Secret Places by Heather Peck


Secret Places by Heather Peck
Publisher: SilverWood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A body in a bunker: a secret buried for decades…

When a skeleton is discovered in a long-abandoned WWII bunker, goat farmer Tristan Smith’s quiet life on the Yorkshire moors shatters overnight.

DI Greg Geldard takes the case, uncovering a tangle of lies that reach far beyond the moors. Each clue draws him closer to a truth someone is still desperate to hide.

As another victim disappears, past and present collide in a deadly pattern. Will Geldard expose the killer before history repeats itself?

DI Greg Geldard and his team is called to investigate when a human skeleton is found among other sheep remains in an abandoned WW2 bunker. Very few people knew about the bunker – though the current farm owner had been told by the previous owner that the shaft was a waste disposal site used for normal deaths of the various farm animals. Who was responsible for the remains, and can DI Geldard and his team uncover what really occurred?

This was a new to me author and while I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and plot it was a refreshingly different manner of the story being told. The author regularly moved the perspective from the current investigation back to the previous owner and slowly pieced together what occurred in some of the lags as the investigators dug deeper into the story. I often find perspective shifts – and time shifts in particular – quite jarring but I have to admit I found the author did a smooth and excellent job with this. I do admit I don’t think this will suit all readers, and in particular the reader is exposed to some of the story that the detectives aren’t privy to – which I did find unusual.

I thought the characters were well drawn and interesting. I also found the setting of rural York gave a good atmosphere and was different to a lot of the more city or London based police procedural stories. The pace of the mystery was a little slow – but that was mostly as the investigation moved along actually trying to uncover what had happened. Readers eager for a fast-moving plot might not enjoy this book as much as I did, but I thought the writing and pacing was really quite good.

Fun and fresh, I found this an interesting book and a good first read – for me – of this author. A good story and a series I hope to continue with. Recommended.

All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley


All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Millions of people climb the grand marble staircase to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art every year. But only a select few have unrestricted access to every nook and cranny. They’re the guards who roam unobtrusively in dark blue suits, keeping a watchful eye on the two million square foot treasure house. Caught up in his glamourous fledgling career at The New Yorker, Patrick Bringley never thought that he’d be one of them. Then his older brother was diagnosed with fatal cancer and he found himself needing to escape the mundane clamor of daily life. So he quit The New Yorker and sought solace in the most beautiful place he knew.

To his surprise and your delight, this temporary refuge becomes Bringley’s home away from home for a decade. We follow him as he guards delicate treasures from Egypt to Rome, strolls the labyrinths beneath the galleries, wears out nine pairs of company shoes, and marvels at the beautiful works in his care. Bringley enters the museum as a ghost, silent and almost invisible, but soon finds his voice and his tribe: the artworks and their creators and the lively subculture of museum guards—a gorgeous mosaic of artists, musicians, blue-collar stalwarts, immigrants, cutups, and dreamers. As his bonds with his colleagues and the art grow, he comes to understand how fortunate he is to be walled off in this little world, and how much it resembles the best aspects of the larger world to which he gradually, gratefully returns.

I thought I might have chosen a book to read that was a somewhat yawning read about the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art. It turned out to be anything but that. Hiding from grief caused Patrick Bringley to leave a growing position in The New Yorker for a place he thinks he can hide, as a guard in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This is so readable. It’s a visible trip through the Met. It is literally an international history trip. But it’s also the story of a man who initially wanted the exact opposite of what most of us do. Patrick Bringley wanted a place to be left alone. He wanted a work atmosphere where you had a post to yourself, and whether one was assigned to the African Congo or the Italian Renaissance, the only interaction with people was to answer a question or keep them from touching a work of art. It allowed him his solitude, and he lived it with art. As his time at the Met grew, we know more about his passions for art pieces at the Met, but we also begin to see him blossom.

This combination of tremendous art history description in a down-to-earth way combined with the life of a man growing himself or at least developing himself, makes for an excellent easy, entertaining, and hugely educational read. An unbelievable success as a first debut.

Dirty Deal by Mira Lyn Kelly


Dirty Deal by Mira Lyn Kelly
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

I’m not exactly “Daddy” material…

Fatherhood blindsided me.

There I am, working to get a rise out of my cranky little rule-following, fun-wrecking, soon-to-be ex-neighbor when my one-night stand from last season shows up… in labor.

Next thing, I’m a single-dad begging for a crash course in caring for this tiny miracle from the neighbor who loves to hate me.

Turns out, Nora raised half her siblings.

She knows things.

And I know my son needs her.

Unfortunately, she’s not impressed by my NHL career, my legendary charm, or the rumors surrounding the size of my stick (all true btw).

But I’m not trying to impress her. Not anymore. I can’t.

I’m asking her to help me out, because my son deserves better than some player who hasn’t even had a chance to read the manual yet.

Which means no matter how hot I find her spitfire mouth and those rules she doesn’t break… Nora is off-limits.

Axel is a star player on the Slayers Ice Hockey team and loves his carefree life. Until the day a one night stand from the previous season literally goes into labor on his front doorstep and Axel’s life is turned upside down. With a brand new son and zero knowledge, Axel turns to his neighbor Nora in desperation. The situation is far from idea for them both – but with tiny baby Otto acting as the glue, can these two find a way forwards?

Having never read anything previously by this author I was a little uncertain whether it would enjoy this first-for-me ice hockey romance novel. I was pleased that while Axel’s work on the hockey team has a good amount of time in the book – the sport and team itself doesn’t overshadow either the plot of Axel as a new father nor of the slow blossoming romance between Axel and Nora. I really felt the author did a good job with both the pacing and layout of the plot here and this made the book really enjoyable to me.

I found this book to be modern and somewhat light. I could easily see myself reading plenty more of them with a fun drink and a long weekend ahead of me. These are the story of steamy romance books where the relationship builds and grows at a logical, realistic and enjoyable slow pace and then finally culminates in a wonderful spicy series of sparks. More than the romance though I found this to be a strongly emotional and supportive book. Both Axel and Nora have their baggage and drama, and each have their own hang-ups and issues. Neither are perfect and I found them both so much more engaging and relatable because of this.

If you’re wanting an emotional and heartwarming slow build for a romance book, one with an adorable newborn baby front and center and a fun set of secondary characters in the side lines this is absolutely an excellent book. While it’s mid-way through the series I haven’t read anything previous to this and found it easily pick upable and I had no problems following along and I got strongly invested in Otto, Axel and Nora. A wonderful book and a great read. I’ll be looking into more of these.

Storm Stayed by Yvonne Rediger


Storm Stayed by Yvonne Rediger
Publisher: Brown Wolf Publishing
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Review by Snowdrop

Welcome back to Musgrave Landing. Accessible by ferry across the Samsum Narrows, this island village is home to some quirky characters and some even odder visitors. Sometimes the visitors bring misfortune with them and other times the villagers supply their own brand of trouble. Whether the people are locals or from away, apparently a few are capable of murder.

Maisy Wyatt, is on loan from Jane’s Eats & Treats to Mrs. Roque. The housekeeper has a grand vision for the Highmere House Conference Centre. She has spared no expense with the food or service for the minor literary celebrities who will be their first guests. It won’t matter if the December weather turns bad, it takes a lot to faze Mrs. Roque.

The other new employee Tiffany Zach, will work alongside Maisy to care and feed a cantankerous group of authors from Dunn Wolf Publishing. The situation doesn’t improve when the lead author and owner of the publishing house, Ziola Nutt, announces she has a six-figure media contract with a video streaming company. This news causes shock, disappointment, and anger among the rest of the writers when they find out she will not give them credit for their work, nor any of the royalties.

Worse still, the electricity goes out during a nasty storm. Cell phones are going dead, roads are blocked by fallen trees, and ferry traffic is halted. No one can get off the island. Not even the murderer.

When you have a story set in a lovely, grand bed and breakfast full of authors as guests, you know there could be trouble. And the publisher, oh my, the publisher, has nothing but bad news to deliver. Most of it has to do with less money in people’s pockets, and then there are bragging rights they find out she has about her own new book. What a brewing tempest for trouble. But what is really blowing up is a terrible storm trapping them on an island with no electricity. Have I set you up for this? Good.

This is the first book I have read by Yvonne Rediger, and it is Book 4 in a series titled “Musgrave Landing Mysteries”. I will say there were just a few spots that I thought slowed down a bit. There are a lot of characters, all quite interesting, but a little difficult to keep track of now and then.  It’s still a very good plot and a fun book to read. Hope there are more.

Impulse Caught by Emily Carrington


Impulse Caught by Emily Carrington
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Riku takes charge in bed, but will he have any control over the day-to-day decisions of a marriage?

Money and status differences challenge Riku and Theo to find a middle ground. Their passion is white-hot, but their ideas of living comfortably are at odds. As their wedding nears, driven forward by Theo’s parents’ sense of guilt, Riku feels the old urge to run.

Riku refuses to give into this impulse at first, but as the comparison between his emotional scars and the mountains of Theo’s familial expectations grow, Riku fears running will be the only less-than-honorable course left to him.

Theo isn’t blind to Riku’s struggles but he doesn’t understand what’s wrong. Each time he reaches out, Riku reaches back, yet they never quite connect. Will their need for each other overcome their differences, or will their passion be subsumed by a wave of conflicting desires?

Riku and Theo are passionately in love, planning their wedding. But money and status differences continue to challenge them both. While their love is strong, they still struggle to trust and connect with each other. Can they work through these conflicts and find each other again?

I found this to be an interesting and emotional love story. Riku and Theo both have a number of challenges – physical and emotional – and it was deeply interesting to see them try to navigate everything between them. While it was clear they loved each other, this didn’t immediately help them fix all the problems that came between them. I found this both realistic and interesting to read.

I admit I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series, so I did have to play a bit of catch-up on the history between the two men. While I found this fairly easy, I have to admit this might irritate some readers. I also didn’t enjoy the characters Theo’s parents too much. I found them a bit too controlling and overbearing and while I expect this was the point, a part of me doesn’t really understand why Theo didn’t limit his interaction with them more or be a bit firmer in setting boundaries. That irked me a bit with this book.

Overall, I found this a deeply interesting and refreshingly different story. While there is some very steamy sex between the men there is a huge amount of plot and conflict and that really helped carry the book to my mind. I’ll definitely be looking into other books by this author.

The Hematophages – Splatterings by Stephen Kozeniewski


The Hematophages – Splatterings by Stephen Kozeniewski
Publisher: French Press Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Historical, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In a galaxy riven by paranoid greed, profane forces marshal to consume humanity…

– On an abandoned ice moon, broadcasts from a long-dead civilization warp both body and soul.

– On a bizarre medical asteroid, a deranged physician discovers a gruesome “cure” for parasitic infection.

– On a deep space derelict, time becomes utterly meaningless and suffering transcends infinity.

– And on Earth itself, a lake transforms into pure blood and becomes infested with the hate-filled, eel-like aberrations known as…

The Hematophages.

With this quartet of short stories, Splatterpunk Award winner Stephen Kozeniewski is delighted to welcome newcomers to the brutal universe Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviewer calls “the gold standard for the Space Horror subgenre.”

Meanwhile, veteran ink surfers will find a treasure trove of new material to broaden their event horizons, including extensive background information from the author and a never-before-published tale of alien terror.

So, strap on your boom suit, ready your eye spoon, and try to prepare yourself for…

Splatterings.

They’re the same universes but with bigger problems this time.

The protagonist in “The Blood-Red Lake” was awoken from a nap by his daughter, Marina, after she noticed the lake near their home had changed in some alarming ways. I liked the nightmare-like qualities of this short story and thought it was spooky, but I also found myself wishing that there had been a stronger explanation for the strange things that were happening in and near the water.

“Derelictus” showed what happened in the distant future when some scavengers found an ancient spacecraft that was launched by the country formerly known as the United States but that didn’t appear in any of the formal records of previous space missions. The mystery elements of the plot were well done, and I would have happily dove even more deeply into them. I also liked the main character’s stubborn streak and how it influenced his decision to explore this vessel and report back on what he found there.

Anneka was desperate to get out of quarantine to see her wife and newborn twins in “Blackfish.” The reason why she was stuck in quarantine is best left for other readers to discover for themselves due to how important it was to the storyline later on, but as I slowly pieced together the clues I was intrigued by how my opinions of all of the characters had shifted. There is definitely something to be said for playing around with the reader’s expectations only to trust us to land on the best answer in the end. I would have happily read a full-length novel about Anneka if one were written.

Imagine building an old-fashioned castle in outer space. “Gerstein” explored a partially-completed version of this blueprint long after the original investors had run into problems. This was the goriest story in this collection, and I thought each plot twist that revealed another layer of horror only made the entire thing more frightening. Just like in “Blood-Red Lake,” I once again found myself wishing for a deeper explanation of what the antagonists were hoping to accomplish, although there was enough here for me to make some pretty educated guesses about their motives. These are minor criticisms of a collection I thought was otherwise well done and memorable, and I look forward to hopefully reading more of Mr. Kozeniewski’s work in the future.

The Hematophages – Splatterings was deliciously scary.

Box Of Chocolates by Sean Michael


Box Of Chocolates by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Holiday, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

As a single guy, Dorian isn’t a fan of Valentine’s Day, but he loves chocolates and when someone brings in a box for the office to share, he falls in love with the heart-shaped truffles he tastes and decides to get himself a box or two at the new-to-him chocolatery before treating himself to a supper out.

Smoke owns Smoke’s Chocolates and Valentine’s Day is his busiest time of year, between making the chocolates and helping to sell them at the front counter, he’s putting in long hours. When the last minute rush slows down, though, Smoke goes out for dinner only to encounter the also flying solo Dorian. The two men get to talking and sharing appetizers and discover a mutual attraction.

Can they both come to love Valentine’s Day for a reason that has nothing to do with chocolate?

Dorian is buying some chocolates for himself as a treat for Valentine’s day and while his eye is caught by chocolatier Smoke, their interaction is brief and the shop is slammed. When they bump into each other later that evening at a bar, they’re able to sit and talk for a while, and both men realize there is attraction sizzling between them. Can they each have a very special Valentine’s day?

I enjoyed this fun and sexy short story. I liked that while Dorian and Smoke weren’t shy with each other, they didn’t jump immediately into bed. The author did a good job of balancing the sexy shenanigans with some semblance of “getting to know you” and reality. Readers should be aware this is an erotic short story – so there is not a complicated, in depth plot outside of the growing relationship between the two men. For a short, erotic story, it is a delightful and enticing quick read.

With two interesting and believable characters and a whole lot of sizzle, this is a fun and engaging read by an author I really enjoy. Recommended.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves by Author: Anonymous and Albert Seligman (Editor)


Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves by Author: Anonymous and Albert Seligman (Editor)
Publisher: Dulacebooks
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The story is about two brothers whose father died and left them little. Ali Baba married a poor woman and lived frugally, but Cassim married a woman who soon inherited a fortune and lived in luxury. One day while Ali Baba was in the forest cutting wood to sell he saw a great cloud of dust approaching and the sound of many riders. He feared for his life, so he hid his three donkeys and hid himself in a tree. The band of forty riders and their leader stopped in front of a cave. When the leader said “ Open Sesame” the door of the cave magically opened. The whole troop went inside while Ali Baba stayed hidden. When he was sure they had gone, he approached the cave door and said “ Open Sesame” himself as the cave door magically opened to his command. Inside the cave he saw vast riches and golden coins, which he liberally took for himself and returned home with his donkeys, remembering to properly close the cave door with the “Shut Sesame “ command.

His wife was astonished at all the gold coins he brought home and wanted to count them before Ali buried them in his yard. As there were too many to count, she borrowed a measuring cup from her sister-in-law. She was curious as to what they might have to measure something, so she cleverly put some suet on the bottom to see what would stick. After the cup was returned with a gold coin stuck to the bottom, she called her husband Cassim to tell him what happened.

Cassim went to Ali’s house and demanded to know how he got a gold coin, and Ali told him everything, including the magic password. Cassim was very greedy, so the next day he set out with many donkeys to find the cave and removed as much treasure for himself as possible. In his haste, he forgot the magic words to open the cave and was trapped inside when the robbers returned. They killed him and cut his body in pieces.

When Cassim didn’t return, Ali feared the worst and returned to the cave to find him. He found his brother’s body and returned to town. He knew the robbers would find out if anyone had been murdered in such a fashion, so they sewed Cassim’s body back together and pretended he died a natural death.

The robbers sent scouts to town to determine if anyone had died and discovered Ali Baba’s house. The captain of the robbers disguised himself as an oil merchant and hid his band in leather jars planning to murder all the household. When Morgiana, Ali Baba’s clever slave girl discovers the ruse, she murders all the robbers. The captain flees, but soon returns in another disguise to take his revenge. Again she discovers him, plunges a dagger into his heart and saves her master.

Moderation is the key to survival.

I once again loved the way this tale transported me to a time and place in the past that I would otherwise know very little about. This is part of the reason why I continue to give new instalments in this series such high ratings. It’s not always easy to make a reader feel immersed in what they’re reading, much less give them a taste of what life was like for some people in the far east over eleven hundred years ago, but Mr. Seligman had all sorts of intriguing ways to close that gap for his modern audience that new fans should discover for themselves.

Many old legends are sanitized for modern audiences, so I appreciated the fact that not every character remained safe from harm and that there were choices made here that are less common in modern adaptations. That is to say, this is something I’d particularly recommend to readers who enjoyed the older versions of fairy tales before The Brothers Grimm began collecting and softening up their sharp edges for younger audiences.

It’s not necessary to know anything about the plot in advance, but readers who do might notice some interesting twists that often seem to be left out of more recent translations of Ali Baba’s life. I thought I knew exactly what to expect going in, but I was still pleasantly surprised by a few things I didn’t realize were part of this universe in at least some retellings. The editor excels at this sort of thing which is yet another reason why I try to read as much of his work as I possibly can. There’s nothing like learning new facets of old favorites thanks to fairly recently uncovered versions of them.

This is part of a series that does not have to be read in any particular order.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves was a fantastic and beautifully illustrated adventure.

Stained With Blood by MS Morris


Stained With Blood by MS Morris
Publisher: Landmark Media
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

A battle. A killing. An echo of history.
Scarborough Castle, high on the headland, is the picturesque backdrop for an English Civil War re-enactment. But the day takes a sinister turn when the town’s MP is shot and killed in broad daylight. DCI Tom Raven is quickly on the scene, but the investigation is soon commandeered by a senior officer from Counter Terrorism, leaving Raven sidelined.

When cryptic letters are received, taunting the police, it becomes clear that democracy itself may be the target. The MP had received a number of credible death threats and suspicion quickly falls on a Russian tycoon with interests in the town. But the murdered man had many enemies, and the list of people wanting him dead quickly grows longer.

As more lives are claimed by a ruthless mastermind driving the narrative, only Raven stands between justice and an outcome stained with blood.

DCI Raven is at the end of a well earned week off when at a local Civil War re-enactment the local MP is brazenly shot and killed. With questions of potential terrorism hovering DCI Raven is fine when a Super is brought in to lead the investigation, confident that his team is up for the challenge. Can they work out what was really going on behind the scenes?

I have been enjoying this British police procedural mystery series and found this to be a strong addition. I like how these books have a good balance between the murder mystery plot and movement in the main character’s private lives. As the series has moved along I also have appreciated that the authors somewhat highlight different team members through each of the stories so over time we readers get a better feel and connection to the characters.

While I feel this book absolutely progressed a number of the team members’ personal story arcs I didn’t feel this detracted from the main mystery in any way – the killing of a local MP at a community civil war re-enactment. The various layers of a small town overlapping also added what I thought was an interesting context in how everyone’s lives interweave together and how normal it was for people to simply know each other and have shared histories.

I’m very much enjoying the fairly recent addition of DCI Raven’s daughter – Hannah – to the mix and absolutely am hoping that she sticks around for at least a while. Her character in itself interests me, but I also admit to really enjoying that she brings out some of Raven’s better qualities and makes him more relatable to his colleagues. I see this as a very positive aspect to the story as a whole.

With a solid murder mystery and a number of interesting sub-plots that are slowly moving along I thoroughly enjoy this series and am looking forward to the next one coming.

Ghost Town by Dr. James R. Gregory


Ghost Town by Dr. James R. Gregory
Publisher: Morgan James Fiction
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Romance, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In the isolated coal mining town of Sulphur Creek in the late 1800s, young Sammy Murphy’s world is a blend of shadowy tunnels and unspoken secrets. Born into solitude and pushed into reclusion, Sammy’s quiet life starkly contrasts with the booming industry that surrounds him. But as he searches for connection in an era of ruthless expansion, he finds himself at odds with forces far greater than he imagined.

Enter Barry Bacon, an ambitious industrialist who fancies himself a peer to magnates like Andrew Carnegie. Driven by unbridled ambition, Bacon’s dreams stretch far beyond the soot-covered rooftops of Sulphur Creek. But as the weight of his empire bears down, his unchecked arrogance threatens to unravel everything he’s built.

As Sammy faces an unexpected awakening brought forth by a fleeting love, and Bacon’s empire teeters on the brink of collapse, both men must face truths that transcend time—true love extends beyond mere attraction and real power is more than forceful arrogance.

A little intrigue goes a long way.

The strong, steady pacing kept my interest levels high from beginning to end, and this was accomplished while including characters who tended to have quiet, reflective personalities and a preference for avoiding conflict when possible. These are the sorts of folks I love to read about and don’t get to meet in fiction nearly as often as I’d prefer to. I appreciated the fact that the plot, while sometimes rightfully given precedence over character development in the most dramatic moments, never overshadowed the gentle souls who inhabited this world. Having such a natural ebb and flow to what or who was being described worked alongside the pacing even if some scenes did temporarily veer a little further into one direction or the other. As someone who has been writing book reviews for many years, this doesn’t happen as often as I’d like to see, and it’s made me incredibly curious to see what the author writes next.

There were a few memorable plot twists that kept me wondering what might happen next. I especially appreciated the fact that not every aspect of the storyline was tied up neatly by the final scene. There was enough of a resolution to make me feel comfortable saying goodbye to these characters while still having a few things left to mull over that could make for a reasonable starting point for a sequel if the author ever chooses to write one. I have no way of knowing if that will occur, of course, but I enjoy having that possibility, however faint, dangled in front of me all the same.

Dr. Gregory did an excellent job of balancing the thriller, romance, and historical fiction themes here. It isn’t necessarily easy to write something that includes multiple genres, especially with a plot that already filled with so many different types of conflict, from quiet internal struggles for some characters to life-threatening events such as natural disasters in other scenes. They were all blended together so seamlessly that I’d need to pause for a moment before deciding which genre to mention first while describing this tale to someone else. It truly was a little of everything in the best sense of that term.

Ghost Town made me feel as if I’d stepped into a time machine to visit the past. What a ride!