Stacking the Shelves #85

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. 

Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Happy reading y'all!

A Watery Grave by Joan Druett (Wiki Coffin Mysteries Book One)

Free with Kindle points

I love mysteries and books set at sea so this looked like a good one. It involves a half Maori sailor linguist, Wiki Coffin, who is set to voyage with the United States Exploring Expedition of 1838. When he is accused of murder he is left behind and only later can he try to join the fleet. Even though he has cleared his name, it is feared the real killer is on one of the ships headed to the Pacific Island Expedition Site. Coffin is now tasked with finding him.

Seeds of Empire by K.M. Ashman (Seeds of Empire Book One)

Free with Kindle Unlimited subscription

I always feel a little guilty that I love history (especially British history) yet don't know much about Ancient Rome, Julius Caesar, all the things.....I guess it just hasn't been a topic I'm super interested in. But I want to learn more and so I am always on the lookout for books like this that might teach and entertain me. This three volume series looks just long enough to cover Julius Caesar's life but not so detailed I'd be lost.

Women of the Anarchy by Sharon Bennett Connolly 

Free: Hoopla Borrow

I can't say enough how much I adore this author! Not only is she co-host of my favorite history podcast, A Slice of Medieval, she is highly knowledgeable of her subject and so accessible to her listeners and readers. Her facebook page is so personal with her book signings, travels, and updates. She is one who will respond to questions and comments as well. 

I can't get some of her books as easily as others especially the newer ones but this one was free to borrow. If you love Medieval history you must listen to her podcast or get her books!

Arsenic at Ascot by Kelly Oliver (A Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery Book 4)

 

Publication Date:

November 28, 2023

Genre: 

Historical Mystery, Cozy Mystery

Length:  

282 pages

Series:

Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

London, 1918 Fiona Figg finds herself back in Old Blighty saddled with shuffling papers for the war office. Then a mysterious card arrives, inviting her to a fancy house party at Mentmore Castle. This year's Ascot themed do will play host to a stable of animal defense advocates, and Fiona is tasked with infiltrating the activists and uncovering possible anti-war activity.

Disguised as the Lady Tabitha Kenworthy, Fiona is more than ready for the "mane" event, but the odds are against her when both her arch nemesis, dark-horse Fredrick Fredricks, and would-be fiancé Lieutenant Archie Somersby arrive unexpectedly and "stirrup" her plans. And when a horse doctor thuds to the floor in the next guest room, Fiona finds herself investigating a mysterious poisoning with some very hairy clues. Can Fiona overcome the hurdles and solve both cases, or will she be put out to pasture by the killer?

My Thoughts:

I have to admit I wasn't excited about this book even though I've really enjoyed the series so far. The location was not an exotic one and the plot about animal activism looked like a bit of a snooze. But I don't like to read series out of order or skip a book because I always miss something important. I listened to this on audiobook so that made it a bit more fun and bearable. Unfortunately, I was right in that this was my least favorite, but seemed to be a bridge to the next few books that are set in fun locations. So I'm glad I read it.

Fiona is excited to have her own case to work on and gets to disguise herself again as a man and infiltrate places she wouldn't normally go. She is not a super duper animal person but feels that there is value to protecting them and is sympathetic to the activists' cause. When the horse doctor at the country house she is visiting dies she has to shirt her focus to that instead of just simply infiltrating the activist group. Fredricks is of course always lurking around, Archie shows up unexpectedly and Fiona is once again caught in the middle between the two.

This time she really starts to fall more for Fredricks charms. And that is the part of the book that is fun and necessary to read up on. Their relationship is next level in this book and hers and Archie's is a little back burner now. I had always thought Fredricks might not be the villain he's portrayed as and we will see how that unfolds in the next couple of books.

What I found slow was the mystery plot. There just wasn't enough there. Finding the doctor's murderer involved the usual questions and red herrings, yes, but I didn't find myself all that interested in the characters or their back stories. And the ending whoodunit wasn't super exciting or complicated I thought. 

This was still a good book. Fiona is funny and self deprecating and Kitty comes in about halfway through (with her doggie as usual) and helps to solve the case. Clifford from the war office is there as well with his overbearing personality and "know it allness." And there is the fun of dressing for Ascot and the country house scene. I have grown to really enjoy these characters and so I will be continuing with the series. 

The next book is set in Moscow and involves the Kremlin and the Bolshevik government circa 1918 so it should be exciting! 

Can't Wait Wednesday: Vanished in the Crowd by Rhys Bowen (A Molly Murphy Mystery Book 22)

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Vanished in the Crowd, by Rhys Bowen. I have only read the first book in this series but I enjoyed it. So I know many people are loving them and want to know about the latest book. 

Molly investigates the case of a missing female scientist in 1909 New York. Taking place during the 300th celebration of the discovery of the Hudson River, it includes some historical elements that sound interesting. I know fans of the series will be excited for it! 

Hope you have found something you can't wait for! 

Historical Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries

March 10, 2026

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

New York is busier than ever as two million visitors come to the city to witness the Hudson-Fulton celebration in 1909, marking the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson's discovery of the Hudson River. Parades, exhibitions, carnivals, and a marvelous display of the wonders of the latest invention, electricity, across the city make for two straight weeks of celebrations, which Molly and her family, along with their friends Sid and Gus, are excited to enjoy. But Molly is secretly dealing with financial troubles. She is too proud to ask her friends for a loan, but when they want to hire her as a detective she jumps at the chance.

Sid and Gus are hosting fellow Vassar graduates to take part in one of the parades but one of the women, a brilliant scientist, never shows up. It seems nobody knows where she is, including her husband. Is she trying to run away from her life or is it something more sinister? Why have the Vassar women really come to New York City? When Daniel asks Molly to spy on her friends and find out just what they are planning she finds her loyalties horribly divided. Then the parade turns deadly and only Molly has the tools to find out the truth.

 

Top Ten Tuesday: New Authors I Discovered in 2025

 

This week's theme for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is "Bookish Discoveries I Made in 2025." I am going to list 10 authors that I hadn't heard of before or ones I now know about that would be added to my TBR pile. I have either read one of their books or own one to read this year. The link will take you to their Goodreads page if you want to see a full book list and bio. Happy reading!

1. Michael Jecks- Focusing on the first crusade, historical fiction on a subject that is hard to find

2. Abigail Keam- She runs a Facebook cozy mystery page I love and has written some cute cozies herself. 

3. Vanessa Kelly- Her cozy country house mysteries have a Jane Austen feel to them and look cute.

4. Michael Livingston- Non-fiction author focusing on medieval history...my favorite!

5. C.W. Gortner- His novels about more obscure queens intrigue me enough to start collecting them...Juana of Castile and Isabella of Castile are two that I want to read more about.

6. Raymond Wemmlinger- His novels also feature historical subjects less known....Queen Anne of Scotland is one I'd like to read about.

7. Beth Cowan-Erskine- she writes 1930's country house murder mysteries set in Scotland....and there are only two books so far so this might be a series I can actually stay caught up with.

8. Katherine Kurtz- She has written several novels about The Knights Templar and their origins. These books were written in the 1990's so they are becoming classics.

9. Jenny Telfer Chaplain- She writes "sweeping, historical family sagas" and the box set I have is set in Ireland and Scotland around the late Victorian era. 

10. Myra Hargrave McIlvain- Her novels and specialty is Texas historical fiction set in the mid-1800's.  I am from Texas so they looked intriguing. 

Do you know any of these great authors? Which of their books are you familiar with and would you recommend them?

Stacking the Shelves #84

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. 

Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Happy reading y'all!

Murder On the Village Green by Rosie Hunt (Lady Felicity Mystery Book One)

Free with Rosie Hunt newsletter subscription

Rosie Hunt sends out her newsletter each week and it's really cute. She suggests other cozy mystery authors too and really shares some fun personal and book information. This week she gave away her first book in this series on Kindle. 

Lady Felicity is caught up in an English country mystery murder and it's the 1920's, everyone's favorite cozy historical time period. No, I don't need another series to start (10 books total) but i can't help myself when the author is so charming. And of course, the beautiful cover :) 

The Winter List by S.G. MacLean (Damian Seeker Book 6)

Kindle purchase: 99 cents this week

I bought this because it was on sale so cheap but I still haven't read this series. I keep trying to start but I get distracted by other books. I don't know why. Maybe I just haven't been in the mood for dark mysteries lately. This is the latest one so at least I'll have it when I want it. I own The Seeker, the first book and I've read and reviewed another S.G. MacLean book, The Bookseller of Inverness, and enjoyed it. 

This story takes place in 1660 right at the time of the restoration of Charles Stuart, something I know almost nothing about. It focuses on Damian Seeker's daughter, Manon, and her fear that her father will be found to be a traitor and spy to the former government, appearing on The Winter List of those who are being hunted down for execution. 

Westward To Freedom by David Field (The New World Nautical Saga Book Three)

Free with my Kindle Unlimited trial

I'm loving that Kindle Unlimited has all the David Field books but running out of time to read them all on the free trial I have. It ends mid February. So since I have read book one in this series, I need to try to read the other two before my membership expires. 

This book covers the adventure of the Pilgrims and The Mayflower voyage. I know a lot about this subject but Field always manages to add things I'd never heard before. I'm sure it will be a great read.