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

This is the first entry in what, I think, will be a series.  The things that I loved most in this cozy mystery were the setting, the characters and the knitting.  The story takes place in a small Scottish town that, aside from murder, sounds like an idyllic place to live.  The protagonist, Paislee, is surrounded by family and friends.  She runs Cashmere Crush, a friendly shop, for wool and knitting.

As often happens in mysteries, there are two murders.  As an amateur, Paislee annoys the detective but…of course, finds the killer.  I was pretty sure that I knew who this was and I was right.  There is a clue that really points to the perpetrator.

This is a good book if you just want something easy and distracting.  There is Scottish dialect which tries to add authenticity but can also be distracting.

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

Pub Date 30 Jun 2020  

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!

The story of the Little Mermaid is well known but, depending on your source, the story can end in one of two ways. The story as conceived by Andersen does not have the Disney happy ending.
This title provides a full and detailed long version of the tale. What I like best about this version though are the illustrations. They are truly gorgeous! The artist is well known in Europe although this is the first time that I have seen her magical work.
If you want a beautiful version of a classic tale, this book is so worth buying. I loved it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Pub Date 01 Sep 2020

#TheLittleMermaid #NetGalley

What a great concept for a cookbook!  Quick and easy with few ingredients is just what many of us want at times.  I never would have guessed that there could be so many recipes that fit this framework.

The book includes all meals and even has sections on vegetarian and vegan foods and a section on spice blends.  I could name so many of these good looking recipes but will just select enough to show what a good resource this book is.  So…smoky chickpeas and spinach, coconut tofu and vegetable curry over rice, balsamic and honey glazed salmon, pan seared pork chops and parmesan spinach,warm apple foldovers and chocolate chip cookies.

This is a perfect book for a beginning cook (there are many at this moment) or a more experienced cook looking for some new ideas.  I will be using it for sure.

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

From the publisher:

This book includes many reflections and stories from the author on the subject of aging. I very much like how she embraces this time of life and sees it as a time for growth, exploration and consolidation of a lifetime of experience.

The book is divided into four sections; Grief, Reclamation, Vision and Laughter. In the first section the author supports acknowledging the losses both large and small that come with the aging process. In the next section, she encourages readers to reclaim things that one enjoyed at an earlier life stage; for example, maybe  to take up playing the piano or singing in a chorus again. Vision is about using one’s acquired wisdom to fully participate and see life as it unfolds each day. Laughter provides a chance to laugh which is good for us!
If you know someone, including yourself, who would enjoy or benefit from gaining perspective on this life stage, take a look at this title.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#ADelightfulLittleBookOnAging #NetGalley

I adore the old fashioned illustrations that appear throughout this book; I felt nostalgic as I saw Camay soap, Tang and Crisco in the paintings. Amy, the artist, talks in the introduction about her inspiration while Martha, the cook, also adds her take. The book itself is organized with the day in mind, beginning with breakfast and moving through to late night snacks. There are then anytime treats. Yum.

Within this framework, there are intriguingly named recipes. For example, the Morning’s Glories section includes “Ethel’s Overnight Breakfast in Bed (a casserole), and Marge’s Usual Sunrise (a drink) among others. These titles definitely enticed me and kept me browsing through this book.

The recipes are all doable. The presentation is quirky and fun. This title could be a nice addition to a cook’s bookshelf.

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

#AGoodMealisHardtoFind #NetGalley

The Gilded Hour is a very long novel coming in at 742 pages.  If your dream during this crisis is to read an absorbing story that will keep you going for days, this one is worth reading.

The  Gilded Hour is the first of two books with Where the Light Enters also having been published.  By the way, the second book currently only costs $2.99 in e book format.  I bought it at a higher price when it came out.

The two main characters of the series are Anna and Sophie Savard.  Anna and Sophie are both physicians in turn of the century New York.  The city itself is portrayed in all its classes, from the poorest immigrants to the ballrooms.  Anna and Sophie are surrounded by a rich cast of characters, most fictional and a few historical.  Their relationships and work form the focus for the story.

Around this structure, there is something happening in New York.  If what I write next offends you, this will not be the book for you.  Women did not have access to much in the way of contraceptives at this time.  This led some to seek help in terminating pregnancies.  Anna and Sophie see that women are dying from procedures done by someone, but who?.  Who has done this will be a part of both of these novels, though I have only read the first.

I enjoyed The Gilded Hour and plan to read Where the Light Gets In.  Let me know what you think…have you read books by this author?

I read and enjoyed many of the books that this author wrote as S.J. Bolton.  They followed a female detective, Lacey Flint, and were always suspenseful page turners.

The Split is not part of a series but has the author’s trademarks of a well told and suspenseful story.  I especially enjoyed the settings of this book which are the Antarctic  and Cambridge.  Read the novel to find out why the protagonist, Felicity, travels so far and why she feels that she must do this.  Who will be there to help her when the stakes get higher and higher?

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

I was quite excited to receive this ARC because I realized that the author of this mystery was already known to me.  She has been a reporter on my local radio station and I have heard her voice many times.  So, it was fun to think about “hearing” her writer’s voice as well.

This book is a cozy and should be enjoyed by readers who like this genre.  That means nothing too violent and a good story with characters with whom I enjoyed spending time.  These include the protagonist, Ella, who is unconventional, a murder victim and an English lord. The setting is the world of opera and the time period is the very end of the 19th century.  The place is New York City.

Sound appealing?  If yes, give this one a try.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this first in a series (I hope).  All opinions are my own.

I have been reading and enjoying mysteries since I was a young child with my first Nancy Drew books. I still look to mysteries as favorite reads. It’s not always the “whodunnit” but often the characters, settings and joys of following a series that draw me in.
Whenever I read a mystery, I take a look at the page about the author. Sometimes I wish I knew more though about what makes a favorite writer tick. If you feel that way too, this is a fun book to dip into in any order that you like.
This title from the Mystery Writers of America posed a question to authors; they were asked to write about a mystery in their own life, however they defined that. As a result here are writings by Sulari Gentill, Ausma Zahanat Khan, Rhys Bowen, Jacqueline Winspear, Tasha Alexander, and Anne Perry, just to name my own favorites. (Reviews for these authors are on my blog).
What a treat! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
#PrivateInvestigations #NetGalley