Jenny Adams: A Poisonous Silence

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Deadly Twenties #2

I think the mark of a good writer is often seen in book two of a series.  In book one, the author has put in everything – every twinkly, sparkly element they’ve had in mind forever.  When it works, it’s magical.  Jenny Adams’ debut, A Deadly Endeavor, was just such a beginning.  Excellent, rich, main characters, interesting setting, and good storyline.  In this book, the second in her series, she proves her chops, with a more focused plot line and continuing the development of her main characters, who are estranged as the book opens. read more

Marjorie Eccles: A Fatal Necessity

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Herbert Reardon #6

This is the first book I’ve read in this series, but it won’t be the last.  This novel is set in 1935, on the cusp of war. The first book took place in 1919, just after WWI, as Britain attempted to put itself back together.  In this novel, while life is fairly peaceful in the village of Templewood in Worcestershire, it’s not so peaceful for one particular family.  As the book opens, the wife of a prominent judge has left her husband a note that she’s leaving him. When they find her, her body is in the skeleton of a house site where she had planned to build a new home, and her suitcases are sitting right next to her.  It’s pretty apparent she’s been murdered. read more

Colleen Cambridge: A Fashionably French Murder

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An American in Paris #3

A Fashionably French Murder is the third novel in Colleen Cambridge’s An American in Paris series, set during the years following World War II, featuring Tabitha Knight, the fictitious best friend of Julia Child.  Tabitha, the daughter of a French mother and an American police officer father, was a Rosie the Riveter during the war, and came to Paris from the Detroit suburb where she grew up, to live with her French grandfather and his life partner, Oncle Rafe.  She is not a very good cook, so how lucky is she to have Julia Child as a neighbor.  At the time this book takes place, in 1950, Julia is attending classes at the Cordon Bleu, the famous French cooking school, during the day, and cooking mouthwatering meals for Tabitha and her “messieurs” at night.  She is teaching Tabitha to cook, even though Tabitha is still pretty hopeless in the kitchen without Julia’s help.  The two previous novels in the series have introduced the reader to French food and wine.  This one brings readers into the world of haute couture. read more

Uzma Jalaluddin: Detective Aunty

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Kausar Khan #1

This is the first mystery for writer Uzma Jalaluddin, though she’s already had a successful writing career creating women’s fiction.  Her detective, a recent widow named Kausar Khan, lives in North Bay, Canada.  One morning she gets a call from her daughter Sana, back in Toronto, telling her there’s been a murder and she’s the prime suspect.  Then she hangs up.  Kausar, who hasn’t been back to Toronto since the death of her son many years ago, nevertheless hurriedly packs a bag and jumps on a plane. read more

Margot Bennett: Someone from the Past

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I’m a little bit jealous of Someone From the Past – it came out in 1958, the same year I did, yet it remains fresh, vital and contemporary, unlike some of us of a similar age. What I like most about  it is the vivid voice of the narrator, Nancy, who is snarky, calculating, confused and altogether real. One evening her estranged former best friend Sarah approaches her unexpectedly and tells her that ever since she announced her engagement to her ultimate prize, a corporate director, she’s received letters threatening to kill her, apparently from an ex-lover. When she’s killed the next day, that list of exes becomes a list of suspects. read more

June Book Club: The Searcher

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Our June book club will meet in person on Sunday, June 8 at 2 p.m. and on zoom Sunday, June 15 at 2 p.m.  We’ll be discussing Tana French’s first Cal Hooper novel, The Searcher.  All are welcome – message us on facebook for a zoom link or other info if you’re from Ann Arbor.  Description from goodreads: Retired detective Cal Hooper moves to a remote village in rural Ireland. His plans are to fix up the dilapidated cottage he’s bought, to walk the mountains, to put his old police instincts to bed forever. Then a local boy appeals to him for help. His brother is missing, and no one in the village, least of all the police, seems to care. And once again, Cal feels that restless itch. Something is wrong in this community, and he must find out what, even if it brings trouble to his door. read more

Diane Kelly: Dead Post Society

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House Flipper #7

In Diane Kelly’s seventh House flipper Mystery, Dead Post Society, main character Whitney Flynn, a carpenter in Nashville Tennessee, works with her father and cousin Buck. She and her cousin  also flip houses, and she solves mysteries in her spare time. Her husband and homicide detective Collin isn’t always pleased to have her poking around in murder cases. His love for her motivates him to want her to stay out of it and be safe, the detective in him welcomes her insight and whatever clues she happens to supply. Currently, Whitney and Buck haven’t been flipping houses for a few months because his wife is about to give birth to their first child. The family is beyond excited, and once the little bundle of joy arrives, it doesn’t take Whitney long to come across a fresh project for them. read more

Korina Moss: Bait and Swiss

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Cheese Shop #6

Gouda news readers, the sixth book in Korina Moss’ Cheese Shop Mystery series is here. In Bait and Swiss, Willa Bauer is celebrating the second year of her shop, Curds and Whey, being open and successful in Yarrow Glen. Her employees and friends, Mrs. Schultz and Archie, are now also joined by a fellow cheese enthusiast, June. Willa is rightfully proud of her shop’s success and is going all out for its birthday celebration, complete with cheese from around the world themes on rotation throughout the day and costumes to match. There is more cause to celebrate around town when Hope is ready to reveal and open her new cakery shop. Ever ready to support her community and friends, Willa and team are excited to attend the grand opening event, until she sees who Hope’s new partners are. read more

Emily Sullivan: A Death on Corfu

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Minnie Harper #1

This lovely, sparkling book is set on Corfu in 1898.  It’s the story of widowed Minnie, raising two kids on her own.  Minnie is British but her husband chose Corfu for them, and the family was very happy there together.  His dying request was for Minnie never to send the children back to England.  While Minnie’s son, Tommy, is young and more than entranced by the copious insect and amphibian population, her daughter Cleo is a teen who has reached the eye rolling stage.  I doubt that’s what it was called in 1898, but you know what I mean.  Cleo is longing to go away to school. read more

Maha Khan Phillips: The Museum Detective

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Dr. Gul Delani is an art historian working at the Museum of History and Heritage in Karachi, Pakistan.  She has basically forced her way into the museum by more or less creating her own department and curating her own staff of eager grad students.  When she gets a middle of the night phone call, she thinks it’s information about her long missing niece, Mahnaz, who had vanished at 15, but instead, it’s an order to get dressed and get in a car for a long ride. When she arrives, she’s asked to take a look at what could possibly be the mummy of a legendary princess of Persepolis. read more