#NetGalley #BookReview Ancient Egypt a Photographic History by Nigel Fletcher-Jones #AncientEgypt #Egyptology #Photography

Book Review

Ancient Egypt: A Photographic History

by Nigel Fletcher-Jones

Release date: May 14th, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(4.5 Rounded Up)

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Ancient Egypt: A Photographic History by Nigel Fletcher-Jones from NetGalley and Amber Books to read and give an honest review.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words“ and in this case Ancient Egypt: A Photographic History speaks volumes.

I have been intrigued by Ancient Egypt since visiting the King Tutankhamun exhibit at the age of nine, and over forty years later, I started taking courses in Archaeology, with a particular focus in Egyptology. I was thrilled to be afforded the opportunity to read and review Ancient Egypt: A Photographic History by Nigel Fletcher-Jones. 

They say, “A picture is worth a thousand words“ and in this case Ancient Egypt: A Photographic History speaks volumes. This stunning collection of photographs of Ancient Egyptian relics and places, covering Pre-history and the early dynastic period thru to the Greco-Roman Period, show Ancient Egypt in all its beauty. Accompanying each photograph are summaries, albeit brief, each offer a great introduction and insight into each photograph and its significance in history.   

This would be a perfect introduction for anyone who is fascinated by Ancient Egypt and its amazing wonders. A truly inspiring photographic journey through Egyptian history that I would highly recommend.    

#NetGalley #BookReview Disturbing the Dead: A Rip Through Time Novel #3 by Kelley Armstrong #Mystery #Historical #TimeTravel

Book Review

Disturbing the Dead

A Rip Through Time Novel #3

by Kelley Armstrong

Release date: May 7th, 2024

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Disturbing the Dead: A Rip Through Time Novel #3 by Kelley Armstrong from Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…Fast-paced, well-written and filled with a wonderful cast of captivating characters, a touch of romance, quirky humor, heartwarming moments, and a thrilling mystery….…

A huge fan of Kelley Armstrong’s work, I was thrilled to be given the honor of reading and reviewing Disturbing the Dead, the third entry in her “A Rip Through Time series”, and like the first two, I absolutely loved it!  

 We pick up the story of modern-day Canadian police detective, Mallory Atkinson, who is trapped in the body of Dr. Gray’s con-artist maid Catriona Mitchell in 1869 Edinburgh. Catriona/Mallory is now an assistant to Dr. Duncan Gray, an undertaker and medical examiner, she is doing what she can to cope until she can find a way back home to her own time to see her family and learn if the scheming Catrina is inhabiting her body, conning her family in the present day and she hopes to learn news about the fate of her beloved grandmother. 

Dr. Gray and his sister, chemist Isla, are aware of Mallory’s secret and although extremely homesick, she is making the best of the situation by helping Dr. Gray with his cases as they arise, bringing modern day knowledge to help Duncan decipher crimes.  

Whilst attending a high society function at the home of Sir Alastair Christie, a highly contested mummy unwrapping party goes very wrong when Mallory and Doctor Gray are enlisted to step in during the unwrapping when Sir Christie cannot be found anywhere. When the unwrapping reveals the dead body of Sir Christie and the authentic mummy and some of its grave goods are missing, they are called to assist Detective McCreadie unravel the clues and uncover Sir Christies murderer. Sir Christie’s children assist Dr. Gray and Mallory by revealing underground tunnels under their home and when Sir Christies unconscious brother-in-law is found in the tunnels it is discovered the mummy had been smuggled out through the tunnel by a cloaked figure. Determined to get to the bottom of things their investigation leads them into the seedy world of the black-market macabre antiquities scene in Victorian Edinburgh. Mallory used to investigating on her own puts herself in peril when she goes off by herself looking through the tunnels, possibly ending Mallory’s time in Victorian Edinburgh.  

I love this series in particular the way the author creates such vivid and authentic characters. Mallory is an intelligent, strong, and independent female character but we also see her vulnerable, heartbroken and afraid. Armstrong’s prose feels authentic as she does not shy away from tough topics such as racism, transgender, homosexuality, and misogyny which has made her one of my favorite authors.  

Fast-paced, well-written and filled with a wonderful cast of captivating characters, a touch of romance, quirky humor, heartwarming moments, and a thrilling mystery, Disturbing the Dead is a page-turning historical mystery that I highly recommend. 

#NetGalley #BookReview An Intrigue of Witches A Secret Society Mystery by Esme Addison #Mystery #Paranormal #Thriller #Science #Historical #Mythology

Review

An Intrigue of Witches

A Secret Society Mystery 

by Esme Addison

Release date: May 7th, 2024

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(4.5 Rounded Up)

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of An Intrigue of Witches, A Secret Society Mystery by Esme Addison from NetGalley and Severn House  in order to read and give an honest review.

…the author brilliantly mixes genres seamlessly, blending genres such as mystery, thriller, paranormal fantasy, science and history with much of the history based on actual events, people and legends…

New to author, Esme Addison ‘s work and since she was recommended to me as a cozy author, I was pleasantly surprised by her newest book, An Intrigue of Witches which defies a single genre, a cleverly plotted mix of mystery, thriller, mythology, historical and science with a paranormal twist, fans of Discovery of Witches, DaVinci Code, Outlander and Indiana Jones might enjoy this.   

When thirty-year-old black historian Sidney Taylor is let go from her position at the Smithsonian she is at a complete loss as to what to do struggling with her place and who she is seeks refuge in her hometown and with her beloved grandmother. Sidney is thrilled when she is offered a job in the small museum she had worked as a history reenactor while in college, this time around however she is offered a job that is just too hard to refuse. Her employer wants her to find a missing artifact for an incredibly hefty sum of money, the catch, she must do so in two weeks. Sidney accepts the challenge and what she finds takes her on an adventure with bizarre and intriguing clues involving cryptology, symbolism, puzzles, and hidden rooms all of which weave a fascinating story that spans Egypt, Scotland and witch trials that occurred in her town centuries before. The closer she gets she uncovers warring secret societies, fabricated history and corruption at the highest levels and the more attention she draws and the more she puts herself and those she cares for in jeopardy and the more she learns about herself and her destiny.  

I really enjoyed this book, the author brilliantly mixes genres seamlessly, blending genres such as mystery, thriller, paranormal fantasy, science and history with much of the history based on actual events, people and legends all of which adds a bit of credibility to the story. I really recommend reading the author’s notes at the end as they really help unravel what is real and what is not. Although it took a bit to get into and it often felt like too much was happening at once, it really was a brilliantly creative and unique book that takes the reader on an adventure like no other! I highly recommend it.

#NetGalley #BookReview Death in the Details, A Novel by Katie Tietjen #Cozy #Mystery #HistoricalMystery

Review 

Death in the Details

A Novel

by  

Katie Tietjen

Release date: April 9th, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐

(4.5 rounded up)

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Death in the Details, A Novel by Katie Tietjen from Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review. 

…This book was a unique, well written and cleverly plotted cozy mystery which had it all, an amazing protagonist, quirky cast of characters and a wonderfully twisty mystery that  reaches  a satisfying conclusion...

In this debut from author Katie Tietjen we meet War widow Maple Bishop who is no stranger to grief, growing up in the rough parts of Boston, she lost her mother, her brother years before and now her husband has died serving his country.  Longing for a fresh start, the newlyweds had moved to a small town in Vermont, before deploying he worked as a small-town doctor and her unable to get a job to utilize her law degree and not quite fitting in the small-town social circles stayed at home.  When her husband dies during the war other than her good friend Charlotte, Maple has never felt so alone.  Just when she believes things can’t get worse, she is informed by her lawyers that all but twelve dollars of her husband’s insurance policy has been eaten by debts accrued by her husband, not charging patients who were down on their luck. With a measly twelve dollars to her name, she doesn’t know how she will pay her mortgage. Her only solace is found in creating her miniature detailed doll houses with miniature dolls depicting happy comfortable lives.  Through her grief she becomes obsessed with them and can’t seem to stop herself, as they take over her home.  While picking up supplies at the local hardware store the owner, who has become a friend, offers her a place in front of the window to set up a table for her to set up shop both building them and selling, hoping it will help her and help bring business into the store. A deal is struck, and she begins the next day. When she meets the wife of the town bully, she can’t help but see the bruises so when she asks Maple to recreate her childhood home, Maple agrees, promising to deliver it to their home in a few days. On the scheduled evening she goes to deliver it to the rural farm but she feels something is wrong. There is no sign of life at the farm.  Knowing they were expecting her she searches the property only to find the husband strung up to the rafters and the wife nowhere in sight. Shocked at the discovery she calls the police, but as she waits her mind does what it does best, and “find what’s big in what’s small” her focus falls on all the little details of the crime scene. While the apathetic police and the medical examiner are quick to declare the death an accident, Maple with all of details etched in her memory can’t believe the case has been closed and needs to figure it out by recreating the crime scene. Building it like she would a doll house she recreates the crimescene in a nutshell and begins weeding through the discrepancies convincing herself that the man’s death was murder.  Armed with the nutshell she storms into the police station and presents her findings to the sheriff but it just isn’t enough to convince him and the case remains closed and the death remains “an accident”. Not willing to stand for his apathy, she confronts him and is asked to leave the police station and does so knowing she has annoyed the sheriff too much.  The next day an idealistic young deputy who witnessed her altercation with the sheriff believes her, returning the “nutshell” and together they begin to investigate the case quietly uncovering much more than they bargained for.   
I absolutely loved the protagonist, Maple is well formed, her grief is palpable as is her honesty and tenacity.  Even more impressive is that she is inspired by the real “mother of forensic science” Frances Glessner Lee, considered paramount to the first-of-its kind Department of Legal Medicine at Harvard University when the field of forensics was in its infancy. Lee crafted her intricately detailed miniature crime scenes called “Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death” used to train homicide investigators. This book was a unique, well written and cleverly plotted cozy mystery which had it all, an amazing protagonist, quirky cast of characters and a wonderfully twisty mystery that  reaches  a satisfying conclusion. I absolutely recommend it and I really hope there are future Maple Bishop books.

#NetGalley #BookReview the Poison Pen (Scottish Bookshop Mystery #9) by Paige Shelton #Cozy #Mystery

The Poison Pen

(Scottish Bookshop Mystery #9)

by Paige Shelton

Release date: April 9th, 2024  

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Poison Pen (Scottish Bookshop Mystery #9) by Paige Shelton from Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…Well-written, clever, and filled with intrigue, red herrings and a quirky cast of characters, The Poison Pen is an amazing cozy that will keep you guessing to the very end...

I am a fan of Paige Shelton, I have read her Dangerous Type, Alaska Wild and this, the Scottish Bookstore Series, and to be honest she has yet to disappoint me. The Poison Pen, the ninth book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery is definitely no exception.

Our protagonist Delaney, a transplanted American now considered an honorary Scot came to Edinburgh to work in the Cracked Spine Bookstore owned by the well-respected Edwin MacAlister alongside colleagues Rosie, Rosie’s little pup Hector, Joshua, and Hamlet. She has come a long way from book one, now married to the love of her life, Tom, and living in their seaside cottage, she loves her life. Although she works at the Cracked Spine, the bookstore is not where she spends most of her days, she spends them in the mysterious adjoining space they call the warehouse. Edwin is an avid collector of historical artefacts, and the warehouse is where he hides his finds and with Delaney’s previous museum experience, she has become the perfect person to curate his secret collection. 
 
In this installment, Edwin asks Delaney to go on a mission for him to the town of Roslin to the West Rosebud House, the family estate of Edwin’s old friend Jolie Lannister. Jolie, rumored illegitimate heir to the throne, has an artefact for Edwins’s collection. Delaney, not yet used to driving on the “wrong” side of the road enlists the aid of good friend and cab driver Elias. Julia is the sole owner of the estate; West Rosebud House and it has been in her family for over 100 years although a little worse for wear. Upon arriving at the estate, they are met by Jolie’s groundskeeper Homer who is a dear old friend of Elias. When they enter the house, they walk into the middle of an argument going on between Jolie and her attorney, Bowie Berry, who has unexpectedly brought an appraiser, auctioneer Gilles Haig, and his assistant, Alban Dunning, to appraise the contents of the old mansion. Due to the disarray of the home Bowie is claiming that she will become power of attorney as stated by a document they agreed upon ten years earlier. Bowie believes Jolie is becoming a hoarder and has exhibited she is unable to control herself therefore Bowie must step in and take control, in which reviewing the contents of the estate to take an inventory is the first step. With the arrival of Delaney and Elias the argument dissipates and Bowie frustrated walks out.
 
After everyone has left Jolie takes Delaney and her Elias to the shed where she has been hiding the sword. Upon examining the dirt encrusted object Delaney is convinced this just might be authentic. Interrupted by a ruckus outside they rush out to investigate and stumble across Elias’s friend Homer standing over the dead body of Gilles assistant Alban. When Homer is arrested and taken in for questioning both Delaney and Elias come to his aid. Delaney must find the real killer and soon. When word gets out about the rare sword everyone including the Treasure Trove Unit of the Scottish Government where their co-worker and friend Joshua was just hired wants it, the murder investigation becomes much more complicated.  As Delaney investigates, she uncovers pieces of the puzzle which she must put together to before it is too late.

Well-written, clever, and filled with intrigue, red herrings and a quirky cast of characters, The Poison Pen is an amazing cozy that will keep you guessing to the very end. This was an incredibly enjoyable installment in the series, and I cannot wait to read more of Delaney’s adventures. I highly recommend it.

#NetGalley #BookReview ~ A Midnight Puzzle (Secret Staircase Mystery #3) by Gigi Pandian #Mystery #Cozy

A Midnight Puzzle

(Secret Staircase Mystery #3)

by Gigi Pandian

Release date: March 19th, 2024

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of A Midnight Puzzle (Secret Staircase Mystery #3) by Gigi Pandian from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…I adore this series and this entry really had it all, a complex, interesting mystery with thrill, chills, and intrigue….…

A huge fan of author Gigi Pandian, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read and review her latest,A Midnight Puzzle, the third book in the Secret Staircase Mysteries.

This whimsical cozy mystery series, features Tempest Raj who is finally settling in as an “architectural illusionist” for her family’s construction company, Secret Staircase Constructions whose specialty is creating magical spaces, secret rooms, and hidden staircases. Our protagonist Tempest, a former Vegas magician who until recently had followed the family’s magical tradition. The rumour of a family curse, the “eldest dies by magic” has rung true in the past including the unsolved murder of her magician mother in addition to the disasters that have plagued her career and family.

Her new career is in jeopardy as a result of Julian Rhodes, the client from hell tries to kill his wife, then blames his wife’s so-called “accident” which has left her in a coma on the Secret Staircase Construction’s shoddy work, an accusation that could ruin them. Tempest is also preparing for her final magic show to bid adieu to her past stage persona to be held at the Whispering Creek Theater, a creepy gothic landmark and the place where Tempest’s mother took her last breath.

Tempest is so happy when her mentor and friend, illusionist Nicodemus the Necromancer arrives from Scotland while planning his retirement tour. Their visit is interrupted when Tempest gets a call from Julian telling her he got her message, is at the theater and wants to know where she is. When Tempest arrives at the theater, she gets more than she bargained for when she stumbles across Julian’s body along with a note in Tempest’s handwriting.

With everything casting a shadow on her and her family Tempest is on the case with the help of good friends to prove their innocence by finding the real killer. The more she uncovers the more she uncovers connections to her mother’s murder five years earlier.

Gigi Pandian has done it again, a brilliantly unique and extremely fun cozy mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seat. One of my favorite things about Pandian’s books is her ability to create diverse, quirky, multi-faceted characters who all feel well-formed. My only complaint is that she often tends to “tell” and not “show”.  

I adore this series and this entry really had it all, a complex, interesting mystery with thrill, chills, and intrigue. I really enjoyed this entry and would highly recommend it. I look forward to reading more of Tempest’s adventures.

#NetGalley #BookReview The Mystery Writer A Novel by Sulari Gentill #Mystery #Thriller

Review

The Mystery Writer

A Novel

by

Sulari Gentill

Release date: March 19th, 2022

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill from Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press in order to read and give an honest review.

…An action packed, cleverly crafted, unique, and unexpectedly twisted whodunit filled with brilliantly quirky characters that keeps the reader flipping pages…

I loved author, Sulari Gentill’s previous book The Woman in The Library and was thrilled to recieve and opportunity to read and review her current book, The Mystery Writer and I certainley wasn’t disappointed.

In the Mystery Writer we meet twenty-something Theo Benton who quits law school in Australia, and relocates to the US, Lawrence, Kansas to be exact to pursue her dream of becoming a mystery author. Showing up on her older lawyer brother Gus’s doorstep, she is determined to make her dream come true and writes daily at a local coffee shop. At the coffee shop she befriends a local mystery author and her newly found mentor Dan Murdoch. Dan, who although famous, keeps a low profile due to having problems with overzealous fans whose paths he crossed researching conspiracy theories for his books. Theo and Dan spend months working together and Theo becomes more than friends with the much older author. Theo finally finishes her novel and is so proud, she instantly gives it to Dan to see if he will give it to his publisher. When Dan is reluctant, Theo is devastated, hurt and furious that for all his praise he didn’t believe in her work. When Dan doesn’t show up at the coffee shop the next day and she is unable to reach him she decides to pay a visit to his home. As she arrives at his house, she sees a gentleman quickly exiting and leaving the door open. As her eyes adjust to the darkness inside, she stumbles across the lifeless body of Dan, lying in a pool of blood, his throat slit.  When the police arrive, Theo becomes the prime suspect and when her real reason for leaving law school is revealed the police are convinced, they’ve caught their murderer. When Dan’s overzealous fans get wind via a conspiracy theory chatroom, they descend in droves to Lawrence to get justice for Dan and place poor Theo and Gus under siege.  Theo is desperate clear her name and get justice for the man who was not only her mentor but someone she was falling in love with. After an attempt on Theo’s life from the protestors camped outside Gus’s house his friend Mac, a private investigator and hacker, decides to play bodyguard while Gus has to attend to a work matter. When things go from bad to worse the three must investigate in order to find the murderer and save Theo. The more they investigate Dan’s death the more secrets come to light and Theo realizes that there is far more going on than she ever imagined.

Being an avid reader and aspiring mystery writer myself, I am captivated by stories featuring writers and I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. An action packed, cleverly crafted, unique, and unexpectedly twisted whodunit filled with brilliantly quirky characters that keep the reader flipping pages to a thrill a minute ending.  

#NetGalley #BookReview Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice,(Finlay Donovan #4) by Elle Cosimano #Mystery #Humour

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice

(Finlay Donovan #4)

by Elle Cosimano

Release date: March 5th, 2024 

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice, A Novel, by Elle Cosimano from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…As I mentioned in my last review for the series this really is Lucy & Ethel meets Thelma & Louise. The series really has it all a fast-paced twisted mystery, sexy romance, chaos at every turn and so many laughs….…

I love this series and have from the first book. Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice picks up where book three, Finlay Donovon Jumps the Gun leaves off after the harrowing events at the Citizens’ Police Academy. Finlay and her nanny/accountant, Vero, are once again up to their necks in trouble whilst trying to recover a stolen Aston Martin and rescue Vero’s childhood sweetheart Javi whose been kidnapped by Marco, a nasty loan shark holding him hostage until he is paid what he is owed from Vero.

Tracking him down to Atlantic City, the two girls prepare for a road trip under the guise of having a girl’s weekend to recover from previous events.  Their quiet little getaway is foiled as they are set to hit the road and Finlay’s mother, clingy ex-husband Steven, and two kids all decide that it should become a family vacation. Once there Finlay and Vero sneak out of the hotel set to find the loan shark, and that they do but there is one minor problem, he is dead along with an associate and the ledger with Vero’s name has gone missing. Putting the two bodies on ice, the girls call Cam, a teenage computer hacker and the nephew of Joey, the current partner of Finlay’s detective boyfriend Nick, to help break into Marco’s devices for clues to Javi’s location.

To make matters worse, upon returning to their hotel they learn that Nick has arrived with the calvary to protect Finlay after getting an anonymous tip that her nemesis Feliks Zhirov is heading their way, and he is not letting her out of his sight. The girls are shocked when the calvary includes Nick’s former partner Charlie who is as crooked as they come and has already threatened the girls, it seems that Finlay and Vero’s mission has just become much more complicated. To get back Javi and the ledger the girls must use their quick wits travelling all over Atlantic city from the boardwalk to a seedy strip club, in their search but their ability to find trouble has no ends.

Most of the characters are back in addition to Cam, Steven, Javi, Charlie and Finlay’s mother and kids we get to see Joey, Finlay’s sister Georgia, Georgia’s FBI agent girlfriend Sam, the dangerous Feliks Zhirov, and his partner Ekatarina Rybakov.

Another fast-paced, action packed, humorous and quirky mystery that we have come to enjoy in this series, like the previous two books, this one also ends with a cliffhanger involving Finlay’s nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty suggesting more adventures in Finlay and Vero’s future.

As I mentioned in my last review for the series, this really is Lucy & Ethel meets Thelma & Louise. The series really has it all a fast-paced twisted mystery, sexy romance, chaos at every turn and so many laughs that will keep the reader entertained to the very last page. My only complaint is sometimes there is so much happening at once that it can feel somewhat overwhelming at times, but overall, I really enjoyed the book and I definitely recommend it.

#NetGalley #BookReview I Only Read Murder, (A Miranda Abbott Mystery #1) by Will Ferguson and Ian Ferguson #Cozy #Mystery

I Only Read Murder 

(A Miranda Abbott Mystery #1)

by Will Ferguson and Ian Ferguson

Release date: February 27th, 2024 

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(3.5 rounded up)

I received a complimentary ARC copy of I Only Read Murder, (A Miranda Abbott Mystery #1) by Will Ferguson and Ian Ferguson, #Cozy #Mystery from Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA in order to read and give an honest review.  

…”I loved the quirkiness of the town and some of the characters…

New to these authors I really wanted to love this book, especially since the authors are respected Canadian authors, but I regretfully have to say I was disappointed. 

The story starts when we meet Miranda, the former star of a “Murder She Wrote” style tv sleuth show playing a crime fighting cleric named Pastor Fran who is doing everything in her power to regain her previous stardom. No longer living in a mansion, she is close to being evicted from her cheap apartment replete with a beat-up murphy bed.  Despite her career hitting the skids, Miranda is still a diva, expecting star treatment when in truth her only acting offers arrive in the form of scripts for laxative commercials. An egomaniac, she is pathetic, demanding and treats everyone she meets horribly, especially her loyal assistant, Andrew, who she bosses around but has not been paid in ages.  

Lonely and desperate for support she boards a greyhound on her assistant’s dime landing in the small town of Happy Rock, Oregon showing up at her estranged playwright husband Edgar’s bookstore called “I Only Read Murder.”   Having left him on their honeymoon for Hollywood stardom she is clueless as to why they cannot just pick up where they left off years ago.   With her luggage and a small amount of money that her Andrew slipped into her bag, she does not have a dime to her name or any prospects in the future, professional or romantic. Convinced her husband still loves her and determined to win him back when she learns of Happy Rock’s famous theatre production, a murder mystery written by Edgar, she decides she will audition for the lead role to impress him. She “recruits” some of the townspeople to “Team Miranda”, those people she believes will serve her interests along the way to help her whittle her way back into Edgar’s life. When the town’s shining star and nasty real estate agent wins the part, Miranda meets her match and is relegated to play the victim and with one lowly line before the character dies.  For Miranda things look grim but when her husband asks her to sign the divorce papers, she realizes her time to win him back is running out.    

During a performance and in front of a full audience, the lead actress drops dead in front of a hundred spectators, yet no one really knows what happened. When the police learn she was poisoned suspicion now looms over everyone in the town including Edgar and even Miranda herself. When a cryptic note is sent to Miranda saying, “It should have been you,” she feels her life is on the line. The only way to unravel the mystery, save Edgar and survive is for Miranda to channel her inner Pastor Fran and enlist the assistance of Team Miranda to help her find the murderer.  

 As I mentioned earlier, I really wanted to love this book, but I was disappointed.  I struggled to put my finger on the reasons why I didn’t like it but for me it was a combination of things. Although I loved the quirkiness of the town and some of the characters, I found Miranda to be insufferable and the plot to be a little slow to start.  Being a fan of the mystery genre, I struggled, it really didn’t quite hit the mark for me.  To break it down further, the positives right off the bat, as I mentioned I did like the quirkiness of the town and “some” of the characters, it was “cute” and there were a few fun moments and a decent ending. Now onto the negatives, my biggest complaint was the plotting, it seemed slow, dragging and often repetitive. We were able to discern Miranda’s character in the first few paragraphs, but it felt like her character in my opinion felt lackluster, predictable, cliché ridden and disappointing for the lack of better terms. She wasn’t even the character we love to hate; she just “was”.

Since reading is very subjective, in my opinion if you are looking for a cute read this might be for you, but if you’re looking for something that’s complex, intelligent, and daring, this is not for you. If you do choose to read, I Only Read Murder, I would love to get your take, please share your thoughts below.

#NetGalley #BookReview The Boy Who Cried Bear – A Haven’s Rock Novel #2 by Kelley Armstrong #Mystery #Thriller

Book Review

The Boy Who Cried Bear

A Haven’s Rock Novel #2

by Kelley Armstrong

Release date: February 20th, 2024

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

… a well-written, meticulously plotted, entertaining mystery with multifaceted characters set in a quirky town. The book has it all murder, secrets, corruption, mystery along with plenty of suspense and atmosphere that keeps readers turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning, I would highly recommend it.….…

I have enjoyed everything I have read from author Kelley Armstrong and The Boy Who Cried Bear, the second book in her Haven’s Rock series is no exception.

Haven’s Rock is a small hidden town in the wilds of Yukon, Canada, a haven for people who need a place to hide. Built by a wealthy benefactor, Haven Rock is so small it is a perfect place to hide, and it was intended to be just that. When Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton start bringing people in no questions are asked, they live in close quarters and although consisting of vastly different personalities, but they get along for the most part. For the first time the town has let in children, a young Mother, Dana and her two young sons Max and Carson, find refuge there after witness protection failed to protect them leaving Dana widowed and severely injured to care for her children. As the only children in Haven’s Rock Max thrives, much to his brother’s dismay. Max loves the wilderness and spending time getting trained in how to survive in the woods by a group led by Eric and Casey. When on a group hike, ten-year-old Max believes he saw a bear stalking the hikers but no ordinary bear, it walked on two legs and had human eyes. Although Casey and Eric take Max’s sighting seriously, they are convinced it is just a bear, but it is still concerning, as it is out of the bear’s normal behavior.

When Max has a fight with his older brother, he runs away to sit by the woods only to be blindfolded, kidnapped, and taken deep in the woods by a man dressed head to toe in bear skins. After days and nights spent in the woods searching for Max, Casey becomes ill but there seems more to it. The town comes together and as the investigation remains fruitless, strange notes appear implying that someone from Dana’s past has come back to exact revenge. The more they dive into the case the more the leads point in different directions including to the town’s neighbors, a corrupt mining company with a mysterious facility secured by armed guards.

Overall, The Boy Who Cried Wolf is a well-written, meticulously plotted, entertaining mystery with multifaceted characters set in a quirky town. The book has it all murder, secrets, corruption, mystery along with plenty of suspense and atmosphere that keeps readers turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning, I would highly recommend it! I look forward to reading more from Kelley Armstrong’s Haven Rock series.