small town vibes

Review: The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

~ megs14malloy ~ Leave a comment

The AnniversaryThe Anniversary by Alex Finlay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

The Anniversary follows two main characters, Jules Delaney and Quinn Riley. When they were both 17-years old, back in 1992, one fateful night changed the trajectory of both of their lives, and intertwined their stories forever.

This sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Finlay expertly-weaves together the stories of Jules and Quinn, keeping me at the edge of my seat the whole way through.

On the fateful night in question, Jules survives an attack of the elusive May Day Killer, a serial predator who attacks unsuspecting young women every May 1st in small Midwestern towns. Though she survived the attack, certain psychological scars may never heal.

And poor Quinn, trying to break-up a fight, severly injures one of the participants, and he’s arrested and ultimately ends up in juvenile detention because of it. While he’s there, his mother is murdered, and the crime goes unsolved.

A year later, Jules is plagued with survivor’s guilt, and Quinn, recently released from juvie, struggles to put the pieces of his life back together.

We follow both of their perspectives through that process, with the book ultimately spanning over many years.

Jules and Quinn never give up their search for answers, and over time, more and more clues are revealed, bringing their paths back together once again. The bottom line is the May Day Killer is still out there, Quinn’s mother’s murderer is still out there, and they’re determined to find the truth before any other innocent lives are lost.

I feel like I’m not giving this detailed plot justice, but you get the gist. I really enjoyed the back and forth and how we followed the two MCs over such a long period of time. As the puzzle pieces started to fall into place, my attention was fully captured.

The audiobook was fantastic. It’s dual narrated by Brittany Pressley and Ari Fliakos, and having the individual narrators for both perspectives, really lent believability to the plot. It also kept my attention more than had I just been reading a hard copy, I think.

Jules and Quinn were both great characters. They had been through so much, but they never let the negativity of those events completely overwhelm them. Sure, they struggled through some complicated emotions, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but they never lost their determination and will to fight for closure.

They were also both very smart and resourceful. A highlight for me was their interactions together. I felt like they supported each other nicely.

Overall, I had a blast with this. It’s really, really good. The story is gripping, with tons of twists and turns that’ll keep you flipping pages well into the night.

Finlay’s last release, Parents Weekend, fell a little flat for a lot of people, I enjoyed it, but certainly not as much as some of his earlier works. With The Anniversary, I feel like he’s hit his stride again. I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to the pubisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I look forward to whatever Finlay has in store for us next!

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Review: The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts (The Marlow Murder Club #5) by Robert Thorogood

~ megs14malloy

The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts (The Marlow Murder Club, #5)The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts is the 5th-book in Robert Thorogood’s The Marlow Murder Club series. I’ve enjoyed the previous books tremendously, so had been anxiously awaiting this 5th-release.

If you aren’t aware, these books follow Judith Potts, a widow in her 70s, and her two BFFs, Suzie and Becks, as they tackle mysteries in their local Marlow community.

This installment involves the deaths of two local celebrities, who although they don’t initially seem connected, the women decide to investigate nonetheless, because it certainly can’t be coincidence. But why would a killer be targeting such high profile locals?

Judith, Becks and Suzie, never ones to turn away from a truly puzzling mystery, are sure that the two cases must have a link, but finding it will be a challenge.

With all of this going on, it’s not a great time for Judith’s past to come back and haunt her, but that’s exactly what happens. Judith’s distracted, are her dark secrets finally going to come to light, or will she be able to put out that fire and solve the murders all at the same time?

I’m so happy to report that this ended up being my favorite book of the series thus far. I loved the growth displayed by all four of our main ladies, I’m including Tanika, their friend and police contact, with this statement, and I feel like they are all truly coming into their own.

There was something so ‘final’ feeling about this ending though. I’m actually nervous about it. I really hope this isn’t the last mystery we get with this fabulous cast of characters.

When I first started with this series, I liked it, but I wasn’t in love, but as the series has progressed, each installment seems to get stronger, or perhaps it’s that I’ve become so attached to the ladies. Either way, I feel like Thorogood has done an excellent job leaning into their personalities and allowing the series to grow.

I love the dynamic between Judith, Suzie and Becks. They support each other so well, and where one of them may have a weakness, the others can provide their own strengths, making them a fantastic team.

I really enjoyed learning more about Judith’s past in this one as well. Thorogood has been alluding to something potentially shady in Judith’s past that she’s been hiding from, but we never got the full scope of that. I feel like I have a much deeper understanding of her now.

As usual though, there’s also a great amount of humor in the story, particularly when the ladies are in full investigation mode. They’re so funny, the hi-jinks they get themselves into, even dangerous ones, all to solve the crimes. Now that’s dedication to a goal.

I would highly recommend this series to all Cozy Mystery fans, in particular if you enjoy friendship groups solving mysteries together, or elderly amateur sleuths. The small town vibes are on point as well, as is the humor and heart.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. As mentioned above, I truly hope we get more installments in this wonderful Cozy series!

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Review: It Happened One Murder by Liz Lawson

~ megs14malloy

It Happened One MurderIt Happened One Murder by Liz Lawson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

After getting fired from her dream magazine job in NYC, Harriet Baker returns to her hometown, a sleepy beach town in New Jersey, to lick her wounds and recover.

Unfortunately, living with her eccentric mother and narcissistic step-father isn’t necessarily a soothing environment for her. Nevertheless, Harriet won’t be there for long. She just wants to keep her head down until she can return to some semblance of her former life.

Then her mother decides to throw an extravagant birthday party for her. The last thing Harriet would want, but like with everything else, her mom is like a tornado and poor Harriet just gets sucked unwilling up into the cyclone.

At the party, full of her Mom’s friends and acquaintances, Harriet ends up running into her one-time fling, Nic Allbright, whose family is catering the event. She’d not forgot those short weeks with Nic, but it did take her a moment to recognize him.

That’s not awkward at all…

When the party abruptly ends in murder, all eyes are looking to Nic’s sister, Sara, who was the chef at the party. She knowingly left in a huff after a loud squabble with the individual who now lays dead on the beach.

Nic knows his sister is innocent and he needs to clear her name. Harriet also has a motivation to investigate the crime. She’s been offered her old job back if she writes an article uncovering what really happened the night of the party. After all, True Crime is popular.

For her article, Harriet is going to need Nic’s cooperation. She needs access to his sister, and if he is going to clear Sara’s name, he needs Harriet’s skills as an investigative reporter. But will they be able to put the past in the past, and actually work together?

It Happened One Murder is a really cute romantic Cozy Mystery. I loved the set-up of the party and how quickly Lawson got us to the murder, and hence the mystery.

I also really enjoyed Harriet’s perspective, what was going on with her as far as her job and family. I also loved the beach setting. Nic was charming and compelling as a love interest as well. I liked the backstory of their time together as teens, and how differently their lives had gone since then.

While the mystery itself didn’t quite knock my socks off, the likable characters and the romance more than made up for it. The banter between Harriet and Nic was great, and I appreciated that we got both of their perspectives. I think it added a lot, as far as understanding their relationship.

I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy cozy, low stakes, mysteries with a side of romance. I think Lawson balanced all the elements of this story very well and I’m excited to read more from her in the future.

Thank you so much to the publisher, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This story is as cute as its cover!

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Review: The Only One Who Knows by Lisa M. Matlin

~ megs14malloy

The Only One Who KnowsThe Only One Who Knows by Lisa M. Matlin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Only One Who Knows follows Minnow Greenwood after she quits her job as a TV News Reporter, and breaks up with her fiance all in one go.

Feeling like there’s nothing left for her in Melbourne, Minnow returns to her small hometown of Kangaroo Bay, a place she thought she’d never live again.

She reunites with her estranged brother and even starts to assist with the family business. Her family has a rough history, with both her mother and then their father having disappeared on them. But that’s Kangaroo Bay for you. Everything about it is rough.

When bodies start washing ashore, apparently victims of shark attacks, Minnow isn’t buying the story being told by the police. Minnow starts to do a little investigating of her own into the town she knows is riddled with dark secrets.

This was interesting. I liked some aspects of it, mainly the setting and Minnow herself, and then others I didn’t care as much about. Because of this, the overall experience was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

The bits about sharks, abalone, and the fishing community in general, I could have done without. Of course that’s just personal preference. I would have preferred just the missing person bits, and maybe a little town history.

However, I did like the way it was wrapped up and I also like how Minnow was forced to face past. I do tend to love stories where the MC returns to their hometown, after a long period away, and end up looking into past mysteries, etc. This definitely checked off that box.

For the most part though, I was fairly bored. The tone is also quite morose, and the mystery lacked a certain intensity for me. I think 3-stars based on my experience is quite gracious, but I know there are a lot of Readers who will be able to connect with this one more than I did.

Thank you to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Even though I found this one to be underwhelming, I still plan to pick up Lisa M. Matlin’s future releases.

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Review: The Hive by Ronald Malfi

~ megs14malloy

The HiveThe Hive by Ronald Malfi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Towers, and dragons, and wheels, oh my!

A town collectively losing their mind, mentally telepathy and more. This novel felt like an ode to all things King, but also felt like quintessential Ronald Malfi.

This novel is a monster, coming in at over 600-pages, it fully classifies as a tome. We’re following basically the entire town of Mariner’s Cove in the aftermath of a terrible storm.

Residents of the town begin acting strangely, becoming obsessed with seemingly random objects. There seems to be a different item for each person, and each person becomes fixated on finding and collecting their particular object.

There’s also a young boy in town who has a certain, let’s call it, extrasensory power, that helps him to see all these events a little differently than everyone else, but it also draws the others attentions to him.

Yeah, I don’t know what else to say about the plot. I feel like that’s all you really need to know. The scope is large, the concepts are larger and it takes some wild turns.

To me, this was giving heavy The Tommyknockers meets Needful Things and I was into it. There’s so much to keep track of, but even if you miss some finer details, the larger picture is still fairly easy to track, so don’t be scared.

The audiobook is great, so I would recommend that format as a way to help you make it through this epic story. I read both my e-copy and the audio over the course of a week, and I actually feel like I felt more connected to it when I was listening to the audio version.

While this isn’t my favorite of Malfi’s stories, I still really enjoyed it and am so impressed that he pulled this off. There’s so much content here and I’d love to hear him speak to what his inspirations were for writing this.

I’m a huge Ronald Malfi fan. IMO, he’s one of the best voices writing in Horror Fiction today. I’ve had so much fun with so many of his books and will continue to pick them up as long as he keeps writing them.

If you’ve never read from Ronald Malfi before, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend starting here, but for regular Malfi Readers, it’s a must. With this being said though, this is definitely worth reading, especially if you want something a little out of the box.

Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to see what Malfi comes up with next!

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Review: Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass

~ megs14malloy

Too Close to HomeToo Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Too Close to Home is set in the affluent lakefront community of Clover Lakes. And like many communities of this type, people seem to care a lot about everyone else’s business, and trust when I say, I do too. I’m here for it.

I love a juicy and twisted neighborhood drama, so I was all aboard in the beginning. We follow multiple-POVs and the drama kicks off at the annual Labor Day party, when a car explodes and someone is killed.

We follow three women directly tied to the individual who is killed, and through them we learn how the community, in general, is responding in the aftermath of the incident. It seems so out of the ordinary for Clover Lakes. This isn’t the kind of place where stuff like that happens.

But other strange things are happening in the community too, bomb threats at the school, and people who are supposed to be dead being spotted in a crowd, to name a couple of examples.

When a Clover Lakes resident goes missing shortly thereafter, the community is motivated and they pull together to search. Secrets are bound to be uncovered and it leaves some residents quaking in their heels.

I’m a huge Seraphina Nova Glass fan and love picking up her latest works. While this wasn’t my favorite from her, it’s still fast-paced, twisty and interesting.

I rated this one in comparison to her other novels that I’ve read. This is the 7th I’ve read from her, and I actually think content-wise, it’s my least favorite. It’s still good, don’t get me wrong, I just enjoyed her other stories more.

This did feel a little different in tone for me, very action-based, versus more psychological. I respect her continuing to bring different ideas to the table though, and this is a good story, just not a perfect fit for my taste.

There’s a lot of drama in this one for all three women, but it ultimately ended up going in a direction I wasn’t crazy about. I wanted neighborhood drama, not all the other stuff we ended up getting.

There was also a character, I won’t say who, that just made a series of ridiculous choices. I’m all for making mistakes and doing stupid stuff in fiction, it’s a great way to progress a story, but in this case, it didn’t make sense at all.

She ended up getting deeper than was ever necessary into the weeds and she just kept doing it over and over and over. It bordered on the ridiculous, that’s for sure. I think her entire perspective could have been done differently and still kept intensity and mystery.

At the end of the day though, this is strictly personal taste and I’m no expert, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Even though this wasn’t my favorite of her works, I still love Seraphina Nova Glass, and will continue to pick up every book she releases.

I would highly recommend the audiobook if you’re planning to pick this one up. It is voiced by three of my favorite narrators, Karissa Vacker, Brittany Pressley and Rebecca Lowman, so you can’t go wrong with that. They definitely succeeded in bringing the story to life.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Park Row and Harlequin Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This was entertaining and I can’t wait to see what SNG is going to come up with next!

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Review: Murder at the Highland Games (Ally McKinley Mystery #4) by Dee MacDonald

~ megs14malloy

Murder at the Highland Games (Ally McKinley Mystery #4)Murder at the Highland Games by Dee MacDonald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Murder at the Highland Games is the 4th-installment in the Ally McKinley Mystery series. Set in Scotland, these books follow Ally McKinley, a recent retiree and widow, who fell in love with the village of Locharran whilst on vacation and decided to move there.

Ally purchased an old malthouse, renovated it and turned it into a successful Bed & Breakfast. She runs it herself, with only the help of one local lady, Morag, who comes in and helps her with cleaning when there are guests in.

In this installment, Locharran is hosting their annual Highland Games. A lot of the local lads have been training hard and they’re excited to get the chance to compete against their friends, and maybe even show off a little for their loved ones. The excitement in the village is high.

Just in time for the games though, a Canadian family, the Armstrongs, arrive for a stay a Ally’s B&B.

The traveling group is comprised of a father, mother, their two teen daughters, as well as the father’s sister and her husband. It turns out, the father, Archie, is a successful Highland Games competitor in Canada and he’s started touring around to compete in games in other locations.

The locals are disgruntled this outsider, a ringer no less, has come to town to compete in their games. They don’t think it’s fair for him to even be allowed in, when so many of their boys have worked so hard to get ready for the competition.

Nevertheless, of course Archie is allowed to compete. It’s an open games, but that doesn’t mean everyone is okay with it. When Archie drops dead during the caber toss, it quickly becomes apparent that his death is no accident. Archie has been murdered, right there in the open, in the middle of a fully attended event. All eyes were upon him.

Ally can’t believe it. Who could have pulled something like this off, and why? With Archie’s death under investigation, the rest of his family is forced to stay in place at the malthouse until they’re cleared to leave.

When no easy answers present themselves to the local authorities, Ally decides to take matters into her own hands. Ally’s not sure who the killer might be, but it’s clear to her that the killer could just as easily be one of her guests as a local, and she’s determined to get to the bottom of it.

Ally has gained a bit of a reputation locally as an amateur sleuth, so much so that the lead investigator often seeks her out to bat ideas around with. She’s a trusted member of the community and she uses her relaxing attitude to get people to spill the beans.

Just as Ally thinks she’s approaching a final answer, her lead suspect ends up dead by the loch, clutching a mysterious note in his death grip. With the killer still at large, will Ally be able to determine their identity before it’s too late?

I’m so sad another Ally McKinley mystery has come to a close. I love Ally so much at this point. She’s like a Grandma to me, and it’s not just her either, it’s all the locals that I’ve come to know and love over the course of these 4-books.

This series has quickly become one of my favorite, currently-running, Cozy Mystery series and the warm vibes of Locharran is one of the main reasons why. Settling in with one of these mysteries is like snuggling in with a hot cup of tea on a rainy day.

This mystery got really messy and poor Ally, I wanted this family out of her house. The two adult women, Archie’s wife and his sister, Patti and Wendy, they were stressful. A little high maintenance and I started to really feel for Ally having to deal with them every moment of the day.

The girls, Julie and Janey, were super sweet though. I feel like they came to love Ally as much as I do. I wish they could become regular characters. They’d be such cute additions to the series. They loved Ally’s dog, Flora, and I feel like Flora really helped them get through the difficult circumstances they found themselves in. Dogs are the best.

There were a lot of twists in this one. Every time I thought I had it figured out, there would be some new development that would send me in a different direction. I loved how it ultimately all came together though. I think MacDonald did a great job with the plot progression, revealing things just when you needed them most.

I’m looking forward to whatever comes next in this series. I’m not sure how many books the series is slated to be, but I’m here for the long haul. I’d love for Ally’s children to come for a visit. Maybe if they saw her solve a mystery, they’d realize what a great life she has now.

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

I would absolutely recommend this series to any Cozy Mystery fan, particularly if you enjoy more mature protagonists and small village vibes. 10/10 recommend!

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Review: The Killer Question by Janet Hallett

~ megs14malloy

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: Murder, She Wrote: The Body in the Trees by Terrie Farley Moran

~ megs14malloy

The Body in the TreesThe Body in the Trees by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

The Murder, She Wrote series holds a special place in my heart. I have read over 50-books in this series that I started when I was a kid. My Mom used to buy the mass market paperbacks upon release and I gobbled them up.

It’s been the longest committed relationship of my life.

The series, originally written by Donald Bain, began in 1989. 37-years later, we are getting the 62nd-installment of this long-running series, The Body in the Trees. Since Mr. Bain’s passing in 2017, the series has had a few different authors contributing to keep the series going.

I do feel like the series has struggled to maintain consistency since Bain’s passing, and some of the newer authors have seemed more natural to the series than others. Terrie Farley Moran, so far, has been my favorite.

Admittedly though, I struggled a bit with this one. It’s definitely not my favorite in the series. It did scratch an itch though, and I was happy to be back in Cabot Cove. I have lots of thoughts and opinions on the way this one came together, but I’m trying not to get salty.

With long series like this, you aren’t going to love every one and that’s absolutely fine.

This story centers around a group of young tourists who are visiting Cabot Cove. The young women end up staying at the Hill House Hotel, the best hotel in Cabot Cove, and a setting that will be familiar to veteran Readers of the series.

Jessica and her friends have a run in with these young ladies while they are dining at the Hill House restaurant one night. It was from this initial scene where the tourists are introduced, that I started to realize this one might not be for me. The way the young ladies were written, I just didn’t find it believable. Sweatshirts and sneakers at a nice restaurant?

Nevertheless, even though little bits and bobs got under my skin about it, the mystery did keep me invested and guessing. I predicted where it was heading, which is absolutely fine, but I ultimately didn’t enjoy who the baddie ended up being. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

I know this is nit-picky, especially for a Cozy Mystery series that is just supposed to be escapist and comforting. I just have read all of Terrie Farley Moran’s contributions to the series and was expecting to enjoy it a bit more.

Nevertheless, I love this series with my whole heart. As mentioned above, in long series like this, you are going to have some you prefer more than others. If I were ranking them all, this would fall in the lower end. For long-time Readers of the series, it’s still worth picking up, especially if you enjoy the mysteries set in Cabot Cove.

For new Readers of the series, I wouldn’t suggest starting with this one. I think you would be best served picking an earlier installment, though they can be read in any order.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will never stop reading this series. As long as they’re being published, I’ll be reading them!

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Review: The Cornish Christmas Pantomime Murder (Nosey Parker #9) by Fiona Leitch

~ megs14malloy

The Cornish Christmas Pantomime Murder (A Nosey Parker Cozy Mystery, #9)The Cornish Christmas Pantomime Murder by Fiona Leitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

❤️💚🤍❤️💚🤍❤️💚🤍❤️💚🤍❤️💚🤍

The Cornish Christmas Pantomime Murder is the 9th-book in the Nosey Parker Mystery series by Fiona Leitch. This is my favorite currently-running Cozy series. I absolutely adore it and look forward to each new installment.

For someone who tends to shy away from commitment, to be here at book #9, already anxiously anticipating the next, is definitely saying something.

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 daughter, Daisy, to live a simpler life.

Even though she now runs her own successful catering company, old habits are hard to break and Jodie has helped the local police with some challenging cases. It’s through this that she first met her beau, DCI Nathan Winters. Her Pomeranian, Germaine, rounds out their crew.

This mystery, set around the Christmas holiday, begins at the local theater where the amateur dramatics group, the Penstowan Players, are putting on their annual pantomime. Both Jodie’s daughter, Daisy, and her mother, Shirley, are taking part.

Jodie got away with not participating by agreeing to cater the Opening Night Party. Unfortunately, before the party can even get started, in fact, barely halfway through the show, a cast member’s murdered body is found in the wings.

The show cannot go on. The police swiftly take control of the scene and an investigation begins. And just because she’s not formally with the police anymore, doesn’t mean Jodie’s not going to be asking some questions as well.

This was another fabulous installment. I love this series so, so much. Settling in with each consecutive book feels like reuniting with old friends.

This cast of characters fills my heart to the brim and then some. I love their cheeky humor and the mysteries are always engaging. Jodie and her family are such a focal point in the stories, and I appreciate so much how Leitch has portrayed their relationships.

This one kicks off very quickly, which gave plenty of time for the investigative portions, which is something I tend to look for in my Cozies. Other things I frequently look for that Leitch excels at are the humor and the small village vibes.

I also liked the number of different suspects we had in this mystery, as well as their varied potential motives. It made it a fun and engaging mystery to try to solve.

Finally, I love that this series doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s still incredibly well-written, paced and plotted. Fiona Leitch is a true gem in the Cozy space.

I’m really hoping for more; meaning, I hope it never ends!

Thank you to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will patiently be awaiting news on Book #10!!!

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