I love these Ally McKinley cozy mysteries! This one was about a murder at a writer’s retreat (loved how the murder happened right away! That pulls you in!). I did NOT figure it out before the end and enjoyed this installment.
You don’t need to read them in order (but I did). I always appreciate having a protagonist who is “mature” and not a 20-something, too.
Thank you for my copy!!
Book Description:
Welcome back to the tiny Highland village of Locharran, where Ally McKinley – guesthouse owner and accidental detective – is about to stumble upon another dead body… and her next case.
When Ally McKinley hears that well-known novelist Jodi Jones is going to host a writers’ retreat at the hotel just down the road, she’s delighted to offer rooms at her little guesthouse for some of the attendees. Ally is thrilled to join the group for one of their first sessions – but the retreat has barely begun before she finds the famous writer strangled in the ladies’ bathroom!
The cake tin and teapot come out at the little guesthouse in the Highlands as Ally begins to question her bookish guests. Accusations of plagiarism and infidelity start flying and it’s clear that more than one of the retreat attendees had a grudge against Jodi. But could any of them have resorted to murder?
When Ally discovers a diary in Jodi’s bedroom at the guesthouse with several pages ripped out of it, she thinks she’s close to cracking the case. But the plot thickens when another of the aspiring writers is found dead, only hours after she said she knew the identity of Jodi’s killer.
Not only is the murderer still in Locharran, they’re desperate to stop Ally getting to the truth. With her faithful puppy Flora by her side, can Ally unravel the clues and solve the mystery before she’s written out of the story for good?
A totally gripping and bookish cozy mystery set in the Scottish Highlands from bestselling author Dee MacDonald. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Clare Chase.
Author Bio:
Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.
She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.
Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!
In this thriller for fans of Ashley Elston and Jeneva Rose, a manipulative kidnapper gives a true crime podcaster one week to locate her brother’s best friend. If she succeeds, she’ll learn the truth about her brother’s disappearance six years ago, but if she fails, his friend will die.
You never know who’s listening.
To Stella Dixon, sneaking her teenage brother out of their parents’ house for a beach party was harmless fun—until Max disappeared without a trace.
Six years later, Stella’s family is still broken, and she can’t let go of her guilt. The only thing that keeps her going is helping other families find closure through A Killer Motive,her true crime podcast.
In a bid to find new sponsors and keep making episodes, Stella goes on a local radio show. But when she says on air that if she had just one clue, she’d find Max and bring whoever hurt him to justice, someone takes it as a challenge.
A mysterious invitation to play a game arrives, with the promise that if Stella wins, she’ll get information about what happened to Max. Stella thinks it’s a sick joke…until Max’s best friend vanishes. And she’s given new instructions: tell nobody or people will die.
Desperate and unable to trust anyone, Stella agrees. But beating a twisted, invisible enemy seems impossible when they make all the rules…
I’m thrilled to be part of the Harper-Collins tour for this new suspenseful thriller by Hannah Mary McKinnon. This one was hard to put down! I do love true crime podcasts, so that appealed to me as well. If you love this genre (and staying up late reading!), then this one is for you!
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour.
About the Author:
Internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 2010. Her suspense novels include THE REVENGE LIST, ONLY ONE SURVIVES, and A KILLER MOTIVE, which is her eleventh book. Her work has been optioned for the screen, and she also writes holiday romantic comedies as Holly Cassidy. Hannah Mary lives near Toronto, Canada with her husband and three sons. You’ll find her on social media as @hannahmarymckinnon, and please visit www.hannahmarymckinnon.com for more.
During summer I commute much less – only once a week; however, I do love my podcasts and audiobooks.
Here is what I’ve been listening to (all from Audible through my subscription; I buy a year in advance as it’s cheaper and get 12 for the year):
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker ; Narrator Edoardo Ballerini
It’s been a long time since a story held me breathless. At the end I thought to myself: “What did I just listen to??”
The scoop:
1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Muhammad Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the smalltown of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing.
When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake.
Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another.
A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession and the blinding light of hope.
Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell; multiple narrators (including Anna from Downtown!)
Jewell is the master of suspense. I’m always impressed with how she crafts new storylines!
Here’s the scoop:
Nina Swann is intrigued when she received a condolence card from Nick Radcliffe, an old friend of her late husband, who is looking to connect after her husband’s unexpected death. Nick is a man of substance and good taste. He has a smile that could melt the coldest heart and a knack for putting others at ease. But to Nina’s adult daughter, Ash, Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick’s past. What she finds is more than unsettling…
Martha is a florist living in a neighboring town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband, Alistair. But lately, Alistair has been traveling more and more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. When Martha questions him about his frequent absences, he always has a legitimate explanation, but Martha can’t share the feeling that something isn’t right.
Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course with a shocking truth that is far darker than anyone could have imagined. And all three are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: Don’t let him in. But the past won’t stay buried forever.
The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers; narrators: Ashley Flowers, Saskia Maarleveld
Ashley Flowers feeds my true crime podcast obsession! This moved slower than a podcast for me, but was good.
Nicole “Nic” Monroe is in a rut. At twenty-four, she lives alone in a dinky apartment in her hometown of Mishawaka, Indiana, she’s just gotten a DWI, and she works the same dead-end job she’s been working since high school, a job she only has because her boss is a family friend and feels sorry for her. Everyone has felt sorry for her for the last seven years—since the day her older sister, Kasey, vanished without a trace.
On the night Kasey went missing, her car was found over a hundred miles from home. The driver’s door was open and her purse was untouched in the seat next to it. The only real clue in her disappearance was Jules Connor, another young woman from the same area who disappeared in the same way, two weeks earlier. But with so little for the police to go on, both cases eventually went cold.
Nic wants nothing more than to move on from her sister’s disappearance and the state it’s left her in. But then one day, Jules’s sister, Jenna Connor, walks into Nic’s life and offers her something she hasn’t felt in a long time: hope. What follows is a gripping tale of two sisters who will do anything to find their missing halves, even if it means destroying everything they’ve ever known.
My Friends by Fredrik Backman; Marin Ireland narrator
I love this man’s writing. That is all.
Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.
Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.
Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she’ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art.
The House on the Water by Margot Hunt; Taylor Schilling narrator
This one is a novella, so I didn’t have to pay attention for too long lol.
From the author of Buried Deep comes a brand-new thriller about a summer vacation turned deadly and a group of friends trapped together until they can determine who among them is capable of murder.
Every year, Caroline Reed takes a trip with her best friend, Esme Lamont. They’re usually accompanied by their spouses – but this year, everything’s changed.
Esme has just gone through a bitter divorce, and Caroline is wondering if her own marriage is reaching its breaking point as she and her husband, John, cope with the discovery that their 19-year-old son has been abusing drugs. Still, the inseparable duo books a weeklong stay at a beach-front home in Shoreham, Florida, inviting Esme’s brother, Nick, and his new husband, Ford, in hopes that the additional guests will help lighten the mood.
After a blissful first night in the vacation home, tragedy strikes, and one of the houseguests is found dead. While it’s assumed at first to be a horrific accident, it quickly becomes clear that there’s something more sinister at play, and over the course of this fast-paced, deeply chilling novella, the potential motives of each guest are revealed – until a shocking conclusion is reached.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore; Saskia Maarleveld narrator
This one makes you say “Wow. Just wow.” when you finish it.
Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.
As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites listeners into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.
Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen; Barrire Kreinik narrator
I LOVE Rhys Bowen. Loved this one. Her stand alone HF stories are so delightful!
Surrey, England, 1938. After 30 devoted years of marriage, Ellie Endicott is blindsided by her husband’s appeal for divorce. It’s Ellie’s opportunity for change too. The unfaithful cad can have the house. She’s taking the Bentley. Ellie, her housekeeper Mavis, and her elderly friend Dora—each needing escape—impulsively head for parts unknown in the South of France.
With the Rhône surging beside them, they have nowhere to be and everywhere to go. Until the Bentley breaks down in the inviting fishing hamlet of Saint Benet. Here, Ellie rents an abandoned villa in the hills, makes wonderful friends among the villagers, and finds herself drawn to Nico, a handsome and enigmatic fisherman. As for unexpected destinations, the simple paradis of Saint Benet is perfect. But fates soon change when the threat of war encroaches.
Ellie’s second act in life is just beginning—and becoming an adventure she never expected.
I love Erika Robuck’s writing, so I was excited to get her new novel from Net Galley. This tells the story of Dickey Chapelle, an American female photojournalist who was active in the post-WWII to early Vietnam War years. I had never heard of her and found this story so interesting! She was intelligent, brave, intrepid, enterprising, and Robuck paints her as a very real person. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction with strong female protagonists.
Thank you for my copy!
Here’s the scoop:
From bestselling author Erika Robuck comes the perilous and awe-inspiring true story of award-winning photojournalist Dickey Chapelle as she risks everything to show the American people the price of war through the lens of her camera.
Manhattan, 1956.
Since her arrest for disobeying orders and going ashore at Iwo Jima almost a decade earlier, combat correspondent Georgette “Dickey” Chapelle has been unmoored. Her military accreditation revoked, her marriage failing, and her savings dwindling, Dickey jumps at an opportunity to work with an international refugee association—one with intelligence ties. In the aftermath of a refugee rescue that goes wrong, a flame is lit deep inside Dickey— to survive in order to be the world’s witness to war from the front lines.
Never content to report on battles unless her own boots are on the ground, Dickey and her camera journey with American and international soldiers from frozen wastelands, to raging seas, to luscious jungles, covering the plight of those suffering from humanity’s endless cycle of violence. Told in an alternating prose and epistolary format, The Last Assignment takes readers along on Dickey’s missions to the Hungarian Revolution, the Cuban Revolution, and the earliest days of the war in Vietnam, revealing one woman’s extraordinary courage and tenacity in the face of discrimination and danger.
And it’s along the way, in Dickey’s desire to save the world, she realizes she might also be saving herself.
I love Sarah Ackerman’s novels, so I was excited to get this new one (coming out in September 2025) through Net Galley. This tells three different stories that intertwine and are based on a historical event: the death of Mrs. Leland Stanford (of Stanford University).
I found this story so engaging and so fantastic that I had to do some research afterwards to see what had occurred in real life. I had never heard about this event before and found it fascinating. Historical fiction is such a great way to experience past events and other’s take on them. I highly recommend this one to those who enjoy historical fiction and historical mystery.
Here’s the scoop:
Description
From USA Today bestselling author Sara Ackerman comes a spellbinding dual-timeline novel set at Honolulu’s iconic Moana Hotel, where a real-life mysterious death in 1905 collides with a writer’s search for the truth one hundred years later. For fans of Ariel Lawhon and Fiona Davis
1905 As the mother of a university and a woman with an iron will, Jane Stanford has made her share of enemies. After a scare at her mansion in San Francisco and on the advice of her doctor, she flees to Honolulu and the fashionable new Moana hotel. But as fate would have it, the island is not as safe as it seems.
2005 Zoe Finch is a bestselling author who desperately needs a jump start on her next novel, and she makes a split decision to attend a writers’ conference at the Moana under an assumed name. As a storm brews offshore, she begins having nightmares that feel hauntingly real. Terrified, Zoe enlists the help of mystery writer Dylan Winters and, over the course of the week, races to uncover the shocking truth of what happened in the hotel one hundred years ago almost to the day.
1905 ‘Iliahi Baldwin’s life changes the moment she lands a job at the Moana. Newly hired and reeling from a tragic loss, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with the formidable Jane Stanford upon her arrival, which leaves young ‘Ili devastated when the unthinkable happens. ‘Ili knows things, but there are powerful people who need the truth to remain hidden, and to cross them could prove disastrous.
Inspired by the incredible true story of one of America’s most mysterious deaths, this is an unforgettable tale of betrayal and secrets that still echoes through the years.
More captivating stories from Sara Ackerman:
The Maui Effect
The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West
The Codebreaker’s Secret
Radar Girls
Red Sky Over Hawaii
The Lieutenant’s Nurse
Island of Sweet Pies & Soldiers
Thank you for my copy! Fun fact: I have stayed at the Moana! But I was not in Room 120.
I’m dishing today about the second Opal LaPlume mystery by Millicent Binks: Murder in Hollywood. I love a good historical cozy mystery and this one takes place on the set of a film. Opal reminds me a bit of Rhys Bowen’s Georgie Rannoch, and she falls into a murder mystery on one of her first days on set. Opal’s “voice” is rather humorous, with often-used “large” similes, and the pacing was quick, leaving this one to feel like a light read. That said, I did not guess who-dunnit! While this is the second in the series, it can be read as a stand alone.
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!
1934. Opal Laplume’s star is on the rise when she gets a job making costumes for Hollywood’s biggest talkie star, Jane Margeaux. But when Jane is fatally shot on set by a prop gun, and security guard Augusto finds a bullet missing from his pistol, it falls to Opal to save her favourite new friend from a wrongful murder accusation.
Opal soon discovers that Jane had a list of enemies as long as the train on her designer gown. Jane’s co-star Betty envied her rise to fame, but did her jealousy take a deadly turn? Jane’s loyal assistant Virginia was overworked and underpaid. Did she get Jane out of the way to get ahead at the studio? Or did Jane’s fortune-hunting husband Carey see an opportunity to inherit his wife’s jaw-dropping Sunset Boulevard mansion?
Just when Opal thinks she’s found her prime suspect, a crew member is found dead in the California desert with a briefcase stuffed full of movie scripts. And a close look at the director’s cut of Jane’s latest picture reveals a secret message hidden in plain sight. Soon, Opal will find that Jane was hiding the biggest secret in Hollywood – one truly worth killing for.Can Opal keep her English cool among the Tinseltown drama and crack the case before it’s a wrap for the entire crew?
Author Bio
Millicent is a writer, former costume designer and burlesque performer from Suffolk. She now resides in North London with her husband and two cats, Queenie and Tarquin.
She has a BA (Hons) at Wimbledon College of Art in Costume Interpretation. Her writing credits include a column in the The London Evening Standard about her life as a burlesque starlet. She wrote the cover story “Alter Shego’s” for The Sunday Times Magazine, in which she disguised herself as different women, took self-portraits, went out, introduced herself to random gentlemen and documented their reactions. This was optioned for TV by NBCUniversal.
I loved this sweet and touching novel, focusing on several main characters whose paths are inter-related. Each one has their own journey in this story and each one is what I can “perfectly imperfect”. This one is bound to be one of my favorite reads this summer. I’d love to see it made into a film!
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!
Here’s the scoop:
The Second Chance Bus Stop
Ally Zetterberg
On Sale Date: August 19, 2025
9780778387626
Trade Paperback
$18.99 USD
352 pages
ABOUT THE BOOK:
For fans of Frederik Backman and Phaedra Patrick, a heartfelt and moving multiple POV tale that follows Sophia, who’s trying to save her favorite uncle’s flower shop; Blade, a devoted son looking for his mother’s long lost love; and Edith, who’s trying to hold on to her memories for as long as she can, from Ally Zetterberg, author of The Happiness Blueprint.
Edith has Alzheimer’s. The idea that she might someday forget her son, her life, even herself plagues her constantly. So there is something important she must do before the disease robs her of her memories: she has to find Sven, the love of her life whom she was supposed to meet on a bus stop bench twenty-seven years ago and run off with, but he never showed.
Her son, Blade, is struggling to keep an eye on her, to keep her safe. His mother’s full-time caregiver, he resents the fact, if he’s being honest, that he gave up his career and most of his life to look after her. But what wouldn’t he do for his mother? Track down her decades old flame so that she has a chance to finally understand why he never showed all those years ago, before her mind fails her? Sure, he can do that.
Sophia is desperately trying to keep her business afloat. Her uncle — her favorite person in the world — left his flower shop to her and her brothers after he died, but she seems to be the only one interested in keeping it; they would rather sell. But she can’t let that happen, can’t let the memory of him and the times they shared fade away. All she has to do is land a big job, big enough to show her family not only is the business worth saving but she’s the one to do it. So when an opportunity comes along that takes her all over Sweden, she can’t say no.
They say life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. While Edith is desperately trying to hold on to her memories, she discovers friendship in a young woman who sits with her daily at the bus stop. While Blade is looking high and low all across Sweden for Sven, he learns to embrace his relationship with his mother more fully and see her for everything she is and is not. While Sophia is fighting to keep her uncle’s dream alive, she comes to terms with the way her parents treated her as a child, and the therapies forced upon her in response to her autism diagnosis. Life is happening all around them, and it’s a delight to watch these different stories unfold, to watch how their lives change, all while they were busy with something else. And much like with life, there’s so much good to be found in these pages.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ally Zetterberg is a British-Swedish writer. She spent ten years working internationally as a fashion model before becoming a full-time mum. Being neurodivergent herself and the mother of a child with Type 1 Diabetes, she is passionate about writing relatable characters and representing those living with medical conditions in commercial fiction. She speaks four languages and spends her days doing her best not to muddle them up.
‘If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’
Eve is clearing her father’s house when she finds an old cassette player and a box of tapes. Though grieving, she smiles at the spark of nostalgia.
One tape is labelled ‘Eve’ – in her mother, Angela’s, scrawled handwriting. She disappeared for good more than ten years ago.
The tape whirrs. A voice crackles. ‘My name is Angela’. Tears fill Eve’s eyes at the familiar voice, at the thought this message is just for her. But the next words make her heart pound.
‘If they say I’m missing, I’m not. If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’
Desperate for answers, Eve has no one left to ask – only a box of tapes that could lead to the truth. But the more she listens, the more she realises she can never go to the police…
Because Eve’s mother had her own secrets. But what if her killer is still out there? And what if Eve is next?
An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller that will have you racing through the pages late into the night! Anyone who loves Shari Lapena, John Marrs or Lisa Jewell will be totally addicted.
I really loved this mystery thriller; I think I was drawn to it because of my fixation on true crime and true crime podcasts. I found this one so engaging and perfectly paced. Wilkinson is an experienced writer, but this was the first novel I’ve read of his; I definitely will look for more!
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!
Author Bio:
Kerry Wilkinson is from the English county of Somerset but has spent far too long living in the north. It’s there that he’s picked up possibly made-up regional words like ‘barm’ and ‘ginnel’. He pretends to know what they mean.
He’s also been busy since turning thirty: his Jessica Daniel crime series has sold more than a million copies in the UK; he has written a fantasy-adventure trilogy for young adults; a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter and the standalone thriller, Down Among The Dead Men.
I’m on the blog tour today for a new psychological thriller that is SO twisty and SO fast-paced that it left me breathless! The twists and turns kept coming in this story and I couldn’t put it down. It’s the perfect summer escape!
Here’s the scoop:
We seem like perfect families. But our secrets must never come out…
I trust my best friend Lydia with my life. We share everything, even the things we can’t tell our husbands. So when we go on a beach holiday together, it’s a dream come true. One night, we treat ourselves to dinner on the beach with our husbands while our children sleep soundly in the cottage behind us.
But when I go to check on them, my entire world shatters. My son’s bed is empty, the window wide open, his favourite teddy left between the crumpled sheets. I stifle a scream as my worst nightmare comes true. My little boy is gone. It’s all my fault.
As the police question us, Lydia gives me a nervous look. She’s the only one who knows I’ll have to lie. Because there’s something about my son that not even my husband knows. And if anyone discovers the truth, they’ll never let me see my darling boy again.
No one can find out my secret. No one knows just how far I’ve gone to have the perfect family. And I will stop at nothing to get my son back…
A completely addictive thriller that will keep you flipping the pages into the early hours of the morning. Perfect for fans of Shalini Boland, Sue Watson and K.L. Slater.
Author Bio:
Renita grew up in a picturesque coastal village in the South of India, the oldest of three children. Her father got her first story books when she was six and she fell in love with the world of stories. Even now she prefers that world, by far, to this.
I’m excited today to give a shout-out to a new set of works by a woman with whom I have interacted in her role in the publishing world. The Amazon Author Formula, written by Penny Sansevieri, gives a guided overview to those who wish/plan/intend to self-publish their writing on Amazon. Personally I’ve been working on something (since COVID!) and I will take a look at these to help me self-publish!
Here’s the scoop:
Amazon may be the largest platform for books—but without the right metadata, positioning, and advertising, even the best titles can go unnoticed.
The Amazon Author Formula Workbook by Penny Sansevieri helps authors take control of their sales trajectory by breaking down the critical components of an optimized Amazon presence. With a full suite of guided worksheets, the workbook addresses pricing strategy, keyword relevance, category alignment, description writing, Amazon Ads setup, and more. It also includes tools to help authors track performance over time—turning marketing into a measurable, strategic habit. The included access code unlocks free printable versions of all worksheets, making it perfect for authors who want a tangible, repeatable planning system across formats and series.
Penny Sansevieri is a publishing veteran whose voice has become synonymous with smart, focused author marketing. AtAuthor Marketing Experts, she’s built a team dedicated to delivering tailored strategies that get results. Penny’s background includes everything from self-publishing and corporate PR to podcasting and course instruction—and her signature approach balances intuition with analytics. Her insights have helped authors land features in major outlets, climb bestseller charts, and, most importantly, build lasting reader relationships.
Beth's Book-Nook Blog 