Review: The Housemaid's Secret

The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Book Review: North American Bird Watching for Beginners: Field Notes on 150 Species to Start Your Birding Adventures by Sharon Stiteler

North American Bird Watching for Beginners: Field Notes on 150 Species to Start Your Birding Adventures by Sharon Stiteler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very well-written and concise overview of 150 common birds.  There are a couple of introductory chapters on Getting to Know our Feathered Friends, and Birding 101.

This is a great book for a bird watching beginner like me.  Each entry gives the color, head, geographical range, general impression, size and shape, plus a paragraph describing where it lives, male and female coloring, and habits.  Highly recommended for the beginner birder!

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Book Review: We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (We Solve Murders #1)

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(4 1/2 stars)  Steve Wheeler is a retired police detective living in England and keeping busy with his private investigation company, Steve Investigates.  His daughter-in-law Amy works as a bodyguard for a private high-level security company, currently on a South Carolina private island guarding Rosie D'Antonio, a world famous author.  Amy enlists Steve's assistance in protecting Rosie, and murder attempts, jet setting, red herrings, false accusations, and hilarity ensue.

Reader, be aware - The plot is very complex and involves many sub-plots and characters.  There are a lot of moving parts to keep track of - characters, locations, motivations, and alliances.  However, it's all worth it and I literally raced through this fast-paced novel.  In particular I loved the very special relationship that Steve and Amy have, bonding over their very frequent phone calls.  And Rosie is just a laugh-out-loud fun person to have along during any caper.  

This is the beginning of a new series by Richard Osman, very well known for his Thursday  Murder Club series which I'm thoroughly enjoying.  And I'm definitely looking forward to the second book in this series.  The author has such a skill of adding so much humanity and feeling to his main characters.

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Book Review: Dick Francis's Refusal by Felix Francis (Sid Hally #5)

Dick Francis's Refusal by Felix Francis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sid Halley was initially a jockey, turned investigator after his retirement.  However, that career proved to be much more dangerous and risky than he wanted, especially considering his wife and young daughter.  However, he got pulled back in to investigate quite a few unusual circumstances in recent races, indicating that the races results were being fixed.  And once again Sid investigates, asks questions to the wrong people, and as a result is repeated beaten and warned off.

This a fast-paced novel focusing on race fixing by jockeys, and the reader is immersed in the world of steeple chase races.  Pay attention because there are quite a few characters to keep track of, but it's definitely worth the ride!  Watching the recent Kentucky Derby reminded me of my fondness for Dick Francis's books about horse racing.  I was delighted to find out that his son, Felix Francis, has written more in the Sid Halley series.  This is number five in the series, with two more after this -- Hands Down and Dark Horse.  

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Book Review: No Good Deeds by Laura Lippman (Tess Monaghan #9)

No Good Deeds by Laura Lippman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lloyd Jupiter is a 16-year-old con man (boy??) who surreptitiously slashes Crow's tire during a late March snowstorm, and then offers to fix it for him.  Feeling sorry for him, Crow brings him home, feeds him and offers him a bed for the night.  Things get really complicated when he unwittingly has information about a federal prosecutor who was murdered months before.  Both Tess and Crow are involved with this case - deep!  It's a wild, fast-paced ride until the conclusion.

It's been a couple of years since I read the last Tess Monaghan book (#8 - By a Spider's Thread), and it's nice to get back to a familiar character again.  I enjoyed the fact that a good portion of the book was told from Crow's point of view.  I also appreciate the sense of place with details about Baltimore - the good and the bad.  And Tess's best friend Whitney always provides comic relief.  Looking forward to #10 - Another Thing to Fall.

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Book Review: Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen (Her Royal Spyness #1)

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, also known as Georgie, is the cousin of King George V of England and 34th in line for the throne.  Without any marriage prospects after her coming out season, her brother has cut off her allowance.  She moves from Castle Raddoch in Scotland to Raddoch House in London in order to find a job and make some money.  

Georgie is without a maid to assist her with the day-to-day royal activities, but is resourceful and creates a job for herself.  She runs into her best friend from finishing school who helps her out, and meets several young eligible men in the process.  A mystery (and hilarity) ensues when she finds a man dead in her bathtub.  Multiple attempts are made on her life, but being Georgie, she just thinks that she is clumsy.  After several twists and turns, everything turns out fine in the end which is good because there are quite a few more books written in this series!

Georgie and friends are fun characters and bring a lot of humor to this book.  The reader really gets a feel for life in the early 1930s London, as well as what it's like to be a 'royal.'  There's high society, fashion, food, and fun in this quick and enjoyable read.  I will definitely be reading more in this series in the future. 

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Book Review: Murder in Chianti by Camilla Trinchieri (A Tuscan Mystery #1)

Murder in Chianti by Camilla Trinchieri
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nico Doyle is a retired New York City homicide detective who has recently retired to a small village in the Tuscan countryside.  He moved to Gravinga, his wife's hometown, after she recently passed away.  He spends his days at the local coffee shop, trying out new recipes, and helping his wife's cousin at her family's small restaurant.  Things change when he discovers that a man has been murdered.  Salvatore Perillo is the maresciallo of the local police, and once he discovers Nico's background he requests his help in finding the guilty party.  

The reader is immediately immersed in Tuscany -- the food, the lifestyle, the customs, espresso, wine, and even more food!  The Chianti Classico Expo, a large wine tasting event,  takes place in the middle of the murder investigation.  I loved all the characters, especially Nico and Onewag, the stray dog he adopted.  The interplay between Perillo and his assistant Daniele brings a lot of humor to the story.  All in all, a very charming cozy mystery set in the Tuscan hills.  Highly recommended, and I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series.  

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Book Review: The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon

The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

John U. Bacon has written the definitive book about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975 in Lake Superior.  The reader is taken through the background of lake freighters used to transport iron ore through the Great Lakes, how the Edmund Fitzgerald was built to be the largest and fastest boat on the lakes, information on each of the crew members and the captain, what life is like onboard a freighter, and a detailed description of their last voyage.  

The book is incredibly well researched and Bacon's writing is both comprehensive and approachable for the novice.  The various maps and the layout of the freighter were invaluable to me in my understanding.  It is probably the best narrative nonfiction book that I have ever read, and would encourage anyone to read it!

I saw the author speak on the WDIV Backstory documentary which was aired last fall at the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the "Fitz," and was so impressed with his knowledge.  I would highly recommend watching this documentary -- 
Edmund Fitzgerald (71 minutes)
https://www.clickondetroit.com/video/features/2025/11/07/full-documentary-the-edmund-fitzgerald-2025/

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Book Review: Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an incredibly well-researched narrative nonfiction book about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.  The author spent four years writing the book, made seven trips to Northern Ireland, and conducted more than 100 interviews.  Although he admits that the title of the book is an indication of the willingness of many individuals to talk to him, even decades later.  There is a very lengthy list of references citing his sources at the end of the book.  

The book centers the abduction and 'disappearance' of a widowed mother of ten young children, thought to be an informer.  I read this for one of my book clubs and it was definitely a lively discussion this week.  Many of the group (myself included) didn't know much about the history of the Troubles conflict.  It goes into detail about the many participants in both sides of the conflict, so it can be difficult to keep track of the individuals.  Overall, a very eye-opening history lesson, written very much like a mystery book.  

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Book Review: Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman (Mrs. Blossom #1)

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 1/2 stars. Muriel Blossom is a retired widow who just won the lottery, and is embarking on a 2-week vacation. She is spending the first week alone in Paris and then her best friend is meeting her for a one week cruise along the Seine River. She encounters a series of suspicious individuals and unusual circumstances during her week in Paris. Once on the cruise, her friend is busy looking for husband number four while Mrs. Blossom is trying to figure out what is going on. Everything comes to a head and all is revealed by the end of their cruise.

I was in the midst of reading two very heavy non-fiction books when I realized that I needed an escapist mystery. This book was exactly what I needed at that time. It's a light mystery and a quick read, plus the sights of Paris, the trip along the Seine, and the wonderful descriptions of food are a bonus. There's the murder and the mysteries, but the real draw for me was the character of Mrs. Blossom. Readers of Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan series will enjoy her appearance in a couple of scenes in this book. This is the first in a new series, and I'm looking forward to more of Mrs. Blossom's adventures in the future.

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Book Review: The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave (Hannah Hall #2)

The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me, picking up right where the previous book left off.  Hannah and her stepdaughter Bailey have been living (cautiously with the help of Bailey's grandfather) in California.  Fast forward five years and things change.  They are suddenly on the run again after Hannah's husband Owen meets her briefly enough to pass her a thumb drive and warn her to run.  

This is another page-turner and I finished this book in just two days.  Since I read the first in the series a couple of years ago, I was a little hazy on the details.  However, I was able to catch up fairly quickly, and this book fills in some of the plot points and gaps from the first book.  It's certainly a wild ride and I would recommend it for anyone who has read the first installment.

Many thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.

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Book Review: Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson; Translated by Quentin Bates (Dark Iceland #1)

Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ari Thor Arason is living in Reykjavik, Iceland and finishing up his university studies to become a police officer.  He lives with his girlfriend, Kristin, who is in medical school.  He receives a job offer in Siglufjordur, the northern most point in Iceland, and accepts without discussing it with her.  He moves north in November, a season of short daylight and incredible amounts of snow and cold.  While trying to adjust to a new job and a new town, two seemingly unrelated injuries and deaths occur.  Ari Thor works with his two co-workers to uncover what really happened.

This story immerses the reader in a very cold, snowy and lonely town in the middle of winter.  I kept reaching for a blanket to keep me warm as I read the book.  It's a police procedural set in a small town where everyone knows the business of everyone else.  Ari Thor has to step lightly when investigating.  It's relatively slow-paced as thrillers go, but I found myself racing through the pages to find out what happened.  Bonus points for the two maps -- Iceland and Siglufjordur.  It should be a very interesting discussion at my book club next week.  

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Book Review: The Address by Fiona Davis

The Address by Fiona Davis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 1/2 Stars - This historical fiction book is set in two different time frames (1884 and 1985) and revolves around two different characters (Sara Smythe, the first 'managerette' of The Dakota, and Bailey Camden, an interior designer hired to renovate her cousin's apartment in The Dakota).  We see how The Dakota was initially envisioned and built so far from the rest of the Gilded Age mansion of New York City.  

This book was definitely well researched by the author, and it gives the reader a definite sense of place in 1884.  However, I don't think that the 1985 storyline is nearly as strong or evocative of that time period.  There's a mystery from the 1884 timeline which encompasses most of the second half of the book.  There are some very unsavory scenes resulting from this mystery which I didn't like at all.  In addition, I wasn't fond of either of the main characters.  I think they both made some very bad life decisions which had very serious outcomes for each of them.  

If you are interested in a very fictionalized version of The Dakota history, this book is for you.

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Book Review: Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell (Kay Scarpetta #1)

Postmortem by Patricia Daniels Cornwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A serial killer is stalking the women of Richmond, Virginia, brutally killing them while they sleep. Kay Scarpetta is the Chief Medical Examiner and has personally autopsied all of the victims. She teams up with Benton Wesley, an FBI profiler, and Pete Marino, a Richmond detective to find the killer.

I initially read this book back in the 1990s when it was first published, and subsequently read more than twenty of the novels in this series. The current Prime streaming series "Scarpetta"starring Nicole Kidman renewed my interest and I wanted to re-read this book to see if it as compelling as it was 30+ years ago. The answer is YES - it's quite a page-turner and I stayed up way too late several nights in order to finish it. Highly recommended, but I also suggest that you read these books in order (no surprise there because this is almost always my suggestion!).

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Review: The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman (Thursday Murder Club #3)

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Thursday Murder Club (Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim) are at it again, meeting every Thursday to discuss and hopefully solve cold cases.  First of all there is a money laundering scheme where several people have died -- killed or suicide??  Next, Elizabeth and her husband Stephen are kidnapped by "The Viking" who threatens to kill Joyce if Elizabeth doesn't kill "The Russian."  The four retirees work together and separately to solve these mysteries, but not before a fair number of red herrings, bumbles, and cups of tea!  It's a fast paced cozy and you'll fall in love with camaraderie and friendship shared by these four.  

This is the third book in the series, and I think it's important to read them in order.  In addition, it's helpful to read them in close succession.  There are quite a few characters that appear in each of the books, and it was more almost two years since I read the second in the series and I lost track of some of the peripheral characters.

I'm looking forward to #4 in the series -- The Last Devil to Die -- and also viewing the movie on Netflix!

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Book Review - Update (Re-reading): Funny Story by Emily Henry

Funny Story by Emily Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full disclosure -- I love Emily Henry's books. She always manages to come up with very interesting and unique situations, to write believable characters, to have them encounter plausible obstacles, and most of all write incredible dialog! I just immerse myself into the world in each of her books, wanting to be friends with her characters.

Funny Story has everything in my personal reading wheelhouse: a children's librarian, set in Traverse City, Michigan, wine, books, and reading! Daphne is the children's librarian who moved to northern Michigan with her fiance, whose family lives there. At his bachelor party he realizes that he is in love with his childhood platonic friend and breaks up with Daphne. In a twist of fate, she moves in with Miles, the ex-boyfriend of said childhood friend who needs a new roommate. Daphne is an introvert trying to make her way in a relatively new town where all of her friends were actually her fiance's friends. Miles serves as an unofficial area tour guide, and you can predict what happens next.

I just need Emily Henry to write faster! It's difficult to wait for her next book. However, it's gratifying to know that three of her books are in the process of being made into movies! I can't wait!
https://www.today.com/popculture/book...

March 2026 Update -- I just re-read this book for one of my book clubs, and it's just as good the second time around!! The good news is that Netflix has picked this up for their streaming service (film or series...unknown at this time). Emily is writing the screenplay and casting has not yet begun. I can't wait...again!!
https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/m... 

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Book Review: Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Harriet M. Welsch is an 11-year old girl in the 6th grade, living on the upper east side in New York City.  She is an aspiring writer and spy, and spends her days carrying around her notebook, making entries about the people she encounters.  Harriet is a unique individual who doesn't worry what other people think of her until one day.  She accidentally drops her notebook while playing with her classmates and they read the snarky and embarrassing entries she has written about them.  What happens next and how Harriet resolves the situation is genius.  

I absolutely love the sketches in the book of the various individuals that are in Harriet's life.  And I really love the sketch on the cover the classic edition (not the subsequent covers).

I was shocked when I recently read that this book has been banned at various times since it was published in the 1960s for promoting bad behavior, back talk and swearing.  In spite of that, it remains a children's classic.  

I originally read this book in 7th grade and absolutely loved it.  My best friend and I formed a spy club, went around spying on neighbors and writing in our notebooks.  That didn't last too long, but my love for Harriet has endured and it's no surprise that my favorite genre of books is mysteries.  I wanted to read this book as an adult to see if it still captured the charm and uniqueness that is Harriet.  And it does!  On to the second entry in this series - The Long Secret.

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Book Review: Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-Reum; translated by Shanna Tan

Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-Reum
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a charming book, written originally by Hwang Bo-Reum in Korean and translated to English by Shanna Tan.  There are 53 chapters, each about three pages long.  She covers a lot of bookish and reading subjects in these 215 pages -- how to start reading again, how to select books (read small books, read big books, read bestsellers), how to track books (keep a reading list, organize your bookcase), and much much more!

It's very easy to read just one essay at a time, then pick it up again later to read another essay.  In fact, the author and publisher originally bundled a weekly planner with each book, intending the reader to read one essay a week over the course of a year.  

I would recommend this book for anyone who loves books and reading!  This is the first book that she has written, but has subsequently Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop.  This book is about a young very stressed woman who quits her job, divorces her husband, moves to a small neighborhood and opens a bookstore.  It's definitely on the short list of books that I would like to read this year!  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133938826-welcome-to-the-hyunam-dong-bookshop 

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Book Review: The Keeper by Tana French (Cal Hooper #3) (Advanced Reader Copy)

The Keeper by Tana French
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4 1/2 stars, upgraded to 5 stars - because it's Tana French!  

This is the third and final book in the Cal Hooper series, set in a small farming village in western Ireland - Ardenkelty.  Rachel Holohan is a young girl who has been dating the son of the town "big shot" for several years and goes missing one night.  She is later found dead in the local river under suspicious circumstances, but it's not determined whether it's a murder or suicide.  Trying to get to the truth, Cal, the men and their dogs take up the investigation.  There are rumors, lies, confrontations, innuendo, threats, subterfuge, bar fights, and more as they try to arrive at the truth of the matter.  

Cal is joined once again by his found family - fiancee Lena and 16-year old Trey.  It is the scenes of the three of them together in Cal's cottage preparing dinner that I really love about this book.  This book series is definitely one that should be read in order, so I recommend reading both The Searcher and The Hunter prior to reading this one.  

Once again, Tana French is at the top of her form in creating an atmosphere and mood while weaving the story, involving us in the mystery, and immersing us in her wonderful language.  I literally could feel the Irish November cold, rain and wind even while I was sitting in the comfort of my reading chair sipping a cuppa tea.

I am anxiously awaiting what to see what Tana French has up her sleeve for her next book.  Don't let me wait too long!! 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Viking for an advanced reader copy of this book!

Read my review of book #1 in this series - The Searcher.
Ready my review of book #2 in this series - The Hunter.

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Book Review: Homecoming by Kate Morton

Homecoming by Kate Morton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Set in various parts of Australian, we learn of a mother and her children being murdered on Christmas Eve in 1959.  In present day (2018), a London journalist is summoned back to Sydney (her hometown) when her grandmother is hospitalized after a terrible fall.  She becomes involved in finding out more about the family tragedy using her journalistic research skills.

This 500 plus page epic novel packs a punch with many genres (mystery, historical fiction, family drama) and touches on a lot of subjects (privilege, infidelity, revenge, secrets and lies, motherhood, investigative journalism, and more).  It also contains a 'book within a book' which is a true crime book written about the murders.  The dual story lines are easy to keep track of; the location and date is given at the beginning of each chapter.  As a reader, you will be drawn into the story and will want to spend the time required to fully appreciate this multi-faceted novel.  This is the first book I've read by Kate Morton, but it certainly won't be the last.  

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