Serial Killer - Kate Posey - Spotlight

It's time to start creating your summer reading list! Here's one that sounds intriguing...  Serial Killer by Kate Posey  Just released!

What's it about? From Berkely Books:

"What would you do if you thought your coworker was getting away with murder—literally?

Dolores dela Cruz has been dying to spot one in the wild, and he fits the mold perfectly: strangler gloves, calculated charm, dashing good looks that give a leg up in any field . . . including fields of unmarked graves.

The new office temp is definitely a serial killer.

Jake Ripper finds a welcome distraction in his combative and enigmatic new coworker. He hasn’t come across anyone as interesting as Dolores in a long time. But when mere curiosity evolves into a darkly romantic flirtation, Jake can’t help but wonder if, finally, he’s found someone who really sees him, skeletons in the closet and all.

Until Dolores asks Jake’s help to dispose of a body . . .

A morbidly funny and emotionally resonant novel about the ways life—and love—can sneak up on us (no matter how much pepper spray we carry)."

Author Bio: Kate Posey is an up-and-coming voice in contemporary suspense and romance, known for her ability to balance tension and humor in delightfully twisted ways. Her background in film writing and a love for darkly funny characters has shaped her unique storytelling style.

The Staircase in the Woods - Chuck Wendig

The Staircase in the Woods is Chuck Wendig's new novel.

Have any of you heard about stairs in forests? Stairs that aren’t meant to be there? I have read some, but I went digging a little bit further this time. And then I opened Wendig’s book. Take a second to just stop and have a look at the cover….

Five high school kids go to party out in the forest. 5 went in and four came out. One minute he was there and next he was gone….. and so were the stairs. They’re adults now and reluctantly gather for this 20th anniversary of his disappearance - back where it started. In the forest…

The five personalities are quite different from each other. Wendig has done a great job creating each of them. He portrays the good, the bad and the ugly of each one of them. Wendig’s imagining of what’s behind the door is downright scary. Very.

Summary? Lean on Me meets Stranger Things. See for yourself. Read an excerpt of The Staircase in the Woods.

Heartwood - Amity Gaige

Heartwood is Amity Gaige's new novel.

I love to peruse a book’s cover before I open it up and start reading. The cover for Heartwood was wonderful. The woman and the forestry intertwined. And it’s a harbinger of what we’ll find inside.

Valerie is hiking solo when she realizes she’s off the track. And despite her knowledge, she’s made things worse. Beverly is the State Game Warden at the heart of the search. And then there’s Lena, a senior in a retirement community. She is searching as well - but from her computer. I think Beverly intrigued me the most.She has fought to have her place.

I loved the descriptions of the forests, the plants, the trees, and the beauty of it. But on the flip side, it’s just as dangerous as it is beautiful.

The book’s narrative rotates through the three women. We’re privy to their memories, the triumphs, their losses, and what they see in their futures. Maybe. Gaige keeps the suspense high alongside.

 I find some stories better for me in an audio format. That is true with Heartwood. I appreciate the five narrators. Each have created a voice that matches their character. It makes it quite easy to know who is speaking. Everyone spoke clearly and was easy on the ears. All have captured and presented the author's work with their reading. Kudos to all.

Fair Play - Louise Hegarty

The cover of Louise Hagerty‘s debut novel, Fair Play, definitely caught my eye with the large letters and bright colours. I always think ‘cosy read when I see a manor on the cover.

And I wasn’t far off. Part one introduces us to a group of friends getting ready to celebrate a birthday and Happy New Year’s with food and drink. A murder mystery game is on the menu as well. We easily and quickly get a handle on who’s who and the relationships amongst them. You can it see it right? Yes indeed, one of them is…

Part two threw me and I loved it! There’s a number of documents detailing what should and shouldn’t be in a mystery book. I’m going to let you discover those - they were fun to read. But getting back to the crime…. A very well known detective is brought in to see if he can find the answer to who and why. I loved the style of this part. I’ll let you find out if the detective solves the crime.

And part three is completely different and I wondered why it was written this way. And what was actually written. I had to go back and read that part again and I think I’ve got it. Very unexpected and very clever. 

Count My Lies - Sophia Stava

Oh my gosh, I could not stop listening to this book!!

The author is Sophia Stava and her debut book is Count My Lies.

Sloan Caraway lies. To herself, to her friends, to her customers, to strangers and to herself. She is the focus of the first part of the book. She’s wonderfully drawn. A little bit of me felt sorry for her in the beginning. But she’s so manipulative. A chance encounter in the park gives her a little wedge to worm her way into the Lockhart family.

Violet Lockhart opens the door even wider. I wanted to shake her and shout that this woman is lying to you. But, I don’t want to spoil this book for you, so I’m going to leave things right there. But, there’s a third part as well…

You might think that some of the situations are far-fetched. And one or two might be, but just go with the flow. I really appreciated and enjoyed Stave's plotting. A strong debut and I would pick up Stava's next book.

I've said it many times - some books are better for me in an audio book format. This was true with Count my Lies. There were three narrators - Andrew Eiden, Devon Sorvari and Emily Tremaine. They all did a great job in creating a voice that matched their character. They were believable. All spoke clearly and enunciated well. They captured the tone of Stava's work. And I felt like I was listening at the door... Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt.

The Murder Show - Matt Goldman

The Murder Show is Matt Goldman's new novel

Our lead character is Ethan Harris. Ethan has run a TV crime fiction program for three successful years. But the higher ups have rejected the fourth year case he’s chosen. He’s going to have to come up with something really good to change their minds.  And he thinks he has - there’s an unsolved mystery in his own town. It’s an old one, but it has a personal connection. The victim was one of Harris‘s best friends in high school.

I must say, I really enjoy cold cases. They are more difficult to solve and different methods have to be used. There’s another layer to The Murder Show. Ethan has to face what he did in the past, and if he can redeem himself in present day. Both layers pace the book.

I chose to listen to The Murder Show. The reader was Dan Bittner and he did a great job. Bittner was perfect for this character. He’s got a bit of smooth operator in his voice. He was very easy on the ears. He enunciate well and the pace of reading was right on. He has created and used voices that bring the characters to life. He doesn’t simply read, he performs. A new author for me to follow and a new narrator to follow as well. Well done.

This is Not a Game - Kelly Mullen

Kelly Mullen is a successful executive producer. She's adding 'author' to her accomplishments, with her debut novel - This is Not a Game.

The first few chapters are very busy. We meet our protagonists -Mimi and Addie. Mimi is Addie’s grandma. No matter their age, they are both keen amateur sleuths. I really enjoyed their relationship, their dialogue and their methods. Addie’s background in video games is unusual, but it really works for this plot.

A stormy night on an island manor, the electric is out… and there’s a body. This is most definitely a locked room mystery. The manor had lots of rooms that have to be found to see them. Secret rooms are one of my favorite finds. 

There’s a myriad of supporting characters. One brings that last needed part of a cosy read…..two dachshunds please. There are lots of connections between the guests. Some freely answer questions but others outright lie. Mullen has done a job with parceling out clues. Truthfully? I never guessed who it was until the reveal.

This is a wonderful debut. Read an excerpt of This is Not a Game. I wonder if we’re going to see more of Mimi and Abbie?

Death in an English Village - Fliss Chester - Book Tour!

I only 'met' Cressida Fawcett in the previous book (6), from author Fliss Chester. I really enjoyed Cressida as the main character, as well as the supporting cast, the plotting, the settings and dialogue. All of it!

I settled in with a pot of tea, a coverlet, and my pup, read to turn the first pages of the new seventh entry - Death in an English Village. Cosys always make me feel like I am catching up with old friends!

Cressida heads home for a visitor with her parents. And that's where she finds the body...

Although she is part of the upper crust, Cressida is keen on helping the local constabulary find out who the culprit is. This isn't the first time she's helped them. She's smart, curious, and determined. I liked puzzling over the clues with her.The customs, mindsets, expectations and rules of the time period, 1926, are part of the setting - and the plot. There were a number of choices for the 'whodunit'. Chester gives us that and some red herrings on the way.

Cosy mysteries are my 'get away from it all, escapist' reads. Death in an English Village was just that!

"Fliss Chester lives in Surrey with her husband and writes historical cozy crime. When she is not killing people off in her 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband, who is a wine merchant, run their business. Never far from a decent glass of something, Fliss also loves cooking (and writing up her favourite recipes on her blog), enjoying the beautiful Surrey and West Sussex countryside and having a good natter."

You can find Fliss on Instagram at https://flisschester.co.uk/

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Fliss Chester at https://www.bookouture.com/fliss-chester.

Check out what other bloggers thought of

 Death in an English Villager.

Witness 8 - Steve Cavanagh

If you like suspense/thriller fiction - you need to pick up Witness 8 from Steve Cavanagh.

“Something is wrong with Ruby Johnson.” I’m going to let you find out what’s wrong with Ruby. She’s the catalyst for what happens next…

And next brings in an absolutely fabulous group of characters. Driving things is Eddie Flynn - a con man who passed the bar. Supporting characters includes Kate, his partner, Harry, a retired judge, a private detective, an assassin, and many more. And the other side has just as many questionable employees.

Do you read ‘heist’ books, or movies? I do. I love the twists, turns and hoodwinking. That’s the same feeling I got in the first couple of chapters of Witness 8. I couldn't put it down. Cavanagh's plotting is so darn good. He juggles a number of threads and I was so happy that I couldn't predict how things would end. And there's a door that's been ajar...

I'll be hunting down more great reads from Steve Cavanagh. An easy 5 stars!

The Maid's Secret - Nita Prose

Have you read any of the 'Maid' books from author Nita Prose? The latest is The Maid's Secret, releasing April 08/25. And it's one I can't recommend enough.

And it's probably my favourite. Why? Molly is such a wonderful character. She works at the upscale Regency Grand Hotel as a maid. "Every day of work is a joy to me." 

Now, the other thing you need to know about Molly is that she struggles with social skills and often can't read the nuances of interactions - facial and conversational. Her beloved Gran, now deceased, left her with routines and rules to help navigate a world that Molly doesn't fully 'get'. And it has helped - Molly has made friends, has a job with more authority and last but not least - a man she loves.

Throughout the previous books there have been hints as to Gram's past. In The Maid's Secret, those revelations finally see light. Gram has left Molly the answers she's been looking for. At the same time, there a mystery to solve. And a connection that is surprising. Prose weaves all of this together in a way I couldn't have imagined. I stayed up late - I just had to know what the last pages would bring. A satisfying ending and this "...the final thrilling instalment in Nita Prose's bestselling Molly the maid series." But I'm sure Nita Prose has many more stories to tell.