Category: Mystery

Historical, Mystery

The Face Stealer by Sarah Rayne

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

A puzzling mystery pulls the thieving Fitzglen family back to a shocking crime committed in the time of Catherine the Great in this third instalment of the spellbinding Theatre of Thieves gothic mystery series, set in Victorian England.

London, 1909. The Fitzglens combine running London’s finest theatre with a very profitable side-line in stealing. But while they might be thieves, they still have principles. They never pinch anything their victim couldn’t afford to lose.

When a stranger approaches Jack Fitzglen after a performance, claiming that a Fitzglen has committed a grave crime in his village in faraway Russia, Jack knows exactly who’s to blame: the unpleasant Saintly Simeon, who was chucked out of the family for breaking their code.

Simeon has stolen three valuable, and oddly frightening, Stone Heads, the likenesses of children who vanished over a century ago. The Heads were locked away from the world in a remote Russian monastery . . . though whether to protect the priceless sculptures, or to protect the villagers from the Heads themselves, no one can say.

Jack joins forces with fellow actor Viola Gilfillan to retrieve the stolen goods and put things right. But as they investigate, peeling the layers of history back to the treacherous court of Catherine the Great herself, the ominous power of the Stone Heads begins to draw them down into a darkness from which they may never be able to escape . . .

This unsettling gothic historical mystery from acclaimed British author Sarah Rayne will appeal to fans of Daphne du Maurier, Laura Purcell, Rebecca James, Sarah Waters and Stuart Turton.

My Thoughts

Sarah Rayne keeps coming up with fascinating plots and this one is just spectacular. We’re once again immersed in the world of the FitzGlen family of actors/thieves who only “filch” from people who can afford it. Here we are treated to an origin story that explains how the family came to own the Amaranths Theatre where they perform their popular plays. The story of patriarch Harry FitzGlen’s relationship with Catherine the Great is done with Rayne’s usual one-two punch of softness (their relationship) then a quick jab to the throat (murder & court intrigue).

Rayne excels in writing creepy characters that make your skin crawl and Brother Quintus is no exception. He’s wily, deceitful, sly, and most certainly unhinged. His role in the plot to murder Peter III and the follow up to that is shiver-inducing.

I continue to be stymied by the fact that so many of my American friends don’t know about this fabulous author. All of her series are well-researched and skillfully written, and most of them bone-chillingly scary. The Face Stealer is one of the best horror mysteries I’ve read in a while.

Recommended for those looking for a clever, knuckle-whitening story of historical murder and mayhem.

Publication Date: August 5, 2025
Published By: Severn House
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Historical, Mystery, Women

Murder in Minature by Katie Tietjen

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Netgalley Description

The second installment in the Maple Bishop historical mysteries continues the adventures of intrepid amateur sleuth Maple Bishop.

Inspired by the real-life mother of forensic science, Frances Glessner Lee, this smartly plotted series will appeal to fans of Rhys Bowen.

In post-WWII Vermont, Maple Bishop has a thriving dollhouse business and a new career as a crime scene consultant for the local sheriff’s office. On the surface, she seems to be doing well, but deep down Maple is still reeling from the death of her husband. When the body of an aspiring firefighter–who was close childhood friends with Kenny, the sheriff’s deputy and Maple’s confidante–is discovered in the charred remains of a burned cabin, Maple is called in to help determine whether the fire was an accident or a case of murder by arson.

Realizing there’s more to the crime than meets the eye, she sets out to unearth the discrepancies from the scene by re-creating the cabin in miniature. The investigation leads them to Maple’s old Boston neighborhood, forcing her to confront the past she’s desperately trying to forget. 

As Maple and Kenny sift through clues, they uncover dark secrets that hit close to home, unraveling in unexpected ways—and putting their lives in danger.

My Thoughts

Mystery readers looking for something more than a cozy and less than hardcore police procedural will fully appreciate this offering from Katie Tietjen. With main character Maple based on the “mother of forensic science,” it would be hard to go astray.

Maple will appeal to many readers, as her attention to detail in constructing her miniature dollhouses and in her approach to solving a gruesome murder is pretty brilliant. (I admit, though, the miniatures reminded me of the CSI Las Vegas story thread that featured a serial killer who made miniatures of their death scenes.)

Maple is reminiscent of an American Maisie Dobbs, and fans of that series will certainly enjoy this one. There is also a fairly overt suggestion that Maple may have some sensory issues, which again will appeal to some readers as the issues are handled with sensitivity.

Overall, this is a solid mystery and a series I will definitely read again.

Publication Date: September 23, 2025
Published By: Crooked Lane Books
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Book Tour, Detective, Mystery, Partners In Crime, Suspense

Throwing Shadows by Claire Booth

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Virtual Book Tour – August 4 – 29, 2025

Description

A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery

When a hiker stumbles from the woods raving about a dead man, Sheriff Hank Worth launches a search. Near the infamous landmark of Murder Rocks – a Civil War era hideout for ambushers who robbed and killed passing travelers – they unearth two bodies and a skeleton.

Local legend says there’s caches of stolen gold buried in the area. And – thanks to some recent nationwide publicity – the Ozark backwoods are now swarming with out-of-town treasure hunters, who have little concern for Hank’s murder investigation. With the clock ticking, Hank must identify the victims . . . and the killer. But could the new pursuit of long-lost plunder really have led to multiple deaths?

My Thoughts

The Hank Worth series is new to me so I did find some of the content which referred to previous books unfamiliar. However, none of that content (and my lack of reference) intrudes on the author’s ability to tell one hell of a story.

For me, the sign of a really, really good author is their ability to write a series that carries a thread throughout but with each entry able to stand on its own. That is accomplished by solid and clever storytelling supported by well-developed and interesting characters. All of that and more is here in Throwing Shadows.

The story which drives the action is fascinating – murder and mayhem on the backroads of the Ozarks during a very dark time in American history, lost gold, and plenty of intrigue coupled with 21st century treasure-hunting and podcasting. This is what kept me reading.

The back stories of the characters, particularly Hank Worth, didn’t really grab me because of my unfamiliarity with the series, but I liked this one well enough that I’ll now go back and read the rest of the series. I’m looking forward to some very enjoyable reading!

Book Details

Genre: Crime Fiction, Police Procedural
Published by: Severn House Publishers
Publication Date: August 5, 2025
Number of Pages:  240 
ISBN: 9781448313914 (ISBN10: 1448313910) eBook
Series:A Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery, Book 7

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—

Publisher: Severn House

Instagram @severnhouseimprint
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Author Bio

Claire Booth is a former newspaper reporter whose writing career has taken her from Missouri to Washington, D.C., South Florida, the Seattle area, and the Bay Area. She’s reported on many high-profile cases, including the Laci Peterson murder and the San Francisco dog mauling case. The case of a deadly cult leader became the subject of her nonfiction book, The False Prophet: Conspiracy, Extortion and Murder in the Name of God. After spending so much time covering crimes so strange and convoluted they seemed more like fiction than reality, she had enough of the real world and decided to write novels instead. Her acclaimed Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series takes place in Branson, Missouri, where the small-town Ozarks meet big-city country music tourism.

Visit Claire Booth at:

www.ClaireBooth.com
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Severn House

Cozy, Mystery, New Releases, Suspense

Sugar and Spite by Carol Perry

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

There’s no place like Salem, Massachusetts—aka “the witch city”—for Halloween. As residents embrace their historic heritage to celebrate the season, WICH-TV program director Lee Barrett is assigned the decadent task of highlighting the village’s delectable sweet shops—only to learn that some revelers prefer deadly tricks over delicious treats . . .

Casa del Chocolate is one of Salem’s most charming boutique candy shops, making it a perfect profile story. Although preoccupied with her own personal sweet news—Lee and her detective husband Pete Mondello are expecting a bundle of joy—she cheerfully agrees to interview the chocolatier. Since becoming pregnant, the radiant and exhilarated mother-to-be has discovered that she is finally free of the unwanted haunting “visions” she has endured since childhood.

Shirley Parker inherited Casa del Chocolate, housed in her beautiful ancestral home on the waterfront, continuing her family’s sweet tradition of conjuring magical treats for the folks of Salem. Mesmerized by the delightful chocolate scented aromas filling the air while touring the kitchen, Lee is shocked when she stumbles upon the murdered body of Barney Bingham, Shirley’s estranged husband.

As the police focus their suspicions on Shirley, Lee learns that many people had reasons for wanting Barney dead. Now, with help from Pete, tarot reader River North, and clairvoyant gentleman cat O’Ryan, as well as some new feline friends, Lee must unmask the true killer—and cope with the sudden return of her troubling “visions”. . .

My Thoughts

I so enjoy Carol Perry’s Witch City series and was delighted to find Perry at the top of her game in this newest entry. Lee and Pete and their Salem crew of friends and co-workers are back in a story that clocks in as a bit more serious and mysterious than some earlier entries. All the familiar faces are there, along with a new set of old acquaintances, one of whom shows up dead early on.

Perry is excellent as playing “cat and mouse” with her readers, and that is surely how I felt while reading this one. I kept going back and forth between two suspects and was truly surprised at the end.

The mystery is clever and well-plotted, the characters by turns charming and provocative. All in all, a winner. If you haven’t read Witch City mysteries, you could read this as a stand-alone, but I recommend reading the entire series.

I will say though that the last couple pages really felt a bit like a chapter closing on this series. If that is the case, I hope Perry might consider picking it up again and making Ella Marie the star in a new middle grade series!

Publication Date: October 28, 2025
Published By: Kensington Publishing; Kensington Cozies
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Action Adventure, Book Tour, Mystery, Partners In Crime, Suspense

The Ignoble Lie by Matthew Peters

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Virtual Book Tour
July 7 – August 1
Of Gods & Men Series

Description

What if the Ark of the Covenant isn’t a reference to the chest containing the Ten Commandments God revealed to Moses atop Mount Sinai?

What if it refers to the contents of a tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh which would revolutionize religious history?

As ex-Jesuit Scott Larson and adventuress Zady Jones learn, such a discovery can be deadly.

A terrorist attack on the Great Pyramid of Giza ratchets up the tension in Washington, D.C., where President John Jenkins has been impeached for an order declaring the U.S. a Judeo-Christian nation. The terrorists threaten more attacks in Egypt and the U.S. unless their demand is met—and it’s something only Larson and Jones can give them.

When the efforts to meet the terrorists’ demand goes awry and Zady’s sister is kidnapped, Larson and Jones race to save her. Along the way, they receive a series of mysterious clues that point to the existence of a shocking historical secret, one that could not only topple Jenkins’ presidency but upend Judeo-Christianity itself.

My Thoughts

I’ve read a good amount of speculative fiction concerning “great secrets” that will forever change Christianity, Democracy, Science, History, and so on. But, it’s rare that I’ve read one based on such an obscure, wild premise as this story (right up there with ‘Jesus was an alien” theories).

Peters does a good job of building tension as the plot moves along. He keeps the characters to a minimum so he’s able to develop them as the story progresses and focus on the core of the plot – what really was in that tomb and what does it mean for Christianity?

I was reminded of early Steve Berry books as I read this, which made me happy. I often enjoy the first books in a series more because they are surprising and unexpected. Once a series progresses, the reader begins to predict what will happen as they become more familiar with the author and characters. There’s a delicious element of surprise in Peters’ narrative, supported by tightly crafted narrative and dialog, all leading up to the explosive conclusion.

Recommended for fans of Steve Berry, Clive Cussler, and James Rollins.

Author Bio

Matthew Peters has a B.A. from Vassar College and an M.A., and Ph.D. from Duke University. He is a member of International Thriller Writers and currently resides in North Carolina. He is passionate about exploring religious, political, and socioeconomic issues from a variety of different perspectives and especially values the views put forth by marginalized groups or people. His writing involves a good deal of research, and he is committed to writing plausible novels, in the hope of giving readers food for thought.

Book Details

Genre: Political/Religious thriller
Published by: Mélange Books
Publication Date: May 12, 2025
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 979-8886533712 (print)
Series: Of Gods & Men, Book 1

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PUBLISHER: Mélange Books 

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British, Detective, Historical, Mystery, New Releases

Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Publisher Description

Mary Russell’s allegiances are tested by the reappearance of her long-lost uncle—and a tantalizing case not even Sherlock Holmes could solve.

When Mary Russell was a child, she adored her black sheep Uncle Jake. But she hasn’t heard from him in many years, and she assumed that his ne’er-do-well ways had brought him to a bad end somewhere—until he presents himself at her Sussex door. Yes, Jake is back, and with a load of problems for his clever niece. Not the least of which is the reason the family rejected him in the first place: He was involved—somehow—in the infamous disappearance of the Irish Crown Jewels from an impregnable safe in Dublin Castle.

It was a theft that shook a government, enraged a king, threatened the English establishment—and baffled not only the Dublin police and Scotland Yard, but Sherlock Holmes himself. And, now, Jake expects Russell to step into the middle of it all? To slip away with him, not telling Holmes what she’s up to? Knowing that the theft—unsolved, hushed-up, scandalous—must have involved Mycroft Holmes as well?

Naturally, she can do nothing of the sort. Siding with her uncle, even briefly, could only place her in opposition to both her husband-partner and his secretive and powerful brother. She has to tell Jake no.

On the other hand, this is Jake—her father’s kid brother, her childhood hero, the beloved and long-lost survivor of a much-diminished family.

Conflicting loyalties and international secrets, blatant lies and blithe deceptions: sounds like another case for Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes.

My Thoughts

I swear, the last three books in King’s Mary Russell series are some of the best, which is a tremendous feat. Often in a series that has gone on a long time, you can tell when an author is getting tired. The plots become repetitive and the characters lose their charm.

Not so here.

Russell and Holmes are their usual witty, clever selves and the introduction of Russell’s Uncle Jake adds a new and intriguing character to the mix. This seems to be a trend King is riding. Her last book, Lantern Dance, wrote Holmes’ son by Irene Adler into a much stronger character. Here, we delve more into Russell’s past through her uncle.

King always throws in new connections between Holmes and Russell that sometimes even pre-date their meeting in The Beekeeper’s Apprentice. I keep imagining a wall in Laurie King’s house that is covered with strings connecting Holmes and Russell to countless characters, each strand leading to a new story.

While this can be read as a stand-alone story, I strongly recommend you read the series from start to finish to get the best understanding of the dynamic between these two fascinating characters. If you are an audiobook fan, I also recommend that version narrated by the wonderful Jenny Sterlin.

Highly recommended.

Publication Date: June 10, 2025
Published By: Penguin Random House
Thanks to The Greece Public Library for the book

Cozy, Mystery, paranormal, Romance

A Spirited Blend by Lauren Elliott

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Publisher Description

For charmed tea shop owner Shay Myers, getting steeped in Bray Harbor, California’s October festivities is spookier than she ever could have bargained for—especially when a bone-chilling murder mystery spells grave danger . . .

With Halloween around the corner, Shay Myers is brewing witchy seasonal sips at Crystals and CuriosiTEAS—while simultaneously steaming over pub owner Liam Madigan’s decision to take anybody but her to the town’s Monster Mash dance. Her romantic premonitions have missed the mark since she settled into coastal Bray Harbor, opening the door to questions about whether she’s really the gifted seer her late mother imagined. It’s why she second guesses the dark vision in her tea leaves about a local citizen and their obsession with genealogy, Irish folklore, and magic . . .

But when bad omens come true, Shay doesn’t have time for self-doubt. A woman’s body has been discovered, frozen in a strange pose with an eerie black butterfly on her forehead, leading to suspicions that the victim took a conjuring ritual too far due to limited experience—or was murdered by someone with too much. As an investigation stirs up a sinister connection to a boardwalk mystic shop, Shay, guided by her knowing dog, Spirit, finds herself tracking down a shady figure from her past, navigating the sudden reappearance of her ex-husband, and chasing down a wickedly perceptive criminal who might finally be her match!

My Thoughts

This is a pleasant afternoon read for those of you who like their mysteries cozy, uncomplicated, and with touches of the paranormal and romance.

There’s some information on teas and crystals included in the narrative, and a good dose of Irish folklore, which adds some appeal to the narrative. You’ll finish this one feeling like the characters are friends and you really want to be able to go visit the shop and hang out with them.

Publication Date: May 25, 2025
Published By: Penguin Random House
Thanks to the Greece Public Library for the book

Mystery, World Literature

Pentimento Mori by Valeria Corciolani

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

Renowned art historian Dr. Edna Silvera is not your typical detective. In fact, she’s not a detective at all. But when she stumbles across an apparently impossible medieval painting in the suddenly-deceased Nando Folli’s junk shop, her curiosity lands her in trouble with the police and on the trail of a shadowy world no one wants to admit exists.

Valeria Corciolani, author of Pentimento Mori, is an Italian publishing phenomenon. Her books have over 62,000 reviews on Amazon.it and have been made into award winning films. Pentimento Mori (originally published as Con l’arte e con l’inganno) is the first of her works to be translated into English. Combining scrupulously correct art history with international intrigue, murder, and a solid dose of humor, this is Corciolani’s most ambitious work yet.

My Thoughts

If ever a translated work has made me want to learn the language of origin, it’s this one! I’ve been in a weird sort of reading slump since I retired from the library. I’m trying to catch up on my old Goodreads “Want To Read” list and trying to finish a few reviews, including this one. I’ve been a little off mysteries lately, finding them formulaic and not terribly inventive, but then I got to Pentimento Mori.

What an absolute TREAT to read a literate, clever, and humorous mystery featuring a “detective” I would really like to share a coffee with and hear about Hieronymos Bosch.

This is storytelling at its best. Colorful and unexpected characters, witty dialog, and beautifully descriptive narrative that transports you to Italy – all of this whirls together in a story that you will remember for a long time.

I am hopeful that more of this author’s work will be translated. If it’s not, I really will need to learn to read Italian.

Recommended.

Publication Date: July 16, 2024
Published By: Kazabo Publishing
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy

Book Tour, Mystery, Partners In Crime

Elegance & Evil by DK Coutant

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Virtual Book Tour June 2 – 27, 2025

Description

Cleo Cooper left ocean-dipping weekends as a psychology professor in Hawaii to sample life in the high desert of Santa Fe for her sabbatical. With her romantic relationship on the rocks in Hawaii, Cleo falls for Luc, a charming international expert in her field and is tempted to make the change permanent. She enjoys the people, the work, and the sparkling conversations, even if they come with a bite. But, when a wealthy backer of her project is killed, the snarky scientists, artists, and a Saudi ex-pat, who Cleo thought were her new friends, are now at the top of the suspect list. And with a killer on the loose, Cleo finds her life, and her love, in danger.

My Thoughts

The second entry in the author’s Cleo Cooper mystery series is a deftly plotted and casually narrated, semi-cozy mystery sure to appeal to mystery readers. I very much enjoy the current trend of what I call “casual” narration where the dialog and description are well crafted but not overly complicated. The characters seem like real people – those I like and who could be my friend (Cleo) and those who I would immediately walk away from (Jon). This kind of narration makes the reader feel a part of the story and is not as whimsical and silly as most cozy mysteries.

Coutant uses her real life expertise to craft appealing characters and a mystery that will keep you guessing. Cleo is smart, sassy, and loyal to a fault. She wends her way through an unfamiliar environment made more complicated by a murder but still manages to outwit the bad guys. I enjoyed this one enough I’ll seek out Coutant’s first Cleo Cooper mystery and will look forward to the next one.

Author Bio

DK Coutant graduated from Davidson College with a Psychology degree and initially applied her behavioral training to animals at Sea World, working with dolphins and whales. After a couple of years, she realized that scrubbing fish buckets might get old, and went back to Graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in Psychology, specializing in Cross-Cultural Issues. She began her academic career in Maine. A few years later, she made the jump to Hawaii and worked at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, rising to Department Chair of the Psychology Department. After many happy years in Hawaii,  her love for travel led her to make the move out of academics. She accepted positions as a professional geopolitical forecaster with GJ Inc. and Rand Forecasting Initiative. She splits her time between Olympia, WA, Santa Fe, NM, and France, with her husband and an Old English Sheepdog, Beasley. Evil Alice and Borzoi was released by the Wild Rose Press in 2023. Elegance and Evil is the second in the Cleo Cooper Mysteries.

Book Details

Genre: Traditional Mystery, Amateur Sleuth
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication Date: June 4, 2025
Number of Pages: 288
ISBN: 978-1-5092-6136-9
Series: Cleo Cooper Mysteries, Book 2

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Book Tour, Books About Books, Cozy, Family, Magical, Mystery, Partners In Crime

By Hook or By Book by Misty Simon

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

June 2 – 27, 2025 Virtual Book Tour
The Charmed Inn Mysteries #1

Description

Roxy Gleason, an innkeeper by trade and a bibliomancer by birth, has lived in the same small town on the Susquehanna River in Central Pennsylvania for her entire life. Tradition is strong here. Roxy understands the rules and is willing to play by them most of the time. She runs the Charmed Inn, which has been in her family for decades.

The inn is all set to host a writers’ professional business weekend that’s been planned down to the very last hand-folded napkin, and Roxy is ready for the influx of creatives. She knows she’ll have a lot of different and sometimes unusual personalities to deal with, but this is a yearly function, so she’s not expecting anything to go awry.

Her expectations are completely tanked when she finds a dead body on her daily walk by the river’s shore. Owen Schultz had checked in for the conference a few hours ago, and she’d last seen him having tea with her aunt in the dining room.

How did he get down here on the ferry, and who killed him?

Fans of Lucy Score, Melissa F. Miller, Dianne Harman, Lynn Cahoon, Deany Ray, Kathi Daley, and Merryn Allingham will enjoy Misty Simon.

My Thoughts

I always enjoy the beginnings of a new cozy mystery series, and Misty Simon’s Charmed Inn Mysteries is very promising, indeed. The writing is loose and flowing, lending an air of familiarity and comfort to the reader as the story progresses.

I enjoyed the colorful characters, especially Roxy and her bibliomancy skills. I’ve read a few stories where books “speak” to the protagonist, but Simon handles that piece of the story with colorful imagination, helping the reader to imagine the letters, sparking and dancing in the air, form the crucial messages that help Roxy unravel the mystery.

Simon successfully introduces an endearing and appealing cast of characters who will undoubtedly continue to encounter murder mysteries in future books. I was hooked from the first sentence describing Roxy’s uncle as “Cheezy Rider,” which immediately clues in the reader to expect a fun story.

Recommended for cozy mystery fans.

Author Bio

Misty Simon always wanted to be a storyteller…preferably behind a Muppet. Animal was number one, followed closely by Sherlock Hemlock… Since that dream didn’t come true, she began writing stories to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time.

Touching people’s hearts and funny bones are two of her favorite things, and she hopes everyone at least snickers in the right places when reading her books. She lives with her husband in Central Pennsylvania where she is hard at work on her next novel or three. She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at misty@mistysimon.com.

Catch Up With Misty Simon:

MistySimon.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub – @MistySimon
Instagram – @mistysimonwrites
Threads – @mistysimonwrites
Facebook – @misty.simon.18

Book Details

Genre: Rom Cozy (Paranormal Cozy mystery with Romantic elements)
Published by: Rowan Prose Publishing
Publication Date: June 3, 2025
Number of Pages: 300
ASIN: B0D98KM21B
Series: The Charmed Inn Mysteries, Book 1

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