Archive for March, 2026

Murder At World’s End by Ross Montgomery

Published March 31, 2026 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction

This mystery is set in 1910 where a Viscount of an expansive estate believes that Halley’s Comet is going to obliviate life as they know it. So, he has his staff work tirelessly to seal up Tithe Hall in order to try and protect them from the tidal waves he believes are coming to destroy earth. As luck would have it, an underbutler, Stephen Pike, arrives the very day these preparations are taking place having been recommended by a family member. He does have a record and he is very concerned they will turn him away and he desperately needs work. However, the butler is very overwhelmed and decides to tell the Viscount that he requested an additional staff member in order to help seal up the Hall. After sealing up everyone in their rooms, Stephen is sent to check on Miss Decima, the prickly elderly family member who constantly terrorizes the staff. It is Stephen’s job to make sure she stays sealed in her room for the night, but Decima has other plans and they end up going outside to watch the comet. The next morning, Stephen notices that there is blood coming from underneath the study where the Viscount was sealed up alone. He rushes to get help and by the time they break open the door they find the Viscount murdered in a grisly manner. Since he is new and has been to prison (for a crime he was innocent of) all eyes turn to him, but Decima knows he was with her and could not have committed the murder. Plus, it seems impossible anyone could have gotten in and out of the room with it being sealed from the inside. Decima and Stephen vow to prove his innocence before he goes down yet again for a crime he didn’t commit. Can they find the real culprit(s)? More importantly, can they figure out how it is possible for someone to get murdered inside a locked room?

This fun mystery has a Gosford Park/Downton Abbey feel as the reader is introduced to the staff and their very particular jobs and rules they must follow. The pace of the story is not overwhelming, but does not lag behind either as Stephen and Decima strive to find clues that will not only exonerate him, but also let them know if the rest of them are in danger with a killer nearby. The dynamics of the manor are very interesting as every servant has a place and no one is supposed to mess with that. The family members staying at the house all have their own agendas for going along with the hysteria over Halley’s Comet, but are those agendas enough to kill for? Fans of British type mysteries will enjoy this title.

The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave

Published March 24, 2026 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Mystery

In this sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me, Hannah and Bailey have now been without Owen for five years. Bailey has graduated from college and has begun her first full time job. Hannah is still working on her art and even having shows, which is when she first suspects she sees Owen. Hannah knows that Owen showing back up is probably not a good thing and learns that Bailey’s grandfather, Nicholas, has just died and that puts them both in jeopardy as he had worked out a deal to keep them both safe from the mob he works for. So, they both use their planned escape contingencies to go on the run and find out if there is a way for all of them (including Owen) to stay safe under the new regime controlling the mob. Can they reunite with Owen? Will they ever be able to live without looking over their shoulders? Will they ever know once and for all whether or not the mob was behind Bailey’s mother’s death?

Fans of the first novel will love that this one picks up right where the old one left off. Bailey and Hannah have gotten close to Nicholas despite his dealings with the mob that created this entire mess. The story also helps them find answers that were never given in the first book. The relationship of Hannah and Bailey is also fun for the reader to see because they have been through so much together with the loss of Owen. The story is very fast paced and action packed as they try to find answers and get their lives back. Fans who thought their journey had ended will be pleasantly surprised by this very exciting second installment.

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben

Published March 17, 2026 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Mystery/Suspense

A series of bad events lead army surgeon Maggie McCabe to lose her license, including her husband getting killed in the field and her coping with alcohol. She also recently lost her mother, who was a well known and respected surgeon in her own right. Now, she is struggling to help her sister pay the mortgage so that they don’t lose their childhood home. When an old friend offers her a job opportunity that seems too good to be true, Maggie can’t help but feel intrigued by the opportunity to perform surgery again. Once she is whisked away to an unknown location, however, things begin to seem very sketchy. She does perform the two surgeries for her clients, however, but is shocked when one patient disappears and the other appears to have a connection to her late husband. As she begins to fear for her safety she knows she must flee before it is too late. Can she survive this ordeal now that they no longer need her? Can she find out who is behind this secret operation? Is there a connection to her late husband? Is she being paranoid after her years of combat work?

Fans of Harlan Coben will enjoy this title as it keeps readers interested from the beginning. It is easy to sympathize with Maggie since she has been through so much and it feels like nothing will ever lighten up for her. Many people in her situation would find themselves saying yes to this proposal only to find themselves in this very scary situation where there is no way out. There are many side characters who are all written in a way that make it difficult to ascertain who is trustworthy and who is not. Maggie is definitely a character that could potentially come back in a future adventure since her story is long from resolved. Fans will be pleased with the ending and will undoubtedly want to see more from this character.

The House of Saphir by Marissa Meyer

Published March 3, 2026 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

Mallory and her sister have been trying their best to survive after their mother’s death, but unfortunately the magical gifts they inherited from her aren’t as lucrative as hers were. Mallory has the ability to see ghosts and her sister doesn’t even like talking about her gift, so they make due giving fake seances and tarot readings, and giving tours of the Saphir House to gullible tourists who are willing to buy anything. That is until Mallory gets caught by some police and must flee before getting arrested for fraud. Unbeknownst to her, one of the guests at her last house tour is actually the rightful heir to the Saphir Houses and lands and he ends up claiming she had permission to sneak onto his property to give these tours. In exchange, he wants Mallory and her sister to accompany him back to the country house in order to expel the ghost of Count Bastien, his murderous ancestor who supposedly murdered three of his wives before being killed himself. Since the ghost’s return, the ghost has been causing a lot of trouble which has led the house and vineyard to fall into disrepair as no one will work there. Mallory knows she needs to get out of the city before the police come looking for her again, but doesn’t believe she has the ability to banish a ghost. Meanwhile, she has become aware of some supernatural hunters who might be able to help for a price. Shortly after arriving at the country estate there is another brutal murder and she can’t help but feel like she knows exactly who the culprit is and it is not a ghost. Can she manage to help the current Count Bastien without revealing she is not as magical as her mother was? Will it be helpful that she can actually talk to the ghosts of the three wives that were murdered in the House Saphir houses that led to so many legends and myths to be spread about the family? Can they possibly break the curse that is holding the murdered ghosts in these ancestral houses? Will they be able to stop the murderer before more attacks occur?

This is another great story by Marissa Meyer. The retelling of Bluebeard is exciting, dramatic, and has many plot twists and turns that will keep readers intrigued. The characters are all really engaging too, especially the ghost Mallory meets at the House Saphir in town. The ending is full of surprises, but all the details make sense and feel satisfying. Readers of Meyer’s other series will enjoy this one as well. Recommended for fantasy readers.

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