Miraz Jordan

I enjoyed this free book and could consider reading more. It was a light read — A Sticky Inheritance: Maple Syrup Mysteries by Emily James . 📚

When Nicole’s uncle dies and she inherits his maple syrup farm, she thinks it’s time to leave her career as a criminal defense attorney behind for a life that allows her to stay far away from murderers and liars.

For half a day at least.

Her uncle’s suicide looks like it wasn’t a suicide at all.

This freebie was a lightweight but reasonably enjoyable read. A View to Kill For (Belle Isle Cozy Bookstore Mysteries Book 1) by Stephanie Andrews. 📚

With suspicion closing in and no one willing to tell the whole truth, Kate must untangle a web of secrets before the bookstore—and her freedom—are lost.

A rather complex case that reaches back in time and into the present. Marjory and her team manage to work it out though — Murder on the Solway (Detective Marjory Fleming Mysteries Book 9) by Aline Templeton. 📚

Connell Kane … is charged with her death. Then his car is discovered abandoned at the Mull of Galloway, a suicide note taped to the wheel. Case closed.

Two years later, after a ferocious storm, the receding waters reveal a battered car stranded on the Solway mudflats ― and the body of a man.

It’s Connell.

An intriguing mystery with several potential perpetrators and one very unusual character who remembers everything. This book spent a lot of time on the individual characters.

Marjorie's family also had some major happenings to contend with. Murder in Dunmore (Detective Marjory Fleming Mysteries Book 8) by Aline Templeton. 📚

Marnie Bruce has returned to find out what happened the night her mother disappeared — the night she left Marnie for dead.

Marnie has hyperthymesia. She remembers everything she has ever seen and heard: every face, every word, every detail. But that night is the one memory she cannot recover.

I really enjoyed Every Sky a Stranger by LJ Cohen. 📚

When an EMT with PTSD falls through a portal into an alternate version of Boston, three friends from different realities in the multiverse, each of whom owe him a debt, attempt a rescue before conflicting memories of a life he never led destroy his mind.

First though I needed to reread (and re-enjoy) Litany for a Strange World.

Cohen handles these characters and worlds really well, and the end was nail-biting.

I'm looking forward to the third in this trilogy.

This was quite a fun read — Endurance: The Complete Series by A. C. Spahn. 📚

A disrespected ship, exiled to lonely patrol in the dark corners of the solar system.

A crew of screw-ups, written off by the entire fleet.

They're about to change everything.

If they don't blow themselves up first.

The crew were interesting, the adventures brief and highly improbable, but in an enjoyably light-hearted way.

Absolutely the most delightful book I've ever read. 100% recommended for adults and kids with any interest at all in birds — Omnibird: An Avian Investigator's Handbook by Giselle Clarkson (author and illustrator). 📚

It's informative, beautifully written and drawn, funny and a total page-turner.

I almost never buy books on paper, but Omnibird: An Avian Investigator's Handbook by Giselle Clarkson (author and illustrator) was an instabuy for me. 📚

Omnibird investigates 18 common birds from habitats around the world―eagles, owls and seabirds, starlings, ducks and swans. Explore the incredible internal structure of bird bones, learn what a gizzard stone is for, find the fascinating in bird calls, bird poop, feathers, and flight patterns.

The text and especially illustrations grabbed me.

Grisly murders feature in Killing on the Norfolk Broads (Detective Geldard Mysteries Book 10) by Heather Peck, but while they have to be solved the author doesn't linger over the nasty details.

I enjoyed this book. 📚

Detective Greg Geldard is still reeling from a blazing row with his partner Chris when the call comes. A body in a derelict farmhouse outside the quiet Norfolk village of Themelthorpe.

Abandoned: Three Good Weapons (A Horus Thriller Book 1) by A. R. Shaw. 📚

The Horus Thrillers combine covert operations, near-future technology, international intrigue, and explosive action in a gripping series where no mission is what it appears to be—and no one can be trusted.

I'd imagined travel, tech, slick undercover work and the like. Early on though were prolonged shooting, violence, gruesome killing. It's not the book for me.

It's about 18 months since I read Litany for a Strange World by LJ Cohen, but having started the next in series I realised I needed to refamiliarise myself with the story.

It was again an enjoyable read. 📚

I abandoned this part way through Book 1 as I just dislike the characters and it was all a bit unbelievable. The Complete Hampstead Heath Mysteries Books 1-4 by Sabina Manea. 📚

Join ex-lawyer turned sleuth Lucia Steer as she navigates the leafy streets of North London on four cryptic and compelling cases.

A good read in a series I enjoy. Secrets on the Norfolk Broads (Detective Geldard Mysteries Book 9) by Heather Peck. 📚

Marie Leakey was a masseuse. Popular, kind, no enemies in the world. She died alone in her modest bungalow after a takeaway curry. A curry she never ordered.

This book felt a little bitty, but there were some deeper currents swirling. Still a good read. A Cold Harbour: (Detective Shona Oliver Book 7) by Lynne McEwan. 📚

DI Shona Oliver is caught in the crosshairs of the National Crime Agency. They know she has information about the murder of her former boss and are determined to charge someone.

Another good read in the series, with lots of court case — Hidden Currents (Sheriff Hank Worth Mysteries Book 8) by Claire Booth. 📚

[Hank's] deputy sheriff Sheila is in court testifying against the men who had left her for dead in a brutal attack, and the defense will do whatever it takes to win their case.

I did OK with the first 3 books in this series, but have abandoned this one as it's just silly and annoying — The Channel Islands Village Murder The Gull Bay Mysteries Book 7) by Ashley Cain. 📚

The well-dressed stranger was striding purposefully towards April’s café when she suddenly dropped dead. Natural causes? Maybe. But something doesn’t add up.

Nice cover though.

Another good read in a series I enjoy — Fear on the Norfolk Broads (Detective Geldard Mysteries Book 8) by Heather Peck. 📚

An elderly woman has been run off the road on her bike, dumped in a ditch and left to die. And she isn't the only one.

Another body surfaces in the water near Martham. An old man knocked from his bike and swept into the river, still wearing his bicycle clips.

I've been feeling a bit below par so had plenty of time to read and enjoy The Sheriff Hank Worth Mysteries by Claire Booth. 📚

Across these five mysteries, [Hank] faces a brutal killing in a quiet home, a scheme preying on elderly tourists, an explosion that leaves one body too many, and rumours of buried Civil War gold that lure treasure hunters deep into the Ozark woods.

Across the 5 books the main characters gained a lot of depth and also dealt with some big traumas whose effects lasted beyond the book.

Abandoned after Book 1 — The Complete Detective Lauren Riley by Lissa Marie Redmond. 📚

In the freezing grip of upstate New York, Buffalo Cold Case Homicide detective Lauren Riley is as unyielding as the snow that comes howling in off the lake. She's twice divorced, raised two daughters alone, and they're grown now.

I had to keep taking breaks while reading as I didn't much care for the detective, and most of the men around her were revolting. After Book 1, and with threats obviously around her from several directions I just didn't want to read more.

Reading this was like a cat soaking in warmth in a puddle of sunlight. As in Volume 1 folks arrive at the cafe and transformation happens — The Magical Cat Café and Teashop Volume 2 by Kris Bock. 📚

This quiet, small-town café is a place for sweet treats and cozy moments with rescued cats—and it’s a sanctuary for people seeking transformation. Join them for new friendships and healing connections.

Another in a series I enjoy. And with Lexy's parents visiting there are plenty more linguistic hijinks too. Scotzilla (Last Ditch Mysteries Book 7) by Catriona McPherson. 📚

Lexy's wedding becomes a crime scene when a murderer dares to strike on her big day

As someone with a terrible sense of direction, I enjoyed this moment too (my emphasis):

in completely the opposite direction from where my sense of direction, the skill Taylor calls my ‘nonsense of direction’, would have led me.

I like this series in general, but not so much this specific book — Murder on Lovatt Island (Detective Marjory Fleming Mysteries Book 7) by Aline Templeton. 📚

Two boys dare each other into a hidden cave on the island. Inside they find a human skeleton, still shackled to the rock where it was left to die.

This book had a load of characters to follow, the murder and other events were grisly and Detective Fleming was facing extreme difficulties in her personal life.

Finished reading The Cotswold Manor Mystery (Dreaming Spires Romantic Mysteries Book 1) by Maxine Barry (Faith Martin). 📚

Welcome to Nether Dene — the cosy English village where a crumbling manor, a long-buried secret and a second chance at first love are about to collide . . .

I'm that person who doesn't much care for romance but sometimes reads one thinking it'll be different. I like this author's mystery series, but nope, not keen on romance (still).

Another good read in the series. Far from a smooth and easy case for Fleming and her team. There was a lot of tragedy here. Murder in Rosscarron (Detective Marjory Fleming Mysteries Book 6) by Aline Templeton. 📚

After weeks of relentless rain, a landslide crashes down the hillside, burying the Rosscarron Cottages under tons of earth and rock.

A young woman stumbles out of the darkness to raise the alarm. When rescuers dig through the rubble, they uncover the body of a man she insists she’s never seen before.

I enjoyed the read — Fear in the New Forest (New Forest Murder Mysteries Book 2) by Linda Mather. 📚

On a lonely stretch of shingle, where the Solent laps the forest’s edge, something terrible is about to wash ashore.

The bloated body of a young man. Several days dead.