Tag: mystery

This Chick Read: Faithless in Death (In Death #52) by J. D. Robb

How is it that after 52 novels this incomparable author can still give us a fresh mystery? It truly boggles my mind. Faithless in Death brings back all of our favorite characters as they investigate what looks to be a pretty straightforward murder in the West Village. Artist, Ariel Byrd is bludgeoned to death in her studio, leaving behind a couple of wine glasses and a mussed up bedroom. Wealthy, elegant, Gwen Huffman calls in the murder over an hour after she discovers the body, and more details don’t add up. As they dig a little further, Eve discovers a motive that ties this murder to something much larger than a romance gone wrong.

I’m still about 5 novels behind the finish and can’t ever seem to catch up because this author writes quicker than I read. As it’s a futuristic mystery series I need to be in the mood and whereas I probably read 2 of them a year, the author also writes that many. The good news is that she doesn’t ever seem to stop so I can return to some characters that I’ve built a relationship with over many years and know I’m going to enjoy what I read. This story started off quickly and didn’t ever seem to stop and as Eve becomes smarter it seems that the people she’s trying to stop also become bigger. There are many surprises hidden in Faithless in Death and unfortunately I’m not going to spoil them for you here. Which makes my job a little tougher.

These stories are not all about solving murders, we also learn a little bit more about the characters as each story unfolds. In this novel. we find out that Mavis and Leonardo are buying a home and there is a small gathering to view the property. Eve’s interaction with her god-daughter are again precious. Mostly because Eve is confused by the little girl, but also because she didn’t have a childhood like what Mavis is giving her, so their interactions are bittersweet and lovely. These brief moments help create a connection between the reader and the characters that keep carrying us forward and wanting to learn more of their personal stories, which the author feeds us in these brief moments. Brilliant.

It would be hard to hit it out of the ballpark in every single novel in a 52 (now 57) book series but Faithless in Death was one of the great ones. You are “in the room” during all of the critical unveilings and are riding along with the crew as they investigate and reveal. There aren’t any secrets but you still get to take part in unraveling an incredible mystery. This was a good one folks! I’m glad I read it.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Faithless in Death

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

Happy Release Day! The Gorgon Agenda (SPI Files #8) by Lisa Shearin

Have you, like me, been waiting on the next release in the SPI Files series? Wait no more! The Gorgon Agenda came out on January 24th on Kindle and in paperback. Here’s a quick peek.

THE GORGON AGENDA

Lisa Shearin

A planet-killing weapon, sinister sisters, and immortal monsters.

All in a day’s work for the agents of SPI.

I’m Makenna Fraser, seer for SPI (Supernatural Protection & Investigations). I knew SPI

protected some of the world’s most dangerous relics, but I didn’t know our draconic founder,

Vivienne Sagadraco, kept them in a vault deep below Manhattan.

Until the most lethal relic of all was stolen.

The Aegis is the shield once wielded by Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war. The center of

the Aegis contains the head of Medusa, making it the ultimate weapon. All who look on it or its

reflection are instantly turned to stone.

Old enemies and new adversaries have descended on New York—and one of them now has the

Aegis:

Tiamat—Babylonian goddess of chaos, and Vivienne Sagadraco’s sister

Stheno and Euryale—Eight-foot-tall, snake-haired gorgons, granddaughters of the

Titans, and Medusa’s sisters

The Sisterhood of Medusa—An ancient gorgon military order

The Cabal—A supernatural terrorist organization

Those behind the theft have declared war on humanity, with a hatred that was millennia in the

making, and a heist that was centuries in the planning.

Our mission is simple yet impossible: Retrieve the Aegis and save the world. But we can’t do it

alone. We’ll need our friends, family, and some unexpected new allies if we’re to stop this

ancient evil once and for all.

Click this link to purchase on Amazon!* The Gorgon Files

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (1/9/22)

My first Monday back after a couple of weeks of vacation. I had a nice mixture of down time and travel and read some books on my TBR that I had either purchased or borrowed. I really enjoyed the break! I’ve read 6 books since Jan 1, and I don’t think I really had one that I didn’t like! Here is the last book I finished.

JUST FINISHED

I’m quite a few books behind in this series but was in the mood for re-visiting some of my favorite characters. This mystery wasn’t so mysterious but was a great inter-departmental takedowns of some very bad people and I must say I enjoyed it a lot.

JUST STARTED

I haven’t really decided what I’ll be reading next but this book is certainly on my radar. A spin-off of the Casey Duncan series, I know this will be an eery, mysterious, romp in the woods. I’m looking forward to reading this one!

Happy Monday and happy reading.

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin

After the death of her father, Ava Burch moves to the small town of Cuervo from Houston to create a small law practice with a friend. She brings with her Huck, the search and rescue dog that her father had trained. She joined SAR, a volunteer search and rescue and gets sent out on her first search for a lost child. While out she finds an abandoned camp and takes some photos. Her find leads to an investigation into the disappearance of a woman a couple of years ago. As she digs deeper she finds herself the target of random acts of violence making her think she may now be a target.

I really enjoy Laura Griffin’s style of writing a mystery. Granted they are more romantic thrillers than hard driven mysteries but she has now become one of my go-to authors when I need to switch up genre’s. Ava Burch and Investigator Grant Wycoff were an interesting pairing. Ava dresses like she still lives in a big city and drives a smart red sports car and Grant is living in his home town and working for a small police force but they are both attractive, smart, and in fiction land bound to have found each other so I’ll forgive how quickly they become involved and important to each other. Danger does that to a couple, right? Ava, as with Laura Griffin’s other heroine’s, doesn’t stop at turning in her photos and leaving a message for the sheriff, she decides to do some investigating on her own. After all, she’s a lawyer from a big city and her dad used to be a cop. Her instincts tell her something is off, so she moves forward, driving Grant nuts with her ability to find things that were overlooked by his own police force. I can’t help but like that about her!

I won’t give away the mystery in this review but the story leading up to the final reveal was nicely done and fun to read. Not too heavy or bloody, just a woman in danger and her hero who will come to save the day. Just the way I like my romantic thrillers! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I was given a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase!* Vanishing Hour

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Station Eternity (The Midsolar Murders #1) by Mur Lafferty

Mallory Viridian is a murder magnet. Wherever she goes people get murdered and some intuition into puzzling out the clues makes her the only person who can solve them. Tired of murder following her footsteps, Mallory got approval to live on an alien space station where there are only two other humans living among the aliens. Unfortunately that doesn’t last long, a space shuttle is headed their way and you got it, murder follows. Mallory is the only person who can see the connections and solve the murder.

There was something really unique and intriguing about this novel. I’ve definitely never read a book about a young woman who murder seems to follow, and at the same time, travels to outer space to make her escape. The species on the space station are also totally unique and interesting but it took me a little while to convince my brain to switch from a mystery to science fiction mid step. Of course, the author was leading up to the murder following her into outer space, but I was distracted by the new and interesting friends Mallory had made. It was a little clunky and yet enjoyable at the same time.

Mallory was a bit of a loner, and I don’t blame her one bit! However, that did make her a little bit harder to connect to than Xan, her one human friend on the space station. It would seem that it might be harder to have a more interesting back story than Mallory but Xan’s was also pretty spectacular. On Earth he worked for the military in the corpse removal department. I can’t remember the exact name, but when tragedy strikes there is a team that goes in and collects the dead and Xan was one of those team members. After a tragedy strikes, Xan also wants to escape and was lucky enough to be abducted by aliens, ending up on the same space station as Mallory. Yep, you go that right. He was abducted. As you can imagine, this novel was a mix of slapstick humor and seriousness which was a little disorienting to read.

I didn’t realize that this is the first book in a series until I went to look at the title and noticed that subheader. Hmmm, did I like it enough to stick around to read a book #2? I’m not sure. I didn’t hate it, but I’m also not eagerly anticipating the next book. I think I’ll have to wait and see where the synopsis leads me. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase!* Station Eternity

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Flight (The Texas Murder Files #2) by Laura Griffin

Former forensic investigator Miranda Rhodes is taking a break from murder in the small town of Lost Beach taking wildlife photos when she finds a murdered couple in a canoe on a river. She instinctively snaps photos before heading back to shore to call it in to the local police. As the person who discovered the bodies she is interviewed by the police but ultimately its her skills and a forensic investigator that lands her in the middle of this murder investigation, as one of the team. When Miranda becomes the center of the murderers attention Detective Joel Breda, the lead investigator on the case finds himself becoming very protective of Miranda.

I read book 3 in the series first but liked it enough to go back and read the first two as well. I really enjoy Laura Griffin’s style. Her mysteries have a hint of romance and don’t have the gritty feel that some thrillers have, it’s easy reading and good characters. Two things I can always get behind. Miranda was an interesting character. She was burnt out from her previous job which contrasted nicely with her taking wildlife photos. I liked that aspect of balance in her character. Of course, when she becomes and integral piece of the murder investigation her character becomes even more interesting. As the lead detective on the case Joel Breda’s character was more straightforward alpha male. He was interested in Miranda right from the start but had these horrible murders happening in his hometown. He wanted to solve the crimes and protect the woman he was coming to care about. Very straightforward and no surprises. These two characters fit very well together and the romance and mystery kept me turning the pages.

There were only a handful of people the reader was introduced to who could be committing these crimes so I won’t say the murder was that big of a mystery but it was well thought out and had some gripping moments. All in all, I enjoyed this book and would recommend this book and the series to anyone who likes a lighter feel to their mystery novel reading. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Flight

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (9/26/22)

I finished an audiobook this week that really got me thinking about our country’s revolution. My Dear Hamilton is the story of Eliza Hamilton and her husband Alexander, made famous in the musical Hamilton. Although really he was one of the founding fathers of our country and should be famous for that, but hey at least the musical has us talking about it all again. I have had this book For-ev-er. I have met Laura Kamoie, one of it’s authors, years ago and purchased the book when it came out in 2016. Then it sat on my audible shelf until I watched Hamilton for the third time and thought, you know what? I want to know more than what this version of Hamilton’s story is telling me. Wow, I learned a lot and it was so interesting! Don’t be surprised if you see me reading more from the Revolutionary War era. It’s fascinating, really! Let’s catch up on the books I’ve been reading lately!

JUST FINISHED

This book was so, so long! It’s funny but when you are reading books on your kindle and it takes forever for your % to move forward you know the book must be a behemoth. Did I like it? Review to come. I did and I didn’t.

JUST STARTED

I haven’t really started this book yet but it’s certainly high up on my TBR. I’ve got it checked out from the library and am eagerly anticipating how good it will be after I loved Elena Armas’s The Spanish Love Deception. I’ll let you know what I think!

Have you read any good books lately?

Happy reading and happy Monday!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have spent the last 40 years of their lives as assassins for an elite organization called the “Museum”. Now in their 60’s they are retiring from the business and their company has sent them on a cruise as a goodbye gift. Unfortunately, the museum sent another gift as well, an assassin to help them on their way to a permanent retirement. These four old broads spot him, escape their fate, and then determine who put the price on their heads and why. Sometimes it’s a benefit to be too old for people to take you seriously.

This novel was certainly a departure from the style that I’ve come to expect from a Deanna Raybourn novel, and I was please at the surprise! Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie were all great characters and this plot was a complete original. I did find it funny that they were considered too old at the ripe old age of 60 but reminded myself of my bum knee and bad back when I’m a bit younger and though, ok, yes they might be a bit battered and bruised and looking forward to a quiet life. I know I am and I’m not running around killing people. Billie’s story took center stage so it was easier to identify with her, but the other ladies had interesting personalities and back stories as well. It was refreshing to find I was interested in everyone pretty evenly and didn’t lean more towards one character. They were all great.

Not having any knowledge of how to kill anything more than a spider in my bathtub, I’ll admit that I found their creativity kept me turning the pages and the fact that the author wrote this a bit tongue in cheek definitely helped me not take it too seriously. It was easy reading and never boring. There isn’t any higher praise than that from me.

I found the revenge plot to be a lot of fun, if a bit gruesome, and enjoyed the jaunts back into their earlier lives when they were being trained as new assassins, as well as their first couple of kills. It gave us insight into all of their characters helping the reader identify with the characters even if we weren’t identifying with their careers as assassins. Killers of a Certain Age was good fun and made me admire this author for writing outside of her normal genre. Nice job! However, I’ll admit to wanting her to write another historical for her next book.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Killers of a Certain Age

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong

Mallory is in Edinburgh, Scotland to visit her dying grandmother. A homicide detective in Vancouver, she takes note of a couple of murders that has happened in the area but she never expects to confront the killer when she’s out for a run. Hearing a woman’s cry of distress, Mallory see’s the image of a young woman in Victorian costume being strangled in an alley when she herself finds a rope around her neck. Losing consciousness she wakes up inhabiting the body of the girl she saw, Catriona, a maidservant to an undertaker named Dr. Gray. Trying to find her way back home, she decides she must catch the Victorian killer who almost murdered Catriona while helping Dr. Gray and his detective friend.

A Rip Through Time is a pretty straightforward time traveler novel. What sets this one apart from others is that detective Mallory is actually inhabiting someone else’s body instead of being transported in her own. Once she gets over the shock of what’s happened the story settles in to a bit of sleuthing. Of course, when your a house maid, your time isn’t your own and finding the time to sleuth becomes a bit difficult. Luckily for her, Dr. Gray isn’t just an undertaker, he is also interested in forensic science and has the imagination to listen to her evaluations and ideas. Not something that would normally happen in the Victorian era, prior to women’s rights. The arrival of Dr. Gray’s sister, Isla, a chemical scientist, is when the story takes off. Mallory finds someone she can trust and the story starts to move along a little quicker.

I’ll admit to loving time traveling novels. It’s always interesting to see how our main characters resolve themselves to their new lives in the past. Mallory decides her time will be best spent assisting Dr. Gray until she can find the murderer who will hopefully transport her home. I wish a little more time had been spent on descriptions of her surroundings, the era, and anything else that would help the reader transport themselves along with Mallory, but I find those moments surprisingly lacking. Unless you’re a history professor, that would take a ton of research so I understand, I just wished for a little bit more than what we got. The most enjoyable part of the novel was the actual hunt for the killer and when we got to those scenes it was easier to lose myself in the story, so it was just the first part that was a little light on details.

If you like time traveler mystery novels, this one was good! Except for a couple of small issues at the start, I did really enjoy reading the story.

❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* A Rip Through Time

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Midnight Dunes (The Texas Murder Files #3) by Laura Griffin

Macey Burns has been hired by the Tourism Board of Lost Beach, Texas to film a series of commercials. When she moves into the beach house she’s rented she not only finds that it’s not as advertised but that a woman’s body has been found in the dunes not even a half mile away. As an ex-crime reporter she can’t help but be curious about the scene and the investigation. Especially after she meets Detective Owen Breda and discovers she’s living in the dead woman’s house. As she starts filming the area, she meets people, hears their stories and starts piecing together clues. Old habits are hard to break.

Midnight Dunes was a very quick moving, easy to read romantic thriller. Told from two points of view we very easily feel the connection our main characters feel, as well as all of the other emotions each scene unveils. Macey was a really easy character to like. Smart, independent, and beautiful, it’s no wonder Owen can’t stop thinking of her. He also is an intriguing character. Tall and handsome, he has an instinct for questioning people that helps him get answers he needs. Funny enough, I think he and Macey are pretty similar to each other although she’s outgoing and he doesn’t seem to be. I liked them for each other a lot, so it was easy to root for that side of the story.

The mystery was really good and not too easy to anticipate who did what. I like being surprised and this story had a few that kept me on my toes and reading until the end. I was a little worried about this being the third book in the series but it seems that the series, although connected, has stand alone stories so don’t be afraid of picking this one up, you can jump right in without missing any intricate underlining stories. It was a very fast, fun read. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

Click this book to purchase!* MIdnight Dunes

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads