Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Heather Day Gilbert

January 13, 2020Books Books Booksanimals, belinda blake and the wolf in sheep's clothing, cozy mystery, Heather Day Gilbert, lyrical press, netgalley, serieslaelbr5_wp

In the second novel in this delightful cozy mystery series, Belinda allows herself to be talked into caring for wolves in a preserve. On her first day, she discovers one of the employees dead in an enclosure, enhancing her fears and doubts about the assignment. As the bodies fall, suspicions shift, and Belinda finds herself endangered by her own species. Gilbert deftly works into the mystery a little flirting, a little romantic possibility, a little sibling repartee, and humor galore. I received this fun story from the publisher Lyrical Press through NetGalley.

The Favorite Daughter by Kaira Rouda

January 13, 2020Books Books Books#family, graydon house, kaira rouda, netgalley, relationships, suspense, the favorite daughter, thrillerlaelbr5_wp

Betsy’s sister, the good sister, her parents’ favorite, died last year, and her mother has spiraled down into a deep depression, refusing help and alienating Betsy and her father. They struggle along until a revelation rips into the family. Rouda carefully extracts truth from underneath appearances and flays expectations. Fans of Liane Moriarty and Diane Chamberlain will appreciate this story and Rouda’s style. I was fortunate to receive a copy of this wonderful story from Graydon House through NetGalley.

The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot

January 10, 2020Books Books Booksdeath, grief, netgalley, prose verse, sharon kern, text publishing, the art of taxidermylaelbr5_wp

Lottie investigates death and dead things after her mother’s death. Her father allows her scientific endeavor, but her strong-willed aunt thwarts her. Written in prose verse, this story flows in fits and starts, sort of like grief itself, giving the reader a sense of Lottie’s emotional state. The writing is beautiful, the story unique, the format intriguing. I confess that seeing the “n” word threw me, but it’s in context, and no matter how you feel about it, it is part of history, so that denying it is indeed whitewashing history. I was fortunate to receive this lovely, melancholy story from the publisher Text Publishing through NetGalley.

The Hanged Man and the Fortune Teller by Lucy Banks

January 10, 2020Books Books Books19th century, 20th century, amberjack publishing, companionship, ghost story, lucy banks, netgalley, romance, the hanged man and the fortune tellerlaelbr5_wp

The ghost is in a purgatorial state, believing that if he can just remember, he can move on. The fortune teller, his companion in spirit—literally—assists him in filling in his memory. As the story progresses forward and backward throughout his life, Dear Reader meets the ghost’s family, connections that come and go in his mind, bringing emotions forth that yet again obscure memories. Reference to the ghost as the hanged man portends his metaphysical status, and the conclusion is satisfying in its complete lack of resolution potential, possibly the best ending in fiction. It’s a beautiful thing when an author leads the way to the only inevitable conclusion through a pathway that could only have happened that way, maintaining the integrity of the characters’ personalities. Banks at last evokes compassion for a man who had few redeeming qualities in life, an impressive feat. I received this excellent story of beautiful writing from the publisher Amberjack Publishing through NetGalley.

The Whisper Man by Alex North

January 10, 2020Books Books Booksalex north, celadon books, crime thriller, netgalley, paranormal, serial killer, supernatural, suspense thriller, the whisper manlaelbr5_wp

Children made up a rhyme about the serial killer The Whisper Man. Though he’s in prison, a young boy’s abduction matches his MO. Young Jake Kennedy, whose father moved them into a new house after his wife’s death, has begun hearing whispers outside his window. Detective Amanda Beck joins original detective on The Whisper Man’s case, Pete Willis. The two storylines come together, but not seamlessly. The supernatural element in Jake’s storyline is not fully explored and somewhat confuses the issue. It feels like a crime thriller trying to be a paranormal horror. All in all, it’s still a good story. I was fortunate to receive this suspenseful tale from the publisher Celadon Books through NetGalley.

Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass (Exotic Pet-Sitter #1) by Heather Day Gilbert

January 6, 2020Books Books Booksanimals, Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass, Heather Day Gilbert, humor, Lyrical Underground, murder mystery, netgalley, serieslaelbr5_wp

In the first of a new series, exotic pet-sitter extraordinaire Belinda Blake moves into a carriage house in Greenwich, Connecticut, meets the owners’ charming son, and discovers a body in the garden. As she wrangles the python in her care, she cannot resist involving herself in the murder investigation, with revolving suspects and potential danger everywhere. Gilbert imbues humor throughout the tale as Belinda alternately falls for and suspects the charming son, cares for pets the way she takes care of herself—sufficiently to survive, with mishaps, and keeps falling into the middle of the police investigation. This looks like a fun series to begin! I was fortunate to receive this lovely story from Lyrical Underground through NetGalley.

29 Seconds by T. M. Logan

January 6, 2020Books Books Books29 seconds, netgalley, suspense, t m logan, thriller, twenty7laelbr5_wp

Sarah’s superior, a securely ensconced tenured professor who’s brought in great funding for the university, is a serial harasser offering her a (well-deserved) promotion in exchange for her “cooperation.” While picking up her child from school, she foils the kidnapping of a little girl, whose quietly powerful father then offers her a favor—choose a name and that person will cease to be a problem for her. Sarah struggles with the moral morass of resolving not only her own situation, but ending the reign of a decades-perpetrating, multi-victim offender against becoming someone she doesn’t want to be. A 29-second phone call changes the course of her life. Logan brilliantly portrays the frustrating inner battle of desire to set things right versus not wanting to stoop to the same level for resolution. I received this well-written story from the publisher twenty7 through NetGalley.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

January 6, 2020Books Books Booksappalachia, blue people of kentucky, historical fiction, kim michele richardson, literary fiction, netgalley, pack horse librarian, sourcebooks landmark, the book woman of troublesome creeklaelbr5_wp

Teenager Cussy Carter becomes a traveling librarian, delivering reading material to folks beyond means of travel other than four-legged. Nicknamed Bluet as the last female of the Blue People of Kentucky, she bravely faces dangerous trails to support literacy in her part of the world, and connect with her neighbors, often as the only other face they see. As bigotry causes cataclysmic shifts in her own life, she maintains her route, offering more than books to her customers. Richardson presents a compelling portrait of an isolated people, especially the family who suffers more severe hardships for their indigo skin, in the hollers of Appalachia. Combining that history with the librarians who traversed ignorance as much as menacing terrain provides a unique character in Cussy Carter. I was fortunate to receive this wonderfully written story from the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark through NetGalley.

Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh

January 3, 2020Books Books Bookscrime thriller, murder mystery, netgalley, orion, steve cavanagh, suspense, thirteenlaelbr5_wp

Eddie Flynn reluctantly takes on a celebrity client on trial for murder based on his belief in the man’s innocence, while a murderer sits on the jury, gleefully watching the process. Cavanagh cleverly plays the murderer’s presence against the brilliance of the conman lawyer. I received a copy of this crime thriller from the publisher Orion through NetGalley, and although it’s a decent standalone, I wish the publisher would include on NetGalley the fact that a book is part of a series.

Petra’s Ghost by C.S. O’Cinneide

January 3, 2020Books Books Booksc s o'cinneide, camino de santiago, dundurn, historical fiction, netgalley, petra's ghost, pilgrimage, spain, supernatural thrillerlaelbr5_wp

Irish ex-pat Daniel carries his wife Petra’s ashes on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. He finds a walking partner in Californian Ginny, who runs hot and cold, is stalked by a macabre creature, and loses the ability to differentiate between reality and hallucination, yet remains determined to release Petra’s ashes at the end. O’Cinneide brilliantly portrays an unreliable narrator—with Daniel more interesting than endearing, elusive supporting characters, and an ending that remains intriguing though unsurprising. I was fortunate to receive this well-written, well-researched supernatural historical fiction from the publisher Dundurn through NetGalley.

Lael Braday

Short Story Author

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