The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb Book Review

 

This author is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors, especially after reading the last book I read by her, The Haunting of Brynn Wilder. That led me to pick up this book, The Tale of Halcyon Crane, from my shelf.

I was especially intrigued with Hallie’s story. She ended up going to a small island out in the Great Lakes. She was summoned by a mysterious letter. What intrigued me about this town was the fact that there were no cars. Folks got around by horse and buggy (literally), walking, or bicycling. And, the author threw in a ghostliness to this tale. Of course, Hallie was met with stares and folks not quite believing her story and why she was in town.

There is also a bit of a love interest involved along with an inheritance. Ghosts of the past telling their story. Oh and Iris, how could I forget Iris? Iris definitely gives off a different sort of vibe, but is so necessary to this tale as she holds the history of the Crane family.

If you like a good ghost story with an adventuresome spirit in Hallie, give this one a go. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this author’s work.

A Thieving at Carlton House by Erica Vetsch Book Review

 

I am not a big historical fiction reader, but in trying to expand that genre to my reading list, I gave this one a try and I have to say – I was not disappointed. I think what got my attention was the cover. It matches perfectly, to me, the main character in this tale – Phillipa Cashel. This is a rags-to-riches type story.

Phillipa, Pippa to some, is a character who has escaped her previous life to do something good. She has such an inner strength about her that I appreciated. No matter how folks she encountered treated her, knowing her past, she kept on going to fulfill her dream … that of creating an organization to help women who were trapped in the same sort of life she had. She was also offered an opportunity that she wasn’t sure she would pursue. I also liked her attraction to one Sir Bertrand Thorndike, or Bertie to his friends. Bertie has a story of his own.

What I really found intriguing was the writing style and how true it stayed to the time period. I could just imagine some of these characters in my mind’s eye. It was also interesting to me how the ‘classes’ in one of the homes were described – from scullery maids, to first-floor maids, to second-floor maids. I’ve never read a historical fiction book with the classes defined like that.

According to the list of books in the front matter, this is going to be a part of a series, and the ending of book one is a perfect setup for book two. I’ll be sure to watch for it. The series is Of Cloaks & Daggers.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson Book Review

 

I had no idea what this book was about so I went in blind, as I kept seeing folks on social media say how good it was. To be honest, in the beginning I wasn’t sure this one would be for me. I diverted my attention to an eBook but kept reading this one. The more I read it, the more intrigued I became, so much so that I abandoned my eBook temporarily to finish this one. I had no idea, until the end, that this book was based on a historical time in Kentucky including none other than “book women.”

I was introduced to Cussy Mary or Bluet or “Book Woman” as her patrons took to calling her. They called her “Book Woman” as she was one of the Kentucky book women who went around and delivered reading materials to those folks who lived way back in the hills of Kentucky, those so out-of-reach places no one even knew of their existence. Bluet was also, to put it mildly, a ‘blue’ person. Not blue as in sad, but rather the color of her skin was blue. Again, I had no idea this condition even existed, and because she was blue, she was basically an outcast in the white world.

Bluet experienced a whole lot of sadness in her short life, saw some pretty sad sights on her book route, and also experienced some pretty horrific events of her own. Along comes Doc and his testing, with his own realization about Bluet, and Bluet’s realization that she was okay being a Blue. Bluet also experienced some happy moments in life. She was quite a strong-willed individual and became more important to her patrons than even she realized.

I can only imagine the research it took to develop these characters so deeply, to be able to describe what life was like during this time period, to make the reader feel like they were actually there seeing and experiencing what Bluet did. If you are big into history and like books that are accurate in their telling, this one might just be for you.

Newsletter Schedule for 2025

 

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Blood Lasts Forever by Jeff Gunhus Book Review

 

I have never heard of this author and one thing I enjoy as a reader is discovering new authors.

I enjoyed this story. It had the right amount of twistedness to keep me turning pages. I liked the way this story flowed and unfolded. I enjoyed reading about the Fab Five and their secret, the glue that made them stay quiet over the years. The Fab Five consisted of Mitch, Dan, Kelly-Ann, Lauren, and Rick. Each of the Fab Five grew up to lead relatively normal lives, but there was something that continually haunted all of them.

Wyatt and Sykes Bucks – brothers. Wyatt wanted to be like his older brother, Sykes, or so it seemed. Both were troublemakers.

There is also a bit of a ghost story involved in this tale of childhood gone wrong.

What I also enjoyed about this tale is how the chapters ended with a phrase that led right into the following chapter, the chapters of which flipped back and forth between the present time and memories of a long-past childhood that surrounded each character and what they each had to lose as adults if their secret was revealed. Who would benefit the most from the secret remaining buried? Who wanted to gather everyone in adulthood to make sure everyone stayed silent? A ghost from the past or one of the Fab Five?

 

Death in the Ozarks by Erik S. Meyers Blog Tour and Book Review

 

I really enjoyed ‘meeting’ Sally Witherspoon and being introduced to the many characters in this cozy mystery.

Sally is an amateur sleuth and the owner of Sally’s Smasher, who was co-owned by her friend Bill Arnold. There are a whole host of other characters you’ll get to meet – Jay and Magda, the mayor, Finnegan and Soder (the detectives), Margaret, Diane, the rest of the Arnold family, Zeke and Annette. All of these folks make for some pretty colorful characters that help bring this story to life. Some of the situations Sally finds herself in made me shake my head, and left Sally wondering how she got herself into the situation. The more questions she asked as an amateur sleuth, the more trouble she found herself creating.

There were a couple of folks in this tale that I suspected of being the whodunit. All of them viable for different reasons. I was wrong and the whodunit was totally unexpected, wasn’t even on my list of suspects. And the reasoning … that was even more unexpected.

On the whole, while I don’t usually read cozy mysteries, I did enjoy Sally’s tale and her sleuthing. I liked her persistence and her loyalty to her friends and wanting to see justice served. I liked the fact she was willing to take chances, even to her own detriment and much to Finnegan’s surprise sometimes. It will be interesting to read about her next adventure … see what small-town mysteries she unravels.

 

Find Mr. Meyers:

Website: https://www.erikmey.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErikSMeyersAuthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erikmeyauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20487338

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Ozarks-Sally-Witherspoon-Mystery/dp/1685125204/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1EYLOB4Q59GBH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lV8VPh81-sn-ENkbBIpyK5vRjCV_7Wk6Eks4BKdSPH5bCZH_WzO27pwu0Faf842WTbZ2wkECe7H9komeDpmzoNBcBGrtnJxs64dEhKp5BoWpZBikrBzqgpwJlqt-NVetxiw6Q5OVv904-SyZkvTn2l-r5Gggbv0i5UAsHrP-gEn0iY0kr-7dawA3P1Enw-B4fsVJmC7RV3ULlKrxqIofjrUng3g4Ibifhkr3GRFL_6s.FF6jdi3IO2wGAZTvsNZf3q6oIrO8EFzTafgye6MZ9P8&dib_tag=se&keywords=death+in+the+ozarks&qid=1727625453&sprefix=death+in+the+ozark%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-in-the-ozarks-erik-s-meyers/1144349296?ean=9781685125202

 

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MURDER ON THE MISSISSIPPI by ERIK S. MEYERS

I received a gifted copy.

 

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Find Mr. Meyers:

Website: https://www.erikmey.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErikSMeyersAuthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erikmeyauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20487338

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon:

Barnes & Noble:

 

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Burn This Night by Alex Kenna Blog Tour and Book Review

 

Be sure to get yourself a copy of this author’s latest release. It has all the elements I like.

Kate is trying to put her life back together after a couple of bad accidents and some addictions. She finds herself in the private investigation business and this case takes her to Idlewood, to work on a recent case and a twenty-year-old case. Little did she know how they would tie together.

She also has a daughter Amelia and an ex-husband, John. Which only adds more depth to her story. And, her mom has been keeping a secret from her since childhood. Adding yet another layer to Kate’s story.

She meets Sam … there are fireworks between the two of them.

The case in Idlewood she was asked to look into was shrouded in half-truths as you’ll see when you read this tale that is told in the voices of Kate and Abby, one of the victims telling her tale in the past, only to collide with Kate’s tale told in the present.

You’ll meet the Coburns, Abby’s parents. You’ll meet Jacob, Abby’s messed-up brother. You’ll meet Richard, the lawyer tending to Jacob’s case. Richard has a tale of his own to tell. Myra … Myra is the one who tied everything together for Kate, and Myra has some serious issues of her own.

These characters are imperfectly perfect, showing their warts so to speak, which is the reason I enjoyed this tale so much. I really hope that there are more ventures for Kate in her private investigation work as I think she would turn out to be quite an interesting character. Maybe she and Harry can work together on a future case. I’d be interested to see how Kate’s relationship with Sam works out as well. I liked the attraction they felt for one another. I liked Sam, fiercely protective of those he cared about, and a man who could relate to Kate in a way she wasn’t expecting. If you like a good whodunit that will take you in circles trying to figure out the whodunit, give this one a go. I sure wasn’t disappointed.

 

Find Ms. Kenna:

Website: https://www.alexkenna.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085915802718

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alex-kenna

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22295347.Alex_Kenna

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexkenna9

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexkennabooks/

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Burn-this-Night-Alex-Kenna-ebook/dp/B0CPXSKXQ9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=O1LK1Y6DRZCC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.A78tJJXqkUF6adPmK4KvI3aFxpXbXz8qmFwkTivYlD0ypkeXNqOIL1cluxxSRRMlMYwPWEeOHi_WmtpQgTNvQgz97eiYInWo4r-LzwFZy7-0RV-QKfQFemV0jXX7jaNI0sEb77MXALrJFwh-UeG0E4ECg-xh9Ge2MakEhIlD9_kamcHhjq6kC04ySX2x4R5q7LOIvzxeUsTfdtvr1DneqeL_D_23ZcclVHbPfKcc2r4.0RmU9wjqCSLh6PtFUNhLWds4ku-l_H9IPfehMkJpbFE&dib_tag=se&keywords=burn+this+night&qid=1722715287&s=digital-text&sprefix=burn+this+night%2Cdigital-text%2C173&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/burn-this-night-alex-kenna/1144507977?ean=9781639109388

 

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Hidden Sins by Mike Donohue New Book Release

 

Help me congratulate Mike Donohue on his newest release – Hidden Sins. Here’s the blurb:

Trust no one, suspect everyone.

In the charming town of Cedarwood, where everyone knows your name, PI Marti Wells is about to uncover a darkness that threatens to shatter its picturesque facade.

Hired by a grieving widow to investigate her husband’s puzzling behavior before his untimely death, Marti finds herself entangled in a web of lies, betrayal, and long-buried secrets. As she digs deeper, she realizes the quaint community harbors a sinister underbelly – one that powerful forces will do anything to keep hidden.

With an uncanny intuition and a stubborn streak a mile wide, Marti has carved out a career piecing together the fragments others overlook. And in Cedarwood, those fragments are about to form a deadly puzzle.

With each clue, the danger mounts. A mysterious attacker. A missing notebook. A string of suspicious deaths. What connects them all?

As Marti races to unravel the truth, she becomes the target of a relentless killer who will stop at nothing to keep the past buried. Can she expose the town’s hidden sins before she becomes the next victim?

Read the second page-turning mystery in the Marti Wells series today. Perfect for fans of Laura Lippman, Sue Grafton, Michael Connelly, and John Sandford.

 

Bending the Arc by Nicholas Gretener Book Review

 

LawForce came into existence because a couple of folks needed a stronger legal force behind them to fight for the little guy, so to speak. Their first mission was to find a lawyer to help them out with LawForce which they found in Steve Shane. Their first case to take on was Green Action Coalition (GAC) versus Wildcat Gas and Oil.

Without getting into the specifics, this book is filled with all the ins and outs of this case, leading Shane and his team down roads they weren’t expecting. There were many factors in play in this case and many overlying roles between the characters, some good guys, some bad guys, because who can have a ‘legal thriller’ without those two characteristics? The interesting thing was the sabotage involved, at least to me; it seemed pretty mild but yet had so much bigger implications.

While I found this to be a long read at 474 pages, I did enjoy the writing style. Could some of the story been shortened? Probably, but without all the backstory and all the intricacies involved, I think something may have been lost in the telling. To me, there was one loose end that never was answered, but overall, I enjoyed this story. It leaves me wondering what LawForce will get involved with next. If you like a ‘legal thriller’ that is full of detail and not too much courtroom drama, give this one a try.