‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt

‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt

by CarolNo Comments
Honestly, I'm pretty sure I could listen to Grover Gardner read the phone book. And even then he'd still sound sarcastic and self-deprecating, just like he does as Andy Carpenter. As always, Andy reluctantly takes on a case, this time around he's defending Derek, who has adopted two dogs from the Tara Foundation. Derek's been arrested for murder, and although the evidence is stacking up against him, Andy believes he's innocent. There are a lot of characters in this story. Much of the plot revolves around gangs and gang activity, so we've got bot bosses and former associates, both dead and alive. We've also got Andy, of course, his family and the investigative team. That being said, if you've read any of the series before, you know all the regulars and their dogs. The mystery portion is put together well. There's a lot going on and the murder Derek is accused of is just the tip of the iceberg. The story...
Read More
Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

by CarolNo Comments
Starter Villain is just fun, from beginning to end. Charlie is down on his luck. He's divorced, living in a house his half-siblings want to sell, and working as a substitute teacher. All he wants to do is buy the pub downtown, but he has no money and can't get a loan. Then his estranged uncle dies and leaves him his business - parking garages/ villainous empire. Suddenly he's the owner of a top-secret lair (under a volcano, naturally), though the "sinister mission control room" is somewhat lacking. And now some people are pressuring him to join the Lombardy Convocation, a group of supervillainous villains who just happen to be having their annual meeting. This story is laugh-out-loud funny. Charlie is in over his head but has some good guidance, including from his cat, Hera (who I adore by the way). Turns out villany is much more corporate than one would have thought. In addition to explosions, Bond-style bad guys, and...
Read More
Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong

by CarolNo Comments
I don't read a lot of horror, but once in a while once grabs my attention. Hemlock Island revolves around Laney Kilpatrick, an English teacher and thriller author who is recently divorced and is grieving her sister who lost her battle to cancer. She is raising her 16-year-old niece, Madison, and reluctantly renting her vacation home on a remote island to strangers. Things get out of control when the renters call her in the middle of the night to inform her that there are blood and nail marks all over the guest room's closet. Laney goes out to the house with her niece Madison. Her ex-husband, Kit, also shows up with his sister, Jayla. And then, we have Sadie, a former friend from high school, and her brother, Garrett, who is now a cop. There is so much tension in the group, but we gradually learn about their relationships and secrets. Then one of their group goes missing - and...
Read More
Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang

Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang

by Carol2 Comments
In April 1921, the three Linwood siblings, Alan, an archeologist, Roger, an engineer, and Caroline, a journalist, return to their family estate in Yorkshire for their adoptive father’s funeral. Their father, the late Sir Lawrence Linwood, had been bludgeoned to death in his study with a medieval flanged mace by an unknown assailant. Upon the reading of Sir Lawrence’s will, they are made aware of a “find my killer” clause wherein in the case of an unnatural death, the one who can solve his murder inherits his estate. As father has in fact been brutally murdered, this is the start of an investigation that will delve into the deeply buried secrets of the Linwood family. Lawrence Linwood was a terrible person, abusive to his children and wife, controlling and manipulative ov the entire village. I tend to read traditional and cozy mysteries and while abuse is sometimes a topic, it's not usually shown as often or in detail. Reading of...
Read More
A Fatal Groove by Olivia Blacke

A Fatal Groove by Olivia Blacke

by Carol1 Comment
This second Record Shop Mystery is a fun, breezy, cozy mystery read. In the first book, we met Juni and her sister, Maggie and Tansy who have opened a record album/ coffee chop is Cedar River, Texas. This time around the mayor has been murdered and of course the Jessup sisters are in the thick of it. Tansy is the one who brewed the coffee that killed him and Juni is the one who discovered the body. I like the sisters. They support each other, but can also be a bit snarky. Their family and friends are well-developed too. And of course, we get a couple of cute animals, including a cow. The mystery itself is good. I did guess who the killer was, but there were plenty of red herrings for distraction. The treasure hunt side plot was a nice addition. ...
Read More
A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh

A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh

by CarolNo Comments
Anahera has returned to her hometown of Golden Cove, a small, secluded enclave in New Zealand after the death of her husband. She hasn't even settled in when a young, vibrant woman vanishes without a trace. Will Gallagher, the sole police officer stationed in Golden Cove, is quick to launch a search for the missing woman and of course, Anahera joins the rest of the town in canvassing the area. When the search proves fruitless, Will must consider that a local is responsible for Miriama’s disappearance. Will finds himself relying on Anahera to help unearth the secrets that may reveal a killer hiding in their midst.The woman’s disappearance reminds the folks in town of a summer fifteen years ago, when three female hikers also disappeared. Anahera and Will are both complex, well developed characters, who can both get a little too caught up in their pasts. I liked the relationship that developed between them and their attraction added to...
Read More