Happy New Year and Best of 2023!

 Happy New Year!

Do you have book goals for each year? Number of books? Specific books you want to read? Try other genres? 

I track mine in Goodreads. It helps me if I want to go back and see if I read a certain book, did I like it etc. I also do book goals of how many I want to read in a year. Not because I want to read as many as possible. I am about enjoying a book, not being able to say I read 100 books. I read 35 books this year. I knew I did not get to many of the books that I wanted to read. 2023 got off to a rough start in Central Texas with another winter storm, We spent every weekend and evening cutting trees that fell, loading them up and lining them up for pick up, for at least two months. Just seemed that I lost some free time last year. In contrast, I read 75 books in 2020, the first year of the pandemic. Just shows me that I had less to do that year because of restrictions and the work load was about one quarter of normal. 

Here is what our Mystery Book Club shared as their favorite books of 2023. You may want to add some to your reading list for 2024. Here are the top mysteries.

The Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson

I wrote about this series in November. https://gbmysteries.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-gaslight-mysteries.html

The Haven Rock series by Kelley Armstong

About: ..."spinoff series of her beloved Rockton books. Set in a small town deep in the Yukon wilderness, Haven’s Rock is the perfect series of police procedurals for old and new fans alike. In this first book in this propulsive series, Murder at Haven’s Rock, Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, must track down a pair of construction workers who have ignored the town’s only rule: don’t go in the forest."

The Maid and The Guest List by Nita Prose: books one and two of the series.

I wrote about The Maid here: https://gbmysteries.blogspot.com/2023/11/happy-holidays-and-maid-by-nita-prose.html

Book two continues with Molly the Maid in another murder mystery.

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb: https://gbmysteries.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-violin-conspiracy-by-brenda-slocumb.html

All The Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

About: One year ago, Isabelle Drake's life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally.

Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Rayburn

About: "They've spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they're sixty years old, four women friends can't just retire - it's kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller."

David Sloane and Tracy Crosswhite series by Robert Dugoni

David Sloane series: five books in the series. 

"In this exhilarating legal thriller from Robert Dugoni, the #1 Kindle bestselling author of MY SISTER'S GRAVE, attorney David Sloane must take the law into his own hands to save his son from a corrupt juvenile detention center.

As David Sloane continues to piece his life back together in the wake of his wife's vicious murder, he also struggles to handle his difficult teenage son, Jake. Reeling from the loss of his mother, Jake's bad behavior escalates and his relationship with Sloane is pushed to the brink. When Sloane's old friend, Detective Tom Molia, recruits Sloane and Jake to join him and his son on a camping trip, Sloane sees the trip as an opportunity to repair their broken father/son bond.

Tracy Crosswhite series: Ten book series

About book one: My Sister's Grave: "racy Crosswhite has spent twenty years questioning the facts surrounding her sister Sarah’s disappearance and the murder trial that followed. She doesn’t believe that Edmund House—a convicted rapist and the man condemned for Sarah’s murder—is the guilty party. Motivated by the opportunity to obtain real justice, Tracy became a homicide detective with the Seattle PD and dedicated her life to tracking down killers."

Anxious People by Frederick Backman

About: ..."a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.

Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths."

The Last Mrs, Parrish by Liv Constantine

About: "Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted.

To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne—a socialite and philanthropist—and her real-estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale.

Amber’s envy could eat her alive . . . if she didn't have a plan. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family’s life—the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne’s closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the Parrishes and their lovely young daughters, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked towards, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces.

With shocking turns and dark secrets that will keep you guessing until the very end, The Last Mrs. Parrish is a fresh, juicy, and utterly addictive thriller from a diabolically imaginative talent.

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

About: "For fans of Ruth Ware and Tana French, a shivery, atmospheric, page-turning novel of psychological suspense in the tradition of Agatha Christie, in which a group of old college friends are snowed in at a hunting lodge . . . and murder and mayhem ensue.

All of them are friends. One of them is a killer.

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

About: "Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship riven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers.

Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.

When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.

Well what do you think? An equal number of historical fiction was noted to be favorites in this group. I know I always add more to my TBR list after our group suggestions. 

I hope you have a wonderful start to 2024!. See you then.

Happy Holidays and a holiday read

 Happy Holidays everyone!

I have a holiday book recommendation written by James Patterson for you. It was recommended to me as a good holiday read, a quick read and laugh out loud funny. 

About: "Move over, Dickens—America’s favorite storyteller has written a modern Christmas story for the ages. 

Every year at Christmastime, Will and Ella Sullivan, and their father, Henry, come to a family agreement: Christmas is a holiday for other people. 

At their brownstone in Harlem, stockings go unstuffed, tinsel unstrewn, gifts unbought, mistletoe unhung, chestnuts unroasted, carols unplayed, cookies uncooked, a tree un-visible, and guests uninvited. 

Until guests start arriving anyway. In pairs and sixes, in sevens and tens—they keep coming. And they stay. For twelve long, hard, topsy-turvy, very messy days. That’s when the Sullivans discover that those moments in life that defy hope, expectation, or even imagination, might be the best gifts of all.  

I hope you enjoy your holiday with who or what brings you joy. 

I will share the Mystery Book Club's Best Reads of 2023 soon!

The Murder Rule and a good historical fiction

 Well, I am off to a slow return to blogging, aren't I. Busier than I anticipated holiday season. Extra work things and both my Mystery Book Club and my Norwegian Society had holiday get togethers. Also went to a Celtic concert. Just extra things and extra prep. 

But I did want to tell you about two good books I read/listened to recently. I do intend to catch up with our MBC selections from this year too.

The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan

About: "For fans of the compulsive psychological suspense of Ruth Ware and Tana French, a mother daughter story—one running from a horrible truth, and the other fighting to reveal it—that twists and turns in shocking ways, from the internationally bestselling author of The Scholar and The Ruin.

First Rule: Make them like you.

Second Rule: Make them need you.

Third Rule: Make them pay.

They think I’m a young, idealistic law student, that I’m passionate about reforming a corrupt and brutal system.

They think I’m working hard to impress them.

They think I’m here to save an innocent man on death row.

 They're wrong. I’m going to bury him."

Hannah is a college student living with her mother, who is an alcoholic. Hannah has always taken care of her mother. She finds her mother's diary from when she was a teenager, that explains her mothers behavior. There was a summer that her mother (Laura) worked as a maid for an agency that provided services for wealthy people. The story is so traumatic for Laura, that Hannah decides she will get revenge for her, find the man who made her what she is today. 

Hannah applies to work for a legal project that helps people who have been wrongly accused and sent to prison, to get new trials with the goal of getting them released. She has to convince the project of her intentions and make a place for herself, literally. 

Very good page turner. Who is the "bad guy" in this story? Who is the "good guy"? Are there any? The ending was very twisty and unexpected. 

The other book I wanted to share is a historical fiction. Historical fiction seems to be very popular right now. I have always liked biographies and historical fiction. While not a mystery, it seems alot of mystery lovers, cross into historical fiction, like I do,

Switchboard Solders by Jennifer Chiaverini,

About: "In June 1917, General John Pershing arrived in France to establish American forces in Europe. He immediately found himself unable to communicate with troops in the field. Pershing needed telephone operators who could swiftly and accurately connect multiple calls, speak fluent French and English, remain steady under fire, and be utterly discreet, since the calls often conveyed classified information.

At the time, nearly all well-trained American telephone operators were women—but women were not permitted to enlist, or even to vote in most states. Nevertheless, the U.S. Army Signal Corps promptly began recruiting them.

More than 7,600 women responded, including Grace Banker of New Jersey, a switchboard instructor with AT&T and an alumna of Barnard College; Marie Miossec, a Frenchwoman and aspiring opera singer; and Valerie DeSmedt, a twenty-year-old Pacific Telephone operator from Los Angeles, determined to strike a blow for her native Belgium.

They were among the first women sworn into the U.S. Army under the Articles of War. The male soldiers they had replaced had needed one minute to connect each call. The switchboard soldiers could do it in ten seconds.

Deployed throughout France, including near the front lines, the operators endured hardships and risked death or injury from gunfire, bombardments, and the Spanish Flu. Not all of them would survive.

The women of the U.S. Army Signal Corps served with honor and played an essential role in achieving the Allied victory. Their story has never been the focus of a novel…until now."

Really good account of these telephone operators who were recruited in 1918 to manage the switchboards in France during WWI. They volunteered, wanting to "do their part". Many of their families of course did not understand why a woman would want to do this, should stay at home and roll bandages and get married. The women went through some Army training and as the war went on, did not live in the best of conditions,. It was interesting to read about their devotion to the cause, how they managed and how they kept up their spirits. This was also during the pandemic of 1918 (sound familiar) of the Spanish flu. It was interesting to read about the women making masks and the mask requirements. Yep. Same thing. 

Some of the characters are based on "real people". Some are added to make the story flow. There is also a documentary on Prime called The Hello Girls. Relatives of the actual "hello girls"  are interviewed and there are pictures from there time. The book talks about how they didn't like being called "Hello Girls", by the way.

Next week, I will share the MBC choices for Best of the Year. 

The Gaslight Mysteries

I started a new series this summer that I am really liking. The Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson.  

I have read/listened to the first three books in this 26 book series. 

The first book in the series is Murder on Astor Place.

About: 

"From bestselling author Victoria Thompson, the first novel in the Edgar® and Agatha Award-nominated Gaslight Mystery series introduces Sarah Brandt, a midwife in the turn-of-the-century tenements of Manhattan who refuses to turn a blind eye to the injustices of the crime-ridden city…

After a routine delivery, Sarah visits her patient in a rooming house—and discovers that another boarder, a young girl, has been killed. At the request of Sergeant Frank Malloy, she searches the girl’s room. She discovers that the victim is from one of the most prominent families in New York—and the sister of an old friend. The powerful family, fearful of scandal, refuses to permit an investigation. But with Malloy’s help, Sarah begins a dangerous quest to bring the killer to justice—before death claims another victim…"

Book two: Murder on St. Mark's Place

About: 

"Thinking she has been summoned by German immigrant Agnes Otto to usher a new life into the world, Sarah Brandt is greeted by the news of an untimely death instead. It seems that Agnes’s beautiful younger sister, Gerda, had fallen into the life of a “Charity Girl.” Caught up in the false glamour of the city’s nightlife, she would trade her company—and her favors—not for money, but for lavish gifts and an evenings’ entertainment. And now she was dead; victim, no doubt, of one of her “gentlemen friends.”

"No one cares much about the fate of girls like Gerda, but Sarah does. And she vows to find her killer. To do so, she turns to Sergeant Frank Malloy. As the two pursue an investigation that leads from the bright lights of Coney Island to the stately homes of Fifth Avenue, they find that their shared passion for justice may cost them dearly…"

Book Three: Murder on Gramercy Park

About: "At a summons from Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy, Sarah arrives at the elegant home of famed magnetic healer Edmund Blackwell to find his wife in labor—and the good doctor dead from an apparent suicide. Only Malloy sees what no one else wants to: that Blackwell was murdered in his own home…

After a successful delivery, the Blackwell baby falls mysteriously ill. Relying on her nurse’s training and woman’s intuition, Sarah discovers the source of the baby’s sickness—and discovers a scandal that leads Malloy’s investigation down a gilded path paved with greed, deception, and desire… 

The name of the books are the streets that Sarah's "case" takes place. In the first three books, she goes to the residence to deliver a baby, or help with a pregnancy and stumbles into something more. Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy is called in because there is a police matter. He really doesn't want Sarah there and there is a lot of annoyance between the two. But Sarah is very independent, smart and determined to help her patient's and families. There is a spark between the two but at the time of these books, they are ignoring this.

Sarah is the widow of a doctor. We learn that midwives are looked upon as almost women of the night. Apparently doctors weren't a very respected profession either. She left her wealthy, high society family to marry a doctor. After his death, they assumed she would return home "where she belonged". But she continues to live by herself and support herself.

Frank is a widower with a young son and lives with his mother. The police don't have a good reputation either but Frank tries to do what is right not what other law enforcement thing should be done.

This series reminds of the PBS series Scarlet and the Duke. If you like that series, you will like this series. Quick reads, likeable characters, plots that get you right away.

I highly recommend this series!

Victoria Thompson also writes The Counterfeit Lady Novels. Those sound equally as good. 

Check out all of her books here: https://victoriathompson.com/books/

Happy Holidays and The Maid by Nita Prose

 Happy Holiday Season All! 

If you are in the US, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Holiday. We did. 

And as I predicted, when I went to the grocery store today, just to pick up a couple of basics, the Christmas candy was out and ready to do it's worst. Where did the Halloween candy go by the way. Used to go on sale the day after Halloween but not this year. 

I am feeling the urge to come back to my blog. I will see how it goes. I stopped out of frustration with posts being blocked for no good reason. I would say the year has been busy for me with last winters ice storm, followed by MONTHS of above 100 degree weather. Kind of knocks the energy and motivation from me. Had a sister reunion in October. First one since 2019. That was a blast. Followed by company for Thanksgiving. Lots of cleaning, eating, talking and laughing, followed by more cleaning, eating, talking and laughing.

The Mystery Book Club is going strong! We have a few new members and steady attendance of several people who have been with it for years. So nice. I haven't read as much this year but am determined to get back to it. Does anyone else just not feel right if they don't read everyday?

So to start back, I will tell you about the book we read for November: The Maid by Nita Prose (Molly the Maid #1). This book was the winner of the Goodreads 2022 Mystery/Thriller genre.

About: "Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.

Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life's complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.

But Molly's orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what's happening, Molly's unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it's too late?

A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart."

I really enjoyed this book as did most of the book club. The story grabbed me right away and it is quite intriguing. I really felt for Molly. She is now living all alone since her grandmother who raised her, passed away. Molly is very set in her routine. She does the same thing every day, at the same time, just as when her grandmother was alive. Molly works as a maid in an upscale hotel. She does her work very well and always is at work and always on time. She meets all sorts of people. 

One long term "resident" is Mr. Black and his young wife, Giselle. Mr. Black apparently has lots of money but isn't a very nice man. There is some issues with his first wife, children and money. Molly befriends Giselle as Giselle confides in her often. Mr. Black is very jealous and controlling of Giselle. Molly, who has a problem with social cues and reading people, has been taken advantage of and made some bad choices. Is it because of her sheltered life, being raised by her old fashioned grandmother or is she perhaps somewhat autistic? 

As Molly makes her rounds cleaning rooms one day, she finds Mr. Black is dead. When she calls for help, the front desk doesn't pay much attention to her. But then it is confirmed. Mr. Black is dead. 

The story goes from there with the investigation and Molly's part in the investigation, her friendship with Giselle and other hotel employees. Her lack of abilities play a big part in the story. But there are some surprises that made us wonder about Molly and want to know more.

All in all we liked the book a lot and recommend it. 

Book #2 is coming out November 28: The Mystery Guest.

House in the Pines by Ana Reyes and a break

 Happy Spring! Our weather is so up and down this month. Summer one day, winter the next.

I did listen to a book you may like. House In the Pines by Ana Reyes. Pretty good psychological thriller.

About: "Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend's sudden, mysterious death, and has since spent her life trying to forget, sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed....

Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they'd been spending time with all summer.

Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can't account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer--the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey.

At her mother's house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father's book that didn't stand out to her earlier. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank's cabin.."

I will say that I kept thinking Maya did some really dumb things but we find out why in the end. The last third is a pretty good thriller and I imagine a fast read. I wasn't that happy with the ending. It kind of left me hanging and the excuse would be if there is going to be a sequel.

On that note, I am taking a break from blogging for a few weeks. Seem to be having a lot ot time constraints. Also the kerfuffle with Google/Blogger left me with a bad taste. I did hear of a couple of similar experiences of having post deleted for no apparent reason: either bots, hackers or smut snatcher.

Will see how I feel in a few.

:}

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

 Our Mystery Book Club read The Lost Apothecary for our March meeting.

About: "A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them - setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.

Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.
Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.

One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose - selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.

In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate - and not everyone will survive."

This book was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction 2021 and Best Debut Novel 2021.

The story goes back and forth between Nella's story in 1791 and Caroline's story set in the present. I like books that go between two time periods. I liked both story lines.  They kept my interest and certainly had some suspenseful moments. Nella and Caroline were both strong female characters, trying to make it on their own after being wronged by a man. But their options were different. It was also interesting to read something about apothecaries. I actually looked up additional information on apothecaries. Apothecaries were an option for people who couldn't afford doctors in the 18th and 19th century but went out of business as medicine became more regulated in the 19th century. There were accidental poisonings from apothecary remedies. 

The MBC members all like this book alot. We had a really good discussion about the two women, their options and their choices. One person read an interview with the author and found Sarah Penner may do a sequel with Eliza, Nella's accidental apprentice. Everyone liked that idea and wants to know more about her story. 

All and all, we gave it two thumbs up!