Featured on I Read What You Write
By I Read What You Write
By I Read What You Write
Books featured on and recommended by the IRWYW bloggers
A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder: A Brilliant Victorian Historical Mystery
Dianne Freeman
$26.00 $24.18
Platonic Rulebook
Saxon James
$14.99"Heath is … everything. He’s long summers together. He’s support and kindness. Hard work and a smart mouth. A man I’ve always admired. He’s second chances and hope. He’s my future." The above quote says everything about the relationship between these men; best friends first, but so much potential. When two men who have been best friends forever find that they have a stronger connection it makes for a splendid love story. This is the second book in this series and I waited so impatiently for it after reading book 1, much as I am now waiting impatiently for book 3. The core characters in this series are such great guys, with stories begging to be told, and the MCs in this book no less. While Griff’s relationship with his ex seemed a bit odd when it came up in the first book, his situation makes sense in the context of this story. It is a gratifying read. Heath, if he can get past his own bits of baggage is a perfect fit for the newly single Griff. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Murder, She Wrote: Killer on the Court
Terrie Farley Moran and Jessica Fletcher
$27.00 $25.11For someone my age, Jessica Fletcher is an old friend. While I have my doubts that she wrote Cozies, the television show chronicling her adventures most definitely became the template for the mystery sub-genre. This is my third read in the ongoing series, co-penned by Terrie Farley Moran. Once again, I am blown away by the ease with which I slip into reading this story. Cabot Cove, its community at large, and its penchant for gossip is large and center stage. Beloved characters leap off the page to take up residence in my imagination and I feel the craving for a pot of tea and a vat of popcorn, my go-to MSW snack foods. In this installment, Jessica, having just sent off her latest book is looking forward to spending summer vacation at an NYC beach with her favorite nephew Grady and his family. His wife had just received a promotion and had been invited to join in her boss’s family beach getaway. After meeting the likely suspects and being given a plethora of clues, her boss is found dead and Jessica dives in to figure out who murdered the man with tennis balls. She pulls the reader along in her usual persistent fashion. It is always a pleasure to follow JB Fletcher through and investigation. She sees everything, asks the oddest questions then sets up the big reveal all while holding true to her purpose, which in this story was spending time with her young nephew. I will admit to figuring out the bad guy early on, but it is only Jessica’s patience that I was able to find the why. What is it about her Great Aunt vibe that has the killers confessing with only a disappointed look from her? Much like the long-running series, there is an overall story arc, but the books can be read as stand-alone and in any order. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 5 out of 5. I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Killer Words
V. M. Burns
$15.95 $14.83Bookshop Mysteries by V.M. Burns are always a good time. The characters are like old friends and the story is always a page turner. With this series you get two stories for the price of one. The first, a cozy mystery investigated by Sam, helped in ways great and small by Nana Jo and her retirement village girls. The second is a historical cozy written by Sam. Both suck the reader in until the last page. In Killer Words, Sam and Nana Jo find themselves trying to clear the name of Detective Pitt after he is seen to have gotten into a disagreement with the irksome victim. This is a fun read full of charm and banter, along with well-written mysteries, full of the great clues and twists, all of which I have come to expect from this series. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5. I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Deadly Target
Elizabeth Goddard
$17.00I have not read book one in this series, which I think might be a serious oversight. The characters from book one making an appearance in Deadly Target are simply wonderful and beg the reader to catch their story. Erin Larson is also a wonderful character both strong and realistic. She takes a lot on herself with her podcast and looking after her mom. Still, when her ex Nathan finds he has inherited a cold case from his father, who has been inexplicably shot, he turns to Erin and her expertise. The two of them slow burn the pages while getting to the bottom of the mystery and try to find their way back to each other. Intrigue is such a fun word when applied to a literary format. This book has plenty, along with questions galore, that need answering as the story progresses. The book sucks you in right from the beginning as Erin narrowly escapes a brush with death during a boating accident in the first few pages of the book. As the book progresses it begins to feel as if the incidental occurrences throughout the story are indeed all tied together, but it isn’t until the end that the reader can pull it all together. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5. I received an advance review copy for free from Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Marshal's Lady: A Time Travel Western Romance
Josie Malone
$17.24I haven’t read this series yet, but after finishing book 3, I have to admit I do intend to. Detective Bethany Chambers is on the trail of a ruthless killer. Little does she know where that trail is going to lead. Take a pinch of paranormal, add the cowboy and hard core mystery genres, mix well and season with time travel and you will pretty well sum up this book. Surprisingly, credit due to the author, it does justice to them all. From the opening prologue to the end that says there will probably be more books for me to catch up on in the future, this book is an enjoyable read. When she is thrown from her horse Beth begins a journey into the past at least that is what she keeps being told. She discovers another lawman, hot on the trail of bank robbers, shot through the chest and probably dying, but she can’t leave him on his own when it is uncertain just when or how help will arrive. She soon learns that while he has his own opinions about how women in his time should behave, he respects her work ethic and perseverance. The two of them together work to solve the mystery of a killer who seems to have taken lives in both of their times and needs to be caught. Normally I would next talk about how well written and exciting the cast of characters is, and they are. I loved how meeting each new person drove the story forward without being obvious about it. Each person has a small story in the whole that makes turning the pages to find out more very necessary. However, in this instance, what stands out more is the duality of law enforcement separated by over one hundred years. He has to let certain things slide that she sees as essential, while he needs to catch up on modern tactics that really don’t have a place in his world. Together they seek justice and peace in their piece of the world above all and it really kind of works. So, the characters… Well this where reading book one of the series might have come in handy. Not because it is needed in order to enjoy this book, but there is so much backstory that I am itching to find out. Trace is the perfect partner in crime for Beth and together there probably isn’t much that they can’t handle. Still while both women are tomboys, they both do offer glimpses into just how fun it is to be a girl around real men’s men like their cowboys. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 5 out of 5.
Death by Leprechaun: A Saint Patrick's Day Murder in Dublin
Jennifer S. Alderson
$12.99I have found the series to be lots of fun. It features a spunky heroine who is at home in all the great cities in Europe, is great at her job, and takes the more than occasional murder in stride. The thing I find most intriguing and also most inviting about this series is the fact that the murder takes place so late in the story that you almost forget that this is supposed to be a murder mystery. Instead, you get to meet all the characters, learn their secrets and affiliations, begin to develop feelings for them. It is very Agatha Christie like and very cool. The great characters added to the brilliant descriptions of European cities, tour stops, and culture makes the reader feel like they are taking part in the tour and gives them a personal stake in discovering whodunnit. Death of Leprechaun is no exception. Lana has secured a spot on her current tour for dear friends of hers and she is really looking forward to touring Dublin. Unbeknownst to her, almost every member of the tour has a connection to a corrupt reporter who ends up dead. Everyone he has written about or even for has a motive to want him dead, but only Lana’s tour group had access to the murder weapon. Beyond the search for the murderer, I have to admit my favorite part of this book is when Dottie and later Lana hang a lantern on the fact that guests in Lana’s tours always seem to turn up dead. Though I will give kudos for the switch up here in that the tour group is still suspect, but the victim, is an outsider. Readers who enjoy travel fiction, epic character development, and clever mysteries will enjoy this series.
The House on Crow Mountain
Rebecca Lee Smith
$17.99The House on Crow Mountain is probably the most uncozy-like cozy I have ever read. Don’t get me wrong it totally adheres to all the cozy rules; no graphic language, sex, or violence. It also follows the popular cozy tropes; a small town, a broken-hearted woman who returns home to make a new start, clever pets, etc. It is just I consider cozy to be a light afternoon read. More fluff than serious. I mean no disrespect to the books and authors I have read to date, some are among my all-time favorites. This book from the first sentence to the last pulled me into a hard mystery thriller that just happened to follow cozy rules. It has everything; gripping suspense, a leading lady wracked with grief and guilt, and a possible love interest trying to redeem himself from a tragic mistake, or was it? There are far-reaching family secrets, menacing red herrings, and a sinister plot. There was no guessing whodunnit before the reveal. I really (I mean really) did not like the person, but there were so many other people to not like, to suspect, to think about that it barely registered. I could not put this book down as the story unfolded and the floating, maybe relevant plotlines merged bringing the story to its climax. I seriously hope for this to be a series as there are characters that I would love to learn more about, but I tell you, I would be okay with this being a one-off. The story as it stands has mostly been told and it is that good. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 5 out of 5.
Railroaded 4 Murder
J. C. Eaton
$8.99 $8.36That Cover! 5 stars But seriously, I honestly can imagine Streetman behaving that way. Every time I see the cover I giggle just a little bit. Between his actual antics and Sophie’s love-to-hate-him relationship, it is safe to say the dog is the star of the show (and he probably knows it too) How Sophie keeps her sanity with her mom, her mom’s friends, and that dog is beyond me. Any one of them is a natural disaster waiting to happen without the involvement of the rest, but together??? When a friend of Sophie’s mom is wrongly accused of murdering her probably philandering husband, the book club goes undercover into a dance group and a model train club with some hilarious results. Actual experience with either activity is apparently not required. These Arizona seniors are a force to be reckoned with and they take no prisoners. With operation Agatha in full swing, Sophie is dragged into helping them find proof of the woman’s innocence any way she can. You can’t go wrong with a J.C. Eaton book. Fun, (sometimes frustratingly) quirky characters, and a great quest of a mystery with a satisfying unsuspected ending coupled with just enough of the ongoing drama that is the life that Sophie shares with her mom and her sleuthing friends keep readers coming back for more, page after page, book after book. Plus, you know, a tap-dancing dog… It is always an enjoyable reading experience. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Murder at the Lakeside Library: A Lakeside Library Mystery
Holly Danvers
$26.99 $25.10Rain has made her way home to the Wisconsin Northwoods. Pine Lake: the family cabin originally built by her great grandfather, but added onto over the decades. Her grandfather was a published author and her mother has turned the original log built cabin into a local library, which she shares with the entire laker community. Rain is dealing with the death of her husband and an estrangement from her parents. She is just hoping to spend a quiet summer recharging, but best laid plans and all. First Rain is blindsided with the opening of the library, luckily she has friends Julia and Marge, to help out. Just as they get the project going, they stumble upon the dead body of a man who is reputed to be a close friend of her mother’s. Next to his body is a copy of Rain’s grandfather’s book, which should not be outside of the library under any circumstances. The mystery unfolds encompassing details from Rain’s family. Julia and Rain pick up their friendship where it left off all those summers ago growing up on the lake. Together they are impulsive and irrepressible and actually kind of fun. Other great characters flesh out Rain’s inner circle including a charismatic police officer that is prime material for romance at some point down the road when Rain has gotten things more together. It is a terrific beginning to a new series I am looking forward to keeping up with
