Review - The Forty-Year Grudge

The Forty-Year Grudge

by Liza Tully

SeriesMerritt & Blunt Mysteries #2

PublisherBerkley

GenreMystery & Thrillers

FormatKindle ARC

Pages352

Pub. DateJune 9, 2026

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

When the World's Greatest Detective reunites with her college friends, she discovers that time doesn't heal all wounds.

It's been four decades since the women of Sigma Delta Tau were last together. The years have been kind to some but not to others.,,, !    

Still this is supposed to be a pleasant diversion for former sorority member and current private investigator Aubrey Merritt. She's come to New Mexico to reconnect with old friends, and she's brought her personal assistant Olivia Blunt along with her to help with her bags.

But when one of the sorority sisters is murdered, all eyes turn to the World's Greatest Detective to solve the case. It's going to take both Aubrey and Olivia to cut through the knot of old hurts and current grievances to find the killer.

Link to shop the series

MY THOUGHTS

If you read the first book in this series, The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant, you’ll remember Aubrey Merritt and Olivia Blunt as polar opposites with a rather contentious relationship. Over time, though, they’ve developed a begrudging respect for one another. This is really good because it’s on their next case that a decades-old grudge finally comes to light.

The Sigma Delta Tau sorority is holding a reunion in New Mexico, and Aubrey isn’t particularly interested in attending. But when she learns that one of her former sorority sisters is in danger, she decides to go - and brings Olivia along as her assistant. Olivia is still learning the ropes of investigation, but Aubrey knows she’ll be an asset.

While it will take time for Olivia to master the nuances of detective work, she quickly realizes how much she still relies on Aubrey’s guidance - even as she starts to find her own footing and instincts for uncovering answers. Meanwhile, away from home, Olivia finds herself quietly examining her relationship with her husband and sorting through her feelings for him.

Aubrey and Olivia have to get to work fast: shortly after they arrive in New Mexico, one of the sorority sisters is murdered, proving the earlier threat was no empty one. Investigating the case together strengthens their partnership as much as it tests it. What really makes the book work is its almost locked-room atmosphere, a long-standing grudge, a quiet, dusty desert setting in New Mexico, and a memorable cast of characters.

The Forty-Year Grudge delivers everything I loved about the first book, plus a mystery that kept me guessing until the final reveal. Watching Olivia come into her own alongside Aubrey made this one even better than the last. Highly recommend - whether you’re new to the series or already a fan.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Liza Tully is a pseudonym for Elisabeth Brink, who writes dark thrillers under the name Elisabeth Elo, as well as literary fiction under the name Elisabeth Panttaja Brink. To learn more about her suspense novels visit elisabethelo.com.

Before turning to fiction writing, she worked as an editor at a children’s magazine, a project manager at a tech company, and a counselor at a halfway house. A magna cum laude graduate of Brown University, she earned a PhD in American Literature from Brandeis University, and is the author of scholarly articles on subjects as diverse as Cinderella and Walt Whitman. She lives in Boston, MA.  

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Review - The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea

The The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea

by Jenny Kane

Series
The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives #3

Publisher
Hodder & Stoughton

GenreCozy Mystery

FormatKindle ARC

Pages369

Pub. DateSeptember 3, 2026

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

A perfect blend of suspense, humour, and heart. The clues were cleverly placed, and the ending was both surprising and satisfying. I can't wait to read the next book in the series' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

⛵Get ready to join the Fish and Chip Shop Detectives as they set sail on their latest investigation... ⛵

In the picturesque Cornish seaside village of Mousehole, Maggie and Ryan are busy running Robbins' Fish and Chip Shop. They love nothing more than a cup of tea, a nice slice of cake... and solving a murder mystery.

But Maggie and Ryan weren't expecting to find a dead body in the castle on St Michael's Mount, a famous island known for its causeway that disappears under water at high tide.

Already searching for a local youth, Mitch, who's been missing for three weeks, Maggie and Ryan fear the worst. Then when a fishing boat is stolen, the detectives begin to suspect that all three mysterious events are somehow connected...

Has Mitch found himself in at the deep end? And can the amateur sleuths solve their latest case before the truth is left out at sea?

Don't miss the next book in the Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Series, perfect for fans of Fiona Leitch and Peter Boland!

Link to shop the series

MY THOUGHTS

Maggie Tyson and Ryan Stepney are back in this third book in a delightful cozy mystery series by Jenny Kane. Maggie runs a fish and chip shop and Ryan works for and rents a room from her. As they have already proven adept when it comes to solving murders, they have created The Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency. 

While they often find accepting assistance by a local police Sergeant, David Peters, Maggie and Ryan still end up finding themselves right in the middle of trouble. It would be to remiss to not mention one of Maggie’s longest customers - Harry. He is always there to lend a hand - or to reveal a bit of gossip that just might end up being useful the cases they take on. Harry takes exceptional pride to be an honorary member.

Maggie and Ryan’s latest case is a search for a missing teen, Mitch Ashley. He has been missing for several weeks. When a dead body is discovered on a nearby island, their search is ramped up. There are other things in play, and it doesn’t take Maggie and Ryan to discover that it all revolves around Mitch’s disappearance. Even when they find answers, the find that that some clues seem unhelpful.

While the mysteries in this story are well-done with a few nicely placed twists, the story also has a message that it shares to its readers - found family can love you as much or more than family members.

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

Robin Loves Reading 

Review - The Silent Sister

The Silent Sister

by Angela Henry

PublisherStorm Publishing

GenrePsychological Thriller

FormatKindle ARC

Pages289

Pub. DateAugust 27, 2027

Rating🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

DESCRIPTION

A gripping, twisty psychological thriller about the stranger you let into your home –perfect for fans of The Housemaid, Gone Girl, and The Last Mrs. Parrish.

A nurse. A sister. A friend?

When an accident killed her husband, Taylor Ambrose lost everything else with him. The house was his, and now it’s being sold out from under her. The money’s gone. Her memory of that day is gone too. She has no family, no savings, and no one to call.

Then Valerie arrives. Warm, capable, impossible to refuse. She says she’s the sister Troy never mentioned, and she’s a nurse—so when Taylor can barely walk, can barely cope, Valerie is there. She helps her pack. She finds her somewhere to stay. She takes care of her. Day by day, Valerie becomes the only person Taylor can lean on.

Then the cracks start to show. The questions Valerie won’t answer. The rooms Taylor isn’t allowed to enter. A past that doesn’t quite add up.

Because Valerie knows things about Taylor’s husband. About the day of the accident. And about the secret Taylor has tried to forget.

Valerie isn’t the only one with something to hide.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS

I picked up The Silent Sister because the cover immediately caught my attention - and psychological thrillers are my favorite genre. At first, though, I had a couple of minor snags with the story. One moment in particular caught my attention when a character noticed Taylor’s bookshelf and commented specifically on the Black authors, mentioning Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Octavia Butler. 

I actually posed a question in a readers’ group about whether this might be an example of “in-group bias.” A fellow reader gave me a helpful response - appreciating Angela Henry’s recognition of Black authors. As I got deeper into the book, I realized how favorable it was. That conversation led me to do something I probably shouldn’t have done unless I was prepared to add another author to my already overflowing TBR: I clicked Angela Henry’s name on Goodreads. And now I have another author whose backlist I absolutely have to binge!

In The Silent Sister, we meet Taylor Ambrose, a successful Black author who seemingly has everything she could want. But her life is suddenly turned upside down when her husband, Troy, dies in an accident that nearly claims her life as well. Taylor is left in pain, struggling with memory loss and unable to remember what happened that day. Even more unsettling, she begins questioning why she has been affected so profoundly by the accident.

Taylor barely makes it home and has no idea how she is going to manage. Then someone knocks on her door. Her name is Valerie, and she claims to be Troy’s half-sister. Valerie quickly steps in to help Taylor, offering support when she desperately needs it. But before long, that help begins to feel more like control as Valerie slowly takes over Taylor’s life.

At times, this psychological thriller brought to mind Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and Misery by Stephen King. I also couldn’t help thinking of the movie What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? There is something deliciously unsettling about watching someone slowly lose control of their own life while trying to figure out exactly who they can trust.

Angela Henry did a superb job keeping me on my toes. This is definitely a compliment because I spent much of the book guessing, questioning, and trying to figure out where the story was going.

The Silent Sister is a fast-paced psychological thriller filled with secrets, manipulation, and plenty of twists. I loved how everything eventually came together, and by the end, I was already thinking about which Angela Henry book I should read next. Clearly, that Goodreads click was dangerous!

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angela Henry is an Amazon Charts bestselling and award-winning author of twisty mysteries, thrillers, and urban fantasy. A retired library reference specialist, she’s the author of the Kendra Clayton mystery series and the Xavier Knight series, as well as the thrillers The Perfect Affair, Her Pretty Lies, The Family Lies, and The Paris Secret. She also writes middle-grade fiction as Angie Kelly. Angela lives in Ohio with her husband and their spoiled Chiweenie, Gidget.

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Robin Loves Reading

BLOG TOUR - Murder Stage Left

Murder Stage Left

by Verity Bright

SeriesLady Eleanor Swift #16

PublisherBookouture

GenreCozy Mystery

FormatKindle ARC

Pages326

Pub. DateAugust 26, 2026

Rating🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

DESCRIPTION

Lady Swift and her handsome husband Hugh Seldon are totally charmed by the picturesque town where Shakespeare once lived. Everyone is abuzz with chatter about the upcoming production of Macbeth… But wait, is that a body backstage?

Dashing showman Richard Ratcliffe is set to return to the stage at the famous Shakespeare Memorial theatre. But when priceless items belonging to Shakespeare himself go missing from the theatre's collection, Eleanor knows someone has gone off-book…

Then the beautiful old theatre is set on fire. The gang are horror-struck, and while racing to help, Eleanor's loyal butler Clifford discovers an act of foul Ratcliffe, the show's leading man, is dead inside from a blow to the head. Was the fire a deliberate distraction to cover up the murder? Hugh believes Ratcliffe may have caught the thief in the act, but Eleanor isn't so certain.

With the production in tatters, the cast and crew are flailing. Everyone is playing a part and Eleanor needs to decide who is putting on a deadly show and who is telling the truth. Did the director have more to gain from the insurance money than a standing ovation? Maybe the leading lady feared she was about to be upstaged?

Hunting for local gossip at the town tearoom, Eleanor discovers Ratcliffe had secrets he was desperate to keep from stealing the show… But the culprit is waiting in the wings. And it's only a matter of time before Eleanor steps too far into their deadly spotlight. Can she catch the killer before it's curtains for her too?

A totally delightful historical cozy murder mystery. Fans of T.E. Kinsey, L.B. Hathaway and Lee Strauss will fly through the pages!

BUY LINK

Amazon:- https://geni.us/B0GPNW38XDsocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

MY THOUGHTS

Lady Eleanor Swift, her husband Hugh Seldon, and her ever-steady butler Clifford are looking forward to an evening performance of Macbeth - until a rapidly spreading fire in the theater puts an abrupt end to their plans. Even before the fire, however, something was amiss: priceless items believed to have once belonged to William Shakespeare have disappeared.

After barely escaping the blaze, Eleanor and Hugh are determined to uncover how the fire started, what happened to the missing artifacts, and whether the leading man, Richard Ratcliffe, actually died as a direct result of the fire.

With their exceptional investigative skills, the trio - Eleanor, Hugh, and Clifford - have always made quite a formidable team and have recently formed the Byron Detective Agency. Eleanor's sharp wit, Hugh's extensive career with Scotland Yard, and Clifford's unwavering loyalty make them an impressive crime-solving team. But this case presents more questions than answers. Was the fire accidental, or was it deliberately set? What happened to the valuable Shakespearean artifacts? And what really caused Ratcliffe's death?

What an engaging installment in this long-running series! This story is layered with intriguing mysteries, and, as always, Eleanor simply refuses to let things go. Her determination and forthright nature were particularly enjoyable in this book, even when her pursuit of the truth put her directly in harm's way.

This historical cozy mystery, as well as every book that has come before it, is truly delightful. And, of course, we can't forget Eleanor's pudgy bulldog, Gladstone, or Eleanor's ladies, the members of her staff who have become so much more than employees. They are now cherished friends and an important part of Eleanor's life.

Verity Bright has once again delivered a wonderful mystery filled with charm, danger, and plenty of twists. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest adventure and can't wait to see what is next in store for Eleanor, Hugh, Clifford, Gladstone, and the rest of the beloved cast.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

https://twitter.com/BrightVerity

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Verity Bright here: https://www.bookouture.com/verity-bright

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Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line

Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line

by Elle Cosimano

SeriesFinlay Donovan #6

PublisherMinotaur Books

GenreMystery & Thrillers

FormatKindle ARC

Pages368

Pub. DateMarch 17, 2026

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION

Life hasn't been easy for Finlay Donovan lately, but it just got a whole lot harder. Her nanny and partner-in-crime, Vero, has been extradited from Virginia to Maryland, where she's facing criminal charges for a theft she swears she didn't commit. A prisoner to an ankle bracelet as she awaits her trial, Vero is forced to live with her overbearing mother and nosy aunt. Threatening messages keep arriving on her mother's door, demanding Vero "turn over the money . . . or else." And if she doesn't figure out who really stole her former sorority's treasury funds, her next home might be a prison cell.

But proving her innocence might be an impossible feat. Vero was the treasurer of her sorority when the money went missing—one of the only people who had access to the cash. And her alibi is a date who ghosted her. With her court date quickly approaching, and her mysterious stalker on her tail, Vero needs to clear her name fast.

Finlay decides a trip to Maryland is in order. After all, Vero stood by her through her darkest moments, and Finlay will be damned if she lets her best friend and children's nanny be convicted for something she didn't do. She sets off on a mission to sus out the real thief and bring Vero home.

MY THOUGHTS

If series could get better and better as they progress, then the sixth book in the Finlay Donovan series, Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line, definitely fits the bill. I loved this installment because we don't have Finlay and her usual crew setting out to solve just another crime. This time, Finlay's nanny and best friend, Vero Ramirez, has been extradited to her home state of Maryland and is under house arrest. Finlay misses her, and she strongly believes the case against Vero is wrong. She is determined to prove her innocence.

The case against Vero goes all the way back to her college days, when she and her sorority sisters were involved in underground poker games. One night, a bag containing the winnings disappeared, and all fingers pointed to Vero. She dropped out of school, fled Maryland, and started a new life when she began working for Finlay. Now that she has been found, she is under house arrest until her trial and could be facing years in prison.

Finlay isn't the only one concerned about Vero's future. There is also Javi Romero, Vero's boyfriend, who is willing to do almost anything to help her — even if that means breaking the law. The problem is that Vero insists she is innocent and doesn't want to make her situation even worse.

So, how does Finlay cross the line, as the title suggests? Finlay, our novelist, mother, and amateur detective, is determined to prove Vero's innocence. Her boyfriend, Nick Anthony, generously agrees to stay home with her children while Finlay heads to Maryland. Of course, Finlay crosses the line in more ways than one, leading to another fun-filled adventure with plenty of chaos along the way.

This book delivers on so many levels: the strength of Finlay and Vero's friendship, the solid relationship between Finlay and Nick, and plenty of laugh-out-loud chaos. I loved this installment and am already looking forward to seeing what comes next in this engaging and entertaining series.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elle Cosimano is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Award winner, a Bram Stoker Award finalist, and an Edgar® Award nominee. Her acclaimed young adult novels include Nearly Gone, Holding Smoke, The Suffering Tree, and Seasons of the Storm. Elle's debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a PEOPLE Magazine Pick and was named one of New York Public Library's Best Books of 2021. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Time. Elle lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia.

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Review - The Mother-Daughter Book Club

 

The Mother-Daughter Book Club

James Patterson; Susan Patterson

PublisherLittle, Brown and Company

GenreMemoir

FormatAudiobook

NarratorEllen Archer, et al

Length7 hrs 35 mins

Pages352

Pub. DateA;ril 20, 2027

Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

DESCRIPTION

Secrets, spritzes, and second chances

“An entertaining book ... As friends talk books, hopes, dreams … and dishy revelations … it’s romantic love—both old and new … that drive[s] the story forward.” —Kirkus Review

Between their busy lives and their far-flung residences, the Mother-Daughter Book Club—four longtime college friends and their five daughters—more often discuss the books on their nightstands via 2 a.m. texts than in-person meetings. And maybe it’s just as well, after what happened at their last get-together ... 

So it’s an emotional reunion when they finally gather again, this time on the spectacular shores of Italy’s Lake Como. Sightseeing excursions, reminiscing fueled by “Como-politans,” and a hint of vacation romance all build toward the book club’s trademark “Night of Secrets.” 

These friends, and sometime rivals, are close readers—of novels, memoirs, and of each other. But as the years and the distance cast shadows and doubt, confidences and sympathies turn into surprising revelations.

MY THOUGHTS

Earlier this year, I read James and Susan Patterson’s Things I Wish I Told My Mother, and I was glad to be able to read another book that focused on the mother-daughter dynamic.  This story centers around four college friends who have worked hard over the years to maintain their relationships and make time for regular gatherings. It wasn’t just the four friends who came together - their five daughters were also part of these reunions.

Sadly, three years earlier, as one of those gatherings was coming to an end, Meg and Kathleen, the twin daughters of one of the women, were involved in a devastating accident. The aftermath fractured the friendships among the women and daughters and even damaged the once-close bond between the twin sisters.

Now, they all reunite and attempt to mend old wounds. Between them are secrets, unresolved feelings, and plenty of emotional baggage. The question is whether they can rebuild the relationships that once meant so much to them.

This is a warm, second-chance story that explores friendship, forgiveness, grief, and even romance. Using the framework of a book club, the women and their daughters are given an opportunity to confront the past and perhaps repair what was broken. While books bring everyone together, they definitely come second to the relationships explored throughout this story.

There is a bonus at the end of the book - delicious recipes.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Susan Solie Patterson has a Bachelor of Science/Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she was also an All-American swimmer. She is the author of Things I Wish I Told My Mother and Big Words for Little Geniuses, which was a New York Times bestseller.

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James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, Michael Crichton, and Viola Davis, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Robin Loves Reading

BLOG TOUR - The Wife After Me

TitleThe Wife After Me

AuthorNora Valters

PublisherBookouture

GenrePsychological Thriller

FormatKindle ARC

Pages282

Pub. DateAugust 24, 2026

Rating4 Stars

Description

She married my ex-husband. They're living in my house. One of us won't make it out alive...

I share a house with my ex-husband, Ben. A floor each, a schedule for taking turns to use the kitchen. It may sound odd but it’s all perfectly amicable. Then his new wife moves in…

Yasmin breezes in on a cloud of expensive perfume, and it’s clear Ben is besotted. But her perfect veneer soon starts to crack. I know she’s been in my room. And I realise I have more to fear than I’d ever imagined…

Then Ben disappears, and I’m alone in the house with her. I hear a noise in our basement. I run down the steps and the door slams behind me. But is it Yasmin turning the key in the lock, or is the truth even more dangerous?

And will I survive…?

Fans of None of This Is True, John Marrs, T.M. Logan and Freida McFadden will be utterly gripped by this addictive, page-turning psychological thriller.

MY THOUGHTS

Steph and her ex-husband, Ben, have a rather interesting living arrangement. Their home is absolutely beautiful, and neither one wants to give it up, so they come to an agreement: they will share the house while maintaining separate spaces and following a schedule for common areas, such as the kitchen. It may be unconventional, but for them, it works. Steph has also changed careers and, for the past five years, has worked remotely as a grief counselor.

Then everything changes - and far too quickly for Steph’s comfort. Ben has found someone new, Yasmin. Steph doesn’t want Ben back and genuinely wants to be happy for him, but she soon feels increasingly hemmed in when Yasmin begins spending more time at the house and disregarding the rules Steph and Ben established. Meanwhile, Steph’s father, a former cop with whom she shares a wonderful relationship, is dealing with troubles of his own. Add to this the family of a former patient whose situation has left Steph with an unrelenting grief, and she certainly has her hands full. 

However, as Steph soon discovers, the drama surrounding her may be spiraling into something far more perilous. This thrilling story kept me on the edge of my seat. I managed to figure out a couple of the twists, but there were still more to come, so my enjoyment of this thriller was not diminished in any way. In fact, I couldn’t wait to see how everything would ultimately unfold.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nora Valters grew up in the New Forest in the south of England and has lived in London, Manchester, Bournemouth, Oxford and Dubai. She currently resides in Weston-super-Mare.

She studied English Literature and Language at Oxford Brookes University before embarking on a career in marketing and copywriting.

Her debut psychological thriller Her Biggest Fan was published in October 2020. Her latest novel is His First Girlfriend and she’s currently writing her seventh novel, which will be out soon.

Nora loves to travel and has journeyed around the world. She enjoys exploring new places, knitting/crochet, painting, hiking, and is an avid reader. She’s also a bit obsessed with dogs!

Mailing List: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/nora-valters

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