Detective Inspector Venn is back in this third instalment of another great series from Ann Cleeves. Legendary sailor Jem Rosco returns to his hometown of Greystone much to the excitement of the community. However, when he is found murdered it is clear not everyone is glad to have him back. The writing has a wistful feel. If you enjoy a slow burner with complex characters this is for you.

Wilder and Fable fake a relationship in order to make her ex-jealous and to get his matchmaking aunt off his back. I am a sucker for the fake romance trope and add in the Christmas backdrop and I am sold. This was a fun although slightly too long read. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

Alix Morgan has been hired to ghostwrite a memoir for a former member of the boy band True North. She is given a month-long stay at a luxury resort in Vermont so she can focus on meeting the aggressive timelines. As an added bonus her neighbour/ski instructor is incredibly cute. This a really fun read with elements of romance and mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Alice is starting over in the Cotswold after a breakup. Her plan of a quiet life in the country is thwarted when a dead body turns up right by her new property. I liked Alice but this was not for me. The set up took way too long and the ending felt rushed. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

Agatha,an author with a smash debut novel, is struggling to write her follow-up. Her husband gifts her a train ticket from Toronto to Montreal so she can write in peace. When the track breaks down part way through the journey and a fellow passenger dies, Agatha is less worried about her book and more about survival. An easy read with a decent twist. Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC.

The 12th instalment in the Charles Lenox series. Lenox is recovering from being stabbed and also welcoming his cousin,Angela and her companion Sari to his home. Lady Jane is making headlines by protesting in support of the vote for women. On top of all of this, Lenox‘s former housekeeper asks for his help to solve an old mystery. This one dragged a bit but I do enjoy how vividly this era is depicted. Thx to NetGalley & Minotaur books for the ARC.

Ann Cleeves is a must read author for me and this one did not disappoint. Detective Jimmy Perez has settle in Orkney with his partner and senior officer Willow Reeves. His idyllic life is disturbed when his oldest friend is found dead. As Jimmy and Willow investigate they find Jimmy may not have known the victim as well as he thought. Thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC.

The 7th instalment in the Detective Kindiachi series. It consists of a long introduction, the main story and a second shorter story. In the main story a police officer discovers the body of a woman and a black cat. The solution felt unnecessarily complicated. The second story confused me as Kindiachi hardly appears. Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin books for the ARC.

When Mimi is blackmailed into attending an auction she invites her granddaughter, Addie, to come along. When the host is murdered, the two of them find themselves in a race to find the culprit before they strike again. I love locked room mysteries but this did not work for me. The main characters lacked chemistry and the supporting cast left me irritated. Thanks for NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC.

Six old friends gather for the first time in 25 years to honour their former employer who has recently passed away from cancer. The dinner soon turns sideways when they are held hostage and forced to reveal long kept secrets. This book had a lot of pace until the last 20% and then it felt flat. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC.

Lauren, Saskia, Dominica, Farah and Tansy are childhood friends bound by a terrible secret. As adults they have drifted apart until Tansy‘s upcoming wedding brings them back together. Tansy‘s death at her own bachelorette sets off a wild chain of events. This story had its moments but overall the unlikeable characters combined with a sluggish pace made this one a tough read.

Frida and Gabriel were raised in a cult and managed to escape together. Over the years they have drifted apart but reunite at an exclusive resort only to find themselves embroiled in a murder investigation. The story moves between the past and the present. I am torn on this one. There is a neat twist. But found I could not get engaged with the characters. Thanks to Elliott & Thompson and NetGalley for the free copy.

Kit & Keith have been invited by the GM to spend their honeymoon at The Pink Hotel. This is part of an effort to hire Keith as assistant GM. Meanwhile wildfires sweep LA which means Kit & Keith are trapped with unhappy staff and demanding guests. I disliked everyone in this novel, but felt engaged nonetheless by the sheer thoughtlessness and selfishness of the characters. Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the free copy.

A book about two sisters navigating life together and apart. I loved this book and particularly enjoyed learning more about elite soccer. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is one of those books where the less you know the better. I read it in one sitting. Run don‘t walk. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire life trying to distance herself from her famous father who is suspected of killing his siblings. When she finds herself on the brink bankruptcy she is forced to accept an assignment to ghostwrite his last book. This was terrific. I was hooked from the beginning and it kept getting better. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

Lauryn Harper is on a mission to excel at work and retire by 40. However, her plan is derailed when a misunderstanding leads to her demotion and transfer. While Lauryn eagerly works on getting back to head office she learns maybe her old life was not so great after all. Shauna Robinson is quickly becoming a must read author for me. This book is all heart. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

Five lifelong friends gather for a long weekend in France to celebrate a birthday. What could go wrong? This dragged for the first 3/4s. The ending felt rushed and the twist felt a bit forced. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

Five college students go missing the weekend their parents are in town. This was a quick easy read. The ending was a bit abrupt, but overall would recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin‘s Press for the ARC.

Emma discovers a woman‘s body in the water at The New York Yacht Club. Everyone except for Emma concludes it was a suicide. This is another solid entry in this series. I especially liked the development of the relationship between Emma and Derrick. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the free copy.

Lucy McNeil is back in the 12th instalment of the Lighthouse Library Mystery Series. When renowned YA author Todd Harrison shows up unexpectedly at Lucy‘s home wanting to discuss a private matter she is naturally intrigued as they are virtual strangers. Before Lucy can find out what he wants he is murdered on her deck. I have enjoyed all the books in this series and this one did not let me down! Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for the ARC.

Gabe and Pippa live in their dream house except that it is by The Drop, a popular place for those wishing to end their lives. After talking several people from the ledge, Gabe becomes a hero, until one night when he cannot save a woman. The death is ruled a suicide, but Pippa discovers that Gabe knew the victim. I really struggled to get into this one. None of the multiple POVs really resonated. Thx to NetGalley & St. Martin‘s for the free copy.

We follow Joe and Percy from college to adulthood as they navigate heart ache, career highs and lows and their friendship. I loved the references to songs from my youth and found myself pausing my reading to queue up a particular song. This one is definitely for the music lovers. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.

Pomona, a pampered heiress is on a mission to solve her grandmother‘s murder so she can regain access to her trust fund. Along the way she discovers that she may be more resilient than others have given her credit. This was an entertaining read with an appealing main character. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

A fictional memoir about an elusive best-selling author told from multiple POVs. This one got off to a slow start but once I got into it I could not put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

A funny charming read about Sophie Breeze, a professional bridesmaid, who is hired for the biggest wedding of the year. Of course nothing goes as planned and mayhem ensues. This is the perfect read for those looking to fight the January blues.

Adele and Jason‘s family and friends have gathered to celebrate their wedding. However, it quickly becomes apparent that not everyone is excited for the couple. I love a good wedding thriller and this one was engaging with a good twist. Thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the ARC.

Rosie Lachlan, a heart transplant recipient, becomes obsessed with her donor‘s husband. The creep factor on this one was high and I loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

The three Finch sisters have never really clicked and being forced to attend a long weekend camping to celebrate their parents anniversary only serves to confirm the tension. However, a dead body forces the sisters to band together. As someone with two sisters I was drawn to the story. At times, I found Remi (youngest sibling) to be insufferable, but overall enjoyed this one.

Melody Woods returns to her hometown heartbroken and broke. She moves in with her brother while she plans her next steps. While Melody may be unhappy with her situation, Zac Porter is delighted to find he has a second chance to win Melody over after dropping the ball 10 years earlier. I really wanted to like this but did not feel like there was enough tension between the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

A fast paced story about Cordelia Black, a pharmaceutical rep by day and a vigilante by night. Think Dexter in designer threads. This is a fun one with an engaging main character. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

A long lost treasure, engaging main characters and family secrets make for fun cozy mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

Over the last few months I kept picking up and putting down this book. I am so glad I finally hit my stride. This is a heart-wrenching novel with flawed and relatable characters. It is a love letter to sisterhood. It is a must read.

Madeline left her hometown to pursue a career on the stage. She is drawn home when her aunt passes leaving Madeline her bookstore. However, it seems someone is missing determined to drive her away. I really liked Madeline, but had a hard time getting into this one. Some parts felt rushed (the beginning) and other parts dragged (the middle) which overall gave it a disjointed feeling. Thx to NetGalley and St. Martin‘s Press Schuster for the ARC.

Jane joins her new husband and stepdaughter as caretakers of a remote hotel during its off season. The hope, at least for Jane, is that the time together will solidify their new family. However, Jane soon realizes that her husband has many dark secrets. I wanted to like this one as it was giving The Shining vibes, but I ultimately found it repetitive and a bit boring. Thanks to NetGalley and @SimonSchuster for the ARC.

Celeste is embarking on a “year of yes” following the end of her loveless marriage. When a misunderstanding leads to Celeste entering a birdwatching competition with handsome but reserved John, she jumps in headfirst. This is fun romance with two appealing characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery for the ARC.

Ginerva X, is famous for her unique approach to writing, she conducts in-depth interviews with real people and then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character is Rory, an unemployed news anchor. To celebrate the release of Ginerva‘s novel, Rory is rewarded with a luxury train trip through Italy. Of course secrets are revealed. I struggled to get into this one. All the characters are unlikeable. Thanks to NetGalley & Atria for the ARC.

Ariel Pryce wakes up in Lisbon to find that her new husband has disappeared. In the course of trying to track himw down, Ariel discovers that she may not have known him as well as she thought. This is a terrific thriller told from alternating viewpoints and timelines. I liked the nifty twist at the end.

An easy breezy romance.

This is hands down one of the best books I have read so far this year. The premise is unique and will make you laugh out loud and maybe cry a bit. Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC.

Eleanor Dash is the successful author of the Vacation Mysteries Series who is trying to get through her book tour while trying to figure out how to kill off her main character. Obviously mayhem and murder ensue. I really disliked the footnotes and found they distracted from an otherwise solid read. Thanks to St. Martin‘s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

A group of friends from college reunite for a luxurious weekend in Napa. As the wine flows so do the old rivalries and resentments. I always love a good college reunion story and was fairly engaged on this one until the ending. It felt rushed and somewhat ridiculous.

I love domestic thrillers, but this one did not work for me. I found all the characters unlikable and the story beyond unbelievable.

A thriller that is also comedic. Run, don‘t walk…this is a must read.

In the 11th installation of the Lighthouse Library Mystery series, librarian / amateur sleuth, Lucy O‘Neil, investigates an art theft and subsequent return. I have enjoyed all the books in this series and this one was a delight. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really wanted to like this one but I found it less of a story and more of a series of funny lines and observations. Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC.

Ruby McTavish, a notorious heiress dies and leaves her fortune to her adopted son, Camden. Having grown up and always made to feel like an outsider by the McTavish clan, Camden escapes and starts a new life. However, Camden is forced to reckon with his past when he is summoned home to deal with the crumbling estate. This was terrific. I loved the different POVs; especially Ruby‘s. Thanks to St. Martin‘s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

I read this one over the course of many months. I savoured each essay. Overall the collection left me feeling sad, angry, delighted, inspired and hopeful.

My first ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read of the year.

The fifth instalment in the excellent Hawthorne and Horowitz series. I did a little jig when my NetGalley request was approved. This one did not disappoint. Riverside Close is an idyllic gated community with just six homes. Hawthorne is called to investigate when an owner is found dead via crossbow. As Hawthorne digs he finds everyone in Riverside Close had a reason for wanting the victim dead. Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC.