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A Daughter's Choice (The Heart of the Amish #10)
A Daughter's Choice (The Heart of the Amish #10)
Kelly Irvin | 2025 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
We meet Henrietta. And her family is somewhat mentioned at the beginning of this book. We also met her dad. A new veterinary assistant has come to check on the Millers' horse, Jack. Could there be a romance in the making as Nickloas and his sister come to town to help their grandfather?

We also meet Rosy, and she is seeing someone special, who is a friend. Will they get married or not? But this book seems centered on Hen, short of Henrietta. But Will Nickolas and Henrietta happen to fall in love? Bylers need some help and some friends in the area. Will Leorna find love for what she does, and will Nickolas find love with the fiery girl?

Leorna wants to make some friends in the new area, and Hen may be one of them. Is there a reason for Hen's father to be so disappointed or harsh with his oldest daughter?

We see Nickolas cross paths with Hen quite a bit. But will they seem to understand each other?
Adam thinks he knows what's best for his daughter, Heneretta. But does know her. Or does he think he knows Hen and make her happy?
Hen seems to be missing her mom, and she seems to be clashing with her father.
  
An Invitation to Mystery (Deep Creek Detectives Club)
An Invitation to Mystery (Deep Creek Detectives Club)
Lauren Carr | 2026 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
We learn that a few couples have been invited to the Spencer Inn. But why? What only a few select members.

This brought together all my favorite characters for marking. If you haven't read any of the series by Lauren Carr, you are missing out. Each series is done wonderfully. I have a favorite from each. Once again, they came together for a mysterious gathering.

Will they solve it together, or won't they? What mayhem will the dogs get into?

What lovely adventures and discussions await? Will couples enjoy themselves and make friends? Will there be more of these detective clubs gathering in the future? Can they figure out the clues and put them together, and give the caption some peace of mind?
They seem to be talking about a case while enjoying some downtime. They all seem to be getting frustrated, angry, and tearing each other apart over it. It seems there are no clues.

Did Doris give one because the murderer had shared a grapefruit with someone?

But maybe Jessica found a break in the case as to how Emily Bennett had a Ska slip scarf that was Charlotte's?

Will they find out how Emily got the silk scarf? Will it lead to more clues?
  
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ClareR (6106 KP) rated Love Forms in Books

Mar 8, 2026  
Love Forms
Love Forms
Claire Adams | 2025 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Love Forms was an enjoyable read - I liked it. It looks at the complex feelings Dawn has in the search for her daughter that she gave cup at birth. She now has two adult sons who are aware of their older sister, but Dawn still feels as though something, or someone, is missing.

She seems to have given up many things in her life all for the benefit of others. Giving up her daughter was to stop the scandal for her family; she gave up her career for the benefit of her marriage (it didn’t work) and her children. Being a doctor at the time was incompatible with motherhood for her.

This is a very melancholic read: Dawn appears to be lonely now her children have grown up and moved away. Her time is taken up with thoughts of her past, missed opportunities, and the search for her daughter. She has had failed attempts to find her daughter, and it sounds as though there were financial repercussions as well. There’s no mention of friends, as far as I can remember, just one male friend with benefits.

Should this have been on the Booker long list 2025 and now on the Women’s Prize long list? Why not, it’s an enjoyable, if rather sombre read.
  
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
8
7.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sherlock Holmes DIDN'T die at The Reichenbach Falls.

That's despite his creator (Arthur Conan Doyle) getting fed up with writing about him, and (supposedly) killing him off at that location during The Adventure of the Final Problem - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story.

You do have to wonder, however, just how dedicated to that decision he was as he left himself an 'out' ("Holmes body was never found"), finally succumbing to public demand - and a boat load of money - to resurrect the character roughly 10 years after he had been killed off (with the earlier-set The Hound of the Baskervilles being released in the interim period).

This, then, is another collection of short stories, with the collection I read including:

"The Adventure of the Empty House"
"The Adventure of the Norwood Builder"
"The Adventure of the Dancing Men"
"The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist"
"The Adventure of the Priory School"
"The Adventure of Black Peter"
"The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton"
"The Adventure of the Six Napoleons"
"The Adventure of the Three Students"
"The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez"
"The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter"
"The Adventure of the Abbey Grange"
"The Adventure of the Second Stain"

As before, thoroughly enjoyable all!
  
Home is Where the Murder Is
Home is Where the Murder Is
Rosalie Spielman | 2023 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Was the Victim a Missing Relative?
Tessa Treslow is settling into her hometown in Idaho after retiring from the Army. She’s happy to be back for Pioneer Days, a local festival to celebrate the founding of her town. But the weekend takes a turn when a stranger shows up claiming to be the long-lost cousin of Tessa’s best friend, Freddie. Then the woman is murdered with all evidence pointing to Freddie. Tessa knows her friend didn’t do this, but can she prove it?

I was happy to get to revisit these characters, and this book didn’t disappoint. Several of the characters were more fully developed, which I appreciated. And I enjoyed seeing the quirky characters again. The mystery might have started a little slowly, but the further I went, the more I was hooked until I struggled any time I had to put it down. The climax answered all my questions. I appreciate how Tessa’s time in the army is handled and the fact that Tessa is middled aged. It’s nice to see some variety in main characters. If you are looking for another cozy series to add to your reading list, you need to check this one out.
  
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ClareR (6106 KP) rated The Surf House in Books

Feb 22, 2026  
The Surf House
The Surf House
Lucy Clarke | 2025 | Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Surf House is an entertaining, fast moving, atmospheric thriller, and really doesn’t do many favours for the Moroccan tourist board. Bea is attacked in an alleyway after she decides to leave her modelling set in Marrakesh, and when a woman comes to her rescue, the unthinkable happens.

Bea is invited to The Surf House to hide out and gather her thoughts, and it seems idyllic. The descriptions of the sea, surfers and the beach almost made me want to learn how to surf somewhere hot (almost). But at the same time, it’s clear that there’s something else going on. Something rotten. When Bea finds out that a young woman went missing a year ago, she starts to notice more things that don’t seem right.

There are so many twists, turns and dead ends that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I did find myself wanting to shout at her to just leave - I was so frustrated! She is pretty naive. But this is so well written and evocative of the setting and Bea’s feelings when she feels trapped and scared (and she feels those things a lot!), that I can forgive her naivety!

Ideal for those who enjoy a good thriller!