A long lost treasure, engaging main characters and family secrets make for fun cozy mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

Over the last few months I kept picking up and putting down this book. I am so glad I finally hit my stride. This is a heart-wrenching novel with flawed and relatable characters. It is a love letter to sisterhood. It is a must read.

Madeline left her hometown to pursue a career on the stage. She is drawn home when her aunt passes leaving Madeline her bookstore. However, it seems someone is missing determined to drive her away. I really liked Madeline, but had a hard time getting into this one. Some parts felt rushed (the beginning) and other parts dragged (the middle) which overall gave it a disjointed feeling. Thx to NetGalley and St. Martin‘s Press Schuster for the ARC.

Jane joins her new husband and stepdaughter as caretakers of a remote hotel during its off season. The hope, at least for Jane, is that the time together will solidify their new family. However, Jane soon realizes that her husband has many dark secrets. I wanted to like this one as it was giving The Shining vibes, but I ultimately found it repetitive and a bit boring. Thanks to NetGalley and @SimonSchuster for the ARC.

Celeste is embarking on a “year of yes” following the end of her loveless marriage. When a misunderstanding leads to Celeste entering a birdwatching competition with handsome but reserved John, she jumps in headfirst. This is fun romance with two appealing characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery for the ARC.

Ginerva X, is famous for her unique approach to writing, she conducts in-depth interviews with real people and then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character is Rory, an unemployed news anchor. To celebrate the release of Ginerva‘s novel, Rory is rewarded with a luxury train trip through Italy. Of course secrets are revealed. I struggled to get into this one. All the characters are unlikeable. Thanks to NetGalley & Atria for the ARC.

Ariel Pryce wakes up in Lisbon to find that her new husband has disappeared. In the course of trying to track himw down, Ariel discovers that she may not have known him as well as she thought. This is a terrific thriller told from alternating viewpoints and timelines. I liked the nifty twist at the end.

An easy breezy romance.

This is hands down one of the best books I have read so far this year. The premise is unique and will make you laugh out loud and maybe cry a bit. Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC.

Eleanor Dash is the successful author of the Vacation Mysteries Series who is trying to get through her book tour while trying to figure out how to kill off her main character. Obviously mayhem and murder ensue. I really disliked the footnotes and found they distracted from an otherwise solid read. Thanks to St. Martin‘s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

A group of friends from college reunite for a luxurious weekend in Napa. As the wine flows so do the old rivalries and resentments. I always love a good college reunion story and was fairly engaged on this one until the ending. It felt rushed and somewhat ridiculous.

I love domestic thrillers, but this one did not work for me. I found all the characters unlikable and the story beyond unbelievable.

A thriller that is also comedic. Run, don‘t walk…this is a must read.

In the 11th installation of the Lighthouse Library Mystery series, librarian / amateur sleuth, Lucy O‘Neil, investigates an art theft and subsequent return. I have enjoyed all the books in this series and this one was a delight. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really wanted to like this one but I found it less of a story and more of a series of funny lines and observations. Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC.

Ruby McTavish, a notorious heiress dies and leaves her fortune to her adopted son, Camden. Having grown up and always made to feel like an outsider by the McTavish clan, Camden escapes and starts a new life. However, Camden is forced to reckon with his past when he is summoned home to deal with the crumbling estate. This was terrific. I loved the different POVs; especially Ruby‘s. Thanks to St. Martin‘s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

I read this one over the course of many months. I savoured each essay. Overall the collection left me feeling sad, angry, delighted, inspired and hopeful.

My first ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read of the year.

The fifth instalment in the excellent Hawthorne and Horowitz series. I did a little jig when my NetGalley request was approved. This one did not disappoint. Riverside Close is an idyllic gated community with just six homes. Hawthorne is called to investigate when an owner is found dead via crossbow. As Hawthorne digs he finds everyone in Riverside Close had a reason for wanting the victim dead. Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC.

A new cozy mystery featuring a group of pregnant women trying to solve the murder of a local business owner. I really enjoyed the thoughtful insights regarding female friendships.

The vacation town of Shaky Lake is rocked when a teenager is found dead and another one is missing. This is a gripping police procedural featuring the classic flawed investigator. I could not put this one down.

A story inspired by librarians who were sent to Lisbon during WWII to gather books and newspapers in order to collect intelligence on the enemy. A solid read. The descriptions of the risks taken by members of the Resistance were particularly striking.

Eva runs a B&B in the Florida Keys and also hosts a weekly murder mystery book club. When a body turns up by her B&B she is keen to apply all the knowledge she was gained from her book club to find the killer. I love cozy mysteries, but found myself unable to get into this one. I did not care for any of the characters and found the parrot sidekick annoying.

For all the secondhand bookstore lovers out there.

I do not normally read romances but was drawn to this one because it featured a Vietnamese male lead which is atypical for mainstream romances. It was a bit racier than I expected but overall a solid read.

A new mystery series featuring none other than Jane Austen. When a woman is found murdered and Jane‘s brother, Georgie, is the chief suspect, Jane jumps into action to find the real killer. This was a fun one. I look forward to the next instalment. Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC.

A historical fiction series featuring midwife, Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy. This is book number seven and in it the duo is on a mission to find out who is responsible for impregnating Sarah‘s developmentally disabled patient. I am sad I came to this series so late, but was thrilled to learn there are 26 books in the series with a new one slated for April 2024.

Alex Michaelides is an auto read author for me and I am a sucker for a locked room mystery. This was a fun one with a few good twists. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick popcorn read. Thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Beatrice Steele is supposed to be focused on finding a husband, but is much more interested in nurturing her true crime obsession. When a wealthy eligible bachelor drops dead, Beatrice finds herself, much to her delight, thrust into the role of investigator. I wanted to love this but found the over-the-top sarcasm to be distracting. Thanks to NetGalley & Random House for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Krall, host of a popular true crime podcast is enlisted by the FBI to look for Maddison Logan, an influencer who goes missing after visiting suspected serial killer Terence Bailey in prison. Although the beginning was somewhat intriguing, this one was all over the place. I wondered how it would all tie together and by the middle I just did not care. Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin‘s for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sally Milz is a sketch writer for “The Night Owls” (think SNL) who has sworn off romance until she meets Noah Brewster, the host and musical guest. I loved the behind-the-scenes look at how shows like SNL work and that the story focused on a female comedy writer. The second half dragged a bit, but overall a charming love story.

Nine year old, Avery Wooler goes missing and as the police search for her it becomes obvious that everyone involved is not what they seem. The ending was a bit abrupt, but overall this was terrific. Shari Lapena is a must read author for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Claire and Holly deal with the loss of their mother in different ways; Claire by drinking herself into oblivion and Holly by travelling from England to Martha‘s Vineyard in search of adventure. When Holly disappears, Claire sets out looking for answers. This was a terrific popcorn thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The ninth instalment of the Sherlock Holmes Mystery Series finds Gemma attending a seance. As always, trouble follows wherever Gemma goes and a fellow attendee is murdered. I really enjoyed this locked room mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books Press for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

A group of teenagers connected by a terrible secret. Fast forward 25 years and they are being hunted by twin contract killers. This one had a very different tone from the author‘s prior novels and I would say it is one of his weaker novels. The action packed story kept me engaged, but I found the story to be generally ridiculous. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin‘s Press for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Eleven short stories that perfectly capture how mundane, sad, joyful and downright absurd life can be. This collection is not to be missed. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

A string of women, including Lucy‘s sister, Nicki, have disappeared. The Garda are stumped. Lucy decides to take things into her own hands by turning herself into bait. The twist did not quite work for me, but this was still solid. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A group of strangers heading into the wilderness for a retreat soon find themselves trapped in an abandoned cabin. As they wait for the winter storm to pass; they start disappearing one by one. The tension was unbelievable and the ending is top notch. I could not put this one down. Thanks to NetGalley and @SimonSchuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My only regret is that it took me so long to get to this one. Meg is a con artist and Kat finally has the chance to expose the woman who ruined her life. However, as is the way, not everything is as it appears. Read this.

A group of friends gather every year at a cabin in the Outer Banks to commemorate a tragedy that they all survived. They started as nine and are now down to seven. The story alternates between the past and the present and of course secrets are revealed. Megan Miranda is a must read author for me, but this one falls flat. The past storyline felt like a stretch. Thanks to NetGalley and @SimonSchuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can never resist the 3 for $10 bin at Indigo.

Riley Sager is one of those authors who I can always rely on and this was no different. A killer twist.

A popcorn thriller to try to cure my awful reading slump.

For all the true crime junkies out there; this was stellar.

Kelly Medina has been so lonely since her son left for university. She strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young mother who has the exact same name. However, Kelly becomes obsessed with the younger woman and her baby boy and things quickly get out of hand. A solid popcorn thriller with a terrific twist.

Eve is trapped in a loveless marriage, but sees no way of escaping. Out of the blue she receives a letter informing her of a inheritance from a wealthy stranger. In order to find out what it is, Eve must travel to the French Riviera. This was a solid historical mystery.

Following a divorce and retirement, Julia moves to the Cotswolds, where she expects to settle into a quiet routine. Instead she is involved in the discovery of two dead bodies. The local police are at a lost so Julia decides to conduct her own investigation. A cute new cozy mystery series. I liked Julia and loved her mischievous dog, Jake. Thanks to NetGalley and @Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Athena takes a sabbatical to write a book. Her plan is to reveal the identity of the author, who happens to be from her hometown, of a series that turn classic novels into erotica (eg Sins and Sin‘s Ability). While Athena works on her book she takes a job waitressing at a cafe owned by her ex. I really wanted to like this one, but the writing felt awkward and juvenile. Thx to NetGalley & Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The sixth book in a series featuring bookshop owner, Gemma Doyle. Gemma is hired by 10-year old, Lauren to prove that her mother did not kill her garden club rival. This series is like a comfortable sweatshirt.

Marisa and Jake have the perfect relationship and are soon expecting a baby. In order to make ends meet, they take in a lodger, Kate. At first Kate seems like the ideal roommate but soon it is clear she has ulterior motives. This was a fun one with a killer twist. The ending sagged a bit. Thx to NetGalley & @SimonSchuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.