The Last Anniversary

I'm rounding up from 3.5 stars because I really needed some fluff and this hit the spot even if it didn't hit all the right notes. I'm a sucker for Liane Moriarity's writing style and I enjoy her charismatic and slightly over the top characters. When Sophie discovers that her ex-boyfriend's aunt has left her her house on Scribbly Gum Island she is confused but elated. She'd always had a soft spot for beautiful island - the fact that it was home to Australia's greatest unsolved mystery was just a bonus. Told in alternating perspectives from a myriad cast of wonky characters - The Last Anniversary is a tale of adapting to change and coming to terms with the past. For years those on Scribbly Gum Island have lived with the secret of the disappearance of Alice and Jack Munroe. Now that there is a new resident on the small island who isn't family - will the secret escape? Fortunately, Sophie is more interested in finding true love and having a baby before she hits 40 (it's approaching so quickly!). The interactions between all the characters is wonderful, absurd, and fun. A light fluffy read that is enjoyable despite being a little over the top. 

And Then There Were None

It's been seven years since I last read this and I somehow forgot who did this and it drove me nuts until I got to the end! It's a real windinger of a mystery that you have to be a genius to even begin to solve. Ten strangers are invited to Indian island under "murky" circumstances, they soon found out that their mysterious host Mr. U N Owen (unknown) hasn't bothered to show. Too late they realize that something is afoot and the guests begin to die off one at a time. Whose behind it? Is there someone else on the island? Is it one of them? The deaths get more and more outlandish and they all start to crack. Who would do such a thing? It's dark, deep, and one hell of a mystery. A classic that will never go out of style!

The Outsider

I was hooked from the get go - this wasn't King's standard horror fare, it was more thriller/mystery with a touch of supernatural to it. I also LOVED that is tied in a little with the Bill Hodges trilogy! Holly, one of Hodges amateur detectives at Finders Keepers assists with this puzzling case. The Outsider opens with a beloved family man and little league coach getting arrested in front of his family and fans at a baseball game. He is charged with kidnapping, murdering, and raping a little boy. But he swears innocence. He swears he was hours away at the time of the murder; but if that was true he would have to be lying. But... maybe he's telling the truth and really was in two places at once. What if there is more than meets the eye? Filled with amazing characters (King is THE BEST at creating real, average, believable characters), a fast paced story line, and an interesting puzzle. Another great book from the master of horror!

Save Me

I was shocked by how quickly I got into the story, I thought it would be a pretty straight forward story but about half way through there was a twist and the second half was like a thriller/mystery. The premise of this book will be great for book discussions. If you're kid and another kid were trapped in a burning building who would you save? Rose is a stay at home mom who happens to be on lunch duty at her daughter's school. She's keeping an eye on her daughter Melly whose been getting bullied about a birth mark on her face. She catches one of the popular third graders taunting Melly prompting her to run and hide in the bathroom. Rose goes over to talk to the mean girls about bullying when a fireball rips through the room. Rose must make a decision, does she save the mean girls first or run and rescue her daughter who is now trapped in a burning bathroom? Her decision will soon have her be the town outcast. Can she live with her decision? Is it really her fault? What is a mother to do? It definitely makes you think!

The Bone Garden

This book was honestly a 3.5 for me. It kept me riveted, but I wish it were a little more complex and I would have loved for more character development. That being said, I enjoy a good twist at the end (even if it is a little far fetched). There are two parallel story lines, that of a modern day new homeowner who finds a centuries old skeleton in her backyard while gardening and a nineteenth century tale of body snatchers, poverty, serial killers, and a dab of romance. Julia slowly pieces together the sordid life of the girl buried in her garden by going through dozens of old boxes of newspapers, letters, and mementos left behind by the former owner. What she discovers is a mystery spanning generations and a hidden secret that sill stun her. An enjoyably dark read, I wouldn't mind picking up more books by this author.

Let the Dead Bury the Dead

Another fantastic installment in the Christopher Worthy/ Father Fortis Mysteries series. The dynamic duo find themselves working together again when Father Fortis is assigned to help minister to a Church whose priest has just been murdered and Lieutenant Worthy finds himself assigned to that very case. Initial signs point to a theft of alter items but Worthy and Fortis are convinced that it's something more than that. Something they're not seeing. The closer they get to solving the case the more red herrings are thrown their way. Can they find the truth buried in Church gossip or maybe a nearby dumpster? While all this is going on Worthy is trying to salvage his relationship with his daughter and help out his new partner who seems to fly off the handle about everything. With a shocking conclusion that I didn't see coming, this mystery will leave readers guessing up until the very end. I can't wait for the next one!

The Hidden Memory of Objects

A rich and complex teen novel that seamlessly combines American history, teenage angst, grief over losing loved ones, romance, a teensy bit of mystery, and a touch of the supernatural. After her brother is found dead with drugs in his system, Megan is left with a lot of questions. How could this happen?!?! Her brother didn't even drink. She has to get to the bottom of it, she's not going to let her brother's name get slandered. A curious ability developed after his death is helping her investigate. When she picks up certain objects she can see visions or memories associated with it. Armed with her new ability and two male friends, she sets off to get to the bottom, and in the process finds her wrapped up in a Abraham Lincoln conspiracy. It seems random and jumbled, but trust me, it just works. A fun and unique story.

Girl Waits With Gun

Cute, inventive, and hard to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the escapades of the three Kopp sisters, even more so when I discovered that this story is loosely based off true events! When an automobile collides with a horse and buggy and the buggy is ruined, the eldest sister, Constance, decides to take matters into her own hands and get the thug who was driving the car to pay. Little does she realize though that this thug is not to be messed with. Soon come the threatening letters, shots fired at the house, bricks thrown into windows. The girls finds themselves in over their heads. They turn to the sheriff for help before things escalate too quickly. My favorite character is the youngest sister Fleurette, who has a wonderful knack for creativity and seeing the positive side in everything. An enjoyably quick read.

Meddling Kids

This was a fun, over the top, nostalgic read. I've always been a huge fan of the classic kids cartoon, Scooby Doo, so I was more than ready to devour an adult "continuation? of Scooby's gang. Due to copyright and all that, the names are all changed as are their personalities. Nate (Shaggy) borders on the edge of crazy and voluntarily has shut himself in a loony bin, Andy (Velma) is super butch, strong, and obsessed with weapons, Kerri (Daphne) is the gorgeous super smart college dropout, and Peter (Fred) became a Hollywood success only to commit suicide and of course we can't forget Tim (Scooby), their faithful companion. Thirteen years after they solved their last mystery the gang reunites to put to rest some lingering doubts they had about the weird circumstances surrounding the Sleepy Lake Monster. It's been years since they've worked together, but they quickly realize that this one might be more than a man in a mask. Lots of fun, I want more!

Enter by the Narrow Gate

A wonderful mystery debut that promises to be a fantastic series. In the same vein as Tony Hillerman and other southwestern mysteries, with a touch of Brother Cadfael; this suspenseful whodunnit set in New Mexico will garner lots of fans.

Father Fortis is on sabbatical at St. Mary's and arrives just after a young nun is found brutally murdered. Soon after his good friend Detroit Detective, Lieutenant Worthy, is sent out to investigate a missing girl. Father Fortis decides that it is no mere coincidence that the two of them find themselves in the Southwest at the same time immediately after an unsolved murder. Lt. Worthy is determined to stay focused on his missing persons case but is soon drawn in by the mysteriousness of the nun's death. Could the missing girl and the dead nun be linked? If so by what? Full of intrigue, religious oddities, and good ol' fashioned sleuthing, this novel reads fast and is impossible to put down. I can't wait for the next installment!

The Maltese Falcon

I haven't had the opportunity to read many crime detective noir novels and this one was an interesting one to start out with. I've never seen the movie version so I honestly didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's all macho men, witty dialogue, damsels in distress, stolen goods, and lots and lots of drinking. So honestly, why am I just now getting into noir novels?!? They seem right up my alley!! This was a fun, albeit semi slow paced introduction for me into the world of the hard nosed detective. I'll definitely be coming back for more.

Take the Body and Run

A solid attempt, but there is definitely room for improvement. There is too much going on, there could easily be two separate stories; as much as the author tries to merge to plots, it doesn't really pan out. The first week of Macey's new job there is two murders and she and her new friends (her co-workers and a cop that she becomes literally best friends with, within three days) decide that they will solve it themselves. Another side story is that Macey is hiding from her past and has assumed a new identity. It doesn't quite merge with the story and just randomly crops up. There are also a lot of characters and they all have crazy back stories. I don't think there was a single "normal" person in the entire story. Also, the cover. Who is on the cover? It certainly isn't our main character based off the author's description of her. So those are my beefs with it. But before you think I'm a negative nancy and hated the whole thing, there were some positive things that I enjoyed. One of the strong suits in this novel though is the witty dialogue. Snappy and fun, it's one of the best things going for "Take the Body and Run." The cat is a fun element. Granted cats are a little overplayed in mystery novels, but it works for this chick lit mystery. Overall, a light read that has room for improvement, but it will still find fans.

I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased review.

The Cantaloupe Thief

Debut novelist, Deb Richardson-Moore, does a bang up job creating a southern mystery that combines homelessness, alcoholism, a decade old murder, and addiction into one intriguing hard to solve whodunnit. Forty-one year old reporter, Branigin Powers, has no idea how deep she'll have to go for her new story. On the tenth anniversary of the only unsolved murder in Grambling, Branigin tries to uncover new details or angles to the stabbing of an elderly widow. Leaving no stone unturned, Branigin starts to look at the homeless population to see if maybe a transient person could have been behind it. In the middle of her investigation her twin brother, an often homeless addict, resurfaces and she finds herself being hit on all sides. How will she keep everything straight? Is there ore they could be doing to help the homeless? For an inspirational mystery, this novel tackles a lot of hard issues which is refreshing. A great debut and beginning of a new mystery series.

I received this book for free from Kregel Publications in return for my honest, unbiased opinions.

The Rector

When I picked up and saw that this was a "Christian murder mystery" my first thought was that it was going to be boring as sin, because we all need some salacious details, gossip, and gore to make it a little more interesting. Thankfully, I was quickly proven wrong. Michael Hicks Thompson does a great job of bringing small town southern gossip, church drama, and quirky characters to life. Yes there is a religious slant to it (beyond all the priests getting murdered), but it's honest and not too preachy. The story isn't 100% squeaky clean, one of the church goers is a former prostitute that gets raped and adultery comes up a few times, but overall this story will appeal to those that prefer clean Christian reads and those that like quirky mysteries. Martha McRae is a widow operating a boarding house in a small Mississippi town in the 1950s. When their priest unexpectedly dies a new rector comes to town to take his place. He takes lodging at Martha, but she quickly suspects that something isn't on the up and up. She puts her sleuthing skills to work to try and uncover whatever it is that's going on. Funny, lighthearted and filled with easy bits of theology, this book will appeal to a wide array of readers.

I received this book for free from Book Crash in return for my honest, unbiased review.

Murder Comes by Mail

For such a light hearted inspirational read there was certainly some dark subject matter contained in these pages. Deputy Michael Keane's good deed has backfired, and in an awful twisted way. After rescuing a man who was about to jump to his death, the suicidal man whispers "You'll wish you pushed me." The next day an envelope filled with pictures of a dead girl arrive and word is that the jumper has escaped from the psychiatric ward. What has the deputy done? How will he live with himself? As the bodies start piling up, the rumors go flying, his loved ones feel threatened. The Deputy must turn to God to get help in order to catch the madman that is threatening the sleepy little town of Hidden Springs. Filled with quaint larger than life small town figures, cute scenery, and unrequited romance, this mystery will attract inspirational romance readers who don't mind when things get a little dark. A charming little read.

I received this book for free from Revell Reads in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Sister Eve and the Blue Nun

The third book in a quirky new mystery series by Lynne Hinton. Sister Eve is not your average nun, she's a motorcycle wearing, habit defying, mystery solving nun that has stumbled across a murder. One of the keynote speakers at a conference has been murdered and so far the main suspect is the speaker's brother, a monk at the monastery and good friend to Sister Eve. Convinced that Brother Anthony could never have murdered his own flesh and blood, Sister Eve sets out to solve the murder in her own clumsy way. A bungled crime scene later, some advantageous eavesdropping, and some breaking and entering later, she finds herself in deeper than she meant to go. On top of this all, she has to decide whether or not to stay a nun or to quit and join her father in his private detective business. Plus there is that cure officer she keeps running into... Soo many decisions to make and a murderer to catch. A cute inspirational mystery, but not very taxing or hard to solve.

I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity in return for my honest, unbiased review.

Three Bags Full

I don't know what it is but I could not get into this book. The narrator was fantastic and did a remarkably good job voicing sheep with English accents but that alone wasn't enough for me. It's original and unique but a little over the top for me. After a herd of sheep discover that their shepherd has been murdered they decide to figure out the mystery and discover who the killer is. They put their sheepy intuition to work; eavesdropping on humans, sneaking into town, and taking a good look at the people who have been sneaking around the pasture looking for something. I will admit it was a good mystery because I didn't piece it together, but all the same it was just a bit too much for me. Alas, I don't think I'm big into cozy animal mysteries, worth a try though!

A Christmas Escape

Anyone looking for a historical Christmas mystery has come to the wrong place. Anne Perry has created a short, small predictable mystery but thrown in the whole Christmas thing as an afterthought. Nothing about this story screams Christmas except perhaps the last line. Charles has gone to a small island for the holidays to bask in the sun on the side of the volcano. Things take a dark turn when one of the men staying at the "hotel" (more like B & B) says that someone tried to kill him. As if things couldn't get anymore dangerous the volcano starts to grumble. Are they all in danger? Will the volcano blow? A quick read narrated beautifully by Steven Crossly.

I received this audiobook for free from Library Thing in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

The Silence of the Sea

This book gave me chills and kept me guessing all the way til the end. It was reminiscent of the campy horror movie "Ghost Ship" so that aspect appealed to me as did the mystery elements.

A luxury liner crashes into port and when the police get on board they discover that there is no one on board. All 7 passengers, three crew members and a family, have vanished into thin air. A lawyer starts working with the police to get to the bottom of it, but things keep getting more confusing and bodies start showing up. What happened? Named the best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year, this book was a real treat, I couldn't put it down!

Honky Tonk Samurai

I'll admit, I have never read any of the other books in the series and I picked this book up solely because the cover was so badass. Even though this book was the eleventh in the series I didn't feel as if I missed out on too much, they alluded to some other cases and characters but nothing big. Overall I enjoyed this quirky mystery novel about two best friends in the private eye business. Hal is a white trash rebel and Leonard is a big black gay veteren, together they combine their brains and brawn to tackle whatever cases they've been given. When a little old lady asks them  for help finding her granddaughter, five years lost, they never imagine the trouble it will lead them to. Motorcycle gangs, the Dixie Mafia, high end escorts, fancy cars, and assassins that cut the balls off their victims for fun are just the tip of the iceberg. Good fun all around, I wouldn't mind reading more of the series, especially since it's a tv show now!