Books Read - June 2017

Archer, Connie

A Clue in the Stew ****

Fiction.  Fifth book in the Soup Lover’s cozy mystery series set in Snowflake, Vermont.  Lucky hires a new waitress on a temporary basis, who starts cozying up to Lucky’s grandfather, Jack.  The soup shop is hosting an evening with a famous mystery writer, but when the author is found strangled, Lucky and her friends begin investigating.

Ash, Maureen

Sins of Inheritance *****

Fiction.  Ninth in the Templar Knight historical mystery series.  An emissary from Italy arrives with the news that Gianni is the son of an Italian nobleman, and he wants to take the boy back to Italy to his family.  Gianni doesn’t believe this is true and tells the castellan that he doesn’t want to go.  Meanwhile a draper has been murdered, and Nicholaa sends Miles and Gianni to discover who the murderer is.  When Gianni is kidnapped, Bascot de Marins chases his abductor, hoping to catch him before the boy is taken out to sea.

Ashley, Jennifer

Bodyguard *****

Fiction.  Fourth in the Shifters Unbound series.  Elizabeth is being held up by a gunman in her novelty shop, when a huge Kodiak bear brushes past her to attack the man.  Ronan sees the woman in danger and reacts naturally, taking down the robber while suffering a bullet wound to his arm.  Their fates intertwine, and he becomes her Bodyguard.

Primal Bonds *****

Fiction.  Third in the Shifters Unbound urban fantasy series.  Sean and Andrea are dealing with their growing feelings for each other.  Sean is determined to let Andrea have the time and space she needs to decide whether she will go through with the mate blessing or reject his mate-claim.  Tension grows in Shiftertown when humans shoot up the bar, and they soon hear of another attack against shifters.  The can’t retaliate against humans, but when they learn that a group of shifters has hired the humans, Liam and Sean go after them.  Andrea is having nightmares that someone is calling to her, and they terrify her.  Sean wants to help but doesn’t know what to do.

Bassett, JoAnn

Hilo, Goodbye *****

Fiction.  Final book in the Islands of Aloha cozy mystery series.  Pali is hired to work on a reality show.  The star and her fiancé want to get married on the Big Island, but they’re being plagued by paparazzi.  The bridezilla flaked out on their previous wedding, but the groom is willing to give her another chance.  When she’s found dead in the park, he asks Pali to look into it.  Hatch has shown up to tell Pali he’s getting married, and she’s sad but relieved.

I’m Kona Love You Forever ****

Fiction.  Sixth in the Islands of Aloha series.  Pali is hired by two teenagers to plan their wedding, but when the girl’s birth certificate comes back as false, Pali travels to the Big Island to sort out the problem.

Kaua’i Me a River ****

Fiction.  Fourth in the Islands of Aloha cozy mystery series.  Pali Moon is a wedding planner living on Mau’i.  Her father had disappeared when she was a baby, and her mother died in her twenties, so Pali was raised by her Auntie Mana.  When she receives a letter from a lawyer on Kaua’i, she believes it has something to do with her mother but is shocked to find out that her father has left her something in his will.  When Pali begins researching her mother’s death, she unlocks secrets many wish she would forget.

Lana’i of the Tiger ****

Fiction.  Third in the Islands of Aloha cozy mystery series.  Pali is being held in the Witness Protection Program on Lana’i.  Bored, she gets a job working at a B&B while the owners are away on O’ahu having a baby.  A famous producer is staying at the inn, and he asks her to set up a small wedding for his fiancee and him in the greenhouse.  One evening he shows up disheveled, telling Pali that his fiancee is dead, and he’s being hunted as the main suspect.  Since he was with her at the time of the murder, Pali is left in a dilemma, does she tell the police what she knows, or does she remain incognito in the WITSEC program?

Lucky Beach **

Fiction.  Second in the Escape to Mau’i series.  Monica has recently won a fortune and moved to Mau’i to escape from all the media coverage.  Bored with no work, she spends time volunteering at a food bank.  When her realtor introduces her to a wealthy oil speculator, she falls for him.  He turns out to be mentally deranged and holds her captive.  But in the end she is saved and changes the focus of her life from spending money to caring for the poor.

- Mai Tai Lullaby ***

Fiction.  First in the Escape to Mau’i series.  Nola escapes to Mau’i after finding out her husband has been cheating on her, and she finds a ohana and a new life.

- Moloka’i Lullaby ****

Fiction.  Seventh book in the Islands of Aloha cozy mystery series.  Pali is hired by a spoiled young woman and her octogenarian fiancé to plan a wedding on Moloka’i.  The wedding is to be held at a wealthy man’s house on the beach, and when Pali goes to scope out the site, she meets Lono, the caretaker of the estate.  After the bride and groom arrive on the island, Lono is charged with the groom’s murder, and Pali is determined to solve the case.

O’ahu Lonesome Tonight? ***

Fiction.  Fifth in the Islands of Aloha cozy mystery series.  Pali is in Honolulu visiting with her brother, Jeff, who flew over from the mainland for a week.  While on O’ahu, Pali’s half-brothers Stuart and Moku invite her to tea and to get to know them.  A few days later Pali gets a phone call from Moku saying that Stuart is in the hospital with a bad bacteria infection caused by a fall into the Ala Wai Canal.  Pali has to find out whether it was an accident or murder.

Battista, Jeanette

Fox Hunt ***

Fiction.  Fifth in the Moon shapeshifter urban fantasy.  Finn travels to New Orleans to meet her parents and is feeling a case of the nerves.  But first she wants to introduce him to her sensei, Master Toshi, an ancient kitsune.  When they arrive at the dojo, they find the place in a shambles, and Toshi is not there.  Finn picks up his scent, along with a strange sulphur smell and traces it to a cemetery.

Hunter Moon *****

Fiction.  Fourth in the Moon shapeshifter urban fantasy series set in Florida.  A hunter is on the loose and looking for the ultimate trophy...weres.  He sets his sites on Kess, and it will take all of her friends to keep her safe.

Hyena Moon ****

Fiction.  Third in the Moon shapeshifter urban fantasy series.  Kess is head of the leopard clan and trying to hold onto the Miami territory against the larger hyena clan led by Samara.  Samara has left her son, Rafe, at Kess’ mansion, angering Cormac, who doesn’t trust him.  Kess keeps an open mind about the boy.  Rafe is torn between craving acknowledgment from his mother and trying to prove his worth to Kess.  When Mac’s sister, Lenore, arrives, Rafe makes his choice.

Boneham, Sheila Webster

Catwalk ***

Fiction.  Third in the Animals in Focus cozy mystery series set in Indiana.  When a friend asks for Janet’s help in finding a stray cat who has disappeared, Janet is happy to help.  Using her dog’s tracking skills, they find the cat with a litter of newborn kittens in a shed in the backyard of a nearby house.  The owner confronts them and threatens to kill the kittens, but the two women are able to save the cats.  When the house owner is later found murdered, Janet is looked at as a potential murderer.

Cahoon, Lynn

Guidebook to Murder ****

Fiction.  First in the Tourist Trap cozy mystery series.  Jill owns a coffee/book shop in a small California coastal town.  A close elderly friend of her dies, and she suspects murder.  Jill is surprised to find that her friend, Emily, has left her almost everything she owns, and Jill becomes the new owner of Emily’s house.  With all of the funeral preparations and house renovations to deal with, Jill invites her aunt to come run the store for her.  Jill is determined to find out who killed her friend, but when she begins receiving death threats of her own, she turns to the local police detective for help.

If the Shoe Kills ****

Fiction.  Third in the Tourist Trap cozy mystery series set in South Cove, California.  The town is getting ready for the holiday season, and Jill has been roped in to help the mayor’s wife with the preparations, but she’s busy dealing with some new temporary workers assigned to work in several of the businesses in town.  The man in charge of the work program is rude and obnoxious, and soon he and Jill cross paths.  After they argue, Jill finds him dead in his car, a bullet through his head.

Mission to Murder ****

Fiction.  Second in the Tourist Trap cozy mystery series.  Jill is trying to get the stone wall behind her house declared a historic site, but two men in town are opposing her.  She and one of the men have an acrimonious confrontation, and when he is found dead, Jill becomes a suspect in his murder.

Child, Lee

MatchUp *****

Fiction.  ITW anthology of female vs. male co-authoring short stories in the thriller genre.

Dobbs, Delia

The Color of a Ghost *

Fiction.  First in the Secret Coloring Book for Adults Cozy Mystery series.  Anita works for a private investigation firm in New York, but she’s in Illinois hunting a serial killer whose crimes occurred 40 years ago.  With the help of an elderly farmer, she nabs the criminal.

Dobbs, Leighann

Dead Wrong ***

Fiction.  First in the Blackmoore Sisters cozy mystery series.  The Blackmoore sisters are trying to live a peaceful life, but when the sheriff fingers Morgan as a murderer, they all band together to prove him wrong.

Ghostly Paws ****

Fiction  First in the Mystic Notch paranormal cozy mystery series set in New Hampshire.  Willa Chance is on her way to her bookstore when she spies the front door of the library open.  Since it’s much too early in the day for library hours, she crosses the street to investigate and finds the librarian dead at the bottom of the stairs.

A Mew to a Kill ****

Fiction.  Third in the Mystic Notch paranormal cozy mystery series.  Willa is on the judging panel for the upcoming art festival, but she is upset that Paisley has won a spot as an entrant.  When Paisley is killed, she comes to Willa to find out who killed her and bring her killer to justice.  With the cats’ help, Willa investigates.

Paws and Effect ***

Fiction.  Fourth in the Mystic Notch series.  The cats have taken over as Pandora leads the others on a quest to find a vial filled with a powerful elixir.  The evil forces in town seek to use its powers to take over, and poor Hope is in danger.  While the cats try to get their humans to understand, Pandora rushes to save Hope.

Probable Paws ****

Fiction. Fifth in the Mystic Notch series.  Willa attends the funeral of one of her grandmother’s old friends.  During the ceremony, the woman, Adelaide, appears and demands that Willa find a certain recipe book and keep it safe.  Willa remembers her own grandmother had wanted Elspeth to have that book, so Willa is determined to see that it gets to Elspeth.

A Spirited Tail ****

Fiction.  Second in the  Mystic Notch paranormal cozy  mystery series.  Willa has to appraise a collection of books at the Van Dorn mansion, but when she arrives and looks for Ophelia, who is handling the sale of the house, she finds her in the backyard lying next to a dead body.

Galenorn, Yasmine

Fury Awakened *****

Fiction.  Third in the Fury Unbound urban fantasy series.  Fury and her friends flee Seattle, as the city falls to ruins in the wake of the zombie invasion and the threat of a tsunami.  The Elder Gods have fled the peninsula, some of them heading back to Olympus and other realms, and some heading into the Wild Wood.  Hecate has another trial for Fury if she can survive it.

Hamilton, Lyn

The Celtic Riddle *****

Fiction.  Fourth in the Lara McLintoch antiques mystery series.  Lara accompanies her friend Alex  to Ireland for the reading of a will, in which Alex inherits Rose Cottage.  The family of the deceased is upset when the videotaped last words announce he has set up a treasure hunt for them to attempt.  While the family refuses to participate, Lara and her friends set out to find the treasure, but when people along the way are murdered, Lara wonders if they should continue.

The Moche Warrior *****

Fiction.  Third in the Lara McLintoch antiques and antiquities mystery series.  Lara buys a box of junk at an auction just to get back at her ex-husband, but she finds three precious items inside.  Doing her research, she realizes that they are Moche antiquities, and she suspects they were smuggled out of Peru to be sold on the black market.  When the police come after her for the murder of a man in her store, she flees  to Peru to track down the robbery ring and do what she can to destroy it and gain back her freedom.

Hoffman, Alice

Conjure ***

Fiction.  Short story about two girls who meet a mysterious man.

The Story Sisters *****

Fiction.  Three young sisters living in New York live a lifetime of tragedy, happiness, despair, and hope.

Hunter, Maddy

From Bad to Wurst ****

Fiction.  10th book in the traveling cozy mystery series.  Emily and Etienne are traveling with her parents and the Iowan seniors as well as a group of oompah musicians.  They’re slotted to play at different venues throughout Bavaria, but when one of the accordian players ends up killed in a blast, things go from bad to worst.

James, M.R.

The Mezzotint

Fiction.  Short story 

O’Connor, Carlene

Murder in an Irish Village ****

Fiction.  First in the Irish Village cozy mystery series.  Siobhån O’Sullivan and her five siblings run the local bistro.  Their parents were killed in a car accident the year before.  The man who caused the accident is in jail, but his brother, Niall, has just come back to the village.  He wants to prove that his brother Billy didn’t cause the crash.  Siobhån’s brother, James, fights with Niall, but when Niall is found dead in the back room of the bistro, James is arrested for murder.

Reed, Hannah

Off Kilter ****

Fiction.  First in the Scottish Highlands mystery series.  Eden Elliott’s best friend has gifted her with a roundtrip ticket and a two-week stay at a bed and breakfast in Glenkillen, Scotland.  Eden’s never been to Scotland before, but she’s looking forward to a nice, quiet time to writer her romance novel.  Because she befriended a woman on the plane, her peaceful vacation turns into a dangerous journey leading to a car chase on a winding road.

Vance, Jack

Suldrun’s Garden ***

Fiction.  First in the Lyonesse fantasy series.  Suldrun is a princess of Lyonesse.  When she refuses a man her father the king has chosen to be her husband, King Casmir lockes her away in a garden.  One day she finds a man near death washed ashore at the foot of the garden and nurses him back to health.  They fall in love and marry.  In time, she gives birth to their son, but King Casmir has other plans for Ailles and throws him into an oubliette.  Suldrun, bereft at the loss of her husband and child, for the babe was taken away and hidden, kills herself.  Ailles escapes the oubliette and goes in search of his son.

Books Read - May 2017

Berry, Steve

- The 14th Colony *****

Fiction.  15th book in the Cotton Malone series.  Cotton is sent to Siberia to find a man with secrets that could affect the American government.  What he finds it a lot of gunfire being aimed his way.  While it’s known that the Founding Fathers had wanted to make Canada the 14th colony, Cotton’s surprised to learn that those thoughts were reprised much more recently.

The Columbus Affair *****

Fiction.  Was Christopher Columbus a Jew?  In 1492 Columbus sailed to the New World thinking that it was Asia.  He carried three mysterious crates onboard his ship, and when the ship was damaged at Jamaica, those crates disappeared.  Tom Sagan rejected his Jewish heritage, but in trying to save his daughter’s life, he embarks on a quest that leads him back to a Jewish mystery that he alone can solve.

The Devil’s Bones ***

Fiction.  Cotton is on vacation with Cassiopeia in Brazil, when Stephanie contacts him to find a man carrying vials of a virulent poison.  He teams up with Grey Pierce to find the man and destroy the toxin.

The Lincoln Myth ****

Fiction.  13th book in the Cotton Malone series.  Stephanie contact Cotton to ask for a favor.  She need him to travel to Sweden to pick up a man and deliver him to another agent who has been delayed.  The seemingly simple assignment turns deadly, as the contact comes under fire.

The Lost Order *****

Fiction.  16th book in the Cotton Malone series.  Cotton and Cassiopeia have been hired to follow the trail of a treasure hunt that has personal interest to Cotton, as it involves his namesake forebear.  Thinking this would be a simple assignment, they’re shocked when someone starts shooting at them.

The Patriot Threat ****

Fiction.  14th book in the Cotton Malone series.  Cotton is called in as a contractor again for the Magellan Billet.  His job is to obtain some documents tied to the 16th Amendment that might prove the amendment was never legally ratified, which would send the U.S. government into a tailspin.

Shadow Tag ***

Fiction.  Steve Berry and Raymond Khoury have been kidnapped and are being forced to devise a deadly plot for their kidnapper.  He wants to kill as many people as possible.  Cotton Malone and Sean Reilly rush to save them.

Galenorn, Yasmine 

Moon Shimmers *****

Fiction.  19th book in the Otherworld urban fantasy series set in Seattle.  Camille is set to take her throne as Queen of Dusk and Twilight, but before she can, she must find the final spirit seal and claim the Keraastar Diamond.

Herr, Michael A.

The Old Queen and the Maui Maiden ***

Fiction.  Fifth in the Kohala mystery series.  Teri travels to Mau’i to reclaim the mummified body of one of Queen Ka’ahumanu’s maidens, before it is stolen and sold for cash.

The Old Queen and the King ***

Fiction.  Sixth in the Kohala mystery series.  Maile has a rendezvous with the King resulting in a  daughter.  When that daughter is grown and found murdered, Maile is determined to make the killer pay.

The Old Queen’s Guardians **

Fiction.  Fourth book in the Kohala mystery series.  A drug dealer also works as the chef at Lori’s hotel, and when she sees him attacking a man with a cleaver, she runs for her life.

Neal, Toby

Burnt Road *****

Fiction.  Fourth in the Scorch apocalyptic series.  Dante is autistic and not used to dealing with much external stimuli.  But when he promises to ferry Melody to JT’s compound in Idaho, he finds himself opening up to her.  She has spent many years trying to overcome the horror of being raped and has no plans of entering into a serious relationship.  Their journey throws them together in ways that neither is prepared for, but slowly their mutual walls are coming down.

Cinder Road *****

Fiction.  Second in the Scorch series.  Avital’s husband Nando has just died from the flu, and his identical twin, Dolf, is at her side to care for her.  Her work at the hospital keeps her busy during the day, but she dreads going home to the house she shared with her husband and is now sharing with her brother-in-law.  When Dolf makes the decision to take Avi to Idaho to meet up with the rest of the family, they have a long journey to make.  Along the way, love blossoms..  

Flame Road ****

Fiction.  Fifth book in the Scorch series.  A woman alone and scared has no memory of who she is.  Lost in the wilderness, she stops at a stream to drink.  A low growl startles her, and she looks up to see a large wolf stalking her.  Just as it attacks, an equally large dog bursts out of the trees to save her.  When she turns to run, she crashes into a man’s arms that tighten around her.  Csh has no idea who she is, but he knows a woman in trouble when he sees her.

Island Fire *****

Fiction.  First in the YA dystopian series set in Hawai’i after an event has knocked out all technology.  Three Hawaiian youths and a haole teenager from a downed plane survive together on Lana’i, before they rebuild a catamaran and sale to Moloka’i.

Scorch Road ****

Fiction.  First in the Scorch romantic thriller series.  Elizabeth is a scientist working on the West Coast, when a devastating virus breaks out across the country.  She flies toward Washington, D.C. with a canister of vials of a vaccine that might cure the virus, but when her plane goes down in a potato field in Idaho. a reluctant JT comes to her aid.

Smoke Road *****

Fiction.  Third in the Scorch romantic thriller series.  Luca Luciano is an ex-Special Forces soldier currently with the Texas National Guard  after suffering a shrapnel injury that forced him out of the Army.  He and his crew are assigned to assist Dr. Nani Kagawa in locating the leader of the skinhead group responsible for creating and dispersing the deadly virus.  Luca is tough and doesn’t trust women, but Nani is just as tough and doesn’t trust men.  But they find themselves thrown together when the rest of their crew dies of the flue.  Luca and Nani are determined to continue with their mission.

Somewhere on Maui ***

Fiction.  Zoe moves to Mau’i to become a freelance journalist.  She’s also trying to get over her divorce.  Adam has also recently been divorced and is missing his step-children.  Zoe plots an article on Internet dating, and she and Adam find each other on the site.

Wired In *****

Fiction.  First in the Paradise Crime series starring Sophie Ang, tech agent for the FBI.  Sophie is finally letting her feelings known to her mentor and MMA coach, Alika.  She is investigating Security Solutions for possibly connections to a kidnapping she helped solve, and is confronted by a man known only as The Ghost, who comes to her aid, though she has promised to hunt him down.

Wired Hard ****

Fiction.  Third in the Paradise Crime series starring Sophie Ang, security specialist with Security Solutions.  She’s providing security for an archaeological dig at the site of King Kamehameha II’s one-time residence.  When the dig site is looted, she must bring the culprit to justice.

Wired Rogue *****

Fiction.  Second in the Paradise Crime series.  Sophie has quit the FBI and joined Security Solutions, where her new partner, Jake Dunn, keeps her on her toes.  Their new case is to rescue two children from a cult living in the Waipio Valley, and Sophie is up for the challenge.

Robinson, Steve

Dying Games *****

Fiction.  Sixth in the genealogy mystery series starring Jefferson Tayte, an American genealogist.  While Jean is off to a seminar in Scotland, Tayte has been called back to the States to help the FBI assist on a case.  A mysterious game with a genealogical bent is afoot, and Tayte must solve each puzzle to prevent murders.

Kindred *****

Fiction.  Fifth in the genealogy mystery series.  Tayte is finally on the search for his own family tree.  He’s desperate to learn who his parents are, and his search leads him to Munich, Germany and into the past of WWII.

The Last Queen of England ****

Fiction.  Third in the genealogy mystery series.  Tayte is once again in England, this time attending a genealogical seminar and visiting with his old friend and mentor, Marcus.  Marcus is close-mouthed when it comes to telling what case he’s working on, but Tayte is determined to finish it after he witnesses his friend’s murder.

The Lost Empress *****

Fiction.  Fourth in the genealogy mystery series.  Tayte is off to England again for another case.  He’s trying to prove that his client’s grandmother left her former life behind in England and faked her own death at sea.  When someone tries to run him off the road, he suspects that the search he’s on could prove to be dangerous.

Books Read - April 2017

Baugniet, Gail M. 

Dark Paradise ***

Fiction.  Anthology of mysteries set in Hawai’i.

Berry, Steve

The King’s Deception *****

Fiction.  Eleventh book in the Cotton Malone adventure-mystery series.  Cotton has been in Georgia visiting his son Gary and is about to take him home to Copenhagen for the Thanksgiving holiday, when Stephanie Nelle asks him to accompany a British teenager back to London to be turned over to the police.  He has no idea this simple request will put both himself and his son in danger and have international consequences.

The Tudor Plot *****

Fiction.  A novella, the 12th book in the Cotton Malone series that takes place before the series began.  Cotton is still with the Magellan Billet and is working on a trial in London.  A messenger from the Queen comes to escort him to a meeting with the monarch and her husband.  Queen Victoria II is ill, and the entire country is worried about the next in line to the throne, her son Richard.  A playboy who is not interested in becoming king, he’s a pawn in a ruse to place his sister on the throne, after the death of his son.  Cotton must keep the boy safe.

Blake, Deborah

Dangerously Charming *****

Fiction. First in the Broken Riders urban fantasy series.  Mikhail Day, the former White Rider, has hidden himself away at a cabin in the woods hoping to figure out how to heal from the devastating events he and his brothers had gone through.  When a woman knocks on the cabin door, he has no idea that she will change his life forever.

Veiled Menace ****

Fiction.  Second in the Veiled Magic paranormal series.  Donata has been given a new office and additional job assignments, without a raise, however.  A rise in crimes dealing with Paranormals are spreading across the city, as Mother Nature is sending forth all sorts of natural disasters around the world.  Everything is tied to the Pentacle Pentimento painting that Donata came across six months earlier, and when she ignores a Dragon’s plea for help, she signs his death notice.

Blake, Heather

Gone with the Witch ****

Fiction.  Sixth book in the paranormal cozy mystery series set in the Enchanted Village of Salem.  Darcy Merriweather, owner of As You Wish, has been hired to spy on a competitor at the Extravaganza Pet Expo.  Ivy suspects Natasha of harming other contestants in order to win.  But what Darcy sees leads to murder.

The Witch and the Dead ****

Fiction.  Seventh book in the paranormal cozy mystery series.  Darcy is moving out of Aunt Ve’s home and into her newly renovated home two doors down, when a hideous discovery is made in her aunt’s garage.  A skeleton is found behind a stack of boxes, and Aunt Ve is horrified to discover that it is the skeleton of her second husband...and Aunt Ve is a suspect in his death.

Charlton, Karen

The Heiress of Linn Hagh *****

Fiction.  First in the Detective Lavender mystery series set in 1809 England.  Lavender and officer Woods travel to the northeast of England to try to find a missing heiress.  She somehow disappeared from her locked tower room in the middle of the night.  Lavender wonders at first if the gypsies who live in the woods have taken her, but the truth will shock everyone.

Cooperman, Kathy

Crimes Against a Book Club ****

Fiction.  When Annie and Sarah are in need of money, the begin a new business selling facial cream to the wealthy women of La Jolla.  Annie, without telling Sarah, has been adding a little cocaine to each jar just to give their product a little “kick”.  

Kinsey, T.E.

A Quiet Life in the Country ****

Fiction.  First in the Lady Hardcastle cozy mystery series set in England.  Lady Hardcastle and her lady’s maid, Armstrong, have moved to the country to live a quiet life.  But when the stumble upon a body hanging from a tree, they’re determined to discover who the culprit was.

McRaven, William H.

Make Your Bed *****

Non-fiction.  Admiral McRaven talks about the ten principles he learned in SEAL training, and we can apply it to our lives.

Neal, Toby

Bitter Feast *****

Fiction.  Eleventh book in the Lei Texeira crime series.  Lei is heavily pregnant and out on maternity leave.  Stevens draws a case of a murder at a famous restaurant.  A sous chef has been stabbed in the walk-in refrigerator, and Stevens and Mahoe have to find the murderer.  A tropical storm is on the way, setting up a dangerous situation when Lei goes into labor.

Bone Hook ****

Fiction.  Ninth book in the Lei Texeira crime series.  Lei and Stevens have been married for five years and are busy raising their son.  Stevens has ongoing PTSD and told Lei he signed up to work as a contractor for the military and will be deployed.  She’s enraged but can’t do anything to stop him.  A beautiful young marine biologist is found murdered 90 feet below the sea, and trying to find her murderer helps keep Lei occupied while waiting for Stevens’ return.

Dark Lava *****

Fiction.  Seventh book in the Lei Texeira crime series.  Lei and Stevens are starting out life as a married couple, they’re even trying to get pregnant, when Stevens gets a call from his ex-wife, Anchara, begging him to meet her.  When he arrives, it’s to find her dying of stab wounds and heavily pregnant.  With his child.

Fire Beach *****

Fiction.  Eighth book in the Lei Texeira crime series.  Lei and Stevens are still well-aware of the threat on their lives from the shroud killer, but they’re trying to move forward with their lives.  Lei’s father has moved in with them to act as manny for Kiet, and Jared, Stevens’ brother, has transferred to the Kahului Fire Station from the mainland.  There have been several cane field fires set by arson, but when the arsonist is blackmailed into targeting Lei’s house, things go up in flames.

Red Rain *****

Fiction.  Tenth book in the Lei Texeira crime series set in Hawai’i.  While trying to solve a possible old case, Lei stumbles on a large marijuana-growing enterprises.  Stevens is in Honduras, supposedly to train military investigators, but he is kidnapped and has to fight his way to safety.

Rip Tides ****

Fiction.  Ninth book in the Lei Texeira crime series.  A well-known surfer is killed while surfing, and Lei and Pono have to sort out his complicated love life and figure out who killed the man.

Shattered Palms *****

Fiction.  Sixth in the Lei Texeira crime series set on Mau’i.  Lei is called to investigate a dead body with an arrow in its back located in the wilderness park on Haleakala.  She uncovers a bird poaching scheme and the presence of more than one unknown persons in the park.  

Stolen in Paradise ****

Fiction.  FBI sgent, Marcela Scott, must solve a murder, and the handsome Marcus Kamuela, police detective, is assisting on the case.  Though Marcela has sworn off relationships, she’s intrigued by the detective, who helps her when is in danger.

Unsound ****

Fiction.  Dr. Caprice Wilson has recently gone through a divorce and started drinking.  When she’s told to go to rehab or get fired, she decides to try to fight her problem on her own and spend a week drying out and hiking through the Heleakala crater on Mau’i.  She doesn’t realize that she’s being followed or that her life is in danger.

Orenduff, Michael J.

The Pot Thief Who Studied Billy the Kid ****

Fiction.  Sixth book in the cozy mystery series set in Albuquerque, NM.  Hubie is approached by a man selling a pot he said came from a cliff dwelling.  When Hubie arrives there to see if there are any more pots, he discovers a body that he believes to be of an ancient cliff dweller.  When he suddenly has doubts, he returns to the spot only to discover the body has disappeared.

The Pot Thief Who Studied D.H. Lawrence ****

Fiction.  Fifth book in the cozy mystery series set in New Mexico.  Hubie and Susannah travel to Taos, where Hubie plans to give a lecture on native pots to a group of University donors.  A storm has followed them, and they end up stranded there for the weekend with the other attendees.  When a man is found dead in a chilly bathtub, they consider that maybe it was an accident.  When a second man is found naked in the walk-in freezer, they realize that they’re stranded with a killer.

The Pot Thief Who Studied Escoffier ****

Fiction.  Fourth in the cozy mystery series set in New Mexico.  Hubie is hired by a restaurant owner to design some chargers for the new restaurant.  He had no idea the job would entail so much of his time and energy, nor that it would become deadly.

The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O’Keeffe ****

Fiction. Seventh book in the cozy mystery series starring Hubie Schuze, the Pot Thief.  A man approaches Hubie to obtain a Tompiro pot for him.  The site is within the White Sands Missile Range, but even that doesn’t stop Hubie.

Painter, Sarah

The Garden of Magic ****

Fiction.  Prequel to The Spells of Language.  Iris is getting older, and her powers are fading.  Her garden is taking over, and she refuses to ask for help.  Bex gets fired from her job as a nanny for stealing something she never stole, and they end up helping each other.

In the Light of What We See ****

Fiction.  A double story told from the POV of Mina and Grace.  Mina has just broken up with her boyfriend, when he causes her to have an accident that ends up with her in a coma.  Grace is a junior nurse just finding her way around the hospital.  When Mina sees Grace’s ghost warning her about Mark, she has no idea that Grace is trying to save her.

Pepper, Angela

Wisteria Witches ****

Fiction.  First in the Wisteria Witches paranormal book series.  Zara and her teenage daughter, Zoey, have moved to Wisteria, where they find some of the townspeople a bit more extraordinary than usual.  They also meet Zara’s aunt, Zinnia, who has family secrets to share.

Robinson, Steve

In the Blood ****

Fiction.  First in the Jefferson Tayte genealogical mystery series.  Jefferson has been hired to trace a family tree, which leads him to England and sends him on a quest to solve a two-hundred year old mystery that just might get him killed.

To The Grave ****

Fiction.  Second in the genealogical mystery series.  Tayte is off to England again in search of information about a client’s birthmother.  A young girl falls in love, but when she is raped and falls pregnant, a series of tragedies follow her.

Stoker, Bram

Famous Imposters **

Non-fiction.  Collection of stories about true imposters through the ages.

Books Read - March 2017

Aasheim, April

The Witches of Dark Root ****

Fiction.  First in the Dark Root urban fantasy series.  Maggie Maddock is questioning her life in a cult run by her boyfriend.  When her sister, Merry, calls and begs her to come home to Dark Root, Maggie doesn’t want to respond.  But when she catches her erstwhile lover with another woman, Maggie heads home to face her magickal family and the many problems that are awaiting her.

Allende, Isabel

Inés of My Soul *****

Fiction.  Inés de Suárez lives in the 1500’s.  Born in Extremadura, Spain, she falls in love with Juan de Malagá.  When he leaves her to explore South America, she is left with two choices.  Either she can remain essentially a widow in Extramadura, or she can follow Juan to the New World and see where her journey takes her.  When he meets Pedro de Valdivia in Peru, she travels with the conquistador to the wilds of Chile, where she becomes the first gobernadora of Santiago.  She spends the latter part of her life with Rodrigo de Quiroga and dies as a much beloved woman of Chile.

Arden, Katherine

The Bear and the Nightingale *****

Fiction.  Vasilisa Petronova grows up in a village north of Moscow with her three brothers and her older sister.  Her father, Pyotr is the local lord.  Her mother, Marina, is the daughter of the Grand Duke, and even though she has a touch of magic about her, she dies as Vasya is born.  Vasya can see beings that nobody else can see, and she speaks with horses.  When she becomes the pawn between the Frost Lord and his evil brother, Medved, Vasya has tough choices to make to keep her family safe.

Bevill, C.L.

Ruins of Dreams *****

Fiction.  Fourth book in the Dreams dystopian series.  Lulu searches for code keys to stop a nuclear bomb from going off, but she’s sidetracked when she runs into a clan of cannibals.  Her  gift of creating portals is helping her get around, but it’s taking a toll on her brain.  Each time takes her longer and longer to recover, but she has no time to lose if she wants to prevent a world disaster and get back to Landers.

Charles, Ann

Tequila & Time ****

Fiction.  Violet and Natalie spend the evening at the Purple Door Saloon challenging each other to rounds of Truth or Drink, and by the end of the evening, they’ve revealed some closely guarded secrets to  each other.

Coehlo, Paulo

By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept ****

Fiction.  First of Coehlo’s books published in the U.S.  Pilar in contacted by a childhood friend whom she hasn’t seen in 12 years.  She loved him as a child, but is wary about falling in love.  When he declares his love for her, they embark on a journey during which he introduces her to the feminine face of God, and she watches as he struggles with his feelings for her.

Dams, Jeanne M.

Smile and Be A Villain ****

Fiction.  18th book in the Dorothy Martin mystery series set in England.  Dorothy and her husband Alan are on holiday on the Channel island, Alderney.  On their first day out, they stumble over a dead body.  When they investigate, they discover that while some people were very fond of the deceased, others despised him.  As they help the local congregation come to terms with his death, they discover many secrets of his.

Galenorn, Yasmine

Souljacker *****

Fiction.  First in the Lily Bound urban fantasy series set in Seattle.  Lily is a succubus and runs Lily Bound, her salon where she exchanges sex for chi in order to survive.  When one of her best clients is murdered in her home, she draws the ire of the Were community.  She’s shocked to find that the murderer is a vampire, and not just any vampire.  The Souljacker has escaped from the mental hospital and is out to reclaim his ink.

Greenwood, Kerry 

Cocaine Blues *****

Fiction.  First in the Phryne Fisher mystery series set in Australia.  Phryne was born and raised poor, but by a lucky happenstance of the deaths of several relatives, her father rises to the position of Lord, and Phryne is introduced to a world of wealth and privilege.  Unfortunately, she becomes bored, and while searching for something to engage her agile mine, she is hired by a father seeking to determine if his daughter’s husband is poisoning her, and Phryne rises to the challenge.

Holthe, Tess Uriza

When the Elephants Dance *****

Fiction.  During the last few weeks that the Japanese occupied the Philippines, a group of Filipinos took shelter in the cellar of a house hiding from the Japanese patrols and the bombings by both the Japanese and the Amerikanos.  While in hiding, several of the adults tell tales of their past.

MacInerney, Karen

Whale of a Crime ****

Fiction.  Ninth book in the Gray Whale Inn cozy mystery series set on Cranberry Island.  A tour company has filled up the inn, and Natalie is busy fixing meals for them to take along on their whale watching trips.  When the captain is murdered and Natalie’s best friend’s boyfriend is charged with the murder, Natalie, John, and the others start investigating on their own.

Orenduff, Michael J.

The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein ****

Fiction.  Third in the cozy mystery series set in New Mexico.  Hubie Schuz is hired to appraise a collection of pots by an anonymous collector who stiffs him of the appraisal fee.  In trying to get the money owed him, Hubie finds himself accused not once, but twice, for murder.  A mysterious beautiful woman seems to want his company, but she is not who she seems to be.

Orwell, George

1984 *****

Fiction.  The world is broken up into three major regions, each autonomous, and each at war with each other.  Winston lives in what used to be called London, which is now a part of Oceania ruled by the Party.  The Party dictates life, and in a most horrible way, it dictates history, changing it when the needs suit, completely annihilating it at times. Winston is a rebel, and the Party does not suffer rebels.  

Painter, Sarah

- The Secrets of Ghosts ***

Fiction.  Second in a paranormal series about a family of witches.  At twenty-one, Katie still hasn’t discovered her gift and is afraid that she has been born a dud.  But at work up at The Grange, she suddenly finds that she can see, hear, and communicate with ghosts, but when she tries to help them cross over into the light, she finds that not all ghosts are friendly.

Riegler, Bernhard

Mishap and Mayhem **

Fiction.  Memoir told by the father from the baby’s point of view of his first two years of life.

Rowland, Laura Joh

Shinju *****

Fiction.  First in the Sano Ichiro mystery series set in feudal Japan.  Sano is a yoriki, a policeman of sorts.  He obtained the position, not through a birthright, but through a favor owed to his father.  The other yoriki look down upon him.  When a couple is found tied together in the river, he is placed in charge of the case.  But when he realizes that his superior expects him to hand in a verdict of shinju - suicide, Sano feels there is much more to the story, and his conscience won’t let him rest until he uncovers the truth.

Smith Alexander McCall

The Kalahari Typing School for Men ***

Fiction.  Fourth book in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency cozy mystery series set in Botswana.  Mma Ramotswe is still waiting for her fiancé to set the ate for their wedding.  Her assistant decides to set up a men’s typing school and finds a love of her own.  But when Mma Ramostswe discovers that her assistant’s love is a married man, she struggles with having to disclose his true status.