Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Under the Ice ( DCI Jansen 1) in Books
May 8, 2024
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Under the Ice ( DCI Jansen 1)
By Rachael Blok
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It is the week before Christmas and the cathedral city of St Albans is blanketed by snow. But beneath the festive lights, darkness is stirring. The frozen body of a young girl is discovered by the ice-covered lake.
The police scramble for clues. A local woman, Jenny, has had visions of what happened the night of the murder. But Jenny is an exhausted new mother, whose midnight wanderings pull her ever closer to the lake. Can Jenny be trusted? What does she really know?
Then another girl goes missing, and the community unravels. Neighbour turns against neighbour, and Jenny has no idea who to believe. As Christmas Eve approaches, Jenny discovers a secret about her past – and why she could be key to everything...
This was pretty good I didn’t see that killer coming at all! It’s heartbreaking as a parent I couldn’t imagine going through this. Well written the characters are relatable the only one I had issues with was Will he was good at gaslighting his wife.
Really decent read.
The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper
10.0
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Beatlemania is back and better than even in this revised second edition. Former teen idol Sandy...
Rise of The Unicorn
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Augustus 'Gus' Martin is an embattled LAPD negotiator. Months after suffering a significant blow to...
Mystery Suspense Thriller Psychological Fiction African-American Mystery
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Listening Woman in Books
Aug 24, 2024
I wasn’t surprised when the various cases Joe was investigating played into this case, but I did feel like things were a little unfocused early on. Still, everything came together well, and the last third is a page turning thriller. While I like Joe, we still know very little about him or his personal life. Likewise, the rest of the cast isn’t fully developed, but they are real enough given the page time they have. I do appreciate how Joe balances the Navajo myths versus the reality of police work. It’s easy to see why these books are so well loved, and I’m glad I’ve picked them up.
The Glass Bottom Hoax
8.0
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Cruising Caprice! Madison Night has a reputation for excellence in mid-century modern decorating,...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated The Glass Bottom Hoax in Books
Sep 26, 2024
It was fun to go on this cruise with Madison and Tex. Naturally, we didn’t see as much of the regular characters, but the new characters did help fill in the gaps. Plus, we got to see some growth in Madison and Tex and their relationship. The plot starts strongly. I felt like part of it was a bit of a stretch, but it still mostly worked for me. Likewise, one of the Easter eggs for Doris Day fans was a stretch, but there are some other fun ones. Really, fun is the overall word for this entry in the series. If you are already a fan, you’ll want to book passage on this entry soon.
The Gardener’s Plot
5.0
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A woman helps set up a community garden in the Berkshires, only to find a body in one of the plots...
Wedding Bride and Doom
5.0
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California wedding planner, Kate Ludlow, moves back home to New England after her marriage implodes....
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated I’ll Bee Home for Christmas in Books
Dec 24, 2024
It was fun to get a Christmas themed entry in this series, and the nods to the season were fun. I did feel like the food themed got in the way of the mystery a bit, leading to some rushed elements in the book. However, there are still some interesting twists and a logical climax. We also get some great development for the characters and the arcs that we’ve been following. The fun and laughs from the earlier books are present again here. And we have lots of honey themed recipes at the end to make your moth water. Fans will enjoy this sweet entry in the series.
ClareR (5996 KP) rated This Is Why We Lied in Books
Sep 24, 2025
This is like the outdoor version of a closed room mystery - all of the suspects are on site. Yet still I was left completely flummoxed. The backstory of some of the characters adds to the confusion and explains a lot!
TIWWL is pretty gruesome, and covers subjects of sexual assault of far too many of the main characters, drug addiction and domestic violence. Karin Slaughter never shies away from these topics. This isn’t for the faint-hearted.
Nevertheless, I loved it. But when will Will and Sarah manage to have a stress free honeymoon?! 🤷🏼♀️