A dystopian land where factions fight over commodities and territory – and where dinosaurs perform in circus and rodeo because of a time portal discovered in what was once known as the US. Ian McDonald, a new to me author, drew me in with his coming-of-age tale of a young man with a long-held dream […]
Pamela Hubbard’s writing paired with Rob Cardillo’s photography of Hubbard’s own gardens produced a book lush with information and inspiration to new or veteran gardeners alike. The Contemporary Cottage Garden starts with the history of the cottage garden starting in medieval times and moves into what that garden looks like today. Serf and working-class families […]
In late 7th century Ireland, a murder of the High King rocks the Five Kingdoms even as a religious war tears through the lands as old pagan ways clash with the new Christianity. Fidelma has been called upon to investigate and solve the murder before a new High King can be crowned. […]
Has her imagination conjured up the most detestable man of her acquaintance or is she seeing a ghost? Morgan Blake ‘s idea of Mr. Darcy haunting Elizabeth Bennet for her P&P variation tale utterly tickled my fancy so I eagerly gave this new-to-me author a go. The Cherry Trees of Rosings opens on Elizabeth Bennet […]
As I progress through the historical mystery series set in the world of the Roman Empire, I was curious now that the series is moving from Roman Britain to Ruso’s family home in Gaul. Ruth Downie has an interesting blend of humor, historical detail, colorful characters and intriguing mystery plot all woven […]
Before London’s police force came into being and murder required investigating, the Home Office sent out the cold, clever inquiry agent that sent shivers down the back of the hardened predators slinking through dark alleys. RJ Koreto’s Winter’s Season was my first intro to his writing. I found between the covers a well-researched historical backdrop, […]
After the dramatic and dark finish to Real Murders, a few months later life in Lawrenceton, Georgia seems to be settling down. Then Aurora gets a surprising inheritance, complete with the mystery of a creepy skull and the new neighbors across the street are her ex and his new- very pregnant- wife. A […]
A firefighter dies as a fire victim in his own home. A widowed dollhouse maker and amateur detective and forensics specialist partners with a local sheriff’s deputy to investigate. Katie Tietjen and her mid-twentieth century Maple Bishop series were new to me, but I was intrigued the Maple Bishop character based on a real-life criminology […]
In 2014, I came across a brand-new urban fantasy series based on a witch straight out of Russian mythology brought into modern times. Wickedly Dangerous introduced Deborah Blake‘s magical Baba Yaga world and I plunged in and devoured each and every release in the series and its follow up series, the Broken Riders. It was […]
A small-town Real Murders club in Georgia gets a shake-up when suddenly their murder club is seeing someone is staging contemporary murders to mimic the more grisly and infamous murders of the past. Aurora Teagarden leads a quiet, though slightly lonely life as a librarian in her town. She is comfortable in […]