The Wolf at the Door (2018) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf, #1) The old-fashioned investigative work Cooper had dreamed of doing when he got recruited to the FBI wasn’t really applicable these days. … After cases like Bethesda he felt like a glorified bounty hunter, and that wasn’t why he’d wanted to get into law […]

Duplicate Death (1951) Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hemingway #3) Mrs Lilias Haddington is a domineering woman who is trying to find the “best” marriage for her daughter, which is why she’s managed to work her way into society–even though no one is quite sure how she managed it. (T)he social smile which had become so mechanical […]

Murder Crossed Her Mind (2023) Stephen Spotswood (Pentecost and Parker #4) Set in NYC in 1947 Defense attorney (and ower of apologies to Lillian Pentecost) Forest Whitsun has come asking for help. His friend–the retired secretary for the law firm he used to work for–is missing, and he is certain something bad has happened to […]

Shattered Bonds, Audio Book (2019) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #13) “This isn’t a chalice,” I said, straight-faced, holding it up. “This is a silver shot glass.” “If I say it’s a chalice, it’s a chalice,” Molly said, her eyes narrowing. Holy crap. You know where my soul home is. Beast did […]

Secrets Typed in Blood, Audio Book (2022) Stephen Spotswood narrated by Kirsten Potter (Pentecost & Parker #3) Set in NYC in 1947 “I’ll say this, though—she refused to meet my eyes. That screams someone with something to hide.” My boss shook her head. “I don’t think that was intentional,” she said. “I believe she is […]

Envious Casca (1941) Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hemingway #2) Joseph Herriard has decided to force Christmas upon his brother, their family, and acquaintances. Nathaniel, regarding him with a contemptuous eye, said that a real English Christmas meant, in his experience, a series of quarrels between inimical persons bound to one another only by the accident of […]

No Wind of Blame (1939) Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hemingway #1) She was a large woman, who had enjoyed, in youth, the advantages of golden hair and a pink-and-white complexion. Time had committed some ravages with both these adjuncts, but a lavish use of peroxide and the productions of a famous beauty specialist really worked wonders. […]

The Unfinished Clue (1934) Georgette Heyer Set in England in 1934 They disliked one another with equal cordiality. The General said that Dinah was an impudent hussy. Whereas Dinah drove him to the verge of an apoplexy by remarking with an air of naive wonder: ‘What odd expressions people of your generation do use! I […]

Dark Queen, Audio Book (2018) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #12) Eli sawed. Bra came loose and Eli peeled bra down Beast legs. Bra was dead. Jane should kill bras. “However, I prefer QaStaHvIS yIn ‘ej chep.” I stopped with the beer held in the air, ice water dripping from my fingers. […]

Why Shoot a Butler? (1933) Georgette Heyer Set in England in 1933 Mr Amberley left the breakfast table in the middle of Sir Humphrey’s dissertation on hooliganism in These Modern Times. One of the young constables had retired to the ditch. The other stood his ground, but he did not look very happy. The sergeant […]

Lady Mechanika: The Mechanical Menagerie (2026) Joe Benitez, Martin Montiel, Madeline Holly-Rosing (Lady Mechanika Vol 9) Apparently, Image Comics is rereleasing some of the older volumes of Lady Mechanika, which is how I ended up with a second copy of Sangre. The latest story, The Mechanical Menagerie is not yet out in TPB, so I […]

Footsteps in the Dark (1932) Georgette Heyer ‘No, don’t tell me I can go without you, Charles. I may be a bad wife, and wake you up to look in the wardrobe in the small hours, but I am not such a bad wife that I’d go away and leave you with a ghost and […]

The Prince and the Dressmaker (2018) Jen Wang Prince Sebastian’s parents are searching the country for his bride. They want him to have a say in who he marries (something they didn’t have) but Sebastian has a secret: Lady Crystallia. After following her client’s wishes and getting fired, Frances is saved when a royal courtier […]

Lady Mechanika Volume 6 Sangre (2020) Joe Benítez, Marcia Chen, Brian Ching (Lady Mechanika #6) Well damnit. This is a rerelease, not the newest volume. Weirdly, I remembered the historical Mesoamerican parts rather than the current timeline. Publisher: Image Comics Rating: 8/10

A Blunt Instrument (1938) Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hannasyde #4) Set in London in 1938 A stern glance was directed towards him. ‘Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain,’ said Glass deeply. This admonishment was more comprehensible to Simmons, who was a member of the same sect as PC Glass, […]

Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks & Scones (2018) Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please! #2) Publisher: First Second Rating: 10/10

They Found Him Dead (1937) Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hannasyde #3) Set in England in 1937 Clement, who was a partner in the firm of Kane and Mansell, was a man of considerable substance and, since he was heir to his uncle’s private possessions, a man of large expectations also. Miss Allison supposed that Rosemary must […]

Behold, Here’s Poison (1936) Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hannasyde #2) Set in England in 1936 Stella, unable to feel that Gregory Matthews’s nature when a little boy could compensate her aunt for all the subsequent years of strife, was impatient of this facile grief. ‘I shall never forgive her, never! I have been ordering meals for […]

Death in the Stocks (1935) Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hannasyde #1) Set in London in 1935 ‘Know how the body was sitting when you found it?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘All right. Put it back as near as you can. Ready with that flashlight, Thompson?’ Constable Dickenson did not care much for the task allotted him, but he […]

Father Material (2026) Alexis Hall (London Calling #3) This is the conclusion to Luc and Oliver’s story, and unlike the previous two books, doesn’t follow the beats of any particular romantic comedy–or honestly, a romantic comedy. That’s not to say it isn’t funny: there is a good deal of silliness. “What do you want to […]

A Bitter Cut (2026) Anna Lee Huber (Lady Darby #14) Set in Warwickshire, England in 1833 Kiera has decided that they best way to meet the family of the woman her brother Trevor hopes to marry is to invite them to a house party. Hosted by Lord Gage. For his political friends. “What was he […]

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 […]