Category Archives: Currently Reading

Currently Reading

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I met Tessa Wegert at the Severn dinner during Thrillerfest. I usually try to read the books of fellow writers I meet.

I read Death in the Family. And it was creepy.

Shana Merchant is a cop who recently relocated to upstate New York. Shas only recently returned to work after a traumatic experience in New York. With her partner Tim, she is called to a private island to investigate the disappearance/murder of a young man.

This was truly creepy. I plan to read the next in the series.

After that dark and creepy book, I wanted to read something lighter. I chose one of my favorite authors: Marcia Talley,

The crime is always late in the book but the reader remains captivated nonetheless.

Hannah and her sister plan to take a sister cruise. Georgina’s 14 year old daughter Julie is added. Everyone is having a good time when Hannah learns of the disappearance of a counselor on a previous cruise. As she looks into it, Julie is abducted. Although they find her unharmed, Hannah is now sure a predator sails these cruises in search of young victims. Although these seem like cozies, Talley is skilled at revealing the dark underbelly without getting too noir.

I read a true cozy last: Cookin’ the Books, by Amy Patricia Meade,

Tish Tarragon is setting up a cafe (with all things literary themed) in a small town. She is asked to cater a library event for 300 people. At this event. the Director Binnie Broderick dies – poisoned. Worried about the success of her business, Tish sets about donating home baked goodies to all and sundry, picking up clues as she goes along. Tish unmasks the murderer, natch.

This is very well written and cute, but a little too light for my taste.

Currently reading

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I missed a week of posting since I was on vacation. I even missed any celebration on the Publication Day of my new book, In the Shadow of the Bull.

Through out the week, I read a book titled Woman’s Lore: 4000 years of Sirens, Serpents and Succubi, as part of my research for the next couple of books in my Ancient Crete series.

Even for the general reader, this is an interesting discussion of the treatment of women, and the goddesses women appealed to for help with pregnancy and childbirth, and how men co-opted them and turned them into sirens and succubi.

Another nonfiction title I read was Gardening can be Murder, a discussion of gardens, poisons and more in mystery fiction. For me, the most interesting and helpful section is a list of mystery authors and their books. I will definitely use that for my future reading.

I also read several fiction titles. The first was Hide Away by Jason Pinter. I met him at a Severn House dinner. I plan to read the books written by my fellow Severn authors.

I really enjoyed this book and have already ordered the second. Rachel Marin and her children are hiding under assumed names. Rachel’s husband Brad was murdered by a serial killer who is still out there. When the disgraced mayor of the little town in Murdered, Rachel calls the police and ends up involved (and accused) of the murder. A conspiracy is unmasked and Rachel almost gets killed by the murderer. A connection with a cop hints at a romance.

I also read book eight of the Deanna Raybourn series with the intrepid butterfly hunter Veronica Speedwell.

In this one, the brother of Veronica’s love interest tells her he is afraid he is going to be murdered. He proactively invites everyone who was present at a long ago party. Sure enough, there is a murder. At the same time, Veronica, who is on the outs with her Lord, has to figure out a way to woo him back.

Funny, lots of fun, and with a twisty mystery. A+.

Finally, I went back to book one of the Samuel Craddock series, A Killing at Cotton Hill, by Terry Shames. I love this series. Craddock is an appealing character and the mysteries (I’ve read two so far) are great. But the best thing is the style. The books are amusingly written in a down home way. One of my favorite lines from this one: he couldn’t investigate his way out of an outhouse with two doors. A+

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Another busy week. I finished only one book, the second in the Sophie Burgoyne series.

Rumors of smuggling at Lady Holme reach Sophie’s ears. Since the Lord and Lady of Lady Holme are planning a large riding party, they need four additional maids. Sophie, Flora, Ada, and Fern a young girl with a photographic memory, are employed as those maids.



Within days of their arrival, Richard Smythe is murdered and now the hunt is on to find the murderer. There are several possibles. The Inspector investigating this case arrests Dr. Beaton but Sophie does not believe he is the guilty man.

The murder, and Lord Hazlet’s 39 year house arrest, are entangled in the smuggling. References are made to a mysterious consortium, in operation for several hundred years.

The mystery is twisty, although the identity of the murderer is soon discovered. I found the beginning a little confusing as the young women all choose different names. But the book is charming and fun and I will definitely read the next in the series.

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The Game of Fear, by Charles Todd, is the 24th in the Ian Rutledge series. The Inspector is sent to Essex to investigate reports of a ghost. Rutledge’s good friend recalls there was an airfield there during the war (WWI) and a mysterious death.

Rutledge at first wonders if Lady Benton is seeing things but when he meets her, he changes his mind. Now he wonders if it is a prank. But he soon finds there are many unanswered questions about Captain Nelson’s death. Then Rutledge himself sees something mysterious.

As he investigates, he realizes this case connects to events during the war (an omnipresent theme) and to a fugitive accused of killing his family.

Another winner from the duo of Charles Todd and his mother. Now that she has died, the continuance of this series is in doubt and that is a shame. A wonderful series.Game of

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My schedule for blogging is out of whack because my husband and I were on vacation in Alaska. (More about that later).

I finished the Dark Queen by Faith Hunter.

Jane Yellowrock is promoted to Dark Queen by Leo Pellisier just as the European vamps arrive. Naturally, there are betrayals and wheels within wheels. During the epic battle, that the last few books have been heading for, it looks as though the New Orleans contingent will lose and the Europeans will win the United States.

Jane also meets a long lost brother, and she is not sure how she feels about that. More about her past is revealed.

This episode in the long running series ends on a cliff hanger so I now am looking forward to the next one in the series.

I also read the first in a new series for me: Secret Agency, by G. T. Bellamy.

Sophie Burgoyne is the daughter of a poor vicar. Knowing that she has to make her own way in the world, she starts an agency for hiring domestic servants. At first, the fledgling business is so slow Sophie is afraid she won’t be able to pay her bills. But a meeting with an old friend offers her another pathway. This new business quickly spirals into an investigation into an attempted murder, several successful murders, and espionage.

This was absolutely charming. I have already ordered the second in the series.

The third book I read was Marcia Talley’s The Last Refuge.

When the main female lead in a reality show withdraws because of illness, Hannah jumps in. The reality show is supposedly set in 1774 and while Hannah enjoys the clothing, she, and all the cast, struggled with the lack of modern amenities. They are supposed to be living as they would in 1774.

The murder occurs late in the book and the murder and the mystery are not the focus here. Nonetheless, a captivating story. Talley never disappoints

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Counterfeit Lady: City of Fortune by Victoria Thompson.

I read all of Thompson’s Gaslight series, featuring midwife Sarah, who delivered babies, and solved murders, throughout turn of the century New York City, and loved them.

The Counterfeit Lady series were a break from her former series, and I wasn’t sure about them. But I have read them all, and they are lots of fun. City of Fortune is my favorite so far.

For those of you who haven’t read this series, Elizabeth is a conman from a family of conmen (conpeople? conpersons?), who, in the first book, is swept up in the suffragette movement and jailed with a Mrs. Bates. Through her, Elizabeth marries Gideon Bates and turns over a new leaf. Her cons now aim to help people and right injustices.

In her current book, Thompson shines a light on the racing world. Elizabeth, Gideon and Mother Bates are invited to watch the races from the private box of a Mr. Nolan and his daughter Irene. Their horse’s loss results from skullduggery by a rival, Daniel Livingston. The jockey is thrown and badly injured. Enter a beautiful and mysterious Señora, who closely resembles Irene’s deceased mother.

The resulting cons aim to settle old scores with some despicable people as well as assist Irene in marrying the man she loves (the injured jockey). Some of the scenes are laugh out loud funny. I have already pre-ordered the next in the series.

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The first book I read this past week was The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths. I have read everything she has written and really enjoy her work. I read something that indicates this is the final Ruth Galloway and I am sorry to hear it. What a great series.

The body of a young woman is found behind a wall in a cafe. Nelson is called in to investigate and is horrified to learn this case involves his old friend Cathbad.

Ruth, besides her connection to Cathbad, also knows another suspect, a fellow researcher/lecturer. At the same time, her beloved archaeology department is under threat of being dissolved.

Another winner from Griffiths. And the on again, off again relationship with Nelson is finally resolved satisfactorily.

Cold Reign is number 11 in 15 Jane Yellowrock books. The European vamps are still slated to come to New Orleans, threatening Jane’s boss Leo Pellissier’s governance. But Clan Yellowrock (which includes besides Eli and Alex Younger, Edmund the primo vamp, Brute the werewolf, Bruiser) has a new scary threat. Vampires who’ve already died and been beheaded and buried are returning to life as revenants. Besides being superfast and difficult to kill, they have bottom fangs as well as top.

At the same time, magical lightning storms are plaguing the city. And Ricky-Bo, the were leopard who broke Jane’s heart, is back on the scene.

Another winner in this great urban fantasy series.

Currently Reading – and More

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I read only one and a half books this week, but for a good reason. U received the edits for the second in the Bronze Age Crete Mysteries, On the Horns of Death. No cover or pub date yet.

The Lindbergh Nanny. by Mariah Fredericks, tells the story of the kidnapping, but from the perspective of the baby’s nanny. Although the first few chapters are a little slow moving, it picks up and by the time the kidnapping happens. the book is captivating. The characters, Ollie and Elsie Whately who also help in the Lindbergh household, and the various members of the people below stairs are well drawn and memorable. Although I knew who the kidnapper was, I followed along as Betty tried to determine the inside man.

I can only imagine how much research the author had to do. Fact and fiction are well woven together so it is impossible to tell the difference. (I appreciated the author’s note at the back.) Charles Lindbergh does not come off very well, among other things, he was a Nazi sympathizer. The depiction of celebrity was terrifying. This book deserved its nomination for the Agatha Award.

The second book is The Secrets of Harwood Hall.

The one is more suspense, at least so far. Mrs. Lennox, a young widow, takes a post as governess for a young boy, Louis. From the first, she has questions. Why such a small staff? Why does the family never go to the village? What business is the mistress of the house engaged in?

Then she is awakened late one night. Thinking Louis needs her, she goes out into the hall and follows someone or something creeping through the house. I am looking forward to finishing this captivating story.

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This week I read two books.

One might be surprising: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. I remember reading this many years ago, Now my fourth grade grandson had read it so I reread it so I could talk about it with him. What an amazing book! It rightfully deserved the Newbery Award it won.

In Denmark, 1943, there are German soldiers on the corners. Annemarie Johansen is ten, living with her parents and five year old sister in Copenhagen. Denmark, a small country and with a small army, surrendered to Germany. Annemarie does not consider the war very much until the parents of her best friend Ellen Rosen are told in the synagogue that the Germans are planning to round up all the Jews and ‘relocate’ them. While Ellen’s parents disappear, Ellen comes to stay with Annemarie. The first night, the soldiers come searching for them and threaten Annemarie’s parents too.

Annemarie’s mother, Inge, takes the girls to her brother’s farm on the coast where Henrik is one of the fishermen who smuggle the Jews to Sweden. This book brought me to tears more than once. I appreciated it even more as an adult than as a child.

The second book is The Way of the Bear by Anne Hillerman.

Bernie is hiking at Bears Ears National Park while Chee has some business nearby. While hiking, she spots some vandalism of some old petroglyphs and falls into a trench. As she climbs out, a pickup truck chases her and someone shoots at her from the cab.

Bernie is already blue. She lost a coveted promotion to detective and also miscarried. Chee finds he has to stay longer since the big donor he was supposed to meet with has disappeared. The body of an unknown man, murdered, is found shot to death on the driveway. And the body of another man, a paleontologist, is found shot in the wilds.

An intriguing mystery with an ending I did not see coming. Although I feel Tony Hillerman’s books were more interesting and unique, his daughter is just as respectful of this culture and her books are very good. Definitely worth reading!

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This past week I read Shadow Rites, Number ten in the Jane Yellowrock series and The Fourth Enemy by Anne Perry.

Shadow Rites opens with a bang. Jane wakes to a magical green fog sweeping through the house and her hand hurting. She awakens her partner Eli Younger and they go out. Jane senses two witches bespelling her house.

Not long after, she is summoned to Vamp HQ, where she is attacked by Gee, the Mercy Blade. Jane is almost killed. Seeing Gee’s eyes are green, and a similar green eye in the palm of her left hand, alerts her to a magic spell.

It is particularly important nothing interrupt the conference between the witches and the vampires in preparation for the arrival of the European vamps.

Another winner.

I also read The Fourth Enemy by Anne Perry.

Daniel Pitt’s friend Ian Frobisher confides in Daniel that the police are investigating Malcolm Vayne, a wealthy philanthropist who Frobisher believes is engaged in an elaborate pyramid scheme. They do not have enough evidence to arrest him – and they they do a few days later.

At the same time, Miriam becomes deeply involved in the suffrage movement and sees up close the efforts of those who would keep women in their place.

At its core, this book is about courage; the courage to confront the wealthy and powerful or the courage to fight the status quo.

Another enjoyable read. But a bittersweet one since Perry recently passed away (at the age of 84) and there will be no more mysteries from her.