The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell

Vita's Grandfather's castle was stolen from him by a real estate tycoon.  She and her mother go to visit and try to right this wrong.  Vita loves her Grandpa but he's sure looking old and sad.  He misses his wife and his castle.  Her Mom talks to lawyers and reads legal papers trying to make it better but no luck there...

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Reader's sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (than you).  It will be published August 27th.

Vita decides to go visit this tycoon and ask him to make it right.  He's having a party but he takes time to talk to her.  He just laughs at her.  She'll have to work around it a different way.

She sees a thief stealing but says nothing about it.  Then she helps Vita escape to pay her back.  She'd be handy for breaking into tthe castle but she says no.  Vita goes on looking for more team members.  After all, her Grandpa told her there is an emerald necklace hidden in the castle.  She thinks that might help him get his castle back.  

She meets two boys from the circus that will be perfect for the job.  One can almost fly and one is excellent with dogs.

With the thief finally agreeing to join them, they make a formidable team.  Their quest is worthy but it's a lot of work and filled with danger.

There's a lot of action and excitement in this story.  I enjoyed it enough I'm going to buy a copy for my personal library.  Ms. Rundell's tales talk to me!

The Magnificent Mrs. Mayhew by Milly Johnson

Sophie has lived her life by hiding emotion and being "what she should be".  She was taught that by her family, through her schooling, and now by her husband and his political aid.  When she lost her baby and her ability to have more, she never cried in public.But one thing she can't tolerate:  Her husband having affairs.  He's running for PM but he still can't behave.  When his latest liaison becomes public, John and Len want her to join him in an interview where she says she never got over her son's death and that's why she turned cold and he had to find relief otherwise.  They want her to cry. too.

Simon & Schuster Gallery Books sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can grab a copy now.

Sophie can't stand it anymore and instead of following the script, she tells John just what she thinks of him.  Then she packs her suitcase and sneaks out of the house over a back wall and heads out.  She's not sure where she's going but she refuses to be a trophy wife anymore.

She travels back to the village she went to school in and tries to find a place to stay.  Everything is full and she ends up staying in the alms house by the vicar.  She's dyed her hair black, got it cut, and is wearing casual clothes as well as pretending she's French.  She doesn't want to be found.

She stays there long enough to fall in love with the vicar and his son, with his sister becoming her best friend.  Then his separated wife comes home.  She decides it's time to go back and settle things with John one way or the other.

Once she's home the whole family shows up, all of them critical with her.  They're not prepared for the new Sophie.  She tells them exactly what she thinks of them, even John.  That leaves her with one place to go...

Fight for the Blue Planet by Derek Corney

There are aliens planning to invade the earth for its water.  The adults have no idea they are out there and the children only find out when they get a strange visitor.  The alien that visits them has their planet in danger, too, and they think if they join forces they may overcome the invading force.  Will the children join them?  They say yes.

The author shared a copy of this book with me for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can get a copy now.

This is a very exciting read for young readers.  The oldest boy receives the ability to become invisible. The youngest boy can shapeshift.  The girl can transport herself and others.  They'll need to use these tricks to stay alive when they meet the warring aliens.

The younger boy can be as big as T-Rex or as small as a mouse.  The sister can move from danger to a place of safety.  Being invisible means the older boy can spy on them and steal their weapons.  It's still dangerous.

This is an entertaining read with lots going on and the winning side changing frequently.  Who wins in the end?  You'll need to read it to see.

Thirteen (Eddie Flynn #4) by Steve Cavanagh

This is the story of a young boy who killed animals and when he got older, his victims became human.  He was very intelligent and he enjoyed killing...

Flatiron Books sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be published August 13th.

He takes joy in killing and setting someone else up for the murders.  It's not until Flynn agrees to represent the movie star that has been accused of murder that he begins to search not only this murder but other murders in the past. 

The killer wants to be on the jury and he's willing to kill anyone in his way.  As jurors disappear, get run over, etc., he finds himself there.

As Flynn puts his defense together, he's working with the FBI, and he finds that the killer has been around a long time and has killed a lot of people.  He eventually determines the killer is on the jury.  He has to convince the judge of it, next.  What he doesn't know is that the killer has a cop friend.

This is a tension filled read with danger everywhere.  Cops beat Flynn up and then intend to take him out.  The killer is going after him, too.  Until you reach the end of the book, you're not real sure who's going to win...
 

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin

Wall Street financiers see huge amounts of money float around.  They're paid well but with temptation right in front of them it's hard not to get greedy.  Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam call themselves the Circle and they've been squirreling money away.  When another emplyee finds out about it they have to decide what to do.

St Martin's Press sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be published July 30th.

They decide Wendy must commit suicide and they help her on her way.  Her mother and her only friend at the firm don't think it was suicide, but they have no way to prove it.  Then Sara, Wendy's friend gets fired from her job.  Someone messed with her spreadsheets.  Now she's unemployable in that field.  Then they hear she's died.

When the group of employees meet in an unfinished building and are told to go to the 90th floor for an escape room exercise, no one wants to it but they have no choice.  They climb in the elevator, the doors shut and lock.  They find they cannot regulate the elevator and the doors won't open.  Suddenly the message changes in the screen in the elevator.  They make the discovery this is their escape room.

As they look for clues they find them but they make no sense.  The elevator gets hotter than hell, then turns into the arctic.  Then the elevator falls and injuries abound.  The biggest danger is Jules' gun.  When he loses it, people die.

What I found most interesting was who was torturing them so.  Sometimes Karma wins.

Big Chance Cowboy by Teri Anne Stanley

Adam came home from the war filled with guilt and sorrow.  He had lost his dog and some of the soldiers on his team when a bomb went off unexpectedly.  That was what his bomb dog was for but they were both tired and it was in a building.  He still feels he was at fault.  So he moves back home and lives on the farm his grandfather owns.  It needs a lot of work and keeps his mind off his troubles.

Sourcebooks Casablanca and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 27th.

Lizzy has come back home to get away from the man she had been living with.  He was a mistake.  Now she has an idea of how to get more people to visit their town and build it back up again.  She's also acquired a big dog on the way back.  Her mother is not happy, she's not a fan of dogs.

Adam and Lizzy were close before he went in the service.  Now they can hardly talk to each other.  He's not very sociable now and people bother him.  She doesn't let that bother her.  She takes her dog over and asks him if he would train her in dog handling.  He doesn't want to but he says yes.

She's not forceful enough with her commands.  She also has to keep the dog in the position she commanded before she frees him from the command.  Adam lets her leave the dog with him.He puts him in the kennels in the barn but he howls so loud he gives up and lets him in the house.

Then wounded vets start moving in.  He wants to help them so they get to stay.  In their own way, they help him heal. too.  Soon he has more dogs to train and he teaches his vets how to train them.

Lizzy finds the farm next door that she want to rehab has a pit set up for dog fighting and a sick dog in it.  She calls Adam and with the injured mother dog and all the puppies his farm is filling up.  But he's still planning on leaving this town behind.

Can Lizzie change his mind?

Froggy Picks a Pumpkin by Jonathan London, Frank Remkiewicz (Illustrated by)

Froggy can't wait to pick a pumpkin.  He can already taste the pumpkin pie!

Viking Books For Young Readers and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 27th.

They are giving prizes for the biggest, smallest, and prettiest pumpkin.  There are all kinds of pumpkins and Freddy checks them all out.  He chooses a big one but when he goes to carry it up, he drops it.  It's a big mess on the ground.  So much for a prize for him.  But they surprise him by giving him a ribbon for the ugliest pumpkin...

The Missing Money: Money Monsters by Okeoma Moronu Schreiner

Kai got some money as gifts during the Chinese New Year.  His father takes him to the bank to deposit it but a monster ate it!

The author and PR by the Book shared an ARC of this book with me (thank you).  It's been published and you can get a copy now.

After his sister was put to bed that night he has a talk with his mom and dad.  He tells them about the monster that ate his money.  His mother explains that it was an ATM machine that holds the money for the bank.  She goes on to explain an armored would pick it up and deliver it to the bank.  It was still his money.  She showed him how to check on it and told him it would earn interest in the bank.  His dad even gives him his own ATM card.

Kai can quit worrying, his money is safe.

There are discussion questions at the back of the book to be sure the reader understood the concepts.  This an easy reader that teaches a young one about life. It's handled well and Sandhya Prabhat's illustrations are bright and cheerful.  It's nicely done.

Snoozie, Sunny, and So-So by Dafna Ben-Zvi, Ofra Amit, Annette Appel

Snoozie is a cat and Sunny is a dog.  They are best friends who play together and enjoy life.

Enchanted Lion and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 26th.

One day, while out on their walk, they meet So-So.  He's small and timid.  He has no friends, no one to talk to and he feels so-so.  He's afraid of everything, even them!

Eventually they convince him they are no danger and then they go on a walk together.  They are fun to be around.  They show him places he hasn't seen before, and now he's talking and being a lot more cheerful.  

It makes everybody's world better when you have friends!

Vanishing in the Haight by Max Tomlinson

Colleen Hayes killed her husband for molesting their daughter and went to jail.  She's now an ex-con who is acting like a private investigator.  The case she's given is a cold case that is over 10 years old.  The older man is dying and he wants to know who killed his oldest daughter.

Oceanview Publishing and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 20th.

She begins asking questions.  As she stirs up attention to what she's looking into she's warned off by the cops.  She doesn't back down.  Then a retired cop she talked to and was going to give her a copy of his original police report doesn't make the meeting with her and is missing.  He's found.  Dead.  Now she's more determined than ever.

She talks to anybody who knew the dead woman and begins to put together an idea of what she thinks happened.  The only problem is that now the killer is on her trail...

With cops trying to kill her and the real killer after her, she has a lot of trouble.  There's more death but the lid comes off the case.  What's exposed is distasteful.  But even the big will fall.

I have to say that I liked the justice the wife of the retired cop dispensed.  She knew who killed him and she took care of it...

This Poison Will Remain by Fred Vargas

Someone is killing little old men with spider poison.  Who and why?

Penguin Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 20th.

Commissaire Adamsberg is on the case and he begins by looking into their backgrounds for a common denominator.  He find they were from the same orphanage.  As more men die, he has to find out why.  When he talks to the orphanage director's son, he finds there was a wild group of boys who put brown recluse spiders in the clothing or bedding of other children.  Many were wounded badly.  But they don't appear to be the killer.

This is a long roundabout investigation which finally discovers the common denominator.  He even figures out how it is done.  But he doesn't want to imprison the killer.  No matter, she'll turn herself in at another local police station.

This story is filled with horrible things.  What people will do to each other is disgusting.  The men deserved to pay for their crimes but what a way to go...

The Hidden Things by Jamie Mason

Nothing worked the way Jonathan planned it.  She brought the painting, the loose cannons showed up and so did the guy that was supposed to take them down.  They'd have to arrange to meet again and he'd ask for more money.  But the shooter also shot the woman who had brought the painting, so Jonathan ran, with the down payment and the painting...

Gallery Books and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published 8-13.

When Jonathan surfaces again, he's changed his identity.  He's now John married to a woman and has a stepdaughter.  They don't know the painting is stolen. so Mom puts it up in the entry way.  He has a camera there so he can make sure no one is trying to steal it.

All's well until the high school girl is followed home by a predator.  She gets away but the cops want the camera footage.  They get and they get a piece of the the stolen painting, too.  The incident goes viral and those still looking for the picture are now on his tail...

This group of players show no mercy to anyone.  The hunt is hard and the daughter gets involved.  It's hard to feel sympathy for those who die.  It ends as it should and nobody got by without some bruises and regrets.  This is a good example of why crime doesn't pay...

Poppy and Sam and the Mole Mystery by Cathon

Poppy and Sam drop in to visit mole.  He's all sad because he's lost his pink glasses.  They are going to help him fund them.

Owlkids Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 13th.

As they go back to places he's been that morning, they find all kinds of things but not his glasses.  (Let your child look over the pictures and see how many things they can find before they read about it.)

When they finally find the glasses, they also have others claiming what they've picked up so far.  So they set up a lost and found and everything goes home with someone.  Everybody is in a good mood by the end.

A Killer Edition by Lorna Barrett

Trixie really doesn't have a lot to do since hiring Pixie as assistant manager.  She does an excellent job and Trixie finds herself with lots of spare time.  She decides to apply for the local animal-rescue board and participate in the big bake off competition.  They're good ideas but neither one comes out as planned...

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 13th.

When she's visiting a friend at a romance bookstore, she hears an argument between her fried and the neighbor next door.  Vera is upset that a tree limb has been removed without her permission.  The other woman said it was in her side of of the fence and shaded her garden too much.  Then she asks Vera to leave.  She does, in a huff.

Later Vera is found dead in the garden in question.  She appears to have been strangled and the had a pitchfork run through her.  Trixie calls it in.  The store owner goes in for questioning.  It was her pitchfork and her garden.  Trixie doesn't think she could have done it, but who would?

Then she finds out about underhanded dealings at the shelter.  While she's looking into that, she's also looking into Vera's death.  She's setting herself up for death even if she doesn't realize it.

Everything comes to a head at the bake off.

I like this series.  They are good cozy mysteries.  Give 'em a try!

The Loyal One by Shelley Shepard Gray

Katie's mother has signed the house over to her and moved near her son and his wife and children.  She wants to remodel the house into a bed and breakfast but her mother was a hoarder and they will have to clean out the house first.  She's embarrassed and doesn't want to show anyone, but she has to.  She chooses Harley because he remodels houses.  They used to be good friends until he overheard her talking to someone about his girlfriend at the time.  They broke up not long after that but he didn't appreciate her comments and she felt guilty.  She hoped he would work with her now, she'd pay him for his work.  He says yes.

Gallery Books and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 13th.

He's shocked that the interior of the house is all walkways but he agrees to help clean it out and then remodel.  He mentions inviting their other friends over to help and Katie has a fit!  She doesn't want them to see it.  He doesn't agree with her but it's her decision. He then tells her he'll bring his little brother or they'll never get it finished.  She says OK.

The boys take the old furniture and stacks of paper and ruined clothes out to the dumpster.  She works in her mother's room, which was full.  While she's in there, she hears the friends down below and thinks Harley invited them over.  She orders everyone out, including Harley, and then has a good cry.  Harley's brother, Kyle, calms her down and assures her Harley never even talked to them, they just dropped in.  In a few days she has a crowd helping here and there.  They've begged to help.  She and Harley still haven't gotten over their communication problem.  

With misunderstandings (his old girlfriend wants him back) it takes a while but they both realize they are in love.

I like reading about the Amish.  They live in a simpler world but they can still face problems.  This was a good read.  

The Accidental Veterinarian Tales from a Pet Practice by Philipp Schott

This is an inside look at a vet's practice.  Mr. Schott writes of the changes in medicine and techniques over the years.  He explains that many of the animal diseases are similar to human diseases.  as the years go by, he gets more and more into high tech.  I learned that they did procedures on animals that I just recently had done to me (MRI).  It's amazing.

ECW Press and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

There are tales of the animals he met, mostly dogs and cats.  He found some dog owners wouldn't listen to him when he suggested getting a smaller dog next time.  But what caught my attention was when he discussed treating a full grown ostrich.  An animal like that could kill you.  What if it didn't like what the vet was doing?

He tells you about being bitten, about a dog that liked to eat rocks, and many more animal tales.  Being a vet isn't always a boring job...

Singapore Sapphire by A. M. Stuart

Harriet Gordon has gone to live with her brother in Singapore.  Her husband and son died from typhus and she wants to start over.  She also teaches at her brother's school and is trying to do some secretarial work on the side.  When her typewriter at work gives up, she goes back to the home of the man she's using her secretarial skills for.  She finds her typewriter where she left it and the man she was working is dead on the floor in the same room...

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 6th.

This is a well written historical mystery.  The mystery is complicated.  People are not what they seem.  Greed is the driving factor in this death and the ones to come.

Someone is making fake Buddhas that look authentic, someone has stolen rubies and a large sapphire during mining operations and now they are cashing them in, a bit at a time in another location.  As people become redundent, they become dead.  

Harriet gets involved in the investigation, mostly because a young boy's father is involved.  The smugglers are killers and offer no one any sympathy.  Will the cops come in time to save her or will Harriet die, too?
  

Love and Death Among the Cheetahs by Rhys Bowen

Georgie and Darcy are finally on their honeymoon.  The houseboat they were in was nice but it got a bit boring.  Darcy tells her he has a surprise for her:  they are going to Kenya!  It happens to be work related but she doesn't figure that out right away.  She's on a mission for the Queen so she can't complain much.

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 6th.

They stay with a friend and enjoy their walks and tours.  They are warned about ants, snakes, cheetas, lions and elephants.  They go to a party that's more dangerous than the animals.  There's alcohol, drugs, and wife swapping going on.  They refuse to participate and go their rooms early.  When they attempt to leave in the morning, they find a car in the middle of the road still running.  Darcy yells for the owner, shuts it off and then makes a dreadful discovery.  He finds the man's dead body.  He's been ravaged by animals.  Unfortunately, he died of a knife wound, so it was murder...

Georgie had to fight him off at the party, he was lusting after her, so she's not too heartbroken about it.  But she wonders who could have done it.  After all it must have been someone from the party.  No one else lives very close.

As they investigate the death, they find out someone is trying to kill them.  First they open a window that was shut and leave meat at foot of the bed, hoping a cheetah will come in.  Then they put meat in their tent and invite a lion in.

This case is turning dangerous so they had best find the killer soon!

I always enjoy Ms. Bowen's mysteries.  She does a good job with them.

The Magical Secret of the Crystal Kingdom: A Fantasy World of Unicorns, Dragons and other Magical Animals by P.S. Nicholls

This story is written for young readers who have a good imagination.  It's full of magic and shapeshifting as well as danger.  I'm not young but this author kept my attention.

The author and Publishing Push gave me the opportunity to read this story for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can grab a copy now.

Rose has been adopted and she loves her adoptive parents but she wonders about her real parents.  They are now living in the house her parents owned.  A local neighbor tells her that her parents were killed in a traffic accident.  She doesn't believe him.

When she and her friends visit a cave, she can see the crystals glow and she digs up one to prove it.  Then the others dig where she tells them and they find their own.  They are sleeping outside in sleeping bags so that's where they hide the crystals.  At bedtime they find themselves being transformed into animals.  Rose turn into a pink pony that can fly.  Her brother becomes a dragon, and all the others are other animals.  Then they find themselves in the Crystal Kingdom.  It's a lovely place but the Queen next door is determined to take them down.  Anyone she captures turns gray and becomes evil.

Will she win the battle?  Will Rose find her real parents?

These questions are answered in the book.  I found it a good read.  Young readers should enjoy it!

Gumshoe Rock by Rob Leininger

Mort has been in the uncomfortable position of receiving body parts of dead people.  The cases have settled down now and he's looking into an embezzlement case.  That should be safe enough but it's not.  The boss at the local IRS office has gone missing.  He knows this because his replacement had to brag to him about it.  As they ask questions about the embezzlement case and return to Lucy's car, there is a skull on the driver's seat.  It's bare bone, has some dead monster ants on it, and he can tell that's his old IRS boss.  Once again he's in the limelight as a finder of lost body parts...

Oceanview Publishing and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 6th.

This story is like the detectives of the '50's.  Mort defends himself well, his lady sidekick is someone he loves, and their investigation is tough.  They have an older female as part of the team.  She's called Ma and she has lots of connections as well as illegal activity tricks.  Together, they solve things.

It seem the man who embezzled the money was blackmailed by the dead IRS agent.  Checking the IRS agent out leads to several bank accounts with various names.  He wasn't just blackmailing one individual.

Mort ends up in a fight with a man with a knife.  He wins but he's made a dangerous enemy.

The reason the IRS man was killed is ridiculous.  Mort and Lucy find themselves in the hands of the killers.  It's a fight to the very end... 

Death Among Us: An Anthology of Murder Mystery Short Stories, Stephen Bentley, and others

This anthology of stories is stunning.  They are good mysteries of all sorts.  Most are fairly short but they almost all surprise you.  It's not too often the investigator dies but no one is safe in these stories.

BooksGoSocial and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

What surprised me was that I found all the stories to be good.  Most collections have a few that are so-so to me.  Not true in this case.

The other authors are: Greg Alldredge, Kelly Artieri, L. Lee Kane, Michael Spinelli, Robbie Cheadle, Kay Castaneda, Justin Bauer, Aly Locatelli, S. Lee.

There are a lot of stories included and they also share where to find a list of books written by the authors who contributed.

A bit of author biography is also included.  All in all, it was nicely put together and there are little story treats everywhere.  In some ways it's like raiding a box of chocolates. 

No Fences in Alaska by Glen Sobey

Harper has made a lot of mistakes in her life but her family is no help.  Her father gets angry and yells at her and threatens her.  Why should she listen to him?  Her mother tries to hide from the problems.  She's sixteen, she'll do what she wants to do.

Black Rose Writing shared a copy of this book with me for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can grab a copy now.

This is a look at the sordid world of a young girl who doesn't know her own mind.She's young enough to be manipulated into thinking it's all her own idea when it's not.  She's pretty and well developed and the boys notice.  At the moment she's dating a college student.  He has drugs, booze and sex to share with her.  When her father forbids her to leave the house since he saw what she was wearing, she threatens to jump out the upstairs window and cuts her arm.  The police take her to the mental evaluation unit of the hospital. She lies her way out of there.

When she finds out she's pregnant, her boyfriend tells her to abort it.  She doesn't know if she wants to.  With her father tracking her phone and computer communication, she decides there is only one way out for her.  She'll go to Alaska and stay with the Grandpa she hasn't seen since she was six.  She calls him and he says she is welcome to come then she blackmails her father into paying for her airfare.

Her Grandpa tells her she has to find her own way.  She can do what she wants but she will only get ahead if she chooses her own path.  She learns to shoot, learns never to run from a bear, goes backpacking and sees beautiful sights, and learns Grandpa has dementia.  They take care of each other.

She does learn a lot there, even what love is, and she also has also learned how to protect herself.  She'll need that skill.

It's a happy and sad book about life in general.  Most of us like having no fences.  Learning your lessons by experience is hard but you don't forget them... 

Death in a Desert Land by Andrew Wilson

Agatha goes to see if a woman's death was actually suicide or if it was murder.  She's in Persia where she meets Mrs. Woolley.  They are on a archeological dig and the artifacts they are finding are valuable.  Mrs. Woolley doesn't hide her disdain for the dead woman. Was she the killer?

Washington Square Press and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It is being published today.

Mrs. Woolley is temperamental and has bad headaches.  It's easy to get yelled at by her but would she actually kill?

When they all go to a picnic on a hill, it's a fine evening until Mrs. Woolley and the young lady at the event get in a spat over men's attention.  Mrs. Woolley always enjoyed their attention and now the pretty young one is getting it.  The young girl runs off and the others go after her.  When they hear a scream, they all run to see what happened.  They find Mrs. Woolley leaning over the body of the dead girl with blood on her hands.  She swears she didn't kill her but there's a rock with blood on it nearby.  Someone killed her.

They lock Mrs. Woolley in her bedroom.  Agatha visits her and begins to wonder about her symptoms.  Could there be a cause besides a mental unrest?

This was a good mystery with lots of secrets.  It takes a good deal of scheming to reveal the killer and Agatha is there every step of the way.

I really enjoyed this read.  It's fun to hang out with Agatha Christie and Mr. Wilson writes great mysteries!

Dragon's Revenge (Letty Valdez Mysteries) by C.J. Shane

When Letty's Librarian friend asks her to solve a murder case, she says yes.  The cops think it was her boyfriend that did it.  The Librarian doesn't because someone has been snooping in the limited access room with special papers and files not available to the public.  That's where the victim was found.  Letty doesn't realize the killer won't hesitate to come after her if she gets in his way.

Rope's End Publishing and Goddess Fish Promotions let me read this book for review (thank you).

Letty looks over the the murder site and finds only one point of access, the heat vent.  It's large enough a thin person could use it.  She starts her investigation.  She visits the cop on the case and asks if he will share information with her, not names but pushes in the right direction.  He's not looking very responsive so she tells him about the heat vent.  He checks it out and finds fingerprints so that's a start.

As she starts to piece together history of a couple long ago, she finds that there is some very valuable property involved.  The China man who married the Italian widow had deeded his property to his family.  There is a will and a deed to prove it.  The young man that wants it will kill to get the property so he can sell it and be rich.  Letty is going to try to stop him.  It's a good thing she has friends.

When he shoots up the car she was driving, she knows it is serious.  Who will win?

This was a very good read.  Lots of action and a history lesson, too.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Hetty is at a school on an island when illness breaks out.  First some of the teachers die.  Then it starts affecting the students.  Some live through it and some die.  They are quarantined and can't go home.  They also can't go outside the fence.  The forest and animals have been affected by the Tox, too.  Everybody and every thing is evolving...

Delacorte Press sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be published July 9th. 

Life is uncertain.  At any moment one of the girls can have a fit as the Tox works on them.  They are never sure if she will survive or not.  They are waiting for a cure but it's been 18 months already...

When Hetty's best friend goes missing, she's determined to find her.

Hetty gets picked to join the outdoor crew that goes after supplies.  They have little food and depend on these shipments.  As she watches her supervisor throw half of it away, she wonders what is going on.  She's told it was expired food but it didn't look bad to her. She finds the woodland creatures have changed.  Even the deer have teeth and will attack...

The next shipment they get consists of one crate, holding a cylinder of deadly gas.  They've written them off.

Things get very tense from here on.  One supervisor kills herself.  A bear tries to break into the building.  The head mistress betrays them and more.

If you read this book, you won't be bored.

A Conspiracy of Wolves by Candace Robb

When they find a dead body in the woods, they are afraid the wolves are back again.  After all, his throat was torn out.  Owen isn't sure it was a wolf. 

Severn House and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on August 1st.

Then another man was knifed to death.  Are the deaths tied together?

This is an interesting tale with magic healers, a crime done long ago, a family seeking revenge, and politics and intrigue mixed in here and there.  The wolf was not a wolf.  Much of what goes on in this story is shadowed and hidden.

Owen and his friends do identify the killers and take them to jail but the ending is sad.  That's a lot of death for a small community.  Now they have time to heal.

The White Feather Killer by R.N. Morris

He's been moved out of the detective section into a dead end position as the person who checks out the many stories the cops have received about German spies.  World War I has just begun and anyone with a German heritage is being thought of as a traitor.  He has to report to a man he dislikes.

He manages to get away and look at the victim that has been found.  She has a white feather in her mouth.  The feathers were distributed at a meeting and their purpose was to shame any eligible boys into joining the services and going to war.  It signified a coward.  So why is it in her mouth?

Severn House and  Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on August 1st.

He's not supposed to be on the case but he begins investigating anyway.  The boss arrested a half-German American citizen and accuses him of her murder.  He won't listen to anyone else.  It makes good press because he's part German.

The good detective keeps looking.  There are several surprises in this story.  The dead girl's father commits suicide.  The butcher arrested is let out of jail and then there's another young woman's death nearer the butcher shop with a meat cleaver.  A young man looking for a missing girl takes a gun with him and ends up dead.  The killers are finally revealed and it's a surprise on all counts.  

This is a story that is sad and filled with bad news but it's a good mystery and reflects the effect of WWI.

Simply Dead by Eleanor Kuhns

A young midwife goes missing.  Not only has she been gone quite a while, it's snowing and will cover all trace of her tracks.  Everyone goes out to look for her...

Severn House and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 1st.

Rees finds her in the snow with no shoes and no cloak.  He takes her home for his wife to warm up and goes to tell the sheriff.  He then tries to question the girl.  She says she was kidnapped but Rees doesn't think that's true.  Then her mother comes to collect her and stops all questions.   When his daughter is almost kidnapped, he's sure she hasn't told him the truth.

They put her with the Shakers to keep her safe but then a Shaker sister is strangled.  Her mother send her to Toronto to keep her safe and get her married.

When Rees talks to the father of the family he thinks is involved, he ends up with a dangerous enemy.  He thinks he's capable of anything.  But he wouldn't burn his own house down.  Who did that?

The actual killer was a surprise.  This was a very interesting read.

Blood on the Rocks by Priscilla Masters

Joanna is very pregnant but she's still a cop.  She's insulted when they put her in charge of finding an old missing man with dementia.  She thinks it's just busy work but it's more complicated than that...

Severn House and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 1st.

It seems the man has disappeared.  She questions the help trying to figure out how he got out the locked doors.  After all, the doors were all locked on the inside in the morning.  As an aside she finds he was upset because his teddy bear was missing.  Did he go out to look for it and get lost?  Everyone is looking for him but no one is finding him.  Then she wonders if he was abducted.  While she's worrying about the dementia patient, there is someone planning her demise...

A recent prisoner who was released is planning how to get even.  She's going to use the man as bait.

The man's bear was valuable and it was stolen for the money they could get out of it.  The lost man has been hid but they are afraid of the woman prisoner and agree to give him to her.

Will Joanna fall for the trap that's being set?  I'm afraid so.

Milady by Laura L Sullivan

Her father comes for an infrequent visit and ends up taking her with him on his return.  His lady friend at home has a son she might be interested in.  She is and she gets instructions on how to act like a lady from the lady friend.  She doesn't realize they plan to use her...

Berkley sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It is being published today.

She helps George get to be the King's assistant and then he dumps her.  Her own father sends her to a nunnery.  Who expected her to be nice after that?

She knows poisons: how much will kill, how much will make them sick, what antidotes work.  She uses her charms to snare a young priest.  They escape together but when she wants to separate, he won't.  She ends up sneaking off.  She's out of luck, though.  He stole gold, and they are captured.  She's branded by the executioner but she gets away.  Now she can't pretend to be a lady, she's permanently marked.  But she does what she can.  She even gets married but won't let him consummate the marriage.  Then she learns about his temper.  He's a wicked man.

She really just wanted a man she could settle down with and have a family.  It's not to be.  With her poisons she leaves dead ones behind, she's escaping old enemies until they find her again and she's close to death many times.  She doesn't have a tame life.  She doesn't have love, just the power of her poisons and her personal strength.  Will that be enough? 

Love at First Bark by Debbie Burns

Mia was in the process of divorcing her husband when he suddenly dies.  She's now a widow and will concentrate on raising her son and taking care of the financial mess he left them in.  She's glad she has their good friend, Ben, to help her through this rough time.  She doesn't know that he's been in love with her for years.  When he was late for a date, Brad stepped in and and got her for his mate...

Sourcebooks Casablanca and Edelweiss  allowed me to read this book for review (yhank you).  It will be published July 30th.

Mia works at the local rescue clinic.  She's painting a mural on one wall when they have an emergency.  A woman has let a van full of dogs loose in the park.  They go to rescue them.  Mia finds one dog and it's pup.  They are both deaf.  She ends up fostering them.  Ben and a boy he's a Big Brother to pick a very headstrong dog that Tray loves.  Ben will have to keep him until Tray's mom changes her mind and let's Tray have the dog.  That might never happen.  Mia's son is falling in love with the dogs they are fostering, so they might adopted by them, too.

With Ben hanging around because of the dogs she's finding herself attracted to him.  She even kisses him and then backs off.  Her mother shows up for a visit and she sees what's going on.  She encourages the relationship.  She even gives her a clue about how long he's loved her.

The best is yet to come.  Ben has one more surprise for her...