Book Review of ‘In Cold Chamomile’

 A Valentine’s Day Cozy Mystery

In Cold Chamomile

Author Joy Avon brings us Book #3 in her “A Tea and a Read Mystery” series. 

Story Locale: Heart Harbor, Maine

Time: February 

Event: Valentine’s Day

Main Characters: Callie Aspen, Great-Aunt Iphy Aspen, Deputy Ace Falk

Story Plot

Callie Aspen and her Boston Terrier Daisy have moved to Heart Harbor, Maine where she helps out her great-aunt Iphy in her aunt’s vintage tearoom - Book Tea. The tearoom’s sweet treats all have a bookish clue. 

As the story of In Cold Chamomile begins, Callie is getting ready for the town’s big Valentine’s Day event to be held at Haywood Hall, a famous old mansion recently renovated. 

The event has six main themes all based around love, including a musical performance, the tearoom’s sweet treats brought by Callie and Aunt Iphy from their tea shop, and a second hand book market where you can ‘bring a book, take a book’. Additionally, a book expert is on hand to appraise (and buy) vintage books brought in. 

But, trouble is brewing in the form of an argument the librarian has with the book expert. Plus, the baritone who arrives for the music program turns out to be someone Aunt Iphy recognizes as an old acquaintance she had hoped never to meet again. 

The event appears to be going well until a dead body is discovered. Suspicion points to quite a few people who had reasons to want the victim dead. 

Enter Deputy Ace Falk to investigate. Falk not only is currently acting Sheriff due to the Sheriff being ill, he is also the boyfriend of Callie Aspen. In the first two books in this Tea and Read mystery series, Callie had ‘helped’ solve previous murders (of course getting herself in trouble and danger as the heroine in cozy mysteries tend to do). This time, Ace wants Callie to stay away from any ‘amateur sleuthing’ because he worries that her impulsiveness will endanger her. But when Aunt Iphy’s friend-from-the-past (the baritone) is suspected of the murder, both Iphy and Callie set out to clear his name. 

Summary

A delightful cozy mystery that is light-hearted and easy to read involving books and tea and a murder to solve. A fun Valentine’s Day read.

Note: All three of the books in the ‘Tea and Read Mystery Series have ‘tea’ names (In Peppermint Peril, Sweet Tea and Secrets and In Cold Chamomile). Described as “The Perfect Brew” by a fellow cozy mystery writer, this is a delightful new series. 

*In Cold Chamomile book review written by Wednesday Elf

*Images source: Pixabay

 In Cold Chamomile: A Tea and a Read MysteryCheck Price In Peppermint Peril: A Tea and a Read MysteryCheck Price Sweet Tea and Secrets: A Tea and a Read MysteryCheck Price In Cold Chamomile: Book Tea Shop Mystery AudiobookCheck Price

 

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Above the Bay of Angels - Book Review

 

Above the Bay of Angels

Above the Bay of Angels is a stand-alone book by Rhys Bowen, an author that has best-selling books in her mystery series.  I had never read this author before but after reading this delightful historical mystery, I will be sure to look for more books by this author.  I found this book very intriguing.

The Book on Amazon

Below is a link to the book on Amazon if you should wish to purchase it.  If you are a member of Amazon Prime you will find it in the Kindle books you can read for no charge.

Book Summary

At the beginning of the book, you meet Bella a young girl who is sent into servitude when her mother dies, and her father can no longer support her and her sister.  In the years she is a servant she works her way up to working in the kitchen and becoming a cook.

In a bizarre twist of fate, Bella runs into a young woman in the streets of London who has been hit by a carriage.  As Bella comforts her the young woman thrust a letter into Bella's hand and then dies.  The letter contains an invitation to interview for Queen Victoria's cooking staff that very afternoon.  Bella is torn with what to do, but soon decides that the letter will do the young woman no good.  Bella poses as the young woman, Helen Barton and is able to obtain a position at Buckingham Palace.

Helen (Bella) carries on with her pretense and is able to find herself in favor with Queen Victoria in her cooking skills.  When one of the cooks cannot make a trip to Nice with the Queen's staff Helen (Bella) is able to make the trip.  Helen has some delightful adventures both with cooking and the people she meets in Nice.  A mystery ensues when one of the Queen's relatives is poisoned by some food.  When a detective from London is called in Bella fears her cover will be blown.  

The book is a wonderful, lighthearted mystery.  There are many cooking references, so if you are interested in food and cooking you will also enjoy this mystery.  I'll leave you now to read the book and find out if Bella finally finds peace and happiness.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Book Review of Reckoning

An FBI Thriller by Catherine Coulter

Catherine Coulter is an American author who has written 89 books in the genres of romantic novel, historical romance, and contemporary suspense thrillers. Her suspense genre includes her bestselling FBI Thriller series. Reckoning is #26 in that series.

The Plot of Reckoning

FBI Agents Savich and Sherlock are back.  This time they are enlisted to help a woman and a twelve-year-old prodigy with traumatic pasts, both of whom are now in mortal danger. 

Two plots are intertwined throughout the book. 

First we have Kirra Mandarian whose parents were murdered when she was just 12, and she barely escaped with her life. Her uncle takes her back to Australia, where he leads challenging treks into the Outback for his company Extreme Australian Adventures. Uncle Leo adopts Kirra and keeps her safe a world away from those who wanted her dead. 

Now it is fourteen years later and Kirra has returned to the United States where she is a commonwealth attorney in the Virginia town she grew up in. She is determined to find out who killed her parents, as the case has never been solved. She begins to gather information and secretly turns it over to law enforcement in the form of Lieutenant Jeter Thorpe, the young detective in the local police department who saved her life all those years ago. She also enlists the aid of Agent Savich, who brings in Special Agent Griffin Hammersmith. 

Meanwhile, Emma Hunt, a twelve-year-old piano prodigy, the granddaughter of powerful crime boss Mason Lord, also has a traumatic past. She was abducted when she was only six years old and later saved by her adoptive father, federal judge Ramsey Hunt. When Emma saves herself from another abduction attempt at Davies Hall in San Francisco after a rehearsal, the would-be kidnapper escapes. 

Emma is scheduled to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Even though her family is worried for her safety, they still decide to travel there with promised protection from their friends, Savich and Sherlock of the FBI, plus protection from Metro. 

But.... things don't turn out as planned.... nothing turns out as planned. 

Summary

Reckoning is another suspenseful and exciting novel in Coulter's FBI Thriller series. Two plots which flip back and forth with two interesting main characters and multiple supporting characters. The plots have surprising twists, and even includes a sweet romance.  Coulter fans will find this latest Savich and Sherlock mystery a fun read. 

Links to More Coulter Book Reviews:

• Final Cut  
• Bomb Shell
• Vortex

For more Book Reviews, check out ReviewThisBooks.com

*Book Review of “Reckoning”, written by Wednesday Elf

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Murder Out of Character by Olivia Matthews – A Book Review

 This is Book 2 in the Peach Coast Library Mystery Series.

Murder Out of Character is a cozy mystery with a librarian as the main character. The story locale is a small town near the coast of Georgia. Book #1 ~ Murder by Page One ~ began this mystery series and apparently the author uses book terms (Page One and Character) in her titles, completely in keeping with the 'library' theme. 

The series is published by Hallmark Publishing and they state on the back cover that “If you love Hallmark mystery movies, you'll love this cozy mystery with humor, intrigue, and a hint of romance.”

Plot of Murder Out of Character

Our main character, Marvey Harris, is a small-town librarian, a New York native who recently moved to Georgia with her rescue tabby, Phoenix, to take the job of fundraiser/event coordinator of the Peach Coast Library. 

While cleaning up after the library's first fundraising event, Marvey comes across a scrap of paper with a list of four names. 

• Hank Figg – the high school basketball coach who recently died. 
• Nellie Kenton – CFO of the local bank.
• Brittany Wilson – owner of Coastal Cycles, a bike shop.
• Spencer Holt – Editor/publisher of the Peach Coast newspaper and Marvey's new best friend. 

Marvey finds the list puzzling, but finally tosses it into the recycling bin. The next morning she reads in the paper that Nellie Kenton has been found dead. Two people on the list of four and both have died. Marvey quickly goes to the library to retrieve the list, then takes it to her friend, Spencer because she is now worried about the fact that his is one of the names on the list. At first, Spencer dismisses the list, but soon admits he may be in danger.

With the help of Spencer and her friends on the library staff, an investigation is launched to determine who wrote the list and the reason why. The four people appear to have nothing in common other than living in Peach Coast. But it is obvious that the other two people left on the list are in danger. 

The police are not thrilled with civilians doing a murder investigation, but Marvey is determined. Even while busy with her job and preparing for a visit from her parents, it soon becomes obvious that Marvey, Spencer and their librarian friends need to find and stop a killer who may just possibly be bent on a long overdue revenge.

Summary

Our heroine wants to keep her friends safe and the readers look forward to a happily-ever-after ending. 

Lovers of small-town cozies can while away a pleasant afternoon with this one." -Publishers Weekly

Peach Coast Library Mystery Series Author

Olivia Matthews is actually the cozy mystery pseudonym for Patricia Sargeant, a national best-selling, award-winning author. She writes romance as Patricia Sargeant and mysteries as Olivia Matthews. 

Patricia writes romance because she believes that the Power of Love is the greatest motivation. She writes mysteries so ordinary people put in extraordinary situations find the 'Hero Inside'. 

*Book Review of Murder Out of Character, Book 2 of 2 in the Peach Coast Library Mystery Series written by Wednesday Elf

These first two books in the Peach Coast Library Mystery Series can be found on Amazon at the links below:

Murder By Page One (Book 1 of 2)

Murder Out of Character (Book 2 of 2)

For More Book Reviews, check out

ReviewThisBooks.com

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Fabian Nicieza and His Novels – Author and Book Reviews

If you are a comic book fan or enjoy Marvel comic books or Marvel's Deadpool, then you probably already know Fabian Nicieza, the Argentine-born comic book writer and editor. He's known for creating such characters as Deadpool, Domino, Shatterstar, and Silhouette. He's also well known for his work on X-Files, X-Force, and other Marvel Titles. 

What you may not have known is that he is now also a novel writer.  This is a review of Fabian and his first two novels. 

Fabian Nicieza has written two mystery novels to date, published in 2021 and 2022. The novels have continuing characters, who are very interesting. The locale for these stories is New Jersey. As Nicieza states in his Author's Note in Book 1:

“West Windsor and Plainsboro are real towns in New Jersey. Unlike the snarky description in the book, it's a pretty good area to live in... I mean, as far as New Jersey goes....”

But, he states, all the characters are pure fiction. Fiction means it is not real! 

Nichieza's descriptions of places and people are often 'tongue-in-cheek' or, as he says, “snarky”. This makes for a very enjoyable read. The books are Suburban Dicks and The Self-Made Widow.

The Two Main Characters

Andrea Stern: She solved a missing person murder in high school and helped catch a serial killer while in college. She planned to become an FBI profiler, but an unexpected pregnancy changed her plans. She has always wanted to answer her calling: finding redemption for the dead and justice for the living.

Journalist Kenny Lee, Andrea's childhood friend, broke a story for his college paper that brought down the crooked governor of New Jersey. The story earned him a Pulitzer Prize at the young age of 22. But his journalism career has since stalled and, 10 years down the road, he is now relegated to working for a weekly local paper.  Kenny's calling: to become rich and famous!

Synopses

Suburban Dicks 

Available on Amazon

When the series begins,  Andrea has four children under 10 and a fifth one due soon. When she accidentally stumbles upon a murder scene, Andrea becomes obsessed with the case. She's back on the trail of a killer, this time with kids in tow. Needing help, Andrea enlists the aid of her friend, Kenny Lee, who naturally is interested in writing another award-winning story to redeem himself and his career. 

Unusual occurrences – and body parts in for form of old bones – surface around this affluent suburb. As Andrea and Kenny continue investigating, they uncover simmering racial tensions and a decades-old conspiracy. But, as we find out, the crimes of the past are only the beginning. 

The Self-Made Widow

Available on Amazon

After solving a murder in Suburban Dicks (Dicks, as in private investigators – LOL), both the police and Andrea's husband hoped she would set aside her 'crime fighter' tendencies and go back to changing diapers, carpools, and lunches with her 'mom' friends. But when the husband of one of her friends, the 'Queen Bee' of the group, dies, supposedly of natural causes, Andrea suspects that there is more. She digs into the case and risks more than she bargained for. 

Meanwhile, Kenny Lee, who is enjoying a new surge of popularity with his coverage of the story of the murder and conspiracy in Book 1, is busy with a Netflix series based on that story. Then he receives an anonymous phone call tipping him off that Molly Goode killed her husband.

Once again, Andrea and Kenny team up to solve another 'suburban scandal'. 

Summary

Having now read both Suburban Dicks and The Self-Made Widow, I am a big fan of Fabian Nicieza and his outstanding and humorous writing. Two mysteries, two murders, two fantastically interesting main characters make for a very enjoyable new series by a comic book writer turned novelist! I highly recommend these books. 

Amazon Links to Books

• Suburban Dicks
• The Self-Made Widow

For more Book Reviews, check out ReviewThisBooks.com

*A new mystery series of novels by Fabian Nicieza. Review written by Wednesday Elf. 

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What the Fireflies Knew – Book Review

 by Kai Harris

My usual reading genre is mystery/suspense books. But I recently came across this 'coming-of-age' story that I found totally compelling. 

What the Fireflies Knew is well worth reading. It is an ode to Black girlhood.

Synopsis

The story is told by almost-eleven-year-old Kenyata Bernice (KB).  In the wake of her father's death from an overdose and the loss of their Detroit home due to the debts incurred by his addiction, her mother takes KB and her 14-year-old sister, Nia, to the home of their estranged grandfather in Lansing, Michigan. Then the mother disappears without a word of explanation.

Grandfather is grumpy and silent. With her father dead, her mother gone, and her sister, once her best friend, now ignoring her and acting like a stranger, KB is lonely, sad, resentful and feeling abandoned. The white kids across the street at first act friendly; and then not. It seems as though everyone is keeping secrets.

KB finds herself forced to carve out a different identity for herself and find her own voice. As the summer weeks go by, she finds the almost country setting of her grandfather's street quiet and peaceful compared to the nearly constant noise and strife of her old Detroit neighborhood. She enjoys sitting in the old tree in the backyard, reading her beloved books and listening to the quiet. 

One evening while grandfather, KB and Nia are sitting on the back porch reading, granddaddy suddenly whispers “Look”. When KB asks “What is it” Granddaddy says “Fireflies – I ain't never seen so many all at once.”

KB runs and runs, trying to catch them, but the light goes out and it disappears, and then appears somewhere else. She wonders what the trick is to catch one and learn the secret of their light. Granddaddy comes and tells her to slow down and teaches her how to catch a firefly.  

“Sometimes, when you wanna speed up, you gotta slow down first.”

Eventually, granddaddy and KB begin to talk and learn about each other. Nia is still ignoring her most of the time, busy with a Detroit friend who is visiting an Aunt in Lansing this summer and with an interest in teenage things and boys beyond KB's understanding. KB also learns that 'momma' is in a treatment center for acute depression. 

Summary

This is a very moving novel about family, identity, and race. What the Fireflies Knew teaches KB a valuable lesson of 'growing up'  - the realization that loved ones can be flawed and that the perfect family we all dream about looks different close up. 

I highly recommend this dazzling and fascinating first novel by a gifted storyteller (author Kai Harris). It is a well crafted tale of life, loss and survival told through the voice of an unforgettable 10-year-old narrator. 

*This coming-of-age novel is available on Amazon

*What the Fireflies Knew book review by Wednesday Elf.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Mary Jane Clark - Author and Book Review

Recently I was searching my local library shelves for books by Mary Higgins Clark. When I returned home, I discovered that one of the books I selected was actually by an author named Mary JANE Clark.  Thus, I accidentally discovered a really good story and have since gone on to read more books by this author.

Today I finished reading “That Old Black Magic” by Mary Jane Clark and was reading the Acknowledgments page at the back of the book (I read EVERYTHING; always reluctant to put down a good book when the story ends – LOL).  Of the people Mary Jane Clark thanked was her thespian daughter who provided the voice and acting realism of the main character, Piper Donovan, who is an actress and baker in the story. 

Mary Jane's daughter's name is Elizabeth Higgins Clark. NOW, I'm really curious because of the similarity to MARY Higgins Clark. So, of course I googled it.  It was so interesting to learn that Mary Jane Clark, an author in her own right, is the daughter-in-law of Mary Higgins Clark and Elizabeth is her granddaughter! 

This review is about Mary Jane Clark and the series of books I have been enjoying.

The Piper Donovan Wedding Cake Mystery Series

To date, the Piper Donovan series consists of four novels:

• To Have and to Kill (New York City and New Jersey locales)
• The Look of Love (Los Angeles locale)
• Footprints in the Sand (Florida locale)
• That Old Black Magic (New Orleans locale)

The Main Character

Piper Donovan is a struggling actress who has had just a few small roles. Between times of auditions and acting in small parts, she supplements her income by working in her mother's New Jersey bakery “The Icing on the Cupcake”. Having learned a great deal about cake baking and decorating, Piper has begun to design and create very impressive special wedding cakes which become the theme of each book as Piper goes to plan and create a wedding cake for someone's wedding.

Story Themes

During each story of the wedding cakes, somehow Piper becomes involved in a murder mystery and often gets herself in a lot of trouble ~ and even danger ~ when trying to solve the mystery. Her parents worry about her, especially her dad who is a retired policeman. Her boyfriend, Jack, an FBI agent, also worries and definitely frowns upon Piper's rash behavior that puts her in danger. 

Summary

The stories are lighthearted (with just a touch of danger), and very enjoyable. They fall into the Cozy Mystery genre. The descriptions of the various wedding cakes in each story are delightful and will make you wish you could sample them. Piper Donovan is a very likable character and the books are quick and easy to read.

Click here to find all the books in Piper Donavan/ Wedding Cake Series

*Mary Jane Clark, book and author review written by 

~Wednesday Elf

*Image Sources: Wedding cake photos are from Pixabay & GetStencil.

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The Wedding Guest by Jonathan Kellerman – Book Review

An Alex Delaware Novel

Jonathan Kellerman has written 37 Alex Delaware novels. The Wedding Guest is #34. The series is set in Los Angeles.

Main Characters in The Wedding Guest

• Alex Delaware, a child psychologist in Los Angeles, California
• Milo Sturgis, a career policeman in the Homicide Division of the LAPD

Regular Minor Characters in the Alex Delaware Series of Books

• Detectives Binchy, Bogomil and Reed who Milo refers to as the “Baby Ds”. 
• Robin Castagna, who repairs and builds expensive guitars for musicians around the country. She has been in a long-term relationship with Delaware for many years.
• Alex and Robin's French Bulldog, Blanche

Character Assessment

Delaware and Sturgis form a formidable team. Sturgis has a knack for piecing together the details of a crime. Delaware's expertise is his psychology background aiding him in deciphering the darkest intents driving vicious perpetrators.

 

Plot of The Wedding Guest

*Available on Amazon

In The Wedding Guest, Alex and Milo team up once again to solve a homicide and the crime that led to it. 

At a wedding reception, a horrified bridesmaid discovers the body of a young woman who has been strangled. Not a single partygoer recognizes the victim and there is not a single means to identify her. The bride is convinced the stranger snuck in to sabotage her big day, and the groom is sure it is all a dreadful mistake. 

With over a hundred guests to question, Delaware and Sturgis soon decide that the motive for murder is personal.

Now the party's over and the hunt for the killer begins.

Summary

An uninvited guest. A missing identity. A trail of deadly secrets. 

Once again, Sturgis and Delaware team up to solve a murder in this psychological thriller. As an amateur armchair detective, the needed clues for solving while reading are not uncovered until the very end, but it was an interesting mystery nonetheless.  If you are a fan of Jonathan Kellerman, and especially his Alex Delaware novels, as I am, you will enjoy this one as much as others in the series. 

Related Reviews of Books by the Kellerman Family: 

 

• The Burning by Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman
• The Killing Season by Faye Kellerman
• Bone Box by Faye Kellerman

*Book Review of "The Wedding Guest" written by

    ~Wednesday Elf

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Book Review The Diamond Eye

 

Imagine that you are a young woman in 1940's Russia.  You are a mother raising a young son alone as you work in a library and study to gain your degree.  You are forging along in everyday life when suddenly your country is invaded, and you are facing a world at war.  In this riveting novel, Kate Quinn gives a look into the life of Mila Pavlichenko, a young history student and mother who joins the Russian military and becomes a world-famous sniper.

I found this book to be very intriguing.  Mila is a young woman who married way too young when she found she was pregnant.  She is raising a young son and trying desperately to get a divorce from her older and emotionally abusive husband.  This is not easy in 1940's Russia.  She is a passionate history student and loves her studies.  Then Hitler invades the Ukraine and Russia, and she feels compelled to sign up to protect her homeland.  

Mila is a strong woman who does nothing partway.  When assigned the task as a sniper, she becomes the best and shoots over 300 of the enemy.  Her talents gain her fame, and she is sent on a good will tour of the United States where she befriends Eleanor Roosevelt.  This friendship and the dangers that come with it made this one of the best books I've read in a long time.   

The book is based on a true story and most of the people and many of the events really happened.  In the author's notes at the end of the book she details what parts were true (based on Mila's memoirs) and what parts she fictionalized.  I found this very interesting and would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery, historical fiction and intrigue.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Katherine Faulkner's Greenwich Park Book Review

The cover of Katherine Faulkner’s Greenwich Park reads, “gripping and haunting and gorgeously suspenseful” and I agree. I was drawn to the book by the title, a romanticized area of London, England, and by the artwork. 

Greenwich Park the book is a murder mystery of the best sort. It draws you in. Pick it up and you might not want to put it down. Pick it up and you will find yourself guessing whodunit. I failed at the guessing of who did it, which I expect is good because it means the book has twists and turns.  I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. 

Greenwich Park is a domestic psychological thriller that is set in the current day in the south east of London. It tells the story of a pregnant woman’s privileged life in a stately Victorian home and of her family and friends. Off work because of her history with difficult pregnancies and because of current health concerns, the main character, Helen, finds herself bored and lonely. That is, until she befriends a woman named Rachel. Rachel is also pregnant but embraces none of the care that many women exercise when they are pregnant. She smokes and she drinks and she is not very interested in her body or her unborn baby. She’s loud and she's obnoxious but, however, she is fun and she quickly manages to infiltrate Helen’s tidy little world. But is it really tidy?

Helen has been described as someone who has everything including “a perfect husband, a perfect brother and a perfect sister-in-law. When she meets Rachel, she also has the perfect nightmare.” 

I like Crime by the Book’s three-point list of reasons to read the book. She says that it pulls back the curtain on the lives of people who appear to have picture-perfect lives, that it is a story of obsession and cat-and-mouse tension and that it is intricate and effortlessly told. 

If it helps, Crime by the Book says that this book is similar to books to those written by Lisa Jewell, who I have yet to read.

FAST FACTS:

Author – Katherine Faulkner
Format – Hardcover, paperback, Kindle, audiobook, audio CD
Genre – Domestic Psychological Thriller
Pages - 375
Publication Date – September 13, 2021
Publisher – Simon & Shuster
ISBN Number – 978-1-9821-5031-0

If you love a good thriller, you will enjoy Greenwich Park. The book is definitely dark, looking into the world of pregnancy and early motherhood, of friendships, of privileged lives lived and, of course, of the secrets that people keep. I think that it is an excellent first novel, which the author wrote while she herself was on maternity leave.  The rights to the book have been sold and I will be watching for a movie or television series as well as for a second book by Faulkner. Meanwhile, you can order your copy of Greenwich Park from Amazon by clicking right here.

See you 

at the book store!
Brenda

More Psychological Thrillers:

Alice Feeney's Sometimes I Lie Book Review

Mark Edward's Here to Stay Book Review

Audrey Hepburn's Wait Until Dark Movie Review

Donald Sutherland's Don't Look Now Movie Review

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Investigator by John Sandford – A Book Review

 A Letty Davenport Novel

John Sandford has written 31 books in the 'Prey' series starring Lucus Davenport.

In an early Prey novel, Lucus, an agent for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) meets Letty, a 12-year-old living in rural Red River valley. Letty ends up the center of a series of killings, and when her mother becomes one of those murdered, orphaned Letty becomes a ward of Lucus and his wife, Weather. 

As the Prey series continues, Letty is featured in several other stories. First as the Davenport's ward, then as their adopted daughter, fans of this series of novels enjoy following the antics and adventures of Letty as part of the Davenport family, watching her grow up and go off to college. 

The Investigator Novel

Available on Amazon

The Investigator is the first novel to star Letty Davenport as the central character. Now 24 years old and a college graduate, we find Letty working in Washington, D.C. in a desk job for a U.S. Senator. Restless and bored, Letty is ready to quit when she is offered a task she can't refuse: a real investigator job through the senator's office in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security. 

The Plot

Image Source: Pixabay

Several oil companies in Texas have reported thefts of crude oil. Letty's assignment is to uncover not only who is stealing and selling the oil, but learn what the thieves are doing with the profits. Rumors link this to a radical militia group and the Department of Homeland Security is extremely worried about the stolen profits financing a domestic terrorism plot. 

Letty is partnered with a DHS investigator, John Kaiser. As the two head to Texas, the case quickly turns deadly. Letty and John now know they are on the track of something bigger. This militia group, led by a woman, has set in motion an explosive plan and time is running out for them to stop it.

Summary

This fan of Sandford's Prey Series is delighted to see a favorite minor character become the main character in her own crime fiction story. I have a feeling that the author is planning a new series starring this delightful and talented young lady ~ Letty Davenport. 

Related Links:

• John Sandford Extreme Prey Book Review - review written by Treasures by Brenda's husband Chris
• Ocean Prey by John Sandford – review written by Wednesday Elf
• Neon Prey by John Sandford – review written by Wednesday Elf
• Many more book reviews in a variety of genres can be found here on ReviewThisBooks.com

Book 1 of 2: Letty Davenport - An Amazon Editor's pick of Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

*Book review of The Investigator is written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Update on Book Club

 

In January of 2020 I wrote a review on Book Clubs.  If you are interested in starting a book club, I would recommend you read that review here Review of Book Clubs.  In that review you will find out how the book club I belong to is set up and how we handle the meetings.  In this post I will update you on what we have been doing since that last review and a little bit about some of the books we have been reading.

Our Book Club in 2020/2021

As you can all imagine 2020/2021 was a bit challenging for our bookclub.  With the pandemic we had to look at how we could do it differently.  We didn't meet at all for the first few months, but then in the summer of 2020 we all ventured out and met on my deck, where we could wear masks and social distance with each other.  We hadn't picked any one book to read, but rather all discussed what books we had been reading.  During the rest of 2020 we only met one more time in someone's family room where we could spread apart.  In 2021 we decided to venture out and start choosing monthly books.  A few didn't make it at first, but eventually most of our members returned to our monthly meetings.  

We read 11 books in a year, skipping the month of December where we all meet for a holiday luncheon instead of our regular meeting.  In the next section I will discuss the last 11 books we have read.

Books we have Read in the Last Year

• When we started meeting again on a regular basis one of the first books we read was Educated by Tara Westover.  It was a very thought-provoking book that gave us lots to discuss.  Fellow reviewer Olivia Morris has also read the book and wrote a review which will tell you a lot more about the book. Educated
• The next book we read was The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Piccoult.   Jodi Piccoult is a favorite author that always spends a lot of time researching the books that she writes.  This book deals with Egyptology along with discovering the relationships of the people involved.  Most of our members really liked the book, although a few wished it had a bit less technical items on Egyptology.
• The Giver of Stars was a book we read by Jo Jo Moyes. This book takes place in depression-era America in the hills of Kentucky.  It starts with Alice who has married a rich American to escape the stifling rules of her parents in England.  She soon finds that the hills of Kentucky can be just as stifling, and she signs up to be a traveling librarian from Eleanor Roosevelts new plan to bring books to rural America.  The book shows us the brave women who worked this program and their relationships.  It is based on a true story, and we found it very intriguing.
• The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson is another book about the traveling book program.  You can read more about it in the review that I wrote.  The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and also one that fellow reviewer Dawn wrote Here .
• The next book we read was Gray Mountain by John Grisham. This book deals with mining and many of the legal battles the ensue when it is abused.  It is very well written, and you can really become involved with the characters.
• The Hypnotists Love Story is a novel by Liane Moriarity.  We have read several books by this author and know they will always give us a lively discussion. This one did not disappoint.
• The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton is a wonderful mystery that takes place in Australia in the early 1900's.  It is a work of historical fiction.
• The Husband's Secret is another book by Liane Moriarity.  Everyone enjoyed the discussion on this book, and we delved a lot into secrets and what we would tell and what we would not.
• Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman was our next book. It was a very interesting book about a young woman who lives a very structured life.  She struggles with everyday social skills and tends to say exactly what she is thinking.  This all changes when she meets Raymond.  You must read this book to find out more!
• Wish You Were Here by Jodi Piccoult.  This was my favorite book this year.  In this book Jodi tackles a very timely subject as the book begins in March of 2020 just at the start of the pandemic.  I wrote a review of the book which you can find at Wish You Were Here. 
• A Divided Loyalty by Charles Todd is a detective story which takes place in England.  It features Scotland Yard detective Ian Rutledge and is an interesting mystery.  We had a good discussion on the methods used to solve the mystery.
• The last book on my list is the one we will be discussing this month.  I have read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It is Mitch Albom's Finding Chika. Fellow reviewer Pat Austin (aka Wednesday Elf) has written a review on this book. Finding Chika

I Hope you enjoyed hearing about these books and perhaps you will find one or more you'd like to read yourself.  Happy Reading!!

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