Swept Away by Jo Hiestand

May 7, 2026 By 2 Comments

Swept Away by Jo Hiestand
Publisher: Cousins House
Genre: Mystery
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

Dan Winter asks his friend, former police detective Michael McLaren, to discover what happened to his wife, Ellie, who disappeared on the third day of the couple’s holiday on Bow Island. Dan thinks she was swept away by rough ocean waves. Perhaps, but after three weeks there is no sign of her, alive or dead.

McLaren’s inquiry seems to be going along swimmingly until the police suspect Dan of killing Ellie and hiding her body. Now McLaren has to dive deeper for the truth. Was Ellie really swept away or did she disappear of her own volition, perhaps helped by a wildlife expert who knows all the hiding place on the island? Or there’s the Chaucer-spouting war veteran who seems eager to help with anything. Or did Dan actually murder her?

Once again we are back in the world of Michael McLaren, and there have been a lot of changes since my last visit with him. I will definitely have to find the time to go back and read this series from the beginning, because I absolutely love these characters and the growth I have seen in them through the few books I have had the chance to read and review (see below for the links to those).

As much as I have enjoyed the rest of the books, I have to say I think this is my favorite so far. They just keep getting better and better. Ms. Hiestand really conveys the desolation and the weather on Bow Island, and the list of characters/suspects leave the reader with several possible solutions. There are twists and turns that truly keep you guessing with every new bit of information that Mike discovers.

I can often figure out the solution, but Ms. Hiestand has me guessing right up until Mike’s explanation on this one. Good job! I love it when that happens.

I am looking forward to more books in this series, and I also want to delve into her other series.

Here are my reviews of other McLaren Mysteries:

An Unfolding Trap
The Cottage
Overdue
Related by Murder
An Unwilling Suspect

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Have You Seen Him by Kimberly Lee

March 18, 2026 By 2 Comments

Have You Seen Him by Kimberly Lee
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Thriller, Suspense
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

What if everything you believed about yourself was totally wrong?

For David Byrdsong, life is a series of daily obligations. An attorney, he lacks both ambition and the ability to commit to a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Gayle. Abandoned by his family at an airport when he was eleven, he learned to blunt his feelings, despite his subsequent adoption by a loving couple.

Until one day, when David discovers his own face in a missing child ad. Suddenly driven to uncover the truth about his past, he is forced to tap into his inner strength as he encounters corporate conspiracies, murdered bystanders, and distressing suspicions about the only family he’s ever really trusted. David enlists Gayle’s help—and the help of an unlikely stranger with secrets of his own—as he attempts to find his true family, whoever they are.

Thrilling, exploratory, and propulsive, Have You Seen Him is a story of lost identity, dangerous secrets, and a deeply personal pursuit of the truth.

This book is full of excitement as well as great character development. This book had me flipping pages to see what would happen with David and Gayle and their search to find out the truth. I absolutely loved them both and could so see this on the screen (Netflix, are you listening?). These are not one-dimensional characters, either… they have flaws and they are definitely not perfect. But, they work together and this, in my opinion, is one of the strengths of the book.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it certainly won’t be the last.

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The Booker by Kevin R. Doyle

September 15, 2025 By 8 Comments


The Booker by Kevin R. Doyle
Publisher: Camel Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Cholla

Sam Quinton hadn’t thought much about the entertainment business for several years. His days as a minor celebrity were part of his past, which was fine with him. But when a Hollywood producer walks through the doors of his gym and offers to create a TV show around his life, Sam doesn’t say no right away.

Then the producer’s partner ends up dead in her hotel room, and Sam has to put on his private detective hat to straighten things out. It doesn’t take long to realize the TV offer may not have been exactly what it was cracked up to be. Suddenly, a whole lot of seemingly bad folks are gunning for Sam. Forget his budding Hollywood career. He has to do everything possible to keep himself and his client alive.

As a former professional wrestler, the entertainment business isn’t completely new to Sam Quinton. However, is a reality show really his style? Deciding that there was only one way to know for sure, Sam agrees to meet with the producer and his partner. Of all the things that might have come out of this meeting, the murder of the female producer has not been on his list.

Sam Quinton intrigued me from the very beginning. How often do you hear of an ex-semi-pro wrestler becoming a private eye? For me, that answer would be zero. Quinton is a smart businessman who knows his limits, even if he does push past them at times. He has a wonderful relationship with his girlfriend, Talia, and it made me smile whenever they were together. She’s really good at putting him in his place gently. They are a nice pair.

Quinton also has an awkward but solid relationship with the police in his small town of Providence, MO. There’s a nice balance between sharing information and helping each other out while still maintaining professional boundaries. The side event with Lieutenant Santiago caught me a bit off guard, but I liked it. There were hints that Quinton and Santiago don’t get along and to see Sam go to bat for him showed character.

The mystery held my attention until the last page. I kept wavering back and forth on whether John Carson was involved in his partner’s death or not, and had no idea who had actually killed Wendy until it was revealed. While I’m rarely able to figure out who the guilty party is, I was definitely stumped with this one. Definitely makes me want to start at book one and dive into the world of Sam Quinton. I’d recommend this to anyone who loves a twisty mystery that’s also a quick and satisfying read.

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Slaughterhouse by K.A. Lugo

March 7, 2024 By 1 Comment


Slaughterhouse by K.A. Lugo
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

It’s the anniversary of the date he lost his family and Jack doubts he’ll ever find those responsible. Depression has taken hold, and he pulls out his Beretta for the last time. As he fingers the trigger, Ray shows up with the identity of the man who’d killed himself in Jack’s house weeks before, leaving a note simply saying, ”I’m sorry.”

Jack soon finds himself dragged into San Francisco’s underbelly and his life threatened at the hands of the city’s deadly Chinese gang, the Jade Dragons. When things become more dangerous, Jack must keep pushing forward, even knowing it could mean his death because the gang’s leader, Li Zihao, may have the answers Jack’s looking for—who destroyed his family and what happened to Leah.

Is Jack ready for the truth?

This is the 3rd book in the Jack Slaughter Thriller series (you can see our review of book one here. If you haven’t read the first two books, don’t worry…there are plenty of clues that let you know what happened in the previous two books and, if you are anything like I am, you’ll soon remedy that situation and go looking for the first two books. I missed book two, but it is already on the way from Amazon. I see a Jack Slaughter weekend in the future where I can read straight through the series. If you can read the books in order, though, you will have a much fuller understanding and appreciation of the characters and their relationships.

Jack has been through a lot with the death of his daughter, the disappearance of his wife, and the appearance in Jack’s house of a suicide and a note saying just “I’m sorry.” He’s reached the end of his rope and doesn’t see any sense in going on.

The characters are a big part of what makes this series work. I absolutely love the relationship between Jack and Ray, and the rest of the supporting cast also add a special spark to the book (not to give away any spoilers but I absolutely loved the 666s!)

The action is nonstop…with twists and turns I definitely didn’t see coming… and just when you think things couldn’t get any worse, you find out differently. This book will literally keep you reading just so you can find out what is coming next!

I’m looking forward to the next installment in Jack’s story. Thank you, Ms. Lugo, for a wonderful character.

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A Soupçon of Poison by Jennifer Ashley

December 4, 2023 By Leave a Comment


A Soupçon of Poison by Jennifer Ashley
Publisher: Self-published, Amazon Kindle
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery
Rating: 3 stars
Review by: Fern

London, 1880
Kat Holloway, highly sought-after young cook to the wealthy of London, finds herself embroiled in murder when she’s accused of poisoning her employer, the loathsome Sir Lionel Leigh-Bradbury. Her only help as she works to clear her name comes from the mysterious Daniel McAdam, a handsome man-of-all-work who seems to know everyone and always happens to be in the right place at the right time.

Kat and Daniel investigate the crime, but the mystery of Daniel’s background might be just as elusive and dangerous as the poisoner bent on framing Kat for murder. Prequel to the Kat Holloway Below Stairs Mysteries.

Kat Holloway might be young for her position as Chef of Sir Lionel Leigh-Bradbury’s household, but she knows her way around a kitchen and has spent years honing her skills. After strongly knocking back Sir Lionel’s amorous advances, she finds his requests for outlandish meals with only a few hours warning growing increasingly difficult – to the point where she turns to a little known friend – Daniel McAdams for help. At her wit’s end, Kat is determined to have it out with Sir Lionel and she is almost ready to leave, only to be woken in the middle of the night by the maid to find Sir Lionel has been murdered – and Kat is the prime suspect as murderess. Can Kat and Daniel uncover what really went on that fateful evening?

I picked up this short story on a whim and by the second chapter found myself engrossed in both the setting and characters. I enjoyed that Kat was a strong and fairly independent young woman and there was quite the mystery surrounding Daniel as well. There was clear chemistry between the two characters but I was also glad this didn’t turn into more of a romance novel but rather kept it’s main focus on the murder mystery and unraveling this aspect to the plot.

I do admit this was a fairly light book – readers looking for deep intrigue or a vastly complex plot might not find this fits the bill, but readers more interested in a light mystery with a strong historical context and a strong female lead character should enjoy this as much as I did. I was glad this book is definitely a stand alone style of novel. There is a whole series based around Kat and Daniel but that appears to be completely separate from this short story so readers should definitely feel able to just pick this up on a whim – as I did – and delve right in. I admit that I enjoyed it enough I plan to purchase the second short story – which appears in a similar vein as this one and to stand equally well alone – and I am also eyeing off the connected seven book series with these characters as the main protagonists as well.

This book ticks a number of boxes for me being a historical novel with strongly written characters as well as a good murder mystery at its heart and just a flutter of romantic chemistry, I feel it should appeal to a wider range of readers and I’m eager to try more by this author around these characters. Enjoyable.

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If the Sun Spares Us by Brenda Marie Smith

November 30, 2023 By 19 Comments


If the Sun Spares Us by Brenda Marie Smith
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: post-apocalyptic thriller
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

Two years ago, a solar pulse destroyed modern life. Bea Crenshaw organized her starving, suburban neighbors into a farming community. But now Bea’s gone, and her grandchildren must carry her legacy forward.

In the post-apocalyptic pressure cooker of Austin, Texas, 19-year-old Keno and his younger cousins struggle to ensure their community’s survival even as they’re forced to relocate to safer grounds. Northern Lights that don’t belong this far south grow increasingly intense, making Keno fear what harm the sun will cause next.

Even worse, a marauding militia called the Raiders is closing in, led by a deranged woman who preys on teenage boys. Despite Keno’s debilitating flashbacks from a firefight, he and his wife have a new baby to protect. Though Bea is dead, her spirit desperately searches for ways to shield her grandkids. When Raiders target two neighborhood members, the only hope lies in the community’s strength, Keno’s ingenuity, and the family’s fierce love for one another.

This is the third book in the Braving the Light series and picks up after the death of Bea, the family’s grandmother and matriarch who so ably prepared her family for an apocalypse she is sure is coming, even though she does not know how or when. You can read our five-star review of the second book here.

This third, and final, book of the trilogy does not disappoint. Once again, Ms. Smith presents us with a multi-generational story, told from the POVs of Keno, Milo, Mazie, and Bea. They are trying to relocate to a safer location, a move which causes dissension in the original camp. Add to that, they run into a paramilitary group which calls itself Raiders and is run by a deranged woman with a special affinity for luring in teenage boys.

Once again, it’s the characters and their relationships that really make this book. The characters come across as real people, with all their faults and foibles. They are mostly people who would want to sit down and have a cup of tea with.

The situations, also, ring true and is a future I could see all too well coming our way. The whole range of human emotions and human reactions are seen in the books, both good and bad.

I really recommend this series.

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The Cottage by Jo A. Hiestand

October 23, 2023 By 17 Comments


The Cottage by Jo A. Hiestand
Publisher: Cousins House Publishing
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rated: 5 stars
Reviewed by Rose

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Former police detective Michael McLaren is at the home of his lady friend, Melanie. The house is sold, the removal van is booked. All that is left is to help her pack her belongings for her move to his village. But the laborious task is interrupted when one of Melanie’s neighbors asks McLaren to investigate the circumstances of her parents’ murders. McLaren’s reluctance to take it on and abandon Melanie appears to be solved when his best mate, Jamie, steps in to help with the packing. It’s not the easy investigation McLaren was hoping for, however. Sightings of Mordred and a ghost, and a burglary at the local Tudor Hall complicate the murder inquiries. What had seemed to McLaren a perfect remedy with Jamie close at hand now disintegrates into a horrendous mistake. And McLaren questions if the investigation is really worth it, especially when he puts the people he cares about most in danger.

What a joy to be back with Michael, Melanie, and Jamie in Jo Hiestand’s newest book in the McLaren Mystery series – you can see our review of the last book here.

Michael is back in Melanie’s village – this time to help her pack up as she prepares to move to his village, to live closer to him. But, the packing is interrupted when Melanie’s friend asks him to help solve the murders of her parents.

I loved being able to catch back up with this crew. I love we are able to see more of Melanie and Michael’s relationship progressing. One of the reasons I enjoy this series so much is being able to catch up with old friends.

Another reason is that Ms. Hiestand does a remarkable job of plotting the mystery, laying out the clues, and building the tension page by page. I was kept on the edge of my seat right up until the solution was revealed, and I normally pride myself on being able to figure out “who dunnit” before the end of the book. Ms. Hiestand’s masterful laying out the mystery always makes me look forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you, again, for a wonderful chapter in Michael McLaren’s life. 5 stars

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Overdue by Jo A Hiestand

May 9, 2023 By 17 Comments


Overdue by Jo A Hiestand
Publisher: Cousins House
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

A spate of three murders in as many months has Derbyshire’s local police and populace in near panic. And there will most likely be a fourth killing in two weeks unless something happens to stop the cycle. Former police detective Michael McLaren is that “something” that his best mate, Jamie Kydd, is counting on to end the alarming deaths. He enlists McLaren’s help to look into the events, hoping his friend can solve what, so far, has confounded the Constabulary.

Each of the three crime scenes is the same, yet different: the same types of things but not the same specific things left with each body. As McLaren becomes enmeshed in the hunt for the killer, his friend Melanie arrives for a planned visit. Can his days become more complicated than simultaneously playing host and unmasking a killer? They can when he’s aware that each tick of the clock brings them closer to the next planned murder. And perhaps an unplanned one…thrown in for fun.

It was such a treat to visit Michael McLaren again and catch up with the people I’ve come to know and love.

Once again, he is caught up in a mystery that takes not only his own work, but insights from his friends to solve. There were so many twists and turns, and the clues were clever. Too clever for me, in fact, and I pride myself on usually being able to figure out who the villain is before it’s revealed. Not this time…no way.

I loved the “overdue” theme that winds its way through the book. That was also cleverly done.

This series would make a great tv series (producers of Shetland, are you listening?) I hope someone who has contacts with the right people pick these books up.

Great job, again, Ms. Hiestand. 5 stars from me.

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The Peninsula by Amy Craig

December 30, 2022 By 2 Comments

The Peninsula by Amy Craig
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Hadley lost her sister to cancer. When an explosion puts her in the middle of a family squabble, Johann asks for a week of discretion to protect his brother. Torn between her research and the loneliness in his gaze, she agrees, but family dynamics upend her understanding of loyalty.

Hadley has come to a breakthrough moment in her research, but all of a sudden everyone is taking a more active interest in it. Her mentor is all for having his nephew financially back it, which Hadley’s not at all sure about. She is much more altruistic and doesn’t want to be indebted to someone who might want to monetize it. Then her mentor is killed by a mail bomb, and suddenly Hadley is questioning everything and everyone she knows – and this is when this story really takes off.

I loved the premise of this story. I liked the chemistry between Hadley and Johann. The mystery was good and keeps the reader guessing. The secondary characters added a lot to the story and give you another look at Johann and his life.

At first, Hadley drove me crazy. I couldn’t understand her reluctance at getting with the program. Even after she realized she was in danger, she was bound and determined to do it her own way. Because of her past, she had had to develop a single-focus in her life, so it was part of her, but it still made me want to shake her.

This is the first book I’ve read by Amy Craig, but I’ll be looking out for more. I really enjoyed her writing style. Great job!

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The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes by Liese Sherwood-Fabre

November 18, 2022 By 7 Comments


The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes by Liese Sherwood-Fabre
Publisher: Little Elm Press
Genre: Historical Mystery/Suspense
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

A murdered midwife. A body in the stable. At the age of thirteen, Sherlock Holmes is thrust into his first two cases. At stake: the lives of his own family.

Before Sherlock Holmes met Dr. Watson in 1895, he had already developed his skills as the world’s most famous consulting detective. Arthur Conan Doyle provided little information about his detective’s formative years or how he created his singular profession. These first two books in The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes series reveal how Sherlock’s past shaped the sleuth he became.

Faced with the possibility of losing his mother to the gallows for a murder she did not commit, Sherlock must uncover the true killer before she hangs in The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife.

In Case Two, unexpected guests and a murder arrive in time for the family’s Christmas celebrations. For the safety of his family, Sherlock is compelled once again to bring the perpetrator to justice in The Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy.

Fans of Sherlock Holmes and traditional historical British detective mysteries will love The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes as a welcomed addition to the originals.

What a really neat look at what Sherlock’s early life might have been like. I loved the fact that he is a normal, albeit very intelligent, thirteen-year-old. He has emotions he is learning how to process, and he’s also showing signs of the man he will become as he learns that emotions need to be kept in check as he investigates, i.e. “Once again, I observed the unemotional detachment required for such work.”

The characters are richly drawn and are true-to-life… nobody, including Holmes… is perfect. They are all a mixture of positive and negative qualities, all the while being true to the time they live in.

The mysteries are interesting and showcase Sherlock’s growing skill at investigating and observation, encouraged by his mother – a woman I would love to find out more about and one that is barely touched on in the canon. I’m looking forward to seeing her more in future volumes of this work.

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