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Player Elimination
Player Elimination
Shelly Jones | 2025 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Who Eliminated Wren’s Landlord?
Wren Winters is running the game story she and her late husband started in a small college town. Her biggest issue is her landlord, who is talking about doing something new with her building despite the fact that he uses the game store to try out new solo games himself. But one morning she arrives at the store to find the police there. Someone has murdered her landlord. But who?

I’ve gotten back into games the last couple of years, so I was hoping this would be a good cozy mystery with that theme. Sadly, it needed just a bit more. There is one character who uses they/them pronouns that I found distracting, but that’s probably mostly on me. Overall, the characters were a little flat. The mystery was uneven, although the ending was good. Even the games Wren and her friends played didn’t give us the details I was hoping to enjoy. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll continue this series.
  
The Sunshine Man
The Sunshine Man
Emma Stonex | 2025 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Sunshine Man is set in two timelines: 1989 and 1971.

In 1989, Bridie prepares to find and shoot the man, Jimmy Maguire, that murdered her sister upon his release from prison. She follows him as he’s picked up from the prison gates by his daughter, and as she drives him to old haunts and to visit his family.

In 1971, Jimmy and Providence are good friends. Jimmy and his family are outcasts, undesirables, always in trouble with the police. Providence can see beyond this with Jimmy.

This is such a sad story of family in all its guises (good and bad), revenge and redemption.

The Sunshine Man is a slow burn, but I found it worthwhile. I really got to know the characters, whether I really wanted to or not. Some were distinctly unpleasant people, but the motivations for their actions, whilst not excusable, were explained. I certainly won’t be forgetting this book in a hurry.