A New Lease on Death - Olivia Blacke

Olivia Blacke caught me off with the the first few pages of her new novel -  A New Lease on Death. Well, with the title and the image on the cover, you might have an inkling of what you’re going to find inside…

Ruby moves into a Boston apartment that’s advertised as fully finished. It is, but the last tenant died in the bathtub. And all her items are still there. There’s another death and Ruby decides to investigate as the police don’t seem to think it  is a crime.

 

I really liked Ruby as our lead character. She’s determined to do the right thing. But along the way she gets herself into some sketchy situations. Our supporting player is Cordelia and she’s a bit harder to get to know. She doesn’t talk much in the beginning of the book but things change for her too. And we know much more about her life as the book progresses.

A New Lease on Death is a mix of amateur detecting, supernatural elements, friendship and doing the right thing. I enjoyed the detective parts. I did wonder about Rudy's reasoning for and the impetus for her jumping in both feet. The who dunnit was a good one and it was one I hadn’t considered. Nicely done.

A New Release on Death is also setting up everything for a new novel using these characters. And there’s a burning question that I would love to know the answer to. All in all, it was an entertaining story. See what you think - read an excerpt of A New Lease on Death.

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books - Kirsten Miller

I think that little libraries are just the best thing. You can share with friends or make new connections. I routinely leave books I’ve finished around the neighbourhood little libraries. So with that in mind, I happily picked up Kirsten Miller’s new book - Lula Dean‘s Little Library of Banned Books. 

Banned books. I’ve worked in public libraries and for profit bookstores. And this is a topic that comes up and up again. Kristyn Miller has penned an absolutely delightful book that takes on the question - who can tell you what you can read? Well, in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia Lula Dean decides that it’s her that will carry the banner. And...things don’t go quite the way she planned.

I like the eclectic characters. I loved some of them. I really got angry at some of them. I laughed out loud. And I really like, really like the whole conversation this book brings to us. I absolutely recommend this book! Read an excerpt of Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books.

The Mistletoe Mystery - Nita Prose

I was so excited to see that Nita Prose has penned a Christmas novella called The Mistletoe Mystery. And yes, this is a book that features  Molly (the Maid) Gray as the main character. 

If you're a big fan of this series like me, you're in for a wonderful read or listen. And if you've never read the first two books...what are you waiting for! This is a great way to get a taste of this series. 

Molly works at the upscale Regency Grand Hotel as a maid and she loves her job. Now, the other thing you need to know about Molly is that she struggles with social skills and can't read the nuances of interactions - facial and conversational.

With Christmas looming, and a staff secret Santa event, and her boyfriend acting odd, she is stressed -  and worried.

I just adore Molly and you will too! I chose to listen to this novella. The reader is Lauren Ambrose and she has done a fantastic job of bringing Molly to life with her voice. She captures Molly's emotions, inner dialogue and her struggles and her joys with her performance. I appreciated the connectivity, as Ambrose has narrated the first two books.  Read an excerpt. Listen to an excerpt.  Novella - 2 hours and 38 minutes

And keep your eyes out for the new Molly tale coming out April 8/25. I can't wait!

Mystery at Lockley Grange - Clare Chase - Blog Tour!

A Bookworm's World is a blog stop today for Clare Chase's new book - Mystery at Lockley Grange. This is book 13 in the Eve Mallow Mystery series, but it's a first read of this series for me.

Someone has killed famous diplomat Lance Hale in his own home - right after a event held that night. One of the caterers is Eve Mallow and she also writes obituaries for the press. And....solves mysteries. 

There are many supporting characters, but enough history was included to help me know who was who. Eve has a personal connection to Hale and his family. That makes things easy - or perhaps harder. Eve has her work cut out for her. There are so many candidates for the whodunit. Just when I thought I had it right, Chase throws in another twist and sends the narrative down another path. I wasn't successful in guessing the killer until the final chapters. Which is a good thing. If you love cozies, you'll love Mystery at Lockley Grange.

"Clare Chase writes classic mysteries. Her aim is to take readers away from it all via some armchair sleuthing in atmospheric locations.

Her debut novel was shortlisted for Novelicious’s Undiscovered Award, as well as an EPIC award post-publication, and was chosen as a Debut of the Month by LoveReading. Murder on the Marshes (Tara Thorpe 1) was shortlisted for an International Thriller Writers award.

Like her heroines, Clare is fascinated by people and what makes them tick. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked in settings as diverse as Littlehey Prison and the University of Cambridge, in her home city. She’s lived everywhere from the house of a lord to a slug-infested flat and finds the mid-terrace she currently occupies a good happy medium.

As well as writing, Clare loves family time, art and architecture, cooking, and of course, reading other people’s books."  You can find Clare's website and blog at www.clarechase.com.

Check out what other bloggers thought below.

Missing White Woman - Kellye Garrett

I picked up this book based on the premise as I thought there were many ways the plot could go. It wasn't a new one, but it's one I like. 

Bree and her boyfriend Ty go to bed in the sumptuous rental they took for a weekend together. But when Bree wakes up, Ty is gone - and there's a body at the bottom of the stairs.

Race plays a part in this book - Ty is missing, but so has a young white woman. Guess who gets the coverage. Sadly this is reality. As is the added social media trying to direct things from their devices. Also very true.

The plot of Missing White Woman twins a mystery and current headlines. 

Identity Unknown - Patricia Cornwell

Identity Unknown is Patricia Cornwell's new book - and its the 28th entry in her long running series featuring chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta.

Kay is called out to a body found in an abandoned amusement park. She's stunned when she views the victim - they had a relationship years ago. The Feds are called as they have questions about this case as well. And Kay has another case that is hard to read about. 

The supporting cast returns with Investigator Pete Marino right by Kay's side. The two have had a fractious relationship over the years, but they're both dedicated to finding the truth. 

Niece Lucy also has mad skills and also works for the Feds. Much of  her job is classified. As is Kay's husband Benton's job. Kay's sister Dorothy just annoys me so much! She is a narcissist. 

I am always intrigued with the technology, reasoning, methods and more that are used in the books. I've gone online few times to read more. It's fascinating. They figure heavily in this latest.

The Scarpetta books are all told from Kay's point of view. Cornwell keeps the time line moving forward - the characters are aging. I enjoy Kay's inner dialogue very much. 

Cornwell gives the reader a page turner in this latest. The ending of Identity Unknown is satisfying - but I happily can say that there's a door that's been left open for the next entry... I'll be watching for it.

See for yourself - read an excerpt of Identity Unknown.

Identity Unknown - Patricia Cornwell

Identity Unknown is Patricia Cornwell's new book - and its the 28th entry in her long running series featuring chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta.

Kay is called out to a body found in an abandoned amusement park. She's stunned when she views the victim - they had a relationship years ago. The Feds are called as they have questions about this case as well. And Kay has another case that is hard to read about. 

The supporting cast returns with Investigator Pete Marino right by Kay's side. The two have had a fractious relationship over the years, but they're both dedicated to finding the truth. 

Niece Lucy also has mad skills and also works for the Feds. Much of  her job is classified. As is Kay's husband Benton's job. Kay's sister Dorothy just annoys me so much! She is a narcissist. 

I am always intrigued with the technology, reasoning, methods and more that are used in the books. I've gone online few times to read more. It's fascinating. They figure heavily in this latest.

The Scarpetta books are all told from Kay's point of view. Cornwell keeps the time line moving forward - the characters are aging. I enjoy Kay's inner dialogue very much. 

Cornwell gives the reader a page turner in this latest. The ending of Identity Unknown is satisfying - but I happily can say that there's a door that's been left open for the next entry... I'll be watching for it.

I chose to  listen to Identity Unknown. The reader was January LaVoy again. I appreciate the continuity as her voice has become Kay for me. LaVoy has a smooth, low voice that's easy on the ears. She speaks clearly and is easy to understand. She easily captures the emotions, danger, suspense and more with her performance. LaVoy has created different voices for all of the characters. It is easy to know who is speaking. each voice is perfect for the players. A great performance. 

Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of Identity Unknown.