Category: Women

Book Tour, Fantasy, Mythology, Partners In Crime, Witches, Women, Young Adult

Circle of Nine: Sacred Treasures & Mercy in the Mist by Valerie Biel

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Virtual Book Tour October 27 – December 31

Sacred Treasures

Description

Brigit Quinn thought uncovering her magical heritage was the biggest shock of her life. But a year after learning she’s descended from a legendary Celtic tribe sworn to guard the mystical power of Ireland’s ancient places, the real battle is just beginning. As she trains for her place in the Circle of Nine, Brigit is determined to protect the secrets and sacred traditions of her people.

But when a cryptic warning arrives—hinting at a shadowy force hunting the Sacred Treasures—everything she’s fought for is suddenly at risk. If the ancient weapons fall into the wrong hands, The Circle could be shattered forever.

Haunted by doubts about her powers, the true intentions of those around her, and disturbing revelations about her family’s past, Brigit must navigate a dangerous path of betrayal, magic, and myth. The enemy is closer than anyone suspects—and time is running out. Can Brigit uncover the truth before darkness claims the Circle?

The first time I summoned a portal, I didn’t understand how I accidentally opened a doorway to another realm. The second time wasn’t a mistake. I was ready—and I stepped through with the grim resolve that my mission must succeed.” —Brigit Quinn

Mercy in the Mist

Description

The danger was supposed to be over.

The sacred treasures are safe.

The enemies banished to the Otherworld.

But Brigit Quinn’s dreams tell a different story.

The condemned return to haunt her sleep—pleading, accusing, refusing to be forgotten. Something is still wrong, even if the rest of the Circle of Nine insists the threat has passed.

When anonymous warnings surface and the police begin asking questions about the missing, Brigit’s visions intensify, blurring the line between dream and prophecy. The Circle is unraveling. Shadows are gathering.

To restore what’s been broken, Brigit knows they must return to the Otherworld and seek answers from the immortal Elders—knowing that to question them is to risk everything.

In this spellbinding fourth installment of the Circle of Nine series, ancient magic, mortal danger, and Brigit’s quest for the truth collide in a journey that will test the bonds of loyalty, love, and the fragile trust between gods and mortals.

My Thoughts

This immersive series is nothing short of spectacular. I kept thinking as I sped through these 4 volumes that this series is a perfect gateway for a young adult reader who is maturing in their reading tastes. I could easily see myself recommending this to a 13 year old then leading them on to The Mists of Avalon.

The characters are likable, endearing, infuriating, treacherous, crafty, and wise. The author does a fantastic job of building the mortal characters true to life – for example, Brigit is as much a teenager in love as she is powerfully magic. There is romance, danger, love, and hate infused in these pages, emotions that often traverse time.

The real glue, though, is the wonderful story of a family pledged to protect the magical history of Ireland. Brigit and the women who came before her are depicted as part of a greater whole, and the relationships between mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and so on are very well done.

The author has built a world that prickles with excitement as the age-old tale of good versus evil, light against dark is told in a new and gripping way. The battle scenes in both these volumes are some of the best I’ve read in a while, and the depiction of the Tuatha gods and their weapons is riveting.

Recommended for teen readers trying out fantasy, and for adult readers who enjoy Irish mythology and fantasy.

Author Bio

Valerie Biel writes award-winning books for middle grade to adult audiences–stories inspired by her travels and her insatiable curiosity. Her young adult fantasy series, Circle of Nine, was inspired by the myth and magic of Ireland’s ancient stone circles. She’s also the author of HAVEN, a contemporary middle grade novel, and BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE, a mystery suspense story. She’s a founding member of the Blackbird Writers & a member of Sisters in Crime & the Wisconsin Writers Association. When she’s away from the computer, she’s likely wrangling her overgrown garden, reading multiple books per week, or traveling the world–often on trips for the The World Orphan Fund charity she and her husband run. She calls a (tiny) portion of her family’s century-old Wisconsin farm home, but regularly dreams of finding a cozy cottage on the Irish coast where she can write and write.

Catch Up With Valerie Biel:

ValerieBiel.com
Valerie’s Substack Newsletter
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads – @valerie_biel
BookBub – @ValerieBiel
Instagram – @valeriebielauthor
Threads – @valeriebielauthor
X – @ValerieBiel
Facebook – @ValerieBielBooks
YouTube – @ValerieBielAuthor
Pinterest – @ValerieBiel

Author Links:  

Website https://pictbooks.tours/2tg9I

Follow Valerie On Substack https://pictbooks.tours/sUrW8abh

Amazon Author https://pictbooks.tours/MKxdO

Goodreads https://pictbooks.tours/6Wxhi @valerie_biel

BookBub https://pictbooks.tours/9n9Lb @ValerieBiel

Instagram https://pictbooks.tours/FIfun @valeriebielauthor

Threads https://pictbooks.tours/9C3sp @valeriebielauthor

Twitter https://pictbooks.tours/MUefU @ValerieBiel

Facebook https://pictbooks.tours/xopXx @ValerieBielBooks 

YouTube https://pictbooks.tours/9Ah3s @ValerieBielAuthor

Pinterest https://pictbooks.tours/J9keqaHB @valeriebiel

Valerie at BookShop https://pictbooks.tours/vyrRwnYH

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Series Links: Circle of Nine

Series – Amazon https://pictbooks.tours/2TAPy81G

Lost Lake Press https://pictbooks.tours/cy8KYciQ

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CIRCLE OF NINE: BELTANY

Amazon – https://pictbooks.tours/tg5AGjPn

Kindle Unlimited – https://pictbooks.tours/tg5AGjPn

BN – https://pictbooks.tours/r9EcLX6l

BookShop.org – https://pictbooks.tours/QV77VhnY

Goodreads – https://pictbooks.tours/tuPZPWTg

BookBub – https://pictbooks.tours/BdaX0cBf

Spotify Playlist https://pictbooks.tours/7NBCJQj4

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CIRCLE OF NINE: NOVELLA COLLECTION

Amazon – https://pictbooks.tours/b4xrn4Mr

Kindle Unlimited – https://pictbooks.tours/b4xrn4Mr

BN – https://pictbooks.tours/4URFpdQh

BookShop.org – https://pictbooks.tours/xX2rwG5W

Goodreads – https://pictbooks.tours/bC7QXLu6

BookBub – https://pictbooks.tours/2yTVscoF

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CIRCLE OF NINE: SACRED TREASURES

Amazon – https://pictbooks.tours/IRoplUNG

Kindle Unlimited – https://pictbooks.tours/IRoplUNG

BN – https://pictbooks.tours/4TnshxIz

BookShop.org – https://pictbooks.tours/mmXGqSLn

Goodreads – https://pictbooks.tours/JQ5CCdZy

BookBub – https://pictbooks.tours/LizZXaAP

Spotify Playlist https://pictbooks.tours/xEezUUVt

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CIRCLE OF NINE: MERCY IN THE MIST

Amazon – https://pictbooks.tours/LTWbtAsL

Kindle Unlimited – https://pictbooks.tours/LTWbtAsL

BN – https://pictbooks.tours/vejaoZrd

BookShop.org – https://pictbooks.tours/b8Nxw612

Goodreads – https://pictbooks.tours/zHtMdQa6

BookBub – https://pictbooks.tours/DPeWY9FG

Detective, Magical, Mystery, New Releases, Suspense, United Kingdom, Women

A Gargoyle’s Guide to Murder by Gigi Pandian

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

A vanished body. A deadly bookshop. A country house party full of suspects. Can a living gargoyle and an alchemist decipher the clues before poisoned pages claim another victim?

Dorian Robert-Houdin is used to living his life in the shadows, his existence only known to a few trusted friends. When a dangerous book from his past resurfaces, he follows his closest confidante, alchemist Zoe Faust, from Oregon to England to investigate.

Before he can examine the magical book, Dorian witnesses a murder amidst the foggy lanes of Oxford. But when he takes Zoe to the scene, there’s no body—and no evidence a crime has taken place. Using his unique skills as a gargoyle, Dorian sets out to solve the baffling crime nobody else believes occurred.

When Dorian and Zoe discover a dead man in a bookshop filled with arsenic-laced books, the victim isn’t a stranger—he’s connected to the vanishing crime scene. The trail leads to a country house party where a group of bibliophile suspects have gathered and a storm is brewing. Could the killer be the mercurial Agatha Christie scholar? The prickly literature professor? The secretive rare books expert? With an unscrupulous book thief lurking, can sleuths Dorian and Zoe unmask a murderer before the next page brings them to a perilous end?

A Gargoyle’s Guide to Murder is the eagerly awaited new installment in the award-winning cozy fantasy mystery series by USA Today bestselling author Gigi Pandian. Perfect for fans of the quirky charm and found family of Only Murders in the Building and books by Ellery Adams and Travis Baldree. 

My Thoughts

Gigi Pandian’s books just keep getting better!

I have been a fan of the Accidental Alchemist series for years so was thrilled to get an early copy of this one. I was not disappointed. My favorite characters are back – Zoe, Max, and of course Dorian! This time, they are in London checking up on Non Degenera Alchemica, the horrible backwards alchemy book that nearly killed Dorian in a previous book.

As Zoe and Co. get more and more involved with the current iteration of the book, the reader is treated to some wonderful storytelling. I also appreciated the added “country house murder” trope part way through the book, which added a comical element to the story given Dorian’s project of writing a handbook on investigating murder. And the surprise twist at the end? Wonderful!

Overall, this is a solid mystery – well-plotted and paced with good descriptive narrative. I do recommend reading the previous books in the series before you open this one, but this could be a stand-alone read and a nice introduction to the series.

Publication Date: October 7, 2025
Published By: Gargoyle Girl Productions
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

Ghosties, Mystery, New Releases, paranormal, Psychological, Spooky Season, Suspense, Women

Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

When a mysterious figure shows up in the photograph an architect takes of the derelict Seabrink Hotel, ghostly encounters and murder are unleashed.

Aubrey Spencer loves photographing classic old buildings and abandoned places that hold old secrets. The Hotel Seabrink, perched overlooking the sea, is one such place. Currently abandoned but scheduled for a major renovation, it has a torrid history. Back in the 1920s it hosted A-list celebrity clientele, and now the locals insist it is haunted by the ghosts of two young women who died there. When Aubrey goes to photograph the site before the renovation begins, she bumps into a man named Dimitri Petroff, a minor online celebrity who shares her fascination with old buildings, the Hotel Seabrink in particular.

When he is found dead the next day at the base of a cliff, the police are quick to close the investigation. But Aubrey feels unsettled by locals who claim he was murdered and that it’s not the first time someone interested in the hotel was killed. As she digs deeper into the property’s dark history (and its origins as an asylum) as well as Dimitri’s professional rivalries, she becomes mired in an unsolved murder case from several decades earlier, one with eerie parallels to the contemporary case.  But someone is determined to keep her from discovering the truth—at any cost.

My Thoughts

I’ve been a fan of Juliet Blackwell’s books for a long time, beginning with her Lily Ivory series and expanding into her later forays in longer fiction. I confess, I was very disappointed to hear that the Lily Ivory series has sunsetted, but if giving up the LI series means Blackwell has time to write mysteries like this absolute STAR of a book, I’m good!

Turns out Blackwell’s earlier writing might have been practice for this full-blown mysterious, scary, imaginative story.

Everything here works seamlessly to deliver a taut, suspenseful, and very well written paranormal mystery. It’s just the right amount of scary blended with a well-plotted mystery, resulting in a startling and very satisfying conclusion. Blackwell steps into the circle with authors like Simone St. James and Sarah Rayne, delivering a story that will keep you turning pages, albeit with all the lights on.

So well done!

Publication Date: July 29, 2025
Published By: Berkley Publishing Group
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the review copy

Family, Historical, Makes You Think, Women

Moloka’i by Alan Brennert

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Publisher Description

This richly imagined novel, set in Hawai’i more than a century ago, is an extraordinary epic of a little-known time and place—and a deeply moving testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.

Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka’i. Here her life is supposed to end—but instead she discovers it is only just beginning. 

With a vibrant cast of vividly realized characters, Moloka’i is the true-to-life chronicle of a people who embraced life in the face of death. Such is the warmth, humor, and compassion of this novel that “few readers will remain unchanged by Rachel’s story” (mostlyfiction.com).

My Thoughts

GoodReads “Want to Read” #2

I recall reading about Father Damien of Moloka’i in grammar school and remember being shocked and so sad for the people with leprosy who were banished to Kalaupapa. I am sure that memory is what drew me to this book and led me to add it to my GoodReads list back in 2012.

This is an emotional and beautiful reading experience that demonstrates the wide range of human capacity for survival. From the people in Rachel’s community who, driven by fear and disgust, shunned her family to the cold and clinical treatment Rachel experienced in hospital to the warm and welcoming community on Kalaupapa to the vibrant but full-of-heartbreak life Rachel led – this book will make you feel all the emotions.

The author writes eloquently of this difficult topic and with tremendous compassion and grace for the characters affected by leprosy. The descriptions of Hawaii add a color to the narrative that helped this reader (who has never been there) envision the beauty of the landscape. Brennert is equally adept at writing characters, and there are several here that I will remember for a long time.

As I read, I was taken back just a few years to the beginning of the pandemic. I recognized many of the same panicky reactions in the community members and the devastating impact Rachel’s illness had on her family. I think this reading experience would have been much different pre-pandemic and I think this would make a very interesting book club discussion today.

Highly recommended.

Publication Date: September 9, 2004
Published By: Macmillan
Thanks to the Rochester Public Library Winton Branch for the book

Historical, Mystery, Suspense, Women

Trouble Island by Sharon Short

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Netgalley Description

A gripping new novel inspired by a real place and events from the author’s family, Trouble Island is the standalone suspense debut from historical mystery writer Sharon Short.

Many miles from anywhere in the middle of Lake Erie, Trouble Island serves as a stop-off for gangsters as they run between America and Canada. The remote isle is also the permanent home to two women: Aurelia Escalante, who serves as a maid to Rosita, lady of the mansion and wife to the notorious prohibition gangster, Eddie McGee. In the freezing winter of 1932, the women anticipate the arrival of Eddie and his strange coterie: his right-hand man, a doctor, a cousin, a famous actor, and a rival gangster who Rosita believes murdered their only son.

Aurelia wants nothing more than to escape Trouble Island, but she is hiding a secret of her own. She is in fact not a maid, but a gangster’s wife in hiding, as she runs from the murder she committed five years ago. Her friend Rosita took her in under this guise, but it has become clear that Rosita wants to keep Aurelia right where she is.

Shortly after the group of criminals, celebrities, and scoundrels arrive, Rosita suddenly disappears. Aurelia plans her getaway, going to the shore to retrieve her box of hidden treasures, but instead finds Rosita’s body in the water. Someone has made sure Aurelia was the one to find her. An ice storm makes unexpected landfall, cutting Trouble Island off from both mainlands, and with more than one murderer among them.

Both a gripping locked room mystery, and a transporting, evocative portrait of a woman in crisis, Trouble Island marks the enthralling standalone suspense debut from Sharon Short, promising to be her breakout novel, inspired by a real island in Lake Erie, and true events from her own rich family history.

My Thoughts

As a native of western New York and a child of the Great Lakes, I love reading books that are set in the area. Trouble Island was especially fun because it blended my regional interest with a cracking good historical mystery.

This one is all about gangsters of the early 20th century and how they used remote locations like Trouble Island to shield and fuel their illicit activities. This story is also about the friendship between two women deeply embedded in the world of crime. The author’s exploration of what brought them to Trouble island and, for one, how she was getting out of it made for a fascinating and relatively quick read. The writing is evocative and the plotting tightly wound and suspenseful. The author’s treatment of the complicated relationship between the two female protagonists is very well done.

This would make a good book club selection. Recommended.

Publication Date: December 3, 2024
Published By: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Cozy, Historical, Indie, Mystery, Women

Strong Temptations by Amy Renshaw

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Publisher Description

Reporter Sophie Strong uncovers deadly secrets in a 1912 department store. Can she find the killer?

In 1912 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, aspiring reporter Sophie Strong yearns for a thrilling undercover mission that rivals those of her idol, journalist Nellie Bly. Her dreams of adventure are dashed when her cautious editor assigns her to the seemingly mundane role of a shopgirl.

But appearances can be deceiving. What starts as an ordinary job takes a sinister turn when a fellow employee meets a tragic end. Suddenly, Sophie and her coworkers fall under suspicion. Determined to prove their innocence and driven by insatiable curiosity, she embarks on her own covert investigation. Detective Jacob Zimmer urges her to leave the pursuit of criminals to the professionals, but she can’t resist plunging into the perilous web of secrets, lies, and hidden motives. Sophie explores the shadowy corners of one of the city’s most popular department stores, and each step closer to the truth lures her into more danger.

In this gripping historical mystery, Sophie Strong’s relentless pursuit of justice sets the stage for a heart-pounding race against time. Will she expose the killer’s identity before she, too, becomes a victim? Perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen, Victoria Thompson, and Ashley Weaver.

My Thoughts

This is a solid, entertaining historical mystery featuring a smart and sassy protagonist in Sophie Strong. Modeled after famed reporter Nellie Bly, Sophie longs for an undercover assignment that is more exciting and exhilarating than the women’s columns she habitually writes. Finally given the chance, she finds herself smack in the middle of a murder mystery.

The author writes some strong female characters here who all contribute to the arc of the story. Of course, there’s the underlying romantic element which adds some mild spice to the story and promises of things to come. Sophie is the star here – she’s unflappable, brave, smart, and loyal – all the traits that will endear her to readers.

While I hadn’t read book 1 of the Sophie Strong series, I will go find it and I’m sure will enjoy it. Then I’ll await new entries in the series! Recommended.

Publication Date: April 23, 2024
Published By: Lilac Bower Media
Thanks to Book Sirens for the review copy

Family, Fantasy, Magical, Magical Realism, Women

The Moonlight Healers by Elizabeth Becker

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Netgalley Description

A powerful debut with a magical twist about one woman’s discovery of her family’s secret healing abilities and the mysterious consequences she must contend with when she uses them on someone she loves.

For generations, the Winston women have possessed an unspoken magical gift: they can heal with the touch of a hand. It’s a tradition they’ve always had to practice in secret, in the moonlight hours, when the fireflies dance and the whippoorwill birds sing.

But not every healer has rightfully passed on this knowledge to her descendants, and for young Louise Winston, the discovery of her abilities comes in less-than-ideal circumstances—she brings her best friend back from death following an accident, the day after he professed his long-held feelings for her, five days before she’s supposed to move away.

Desperate for answers, and to avoid this new reality between them, Louise escapes to her grandmother’s lush Appalachian orchard. There, she uncovers her family’s hidden history in a tattered journal, stemming back to her brave great-grandmother who illicitly healed Allied soldiers in war-torn France. But just as Louise begins to embrace her unique legacy, she learns that it can also come with a mysterious cost. And with a life hanging in the balance, she’ll be forced to make the most impossible of choices…

Spanning eighty years, The Moonlight Healers is a deeply empathetic, heartfelt novel about mothers and daughters, life and death, and the beautiful resilience of love.

My Thoughts

There are many great stories out there about women’s power and knowledge passed through generations, and I find I gravitate to this concept time and again. In The Moonlight Healers, I found a lovely, tender, and sometimes tragic story about the power of women healers and the joy and heartbreak the gift has had on past and present generations.

The relationships between mothers and daughters is especially poignant and emotional. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about each member of the family, from Agnes to Helene on down to Camille, Bobbie, and Louise. The overarching theme of how, in history, the persecution of women healers forced them to move their activities to nighttime to avoid scrutiny is not only the source of the title, but also a stark reminder of how dangerous it was to be a woman knowledgeable in the healing arts.

There’s some romance included here, but it’s not the core of the story, which is all about mothers and daughters, endings and beginnings. If you’ve keenly felt the loss of a mother, a grandmother, sister, or a mother figure, I recommend a box of kleenex by your side as you approach the ending.

Highly recommended.

Publication Date: February 11, 2025
Published By: Harlequin Trade Publishing Graydon House
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Mystery, Psychological, Suspense, Women

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

Welcome to Eris: an island with only one house, one inhabitant, one way out. Unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day.

Once home to Vanessa: A famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago.

Now home to Grace: A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.

But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling.

And the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge….

A masterful novel that is as page-turning as it is unsettling, The Blue Hour recalls the sophisticated suspense of Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith and cements Hawkins’s place among the very best of our most nuanced and stylish storytellers.

My Thoughts

Paula Hawkins’ latest is a grip-the-book-so-hard-your-fingers-hurt kind of story. The premise is fascinating – the work of a deceased famous artist is discovered to contain a human bone and it just so happens her philandering husband disappeared from her remote island home years ago. Could it be him?

The story follows an inquisitive curator as he navigates the treacherous terrain of that island, now inhabited by the artist’s companion of many years and executor of her estate. While the outcome was apparent to me pretty early in the story, the tension Hawkins builds as she weaves the stories of both Vanessa and Grace becomes almost unbearable at times, and the ending! Oh, the ambiguous ending! Definitely the stuff made for book clubs to debate!

Hawkins is getting better and better at taking old tropes and breathing new life into them. As I read this, I was reminded of both And Then There Were None for the isolation and Misery for the core relationship driving the story, but Hawkins has made both her very own.

Readers who are triggered by domestic violence should be aware that is an integral part of this story. This will be one of the hot books of the Fall for sure.

Advanced Praise

“The best Paula Hawkins yet – by a tense and haunting mile.” – Lee Child

“An atmospheric, stylish puzzle box of a thriller… truly exceptional.” – Liz Moore, New York Times bestselling author of The God of the Woods

“A masterful exploration of the nature of obsession…I loved it.” – Angie Kim, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Falls and Miracle Creek

The propulsive and powerful new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train

Publication Date: October 29, 2024
Published By: Mariner Books
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the review copies

Historical, Mystery, Romance, Women

The Story Collector by Evie Woods

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Description

An evocative and charming novel full of secrets and mystery, from the million-copy bestselling author of The Lost Bookshop

In a quiet village in Ireland, a mysterious local myth is about to change everything…

One hundred years ago, Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor translate fairy stories from Irish to English. But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens her very way of life.

In New York in the present day, Sarah Harper boards a plane bound for the West Coast of Ireland. But once there, she finds she has unearthed dark secrets – secrets that tread the line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen.

With a taste for the magical in everyday life, Evie Woods’s latest novel is full of ordinary characters with extraordinary tales to tell.

My Thoughts

What a lovely story!

The dual-time storytelling works beautifully here as we follow Sarah and Oran in the present as they learn about Anna and Harold in the past. There’s some suspension of disbelief needed here as we follow Sarah’s unexpected journey from NYC to Ireland and her discovery of Anna’s diary. However, every good story requires that suspension and it’s not hard to do here.

Woods spins a gentle but gripping tale of past small village intrigue with a modern tale of a woman examining her life and wondering how she got so off track. This will appeal to fans of Susanna Kearsley and those who enjoy dual-time stories.

Recommended