Miraz Jordan

Bah, last night I realised that on 22 May 2024 I wrote about a book I'd read, but somehow managed to use the wrong title and link and book cover. I'd tangled up books 1 and 2 in the series. Sigh.

Now corrected: Detective Chief Superintendent Fran Harman faces many challenges in Come to Harm… 📚.

An enjoyable read, but not riveting. A complicated case …Baskets and Beignets by Jana DeLeon 📚:

Fortune has solved cold cases before, but never one with so little evidence and so many suspects with not only strong motive but opportunity. Can she solve a decade-old murder

Detective Chief Superintendent Fran Harman faces many challenges in Come to Harm (Detective Fran Harman Mysteries Book 1) by Judith Cutler. Menopause symptoms create problems, her elderly and very demanding parents are a long drive away, and the cold case she's assigned seems to have no clues.

It was a good read and sets us up for more character development in subsequent books. 📚

Correction, 29 May 2024: somehow I originally linked to Book 2, Do No Harm, but the book I actually read was Book 1, Come to Harm.

Can't wait now for Book 5! — The Language of Power (Steerswoman Series Book 4) by Rosemary Kirstein was another excellent read, bringing our heroes closer to their goal. 📚

The Steerswoman teases out some important discoveries that help on her quest.

The latest in a series I enjoy — The Man Who Came Back (The Shee McQueen Mystery Thriller Series Book 7) by Amy Vansant was another enjoyable read 📚:

Mason’s fellow retired SEAL buddy, Arturo, invites him and Shee to his Florida lake house for the weekend. … Clues lead them to an underwater cavern … and a chemical smuggling ring

I found Cliff Diver: A Detective Emilia Cruz Novel by Carmen Amato to be a tough read. 📚

The setting is drug cartels, police and official corruption, sexual assault and other grim crimes.

I found myself reading only in the day, saving something more anodyne for before bed. Probably won't read more.

Solving a 30 year old cold case is actually very hard — Murder in the Parish (DI Hillary Greene Book 20) by Faith Martin 📚:

Thirty years ago, two days before Christmas, the much-loved Reverend Keith Coltrane was hit over the head and left to die inside his own church. The killer was never caught.

Another enjoyable read in the series — Malice in Tarnished Spaces: (The Pegasus Quincy Mystery Series Book 6) by Lakota Grace 📚 :

When Pegasus Quincy, sheriff’s deputy, steps into the leaky rowboat to investigate a murder at a mysterious artists’ colony, her troubles have just begun.

One feature of the book Tempting Fête was that every character was introduced with a reference to their race. 📚

That did effectively raise my awareness of my own assumption of default whiteness. So that's something I can work on …

I bought Tempting Fête (Men Who Stitch Mysteries Book 1) by Kate Silvers partly because its designation as A Diverse Cozy Mystery intrigued me. 📚

It was OK, but the diversity message was truly hammered home. In fact I suspect the diversity aspect was more important than any other elements.

Another in a series I enjoy: Silence in West Fork (The Pegasus Quincy Mystery Series Book 5) by Lakota Grace. 📚

Pegasus Quincy and her former partner, Shepherd Malone, have some difficult choices ahead when Shep’s daughter is caught with a murder weapon in her hand.

Now I See You (Mountain Resort Mystery series Book 1) by Shannon Work wasn't a favourite read, though I kept with it. It uses an Omniscient viewpoint that I found annoying — we were in the heads of half a dozen (or more) characters, including the perpetrator(s). All a bit much really. 📚

Darn it! I went to read Bridges to Burn (Detective Clare Mackay Book 8) by Marion Todd today, only to find I'd already read it (and given it 5 stars). I recall nothing about it! 📚

In a series I enjoy, Standing Dead (A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Book 8) by Margaret Mizushima was a good read. 📚

Mattie’s K-9 partner, Robo, makes a grisly discovery—a body tied to a dead pine tree. Mattie is shocked when she realizes she knows the dead man

Why was this NZ$11.28 when I bought it 2 weeks ago and now it's $19.56!!!

Another gripping book in the series: The Lost Steersman (Steerswoman Series Book 3) by Rosemary Kirstein. 📚

Rowan goes exploring in more strange and dangerous territories, encountering demons, hunting for Slado and making amazing discoveries.

I was in the mood to read all day and lost myself in Murder Against the Odds (Warwick & Bell Crime Mysteries Book 4) by Janice Frost. 📚

It was a good, engaging read with some unexpected outcomes.

Murder on a Country Walk (Warwick & Bell Crime Mysteries Book 4) by Janice Frost was another enjoyable read. 📚

I like these lead characters, though in this book one of the victims / suspects was seriously unpleasant.

Interestingly, it looks like I've skipped Book 3 somehow …

I'd forgotten I'd read other books by Judi Daykin, with varying enjoyment. The Wild Thyme Farm Murder (Detective Sara Hirst Book 6) was well-written though, held my attention, and managed to produce several viable suspects. I enjoyed the interactions of the characters. 📚

I enjoy Anne Shillolo's murder mystery series, but Murder at Lost Lake: (An Elk Ridge Murder Mystery Book 3) had a couple of important plot points that stretched my belief a little too far. That made the book just a little less enjoyable. 📚

Four victims in one day is a bleak and frightening record.

Having recently visited Tekapo I was intrigued by this new murder mystery set there: Dark Sky: Murder among the stars - by Marie Connolly. But I don't buy / read books on paper (it's a real chore for me) and it seems there's no ebook. 😢 📚

I was doubtful about The Jenny Starling Mysteries Books 1–4 by Faith Martin at first but really rather enjoyed the books with their understated gentle humour. 📚

When she wasn’t saving the trees, whales, or whatever else needed saving, Jenny’s mother was painting; and painting anything at all that took her fancy. Her daughter’s long-suffering van, council walls, park benches — once, even a neighbour’s poodle …

The Outskirter's Secret (Steerswoman Series Book 2) by Rosemary Kirstein was as gripping as the first book. 📚

The world building in this series is phenomenal and as we learn more about steerswomen, outskirters and wizards there are some hints about what's going on below the surface. On to Book 3!

I don't often read fantasy, but on Annie's recommendation (what Annie said goes for me too) I took a chance on The Steerswoman (Steerswoman Series Book 1) by Rosemary Kirstein. 📚

I found it really engaging and immediately bought the next.

I like that the main character is a scientist.

@Annie

I didn't get off to a good start with the first book in this series, but Murder at the Wedding (Rina Martin Murder Mystery Book 9) by Jane Adams was a darned good read. 📚

I like these characters who are quirky and interesting, and the story cleverly uses their talents.

Somehow I started reading Murder at the Willows (Rina Martin Murder Mystery Book 8) by Jane Adams forever ago and then only just came back to it. 📚

The clues soon point to murder. But dear Jean was beloved by the community, who would do such a thing?

I enjoyed the story and the characters are appealing. One more in the series …