BLOG TOUR - Mystery at the Lantern Theatre

Mystery at the Lantern Theatre

by Clare Chase

SeriesEve Mallow Mystery Book 17

PublisherBookouture 

GenreCozy Mystery

FormatKindle ARC

Pages320

Pub. DateOctober 12, 2026

Rating⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

DESCRIPTION

The curtain’s about to rise on the Saxford St Peter pantomime… but the stage is set for murder. Eve Mallow must find a killer so the play can go on! 

The Saxford Players are on tour, performing Cinderella at a nationwide competition. But the drama isn’t only on stage. There’s conflict at the dress rehearsal, peacock feathers hidden in the scenery and a good luck card sent to the theatre – to the superstitious actors, it’s clear someone’s cursing the play. And when director Cally Walcott breaks more than a leg, it’s time for Eve Mallow to swap amateur dramatics for detection… 

There’s no shortage of suspects in her death. Cally didn’t suffer fools gladly, and both her assistant and her former brother-in-law had reasons to resent her. But Eve is sure there are answers to be found among the cast as well. Why was the Ugly Sister flirting with Prince Charming? And who stole Cinderella’s glass slipper?

When the police make an arrest, everyone is sure that the murderer has made their final bow. Eve’s not convinced. She’s on her way to investigate the latest lead when she hears a scream… and finds Cinderella dead. Time is running out to give this case a happy ever after. Can Eve unmask the real killer, or will she star as their next victim?

A completely charming cozy mystery, which will keep you hooked from the first page to the last! Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, M.C. Beaton and the Marlow Murder Club. 

BUY LINK

• Amazon: https://geni.us/B0H1HRS2TSsocial

MY THOUGHTS

The Saxford Players are about to perform Cinderella, their next stop on their theatrical tour. Although an obituary writer, Eve Mallow is thrilled to be involved in the production, as it takes place in her hometown of Saxford St Peter. As with any play, there are plenty of moving parts, and one comes with more than its fair share of drama. The players are at odds, a disturbing good-luck card has everyone on edge, and then Eve makes a shocking discovery: director Cally Walcott is dead, and Eve is the one who finds her body.

Eve, with her excellent skill at deductive reasoning, is poised to unravel the mystery and identify the murderer. Back at home, she is also grappling with some concerns that could impact her future. However, she reuses to let her worries distract her. As always, Eve’s role as an obituary writer serves as provides the perfect cover for her sleuthing, allowing her to ask questions as well as to gather information without raising suspicion.

Eve soon discovers that investigating this particular cast will be no easy task. Cally was not well liked and as Eve begins speaking with the various members of the production, it becomes very clear that nearly everyone has a potential motive for the murder. Of course, Eve isn’t the only one searching for answers. The police are as well. Will their notes match and the real culprit be discovered?

As always, Eve finds herself skirting dangerously close to trouble, as it becomes increasingly apparent that the murderer has no intention of being caught. The police have a suspect in mind, but does Eve agree? If the police are wrong, will the murderer use the all-consuming confusion as an opportunity to take another life? With suspicion swirling and the stakes rising, Eve must rely on her instincts and investigative skills to get to the truth.

I’ve been a devoted reader of this series since the very first book, and over time I’ve grown to love Eve, her friends, and her adorable dachshund, Gus. Eve is now happily married to Robin, a former policeman turned gardener. I thoroughly enjoy Robin’s role in Eve’s personal life and appreciate his expertise when she occasionally strays from the path.

Clare Chase delivers another thoroughly entertaining installment in the Eve Mallow mystery series. The theatrical setting, suspicious cast, and mounting danger kept me engaged, while the satisfying conclusion left me eager for more. I hope Eve, Robin, Gus, and their friends will be back for another exciting mystery to be solved.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clare Chase writes classic mysteries. Her aim is to take readers away from it all via some armchair sleuthing in atmospheric locations.

Like her heroines, Clare is fascinated by people and what makes them tick. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked in settings as diverse as Littlehey Prison and the University of Cambridge, in her home city. She’s lived everywhere from the house of a lord to a slug-infested flat and finds the mid-terrace she currently occupies a good happy medium.

As well as writing, Clare loves family time, art and architecture, cooking, and of course, reading other people’s books.

You can find Clare's website and blog at www.clarechase.com

Social Media

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Bookouture email signup: https://www.bookouture.com/clare-chase

Robin Loves Reading

Review - The Undercover Bookshop

 

The Undercover Bookshop

by Katherine Reay

PublisherHarper Muse

GenreHistorical Fiction

FormatKindle ARC

Pages320

Pub. DateOctober 6, 2026

Rating⭐⭐⭐⭐½ 

DESCRIPTION

During the winter of 1950 in the small Cotswold village of Great Rollright, amateur sleuth Gemma Brown starts to suspect that the town’s best baker, Ursula Beurton, is a Soviet spy, tumbling her headlong into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse that ends with a decision that will lead her to the Undercover Bookshop and change her life forever. 

Recently moved to the English Cotswolds, Gemma Brown desperately wants to create the kind of idyllic life she’s read about in her favorite mystery novels, with herself as the leading lady. But fitting in proves difficult as Gemma is more adept at solving mysteries and setting up the village’s first bookstore than she is at baking cakes or grasping social niceties. Nevertheless, she finds a friend in Peggy, a young woman recently moved to town herself, and Ursula Beurton, who is not only the village’s best baker but an enigmatic figure who sparks controversy in the small-town gossip network.

As Gemma spends more time with Ursula, she begins to suspect all those novels are affecting her thinking. The oddities she starts to notice must be her imagination because, if not, they point to something far more dangerous than winning the local baking contest or being placed on the church committee. Could her neighbor be a real spy?

Following her instincts and a few skills learned through fiction, Gemma soon becomes embroiled in an international intrigue involving the village’s mysterious benefactor, Lady Marchmont, MI5, and the KGB. In an unexpected twist, however, Ursula asks Gemma for a favor which may endanger all their lives as their next chapter unfolds in Gemma’s new venture, the Undercover Bookshop.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS

The Undercover Bookshop is an intriguing historical cozy mystery. Set in postwar England, the fact that this also has elements of espionage goes a long way when it comes to make this novel one impossible to put down. As Gemma Brown looking forward to starting over, establishes her own bookshop, also while starting a book club, with the books they choose focusing on mysteries. As this is Gemma’s favorite genre, she couldn’t be happier. Along with this Gemma warms up to new friendships as well as she develops growing feelings for a local police constable.

Here is where the story gets really interesting. Gemma is barely getting settled when she begins to notice things about Ursula Beurton, a talented local baker who givers her reason for pause. Ursula is a talented local baker and Gemma asks her for lessons in baking, and the two immediately develop a strong bond. This presents a real conflict with Gemma, who becomes increasingly convinced that Ursula is a spy. While the war might be over, the lines aren’t always clearly drawn and enemies just might be closer than one thinks.

The story itself is very good - especially as it is based on the real-life experiences of Usula Kuczynski Beurton. I didn’t fully appreciate this until reading the Author’s Note and Acknowledgements at the end of the book. I loved this because the author created a strong sense of urgency almost from the very first page. The clues were there, but I don’t mind feeling like I was groping around in the dark as the story unfolded. A ploy to keep me reading feverishly? Perhaps, but kudos to the author.

I loved the Agatha Christie references woven throughout the story, as she is my favorite author. These references measured Gemma as the story progressed and this definitely endeared her to me. So many of the WWII historical fiction books I have read take place during the war itself. It was refreshing to read a story set in the postwar years.

Many thanks to Harper Muse and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

[AUTHOR BIO PARAGRAPH]

Robin Loves Reading

Review - Untouchable

Untouchable

by Jeffery Deaver

PublisherAmazon Original Stories

GenreMystery & Thrillers

FormatKindle ARC

Pages137

Pub. DateFebruary 17, 2026

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

For Special Agent Constant Marlowe, a quiet college town hides a nest of malice and revenge in this twisty novella by New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver.

Special Agent Constant Marlowe is passing through the charming college town of Prescott, Illinois, when a chance encounter with a terrified student stops her in her tracks. Kathleen Delaine thought she was doing the right thing when she demanded an inquiry into traumatic brain injuries among the university’s football team. But after a manosphere shock jock picks up the story on his radio show and makes it personal, the online uproar bleeds into the real world. As Constant works to identify which of the host’s fanboys is threatening Kathleen, she discovers that behind the bullying campaign lies a vast and deadly conspiracy.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS

Untouchable is the exciting third installment in the Constant Marlow series by Jeffery Deaver. This novella has Constant on the watch for Kathleen Delaine  Kathleen is a university student who notices a clear connection between football players and traumatic brain injuries. She wants answers and she wants the players protected. Instead, she runs head into something I’d never heard of before - that of a manosphere shock jock. 

With a radio host highlighting Kathleen’s concerns, he also makes her a target. Now Kathleen is fighting against a concerted effort to silence her. As Constant is traveling through the small university town, she learns of Kathleen’s plight, and works to find out who is after her - even though a deadly conspiracy is at play. 

This may be only a novella, but it certainly isn’t lacking the trademark fast-paced thrillers that Deaver has offered his readers. The danger is real. The excitement is nonstop, and this story also reveals real concerns for the protection against TBIs is contact sports.

Many thanks to Amazon Original Stories and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeffery Deaver is an international number-one bestselling author. His novels have appeared on bestseller lists around the world. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into twenty-five languages. He has served two terms as president of Mystery Writers of America, and was recently named a Grand Master of MWA, whose ranks include Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, Mary Higgins Clark and Walter Mosely.

The author of 48 novels, 100 short stories and a nonfiction law book, and a lyricist of a country-western album, he’s received or been shortlisted for dozens of awards.

Deaver has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, the Strand Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Raymond Chandler Lifetime Achievement Award in Italy. He has also been awarded or shortlisted for scores of award from around the world.

His book A Maiden’s Grave was made into an HBO movie starring James Garner and Marlee Matlin and titled Dead Silence. His novel The Bone Collector was a feature release from Universal Pictures, starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. Lifetime aired an adaptation of his The Devil’s Teardrop. NBC television recently aired the nine-episode prime-time series, Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector. CBS TV is airing Tracker, a prime-time series based on his novel The Never Game, featuring his character Colter Shaw.

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Robin Loves Reading

BLOG TOUR - A Wedding Date with Death

A Wedding Date With Death

by Maeve Haran

SeriesA Campervan Detective Agency Mystery, Book 2

PublisherBookouture

GenreCozy Mystery

FormatKindle ARC

Pages####

Pub. Date[PUB DATE]

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

Something old, something new, something borrowed… someone dead?! 

When Sadie Sutton swapped four walls for the four wheels of her trusty orange VW campervan, she didn’t realise that it would come with a new career as a super sleuth! But when a wedding at local beauty spot Winching Priory Hotel is halted because the father of the groom has been found fatally poisoned, Sadie drops everything to take on her next case!

As the wedding grinds to a halt, Sadie soon learns that the victim, gifted local artist Benedict Lawrence, also had a talent for making enemies, from the snooty hotel owners to his long-suffering ex-wife. With an ever-growing list of possible suspects, Sadie is stumped. Until she finds a crumpled, threatening note sent to Benedict hours before he died.

The note leads Sadie deep into Benedict’s past, to a secret love affair, a bitter feud and a long-buried grudge. And when she finds a faded newspaper article about him and his artist friends in their youth, she’s stunned at who else she recognises in the photo…

With secrets and lies at every turn, Sadie knows no guests are safe. Can she crack the case before the nearly wed become newly dead?

This warm, witty and utterly addictive cosy crime novel from bestselling author Maeve Haran is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, The Thursday Murder Club and Robert Thorogood.

BUY LINK:

• Amazon: https://geni.us/B0H1VTPZ8Jsocial

“It was certainly a strange wedding, from the disinterested bride, famous father-in-law and even more famous wedding organiser.”

MY THOUGHTS

I enjoyed the first book in this series, The Campervan Detectives, and I am glad for book two because our Vintage Vanettes are back! Sadie Dutton along with her dog, Sam Spade (could you think of a better name?), is back as our main protagonist and amateur sleuth. Perhaps solving murders wasn’t exactly what Sadie had in mind when she decided to travel while living in her vintage VW campervan, but that is exactly what happens yet again.

Sadie and a few of her traveling friends - Amanda, Rose, and Tina - have a place to park their vans at the beautiful Winching Priory Hotel after what was supposed to be an invitation to a wedding turns into a distress call. Sadie’s friend, who invited her to the wedding, is worried because the groom’s father has received a threatening letter.

Sadie and her friends arrive at the hotel and its elaborate grounds, where they soon discover that the groom’s father is a famous man, although he is certainly not well liked. Sadie decides to take a walk around the extensive grounds, but she makes a shocking discovery: a dead body. It is the groom’s father, and it quickly becomes clear that someone connected to the family or the wedding party may have had something to do with his death.

As Sadie begins asking questions, she once again finds herself drawn into an investigation that puts her amateur sleuthing skills to the test. With a colorful cast of characters, a beautiful setting, and plenty of twists and suspicious behavior, there is no shortage of possibilities when it comes to figuring out who is responsible.

I really enjoyed returning to this series and spending time with Sadie, Sam Spade, and the Vintage Vanettes. There is something especially appealing about a group of friends traveling around in their campervans and somehow managing to find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation. A Wedding Date with Death is a fun, lighthearted cozy mystery with an engaging cast of characters, and I am already looking forward to seeing where Sadie and her friends - and their vans - utake us next.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maeve Haran is an Oxford law graduate who had a successful career in television before writing her worldwide bestseller  Having It All , which was translated into twenty-six languages. She has written twenty contemporary novels, two historical novels, and a work of non-fiction in praise of life’s small pleasures. She has three grown up children and four grandchildren. She lives mainly in North London but escapes when she can to a much-loved cottage in the beautiful Cuckmere Valley near the sea in East Sussex. Her hobby is ignoring age and having a good time!

Mailing List: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/maeve-haran

Website: https://maeve-haran.co.uk/

Robin Loves Reading

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW - Missing in New Mexico

  

Missing in New Mexico 

by Kathleen Tailer

PublisherHarlequin Audio

GenreInspirational Romantic Suspense 

FormatAudio ALC

NarratorCaroline Cole

Length5 hrs 49 mins

Pages272

Pub. DateSeptember 29, 2026

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

Cracking a cold case

has this lawman under fire…

Sheriff Joaquin Fuentes stumbles upon a desert car crash in New Mexico, rescuing Luann St. John from the smoking wreckage—but this was no accident. Someone sabotaged her vehicle to stop her from uncovering the truth about a twenty-year-old plane crash tied to her father’s disappearance and diamond smuggling accusations. As danger closes in, Joaquin is determined to protect Luann, even as they’re hunted at every turn. With secrets unraveling and a killer lurking, the truth could clear her father’s name—or drag Joaquin and Luann into a deadly grave.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS

Luann St. John is an English professor who has traveled to New Mexico in search of answers about her father. Twenty years earlier, her father died in a fiery plane crash. But there is much more to the story. Before the crash, he was facing charges for stealing a bevy of valuable diamonds. Luann wants answers. She wants to clear her father’s name and, more importantly, find out whether the plane crash that took his life was truly an accident.

Luann quickly finds herself in danger. Her car crashes, and she is lucky to survive. Sheriff Joaquin Fuentes is called to the scene, and it soon becomes clear that what happened to Luann was no accident. The danger is directly connected to the reason she came to New Mexico in the first place.

Luann has apparently stirred up a hornet’s nest, and someone definitely wants her stopped - even if it means killing her. Joaquin decides to become Luann’s personal protector while also helping her uncover the truth about her father. As they dig deeper into the past, the danger surrounding Luann only increases, and the two realize they may be dealing with someone who will do anything to keep the truth buried. 

This book was equally balanced when it came to mystery, suspense and romance. It was enjoyable to watch Luann and Joaquin work together as they worked the difficult puzzle of piecing together what happened twenty years ago. I listened to this as an audiobook, and it was very nicely narrated. The narration fit the story well and made it easy to become immersed in Luann’s search for answers. Overall, Missing in New Mexico was an enjoyable Christian romantic suspense with an intriguing mystery, plenty of danger, and characters I enjoyed getting to know.

Many thanks to Harlequin Audio for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Robin Loves Reading

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW - Witness Safeguard Mission

 

Witness Safeguard Mission

by Carol J. Post

SeriesCanine Defense #4

PublisherHarlequin Audio

GenreInspirational Romantic Suspense

FormatALC

NarratorEmma Lysy

Length6 hrs 10 mins

Pages206

Pub. DateSeptember 29, 2026

Rating[★★★★☆]

DESCRIPTION

A family in a killer’s crosshairs.

A K-9 determined to defend.

When Nicole Woodard and her young sister witness their father’s murder by an unknown assailant, Nicole knows they’re next on the killer’s hit list. Now they must rely on Officer Braydon Feldman and his K-9 partner, Caesar, for protection. The killer will stop at nothing to silence the sisters and keep the crime hidden. But what could their father have been involved in that got him killed? With attacks coming from all sides and dangerous family secrets being exposed, can Braydon and Nicole stay alive long enough to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again?

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS

Nicole Woodard is desperate to keep her seven-year-old sister Maddie safe after they witness their father’s murder. What started out as a walk ends up being a run for their wives. Office Braydon Feldman and his K-9 Caesar are soon responsible for Nicole and Maddie’s safety. Now, whoever it is that killed their father now has their sight set on the two sisters. 

This Christian-themed thriller is a fast-paced and well-delivered story that keeps you on the edge of your seat with suspense, danger, and romance. 

Many thanks to Harlequin Audio and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carol J. Post is a New York Times bestselling author of fun and fast-paced Christian romance and Christian romantic suspense stories. Her books have won several awards and been nominated for two RITA® awards and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She is also a popular speaker, presenting workshops on a variety of craft topics. 

Carol especially enjoys research trips, which usually involve camping, with some hiking, kayaking and bonfires thrown in when possible. She also loves playing the piano and writing songs with her musical husband. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of two sassy cats—Ziggy and Ziva—who also love camping and are known to occasionally take over her blog with their “It’s Zaturday!” posts.

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