Merlin in the Library (2018) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) A very brief story from Martin’s POV, set a couple of weeks after his return. The previous day had been bad on the pain scale, leaving him with little appetite. Now, under the persistent ache, he found himself to be hungry. He would have to […]
His Quiet Agent (2017) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) Comfort reread. His supervisor sighed. “Agent Drams, no one knows who you are.” “We’re a black budget government agency. No one is supposed to know who we are.” Arthur looked over at The Alien. It was a Go Away sign, but it was a very specific […]
Hottie Scotty and Mr. Porter (2016) R Cooper Why reread? Because Scotty is so very sweet and kind. He picked up Becks to give nervous, overprotective Bobby a break from watching over her all the time, before taking Bobby’s hand for the walk home. Scott didn’t get any more time to think about it, because […]
Nearly a Lady (2011) Alissa Johnson (Haverston Family) Set in Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. “What the devil would I do with a London season?” “Find a husband, I imagine,” was Gideon’s reply. It only served to mystify her further. “What the devil would I do with a husband?” “Obtain long-term financial stability,” Lilly told […]
The Hound of Justice (2019) Claire O’Dell (The Janet Watson Chronicles) When I read it, I was drawn into A Study in Honor despite the fact it was really not the kind of book I enjoy. The same is true this time. Janet Watson is settling into her position at Georgetown–although she isn’t yet cleared […]
Open for Business (2016) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) After reading a dystopia, I needed something more comforting to read. The first story is far and away my favorite. Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, alcoholism, violence Hades is served with divorce papers, and so moves to the human realm. Told to find something to do with himself, […]
Hide and Seek (2022) Josh Lanyon Andy was already headed home–to the small Maine town where his great uncle has his small antique store, but when he arrives, things are made even worse: his uncle was in the hospital after being badly beaten during a break in. It makes Andy’s reasons for running home seem […]
Lessons for Survivors (2018) Charlie Cochrane (Cambridge Fellows) Set in England in 1919. Jonty and Orlando both survived the war–although not without scars. “It would prove to me that everything was back to normal. That the last five years hadn’t spoiled the world forever.” They walked on in silence, each with his thoughts. “Do you […]
Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? (2016) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (Shadow Police) This series always blows me away. ‘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 weird willingness to help was about. Lacey […]
The Severed Streets (2015) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (Shadow Police) Riots are breaking out across London. The police are voting on a walkout. And someone has just killed an important MP in a locked car in the middle of one of those riots. The DCI’s expression grew even more nonplussed. ‘Why are you […]
London Falling, Audio Book (2014) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (The Shadow Police) Pretty much all the trigger warnings for this book: child death, child harm, gore, violence, serial killer.. This series is so dark, and yet its darkness doesn’t bother me, possibly because it’s almost over the top. “You know what you get […]
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 […]
The Doctor (2022) C.S. Poe (Magic & Steam) Set in alternate US in 1882. Gillian Hamilton has been caught. He has been exposed as Simon Fitzgerald, the Butcher of Antietam. And he is now on Blackwell’s Island at the Asylum for the Magically Insane. “Why are you helping a criminal?” Barrie wiped his nose again. […]
Proper Scoundrels (2021) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic) Set in England in 1925. Me: I really liked this first series that this book is a spin-off of. Obviously I should not read it. (Repeat time and again for author after author) Sebastian de Leon spent the past three years enthralled, and forced to do terrible […]
Witchmark (2018) C.L. Polk (The Kingston Cycle) Set in a world somewhat like England after WW I, but not really. Miles Singer escaped his family and ended up in the war between Aeland and Laneer, his medical schooling put to terrible use. Now he works as a psychiatrist in a veteran’s hospital, and is trying […]
Damaged Goods (2018) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) This novella is a sequel of sorts to A Girl Like Her. We see Laura’s redemption from Ruth’s enemy to friend. Laura is pregnant and that has given her the strength to flee her husband, so she has come to the place where she once was happy to rebuild […]
Bewitching Benedict (2017) C. E. Murphy (The Lovelorn Lads) Set in England ~1800 (Napoleonic Wars) Claire Dalton is excited her cousin and two friends are coming to visit. She hasn’t seen her cousin since he left for the war, and hopes he and his friends are as dashing as she remembers. Unfortunately, the first thing […]
Human Enough (2019) ES Yu Noah Lau joined the Vampire Hunters–first as an Intelligence Analyst, but after issues with his supervisor, then 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 […]
The Hourglass Throne (2022) K.D. Edwards (The Tarot Sequence) I really thought I had pre-ordered this. I hadn’t, and because I was failing to deal with all the things, I didn’t notice it was out until the end of August. That said, I read it almost immediately, and devoured it in a day. Rune Saint […]
Hottie Scotty and Mr. Porter (2016) R. Cooper Honestly, I’m not even sure what it is about this story, but it keeps catching at my mind. Part of it is how awful the women in the town are. Scott nodded, so weirdly nervous that his voice trembled. “It makes them want to read more. Maybe […]
The Botanist (2017) Dahlia Donovan (The Sin Bin) This is another dark story. It opens years prior to the events in the previous stories, with Wyatt helping to rescue Aled, a young botanist who was mistakenly grabbed by drug runners. This story takes course over several years and Aled slowly (slowly) heals and Wyatt falls […]
After the Scrum (2016) Dahlia Donovan Although there are occasional issues with this series that could have been solved with stronger editing, this remains a series that has lodged itself in my brain and keeps popping up at random times. Francis is an interior designer who lives with his grandmother. He’d gone away to college […]
The Soldier’s Dark Secret (2015) Marguerite Kaye (Comrades in Arms) Set in England in 1815. I’d picked this book up on a whim in2015, and was surprised by how much I liked it. Jack was a soldier for 13 years, and was Wellington’s code-breaker during the war with Napoleon. He resigned his commission after being […]
An Agreement with the Soldier (2021) Sadie Bosque (Necessary Arrangements) Set in England in 1817. Miss Samantha Lewis twice had her coming seasons interrupted for periods of mourning. So she is quite old to be on the marriage mart despite her looks and her dowry. John Godfrey never expected to become the Baron of Ashbury. […]
Lessons in Temptation (2009) Charlie Cochrane (Cambridge Fellows) Set in England in 1907 Orlando is sent off to see if any of a collection of books being sold in Bath would be worth purchasing. Jonty takes the time as a vacation, and becomes involved in a production of Macbeth with an old friend. “I’ll definitely […]