The Unmatchmakers (2022) Jackie Lau Leora may find her mother frustrating, but she’s looking forward to a week at the vacation house her mother bought with her two best friends–even if she hasn’t seen the kids she nearly grew up with in years. It’s a bit weird, us all hanging out as adults. Different than […]
Husband Material (2022) Alexis Hall (London Calling, #2) Oliver had been seeing a trained professional for nearly two years because of his parents so I did my best to be sensitive and not poke anything that might be the emotional equivalent of a bear or a mine—or a bear-mine, which would be a bear that […]
Boyfriend Material (2020) Alexis Hall (London Calling, #1) “I’m conscious this could be rather burdensome to hear, but you remain the thing I have most chosen for myself. The thing that’s most exclusively mine. The one that brings me the deepest joy.” if we let happy things make us unhappy when they stopped, there would […]
All the World’s an Undead Stage (2018) Angel Martinez (Offbeat Crimes Book 6) “What is it you can’t bring up in front of the squad, Loveless? Tell me you haven’t screwed up again.” “No, ma’am. It’s nothing to do with investigations.” He hesitated, fighting against foot scuffing. “My mother called this morning…” “Gods preserve us,” […]
Jackalopes and Woofen-Poofs (2017) Angel Martinez (Offbeat Crimes, #5) Unless Wolf’s squad had interesting specimens to send, State usually acted like the 77th wasn’t worth the attention a mosquito would rate. “Audacity, you should keep your head down. I don’t think wolf cubs are allowed here normally.” Miw. Her answer was little more than a […]
Feral Dust Bunnies (2017) Angel Martinez (Offbeat Crimes, #4) Vikash pulled a glove from his pocket, which made Wolf wonder if he always came to parties prepared for a crime scene. Probably. This was Vikash, after all. “It’s all right to be anxious about things sometimes. And you know it’s okay to ask for help. […]
Skim Blood and Savage Verse (2017) Angel Martinez (Offbeat Crimes, #3) How could he have even thought about not celebrating his thirty-fifth birthday? Especially if it meant it gave her an excuse to invite all the old money and local officials to the affair. And outside? Of course it had to be outside. The weather […]
The Pill Bugs of Time (2015) Angel Martinez (Offbeat Crimes, #2) It was the first time Vikash had experienced Greg’s particular talent being useful. He heard emotions, but only negative ones and only avian ones, and not just any birds, but only waterfowl. It was one of the most absurdly specific paranormal talents Vikash had […]
Lime Gelatin and Other Monsters (2015) Angel Martinez (Offbeat Crimes, #1) (T)he pink and neon-blue raven folded his wings and waddled over to snap at Carrington’s pen. “Stop it, Edgar.” “You couldn’t get laid at a clusterfuck!” “I don’t really do anything,” Soren answered as he hefted the empty coffeepot. “Guess I’ll make fresh since […]
Death and Dinuguan (2025) Mia P. Manansala (Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery #6) This is the sixth and final book in the series, and oddly, the one I liked best. A series of break-ins have hit the small businesses of Shady Palms, made all the more upsetting as all the victims were women. Adeena said, “I […]
Only Murders in the Abbey (2025) Beth Cowan-Erskine (Loch Down Abbey #2) Set in Scotland in 1937 War is coming, and unexpected guests from Shanghai have shown up in Loch Down expecting to be put up in the estate turned hotel. ‘You will pay for their stays, Bella.’ ‘That’s hardly fair!’ she retorted. ‘That is […]
Next to You (2022) Hannah Bonam-Young (Next #2) Lane doesn’t really know what to do with herself. She’s not unhappy, but she’s not happy either. So after her birthday she decides to purchase and renovate a bus–a far cry from her twin who got respectably engaged to a respectable guy. A guy who seems to […]
Cheddar Luck Next Time (2025) Beth Cato Bird is slowly rebuilding her life after losing both her parents and then her grandmother within a single year, but her inheritance gave her one thing: the ability to focus on her gourmet cheese board business. The property she inherited from her grandmother has a commercial kitchen, and […]
A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience (2024) Stephanie Burgis (The Unexpected Adventures of Lady and Lord Riven #1) Set in an alternate 19th century England. After being kept awake for 48 hours by her unscrupulous aunt and uncle, Margaret has been forced into marriage she didn’t want. Margaret set her teapot and cup on a side […]
In Defense of the Queen (2013) Michelle Diener (Susanna Horenbout and John Parker #3) Set in London in 1525 Susanna’s brother has come to London, but something is wrong, and a crossbow bolt emphasizes that point. As Henry plants to make his illegitimate son heir over his legitimate daughter, intrigue and plot swirls once more […]
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping (2025) Sangu Mandanna Sera was fifteen when she lost most of her magic. Choosing her love for Jasmine over her loyalty to the British Guild of Sorcery wasn’t exactly difficult for Sera. The Guild was strict, stuffy, and entirely too fond of looking down their noses at almost everybody. […]
A Shore Thing (2024) Joanna Lowell Set in Cornwall in 1888 Mrs. Muriel Pendrake has come to St Ives with her best friend James both to vacation and to find a painter for her botanical images for her upcoming presentation in New York. “You have enough people to worry about in London. This is a […]
The Skeleton Stuffs a Stocking (2019) Leigh Perry (The Family Skeleton #6) This seems to be the last Skeleton mystery, although I did see a listing for an anthology of short stories. Georgia is back living at home, and working as an adjunct at the other university in town (the one her parents do not […]
Dangerous Sanctuary (2012) Michelle Diener (Susanna Horenbout and John Parker #1.5) Set in London in 1525 This is a novella set between In a Treacherous Court and Keeper of the King’s Secrets. Today the King’s procession through London from Bridewell would end here, in a ceremony of thanks to God for the capture of the […]
Keeper of the King’s Secrets (2012) Michelle Diener (Susanna Horenbout and John Parker, #2) Set in London in 1525 “Foreigners live there.” The boy pulled himself taller. “Rich ’n’ all.” He eyed the money. “Where’re they from?” Parker did not loosen his hold. The boy tried to yank his arm away but gave up when […]
The Skeleton Makes a Friend (2018) Leigh Perry (Family Skeleton Mystery #5) Another semester, another college, but this time Georgia is teaching at a summer program for high school students. If I’d been able to afford it, I would have tried to talk Madison into signing up for the program. She’d just finished her sophomore […]
In a Treacherous Court (2011) Michelle Diener (Susanna Horenbout and John Parker #1) Set in London in 1525 Although the main characters are based upon real people, almost nothing is known about Susanna Horenbout and John Parker except for their court positions and that they were married to each other. Additionally part of the story […]
The Skeleton Paints a Picture (2017) Leigh Perry (Family Skeleton Mystery #4) This premise of this series is a little silly–one of the two main characters is an animated skeleton. But once you accept that, it’s a fun cozy mystery. Georgia Thackery is an adjunct professor, seeking the magical grail of a tenured position. “Why […]
A Little Light Mischief (2019) Cat Sebastian (The Turner Series #3.5) Set in England in 1818 Molly had spent many an hour wondering what good it was for Miss Stapleton to call herself a lady, when as far as Molly could tell, all it meant was that she was unfit to work for wages. Justice […]
Love Language (2024) Jax Calder Dominic and Ashton have shared an office for three-and-a-half years. Despite the fact that much of their conversation consists of insults and griping, all of Ash’s friends insist he has a crush on Dominic. “You must be the most annoying person on the planet,” Dominic says. I ignore him. Because […]
The Devil in Music (1997) Kate Ross (Julian Kestrel Mysteries #4) Set in Lake Como, Italy in 1825 He knew he had been testy and ungracious—had not really given Europe a chance. But how could he, when home tugged insistently at his heartstrings, and a cruel voice kept whispering in his ear: Don’t stay away […]
A Scandal in Mayfair (2024) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler Mystery #5) Set in London in 1817 “Do you wish for advice or a distraction?” Simon sighed. “Would that there was a way to detect a poison hiding in a bottle or meal. But alas, our scientists have not yet gained such insight.” “Do you think […]
Whom the Gods Love (1995) Kate Ross (Julian Kestrel Mysteries #3) Set in London in 1825 He glanced around this part of the churchyard, which they had entirely to themselves. “I come here every day, and no one disturbs me.” He shrugged sadly. “No one knows what to say.” People of intense imagination are apt […]
Murder at Midnight (2023) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler Mystery, #4) Set in Hertfordshire in 1816 Peter, in spite of having six elder sisters, had long been accustomed to managing the finances of his whole family as his sisters married and moved away one by one. But Lily couldn’t help resenting the implication that, three years […]
A Broken Vessel (1994) Kate Ross (Julian Kestrel Mysteries #2) Set in London in 1824 “I don’t know what there is to thank me for. Did you expect I should throw her into the street?” “No, sir, I knew you’d treat her uncommon fine. That’s why I sneaked her in when I thought you was […]
Cut to the Quick (1993) Kate Ross (Julian Kestrel Mysteries #1) Set in England in 1824 Julian Kestrel had first appeared in London society a year or two ago, and hardly anything was known about him. … If he had been anything but a dandy, such vagueness about his pedigree would have been fatal, but […]
Death at the Manor (2022) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler Mystery #3) Set in England in 1815 “My aunt and Miss Clarke were at school together as girls. When neither of them had married after a few years, they began to talk of setting up their own household together, rather than remaining with their families in […]
Platform Decay (2026) Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries #8) Why yes, I did read this in its entirety on the day it came out. The story opens with Murderbot and Three infiltrating a Torus where Barish-Estranza (from Network Effect and System Collapse) has a large presence. This is a rescue mission, but you’re a good […]
Silence in the Library (2021) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler Mystery #2) Set in London in 1815 Lily knew others thought her father handsome, but she never could—whenever he looked at her, lines of disapproval appeared between his eyes. They were there now. Laying aside the visual reminders of her grief felt too much like leaving […]
The Body in the Garden (2020) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler Mystery #1) Set in London in 1815 Lady Adler, Freddy’s mother, had encouraged Lily to go to town “to begin living your life again, my dear,” and, when Lily had protested that she had nothing fashionable to wear, had called in her personal dressmaker and […]
Band Sinister (2018) KJ Charles Set in England in the 1810s I do love this story. First and foremost because of Guy. Philip’s candle had only been a stub. It guttered now, and went out in a soft sigh, and he stood in the darkness, listening to a sick woman moaning, while her brother wept […]
The Soldier’s Scoundrel (2016) Cat Sebastian (The Turner Series #1) Set in England in ~1815 It was always an unexpected pleasure when the truth aligned with what he wanted to say. This was anarchy. He had witnessed firsthand what happened when people felt entitled to deliver their own justice, and he absolutely wouldn’t stand for […]
A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (2023) KJ Charles (The Doomsday Books #2) Set in Kent in 1823 To the surprise of everyone, Rufus d’Aumesty is the Earl of Oxney. After a seven month battle, he was affirmed as the heir, yet his uncle Conrad is still fighting to try and regain the title […]
The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (2023) KJ Charles (The Doomsday Books #1) Set in Kent in 1810 Gareth Inglis was raised by his uncle who made it clear to Gareth that he wasn’t wanted. When his father dies he learns just how awful his father was. “Your father decided that. He thought it was […]
The Duke at Hazard (2024) KJ Charles (The Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune #2) Set in England in ~1810s The Duke of Severn inherited at age six, and since that day has never been allowed to be anything except the Duke. The Duke had been Harmsford since his birth. He had become Severn at the age […]
A Christmas Dance (2014) Alissa Johnson It was a nightly ritual for them. Mrs. Meldrin would have her glass of warm milk, Mr. Meldrin his brandy and the two of them would sit before the fire and share a few quiet moments alone, discussing the events of the day. Patience sometimes left her door open […]
The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting (2021) KJ Charles (Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune #1) Set in London in the Regency(?) Era The siblings had agreed that Alice needed a little town-bronze, which was to say a little knowledge of humanity’s infinite capacity to disappoint, before it became common talk that the plain girl came with […]
Phantom Pond (2023) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow #4.5) Mischief Night, or Gate Night as some folks called it, was an annual tradition throughout the woodlands. She jumped in surprise but then realized it was only a spider dangling from a silken thread. The spider must have come inside during the day, looking for a warmer […]
Not So Cookie Cutter (2019) Aidan Wayne He clasped his hands behind his back, at-ease stance so he wouldn’t cross his arms. He’d been told enough times that it made him look like a thug, so he tried to avoid doing it. He tended to hyper focus when it came to certain subjects, and to […]
The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal (2015) KJ Charles Set in England in 1894- “I inherited it from my uncle three months ago. The house has stood empty for many years because of its evil reputation. I felt that was an absurd superstition, and I need to sell the place, so I thought I could […]
Flight of Magpies (2014) KJ Charles (A Charm of Magpies #3) Stephen stuffed his hands in the pockets of the topcoat that Crane had insisted on buying him for this chilly winter. It had been a great deal more expensive than Stephen, who accepted gifts with startling gracelessness, had wanted; a great deal cheaper than […]
Evergreen Chase (2021) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow #3.5) The committee selects promising trees years in advance and assigns someone to tend each one right up until it’s cut down. … “Wow, that’s more serious than I’d guessed. I thought someone just went for a walk and picked one out.” “No way. Other towns can do […]
A Case of Possession (2014) KJ Charles (A Charm of Magpies #2) “And we must act in a civilised fashion in this country, you know.” … “Come with me to the office today, I want you in Limehouse. I’m going to call in some obligations and do a bit more work on Rackham’s affairs. Buy […]
The Magpie Lord (2013) KJ Charles (A Charm of Magpies #1) Merrick frowned. “Got to fight it, my lord.” “Fight what? Give me something to fight, and I’ll fight it—but how the hell do I fight my own mind?” Crane looked at the naked hostility in the other man’s face and posture, and strolled to […]
Unfit to Print (2018) KJ Charles Set in London in the late Victorian Prostitution and exploitation were words Vikram thought should be shouted aloud, along with poverty. Gil had spent his childhood here under his father’s carelessly affectionate eye. The old man might have played the fool, or the knave, with his housemaid, but he […]