Rogue Protocol (2018) Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #3) Pretending bad things aren’t happening is not a great survival strategy in the long run. I was getting an idea. It was probably a bad idea. (When most of your training in tactical thinking comes from adventure shows, that does tend to happen.) Or Miki was […]

Hudson River Homicides (2025) C.S. Poe (Memento Mori #4) The sender is still taunting Everett with corpses. Scrawled across the door in all caps with what was likely permanent black Sharpie was the message: PIN ME TO DETECTIVE LARKIN. And Larkin is struggling not just to stop the sender, but to deal with his own […]

Skinwalker, Audio Book (2009) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #1) It’s been several years since I read or listened to this series. I’d mean to finish the last books then, but life happened and I just couldn’t deal with the bad things that happened in the last couple books and were likely […]

Peter Cabot Gets Lost (2021) Cat Sebastian (The Cabots #2) Set across the US in 1960 I read Tommy Cabot Was Here in an anthology years ago, and enjoyed it, but for some reason kept putting off reading the other two books that followed. This is the second, set a couple years later, and following […]

Daniel Cabot Puts Down Roots (2022) Cat Sebastian (The Cabots #3) Set in 1973 in New York City Daniel returned from the war a bit lost. His mother used her influence to make sure he spent his time sitting at a desk, as safe as it was possible to be. So he’s living in a […]

Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything (2017) Lydia Kang & Nate Pedersen Honestly, the title tells you everything you need to know: snake oil to mercury to light therapy. All the ways doctors and charlatans have sold “cures” throughout the ages. Parents, hoping to ease the teething pain of their […]

Dead Heat (2015) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #4) The Arabians might not suit you; they don’t suit everyone. They are like cats: vain, beautiful, and intelligent. But you deal well enough with Asil, who is also vain, beautiful, and intelligent. “Shut your piehole, punk kid,” Max said, thumping her on the head with the […]

Fair Game (2012) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #3) Leslie learned two valuable things about the fae that day. They were powerful and charming—and they ate children and puppies. Asil bowed his head to Bran’s anger. “That’s why you are the Alpha and I will do anything I can to never be Alpha again.” His […]

Dominoes, Danzón, and Death, Audio Book (2025) Raquel V. Reyes narrated by Frankie Corzo (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery #4) My husband was a recent convert to Miami’s craft brewery scene. Our recycling bin had never been so colorful. The more Marjory talked, the looser she got. The museum that she (and Senior) had ‘paid for’ […]

Hunting Ground (2009) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #1) His grandfather had often told him that he tried too hard to move trees when a wiser man would walk around them. So often people got it wrong, treating their elders like children, people to be coddled and ignored. He knew better, and so did the […]

Fortune Favors the Dead, Audio Book (2020) Stephen Spotswood narrated by Kirsten Potter (Pentecost and Parker Mystery #1) Set in NYC in 1945 “I trust you to use your best judgment. Don’t do anything you aren’t comfortable doing.” “You realize I used to dress up like a showgirl and have knives thrown at my face. […]

Cry Wolf (2008) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #1) “Bran, the Marrok, is going to bring the werewolves out to the public?” Her voice was hushed as if she could never imagine such a thing. “He thinks that too many of the wrong people already know,” he told her. “Science and computers have made it […]

Where Foxes Say Goodnight (2023) Sam Burns (Sleeping Foxes #1) Max has won awards and accolades for the semi-biographical story he wrote about his life with his grandmother, so it’s a bit of an unpleasant surprise to awakened the very next day by a lawyer on his doorstep with an NDA from the guy he […]

The Affair of the Mysterious Letter, Audio Book (2019) Alexis Hall narrated by Nicholas Boulton I read this in 2020, and enjoyed it then, so when floundering for my next audiobook (I couldn’t think of a series I wanted to dive into), I went with this. First, the narrator has a marvelous voice, and did […]

In My Dreams (2020) Elin Annalise (Aces in Love #1) The problem with a lot of ace stories, is they spend a lot of time defining and explaining asexuality. If it’s not done well, it’s a lot of “well, Bob” and gets boring really quickly. Polly and her best friend Brooke work at a nature […]

Death in the Spires (2024) KJ Charles Set in Oxford in 1905 It’s been ten years, but the crime that caused Jeremy Kite to quit Oxford without finishing his degree continues to follow him. This time it’s a letter to his employer. Jeremy Kite is a murderer. He killed Toby Feynsham. Ask him why. Jem […]

Nine Goblins (2013) T. Kingfisher It’s not that Nessilka wanted to be in charge of this squad of goblins, it’s just that there wasn’t anyone else to do the job. Smart goblins became mechanics. Dumb goblins became soldiers. Really dumb goblins became officers. So when, in the midst of battle, they are pulled away and […]

Execution in E (2020) Alexia Gordon (A Gethsemane Brown Mystery #5) “If you don’t want me to see your fingers crossed behind your back,” she pointed to his semi-transparent hand visible through his semi-transparent torso, “you should dial up your density.” “Ms. Markham’s parents’ money buys a great deal of tolerance of Ms. Markham. The […]

Fatality in F (2019) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown Mysteries #4) He’d hybridized the rose himself and christened it the ‘Sandra Sechrest’ in honor of the librarian who’d given him a biography of Pythagoras when he was seven and sparked his lifelong love of math. Gethsemane winced. Dunmullach’s murder rate had tripled after she arrived. Some […]

Killing in C Sharp (2018) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown Mysteries #3) Ghost Hunting Adventures reigned notorious for both its physicality and the amount of profanity that had to be bleeped out. “Some versions say Maja was the choice from the jump. Long and short of it, the baroness tricked Maja into going to the construction […]

Soulstar (2021) C.L. Polk (The Kingston Cycle #3) This is the conclusion to the Kingston Cycle, and there is a lot going on here: Severin Mountrose is now king, witches are free, there is a search to replace aether, and Solidarity has decided to hold an open election–even if it doesn’t officially count. “Why doesn’t […]

Stormsong (2020) C.L. Polk (The Kingston Cycle) Grace has escaped with her brother after the destruction of the aethernet, but when she senses a terrible storm coming she knows she has to return to Aeland to protect her people. A storm spread out miles wide, spinning away from the Cauldron off the coast. It was […]

The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century’s On-line Pioneers (1998/2009) Tom Standage I somehow failed to realize until just now that I’ve actually read other books by Tom Standage. Probably because those other books were about food and drink, not technology. this book gives us the history of the […]

Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal, Audio Book (2023) Raquel V. Reyes narrated by Frankie Corzo (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery, #3) (M)y Cuban family stayed up on Christmas Eve, Nochebuena, cooked a whole pig, had a delicious meal, danced and sang, played games, and opened presents. Then twelve days later, the Three Kings came to give the […]

Blank Spaces (2016) Cass Lennox (Toronto Connections #1) “It’s not that I don’t like you. It’s more like I don’t know you.” “You’ve glared at me for most of lunch. That’s what I meant.” “Oh.” He went red again. “I thought you were being all pretentious and coming on to me or something, so I […]

Witchmark (2018) C.L. Polk (The Kingston Cycle #1) I reread this so I can finally finish the series. Mr. Elliot dragged in a tattered breath. “I got too close. They needed the souls. The war—” He gagged and rolled away from me, retching. I held him steady. “Don’t try to talk.” He dragged in ragged […]

Death in D Minor (2017) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown Mysteries #2) “Thank you, Miss Brown,” Hank said. “Doctor Brown,” she corrected. “Oh, that’s right, you do have some sort of degree in, what is it, music?” “A Ph.D. From Yale.” “You must forgive me, Doctor Brown. I believe I mentioned before I don’t pay much […]

The Tattered Cover (2025) Ellery Adams (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #8) There is a good deal of excitement for Nora and her friends in Miracle Springs. First for Nora, she is holding her live event with an author, and has a second event lined up for Halloween. “A medium?” Betty cried. “Count me in! […]

Murder in G Major (2016) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown #1) Teaching teenaged schoolboys was going to be almost as much fun as defending her dissertation to a hungover committee head who’d lost his tenure and his wife in the same week. Almost. “My friends call me Frankie.” “And what should I call you?” Gethsemane asked. […]

Broadway Butchery (2023) C. S. Poe (Memento Mori #3) It hasn’t been that long since Everett resolved the issue of the subway killer, and his Cold Case Department is getting great press, but things are difficult, and someone with knowledge of the cases continues to send anonymous notes and evidence to Larkin. “Did you watch […]

Subway Slayings (2022) C.S. Poe (Memento Mori #2) Detective Everett Larkin is finally healed from the injuries incurred during his previous case. He is also now living with the detective be became friends at that time, Ira Doyle, as he’s in the process of getting divorced and wasn’t capable to living on his own until […]

The Missing Page (2022) Cat Sebastian (Page & Sommers #2) Set in Cornwall, England in 1947 Not knowing how to respond to that, as he could hardly accept a compliment bestowed on a version of himself that was twenty years out of date, he pasted on a smile. “The letter from the solicitor said the […]

Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking, Audio Book (2022) Raquel V. Reyes narrated by Frankie Corzo (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery #2) I am very much enjoying the narration. I don’t speak Spanish, but the story is perfectly understandable despite that, and, honestly, I think the Spanish is lovely to listen to. This series is about an archaeologist […]

Hither, Page (2019) Cat Sebastian (Page & Sommers #1) Set in England in 1946. Do you know, James, this evening I thought to myself: I would like to put paper stars and glass balls on a tree.” “I see you’ve reached the heights of depravity.” “I’d suggest going easy on this fellow. He had a […]

The Mistletoe Motive (2021) Chloe Liese There is a lot I love about this story: the ace rep, the female lead with ASD, the single point-of-view. Jonathan glances up and meets my eyes, his gaze speaking some cryptic language that I don’t. I hate that feeling. It’s old and familiar, and it never fails to […]

Mystery on the Menu: A Three-Course Collection of Cozy Mysteries (2023) Nicole Kimberling “This is Andrew,” Evelyn announced, waving her hand back as though I were some stray dog that had followed her home. “He’s the chef at the murder restaurant.” I pivoted and strode briskly into the walk-in refrigerator all the way to the […]

Luke and Billy Finally Get a Clue (2023) Cat Sebastian (The Cabots #3.5) Set in North Carolina in 1953 This is a story about being injured. Billy was no prince when he was hurting, either. He always felt, idiotically, that giving in to pain was some kind of character flaw. He knew it wasn’t, he […]

The Impossible Fortune (2025) Richard Osman (Thursday Murder Club #5) A year has passed since the last adventure of the Thursday Murder Club–and since Stephen’s death. And Joyce’s daughter is getting married. It’s at the wedding that the best man (having heard about the Thursday Murder Club from Paul) goes to Elizabeth for help. “So […]

The Masquerades of Spring, Audio Book (2024) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) Set in New York City in 1926 (B)ecause the landlords knew that the coloured folk couldn’t get lodgings in the white neighbourhoods, they could charge more than twice the normal rent. Since coloured folk mostly got paid half of […]

Mango, Mambo, and Murder, Audio Book (2021) Raquel V. Reyes narrated by Frankie Corzo (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery #1) “Ooh, what have you been reading? I love books.” Jorge clapped prayer hands. “Believe it or not, I read a lot of YA—young adult. The rainbow is brighter there, if you know what I mean.” Alma […]

The Wonder Engine (2018) T. Kingfisher (Clocktaur War #2) “Politics,” she said. “It doesn’t make any sense. People do the stupidest shit and you want to scream that it’s against their own interests and you never know if they’re playing some deep game you don’t know about or if they’re really just that stupid.” “I […]

Clockwork Boys (2017) T. Kingfisher (Clocktaur War, #1) This is a rare book: one that I listened to before I read. (Honestly, at the time I was desperate for distraction and wasn’t really able to concentrate on reading.) I still enjoyed it, and as it has been two years, managed to forget just enough that […]

All Accounts Settled (2025) Drew Hayes (Fred the Vampire Accountant #9) The final Fred the Vampire Accountant book. I believe I read the author had health issues that kept him from finishing the book on the schedule he set for himself, and I also think he was fighting with the publisher of his earlier books, […]

Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins—From Spices to Vices (2023) Noah Whiteman Many of the plants we treasure–for the way they taste or the way they make us feel, were developed by plants not for our benefit, but as defense mechanisms from threats like herbivores. It just happens that we are less susceptible […]

After Hours at Dooryard Books (2025) Cat Sebastian Set in NYC in 1968 Patrick has worked for Dooryard Books since Mrs. Kaplan picked him up and gave him a place when he was seventeen. He may have reconnected with his brother and best friend, Susan, after being kicked out by their aunt and uncle, but […]

Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? Audio Book (2016) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (The Shadow Police #3) I haaaaaaaaate that this series didn’t get more books. ‘I won’t tell you!’ she shouted. ‘I can!’ Kevin insisted, pointing at himself. The stormtrooper paused awkwardly again. He obviously had as little idea as she did what Kevin’s […]

Legends & Lattes (2022) Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes #2) As a rule, folks with a fixed address avoided swindling an orc. Viv sighed. “I’ve lived a long time knowing I’m a threat walking. I’d rather that wasn’t the shape of it for you.” The hob pushed a handcart loaded with a big, brass-barreled mechanism, […]

Bookshops & Bonedust (2023) Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes #1) The sequel to Legends & Lattes recently came out, so I decided I really needed to read the prequel to that so I could reread Legends & Lattes and then the new book. For some unknown reason I’d put off reading this story. I loved […]

Help Wanted (2018) J. Emery (Ashveil Academy #1) Em wants to get her best friend the best gift this year for her birthday. Except that she’s broke, and her alchemy skills are terrible. So she decides to get a job, so she can buy Thaian the gift she wants to get her. Calpurnia West, sister […]

Supernatural Crimes Unit: NYPD (2025) Keith R. A. Decandido Monsters are real, and the NYPD has to deal with the ones who break the law. Thus was born the SCU, or Supernatural Crimes Unit. The SCU had been formed after a vampire named Bogdan Albescu killed a City Hall employee named John Rosario on the […]