Bloodlust by Sandra Brown (2026). Detective Mitch Haskell wants revenge after his wife's murder, which leads him to a mandated therapy with Dr. Dylan Reede, a beautiful psychotherapist. I don’t like books where there is a glaring conflict of interest but soon the two are teaming up to investigate a drug trafficking ring - surprise! the kingpin is another of Dylan’s clients. Oh dear, not one of her best.
The Rockpool Murder by Emylia Hall (2024). Amateur sleuths Ally Bright and ex-cop Jayden Weston have not stood still since introduced in The Shell House Detectives. Ally’s art is being featured in a gallery and Jayden and his wife have opened a camp site. But their detective skills are needed when a famous rock star is killed during a family reunion. I like this series and the friendship that has developed between all the characters.
Thereby Hangs a Tale by Spencer Quinn; narrator, Jim Frangione (2009). Somewhat clueless private investigator, Bernie, and his goofy dog, Chet, return for their second adventure. The duo think they have an easy assignment guarding a pampered show dog, but they have a serious situation on their hands when Princess and her owner are abducted. Told from the point of view of the dog, this is a surprisingly amusing series.
Zero Days by Ruth Ware; narrator, Imogen Church (2023). Jacintha Cross and her husband are security consultants, and her specialty is breaking into corporations to reveal the gaps in their systems. But when she arrives home from the latest assignment, her husband has been murdered and her long absence has made her the primary suspect. She goes on the run to stay out of prison and to use her analytical skills to figure out who the murderer is and whether she is being framed. This started out very entertaining but became quite repetitive and improbable; still, a good audiobook.Fiction
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn (2026). This was a real departure for Quinn as it is a fantasy set at the Boston Public Library about a down-on-her-luck heroine who escapes via secret portal into a world of classic books. This wasn’t as enthralling as it sounds. My review.
River Lodge by Elizabeth Cadell (1948). After inheriting a big house in the country from an uncle but no accompanying funds, Roger and his wife, Ruth, decided to turn it into an expensive guest house, with help from their cousin Brenda, who had worked there for years as the uncle’s household manager. It was enjoyable but I wondered who was doing the cooking and how are they going to break even? My review.
Historical Fiction
In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen (2017), narrated by Gemma Dawson. When a mysterious man, possibly a German spy, dies parachuting into a field at the Farleigh estate during WWII, Ben Cresswell, a neighbor who has been working for MI5 in London, is sent to investigate. He is well acquainted with the Westerham family that lives there, and has a major crush on Lady Pamela, the middle daughter, who has always preferred his dashing friend, Jeremy, now an RAF pilot in a German prison camp. I really enjoyed this although I guessed all the baddies. A bit disillusioning to have Lady Pamela be a codebreaker at Bletchley yet not valued by the men on her team. And, alas, I am so bad at puzzles, I never would have been chosen to work there.
Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser (2026). Ethel Tremaine is a twice-widowed mother living in an ornate but crumbling manor. With no income and mountains of debt, her only goal is to secure marriages for her two biological daughters, Mathilde and Rosamund, and her annoying stepdaughter, Elin. Ethel humiliates herself to ask an old connection to secure invitations to the Prince’s ball as that is the only way she can envision her daughters meeting eligible men. I loved this retelling of Cinderella which incorporates elements of the fairy tale in a bold historical novel.
The Infamous Gilberts by Angela Tomaski (2026). I had looked forward to this - described as “a darkly comedic, gothic story about a wealthy, eccentric English family's decline, centered around their crumbling manor, Thornwalk House,” but I disliked all the characters intensely.
The House of Hidden Letters by Izzy Broom (2026). This dual timeline novel starts in London where the present-day heroine has won a cottage in Greece that needs to be restored. Tucked in a chimney are letters revealing a poignant WWII love affair. I will admit, I had not thought much about WWII in Greece! My review.
YA/Juvenile
Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen (2026). In Dessen’s first book in seven years, Finley is surprised with a trip to visit her mother’s estranged siblings to help prepare her deceased grandparents’ house for sale. When her boyfriend breaks up with her, she is devastated but finds new friends and recovery when she starts working at her aunt’s diner (the morale of the story is that hard work makes one too busy to mourn). Always a pleasure to read a book by this author. My review.
We Are Never Getting Together by Janette Rallison (2026). Two feuding high schoolers, Madeline and Cooper, fake a relationship to stop their single parents from dating each other, leading to real feelings developing between them. This was predictable but entertaining. It reminded me of a book my sister and I liked called Too Much TJ by Jacqueline Shannon.
Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (2026). You might have guessed how much the author loves horses from earlier books but this series launch describes how an ordinary city girl can become horse-obsessed and how that helps her cope with her parents’ divorce. Harper’s father’s affair with their across-the-street neighbor, mother of her best friend, causes her and her mother to move to the country. Having lost home, father, school, and friends all at once, Harper is depressed but rescuing a horse and becoming part of a group of middle-schoolers that takes riding lessons at the stables next door opens a new world to her. This was a charming story but too short! I wish the author would write something for older audiences.
Romance
The Cozy Nook Bookshop by Jeannie Chin (2026). Fictional depictions of bookstores often downplay the real issues that preoccupy their staff - competition with Amazon, low wages, and a population that would rather stare at their phones than read a book (luckily, not any of us!). This town supports its bookstore but is preoccupied by the intersection of Heart Street and Hope Street where lucky couples meet and discover TLA (true love always) and Emma happens to bump into a gruff park ranger there just before she reaches her new home. He wouldn’t appeal to me but she is extremely smitten, despite being on the rebound from the fiance who embezzled from their previous employer.
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore (2023). I was curious about this bestselling series, which features a charming cafe instead of a bookstore, but another city girl seeking a new start in the country, where she finds a gruff farmer. Man (or woman) cannot live on cute covers alone but this Hallmark formula must be popular with someone!
The Bodyguard Affair by Amy Lea (2025). Andi works as a personal assistant to the Canadian Prime Minister’s wife by day and writes romances under a pseudonym by night. After her racy book, The Prime Minister and Me is published, her identity is revealed, and to shut down rumors, she ends up fake-dating the Prime Minister’s handsome bodyguard. Andi is distressed by the attention and worried about losing her job, but maybe she deserves some form of punishment for the ungrammatical title of her book?!
Historical Fiction
In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen (2017), narrated by Gemma Dawson. When a mysterious man, possibly a German spy, dies parachuting into a field at the Farleigh estate during WWII, Ben Cresswell, a neighbor who has been working for MI5 in London, is sent to investigate. He is well acquainted with the Westerham family that lives there, and has a major crush on Lady Pamela, the middle daughter, who has always preferred his dashing friend, Jeremy, now an RAF pilot in a German prison camp. I really enjoyed this although I guessed all the baddies. A bit disillusioning to have Lady Pamela be a codebreaker at Bletchley yet not valued by the men on her team. And, alas, I am so bad at puzzles, I never would have been chosen to work there.
Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser (2026). Ethel Tremaine is a twice-widowed mother living in an ornate but crumbling manor. With no income and mountains of debt, her only goal is to secure marriages for her two biological daughters, Mathilde and Rosamund, and her annoying stepdaughter, Elin. Ethel humiliates herself to ask an old connection to secure invitations to the Prince’s ball as that is the only way she can envision her daughters meeting eligible men. I loved this retelling of Cinderella which incorporates elements of the fairy tale in a bold historical novel.
The Infamous Gilberts by Angela Tomaski (2026). I had looked forward to this - described as “a darkly comedic, gothic story about a wealthy, eccentric English family's decline, centered around their crumbling manor, Thornwalk House,” but I disliked all the characters intensely.
The House of Hidden Letters by Izzy Broom (2026). This dual timeline novel starts in London where the present-day heroine has won a cottage in Greece that needs to be restored. Tucked in a chimney are letters revealing a poignant WWII love affair. I will admit, I had not thought much about WWII in Greece! My review.
YA/Juvenile
Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen (2026). In Dessen’s first book in seven years, Finley is surprised with a trip to visit her mother’s estranged siblings to help prepare her deceased grandparents’ house for sale. When her boyfriend breaks up with her, she is devastated but finds new friends and recovery when she starts working at her aunt’s diner (the morale of the story is that hard work makes one too busy to mourn). Always a pleasure to read a book by this author. My review.
Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (2026). You might have guessed how much the author loves horses from earlier books but this series launch describes how an ordinary city girl can become horse-obsessed and how that helps her cope with her parents’ divorce. Harper’s father’s affair with their across-the-street neighbor, mother of her best friend, causes her and her mother to move to the country. Having lost home, father, school, and friends all at once, Harper is depressed but rescuing a horse and becoming part of a group of middle-schoolers that takes riding lessons at the stables next door opens a new world to her. This was a charming story but too short! I wish the author would write something for older audiences.
The Cozy Nook Bookshop by Jeannie Chin (2026). Fictional depictions of bookstores often downplay the real issues that preoccupy their staff - competition with Amazon, low wages, and a population that would rather stare at their phones than read a book (luckily, not any of us!). This town supports its bookstore but is preoccupied by the intersection of Heart Street and Hope Street where lucky couples meet and discover TLA (true love always) and Emma happens to bump into a gruff park ranger there just before she reaches her new home. He wouldn’t appeal to me but she is extremely smitten, despite being on the rebound from the fiance who embezzled from their previous employer.
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore (2023). I was curious about this bestselling series, which features a charming cafe instead of a bookstore, but another city girl seeking a new start in the country, where she finds a gruff farmer. Man (or woman) cannot live on cute covers alone but this Hallmark formula must be popular with someone!
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