Reading Fanatic Reviews
All Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller ReviewsAlexandra’s Riddle by Elisa Keyston
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Alexandra's Riddle*
Several Riddles in Riddle
I live in Oregon, so I am always drawn to any fictional books that take place in my state. I love that the author actually chose a real town, Riddle, though it has been somewhat fictionalized for the story. I live just a couple counties away, so I loved hearing some somewhat local references in the book. This novel has a lot going for it: romance, mystery, and the paranormal (including the fae and brownies) as well as themes about responsibilities to self vs. others and keeping small-town life as it should be. The author actually did an excellent job of making the paranormal aspect seem just as much a part of the fabric of life in the area as the “real” human aspect. That’s not easy to do, I think. I liked the main character as well as the quirky people who made up the community. A thoroughly enjoyable book. If you like paranormal stories with a touch of romance in a fair amount of mystery, you may very well enjoy this book.
A Perfect Deception by Alyssa Drake
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
A Perfect Deception*
Darker than Your Typical Historical Romantic Mystery
I read a fair amount of historical romantic suspense and mystery, but this story is definitely a cut different from most. Most of the romantic historical mysteries I have read have been ones in which the suspense or mystery is rather light. Yes, it adds interest to the story and keeps the pages turning, but the main thrust is the romance and how the suspense affects that. This book is completely different, as the evil in this book is overarching in nature, not just a side interest. I could tell this right off the bat with the way the prologue started with such a graphic, violent scene. I’ll admit that I had a hard time following parts of this book, but that is probably because I haven’t read either of the previous books in the series. I didn’t realize when I signed up for this book at my favorite book review site that it was an installment of an episodic series. I still was able to figure things out, but it would have been easier if I had read the other books. The author is able to keep the tension and conflict ramped up through the entire book. There are some surprisingly graphically violent scenes in this book; I wasn’t expecting that, and so I am saying so in this review so others may see it and steer clear if they don’t like to read that. The book is well written, both the violence/mystery aspect and the romance. I found the heroine, Daphne, a particular delight as she provided a spot of levity in what can sometimes be a pretty dark book.
BTW, I am not a fan of the covers in this series. Too reminiscent of the old “bodice-ripper” style romance covers. And they don’t really give an idea of the suspense, which is so crucial.
Treble with the Law by Jessa Archer
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Treble with the Law*
Mystery Fell Flat
I have read quite a few books by this author. She has put out quite a few series, and as I love cozy mysteries, I snap them up as soon as I see them at my favorite book review site. What I have found, unfortunately, is that Ms. Archer’s style is uneven. Some of her books, and some of her series, are spectacular. For instance, I love the series about hand lettering; if you haven’t read any of that series, you should check it out. However, this series isn’t quite doing it for me, and this particular installment of the series fell flat. I felt there was too much emphasis on the cozy and not enough on the mystery. That is definitely a problem with so many cozy mysteries. There does need to be a balance. The mystery in this one seemed underdeveloped and the resolution too obvious.
In general, I do like Ms. Archer’s books. I just don’t like this particular one. Obviously, I am not a reviewer who likes every book an author puts out just because I’ve liked a couple previously. Each book has to stand on its own merit. But I have enjoyed so many of this author’s books, that I am willing to give new ones a try.
Death in Dalkinchie by Carly Reid
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Not with Kindle Unlimited
Death in Dalkinchie*
Tale of Death in Small Scottish Town Delights
Another delightful, but slightly murdery, trip to Dalkinchie, Scotland! I read the first book in the series, Murder In Bloom, and enjoyed it thoroughly. So it was fun to revisit characters that I had enjoyed and have a new mystery to solve! American Jessica is becoming more firmly entrenched in small-town life in Dalkinchie. She’s not only helping her aunt, but she is also doing some reporting for the local paper. One of her first big stories is about a big annual craft show. I actually quite enjoyed visiting this craft show through Jessica’s eyes; I’ve lived in a small town in northern California, and this was definitely reminiscent of what that can be like. Up until one of the judges is murdered, of course. I did receive an ARC copy of this book, and unfortunately, it is full of problems with grammar, punctuation, and usage. I hope this will be cleared up before publication, as it did detract somewhat from my enjoyment of the story. The book is well written in terms of plot and characterization. The author kept me guessing, which I love in a mystery. Even though the murder happened a little later than I like in a mystery, the author supplied such charming details about the show and was still able to develop the mystery well—that I’ll forgive her. 😉 I love this little quirky community that this author has created. Everybody seems to know everything about everyone, which makes it a lot of fun. The author has created the community of unique individuals that are fun to watch. If you love small-town mysteries, you will most likely enjoy this book.
Stalking the Dead by E. C. Bell
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Thalia, Smashwords, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Bol.de
Stalking the Dead*
Still Not Vibin’
I love a good paranormal mystery, so I was intrigued when three books by this author showed up on my favorite book review site. Unfortunately, I have just never been able to get into them, and I have given this author three tries now. (I do always give authors two or three chances before I give up.) I love that Marie has the ability to communicate with spirits who have not yet moved on and uses that to figure out their murders (if that is the case). But something in the writing style always turns me off in these books. For one thing, the dialogue doesn’t feel quite natural to me, and in places, there is a lot of conversation. I am almost always put off, too, by the level of profanity in the books, usually said or thought by the ghosts. Cursing is just a significant turnoff for me in any book unless it is used for characterization. The mystery in this particular book actually did have some interest as it tied in different aspects of Marie’s present and past. But, again, because of the writing issues above and others that I have not detailed, I still couldn’t get into this book.
Movies, Moonlight, and Magic by January Bain
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
Movies, Moonlight, and Magic*
Heavy on the Cozy, Light on the Mystery
This is the second book in the Manitoba Tea and Tarot series, and the second book that I have read in it. I will admit that I love the concept of this series because tea and tarot are two of my favorite things! I would love to frequent that little shop. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, so I was looking forward to the next. The series revolves around three sisters who have magical powers, each different. Charm, the heroine in this book, is only just coming to understand and work with what she can do. She has an interest in the new Mountie, but a gorgeous friend of his family has shown up, making Charm a little jealous. A film crew comes to town, and their accountant turns up dead. Other issues come up as well, and someone close to Charm is one of the suspects, leading her to want to investigate to clear their name.
As in the first book, the characters and the relationships between them are a delight. The paranormal aspect is fun. Unfortunately, as can happen in cozy mysteries, the mysteries themselves seemed to take a back seat to the quirky characterization and magical worldbuilding. For instance, the dead body wasn’t found until about the 21% mark. As that is the inciting incident for a murder mystery, not a lot of room was left for the mystery to be fully explored. This is already a short book, so not much space is given to the mystery. The other “mystery” shows up quite a bit later. All in all, I like the world and the characters that the author has created; I just wish that the mystery itself was more emphasized.
Wings of Prey by J. P. McLean
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
Wings of Prey*
And So It Ends
Over the past couple of months, I have read every book in this series, including the alternate version of book one. I wasn’t sure what I thought about the series at the beginning, but I’ve stuck with it. I am glad that I did. It is unusual in a most delightful way. The author does have a way of storytelling that is compelling; how she comes up with such a world is beyond me. Over the course of these seven books, she has created a very complex overarching plotline that was reflected well in each individual book of the series. She has managed to create characters who feel realistic even though they live in a fantastical world that is parallel to our own. In this particular book, there’s more emphasis on the paranormal/fantasy aspects of the story. If you are looking for another series to sink your teeth into and enjoy steamy thrillers with a touch of fantasy, this series could be right up your alley.
Magic and Mystery Box Set by Lily Webb
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Mondadori, and Angus & Robertson
Magic and Mystery Box Set*
The First Books of the Series
I was a latecomer to the Magic and Mystery series, so I was delighted to be able to pick up the first three books in the series as a single box set. Zoe is a witch who has only just coming to realize the extent of her powers, and I liked watching her evolution. It is sure a bumpy ride for her. I enjoyed seeing, too, more of the backstory and interactions between her and the other characters. These books are relatively light and are easy reads. The author does a good job setting up a paranormal world, make it seem completely logical that magic is an everyday happenstance because, in the world of the books, it is. So the author has managed to make the paranormal aspect seem integral and not fantastical, which I don’t think is always an easy thing to do. Well balanced, nice set of books.
Premonition by Gisele Vezelay
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NOT with Kindle Unlimited
Premonition*
Jane Austen Fanfiction with a Supernatural Twist
I am a big fan of Jane Austen fanfiction. In fact, when I was in nursing school a few years ago, I rewarded myself with a Kindle at Christmas, for which Amazon rewarded me with one month’s access to Kindle Unlimited. For whatever reason, I filled my subscription with Jane Austen fanfiction and read through books as often as I could (which isn’t easy when you are in nursing school!). So I have read many, many Jane Austen fan fiction books, from the absolute worst to some pretty amazing ones. And I am always on the lookout for a new book or a new author to satisfy that craving for Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
This author is new to me, but I am delighted that I have found her. This book lived up to my expectations of what good Jane Austen fanfiction should be. It is just a little off from canon, which I always like. The language is elevated; I could hear some of the actors from the 1995 BBC production as well as the 2005 movie in my head as I was reading the dialogue. I always consider that a good sign. I liked the paranormal aspect of this one. One of my absolute favorite pieces of Jane Austen fanfiction is actually “Haunting Mr. Darcy,” by Karalynne Mackrory, which is unfortunately only available in paperback at this time. While this book by Ms. Vézelay is not humorous like that one, the paranormal aspect is still enjoyable. Mr. Darcy is a bit more forward in this one, and I found that refreshing. Imagine him asking Elizabeth for the first two dances at the Netherfield Ball right after the Bennet sisters meet Mr. Wickham in town; loved it! The book was refreshingly free from issues with grammar, punctuation, and usage. I am a professional copyeditor, so these types of errors can really distract me and keep me from enjoying a story. I’m so glad this wasn’t an issue here.
I do have two quibbles with the author. One is that she refers to Lady Catherine as Lady de Burgh. She is the daughter of an earl, so her correct address would be Lady Catherine, I believe. Second, I would not call this novel Gothic. In fact in the blurb, she called it “sweet Gothic.” If you understand the term, no Gothic novel could be called sweet. For me, when I think of gothic fiction, I think of Wuthering Heights, The Fall of the House of Usher, and Frankenstein—and perhaps even Northanger Abbey by Miss Austen herself. This book is supernatural or paranormal, but I wouldn’t call it gothic.
But this minor categorization issue did not detract from the story, of course. I highly recommend it.
Beyond the Gravy by Mandy Morton
Available at Amazon, iBooks, Google Play, Thalia, and Bol.de
Beyond the Gravy*
Cat Mysteries . . . Who Knew?
I was looking at books to choose to review at a book review site that I sometimes use, and I was in a mood for mysteries. I mostly read romance, but I do love a good cozy mystery now and then. So I just grab anything that looked like a cozy mystery. I didn’t realize that this particular one had cats as the detectives and a psychic cat! I knew that such a thing as cat cozy mysteries existed but had never read one out in the wild. I found the cat aspect to be quite silly but more charming than I would have imagined. It was definitely an unusual and interesting read than I would have imagined. The main detective cats had such personalities. And there was actually a mystery, too! An enjoyable read.
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