Beatrice Steele is supposed to be focused on finding a husband, but is much more interested in nurturing her true crime obsession. When a wealthy eligible bachelor drops dead, Beatrice finds herself, much to her delight, thrust into the role of investigator. I wanted to love this but found the over-the-top sarcasm to be distracting. Thanks to NetGalley & Random House for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Krall, host of a popular true crime podcast is enlisted by the FBI to look for Maddison Logan, an influencer who goes missing after visiting suspected serial killer Terence Bailey in prison. Although the beginning was somewhat intriguing, this one was all over the place. I wondered how it would all tie together and by the middle I just did not care. Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin‘s for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sally Milz is a sketch writer for “The Night Owls” (think SNL) who has sworn off romance until she meets Noah Brewster, the host and musical guest. I loved the behind-the-scenes look at how shows like SNL work and that the story focused on a female comedy writer. The second half dragged a bit, but overall a charming love story.

Nine year old, Avery Wooler goes missing and as the police search for her it becomes obvious that everyone involved is not what they seem. The ending was a bit abrupt, but overall this was terrific. Shari Lapena is a must read author for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Claire and Holly deal with the loss of their mother in different ways; Claire by drinking herself into oblivion and Holly by travelling from England to Martha‘s Vineyard in search of adventure. When Holly disappears, Claire sets out looking for answers. This was a terrific popcorn thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The ninth instalment of the Sherlock Holmes Mystery Series finds Gemma attending a seance. As always, trouble follows wherever Gemma goes and a fellow attendee is murdered. I really enjoyed this locked room mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books Press for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

A group of teenagers connected by a terrible secret. Fast forward 25 years and they are being hunted by twin contract killers. This one had a very different tone from the author‘s prior novels and I would say it is one of his weaker novels. The action packed story kept me engaged, but I found the story to be generally ridiculous. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin‘s Press for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Eleven short stories that perfectly capture how mundane, sad, joyful and downright absurd life can be. This collection is not to be missed. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

A string of women, including Lucy‘s sister, Nicki, have disappeared. The Garda are stumped. Lucy decides to take things into her own hands by turning herself into bait. The twist did not quite work for me, but this was still solid. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A group of strangers heading into the wilderness for a retreat soon find themselves trapped in an abandoned cabin. As they wait for the winter storm to pass; they start disappearing one by one. The tension was unbelievable and the ending is top notch. I could not put this one down. Thanks to NetGalley and @SimonSchuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My only regret is that it took me so long to get to this one. Meg is a con artist and Kat finally has the chance to expose the woman who ruined her life. However, as is the way, not everything is as it appears. Read this.

A group of friends gather every year at a cabin in the Outer Banks to commemorate a tragedy that they all survived. They started as nine and are now down to seven. The story alternates between the past and the present and of course secrets are revealed. Megan Miranda is a must read author for me, but this one falls flat. The past storyline felt like a stretch. Thanks to NetGalley and @SimonSchuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Desperately trying to bust my reading slump.

I can never resist the 3 for $10 bin at Indigo.

Riley Sager is one of those authors who I can always rely on and this was no different. A killer twist.

A popcorn thriller to try to cure my awful reading slump.

For all the true crime junkies out there; this was stellar.

Kelly Medina has been so lonely since her son left for university. She strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young mother who has the exact same name. However, Kelly becomes obsessed with the younger woman and her baby boy and things quickly get out of hand. A solid popcorn thriller with a terrific twist.

Eve is trapped in a loveless marriage, but sees no way of escaping. Out of the blue she receives a letter informing her of a inheritance from a wealthy stranger. In order to find out what it is, Eve must travel to the French Riviera. This was a solid historical mystery.

Following a divorce and retirement, Julia moves to the Cotswolds, where she expects to settle into a quiet routine. Instead she is involved in the discovery of two dead bodies. The local police are at a lost so Julia decides to conduct her own investigation. A cute new cozy mystery series. I liked Julia and loved her mischievous dog, Jake. Thanks to NetGalley and @Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Athena takes a sabbatical to write a book. Her plan is to reveal the identity of the author, who happens to be from her hometown, of a series that turn classic novels into erotica (eg Sins and Sin‘s Ability). While Athena works on her book she takes a job waitressing at a cafe owned by her ex. I really wanted to like this one, but the writing felt awkward and juvenile. Thx to NetGalley & Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The sixth book in a series featuring bookshop owner, Gemma Doyle. Gemma is hired by 10-year old, Lauren to prove that her mother did not kill her garden club rival. This series is like a comfortable sweatshirt.

Marisa and Jake have the perfect relationship and are soon expecting a baby. In order to make ends meet, they take in a lodger, Kate. At first Kate seems like the ideal roommate but soon it is clear she has ulterior motives. This was a fun one with a killer twist. The ending sagged a bit. Thx to NetGalley & @SimonSchuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Judith, a crossword setter is living a quiet life when she stumbles across her neighbour‘s body. Although the police believe it could be suicide, Judith is sure he was murdered and is determined to bring his killer to justice. A cute cozy with a strong tenacious female lead and some great sidekicks. Thx to NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I guess the key to garnering a lot of attention for a somewhat mediocre book is to slap this cover on it.

Hattie, a house flipper, needs a big score after her last project flopped. Things look bleak until she is asked to star in a new home reno show. Hattie learns being a TV star is not all it‘s cracked up to be when a dead body is found on her work site. This beach read with a mystery twist was all kinds of fun. I loved Hattie and found the mystery angle compelling. Thx to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dr. Spears is concerned when several of his patients, from the same remote Alaskan community, die by suicide. They have one thing in common; he prescribed them a new anti-depressant wonder drug. He is after the truth no matter the consequences. A great read not only for the mystery but for the thought provoking portrayal of mental health, isolation and suicide. Thx to NetGalley & @SimonSchuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fiona is getting married and her five best friends are in the wedding party. However, it turns out they all hate the groom and were blackmailed into convincing Fiona to marry Trevor. When Trevor does under mysterious circumstances; it is clear everyone had motive. Great concept, but execution was poor. The writing felt haphazard. Thx to NetGalley & W. W. Norton & Company for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The third book ft. FBI agent Matt Costa and a key member of his team, Kate Quinn. A boat explodes killing 8 people including a retired FBI agent. Costa and his team focus on who was the intended victim in order to track down the killer. The story has Criminal Mind vibes. The focus on the interpersonal lives of the characters was repetitive and boring. Thx to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dollar store book haul; although none of them were actually a dollar.

Amelia and Adam win a weekend at a converted chapel in Scotland. It seems like perfect timing since their marriage has hit a slump. However, when they arrive the vibe is more spooky than romantic. Sure enough creepy things begin to happen and secrets are revealed. This was a fun read with a wicked twist.

Rilke, an auctioneer is given a hot tip, by his friend Jojo, about a family looking to unload their entire estate. The next day Jojo is found dead. The tip turns out to be the real deal, but as Rilke prepares for the auction a number of strange events occur. I never really got into this one. The ending was a complete letdown. Thx to NetGalley & Publishers Group Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another solid read by Simone St. James.

Vi and Eric live with their Gran, a renowned psychiatrist. One day Gran brings home Iris, who does not speak and has no memory of where she came from. Vi makes it her mission to find out more about Iris‘ past and in doing so uncovers some shocking secrets. This was terrific & the twists floored me. Thanks to NetGalley & Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In order to avoid attending his ex-boyfriend‘s wedding, Author Less, a writer, decides to accept multiple invitations for literary events spread across the world. This is an hilarious and brilliant novel. A must read.

Almost seven years ago Rachel‘s husband disappeared without a trace. She is prepared to declare him legally dead when she receives a note from him. I liked the premise, but the execution was poor. The characters were one dimensional and the writing felt stilted and amateurish. Thanks to NetGalley and @Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Plum Lockhart left behind the hustle and bustle of NYC for the Caribbean Island of Paraiso. She heads her own villa brokerage firm and is scrambling to build her portfolio. However, when an heiress turns up dead; Plum is forced to direct her attention to finding the culprit. This is an easy breezy cozy. You will either love or loath Plum. I find her amusing and will continue reading this series.

Sarah moves her family from Vancouver to Toronto to escape Holly, the babysitter she hired to watch her son for the summer. When a series of weird events start occurring; Sarah realizes that she can run but she can‘t hide. The ending to this one is totally bonkers but I was fine with suspending disbelief for the entertainment value. Thx to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fourth book ft. DCI Jansen. Willow is in town for work and to attend her twin‘s wedding when she witnesses a man fall to his death from the St. Albans Cathedral. The next day another man falls from the same spot. The story is told from three POVs and at first it was hard to suss out how they all hung together. It does come nicely together at the end. Thx to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The 9th instalment featuring librarian Lucy Richardson. Lucy and her fiancé have moved into their new home, a historic cottage on the beach. Their home has a dark past which impacts their bright future when they find a body in the kitchen. This is one of my favourite cozy mystery series. Lucy and the eccentric supporting cast are a delight as usual. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Danielle and her boyfriend, Matteo live in a cramped flat in London at the height of the pandemic. Their fortunes seemingly turn when Matteo inherits a property in Italy. Danielle, excited to start a new life, quickly realizes that Matteo is hiding a dark past. Matteo is an awful character. I could not get into the story because I despised him. The ending was flat. Thx to NetGalley & Head of Zeus for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A meandering story about a naive professional art forger who suspects her work is being used for nefarious purposes. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen…

Mandy Hart, a bestselling author, impulsively accepts a job as caretaker of a crumbling mansion in order to escape an abusive boyfriend and to finish her second novel. Shortly after she arrives spooky things to start to happen. The build up is well done, but the ending felt very rushed. Thanks to NetGalley and @Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A couples weekend gone horribly wrong. I have read all of Gilly MacMillan‘s books and I think this is the best one yet.

Following the death of their charismatic but deeply flawed father; three half-siblings grapple with their own demons. I really struggled to get into this story; there are so many characters and it was hard to follow the various storylines. There are some great passages but overall I felt lost. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reverend Jack Brooks and her teenage daughter move to Chapel Croft with hopes of putting the past behind and making a fresh start. Unfortunately, they find a community still haunted by its own dark past. This book has a ton of atmosphere and the build up was terrific. The ending was a tad ridiculous but I was happy to suspend disbelief and go with the flow.

Unfolding over 70 years; this is a story about the North women. I absolutely loved this novel. It is beautifully written. It is heartbreaking, but it succeeds in celebrating the beauty, strength and resilience of black women. This is a must read. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Saturday Value Village haul.

The third book ft. Zo Jones, owner Happy Camper gift shop in Spirit Canyon, South Dakota. Zo‘s friend Maynard purchases a highly coveted rare book about the history of Spirit Canyon. When Zo heads to Maynard‘s place to borrow the book, she finds him dead. The book is gone. I didn‘t love this one; the pacing felt off and I didn‘t like any of the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“She‘d never met a child with beady eyes before. Beadiness arrives after long slow ekes of disappointment, usually in middle age.”