Blood on the Water ★★★★ by Anne Perry

Inspector William Monk, head of the Thames River police witnesses an explosion which sinks the Princess Mary and try as they can nearly 200 passengers and crew drown.  The investigation into the explosion, strangely, is taken away from the River Police.  The Metropolitan Police quickly arrest and convict an Egyptian but further undercover work by Monk detects that the conviction may be an error.

The characters are old friends by now and yet they still hold a few surprises for this reader.

Series/ Progress: William Monk 20/21
DATE READ: February 20 - February 27
NO. OF PAGES: 336
Type of Book audiobook
SOURCE: Audio Stockpile

Guaranteed to Bleed ★★★★ by Julie Mulhern

At a high school football game, Ellison drops her French lipstick through the bleachers and discovers a young man shot beneath the crowd and no one heard a thing.  Tasked by the young boy to "tell her I loved her" Ellison undertakes the challenge to find his girlfriend but it proves harder than she expected since no one knows who she is.

Set in the 70's with no modern technology, I still enjoy the mystery and characters.  Technology is not missed at all.

When I read the second in a series shortly after the first, the writer definitely got me.  I'm anxious for #3 which comes out in a few months.

Series/ Progress: Country Club Murders 2/3
DATE READ: February 21 - February 24
NO. OF PAGES: 268
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: Nook Stockpile

Wedding Cake Murder ★★★★ by Joanne Fluke

Hannah has finally decided that Ross Barton is the man that she wants and sets the date.  However, a switch in the date Dessert Baking contest forces some change of plans but luckily Hannah wins the first contest and the remainder of the segments will take place in Lake Eden rather than NYC.  So while Hannah with Michelle's assistance bakes away, wedding plans proceed.  Until, of course, Hannah and Michelle find one of the judges dead.

I really enjoyed this installment of the Hannah Swensen mysteries.  The connections with the murder as well as Hannah's wedding were well-thought out, amusing, and kept the story moving forward.

Can't wait to see Hannah in the wifely role.

Series/ Progress: Hannah Swensen 19/19
DATE READ: February 17 - February 20
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

A Bone to Pick ★★★ by Charlaine Harris

Aurora is startled when she is informed that an elderly reading friend who has died left her home and savings to Aurora.  But what she finds comes with the inheritance is a mystery that needs solving before it turns even more deadly.

This was a fun read, especially when Roe is forced to deliver the baby of her former arch rival.  Looking forward to more.

Series/ Progress: Aurora Teagarden Mystery 2/9
DATE READ: February 15 - February 16
NO. OF PAGES: 272
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: Overdrive

The Black Circle ★★★ by Patrick Carman

Amy and Dan Cahill are off on their next adventures this time sans Nellie.  Receiving a note including tickets to Russia, the twins head off for their quest to find the next clue.  They team up with Holts because this quest is time sensitive and they know that they can't do it alone.

Another fun installment of youth vs. evil.  Looking forward to the next one!

Series/ Progress: 39 Clues 5/11
DATE READ: February 13 - February 15
NO. OF PAGES: 320
Type of Book audiobook
SOURCE: Public Library

The Body Under the Bridge ★★★★ by Paul McCusker

Father Gilbert (FG), a former Scotland Yard detective, is sitting in his office when he is summoned by a staff member because a man is planning to jump off the church tower.  Climbing to the top, FG is met by a young man and try as he might cannot prevent the man's actions but before the man does, he throws a medallion at Father Gilbert, slits his throat and jumps.

When Father Gilbert looks over the edge, there is no body and when he questions the staff member, he is met by quizzical eyes and no knowledge of the man.   Believing he has had a spiritual dream, FG cannot explain the medallion.  But FG is quickly summoned to an excavation on land of his parishioner, Lord Haysham, where they workers have found a buried foot under the bridge and the medallion had been on the body when it was found.

The body was apparently murdered which reignites a feud between the Todds and Hayshams.  During the investigation, including the medallion, Father Gilbert has another "dream" of a man hanging which prophetically brings him to the home of Colin Doyle - the man he saw in his dream of the tower suicide.

Murders abound as Father Gilbert delves deeper into what appears to be an ancient cult which is related to the medallion.  Father Gilbert needs all his spiritual strength to fight the evil and discover the murderer.

I was fascinated by this mystery because I couldn't figure out the ending until it actually happened, there were great characters and the plot was so tightly woven.  Definitely looking forward to another Father Gilbert mystery,

Series/ Progress: Father Gilbert Mystery 1/2
DATE READ: February 8 - February 15
NO. OF PAGES: 320
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

Six Strokes Under ★★½ by Roberta Isleib

My husband is a golfer so I thought why not try a cozy mystery set on the golf course.

Cassie Burdette has decided to take her one shot at making the LPGA tour and heads to Qualifying school but before leaving she unfortunately discovers a dying psychologist in the office next to her psychiatrist. Not exactly a calming event to send her off chasing her dreams and when the police force her to keep in touch through a redneck deputy masquerading as the town sheriff, Cassie's nerves are getting a workout.

The story had its moment but the characters need some personality adjustments - Cassie seems to be an alcoholic whiner and she's supposed to be the good guy.  No wonder her arch enemy/later victim is a pain in the a**.  I may check out the second in the series to see if there is any improvement, but if there isn't, in the golf world, this series won't make the cut.

Series/ Progress: Golf Lover's Mysteries 1/5
DATE READ: January 27 - February 8
NO. OF PAGES: 565
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: Audio Stockpile

Our Souls at Night ★★★★ by Kent Haruf

What a quiet gentle book.

Addie was a widow and Louis a widower.  When Addie comes to his house to ask him to spend the night, Louis and this reader are a bit startled by the bluntness of the request.  But as Addie explains how her loneliness  affects her especially at night, this reader totally understood where she was coming from and why just having that warm body and voice in the dark was a comfort.

As the story progressed we see the friendship deepen to where they are sharing more than just a bed and feel the heartbreak as the situation is taken out of their control by outsiders.

I had never read anything by Kent Haruf before and heard that this book was his last.  If all his books are as beautifully written, the literary world has lost a star IMHO.

I will be looking for his earlier books.


DATE READ: February 7 - February 7
NO. OF PAGES: 192
Type of Book audiobook
SOURCE: Audio Stockpile

The Husband's Secret ★★★ by Liane Moriarty

What would you do if you found a letter addressed to you from your spouse with the instructions "to be opened only on the event of my Death"?

Ethically, you need to put it aside but curiosity of what the letter contains can drive a person crazy.  This the premise of the Husband's Secret.

The novel is filled with the concept of guilt - Rachel feels guilty because of Janie's death, Jon Paul feels the weight of culpability for his actions which have driven him for years while others, Felicity and Will don't seem to feel any guilt at all for their behavior.

I read this book for my ladies' book club and our discussion really centered around the first question - would you open the letter?  I found it extremely interesting that those who had been married for a lengthy period of time said no but that the younger and shorter married members said yes.  I guess it's a matter of trust.  Overall, I felt that the book was predictable as to the involvement among the characters.


DATE READ: January 22 - January 31
NO. OF PAGES: 573
Type of Book audiobook
SOURCE: Audio Stockpile