A.
The Charisma Myth, Olivia Fox Cabane
Who Do You Think You Are?, Michelle Brock
Incognito, David Eagleman

FIVE STARS *****

This absolutely gorgeous, WWI-set, historical fiction title is one to savor and read at a leisurely pace. At 448 pages in length, it is one that requires the reader’s time.

Oxford, England-right before war (WWI) breaks out. Two sisters (twins), Peggy and Maude, live on a narrowboat on a canal. They work at the Oxford University Press putting together the books that will one day be read. The job is tedious but, in compensation, Peggy takes home any books with faults, adding to an already large home library.

Maude has an undiagnosed condition that seems somewhat like what today would be called autism. She requires much supervision from Peggy as the story opens. Maude seems content to live in the moment while Peggy is aware of the academic life in Oxford and deeply wishes that she could be part of it.

Oxford-war has begun. A group of Belgian refugees come to work at the press; each has her own backstory. Much attention is given to Lotte, someone who bonds with Maude. Wounded soldiers also come to town and Peggy begins to read to them.

This is how the novel begins; it slowly entrances the reader who wants to spend time in this community and its wide range of characters. There are those who live on the water, those who work in publishing, Gwen (who has the life that Peggy seems to want), the Belgians and many others. Spending time with all of them is a wonderful experience.

Highly recommended to historical fiction readers. They will want to know how the lives of the characters unfold in friendship, family, work and love.

As an aside, those who are interested in how books were actually made in the days long before a digital world, will learn a great deal here. These details enhanced the reader’s ability to enter the characters’ worlds.

Note that the author has written one previous novel; readers may well want to look for that one as well.

Here is what Library Journal concluded in a starred review:

VERDICT Highly recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction about strong women, like the works of Kate Quinn, Beatriz Williams, and Laura Willig.

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

From the Publisher

A Novel

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

An e book bargain

I started reading this novel soon after Serena Williams retired and when I had tennis on my brain. Carrie is not Serena but there is no doubt that tennis has defined her life. As the story opens, Carrie is at the U.S. Open waiting to see if her long held record for most wins will be shattered. From here the book moves back in time to when she first began playing and goes forward to the time of the book’s title.

I understand the basics of tennis but don’t have the knowledge base to know how accurate the descriptions in the matches played were. I know that they were deeply involving and that I always wondered how Carrie would do.

This novel, however, is not just about Carrie’s tennis but is also about Carrie. She has a rather hard and brittle shell and most although most everything about her has been about tennis, she has things to figure out. Readers get to know the people around her; there are those that she lets in to some degree. The most important one is her father who has shared Carrie’s dream. Another is a player on the male circuit named Bowe and, of course, many of the women players.

Along with a page turning story, this novel offers some food for thought. Are we our accomplishments? Does winning mean everything? How is it to have to deal with being in a constant limelight? What happens when a game that one started to play out of love becomes so dominant? No spoilers for the end of the book. Find out for yourself what happens to Carrie.

I recommend this title to tennis lovers, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s fan base and those who enjoy an involving story.

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

Pub date: 30 August 2022

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The books in Reid’s famous women quartet stand alone. . . . But each of the books centers a vibrant protagonist managing the tensions between her glamorous life in the public eye and the pressures she feels in private . . . with Reid meticulously collecting minute yet meaningful details to help build immersive worlds”—TIME

“Carrie Soto [Is Back] . . . is like other sports novels in which underdogs punch, volley, bat and birdie their way to victory or additional defeat, but it goes beyond this to explore sexism and racism in the tennis world in the 1990s. . . . This novel will grab you. You’ll tear through blow-by-blow descriptions of championship matches on some of the most famous tennis courts in the world. . . .”—The Washington Post

“An epic story about bravery, endurance, but also the power of vulnerability.”—BuzzFeed
 
“Reid . . . draws on the lives of actual tennis pros (think Serena, Sharapova) to build a world of believable rivalries and intrigue infused with the whiplash suspense of a nail-biting tennis match.”—People (Book of the Week)

“Nearly every Taylor Jenkins Reid novel reads like a survey course in some flagrantly glamorous specialty and era. . . . Come for the King Richard–level attention to the art of the game; stay for the more personal soap operas unfolding off the court, and the final score.”—Entertainment Weekly

An e book bargain

#mysterywriter #NetGalley

One thing that I love about Sulari Gentill is that she never seems to rest on her laurels. I very much enjoyed her novels about Rowly Sinclair and his group of friends. These are historical mysteries, set in the 1930s, in a series that began with A Few Right Thinking Men. There are good characters who are good friends and good stories in each of the entries.

Ms. Gentill then began to write some standalone novels and stories set outside of Australia. These include After She Wrote Him, The Woman in the Library, and now, The Mystery Writer. Each has an intriguing and, perhaps quirky, story.

In this new book, Theo (Theodosia) has decided to leave law behind. She wants to be a novelist. When her mentor is killed and her brother becomes a suspect, the scene is set.

A few things to ponder…who was the murderer, where is Theo’s manuscript, and what secret things are happening? Get ready for the unraveling.

It is easy to recommend this one.

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

Pub date: 19 March 2024

I was so delighted to receive an e-galley of this title which sounded magical and enchanting. It did not disappoint.

This is a story that, of course, required suspension of disbelief. I was quite willing. It was intriguing and fascinating to get my first glimpse of this special theater. Imagine seeing a sign advertising The Story of You and realizing that was really meant. Yes, Ellie and Drake are able to purchase ten tickets. Each one will yield a movie about a time in their lives, beginning when they were babies.

While this seems enticing, it also has its challenges. Drake is, initially, less than sold on the idea. What will Drake and Ellie learn? How will this knowledge impact them in their lives and relationships? Those looking for an absorbing read will want to find out.

Kirkus Reviews states: The highlight here is the cinema itself: funny, beautiful, and surreal.

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

Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Weiss’s debut novel pulls back red velvet curtains to reveal an auditorium filled with nostalgia and a thought-provoking analysis of how the past shapes the present. This story seamlessly moves from past to present, dwelling upon the importance of love, grief, personal fears, and genuine acceptance. This tantalizing escape is more than a magical theater; it leads readers to consider the weight of past decisions and long-held secrets.” —Library Journal (starred review)

Weiss, in her debut novel, shows the destructive power of secrets and the healing power of vulnerability and acceptance in relationships. Readers will root for Drake and Ellie in this sweet and charming story of second chances. —Lynnanne Pearson, Booklist

#TheLastDeathoftheYear #NetGalley

Sophie Hannah has developed a reputation as the inheritor of Agatha Christie’s best known character. Christie’s estate gave Hannah the go ahead to write the new stories that feature Poirot and Inspector Catchpool. I think that many have enjoyed these novels. The Last Death of the Year is the sixth of these mysteries.

This time, Poirot and Catchpool are on a Greek Island (better December weather) with a group of characters that have come to live with a man with a vision. With such noble purpose, could something as dastardly as a murder occur? No spoiler…of course.

All who live on the dilapidated Nash Athanasiou’s estate agree to a set of rules, among which the most important is forgiveness for wrongs. The group who come to live here and to (supposedly) abide by this dictum is varied and complex. There are many backstories and interconnections among this group. When murder strikes, will Poirot be able to solve the case? No spoiler…yes, but I think that it will be very difficult for the reader to do so. Kirkus Reviews states:

Fans hoping to beat Poirot to the mind-bogglingly ingenious solution are well-advised to concede the competition in advance.

Those who want more Christie stories, those who like crime fiction set at the holiday period, those who want a clever story and those who want a fictional escape to a warmer climate in winter will want to pick this up.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. That said, it took a moment or two for me to get all of the characters straight in my mind and to decide if I cared enough about them.

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

Pub date: 28 October 2025

From the Publisher

Other Sophie Hannah novels featuring Poirot:

The Killings at Kingfisher Hill

The inimitable: Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night (Sophie Hannah)

This title is an e book bargain

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsMay 15, 2020

Remain Silent is the third book in Susie Steiner’s Manon Bradshaw mystery series.  I very much enjoyed this author’s first two novles in the series and was eager to read this one as well.

Remain Silent is, in some ways, a very tough read.  It is the second book that I have finished recently that has a theme centering on the plight of illegal immigrants.  Ms. Steiner portrays what happens to these characters including Matis, Lukas and  others, with such brutal reality that it was painful to read.  The message is an important one however and something that needs to be considered.

Manon herself can be acerbic, funny and a woman who makes many pithy parenthetical statements.  In this book, Manon is overwhelmed with challenges.  She has a young son, a teenaged son and a partner, Mark, who is in the hospital.   Manon’s lament on how she wishes that she had been treating Mark better will strike a chord with anyone who has faced challenges in a relationship.

Around all of this, of course, there is a mystery.  The murder is that of one of the immigrants and Manon is tasked with solving the case.  Readers who have read the series will welcome back characters on her team including Davy.

SPOILER:

The afterword by the author reveals some of what she, herself, has been experiencing and this, too, has been quite sad and difficult.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in an excellent series in exchange for an honest review.  I hope that Ms. Steiner will continue writing.  She is a talented and clear eyed author.

by Fiona Barton

#TalkingtoStrangers #NetGalley

Talking to Strangers is an absorbing addition to Barton’s earlier books. Once again readers get to spend time with Elise King. She has been through a lot (no spoilers) but is back on the job. She and her partner are on the complex case of Karen Simmons. Was her murder related to her desire to find “the one?” Who murdered her? She had been so full of life and part of a group of singles. Does this connect to her murder?

Kiki (so named by an editor) is a reporter who is following the case. She has been preparing to write articles about on-line dating. Not the easiest way to meet someone as Kiki discovers when she is on a date after a swipe early in the book. She and Elise have a history.

Readers also meet Annie. How, if at all, is a tragedy in her past related to the current case? Readers will definitely want to know.

Readers of thrillers will, I think enjoy this book. I recommend it for the way the story comes to life and for the time I got to spend with the characters. I also liked that the chapters were from the points of view of several of these people. Many chapters are short so it is very easy to keep turning the pages. Remember to pay attention to characters who may not feel like the most significant ones.

Here is what Kirkus says: A compelling demonstration of the sad truth that there’s no neutral way to conduct a murder investigation. Everybody pays.

I say, Watch out!

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

Pub date: 27 August 2024

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Tense and topical” — People

“Barton effortlessly toggles between each woman’s viewpoint, maintaining suspense as she builds to the plot’s devastating resolution.” — Publishers Weekly

What happened with the: Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton

I am thrilled to be on the blog tour for the delightful new book by Freya Sampson who is a favorite author of mine. Many thanks to the team at Berkley for this opportunity.

About NOSY NEIGHBORS

Two neighbors-at-war band together to stop a dangerous criminal in their midst in this enthralling new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Lost Ticket.

Welcome to Shelley House: a historic old apartment building in the quaint English town of Chalcot where 25-year-old Kat Bennett and 77-year-old Dorothy Darling reside. Kat and Dorothy are notorious enemies—Dorothy sees Kat as prickly and unapproachable, a punk with pink hair who prefers to keep to herself; Kat rolls her eyes at Dorothy, a cantankerous senior citizen who can’t seem to mind her own business and spends her days sternly reminding everyone in the building to mind the rules. When Kat and Dorothy receive word that Shelley House will be torn down and replaced by new condos, and that all its residents will be evicted, they’re devastated—but they won’t miss each other, or even their acquaintances in the building.

But then, their friendly neighbor, one who has been a vocal opponent of the demolition, is attacked inside his apartment. Kat and Dorothy begin to notice strange happenings and even break-ins at the apartment complex, and it quickly becomes apparent that trouble is afoot. The odd pair must work together to figure out who is behind the crimes at Shelley House before anyone else gets hurt. In the process, they may even learn to like each other—and to rally a neighborhood to save the home they hold so dear.

Twenty-five-year-old Kat Bennett has never felt at home anywhere, and especially not in crumbling Shelley House. According to her neighbors, she’s prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat is plagued by guilt from her past.  

Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling is Shelley House’s longest resident, and if you believe the other tenants, she’s as cantankerous and vindictive as they come. Except there’s a good reason Dorothy spends her days spying on her neighbors—a closely guarded secret that no else knows and the reason Dorothy barely leaves her beloved home.   

When their building faces demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy become unlikely allies in their quest to save their historic home. But when someone starts to play dirty and viciously targets one of the residents, Dorothy and Kat suspect foul play in their community. After the police close the investigation, it’s up to this improbable pair to bring a criminal to justice.

About the Author

Freya Sampson is the USA Today bestselling author of The Last Chance Library and The Lost Ticket. She studied history at Cambridge University and worked in television as an executive producer, making documentaries on everything from the British royal family to neighbors from hell. She lives in London with her husband, children, and cats.

My thoughts:

Quirky characters, an historic building named for a poet, a greedy landlord, shenanigans, mystery, alliances, backstories, relationships, good plot-what more could a reader want? I highly recommend this engaging novel.

From the Publisher

“Nosy Neighbors is addictive reading. Freya Sampson has a wonderful talent for creating characters that feel vividly true to life, and it really shines here. This warm and moving novel is layered with mystery, emotion, and heart as it explores its powerful themes of guilt and community. I just know readers are going to love it as much as I do.”

—India Holton, author of The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

“Freya Sampson is a master at creating perfectly imperfect characters that burrow into your heart and leave a lasting impression. A brilliant novel full of heart and colorful personalities, you won’t be able to put it down until the very last word.”

—Lyn Liao Butler, Amazon bestselling author of Someone Else’s Life and Red Thread of Fate

Sampson (The Lost Ticket, 2022) once again presents a charming story about intergenerational friendship leading to healing…This heartwarming tale is full of subtle humor and rich characters.”—Booklist

“The tenants are as crafty and charming as the house in this all’s-well-that-ends-well tale.”—Kirkus

NOTE: a new book in this series will be published soon

Four stars****

This book will absolutely delight cozy mystery fans and royal watchers. What a premise it is to have Queen Elizabeth discreetly investigating murder and mayhem. She may well become many readers favorite amateur sleuth.

In this third in the series, the Queen is in Norfolk for the festive December holidays. However, all is not well. A hand has turned up on the beach. The hand sports a specific signet ring which leads the Queen to name the owner of this body part. No, She is not squeamish. What happened? Who was responsible? Will justice be achieved?

The mystery itself is well done although I confess that, at times, I had a bit of trouble keeping all of the characters distinct in my memory. But, that did not pose any major difficulties and I very much enjoyed this book.

The delight of this novel lies in the insider feel that Bennett gives readers into royal life. The house and grounds of Sandringham feel accurately described as do events such as Boxing Day shoots and the exchange of gag gifts.

At Sandringham with the Queen are Anne, Charles, Beatrice, Phillip, Harry and others. No William however as he and Kate are at the Middletons. Every one is made to feel very real with personalities that reflect the sense that readers may already have of them.

As was true in the earlier titles in the series, 6 foot tall, Black, Rozie, the Queen’s APS, make her appearance. She is such a fun character.

I highly recommend this one. Readers who have not read the other books in the series will be fine here but many will want to go back to the first two just for the fun of it.

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

From the Publisher