Reading Fanatic Reviews
All Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller ReviewsThe Aristocrat’s Charade by Joyce Alec
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The Aristocrat's Charade*
An Unlikely Couple Embroiled in Mystery and Romance
This novel turns some Regency romance tropes on their proverbial ears. I love how in the prologue Ophelia, the heroine, was quite pleased when her noble suitor, Peter, broke off their courtship after only two weeks. She, too, believed they were ill-suited. So imagine her surprise when the next day, I think, he is back and requesting that they resume their courtship. He is actually quite adamant about it, but she resists until her aunt insists that she should give him a second chance after he spouts a flowery declaration. His attempts to woo her back (and her reaction to it) made me smile as it was quite humorous What Ophelia doesn’t know, and Peter doesn’t say for quite a while, is that her fickle suitor has received a threat against his brother unless he continues the courtship and even marries her. When he does reveal his reason, Ophelia understands and wants to help. As they try to unravel the mystery, will this become a real courtship?
Like some of this author’s other works, I found the language in this one to be stilted at times; the attempt to sound “historical” yet realistic doesn’t always work. There were some pretty big informational dumps at the start of the book, both on Ophelia’s side as well as Peter’s. However, I found this intriguing plot to be just different enough from the common Regency ones that I could pass over these issues and still enjoy the twists and turns of the suspense plot (and the budding romance), as the couple eventually worked together to figure out who was threatening his brother. I ended up enjoying this book more than I imagined I would!
Lemon Chiffon Lies by Diana DuMont
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Lemon Chiffon Lies*
More Murder and Boozy Pies in Sunshine Springs
Izzy, Grams, and Sprinkles are at it again! I’ve read the other books in the series, and I enjoyed this trip to Sunshine Springs as well. Like some characters in the book, I think Izzy puts herself in too much danger at times to figure out this murder that she couldn’t seem to help get embroiled in. I have come to enjoy the interaction between Izzy, Grams, and Sprinkles so much, and I love the zany boozy pie ideas that Izzy comes up with. In this book, like the others in the series, there are some good twists and turns to the plot, a good level of suspense, and a cast of delightfully quirky characters that we continue to get to know. A solid cozy mystery, and a delightful read.
Moonshine and Magnolias by Abigail Sharpe
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Moonshine and Magnolias*
Good Southern Vibe, But Overlong and a Little Crazy
This is a surprisingly long read for a contemporary romance, and I think the story actually would have been better served by having some of the extraneous and absurd subplots trimmed or removed completely. This is a potentially good book that is in serious need of a developmental reader (or a stern beta reader team!). There was just too much going on, and some of it strained credulity. It is hard to believe that Rob, who is a serious historian, would give much credit to the idea of a family curse and work so hard to get it lifted. Romances, of course, have to have the “boy loses girl” moment, but elements of that felt contrived. I enjoyed the couple at the heart of the romance, Wendy and Rob, but felt that they were overshadowed by all the crazy going on. Still, the author did a good job of setting time and place. The whole book definitely has a very southern vibe about it, which not all books that take place in the American South do!
Aldo by Betty Jean Craig
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, Scribd, Smashwords, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters)
Aldo*
Terrorism and Genetic Research
This book has so much going on! It is steeped in academia and germ-line genetic research. The author herself is a longtime professor at a university, so her insights into academic life ring true. At its core, this story is about who controls scientific research and to what end. It’s told in a very different way. It starts off as if it is a letter from the professor protagonist to her teenage son, but we actually see many perspectives, including the interactions of the Night Watch Facebook group that wants to make all genetic research, like the protagonist is working on, go away. There is plenty of suspense to keep the pages turning, and there is a hint of romance for those who like that in a thriller. The author seemed to have a good grasp of the science involved in this story. The characters aren’t super complex, but I find that acceptable in a thriller. I did find the switching back and forth between the Facebook posts and communications of the Night Watch and the narrative parts to be a little jarring, but the book was compelling enough that I wanted to see what happened next. If you enjoy thrillers that are strongly based in science (and especially genetics), you may very well enjoy this intriguing tale.
The Duke of Ravens by Jennifer Monroe
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The Duke of Ravens*
Too Melodramatic
What a peculiar historical romance. I’m not quite sure what to make of it. I was put off right away by a word choice mistake in the first sentence. The book also suffered from several information dumps, which I always find annoying as I think background information is better when it is scattered throughout a novel as needed or shown in some way. I also thought that the author made the heroine’s life with her awful husband far too melodramatic to be believable. The author didn’t always use the proper forms of address for nobility. There is a suspense plot in this, and I thought that was better done than the romantic aspect of the book. The suspense plot does have some red herrings. Some characters’ behavior didn’t make sense until the end, which made for a confusing read at times. The cover doesn’t go with the book at all, as the hero would not have dressed like that for the bulk of the book.
A Witch Too Hot by Paula Lester and M. E. Harmon
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A Witch Too Hot*
Love the 50ish Protagonist, But…
As a woman of a certain age, I love that the heroine of this book is a fifty-something, with all that that entails and so much more! Cas has recently discovered that she has magical powers, but she has no idea how to use or control them. Some of her friends in their mixed-magic community are helping a little when they can, but her magic doesn’t act or react as anyone expects. The council hasn’t been able to give her a mentor because of an important election that they are in the midst of. When one of Cas’ neighbors is found dead, she becomes a suspect. She also has a romantic interest and wants to run for siren (that election I talked about). To say that Cas has a full plate is an understatement. Her talking cat, Echo, is meant to be her guardian, but he spends a lot of time away.
As you can tell, this is a busy book! In fact, I think it is a little too busy. The murder doesn’t happen until the 30% mark, which doesn’t give a lot of time to develop the intricate subplots necessary for a good cozy. A lot of time is spent on the political aspect of the story, which is an intriguing look at the politics of race and disenfranchisement. The book is actually well written and engaging, as I was drawn right into Cas’ world and all the things that were upsetting her figurative applecart; I just thought that too much was going on that didn’t have to deal directly with the mystery or Cas herself.
Palatino for the Painter by Jessa Archer
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Palatino for the Painter*
Mystery of Friend’s Past is Solved
In this second installment of the series, a ghost from Wren and Ruth’s past comes back to haunt them. Their dearest friend from high school in the 1980s disappeared back then. The girl’s parents just said she went to Nashville to seek fame and fortune as a singer, but the best friends knew that something wasn’t right, but no one would listen to the teenage girls. Flash forward to today, and the friend’s car is pulled out of the local lake on the same day that their deceased high school English teacher has left behind a set of eerie paintings of the lake for Ruth. What happened to their friend?
Count Your Hexes by Wendy Meadows
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Count Your Hexes*
Great Start to a New Series
What a delightful start to a new cozy mystery series! And it does feel like a beginning in several ways. There is definitely a hint of future romance, and the protagonist, Mimi, is coming to understand that she has a magical bent. Not everything is fully resolved in this book, though the central mystery is (of course), which makes me anticipate book two!
I have read several of Wendy Meadows books, and I find that she has a way of writing in deep third-person point of view that draws you right into the story and the protagonist’s world. Even though this is a murder mystery, she is able to inject humor on occasion, and the relationship between Mimi and her dog, Baxter, is absolutely adorable (and I’m not even really a pet person). The author seems to have a good sense of timing; I love that she put the murder right up front (around the 6% mark), as I’ve read a couple of mysteries lately that make us wait to find the dead body. An interesting cast of characters populates this book, and much seems to be going on in this small town Maine town, both below the surface and what can be seen. I quite enjoyed watching this story unfold, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
Just a Simple Little Holiday by Bea Kendall
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Just a Simple Little Holiday*
Short Book Packs Quite a Wallop
Holy guacamole! This is a super short and quick read, but oh, my gosh! The author has packed more into these few little pages than many pack into novels. This is a girls’ holiday/vacation that goes completely sideways. We think we know the characters as we start off, but as more and more gets revealed about the individuals, all bets are off. The book took some surprising twists and turns that one doesn’t expect in such a short book. Exceptionally well-done book, and I look forward to the official first book of this series; this is a prequel.
Murders, Curlers, and Cruises by Arlene McFarlane
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Murders, Curlers, and Cruises*
Tries Too Hard to Be Funny
This is my first time reading a book by this author, and I’m not sure if I would give another one a try. I was turned off immediately by a pretty serious info dump right the start of the book. That seems to be a significant failing in many first-person novels and novellas, though authors commit the same crime in stories told in the third person. Much has been ballyhooed in other reviews about the humor in this series and this book in particular. To me, I felt like the author was trying too hard to be funny, which made it unfunny for me.
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