The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library
Holy Danvers
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639103317, $29.99, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Read-Death-Lakeside-Library-Mystery/dp/1639103317

Synopsis: Summer is in full swing as tourists flock back to the Northwoods = and travel to Lofty Pines, Wisconsin. For Rain Wilmot, owner of the Lakesid=
e Library, this is the perfect opportunity to bring back her mother's summe=
r book club. But the summer sun starts to really heat up when one of the cl= ub's members, Lily Redlin, is found dead in her own home not long after the=
first meeting.

Alongside her sidekick and neighbor Julia Reynolds and the charming Jace Lo= we, Rain discovers that the murder is seemingly inspired by the book the cl=
ub recently discussed Agatha Christie's classic mystery novel Sparkling Cya= nide. But who would kill Lily, and more importantly, why?

The deeper Rain dives into the story, the more confusing and complicated th=
e plot becomes. Was Lily murdered to cover up a tragic accident that occurr=
ed years ago involving an old classmate? Or were the rumors true -- did Lil=
y really possess a priceless original Laura Ingles Wilder manuscript and so= meone killed her for it? And what about the mysterious letter Lily received=
just before her death from a supposed long-lost relative? Was it a hoax?

With a long list of suspects and motives, Rain realizes that all leads come=
back to people involved in the book club. Rain and her friends take a page=
from Agatha Christie's book by hosting a reenactment of the club's first m= eeting to flush out the killer. Will Rain's plan succeed -- or will this li= brarian's book be checked out for good?

Critique: Amateur female sleuth and friend trying to solve a too close to h= ome murder mystery, "Read to Death at the Lakeside Library" has all the ele= ments of a great cozy mystery. An original and fun read from cover to cover=
, The third in author Holly Danvers' 'Lakeside Library Mystery' series, "Re=
ad to Death at the Lakeside Library" is especially and unreservedly recomme= nded as a welcome and popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense c= ollections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the growin=
g legions of Holly Danvers fans that "Read to Death at the Lakeside Library=
" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a comp= lete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666642797, $22.99, CD=
).

Editorial Note: Holly Danvers grew up devouring every mystery novel on the = shelf of her local library. A successful and accomplished author in her own=
right now, she maintains a website at https://www.authorhollyquinn.com

The Body in the Back Garden
Mark Waddell
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639104406, $29.99, HC, 272pp

https://www.amazon.com/Body-Back-Garden-Crescent-Mystery/dp/1639104402

Synopsis: Crescent Cove, a small hamlet on Vancouver Island, is the last pl= ace out-of-work investigative journalist Luke Tremblay ever wanted to see a= gain. He used to spend summers here, until his family learned that he was g=
ay and rejected him. Now, following his aunt's sudden death, he's inherited=
her entire estate, including her seaside cottage and the antiques shop she=
ran for forty years in Crescent Cove. Luke plans to sell everything and he=
ad back to Toronto as soon as he can -- but Crescent Cove isn't done with h=
im just yet.

When a stranger starts making wild claims about Luke's aunt, Luke sends him=
packing. The next morning, though, Luke discovers that the stranger has re= turned, and now he's lying dead in the back garden. To make matters worse, = the officer leading the investigation is a handsome Mountie with a chip on = his shoulder who seems convinced that Luke is the culprit. If he wants to p= rove his innocence and leave this town once and for all, Luke will have to = use all his skills as a journalist to investigate the colorful locals while=
coming to terms with his own painful past.

There are secrets buried in Crescent Cove, and the more Luke digs, the more=
he fears they might change the town forever.

Critique: The first novel launching author Mark Wadell's new 'Crescent Cove=
r Mystery' series, "The Body in the Back Garden" will hold a special appeal=
to readers with an interest in LGBTQ amateur sleuths trying to clear thems= elves of as a murder suspect. An original, exceptionally well written and s= imply fun read from first page to last, "The Body in the Back Garden" is es= pecially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary My= stery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lis=
ts of dedicated 'whodunnit' mystery buffs that "The Body in the Back Garden=
" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: Mark Waddell (https://markwaddellbooks.com) is a recovering=
academic with a PhD in the history of science, medicine, and technology fr=
om Johns Hopkins University. After publishing two books and grading countle=
ss student essays, he left the exciting life of a humanities professor in s= earch of greener pastures. He now lives on Vancouver Island with his husban=
d and their two dogs and spends most of his time writing stories about murd= erous Canadians.

A Clue in the Crumbs
Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
9781639104307, $28.99, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Clue-Crumbs-West-Critic-Mystery/dp/1639104305

Synopsis: Food critic Hayley Snow and her pal Miss Gloria are overjoyed to = welcome Violet and Bettina Booth, aka the Scottish Scone Sisters, to Key We= st. The sisters will host The UK Bakes! -- Key West Edition. But the same d=
ay they arrive, the bed-and-breakfast the sisters are staying in gets torch= ed.

The contest begins the next morning featuring three local bakers. One is th=
e inn owner's wife, Rayna, who is not only the most talented chef of the gr= oup but now a person of interest in the fire. The next night, a dogwalker d= iscovers a body near the bed-and-breakfast. The victim appears to be Rayna'=
s husband, and the murder weapon points directly to the Scottish Scone Sist= ers.

But the show must go on. In between filming sessions, the three elderly lad= ies and Hayley must search for clues to the brutal murder in order to find = out who wants to force them out of the kitchen. But as they draw closer to = the answer, the threats from a murderer grow closer too. Are they now in da= nger of getting baked off?

Critique: An amateur female sleuth and friends, a puzzling murder mystery, =
a wealth of unexpected plot twists and turns, and featuring everything else=
a dedicated cozy mystery fan could want, "A Clue in the Crumbs" is that ne= west and highly recommended addition to the highly popular 'Key West Food C= ritic Mystery' series by novelist Lucy Burdette. While a welcome pick for c= ommunity library Mystery/Suspense & Cozy Mystery collections, it should be = noted for personal reading lists that "A Clue in the Crumbs" is also availa= ble in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete an unabridg=
ed audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666642780, $22.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Lucy Burdette (https://lucyburdette.com) is the author of t= wenty-two mysteries, Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agath=
a, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She is also a past president of Sisters in=
Crime and currently serving as president of the Friends of the Key West Li= brary.

Fire Scars
John B. Wright
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166, Reno, NV, 89557-0166
www.unpress.nevada.edu
9781647790967, $22.00, PB, 360pp

https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Scars-John-B-Wright/dp/1647790964

Synopsis: Matt Solberg is charged with discovering who is lighting fires in=
the forests that surround Missoula, Montana. A geographer with a deep pers= onal need to bring people out of danger, Matt leads a search and rescue tea=
m whose job is to head directly into the mouth of hell, hiking into blazing=
backcountry to find missing residents. Matt and his team not only rely on = their hard-won knowledge of Montana's wild landscape, but also on Matt's me= ntor, Dr. Bill Knight, a fire ecologist who understands the burning beast b= etter than anyone.

When a suspicious fire destroys the mansion of a movie star, Matt must hike=
in to find his missing daughter and save her from the chaos. Then fires be= gin to explode everywhere as climate change drives temperatures over 100 de= grees and rain refuses to fall, threatening thousands of homes.

Who is setting these fires? Is it the Montana Tree Monkeys, an eco-radical = group determined to scare off the newcomers? Or is it a retired smokejumper=
with an axe to grind about the encroaching mansions? Could it be Paladin, =
a shadowy figure leaving strange clues around the state? It's Matt's missio=
n to find answers to these questions during a summer of heat, smoke, and un= imaginable loss.

Critique: All the more impressive when realizing that his environmental mys= tery, "Fire Scars", is John B. Wright's debut as a novelist, his ability to=
deftly weave together elements of a compelling drama with accurate and int= riguing elements of fire science, "Fire Scars" reveals the physical and psy= chological wounds that we inevitably will acquire experiencing the realitie=
s of our lives -- and yet, the power we have to overcome them given time, c= ourage, and character. Original, entertaining, memorable, "Fire Scars" will=
prove a welcome pick for personal reading lists and community library Cont= emporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted that "Fire Scars" =
is also available from the University of Nevada Press in a digital book for= mat (Kindle, $16.99).

Editorial Note: John B. Wright is a geographer, conservationist, and author=
.. He earned his PhD in geography from UC-Berkeley. His work focuses on less= ening the collisions between culture and nature. (https://unpress.nevada.ed= u/9781647790967/fire-scars)

Golden Age Bibliomysteries
Otto Penzler, editor
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
c/o W.W. Norton (distribution)
https://wwnorton.com
9781613164204, $27.95, HC, 480pp

https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Age-Bibliomysteries-Otto-Penzler/dp/161316420=
3

Synopsis: Of crime fiction's many sub-genres, none is so reflexive and so i= ntriguing as the "bibliomystery" -- stories that involve crimes set, someho=
w, in the world of books.

For example, in Vincent Starrett's "A Volume of Poe," a bookseller is murde= red; in Ellery Queen's "The Adventure of the Three R's," the detective trac=
ks the disappearance of a local Missouri author; and a killer stalks the st= acks of the New York Public Library in Robert L. Blochman's "Death Walks in=
Marble Halls."

With fourteen tales of bibliophilic transgression from the Golden Age of th=
e mystery genre (the decades between the two World Wars), "Golden Age Bibli= omysteries" is a uniquely specialized volume that presents stories guarante=
ed to entertain, featuring work from well-remembered authors such as Cornel=
l Woolrich and Anthony Boucher and from those that are lesser-known today, = such as Carolyn Wells and James Gould Cozzens.

Critique: With the publication of "Golden Age Bibliomysteries", Edgar Award= -winning anthologist, editor, bookseller, and mystery scholar Otto Penzler = has focused extensively on the history of the bibliomystery, and his expert= ise shines in this thoroughly enjoyable collection, not only in the selecti=
on of stories he has compiled and edited, but also in the informative and i= lluminating introductions that accompany each individual story. Bringing to=
the attention of a new general of mystery buffs some truly 'time lost trea= sures', "Golden Age Bibliomysteries" is a praiseworthy and absolutely recom= mended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should b=
e noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of amateur sleuth and=
traditional detective fans that "Golden Age Bibliomysteries" is also avail= able in a paperback edition (9781613164211, $17.95) and in a digital book f= ormat (Kindle, $13.49).

Editorial Note: Otto Penzler (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Penzler) i=
s the creator of American Mystery Classics. He is also the founder of The M= ysterious Press (1975); MysteriousPress.com (2011), an electronic-book publ= ishing company; and New York City's Mysterious Bookshop (1979). He has won =
a Raven, the Ellery Queen Award, two Edgars (for the Encyclopedia of Myster=
y and Detection, 1977, and The Lineup, 2010), and lifetime achievement awar=
ds from NoirCon and The Strand Magazine. He has edited more than 70 antholo= gies and written extensively about mystery fiction.

The Birthday Murder
Lange Lewis
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
c/o W.W. Norton (distribution)
https://wwnorton.com
9781613164310, $25.95, HC, 264pp

https://www.amazon.com/Birthday-Murder-Lange-Lewis/dp/1613164319

Synopsis: A successful writer and a B-movie director seem like the perfect = match in the Hollywood hills, and with him working to produce her novel for=
an upcoming film, the pair's recent marriage isn't the only way that they'=
re connected. But when the husband is found murdered on the wife's birthday=
, using a method of poisoning that was described in one of her books, Victo= ria suddenly becomes the main suspect as her new happy life comes crashing = down around her.

The case appears straightforward from the outside, but the LAPD investigato=
r on the scene finds the truth to be anything but. Though all the signs poi=
nt to Victoria, there's no motive to be found. Now, to solve the mystery of=
this 'whodunnit', he will have to dig beneath the veneer of the household = and reveal its inner workings, and to understand the deadly drama that unfo= lded just beneath the surface.

Critique: A time lost treasure now reprinted for the first time in over hal=
f a century, "The Birthday Murder" by the late novelist Lange Lewis is a be= autifully written and psychologically astute Golden Age mystery set in old = Los Angeles. Especially recommended for readers with an interest in traditi= onal police procedural detective mysteries featuring amateur sleuths teamin=
g up with professional investigators, "The Birthday Murder" is a fun read f= rom cover to cover. While highly recommended for personal and community lib= rary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that "The Birthday Mu= rder" is also available in a paperback edition (9781613164327, $15.95) and =
in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Lange Lewis was the pseudonym of Los Angeles-based writer J= ane Lewis Brandt (1915-2003). She also wrote as Jane Beynon and under her o=
wn name.

A Troubling Tail
Laurie Cass
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593547427, $8.99, PB, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Troubling-Tail-Bookmobile-Cat-Mystery/dp/059354742X

Synopsis: The charming town of Chilson, Michigan, is beautiful in the sprin=
g, and the bookmobile is delivering great reads far and wide on one of the = first warm days of the year. But a chill sweeps through when they discover = that one of their favorite patrons, the owner of Henika's Candy Emporium, h=
as been found murdered. Although Minnie can't understand who could have had=
a motive to murder such a kind man, she decides that the sticky problem is= n't hers to solve.

However, when rumors start flying around town and the police have no leads,=
Minnie decides to throw her investigative hat into the ring. The more Minn=
ie investigates, the less certain she is that the victim's past is as whole= some as his reputation. But Minnie has plenty of experience unearthing inco= nvenient truths, and she and Eddie won't rest until they determine how the = victim met his bitter end.

Critique: A master of the cozy mystery genre, "Laurie Cass" has a published=
a new 'Bookmobile Cat Mystery' for her legions of fans. "A Troubling Tail"=
features all the elements of a cozy animal murder mystery to be (hopefully=
!) solved by an amateur female sleuth and friends. A carefully crafted and = thoroughly fun read, "A Troubling Tail" is also available for personal read= ing lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) and enthusiastically rec= ommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Laurie Cass (https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/laurie-cass)=
grew up in Michigan and graduated from college in the 80's with a (mostly = unused) degree in geology. She turned to writing in the late nineties. Afte=
r a number of years in management, she felt the need to move on and took a = job with fewer responsibilities. A month later, she was dead bored and bega=
n to consider writing as a way to wake up her brain. She started reading a = lot of books on writing and happened across a particular sentence: "What's =
it going to be, reasons or results?"

The phrase practically stuck her in the eye. She printed it out, framed it,=
and put it next to her computer. "Reasons or results?" At the end of her l= ife, was she going to have a pile of reasons for not having done anything? =
Or was she going to sit down and write a book? Once she started looking at =
it that way, the decision was easy. A short 13 years later, her first book = was published. She also write the PTA Mysteries under the name Laura Alden.

A Deadly Dedication
Margaret Loudon
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593547175, $8.99, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Dedication-Open-Book-Mysteries/dp/0593547179

Synopsis: Penelope Parish thought she'd turned the page on her amateur sleu= thing days but when the owner of Upper Chumley-on-Stokes' proposed first hi= gh-end gourmet shop is poisoned, the American novelist starts to wonder if = she and her quaint British town are in for another rewrite.

It turns out that not everyone was a fan of Simeon Foster's farm-sourced ch= arcuterie and imported pastries -- in fact, many of the locals were outrage=
d by the potential new competition.

With a full menu of suspects on her hands, this just might be Penelope's to= ughest case yet. Luckily, her friends at the Open Book are there to help wi=
th every twist of the poisoned pen.

Critique: Another carefully crafted and thoroughly entertaining cozy 'whodu= nnit' mystery featuring an amateur female sleuth and friends, "A Deadly Ded= ication" is the latest addition to novelist Margaret Loudon's 'The Open Boo=
k Mystery' series. With a special interest to fans of cozy mysteries set in=
the literary community and local bookstore, "A Deadly Dedication" is a riv= eting read from cover to cover and a welcome pick for personal reading list=
s and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted th=
at "A Deadly Dedication" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle=
, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Margaret Loudon is author of the Farmer's Daughter Mysterie=
s, the Cranberry Cove Mysteries, and the Gourmet De-Lite Mysteries, written=
under the name Peg Cochran. She also wrote the Sweet Nothings Lingerie Mys= teries under the name Meg London.

Honey Drop Dead
Laura Childs
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593200957, $28.00, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Honey-Drop-Dead-Shop-Mystery/dp/0593200950

Synopsis: Theodosia's Honey Bee Tea was an elegant affair set in Charleston=
's new Petigru Park amid newly planted native grasses and a community beeke= eping project. But when a phony beekeeper shows up and sprays toxic smoke a=
t the guests, the party erupts in chaos. Worse yet, a shot rings out and Os= good Claxton III, candidate for state legislature, falls to the ground -- d= ead.

Holly Burns, the gallery owner who asked Theodosia to cater the tea, is und= erstandably heartbroken. A man is dead, her guests are angry and injured, a=
nd the paintings that were on display are left in tatters. When the police = don't seem to have a clue, when old-line politicos don't want questions ask= ed, Holly begs Theodosia to run a shadow investigation and help restore her=
gallery's good name.

Between hosting a Wind in the Willows Tea and a Glam Girl Tea, Theodosia qu= estions everyone that had a bone to pick with Claxton. This includes Booker=
, an angry outsider artist; Lamar Lucket, Claxton's political opponent; and=
Mignon Merriweather, the dead man's soon-to-be ex-wife. But the investigat= ion becomes a political hot potato following a second murder, the revelatio=
n of a messy affair, a chase through a swamp, and a vandalized shop.

Critique: Amateur female sleuthing, murder mystery solving, "Honey Drop Dea=
d" by esteemed novelist Laura Childs has every thing a cozy mystery fan cou=
ld want. A fun read from cover to cover, "Honey Drop Dead" will prove to be=
an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/= Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists for=
all dedicated cozy mystery readers that "Honey Drop Dead" is also readily = available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Laura Childs (https://www.facebook.com/laurachildsauthor) i=
s the author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberr=
y Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her=
own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. Laura specializes in = cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller.

Hot Pot Murder
Jennifer J. Chow
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593336557, $8.99, PB, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Pot-Murder-Night-Market/dp/0593336550

Synopsis: Yale and Celine Yee's food stall business is going so well that t=
he two cousins have been invited to join an exclusive dinner with the local=
restaurant owners association. The members gather together for a relaxing = hot pot feast -- until Jeffery Vue, president of the group, receives a lite= ral shock to his system and dies.

Everyone at the meal is a suspect, but the authorities are homing in on fam= ily friend Ai Ho, owner of the restaurant where Jeffery was killed -- and Y= ale's dad is a close second on their list!

Yale and Celine must step up to the plate and investigate the dinner attend= ees: the association's ambitious VP, a familiar frenemy, a ramen king, a sn= acks shopkeeper, and a second-generation restaurateur. It's up to the detec= ting duo to figure out what really happened before their friends and family=
have to close their businesses for good.

Critique: The sequel of "Death by Bubble Tea" in author Jennifer J. Chow's = 'L.A. Night Market' mystery series, "Hot Pot Murder" continues to showcase = her impressive storytelling talents and her genuine flair for originality a=
nd ability to create memorable characters and a plot involving more plot tw= ists and turns than a Disney Land roller coaster. Of special note is that t= his culinary cozy mystery also features recipes! While highly recommended f=
or community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for t=
he personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans that "Hot Pot Murd= er" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Jennifer J. Chow (https://jenniferjchow.com) is the Lefty A= ward-nominated author of the Sassy Cat Mysteries and the L.A. Night Market = Mysteries. The first in the Sassy Cat series, Mimi Lee Gets A Clue, was sel= ected as an Overdrive Recommended Read; a PopSugar Best Summer Beach Read; = and one of BuzzFeed's Top 5 Books by AAPI authors. She currently serves as = vice president on the national board of Sisters in Crime and is an active m= ember of Crime Writers of Color and Mystery Writers of America.

Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Defiance
Brian Freeman
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593419885, $29.00, HC, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Ludlums-Bourne-Defiance-Jason/dp/059341988X

Synopsis: From the glacial waters of Alaska to a sexy nightclub in the Baha= mas, Treadstone agents are being hunted down and murdered. Someone high up =
in the U.S. government will stop at nothing to cover up a secret Treadstone=
mission from the past known as Defiance.

With a team of killers hot on his trail, Jason Bourne chases the mystery of=
Defiance around the world. But as he closes in on the shocking truth, Bour=
ne realizes that one man holds the key - his archenemy, the assassin known =
as Lennon. The Russian hitman has been at the heart of Defiance from the ve=
ry beginning, and his next target will put Bourne (and the woman he loves) =
in the cross-hairs.

As Bourne races to stop the ruthless conspiracy behind Defiance, he must co=
me face to face with Lennon one last time -- and the stage is set for a fin=
al violent showdown.

Critique: Keeping full faith and allegiance to the Jason Bourne novels orig= inally created by the literary storytelling talents of the late Robert Ludl= um, this new addition to the Jason Bourne series, "Robert Ludlum's The Bour=
ne Defiance" by the impressively accomplished novelist Brian Freeman is an = especially appealing and entertaining novel that can be unreservedly recomm= ended for the legions of Robert Ludlum (and Jason Bourne) dedicated fans. A=
fun read with all manner of unexpected plot twists and turns, "Robert Ludl= um's The Bourne Defiance" is an ideal and enduringly popular pick for commu= nity library Espionage, Terrorism, and Political Thriller collections. It s= hould be noted for personal reading lists that "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne = Defiance" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note #1: Brian Freeman (https://bfreemanbooks.com) is the author =
of more than twenty thrillers, including the Jonathan Stride series and thr=
ee previous Jason Bourne novels, Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Evolution, Robe=
rt Ludlum's The Bourne Treachery, and Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Sacrifice.=
His stand-alone novel The Deep, Deep Snow was an Edgar Award finalist and = New York Times bestseller, and his novel Spilled Blood won the ITW Thriller=
Award for Best Hardcover Novel.

Editorial Note #2: Robert Ludlum (May 25, 1927 - March 12, 2001) was the au= thor of twenty-seven novels, each one a New York Times bestseller. There ar=
e more than 225 million of his books in print, and they have been translate=
d into thirty-two languages. He is the author of The Scarlatti Inheritance,=
The Chancellor Manuscript, and the Jason Bourne series--The Bourne Identit=
y, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum--among others.

Scaredy Cat
Sofie Ryan
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593201992, $8.99, PB, 272pp

https://www.amazon.com/Scaredy-Cat-Second-Chance-Mystery/dp/059320199X

Synopsis: After a long, cold, and snowy winter, it seems as though spring m=
ay be arriving early in Maine. Sarah Grayson is busy at her store, Second C= hance, and she's looking forward to an afternoon break from the hustle and = bustle, tagging along to the North Harbor Spring House Tour with her friend=
Detective Michelle Andrews.

But it turns out one of the houses has a haunted history, and when a ghost = hunter is found dead on the premises, Sarah knows the best way to uncover t=
he killer and to solve the mystery is by investigating the not-so-dearly de= parted. With help from Elvis and Charlotte's Angels, the crew of senior cit= izen private detectives who work out of the store, she'll close the case on=
this creepy crime.

Critique: Cozy mystery writing at its very best, "Scaredy Cat" by Sofie Rya=
n is and original, deftly crafted, and just plain fun read for the fans of = the genre. While also available for the personal reading lists of dedicated=
'whodunnit' fans in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99), the mass market=
paperback edition is a highly recommended pick for community library Conte= mporary Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Sofie Ryan (https://sofiekelly.com) is the author of the Se= cond Chance Cat Mysteries. She also writes the New York Times Magical Cats = Mysteries under the name Sofie Kelly.

A Questionable Character
Lorna Barrett
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593549414, $28.00, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Questionable-Character-Booktown-Mystery/dp/059354941=
4

Synopsis: It's a busy summer in Booktown. Contractor Jim Stark is in great = demand: he's overseeing a number of projects, including Angelica Miles's ne= wly constructed building on Main Street, finishing up the new brew pub, and=
gutting a stone mansion off Main Street that Angelica bought to be the wor=
ld headquarters for Nigela Ricita Associates. It will house office space wh= ere her marketing staff and the rest of the NR Associates clerical personne=
l will work.

Tricia Miles and Angelica arrive at the mansion before their workday to see=
how the construction is going. They find the place unlocked and Stark's ri= ght-hand man, Sanjay Arya, having been bludgeoned to death. The loss of the=
contractor's top man threatens all the projects in the works, which would = effectively ruin the expensive marketing plan that the Chamber of Commerce = has been working. Is Jim a suspect? (He'd be stupid to kill the person he d= epends on to keep the projects going.) But Stark also thinks his wife, who = was very chummy with Sanjay, might have been cheating on him with the secon= d-in-command, making him a likely suspect.

Once again Tricia finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, bu=
t can she find the killer before he or she has the chance to bring the hamm=
er down?

Critique: If you like memorable murder mysteries being solved by female ama= teur sleuths and cozy animal mysteries, then put "A Questionable Character"=
by cozy mystery novelist Lorna Barrett at the top of your reading list. Wh= ile also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "A Questionab=
le Character" will prove to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popula=
r addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Lorna Barrett (https://lornabarrett.com) is the author of t=
he Booktown Mystery series. She is a multi-published, Agatha-nominated auth=
or who penned the Jeff Resnick Mysteries, as well as the acclaimed Victoria=
Square Mystery series -- and has many short stories and novellas to her na=
me (and pseudonyms).

Saving Myles
Carol Vonderau
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608095582, $27.95, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Myles-Carl-Vonderau/dp/1608095584

Synopsis: Wade, a respected banker in La Jolla, CA, and his estranged wife,=
Fiona, make the unbearable decision to send their teenage son, Myles, away=
to an expensive treatment center after a streak of harmful behavior. After=
a year of treatment, Myles comes home, seemingly rehabilitated. But soon, =
he sneaks off to Tijuana to buy drugs -- and is kidnapped.

When the ransom call comes, Fiona is frantic and accepts help from Andre, t=
he Quebecois whose charity Fiona runs. Wade is wary of Andre's reputation a=
nd the bank he owns, but seeing no other way to secure a kidnap negotiator =
or the ransom, he swallows his doubts to get his son home.

In order to get the ransom money, Wade makes a deal with Andre -- he'll wor=
k for Andre's bank in exchange for the cash. But as Wade races to rescue My= les before his kidnappers lose their patience, he realizes he's wrapped up =
in more crime than just a kidnapping -- he's now indebted to a cartel.

Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from first p= age to last, "Saving Myles" by Carl Vonderau is crime thriller fiction at i=
ts very best. Especially recommended for readers with an interest in novels=
featuring an amateur sleuth, criminal cartels, and more plot twists and tu= rns than a Coney Island roller coaster, "Saving Myles" will prove an immedi= ate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense c= ollections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Saving Myle=
s" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).

Editorial Note: Carl Vonderau (https://carlvonderau.com) is a former banker=
and anti-money laundering specialist turned crime fiction writer. A gradua=
te of Stanford University, Carl has lived and worked in Latin America, Cana= da, and North Africa. His debut thriller, Murderabilia, won the Best Debut = Mystery award from Left Coast Crime and the San Diego Book award for Best M= ystery.

Maeve Fly
C. J. Leede
Tor Nightfire
c/o Tor/Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
9781250857859, $26.99, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Maeve-Fly-CJ-Leede/dp/1250857856

Synopsis: By day, Maeve Fly works at the happiest place in the world as eve=
ry child's favorite ice princess. But by the neon night glow of the Sunset = Strip, Maeve haunts the dive bars with a drink in one hand and a book in th=
e other -- imitating her misanthropic literary heroes.

But when Gideon Green (her best friend's brother) moves to town, he awakens=
something dangerous within her, and the world she knows suddenly shifts be= neath her feet.

Untethered, Maeve ditches her discontented act and tries on a new persona. =
A bolder, bloodier one, inspired by the pages of American Psycho -- and its=
Maeve's turn with the knife.

Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "Maeve Fly" is auth=
or C. J. Leede's debut as a novelist, this original, deftly crafted, and ha= untingly memorable suspense thriller of a read is both (as accurately descr= ibed by others) a 'blood-soaked love letter to Los Angeles and a gleeful se= nd-up to iconic horror villain"s. While an appropriate pick for community l= ibrary Mystery/Suspense and Crime/Horror collections, it should be noted fo=
r the personal reading lists for fans of satirical fiction, crime novels, a=
nd psychological thrillers that "Maeve Fly" is also available in a digital = book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: CJ Leede (https://us.macmillan.com/author/cjleede) is a hor= ror writer who has an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University, and=
a BA from NYU's Gallatin School, where she studied Mythology and the Middl=
e Ages. In addition to "Maeve Fly", CJ has two more horror novels scheduled=
for publishing from Tor Nightfire.

Robert B. Parker's Bad Influence
Alison Gaylin
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593540527, $29.00, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Parkers-Influence-Sunny-Randall/dp/0593540522

Synopsis: Sunny Randall's newest client, Blake, seems to have it all: he is=
an Instagram influencer, with all the perks the lifestyle entails -- a bea= utiful girlfriend, wealth, and adoring fans.

But one of those fans has turned ugly, and Sunny is brought on board by Bla= ke's manager, Bethany, to protect him and to uncover who is out to kill him=
.. In doing so, she investigates a glamorous world rife with lies and scheme=
s -- and ties to a dangerous criminal scene.

When Bethany goes missing and the threats against Blake escalate, Sunny rea= lizes that in order to solve this case, she has to find out exactly who Bla=
ke and Bethany are, behind the Instagram filters.

But while digging into their pasts, she is also forced to confront her own,=
as old friends (and ex-husbands) reappear. With a combination of old-schoo=
l crime-solving skills and modern internet savvy, Sunny must stop at nothin=
g to catch a killer.

Critique: Another superbly crafted suspense thriller of a read by the gifte=
d novelist Alison Gaylin, "Robert P. Parker's Bad Influence" is a fun read = that will of special interest to fans of Private Eye murder mysteries. Whil=
e very highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary My= stery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists t= hat "Robert P. Parker's Bad Influence" is also available in a digital book = format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Random=
House Audio, 9780593672303, $35.00, CD).

Editorial Note: Alison Gaylin (https://www.alisongaylin.com) is an author w= hose novels have won the Edgar and Shamus awards. Her work has been publish=
ed in numerous countries and has been nominated for numerous awards, includ= ing the Macavity, Anthony, ITW Thriller and Strand Book Award.

Urgent Matters
Paula Rodriguez, author
Sarah Moses, translator
Pushkin Vertigo
c/o Pushkin Press
www.pushkinpress.com
9781782278153, $14.95, PB, 240pp

https://www.amazon.com/Urgent-Matters-Pushkin-Vertigo-RODRIGUEZ/dp/17822781=
5X

Synopsis: A train crashes in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, leaving forty-thr=
ee fatalities, two of which have not been identified. A prayer card of Sain=
t Expeditus, the patron saint of urgent matters, flutters above the wreckag=
e.

Hugo, a criminal on the run for murder, is on the train. He seizes his chan=
ce to sneak out of the wreckage unsuspected, abandoning his possessions (an=
d, he hopes, his identity) among bodies mangled beyond recognition.

As the police descend on the scene, only grizzled Detective Dominguez sees =
a link between the crash and his murder case. Soon, he's on Hugo's tail. Bu=
t he hasn't banked on everything from the media to his mother-in-law gettin=
g in the way.

Critique: An impressively crafted and original suspense thriller, and a com= pulsive page turner of a read from start to finish, "Urgent Matters" by Arg= entinian novelist Paula Rodriguez is ably translated into English for an Am= erican readership by Sarah Moses. While also available for personal reading=
lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), "Urgent Matters" is an un= reservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and academic library C= rime Fiction, Police Procedural, and International Mystery Suspense/Thrille=
r collections.

Editorial Note #1: Paula Rodriguez (https://pushkinpress.com/our-authors/pa= ula-rodriguez) is a journalist, editor, co-founder, writer, comedian, ghost= writer, and feminist activist. She has worked for twenty-five years in maga= zine editorial. Urgent Matters is her first novel.

Editorial Note #2: Sarah Moses (https://www.attlc-ltac.org/en/translator/sa= rah-moses-en) is a writer and translator of French and Spanish. She co-tran= slated Sos una sola persona by Stuart Ross and Die, My Love by Ariana Harwi= cz, which was longlisted for the International Booker Prize, among other aw= ards. Her translation of Agustina Bazterrica's Tender Is the Flesh was orig= inated by Pushkin Press in 2020. Sarah divides her time between Buenos Aire=
s and Toronto.

Beneath the Surface
Kaira Rouda
https://kairarouda.com
Thomas & Mercer
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/thomas-mercer.html
9781662511929, $16.99, PB, 269pp

https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Surface-Kingsleys-Kaira-Rouda/dp/1662511922

Synopsis: You are cordially invited to an overnight voyage on the Splendid = Seas.

This is an invitation to Catalina Island from billionaire CEO Richard Kings= ley for his sons, Ted and John, and their wives. It's also an opportunity t=
o curry favor, gain control of a real estate empire, and secure their famil= y's futures. For the controlling patriarch, succession is a contest. He and=
his newest wife won't make it an easy win.

Then Richard's estranged live-wire daughter, Sibley, crashes the party. She=
's the least of the night's surprises. As the stakes for the inheritance of=
the Kingsley legacy are raised, the beautiful waters of the Pacific look m= ore like a menacing illusion.

Let the games begin for a family who has everything money can buy, and has = used lies, deception, and more to keep it. This weekend one of them will be=
crowned heir. One is in line to lose everything. That's the plan. But in t=
he coming storm, so much can go dangerously wrong.

Critique: With the publication of "Beneath the Surface", novelist Kaira Rou=
da demonstrates her complete mastery of the psychological suspense thriller=
genre. Original, clever, deftly crafted, and featuring the author's distin= ctive and narrative driven storytelling style, "Beneath the Surface" is a w= elcome and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Susp= ense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Benea=
th the Surface" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) = and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 979840012390=
0, $19.99, MP3-CD). Librarians please note that there is also a large print=
hard cover addition (Thorndike Press, 9798885793322, Library Binding, $36.= 99) of "Beneath the Surface".

Editorial Note: Kaira Rouda (www.KairaRouda.com) is a multiple award-winnin=
g author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the sur= face of seemingly perfect lives. Her domestic suspense novels include "Best=
Day Ever", "The Favorite Daughter", "All the Difference", "The Next Wife",=
"Somebody's Home", and "The Widow".To date, Kaira's novels have been trans= lated into more than ten languages.

She lives in Southern California with her family and is at work on her next=
novel. Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest: @KairaRouda; = and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books.

Chopped
Dale M. Pollock
Shadowbrook Publishing https://www.book-info.com/publisher/Shadowbrook+Publishing.htm
9798218117023, $27.99, HC, 338pp

https://www.amazon.com/Chopped-Novel-Dale-M-Pollock/dp/B0BW32R7Q8

Synopsis: On Thanksgiving Day in 1849, the richest man in Boston vanishes.

A Harvard Medical College janitor finds cut-up pieces of a human in chemist=
ry professor John Webster's privy vault beneath his laboratory. He is charg=
ed with murder despite only circumstantial evidence, and the notorious tria=
l that follows offers a spectacle that is as riveting as the O.J. Simpson t= rial of the 1990s.

A young doctor, James Winchell Stone, who takes down the entire transcript =
of the trial using an early form of stenography, decides to use his deducti=
ve reasoning to solve the mystery of who actually killed Dr. George Parkman=
.. In the process he uncovers a tragic truth involving the Underground Railr= oad and falls into a forbidden romance.

Critique: A work of fiction based on an historical incident and a simply th= rilling evocation of 19th Century Boston, with the publication of "Chopped"=
, novelist Dale M. Pollock deftly weaves a inherently fascinating and enter= taining "whodunit" explanation into the actual court transcript of the case=
, taken down word-for-word by his ancestor, Dr. James Winchell Stone. While=
especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Historical M= urder/Suspense Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading=
lists that "Chopped" is also readily available in a paperback edition (979= 8218117016, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Dale M. Pollock (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Pollock=
) is a writer, lecturer, film producer, and cinema professor. His previous = book was the "Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas."

Exodus Team: New Roads
BEBogdon
Trilogy Christian Publishing
https://www.trilogy.tv
9798887382173, $20.99, PB, 250pp

https://www.amazon.com/Exodus-Team-New-Roads-Bebogdon/dp/B0BX26JN12

Synopsis: For Maj Newhouse, life revolves around her faith, her friends, Ai= mee and Kevin Cole, and her projects at the old barn -- but that was before=
Jason Knight walked through the door.

The handsome businessman from Chicago has a problem; he has staked his care=
er on rehabilitating a haunted hotel. An encounter with Kevin has led him t=
o the old barn, and Maj is shocked to learn that Knight expects to hire her=
and her friends as exorcists for his property!

Will Maj's distrust of the charming stranger and her own self-doubt cripple=
the newly formed Exodus Team before it starts?

Critique: The first title in a new Christian paranormal mystery suspense th= riller series from Trilogy Christian Publishing, "Exodus Team: New Roads" b=
y Christian entertainer BEBogdon is an inherently fascinating, exceptionall=
y well crafted, and impressively memorable read that will have a particular=
interest for fans of Christian mystery/suspense novels. While also availab=
le for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49), "Ex= odus Team: New Roads" is especially and unreservedly recommended for commun= ity library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: BEBogdon (www.BEBogdon.com) is a Christian entertainer from=
the Midwest whose passion for writing began with a love for reading. Altho= ugh a newly published author, Bogdon has been telling stories for years. Th= rough involvement in theater, film, commercial, and voice-over work, she ha=
s had the opportunity to breathe life into the written word, and as an avid=
daydreamer, she is thrilled to see those dreams finally settle onto the pr= inted page.

Flood of Memories
Bonnie Oldre
https://bonnieoldre.com
Gatekeeper Press
9781662936074, $15.99 Paper/$4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Flood-Memories-Beth-Evie-Mystery/dp/1662936079

The second book in the Beth and Evie mystery series, Flood of Memories, pre= sents another mystery that draws Beth Williams and her best friend Evie Han= son into a murder involving a dead elderly woman, a missing will, and a pai= nting that holds secrets.

Beth's astute observational skills mark her as an investigator with the unu= sual ability to connect the dots even as reality shifts. Evie's research re= veals clues that lead Beth and her friend on an unexpected journey through = history, special interests, and a secret worth killing for.

Readers who enjoy art-based intrigue will especially appreciate this story'=
s progression through the art world as Beth and Evie find themselves off ba= lance and immersed in artistic realms well outside of their areas of expert= ise.

Bonnie Oldre steeps her mystery in the culture and aura of 1960s Minnesota,=
juxtaposing the changing milieu of Davidson City with clues that bring tog= ether historical and modern conundrums. Readers thus receive a story nicely=
steeped in a sense of place, times, and purpose.

All these elements add to the growing tension and intrigue that lead Beth, = Evie, and their readers into a mystery replete with dangerous confrontation=
s and eye-opening developments.

Libraries and readers seeking a cozy mystery atmosphere replete with intrig= ue, powered by amateur female sleuths who employ every deductive reasoning = device available to arrive at the truth, will find Flood of Memories a fine=
expansion of the characters in the prior Silent Winter Solstice, who conti= nue to evolve their skills and solidify their community connections here.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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