Another excellent entry in the Gemma James/Duncan Kincaid mystery series. As Gemma and Duncan continue to sort out their complicated family life, Gemma gets a temporary(?) promotion to another station. The past plays a huge role in the mysterious murders that revolve around a musician. Bullies, mysterious neighbors, alcoholism, revenge, jealousy, madness(?). And one police officer gets too personally involved with a possible suspect.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love Book Riot! I listen to so many of their podcasts and read so many of their newsletters and get so many book recommendations. This book expands on all of the Book Riot content, consolidating it into one handy reference guide. Some of it is out of date, and not all of it is relevant for everyone, but excellent advice for expanding your reading skills. I did read this straight through, but the structure allows for skipping around. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maybe this book deserves 5 stars, but part of me just couldn‘t quite get there. It is well written, easy to read, entertaining, full of life, and death, and maybe that‘s where I took one star back. Zibby Owens has experienced a lot of tragedy and she tells the truth about how it all affected her, and that‘s a lot. I admire her drive and ambition, but that‘s also a lot. Ultimately, a positive read. Plus, so many books! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book grabbed me from the beginning. It‘s a bit of a slow build, but I loved the premise of it, right away. Who better to find missing children than Naomi Cottle, a former missing child? This latest, disturbing case feels familiar to her, somehow. Will she find this child and herself? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As Duncan and Gemma‘s lives become more complicated at home, they are juggling the responsibilities of child care and work schedules. This causes Duncan to really push for a solution to this latest case. Rowing, Oxford, serial rapist, murder, police corruption, harm to a dog (the dog doesn‘t die), arson, it‘s all here. I did not see the ending coming. I love this series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Once again, Ruth is called to the scene of a crime, and discovers another ancient skeleton, this one surrounded by relics discovered by a metal detectorist group. She also clashes with an archaeologist that, as head of department, she has hired to take her old position. Norfolk legends, mysterious deaths, creepy old house, devil dog, Nelson in danger, and an ending that has me craving the next book in the series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Everything is topsy turvy. Ruth and Kate are in Cambridge with Frank - OK…NO! This doesn‘t feel right, at all. Ruth gets dragged into an investigation of a serial killer after her former boss, Phil, seemingly bungles an excavation. There are so many twists and turns, and Ruth is having panic attacks. Something has to give, and it does. The ending had me feeling so relieved. And the murder(s)(?) Is solved. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another henge, another unidentified body. But, wait, there are 2 bodies, and one is not ancient. Nelson and Ruth find themselves working a familiar scenario. Ruth also thinks she‘s seen a ghost, but it‘s not who she thinks it is. Stone circles, mysterious rituals, dead girls, kidnapping, revelation upon revelation. This novel is packed! And so satisfying. This series just gets better and better. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In which Ruth takes a holiday to Italy and finds more than she bargained for. While there, an earthquake has Nelson flying to her and Kate‘s “rescue”. Ostensibly there for a dig, she becomes involved in helping to solve a murder, of course. Also, could this be the end of any relationship between her and Nelson? Only the next installment in this series will provide answers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this novel! The author‘s own experience of climbing Manislu in Nepal adds so much detail without getting too technical. Murder is horrible, but how much worse is it on the world‘s eighth tallest mountain? Cecily is inexplicably invited to join the Manislu expedition, and ends up solving the mystery. I did not see the ending coming. Chilling, pun intended. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ruth is called on to look at some bones, surprise, surprise. Homeless people, rough sleepers, are disappearing. Are the two somehow connected? Possibly. But then the disappearances hit closer to home, and a more desperate search ensues. An underground brotherhood is discovered, secret entrances, tunnels. And have things changed between Ruth and Nelson? Read it to find out all the answers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage, and Survival” is the gist of this small book that packs a punch. Two old women are forced to face a harsh reality and the People who force the decision have to live with the consequences. The descriptions of the wilderness and the living conditions and the reality of day to day life make you feel every bit of it. A morality tableau. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story revolves around religious fanaticism and the damage that it can cause. Ruth‘s friend Hilary, from college, calls on Ruth for help, and reveals a string of threatening letters that she has received. Ruth gets Nelson involved, and he sees a possible connection with several murders that have occurred in the area of a place of religious pilgrimage. Ghostly apparitions(?), cults, icons, confusion. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OMG. This book was quite a ride. The back and forth between the past and present made for interesting parallels. Part coming of age, part detective story, 3 young teens try to figure out who the serial killer is that‘s terrorizing their small town. The hunt continues in present day when the last victim turns up alive, and the serial killer seems to take up where they left off. Had me stumped until the very end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This the 13th Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James mystery, and it does not disappoint. Gemma becomes involved through her friend Tim in the disappearance of a little girls parents. Duncan gets Scotland Yard involved after the dad is found murdered. Gemma becomes obsessed with keeping the little girl safe. Personal issues complicate matters, and the ending is a wonderful surprise. This whodunnit kept me guessing until the end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Blackstock family are keeping secrets, and Ruth Galloway is in danger of digging them up, pun intended. When a body is discovered in an old WWII airplane, Ruth suspects that it was moved from somewhere else, and thus begins the tale. Ruth lands in the middle of it all, with more personal complications adding to the mystery. This is such a wonderful series. Don‘t miss it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This Ruth Galloway novel was all kinds of complicated. The discovery of the skeletal remains of a woman imputed to be a baby killer, are discovered, and Ruth becomes part of a documentary debating the woman‘s guilt or innocence. This discovery hits too close to home for someone, however, and it seems that history may be repeating itself. All kinds of truths are revealed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a marvelous book about a woman‘s journey of discovery. She ultimately finds herself by walking the South West Coast Path (in England). A chance radio program leads her to think that she may be on the autism spectrum, particularly ASD. The first part of the book is hard to read, but she gains a growing understanding of how to cope better with the world and herself. It‘s a hopeful book with a hopeful ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Horses, snakes, skulls, curses, Australia, repatriation, and, of course, murder, or is it? Ruth is called on to attend the opening of the coffin of an infamous bishop, only to discover the body of the museum curator, dead, beside the coffin. Natural causes is the verdict, but then there‘s another mysterious death, and then DCI Nelson falls ill and goes into a coma. Is it a curse or murder? Read it to find out. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Charlie is a deaf student struggling with a cochlear implant and being mainstreamed, when she gets transferred to River Valley School for the Deaf, with another set of problems: she does not know ASL and has never been exposed to the deaf community. Finding herself and taking control of her own destiny, she navigates her way through these changes and many more. Be sure to read the Author‘s Note. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book has the feeling of, The House of Broken Angels and Sharks in the Time of Saviors. In other words, it‘s partly the kind of weird-ass, dysfunctional family drama that I love, but also a great, spooky as hell, ghost story. At the same time, this description does not do this book justice. This is my first Louise Erdrich, and I need to read all of them! Don‘t miss this book. It will give you all the feels. Plus, book lists! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This novel is about a group of insular theater students set within an insular college that studies only Shakespeare. The camaraderie feels genuine, but with a sinister undercurrent. What could possibly go wrong? I was swept up in their love of everything Shakespeare, who they quote liberally, but naturally. It never feels contrived. Many parts of this novel just broke my heart, but All's Well That Ends Well. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.5⭐️

Ruth Galloway is once again up to her neck in danger. With ties to her college days, a dead man‘s invitation to a possibly history making dig, a floundering college, all of which takes place near a vacationing Harry Nelson, Ruth once again helps to solve an intricately involved mystery, and rediscover possibly career changing remains. And there‘s ancient mythology and druids. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A short story with a powerful punch. How a woman from England comes into her own in the desert, with the aid of a jinn. The hardest thing is self analysis and overcoming one‘s deeply held prejudices. At the same time, a short story about man‘s greed for oil and the ugliness that arises. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The past is never the past, we are doomed to repeat it or relive it. When six bodies are found buried under a cliff at the beach, WWII seems to have resurfaced, at least in one localized incident. Ruth Galloway and Inspector Nelson work to solve this latest of their mysteries, while struggling with personal complications. Secrets, of all sorts, are hard to conceal. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don‘t normally read this type of book because I‘m a scaredy-cat, but this was an excellent novel! I did have to sleep with the lights on a couple of times and tried not to read it at night, but eventually the scary parts weren‘t so scary and actually play an intricate part in the mystery and I was able to read through them and I‘m so glad I did. The only evil was in the hearts of the living. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What‘s better than a book about books? A laugh out loud book about books, particularly Russian books. And Russian authors. Viv Groskop brings these eleven books and authors to life and gives me a renewed belief that I CAN read War and Peace. Informative and scholarly without being pedantic. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Even in such a short story, the power of Margaret Atwood shines through. A sweet, crazy, tale of parental devotion. Magic is love, love is magic. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a read along for SciFri book club. I didn‘t know what to expect from this book, but the science is easily understood and adds to the narrative. A retrospective of our obsession with the planet Mars, it ends before our most recent rover launch/landing. Back and forth between Earth and Mars, the book details humanity‘s search for life among the stars. The future is out there. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Although a Poirot novel, he is absent for a majority of the book. Evidently much older and much retired, he is still an impressive presence. He ultimately helps Colin Lamb and Detective Hardcastle break through the extraneous trappings of a mysterious murder. Clocks, mysterious phone calls, misidentification. Every time Poirot spoke, I found myself reading it in the voice of David Suchet‘s Hercule Poirot. I had to laugh at myself. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A part-time true crime investigator unexpectedly meets the alleged serial killer famous to her hometown and begins a strange odyssey. Suffering from her own traumatic past, she uncovers the key to the mysterious unsolved serial killings, but is she in way over her head? Murder, ghosts, horribly dysfunctional families, obfuscation on an epic scale, just so much good stuff! I will read anything by Simone St. James, this scared me silly.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had to reflect on this book for a day before writing this review. Although this is different from the first 2 Alice Vega novels, it still shows how tough and uncompromising she is. Due to complications with her relationship with Caplan, she goes it alone with devastating consequences. Written during the pandemic (no mentions), Alice travels a dark dangerous path, both personally and professionally. Judge this book for yourself. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The third book in the series and it‘s a slow starter. Korner and Werner are back on the case of a missing teen. Secrets, environmental issues, murder(s), lies, dysfunctional families, betrayal. Korner‘s and Werner‘s personal issues interweave with their investigations. This is a good mystery that took a dark turn. Not a happy book, but an interesting read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There are 2 main narrators, and at first, it is hard to see how the diverging stories are at all related. That changes as the stories progress and converge. At one point, I was struck with some similarities with A Wrinkle In Time, and the Narnia cycle. It helped connect me to this story, but this based in Lipan Apache folk tales. There is so much contained within these pages. I highly recommend giving it a read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Holy cow! This book is quite a ride. Nothing is what it seems in this mystery/thriller. Told from many different viewpoints, but never confusing. None of the characters are reliable, or without their secrets. Is there a twist or two? Maybe. Is there murder? Perhaps. Does everything change by the end? Could be. Read it and find out. Really. Read it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A rather tame Alex Delaware installment, but with a surprising conclusion. Seemingly unsolvable murders, other seemingly related murders, lots of psychology, nothing really scary. It was a good read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow. This book is the first in a planned series, and all I can say is, when is the next book coming out? Riley Fisher and her dysfunctional family will captivate you. The story is one hell of a ride. Iowa, corn, hybrids, corruption, cannibalism, big Ag, China, murder, it‘s all there. Get in on the start of this series. You won‘t regret it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is not my usual genre, but it wasn‘t as scary as I was worried it would be. I was and wasn‘t prepared for that ending. I liked the back and forth from past to present, from the two different narrators. It is a cliché, but be careful what you wish for. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the second book in this series, and it‘s even better than the first. Rachel Marin is a kick ass, take no prisoners PI. She works with police department, but isn‘t afraid to step out of bounds. Ponzi scheme, mobsterish bad guys, offshore accounts, murder, secrets. A suspenseful read. Highly recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don‘t know. This one just didn‘t grab me. I almost DNFed it, but it picked up at the end and all the loose ends (and I mean very loose) were tied together. Gangsters, prostitution, drugs, Yakuza, Nazis, harm to family members, betrayal, suicide/murder(?), lots of blurry lines, confusion, but a satisfying ending. And a sort of cleaned up Inspector Rebus. Meh. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a book, what a book! If you like unreliable, but likable, narrators, read this book. Dysfunctional families, toxic relationships, serial killers, substance abuse, twisty mystery, and an ending that had me going, wait, Wait, WAIT, what is happening? Highly recommend this entertaining read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am so happy to be back with Kay Scarpetta and the other characters in this series. Always at her best when facing adversity, Kay is once again cleaning up after an unscrupulous predecessor, and his still loyal minion. A serial killer, trouble in space, post-pandemic drama, and an ending that had me panicking that we were going to run out of book before the resolution. More, please. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another mystery featuring Detectives Korner and Werner. The depth of the characters adds a much needed human touch to this series. Dead bodies in fountains, exsanguination, too many suspects. Will Korner solve this in time? Will Werner get herself together? A good, solid entry for this series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The author has a third book coming out, and it sounds intriguing, so I wanted to read the first and second books in the series. This wasn‘t what I was expecting. It is a good mystery, extremely dark, but the book is overall so depressing, that I almost didn't finish it. I can't say that I really like the detectives, nor do they like each other, but there were, surprisingly, some really good laughs. I‘ll continue the series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another stellar Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James mystery. Duncan and Gemma are once again solving a case together, and the chemistry is amazing. Weaving between past and present, it‘s a story involving WWII, stolen jewelry, the Holocaust, lost and found love, hate, murder, of course, family, tragedy, triumph. This is one of the best series that I have read. Start at the beginning and read them all. You won‘t regret it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alex Carter rocks! Who knew that a wildlife biologist led such an exciting life? Vikings, sunken treasure, the Arctic, polar bears, poaching, surviving nights on an iceberg, murder, intrigue. It‘s all here and more! Read this book. Read this series. I can hardly wait for the third book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The title was niggling at me and I finally realized it‘s from the carol, In the Bleak Midwinter, which makes sense with this plot. Duncan and Gemma are on Christmas break with family and of course there‘s a crime, more than one, in fact. Family, secrets, bodies, canals, longboats, it‘s another great mystery. This is such a great series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘ve been in a bit of a reading slump, so I grabbed the next Kincaid/James in the series. They don‘t disappoint. Family drama, kidnapping, murder, arson. I love the chemistry between Duncan and Gemma, and the author breathes life into the other characters, so that one cares for them, deeply. And always the sense of place. Pick up the first book of the series and you‘ll be hooked. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

March 2022. New Alice Vega novel? OMFG, yes! 3rd in the series. You have time to read the first two. Go! Now! Read them!

I struggled with this book. Ultimately, I enjoyed it. After reading the acknowledgements, the feelings I had reading the book began to make more sense. Written during the pandemic, the struggles we had during that time seeped into the construct of this novel. This is a book about secrets, lies, small town prejudices, broken families, murder, environmental issues, love, trust, betrayal. It gave me much anxiety, but it‘s a good read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️