Four-year-old Penny is found alone in a park by Grace. Grace feels a connection to Penny and eventually adopts her. She appears to be The Perfect Daughter to join Grace’s family of her husband and two older boys. But something is different with Penny, who is ultimately diagnosed with DissociativeContinue Reading
In The Last Thing to Burn, Thanh Dao and her sister Kim-Ly are smuggled into the UK by shipping container from Vietnam. They promised before leaving to pay off their transportation costs over ten years. After that, they would both be free of work obligations. However, after a couple ofContinue Reading
In The Kindred Spirits Supper Club, Sabrina has an unusual talent—she can see ghosts. Luckily, it only occurs in her hometown in the Wisconsin Dells. Unfortunately, after being fired from her Washington D.C. journalism job, she is forced to move back in with her parents. However, things are looking upContinue Reading
When a Stranger Comes to Town nothing good happens, at least in these nineteen varied tales. The book has many familiar names among its authors. Michael Connelly, Joe R. Lansdale, Lisa Unger, Michael Koryta. Alafair Burke and Joe Hill are some of the best known. As with all short storyContinue Reading
Who hasn’t wondered how it would feel to hit the Jackpot? Whether through the lottery or stock options, with great wealth comes great responsibility (or anguish according to this book). The rich, it turns out, really are different… but not necessarily happier. Jackpot investigates every aspect of what great wealthContinue Reading
Autopsy describes “Life in the trenches with a forensic pathologist in Africa”. It is surprisingly boring. However, I can see its usefulness to mystery writers. The author describes both the best and the worst ways to die. There are also some ways that I had never heard about before. BellyContinue Reading
Lady Amy and Lord William are back in The Sign of Death, the second book in the Victorian Book Club cozy mystery series. It’s 1891 and William’s man of business is dead. Of course, the bumbling police zone in on William as their number one suspect. So, mystery book authorContinue Reading
Rose has always been The Good Sister, covering up the difficulties caused by her twin sister, Fern. Fern is grateful. So, Fern decides to give her sister the one thing she can’t make herself—a baby. Fern is not “neuronormal”. She is upset by loud noises, colorful environments, and strong smells.Continue Reading
How can you and your children escape your abusive husband who appears increasingly unhinged? Unfortunately for Shele, the answer was being bludgeoned to death in her own bathtub. Shele had tried everything legally possible to escape At Any Cost. Nothing worked in this harrowing true crime tale. Shele’s story isContinue Reading
From Dawn to Dusk of the 1960s, Hollywood Eden details the stories of famous California beach bands like Jan and Dean and The Mamas and the Papas. It includes their optimistic beginnings through their worst moments. Not exactly California Dreamin’ by the end. Hollywood Eden is a well-researched look backContinue Reading
Deadly Editions is another great addition to the Scottish Bookshop cozy mystery series. This time Delaney is on a scavenger hunt for a signed first edition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The prize? A bibliophile’s entire book collection in her will. The challenge? A serialContinue Reading
What was causing a horrific smell and strangely common illnesses in a suburb of Los Angeles? Why were sea stars (aka starfish) pulling off their limbs and then liquefying? What was killing animals and people in West Virginia? How are the new “meatless meats” made and why? These are justContinue Reading
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson return in manga form in Moriarty the Patriot Vol 3. Holmes is arrested for murder! Sir Baskerville is playing the Most Dangerous Game! Moriarty is exposing the dark underside of the British nobility! The two stories here are based loosely, very loosely, on the AContinue Reading
Micro Food Gardening is a space-saving way to learn to garden and eat healthier! Plus, it is just fun to get your hands dirty once in a while. No matter the size of your home and yard, you can micro garden. The author cleverly repurposes items many people already haveContinue Reading
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is clearly in the same sub-genre of fictional 1970s music biography as Daisy and the Six. But this book layers on more of the era’s potent political activism and violent tendencies. Unfortunately, many of the issues are still relevant today. The characters withinContinue Reading
Poppy’s 1980s television career plays a major role in the third book in this cozy mystery series, Poppy Harmon and the Pillow Talk Killer. Poppy, Iris, Violet and Matt comprise the Desert Flowers Detective Agency in Palm Springs, California. Today’s case is unusual. Poppy and Matt are asked to provideContinue Reading