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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2611 KP) rated Dark Sacred Night in Books

Aug 7, 2025

Dark Sacred Night

Michael Connelly | 2018 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller

8.0

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

I Sense the Beginning of a Beautiful Partnership

It all starts one night when Ballard catches Bosch breaking into the file cabinets in the Hollywood police station. While he claims he is feeling nostalgic for his old case files, she doesn’t believe him. Some investigating on her own leads Ballard to the conclusion that Bosch is working on a case involving a teen who was murdered and left in an alley dumpster over 10 years before and she gets herself involved in the case. Will the two of them solve this cold case together?

I knew this team up was coming, and I enjoyed it now that I finally got here. The main case was set up in the previous Bosch novel, and I enjoyed seeing the follow through. It kept me entertained, although I did feel like Ballard was a little stupid at the end. The book splits time between both characters, so we get to see what is going on in both of their individual lives. We also get some individual cases the two are solving, although again, Ballard’s seem to get a little short shifted. Still, I enjoyed this first team up and am looking forward to more.

Kudos

Death on the Causeway

Caleb Wygal

5.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Clark Thomas has a lot on his plate. A new book. A beautiful woman far from home. A missing fiancé....

Julia

Sandra Newman

8.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

London, chief city of Airstrip One, the third most populous province of Oceania. It’s 1984 and...

Retelling Feminism

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2611 KP) rated Whine and Dine in Books

Jan 7, 2026

Whine and Dine

Marc Jedel | 2025 | Mystery

5.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Not Much Better Than the First

It’s been a few months since Andy Shirley solved a murder in his new community of Monte Rio. Now, it’s October, and Andy has settled into his new life a little. He’s still trying to avoid making friends, so when the owner of a souvenir shop in town is found dead in her shop, he doesn’t intend to get involved. That is until the young woman who handles his plumbing, someone he’s become friendly with, begs him to get involved. It seems the police think her friend, who works at the store, is guilty. Can Andy figure out what happened?

I found the first just okay, and I was hoping some of those issues were just set up and the second would be smoother. Sadly, that didn’t happen. There is just a bit too much going on, which meant the mystery was choked out. The suspects could have been stronger. The climax, while answering all our questions, wasn’t enjoyable. Unfortunately, Andy still hasn’t thawed at all either. I do love the setting, since I grew up near there. And the puns are always welcome. I’m not sure that these will be enough to compel me to read any further in the series.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2611 KP) rated The Queen of Poisons in Books

Feb 18, 2026

Who Poisoned the Mayor?

This new case starts when Suzie Harris goes to a planning meeting. She just wants to get the lay of the land since she has a new side hustle she is going to need the board’s approval for before she can start. But, to everyone’s horror, the mayor keels over dead just as the meeting is starting. Suzie quickly calls her friends Judith Potts and Becks Starling. With the newly promoted Tanika Malik’s grudging approval, the trio start trying to figure out just how the killer managed to poison the mayor. But everyone they talk to say he was a great guy. Who would want him dead?

There are a few things that don’t quite work with how the police would normally behave or how long test results take, but I don’t mind. That’s because I’m having fun along the way. The three leads are fun, and I’m smiling or laughing through much of the book. The plot is another good puzzle with credible suspects. I thought I had things figured out a couple of times, but I was impressed with how the clues had been layered in. The climax was a bit over the top, but it answered most of our questions. I’m hoping to get to the next soon.