Book reviews featuring history, historical fiction, and mysteries, as well as my thoughts on all things bookish.
Friday, October 2, 2026
Highgate Rise by Anne Perry (Thomas Pitt Book Eleven)
Friday, September 25, 2026
The Harlot of St. Cecelia's by Darcy Graves (An Inspector Garrett Mystery Book One)
Publication Date:
Into this world comes Eden Brior: an American librarian, sharp-eyed and perpetually out of step, who came to England looking for her lost brother but has made her quiet life among the stacks of St. Cecelia's.
A trying evening becomes considerably worse when she and the charming, impossible Simon Cross are accidentally locked in the bookvault, and a French actress turns up dead in the nave upstairs.
Eden is a witness. She may also be a suspect. And Inspector William Garrett, who has seen everything, has not quite seen anything like her.
Witty, vivid, and steeped in the textures of postwar English life, The Harlot of St. Cecelia's is a mystery that earns its place on your shelf through character: the people who loved the victim, the ones who didn't, and the ones who aren't quite sure.
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Death From High Places by Benedict Brown (Lord Edgington Investigates Book 1.5)
Publication Date:
With the help of his hapless grandson, their loyal golden retriever and a couple of parachutes, Lord Edgington must solve the murder before the meddlesome police arrive to take control of the case. But, when all of the suspects seem like such nice chaps, it's awfully difficult to spot a killer.
Friday, September 11, 2026
Poison in Piccadilly by Kelly Oliver (A Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery Book Six)
Is Fiona Figg ready to exchange her sleuthing cap for a bridal veil?
Fiona is set to tie the knot with her dashing flyboy, Archie Somersby. But, while Fiona is busy planning her happily ever after, side-kick Kitty Lane and a group of judo-chopping suffragettes are kicking up trouble at the Piccadilly Jujitsu Club.
When Kitty is found unconscious in the locker room during a high-stakes competition, Fiona must forsake her bouquets and bridal gown to investigate. Her sleuthing leads to a posh lady's luncheon where a mysterious death crashes Fiona's wedding plans.
To make matters worse, the arch-nemesis of all things matrimonial, Fredrick Fredricks is up to his old tricks, attempting to put the brakes on Fiona's journey down the aisle. Will he succeed in tripping up Fiona's wedding vows? Or will she finally say "I don't" to the charming devil?
With humor as sharp as a judo chop and suspense as tight as a wedding corset, Poison in Piccadilly invites you to matrimonial mayhem that will have you saying "I do" to laughter and "forever more" to page-turning suspense.
The book features real life suffragettes Sylvia Pankhurst and her bodyguards trained by Edith Garrud, who taught them jujitsu, which became known as Suffrajitsu.
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Can't Wait Wednesday: The Harlot of St. Cecilia's by Darcy Graves (Inspector Garrett Book One)
For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Harlot of St. Cecilia's, by Darcy Graves. This is book one of the series, Inspector Garrett. I have not heard of it or this author which is probably what made me request it. That and the cover which is gorgeous. Yes, it is another cozy, historical mystery set in the 1920's but this time it involves a librarian as the main character. Just my kind of story! It looks like a fun read and with my back to school tired teacher brain I need fun and easy to read.
Into this world comes Eden Brior: an American librarian, sharp-eyed and perpetually out of step, who came to England looking for her lost brother but has made her quiet life among the stacks of St. Cecelia's.
A trying evening becomes considerably worse when she and the charming, impossible Simon Cross are accidentally locked in the bookvault, and a French actress turns up dead in the nave upstairs.
Eden is a witness. She may also be a suspect. And Inspector William Garrett, who has seen everything, has not quite seen anything like her.
Witty, vivid, and steeped in the textures of postwar English life, The Harlot of St. Cecelia's is a mystery that earns its place on your shelf through character: the people who loved the victim, the ones who didn't, and the ones who aren't quite sure.
A cozy mystery in the tradition of Dorothy Sayers, Jacqueline Winspear and Kerry Greenwood, this book is for readers who like: historical mysteries, intrepid heroines, morally grey charmers, and the golden age of detective fiction.
The first novel in the Garrett Mystery series.
Saturday, August 29, 2026
Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon (Lord John Grey Book One)
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Obliged to pursue two inquiries at once, Major Grey finds himself ensnared in a web of treachery and betrayal that touches every stratum of English society — and threatens all he holds dear. From the bawdy houses of London’s night-world to the stately drawing rooms of the nobility, and from the blood of a murdered corpse to the thundering seas ruled by the majestic fleet of the East India Company, Lord John pursues the elusive trails of a vanishing footman and a woman in green velvet, who may hold the key to everything — or nothing.
The early days of the Seven Years War come brilliantly to life in this historical mystery by an author whose unique and compelling storytelling has engrossed millions of readers worldwide.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Can't Wait Wednesday: The Case of the Christie Honeymoon Murder by Kelly Oliver (A Detection Club Mystery Book Five)
Agatha Christie’s latest book, The Seven Dials, has set the literary world alight. With a new marriage to Max Mallowan and a honeymoon cruise down the Nile ahead, she’s looking forward to the trip of a lifetime. But the publication has also drawn the attention of the Secret Service, who have spotted strange coincidences within its pages.
When Eliza Baker, assistant to the secretary of the Detection Club, is asked to accompany Agatha Christie and her husband, she reluctantly agrees, determined to help clear her friend’s name. Yet her attention soon shifts to fellow passengers, the Hardwicke family, who are celebrating a daughter’s birthday aboard. And when a guest is found dead in his cabin, the idyllic voyage takes a deadly turn.
As the steamer drifts upriver, Eliza and Theo must sift through polite smiles and private grievances to find the truth. Can Eliza and Theo uncover the truth before the Nile claims its next victim?
Friday, July 31, 2026
Trouble On a Country Lane by Isabella Bassett (Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries Book 4)
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England, 1925 It’s summertime in England, and for Lady Caroline and her nimble roadster, life is as breezy and full of promise as a winding country road. Unfortunately, on the way to the latest party, the road ends with a body. And when a guest at the party dies next, Lady Caroline finds herself at a dead end. Now, devious mothers with grand designs, mysterious American busybodies, and unhelpful uncles all seem to conspire to keep Lady Caroline from uncovering the truth. With a befuddled police force, Lady Caroline must take the investigation into her own hands and unravel this frustrating tangle of events, lest the course of her life be changed forever.
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Can't Wait Wednesday: Murder at Rosecliff by Alyssa Maxwell (A Gilded Newport Mystery Book Fourteen)
August 1903. Emma and her husband Derrick are among the men in white tie and tails and the women wearing white gowns from the House of Worth at Tessie Oelrichs’s Bal Blanc, or White Ball, at Rosecliff, her grand cottage on Bellevue Avenue. There to cover the event of the season is young Ethan Merriman, society reporter for the Newport Messenger, the newspaper owned by Emma and Derrick.
It’s an utterly charming affair until a stranger intrudes flaunting a green-striped necktie and matching vest in defiance of their hostess’s theme. But his fashion crime is a mere misdemeanor compared to his intention to blackmail Mrs. Oelrichs by producing a compromising document supposedly signed by Tessie over a decade ago.
Insisting it’s a forgery but terrified of scandal, she agrees to his terms, but the blackmailer will not live to see payday. His body is found face down in a fountain before the party’s end. Beside him stands a very wet Ethan, who was seen being confronted by the man earlier in the evening. Coming to the aid of their luckless cub reporter, Emma and Derrick must sort through the white lies and blackened reputations to discover the identity of the true killer.
Friday, July 17, 2026
Murder in Moscow by Kelly Oliver (A Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery Book Five)
Publication Date:
Will following her heart mean losing her head? It could mean losing her job.
Fiona Figg trails her nemesis Fredrick Fredricks to Moscow. But when she arrives at the grand Metropol Hotel, the bounder has vanished.
After Fiona doesn’t show up for work at the War Office, Kitty Lane raises a red flag and tracks her to Russia. Seeking haven at the British Embassy, Kitty and Fiona become embroiled in a plot to overthrow the Bolshevik government.
But the plot turns deadly when Fiona goes undercover as a governess in the household of Iron Viktor, the Bolsheviks’ Head of Secret Police. And when Viktor turns up dead in his study, Fiona finds herself wanted for murder and on the lam.
Can Fiona and Kitty find the real killer and escape the Kremlin before it’s too late? Or will this dangerous game of Russian roulette be their last?
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Can't Wait Wednesday: The Castle in the Glen by Rhys Bowen
It was 1904 when a couple’s suspicious drowning led to the disappearance of a mysterious young woman the locals called the Wild Girl. To this day the mystery is unforgettable, especially among the descendants of an aristocratic family who’ll do anything to keep their secrets buried. From the misty Highlands to a medieval castle, Emma and Tony Gordon, Iris’s handsome lawyer, work ever more closely to uncover them.
But while Iris may be known for her fiendishly clever twists, there’s one not even Emma could have seen coming.
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Can't Wait Wednesday: The Cherkley Court Conundrum by Benedict Brown (A Marius Quin Mystery Book 7)
A maid found bludgeoned, a priceless treasure stolen, and the likely suspect gone without a trace…
When an old flame from Marius Quin’s past turns up at his door with knowledge of a shocking crime, he is drawn into a new case. A devoted maid has been brutally attacked, a valuable jewellery box stolen, and the head gardener has fled from the grand estate where they work.
With his sleuthing partner, Lady Bella, alongside him, Marius descends on Cherkley Court, the home of the domineering business magnate Lord Sheridan. But conflicting accounts from the man, his glamorous wife, a trio of young artists, and the troubled staff only lead to more questions. Although plenty of evidence points to the missing gardener, Marius isn’t convinced, and his hunch is proven right when the killer strikes again.
Faced with a conspiracy that reaches into the heart of the household itself, can Marius and Bella unravel a devious plot or will the killer get away with murder twice over?
Friday, June 19, 2026
Murder On the S.S. Cleopatra by Sara Rosett (Lady Traveler in Egypt Book Two)
Publication Date:
Join Blix Windway, an adventurous lady traveler, on a journey down the Nile in 1924. An eclectic mix of passengers boards the steamer, including a captain of industry, a former stunt-girl reporter turned lady of the manor, an archaeologist, an American teacher, a British doctor and his invalid wife, and a German photographer.
When a passenger is found dead, the elegant cruise turns into a floating crime scene. With everyone confined on board, tensions rise and secrets surface. Even her traveling companion, Hildy Honeyworth, is behaving as if she has something to hide. Blix must navigate the treacherous waters of the investigation and uncover the truth.
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Nile River and the ancient wonders of Egypt, this classic whodunit is the second book in the 1920s Lady Traveler in Egypt series from USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett.
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Can't Wait Wednesday: The Case of the Christie Wedding Affair by Kelly Oliver (A Detection Club Mystery Book Four)
Sharp-eyed assistant to the Detection Club secretary, Eliza Baker, suspects foul play as the strange occurrences pile up: a mysterious grave in the churchyard, a missing rifle, and late-night excursions across the rugged island. There may be no body—yet—but someone at Dunmara Lodge is hiding a deadly secret.
As a storm cuts them off from the mainland, Eliza and her friend Theo must navigate lies, half-truths, and a treacherous landscape... but can they uncover the killer in the stalking grounds… or will the moors keep their secrets forever?



















