Mystery

Review: 12 Ways to Kill Your Family at Christmas by Natasha Bache

~ megs14malloy ~ Leave a comment

12 Ways to Kill Your Family at Christmas12 Ways to Kill Your Family at Christmas by Natasha Bache
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Prior to moving their family to Australia, Olivia and her husband, Miles, as well as their two children, must go spend a two-week Christmas holiday with Miles’s extremely wealthy and terrible family.

Olivia, a Romantasy author, from a family who couldn’t be more different than her husband’s, has always felt judged and out of place at the Weiss family estate. Nevertheless, she loves him and shall grin and bear it, because that’s what a good partner does.

As expected, his family is shockingly-rude from the get-go. It’s going to be a long two weeks. All the relationships are toxic and if Miles’s mother is around, the backhanded jibes are never far behind.

We won’t mention the tension you could cut with a knife due to the great inheritance debate over the multi-million dollar fortune. Olivia couldn’t care less about the money though, she cares more about the poor treatment that she, Miles and their children receive.

She can’t wait to get on the plane to Australia. Let’s gooo!

Soon after their arrival, an accident results in a family member’s death. Shortly thereafter, another family member falls victim to a terrible accident.

But then a third? Are we still believing these are accidents? As the bodies pile up, one after another, in admittedly quite creative ways, it becomes clear to Olivia that there’s a killer amongst them, but who?

Motivations and hostilities abound. It could honestly be anyone, or multiple people. It’s certainly not beyond the stretch of imagination that a plot to seize the inheritance could be in play.

When inclement weather cuts them off from the world, Olivia takes it upon herself to try to weed out the killer. Can she possibly get to them, before they get to her first?

The clock is ticking on a Christmas they’ll never forget. If they live to remember it, that is.

I had so much fun with this novel. It’s thoroughly deranged, but in a really fun way. I loved Olivia’s perspective. Her wry delivery and sarcasm, as well as the dark humor that Bache brought to the story made it wickedly-entertaining.

It felt quite cinematic as well. I feel like it would make a great holiday movie, like a Knives Out version of a holiday movie. I feel like it could translate so well into that format because of the drama and humor.

I was picturing Naomi Watts as Olivia, and Ewan McGregor as Miles. Not bad images to have in your brain, either one.

I also need to applaud Bache’s creative kills. I’m a Horror girl, and I love a unique or creative kill. Bache definitely delivered in that capacity here.

Another thing worth mentioning, that I really appreciated about this, was the relationships between Olivia, Miles and their kids. They were very close and remained so throughout the story. They felt supportive to one another, and were really the only bright light in this family.

I’m so glad I finally read this one. It was a great fit for my tastes in the Mystery genre. I loved all the twists and reveals. Messy family is drama is one of my favorite things in fiction and this took messy to the next level.

Thank you to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

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Review: Two Kinds of Stranger (Eddie Flynn #9) by Steve Cavanagh

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Two Kinds of Stranger (Eddie Flynn, #9)Two Kinds of Stranger by Steve Cavanagh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Two Kinds of Stranger is the 9th-book in Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series. I’ve really been enjoying this series. I haven’t read them all, and I’ve read them completely out of order, but I don’t feel like the order matters much.

Each book is its own unique case. What doesn’t change though, is the incredible cast of characters and Cavanagh’s fluid and engaging writing style.

If you aren’t familiar with the series, it does indeed follow Eddie Flynn, a criminal defense attorney, as well as his team, as they investigate, work and defend various cases in and around the New York City area.

The case in this book involves social media influencer, Elly Parker, who accidentally live streams the moment she catches her husband’s infidelity.

Devastated and unmoored, Elly leaves him and tries to stay out of the limelight as much as she can. On a rare occasion outside, she has a chance encounter with a stranger that plunges her into a nightmare she could never imagine.

Now facing the most serious of charges, for crimes she did not commit, Elly reaches out to the infamous Eddie Flynn, to defend her. Eddie is convinced Elly is innocent, but it’s harder to prove it than one would think, as an evil mastermind is manipulating the evidence from the shadows.

This mystery culprit seems to be one step ahead of Eddie, but Eddie didn’t get his reputation under false pretenses. This mystery criminal may have finally met their match.

This was a super compelling case. I loved that we got Elly’s perspective, so we knew exactly what had happened, but how was Eddie going to prove the truth?

We also got a glimpse into the mind of the baddie, and though I hated them, it was interesting. As with the rest of the books in the series that I’ve read, this is very fast-paced.

Cavanagh is constantly dropping new evidence and escalating the action. It’s not just action and intrigue though, this series also features fantastic characters.

While their relationships are built-up throughout the series, Cavanagh provides enough context that you can jump into the series wherever you want, and you won’t feel lost.

This is the 4th-novel that I’ve read in the series, and I’ve also read the prequel novella, The Cross. I’m looking forward to continuing. It’s a great series for anyone who loves intelligent and compelling Legal Thrillers.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with a copy to read and review. This series has been such a complete surprise for me, so thank you for bringing it to my attention.

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Review: Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards

~ megs14malloy

Miss Winter in the Library with a KnifeMiss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife is a Mystery novel written with the idea that you, the Reader, will be an active participant in the solving of said Mystery.

They’ve even included a Clue Index, where you can double check the clues included to see which ones you may have missed, or which ones you got right.

And dang it, I wish I had read a hard copy in the way the author intended. I think it would have made it more fun if I could’ve actually played along. I have an e-ARC, and the mixed media elements didn’t quite work out in my ARC copy, so I ended up listening to the audiobook.

Let’s be clear, I listen to a ton of audiobooks, and have solved a lot of mysteries via audio, but for this one, IDK, I just really wish I had the hard copy in my hands, because I have a feeling there are a lot of visual elements in here that were lost to me because of the format I chose.

This is a bit of a closed-circle mystery that follows 6 individuals involved in the world of Crime Fiction, who get invited to play a murder mystery game over the Christmas holiday by an entity know as the Midwinter Trust.

They travel to this vast property owned by the Trust, where they’ll all be lodging for the duration of the game. We also meet 6 members of the Trust, who are involved in the execution of the game. They’re there to make sure the game goes off without a hitch.

As generally happens, and to my absolute delight, inclement weather ensues cutting those staying at the Trust property off from the adjacent north Yorkshire village.

When someone actually ends up dead, all bets are off. The cast of suspects is small, limited to those on the property, but will someone will be able to solve the whodunit before anyone else loses their life?

Even though I griped earlier about wanting a hard copy, the story itself was still engaging. The audiobook narration was great for my tastes and I thought the overall set-up and premise were fun.

I enjoyed how Edwards incorporated classic Mystery tropes, but the story did go in a direction I wasn’t crazy about. Nevertheless, I would recommend it to Mystery Readers who like to suss out the truth behind the murder.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Edwards is a prolific author and I would love to try out more novels from him. I’m not sure where to start, so if you have any thoughts, leave them below!

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Review: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

~ megs14malloy

Mad MabelMad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went into Mad Mabel. The synopsis didn’t jump out at me as a novel I’d need to read with any sort of immediacy. However, it is from Sally Hepworth and she’s never let me down.

I was afraid this would be more literary than I tend to enjoy, or that the little kid mentioned in the synopsis would drive me nuts. Spoiler alert: I’m not big on kids.

Regardless, I had to find out for myself how Mad Mabel was going to play out, and I’m so glad that I did. I loved this, full stop. I was on the brink of tears for like the last 15%. I can’t believe how emotionally-connected I became with these characters and this story.

Elsie, aka. Mad Mabel, will definitely be in the running for my favorite character of the year!!

The audiobook, narrated by Hannah Fredericksen and Jenny Seedsman, is absolutely the way to go, IMO. Their voice work brought this story to life. I was swept away and couldn’t put it down once I started.

We get both a past and present perspective from Elsie. The past perspective is filled with fascinating details as we learn about her family, her upbringing, and how she earned her reputation as Mad Mabel. Happily, this is one of those cases where both perspectives are equally compelling.

I loved learning about Elsie’s past because it added so much context to her present character, but the present was so fun as well. Elsie is 81-years old in the present perspective and her delivery and the way she interacted with others had me cackling on more than one occasion.

Equally though, there were moments that broke my heart. I feel like this range of emotions that I felt while reading this is a testament to Hepworth’s talent. I was so invested, I felt like I was a part of the narrative.

I would recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed Hepworth’s work in the past, but also to anyone who just really loves endearing elder characters. If you enjoyed Too Old For This, or The Marigold Cottage Murder Collective, I think you’ll really enjoy this one as well.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This story grabbed me by the heart and never let go. This will definitely be on my Best Books list for 2026!

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Review: The Killer Question by Janet Hallett

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The Killer QuestionThe Killer Question by Janice Hallett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Janice Hallett has made quite a name for herself as the Queen of the Unconventional Narrative. Her books are always a journey. They’re truly a unique reading experience and I always walk away amazed.

The way she’s able to weave a complete story together using only human interactions is unmatched. The use of mixed media is exceptional, making for highly-entertaining audiobooks. In The Killer Question, the mystery centers around pub quiz nights in one small village.

The mystery and corresponding story are revealed through a cycling array of quiz categories, phone messages, and email correspondence. The full cast audio pulled me in and never let go. I was swept away, feeling like a patron of the pub.

If you’ve enjoyed Hallett’s work in the past, you should absolutely read this one as well, and if you’ve never read Hallett before, I think this could be a fun one to start with. It’s certainly a great example of her style!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Janice Hallett is one of my go-to authors and she hasn’t let me down yet.

I always look forward to her latest releases. Even though her style is very distinctive, and carries over throughout her books, you never really know what you’re going to get. She certainly keeps her Readers on their toes!

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Review: A Voice in the Dark (Benedict Hoffman & Helen Belle #1) by Barbara Nickless

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A Voice in the Dark (Benedict Hoffman and Helen Belle Book 1)A Voice in the Dark by Barbara Nickless
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

A Voice in the Dark is the 1st-book in the Benedict Hoffman and Helen Belle series from Barbara Nickless. This is an Adult Crime Mystery series that follows FBI Profilers.

Where my brain goes when I hear Criminal Profiler:

This book kicks off when a father, mother and son are killed in their Boulder, Colorado home. That same night, the family’s teenage twins disappear. Helen Belle is intrigued by the case as it mirrors one she worked on 5-year ago, where a boy killed his whole family and then went mute.

That case led Helen to a mysterious online figure known as the Midnight Man. That this figure may have played a role in that case, perhaps urging the boy to commit his terrible crimes, has never left Helen’s mind, but she and her partner on the case, Benedict, weren’t able to prove anything.

With this new case, and the clues that come along with it, Helen can’t shake the feeling that this confirms what she and Benedict were saying before. There is someone out there influencing these kids to commit horrific crimes, and this person needs to be flushed out and stopped.

Even though she and Benedict didn’t part under the best of terms, Helen reaches out to him with the details of the new case, to see if he’ll help her try to stop the Midnight Man once and for all.

Honestly, I had my ups-and-downs with this one. In the beginning, I saw it as a solid 3-star read, but the 2nd-half did pick up considerably for me and I loved the direction the author ultimately went with it. It felt very modern.

One thing I felt, particularly towards the beginning, was that I wished we were just getting Helen’s perspective, as opposed to getting both Helen and Benedict. I didn’t really care for Benedict. His personality just wasn’t appealing to me in the slightest.

However, by the end, he has started to grow on me. I’m still not completely sold on him yet, but we’ll see how we get on in the future installments.

I did appreciate how gruesome Nickless went with her details. She didn’t really hold much back, and I like that. I want to be uncomfortable. I want to be gripped, and the case in this story definitely had my attention. The twins that disappeared, particularly, Katelynn, I was worried for them and wanted them to be okay.

Overall, while I did feel like Benedict’s sections did slow down the pace of this one for me, it ended up being a fairly solid story. I will definitely be continuing with the series. I feel like it’ll only get stronger as it goes, and as I become more attached to the characters.

Even you, Benedict.

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

A Voice in the Dark will be available on July 1, 2026.

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Review: I Found a Body by Becky C. Brynolf

~ megs14malloy

I Found a BodyI Found a Body by Becky C. Brynolf
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

I Found a Body is a Adult Mystery that I ended up really enjoying. I was hesitant going in because the overall rating is below a 3.5, which seems fairly low for a new Mystery. I actually put it off for a while because of that.

And I have to say it wasn’t at all what I expected, particularly based on the vibes this cover is giving off, but I did find it interesting. I think it could be a case of the cover selling Cozy or Humorous, and it’s not really that. It’s just a Mystery, and it actually tackles some fairly serious topics.

We have DS Mona Hendricks, who 9-years ago was called to the scene of murder after a body had been discovered by a popular influencer while she was live-streaming. The footage went viral and the case sort of blew up, with lasting repercussions both for Mona and the influencer, Kylie.

In spite of its high exposure, the case remains unsolved all these years later. Mona, who has officially reached rock bottom, alone and out of work, estranged from her daughter, is surprised when Kylie, now a TV personality, approaches her to reopen the case.

Though she can’t really do so in an official capacity, Mona agrees to help Kylie and the two set out to see if they can finally solve the case that haunts them both.

There’s some back and forth in time and amongst people involved; a lot of moving pieces. I found Mona to be a compelling main character. You don’t learn immediately what led to her life taking such a stark downward trajectory, and I did like learning about all of that.

I thought the mystery was fairly well-plotted. There were moments where I might have been mildly confused, or felt like maybe some things didn’t add up, but in the end, I feel like Brynolf pulled it off. I am glad I ignored the overall rating and still gave this one a shot.

Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books and Highbridge Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I would recommend this to Mystery fans, and particularly the audiobook format, which was well narrated.

I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

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Review: The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey

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The List of Suspicious ThingsThe List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Going into The List of Suspicious Things I knew one thing about it, that it involved the true life case of the Yorkshire Ripper, who was convicted of murdering 13 women in Manchester and West Yorkshire in the UK, in the late-1970s and 1980.

I had heard that this was a personal novel for the author, Jennie Godfrey, who grew up in West Yorkshire, and whose father had actually worked with the man later identified to be the Yorkshire Ripper. I needed to read this book.

It just sounded like such a unique perspective she would have writing this book; something that few others would have. I assumed this was just a straight-up Mystery novel though, but it’s not really. It’s much more than that.

If I had read the full synopsis, I would have read that it was a Coming of Age story, but I didn’t. Luckily, for me, I love a Coming of Age storytelling style and it really worked for me here as well. So, this is more of a Historical Fiction Coming of Age tale with a real life mystery in the background.

This story is mostly told from the perspective of a young girl named Miv, who lives in West Yorkshire at the time that the community is being plagued by these vicious killings. There are small snippets from others throughout the book, but Miv is definitely our focus.

As a child, I believe she’s around 11-years old, Miv doesn’t full grasp the gravity of what is happening around her in the community, how serious the threat is, but she knows it’s something bad and frightening.

Along with her friend, Sharon, the two decide they are going to find this killer and put a stop to it. They begin digging around, finding suspicious things about the people in their community. Could one of these suspicious people be responsible for the killings?

We follow along and learn about this community, which is a bit economically depressed, with families who yeah, have issues that stem from the life stressors that come along with systemic poverty and uncertainty.

I won’t get too much further into it, as I feel like my experience with it, not knowing too much, is really the best way to experience this. It pulled me in. Miv has all the purity of childhood, thrust into pretty scary circumstances.

I feel like she was trying to bring order to that in any way she could. It was like the more she could control her circumstances, the less scary it would feel for her, which is relatable, right?

Unfortunately, she didn’t realize how much her actions could impact those around here, and we do see some of that play out. I loved learning about this community and meeting the various adults who played a part in the neighborhood goings-on.

I loved the fluidity and humanity in Godfrey’s writing and though it did feel a little slow to me at times, there’s really nothing I would have taken out of it. I just feel like it’s a bit more Literary than I’m used to reading, so I grew impatient at time with the pace.

Overall however, even though this wasn’t at all what I expected, I did end up getting fully sucked into the story and I enjoyed it a lot. I thought Godfrey did a great job of making this an immersive experience for the Reader, and the audiobook production added to that with the multiple narrators. I would recommend the audiobook format if you’re going to check this one out.

Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to read more from Jennie Godfrey!!

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Review: Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

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Forget Me NotForget Me Not by Stacy Willingham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Claire’s older sister, Natalie, disappeared 22-years ago. This was a traumatizing event for young-Claire, and she’s carried heavy feelings regarding it ever since. It severed their family and nothing was ever the same.

In fact, after leaving home for college, Claire has never returned. She was more than happy to leave the past in the past, where it belongs.

She moved to a city and worked her way up as an investigative journalist. Recently, after not receiving a promotion she should have been a shoe-in for, she gave up her position and decided to do freelance work.

Unfortunately, securing that work has been more difficult than she anticipated, so when she receives a call from her Dad saying her Mom has been injured and can use her help, she decides to go to her aide.

Returning to her hometown after such a long period of time away churns up all sorts of buried emotions. Additionally, her estranged mother doesn’t seem all that happy to see her, like not at all. It hurts.

With nothing but time stretching ahead of her, and restless where she’s at, Claire decides to do a little digging. She’s an investigative journalist, after all.

She decides to go to visit Galloway Farm, the vineyard in South Carolina where Natalie had a Summer job just prior to her disappearance. The visit ends up turning into temporary work for Claire, who although she’s never been a farm hand, is excited about the offer of free room and board.

The idyllic escape quickly moves in a more mysterious direction though after she stumbles across the owner’s wife’s old diary stashed away in her cottage. Originally thinking it’s just a tale of young love, Claire is surprised when the diary reveals much darker truths involving unsolved crimes and missing persons.

I really enjoyed my time reading Forget Me Not. Stacy Willingham definitely knows how to write a compelling and suspense-filled story. I always anticipate her latest releases, and so far, I’ve never been let down.

I read this via audio, and it does feature dual narration, with one of my favorite voice artists, Karissa Vacker, voicing Claire, and Helen Laser voicing the diary bits. I appreciated that the publisher chose to use the two narrators as it really helped to make the separate sections distinct.

This also features a couple of my favorites tropes, the MC returning to her hometown after a long-time away and the found diary, so it was sort of fated to work for me.

I also tend to love mystery stories that follow journalists, because it feels natural for them to be digging into things the way they do. It doesn’t seem forced, or far-fetched. It’s literally part of their jobs and they have the training and experience to do so.

I felt bad for Claire as a character. My heart definitely went out to her. She lost her sister, a person she idolized, and through that also ended up losing her Mom and Dad. They separated, and her family unit all went their separate ways. She felt very alone.

The intensity builds steadily throughout. It pulls you in and while I did guess a few of the big twists that were revealed, there were many more that I didn’t see coming.

This is def entertaining and I would recommend it to Mystery, Thriller and Suspense Readers. I’m not sure how memorable it’ll be for me long term, but it was very fun.

It’s a bit culty, a bit cringey domestic drama and dark family secrets. It’s got a lot going for it, honestly, for those of us who love messy relationship dynamics.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’ve enjoyed all of Willingham’s books and will be anxiously awaiting whatever she writes next. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us.

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Review: Everyone in This Bank is a Thief (Ernest Cunningham #3) by Benjamin Stevenson

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Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief: A NovelEveryone in This Bank Is a Thief: A Novel by Benjamin Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙

Everyone in This Bank is a Thief is a fabulously-fun installment to the Ernest Cunningham series. It successfully channels all the quirky meta-vibes that Readers, including myself, have been enjoying in the previous books.

This is the 3rd-novel in the series, and there’s also a fun novella set around the Christmas holiday. At this point, our protagonist, Ernest, is a successful crime writer who’s honed his craft frequently via hands-on experience.

The mystery in this story takes Ernest in a new direction though, when the bank he’s at for a loan meeting, gets held-up and the people inside suddenly find themselves taken hostage, including Ernest and Juliette.

As the event starts to unfold, Ernest begins to notice unusual things about the robber and the situation in general. It seems there’s more than money at stake. What is he really after, and what is the actual aim of this heist?

As Ernest gets to know everyone in the bank, and as he starts to put the various puzzle pieces together, even the hostages become his suspects.

I’ve enjoyed following Ernest’s character arc over the course of these novels. He’s very much evolved and I feel like this story was a perfect glimpse into the life he’s living now. It’s such a change from when we met him in the 1st-book.

I liked that Stevenson went in a different direction with the plot of this story as well. It’s not just another murder mystery. The bank setting and the cast of unknown characters added a fun new direction for the series.

I listened to the audiobooks for all of the novels and the narration by Barton Welch is absolutely fantastic. He is Ernest Cunningham to me. I cannot recommend the audio versions enough, if you have them available to you.

I read this in a day. It was so quick and easy to get through. There were a ton of twists and unexpected turns, I had no clue where this was really going. It was such a fun ride.

I’d love to get a physical copy of this one for my collection, as this is the rare mystery I would love to read again and annotate. There were so many interesting clues along the way that I’d love to analyze more closely.

At this point, it’s fair to say Benjamin Stevenson has found a fan in me for life. I’m not sure what the long-term plans are for this series, but I’m certainly hoping for more installments. There’s so much more fun to be had!

Thank you to the publisher, Mariner Books and Harper Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This series brings me such joy and I can’t recommend it enough!

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