I loved this wonderful WWll novel. I loved that this story is different than other WWll novels that I have read. I enjoyed learning a bit of how the BBC ran during the war. I loved learning about how the children were treated that were removed to the countryside. I loved the romance between Aleida and Hugh. I loved that there was a bit of action in the story also. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside.
When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes.
The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her missing son. As they work together, they grow closer and closer, both to each other and the answers they seek. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.
I enjoyed this historical mystery filled with love and hate. I do wish I had read some of the other stories in this series so I would have understood some of the characters a little better. I loved how Tiffany was a very tolerant person and she tries to teach others this. I loved all the different people that could have committed the murder. I really enjoyed the Duke of Beaufort. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Miss Tiffany Woodall must sleuth the slaying of a footman to clear her beloved’s name in the second Lady Librarian mystery, in the vein of Deanna Raybourn and perfect for fans of Bridgerton.
1784 England. Officially hired as the librarian for the Duchess of Beaufort, Miss Tiffany Woodall is through with masquerades and murders for good. That is, until she stumbles upon the frozen dead body of former footman Mr. Bernard Coram. The speed with which her peaceful new life is upended is one for the record books: the justice of the peace immediately declares her the primary suspect in the murder.
As Tiffany hunts for the truth to clear her name, she learns that Bernard got into a fight over a woman at the local pub the night of his death–but he was also overheard blackmailing Samir. The justice of the peace arrests Samir, and Tiffany realizes that her life may have more in common with a tragic play than a light-hearted romance.
With her love locked up in jail and her own reputation on the line, Tiffany must attempt to solve the murder before the book closes on her or Samir’s life.
About Samantha Larsen
Samantha Larsen met her husband in a turkey sandwich line. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she spends most of her time reading, eating popcorn, having tea parties, and chasing her four kids. She has degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of North Texas, and the University of Reading (UK). She also writes historical romances under Samantha Hastings. Learn more at www.SamanthaHastings.com
I live this series and this one is one of my favorite. I enjoyed that all of the Laundry Club ladies are represented in this story. I also love that Hank is well represented. I love that there were lots of twists and turns before the murder is solved. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
Welcome to Normal, Kentucky, where the only thing normal is the unexpected! Join Mae West and the Laundry Club Ladies as they untangle a mystery as intriguing as the winding paths of Daniel Boone National Forest.
During National Wildflower Week, Normal is abuzz with nature enthusiasts and botanists. But the festivities take a dark turn when a renowned botanist known for her groundbreaking research is found dead under the moonlit sky. The tranquil celebration is shattered, and the town is gripped with shock and disbelief.
The trails may have gone cold, but Mae and her friends are hot on the case. From a land developer with a not-so-clear conservation plan to an assistant whose obsession takes a dangerous turn, the list of suspects is as diverse as the town’s flora. Mae delves into a thicket of hidden motives and secrets, discovering that danger in Normal can sprout up unexpectedly.
Navigating through a labyrinth of environmental politics and hidden agendas, the Laundry Club Ladies are determined to expose the truth and bring justice. But in Normal, where the extraordinary often lurks beneath the surface, can Mae piece together the puzzle before the killer strikes again?
“Moonlight Marshmallows & Manslaughter” invites you on a captivating journey through the heart of Kentucky. It’s a cozy mystery that intertwines the charm of small-town life with the thrill of the unknown. So, get ready to be immersed in a tale where uncovering the truth i
I loved this fast paced, romantic suspense novella. I loved Madelyn and her daughters. I loved that Trevor and Madelyn get reacquainted as they fight for their lives. I loved all the action and the romance in the story. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
Madelyn Blake has worked hard to get where she is professionally and to be present to her twin daughters. An abusive relationship has taught her to be wary. It has also shaken her trust in God. When she becomes the target of a killer who enjoys using fire and explosives, her entire life is put on hold.
Trevor Stone appears to be a shy, mild-mannered man, but he has seen the worst of people. Still, he retains his unwavering faith that God is in control of everything. As a technician in a bomb squad unit, he has honed his ability to keep calm and clear thinking in life and death situations. When his former best friend is in danger, Trevor puts all his skills to work to keep her and her adorable little girls safe and stop the killer.
As the danger escalates, Maddie and Trevor struggle with their growing feelings for each other while trying to outwit a killer who is always one step ahead of them. Will they survive and get a second chance at love?
I loved this fantastic historical romance. I could not get enough of Sarah and her father, Donal. I really liked Catriona and was so happy when she finally learns what love really is. I loved the romance and the near tragedies that bring these people together. I could not put this book down. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
As daughter of a well-known matchmaker, Catríona Daly is no stranger to the business of love–and sees it as her ticket away from the sleepy village that only comes alive during the annual matchmaking festival. Enter Lord Osborne’s son, Andrew, who has returned to the festival after being disappointed by a rival matchmaker’s failed setup. Catríona seizes the opportunity to make a better match for the handsome man–and for herself!Cattle farmer Donal Bunratty is in desperate need of a wife after loss left him to handle the farm and raise his daughter on his own. Shy and lacking the finer social graces, he agrees to attend the matchmaking festival to appease his daughter. But when he arrives, it’s not any of the other merrymakers that catch his eye but rather his matchmaker–who clearly has eyes for someone else.Catríona will have to put all her expertise to work to make a match that could change her life forever. Will her plan succeed? Or will love have its own way?
I loved this very fun romance mystery novel. I really enjoyed how Maizie and Cuddles get so close. I wish that I had read at least one of the first books in this series to get a little more of the background for all the characters. I liked Nash. I loved all the twists and turns and all the trouble that Cuddles causes. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
IS IT CONSIDERED STALKING YOUR BOYFRIEND IF HE’S INVOLVED IN YOUR MURDER INVESTIGATION? (ASKING FOR A FRIEND)
Turner & Hooch meets Mr. & Mrs. Smith in the eighth book of the Wall Street Journal bestselling Maizie Albright Star Detective series. For fans of rom-com mysteries, like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum or Jennifer Crusie’s Liz Danger series—readers who like quirky characters, funny fast-paced plots, and amateur sleuthing heroines who earnestly agonize over (but not between) murder and marriage.
#WannabeMrsSmith Ex-celebrity and current (assistant) private investigator Maizie Albright finds her already strange life has become even odder. Her new partner is two hundred pounds and canine. And her ex-partner/still-boyfriend is on the wrong side of her infidelity case.
Not that Wyatt Nash is cheating.
At least not on Maizie. She thinks Nash is cheating on his boss. Her dad. Which sounds much worse than it is. Except it is (maybe) worse than it sounds…
It’s Spy vs. Spy — or rather, Detective vs. Detective — when Maizie and Nash realize they’re both tailing the same subject for very different reasons. Can Maizie out-investigate Nash to learn the secrets he’s probing into at her father’s company?
Secrets she fears are much darker (and stinkier) than the secret DeerNose formula.
Secrets possibly related to old rivalries and a recent murder.
Her relationship is on the line, but it’s more than her heart at stake. Her career rests on this case. And there’s a killer at large. One who will do anything to keep dark secrets from getting dragged into the light.
About Larissa Reinhart
A Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Larissa loves to tell funny stories about sassy Southern women looking for love (and sometimes dead bodies) in all the wrong places, like in her international award-winning Cherry Tucker Mystery, Maizie Albright Star Detective, and Finley Goodhart Crime Caper series. You might have seen Larissa and her family with their little dog, Biscuit, on HGTV’s House Hunters International “Living for the Weekend in Nagoya” episode. They’re back in Georgia where Biscuit has a bigger yard and now barks at deer instead of crows.
Check out LarissaReinhart.com to learn more and get a free story while you’re visiting.
I enjoyed this contemporary novel filled with secrets that need to come out. I loved Cami and Zack. I loved that this really shows that faith will help in all situations. I enjoyed the little start to a romance and the action. I liked that this is a fast paced story that I did not want to put down. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a five out of five stars.
About the Book
Book: Small Town Secrets
Author: Lillian Duncan
Genre: Christian—Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 13, 2023
On the surface, Shady Valley looks like the ideal all-American place to live with beautiful flowering trees lining both sides of the street as you enter the picturesque town. Neighbors help neighbors. Doors are often left unlocked.
Serious crimes are practically nonexistent— almost but not quite!
But like all small towns, everyone knows everyone, which means everyone knows everyone’ s business, and not everyone in Shady Valley is what they appear to be. Some have secrets— deadly secrets— that they hide behind the masks they wear.
When Angie McVey disappears on her wedding day, rookie officer Cami Martine is determined to find her best friend, but there are no leads to follow. Angie seems to have disappeared into thin air.
If Cami is to bring her best friend home, she will need to discover the deadly secrets of her friends and neighbors to find the one who wears the biggest mask.
For years, my tagline was “stories of faith mingled with murder & mayhem” since I wrote Christian suspense and mystery novels.
In 2012, I heard the words, “you have bilateral brain tumors.”
I had no idea how much those words would change my life, but they did. When life changes for a writer, their writing changes as well. So I wanted my tagline to reflect the new me. I still love to write suspense and mystery novels but also have branched out into other genres.
In spite of being diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors and a rare genetic disease (Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), God continues to strengthen me and give me peace and joy as well as the blessing to be able to continue to write.
I’m a multi-published author who lives in the middle of Ohio Amish country with my husband and a menagerie of pets. After more than 30 years working as a speech pathologist for children, I believe in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.
My goal is to write stories that entertain but also demonstrate God’s love for all of us.
More from Lillian
Small Town Life VS. City Life
I spent most of my growing up years in the country, then I moved to a larger city for college and then an even larger city for much of my adult life. And then I slowly made my way back to the area I grew up in. I’ve spent the last twenty-two years living in the quaint little town of Shreve, Ohio.
Shreve has two gas stations, one stop light and zero fast-food restaurants! I love living in Shreve. Is there a difference between small town life and city life? Absolutely.
Big cities have a lot to offer. You won’t get any argument from me about that. Museums, your choice of restaurants, plays and concerts. But small towns have a lot to offer as well. Neighbors that know each other’s names a sense of community, peace and quiet, and low crime. Oh, and did I mention peace and quiet?
I know people love living in big cities, but I’ll stick to small town life. And that’s why most of the books I write are set in small towns—not always but most of the time.
My latest book, SMALL TOWN SECRETS, is based in the fictional small town of Shady Valley, but definitely resembles my hometown of Shreve, Ohio. Except nothing this exciting happens in Shreve–which is a good thing. That’s why I like living there.
But nothing happening would make for a boring book so Shady Valley has a few secrets–secrets that could kill!
On the surface, Shady Valley seems to be the ideal all-American place to live with beautiful flowering trees lining both sides of the street as you enter the picturesque town. Neighbors help neighbors. Doors are often left unlocked.
Serious crimes are practically nonexistent—almost but not quite!
When Angie McVey disappears on her wedding day, rookie officer Cami Martine is determined to find her best friend. Unfortunately, there are no leads to follow.
Angie seems to have disappeared into thin air.
But not everyone in Shady Valley is what they appear to be. Some have secrets—deadly secrets—that they hide behind the masks they wear. If Cami is to bring her best friend home, she will need to discover the deadly secrets of her friends and neighbors and find the one who wears the biggest mask.
SMALL TOWN SECRETS is a fast-paced mystery and suspense novel that will keep you turning pages past your bed time. By the way, the book will also be available as a Large Print book as well.
I loved this ending to a tale of one family through many generations. I cried through the tragedies and laughed at some places and was happy when there was a triumph. I really liked Becca and how she holds up through lots of adversity. I loved James and enjoyed how he has an eidetic memory but also felt sorry for him also. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Book Details:
Book Title: Roses in December (Hamilton Place Book 2) by Mark A. Gibson Category: Adult Fiction 18 yrs +, 358 pages Genre: Family Saga Fiction, Thriller, Historical Fiction Publisher: Hamilton Press (Self) Release date: April, 2024 Tour dates: Feb 5 to Feb 23, 2024 Content Rating: A soft R for the following: Language, although appropriate for situation, does have a smattering (perhaps 5 uses over 350 pages) of the F-word. Sexual situations are more so implied than graphic, although there is one soft description of fellatio. There is no use of derogatory descriptions for persons, sexes or races. No graphic violence is described.
Book Description:
Jimmy Hamilton overcame childhood tragedy to become a hero in Vietnam, only to die there in 1967. All but forgotten, Jimmy leaves behind a young wife, an infant son, and a man wracked by guilt.
Circumstances allow Becca, his young widow, to be manipulated into an abusive, loveless union with Jimmy’s brother and into raising her son ignorant of his father’s true identity—a wrong she knows must be set right…but how? When?
Like Jimmy before him, James, Jr. is an intellectually gifted, albeit troubled man. Hamstrung by the false narrative of his life and then tormented by an unspeakable loss, his days are spent treading the knife’s edge between present day reality and a past he’s incapable of forgetting.
With his final act of bravery, Jimmy unknowingly saved the scion of a powerful Washington family. In so doing, he set in place circumstances that just might draw his son back from the abyss…but only if he can somehow make it home from Vietnam.
Roses in December concludes the Hamilton Place series, an epic family saga extending from the Great Depression to present day. Through war and peace, love and loss, triumph and tragedy, follow the Hamilton family on their journey from a run-down farm in South Carolina, through the jungles of Vietnam, to the top of the world in New York City, and through the gardens of stone at Arlington.
Buy the Book: (preorder now!) AmazonMeet the Author:
Mark A. Gibson is a physician who practices Cardiology in the mountains of rural North Georgia. He was raised on a small farm in upstate South Carolina—the last postage-stamp sized sliver of a much larger parcel granted to the family by land grant from King Charles II in 1665—and may or may not have once gotten in trouble for digging up his mom’s calla lily bed in search of the family’s long-lost charter.
Dr. Gibson graduated from the Citadel in Charleston, SC with a BS in Biology. Afterwards, he received his medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, SC. He received his Internal Medicine training through the University of Tennessee Medical System and Cardiology training through the Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center. He served for eight years on active duty with the US Air Force, before leaving the military for private practice.
Although a cardiologist by profession, Dr. Gibson is a dreamer by nature. He is a self-styled oenophile who enjoys travel and fine food. In his spare time, he builds sandcastles and dreams of distant shores.
Roses in December represents Dr. Gibson’s second offering to the world of literature, and the conclusion of his Hamilton Place Series. All previous publications have been of the professional, peer-reviewed, medical variety, and make for lovely sleep aids.
I enjoyed this mystery. I really liked Summer, Mia, Aunt Agatha and Mia. I love that the story is based in a bookstore. I enjoyed the clean romance and the murder mystery. I loved the twist at the end. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a four out of five stars.
A Killer Romance (A Beach Reads Mystery) Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series Setting – North Carolina Crooked Lane Books (February 6, 2024) Hardcover : 304 pages ISBN-10 : 1639106359 ISBN-13 : 978-1639106356 Digital ASIN : B0C4J77BVN
Love and murder are in the air this Valentine’s day in Maggie Blackburn’s third Beach Reads mystery, perfect for fans of Eva Gates and Miranda James.
When Beach Reads bookshop hosts a Valentine’s Day event, “Romance by the Sea,” bookseller Summer Merriweather has no idea that the guest author is under investigation for her own husband’s murder. When that same author is found dead at the local bed and breakfast, nobody assumes it’s natural causes–there were plenty of people who wanted her dead.
As Summer searches for the truth about the author’s stranger-than-fiction life, Summer finds suspicious indications of shady behavior in the author’s belongings. But the casual sleuthing is quickly derailed when Summer’s friend Glads gets hauled in for the murder, and they launch a full-blown investigation to clear her name.
As Summer and company pick through the scant clues to solve the case, they may find more treachery and heartbreak than they bargained for.
About Maggie Blackburn
Maggie Blackburn is the pen name for bestselling mystery author Mollie Cox Bryan, who writes cozy mysteries with edge. She’s the author of several bestselling mystery series Her books have been selected as finalists for an Agatha Award and a Daphne du Maurier Award and as a Top 10 Beach Reads by Woman’s World. She has also been short-listed for the Virginia Library People’s Choice Award. She’s also penned a historical mystery under the name of Mollie Ann Cox. She lives in Crozet, Va. and is the mother of two grown, nearly perfect daughters.
I enjoyed this newest edition of a Jessica Fletcher novel. I love that Jessica is always so polite to her friends and everyone she meets. I love how she rides around Cabot Cove on her bicycle. I enjoyed how this story revolved around a gym and small town gossip. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I give this book a four out of five stars.
Murder, She Wrote: Fit for Murder Cozy Mystery 57th in Series Setting – Maine Berkley (January 23, 2024) Hardcover : 288 pages ISBN-10 : 0593640691 ISBN-13 : 978-0593640692 Digital ASIN : B0CHDQ2PFD
Jessica Fletcher learns that exercise can be murder in this new entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series.
Former editor of the Cabot Cove Gazette, Evelyn Phillips is back in Cabot Cove. Evelyn tells Jessica and Seth that she got a couple of really weird notes from Bertha Mae Cormier so she’s come back to town to check on her old friend. She demands that Jessica come with her to see Bertha Mae, who is a bit dithery but no more so than Jessica remembers her being in recent years.
Jessica does become somewhat concerned when Bertha Mae starts to talk about her new neighbor, Martin Terranova. He is quite charming and very health conscious and he teaches yoga and meditation in his pool house. Maureen Metzger says that she and Bertha Mae became friends in Terranova’s class and mentions how solicitous he is to his older clients.
Jessica attends one of his classes and does notice that Terranova is flirtatious with several elderly clients, especially Bertha Mae. Evelyn is becoming convinced that Bertha Mae is being mesmerized by Terranova and that he is after Bertha Mae’s money. A short while late, Martin turns up dead in his weight room. What at first blush seems to be an accident, soon proves to be murder and Jessica must put her investigative skills to the test when Evelyn becomes the prime suspect.
About the Authors
Along with Jessica Fletcher, Terrie Farley Moran co-writes the Murder She Wrote mystery series including Murder, She Wrote: Killer on the Court. She is the author of the Read ‘Em and Eat cozy mystery series and also co-writes the Scrapbooking Mysteries with Laura Childs. Recipient of both the Agatha and the Derringer Awards, Moran has published numerous mystery short stories. The only thing Terrie enjoys more than wrangling mystery plots into submission is hanging out with any or all of her seven grandchildren.
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