August 2023 MBR The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library
Holy Danvers
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639103317, $29.99, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Read-Death-Lakeside-Library-Mystery/dp/1639103317

Synopsis: Summer is in full swing as tourists flock back to the Northwoods and travel to Lofty Pines, Wisconsin. For Rain Wilmot, owner of the Lakeside Library, this is the perfect opportunity to bring back her mother's summer book club. But the summer sun starts to really heat up when one of the club's members, Lily Redlin, is found dead in her own home not long after the first meeting.

Alongside her sidekick and neighbor Julia Reynolds and the charming Jace Lowe, Rain discovers that the murder is seemingly inspired by the book the club recently discussed Agatha Christie's classic mystery novel Sparkling Cyanide. But who would kill Lily, and more importantly, why?

The deeper Rain dives into the story, the more confusing and complicated the plot becomes. Was Lily murdered to cover up a tragic accident that occurred years ago involving an old classmate? Or were the rumors true -- did Lily really possess a priceless original Laura Ingles Wilder manuscript and someone killed her for it? And what about the mysterious letter Lily received just before her death from a supposed long-lost relative? Was it a hoax?

With a long list of suspects and motives, Rain realizes that all leads come back to people involved in the book club. Rain and her friends take a page from Agatha Christie's book by hosting a reenactment of the club's first meeting to flush out the killer. Will Rain's plan succeed -- or will this librarian's book be checked out for good?

Critique: Amateur female sleuth and friend trying to solve a too close to home murder mystery, "Read to Death at the Lakeside Library" has all the elements of a great cozy mystery. An original and fun read from cover to cover, The third in author Holly Danvers' 'Lakeside Library Mystery' series, "Read to Death at the Lakeside Library" is especially and unreservedly recommended as a welcome and popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the growing legions of Holly Danvers fans that "Read to Death at the Lakeside Library" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666642797, $22.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Holly Danvers grew up devouring every mystery novel on the shelf of her local library. A successful and accomplished author in her own right now, she maintains a website at https://www.authorhollyquinn.com

The Body in the Back Garden
Mark Waddell
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104406, $29.99, HC, 272pp

https://www.amazon.com/Body-Back-Garden-Crescent-Mystery/dp/1639104402

Synopsis: Crescent Cove, a small hamlet on Vancouver Island, is the last place out-of-work investigative journalist Luke Tremblay ever wanted to see again. He used to spend summers here, until his family learned that he was gay and rejected him. Now, following his aunt's sudden death, he's inherited her entire estate, including her seaside cottage and the antiques shop she ran for forty years in Crescent Cove. Luke plans to sell everything and head back to Toronto as soon as he can -- but Crescent Cove isn't done with him just yet.

When a stranger starts making wild claims about Luke's aunt, Luke sends him packing. The next morning, though, Luke discovers that the stranger has returned, and now he's lying dead in the back garden. To make matters worse, the officer leading the investigation is a handsome Mountie with a chip on his shoulder who seems convinced that Luke is the culprit. If he wants to prove his innocence and leave this town once and for all, Luke will have to use all his skills as a journalist to investigate the colorful locals while coming to terms with his own painful past.

There are secrets buried in Crescent Cove, and the more Luke digs, the more he fears they might change the town forever.

Critique: The first novel launching author Mark Wadell's new 'Crescent Cover Mystery' series, "The Body in the Back Garden" will hold a special appeal to readers with an interest in LGBTQ amateur sleuths trying to clear themselves of as a murder suspect. An original, exceptionally well written and simply fun read from first page to last, "The Body in the Back Garden" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated 'whodunnit' mystery buffs that "The Body in the Back Garden" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: Mark Waddell (https://markwaddellbooks.com) is a recovering academic with a PhD in the history of science, medicine, and technology from Johns Hopkins University. After publishing two books and grading countless student essays, he left the exciting life of a humanities professor in search of greener pastures. He now lives on Vancouver Island with his husband and their two dogs and spends most of his time writing stories about murderous Canadians.

A Clue in the Crumbs
Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
9781639104307, $28.99, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Clue-Crumbs-West-Critic-Mystery/dp/1639104305

Synopsis: Food critic Hayley Snow and her pal Miss Gloria are overjoyed to welcome Violet and Bettina Booth, aka the Scottish Scone Sisters, to Key West. The sisters will host The UK Bakes! -- Key West Edition. But the same day they arrive, the bed-and-breakfast the sisters are staying in gets torched.

The contest begins the next morning featuring three local bakers. One is the inn owner's wife, Rayna, who is not only the most talented chef of the group but now a person of interest in the fire. The next night, a dogwalker discovers a body near the bed-and-breakfast. The victim appears to be Rayna's husband, and the murder weapon points directly to the Scottish Scone Sisters.

But the show must go on. In between filming sessions, the three elderly ladies and Hayley must search for clues to the brutal murder in order to find out who wants to force them out of the kitchen. But as they draw closer to the answer, the threats from a murderer grow closer too. Are they now in danger of getting baked off?

Critique: An amateur female sleuth and friends, a puzzling murder mystery, a wealth of unexpected plot twists and turns, and featuring everything else a dedicated cozy mystery fan could want, "A Clue in the Crumbs" is that newest and highly recommended addition to the highly popular 'Key West Food Critic Mystery' series by novelist Lucy Burdette. While a welcome pick for community library Mystery/Suspense & Cozy Mystery collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Clue in the Crumbs" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete an unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666642780, $22.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Lucy Burdette (https://lucyburdette.com) is the author of twenty-two mysteries, Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She is also a past president of Sisters in Crime and currently serving as president of the Friends of the Key West Library.

Fire Scars
John B. Wright
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166, Reno, NV, 89557-0166
www.unpress.nevada.edu
9781647790967, $22.00, PB, 360pp

https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Scars-John-B-Wright/dp/1647790964

Synopsis: Matt Solberg is charged with discovering who is lighting fires in the forests that surround Missoula, Montana. A geographer with a deep personal need to bring people out of danger, Matt leads a search and rescue team whose job is to head directly into the mouth of hell, hiking into blazing backcountry to find missing residents. Matt and his team not only rely on their hard-won knowledge of Montana's wild landscape, but also on Matt's mentor, Dr. Bill Knight, a fire ecologist who understands the burning beast better than anyone.

When a suspicious fire destroys the mansion of a movie star, Matt must hike in to find his missing daughter and save her from the chaos. Then fires begin to explode everywhere as climate change drives temperatures over 100 degrees and rain refuses to fall, threatening thousands of homes.

Who is setting these fires? Is it the Montana Tree Monkeys, an eco-radical group determined to scare off the newcomers? Or is it a retired smokejumper with an axe to grind about the encroaching mansions? Could it be Paladin, a shadowy figure leaving strange clues around the state? It's Matt's mission to find answers to these questions during a summer of heat, smoke, and unimaginable loss.

Critique: All the more impressive when realizing that his environmental mystery, "Fire Scars", is John B. Wright's debut as a novelist, his ability to deftly weave together elements of a compelling drama with accurate and intriguing elements of fire science, "Fire Scars" reveals the physical and psychological wounds that we inevitably will acquire experiencing the realities of our lives -- and yet, the power we have to overcome them given time, courage, and character. Original, entertaining, memorable, "Fire Scars" will prove a welcome pick for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted that "Fire Scars" is also available from the University of Nevada Press in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).

Editorial Note: John B. Wright is a geographer, conservationist, and author. He earned his PhD in geography from UC-Berkeley. His work focuses on lessening the collisions between culture and nature. (https://unpress.nevada.edu/9781647790967/fire-scars)

Golden Age Bibliomysteries
Otto Penzler, editor
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
c/o W.W. Norton (distribution)
https://wwnorton.com
9781613164204, $27.95, HC, 480pp

https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Age-Bibliomysteries-Otto-Penzler/dp/1613164203

Synopsis: Of crime fiction's many sub-genres, none is so reflexive and so intriguing as the "bibliomystery" -- stories that involve crimes set, somehow, in the world of books.

For example, in Vincent Starrett's "A Volume of Poe," a bookseller is murdered; in Ellery Queen's "The Adventure of the Three R's," the detective tracks the disappearance of a local Missouri author; and a killer stalks the stacks of the New York Public Library in Robert L. Blochman's "Death Walks in Marble Halls."

With fourteen tales of bibliophilic transgression from the Golden Age of the mystery genre (the decades between the two World Wars), "Golden Age Bibliomysteries" is a uniquely specialized volume that presents stories guaranteed to entertain, featuring work from well-remembered authors such as Cornell Woolrich and Anthony Boucher and from those that are lesser-known today, such as Carolyn Wells and James Gould Cozzens.

Critique: With the publication of "Golden Age Bibliomysteries", Edgar Award-winning anthologist, editor, bookseller, and mystery scholar Otto Penzler has focused extensively on the history of the bibliomystery, and his expertise shines in this thoroughly enjoyable collection, not only in the selection of stories he has compiled and edited, but also in the informative and illuminating introductions that accompany each individual story. Bringing to the attention of a new general of mystery buffs some truly 'time lost treasures', "Golden Age Bibliomysteries" is a praiseworthy and absolutely recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of amateur sleuth and traditional detective fans that "Golden Age Bibliomysteries" is also available in a paperback edition (9781613164211, $17.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.49).

Editorial Note: Otto Penzler (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Penzler) is the creator of American Mystery Classics. He is also the founder of The Mysterious Press (1975); MysteriousPress.com (2011), an electronic-book publishing company; and New York City's Mysterious Bookshop (1979). He has won a Raven, the Ellery Queen Award, two Edgars (for the Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection, 1977, and The Lineup, 2010), and lifetime achievement awards from NoirCon and The Strand Magazine. He has edited more than 70 anthologies and written extensively about mystery fiction.

The Birthday Murder
Lange Lewis
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
c/o W.W. Norton (distribution)
https://wwnorton.com
9781613164310, $25.95, HC, 264pp

https://www.amazon.com/Birthday-Murder-Lange-Lewis/dp/1613164319

Synopsis: A successful writer and a B-movie director seem like the perfect match in the Hollywood hills, and with him working to produce her novel for an upcoming film, the pair's recent marriage isn't the only way that they're connected. But when the husband is found murdered on the wife's birthday, using a method of poisoning that was described in one of her books, Victoria suddenly becomes the main suspect as her new happy life comes crashing down around her.

The case appears straightforward from the outside, but the LAPD investigator on the scene finds the truth to be anything but. Though all the signs point to Victoria, there's no motive to be found. Now, to solve the mystery of this 'whodunnit', he will have to dig beneath the veneer of the household and reveal its inner workings, and to understand the deadly drama that unfolded just beneath the surface.

Critique: A time lost treasure now reprinted for the first time in over half a century, "The Birthday Murder" by the late novelist Lange Lewis is a beautifully written and psychologically astute Golden Age mystery set in old Los Angeles. Especially recommended for readers with an interest in traditional police procedural detective mysteries featuring amateur sleuths teaming up with professional investigators, "The Birthday Murder" is a fun read from cover to cover. While highly recommended for personal and community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that "The Birthday Murder" is also available in a paperback edition (9781613164327, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Lange Lewis was the pseudonym of Los Angeles-based writer Jane Lewis Brandt (1915-2003). She also wrote as Jane Beynon and under her own name.

A Troubling Tail
Laurie Cass
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593547427, $8.99, PB, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Troubling-Tail-Bookmobile-Cat-Mystery/dp/059354742X

Synopsis: The charming town of Chilson, Michigan, is beautiful in the spring, and the bookmobile is delivering great reads far and wide on one of the first warm days of the year. But a chill sweeps through when they discover that one of their favorite patrons, the owner of Henika's Candy Emporium, has been found murdered. Although Minnie can't understand who could have had a motive to murder such a kind man, she decides that the sticky problem isn't hers to solve.

However, when rumors start flying around town and the police have no leads, Minnie decides to throw her investigative hat into the ring. The more Minnie investigates, the less certain she is that the victim's past is as wholesome as his reputation. But Minnie has plenty of experience unearthing inconvenient truths, and she and Eddie won't rest until they determine how the victim met his bitter end.

Critique: A master of the cozy mystery genre, "Laurie Cass" has a published a new 'Bookmobile Cat Mystery' for her legions of fans. "A Troubling Tail" features all the elements of a cozy animal murder mystery to be (hopefully!) solved by an amateur female sleuth and friends. A carefully crafted and thoroughly fun read, "A Troubling Tail" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) and enthusiastically recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Laurie Cass (https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/laurie-cass) grew up in Michigan and graduated from college in the 80's with a (mostly unused) degree in geology. She turned to writing in the late nineties. After a number of years in management, she felt the need to move on and took a job with fewer responsibilities. A month later, she was dead bored and began to consider writing as a way to wake up her brain. She started reading a lot of books on writing and happened across a particular sentence: "What's it going to be, reasons or results?"

The phrase practically stuck her in the eye. She printed it out, framed it, and put it next to her computer. "Reasons or results?" At the end of her life, was she going to have a pile of reasons for not having done anything? Or was she going to sit down and write a book? Once she started looking at it that way, the decision was easy. A short 13 years later, her first book was published. She also write the PTA Mysteries under the name Laura Alden.

A Deadly Dedication
Margaret Loudon
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593547175, $8.99, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Dedication-Open-Book-Mysteries/dp/0593547179

Synopsis: Penelope Parish thought she'd turned the page on her amateur sleuthing days but when the owner of Upper Chumley-on-Stokes' proposed first high-end gourmet shop is poisoned, the American novelist starts to wonder if she and her quaint British town are in for another rewrite.

It turns out that not everyone was a fan of Simeon Foster's farm-sourced charcuterie and imported pastries -- in fact, many of the locals were outraged by the potential new competition.

With a full menu of suspects on her hands, this just might be Penelope's toughest case yet. Luckily, her friends at the Open Book are there to help with every twist of the poisoned pen.

Critique: Another carefully crafted and thoroughly entertaining cozy 'whodunnit' mystery featuring an amateur female sleuth and friends, "A Deadly Dedication" is the latest addition to novelist Margaret Loudon's 'The Open Book Mystery' series. With a special interest to fans of cozy mysteries set in the literary community and local bookstore, "A Deadly Dedication" is a riveting read from cover to cover and a welcome pick for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "A Deadly Dedication" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Margaret Loudon is author of the Farmer's Daughter Mysteries, the Cranberry Cove Mysteries, and the Gourmet De-Lite Mysteries, written under the name Peg Cochran. She also wrote the Sweet Nothings Lingerie Mysteries under the name Meg London.

Honey Drop Dead
Laura Childs
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593200957, $28.00, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Honey-Drop-Dead-Shop-Mystery/dp/0593200950

Synopsis: Theodosia's Honey Bee Tea was an elegant affair set in Charleston's new Petigru Park amid newly planted native grasses and a community beekeeping project. But when a phony beekeeper shows up and sprays toxic smoke at the guests, the party erupts in chaos. Worse yet, a shot rings out and Osgood Claxton III, candidate for state legislature, falls to the ground -- dead.

Holly Burns, the gallery owner who asked Theodosia to cater the tea, is understandably heartbroken. A man is dead, her guests are angry and injured, and the paintings that were on display are left in tatters. When the police don't seem to have a clue, when old-line politicos don't want questions asked, Holly begs Theodosia to run a shadow investigation and help restore her gallery's good name.

Between hosting a Wind in the Willows Tea and a Glam Girl Tea, Theodosia questions everyone that had a bone to pick with Claxton. This includes Booker, an angry outsider artist; Lamar Lucket, Claxton's political opponent; and Mignon Merriweather, the dead man's soon-to-be ex-wife. But the investigation becomes a political hot potato following a second murder, the revelation of a messy affair, a chase through a swamp, and a vandalized shop.

Critique: Amateur female sleuthing, murder mystery solving, "Honey Drop Dead" by esteemed novelist Laura Childs has every thing a cozy mystery fan could want. A fun read from cover to cover, "Honey Drop Dead" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists for all dedicated cozy mystery readers that "Honey Drop Dead" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Laura Childs (https://www.facebook.com/laurachildsauthor) is the author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller.

Hot Pot Murder
Jennifer J. Chow
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593336557, $8.99, PB, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Pot-Murder-Night-Market/dp/0593336550

Synopsis: Yale and Celine Yee's food stall business is going so well that the two cousins have been invited to join an exclusive dinner with the local restaurant owners association. The members gather together for a relaxing hot pot feast -- until Jeffery Vue, president of the group, receives a literal shock to his system and dies.

Everyone at the meal is a suspect, but the authorities are homing in on family friend Ai Ho, owner of the restaurant where Jeffery was killed -- and Yale's dad is a close second on their list!

Yale and Celine must step up to the plate and investigate the dinner attendees: the association's ambitious VP, a familiar frenemy, a ramen king, a snacks shopkeeper, and a second-generation restaurateur. It's up to the detecting duo to figure out what really happened before their friends and family have to close their businesses for good.

Critique: The sequel of "Death by Bubble Tea" in author Jennifer J. Chow's 'L.A. Night Market' mystery series, "Hot Pot Murder" continues to showcase her impressive storytelling talents and her genuine flair for originality and ability to create memorable characters and a plot involving more plot twists and turns than a Disney Land roller coaster. Of special note is that this culinary cozy mystery also features recipes! While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans that "Hot Pot Murder" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Jennifer J. Chow (https://jenniferjchow.com) is the Lefty Award-nominated author of the Sassy Cat Mysteries and the L.A. Night Market Mysteries. The first in the Sassy Cat series, Mimi Lee Gets A Clue, was selected as an Overdrive Recommended Read; a PopSugar Best Summer Beach Read; and one of BuzzFeed's Top 5 Books by AAPI authors. She currently serves as vice president on the national board of Sisters in Crime and is an active member of Crime Writers of Color and Mystery Writers of America.

Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Defiance
Brian Freeman
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593419885, $29.00, HC, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Ludlums-Bourne-Defiance-Jason/dp/059341988X

Synopsis: From the glacial waters of Alaska to a sexy nightclub in the Bahamas, Treadstone agents are being hunted down and murdered. Someone high up in the U.S. government will stop at nothing to cover up a secret Treadstone mission from the past known as Defiance.

With a team of killers hot on his trail, Jason Bourne chases the mystery of Defiance around the world. But as he closes in on the shocking truth, Bourne realizes that one man holds the key - his archenemy, the assassin known as Lennon. The Russian hitman has been at the heart of Defiance from the very beginning, and his next target will put Bourne (and the woman he loves) in the cross-hairs.

As Bourne races to stop the ruthless conspiracy behind Defiance, he must come face to face with Lennon one last time -- and the stage is set for a final violent showdown.

Critique: Keeping full faith and allegiance to the Jason Bourne novels originally created by the literary storytelling talents of the late Robert Ludlum, this new addition to the Jason Bourne series, "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Defiance" by the impressively accomplished novelist Brian Freeman is an especially appealing and entertaining novel that can be unreservedly recommended for the legions of Robert Ludlum (and Jason Bourne) dedicated fans. A fun read with all manner of unexpected plot twists and turns, "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Defiance" is an ideal and enduringly popular pick for community library Espionage, Terrorism, and Political Thriller collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Defiance" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note #1: Brian Freeman (https://bfreemanbooks.com) is the author of more than twenty thrillers, including the Jonathan Stride series and three previous Jason Bourne novels, Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Evolution, Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Treachery, and Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Sacrifice. His stand-alone novel The Deep, Deep Snow was an Edgar Award finalist and New York Times bestseller, and his novel Spilled Blood won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel.

Editorial Note #2: Robert Ludlum (May 25, 1927 - March 12, 2001) was the author of twenty-seven novels, each one a New York Times bestseller. There are more than 225 million of his books in print, and they have been translated into thirty-two languages. He is the author of The Scarlatti Inheritance, The Chancellor Manuscript, and the Jason Bourne series--The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum--among others.

Scaredy Cat
Sofie Ryan
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593201992, $8.99, PB, 272pp

https://www.amazon.com/Scaredy-Cat-Second-Chance-Mystery/dp/059320199X

Synopsis: After a long, cold, and snowy winter, it seems as though spring may be arriving early in Maine. Sarah Grayson is busy at her store, Second Chance, and she's looking forward to an afternoon break from the hustle and bustle, tagging along to the North Harbor Spring House Tour with her friend Detective Michelle Andrews.

But it turns out one of the houses has a haunted history, and when a ghost hunter is found dead on the premises, Sarah knows the best way to uncover the killer and to solve the mystery is by investigating the not-so-dearly departed. With help from Elvis and Charlotte's Angels, the crew of senior citizen private detectives who work out of the store, she'll close the case on this creepy crime.

Critique: Cozy mystery writing at its very best, "Scaredy Cat" by Sofie Ryan is and original, deftly crafted, and just plain fun read for the fans of the genre. While also available for the personal reading lists of dedicated 'whodunnit' fans in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99), the mass market paperback edition is a highly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Sofie Ryan (https://sofiekelly.com) is the author of the Second Chance Cat Mysteries. She also writes the New York Times Magical Cats Mysteries under the name Sofie Kelly.

A Questionable Character
Lorna Barrett
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593549414, $28.00, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Questionable-Character-Booktown-Mystery/dp/0593549414

Synopsis: It's a busy summer in Booktown. Contractor Jim Stark is in great demand: he's overseeing a number of projects, including Angelica Miles's newly constructed building on Main Street, finishing up the new brew pub, and gutting a stone mansion off Main Street that Angelica bought to be the world headquarters for Nigela Ricita Associates. It will house office space where her marketing staff and the rest of the NR Associates clerical personnel will work.

Tricia Miles and Angelica arrive at the mansion before their workday to see how the construction is going. They find the place unlocked and Stark's right-hand man, Sanjay Arya, having been bludgeoned to death. The loss of the contractor's top man threatens all the projects in the works, which would effectively ruin the expensive marketing plan that the Chamber of Commerce has been working. Is Jim a suspect? (He'd be stupid to kill the person he depends on to keep the projects going.) But Stark also thinks his wife, who was very chummy with Sanjay, might have been cheating on him with the second-in-command, making him a likely suspect.

Once again Tricia finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, but can she find the killer before he or she has the chance to bring the hammer down?

Critique: If you like memorable murder mysteries being solved by female amateur sleuths and cozy animal mysteries, then put "A Questionable Character" by cozy mystery novelist Lorna Barrett at the top of your reading list. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "A Questionable Character" will prove to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Lorna Barrett (https://lornabarrett.com) is the author of the Booktown Mystery series. She is a multi-published, Agatha-nominated author who penned the Jeff Resnick Mysteries, as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square Mystery series -- and has many short stories and novellas to her name (and pseudonyms).

Saving Myles
Carol Vonderau
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608095582, $27.95, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Myles-Carl-Vonderau/dp/1608095584

Synopsis: Wade, a respected banker in La Jolla, CA, and his estranged wife, Fiona, make the unbearable decision to send their teenage son, Myles, away to an expensive treatment center after a streak of harmful behavior. After a year of treatment, Myles comes home, seemingly rehabilitated. But soon, he sneaks off to Tijuana to buy drugs -- and is kidnapped.

When the ransom call comes, Fiona is frantic and accepts help from Andre, the Quebecois whose charity Fiona runs. Wade is wary of Andre's reputation and the bank he owns, but seeing no other way to secure a kidnap negotiator or the ransom, he swallows his doubts to get his son home.

In order to get the ransom money, Wade makes a deal with Andre -- he'll work for Andre's bank in exchange for the cash. But as Wade races to rescue Myles before his kidnappers lose their patience, he realizes he's wrapped up in more crime than just a kidnapping -- he's now indebted to a cartel.

Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from first page to last, "Saving Myles" by Carl Vonderau is crime thriller fiction at its very best. Especially recommended for readers with an interest in novels featuring an amateur sleuth, criminal cartels, and more plot twists and turns than a Coney Island roller coaster, "Saving Myles" will prove an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Saving Myles" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).

Editorial Note: Carl Vonderau (https://carlvonderau.com) is a former banker and anti-money laundering specialist turned crime fiction writer. A graduate of Stanford University, Carl has lived and worked in Latin America, Canada, and North Africa. His debut thriller, Murderabilia, won the Best Debut Mystery award from Left Coast Crime and the San Diego Book award for Best Mystery.

Maeve Fly
C. J. Leede
Tor Nightfire
c/o Tor/Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
9781250857859, $26.99, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Maeve-Fly-CJ-Leede/dp/1250857856

Synopsis: By day, Maeve Fly works at the happiest place in the world as every child's favorite ice princess. But by the neon night glow of the Sunset Strip, Maeve haunts the dive bars with a drink in one hand and a book in the other -- imitating her misanthropic literary heroes.

But when Gideon Green (her best friend's brother) moves to town, he awakens something dangerous within her, and the world she knows suddenly shifts beneath her feet.

Untethered, Maeve ditches her discontented act and tries on a new persona. A bolder, bloodier one, inspired by the pages of American Psycho -- and its Maeve's turn with the knife.

Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "Maeve Fly" is author C. J. Leede's debut as a novelist, this original, deftly crafted, and hauntingly memorable suspense thriller of a read is both (as accurately described by others) a 'blood-soaked love letter to Los Angeles and a gleeful send-up to iconic horror villain"s. While an appropriate pick for community library Mystery/Suspense and Crime/Horror collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists for fans of satirical fiction, crime novels, and psychological thrillers that "Maeve Fly" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: CJ Leede (https://us.macmillan.com/author/cjleede) is a horror writer who has an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University, and a BA from NYU's Gallatin School, where she studied Mythology and the Middle Ages. In addition to "Maeve Fly", CJ has two more horror novels scheduled for publishing from Tor Nightfire.

Robert B. Parker's Bad Influence
Alison Gaylin
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593540527, $29.00, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Parkers-Influence-Sunny-Randall/dp/0593540522

Synopsis: Sunny Randall's newest client, Blake, seems to have it all: he is an Instagram influencer, with all the perks the lifestyle entails -- a beautiful girlfriend, wealth, and adoring fans.

But one of those fans has turned ugly, and Sunny is brought on board by Blake's manager, Bethany, to protect him and to uncover who is out to kill him. In doing so, she investigates a glamorous world rife with lies and schemes -- and ties to a dangerous criminal scene.

When Bethany goes missing and the threats against Blake escalate, Sunny realizes that in order to solve this case, she has to find out exactly who Blake and Bethany are, behind the Instagram filters.

But while digging into their pasts, she is also forced to confront her own, as old friends (and ex-husbands) reappear. With a combination of old-school crime-solving skills and modern internet savvy, Sunny must stop at nothing to catch a killer.

Critique: Another superbly crafted suspense thriller of a read by the gifted novelist Alison Gaylin, "Robert P. Parker's Bad Influence" is a fun read that will of special interest to fans of Private Eye murder mysteries. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Robert P. Parker's Bad Influence" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Random House Audio, 9780593672303, $35.00, CD).

Editorial Note: Alison Gaylin (https://www.alisongaylin.com) is an author whose novels have won the Edgar and Shamus awards. Her work has been published in numerous countries and has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Macavity, Anthony, ITW Thriller and Strand Book Award.

Urgent Matters
Paula Rodriguez, author
Sarah Moses, translator
Pushkin Vertigo
c/o Pushkin Press
www.pushkinpress.com
9781782278153, $14.95, PB, 240pp

https://www.amazon.com/Urgent-Matters-Pushkin-Vertigo-RODRIGUEZ/dp/178227815X

Synopsis: A train crashes in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, leaving forty-three fatalities, two of which have not been identified. A prayer card of Saint Expeditus, the patron saint of urgent matters, flutters above the wreckage.

Hugo, a criminal on the run for murder, is on the train. He seizes his chance to sneak out of the wreckage unsuspected, abandoning his possessions (and, he hopes, his identity) among bodies mangled beyond recognition.

As the police descend on the scene, only grizzled Detective Dominguez sees a link between the crash and his murder case. Soon, he's on Hugo's tail. But he hasn't banked on everything from the media to his mother-in-law getting in the way.

Critique: An impressively crafted and original suspense thriller, and a compulsive page turner of a read from start to finish, "Urgent Matters" by Argentinian novelist Paula Rodriguez is ably translated into English for an American readership by Sarah Moses. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), "Urgent Matters" is an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and academic library Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, and International Mystery Suspense/Thriller collections.

Editorial Note #1: Paula Rodriguez (https://pushkinpress.com/our-authors/paula-rodriguez) is a journalist, editor, co-founder, writer, comedian, ghostwriter, and feminist activist. She has worked for twenty-five years in magazine editorial. Urgent Matters is her first novel.

Editorial Note #2: Sarah Moses (https://www.attlc-ltac.org/en/translator/sarah-moses-en) is a writer and translator of French and Spanish. She co-translated Sos una sola persona by Stuart Ross and Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz, which was longlisted for the International Booker Prize, among other awards. Her translation of Agustina Bazterrica's Tender Is the Flesh was originated by Pushkin Press in 2020. Sarah divides her time between Buenos Aires and Toronto.

Beneath the Surface
Kaira Rouda
https://kairarouda.com
Thomas & Mercer
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/thomas-mercer.html
9781662511929, $16.99, PB, 269pp

https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Surface-Kingsleys-Kaira-Rouda/dp/1662511922

Synopsis: You are cordially invited to an overnight voyage on the Splendid Seas.

This is an invitation to Catalina Island from billionaire CEO Richard Kingsley for his sons, Ted and John, and their wives. It's also an opportunity to curry favor, gain control of a real estate empire, and secure their family's futures. For the controlling patriarch, succession is a contest. He and his newest wife won't make it an easy win.

Then Richard's estranged live-wire daughter, Sibley, crashes the party. She's the least of the night's surprises. As the stakes for the inheritance of the Kingsley legacy are raised, the beautiful waters of the Pacific look more like a menacing illusion.

Let the games begin for a family who has everything money can buy, and has used lies, deception, and more to keep it. This weekend one of them will be crowned heir. One is in line to lose everything. That's the plan. But in the coming storm, so much can go dangerously wrong.

Critique: With the publication of "Beneath the Surface", novelist Kaira Rouda demonstrates her complete mastery of the psychological suspense thriller genre. Original, clever, deftly crafted, and featuring the author's distinctive and narrative driven storytelling style, "Beneath the Surface" is a welcome and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Beneath the Surface" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9798400123900, $19.99, MP3-CD). Librarians please note that there is also a large print hard cover addition (Thorndike Press, 9798885793322, Library Binding, $36.99) of "Beneath the Surface".

Editorial Note: Kaira Rouda (www.KairaRouda.com) is a multiple award-winning author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her domestic suspense novels include "Best Day Ever", "The Favorite Daughter", "All the Difference", "The Next Wife", "Somebody's Home", and "The Widow".To date, Kaira's novels have been translated into more than ten languages.

She lives in Southern California with her family and is at work on her next novel. Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest: @KairaRouda; and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books.

Chopped
Dale M. Pollock
Shadowbrook Publishing
https://www.book-info.com/publisher/Shadowbrook+Publishing.htm
9798218117023, $27.99, HC, 338pp

https://www.amazon.com/Chopped-Novel-Dale-M-Pollock/dp/B0BW32R7Q8

Synopsis: On Thanksgiving Day in 1849, the richest man in Boston vanishes.

A Harvard Medical College janitor finds cut-up pieces of a human in chemistry professor John Webster's privy vault beneath his laboratory. He is charged with murder despite only circumstantial evidence, and the notorious trial that follows offers a spectacle that is as riveting as the O.J. Simpson trial of the 1990s.

A young doctor, James Winchell Stone, who takes down the entire transcript of the trial using an early form of stenography, decides to use his deductive reasoning to solve the mystery of who actually killed Dr. George Parkman. In the process he uncovers a tragic truth involving the Underground Railroad and falls into a forbidden romance.

Critique: A work of fiction based on an historical incident and a simply thrilling evocation of 19th Century Boston, with the publication of "Chopped", novelist Dale M. Pollock deftly weaves a inherently fascinating and entertaining "whodunit" explanation into the actual court transcript of the case, taken down word-for-word by his ancestor, Dr. James Winchell Stone. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Murder/Suspense Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Chopped" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9798218117016, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Dale M. Pollock (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Pollock) is a writer, lecturer, film producer, and cinema professor. His previous book was the "Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas."

Exodus Team: New Roads
BEBogdon
Trilogy Christian Publishing
https://www.trilogy.tv
9798887382173, $20.99, PB, 250pp

https://www.amazon.com/Exodus-Team-New-Roads-Bebogdon/dp/B0BX26JN12

Synopsis: For Maj Newhouse, life revolves around her faith, her friends, Aimee and Kevin Cole, and her projects at the old barn -- but that was before Jason Knight walked through the door.

The handsome businessman from Chicago has a problem; he has staked his career on rehabilitating a haunted hotel. An encounter with Kevin has led him to the old barn, and Maj is shocked to learn that Knight expects to hire her and her friends as exorcists for his property!

Will Maj's distrust of the charming stranger and her own self-doubt cripple the newly formed Exodus Team before it starts?

Critique: The first title in a new Christian paranormal mystery suspense thriller series from Trilogy Christian Publishing, "Exodus Team: New Roads" by Christian entertainer BEBogdon is an inherently fascinating, exceptionally well crafted, and impressively memorable read that will have a particular interest for fans of Christian mystery/suspense novels. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49), "Exodus Team: New Roads" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: BEBogdon (www.BEBogdon.com) is a Christian entertainer from the Midwest whose passion for writing began with a love for reading. Although a newly published author, Bogdon has been telling stories for years. Through involvement in theater, film, commercial, and voice-over work, she has had the opportunity to breathe life into the written word, and as an avid daydreamer, she is thrilled to see those dreams finally settle onto the printed page.

Flood of Memories
Bonnie Oldre
https://bonnieoldre.com
Gatekeeper Press
9781662936074, $15.99 Paper/$4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Flood-Memories-Beth-Evie-Mystery/dp/1662936079

The second book in the Beth and Evie mystery series, Flood of Memories, presents another mystery that draws Beth Williams and her best friend Evie Hanson into a murder involving a dead elderly woman, a missing will, and a painting that holds secrets.

Beth's astute observational skills mark her as an investigator with the unusual ability to connect the dots even as reality shifts. Evie's research reveals clues that lead Beth and her friend on an unexpected journey through history, special interests, and a secret worth killing for.

Readers who enjoy art-based intrigue will especially appreciate this story's progression through the art world as Beth and Evie find themselves off balance and immersed in artistic realms well outside of their areas of expertise.

Bonnie Oldre steeps her mystery in the culture and aura of 1960s Minnesota, juxtaposing the changing milieu of Davidson City with clues that bring together historical and modern conundrums. Readers thus receive a story nicely steeped in a sense of place, times, and purpose.

All these elements add to the growing tension and intrigue that lead Beth, Evie, and their readers into a mystery replete with dangerous confrontations and eye-opening developments.

Libraries and readers seeking a cozy mystery atmosphere replete with intrigue, powered by amateur female sleuths who employ every deductive reasoning device available to arrive at the truth, will find Flood of Memories a fine expansion of the characters in the prior Silent Winter Solstice, who continue to evolve their skills and solidify their community connections here.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review