Waiting on Wednesday - Death At A Highland Wedding

 

'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 sharing a book this week that will be the 4th in the 'Rip Through Time' series that's written by prolific author Kelley Armstrong.  I have loved many books by Kelley, especially her Rockton and Haven's Rock series.  I have not, as yet, read any of her 'Rip Through Time' books.  I do own them all though and plan to try them this year.  I have heard so many good things about the series from other book friends.  Definitely looking forward to trying these books that take a homicide detective from the present day back in time where she at first is a housemaid and then is able to share her knowledge of crime solving as the series progresses.  Have you read any of these books?  What did you think?

Death At A Highland Wedding

by Kelley Armstrong

Publication Date: May 20th

Death at a Highland Wedding is the fourth installment in New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's gripping Rip Through Time Novels.

After slipping 150 years into the past, modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson has embraced her new life in Victorian Scotland as housemaid Catriona Mitchel. Although it isn’t what she expected, she's developed real, meaningful relationships with the people around her and has come to love her role as assistant to undertaker Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie.

Mallory, Gray, and McCreadie are on their way to the Scottish Highlands for McCreadie's younger sister's wedding. The McCreadies and the groom’s family, the Cranstons, have a complicated history which has made the weekend quite uncomfortable. But the Cranston estate is beautiful so Gray and Mallory decide to escape the stifling company and set off to explore the castle and surrounding wilderness. They discover that the groom, Archie Cranston, a slightly pompous and prickly man, has set up deadly traps in the woods for the endangered Scottish wildcats, and they soon come across a cat who's been caught and severely injured. Oddly, Mallory notices the cat's injuries don't match up with the intricacies of the trap. These strange irregularities, combined with the secretive and erratic behavior of the groom, put Mallory and Duncan on edge. And then when one of the guests is murdered, they must work fast to uncover the murderer before another life is lost.

New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s unique time travel mystery series continues to entertain as Mallory adjusts to life in the 1870s.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Secret Room

 

'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!

This week's book is the 12th in a crime novel series written by Jane Casey.  It features DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent.  I have loved this series for years.  The first book is The Burning and I read it maybe 10 or 11 years ago or so.  I've tried to keep up with this series as it is published and have even ordered copies from the UK if it wasn't coming out in my area soon enough.  Ha!  I've got a copy of the 11th book, A Stranger in the Family, that I haven't picked up as yet.  Soon, I hope.  Maeve and Josh have had a complicated relationship since the beginning and I suspect that's still the case.  Fast paced, absorbing, usually a whirlwind.  Have you read any books by Jane Casey?  Let me know if you have.  

The Secret Room

by Jane Casey

Publication Date:  April 24th

The latest gripping new thriller featuring DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent from the Top Ten Sunday Times bestselling author.

A closed door.

An impossible murder.

2:32 p.m. Wealthy, privileged Ilaria Cavendish checks into a luxury London hotel and orders a bottle of champagne. Within the hour, her lover discovers her submerged in a bath of scalding water, dead.

At first glance it looks like an accident. No one went in with her. No one came out. But all the signs point to murder.

For DS Maeve Kerrigan, the case is a welcome distraction. But when shock news hits close to home, affecting her partner, DI Josh Derwent, she faces the toughest challenge of her career. And if she fails her world will never be the same again…

March is here...in like a lion...hopefully, out like a lamb...or something like that

 

Hello book people!  Thought I would stop by and say 'hello' and do a bit of an update.  Did you know that March is here?  Of course you did.  It is the 16th after all.  Yes, those are bluebonnets above, but they are not from this year.  Think I took that picture maybe 3 or 4 years ago.  We are told that this spring will have less wildflowers and they will arrive later.  We have been quite short of rain.  Last year was much better.  We have had dust blowing in from West Texas at times.  Sigh.  Not the same at all.  Hoping that we will get a bit more moisture and maybe less blowing.  We shall see.

My reading has been going well and I'll share some about that.  When we last 'spoke' I was on the 10th book of Elly Griffiths' series featuring Ruth Galloway.  That series has 15 books and I did finish #10-15 and enjoyed my reread immensely. I have since turned to a few unread books and had a good time.

I read the latest in J.D. Robb's lengthy Eve Dallas/Roarke series - Bonded In Death.  It is #60, if you can believe it, and I think it will rank among my most favorite of the whole series.  Of course the characters have grown and changed throughout these books.  Roarke and Eve's 'family', which includes their friends, co-workers, Eve's Murder Squad and more have increased a lot.  Both of them are shocked that they have so many friends.  Bonded In Death focuses on Summerset, Roarke's major-domo and surrogate father, and his time during the 'Urban Wars' (which took place during the 2020's).  Several bits of Summerset's life were revealed that even Roarke hadn't known about and the fact that he was part of a secret organization known as 'The Twelve'.  When danger appears, Eve and Roarke can count on a lot more 'family' than they had ever dreamed.  

Next, I caught up on the latest and 3rd book in Kelley Armstrong's Haven's Rock series.  The title is Cold As Hell and it was indeed a cold, cold book.  I enjoyed reading about Haven's Rock, a sanctuary town off the grid in the Yukon, again and seeing what has changed for Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton.  Hint...big changes - Casey is pregnant and not far from having the baby.  Is she still working and involved in investigating?  Of course she is!  I froze my way through this book and marveled how Casey handled all the stress, physical things, and a hovering Dalton.  Casey's tough though.  I enjoyed the book and will definitely look forward to the next one.

After these two books, I decided to reread the book that we will discuss at our April Mystery Book Group meeting.  It's Holmes, Marple, & Poe by James Patterson and Brian Sitts.  I read this book last year and wrote about it here.  I had been a bit surprised with how the 'namesake' characters were portrayed, especially Marple.  Wasn't sure if I would read on if it became a series.  After my reread, I decided I liked it more than I thought and chose to go ahead reading #2, Holmes Is Missing.  Both books are fast paced, short chapters, and the second definitely has lots of surprises.  Will I read on if there is a 3rd?  Yes, I think I will.  

Right now, I am in the middle of Sherry Thomas' latest Lady Sherlock book, A Ruse of Shadows.  I wrote about an author event featuring Sherry Thomas that I attended last month here.  I got a signed copy of the book and I am happily making my way through it.  Enjoying it very much!  What will come next?  Not sure, but I do need to read The Women by Kristin Hannah for another book group next month.  And I also want to try Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon and about a jillion more.  

Hope all have a good week!  I know many have been stressed, upset, etc.  Deep breaths.  We are 'book' friends and we will remain 'book' friends.  Take care.                 

Waiting on Wednesday - The World's Fair Quilt

 

'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!

The book I'm excited about this week is set in Pennsylvania and features The Elm Creek Quilters.  It's the 23rd book in this series and is written by Jennifer Chiaverini, a very talented historical fiction writer.  The first Elm Creek Quilter book was The Quilter's Apprentice, which I first read in 2004.  I've read it more than once since that time.  And I've picked up and enjoyed another 16 books in the series.  I have liked the way that this author made some of these books 'present day' stories and some are set in past decades.  There is now a '25th' anniversary edition of The Quilter's Apprentice.  Jennifer Chiaverini has also written standalone fiction books, all historical, and also non-fiction quilt books with patterns.  As I said, this author is very talented.  Have you read any of these books?  Do you like quilts or quilting?  I'm not gifted in creating quilts, but both my grandmothers were.      

The World's Fair Quilt

by Jennifer Chiaverini

Publication Date:  April 1st

A timely celebration of quilting, family, community, and history in this latest novel in the perennially popular Elm Creek Quilts series from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini.

As fall paints the Pennsylvania countryside in flaming colors, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson is contemplating the future of her beloved Elm Creek Quilts. The Elm Creek Quilt Camp remains the most popular quilter’s retreat in the country, but unexpected financial difficulties have beset them and the Bergstrom family’s stately nineteenth-century manor. Now in her eighth decade, Sylvia is determined to maintain her family’s legacy, but she needs new resources—financial and emotional.

Summer Sullivan—a founding Elm Creek Quilter—arrives to discuss an antique quilt that she wants to display at the Waterford Historical Society’s quilt exhibit. When Sylvia and her sister Claudia were teenagers, they had entered a quilt in the Sears National Quilt Contest for the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition, also known as the Chicago World’s Fair. The Bergstrom sisters’ quilt would be perfect for the Historical Society’s exhibit, Summer explains.

Sylvia is reluctant to lend out the quilt, which has been stored in the attic for decades, nearly forgotten. In keeping with the contest’s “Century of Progress” theme, the girls illustrated progress of values—scenes of the Emancipation Proclamation, woman’s suffrage, and labor unions. But although it won ribbons, the quilt also drove a wedge between the sisters.

As Sylvia reluctantly retraces her quilt’s story for Summer, she makes an unexpected discovery—one that restores some of her faith in this unique work of art, and helps shine some light on a way forward for the Elm Creek Quilts community.

Waiting on Wednesday - Shadow Of The Solstice

 

'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!

This week's book is by an author that I have enjoyed for many years.  I also loved the books written by her father, Tony Hillerman, that contained many of the same characters.  I think a lot of readers are aware of Tony Hillerman and his mystery series, set in the Four Corners region of the US, featuring Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.  After Tony's death, his daughter, Anne, continued writing the series and also brought to a more prominent role Officer Bernadette Manuelito.  I'm fairly certain this is the 10th book with these characters written by Anne.  Also, as you can see from the cover of the book, the TV series Dark Winds is also based on the Leaphorn/Chee/Manuelito characters.  I think that Season 3 will be coming very soon.  Have you read any of Tony or Anne Hillerman's books or seen Dark Winds?  We've watched Dark Winds and will be looking forward to trying season 3.  This week's book:  

Shadow Of The Solstice

by Anne Hillerman

Publication Date:  April 22nd

In this gripping chapter in New York Times bestselling author Anne Hillerman’s Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series, the detectives must sort out a save-the-planet meditation group connected to a mysterious death and a nefarious scheme targeting vulnerable indigenous people living with addiction.

The Navajo Nation police are on high alert when a U.S. Cabinet Secretary schedules an unprecedented trip to the little Navajo town of Shiprock, New Mexico. The visit coincides with a plan to resume uranium mining along the Navajo Nation border. Tensions around the official’s arrival escalate when the body of a stranger is found in an area restricted for the disposal of radioactive uranium waste. Is it coincidence that a cult with a propensity for violence arrives at a private camp group outside Shiprock the same week to celebrate the summer solstice? When the outsiders’ erratic behavior makes their Navajo hosts uneasy, Officer Bernadette Manuelito is assigned to monitor the situation. She finds a young boy at grave risk, abused women, and other shocking discoveries that plunge her and Lt. Jim Chee into a volatile and deadly situation.

Meanwhile, Darleen Manuelito, Bernie’s high spirited younger sister, learns one of her home health clients is gone–and the woman’s daughter doesn’t seem to care. Darleen’s curiosity and sense of duty combine to lead her to discover that the client’s grandson is also missing and that the two have become ensnared in a wickedly complex scheme exploiting indigenous people. Darleen’s information meshes with a case Chee has begun to solve that deals with the evil underside of human nature.