Do You Know what BSP Means?

A Traitor Among Us by A.M. Reade

BSP means Blatant Self-Promotion and I am not above doing it.

It’s not often I highlight my own books on my blog, but because A Traitor Among Us was released two weeks ago, I thought I’d share one of the reviews with you. I’d also like to remind everyone how important reviews are to authors—they figure prominently in the algorithms used by book retailers in advertising and in choosing the books which those retailers promote to their legions of readers. If you’ve read A Traitor Among Us and haven’t left a review, I encourage and ask you to do that. It’s easy! Just a few lines about why you liked the book is enough. Thank you in advance!

I hope you enjoy this review as much as I did:

“A beautifully written Revolutionary War era mystery, told from the point of view of a young woman, which really sets this novel apart from others. The story unfolds through thoughts and narration as if the characters were speaking to us from the 1770s. Etta Rutledge, the main character, is a strong and capable young woman with quite a lot of responsibilities helping her family run an inn. Her words and thoughts completely immerse us in the Colonial era, and give us a fresh voice and a new perspective on life in Cape May County, NJ. I truly loved this main character, Etta, and how she interacts with her sweet and vulnerable sister Prissy, who has a disability (I am happy to read more disabled characters in books), and it’s clear there’s a strong protective bond between the sisters. The brothers are also well portrayed, and we immediately care about Etta and her family and friends. The Rutledge family owns the tavern and inn, the central place in the story, and what a fascinating place it is. Ms. Reade [sic] describes it well from the ambiance to the drink, food, and talk. The dialogue is plain style, as befits the times, and the author clearly researched everything and makes us feel as if we are right there in the 1770’s. The Rutledge inn is where Loyalists and Revolutionaries gather, and as the war looms, the suspense builds when a body is found, and then another. Etta’s courage during a turbulent time is amazing as she tries to find the murderer as the war threatens to break apart her family. We care about Etta and are drawn into her life and the lives of those close to her. A wonderful story, and I look forward to continuing to read many more books in this wonderful new series!”

Thanks to “Mondi” for the review! I appreciate it so much!

As usual, I’ll close this post with a recommendation. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical mysteries, mysteries set in the American colonies, or tales set during the Revolutionary War.

Twisty and Heart-Pounding

The Secrets We Share by Edwin Hill

This book takes place in two time periods—1995 and the present day. The reader first meets Natalie Cavanaugh as a 14-year-old girl in 1995. She has a younger sister, Glenn, and they live in a mostly-undeveloped development in a Boston suburb. There’s only one other house that’s been built so far; it belongs to the Sykes family and it’s right next door to Natalie’s house. At the beginning of the story, all we know is that Natalie has a secret that causes her stomach to hurt. We know the secret by the end of the first chapter, but I’m not going to spill it here.

Fast forward to the present day, and Natalie Cavanaugh is a detective who never strayed too far from the suburb where she grew up. Glenn lives nearby and is a wife, mom, baking blogger, social media influencer, and soon-to-be cookbook author (though not necessarily in that order).

When Glenn’s daughter, Mavis Abbott, finds a dead body (one who obviously did not die of natural causes) on her way to school, Natalie is assigned to the case before anyone realizes she’s related to Mavis. Mavis’s discovery of the body sets in motion a heart-stopping chain of events that reaches back into the past and keeps everyone in the present day in an icy-cold grip of fear.

There are so many things to love about The Secrets We Share. The first is Natalie Cavanaugh. She’s tough, but she’s got some serious issues of her own and they make her a vulnerable and sympathetic character. She’s got a lot riding on this case, and not just because her niece is at the center of it.

There’s also Glenn, the sister who seems to have everything…but as they say, you never know what goes on behind closed doors. She’s the polar opposite of Natalie and always has been, but the sisters share not only a fierce (if not always obvious) love, but also something that keeps them tied to the past.

There’s Angela White, Natalie’s boss and a strong, take-no-nonsense woman in her own right. She’s the one who trusts Natalie’s detective instincts but not necessarily Natalie’s personal judgment.

There’s Zane, Natalie’s partner and mentee, who keeps Natalie on an even keel when she would go off half-cocked. Zane is also a fan of Glenn’s baking blog, so he has things in common with both sisters.

Best of all, there are the twists. So. Many. Twists. Everyone in this book is harboring secrets, and the way the author unravels these secrets is the reason I was up late into the night to get to the last page. Edwin Hill has a way of keeping a tight rein on the reader’s interest and absolute NEED to find out whodunit.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a fast-paced thrill ride of a story, with tons of suspense, tons of intensity, and a jaw-dropping ending.

A Delightful English Mystery

Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Baugh Menuhin

I normally read Christmas books in the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I picked this one up well after the new year. I had seen it advertised on Amazon and I liked the look of the manor on the cover. Plus, the blurb says the book is a mixture of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey, with a bit of Wodehouse and “a dog of distinction.” Um, four of my favorite things mixed together? Yes, please!

Major Heathcliff Lennox finds a man’s body on his doorstep one wintry day. He has no idea whose body it is or what the man may have been doing at Lennox’s house. The lining of the dead man’s jacket holds a piece of paper with a woman’s name written on it. Lennox tells the police he does not recognize the name, but in truth he knows very well who the woman is.

When Lennox reluctantly accepts an invitation to spend Christmas at Melrose Court with his uncle, Lord Charles Melrose, he is startled to find some unexpected guests staying there—some welcome, some not. And when the first murder at Melrose Court occurs and Lennox finds himself the prime suspect, things start to go downhill.

And while he’s at his uncle’s estate, Lennox just might find a connection to the dead man on his doorstep.

As you may have guessed from the art deco cover elements, this mystery is set during the 1920s. It’s got everything a good English mystery should have: a big, old manor house, a cast of characters that includes people both crusty and beguiling, and a good deal of snow. There’s also Mr. Fogg, (Lennox’s dog), a juicy connection to the Russian Revolution, and missing jewels.

This was a fun read that had me laughing out loud in parts. The cast of characters isn’t overly large, and each character is well-drawn and distinctive. The secondary characters all have reasons to be suspected of murder, so they add a nice layer of richness and interest to the book.

The mystery is well-crafted and there are plenty of red herrings. I did not guess whodunit until close to the end, and I love it when that happens. Though the story takes place around Christmastime, I don’t think you have to wait until then to read it.

If you like a traditional mystery with all the English countryside tropes and superb characters, this is a good choice. I hope you enjoy it if you pick up your own copy!

Careful What You Wish For

The Mother Next Door by Tara Laskowski

I had the pleasure of reading The Mother Next Door when I moderated a panel of authors for the Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival back in early March (to watch the panel, click here). Tara Laskowski was one of the authors on the panel and since she was the first person to send me a copy of her book so I could prepare for the panel, hers is the first one I read.

And what a book.

Tara is an award-winning author whose other books inclue One Night Gone, Modern Manners for Your Inner Demons, Bystanders Stories, and a number of works in short story anthologies. The Mother Next Door is the first book of Tara’s I’ve read, but it certainly won’t be the last. I’m especially eager to read One Night Gone.

In The Mother Next Door, Theresa, her huband Adam, and their teenage daughter, Lily, have moved to town for Adam’s new job as the high school principal. They settle in the tony cul-de-sac called Ivy Woods and Theresa is soon drawn into the clique of moms, called the Ivy Five, who all live in the neighborhood.

Each year the Ivy Five host a showstopping Halloween block party, and this year the head of the clique, Kendra, is determined to make it the best party ever.

As Halloween approches, the women are busy with preparations, to-do lists, and a million details that will make the evening a smashing success. But their excitement turns to unease when they begin receiving anonymous emails hinting at something the Ivy Five have hidden beneath the manicured surface of the suburban idyll they call home.

I read this book in two sittings. It would have been one, but I had to force myself to get some sleep. It seems almost everyone in this book has secrets they want to remain buried—even Theresa has a past that is getting closer and closer to catching up with her. But there are people who know what lurks beneath the sophistication and outward perfection of the cul-de-sac…someone’s getting ready for the big reveal, and someone else hopes it never happens.

Relatability is one of Laskowski’s many strong suits. The Ivy Five could be any women, anywhere. The reader recognizes the setting because we’ve all seen places just like Ivy Woods and we all know people just like each of the women in the book. Everything is eerily familiar.

Told mostly from the points of view of Theresa and Kendra, this book is dark and twisty and terrific. It’s also a fascinating look at the underbelly of mom/women cliques and the social hierarchies they promote. I highly recommend it and I hope you enjoy it!