No Rest for the Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams (2025). Forensic pathologist Dolores Hawthorne only returns to her hometown of Little Horton, Wisconsin because the FBI calls to say her father is missing. He left a note telling her to trust no one. This started out slowly – and I thought the town’s Halloween obsession was unnecessary but it had some good twists along the way. My review.
Murder at Haven’s Rock by Kelley Armstrong (2023); narrator, Thérèse Plummer. I thought this was a new series but it actually follows the seven Rockton books. Casey and Eric have commissioned a new community in the Yukon but, before the construction is done, the architect and the engineer disappear in the forest so they have to go investigate, worried that their new home will have as many murders as Rockton.
Nash Falls by David Baldacci (2025). One minute Walter Nash is a successful corporate executive and the next, he’s been commandeered by the FBI to be a whistle blower at his own firm. But when the real criminals guess his involvement, Walter has to go on the run. I am a big Baldacci fan but I got tired of Walter’s transition into a killing machine, and then was annoyed that the book ended on a cliffhanger. Still, the sequel is coming in April and I want to know what happens.
Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston (2026). First Lie Wins, Elston's adult debut, was one of my favorite books of 2024 so I was eager to read this. It starts with an impersonation - Camille persuades Aubrey to pretend to be her for several hours so Camille can spy on her husband. But when her husband is murdered, both women are suspects and only one has an alibi. My review.
Why We Die by Mick Herron (2006). Zoë Boehm needs to make some money so she agrees to investigate the robbery of a jewelry store of suspicious provenance. This brings her into contact with suicidal Tim Whitby, who is trying to protect pretty, battered Katrina Blake from her late husband’s sociopathic brothers, Arkle and Trent. I didn’t like this as much as the first two books in the series.
The Final Target by Nora Roberts (2026). Arden is so excited about the publication her first novel that she doesn’t pay much attention to the overly-friendly man who keeps turning up at her book signings. But his obsession is serious and he assaults her when she rejects him. Later, Arden moves to a small town in Oregon for a fresh start but, of course, the guy is biding his time to come after her again. Roberts’ books are always very readable but this felt like a retread of earlier work.
An Empty Death by Laura Wilson (2009). DI Ted Stratton and his family are worn out by WWII. While he is investigating several mysterious deaths at the hospital, his wife and her sister try to help a neighbor whose home was destroyed by a bomb – with dire results. This is a sequel to The Innocent Spy which I read last month.
Historical Fiction
The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong (2023). Outspoken American Ruby Vaughn has made a life for herself after the Great War in England, sometimes assisting her landlord, an antiquarian bookseller. What should have been a simple drop off in Cornwall becomes very serious when the husband of Ruby’s closest friend is murdered and the locals regard Ruby suspiciously. Unfortunately, I disliked most of the characters, found Ruby anachronistic and annoying, and did not feel the supernatural elements added much to the story.
The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring (2023). Set in 1990, this is the first book in a trilogy set in a small community in northern Maine where the largest business is a timber mill and few have realized that Bev and Trudy are more than best friends. I grew to care about these characters and am now reading the sequel. My review.
Tapestry by Fiona McIntosh (2014). In this dual time frame novel, Jane Maxwell may have mixed feelings about her new fiancé in 1978 but when he falls into a coma, she will do anything to save him, even if that means time traveling to 1715 to save Will’s ancestor, the Earl of Nithsdale, from the Tower of London. My review.
Fiction
The Golden Collar by Elizabeth Cadell (1968). Henry is sent to Portugal by his boss with his overbearing fiancée to secure coastal property for a vacation home. Instead, he realizes the people and the pace are more to his taste than the fiancée! This was a reread – I worry that Cadell’s books will be discarded from the library if I don’t check them out regularly! My review.
Romance
First Time Caller by B.K. Borison (2025). Aiden Valentine is the jaundiced host of a radio romance hotline. When a little girl phones in on behalf of Lucie, her single mother, Aiden’s boss decides that incorporating Lucie’s quest for love would help ratings – with predicable but entertaining results. I though the language was a little crude but, overall, the book was well done. When I looked on the Boston Public Library’s (which often orders books after publication) website to check the status of the next book in the series, I was astonished to see 46 copies on order!
YA
Codebreaker by Jay Martel (2025). Mia Hayes is devastated and baffled when her mother is killed and her father becomes a fugitive from justice. Then she finds a series of clues from her father that she must decipher to uncover a government conspiracy. This was a sort of DaVinci Code (but better written) for teens and I thought it was very well done. I hope there are more books about Mia!
The Final Target by Nora Roberts (2026). Arden is so excited about the publication her first novel that she doesn’t pay much attention to the overly-friendly man who keeps turning up at her book signings. But his obsession is serious and he assaults her when she rejects him. Later, Arden moves to a small town in Oregon for a fresh start but, of course, the guy is biding his time to come after her again. Roberts’ books are always very readable but this felt like a retread of earlier work.
Historical Fiction
The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong (2023). Outspoken American Ruby Vaughn has made a life for herself after the Great War in England, sometimes assisting her landlord, an antiquarian bookseller. What should have been a simple drop off in Cornwall becomes very serious when the husband of Ruby’s closest friend is murdered and the locals regard Ruby suspiciously. Unfortunately, I disliked most of the characters, found Ruby anachronistic and annoying, and did not feel the supernatural elements added much to the story.
Tapestry by Fiona McIntosh (2014). In this dual time frame novel, Jane Maxwell may have mixed feelings about her new fiancé in 1978 but when he falls into a coma, she will do anything to save him, even if that means time traveling to 1715 to save Will’s ancestor, the Earl of Nithsdale, from the Tower of London. My review.
Fiction
Romance
First Time Caller by B.K. Borison (2025). Aiden Valentine is the jaundiced host of a radio romance hotline. When a little girl phones in on behalf of Lucie, her single mother, Aiden’s boss decides that incorporating Lucie’s quest for love would help ratings – with predicable but entertaining results. I though the language was a little crude but, overall, the book was well done. When I looked on the Boston Public Library’s (which often orders books after publication) website to check the status of the next book in the series, I was astonished to see 46 copies on order!
Codebreaker by Jay Martel (2025). Mia Hayes is devastated and baffled when her mother is killed and her father becomes a fugitive from justice. Then she finds a series of clues from her father that she must decipher to uncover a government conspiracy. This was a sort of DaVinci Code (but better written) for teens and I thought it was very well done. I hope there are more books about Mia!
1 comment:
I used to check out Elizabeth Cadell's books just to keep them safe too! Then I moved and my current library doesn't have them at all.
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