Book #20 The Guncle by Steven Rowley
I want to use sweet to describe this book but it feels like the wrong word because it is about grief. A man takes his young niece and nephew for the summer after the death of their mother so their father, his brother, can go into rehab. It's a good story of learning how to cope in the face of death, how to move forward.
4/5 stars print book
Book #21 A House at the Bottom of the Lake by Josh Malerman
The premise is so good, a young couple discover an intact house in the lake they're exploring while on their first date. Unfortunately, it devolves into a weird story because it can't decide whether it's a teen love story or a horror story. Further, it does neither one well. I didn't hate it but I was left confused. Maybe because it's a novella, the author wasn't able to fully realize his story?
2/5 stars print book
Book #22 Mrs Jeffries Plays the Cook by Emily Brightwell
Another fun installment (#7) of the Mrs Jeffries cozy series. As in the ones before this, Mrs Jeffries and the rest of Inspector Witherspoon's household staff investigate a murder, this time of a universally despised gentleman.
3.5/5 stars audiobook
Book #23 Renascence and Other Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay
A very slim book of poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay, an American poet of the early 20th century. I liked them but I think I need to find another collection to see if all she writes about is death. Good grief. It was a lot.
3/5 stars print book
Book #24 The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood
A cozy mystery set in England with older women sleuthing/helping the police find the murderer of an art dealer. Thank you friend for recommending it! Though not exactly similar in set up to the Thursday Murder Club series, it has a similar vibe. Looks like this is the first in the series and, I, for one, can't wait to get my hands on the second one.
4/5 stars audiobook
Book #25 One-Shot Harry by Gary Phillips
Set in 1963 LA, a Black Korean War veteran who's a photographer, starts to investigate the murder of his army buddy who had just relocated to LA. This a hard boiled mystery, a subset of the mystery genre I don't usually read. There's so much here, racial injustice, shellshocked/ptsd, crime and trying to find out why his buddy had been murdered. Hope it's the start of a series bc I'd like to see more of Harry
4/5 stars audiobook
Book #26 The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
How I wanted to throw this across the room! The whole book is a fictionalized account of Agatha Christie's missing days from the point of view of her husband's mistress. Call me judgmental but I don't like books with affairs being justified. A trope that doesn't work for me. I kept hoping it would get better. It didn't.
1/5 stars audiobook
Book #27 Mrs Jeffries and the Missing Alibi by Emily Brightwell
Inspector Witherspoon is a suspect in the murder of a businessman and Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of the household staff investigate to find the real culprit. But why won't the Inspector say where he disappeared to while the murder took place?
3.5/5 stars audiobook
Book #28 The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page
A cleaning woman who loves to hear the stories told to her by her employers, a significant story of their lives. She "collects" these stories to keep herself engaged in life because the life she's living is not the one she wants. She stumbles upon a new story, a change in her life, a new path. Lovely story of finding oneself and changing directions.
3.5/5 stars audiobook
Book #29 The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson
A young Metis teen is living and working with her family at their ice cream shop before heading off to university. She's dealing with a variety of issues including an ex-boyfriend, a bio father that's newly arrived in her life after a prison sentence, racism and generally being lost/unsure of where her life is headed after some issues with her family. A good YA story with more depth than I expected.
3.5 stars audiobook
Book #30 Mrs. Jeffries Stands Corrected by Emily Brightwell
This entry isn't as strong as her previous ones as Mrs Jeffries and the household staff aren't as involved with solving the murder as they usually are. It felt like this was a story that could've been better served as a novella. Still liked it.
3/5 stars audiobook
Book #31 Death at the Voyager Hotel by Kwei Quartey
A young American teacher is killed in Ghana a couple of months before she was to leave the country. The police have deemed as an accidental drowning. The head mistress of her school, Paula Djan, doesn't accept that. She starts to investigate it although her husband and the police don't like it. Enjoyable novella. Will be reading more from this author.
4/5 stars print book
Book #32 Mrs. Jeffries Takes the Stage by Emily Brightwell
Mrs Jeffries and the household staff are back to solving mysteries after a slight set back in the last book. The humor was back and so was the fun.
3.5/5 stars audiobook
Book #33 The Violinist's Thumb And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code by Sam Kean
Non-fiction about DNA and how it came to be mapped. So much information that it took me most of the month as I read a chapter a day. Luckily, it wasn't chockfull of scientific vocabulary and it made it easier to follow the science. Interesting enough read that I'd like to read a bit more on this subject.
3.5/5 stars print book
Book #34 Exiles by Jane Harper
Aaron Falk is back and involved on the periphery of a murder investigation in his 3rd outing. He's visiting friends, as he's agreed to be their son's godfather. Last year when he visited them, a woman vanished leaving her baby in a stroller during a festival. Why did she disappear? Was she kidnapped? Was she suicidal? A slow burning mystery.
3.5/5 stars print book
Book #35 Mrs. Jeffries Questions the Answer by Emily Brightwell
Mrs Jeffries and the rest of the Inspector's household staff continue to delight.
3.5/5 stars audiobook
Book #36 Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson
I really enjoy Kate Atkinson's writing. Her Jackson Brodie detective series was really good and I loved Life After Life. And, now with this book, we're taken to the 1920s London with a cast of interesting characters from runaways to cops, both honest and corrupt to nightclub owners and to an inquisitive librarian. A fun world you can get lost in.
4.5/5 stars print book
Book #37 Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
Listened to this collection and so glad I did. It's so powerful, full of history of the pandemics we've lived through ("Spanish flu", covid) and the continuing racism in this country (US). I've always had such a hard time reading poetry so listening to it elevated it. The last poem was the inaugural poem she read in 2020. Incredible insight. I'll definitely be checking out her other collections.
4.5/5 stars audiobook
Book #38 Mrs. Jeffries Reveals Her Art (Mrs. Jeffries, #12) by Emily Brightwell
An art broker chokes on his mints at a tea and the suspects are all around him. Was it the host who needs to sell his artwork, or any of the myriad of guests who were being blackmailed by him. It's up to Mrs. Jeffries, the housekeeper and the rest of Inspector Witherspoon's staff to bring the murderer to light.
3.5/5 stars audiobook
Book #39 Death by Bubble Tea (LA Night Market Mysteries #1) by Jennifer J. Chow
I'm not sure I've described a cozy mystery as cute but that was the overall feeling of this story. There were some things that seemed a bit over the top, for example, the police detective sharing as much information as he did. But I liked it, the mystery was alright and I'll going to give the next one a try when it comes out.
3/5 stars audiobook
Book #40 Blanche on the Lam (Blanche White, #1) by Barbara Neely
Blanche's on the run after she's just been convicted of passing bad checks and sentenced to 30 days in jail. She hides as a domestic worker in the house of old Southern family. She just wants to keep under the radar until she can get up to Boston. But circumstances conspire against her and she's pulled in to the strange goings on around her. Looking forward to the next book in the series
4/5 stars audiobook
Book #41 Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
A well written collection of connected short stories, a genre I usually shy away from. Really felt like I got to know the characters intimately, their history, their feelings & thoughts. The stories bring to life a variety of women so different from each other. Took my time listening to the book, choosing to listen to one story one day at a time. Recommend it.
4/5 stars audiobook
Books #42 & 44 Mrs. Jeffries Takes the Cake & Mrs. Jeffries Rocks the Boat by Emily Brightwell
Finding each book in the series to be delightful little gems. Love the interactions between Mrs Jeffries & the rest of the household staff, as well as Mrs Jeffries & Inspector Witherspoon. Are they intricate mysteries? Nope. But, for me, sometimes series are more about how the author has built up the world the characters live in. These fit that bill.
3.5/5 stars audiobooks
Book #43 Ghost Month (Taipei Night Market #1) by Ed Lin
So, I've been trying to figure out how to write this without being entirely negative. Picked this up because it sounded interesting being set in Taiwan during Ghost Month (which is a month when ghosts must be appeased as not to bring bad luck). That was the positive, I enjoyed learning about the culture. Big negative was the mysogynistic attitude of the main character. And the mystery was eh.
2.5/5 stars audiobook
Books #45 & 46 Mrs. Jeffries Weeds the Plot & Mrs. Jeffries Pinches the Post by Emily Brightwell
With the rainy days, it’s allowed me to continue with my adventures with Mrs Jeffries, Mrs Googe, Betsy, Wiggins and Smythe (plus others). Both fun mysteries, the second one seemed to be tighter. Loving the new narrator.
3.5/5 stars & 4/5 stars audiobooks
Book #47 The Night Ship by Jess Kidd
Don’t you hate it when an author you’ve loved puts out a book so different from the previous ones and it’s just not that good. That’s how this one was for me. It was ok but where was the connection between the characters? Where was the humor that’s present in her previous work? Was expecting magic realism, was not expecting the violence. It took me forever to read it. So disappointed.
2/5 stars print book
Book #48 Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge
A fun new series featuring Agatha Christie's housekeeper in the starring role as detective. AG and her 2nd husband Max Mallowan are hosting a dinner weekend when a murder occurs. Love the interaction between AG and Phyllida Bright, the housekeeper. Am looking forward to the next one.
4/5 stars print book
Book #49 The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves
Vera Stanhope's 10th book has a murder on an island. A group of old school friends regularly get together for a reunion when one of them is found hung in his room. Vera figuring out the secrets held by the rest of the group is a joy. Love being back in her world.
4.5/5 stars print book
Book #50 The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman
New series featuring widow Lily Adler, who's come to London to start interacting with society again. On the night of attending her first ball, she overhears an exchange and then a gun shot. She finds a body and starts to investigate the murder when the police won't. A good start to the series. Next one is already sitting in Libby for me.
3.5/5 stars audiobook
Book #51 Station Eternity (The Midsolar Murders, #1) by Mur Lafferty
Cozy mystery set in space (near future). First contact has been made with Earth, 3 humans are on a space station which is sentient. A spaceship from Earth is on route to the station but a disaster occurs and only half the ship survives.Was this sabotage? Was there murder involved? It's up to Mallory Viridian, one of the humans onboard the space ship, to solve it.
3.5/5 stars print
Book #52 Black Candle Women by Diane Marie Brown
A book of magic, generations of women under a curse should've been fun. The narrative had alternating chapters of four women & I only cared about 2 of them. The one who had been cursed was so annoying! I could understand why she'd been cursed. As for the mother-teen daughter pair, why didn't the mother just reveal that they were cursed? In the end, this is a debut and it was ok.
2.5/5 stars audiobook
Books #53 Mrs. Jeffries Pleads Her Case by Emily Brightwell 3/5 stars
#56 Mrs. Jeffries Sweeps the Chimney 3.5/5 stars
#57 Mrs. Jeffries Stalks the Hunter 3/5 stars
The detecting continues with Mrs Jeffries and the rest of Inspector Witherspoon's household staff. Continues to be fun and comfort food.
audiobooks
Book #54 Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana
Collection of short stories about the tenants of an apartment building whose owners are trying to get rid of them. The teacher's assistant and the would be olympic gymnast stories stood out for me. I don't think there were any awful stories, just some more fleshed out than others. I'd like to read a full length novel by the author when he puts one out.
3/5 stars audiobook
Book #55 The City of Mist Stories (Cemetery of Forgotten Books) by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
The last release by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, think it was right after his death. Was so excited to read it because they were stories that take place in "The Cemetery of Forgotten Books" world. They were ok. This just reinforces my feelings of full length books/novellas as being better than a collection of short stories. Eh.
2.5/5 stars audiobooks
Book #58 The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
A good book about a blogger who researches cold cases and starts interviewing a woman accused of being a serial killer but who was found not guilty. There were elements of paranormal/horror in it but that's to be expected from this author. Not going to say anymore in case I spoil it for others.
4/5 stars audiobook
Book #59 There There by Tommy Orange
What a powerful collection of stories. I thought I was going to be reading interconnected short stories but it turned out to be a book with multiple narrators. We follow the lives of a number of individuals who will end up at the Oakland Powwow.The stories were almost like the ocean with its ebb and flow, like waves crashing and receding. Very absorbing.
4/5 stars audiobook
Book #60 The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
What a lovely light contrast to the previous book. Just what I needed. I’m not used to reading a script but after the first bit, I adjusted quite easily. This left me laughing, smiling the whole way through. Definitely fun.
4/5 stars print
Book #61 A Restless Truth (The Last Binding, #2) by Freya Marske
A follow up to A Marvellous Light featuring Robin's sister Maud. Set wholly on a passenger ship from New York to London, Maud's mentor is murdered and Maud starts investigating to find out which magician killed her. Not quite as quirky or fun as the first book unfortunately. Still ok but I'm not sure I'll be quick to pick up the next book.
3/5 stars audiobook
Book #62 Exhalation by Ted Chiang
A sci-fi collection of short stories. There were so many fantastic reviews and I went in with high expectations. It seemed as though the author was trying deliver stories with lessons for us. Though I didn't disagree with the messages, I couldn't lose myself in the stories. Some were really good and others fell flat. It was alright.
2.5/3 stars audiobook
Book #63 The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
A fun dystopian set in the near future where the general population of North America has been affected by climate change and the cure seems to be draining the Indigenous population of their dreams. Indigenous people are on the run because the Residential schools have been resurrected so their dreams can be stolen. Heart pounding at times, it drew me in and held me in thrall. Good book.
4/5 stars audiobook
#66 The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
A writer is hunkering down alone to write her latest true crime novel when a winter storm hits which brings with it a young child wandering by themselves. Who is the child? Where are their parents? Why are they so terrified? Read for book club. Fun.
4/5 stars print book
#67 A Murder at Balmoral by Chris McGeorge
I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this. In an alternate reality, the British Royal Family is spending Christmas at Balmoral Castle. King Eric is found dead, probably murdered. Storm is brewing outside so this is a locked room mystery. Was it the Queen? His daughters? His brother? It's up to the Royal Chef to find out.
2/5 stars audiobook
#68 All Dressed Up A Novel by Jilly Gagnon
Such a fun premise, a young couple go to the murder mystery weekend at a B&B. It promises to be so much fun, a murder mystery within a murder mystery. But it falls flat. Found it boring overall. Would not recommend.
2/5 stars audiobook
#69 Fall of Angels (Inspector Redfyre Mystery #1) by Barbara Cleverly
Set in 1930's London, a Detective Inspector starts to investigate a murder at an annual Christmas concert. It didn't feel cohesive as it's at times a quirky mystery and at others a more serious feminist discussion. The mystery itself was alright. Would've fared better for me if it had been one thing or the other as it wasn't integrated very well.
3/5 stars audiobook
#70 The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander
Sweet romance of an isolated young woman, who upon the death of her only family, her grandmother, up and moves after she's been laid off as a librarian. She moves into a fixer upper next to a grumpy single dad. The community is small has no library. Luckily, she has an old phone box which she makes into a small library. The town comes together and love wins. If you're looking for cotton candy, this is it.
3/5 stars audiobook
#71 The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
Think I'm late in the game for this book. Believe there's a movie out there and I'd like to see it now after having read the book. Four ladies in 1920's England escape for a month to Italy. There they each find out a little something about themselves. A gem.
4/5 stars print book
#72 Dead and Gondola (Christie Bookshop, #1) by Ann Claire
Ellie has come back home to Colorado to help her sister run a bookstore. They get involved in a murder mystery after a strange encounter with a man at their book club meeting. Who was he? Who was he looking for? And why has their cashier disappeared? Another snowed in setting. Liked it, will look for the second book.
3/5 stars audiobook
#73 Every City Is Every Other City (A Gordon Stewart Mystery, #1) by John McFetridge
Maybe it was the audiobook narration but what a slog. I couldn't tell if it was trying to be hardboiled with gangsters and such. Wasn't sure what the actual mystery was. Another wouldn't recommend. Although, maybe the print version would've been better? I don't know.
2/5 stars audiobook
#74 Playing Dead (Molly Madison, #2) by Peggy Rothschild
Before I say anything else, you need to be a dog person because there's a lot about dogs and training. The second book in the series, a former police detective/former PI now dog trainer, is on the scene of a murder. She reluctantly becomes involved in the case when the murder suspect asks for her assistance. I liked it quite a bit.
3.5/5 stars audiobook
#75 Of Manners and Murder (Dear Miss Hermione Mystery, #1) by Anastasia Hastings
New to the Agony Aunt business, Violet has been thrust into the role when her aunt & guardian takes off for an adventure. Set in the late 1800s in London, Violet comes across a letter from a newly married woman who's scared that someone is trying to kill her. Unfortunately, she arrives after the lady's death. Fun start to a cozy mystery series. Will be coming back for more.
4 stars audiobook
Book #76 When All the Girls Have Gone
Book #77 Promise Not to Tell
Book #78 Untouchable
by Jayne Ann Krentz (Cutler, Sutter & Salinas, #1, 2, 3)
Needed an easy read/listen while traveling. This trilogy fit the bill. Krentz was one of my favorites while in my 20s. Still pick her up from time to time. Formulaic but immensely cotton candy reading. "Thriller" romances with a bit of magical realism in the last book.
all 3/5 star audiobooks
#79 Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
A much needed beach read. A fun story with quirky characters, ghosts & a bit of magic realism. A young woman, Zoey, is spending the summer before college, on an island off of South Carolina, in a small condo left to her by her mother. There she starts interacting with reluctant fellow residents. One of the residents dies accidentally and that starts off the action. Allen's storytelling is engaging.
3.5/5 stars print
Book #80 Mrs. Jeffries and the Silent Knight by Emily Brightwell
It was good to get back to Mrs. Jeffreys and the rest of Inspector Witherspoon's household staff. This time a grumpy, miserly Baron is murdered a week before Christmas. The suspects are plentiful, including his 3 adult daughters, a distantly related cousin and the suitor of one of the daughters.
3.5/5 stars audiobook
Book #81 Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson
We follow Lisamarie's memories as she and her family wait to find out the fate of her brother. He's been lost at sea from the fishing boat he was on. As a young indigenous woman in Canada, we follow her ups and downs. Her close relationship with her Uncle Mick is a highlight. Overall, a good book but the middle dragged a bit and I would've liked more of a resolution regarding Jimmy, Lisamarie's brother.
3.5/5 stars print
Book #82 Mrs. Jeffries Appeals the Verdict by Emily Brightwell
Book #21 in the Mrs. Jeffries series. Mrs. Jeffries and her household co-workers are brought a case by a friend to try to find evidence that would excoriate a convicted murderer set to hang. How will they get Inspector Witherspoon to help them on their quest without revealing to him that they have been instrumental in helping him solve his previous cases? Another fun story.
3.5/5 stars audiobook
Book #83 Lost & Found by Kathryn Schultz
A memoir of a woman on her grief journey that juxtaposes her journey in finding love. The first part is about losing her father, the second about finding love and the third about how she's trying to reconcile the good with the bad. Painful at times, sweet at others, and very courageous in allowing us into her life. Lovely.
4/5 stars print
Book #84 The Windsor Knot by S.J. Bennett
An absolutely fun cozy starring Queen Elizabeth II helping, behind the scenes, her Asst Private Sec, Rozie Oshodi investigate a death that's happened at Windsor Castle. A Russian pianist seems to have strangled to himself but there are clues that show that he was murdered. Why was he killed? QEII and Rozie are the duo I didn't know I needed. Definitely recommend and can't wait to read this next one.
4/5 stars audiobook
Book #85 The Secret, Book & Scone by Ellery Adams
The first in a cozy series set in Miracle Springs, NC where 4 women, who've ended up there because of past trauma in each of their lives, form a book club where they start to begin friendships. Just as they start getting to know each other a murder occurs, one of them gets thrown in jail and the rest of the group start to investigate. I liked it.
3/5 stars audiobook
Book #86 The Whispered Word by Ellery Adams
Second in the cozy series, this time a young woman appears just as a customer of the bookstore is murdered. Who is this young woman? What has happened to her? Where did she come from? And did she murder the bookstore customer? Also, what's going on with the new housing development happening in town? How are they all related? Or are they? Liked this one as well.
3/5 stars audiobook
Lillias
Amanda