The Puppet Show by M.W. Craven

June 10, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Puppet Show by M.W. Craven
Publisher: Constable
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless. When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of . . .

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant, but socially awkward, civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he’s ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive …

Washington Poe has been suspended from his police duties for almost eighteen months after taking the blame when his final case goes pear-shaped. While it took some time, he has settled down well into his remote croft and picking up odd jobs from the rural locals in his surrounding areas. Poe’s life is different now, but he’s very happy. Until his previous police colleagues urgently reach out to him. Poe’s name has been carved into the latest victim of a serial killer. Clearly there’s a link between the murderer and Poe and no one will rest until the case is solved.

I picked this debut book up on a whim and within about five minutes and the first chapter had settled in for an exceptional read. While on the surface this book isn’t anything too unique (disgraced mid level police officer being drawn back into that world after making his peace and getting out) there were a number of elements that I really enjoyed and found freshly unique to this story.

First up I thought it was very brave and clever for the author to have Poe come in as a Sargant to his previous underling, newly promoted DI status. While this isn’t unique – I felt it gave a good tenseness to the atmosphere. Poe and Flynn clearly have a solid working relationship but there’s also a sense of newness to them as they each get used to the other’s ways in their new pecking order. I thought this was an excellent way to sew in some tension without being cliched or having conflict just for the sake of it. I was also thrilled this was more of an “uncomfortable getting used to the new ways” thing rather than there being bitterness or grudges or something I would have felt far more detrimental to the story.

Another key factor for my really loving this story was Tilly’s character. Incredibly intelligent but equally incredibly naïve I felt Tilly was a lovely breath of fresh air. I also loved how Tilly – more than any of the other characters to my mind – grew and learned throughout the story at a much faster rate than anyone else. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and see how she’s progressed and also how she handles the emotional and mental fall out from both the case and the darker side to policing work which she was exposed to for the first time in this case.

On top of all this, I found the plot to be deeply intriguing – multi layered and strongly believable. All these items plus a great sense of atmosphere and setting made this hands down the best thriller I’ve read in quite a few months and I am very eager to continue with this new-to-me author. I’d highly recommend this for readers who enjoy a slightly grittier British Police Procedural style of murder mystery. The pace and characters do romp along at a good clip but this isn’t a spy/thriller or American style go-go-go action story – but equally the plot and bodies keep dropping at a good rate so I wouldn’t classify this as an easy-paced British mystery either.

With exceptional characters, a deliciously convoluted plot and a stark reality to it I found this book to be a wonderful debut novel, and I am eager for the next in line. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

A Loser Like Me by Nathan Burton

June 9, 2025 By Leave a Comment


A Loser Like Me by Nathan Burton
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In the distant future, an ordinary girl from Mars has an extraordinary dream: to be the greatest bank robber the Galaxy has ever known! Experience Beth’s exciting journey first hand as she recounts how she overcame various obstacles and inconceivable odds to finally achieve her unlikely ambition.

If a little planning goes a long way, what happens when there’s a lot of planning?

Beth’s character development was strong and unique. I especially liked her relationship with Rohxann, both of whom complemented each other’s strengths and weaknesses beautifully. No sooner did I think I had them figured out than a new side of their relationship would reveal itself. This kept my interest levels high and gave Beth plenty of opportunities to share every side of her personality with the audience.

I would have liked to see more world building. For example, how did the characters learn Ancient Martian? How had the various species learned that they weren’t alone in the universe? When did people figure out how to travel between Mars and Jupiter so rapidly? These are just a few of the many questions I wondered about as I read. Answering a few more of them would have rounded things out nicely and given Beth even more opportunities to show us how intelligent, resourceful, and cunning she was.

The thriller elements of the plot were exciting and well done. I liked the way Mr. Burton prolonged the mysteries surrounding Beth’s plans until they absolutely had to be revealed. This gave me plenty of opportunities to guess what she might have up her sleeves and why she made certain key career and relationships decisions that she did early on in the storyline. There were a few moments that didn’t quite make sense to me at first, so it was fun to suddenly realize why those events needed to take place later on once I knew more about the big picture.

A Loser Like Me kept me guessing until the end.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

MOVIE REVIEW: Royal-ish

June 9, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Royal-ish
Writers: Teri Wilson
Director: Roger M. Bobb
Starring: Nichole Sakura, William Moseley
Publisher: Hallmark
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars (8/10 stars on IMDB)
Review by Dicentra

Lacey is an amusement park princess who befriends 8-year-old Rose, a real-life princess, and is recruited by her handsome father to travel to their kingdom and be the new governess.

Hallmark movies are where happily ever after lovers go for a guaranteed happy ending (usually in the last five minutes), and that’s no different in one of their newest releases, Royal-ish. Theme park princess Lacey (Sakura) spends her days delivering magical tea parties to children in her role as Princess Sweet Pea. When she befriends 8-year-old Princess Rose (and her father and heir to the throne Prince Henry (Moseley) it sets off a romance that screams meet cute and swoon.

While the movie is very much stereotypical Hallmark in plot, it tackles some deeper issues. Lacey found work as a princess while she was working towards a graduate degree, and finds joy in bringing joy to others. She’s worried about aging out of her job (which hadn’t previously registered for me as an issue for theme park workers). The young princess Rose is struggling with the weight of responsibility after the death of her mother and a traumatic incident. And the romantic love interest (Prince Henry) struggles to balance his role as a father and the crown prince of a small kingdom. They did make some slight changes to the stereotypical ‘royal’ plot line for these movies that left me amused. And while the lines were undeniably cheesy, it remained entertaining and engaging.

Overall, this was another entertaining storyline. I didn’t realize this was supposed to be another ‘trilogy’ movie, as they didn’t connect it outright to the other movies (The Royal We and The Reluctant Royal) like they did in their other trilogies (The Wedding Veil Trilogy). I highly recommend this movie to those who like low pressure, guaranteed happily ever after stories. I don’t recommend this movie to those looking for innovative, high-stakes storylines that are harder to predict.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Movie Review, Television Show Tagged With: , , ,

The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan

June 6, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Cozy Mystery
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

“I tell other people’s stories for a living. . . . I nip and tuck their excesses, soften their hard edges, polish whatever an armada of editors and publicists deem unsightly till it sparkles.”

It’s a dream assignment. Former Senator Dorothy Gibson, aka that woman, is the most talked-about person in the country right now, though largely for the wrong reasons. As an independent candidate for President of the United States, Dorothy split the vote and is being blamed for the shocking result. After her very public defeat, she’s retreated to her home in rural Maine, inviting her ghostwriter to join her.

Her collaborator is impressed by Dorothy’s work ethic and steel-trap mind, not to mention the stunning surroundings (and one particularly gorgeous bodyguard). But when a neighbor dies under suspicious circumstances, Dorothy is determined to find the killer in their midst. And when Dorothy Gibson asks if you want to team up for a top secret, possibly dangerous murder investigation, the only answer is: “Of course!”

The best ghostwriters are adept at asking questions and spinning stories . . . two talents, it turns out, that also come in handy for sleuths. Dorothy’s political career, meanwhile, has made her an expert at recognizing lies and double-dealing. Working together, the two women are soon untangling motives and whittling down suspects, to the exasperation of local police. But this investigation—much like the election—may not unfold the way anyone expects . . .

Recently toppled Presidential Candidate Dorothy Gibson has reached out to an upcoming ghost writer to discuss writing her memoirs. As the most talked about woman currently in the United States no sane person would ever turn that opportunity down. When a well heeled neighbor dies under mysterious circumstances, the author – along with an energetic Dorothy Gibson – undertake a secret investigation to discover what’s going on. Let the sleuthing begin!

I picked this book up on a whim and am delighted to say this is easily one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I believe it’s the debut novel for this author – it’s certainly the first I’ve ever heard of him – and I shall absolutely be keeping my eyes open for any future works. Fun and lighthearted, this is written very much in the style of two friends gossiping over a hot cup of tea or coffee and some delicious cake.

I admit it took me a little while to get used to the voice of the story – we never really learn too much about the ghostwriter telling the story, it’s more in the style of someone telling us about their recent adventure and experience and while we do get snippets I did find this a little disorientating at first. It very quickly became obvious though that the other characters – Dorothy Gibson and the nearby neighbors – were really what the story was all about. So while I did find it a little unusual at first I was very quickly engrossed and I completed understand why the author wrote the story in this manner.

The characters are amazing – I found them all vibrant and very well written. While I would slot this book into a “cosy mystery” style of work it is very modern and relevant as well. The pace and plotline moves along at a decent clip but this is certainly more of a cosy feel rather than an action-orientated story or an espionage go-go-go sort of pace. I would strongly recommend readers who enjoy regular mysteries (as opposed to thrillers or spy novels) or small town mysteries should find this book well up their alley.

A new author with an excellent first novel this was a delightful find and one I shall happily keep an eye out for in the future for following works. An interesting and vibrant read I greatly enjoyed it and can happily recommend it to other mystery readers of all ages.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

King of Hearts by M. Jean Pike

June 5, 2025 By 1 Comment


King of Hearts by M. Jean Pike
Publisher: White Rose Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

After keeping a secret promise to a friend, Harper Blessings’ s life is spiraling out of control. Her food truck barely pays the bills, she’ s raising her rebellious brother and caring for her forgetful aunt…and she’ s four months pregnant.

When Aunt Clara wanders off at a carnival and hires the carousel operator who rescues her to do odd jobs, Harper’ s house-of-cards life begins to topple. The last thing she needs is a handsome drifter complicating her already problematic life. Or so she thinks.

Drifter Dalton Kingston has a few secrets of his own. Growing up as a child of privilege, he wanted for nothing…except love. Then an unspeakable tragedy causes him to walk away from it all, pushing love as far away as possible. Until love pushes back in the form of a beautiful woman who desperately needs his help, and the God he’ s not sure he can forgive.

This was a wholesome, inspirational, and heartwarming romance set in a small town where everyone knows your name.

Harper, the leading lady, is doing all she can to keep her head above water. Dalton, the leading man, is simply trying to make it through another day. They’re drawn to each other by their shared compassion and natural instinct to care for others. It’s amazing how their faith in God allows them to open their hearts again after the heartbreak they’ve experienced from people who were supposed to love them unconditionally.

I found their love story to be especially encouraging because it tackled the theme of forgiveness—-something that can be incredibly challenging. Several characters in the book demonstrate what it looks like to forgive others, and in doing so, offer hope that forgiveness is not only possible, but necessary for personal healing and the strength of relationships.

Aunt Clara is a standout character. She’s the glue that holds both her family and the town of Redford’s Crossing together. I’d even go as far as to call her an angel in disguise. Her presence is endearing and uplifting, and she brings out the best in those around her.

The writing style immediately pulled me in–from page one, when Aunt Clara wandered to the carousel and met Dalton. The plot is original, the pace is steady, and the ending is absolutely delightful.

This is the kind of story I could happily read more than once. I wholeheartedly encourage others to give it a try.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

June 4, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Publisher: Anchor
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Review by Snowdrop

When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades.

The Nickel Boys is historical fiction. However, it is based on a true story of a reform school for boys located in Florida. The Dozier School for Boys was opened in 1900. Even with its rumors of abuse and cruelty as well as periodic investigations, this school changed the lives of or ended the lives of many boys throughout 111 years. The main character is a young black kid named Elwood. His journey through his time there made this seem very real. Sometimes it was hard to separate fact from fiction.

This brings up my need to say this is a hard book to read. It’s difficult to think such things could live in our society in front of our faces for so long. Whitehead is called a storyteller and there can be no question it’s the perfect description.

I think you could spend a long time mulling over whether this was a good or a bad book. I don’t think you will ever wonder if it is well-written because every page demonstrates what a talent this author has. In my mind it was a good book and one I needed to read; one everyone should read. A Pulitzer Prize book that needs to be added to the mandatory school reading list as a classic.

Difficult as some of this might be to face, don’t miss out on such an overwhelming yet special 5 star read.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Spiral’s Edge by Michael Boss

June 3, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Spiral’s Edge by Michael Boss
Publisher: Schular Books
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Spiral’s Edge is more than poetry-it is a journey through unseen moments, a reflection on resilience, and homage to extraordinary individuals who navigate life’s complexities. I have witnessed in my 25 years of teaching, courage, creativity, and perseverance in ways that have shaped my perspective. This book is for those who exist on the margins, for voices often unheard. It captures the tension between fragility and strength, isolation and understanding. To the reader: may you find meaning, connection, and perhaps a reflection of yourself in these pages.

Some battles never end.

The metaphor of war was used in multiple ways, from describing cruel illnesses that gradually sap students of their strength to the never ending to-do lists teachers struggle with to non-educational stressors in life like a parent losing their job or a family not having enough food that can make it incredibly difficult for any child to pay attention to their lessons. I enjoyed taking note of the various ways in which this theme was explored as Mr. Boss talked about the difficult aspects of his profession. Teachers are on the front lines of all sorts of tragedies, both big and small, that often must be kept in mind no matter what else the class is studying that day.

Everyone has unconscious biases. “Her World of Touch and Sound” gently explored the narrator’s – or maybe the author’s – experience confronting their own assumptions about and unexamined biases against people who are blind. This was not a topic I was necessarily expecting to see covered, but it fit in perfectly and reminded me that we all have blind spots even on topics we might think we have all figured out. It takes a strong character to confront this, and the willingness to do so was one of the many reasons why this was an automatic five-star read for me.

I loved the level of detail that was included in this collection, especially in the poems that were shorter in length. If the right words are selected, it doesn’t take many of them to paint a vivid picture of what life can be like in special education classrooms. Some of my favourite moments included descriptions of students who rarely or maybe even never spoke but who still found all sorts of creative ways to communicate with other people. What beautiful and thought provoking scenes those were.

The Spiral’s Edge overflowed with compassion and joy for people who have special needs as well as for those who teach them.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

About Grace by Barbara Shoup

May 30, 2025 By Leave a Comment


About Grace by Barbara Shoup
Publisher: Querencia Press
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Grace Lowery is a typical Midwestern American teenager: pretty, smart, a good student from what is, to all appearances, an average, middle-class, single-parent home. There’s just one difference: A series of bad decisions involving her wealthy, charming-but-irresponsible boyfriend has landed her in the state juvenile correction facility for girls.

Thus begins About Grace, a unique coming-of-age story in which a young woman deals with the consequences of her actions-and sees how those consequences are different for people living more and less privileged lives. Grace is forced to reckon with the harsh reality of the juvenile carceral system, the people she meets there, and her complicated feelings for the boy whose influence led her to this place. More important-and challenging-Grace begins to remember and unpack a history of childhood abuse at the hands of a trusted adult. It’s a journey to self-awareness under harsh and unanticipated conditions, shocking revelations-and surprising friendships.

Second chances don’t come along every day.

Grace’s character development was well done. As the layers of trauma she had experienced since early childhood were slowly peeled back, I saw glimpses of the person she’d been as a little girl as well as hints about who she might become as an adult who had worked through the pain and hopefully built a beautiful life for herself. I admired her vivid imagination and empathy for others. She was a well-rounded and memorable protagonist whose flaws only make me more interested in reading about her.

I would have liked to see more attention paid to resolving the conflicts by the end of this book. In no way did I expect everything to be neatly wrapped up due to how serious Grace’s problems were and how much therapy she still needed to work through them, but I finished reading this feeling a little unsatisfied with how everything was left off. Even a postscript that explained what happened next with the most important relationships in her life would have been enough for me to bump this up by a star.

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that explored how social class affects the way young offenders are treated. Grace and the other residents at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility for Girls came from a wide variety of backgrounds, most of which involved poverty and the various side effects of a family never having enough time or money to deal with the painful challenges they faced in life. This isn’t a topic that is covered in the young adult genre as often as I’d like to see it brought up, especially when it comes to how it intersects with youth correctional facilities. Kudos to Ms. Shoup for inviting her readers into this world!

About Grace made me yearn for more.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Europa by Greig Beck

May 29, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Europa by Greig Beck
Publisher: Severed Press
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Horror
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

The first mission to Europa—Jupiter’s enigmatic moon—has landed, and humanity’s darkest fears are about to awaken.

For years, mankind has speculated that this frozen world harbors a hidden ocean twice the size of all Earth’s oceans combined—an ocean potentially teeming with life.

Driven by this tantalizing mystery, they venture forth to unlock its secrets. But what they discover in the abyssal depths is far beyond anything they could have imagined.

Nearly four hundred million miles from Earth, their search for life has succeeded. But in their triumph, they overlook the most terrifying truth: what they have found is something far older and more horrifying than they ever could have conceived. Something has been trapped in the dark for eons—watching, and waiting, for them.

Now, the crew stands at the threshold of unimaginable terror, realizing too late that Hell, in its purest form, is cold.

For years mankind has speculated that the vast underground oceans on Jupiter’s moon, Europa, might be teeming with all forms of life. When the first Russian spacecraft to land on Europa loses contact, the American’s aren’t too far behind them. Only the life forms they discover are far older than anyone could have guessed, and they’re very, very hungry.

I have always been a massive fan of the various “monsters eat everyone” style of books and I was delighted by this new addition. Greig Beck has been an auto-buy for me for a number of years and while I find a stronger affinity for some of his books than others, this one is right up my alley and was a delight to read.

While there are definite horror themes in the story, I was pleased the action wasn’t too gorey and there was plenty of plot and discovery in amongst the monsters eating everyone in sight. I feel readers who like mystery/horror/monster books should find this story equally enjoyable as those who enjoy Sci-Fi or space exploration. And this is an absolute must for fans of Aliens – there’s quite a strong theme of that through this book as well.

I did find the set up and execution of this plot and the manner in which the story was told a little different and while I personally found it refreshing, I could understand if it wasn’t every reader’s cup of tea. In the beginning at least there is a little jumping around in the timelines and some different characters perspective, but I was pleased it settled down quite early on and the thrill of the discovery and adventures out on Europa quickly had me turning the pages.

A thrilling – and realistically terrifying – space story where the monsters are quite hungry and humans are not even close to top of the food chain; I found this to be an excellent read and a definite keeper for my shelf. Recommended.

Filed Under: Horror, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

May 28, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
Publisher: One More Chapter
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

‘The thing about books,’ she said, ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

What a great read. This is a read for booklovers, for mystery readers, and for plain old enjoyment. The beginning is about women who left homes on their own due to abuse and ill treatment. Though at different decades, both left at a time when a woman being alone was quite frightening. But there is much more to The Lost Bookshop. The players in this story are often in different decades. This creates many different conditions that each must face. We are allowed to live in each of these.

The generations of characters covered has as many twists and turns as the mystery of the bookshop does. And yet somehow, it all melds together. I am often not fond of chapter after chapter of varying characters, but somehow Evie Woods sews this all together in a seamless, beautiful story. Characters of generations apart are somehow intertwined and yet each has his or her own story. It was smooth when I thought it would be bumpy. It was just beautiful writing.

5 GIANT stars. You have to read this.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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