Caught up with the most recent novel in the Hawthorne and Horowitz Mysteries, Close to Death. Alternating between timeframes but masterfully executed. With Horowitz (fictionally) tasked with writing about a previous case by Hawthorne, versus a concurrent investigation with the two of them, Horowitz realizes there‘s so much more mystery to the man, Daniel Hawthorne.

5 ⭐️

Finished off this mob novel. The culmination of a notorious hitman on the run, masquerading as the Rabbi of a Jewish temple in Las Vegas.

Lighthearted, but tense, a taut thriller about a man running from his past, longing to find his wife and son, while not exposing himself to the people who want to harm him. 5 ⭐️

A masterwork in fantasy world building. This isn‘t my usual fare, and expected myself to be overwhelmed but it worked seamlessly and with an intertwining murder mystery. 5 ⭐️

A delightful English village mystery. Had vibes reminiscent of The Thursday Murder Club. Highly recommend, first in a series released in 2024. 5 ⭐️

This is a fun lighthearted book. Perfect for reading in bed before you turn in for the night.

Seemed a bit slow at the start, but the second half made up for it. Some great surprises and twists. 4 ⭐️

My second book by the offspring of Stephen King. What a story! A universal pandemic that causes people to spontaneously combust and the fight of a woman who just won‘t quit. 5 ⭐️

The cropping feature on this is horrible! Anyways, Book 6 for 2025, was a book I saw ads for on social media and reading the blurb it peeked my interests. The granddaughter of a convicted serial killer is wrapped in an investigation when new killings resemble the style of her grandfather. Cue in dysfunctional family relationships (marital and familial) and you have a tidy, cozy mystery! 4 ⭐️

Wow, just wow! This was such a great read. Had me hooked inside the first chapter. The revelations came quickly. #Dystopian #SciFi #Thriller 5 ⭐️

Finishing up a delightful cozy murder mystery from #AnthonyHorowitz. The Twist of a Knife, the fourth book in A Hawthorne and Horowitz Mystery series. A BRILLIANT set of meta-fiction in which Horowitz plants himself the fictional world of his books. 5 ⭐️(published in 2022 by Harper Books)

First book I‘ve read by Joe Hill (son of Stephen King). What an absolute blast of a novel. A little mix of everything! Horror, psychological thriller, comedy, drama. I was able to relate to and appreciate the characters. A perfect book for spooky season. 5 ⭐️

A historical mystery (Post WWI), with an England still coming to grips with the dynamics of life after a bloody and brutal war. Read like a modern day mystery in a 1920‘s language. John Madden, scared inside and outside is tasked with finding a brutal serial killer and starts implementing theories of investigation that I‘m not sure if they‘d be historically accurate, but it doesn‘t distract from a story that keeps the pages turning. 4 ⭐️

From the creator of Bones (Temperance Brennan series written by Kathy Reichs) comes his second novel, based on a former catholic seminarian named Xavier Priestly. With a cavalcade of rip roaring characters, including his bank robbing father and a blue haired assassin. Priest, as he prefers to be called, navigates wild and frantic attempts to take him out while trying to find a missing call girl. 4 ⭐️

Book 2 of Hardboiled modern day noir. Nick Ryan is a good cop. He toes the “gray area” of legal and illegal. Asked by his “handler” to look into the only official murder on 9/11, Nick balances the secrecy of his job and his personal life through love and loss. This definitely fits the itch for those who love gritty detective stories (Harry Bosch, Joseph Wambaugh). 4.5 ⭐️

Story follows a journalist, writing about a series of unsolved killings in Sweden. Alternating through the years, through the eyes of a father and son duo of police officers. A character driven plot, weaves a wonderful tale of murder, tortured souls, and a desire to know the truth. 5 ⭐️

I picked up this one, my second book by this author. I read her debut called The Chalk Man, thought it was pretty good. This one, a USA where Vampyre‘s have been living among us but pushed to the outskirts of society and ostracized. An agent is sent to investigate a supposed killing by a Vampyr on a human, which is forbidden and if warranted could require the whole colony to be culled. Obviously, things aren‘t what they seem to be in Alaska. 4⭐️

This was an interesting geopolitical thriller with a spy caper plot. In the build up and development of the war in Ukraine, a 25 year love affair comes to a head when a Russian scientist reaches out to an old friend in the US. Balancing time and technology, we see how fragile relationships can become. 4 ⭐️

I started this a few weeks ago but it was a bit frustrating so I dropped it for a couple other books. I had a couple hours left on it and figured “what the heck, let‘s bash it out for the finished total.” Honestly, this book is a very HARD pass. It‘s advertisement of “cozy mystery” is anything but that. With lots of abbreviated triggers (SA, R, DV, to name a few) this really fell short of coziness. A modern spin on Orient Express. 2 ⭐️

I‘m speechless. This was gripping, tense, heart wrenching. It‘s the absolute PERFECT book. I have no other words to say. Highly recommend. 5 ⭐️

This took a while to get going but this is so full of humanity. I think it‘s worth the time and effort. I don‘t know what else to say. 4 ⭐️

Not exactly bad. It was pretty good. Advertises itself as a “grippingly addictive cozy mystery”, it just misses on the “cozy”. Most cozy mystery stories don‘t have a few elements that this one had: descriptive violence and language. So this is more of an amateur sleuth, private detective story with quirky characters, one of whom is a “deacon” in the church (possibly considered a pastor in American terminology). 3.5 ⭐️

Unless Straley comes back to Cecil Younger, I finished this remarkable series and will miss it. Cecil has found himself in prison and is navigating that life as he tries to help those who matter most in a case of a most delicate situation. 5 ⭐️

This was a good casual read. Cozy and lighthearted. Great back and forth between the two main characters, a niece and aunt. They‘re trying to decipher clues about the death of their friend, whilst uncovering a dastardly scheme. 5 ⭐️

I‘ve been on a “cozy British mystery” binge of late before really diving into my TBR. Some pretty decent stuff I‘ve come across from some indie publishing companies and authors. Some of the books got cut off in the crop by Litsy.

This was a pretty decent police procedural in Yorkshire. I‘ve been really digging into the British Mystery genre with my last few books. There‘s a few books by authors on the European Mainland that are in my TBR pile I‘ve been holding off on lately, including some new ones. 4⭐️

This was a bit of a delight. A group of ladies working in a charity shop, distressed over the loss of a customer, start a private detective agency. Through slight comedic touch and charm, this cozy mystery is a winner. 4 ⭐️

This was such a tough one. At times I struggled with “when does the horror kick in?” and even with some surprises, it still felt predictable. Not what I expected, rounding this up to 3 ⭐️

I haven‘t been active on here in a while but I‘m still around! It‘s been slow going lately but I‘m doing my best to keep my pace with my reading goal.

Mickey and Bosch team up to help a woman convicted of killing her ex-husband, an LA Sheriff‘s Deputy. A lot has gone on with Bosch and Haller since we last met them. I‘ve come to realize that even though the characters don‘t always line up, it seems their lives carry over to the next story. The details and tension move you to turn the pages. I wasn‘t sure I‘d finish this book, cause I started it right as I contracted COVID. 4⭐️

Not one of his best. Lucas and Virgil are still recuperating from the events of Righteous Prey. With age seemingly to catch up with the pair, they‘re dragged into a case that gets as baffling as ever at every turn. 3 ⭐️

Well, I finished this so I could watch the film (thought that was a bit underwhelming). Have a few questions but the story was good and the growth of the characters was really what kept me going through with this. 4⭐️

Wickedly good book about a mobster gone into hiding and the ex-FBI agent who is doggedly hunting him down. With bits of dry wit and action to boot, this book is a great one. Book 1 in a 3 part series so far. 4⭐️

Wow. I doubt I‘ll be able to read the others. How do you top something so manipulative and maniacal!? Joe is such a great antihero (is that what he is in this book?) that the story kept me going. Once he started digging, I had to see what happened. Even when the inevitable happens. 5⭐️

Dead Eleven was a complicated book, with alternating POVs and narrators to fit in; the book was hard to follow. As the final chapters started bringing things together, the ending seemed to fizzle out the build-up of the climactic finish. 3 ⭐️

What a magnificent book. Even in the backdrops of Europe, Gabriel Allon finds his way back. His stories are like poetry. 5 ⭐️

This was well done. Maybe cause it was read by Scott Brick or because the pompous nature of Pendergast was tamped down due to the setting. After the events of Cabinet of Curiosities, Pendergast is on “Vacation”, and ends up in Medicine Creek, KS. Which coincidentally has a ghastly murder prior to his arrival in town. After several more macabre scenes unfold and rumors of a curse, the deductive nature of Pendergast takes center stage.

I‘ve kind of worked my way backwards (thanks audiobook sales lol). Such a solid piece of work, an intermingled story of art and murder. Plus, the characters are very well written. Not a bad thing to say at all. 5 ⭐️

What a masterpiece! It just resonates so well. A story that shakes the foundations of humanity and makes you think about yourself. I know I really did some soul searching as much as I‘ve done over the last few years.

A school shooting becomes a much darker story, all the while confronting the racist history of his town, Titus Crown becoming the first black sheriff in Charon County. If you aren‘t ready to grow, then don‘t read this. 5⭐️

This was such a good read. An interesting premise and main character. A cop, who gives up his job reluctantly, but has a taste for old and valuable books. When a “book scout” gets murdered and word of a highly valuable book collection goes missing, Cliff Janeway steps up to the task of trying to find out who and why they wanted him dead. When 2 more bodies are found it becomes much more personal. I gave this 4 but definitely a 5 ⭐️ book.

Even though he‘s out of the picture, IQ is still a strong part of the story, Ide puts focus on his partner Juanell. Lots of interconnected stories and character growth. The intrigue keeps up a frantic pace till the very end. Urban detective noir. 5 ⭐️

There‘s so much to take in. A good piece of fictional legal literature. The anguish of a man who‘s life is turned upside down at revelations about infidelity and murder. 4 ⭐️

Book takes a spell, like a snowball rolling down a mountainside, to get going but then everything grows exponentially and you‘re left gasping. There‘s so much rolled into this book I can‘t adequately explain it without confusing someone. Give this a shot, you won‘t regret it. 4 ⭐️

Another really good book. So much to unpack and conspiracies abound. Finding a couple skeletons in a local forest trail and digging through a stack of missing persons, Decker, his wife, and his partner battle through the in‘s and out‘s of northern New York and the college life. 4 ⭐️

Just a little Goodreads update now that we‘re approaching 1/3 of the year gone.

This is not just a book. It‘s a lesson, to learn and grow. It‘s full of humanity that when the realization of the final pages hit me, that I let out and audible gasp and said to myself “Oh no.” I‘ve grown to love and appreciate the characters major and minor, that are written into the books by Mr. Kent Krueger. 5⭐️

This was my first book (23rd in series) by Faye, the wife of Jonathan Kellerman, in her long time series featuring the Husband and Wife team of Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus-Decker. What a GREAT story. I think I‘ll have to go back and start reading from the beginning. Starting with the discovery of a man in the forest, leads to scholarly back and forth at his college. 4⭐️

Wow, just wow. The continuing saga of Danny Ryan, trying to leave his Rhode Island mob ties behind on a trip to CA. Trying to stay clean on the straight and narrow of legitimate lifestyles. Of course, sometimes things tend to catch up with him. 5⭐️

May have had it drawbacks with some of the detail included in the book but it held up nicely and the twists and red herrings were masterful. Another well-written piece of mystery by the pseudonymous Robert Galbraith. 5⭐️

A heck of a book. I FINALLY finished it after stopping and starting it over and over again. I‘m just completely lost for words about how to review this. 5⭐️

A good continuation of a series that blends science fiction, with fantasy and the struggling racism of the 1950‘s. 4⭐️