books

Fantasy Mystery Romance Comics Non-Fiction

Crown Court Killer

Crown Court Killer (2022) Dahlia Donovan (London Podcast Mystery) Dannel and Osian are once again pulled into a murder mystery, when their friend (and defense soliciter) Wayne is accused of murder. “Barristers tend to specialise in certain areas of the law. They’re often brought in on complicated cases to handle matters in court.” Bradley spoke […]

Always Only You

Always Only You (2020) Chloe Liese (Bergman Brothers) Frankie is a social media coordinator for the LA Kings hockey team, which (considering the nature of hockey) gives her plenty to do. I also document informal charitable outings geared toward our most underrepresented fans. It’s not in my exact job description, but I’m a big believer […]

The Moving Finger

The Moving Finger (1942) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) This is the third Miss Marple mystery, and one I’ve reread multiple times, yet this time through I picked up some things I’d not noticed before. Which isn’t unusual, but is fascinating, as things I have learned elsewhere shine a different light upon things I’ve read before. […]

Agents of Winter

Agents of Winter (2022) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) I was slightly worried I wasn’t going to enjoy this anywhere near as much as His Quiet Agent, which I adore. It is different from the first story, His Quiet Agent, and also from the short story Merlin in the Library. But it is definitely the […]

Can’t Escape Love

Can’t Escape Love (2019) Alyssa Cole (Reluctant Royals) I bought this book because I loved the cover. And I read it and really enjoyed it. But I still haven’t read the rest of the series–not because I dislike Alyssa Cole’s writing, but because I tend to dislike books with characters in the peerage. I want […]

A Girl Like Her

A Girl Like Her (2018) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) Ruth is trouble. Everyone knows that. After all, the most charming man in town told them all about it. And they beieved him, because he is rich and handsome, and she is weird. Ruth had a policy, when it came to knocked doors: she didn’t answer them. […]

His Quiet Agent

His Quiet Agent (2017) Ada Maria Soto Arthur Drams likes his job. But he doesn’t like that he is going nowhere with it. “Hi, Arthur Drams, level two analyst, trying, badly apparently, to make friends because I’m really tired of getting promoted sideways because my own supervisors forget I exist.” As he is already out […]

Human Enough

Human Enough (2019) ES Yu Noah Lau joined the Vampire Hunters–first as an Intelligence Analyst, but after issues with his supervisor, as a hunter. Although people assume he joined in revenge for the murder of his parents, he really just did not want another child to have to live through what he and his sister […]

The Other Side of the Roses

The Other Side of the Roses (2017) R. Cooper Sami is content to live at home, while working as an aide in a nursing home. But he worries his family is disappointed in him. “Maybe I’ve already met my future husband,” he lamented. “Maybe he said ‘There is Sami, who lives at home and works […]

Purloined Poinsettia

Purloined Poinsettia (2022) Dahlia Donovan (Motts Cold Case Mystery) Motts has been fascinated by cold cases since her childhood best friend was murdered and no one every caught. Recently, she’s discovered that the majority of girls she went to school with have been killed in the interim. Now, as they are slowly closing in on […]

An Unseen Attraction

An Unseen Attraction (2017) KJ Charles (Sins of the Cities) Set in London in 1873 The first book in the Sins of the City series. they said the eyes were the windows to the soul, and Clem didn’t feel comfortable peering into people’s windows. “Most people,” Clem said carefully, “most people think that I shouldn’t […]

Pickled Petunia

Pickled Petunia (2021) Dahlia Donovan (Motts Cold Case Mystery) The third Motts mystery finds a young woman at Motts’ door, asking for help in finding her mother. It also find the London detective in charge of the cold case from Motts’ childhood worried that the person who killed her best friend as a child has […]

Ghost Light Killer

Ghost Light Killer (2021) Dahlia Donovan (London Podcast Mystery) I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by Dahlia Donovan, but especially her mysteries. Unfortunately, the mystery was off in this book for me. The characters and their interactions I still enjoyed very much. Dannel had a habit of never leaving or having Osian go without saying “I […]

Pierced Peony

Pierced Peony (2021) Dahlia Donovan (Motts Cold Case Mystery Series) When an inspector from London comes to visit Motts about a cold case from her childhood, the two unexpectedly discover another body–opening another cold case. “You’ll never guess what I’ve learned.” “Marnie.” Motts was amused at how everyone around her, aside from the policemen in […]

Poisoned Primrose

Poisoned Primrose Dahlia Donovan (2020) Poisoned Primrose (Motts Cold Case Mystery) Motts is a 39 year-old asexual, biromantic autistic who is living on her own for the first time in a house left to her by her aunt. Unfortunately, when digging up the untended garden, remains are discovered, which causes no end of problems for […]

An Unseen Attraction

An Unseen Attraction (2017) KJ Charles (Sins of the Cities) Set in London in 1873 (T)hey said the eyes were the windows to the soul, and Clem didn’t feel comfortable peering into people’s windows. Clem was not a man you could read like a book, or if you could, the book was in an unfamiliar […]

A Girl Like Her

A Girl Like Her (2018) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) Avoiding conflict was his mode of operation. They’d taught him that at basic training, once they’d figured out his hair-trigger temper. Always avoid conflict. That was what they called it. Distant. Words like depressed were for girls with English mothers. She wasn’t graceful. She was, in fact, […]

Cosplay Killer

Cosplay Killer (2020) Dahlia Donovan (London Podcast Mystery) Osian Garey used to be a paramedic but now has a podcast. His partner and best friend from childhood, Dannel Ortea, is a fireman. Unfortunately, Dannel is being forced to accept that he probably cannot go on being a firefighter. It wasn’t the work itself. Or not […]

Grasmere Cottage Mystery

Grasmere Cottage Mystery (2018) Dahlia Donovan This is actually three novellas, but since I read it as one book, I’m going to review it as such also. Dead in the Garden Dead in the Pond Dead in the Shop Valor Scott and Bishan Tamboli have been best friends since their days at Harrow, and have […]

An Unseen Attraction

An Unseen Attraction (2017) K.J. Charles (Sins of the Cities) Set in London 28 October, 1873 Clem Talleyfer is quite happy running a lodging house. There is quiet and order and it’s in a neighborhood where he doesn’t stand out. As a plus, he currently has Rowley Green as a lodger. As a minus, he […]

Dead in the Shop

Dead in the Shop (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) Valor and Bishan are struggling after the events of the last book. Someone is trying to kill them–has killed people around them–and they don’t understand why. And that’s one of the interesting things about this story–that there isn’t really a good why. Don’t get me […]

Dead in the Pond

Dead in the Pond (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) The first book ended with Valor and Bishan learning their beloved housemaster from Harrow–and a note that book two was going to end on a cliffhanger. So I bought book two AND book three, because I wasn’t going to be messing around when cliff hangers […]

Dead in the Garden

Dead in the Garden (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) This is a cozy mystery, set in England, and is both adorable and has an amazingly diverse cast of characters. Valor and Bishan are shocked and distressed to discover a dead body in their yard. But it becomes even more distressing when Bishan is arrested […]

Merlin in the Library

Merlin in the Library (2018) Ada Maria Soto This is a short story that is a follow-up to His Quiet Agent. It’s a glimpse into Martin’s head, and kind of a reassurance that he is getting help for his trauma and issues. It won’t make much sense if you haven’t read the novella, but if […]

His Quiet Agent

His Quiet Agent (2017) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) It hasn’t been that long since I read this, but I really wanted to revisit it, and it was actually better than I had remembered, since I picked up more details the second time through. Arthur Drams is an analyst for The Agency. He may have […]