The Buried Bloom by Jody Chaffin

September 17, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Buried Bloom by Jody Chaffin
A Larkspur Hollow Garden Club Mystery, book 1
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Thirty years buried. Forty-eight puzzles to the truth.

“Could such an interactive combination truly work? The answer is a resounding ‘Yes.'” — C.R. Hurst for Readers’ Favorite, 5 Stars

In the village of Larkspur Hollow, Vermont, everyone agreed that Cora Whitaker ran off in disgrace the summer of 1995. Everyone was wrong. Now her body has been found beneath the roses she once tended — and retired schoolteacher Eleanor “Nell” Ashworth is the only one still asking who put her there.

But this time, the detective is you.

Each chapter hands you a scene and a word search. Solve the puzzle, and the leftover letters reveal a hidden clue — a suspect cleared, a motive exposed, a secret the Hollow buried right alongside Cora. Track them across forty-eight puzzles and you’ll be ready to name the killer, the motive, the weapon, and the place before Nell does.

Six suspects. One garden full of secrets. A verdict only you can reach.

A complete solve-along mystery — no apps required. Just you, a pencil, and forty-eight word searches that build to a single solution. Perfect for cozy-mystery lovers and puzzlers alike.

Sharpen your pencil. Larkspur Hollow is waiting.

Unlike some plants, secrets can bloom anywhere.

It made me smile to see how small town politics played out in this mystery. While it isn’t strictly required to know about such things in advance, there were a few fun references to this cultural experience tucked here and there for those of us who have either grown up in such communities or who have other close ties to them. I was especially amused by the complex relationships between characters who had known each other for thirty years and sometimes much longer than that. They rang true and made this an even more engrossing read for me.

The limited amount of character and plot development was what ultimately lead me to choose a three-star rating. As much as I enjoyed solving the word-search puzzles at the end of every chapter and narrowing down my list of suspects, among other aspects of this case, there simply wasn’t much space for developing the characters or including as many plot twists as I was hoping to see. This is something I’m saying as someone who was excited to pick this book up and was hoping to give it a much higher rating. The framework for a potential five-star read was there, it simply needed to be fleshed out in order for me to feel justified in giving that rating.

With that being said, I loved the amount of audience participation that the author expected of his readers. This was the kind of tale that needed my full attention not only while I was in the middle of a chapter but also while I was writing down the clues and solving the word search puzzles. It was such a unique way to draw readers in and make this one feel as though I was playing an integral role in solving the case.

The Buried Bloom was an intriguing start to a new series.

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

The October Man by Ben Aaronovitch

September 16, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The October Man by Ben Aaronovitch
Publisher: Gollancz
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

With this long new novella, bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch has crafted yet another wickedly funny and surprisingly affecting chapter in his beloved Rivers of London series.

If you thought magic was confined to one country—think again.

Trier: famous for wine, Romans and being Germany’s oldest city.

When a man is found dead with his body impossibly covered in a fungal rot, the local authorities know they are out of their depth. But fortunately this is Germany, where there are procedures for everything.

Enter Tobias Winter, an investigator for the Abteilung KDA, the branch of the German Federal Criminal Police which handles the supernatural. His aim is to get in, deal with the problem, and get out with the minimum of fuss, personal danger and paperwork.

Together with frighteningly enthusiastic local cop, Vanessa Sommer, he quickly links the first victim to a group of ordinary middle aged men whose novel approach to their mid-life crisis may have reawakened a bloody conflict from a previous century.

As the rot spreads, literally, and the suspect list extends to people born before Frederick the Great, Tobias and Vanessa will need to find allies in some unexpected places.

And to solve the case they’ll have to unearth the secret magical history of a city that goes back two thousand years.

Presuming that history doesn’t kill them first.

Investigator Tobias Winter is called in to help the local police when a strange fungal rot appears to have possibly killed someone. The local police are at a loss, and in Germany there is thankfully a procedure to handle everything – even the unknown. Tobias soon uncovers some of the city’s history – and magic – and complications begin to arise.

I have been loving the Rivers Of London series and was rather thrilled to find this novella takes the same quirky, paranormal mystery world and expands it out of England and into Germany. I strongly feel that readers who aren’t sure whether they’re wanting to dip a toe into this series could easily start here. The writing style and general laugh aloud, tongue in cheek banter is very present in this story, along with the strong mystery and very well balanced magical and paranormal world. Basically I felt this story had all the strong points of the main books, just with some new characters, a new country and a shorter length.

While I do admit the shorter story length does mean the plot wasn’t as complicated and convoluted as I’m used to in this series I absolutely feel the author did the plot justice. I also enjoyed the layers to the characters and am rather hoping sometime down the track we shall revisit both Germany and Tobias and Vanessa.

With a fully magical and paranormal world on offer, the new setting of Germany and a bunch of new characters, I found this to be a highly enjoyable story and a quick and wonderful read. Recommended.

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

Buried In The Brambles by Hilary Pugh

September 15, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Buried In The Brambles by Hilary Pugh
Publisher: HouseMouse Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Cozy Mystery
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A Body in the Garden

While Esmé Proudfoot watches the chaos caused by her neighbour’s landscape gardeners from her kitchen window, a shocking discovery is made—a man’s body hidden in the undergrowth. The police quickly conclude it’s a case of natural causes, believing the man to be a lost hiker who tripped and fell on a rock. However, Esmé isn’t convinced. Together with the young lodger in her attic, she embarks on a mission to uncover the truth about the man’s identity and what led him to her garden.

Esme Proudfoot is an elderly but still spry retired widow. She and her young lodger are drawn into the curious mystery of the dead body found in their neighbor’s yard – hidden in the undergrowth and discovered by some landscape gardeners. Can Esme and Amos unearth the truth of what happened to the dead man?

I greatly enjoyed this cozy mystery, set in a small English town and with the unusual combination of a spry elderly lady and young male lodger amateur detectives. I found the main characters to be fresh and delightfully relatable. The authors tone and style were also very comfortable and chatty to my mind and something I could easily pick up and get into.

This is the first book in apparently three, and I thoroughly enjoyed the cozy, amateur mystery and definitely will be picking up the next one. I’ve read a few books by this author – the first books in her two other series – and find that I really enjoy her voice and style.

Readers who enjoy small country town mysteries should absolutely find this as enjoyable as I have. With different but still modern and relatable characters, a well written plot that is both fun and easily followed and a chatty sort of style this is a fun read and one I easily fell into.

A great author and enjoyable book. I’m looking forward to the next one.

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

Unravel – The ADHD Mindset Framework by Blythe Carrow

September 14, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Unravel – The ADHD Mindset Framework by Blythe Carrow
Publisher: Serona Press
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Stop the spiral and start the framework.

Most ADHD strategies fail because they focus on “trying harder” rather than understanding the neurodivergent loop. Unravel: The ADHD Mindset Framework is a comprehensive guide to the NOTICE, ANCHOR, RELEASE methodology—a proven psychological system designed to bypass executive function burnout and build sustainable momentum.

This framework isn’t about fixing your brain; it’s about untangling the friction points that keep you stuck in task paralysis. Inside this guide, you will discover:

The NOTICE Phase: How to identify the physical and mental triggers of an ADHD spiral before it takes over.

The ANCHOR Phase: Practical grounding techniques to stabilize your focus in high-stress environments.

The RELEASE Phase: A structured approach to closing open mental loops and reducing cognitive load.

Whether you are newly diagnosed or a veteran of the neurodivergent journey, this framework provides the “operating manual” your brain has been missing.

Building habits can be helpful for all sorts of people, especially those with ADHD.

The mindful approach to this subject matter was an intelligent one. Paying attention to one’s thoughts and feelings in the moment can be an important part of breaking habits that aren’t working for someone and beginning new habits that will hopefully make life a little easier. Repetition and remaining in the moment as much as one can no matter what else is happening are both important for this process.

I did find myself wishing that the author could have gone into more detail about how the NAR (Notice, Anchor, Release) method works. While there was an explanation given, of course, it needed to be brief due to how short this piece was and how little space there was for sharing multiple examples of how it worked or otherwise expanding the definition of this acronym. This was the only thing holding me back from selecting a full five-star rating as the advice itself was practical, evidence-based, and easy to begin working with.

With that being said, the brevity of it also made sense given the subject matter. Sometimes people who have ADHD can struggle with paying attention, so keeping this a succinct read could be helpful with that possible complication of this diagnosis as well. With only about six pages to work through, this is something that can be enjoyed in a single sitting for those who’d rather get straight to the point and start applying Ms. Carrow’s advice to their own lives.

Unravel – The ADHD Mindset Framework was a helpful read.

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

Love, Fail, Repeat Part I – Not Safe by Alice Bohane

September 11, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Love, Fail, Repeat Part I – Not Safe by Alice Bohane
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A young mother.
A quiet new home.
A voice that should not be there.

Genna thought this house would be a fresh start.

After months of exhaustion, panic, and holding herself together for her baby son, she needs somewhere quiet. Somewhere safe. Somewhere that can finally feel like home.

At first, the house gives her exactly that.

Then, through the static, she hears a woman whisper:

He’s not safe.

There is no recording. No proof. Nothing anyone else can hear.

But the warnings keep coming.

Someone has been watching. Someone knows this house.

As the signs move closer, Genna begins to wonder whether the locked doors are keeping danger out…

or keeping her exactly where someone wants her.

Not every home is a safe one.

This novella was perfectly paced and deliciously scary, especially given the fact that everything in it could have easily happened in real life. There was never a point when the suspense tapered off enough for me to feel comfortable putting this down to do something else. Instead, I felt a pang of regret every time I had to take a break which is exactly what I love to find in this genre.

The character development was strong but also a little ambiguous at times. Sometimes I wondered if Genna’s perception of events matched what was really happening due to how much she worried about everything involving her infant son, although I must leave it up to other readers to decide for themselves how trustworthy her perception of everything was. What was more important to me was how she reacted to the subtle threats that kept being made against her family.

I should note that there was a cliffhanger ending which felt perfectly appropriate for the beginning of a new series. Of course certain reader questions must be put off until the sequels arrive for something like this. That’s honestly half of the fun of reading this sort of thing, and I liked the fact that Ms. Bohane was so comfortable leaving her audience hanging…for now. This was an excellent example of how to write this sort of ending in a satisfying matter while also remaining true to everything that needs to remain mysterious until the final book is released.

Love, Fail, Repeat Part I – Not Safe was a chilling thriller that kept me on my seat from the first sentence to the last one.

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

The Charterhouse Remains by Rhys Dylan (writing as Dylan Young)

September 9, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Charterhouse Remains by Rhys Dylan (writing as Dylan Young)
Publisher: Wrynmwood Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

On the hottest day of the year, 11-year-old Blair Smeaton vanishes near a riverbank, leaving police baffled and desperate. Detective Anna Gwynne, still haunted by her recent trauma, uncovers a sinister connection to an unsolved case. A chilling dark web photo reveals Blair trapped in the same room where a previous victim was once held captive ten years earlier. A captive whose remains, found near Charterhouse in the Mendip Hills, form the basis of the cold case she’s investigating.

The killer isn’t hiding; he’s taunting.

With Blair’s life hanging by a thread, Anna turns to a dangerous contact who can navigate the murky waters of the internet. But will trusting him save Blair—or cost Anna everything?

DI Anna Gwynne is almost recovered from the brutal ending of her previous case, but despite that she’s eager to return to work and a sense of normalcy. Her team continues to review and investigate cold cases, and it’s the unsolved child kidnapping that draws Anna fully back to work. When a recent photo on the dark web links their cold case with a very recent similar child kidnapping Anna and her team are once again drawn into a deadly game they still don’t fully understand.

This is the second book in the Black Squid trilogy and I found it every bit as gripping and well written as the first book. This kidnapping case and the particulars surrounding it can definitely be read as a stand alone book I feel – but the overall arc of this trilogy and some of the bigger picture items might have more emotional impact on the reader if they go back and read the trilogy in order. I absolutely enjoyed both these book a lot but as a police procedural and mystery this can be thoroughly enjoyed alone too.

I admit that I really enjoy Anna’s character. She’s different in many ways to Dylan’s other characters – especially those in his main series (DI Evan Warlow – another exceptional series to pick up) in that she uses her intuition rather a lot more than most police detective series that I’ve read.

I completely understand this won’t be every readers cup of tea – using instinct and even their dreams to help lead them down their investigative paths and to be fair Anna is a very long way from fully relying on these tools. There is ample amounts of following evidence, forensics, interviews and all the regular processes. I just really enjoy – and find refreshing and interesting – the fact Anna is a lot more open to listening to her subconscious making connections and even being open minded to rather more unusual voices of opinion. I feel this really sets this book and trilogy apart from the rest and for me, personally, I thoroughly enjoy it and would love a whole lot more of it.

Readers looking for a slightly different police procedural, full of well layered plot, different and interesting characters plus a bit more leaning into the thriller aspect and not just the regular mystery/suspense style of plot – this trilogy should absolutely be up your alley. These themes are a little darker than the usual fare – a little gritter and for those who like a bit more bite to their mystery and not the more cosy style.

A thoroughly gripping mystery and I’m very eager to read the final installment in this trilogy. Recommended.

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

The Band From Another World by Kevin Garone

September 8, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Band From Another World by Kevin Garone
(Alien Survival Guide Book 3)
Publisher: Temor Press
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When Marv traces a mysterious transmission to an abandoned house, he’s ready to finally uncover proof of an otherworldly invasion. But when he and his friends sneak inside, they don’t find aliens.

Instead, they find a dusty basement full of musical instruments.

To Marv’s friends, this means one thing: instant rock band. But Marv was right to be suspicious. Strange shadows reach from the walls. Faces flicker in the dark. Worst of all, his friends start acting off. Like they’re not entirely themselves anymore.

And it’s happening to Marv, too.

Suddenly, he can play guitar like a total legend-no practice, no lessons, no explanation. But every note pulls him in deeper. The thoughts in his head aren’t all his. And the music doesn’t want to stop.

Can Marv uncover the truth behind the transmission before he loses himself completely?

Because something else is listening to the broadcast. And it’s not here for the music.

Not every wish should come true.

The paranormal subplot was a surprising and welcomed addition to this universe. While I can’t go into much detail about it without accidentally sharing spoilers, what I can say is that it added another layer of depth to what I already knew about this universe and could be a fantastic springboard for future adventures if the author is planning to write more about these characters. I don’t know if that will happen, of course, but he left plenty of space here for further explorations of the world Marv and his friends live in which, if nothing else, provides a lot of fodder for the imagination in the meantime.

I mentioned wanting more character development in my review of book one, I Know What UFO Did Last Summer. This was once again something that came to mind while I was reading, but this time it involved the secondary characters instead of the protagonist. As much as I enjoyed the plot and world building, I was hoping to get to know Marv’s friends better by this point. Although I could easily describe his personality and habits, it’s something I’d struggle with a bit if someone asked about what Jace, Kenji, Nora, or Liv were like. If as much attention had been paid to this as was given to describing their interest in aliens, I would have happily gone for a full five-star rating.

This is the third instalment of a series, but it works perfectly well as a standalone story, too. With that being said, there were some wonderful references and callbacks to the first two stories included here. One of them involved a fun plot twist related to previously-introduced characters that I didn’t see coming in advance, so do keep an eye out for it if you’re already familiar with these characters. Balancing the expectations of new and returning readers isn’t always easy, and I must tip my cap at Mr. Garone for making things accessible and amusing for everyone.

The Band From Another World (Alien Survival Guide Book 3) was a wild ride that still has me wondering what might happen next.

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

Jazz Bang Boom by Will Okati

September 7, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Jazz Bang Boom by Will Okati
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Riot’s attempt to teach his pretty lover to behave himself doesn’t… quite… go as planned.

Jazz loves pretty things and things that go BOOM. Tyger, AKA Riot, is a man on a mission, searching for the bits and pieces that’ll repair his damaged, bio-constructed DNA. It only makes sense for the happily mismatched lovers to turn airship pirates and sneak, snatch or con what they need, right?

Right. One problem. Occasionally Jazz gets a little too fond of explosives, and Tyger gets a tad too focused on his quest. When that happens, they need to vent a little steam. So to speak.

Adrenaline is a drug like no other.

Jazz and Tyger’s relationship was what made this tale gel together for me. Not only was their chemistry fantastic, their dialogue was playful and witty as well. I loved seeing these two characters and thought they made the perfect match both inside and outside of the bedroom to the extent that I briefly wondered if this was a series I’d accidentally jumped into the middle of. It’s nice as a reader when that happens as it can give the characters an additional layer of depth due to all of the effort that’s been put into exploring who they are as individuals.

The ending was something I do wish had been given a little more time to evolve. While the fast pacing worked well for these characters and the world they inhabited in general, it would have been nice to slow down just a tad in the last few paragraphs in order to explain how their time travel worked and why they always seemed to travel together.

One of the things I found most interesting about the mystery and science fiction storylines was how much the author trusted his audience to put the clues together. As much as I wanted to know more about their adventures, this was one of those cases when it wasn’t strictly necessary to have a lot of plot development in order for everything to make sense. A little bit of development went a long way.

Jazz Bang Boom was action packed from the first scene to the last one.

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

Movie Review: The Lost Children

September 7, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Title: The Lost Children
Director: Jorge Duran, Lali Houghton, and Orlando Von Einsiedel
Starring: Vanessa F. Garcia, Dan Garza, and Henry Guerrero
Publisher: Netflix
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars (6 Stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by Astilbe

Four Indigenous children are stranded in the Colombian Amazon after their plane crashes. Guided by ancestral knowledge, they’re able to survive while awaiting rescue amid the jungle’s challenges.

Cooperation is the key to survival.

Lesly, Soleiny, Tien, and Cristin Mucutuy were four young siblings who were the only survivors of a plane crash in Columbia in 2023. This documentary explores how they stayed alive in the Amazon rainforest and what the Colombian government as well as members of the indigenous community in that country did to try to find them in the 40 days after the crash. I was intrigued by how large and organized the rescue efforts were and how many people participated in the search. Yes, there were adults who were actively searching the jungle to discover what happened to these children, but there were far more folks working behind the scenes to narrow down places these kids might have gone, leaving messages for them, and so much more.

I did find myself wishing that more screen time had been spent describing the children’s experiences themselves. As admirable as the search efforts were, I thought that the much more important story here was how a wounded thirteen-year-old girl was able to keep her nine-year-old brother, four-year-old sister, and infant sister alive in an environment that could easily kill a healthy, able-bodied adult in a much shorter time frame. Her courage and resourcefulness were incredible, and I would have loved to have so many more details about how she fed and protected her siblings during these days if they could be shared without disturbing this family’s privacy.

It was interesting to see how indigenous and modern modes of searching were blended together in this rescue mission. This wasn’t something I was aware of when I first heard of this case, and I thought the filmmakers did a good job of respectfully exploring the religious beliefs of the indigenous searchers and showing how that aspect of their lives contributed to the cause. Nuance is always a nice thing to find in a documentary!

“The Lost Children” was thought provoking.

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

You Know Why by J.T. Ellison

September 4, 2026 By Leave a Comment


You Know Why by J.T. Ellison
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

It’s the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation—and life as she knows it—begins to unravel.

Desperate to find her husband, Brooklyn accepts help from a stranger on the same flight, Eden Barrow. But Eden soon makes a shocking claim. She is the sister of Trey’s first wife, and ten years ago he was the main suspect in her murder.

Struggling to comprehend these accusations, fate delivers one more blow: a violent accident that leaves Brooklyn fighting for her life. With nowhere else to turn, Brooklyn leans on Eden for support. But each kindness feels too rehearsed, feeding her doubts about Eden’s motives and Trey’s true past.

Brooklyn has her own dark history she’d rather forget and confronts an unsettling possibility. Her life is not what it seems, and the truth is a trap—laid by someone waiting for the perfect time to strike.

You Know Why by J.T. Ellison is a gripping psychological thriller filled with secrets, suspicion, and unexpected twists. The story follows photographer Brooklyn Locke, who travels to Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children for the holidays. But when Trey mysteriously disappears at the airport, Brooklyn’s vacation quickly turns into a nightmare.

As Brooklyn searches for answers, she meets Eden Barrow, a stranger who makes a shocking claim: she is the sister of Trey’s first wife, whose murder ten years earlier left Trey as the main suspect. Brooklyn is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her husband. After a violent accident leaves her fighting for her life, she becomes even more dependent on Eden, but Eden’s kindness feels suspiciously calculated. At the same time, Brooklyn must face parts of her own past that she has tried to forget about.

One of the strongest aspects of this novel is Ellison’s writing. The story has a good flow and moves at a steady pace, making it easy to keep reading. The tension is maintained throughout the book, and there is always a feeling that something is about to happen. Just when you think you understand what is going on, another clue or revelation makes you question your assumptions.

The characters are also well written and complex. Brooklyn is especially interesting because she is not simply trying to uncover the truth about Trey—she is also forced to confront her own secrets and the possibility that her entire life may not be what she believed it was. Eden is intriguing because it is difficult to determine whether she genuinely wants to help Brooklyn or has another motive entirely. She seems sincere,

Another strength of You Know Why is the way Ellison places clues throughout the story. Readers are given pieces of information that can seem insignificant at first but may take on greater meaning as the story develops. These clues encourage you to form your own theories and keep guessing about who can be trusted.

Overall, You Know Why is an engaging and suspenseful thriller with well-developed characters, strong pacing, and plenty of mystery. The writing keeps the story moving, while the clues and twists maintain the tension from beginning to end. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that keep you questioning the characters and trying to figure out the truth before the final reveal, this is a book worth picking up.

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