Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea (2022) Rebecca Thorne (Tomes & Tea #1) Reyna and Kianthe have been dating for years, but because Reyna is one of the queen’s private guards, they have to keep things secret. But one night after stopping another assassin, Reyna realizes she has had enough, and is going to take Kianthe […]
It’s Elementary (2024) Elise Bryant (Mavis Miller #1) The principal has disappeared and the head of the PTA was seen wearing latex gloves, paper booties, and lugging black trash bags into her mini-van in the middle of the night. Are these things related? Mavis Miller, the newly volun-told head of the PTA DEI committee thinks […]
Murder Most Actual (2021) Alexis Hall These are desperate times, Miss Blaine. And desperate times call for desperate measures.” “Desperate measures that mostly cause problems for people who aren’t you?” “People who aren’t me,” said the colonel, “aren’t really my concern at the moment.” Marriage was getting to the end of the serial and hearing […]
Brother Cadfael’s Penance (1994) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #20) Set in England in 1145. This is the third time I have read this series through, but the first time I read Brother Cadfael’s Penance, the final book in the series (there is an anthology of short stories I still have to read). I […]
Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper “Hey.” Susanna’s voice was sharp. “You mean a lot to me. Stop thinking whatever you’re thinking.” Lincoln must have been snacking on frosting all day and gone without real, solid food. His eyes were very bright. The words in those books weren’t always meant for him, but they […]
The Holy Thief (1992) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #19) Set in Shropshire, England in 1144 At first glance a lovely innocent, as open as his wide eyes, and with the silken pink and whiteness of a girl, but a more penetrating study revealed that this childlike colouring was imposed upon an oval face […]
The Summer of the Danes (1991) Ellis Peters (The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #18) Set in Wales in 1144 It is a blessed thing, on the whole, to live in slightly dull times, especially after disorder, siege and bitter contention. Have you ever seen the sea?” “No. How could I? Until I joined the bishop’s […]
The Potter’s Field (1989) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #17) Set in Shrewsbury in 1143. “Earth is innocent. Only the use we make of it can mar it.” It takes a very short time for earth to seal over the traces of humankind. …he could have his freedom to go and become a monk, […]
The Heretic’s Apprentice (1989) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #16) Set in Shrewsbury, England in 1143 ‘There is no sin unless through a man’s own will, and hence the reward when we do right things also of our own will.’ Let Elave commit that to memory, and he could quote it in his own […]
The Body in the Garden, Audiobook (2020) Katharine Schellman narrated by Henrietta Meire (Lily Adler Mystery) Set in London in 1815 I enjoyed listening to the story, although the narrator wasn’t as strong as others I’ve recently been listening to. But this is a first book in a series by a first-time author. “Plenty of […]
The Confession of Brother Haluin (1988) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #15) Set in Shrewsbury, England in 1143 A moraine of crumpled, untidy snow hills formed along the frozen drainage channel, and one unwary brother, who had failed to hear or heed the warning shout from above, was briefly buried by a minor avalanche, […]
Legends & Lattes (2022) Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes #1) In the dimming light she surveyed the interior, amidst horse apples of antiquity and the dust of neglect. She didn’t know much about buildings, but it was clear that this one needed an unbelievable amount of work. But at the end of it? Something she […]
A Measure of Menace (2024) Jennifer Ashley (Kat Holloway #7.5) Set in London in 1883. Kat Holloway is once again asked to assist in a mystery–this time by Lady Cynthia’s father, Lord Clifford, who is more than a bit of a cad. Couldn’t you have used that to pay back the moneylender?” Lord Clifford regarded […]
The Rose Rent (1986) Ellis Peters (The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #13) Set in Shrewsbury in 1142 He had been in the cloister since he was three years old, and knew nothing outside it. Unacquainted with sin, he was all the more haunted by it, as by some unknown monster, and assiduous in confession, he […]
The Little Lost Library (2024) Ellery Adams (A Secret, Book, and Scone Society #7) It’s not that the mysteries are bad, because they aren’t. It’s that Nora keeps doing idiotic things. She had her own secrets. And even though she knew the damage keeping secrets could cause, she wasn’t ready to share them just yet. […]
The Raven in the Foregate (1986) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #12) Set in Shrewsbury in 1141 “Domine, ne in furore—O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy displeasure … Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak.” The vast inverted bowl of sky, dark blue almost […]
An Excellent Mystery (1985) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #11) Set in Shrewsbury in 1141 As a brother of the Order I would wish to keep my hands from violence against any, but for all that, I hope I would not turn my back if I saw innocence or helplessness being abused. He looked […]
Somewhere Beyond the Sea (2024) T.J. Klune (Cerulean Chronicles, #2) This book is set after The House in the Cerulean Sea although there is a brief bit in the beginning that shows some of Arthur’s past. Arthur is invited to speak about his past, and his hopes for Marsyas Island and his children, but instead […]
The Pilgrim of Hate (1984) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #10) Set in Shrewsbury in 1141. “Then your only resort is confession and penance,” said Hugh lightly. “Not until Brother Mark is full-fledged a priest!” Young Mark was gone from his mother-house and from his flock at Saint Giles, gone to the household of […]
Dead Man’s Ransom (1984) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #9) Set in Shropshire, England and Wales in 1141 “If none of us ever fell short, or put a foot astray,” said Cadfael sadly, “everything would be good in this great world, but we stumble and fall, every one. We must deal with what we […]
A Scandal in Mayfair (2024) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler #5) Set in London in 1817 After receiving a letter begging “A Lady of Quality” to help her discover if her uncle is stealing her inheritance, Lily is blackmailed by the girl’s beau to seek out the will that supposedly left the inheritance to the uncle […]
The Devil’s Novice (1983) Ellis Peters (The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #8) Set in Shropshire England in 1140 The other two, infant oblates given to God by their parents, are already twelve and ten years old, and are settled and happy among us, it would be ill-done to disturb their tranquillity. But I am not […]
The Virgin in the Ice (1982) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #6) Set in Worcestershire, England in 1139 There had been other women, before her and after. He remembered them with gratitude, and with no guilt at all. He had given and received pleasure and kindness. None had ever complained of him. If that […]
Summers End (2024) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow #5) Vera Vixen has taken on her most dangerous case yet. She’d agreed to chaperone a school group. Specifically, she’d agreed to join the upper class of Shady Hollow High School on their annual field trip. Vera, Lenore, and Arabella board the ferry with the students, teachers, and […]
Corpse at Captain’s Seat (2024) Josh Lanyon (Secrets and Scrabble #8) Finally, the Captain’s Seat is remodeled enough for visitors! Watery light flooded from the overhead windows, moodily illuminating the gleaming patchwork of ship’s timber flooring and old paintings on the white oak panels, and the banisters built to look like the row of cannons […]
The Leper of Saint Giles (1981) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #5) Set in Shropshire England in 1139 “I hope she may be beautiful,” said Mark. “Prior Robert would be interested to hear you say so,” said Cadfael drily. blessedness is what can be snatched out of the passing day, and put away to […]
Saint Peter’s Fair (1981) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael) Set in Shropshire England in 1139 St. Peter’s Fair is a grand, festive event, attracting merchants from across England and beyond. There is a pause in the civil war racking the country in the summer of 1139, and the fair promises to bring some much-needed […]
A Grave Robbery (2024) Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell #9) Set in London in 1889 Lord Rosemoran has purchased an amazing wax figure that may or may not be an Anatomical Venus, and has asked Stoker to see if he can add a clockwork mechanism to simulate breathing. He gestured towards her midsection. “Well, if she […]
Monk’s Hood (1980) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #3) Set in England in 1138 The tide of civil war between King Stephen and the partisans of the Empress Maud had receded into the southwestern borders, leaving Shrewsbury to recover cautiously from having backed the weaker side and paid a bloody price for it. Pope […]
One Corpse Too Many (1979) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #2) Set in England in 1138. This is set with the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud in the forefront of the story. In this early summer of 1138 the fratricidal strife, hitherto somewhat desultory, was already two years old, but never […]
A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael) Set in England in 1137. The herbarium in particular was his kingdom, for he had built it up gradually through the fifteen years of labour, and added to it many exotic plants of his own careful raising, collected in a roving youth that […]
And Nothing But The Truth (2024) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) The body of a man is discovered by a woman out for a run, but he has no identification and he doesn’t match any missing persons reports. This mystery has an unknown man (who is eventually named) and dead wife who doesn’t seem to be […]
Phantom Pond (2023) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow) It’s Mischief Night, and everyone is ready for games and treats and tricks–and everyone knows not to go into the woods, or creeping Juniper, the witch who lives there, will get you. First, I really love this series. She jumped in surprise but then realized it was only […]
Twilight Falls (2023) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow) It’s spring in Shady Hollow, and romance is everywhere. Vera even convinces Orville to take her on a picnic to the famous Twilight Falls. Wooden rails had been erected close to the banks to prevent anyone from straying too close. And for good reason: the flow was swift […]
Evergreen Chase (2021) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow) It’s almost Solstice, but someone has stolen Shady Hollow’s solstice tree–the tallest in the forest! The one that Callum Burrows has been been tending for years. It’s been my privilege to tend this year’s tree. It was selected thirty-six years ago, and it’s become the finest, tallest, and […]
Lock, Stock and Peril (2022) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Thia ia set during the second year of the pandemic. Campbell had never been so fit and healthy as over the past year. They’d walked miles with him, singly or together, and when they’d been able to form a bubble with Adam’s mum, she’d volunteered to […]
Old Sins (2019) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) the real desire they felt for entering into that partnership, the official statement that they were a couple and intended to be until death they did part, kept being destroyed by the stress surrounding making arrangements. The two cars already present were at either end of the tarmacked […]
Lady Ambition’s Dilemma (2024) Jane Steen (Lady Helena Investigates) Set in England in 1883. Lady Helena is approaching the end of her mourning period, following the death of her husband in 1881. Although she still misses Justin, she is ready to return to the world–and her growing feelings for Armand Fortier also need to be […]
Two Feet Under (2018) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Grace had no time for television crime dramas and the way they played fast and loose with crime scenes and forensic matters. Shoddy procedures and the depiction of seemingly limitless budgets; both riled her. “God, that would be awful. They must be twitching each time the phone […]
Mirror Lake (2020) Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow Mystery) Orville Braun has decided to run for sheriff, and Vera’s boss, BW Stone, wants Vera to give the paper the inside scoop. But Vera has ethics and decides to consult the local lawyer for advice. “Ah, but now you have the important phrase on the advice […]
Cold Clay (2017) Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow Mystery) Things have been returning to normal in Shadow Hollow–until a skeleton is discovered in Cold Clay Orchards during harvest. Vera Vixen manages to be there to catch all the details. “Whatever it is, Vera, remember that I’m the one they called. You can observe from a […]
Honey Mead Murder (2023) Dahlia Donovan (Honey Bear Cosy Mysteries) George Sheth keeps bees and provides honey to the local brewery for making mead. He also has a huge crush on the owner/manager, Murphy Baird. Ready and dressed for the day, George decided to do the mature adult thing. He’d put the problem off for […]
The Best Corpse for the Job (2014) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Queer cozy mystery: a comforting reread. Note to self, three: Don’t even think about falling for him. Too complicated. (p. 46) Note to self, four: do not ignore note three. (p. 46) Note to self, five: Do not ignore note three. Remember? (p. 47) […]
Shady Hollow (2015) Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow Mystery) This is cozy mystery, set in a fantasy world with intelligent animals. The characters’ resemblances to real creatures, alive or cruelly murdered, is incidental indeed. For those who feel compelled to resolve this issue before continuing with the story, you may wish to think of the […]
The Christmas Appeal (2023) Janice Hallett This story is written as a series of electronic messages and recordings and evidence. A retired DI has sent these bits of evidence to his former detectives to get their opinion and see what conclusions they come up with. In Lower Lockwood the Fairway Players have a yearly Christmas […]
Board to Death (2023) Cj Connor (A Board Game Shop Mystery) After a failed marriage, Ben has returned home to Salt Lake City to help run his dad’s game store–which is currently making rent only because of their in-house cafe. Only two or three customers lingered around that area midday, as it was now. More […]
The Last Devil to Die (2023) Richard Osman (Thursday Murder Club) TW: Dementia, Death of a recurring character, Grief The 4th (and most recent) Thursday Murder Club mystery finds Stephen succumbing to his battle with dementia. Stephen doesn’t always know who Bogdan is these days, but he likes his calmness. He fell asleep on Bogdan’s […]
Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal (2023) Raquel V. Reyes (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery) What did I like about this story? “No te olvides de tus uvas,” Mami warned me. It was a tradition practiced in many Latinx and Hispanic homes. You had to eat twelve grapes for good luck before the clock struck to signal the […]
Murder and Mamon (2023) Mia P. Manansala (A Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery) Lila Macapagal’s godmothers are getting ready to open their new business–a laundrymat–but it seems like their gossiping ways are finally going to cause them trouble, as the business is vandalized with the message “Mind Your Own Business”. On top of that Ninang April’s […]
Murder at Midnight (2023) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler) Set in England in 1816 The fourth Lily Adler book finds her at a house party with her late husband’s family, Matthew Spenser, and the Hartleys. Lily had always found their custom of calling each other by their middle names—the names chosen by their mother, rather than […]