authentic reviews and insightful interviews for inquisitive readers
A quick little roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Spring 2024. Beware of spoilers! Sorry these first two are duds. Title: Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man Author: Violet Marsh Series: n/a Thank you to Violet Marsh, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review. Soooo in the approval email, there was a bolded paragraph about how much they wanted feedback on the audio production in …
A quick little roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Winter 2023 – 2024. Beware of spoilers! Title: Death by Demo Author: Callie Carpenter Series: Home Renovation Mystery #1 Much thanks to Callie Carpenter, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudiobook in exchange for an honest review. This book was great! Jaime was likeable and sympathetic, and I loved her conversations with Demo. I enjoyed watching her outsmart her adversaries. Also the lumber …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Dead and Gone by Joanna Schaffhausen brings back popular police detective Annalisa Vega. In this latest installment there are not one but five crimes to solve. Because she is such an excellent author, readers do not get confused at all as to what is happening, and which crime is being focused on in a particular chapter. The plot has Annalisa Vega being pulled in by her boss, Commander Zimmer, to investigate the death of …
Title: Dead of Winter Author: Darcy Coates Series: n/a unsympathetic lead Thanks to Darcy Coates, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was an okay thriller, though the premise has been done. My chief complaints are the abrupt beginning and ending as well as the length/lack of energy, all of which relates to the main problem, a lack of sympathy for the lead character. So we start …
Title: The Twisted Dead Author: Darcy Coates Series: Gravekeeper #3 Much thanks to Darcy Coates, Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I ADORE this series. So far I like each book better than the last. I listened to the first two before reading Twisted just to refresh my memory. While Coates does an excellent job recapping and briefly explaining anything you need to know from previous books, …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper First Blood and Play Dead are two books just released by Angela Marsons. Those who are squeamish might want to bypass certain scenes because both books do have the victims tortured. These police procedurals allow readers to follow the clues and as they get brief glimpses of the killer’s mindset. Readers will enjoy getting to know the main character, DI Kim Stone. She hates to deal with people, is impatient, and loves to ride …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Dead Cry Justice by Rosemary Simpson always involves a mystery, returning characters, and a social issue during the Gilded Age. This historical novel delves into a very tough and disturbing topic. But Simpson is such a gifted author and writes in a manner that does not go over the top. She realizes a line should not be crossed, leaving the subject matter up to the reader’s imagination. The story opens with the main …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Lemon Drop Dead by Amanda Flower highlights a town, Harvest, Ohio, where both Amish and “English” people co-exist along with tourists, babies, and killers. This book continues Flower’s winning streak of writing fun and riveting stories. Not only do they gain a glimpse into Amish culture, but also have great characters, some humor, and a who-done-it mystery. In this novel, a friend and co-worker of the main character, Bailey King, is pregnant. Although not …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Dead-End Detective by Amanda Flower is another winner. She combines an eccentric senior citizen with a tree climbing cat, a private investigator, and an Army veteran that make for a fun-loving yet captivating mystery. The story begins by introducing Darby Piper and her older friend and mentor, Samantha Porter, partners in the Two Girls Detective Agency in Herrington, N.Y. After Samantha tells Darby she is considering selling the agency and accepting an offer to …
Title: Dead Girl Running Author: Christina Dodd Series: Cape Charade #1 What the hell is Dodd doing? When I picked up this book for the first time a couple months ago, I intended to write a full review then but was so furious when I was done that I had to tuck it away and forget about it for the sake of my sanity. It haunted me, though, so I skimmed through it a second time, and, knowing its secrets, …