Can't Wait Wednesday: A Death in Venice by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery: Book 17)

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring A Death in Venice by Verity Bright. I can't believe this is already book 17 in this series. I am planning to read books 9, 10, 11, and 12 this year. Maybe one day I will catch up! Always a lot of fun, this story features Eleanor and her crew on a grand tour of Italy. Of course she becomes entangled in yet another murder and must follow the clues. 

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

March 28, 2024

Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon books

Stunning views across the Grand Canal and a hotel suite fit for royalty… Lady Eleanor Swift is having a jolly good time on her Italian vacation, until a gondola ride is cut murderously short!

1924. Lady Eleanor Swift has been on a grand tour around Italy for a month with her butler Clifford. Finally arriving in Venice, she’s thrilled to be attending the famous carnival: all that’s needed is the perfect bejewelled costume for her faithful bulldog, Gladstone. But on her first gondola ride to take in the sights, a passenger collapses into the canal with a knife sticking out of his back.

Eleanor saw an argument break out between the gondolier and the victim, Councillor Benetto Vendelini, and it turns out they're rivals from the city's two great families. Vendelini’s murder is sure to reignite their centuries-long feud. While attending a glitzy ball that night, Eleanor learns of a plot to steal a precious family heirloom from the Vendelini household. Is the stolen item the key to solving this baffling murder?

In this floating city of tiny winding alleyways, Eleanor traces the missing heirloom to an antiques dealer in a far-flung corner of town. But when her handbag is snatched by a cloaked thief, she realises the murderer is dangerously close. Can Eleanor unmask this most cunning of killers, before she joins the other victim at the bottom of the Grand Canal?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Abandoned Queen by Austin Hernon (Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy Book Two)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Abandoned Queen by Austin Hernon. I purchased book one and intend to read it this year. Books two and three are out in 2024 and this is the second in the trilogy. At first I saw it as a romance type book but then I read the sample of book one and it was actually a pretty good start as a historical fiction book. The author is an older gentleman who has written another series about William the Conqueror's son, Richard. 

I hope you have found something you can't wait for on this Wednesday!

February 2, 2024

Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of Amazon books

Berengaria follows her king into the deadly heart of the Crusade…

1191

Having married Richard the Lionheart, Berengaria of Navarre is now preparing herself for the turbulent life of a queen.

Though he has not yet secured an heir, Richard is determined not to settle down until he has recaptured Jerusalem from the Saracen forces. Vowing to stay by his side for as long as possible, Berengaria accompanies him on the perilous voyage to the Holy Land.

Caught up in battle plans, Richard has barely a moment to spare for his new bride. And after witnessing a sea battle and a deadly siege in Akko, Berengaria is left disturbed by the king’s ruthlessness.

Surrounded by misery and bloodshed, the young queen begins to understand the true cost of war. And as Richard becomes ever more consumed by his ambitions, she starts to wonder whether their marriage will ever have a chance to flourish…

Will Richard survive his brutal Crusade? Will he and Berengaria return to England in triumph?

Or will the horrors of war tear their marriage apart?

The Abandoned Queen is the second historical novel in The Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy: Early Plantagenet novels set during the Third Crusade and the reign of Richard the Lionheart.

Can't Wait Wednesday: I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo. It is a novel about a young, unknown Julius Caesar. This is definitely a unique setting for a historical fiction novel as most pick up with his life much later in the timeline of history. I had not ever heard of this author either. He is from Spain and has several other published books about Roman times. 

I hope you have found something you can't wait for on this Wednesday!

March 5, 2024

Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of NetGalley

Every legend has a beginning . . .Rome, 77 B.C. The corrupt Senator Dolabella is about to go on trial for his crimes.

But Dolabella owns the jury. He’s hired the best lawyers in the city. And he’s very willing to use violence against those who oppose him. 

In all of Rome, no man dares accept the role of prosecutor—until, against all odds, an unknown twenty-three-year-old steps out to lead the case, defend the people of the city, and defy the power of the ruling elite. 

That lawyer’s name is Gaius Julius Caesar. 

So begins Santiago Posteguillo’s acclaimed masterpiece of historical fiction―a tale as epic as Caesar’s life itself. An irresistible page-turning novel of politics and betrayal, grand battles and impossible odds, shocking villainy and even greater acts of courage, I Am Rome brilliantly animates the moments that shaped this extraordinary young man’s fate—and in so doing, changed the course of history itself.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Wolves of Winter by Dan Jones (Book Two Essex Dogs Trilogy)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring Wolves of Winter by Dan Jones. This is book two in his Essex Dogs Trilogy. I am looking for good historical fiction about the Hundred Years War between England and France and finding it difficult to come across. I am not a huge fan of books that are based solely on the battles of a certain time period but with this subject that is to be expected. Dan Jones is the author of many great books and his research is always solid and reliable. This might be one to try. I hope you have found a book you can't wait to read this week!

January 30, 2024

Medieval Historical Fiction/War Fiction

Description courtesy of Amazon books

The epic sequel to Essex Dogs, continuing the New York Times bestselling historian's trilogy of novels following the fortunes of ten ordinary soldiers during the Hundred Years' War.

1347. Bruised and bloodied by an epic battle at Crécy, six soldiers known as the Essex Dogs pick through the wreckage of the fighting—and their own lives.
 
Now a new siege is beginning, and the Dogs are sent to attack the soaring walls of Calais. King Edward has vowed no Englishman will leave France ‘til this city falls. To get home, they must survive a merciless winter in a lawless camp deadlier than any battlefield.
 
Obsessed with tracking down the vanished Captain, Loveday struggles to control his own men. Romford is haunted by the reappearance of a horrific figure from his past. And Scotsman is spiraling into a pit of drink, violence, and self-pity.
 
The Dogs are being torn apart—but this war is far from over. It won't be long before they lose more of their own.
 
From a vast siege camp built outside Calais' walls, to the pirate ships patrolling the harbor, and into the dark corners of oligarchs' houses, where the deals that shape—and end—lives are made, this captivating and darkly comic story brings the fourteenth century vividly to life.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Murder In Masquerade by Mary Winters (A Lady of Letters Mystery Book 2)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring Murder In Masquerade by Mary Winters. This is a new cozy mystery series begun this year starring female sleuth Amelia Amesbury. Something about the synopsis intrigued me, especially the part about her being a Victorian countess who writes a secret advice column for a London paper. I thought that sounded like fun. She hobnobs with royalty while falling into solving murder mysteries. 

I'm always happy to promote new authors too and although this author has written two other series under a different name, this is her first series under her name, Mary Winters. I hope you found something you can't wait to read this week!

February 20, 2024

Historical Mystery/Cozy Mystery

Description courtesy of Amazon books

Extra, extra, read all about it! Countess turned advice columnist Amelia Amesbury finds herself playing the role of sleuth when a night at the theatre turns deadly.

Victorian Countess Amelia Amesbury’s secret hobby, writing an advice column for a London penny paper, has gotten her into hot water before. After all, Amelia will do whatever it takes to help a reader in need. But now, handsome marquis Simon Bainbridge desperately requires her assistance. His beloved younger sister, Marielle, has written Amelia's Lady Agony column seeking advice on her plans to elope with a man her family does not approve of. Determined to save his sister from a scoundrel and the family from scandal, Simon asks Amelia to dissuade Marielle from the ill-advised gambit.

But when the scoundrel makes an untimely exit after a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto, Amelia realizes there’s much more at stake than saving a young woman’s reputation from ruin. It’s going to take more than her letter-writing skills to help the dashing marquis, mend the familial bond, and find the murderer. Luckily, solving problems is her specialty!

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Lantern's Dance by Laurie R. King (Book 18 of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes Mystery Series)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Lantern's Dance by Laurie R. King. I read the sample for the first book and it looked intriguing. Even though this is Book 18 and I likely won't be able to read them all, I thought this was a good author and book to highlight this week. I enjoyed her style of writing and am always up for trying a historical mystery series featuring a new spin on old characters. As I looked through the series I saw several featuring historical figures that make me want to read them.  Hope you found something you can't wait to read this week!

February 13, 2024

Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon books

Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, hoping for a respite in the French countryside, are instead caught up in a case that turns both bewildering and intensely personal. 

After their recent adventures in Transylvania, Russell and Holmes look forward to spending time with Holmes’ son, the famous artist Damian Adler, and his family. But when they arrive at Damian’s house, they discover that the Adlers have fled from a mysterious threat.

Holmes rushes after Damian while Russell, slowed down by a recent injury, stays behind to search the empty house. In Damian’s studio, she discovers four crates packed with memorabilia related to Holmes’ granduncle, the artist Horace Vernet. It’s an odd mix of treasures and clutter, including a tarnished silver lamp with a rotating shade: an antique yet sophisticated form of zoetrope, fitted with strips of paper whose images dance with the lantern’s spin.

In the same crate is an old journal written in a nearly impenetrable code. Intrigued, Russell sets about deciphering the intricate cryptograph, slowly realizing that each entry is built around an image—the first of which is a child, bundled into a carriage by an abductor, watching her mother recede from view.

Russell is troubled, then entranced, but each entry she decodes brings more questions. Who is the young Indian woman who created this elaborate puzzle? What does she have to do with Damian, or the Vernets—or the threat hovering over the house?

The secrets of the past appear to be reaching into the present. And it seems increasingly urgent that Russell figure out how the journal and lantern are related to Damian—and possibly to Sherlock Holmes himself.

Could there be things about his own history that even the master detective does not perceive?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Romanov Brides by Clare McHugh (A Novel of the Last Tsarina and Her Sisters)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Romanov Brides by Clare McHugh. It's about Princess Alix of Hesse and her sister Ella and their tragic fate at the hands of the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution. While I know every part of their story, having been obsessed with it all years ago, I am always up for reading another novel about the Romanovs, especially these sisters. I hope you have found something you can't wait to read!

March 12, 2024

Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of Net Galley

From the author of A Most English Princess comes a rich novel about young Princess Alix of Hesse—the future Alexandra, last Empress of Imperial Russia—and her sister, Princess Ella. Their decision to marry into the Romanov royal family changed history.

They were granddaughters of Queen Victoria and two of the most beautiful princesses in Europe. Princesses Alix and Ella were destined to wed well and wisely. But while their grandmother wants to join them to the English and German royal families, the sisters fall in love with Russia—and the Romanovs.

Defying the Queen’s dire warnings, Ella weds the tsar’s brother, Grand Duke Serge. Cultivated, aloof, and proud, Serge places his young wife on a pedestal for all to admire. Behind palace gates, Ella struggles to secure private happiness.

Alix, whisked away to Russia for Ella’s wedding, meets and captivates Nicky—heir apparent to the Russian throne. While loving him deeply, Alix hears a call of conscience, urging her to walk away.

Their fateful decisions to marry will lead to tragic consequences for not only themselves and their families, but for millions in Russia and around the globe.

The Romanov Brides is a moving and fascinating portrait of two bold and spirited royal sisters, and brings to vivid life imperial Russia—a dazzling, decadent world on the brink of disappearing forever. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Castle Abductions by David Field (The Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mysteries Book One)

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Castle Abductions by David Field. I have really enjoyed what I've seen and read by this author. He is a retired lawyer who began writing years ago but didn't publish anything until after his career when he was older. I really admire that and he has written some great books about the early Norman period and the Tudor period as well as maritime books set in the 1500's. Now he is debuting a series of historical mysteries set in Elizabethan England and beyond. I am excited to promote the first book in the series which is out this Friday. Looking forward to seeing his spin on history and mysteries!

December 1, 2023

Historical Mysteries 

Historical Thrillers

Nottinghamshire’s bailiffs are on the trail of a sinister kidnapper…

Nottingham, England, 1590

County Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel and Town Bailiff Francis Barton have vowed to root out the criminals of Nottinghamshire and bring them to justice.

But after acting on information from a questionable source, Edward is tricked into allowing several deer to be stolen from a local estate. Furious, he sets about tracking them down.

Meanwhile, Francis is asked to investigate the disappearance of Nell, a young woman who was last seen at a local alehouse with a wealthy stranger.

When the bailiffs’ shared house is burned down and their servant is found stabbed to death, Edward and Francis begin to suspect that their cases are linked.

And when more young women go missing, the two bailiffs worry they are running out of time to retrieve them from danger…

Who wishes to silence to Edward and Francis? What happened to the missing women?

And can the two bailiffs find them before it’s too late…?

The Castle Abductions is the first historical thriller in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

 

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Christmas Vanishing by Anne Perry (Christmas Novel Book 21)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring A Christmas Vanishing by Anne Perry. She passed away earlier this year and  I'm sad to think it is her last holiday story. I have read almost all of her Christmas novels and am a twenty plus year fan of her Monk and Pitt series. This story will be extra special this holiday season for all of her lifelong fans. 

November 7, 2023

Historical Mysteries/Holiday Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon books

Mariah Ellison, Charlotte Pitt’s grandmother, accepts her longtime friend Sadie’s gracious invitation to spend Christmas with her and her husband, Barton, in their picturesque village. But upon arrival, Mariah discovers that Sadie has vanished without a trace, and Barton rudely rescinds the invitation. Once Mariah finds another acquaintance to stay with during the holiday season, she begins investigating Sadie’s disappearance.

Mariah’s uncanny knack for solving mysteries serves her well during her search, which is driven by gossip as icy as the December weather. Did Sadie run off with another man? Was she kidnapped? Has someone harmed her? Frustratingly, Mariah’s questions reveal more about the villagers themselves than about her friend’s whereabouts. Yet in the process of getting to know Sadie’s neighbors, Mariah finds a kind of redemption, as she rediscovers her kinder side, and her ability to love. 

It is up to Mariah to master her own feelings, drown out the noise, and get to the bottom of what occurred, all before Christmas day. With the holiday rapidly approaching, will she succeed in bringing Sadie home in time for them to celebrate it together—or is that too much to hope for?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Battles of Bonnie Prince Charlie: The Young Chevalier At War by Dr. Arran Johnston

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Battles of Bonnie Prince Charlie by Dr. Arran Johnston. I love all things to do with the Jacobite period and this book delves into the personal as well as the political and military aspect of the Prince's decisions. 

While I'm not a huge fan of dissecting battles piece by piece, this book looks like one which gets into his mind and the reasons why he made the decisions he made which led to the fatal battle of Culloden. It also seems to be a somewhat sympathetic portrait of Stuart, explaining why he failed and how unprepared he was for the mission he was tasked with.

Anything offering a new perspective on an old story is always welcome. What book are you excited to read this week?

October 30, 2023

History/Scottish History

Description courtesy of NetGalley

Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720-1788) was the grandson of Britain’s last Stuart king and the last of his line to fight for their right to the throne. Born in Rome and raised at his father’s cultured and cosmopolitan court-in-exile, the young prince grew up beneath a heavy weight of expectation and yearned for the chance to prove his worth. In 1745, just as it seemed his best opportunity had already passed, Charles threw caution to the wind and embarked on a secret and seemingly desperate expedition to Scotland. What followed is one of the most remarkable, famous, and often misrepresented episodes of Scottish history: the ’45.

This is the story of the last Jacobite rising and the charismatic but controversial prince who led it, presenting a human portrait of the Stuart prince through the words of those who served alongside him. The picture revealed is one of a humane and capable young man taking on a mission far greater than his experience had prepared him for, pushed to the limits of his abilities at a cost from which he never recovered.

Following Charles Edward Stuart over the battlefields of Prestonpans, Falkirk and Culloden, this book reveals the prince’s strengths and flaws as a commander, and the difficult relationships he had with the very people on whom his fortunes, and reputation, would depend. It is the story of how the prince faced conflicts both on and off the battlefield, weathered challenges posed by friends as well as foes, and left a legacy which remains hotly contested to this day.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Double Cross Dead: A Dora and Rex Mystery by Lynn Morrison (Dora and Rex 1920's Mystery Book Four)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring Double Cross Dead: A Dora and Rex Mystery by Lynn Morrison. I'm currently finishing up reading and reviewing book one and this is book four due out at the end of the month. These books are cute and cozy and the author does a good job of combining mystery with humor. They have been described as a lot like reading a Miss Fisher Mystery and I'd have to agree so far. This one involves the Prince and Windsor Castle which is always fun. I hope you've found something you can't wait for this week!

October 30, 2023

Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Historical Mystery

Description courtesy of Amazon books

An enemy lurks in the prince's inner circle. He'll do anything to escape justice... even commit murder.

England, 1923. Love is in the air and all eyes are on Windsor Castle, where the royal family is celebrating a new royal engagement. When party invitations are sent to only an elite few, Dora and Rex's invite comes with strings attached.

There's a traitor hiding within the prince's inner circle. Dora and Rex, England's preeminent undercover spy team, are assigned to uncover the turncoat. Their sole lead is a tip from an anonymous informant. To get the clue, they must meet him privately during the engagement bash.

But, when they show up at the secret rendezvous, instead of a clue, they find a dead body and Rex's best friend Clark holding the murder weapon.

Has Clark turned traitor or was he framed? Can Dora and Rex work double-time to clear their friend's name and identify the real killer before Scotland Yard's leading investigator puts Clark away for life?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Wilderness Way by Anne Madden

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Wilderness Way by Anne Madden. It is set in the aftermath of the Irish famine and continues in America during the Civil War. Both time periods are fascinating and full of great history. I have not heard of this author before so I'm always happy to promote new people. If you read it, let me know what you think in a review. Happy reading this week!

December 7, 2023

Historical Fiction

Description courtesy of Net Galley

Inspired by a true story.

1861, Donegal, Ireland

Ten years ago Declan Conaghan’s father died in the Great Famine, and since then, Declan has kept his promise to keep his family out of the workhouse. But all that is threatened with the arrival of new landlord, John Adair. Adair is quick to cause trouble and fear among his tenants. When he turns them off his land, Declan has no option but to break his promise…

Declan is in despair until he receives a letter from America offering him the chance of a new life and salvation for his family. But it would mean signing up to the US Army and fighting for Lincoln. Despite knowing nothing of war, or US politics, Declan leaves behind all he knows.

Set against the wild landscapes of Ireland and the turbulent times of the American Civil War, this sweeping narrative takes us on an epic journey to understand the strength and endurance of the human spirit.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Jane and the Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron (Being a Jane Austen Mystery: Book 15)

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring Jane and the Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron. I haven't read any of this series yet but it looked interesting. I am currently reading The Late Mrs. Willoughby which takes characters from Austen books and has them solving mysteries. So this book caught my eye as it has Jane herself solving crimes. If you've read any of the fifteen books from the Jane Austen Mystery series, what did you think? Will you be reading this one? It is the final book so I thought there might be some interested readers out there. Have a great week with whatever you can't wait for!

October 24, 2023

Historical Fiction/Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon books

The final volume of the critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Jane Austen as amateur sleuth.

March 1817: As winter turns to spring, Jane Austen’s health is in slow decline, and threatens to cease progress on her latest manuscript. But when her nephew Edward brings chilling news of a death at his former school, Winchester College, not even her debilitating ailment can keep Jane from seeking out the truth. Arthur Prendergast, a senior pupil at the prestigious all-boys’ boarding school, has been found dead in a culvert near the schoolgrounds—and in the pocket of his drenched waistcoat is an incriminating note penned by the young William Heathcote, the son of Jane’s dear friend Elizabeth. Winchester College is a world unto itself, with its own language and rites of passage, cruel hazing and dangerous pranks. Can Jane clear William’s name before her illness gets the better of her?
 
Over the course of fourteen previous novels in the critically acclaimed Being a Jane Austen Mystery series, Stephanie Barron has won the hearts of thousands of fans—crime fiction aficionados and Janeites alike—with her tricky plotting and breathtaking evocation of Austen’s voice. Now, she brings Jane’s final season—and final murder investigation—to brilliant, poignant life in this unforgettable conclusion.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Jacobite's Wife by Morag Edwards

 For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Jacobite's Wife by Morag Edwards. I love anything about this era (18th Century) that has to do with Scotland and Jacobites. The author is Scottish and says that as a child, she was told the true story of Winifred Maxwell, Countess of Nithsdale and her heroism to the cause of the Jacobites. She is currently working on a sequel to this book featuring Maxwell's niece, Mary Herbert. I just love historical fiction that takes real people and tells their stories through narrative. Hope you have found something to read that you just can't wait for!

October 2, 2023

Historical Fiction/Historical Scottish Fiction

Description courtesy of Amazon books

18th Century Scotland: Strong-willed Lady Winifred Nithsdale has already seen her mother, father, and brother imprisoned for their support of England’s Catholic king. While she wants to be loyal, Winifred tries to protect her husband from imprisonment, or worse, the scaffold. But will she escape with her own life intact?

Based on the true story of Winifred Maxwell, Countess of Nithsdale, and set in the early eighteenth century, this remarkable and powerful novel is rich in detail, character, and history.