Review: A Murder is Announced (Miss Marple #5) by Agatha Christie

~ megs14malloy

A Murder is AnnouncedA Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

As some of you may know, one of my 2023-Reading Goals is to read all of the full-length novels in the Miss Marple series in order.

A Murder is Announced is the third novel in the series and generally considered one of the best. I had been greatly anticipating this one and had so much fun with it.

Christie’s stories are complete nostalgia for me. They’re comfort reads and this one, the classic set-up, it felt completely her.

This one is set in the village of Chipping Cleghorn and follows the events that occur after the local Gazette runs an advertisement stating, A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m.

No one knows what it means, but the village is a titter about it. Many locals decide there is only one way to find out, thus arriving at the stated destination at the appointed time.

As they gather in the residence, without warning the lights are extinguished and a gun is fired. As the lights come back on, a gruesome scene awaits them.

Who is the victim? Who is the killer and why?

As with the previous novels, Miss Marple wasn’t in the house at the time of the crime, but gets consulted after due to her expertise in such affairs.

This had a big cast of quirky characters and it was fun trying to work out all the connections and varied relationships. There is also talk of an inheritance of sorts and I always love that trope.

I wasn’t necessarily trying to figure out the whodunit whilst reading this, but I will say, the reveal did surprise me. I feel like Christie succeeded in pulling the wool over my eyes; a misdirection, if you will.

Overall, I loved it. It was such a great mystery, with intriguing twists that did ultimately surprise me.

Also, I feel like we got more face time with Miss Marple in this one and she was in more danger than ever before. It was tense and intriguing. Well done!

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Review: What Remains by Wendy Walker

~ megs14malloy

What RemainsWhat Remains by Wendy Walker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After a violent incident in a department store, Detective Elise Sutton was hailed a hero in her community. The truth is though, Elise doesn’t feel like one.

She’s battling complicated and conflicting emotions about that day and the only person who seems to understand is the man she saved. A man she comes to know as Wade Austin. The two of them are now connected by the event.

Unfortunately for Elise, he’ll never let her go.

Elise quickly realizes she’s called a wolf to her door. This man is not who he says he is and soon he becomes an eminent threat to her and everyone she cares for.

Racing against the clock, Elise works to outsmart him and severe their tie before it’s too late. This guy has done his homework though and always seems two steps ahead.

Y,all! Wendy Walker has done it again. This was so gripping. The opening scene, oh my word, I was at the edge of my seat. 100% in it.

There were a lot of elements to this, like Wade’s interactions with Elise, that really got under my skin. The circumstances were playing off some of my own real-life fears. I always love when a narrative is actually able to raise my heart rate and that was certainly the case here.

I liked Elise as a main character. She was smart, resourceful and fiercely independent. I did get angry at her now and again for her secretiveness, but I understand her motivations for being that way.

I loved her partner, Rowan. I sort of wish we would get more Thrillers with them as a detective duo. I feel like there is more we could explore with them personally and since they specialize in cold cases, I am sure there is plenty of interesting mysteries for them to dig into.

Wishful thinking, I know. I’m sure this is a standalone, but this just gives you an idea of how much Walker sold me on this detective partnership.

In addition to the steady pace and tension throughout, the ending of this got nail-biting intense. I was at the edge of my seat, flying through the pages so fast, I think I saw sparks come from the end of my fingers.

I would absolutely recommend this to people who enjoy a taut, intense, well-plotted Thriller. I always enjoy Walker’s stories, but I think this is my favorite one yet!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’m sure you can tell by this review, but I’ll say it one more time, I loved it!!

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Review: Senlin Ascends (The Books of Babel #1) by Josiah Bancroft

~ megs14malloy

Senlin Ascends (The Books of Babel, #1)Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Years ago, after watching a few of my favorite BookTubers rave about The Books of Babel, I scurried out and bought the first three books in the series.

I did this, of course, without even reading this first book. Why did I buy all three of them without knowing if I would even like it, you may wonder?

At that time, there were only three published so far, but you better believe your sweet rump that I then bought the fourth book upon its release, again without starting the series.

Last year I began a TBR-Haul Project, where I go back through my Reading Journals, and select one or two books that I hauled for each month and read them.

Senlin Ascends is the 17th-selection for that project. I hauled this book, and the next two, in February of 2019. I’d say it’s about time I got around to them.

I’m happy to report, this was absolutely amazing. I was blown away by how creative the world is, not to mention the overall story and characters.

I immediately picked up the second book, The Arm of the Sphinx, upon completion of this one and am now fully immersed in this series, fangirling all the way.

If you aren’t aware, this is an Epic Fantasy series, with some light steampunk elements. The world-building is very unique. I would classify it as a slow burn story, but it’s so rich and detailed that it makes sense that way.

We follow Thomas Senlin, a recently married headmaster, who takes his new bride on a honeymoon to the Tower a Babel. They’ve barely exited the train when Thomas and Marya, his wife, are separated in a busy marketplace.

No matter what tactic he takes, Senlin is unsuccessful in finding her in the market, but he can’t give up. He doesn’t care how long it takes, he is determined to find her. There’s no other choice. He will not leave the Tower without her.

And thus it begins…

Y’all, this made me anxious from the start. About 40-pages in and it was already making me sweat. The Skirts, which is what the outside level where the market is located is called, was giving me sort of Goblin Market vibes.

It was all very sinister, without knowing why I was feeling that way. There was just this feeling of dread and wickedness exuding out of it. Senlin had zero people he could trust to help him in his search. No where to turn. It was a very desperate feeling.

As he entered the Tower and began to progress through the ringdoms, circumstances do not get any easier. In fact, they get progressively more dangerous.

Along the way, Senlin does discover tiny clues as to where the missing Marya may be, but how to get there? Perhaps, if the once innocent headmaster transforms himself into a criminal mastermind, he’ll be able to reach her.

I love how Bancroft began to reveal the truth of the Tower itself. It’s certainly not at all the gleaming, idealized vacation spot that Senlin expected after reading his Everyman’s Guide to the Tower.

I also really enjoyed all the characters we meet along the way, the ones Senlin aligns himself with and the ones that are against him. Everyone is out for their own interests. It’s a dangerous place.

A bit Alice in Wonderland mixed with Hotel California, ‘you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.’

I’m super stoked to be continuing on with this series. We learn a lot about the Tower and how it functions in this one, but there are still SO MANY mysteries.

I’m really looking forward to seeing how this progresses and ultimately wraps up!

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Review: Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills

~ megs14malloy

Something Close to MagicSomething Close to Magic by Emma Mills
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Super cute, funny and comforting, reading Something Close to Magic feels like a warm hug. Mills has done well with her debut into the YA Cozy Fantasy space.

I’ve loved some of Emma Mills’ YA Contemporary stories and was so excited to see her explore YA Fantasy. Unsurprisingly, she was able to deliver her same heart-warming and humorous writing style to this tale.

In this story we follow 17-year old Aurelie, an overworked and underappreciated baker’s apprentice at Basil’s Bakery.

Nevertheless, Aurelie persists. She keeps her head down and does her work, trying not to attract the attention of the grouchy and miserable bakery owner.

Aurelie’s life is up-ended one day when a determined bounty hunter, Iliana, enters the bakery and asks Aurelie to assist her on a quest in the dangerous Underwood.

Iliana has Seeking Stones she would like Aurelie to use to help her to find a kidnapped Prince and she’s not taking no for an answer.

Seeking is a magical skill that Aurelie has, but it’s not one she utilizes often. Eventually though, Aurelie caves. Iliana is persuasive and as it turns out, she’s got some time off of work anyway, and oh yeah, thanks to her miserable boss, no place to stay during her break.

Might as well go on an adventure!

They set out on their quest, they make friends, they find the hapless Prince, aptly named Prince Hapless and charming hijinks and character growth ensues.

Mills nailed her transition to Fantasy. She delivered her signature witty banter, cutsey romance, cozy vibes, light magic, court intrigue and sweetly-charming characters.

The perfect potion for a fun story!

I would absolutely recommend this to Readers who have enjoyed Mills’ work in the past, or any Cozy Fantasy Readers in general, YA or Adult.

For example, if you loved My Lady Jane, A Far Wilder Magic, or Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, you should definitely check this one out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I adored my time with this story and really hope Mills continues on in this space.

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Review: Murder on the Safari Star (Adventures on Trains #3) by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman

~ megs14malloy

Murder on the Safari Star (Adventures on Trains #3)Murder on the Safari Star by M.G. Leonard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

💙💛💚💙💛💚💙💛💚💙💛💚💙💛💚💙

Murder on the Safari Star is the 3rd-installment of my new favorite Middle Grade series. I adored the first two books and this one was more of the same.

After train journeys in his native-UK and in the USA, it’s now February holiday and this time Hal is joining his Uncle Nat in South Africa for a trip on the classic Safari Star.

Arriving in South Africa, Hal is itching for a new mystery. Having successfully solved mysteries aboard the Highland Falcon and the California Comet, Hal has earned himself a bit of a reputation; a young-Sherlock, if you will.

I love how quickly these books kick-off. The authors definitely know how to grab the Reader’s attention. Within 10%, we’re already in South Africa, boarding the train and meeting the players of our soon-to-be mystery.

As with the earlier stories, there is a character Hal’s age on the train, Winston, who he quickly befriends and works with to solve the case. Bonus, Winston’s pet mongoose, Chipo, who brings a heavy dose of cuteness to the story.

Cute animals aside though, you should be warned, this mystery is the most sinister and dangerous yet!

We have a death on the train. The person involved was in a locked room. Most people suspect it was an accident, unfortunate, but nothing to be too alarmed over.

Hal, who was outside the room at the time, doesn’t believe it was an accident, but he’ll have to prove it, if anyone is going to believe him. The investigation begins.

I was so intrigued by this one. The person involved was absolutely vile and had insulted, or angered, pretty much every other passenger on the train, including his own family. This left Hal with a lot of suspects.

I loved how it was a classic and true locked-room mystery. How could the killer have pulled it off?

It was fun watching Hal try to work through it all. There was even a scene where his Uncle Nat helped him to reconstruct the crime to try to find answers. It was adorable.

I became quite invested in certain characters and felt my heart-rate rising as they fell under suspicion. It was gripping until the very end.

Overall, this was an absolutely fantastic installment to the series. It was an incredibly fun mystery to try to solve. The quality of the locked-room set-up would make Dame Christie proud!

I would absolutely recommend this series to Readers of all ages. The books are always engaging and fast-paced, with a great group of characters and wonderful illustrations.

10-out-of-10 recommend!

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Review: Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

~ megs14malloy

Love, TheoreticallyLove, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Queen of steamy-STEM is back and she’s brought with her a BIG man! Oh yeahhhh, you better believe it!

His name is Jack, he’s brillant and he’s the size of a refrigerator. His chest is so wide, that when our MC, Elsie, runs into him, black holes are brought to mind. And his hands!? Don’t even get me started on his hands!!

Listen. We all know Ms. Ali Hazelwood has a formula. She knows what works and she is sticking to it. Clearly, as I have read everything she has had published, I AM HERE FOR IT!!

Seriously, I am such a fangirl at this point, it’s embarrassing. I don’t think I have ever rated one of her books less than 4.5-stars. It’s a whole thing.

The setting of this one is Boston’s bustling academic corridor. We have Elsie, a theoretical physicist, who is currently working as an adjunct professor at multiple area colleges and universities.

Elsie is sweet and quirky and also, struggling financially. She has acquired a bit of an undercover second-job, where she works as a fake girlfriend. She has kept this part of her life completely secret, except from her best friend/roommate, as it could put her academic career in jeopardy.

Sure enough, she finds herself in a bit of a pickle when the grumpy older brother of her favorite client turns up on the hiring committee of her latest job interview. It’s MIT. She wants this.

Jack Smith, an annoyingly attractive experimental physicist believes Elsie is a librarian dating his brother, so needless to say he’s a little shocked to find out who she really is.

Confusion ensues on both parts. What to do, what to do?!

It’s Ali Hazelwood, y’all! You know what’s about to go down in this story. Sparks, steam and all out nerdy romance bliss.

I loved these characters. Again. Always. Hazelwood creates such charming, lovable characters. They have issues, they’re not perfect and they’re so relatable because of that.

Jack is an absolute cinnamon roll. I loved how thoughtful and open he was. His feelings for Elsie were pretty clear, although she was a bit more bumbling, I did actually really adore her. The chemistry between the two was fantastic.

I feel like we do wait a bit longer for the steam to set in with this story than with previous Hazelwood books, but boy, oh boy, was it ever worth the wait!!!

I loved this. It’s that simple. I will continue to pick up every single thing that Hazelwood writes. I would love to see an archaeologist thrown in the mix at some point, but that could be my own personal kink…

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

As expected, this was steamy, swoon-worthy, witty, perfection. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what Hazelwood comes up with next!!

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Review: A Cornish Seaside Murder (Nosey Parker #6) by Fiona Leitch

~ megs14malloy

A Cornish Seaside Murder (A Nosey Parker Cozy Mystery, #6)A Cornish Seaside Murder by Fiona Leitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

💕💚💕💚💕💚💕💚💕💚💕💚💕

A Cornish Seaside Murder is the 6th-installment of the Nosey Parker Mystery series by Fiona Leitch. This is the 4th-book in this series that I have read and I have been enjoying my time with these mysteries so much.

These books follow Jodie Parker, who resigned from the Metropolitan Police in London after a close call and returned to her native village of Penstowan in Cornwall with her teen daughter, Daisy, and their Pomeranian, Germaine.

Jodie created her own catering company and it is taking off. With the help of Daisy, her Mom and other friends, she’s created quite the little team.

Recently though, after assisting her beau, DCI Nathan Withers, on a couple of cases, Jodie has been brought onto the Penstowan Police force as a DS. That is the capacity she is working in throughout this mystery.

It’s tough, trying to juggle the catering with the DS position, as well as being a single Mom. We see Jodie grapple a bit with finding balance in this story.

The mystery involves the local fishing community and sees one man dead, as well as a college-aged man beaten to the point of being in a coma. It appears that the beaten man was actually tortured, like someone was trying to get information out of him.

What is the connection between these two men and what led them to this outcome?

All this excitement is happening amidst the annual Mermaid Festival, so the town is packed. Jodie and Nathan need to solve this one quick before it has the chance to escalate, possibly harming innocent observers.

As always, I had so much fun with this. I love the cast of characters Leitch has created in the charming village of Penstowan. Additionally, I’ve enjoyed watching Jodie try to navigate her new life back home.

There’s been some adjustments, but she has a lot of support and I’m so happy with the progress her business and relationships have made.

I will say, I found this one to be a bit more serious in tone than previous installments. I think just because of the nature of the crimes involved. It didn’t have quite the same level of silliness that I enjoyed before, but I still had fun with it.

I am curious to see if there are going to be more books in the series. I certainly hope so. The ending of this, it’s hard to tell. It could go either way. This could be the end, but fingers crossed Leitch has more in store for us. I’d be so excited to get my hands on a book #7!!

Thank you so much to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I would absolutely recommend this series to any Cozy Mystery Lover!

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Review: Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould

~ megs14malloy

Where Echoes DieWhere Echoes Die by Courtney Gould
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

After their mother’s death, 17-year old, Beck, and her 15-year old sister, Riley, are supposed to go live with their Dad and his new partner in Texas. Before they go, Beck has something she needs to do.

Concocting a story of staying with a friend and her Grandmother for a bit of a vacation, Beck and Riley are free to take some time and travel where they want. Beck’s plan is to go to the town of Backravel, Arizona, to find some answers about her Mom’s mysterious final months of life.

Their Mom was an investigative reporter who became obsessed with Backravel. She traveled there frequently. At times it felt like she was choosing Backravel over them.

Beck is determined to find out why.

As they arrive in Backravel, it’s clear that something is up with this town. The people are strange and treating them even more strangely. They’re strongly urged not to take their car to town and there’s no cemeteries or churches.

The girls settle in to their rented trailer, a place where their Mom had stayed previously, and Beck digs into her investigation. She’s keeping her true goals from her sister, so in a way is continuing in the path of her Mom before her.

The town has a charismatic leader, Ricky, who runs a treatment center everyone seems to attend. Beck sets her sights on getting to the bottom of this center, these treatments and Ricky himself.

Beck befriends Ricky’s daughter, Avery, and gains a lot of new information that way. In the meantime, she also ends up falling for Avery and confiding in her in unexpected ways.

This was an interesting story. I liked the set-up and the vibe of this creepy little town. The concept made me think of a few other things. For example, it reminded me of A History of Wild Places, mostly because of the remote town that felt like a cult, or commune. I did like the mystery of that.

Also, the treatments that were talked about that Ricky performs for the citizens, it made me think of Scientology, like auditing that is performed on members. I was super interested in figuring out what was happening there.

Eventually though, I started to get bored with it and then it went in a direction that I just didn’t really care for; the twists. Put another way, while I enjoyed the mystery, I didn’t enjoy what the answer ended up being.

However, that is 100% a personal taste issue. Gould’s writing is great. The sense of place and, as I mentioned, overall mystery were well done. I did really enjoy The Dead and the Dark by this author, so I think this is just a case of this one not really matching my preferences as far as tropes go.

I did listen to the audiobook and would recommend that as a format choice. The narration is excellent. I felt it fit the tone of the story very well.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m glad I had the chance to read this one and will definitely be continuing to pick up Gould’s work!

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Review: The Spare Room by Andrea Bartz

~ megs14malloy

The Spare RoomThe Spare Room by Andrea Bartz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Kelly loves Mike. Kelly thought Mike loved her. Kelly has sacrificed a lot for their relationship, recently moving from Chicago to Philadelphia for his job, leaving her job, friends and family behind.

As the Covid-19 pandemic puts the world in lock-down, Kelly and Mike’s relationship takes a turn for the worse. Mike suddenly requests that they pump the breaks on their upcoming nuptials.

Kelly is devastated and confused. She doesn’t know where she stands with Mike now. It’s uncomfortable and stressful being trapped in their tiny apartment together.

The only bright spot of this period of time is the friendship Kelly has rekindled with a girl she used to know in high school, Sabrina, who is now a successful Romance author.

Kelly confides to Sabrina about her current relationship issues and Sabrina comes up with a plan; a perfect escape for Kelly to clear her mind and reassess everything.

Sabrina offers Kelly the chance to go live with her and her husband, Nathan, at their palatial mansion in Virginia. They have a spare room, might as well put it to good use.

Kelly graciously accepts. She’s heartbroken to be leaving Mike behind, as it is still unclear about where they stand, but nevertheless, he doesn’t try to stop her. In a way, she feels she doesn’t have a choice.

Not knowing how long she will ultimately stay with the couple, Kelly packs just the necessities, including her cat, Virgo, and heads to VA.

Initially, things are awkward, but a few glasses of wine help and Kelly finds herself truly relaxing and settling in.

Both Nathan and Sabrina are gracious hosts, who seem truly happy that she is there. So happy in fact, that after a night of bonding over a great meal, drinks and some time by the pool, they end up opening up their relationship to her and a steamy threesome ensues.

Kelly can hardly believe her luck. She has never felt this way. She’s happy and falling hard. Mike, who?

There are some red flags though. The most disturbing is the fact that the couple’s previous partner disappeared under mysterious circumstances. When Kelly presses for information, she’s not satisfied with the answers she is getting from Sabrina and Nathan. What are they hiding?

As the tension mounts, Kelly starts to think she’s in over her head. Could she be the next one to disappear?

Y’all, this was such a tricky one to rate. It took me days and I’m still not sure I got it right. I waffled between a 2-star and 4-star rating.

Honestly, there were quite a few things about this story that drove me nuts. On the flip-side though, there was also great intrigue, tension and food for thought.

I did enjoy how quickly Bartz got us to the meat of the story. Within the first 10% of the story, Kelly is already getting herself to VA and settled in.

I like that the author didn’t waste a bunch of time with filler in the beginning. We’re all here to see what happens when Kelly moves into the spare room, after all.

I also enjoyed the sexual chemistry between the trio. That was a fun dynamic to watch play out.

It did take a long time to get anywhere though after the initial set-up. I was just hoping for someone to get murdered or something by the halfway point.

I was getting miffed at Kelly because she was making so many dumb choices and I started to dislike both Sabrina and Nathan. It was weird though because even through those negative emotions, I was addicted to this story.

I couldn’t stop reading. It had the suspense and messy drama I needed to keep me furiously turning the pages.

The second half was all over the place for me. There were some fun reveals and the tension definitely continued to grow, but it felt chaotic at times and not in a good way.

It got wilder and wilder as the story progresses, almost to the point where, I won’t say I was rolling my eyes, but I was close. Either way, I couldn’t stop thinking about it after.

If I were to describe The Spare Room with one word it would be, twisted.

Overall, I walk away from this happy with my reading experience. It was far from perfect, but there’s no doubt that I was entertained and compelled to keep reading.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a memorable one!

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Review: Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding

~ megs14malloy

Speak of the DevilSpeak of the Devil by Rose Wilding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Speak of the Devil is a creative work of Crime Fiction told in a bit of an unconventional way.

I’ll admit, the first couple sentences of the synopsis are what sold me on picking this one up. I needed nothing further. Yes, please. You had me at ‘severed head’…

In fact, this story does begin with a severed head in a dingy hotel room. Seven women, all very different, but all somehow connected to the man to whom the head once belonged, are gathered around it.

They all had their own reasons for wanting him dead, yet none of them own up to the crime.

Can they figure out who is guilty before the authorities decide for them?

First off, I found this extremely interesting, the content and topics explored. However, I also found the construction of the story to be a bit jarring. There are a lot of characters and you get all of their perspectives. The narrative jumps around a lot, not only via perspective, but also in time.

With this being said, I found the individual perspectives compelling. As you read how each of the women are connected to the murdered man, Jamie, and you come to understand the different experiences that they each had with him, the true portrait of who Jamie was becomes clear.

The way he treated these women. His narcissism, abusive, violent and derogatory behaviors landed him in the spot he ultimately found himself in, headless.

But we can’t just go around decapitating men who use, abuse, gaslight and disregard us, can we?

While I did have some moments where I had to really search my brain to remember some previous connection, or fact, overall, I did enjoy this one.

There was a lot of great social commentary of the treatment of women who have been victimized; whether they are believed, or painted as somehow responsible for the evil things that have happened to them.

As a revenge story, I feel quite satisfied with this one and am definitely interested in picking up future work from this author. This got dark and I appreciate Wilding’s commitment to taking it there.

I would recommend this one to Readers who enjoy a lot of deep character work and social commentary in their Crime Fiction. Additionally, I would recommend the audiobook. I enjoyed the narration style quite a bit.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This has left me with quite a bit to think about!

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