Spotlight on: Jack London and Murder on Nob Hill by Ray M. Schultze

December 16, 2025December 9, 2025 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

Every answer has a cost—especially in a city where the truth is protected by those who fear it most.

A vanished crime sets the foundation for Jack London and Murder on Nob Hill by Ray M. Schultze, which begins in 1898 San Francisco as Jack London witnesses a murder denied by authorities. His search takes him beyond familiar territory and into districts where unrecorded disappearances and quiet negotiations define everyday life.

Jack’s attempt to understand the event leads him into places where boundaries between groups remain constantly under negotiation. Chinatown’s inner pathways reveal the presence of longstanding disputes and missing young women whose cases attract little official attention. A woman connected to these undercurrents complicates Jack’s efforts, offering direction while adding further uncertainty. As he observes how influence moves discreetly across these areas, he becomes increasingly aware of structures designed to avoid scrutiny. The narrative follows Jack’s efforts to connect the unexplained moment he witnessed to the larger tensions shaping the city’s internal networks.

Ray M. Schultze is the author of six novels, five of them works of suspense—The Last Safe Place, Combustion, The Devil in Dreamland, Decatur’s Dig, and Beranek’s Stand. His most recent novel, Russian River, is historical fiction. His interest in writing began in childhood with a handmade, folded-paper “magazine” that his mother encouraged. After graduating from the University of California at Riverside, he pursued newspaper reporting as a practical way to support himself while writing fiction. Over a twenty-five-year career, he covered politics, the legal system, and education for newspapers in California, Florida, and Arizona. When he turned to fiction full-time, he drew inspiration from authors such as Alan Furst and Ken Follett. Ray now lives in Santa Rosa, California, with his wife, Judi. They enjoy tennis, hiking, exploring the region’s beaches and headlands, and international travel—experiences that often shape his novels’ settings. He is also an award-winning woodworking artist. Visit him at his website.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/48AI8UB (not affiliated with BBNB)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244308185-jack-london-and-murder-on-nob-hill

Publisher: Ray M. Schultze

Publication date: December 2, 2025
Genre(s): Mystery, murder mystery, historical fiction, historical mystery, literary fiction, biographical fiction

Thank you to Melissa at Author Marketing Experts for sharing this tour information with me!

My Favorite Reads of 2025!

December 12, 2025 / drbethnolan / 1 Comment

It’s time for my yearly post of what were my favorite books of the year! (And how do you like that AI image I created. Read any of those? LOL!)

Here – in no particular order – are the books that I just did not want to end this year (interestingly, all can be considered Historical Fiction):

Finding Flora by Elinor Florence

Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen

The Harvey Girls by Juliette Fay

The Guest in Room 120 by Sarah Ackerman

The Last Assignment by Erika Robuck

and my favorite read of the year…..

Skylark by Paula McLain

I read many good books, but these ones were super memorable to me. I hope you enjoy them if you choose to check them out! (all were gotten through Net Galley)

Happy Reading in 2026!

Blog Tour for Murder on a Frosty Night by Verity Bright

December 12, 2025 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

I do love this series and this installment was a fun one to read while we were dealing with frosty weather ourselves, here in New England. Number 24 in the series, and yet the plots never get boring!

Here’s the scoop:

Wrapping presents and singing at midnight mass on a frosty night… Lady Swift is determined to enjoy Christmas at home this year, until another body turns up!

Winter 1925. Eleanor and Hugh are decking the halls for their first married Christmas together when butler Clifford arrives with a mysterious telegram. A lucrative case awaits their new detective agency… but in the most remote county in England. The note insists they must be there by midnight to accept the job.

After a snowy journey, they arrive at the tiny hamlet of Yorelow to find their client, Osmund Unwin, dead in the churchyard as midnight mass ends. They realise they are now in the absurd situation of having to solve the murder of their client – who they never met – to solve a case they know nothing about and officially never accepted!

There is very little festive goodwill to go around, as it seems half the village had a grudge against the rich man. Was it one of the Frisham sisters, owners of the tavern and rumoured to be in a love triangle with Unwin? Or perhaps his maid, who never had a nice thing to say about him?

When another body is found in the ruins of the castle overlooking the town, Eleanor is baffled. Clearly there’s more to this nightmare before Christmas than the gang first thought…

A totally unputdownable historical murder mystery set in an English village at Christmas, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Catherine Coles!

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.

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!

Harper-Collins Tour for The Time Hop Coffee Shop by Phaedra Patrick

December 7, 2025 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

This was such a fun novel to read – so clever and engaging. Main character Greta wants her life to be different and finds a way to do that by visiting a magical coffee shop that puts her into the coffee commercials that she used to star in long ago. The premise reminded me a bit of the movie Pleasantville (which I also love!). Greta needs to learn that she doesn’t need magic to find happiness, but can make her own magic. I was thinking that this would be a good Hallmark movie and I see that her previous novel was made into a Hallmark movie!

A fun read – thank you for having me as part of the tour and for my copy!

Here’s the “scoop” (pun intended!):

The Time Hop Coffee Shop

Phaedra Patrick

December 9, 2025

Park Row Books Paperback Original

Buy Links: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0778310906/keywords=magical%2Brealism

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-time-hop-coffee-shop-phaedra-patrick/1146709761

harpercollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-time-hop-coffee-shop-phaedra-patrick?variant=43812618010658

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-time-hop-coffee-shop-original-phaedra-patrick/22162824

Social Links:

Author Website: https://www.phaedra-patrick.com/

X: https://x.com/phaedrapatrick

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phaedrapatrick/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14203653.Phaedra_Patrick

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phaedrapatrick

Author Bio:

Phaedra Patrick is the bestselling author of several novels, including The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, which has been translated into twenty-five languages worldwide. Her second novel, Rise and Shine Benedict Stone, was made into a Hallmark movie. An award-winning short story writer, she previously studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organizer and communications manager. Phaedra lives in Saddleworth, UK, with her family.

Book Summary:

Greta Perks was once the shining star of the iconic Maple Gold coffee commercials, everyone’s favorite TV wife and mom. Now fame has faded, that once-glittering career a distant memory. Her marriage is on the rocks, her teenage daughter is distant, and she can’t even book any acting jobs.

When Greta stumbles upon a mysterious coffee shop serving a magical brew, she wishes for the perfect life in those past Maple Gold commercials. Next thing she knows, she’s waking up in the idyllic town of Mapleville, where the sun always shines and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and second chances fill the air. Given the opportunity to live the life she dreamed, Greta is determined to rewrite her own script. But can life ever be like a coffee commercial? And what will happen when Greta has to choose between perfection and real life, with no turning back?

Harper-Collins Blog Tour for NO ONE ABOARD by Emy McGuire

November 30, 2025November 25, 2025 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

So thrilled to be here today to dish about this mystery/thriller: No One Aboard by Emy McGuire. This was a mystery told in part in flashback. It was suspenseful and engaging. I did not figure it out!

Here’s the scoop:

No One Aboard

Emy McGuire

On Sale Date: December 2, 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The White Lotus meets Laura Dave’s The Last Thing He Told Me in this debut domestic mystery about a luxury sailboat found floating adrift in the ocean and the secrets of the missing family who set sail aboard it weeks before.

“No One Aboard is a riveting, astonishing debut, and Emy McGuire is an important new voice in fiction. I will read anything she writes!”

—Sarah Pekkanen, #1 New York Times bestselling author

At the start of summer, billionaire couple Francis and Lila Cameron set off on their private luxury sailboat to celebrate the high school graduation of their two beloved children.

Three weeks later, the Camerons have not been heard from, the captain hasn’t responded to radio calls, and the sailboat is found floating off the coast of Florida.

Empty.

Where are the Camerons? What happened on their trip? And what secrets does the beautiful boat hold?

Set over the course of their vacation and in the aftermath of the sailboat’s discovery, No One Aboard asks who is more dangerous to a family: a stormy ocean or each other?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

EMY MCGUIRE holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre/creative writing from New College of Florida. She has toured nationally in the Edgar Allan Poe Show, sailed from Rome to Antigua, and written everything from ocean thrillers to pirate musicals. She lives in Colorado.

Social Links:

Author website: https://www.emymcguire.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emy_mcguire/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emy.mcguire/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emymcguire?lang=en

Twitter: https://x.com/AuthorEmy

Buy Links: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/no-one-aboard-emy-mcguire/63fa7273f5ac1803

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-one-aboard-emy-mcguire/1146730882

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/No-One-Aboard-Emy-McGuire/dp/1525831623/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.f319inHNhLU1wAiH2KL7rg._adJBWlXQ3kfFOuKUfnOBW2-IByPb1JvDNEFXuI1f2U&qid=1738439567&sr=8-1

Thank you for my copy and happy reading!!

The Woman Downstairs by JD Kirk

November 29, 2025 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

Bookouture publishers in the UK always sends me the most tantalizing books! I love psychological thrillers and this was a great one.

Here’s the scoop:

‘Hi,’ she says, ‘I’m your new neighbour.’ Her smile is bright but her shoulders are tense as she stands on the leafy green Edinburgh street. She seems friendly. But soon I’ll discover her dangerous secret…

On the first day I meet my new neighbour, we share a glass of wine and talk into the night. We swap numbers and I vow to get to know her better. But as I get closer to her, I discover something about her past that changes everything. She isn’t who I thought she was.

Then when I step into her home, my jaw drops. Everything in here is identical to my own flat – every cushion, every picture on the wall.

Except for the knife, covered in blood. My heart pounds in my chest. What has she done? What is she capable of?

I should never have come here. I should never have got close to her. I need to run.

But then I hear a creak outside the door. And I realise, it may be too late…

An absolutely gripping psychological thriller from multi-million-copy, bestselling author JD Kirk. This book will have you flipping the pages until the final jaw-dropping twist! For anyone who loves Freida McFadden, John Marrs and T.M. Logan.

This was SO GOOD – I could not put it down!

Thank you for my review copy!!

Skylark by Paula McLain

November 28, 2025 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

Paula McLain is one of my favorite authors and her new novel did not disappoint. Coming out in January, it tells two stories of Paris, one from the 1600’s and one from WWII, and two sets of characters that work to resist the ones who try to take their freedoms away.

Here’s the scoop:

The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife weaves a mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below—where a woman’s quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor’s dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.

1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, who secretly dreams of escaping her circumstances and creating her own masterpiece. When her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette’s efforts to save him lead to her own confinement in the notorious Salpêtrière asylum, where thousands of women are held captive and cruelly treated. But within its grim walls, she discovers a small group of brave allies, and the possibility of a life bigger than she ever imagined.

1939: Kristof Larson is a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris, whose neighbors on the Rue de Gobelins are a Jewish family who have fled Poland. When Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof becomes their only hope for survival, even as his work as a doctor is jeopardized.

A spellbinding and transportive look at a side of Paris known to very few—the underground city that is a mirror reflection of the glories above—Paula McLain’s unforgettable new novel chronicles two parallel journeys of defiance and rescue that connect in ways both surprising and deeply moving.

About the Author:

Paula McLain is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, including The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun, and Love and Ruin, as well as two collections of poetry and a memoir. Her work has been published in over thirty-five countries, and featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Town & Country, Real Simple, and elsewhere.

Such a beautifully written story and so engaging! Definitely one of my top reads this year.

Thank you for my copy!

Bookouture Blog Tour for MURDER ON THE CLOCK by Lucy Connelly

November 14, 2025November 14, 2025 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

I was excited to receive a copy of the latest installment in the Mercy McCarthy Mysteries. Mercy and her twin sister run a bookshop in Ireland and are US transplants. I love these cozy mysteries and the characters in them!

Here’s the scoop on this one:

The town of Shamrock Cove is gearing up for a grand summer festival… but the fête turns fatal when a clockmaker is killed. Can amateur sleuth Mercy McCarthy crack the case?

When Mercy McCarthy takes her beloved mother’s watch to be fixed, she’s completely charmed by the little repair store and the father-and-son duo who run it. Little does she know that the clock is ticking… when she returns, she finds the father lying unconscious amid broken glass, and her mother’s watch is missing.

The police think Mr. Flynn was attacked in a burglary gone wrong but soon suspects closer to home start coming out of the clockwork. Mercy, her sister, and their canine sidekick, master body sniffer-outer Mr. Poe, set out to gather clues and help the local detective find the killer.

Could it be the family next door to the Flynns who’ve been feuding for decades? His fiercest rival, who’s long dreamed of shutting him down? Or was his son less devoted than he seemed? As the hours tick away, another murder and the discovery of a long-buried secret changes everything…

The summer festival is fast approaching. Can Mercy solve the mystery in the nick of time, or will someone stop her clock?

A completely charming and page-turning Irish cozy mystery. Fans of Agatha Christie, Carlene O’Connor and Faith Martin will absolutely love the Mercy McCarthy series!

About the Author:

Bestselling author Candace Havens has published more than 25 books. Her novels have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion, Write Touch Reader Awards and National Reader’s Choice Awards. She is a Barbara Wilson Award winner. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. Candace runs a free online writing workshop for more than 2000 writers and teaches comprehensive writing classes. She does film reviews with Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3 KSCS, and is a former President of the Television Critics Association.

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!

Bookouture Blog Tour for MURDER MOST BRITISH by Helena Dixon

November 11, 2025November 13, 2025 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

I truly enjoy this “Secret Detective Agency” series, so I was thrilled to be part of the blog tour for the latest installment, Murder Most British.

Here’s the scoop:

Big Ben chiming in the distance, chilly walks along the river Thames, cocktails at the Ritz… and a government secretary dead? Only Jane Treen can solve the case!

London, 1941. Miss Jane Treen is faced with another mysterious disappearance within her Secret Detective Agency’s team. Tabitha Moore, a government typist, was on her way to meet Jane with vital information about some secret codes. But she didn’t turn up for work and has seemingly vanished without trace. Then Jane and her colleague, handsome codebreaker Arthur Cilento, receive a call: a body has been found, and it matches Tabitha’s description…

It quickly becomes clear that Tabitha’s death was not due to ongoing air raids on the city: the silk scarf tied tightly around her neck suggests otherwise. The prime suspect is Tabitha’s fiancé Leo Cavendish, a dashing government official, but there are plenty of others with a motive too. Jane and Arthur scrutinise those around Tabitha at work and at home, including a charming newsreader reporting on government affairs, a jealous pianist in love with Leo, and a known womaniser and gambler fond of causing trouble.

Together, Jane, Arthur and her fluffy ginger cat Marmaduke hole up in her London townhouse, with black coffee in plentiful supply and a roaring fire in the grate. But just as they begin to piece together the puzzle, someone else is found dead. It’s clear they need to step up and catch the killer on the loose in the big smoke, before it’s their turn next…

If you love twisty crime novels, top-secret intrigue and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Helena Dixon’s totally gripping cozy novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright!

Here’s a bit about Helena Dixon:

Helena Dixon is a Black Country woman living in Devon. Married to the same man for over forty years she has three daughters, two grandsons, a cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and housework. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 and Love Story of the Year 2010 as Nell Dixon. She now writes historical 1930’s and 40’s set cozy crime. Helena enjoys hearing from readers and you can read her news and contact her via her website, visit her blog, find her on Twitter/X @NellDixon and friend her on Facebook or follow her on instagram or Threads.

I think I love this series so much because it, in part, reminds me of the Maggie Hope series by Susan MacNeal. I always love a plucky, intelligent heroine!

Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

HTP Blog Tour for OTHERWISE ENGAGED by Susan Mallery

November 7, 2025 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

I don’t read many books like this, but this one appealed to me. It was laugh-out-loud funny for me in parts, and serious and touching in others. I enjoyed the main characters and the storylines. Susan Mallery is a fairly prolific writer and she can make characters come alive as they are so realistic and relatable.

Thank you for my copy and for having me on the tour!

Here’s the scoop:

Otherwise Engaged

Susan Mallery

Fiction / Family Life / Siblings

368 pages

About the Book:

A twisty, tender and wise look at how secrets can transform the powerful—and sometimes problematic—bond between mothers and daughters, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.

When Shannon gets engaged, her beloved mom, Cindy, is the first person she wants to tell—and the last. Cindy’s engaged, too, and has already hinted at a double wedding. The image of a synchronized bouquet toss with her mom fills Shannon with horror. She’ll keep her engagement a secret until Cindy’s I-dos are done.

Victoria has never been proper enough for her mother, Ava, so she stopped trying. She lives on her own terms and amuses herself by pushing Ava’s buttons. Ava loves but doesn’t understand her stuntwoman daughter. When a movie-set mishap brings Victoria home, Ava longs to finally connect.

Chance brings the four women together at a wedding venue, where a shocking secret comes tumbling out. Twenty-four years ago, desperate teenager Cindy chose wealthy Ava to adopt her baby—then changed her mind at the very last second. The loss rocked Ava’s world, leaving her unable to open her heart to the daughter she did adopt, Victoria. As Shannon and Victoria deal with the fallout from the decisions their mothers made, they wrestle with whether who they are is different than who they might have become.

About the Author:

SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that shape women’s lives―family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree―40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live. She’s passionate about animal welfare, which shows in the many quirky animal characters she has created. Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband and adorable poodle. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.

Social Links:

Website: https://susanmallery.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanMallery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/susanmallery

Instagram: https://instagram.com/susanmallery

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/susanmallery/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/susanmallery

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-mallery

Mailing List: https://susanmallery.com/join-mailing-list.php

Buy Links: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0778387267

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/otherwise-engaged-susan-mallery/1146329150?ean=9780778387268