Thursday, January 18, 2024

Friday Focus: Bookish Memes to Start the Weekend

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 It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

  • Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
  • The Friday 56 which was hosted for many years by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them. Since Freda's blog is currently on hiatus, the meme is being maintained by Anne at My Head is Full of Books. Visit Anne's blog to post and read the weekly entries. 


Today I'm featuring A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales. The excerpts shared are from an eBook borrowed from the library.

 



Book Beginning/First Line:  Chapter 1 -- Introductions

In the English countryside there was a small township called Swampshire, comprised of several lovely mansions and one disgusting swamp.

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56% of eBook:  "There is one thing which might be of interest," Miss Bolton said in a soft voice. Drake stoppe pacing and waited for her to continue.

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My thoughts:  Protagonist Beatrice Steele is the most unconventional of young women for her time. She flouts the rules of etiquette and acceptable female behavior to pursue her interest in crime solving. When a murder lands on her figurative doorstep, Beatrice demonstrates her talent for finding clues and drawing sound conclusions based on the evidence she observes.

A Most Agreeable Murder is a most enjoyable read. Its balance of quirky characters, mysterious goings on, humor, and plot twists are first-rate. I hope the author plans a return to this setting and time period for further exploits with the spirited Beatrice.

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From GoodReads: When a wealthy bachelor drops dead at a ball, a young lady takes on the decidedly improper role of detective in this action-packed debut comedy of manners and murder.

Feisty, passionate Beatrice Steele has never fit the definition of a true lady, according to the strict code of conduct that reigns in Swampshire, her small English township--she is terrible at needlework, has absolutely no musical ability, and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Nevertheless, she lives a perfectly agreeable life with her marriage-scheming mother, prankster father, and two younger sisters-- beautiful Louisa and forgettable Mary. But she harbors a dark secret: She is obsessed with the true crime cases she reads about in the newspaper. If anyone in her etiquette-obsessed community found out, she'd be deemed a morbid creep and banished from respectable society forever.

For her family's sake, she's vowed to put her obsession behind her. Because eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the approaching autumnal ball, and the Steele family hopes that Louisa will steal his heart. If not, Martin Grub, their disgusting cousin, will inherit the family's estate, and they will be ruined or, even worse, forced to move to France. So Beatrice must be on her best behavior, which is made difficult when a disgraced yet alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball.

Beatrice is just holding things together when Croaksworth drops dead in the middle of a minuet. As a storm rages outside, the evening descends into a frenzy of panic, fear, and betrayal as it becomes clear they are trapped with a killer. Contending with competitive card games, tricky tonics, and Swampshire's infamous squelch holes, Beatrice must rise above decorum and decency to pursue justice and her own desires--before anyone else is murdered.

 

 

 

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This Friday Focus: Bookish Memes to Start the Weekend post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.

Friday, January 12, 2024

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim by Victoria Tait


 
Today I'm participating in the Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim Blog Tour. In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review. Be sure to enter the giveaway contest below.

About the book . . . 



Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim

A Waterwheel Cafe Mystery

Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Cotswold, England
Kanga Press (January 5, 2024)
Number of Pages c. 240
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C4V4CCGT

Synopsis . . . A missing child. A half-baked ransom demand. Can a community cop sift through clues and rescue the tot before teatime?

Sergeant Keya Varma’s culinary dreams come true as she joyfully opens her own café. And attending her sister’s wedding is the cherry on the cake. But her excitement sinks like a souffle when a customer’s little boy disappears.

Shaken as well as stirred into action, the part-time police officer joins the search, but she’s shattered when even a ransom payment doesn’t bring the rug rat back home.

For Keya, justice is served with a side of scones, but can she save the child before the clotted cream turns sour?

Indulge in the Waterwheel Café cozy mystery series, where Keya Varma mixes crime with coffee and crêpes. If you crave appetizing characters, a dash of humor, and a dollop of English charm, you’ll devour Victoria Tait’s delicious tale.

Bake your way into intrigue with Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim today!

My review . . . The smashing success of Keya's recently opened Waterwheel Cafe challenges her to find the right balance between the demands of running a busy restaurant and performing her part-time police work. Fortunately, she has a supportive team of family and friends that help her keep the cafe humming along. But her latest police case has Keya stretching herself to the limit. . .

After young Zaad Bartlett disappears from a local playground he was visiting with his nanny, Keya feels a deep personal connection because of her interactions with Zaad and his parents at her cafe in the days before the incident. As part of the team tasked with investigating Zaad's disappearance, Keya must quickly find the missing boy by figuring out exactly what happened and who is responsible. Will she be able to locate the child and reunite him with his distraught parents in a timely manner? Can she identify and prosecute the kidnapper?

Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim takes readers back to the charming Cotswolds region of England, with its picturesque landscape and cozy atmosphere. The plot of the story is solidly constructed with a satisfying number of red herrings and unexpected twists that keep readers guessing whodunit until the book's final chapters. Beyond the mystery, author Victoria Tait has created an inviting setting and cast of characters that readers will enjoy visiting again and again whilst enjoying a variety of teas and other delicacies. Each installment in the series introduces a new tea to savor and crime to solve. I can hardly wait to discover both a new brew and Keya's next case in book four.

About the author . . . Victoria Tait was born and raised in Yorkshire, England. After following her military husband around the world, she drew on her life’s experiences and a love of Agatha Christie, Father Brown, and Murder She Wrote, to write British-based cozy mysteries.



Her determined female sleuths are joined by colorful and quirky teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and realistic. As you’re compelled to keep turning the pages, you’ll be irresistibly drawn into a world where you’ll experience surprises, humor and sometimes, a tug on your heartstrings.

Do you like tea, mysteries, and books? Then why not join Victoria’s TeaCozy Club for regular news and updates, and download the free prequel to the Dotty Sayers Antique Mysteries series as a gift by visiting VictoriaTait.com

Who doesn’t like tea, cake, and a slice of murder?

Giveaway . . . Enter the giveaway contest by clicking here.

Purchase links . . .   Books2Read    Amazon 

Author Links . . .

Website: https://victoriatait.com/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/victoria-tait

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriataitauthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/VictoriaTaitAuthor/_saved/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20373879.Victoria_Tait




Tour participants . . .

January 8 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 8 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 9 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read -REVIEW

January 10 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 10 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

January 11 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 11 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 12 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW*

January 13 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – RECIPE POST

January 13 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 14 – Diane’s Book Journal – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – CelticLady Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 16 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

January 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW


Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



 
This Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.





Thursday, January 11, 2024

Friday Focus: Book Beginnings

 

It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts via Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires. 

Today I'm featuring Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim by Victoria Tait. The excerpts shared are from an advanced eBook version provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Book Beginning . . . Thirty-three year old Sergeant Keya Varma slumped into her office chair in her team's room on the ground floor of Cirencester Police Station, t he English Cotswolds.

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My thoughts . . . Thus begins the third installment of The Waterwheel Cafe cozy mystery series by Victoria Tait. Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim is a delightful return to the charming Cotswolds region of England, with its picturesque landscape and cozy atmosphere. Each book in the series is a new chapter in the life of unflappable and extremely competent Keya Varma, a part-time police officer, that  introduces a new tea to savor and crime to solve

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Synopsis:  A missing child. A half-baked ransom demand. Can a community cop sift through clues and rescue the tot before teatime?

Sergeant Keya Varma’s culinary dreams come true as she joyfully opens her own café. And attending her sister’s wedding is the cherry on the cake. But her excitement sinks like a souffle when a customer’s little boy disappears.

Shaken as well as stirred into action, the part-time police officer joins the search, but she’s shattered when even a ransom payment doesn’t bring the rug rat back home.

For Keya, justice is served with a side of scones, but can she save the child before the clotted cream turns sour?

Indulge in the Waterwheel Café cozy mystery series, where Keya Varma mixes crime with coffee and crêpes. If you crave appetizing characters, a dash of humor, and a dollop of English charm, you’ll devour Victoria Tait’s delicious tale.

Bake your way into intrigue with Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim today!



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This Friday Focus: Booki Beginnings post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Friday Focus: Book Beginnings

 

It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts via Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires. 

Today I'm featuring Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll. The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.

 

Bright Young Women 


Book Beginning:  Pamela

Montclair, New Jersey, Day 15,825

You may not remember me, but I have never forgotten you, begins the letter written in the kind of cursive they don't teach in schools anymore. I read the sentence twice in stinging astonishment. It's been forty-three years since my brush with the man even the most reputable papers called the All-American Sex Killer, and my name had long since fallen to a footnote in the story.

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My thoughts:  The compelling opening foreshadows the story of innocence shattered and lives irrevocably changed by the actions of a depraved man. Beyond the at times disturbing content, I'm finding it challenging to follow the timeline and relationships between characters which are years apart because of the way the chapters are structured.

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From GoodReads: An extraordinary novel inspired by the real-life sorority targeted by America's first celebrity serial killer in his final murderous spree.

January 1978. A serial killer has terrorized women across the Pacific Northwest, but his existence couldn’t be further from the minds of the vibrant young women at the top sorority on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee. Tonight is a night of promise, excitement, and desire, but Pamela Schumacher, president of the sorority, makes the unpopular decision to stay home—a decision that unwittingly saves her life. Startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she makes the fateful decision to investigate. What she finds behind the door is a scene of implausible violence—two of her sisters dead; two others, maimed. Over the next few days, Pamela is thrust into a terrifying mystery inspired by the crime that’s captivated public interest for more than four decades.

On the other side of the country, Tina Cannon has found peace in Seattle after years of hardship. A chance encounter brings twenty-five-year-old Ruth Wachowsky into her life, a young woman with painful secrets of her own, and the two form an instant connection. When Ruth goes missing from Lake Sammamish State Park in broad daylight, surrounded by thousands of beachgoers on a beautiful summer day, Tina devotes herself to finding out what happened to her. When she hears about the tragedy in Tallahassee, she knows it’s the man the papers refer to as the All-American Sex Killer. Determined to make him answer for what he did to Ruth, she travels to Florida on a collision course with Pamela—and one last impending tragedy.

Bright Young Women is the story about two women from opposite sides of the country who become sisters in their fervent pursuit of the truth. It proposes a new narrative inspired by evidence that’s been glossed over for decades in favor of more salable headlines—that the so-called brilliant and charismatic serial killer from Seattle was far more average than the countless books, movies, and primetime specials have led us to believe, and that it was the women whose lives he cut short who were the exceptional ones.

 

 

 

 

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This Friday Focus: Bookish Memes to Start the Weekend post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.

 

 

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew

 

Today I'm participating in the Murder by the Seashore Blog Tour. In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review. And be sure to enter the giveaway below.

About the book . . . 

 
 
Murder by the Seashore (A California Bookshop Mystery)
 Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – California
Crooked Lane Books (October 17, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639104933
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639104932
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BSKSHZF5

Synopsis . . . Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Ellery Adams, Scarlett Gardner’s dream was to open a bookshop in Southern California, but it soon becomes a nightmare when she finds the dead body of a customer—and becomes the prime suspect.

Southern California is where dreams come true—or so Scarlett Gardner thought. When she moved there and opened the Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop, she thought her boyfriend and business partner would be part of the story. When he leaves her for a better job, Scarlett finds herself struggling to keep her new business afloat. That’s not the only thing she has to worry about—she discovers something underneath the pier by her bookshop that she didn’t outline for her life’s story: the dead body of a book-buying customer.

After Scarlett gives a statement to the police, she thinks her life can go back to business as usual. But when a lawyer, representing someone named Lorelai Knight, tells Scarlett that she now stands to inherit a small fortune, she’s left with more questions than answers. Before she can make sense of any of it, the police bring her in for questioning; the body she found was Lorelai Knight. And the evidence they have against Scarlett doesn’t look good. Business is booming as Scarlett returns to Palm Trees and Page Turners, but for all the wrong reasons – curious tourists don’t want books, they want a glimpse of the Bookshop Killer.

Who could really be behind all of this? And why frame Scarlett? To clear her name, she’s going to have to get creative—and hope she can remain one page ahead of the killer. 

 

My review . . . Scarlett Gardner never imagined the dream life she worked so hard to build would fall apart just as it was getting off the ground. Newly relocated to Southern California to join her boyfriend and business partner in a new bookshop venture along the beach, Scarlett is blindsided by Connor, who abruptly leaves her and the business for a more lucrative startup opportunity. As if picking up the pieces isn't heartache enough, Scarlett discovers a dead body along the pier near her store. The police quickly name Scarlett as their prime suspect when the murder victim is identified. Lorelai Knight had not only visited the bookshop recently, she had named Scarlett the sole heir of her vast estate.

Who is this mystery benefactor that Scarlett seems to have no connection to and has never met before and who is responsible for her untimely death? Scarlett must find out quickly, not only to clear her name, but because it's been clearly demonstrated that she's also in the killer's crosshairs. Which of the many possible murder suspects killed Lorelai and why? 

Murder by the Seashore is a challenging puzzle filled with red herrings galore and strong suspects to be eliminated. As I turned the pages, I was sure I knew whodunit, only to have my theory disproven more than once. The ultimate reveal took me by surprise. 

The new California Bookshop cozy mystery series is off to a great start with its ideal locale that surrounds readers with books and the beach, an intrepid protagonist, and a feisty support network. The first installment establishes plenty of room for character development, personal growth, and relationship possibilities as the series continues. I see myself gladly returning to the SoCal setting for future "chapters" in the story and to find out if Scarlett will get the happily every after she deserves.

 

Giveaway . . . Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a hardcover copy of Murder by the Seashore and bookmarks by clicking this link.

 

About the author . . . Samara Yew is a cozy mystery author who writes about adorable bookshops and dead bodies. A full-time mom, full-time dog servant, and part-time writer, Samara lives in British Columbia, Canada, where she can often be found watching Psych reruns.

 

Samara loves to travel, especially visiting her husband’s home country of Singapore or donning Mickey ears in Disneyland. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers.

 

Author links . . .

Website: https://samarayew.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samara.yew.books

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/samarayewauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samara.yew.author

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24259604.Samara_Yew

 

Purchase Links . . . 

Amazon   PenguinRandomHouse   B&N    Chapters Indigo

 

 

 

Tour Participants . . .

October 11 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 11 – Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense – REVIEW

October 12 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

October 12 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

October 13 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

October 13 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

October 14 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

October 15 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

October 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

October 16 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

October 17 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 17 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 18 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 18 – Carstairs Considers – REVIEW

October 19 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

October 19 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT

October 20 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

October 20 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

October 21 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

October 21 – Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 22 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

October 24 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

October 24 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW  



Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Murder by the Seashore from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

This Blog Tour, Book Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.

 

 

 

Sunday, October 22, 2023

Weekly Book Recap

As one week ends and another begins, it's time to share my latest reading updates with these weekly memes. . .

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. . .   Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly at Caffeinated Reviewer, The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz, Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality and It's Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date . . .

 

It's been a somewhat slow reading week for me. Although the weather is very conducive to curling up with a book (we've had seven straight weekends of rain), I suspect it's because I've devoted more of my time to knitting. I was never more than a beginner when I learned the basics as a pre-teen, so it's a huge learning curve getting back into it. But I've got the support of a crafty group and some very experienced coworkers to help me along.


Above is a scarf in progress, one of the easier projects I've undertaken to get me back into the swing of things.


Finished reading . . .

 

First book in the new California Bookshop mystery series. My review will be posted on October 24th as part of a blog tour.


Still reading . . . 

         

The dual time lines related to similar crimes are slowing me down . . . I'm having a bit of difficulty keeping the details and characters straight in my head.

 

Planning to read next . . .


Arrived in my mailbox . . .  



All new nonfiction ARCs from publishers this week.


Thanks for reading my updates. Now I'm off to discover what all of you are currently reading and what books are in your queues.






This Weekly Book Recap post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Weekly Book Recap

 It's time to share updates from the past week and the upcoming week with . . .

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. . . Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly at Caffeinated Reviewer and It's Monday! What are you reading? hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date

I used to participate regularly in both of these memes in the early years of my blog. But as life in general got busier, I found myself cutting way back on my weekly blog posts. This past week, I celebrated Book Club Librarian's eleven year blogaversary and thought it would be fitting to return to Sunday memes. I missed all of you and am happy to be back!

 

Finished reading . . .

   

Historical--I read it for my next book club meeting. 

 

Cozy mystery--blog tour reading. My review and giftcard giveaway.

 

Started reading . . .

  

Contemporary fiction--got curious after seeing this book everywhere.


Planning to read next . . . 

  

Cozy mystery--I'll be reading it for an upcoming blog tour. 


This Weekly Book Recap post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.