The Book Was Better

Six exclusive invitations for a VIP experience on the London Eye go out. Five of them attend and all five are dead when the great wheel makes its way to the bottom. Is Eve the vicar -- the sixth invitee -- the mastermind behind the plot or just another victim? As Eve works with detectives to find out what links the six, she unburies secrets, while still trying to hide her own.  Whoa. This is one of the most intriguing plots and exquisitely written books I've read this year. My attention was grabbed from the first moment and my gears turned as I tried to connect the dots. Davis has a gift for description without over-doing it and intricately laced details that drive the narrative. While I had pieced together the basic gist of the mystery, there were even a few surprises waiting in the ending. The characters had depth, flaws and all, and the narrative style, despite going back and forth in time, was executed flawlessly.  One formatting note: I don't usually comment on format for...

In this installment, we find our favorite sleuths on the case of another traitor, and still on the hunt for the elusive Beckett. In a nearby coastal harbor hides a "ghost fleet" -- a fleet of fake ships made from wood and canvas that are designed to make the British naval assets appear more plentiful than they actually are. But when a lookout is murdered and photographic evidence of the ghost fleet goes missing, the Crofter's Green crew must simultaneously solve the murder and stop the photographs from falling into the wrong hands.  Homefront Sleuths feels like coming home. This was a terrific edition featuring the characters I've come to know and love. I really enjoyed the teamwork and suspense, and this tale felt a little less convoluted than some of the recent stories. It seems that Harry is taking on more of a leadership role, and often seems more local-copper than Nigel. I'm pleased that Mr. Brown has recognized that Evie and Nigel work best as a team, and th...

  When Detective Seth Winslow takes a temporary assignment in a small Missouri town, it's a stark contrast to his time in New York. The locals take care of their own -- and keep each others' secrets. But it might just take an outside perspective to stop a serial killer who's targeting women with long blonde hair: women who look suspiciously like his key witness, Claire. Seth is sure there's something shady going on, but as he gets closer to the truth -- and to Claire -- he risks putting everything on the line.  This was pro-level, unputdownable writing. Seth was a flawed, but endearing hero. The setting was authentic and raw, and the level of depravity was bone-chilling. I appreciated Chief Wells' role and accountability. Like Seth, I also found Claire difficult not to like. While the mystery was not a hard one to solve, the depth and twists were unexpected and shocking.  Huge thank you to the author for taking me along for this pre-read ride!  Nowhere Good: ★★★★★

Ted and Jill are in trouble. A habit of overspending and some bad investments have put them in a pickle. How can they climb out of this hole and return to the life of luxury to which they’re accustomed? Simple. They’ll commit the perfect crime and reap the benefits. But as the investigators, their friends, and even their cleaning lady get suspicious, they have to decide if they can live with their lies. Terrible people doing terrible things. While I knew I likely wouldn’t be rooting for the main characters, I was hoping for some redeemable foils. But this read was filled with unlikable people. Even the lead investigator — who we could’ve cheered on — was underdeveloped and abrasive. In fact, only two of the “suspects” were developed really at all. While eloquently written, Freytag’s Pyramid was more of a flat line. Some events held promise, but ultimately resulted in no changes to the plot. The characters we started with were more or less unchanged in the unsatisfying ending. Mim’s rev...

Darius and his family have recently moved from Boston to a small Pacific Northwest town and he’s itching for a mystery to solve — just like his Hardy Boys heroes. When he overhears some other kids talking about an abandoned house, he think he might have found his answer, but Darius and his new friends might have bitten off more than they can chew. Their investigation takes some dark turns and reveals much more than just a spooky house.   The premise drew me in: Kids exploring a haunted house and stumbling upon their very own mystery. Unfortunately, the execution left a lot to be desired. While technically sound, with great use of sensory language, the plot was Swiss cheese and the characters were sorely underdeveloped. Once I sifted my way through all of the “D” names, I wanted a lot more depth, a lot less telling, and a lot more showing.   Great writing uses the setting (both place and time) as almost another character. As a teacher, I often ask, “If this were set somewhere/...

  It's hard to believe that this is JD's (and my) 62nd edition of Dallas and Roarke. I've been following this journey since the beginning and I love the character arch that spans the whole series. Formulaic? Yes. But this one added in a few unexpected surprises.  Dallas, with her expert civilian consultant, is called away from a charity gala to the home of another wealthy family, where there appears to be a burglary gone wrong. Eve and Peabody's investigation reveals a dead body and a host of secrets, including a hidden vault filled with more questions than answers.  The callbacks and personal connections were a treat for a series that had gone a little stale in recent editions. Whodunits are my jam and even I gave a little gasp at the culprit. This book feels fresh and new, with the friendships and soulmates we've all come to adore. Only request: More Peabody. She's smarter than anyone gives her credit.  Stolen in Death: ★★★★3/4

  A storm, a midnight train, passengers who seem to hold secrets... Murder on the Cornish Train follows newly retired teacher, Jeff, to the rainswept cliffs of Cornwall. Despite having his own agenda for the journey, Jeff quickly becomes swept up with the drama of his fellow passengers and the other guests and staff at the not-so-hospitable Treachery Bay Inn.  This novel had all the Holmesian, Poirot-esque ingredients that would normally be right up my alley, but this one was sadly a miss for me. While I appreciate the narrative technique of the slow reveal, the result was needlessly convoluted prose and sluggish pacing.  The characters were flat, with no real development -- in fact, I almost forgot who some of the key players were, they were so underdeveloped. While the setting was perfect for a murder mystery, it was a little over-described and the title is pretty misleading -- very little actually happens on the train.  While I did figure our "whodunit" (and who-d...

  I mean, is any woman really ever good enough for her mother-in-law? When Addison's MIL passes away, she vows to put her own feelings about the woman who never accepted her away, to focus on supporting her husband in his grief. But as family secrets and paranormal frights creep into the mix, can Addison hold her tongue?  Conradt's exquisite prose sets such a creepy mood that I just had to keep reading -- preferably with a light on. I loved the reverse symbolism of the crows and the undercurrent of draw-you-in suspense. My only hesitations were a few moments of over-psychoanalysis that made the plot drag at times.  Overall, this one is a keeper and I am thankful to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advance read!  The Secret Attic: ★★★★3/4 

Most girls look forward to prom, but not Ruby. Since seeing the gruesome ghost of her dead self, she's a little busy investigating her own possible murder and the corrupt underbelly of her idyllic town.  It takes a lot to surprise me, but this one at least 25% shocked me. Part of that was due to some underdeveloped characters, but mostly it was really good plotting.  Parker's novel may be filled with teens, but they certainly know the meaning of "ride-or-die". For a YA read, there was surprising depth: from the friendships and familial bonds, to the themes of retaliation, greed, and embracing life. This was the perfect blend of suspense, a pinch of horror, rich figurative language, and just a touch of romance. Un-put-downable.  You're Dead to Me: ★★★★3/4

  This book popped up as a recommendation based on my reading history and I'm a sucker for a cozy mystery, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I wanted to like it. The premise is intriguing enough -- set during WWII, undercover agents being picked off one by one. But... I know that it is common practice to set the scene for a series during the first book. But, when that first book just shows what's unlikeable about the characters until a tiny bit of growth at the end, it makes for a really tough read. The characterization was so flat that not only did I not really feel like I knew them, I also didn't care about them. I could see the potential in the last couple of chapters, and I'm guessing that Dixon will show both personal and relationship transformations in upcoming books, but the result was a rather lackluster opening that didn't really make me want to keep reading. (Unless it's about Benson. He seems like an interesting chap.)  Additionally, I didn't r...

  My book club's theme is to read books that are becoming movies. That way, we have fun reading the book together, and later get the double-whammy of enjoying the movie together, too. In the case of Verity , this is one time that I actually hope the movie is better than the book.  This one goes in my DNL (did not love) pile. In a book that should have been twisty and turny, the twist was not even all that twisty -- predictable even. But my biggest issue -- and biggest bookworm pet peeve -- was that the characters were just not likable. It's hard to root for a hero or heroine that you don't like. They were all terrible people doing terrible things, which is not my jam.  Did I keep reading because I wanted to know what happened next? Yes. Was I satisfied with the ending? Meh.  Verity: ★★

 It's been a minute. 14 years to be exact, since I last penned a book review. Goodreads tells me I've read over 1000 books since then; probably more. I thought it about time to revive the conversation -- not just consume the books, but share and talk about them.  First up...one of my favorite new cozy mystery series: The Homefront Sleuths.  From the dynamic father-daughter duo that brought us the Sherlock and Lucy series, this WWII countryside set is like a warm blanket on a cold day. It has just enough intrigue to keep you guessing, a smattering of romance, and vibrant, budding friendships.  So far, I have read up through The Valentine Cipher , which was one of my favorites. Romance is in the air, but so is espionage.  Evie, Nigel, Harry, and the crew always seem to have different pieces to the same puzzle. Part of the magic of this series is the way those pieces eventually fall into place in a non-forced, collaborative way. Every member of the team brings thei...

Boy meets girl; they fight the initial attraction; they go through an intense experience together; boy and girl live happily ever after. Nora Roberts’ recipe for romance manages to work in any setting without feeling repetitive or formulaic. Here, we delve into the world of smoke jumping – an intense and fascinating environment. As Nora does best, her characters are endearing for their humanity – while we may not be able to relate to their situation, we can most definitely connect to their fallibility and their desires. Rowan’s passion, both for fire and for life, is contagious, as is Gulliver’s happy-go-lucky optimism. While the plot’s mystery is hardly a puzzle, the unique perspective and relentless action make this one of Nora Roberts’ most intensely satisfying novels yet.   Book Chick Rating: Y Y Y Y

Once again, Peter Abrahams manages to capture the suspense of a good mystery, while mastering the complex adolescent thought pattern – a mystery of its own. Ingrid’s relationships become even more of a puzzle in this second visit to charming Echo Falls: the duality of her bond with her brother, the childlike adoration, yet not quite trust in her mother, and the questioning of her previously idolized dad’s deterioration. Ingrid’s look “Behind the Curtain” of her tumultuous family parallels the realizations of the imperfections of her beloved town and even a new awareness of herself. This sequel lacked a bit of the “magic” of its predecessor, but it did not fail to entertain, nor did it squelch my desire to solve the mystery alongside Ingrid in her fallible, yet endearing, Holmsian way. Book Chick Rating: Y Y Y Y

Peter Abrahams is a master of three things: imagery, suspense, and the adolescent psyche. His distinctive style paints a story, rather than tells it, sucking the reader into the tale and giving them a vested interest in the outcome (and discovering the identity of the villain). Abrahams’ rich portrayal of Ingrid, along with her flaws, her complicated relationships, and unique outlook on her world, provides the YA lit world with an unrivaled heroine who is at once likeable and real. The suspense too, is very real, and I found myself afraid for Ingrid for both what she had and what she hadn’t yet figured out.  Book Chick Rating: Y Y Y Y Y

Kate Morton’s weaving of generational perspective developed an intriguing, if sometimes repetitive, plot. While the mystery at the heart of the tale was not particularly arduous, the intricacies of the characters and the need to feel them succeed generated an emotional attachment and a pressing need to read more. Morton’s narrative illustrated a clear scene of both a past and present English seaside community and a family dynamic polluted with selfishness and resentment. Yet, it is Cassandra’s journey to cope with loss and accept friendship that cements the charm locked both within the plot and the garden of the title. Book Chick Rating : Y Y Y Y