Waiting on Wednesday - Austen At Sea

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I love doing this, letting the 'word' spread about authors and series that I enjoy.   Hope you'll stop by often and see what I'm 'waiting' on!

I'm back to share a book that I am excited about that's coming in May.  It's a historical fiction tale and I have enjoyed another book by Natalie Jenner - The Jane Austen Society.  I had a good time discussing that one with a historical fiction book group that I was part of in 2022.  Talked about it here.  I do love Jane Austen's work and I almost always like books that are inspired by her books.  I find that these historical fiction authors usually educate me with their story and also the research that they have done regarding their topic.  This book also has some other familiar names included in the characters.  Have you read any of Natalie Jenner's stories?  If so, what did you think?  Does this one sound like something you would like?

Austen At Sea

by Natalie Jenner

Publication Date:  May 6th

Two pairs of siblings, devotees of Jane Austen, find their lives transformed by a visit to England and Sir Francis Austen, her last surviving brother and keeper of a long-suppressed, secret legacy.

In Boston, 1865, Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson, daughters of a Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice, have accomplished as much as women are allowed in those days. Chafing against those restrictions and inspired by the works of Jane Austen, they start a secret correspondence with Sir Francis Austen, her last surviving brother, now in his nineties. He sends them an original letter from his sister and invites them to come visit him in England.

In Philadelphia, Nicholas & Haslett Nelson—bachelor brothers, veterans of the recent Civil War, and rare book dealers—are also in correspondence with Sir Francis Austen, who lures them, too, to England, with the promise of a never-before-seen, rare Austen artifact to be evaluated.

The Stevenson sisters sneak away without a chaperone to sail to England. On their ship are the Nelson brothers, writer Louisa May Alcott, Sara-Beth Gleason—wealthy daughter of a Pennsylvania state senator with her eye on the Nelsons—and, a would-be last-minute chaperone to the Stevenson sisters, Justice Thomas Nash.

It's a voyage and trip that will dramatically change each of their lives in ways that are unforeseen, with the transformative spirit of the love of literature and that of Jane Austen herself.

I attended a great author event - meet Sherry Thomas

 

I mentioned last week that I had purchased a ticket to an author event that would be held at a library in my area.  The Friends of the Georgetown Public Library do a great job of raising money.  One of their really fun ways is called The Hill Country Authors Series.  Local authors are invited to come and talk about their works.  Tickets are sold, but all the proceeds go to the library.  There's snacks served and the author will sign books as well.  Sherry Thomas was part of that and in May of this year Lynda Rutledge will be speaking.  Jeff Abbott will be the fall speaker.  I've linked to all their websites so you can see what these authors write.  I'm going to try to attend both these next two events as well.

Sherry Thomas is the author of the Lady Sherlock mystery series that now has 8 books.  I've read and enjoyed 7 of them and got a signed copy of the 8th book, A Ruse of Shadows.  I also picked up a signed copy of the first book in the series, A Study In Scarlet Women.  I've really enjoyed this author's 'tweaking' of the Sherlock Holmes story.  Thomas started out writing historical romance novels and she's also done a few YA books as well.  

Sherry was quite interesting to listen to as she shared her life story and how she became a writer.  She was born in China and came to the US when she was 13.  She told us of learning English partly through reading historical romances.  She's won two awards from the Romance Writers of America.  After writing several romances, she said she decided to try a mystery.  She was partly inspired to change up the Sherlock story a bit by reading books by Laurie R. King who writes the Russell and Holmes series.  She said that she also had watched 'Elementary', the TV series where 'Watson' became 'Joan Watson'.  Why couldn't Sherlock be a woman as well?  And Charlotte Holmes and Mrs. Watson were 'born'.

Sherry got lots of questions at the end of her most interesting talk and I was able to ask whether there would be a 9th book in the Lady Sherlock series - 'YES' was the answer.  She's working on it now.  However prior to that, she's got a book entitled 'The Librarians' coming out at the end of September.  No cover to show as yet.  However, there is something a little fun about this one (and I'll post the description below for you guys to read).  Sherry said she was asked by her publisher to write the book.  It is set in Austin, TX, at a small branch library and murder happens.  There are four 'quirky' librarians who try to solve the mystery.  Guess what branch Sherry has used as inspiration for her story - well, it's the branch that I used to work at and also volunteered for many years.  It's the branch where our mystery book group meets.  Is that 'cool' or what??  Definitely will be checking this one out.  

I had a great time and please do see what you think about 'The Librarians' description below.  Have you read any of Sherry Thomas's books?  Check them out!!

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The Librarians by Sherry Thomas - Publication Date at this time - September 30, 2025

Murder disrupts the peaceful, predictable daily routine of life for four quirky librarians who must protect their life-altering secrets in the first contemporary mystery from USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas.

Sometimes a workplace isn’t just a workplace but a place of safety, understanding, and acceptance. And sometimes murder threatens the sanctity of that beloved refuge....

In the leafy suburbs of Austin, Texas, a small branch library welcomes the public every day of the week. But the patrons who love the helpful, unobtrusive staff and leave rave reviews on Yelp don’t always realize that their librarians are human, too.

Hazel flees halfway across the world for what she hopes will be a new beginning. Jonathan, a six-foot-four former college football player, has never fit in anywhere else. Astrid tries to forget her heartbreak by immersing herself in work, but the man who ghosted her six months ago is back, promising trouble. And Sophie, who has the most to lose, maintains a careful and respectful distance from her coworkers, but soon that won't be enough anymore.

When two patrons turn up dead after the library’s inaugural murder mystery–themed game night, the librarians’ quiet routines come crashing down. Something sinister has stirred, something that threatens every single one of them. And the only way the librarians can save the library—and themselves—is to let go of their secrets, trust one another, and band together....

All in a day’s work.     

Waiting on Wednesday - How To Seal Your Own Fate

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I love doing this, letting the 'word' spread about authors and series that I enjoy.   Hope you'll stop by often and see what I'm 'waiting' on!

I am indeed excited about this week's book.  It's the second in a series and our mystery book group read and discussed the first book last month.  It was a popular book with the group and we had a great discussion.  Gayle, our group leader, shared her thoughts on the book here.  There were a lot of characters plus two timelines and some found it a bit hard to keep everyone straight - one member made a list and brought it to the meeting.  It was very helpful as we talked about the story, the characters, and did anyone guess the killer (some came close).  Kristen Perrin, the author, has written several YA books.  How To Solve Your Own Murder is her first adult book.  I liked the story quite a bit.  Was a lovely puzzle.  And I'll definitely be reading book #2.  See what you think with the blurb below.  Interested??

How To Seal Your Own Fate

by Kristen Perrin

Publication Date:  April 29th

Kristen Perrin is back with the second novel in her Castle Knoll series. Annie Adams is caught in a new web of murder that spans decades, returning us to the idyllic English village that holds layers of secrets.

Present day: Annie Adams is just settling into life in Castle Knoll when local fortune teller Peony Lane crosses her path and shares a cryptic message. When Peony Lane is found dead only hours later inside the locked Gravesdown Estate, Annie quickly realizes that someone is out to make her look guilty while silencing Peony at the same time. Annie has no choice but to delve into the dark secrets of Castle Knoll in order to find out just what Peony Lane was trying to warn her about, before the new life she’s just begun to build comes crashing down around her.

1967: A year has passed since her friend Emily disappeared, and teenage Frances Adams finds herself caught between two men. Ford Gravesdown is one of the only remaining members of a family known for its wealth and dubious uses of power. Archie Foyle is a local who can’t hold down a job and lives above the village pub. But when Frances teams up with Archie to investigate the car crash that claimed the lives of Ford's family, it quickly becomes clear that this was no accident—hints of cover-ups, lies, and betrayals abound. The question is, just how far does the blackness creep through the heart of Castle Knoll? When Frances uncovers secrets kept by both Ford and Archie, she starts to wonder: What exactly has she gotten herself into?  

February's here...reading and an upcoming author event that I'm looking forward to...

Happy February everyone!  Hope the weather is good in your area - wherever that may be.  I know that some like winter and some like summer and our area can't seem to figure out which season it wants to be in.  Ha!  We had a record high temp on Saturday (like 86 or something like that) and today will be a high of 55 and it will be lower later in the week.  All I know is that we're supposed to get a bit of rain (good thing!) and the pollen is changing, changing, changing.  

My reading has been going well.  I'm still trekking down the list of the Ruth Galloway mysteries, written by Elly Griffiths.  I have now finished #7 (The Ghost Fields), #8 (The Woman In Blue), and #9 (The Chalk Pit).  I'm in the middle of the 10th book, The Dark Angel.  It's quite interesting, partly because the setting is out of Ruth's Norfolk area as she takes a working vacation to Italy.  If you are a series reader, have you noticed that sometimes taking the protagonist out of their usual venue will add a little spice to the story?  I know that some don't like changes in the setting, but I've found that some authors do a good job of this.  Anyway, I'm enjoying this one.  I had written about it before here on the blog.  You can take a look at that review if you are interested.  I suspect I am just going to meander my way on through the other 5 books in the series while adding a book or two in between possibly (like my next Mystery Book Group selection).

I did read one other book a week or so back.  It was David Bell's The Finalists.  I had read another book or two by this author and liked them.  This one was OK, but it likely wouldn't be my favorite.  The book had been compared to Christie's And Then There Were None, which might give you an idea of how the story would be told.  Six college students competing for a scholarship, locked in a secluded building on campus for the event.  One dies, another dies, etc.  It was a bit slow moving for what I was prepared for at that time.  I always hesitate to write a negative review because each of us comes to a story in our own way and with our own perspective.  Anyway, it won't keep me from reading another book by the author and I think I have at least one on my Kindle.

I am excited about one more thing this week - an author event that I've bought a ticket to for Thursday afternoon.  It's Sherry Thomas, the author of the Lady Sherlock mystery series.  There are now 8 books in the series and I've read 7 of them.  Sherry Thomas will be speaking at a local library and signing the 8th book, A Ruse Of Shadows.  This book was a 'Waiting on Wednesday' pick of mine last year here.  I have really enjoyed this series and will come back after the event with a picture or two and tell about what she shared.  

Hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day!      

Waiting on Wednesday - The Killing Stones

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.

I love the cover on this week's book by Ann Cleeves.  I've mentioned before that I am a big fan of this author's Vera Stanhope series - both in print and TV adaptations.  I've also read her Matthew Venn series and watched the TV adaptation.  I think there are 3 books featuring Matthew and a single TV season.  I have also watched and loved the Shetland TV adaptation, but here's a little secret...I've yet to read a single Shetland book that features DI Jimmy Perez.  Not sure why, just hasn't happened yet.  There are 8 Shetland books and the last one was written in 2018.  It told of Jimmy leaving Shetland for another area and I'm sure he has been missed by readers of those books.  Well, apparently Ann Cleeves has missed Jimmy as well.  Her website says that this is a Jimmy Perez standalone, set in the islands of Orkney.  I'm excited about it and think I might have enough time to read the Shetland books before the end of September.  Have you read any books by Ann Cleeves or watched any of the TV shows?  Tell us if you have.  

The Killing Stones

by Ann Cleeves

Publication Date:  September 30th

The Killing Stones marks the eagerly awaited return of Ann Cleeves' beloved detectives from the Shetland series, and a gripping new investigation with a stunning new setting, from the New York Times bestselling author and creator of three iconic detectives beloved in TV and print: DI Jimmy Perez (the Shetland series), DI Vera Stanhope, and DI Matthew Venn (The Long Call).

It's been several years since Detective Jimmy Perez left Shetland. He has settled into his new home in Orkney, the group of islands, off the northern coast of Scotland, with his partner Willow Reeve and their growing family. One stormy winter night, his oldest and closest friend, Archie Stout, goes missing. Ever the detective, Perez catches a boat to the island of Westray, where Archie worked as a farmer and lived with his wife and children.

But when he arrives he finds a shocking scene: Archie's body, on an archaeological dig site and an ancient Westray story stone with precise spirals carved into it beside him, the clear murder weapon. The artifact, taken from a nearby museum, seems to suggest a premediated murder.

But Perez is so close to the case that he struggles to maintain an objective distance from the potential suspects. He finds it difficult to question Archie's wife, whom he's known for years. Rumors swirl about the dead man's relationship with a young woman new to the island, an artist. With each new lead, the case becomes more twisted and Perez wonders if he will ever find out what happened in his friend's final days.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Woman in Suite 11

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.

This week's book is by Ruth Ware, an author who writes books that I've enjoyed for several years.  Ruth Ware's books are normally standalones, but the one I'm talking about this week features the return of a character from a previous book.  Lo Blacklock was the protagonist in Ware's The Woman In Cabin 10.  I read that one in 2017 and talked about it here.  Set on a cruise ship, the Cabin 10 book featuring Lo Blacklock, a travel journalist, was quite the page turner.  This new book brings Lo back and sends her to the opening of a Swiss hotel.  I'm curious to see how this one goes.  Have you read books by Ruth Ware?  What did you think?

The Woman In Suite 11

by Ruth Ware

Publication Date: July 8th

In this follow-up to #1 New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware’s multi-million copy mega-hit The Woman in Cabin 10, Lo Blacklock returns to attend the opening of a luxury hotel, only to find herself in a white-knuckled race across Europe.

When the invitation to attend the press opening of a luxury Swiss hotel—owned by reclusive billionaire Marcus Leidmann—arrives, it’s like the answer to a prayer. Three years after the birth of her youngest child, Lo Blacklock is ready to reestablish her journalism career, but post-pandemic travel journalism is a very different landscape from the one she left ten years ago.

The chateau on the shores of Lake Geneva is everything Lo’s ever dreamed of, and she hopes she can snag an interview with Marcus. Unfortunately, he proves to be even more difficult to pin down than his reputation suggests. When Lo gets a late-night call asking her to come to Marcus’s hotel room, she agrees despite her own misgivings. She’s greeted, however, by a woman claiming to be Marcus’s mistress, and in life-or-death jeopardy.

What follows is a thrilling cat-and-mouse pursuit across Europe, forcing Lo to ask herself just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save this woman…and if she can even trust her?

What I've been reading so far this month - January 2025...

Hello book friends!  Hope you have all had a good weekend.  I've been thinking of everyone that has been affected by fires and winter storms and also those continuing to recover from storms in past months (North Carolina and surrounding).  Our area had the small snow event, but areas to the south and west of us had a lot more snow than we did.  I couldn't believe some of the pictures I saw of famous places with snow everywhere (Galveston and New Orleans especially).  Wow! 

I am so ready for spring.  I know that some really enjoy the winter weather and things that go along with that.  However, I'm not really one of them.  I'm always more than ready to get rid of the cedar pollen that continues to blow into our area over and over.  I say this every year.  Cedar, go away (because it hates me)!!  Ha!

OK, now let's talk about what I've been reading so far in January of 2025.  Right now, I'm working on my 8th book and enjoying it.  It's The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths and it's the 7th book in her Ruth Galloway series.  I think I mentioned that I was going to do a reread of that 15-book series.  Almost halfway done.  Yay, me!  I have enjoyed all the ones I've revisited.  The series begins with The Crossing Places, which I had read a couple of times before.  Books 2-6 are ones I hadn't reread at all.  It's been fun to rediscover what I loved about them the first time around.

The Ghost Fields tells of the discovery of a downed WWII plane with a body inside.  Ruth Galloway, a forensic archeologist, determines that the skeleton could not be the pilot and so the task for DI Nelson and his team is to determine who was 'buried' in this way.  I had forgotten how much Elly Griffiths adds to each of these books that educates about myth, legend, and archeological procedures, etc.  Her husband is an archeologist and she has a ready source for all kinds of info for her books.

The other book I've finished this month is How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin.  I mentioned recently that this would be our mystery book group selection for February.  It's a good one and I look forward to talking about it with my group.  I'll try to write a review of it after the discussion (if I remember - ha!).  I'm also going to feature the second book in this series in a 'Waiting on Wednesday' post next week.  Stay tuned!  What have you been reading?    

Waiting on Wednesday - The Library of Lost Dollhouses

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.

This week I am featuring a book by an author that I haven't tried as yet.  However, I have noticed several books by Elise Hooper and she seems to do a good job with historical female characters.  I love the fact that authors are doing research and finding women who contributed to society and were perhaps not recognized much or at all.  Elise Hooper's books have told about a little known Alcott sister, the 1936 women's Olympic team, about Dorothea Lange, a photographer in the 30's and 40's, and American nurses that served in the WWII Pacific.  The title of this book caught my eye with 'library' and 'lost dollhouses'.  What do you think?  Have you read any of Elise Hooper's previous books or does this one appeal to you?  Do tell!  

The Library of Lost Dollhouses

by Elise Hooper

Publication Date:  April 1st

When a young librarian discovers historic dollhouses in a hidden room, she embarks on an unexpected journey that reveals surprising secrets about the lost miniatures.

Tildy Barrows, Head Curator of a beautiful archival library in San Francisco, is meticulously dedicated to the century’s worth of inventory housed in her beloved Beaux Art building. She loves the calm and order in the shelves of books and walls of art. But Tildy’s life takes an unexpected turn when she, first, learns the library is on the verge of bankruptcy and, second, discovers two exquisite never-before-seen dollhouses.

After finding clues hidden within these remarkable miniatures, Tildy sets out to decipher the secret history of the dollhouses, aiming to salvage her cherished library in the process. Her journey introduces her to a world of ambitious and gifted women in Belle Époque Paris, a group of scarred World War I veterans in the English countryside, and Walt Disney’s bustling Burbank studio in the 1950s. As Tildy unravels the mystery, she finds not only inspiring, overlooked history, but also a future for herself—and an astonishing familial revelation.

Spanning the course of a century, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a warm, bright, and captivating story of secrets and love that embraces the importance of illuminating overlooked women.

A little snow in Central Texas...

 

Hello book friends!  Just a quick note and picture to show that we did get a little snow in Central Texas overnight.  I know that it doesn't even compare to what many of you get, but....it didn't have an ice base.  Yay!  Plus, it will be gone by later today or tomorrow.  We don't see much 'white stuff' here.  Other parts of Texas - crazily, closer to the Texas coast, got more I think.  

Hope all of you are doing well.  I'll be back tomorrow with a 'Waiting On Wednesday' post and on Friday (or maybe Monday) with an update of what I've been reading this year so far.  Talk to you soon!

Waiting on Wednesday - Marble Hall Murders

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.

Today's book is the 3rd in Anthony Horowitz's series featuring Susan Ryeland, an editor, and author Atticus Pund.  Both the previous books, Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders have also had TV adaptations released.  I have read both the books, but not watched the TV adaptations.  I tried the first one, but somehow it didn't fit with my 'vision' of the characters.  Not sure if I will try again, but I did really enjoy the books.  Sometimes when books transition to TV, we don't exactly love how that happens.  However, I have heard a bunch of people have loved both the books and TV shows.  Here's what I thought about Magpie Murders.  Have you read or watched either of these?  Ready for #3? 

Marble Hall Murders

by Anthony Horowitz

Publication Date:  May 13th

Editor Susan Ryeland has left her Greek island, her hotel and her Greek boyfriend, Andreas, in search of a new life back in England.

Freelancing for a London publisher, she's given the last job she wants: working on an Atticus Pünd continuation novel called Pünd’s Last Case. Worse still, she knows the new writer. Eliot Crace is the troubled grandson of legendary children’s author Miriam Crace who died twenty years ago. Eliot is convinced she was murdered—by poison.

To her surprise, Susan enjoys reading the manuscript which is set in the South of France and revolves around the mysterious death of Lady Margaret Chalfont, days before she was about to change her will. But when it is revealed that Lady Margaret was also poisoned, alarm bells begin to ring.

The more Susan reads, the clearer it becomes that Eliot has deliberately concealed clues about his grandmother’s death inside the book.

Desperately, Susan tries to prevent Eliot from putting himself in harm’s way—but his behaviour is becoming increasingly erratic. Another murder follows . . . and suddenly Susan finds herself to be the number one suspect.

Once again, the real and the fictional worlds have become dangerously entangled. And if Susan doesn't solve the mystery of Pünd’s Last Case, she could well be its next victim.