Tag Archives: #mystery

Reader’s Log 008: Book Haul

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This past week and weekend we had family visit and Saturday we went to our local Half Price Books store and loaded up! It is not often I find more than two books on my wish-list in one visit. I scored four on my list and I’m quite happy with my finds. I also purchased two books from Costco and got, “The Frozen River” by Ariel Lawhon at our neighborhood’s free library where you swap out books. In total, I acquired seven books and started reading two of them over the weekend. With my galley reads, I’m all booked up and reading for a spectacular fall season of reading. I almost forgot to mention another book I was just approved for through NetGalley! So, I guess that makes eight books. I may hold off on reading, “The Frozen River” and pick it up late fall or early winter.

Do you have a book list or stacks of books you want to read this fall? What usually are your go-to genres for the season? I find that with my moods. I normally read mystery thrillers-as usual-set in the past, modern times or a dual time-line. For non-fiction reading, I like to read true crime and history. Funny that, because I tend to stick to that year round but the true crime more so in the fall. This doesn’t include my other history and research studies (Biblical, Ancient History, 1st Century AD and church fathers) I delve in year round. Yeah, that is a lot. I have a system in place and it works. I tend to be a bit of an information junkie one might say. That and I love studying history in general.

Stephanie Hopkins

NetGalley Book: Murder at the Manor

by Colin Wade

Pub Date Sep 28 2024 by The Book Guild

Description:

The Cotswold Manor Hotel welcomes an eclectic mix of guests, and on one fateful Friday evening, two witnesses overhear an argument in a neighbouring room, followed by a loud thud. The next morning, the maid discovers the room has been vacated; all that remains is a dried bloodstain on the carpet.

Detective Chief Inspector Chloe Taylor attends the scene, and soon after, a body is discovered in the lake on the hotel grounds, launching a murder inquiry. It soon becomes clear that the case is much bigger than she initially thought when one of her key suspects is linked to a terrorism investigation. A DCI from the Counter Terrorism Unit is quickly assigned to work alongside her.

As the investigation progresses, they are confronted by lies and deceit, suspicious characters, fake identities, and a case that threatens to spiral out of control. As DCI Taylor wrestles with the murder case and the politics of working with CTU, the mounting pressure leads her to make impulsive choices, putting her own life at risk.

Will she survive and solve the Murder at the Manor?

Reader’s Log 004: New ARCs

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Since my reuniting with NetGalley to pick up where I left off with reviewing books and acquiring ARCs, it has gone great thus far. I was surprised to find one of the book reviews I recently turned in has been highlighted by the publishers. I thought perhaps with my long absence, that wouldn’t happen for a while. I was wrong and delightfully so. What a great encouragement to keep at it. I have finally come up with a system to keep up with upcoming book releases to review while working on my backlog. I feel this new system will relieve a lot of undue stress that oftentimes book reviewers put on themselves. I will go more into my system soon that others that have a backlog on NetGalley may want to incorporate. I want to wait a bit longer to share so I know for sure it is working.

Below are two new titles I have recently picked up and can’t wait to read and review them. I love a good thriller and I think these two will be just the ticket.

Stephanie Hopkins  

Not Our Daughter by Chad Zunker

Pub Date Feb 11 2025

Book Description:

Propelled on a cross-country chase, devoted parents become desperate fugitives in a heart-racing novel of suspense by the author of Family Money and All He Has Left.

Thirteen years ago, Cole and Lisa Shipley were fostering an infant with hopes of adopting her. Overnight everything was turned upside down, when the child’s mother bled to death on their front doorstep. Her last words: He’s coming here…for her! Save her. Afraid, bewildered, and with a baby in their arms, they fled. The longer they hid, the guiltier they looked.

Now in a small Colorado town under assumed identities, they’ve been seemingly safe. But when a tip exposes them and Cole is framed for another murder, they take it on the run again, barreling across the western US—this time with a confused and resistant teenage girl awakening to a terrifying new reality. In the rearview is the relentless FBI agent who has never given up the hunt. And he’s not the only one.

Every frightening mile brings a family closer to the truth about that fateful night thirteen years ago. And to a killer who’s determined to finish what he started.

The Coldest Case by Tessa Wegert

Pub Date Nov 05 2024

Book Description:

News of a missing Instagram celebrity brings Senior Investigator Shana Merchant to a frozen island community of just eight people. When the visit turns deadly, her hunt for a killer collides with a cold case she’ll never forget . . .

It’s February in the Thousand Islands and, cut off from civilization by endless ice, eight people are overwintering on tiny, remote Running Pine. Six year-rounders, used to the hard work, isolation and freezing temperatures . . . and two newcomers: social-media stars Cary and Sylvie, whose account documenting their year on the island is garnering thousands of followers, and thousands of dollars’ worth of luxury gifts.

The long-term islanders will tell you Running Pine can be perilous – especially for city slickers who’ll do anything to get the perfect shot. So, when Cary doesn’t return from ice fishing one morning, his neighbors fear the worst.

With the clock ticking to find the missing influencer, a police team are dispatched to take the dangerous journey to the island . . . but Sylvie, his frantic partner, will only talk to one person: newlywed Senior Investigator Shana Merchant.

Where is Cary – and what is it that Sylvie’s not sharing? With aspects of the case reminding Shana of an unsolved homicide from her past that haunts her still, she risks her own safety to help. But little does she know that a storm is coming – and if she doesn’t solve both crimes soon, she may become the island’s next victim . . .

The latest taut, thrilling small-town mystery featuring New York State senior investigator Shana Merchant, and set against the beautiful backdrop of the Thousand Islands, is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Ruth Ware.

Reader’s Log 002: Book Stacks Part I

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Acquiring books and reading them are entirely two different hobbies. I must say in the last few years, I have been working on curating my home library and working out what criteria I want to set to grow my stacks.

Many books I’ve donated over the decades and many I have kept. I must confess there were a few books I’ve regretted donating but have found copies at library sales that I added back to my book stack. There are also books that are out of print I want to acquire again or read for the first time. The hunt is on and the journey is exciting!

In this book stack series, I’m going to be sharing books I’ve previously read and review from Netgalley and want to obtain a physical copy for my home library. I have found a few over the years already but no time like the present to blog about this journey. May this series inspire you and perhaps you will discover books you want to add to your stacks. First up…

Going all the way back to 2014 for my first pick to share is, “A Matter of Grave Concern by Brenda Novak”. I remember enjoying this story, found the themes intriguing and would definitely like to read it again and add it to my library. I need to go see if this was a stand alone or if this turned out to be a book series. The book title highlighted above is a link to my review here on Layered Pages. By the way…I love the book cover!

About the Book:

When Maximillian Wilder hides his noble identity and joins the notorious body snatchers known as the London Supply Company, the last thing on his mind is love. He’s worried about Madeline, his vanished half-sister, who was last seen in the company of Jack Hurtsill, the gang’s conscienceless leader. Raiding graveyards, stealing corpses, and selling them to medical colleges as dissection material is dirty work, but Max knows he must gain Jack’s trust. He’s determined to find out what happened to Madeline—and to bring Jack to justice if she was murdered for the coin her body could earn.

Beautiful, spirited Abigail Hale, daughter of the surgeon at Aldersgate School of Medicine, detests the challenging, hard-bargaining Max almost as much as Jack. But she must procure the necessary specimens if she is to save the college and her father’s career. She believes she is going to be successful—until Jack double-crosses her. Then she’s swept into a plot of danger and intrigue, one where Max must intervene to protect her, no matter the risk to his plan…or his heart.

Book Review: Secrets in the Stones by Tessa Harris

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(Dr. Thomas Silkstone Mystery)

Pub Date: February 23, 2016 by Kensington

Secrets of the Stones is the second book on my backlog I’ve read since starting back reviewing books. I went way back on my list with this one. I can’t get over that it is from 2016! How in the world did I miss this? I know the answer but still…Glad I chose this to review next. Catching up with one book at a time. Be sure to read some of my thoughts on the story below.

Book Description:

Within the mysteries of the body, especially those who have been murdered, 18th-century anatomist Dr. Thomas Silkstone specializes in uncovering the tell-tale clues that lead towards justice…
Newly released from the notorious asylum known as Bedlam, Lady Lydia Farrell finds herself in an equally terrifying position–as a murder suspect–when she stumbles upon the mutilated body of Sir Montagu Malthus in his study at Boughton Hall.

Meanwhile Dr. Thomas Silkstone has been injured in a duel with a man who may or may not have committed the grisly deed of which Lydia is accused. Despite his injury, Thomas hopes to clear his beloved’s good name by conducting a postmortem on the victim. With a bit of detective work, he learns that Montagu’s throat was slit by no ordinary blade, but a ceremonial Sikh dagger from India–a clue that may be connected to the fabled lost mines of Golconda.
From the mysterious disappearance of a cursed diamond buried with Lydia’s dead husband, to the undying legend of a hidden treasure map, Thomas must follow a trail of foreign dignitaries, royal agents–and even more victims–to unveil the sinister and shocking secrets in the stones…

My Thoughts:

I absolutely love a good historical mystery thriller and this one fits the bill. I believe this story is the sixth in the series and I started with this one first. Why am I always doing that? Sigh. I don’t know. Well, I’m happy to report that after reading this book I want to go back and read the first five.

Eighteenth century anatomy interest me in several areas. Particularly the dissection of the human bodies and their analysis on how they died and perhaps leading to why and other considerations from scientific purview. The author certainly has a lot of material to work with when writing about crimes and mysteries in the eighteen-century due to the general public’s discovery of deaths through the publication of newspapers and such.

Dr. Thomas Silkstone is a fascinating character to say the least. He used scientist evidence and clues to help solve crimes. Which is refreshing when looking at how crimes are often concluded by ignorance, no evidence, convenience, mob rule and pure speculation throughout history. It makes me shudder to think how many innocent people have been convicted of crimes they did not comment and the punishments and the lifetime imprisonments they have endured.

I must admit, I was fascinated with the aspect of Silkstone’s method in investigating the crimes commented more so than his romantic involvement with Lydia- at first, I couldn’t see the attraction. Towards the end, she grew on me a little despite being in the background quite a bit more than I expected.

In this story, Lydia seemed to have the worse luck and finds herself in continual trouble at every turn. As I read this story I couldn’t help wonder if this was the case in the previous books. I cannot attest to the development of Lydia’s character since I haven’t read the other books in the series but I have my suspicions that she may be portrayed as a fragile woman and constantly needs recusing-you know, “Damsel in distress”. Towards the end of the story, there was an instance where Lydia was in the presence of Silkstone’s colleagues and one of the colleague’s brother discussing the crime(s) and their wary of Lydia’s “sensibilities” irked me a bit as they chose their words carefully or omitted them in her presence. Was it out of the “polite society” of the time, or was it because men considered women the “weaker sex” and felt the need to shelter them? Or it could be just plain out of respect for her that they guarded their tongue. I’m still undecided on that score. I will say that death was all too common during those times as it is in our century and women are made of tougher stuff than we are often given credit for in many situations. I can assure you this is not a slight on the author’s story-telling what-so-ever. On the contrary, she portrayed that quite well in the scene and has given me a lot of food for thought about certain topics and cultural norms when it comes to stuff like this. Again, keep in mind I’m not too certain of Lydia’s characterization.

I must say there were a lot of characters to keep up with and at times I was frustrated with that fact. Nonetheless, this story was well written, entertaining and a brilliant historical mystery read. As the clues were stacking up, the danger escalating, there was very little left to chance as Silkstone raced to solve the mystery before more people were murdered.

I must caution the reader and mention that there are gruesome details in how the crimes were commented. Beware of that fact.

Overall, the author does well in presenting multiple motivations for murder to have you fully immersed in the story to find out the conclusion.

Without a doubt, historical fiction mystery lovers will enjoy this adventure.

Stephanie Hopkins

I obtained a galley copy of this book from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

Book Review: A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari

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A Saffron Everleigh Mystery

Pub Date Jun 07 2022

Kate Khavar’s debut book is the first book on my netgalley backlog list I’ve read since recently starting back reviewing books. This is one of those stories I’m torn about. More of my thoughts below…

Book Description:

Saffron Everleigh is in a race against time to free her wrongly accused professor before he goes behind bars forever. Perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Anna Lee Huber, Kate Khavari’s debut historical mystery is a fast paced, fearless adventure. 

London, 1923. Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh attends a dinner party for the University College of London. While she expects to engage in conversations about the university’s large expedition to the Amazon, she doesn’t expect Mrs. Henry, one of the professors’ wives to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin. Dr. Maxwell, Saffron’s mentor, is the main suspect, having had an explosive argument with Dr. Henry a few days prior. As evidence mounts against Dr. Maxwell and the expedition’s departure draws nearer, Saffron realizes if she wants her mentor’s name cleared, she’ll have to do it herself. Joined by enigmatic Alexander Ashton, a fellow researcher, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany as she explores steamy greenhouses, dark gardens, and deadly poisons. Will she be able to uncover the truth or will her investigation land her on the murderer’s list? 

My Thoughts:

I believe it is safe to say that the book cover and title caught my attention first to this story.

Saffron Everleigh is quite the character. One moment you want to shake her and the next you want to hug her. She tends to be a bit reckless and puts herself in dangerous situations without thinking it through. Eveleigh is a woman of intelligence in a male dominated field and has to work even harder to been taken seriously. You see the struggle through the story and she doesn’t give up but her reckless actions wasn’t helping much for her I kept thinking. When I thought she’s finally learned her lesson she goes and does another life altering dangerous thing and puts herself and a colleague’s life on the line. I must say I had wondered how she was going to get out of that sticky situation to say the least!

While I wasn’t feeling the chemistry between Saffron and Alexander, I did enjoy their interactions and talking through the what ifs on who is the perpetrator.

While I felt a few details and characters could have been fleshed out a little bit better and the pacing was slow at times, this was an entertaining story. As for this story being a series, I’m hoping what I felt needs to be approved upon happens in the books after this one.

I did enjoy the Botany aspects of the story very much.

Stephanie

Side Bar: I may get to the other books in this series at some point in time. I would like to keep up with Saffron and seeing what other trouble she might get into.

A big thank you to Crooked Lane books for a galley copy through Netgalley for an honest review.

Stephanie Hopkins  

Book Review: A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

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It is not often you come across a thriller where every scene and detail are relevant to the story and evenly paced. Furthermore, it is not often when a book is plotted so well that it leaves you with no holes in a dissatisfied manner. A Flicker in the Dark is without a doubt one of the best thrillers I have read and I was impressed to learn early on that this story is Stacy Willingham debut novel. Her craft of story-telling is marvelous and if I hadn’t known this was her debut, I would have thought her a seasoned published author.

I must add that Willingham creates a brilliant cast of characters and her development of their personalities are flawless. Everyone is suspect and when you believe you have who the killer is, there is a twist leaving you blindsided.

I was fully engaged in this story and before I knew it, I found myself reading late into the night and early morning.

This book is getting a five-star rating from me and I am grateful for receiving an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review. It’s funny really, that often times, it’s harder for me to find the words to express my delight in discovering stories that grab my attention in such a way.

Stephanie Hopkins

Book Description:

Expected publication: January 11th 2022 by Minotaur Books

When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, Chloe’s father had been arrested as a serial killer and promptly put in prison. Chloe and the rest of her family were left to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.

Now 20 years later, Chloe is a psychologist in private practice in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. She finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to get. Sometimes, though, she feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. And then a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, and that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, and seeing parallels that aren’t really there, or for the second time in her life, is she about to unmask a killer?

Book Review: A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw

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Hardcover, 368 pages

Expected publication: December 7th 2021 by Atria Books

Travis Wren has an unusual talent for locating missing people. Hired by families as a last resort, he requires only a single object to find the person who has vanished. When he takes on the case of Maggie St. James—a well-known author of dark, macabre children’s books—he’s led to a place many believed to be only a legend.

Called Pastoral, this reclusive community was founded in the 1970s by like-minded people searching for a simpler way of life. By all accounts, the commune shouldn’t exist anymore and soon after Travis stumbles upon it…he disappears. Just like Maggie St. James.

Years later, Theo, a lifelong member of Pastoral, discovers Travis’s abandoned truck beyond the border of the community. No one is allowed in or out, not when there’s a risk of bringing a disease—rot—into Pastoral. Unraveling the mystery of what happened reveals secrets that Theo, his wife, Calla, and her sister, Bee, keep from one another. Secrets that prove their perfect, isolated world isn’t as safe as they believed—and that darkness takes many forms.

My thoughts:

Pastoral, once a peaceful and reclusive community, with calm order and purpose, becomes sinister and takes “reclusive” to a whole other level. Yes, please! When I came across this book on NetGalley, I had a feeling about it and my thoughts were right on the money.

These days, it is hard to disconnect in more ways than one. Everything is fast-paced and mental illness is on the rise. It is no wonder many people dream about a simpler life. In History of Wild Places, the people seeking this life get more than they are asking for.

One of the main important elements of a story is connecting with the characters. You don’t get that in this story, perhaps because you aren’t given a lot of backstory. That said, there is a reason why and readers will begin to understand that based on the theme of the story.

Ernshaw employs artistic composition in a unique and refreshing way that has you hanging on to every word. Her ability to articulate any situation or surrounding in the story is outstanding. Ernshaw had me hooked with the first line!

As the story unfolded, I began to see clearly how prolonged isolation can be used to manipulate people of the tightknit community and the mind-distorting effects it creates.

I found myself fully immersed in unraveling, along with Theo, Calla and Bee, the dark secrets that keep them locked within the commune.

One aspect I would have liked to have been more developed was the characters’ daily lives and their relationships with each other. It would have made the plot more profound. In regards to the relationships, Bee’s and Levi’s were the only relationship fleshed out. I cannot say much more than that without giving any spoilers.  

A great mystery about the disappearance of people, manipulation, a reclusive community brilliantly weaved with atmospheric woods, survival and spooky elements.

Stephanie Hopkins

I obtained a galley copy from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

Cover Crush: A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari

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A Saffron Everleigh Mystery

Pub Date Jun 7, 2022

About the Cover: This cover is really pleasing to the eye. The vibrant colors of the background, bottle and flowers add that extra spark to the overall layout. Often times, artists describe vibrant art as meaning pure, energetic and radiant. Quite the contrast to this novels premise. Though, I dare say, the most beautiful objects can be deadly.

About the Book: I love a good period mystery and what a great premise for a story! Imagine yourself alongside Saffron Everleigh, working to uncover the murderer and in the throes of intrigue and mystery.

Stephanie Hopkins

Description

London, 1923.  Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh attends a dinner party for the University College of London. While she expects to engage in conversations about the university’s large expedition to the Amazon, she doesn’t expect Mrs. Henry, one of the professors’ wives to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin.
 
Dr. Maxwell, Saffron’s mentor, is the main suspect, having had an explosive argument with Dr. Henry a few days prior. As evidence mounts against Dr. Maxwell and the expedition’s departure draws nearer, Saffron realizes if she wants her mentor’s name cleared, she’ll have to do it herself.

Joined by enigmatic Alexander Ashton, a fellow researcher, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany as she explores steamy greenhouses, dark gardens, and deadly poisons. Will she be able to uncover the truth or will her investigation land her on the murderer’s list? 

Cover Crush: The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

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St. Martin’s Press

Mystery & Thrillers | Women’s Fiction

Pub Date 11 Jan 2022

About the cover: The blues and greens of this cover caught my eye. I use these hues often in my art. The position of the wrought iron fence, house, tree and the people walking towards the house, along with the colors, shows mystery and intrigue. Nicely executed.

About the book: I love a good mystery and a historical one at that. This story is a dual time line and takes place in North Carolina in the present and past. Or I should say, the year 2010. Yes please!

Description

A community’s past sins rise to the surface in New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain’s The Last House on the Street when two women, a generation apart, find themselves bound by tragedy and an unsolved, decades-old mystery.

1965

Growing up in the well-to-do town of Round Hill, North Carolina, Ellie Hockley was raised to be a certain type of proper Southern lady. Enrolled in college and all but engaged to a bank manager, Ellie isn’t as committed to her expected future as her family believes. She’s chosen to spend her summer break as a volunteer helping to register black voters. But as Ellie follows her ideals fighting for the civil rights of the marginalized, her scandalized parents scorn her efforts, and her neighbors reveal their prejudices. And when she loses her heart to a fellow volunteer, Ellie discovers the frightening true nature of the people living in Round Hill.

2010

Architect Kayla Carter and her husband designed a beautiful house for themselves in Round Hill’s new development, Shadow Ridge Estates. It was supposed to be a home where they could raise their three-year-old daughter and grow old together. Instead, it’s the place where Kayla’s husband died in an accident—a fact known to a mysterious woman who warns Kayla against moving in. The woods and lake behind the property are reputed to be haunted, and the new home has been targeted by vandals leaving threatening notes. And Kayla’s neighbor Ellie Hockley is harboring long buried secrets about the dark history of the land where her house was built.

Two women. Two stories. Both on a collision course with the truth–no matter what that truth may bring to light–in Diane Chamberlain’s riveting, powerful novel about the search for justice.

Book Review: The Family Plot by Megan Collins

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Expected publication: August 17th 2021 by Atria Books

About the book:

At twenty-six, Dahlia Lighthouse has a lot to learn when it comes to the real world. Raised in a secluded island mansion deep in the woods and kept isolated by her true crime-obsessed parents, she has spent the last several years living on her own, but unable to move beyond her past—especially the disappearance of her twin brother Andy when they were sixteen.

With her father’s death, Dahlia returns to the house she has avoided for years. But as the rest of the Lighthouse family arrives for the memorial, a gruesome discovery is made: buried in the reserved plot is another body—Andy’s, his skull split open with an ax.

Each member of the family handles the revelation in unusual ways. Her brother Charlie pours his energy into creating a family memorial museum, highlighting their research into the lives of famous murder victims; her sister Tate forges ahead with her popular dioramas portraying crime scenes; and their mother affects a cheerfully domestic façade, becoming unrecognizable as the woman who performed murder reenactments for her children. As Dahlia grapples with her own grief and horror, she realizes that her eccentric family, and the mansion itself, may hold the answers to what happened to her twin.

My thoughts:

Most true crime novels, that I have read, pretty much delves in every facet of the human experience you can think of and at times, you don’t necessarily want to explore too much. Or do you? The criminal mind is shocking and heinous and does not limit itself to one shape, color or size.

What of the people who are obsessed with those stories? The ones who investigate, write those books or portray them in some form of medium? How do they live their lives? Like in The Family Plot, dioramas portraying crime scenes. Author Megan Collins gives her readers a chilling story of one family’s life centered around their own obsession of true crime. Not only that, but strange events and a horrible and unspeakable crim quickly becomes uncovered at their own door.

The Lighthouse family is certainly strange, twisted and creepy, wrapped up in their own secrets, lies, pain and eccentricity. Their odd behavior and unorthodox ways, has the local town leery of them to say the least!

Dahila Lighthouse seems to be the only one with a touch of reality as she ventures to uncover the crime that is discovered among them. Her siblings and mother are out of touch or basically wanting to stay in their bubble. It is safe there for them, or so they think. Though, who can really fault them? Especially the brothers…Imagine a lie, like a seed, being planted and taking root so deep, that one feels they can never unbury the truth. It is too ugly and disturbing. Imagine having to live with that lie in fear and pain growing up as a kid. No child should ever go through what the Lighthouse brothers did. Or what anyone of them had to for that matter.

I must say that I have never read a story quite like this one and I am absolutely delighted I chose to read this book. The story build-up was strong, great scenes, complex and frightening characters, and a solid plot. Though, I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed with the ending. That said, I highly recommend this book to people who love reading about crime, family secrets and mystery.

Stephanie Hopkins

I obtained a copy from the Publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.